You’ve probably had those crazy moments in the middle of watching a movie.  The scene is tense – filled with drama and danger.  The characters are at risk. The dark music draws you in.  The apprehension builds.  Your palms are sweating and your pulse is elevated as you grip the armrests of your theater seat.  The moment rivets your mind, body, and soul.  Suddenly the scene ends, often with the main characters surviving the immediate risk.  The story ensues and you calm down, realizing...it’s just a movie.

The Movie is Not Over

Of course, life is not a movie – but it is filled with scenes that feel very traumatic and threatening at the moment.  As a pastor for almost 30 years, I’ve sat, shared, and prayed with many people caught in the middle of a situation of heartbreak, trauma, loss, or fear.  I’ve had my share of those scenes in my own story along the way.

The truth that brings great comfort in times like these is the reminder that the movie is not over yet.  As bad as the present scene feels, it will pass and the story will unfold under the hand of our gracious and loving God.  I am also reminded that even when we do not understand the movie, we know the "Movie Maker" – and He is good.

Feeling Forsaken but Clinging to His Faithfulness

In a recent early Sunday morning prayer time, our group prayed from Psalm 22.  This well-known Messianic Psalm reflects Jesus’ agony on the cross – in many ways the most painful, cruel, unjust “scene” in history.  The Psalm begins, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent” (Psalm 22:1 & 2).  This reflects the real emotions of the Psalmist (and of the Savior in a prophetic sense) at that dreadful moment.

Yet, the next verses focus, not on the feeling of the present scene, but on the character of the Movie Maker: “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.  Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. They cried to You, and were delivered.”

The rest of Psalm 22 goes back and forth between the pain of the immediate scene and the greater reality of the character and promises of the Movie Maker.  The last section of the Psalm is filled with praise, in spite of the excruciating pain of the moment.  If you have a minute, read Psalm 22:22-31 and rejoice in the character of your Movie Maker.  For example, we read, “You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, and fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard. My praise shall be of You in the great assembly” (Psalm 22:23-25).

Our Moments – His Movie

The New Testament also offers encouragement for those caught in a painful and confusing moment.   Allow me to paraphrase some familiar verses for your encouragement.

When you fall into various trials, you can consider it all joy – knowing that your sovereign and caring Movie Maker is allowing this test in order to produce endurance.  In the midst of your difficult scene, cry out in faith for His wisdom to persevere, and He will give it generously (James 1:2-6).

When you face spiritual failure and confusion, hold to the truth that the Movie Maker is faithful.  He has called you into fellowship with Himself through Jesus, and will keep you strong until the end of the movie and present you blameless in His presence when it is over (I Corinthians 1:8-9).

When you are tempted, overwhelmed, and despondent, cling to the faithfulness of the Movie Maker, who will give you strength to bear up under the burden and bring you out of it by His enabling grace (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When you waver and lose your confidence, the Movie Maker will give you endurance to do His will and will reward you according to His faithful promises (Hebrews 10:35-36).

Embracing the Greater Reality

Today, you may be in the midst of a horrible scene in connection with your health, your job, your finances, your marriage, your family, or even your internal thoughts and emotions.  The scene is real.  The struggle is genuine.  Yet, the greater reality is that the movie is not over yet.  Above the storyline of your journey is a divine Movie Maker, and He can be trusted.

Copyright © 2010 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.

So often I hear someone pray that God would work things out for “our good and His glory.”  It is a sincere and solid prayer.  The problem comes when God’s glory does not align with “our good” (according to our definition of good).  When life unfolds in a way that feels more like our “bad” and God’s glory, a real struggle of faith can occur.

Perhaps it is easier to glorify God when His blessings make us feel good.  When we are enjoying a stable job, a comfortable house, healthy children, regular vacations, and the evening news on our big-screen TV – it is easy to count our blessings and give Jesus praise.  (Although we also know that prosperity can cause people to neglect God as their source and sustainer.)

The famed Westminster Catechism declared that the chief end of man is “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.”  This chief end is something we can and must embrace in the good and the bad times.  In spite of the pain of personal loss, the devastation of the death of a loved one, or the disappointment of shattered dreams – I can still receive grace to glorify God and enjoy Him in the seemingly “bad” moments of life.

Jesus’ Passion for the Father’s Glory

I am inspired by the Lord Jesus’ words as He approached the agony of the cross.  His description of this necessary agony was framed with these words: “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately” (John 13:31 & 32). In the record of His extended and intimate prayer to the Father, days before His crucifixion, He prayed, “Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You...I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (vv. 1, 4, 5).  The cross was not going to feel pleasant or appear “good” but Jesus knew it was an essential chapter for the ultimate outcome of God’s glory.

Paul Magnifies Christ

Paul understood that in good or bad outcomes, God’s glory was the paramount concern.  He wrote, “...according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20-21).

Peter’s “Glorious” Final Years

Finally, I think of the illustration found in John 21:18-19.  The resurrected Jesus had appeared to His disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus interrogated Peter about his love for the Savior, with the thrice repeated command, “Feed my sheep.”  Then He makes this fascinating statement: “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish" (v. 18).  The writer John comments, “This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God” (v. 19).

Think about this exchange.  Jesus describes a very undesirable death as part of Peter’s destiny as an obedient disciple.  If we could rate our old age or death scenarios, what Jesus described here is “bad.”  Yet, John says it is a death that will glorify God.

As many of us would have done, Peter apparently struggled with this revelation.  He wanted to know why John (standing nearby) was not going to have the same fate.  Jesus offered the frank command to Peter, for the second time in this conversation: “Follow Me.” Of course, Jesus had just endured the worst possible death, so His example and authority in laying down this command was unquestioned.  Jesus also knew the power of resurrection – which Peter also was promised – on the other side of His death.

In fact, Peter would later write these encouraging words, while still anticipating his own difficult golden years and eventual death (which according to tradition was an upside-down crucifixion): “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.  To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 5:10-11). Peter’s deep assurance in the Lord’s promise to get us through our “bad" times is remarkable.  More remarkable is his strong reminder that we are called to His glory and that it all will culminate in His glory.

Follow Christ – to Glory

The lesson is clear concerning our obligation: to follow Christ, for His glory – through the good and the bad.  We know that ultimately it is all good, because it culminates in glory. 

Regardless of what you have endured or the difficulties you must embrace, His grace is sufficient in the midst of the journey.  His reward is sure and unimaginable at the end of the journey.  This does not always make the pathway easy, but it does make it worth it.

We all live in a variety of worlds at the same time.  Some of those worlds include our private world, our marriage world, our family world, our friendship world, and our work world.  We also live in the worlds of our local community, our state, our nation, and our globe.  The image of concentric circles, with our personal world at the center and the global world on the outside ring, captures this idea.

A life of integrity embraces the importance of all of these worlds.  A life of impact acts willingly and wisely to manage and minister in each world as the Lord leads.

However, we can tend to build walls between these worlds.  It may be a wall between our private world and our marriage world, excluding our spouse from our real thoughts and feelings.  It might be a wall between our work world and our local community, causing us to become a “taker” rather than a “giver”.  We collect our paycheck and go home with no real sense of civic contribution.  It might even be a wall between our national world and our global world, leaving us will little interest or investment in the work of the Gospel in other nations.  In reality, a wall can be built between any one of these worlds and the next one.

What Walls?

As I have considered this, these walls of separation have two sides.  From the center looking out, they carry the label “indifference”.  From the outside looking in, they bear the word “isolation”.  Indifference can keep us from a broad and growing awareness and contribution to the realms beyond our present experience and comfort.  Isolation can keep our hearts from being open and influenced by the needs of others in the next world of experience and opportunity.

Each world is vital.  In fact, the closer we are to the center of this series of concentric circles, we must give attention and care to the spiritual, emotional, and relational well-being of our situation.  Of course, our Christian concern must also take us to the “ends of the earth” with the Gospel message.  In all of this, we must always monitor the walls that can rise up between our worlds.

Walls create compartmentalization.  When the walls are gone, we experience integrity – a life where our worlds are integrated and the continuity of care leads to concern and contribution.  This should be the goal of every believer.

Our National World

I suppose I have a unique concern for our national situation.  I could write for hours about the declining condition of our country and the impact this is having on our homes, families, and future.  You see the symptoms every day in the news.

In the United States (or Canada, or virtually any other nation), millions of people care about certain national issues.  We invest countless hours every week learning more about national news and the national economy.  Americans spend billions of dollars every year following national sports and investing in national politics.  Yet, very few really invest their time, money, or prayers for the sake of national revival – which, in reality, is the single greatest need in our nation. 

This concern catapulted me in recent years from the security of my role as a mega-church pastor to this faith adventure of a support-based ministry that addresses the issue of spiritual revival in our nation.

The fact that you have read this e-devotion means that you must feel some similar stirring about the vital work of sparking a true spiritual revival among believers, in the hearts of leaders, and in churches across our nation.  Your concern truly matters and I am grateful for your investment in the spiritual destiny of our troubled nation.   Thank you for your integrity and impact.

Your Worlds?

What “world” is of concern to you today? Take time to consider the personal, marriage, family, friendship, work, community, state, national, and global situations in which you live.  Ask the Lord to speak to you about those needs.  Trust Him for the spiritual strength to act in concern.  Monitor the walls of indifference and isolation that can undermine integrity.  Together, by His grace, we can serve as salt and light for the sake of Christ’s Gospel.  

Last week I had lunch with my friend Woody.  He is a seasoned, unassuming pastor whom God has used to lead an incredible church in the community where I live.  While I do not attend his church, I have numerous friends and relatives who enjoy the passionate worship, solid messages, and array of practical applications.

A Pastoral Turning Point

Woody’s journey is an inspiring example of how God changes the heart of a leader, radically reshapes his ministry approach, and shows Himself strong through a praying church.  I have heard Woody tell the story on numerous occasions that for many years he made his strategic plans for ministry, hoping God would bless and join the leaders in what they were trying to accomplish.  (By the way, this is the predominant approach to church leadership today).  He describes it as “trying to breathe life” into all the programs he came up with.  Woody and his team would attend national conferences to see how everyone else was doing ministry, then try to duplicate those “success stories.”  Soon, it seemed he was trying to “wear someone else's ministry clothes.”  A year later, he would return to the same national conference only to discover that the “model church” had already discarded the approach Woody’s team was trying to imitate.

A few years ago, God spoke to Woody in his industrious, clever, but weary state of being.  The Sovereign Christ challenged Woody to resign as “God” and let God be God.  Woody responded by concluding that from that time on, he and his leaders would seek the Lord first (and as long as necessary) until they had clarity about where God wanted the church to go.  As he describes it, “We had been trying to make Acts 2 happen, but suddenly realized Acts 1 came before Acts 2.”  This turning point was the beginning of a genuine culture of prayer that is now the essential DNA of Blue Ridge Community Church.

Supernatural Blessing from Seeking Hearts

I have enjoyed the privilege of praying with Woody and his leaders.  When they pray, they get on their faces and stay there until God is finished with the prayer time.  Three times a day, the staff leads the church in prayer times at the church.  Before making any major ministry decisions, they spend significant amounts of prayer together to find the mind of Christ, not just drum up their own ideas.  Before they begin any new initiative God leads them to launch, they sponsor 168 hours of continuous church-wide prayer.  Every month they have multiple church-wide prayer services.

Since this profound transformation of their leadership approach, God has blessed Blue Ridge beyond Woody’s imagination.  The large campus is overcrowded to the point that they are now praying about what Jesus wants next.  Satellite campuses? Additional buildings? New churches? They really do not have an agenda about the next step; they just want the will of God.  I believe they will find it on their knees, as is their pattern.  The Lord will launch a powerful new chapter of blessing for the sake of people who do not know Jesus in the region, for God’s glory.

Five Keys to a Prayer Culture

Woody’s journey and the fresh reality he is enjoying in his church illustrates some key principles I have embraced about a prayer culture in a church.  Here is a quick review of those ideas:

1. A prayer culture is not a prayer program – Many leaders want a quick fix and decide to start some new prayer events.  Often these activities simply attract the same praying minority of the church but do not infect the rest of the church culture.  There may be pockets of prayer energy, but not a prayer culture.

2. A prayer culture always emanates from the epicenter of church leadership – Pastors cannot point the way to a prayer culture, they must lead the way by example – praying with their fellow leaders and the congregation.  The prayer level of the church never grows beyond the personal example and passion of the senior leaders.  These leaders are always characterized by substantive time spent praying together.  This pattern sets the culture of every department, ministry, and gathering in the church.

3. A prayer culture is fuelled by experience, not explanation – One pastor friend preached on prayer every Sunday for a year.  Later, he confessed that all of these sermons did not ignite a culture of prayer.  In fact, this abundance of information without corollary practice probably broadened the gap between knowledge and true obedience.  Prayer is more caught than taught.  The life-changing prayer virus spreads as leaders and people spend more time together in prayer, not by talking about the idea of prayer.

4. A prayer culture is sustained by the right motive – As I have taught extensively in the Fresh Encounters seminar (available from Strategic Renewal on CD or DVD for small groups) our motives cannot be approval, church growth, or even revival.  Ultimately, the only enduring motive for prayer is that God is worthy to be sought.  As we seek His face, not just His hand, we experience the power of Scripture-fed, Spirit-led, worship-based prayer that continues to fuel the hearts of a growing army of prayer-energized saints.

5. A prayer culture is ultimately the secret to supernatural mission achievement – Prayer is not the only thing we do, just the first thing we do – leading to the ultimate thing we do, which is making disciples of Jesus Christ for His glory.  Real prayer brings us close to the heart of God and transforms us to become world-transformers through the demonstrated and declared gospel message.

What Could Happen?

I am praying for the day when Woody’s journey becomes the norm for the vast majority of pastors in our nation.  This passion drove me to do what I am doing through Strategic Renewal.  As I travel and equip leaders in regional and national pastors’ conferences, so many are indicating a holy dissatisfaction with anything less than a prayer-energized ministry.  As I speak in prayer conferences and churches, I see a growing passion for Jesus’ ideal of the church as a house of prayer.  Change is occurring.  A real desperation is arising in hearts, leading to a deep resolve to discover direction, power, and impact at the Throne of Grace.  Together we can do our small part – and look forward to what Christ will do in fulfilling His BIG part in reviving the church and transforming our sinful society by the power of His truth.

Copyright © 2010 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.

 

Today we are focusing on “40 Reasons Why Every Leader Should Avoid Adultery”.  We hope these reminders will be a challenge to you.  Did you also know that we have an excellent resource that teaches on 40 positive reasons to avoid pornography? This book, Think Before You Look, has been featured in Promise Keepers’ national devotional and is a valuable tool for every man.  Ladies, buy copies for every man in your family.  (Click here for more information.)  In addition, a free downloadable screensaver is available, which scrolls the 40 reasons across your computer screen as a powerful encouragement for purity and integrity.  To get your copy, CLICK HERE.

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Recently, I was asked by Moody Radio Network for an interview to discuss a high-profile pastor who was caught in scandalous sin a few years ago.  He has now announced that he is going to re-enter pastoral ministry, creating quite a stir.  As I conducted this interview, I was reminded again of several things: 

1. The enemy delights in the downfall of Christian leaders and works 24/7 in his temptations and snares to bring disrepute to Christ and His people by targeting pastors and other leaders.

2. The heartache and fallout from the moral failure of a Christian leader is deep and broad, sometimes lasting for decades, or even a lifetime.

3. The best way to avoid all this shame and heartache is before it happens.  Pure prevention is the best policy. 

Considering these things, I wanted to feature a resource in this week’s e-devotion that I wrote a number of years ago.  After seeing the devastation of a moral failure, as I followed a predecessor who committed adultery, I was motivated to think of as many reasons as possible as to why we should avoid that path.  I hope it will be a good reminder for us all.  Feel free to pass it on to others.  

If you would like to hear the podcast of the interview with Moody Radio, go to: http://podcasts.moodyradio.org/ChrisFabryLive/2010-06-03_Chris_Fabry_Live__hour_02.mp3

Or you can listen to Hour 2 from the June 3 “Chris Fabry Live”  program at http://www.moodyradio.org/brd_programarchive.aspx?id=46489   

“40 Reasons Why I Do Not Want To Commit Adultery”

by Dr. Daniel D. Henderson

1. I would violate my relationship with my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, who has loved, cared, and died for me. This action would disregard the selfless and cruel death He suffered in order to give me power over this sin.

2. I would bring public shame and unnecessary disrepute to His most holy and precious name, which I have been privileged to represent.

3. I would have to someday face my gracious Savior, eye to eye at His judgment seat, giving an account for willfully squandering His abundant provision of purifying grace.  At that moment of eternal consequences I would inevitably witness the results of my own disregard for the rewards of faithfulness and obedience He so desired to give to me.

4. I would choose to submit myself to a destructive process of self-deception and the dulling of my conscience, causing a lack of confidence in my future ability to walk in obedience and faith.

5. I would inflict unimaginable pain on my wife — my best friend, and my faithful and sacrificial partner in ministry and life — and would have to stare into her tear-filled eyes to explain this conscious violation of my vows and describe the stupidity of my behavior.

6. I would permanently damage my wife’s ability to trust me or believe my word.  I would lose her respect in the future, giving her constant cause for suspicion and question.

7. If my pattern of deception were to continue, or if she were unable to forgive me, I would lose her as my wife and would be left to face ongoing regret, loneliness, and pain.

8. In this case, I would permanently ruin my wife’s future fulfillment, causing her to face the remainder of her life feeling the struggle of rejection and dealing with the complications of single parenting or remarriage.

9. I would violate the love and trust of my precious children.  In essence, I would be telling them, “Your mother is not a worthy person. Your father is a liar and a cheat. Honor is not as important as pleasure. My own selfish satisfaction is more important than loving my children.”

10. By destroying my own example and credibility with my children, I would lose future opportunities to influence them toward loving obedience and holiness and would plant within them a potential long-term resentment and bitterness toward the Lord and the ministry.

11. I would bring continual shame to my children every time they had to explain why their father was no longer in ministry — or why he was no longer together with their mother.

12. I would create destructive and continually tempting mental memories that would cultivate unhealthy lust and negatively affect future intimacy with my wife.

13. I would squander all of the money, time, effort, and pain that have gone into my preparation for and development in the pastoral ministry.

14. I would seriously disappoint those godly leaders who have faithfully invested themselves in me (e.g. professors, pastors, mentors, and relatives).

15. I would bring shame to the college and seminary from which I graduated, tarnishing their reputation and squandering their investment in my theological education and character development.

16. I would deeply wound and embarrass my parents, whose loving instruction, sacrificial investment, and current delight in the positive course of my life would be horribly violated.

17. I would significantly damage the solid ministry foundation and tarnish the wholesome legacy of my faithful predecessors of my current ministry.

18. I would bring long-term disrepute to the positive reputation of my church in the community, hindering future ministry to people in this area.

19. I would undermine the credibility and effort of other Christian ministries and leaders in my city, adding to the climate of mistrust that continues to expand with each story of moral failure.

20. I would violate the precious trusting relationship with my leadership board, causing difficulty for them into the future as they seek to lead the congregation and causing a potential spirit of mistrust on their part toward future senior pastors at this church.

21. I would destroy my credibility and relationship with staff members who have faithfully supported me and responded to my leadership.  A revelation of duplicity at this level would wound them deeply and would hinder even their own leadership among the flock.

22. I would bring underserved difficulty and pain to my ministry successor and his family, as they would be forced to reap what I have sown in their attempt to salvage the church and clean up the mess I would have made.

23. I would deeply wound all those who have been saved, discipled, equipped, counseled, and prayed for under my ministry, causing disappointment and disillusionment for some.

24. I would create possible disillusionment in the hearts of young men preparing for ministry as they wonder about the credibility of my leadership and the viability of authentic pastoral ministry.

25. If this should become newsworthy on a statewide or national scale, I would exacerbate the growing climate of mistrust toward Christianity at an even broader level.

26. I would squander my witness to various unsaved friends, acquaintances, and neighbors to whom I have witnessed over the years, perhaps driving them farther away from accepting Christ.

27. I would be thoughtlessly and carelessly throwing away the impact of the prayers of thousands of people who over the years have wholeheartedly supported me on their knees.

28. I would be heaping significant guilt and pain on the other woman, for the rest of her life.

29. I would potentially contribute to the dismantling of her marriage, family, and network of trusting friends.

30. I would run the risk of the complications of a pregnancy resulting from the extramarital sexual activity.

31. I would run the risk of physical consequences in the form of sexually transmitted diseases.

32. I would suffer the consequences of losing a job and creating serious practical strain on my family financially and socially.

33. I would experience the trauma of a career change, having violated the qualifications for pastoral office.

34. I would join the ranks of those whom I have previously despised and whose actions have deeply grieved me because of their violation of calling and trust through moral scandal.

35. I would live with personal life-long embarrassment and shame, as I would encounter regular reminders of my foolish and destructive choices.

36. I would be required to invest a significant amount of time and money in the process of recovery, as many hours of counseling and years of rebuilding would be required.

37. I would take myself out of the running for multiplied opportunities in the future that could have come my way, had I remained faithful.

38. I would run the risk of being permanently “shelved” in my usefulness to God and His kingdom, knowing that the overwhelming shame and personal regret could cause me to completely give up my service for Christ.

39. I would cause a countless number of people to doubt the validity of the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit, and the power of Christ as they might ask, “If it didn’t work for him, can it really work for me?”

40. I would bring delight to Satan and his demons as these enemies of my soul and opponents of Christ would exult in their victory over one of God’s called servants.

“Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.”

Psalm 62:8

I used to say that we live in uncertain times.  While I still believe this is true, I am starting to conclude that we all live uncertain lives.  While God’s truth and our eternal destiny in Christ are certain, many other factors in our life are a bit unpredictable and unclear at times.  It is the nature of the journey.

I suppose today as you read this you face some measure of uncertainty.  You may face major questions about your health, your job, your finances, your children, your grandchildren, your church, or someone in your circle of friends.   Clearly, we cannot avoid uncertainty in this life, but we can respond to it in a Christ-honoring way.

The Search for Clarity

Recently I read a profound interchange documented in a book by the renowned ethicist John Kavanaugh.  He tells of a time in his life when he went to Calcutta to work for three months at ”the house of the dying”.  This experience was part of his heartfelt search for direction about his future.  The first morning there, he met Mother Teresa.  She asked, “And what can I do for you?’  Kavanaugh asked her to pray for him.

“What do you want me to pray for?” she asked.  He responded by explaining that he had come thousands of miles from the U.S. to find direction: “Pray that I have clarity.”

She said firmly, “No, I will not do that.”  When asked why, she said, “Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.”  Kavanaugh commented that she always seemed to have the clarity he longed for.  She laughed and said, “I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust.  So I will pray that you trust God.”

Clarity vs. Trust

There is something in all of us that always wants clarity.  It is part of our sinful ego and a common expression of our insecurities.  Clarity can become an idol that replaces real trust in God.  In many ways, we would rather understand the details of the road ahead than to become more intimate with the character of God within and above our lives.  Clarity can actually become spiritually counterproductive as it shortchanges trust, a life of faith, and moment-by-moment dependence on God.

In the great “faith” chapter (Hebrews 11) we are reminded that trust is strongest when clarity is dim or non-existent.  Noah built an ark while waiting for 120 years for an unprecedented rainfall.  Sarah was told to trust God for a child in her old age with no clarity as to how such a thing could happen.  Abraham went out, “not knowing where he was going”, and later planned to sacrifice his own son with no clarity as to why or what might occur.  The stories are extensive.  The truth is unmistakable.  Faith flourishes when we are trusting God more than our need for clarity.

We often want to “chart the course”, but the Bible tells us to walk in the Spirit.  We insist on a strategic plan.  Jesus says, “Follow me.”  We want all the answers.  The Lord tells us to trust Him, because of what we know to be true about His character.

A few years ago, I discovered a song by a young Christian musician named Jadon Lavik.  The lyrics are right on:  

“I look around, and what can I do?  This place is unfamiliar and new.  So I try to look beyond what’s right in front of me.  Is hope to be found? How can this be true?  Comfort came and left in such a hurry – so that once on the other side of this tragedy - - -

You wake up to find that you’re right where you’re supposed to be – trapped in uncertainty.  Each day’s a mystery.  You wake up to find that you’re right where you’re supposed to be. The past is unveiled and you see you’re right where you’re meant to be.”

Faith to Seek and Please God

Friend, as you go through uncertain days – realize the gift you’ve been given.  Faith, not certainty, is the single most important ingredient to a life pleasing to God (Heb.11:6).

Do you feel you are in a fog today? Have you been there far too long? Does the present moment feel shaky while the future is unclear? Remember, He is God and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek HIM (usually without clarity).  Looking behind, we are familiar with His faithfulness and goodness, even when we did not perceive it at the time.  He has not changed.  You can trust Him now, even though His way seems ambiguous.

My heart is often helped by the words of the Christian song that tells me that when I can’t trace His hand, I can trust His heart.  I pray our hearts will likewise search less for clarity and more for the character of God in the unpredictable seasons of our journey.

Copyright © 2010 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.

(NOTE: This e-devotion is a revision of one of our originals found in the book Keeping Perspective – Truths that Shape a Life of Influence.  You can order your copy today for just $5.00 by clicking here.)

A few days ago, I fulfilled a lifetime dream: visiting the catacombs just outside the city of Rome.  In response to the long-standing invitation of my friend Gaetano Sottile (Italy for Christ) and the gracious support of numerous churches and individuals, we were in Italy to conduct a pastors’ conference, three regional prayer gatherings, and weekend church services.  In this nation where only 1% of the population claims to be evangelical Christian, the need is great and the opportunities to serve through leadership training and prayer mobilization are many. 

Understanding the Catacombs

Most people recognize the catacombs as a system of underground tunnels where early Christians buried their dead.  From the first to the fifth centuries, 150,000 believers were laid to rest in this intricate 325-mile system of various tomb-lined tunnels, up to five stories deep.  There are about 40 different catacomb locations outside Rome, as it was illegal to bury the dead inside the city walls. 

Land was expensive around Rome and many Christians were poor. They could not afford regular graves.  The soft tufa (volcanic ash) provided a perfect solution, as it was very soft to dig but hardened upon contact with the air.

Strange as it sounds, our tour of the catacombs was a worship experience that moved me through the powerful imagery of the faith and sacrifice of these early Christians.  A few key lessons gripped me as we walked through the dark, damp tunnels that echoed the lessons of the unpretentious lifestyle of the early church.

Genuine Hope, Simple Joy

In contrast to the Romans, Christians did not cremate.  They believed in the imminent return of Christ, and did not want to destroy the body in light of that hope.  Dead bodies were simply wrapped in a burial cloth (following the example of Jesus) and laid in one of the small lateral outcroppings.  The opening was then sealed.  Some larger outcroppings once contained the bodies of families.

Contrary to fable, the Christians did not go into the catacombs to escape persecution.  Rather, this was the place they would gather for The Lord’s Supper, to worship, and to inter those who had “fallen asleep.” The actual Latin name of the catacombs reflected the idea of a dormitory, a place to sleep.

To the modern mind, it may seem morbid to gather, worship, and celebrate Communion in dark underground tunnels where the bodies of dead Christians were hidden away.  Yet, for them, this was a declaration of their hope in another life.  Our tour guide was emphatic in describing the joy that permeated their gatherings as they set their hearts on the approaching reality of heaven and eternal reward.

It seems that their poverty and simplicity anchored their hearts firmly in the values of eternity – even while gathering in underground rooms with small oil-burning lamps.    For us it may be that complexity, materialism, entertainment, and superficial ambition can undermine the reality of a living hope and simple joy in Christ.

The Value of Community

The story of the catacombs is largely about a love for community.  Persecution was very real in their day.  While they also gathered in fields and homes to worship, the catacombs provided the most undisturbed and intimate place to remember the Lord’s death and the hope of eternal life.  To connect in spiritually intimate ways was a lifeline to these believers.  To be buried in close proximity to one another as they waited expectantly for the return of Christ was a core value of their faith.  Today, we tend to be decidedly individualistic and isolated in our spiritual journeys.  This independence robs us of vital spiritual encouragement, health, and power as we seek to affect a culture for the Gospel.

The Power of Sacrifice

Persecution ended in 313 A.D. when Constantine declared Christianity the official religion, but for another 100 years, believers made the catacombs the burial location of choice.  For them, it was important to identify with the sacrifice of those who had gone before them.  It was a high honor to be laid to rest in close proximity to those spiritual heroes who paid a price, in some cases the ultimate price, for their faith.

This idea moved me.  Ours is a culture where stories of sacrifice are soon buried under an avalanche of high-tech information that dominates our lives.  We scramble to identify with the rich, the beautiful, the clever, and the famous.  I found my heart praying for a renewal of a theology of sacrifice, expressed in tangible ways and a natural expression of our Christ-honoring faith.  

Priorities of Prayer and the Word

The early believers connected with one another and shared their stories through symbols left on the walls of the catacombs.  Whether it was an engraved fish, dove, or cross, these were badges of glory.  Their life in the catacombs was also captured through frescoes of beautiful color and imagery.  The oldest and best preserved was a scene of Christians involved in prayer and teaching.  As the guide explained, this was the essence of their faith.

I thought of Acts 6:4 where the early leaders declared, “We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word.” I suspect that the beauty and power of the testimonies from the catacombs came from this compelling focus.  The sufficiency and strength for sacrifice and spiritual joy came from pure, passionate, truth-infused intimacy. 

A Study in Contrasts    

From the catacombs, our tour group went immediately to the Basilica of St. John, the cathedral of the Church of Rome and the oldest in Italy.  It claims the title of ecumenical mother church among Catholics and was the first one built under Constantine, in the 4^th Century.  The beauty and magnitude were astounding as we walked among multiplied millions of dollars of opulent art, massive sculptures, and impressive architecture.  While I am sure that many sincere Catholics find meaning in all of the history, formality, and abundance of this place, I had the clear sense that we had just gone from movement to monument; from the sacrifice and spiritual simplicity of these early world-changers to the structure and affluence of a highly refined religious system.

Walking among the mammoth ceilings and gold-plated paintings of this basilica, my heart longed for the cool, damp worship of the catacombs.  In capturing this contrast, I realized how easily we turn the force of our faith into formalities and fortresses of religion.  I ended the day praying that the Lord would give me a fresh, living hope in His soon return, a yearning for a simpler joy, a longing to gather with others who love my Lord, and a compelling desire to value and embrace a greater sacrifice for Christ and His cross.  

Best-selling business writer Jim Collins has spent his career analyzing the secrets behind successful companies in his blockbuster books Good to Great and Built to Last.  His most recent book, How the Mighty Fall, documents the reality that institutions, no matter how great, are vulnerable to decline.  If they do not recognize their susceptibility and counterproductive behaviors, they can fall, regardless of previous accomplishments.

The same calamity can happen with individuals – pastors, business leaders, fathers, mothers, and young people.  Early or profound success is one of the key indicators of a potential fall.

A Mighty Good Man 

It was said of the leadership of King Uzziah, the tenth king of Judah, “the Southern Kingdom was raised to a condition of prosperity that it had not known since the death of Solomon.“ Uzziah became king at 16 years of age after the assassination of his father.  The Bible recounts, “And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done” (2 Chronicles 26:4).  As a result, “God helped him” (26:7) against Judah’s strong enemy armies and “his fame spread as far as the entrance of Egypt, for he became exceedingly strong” (26:8).  His army grew to 300,750 troops who “made war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy“ (26:13). “So his fame spread far and wide, for he was marvelously helped till he became strong” (26:15). 

A Mighty Bad Attitude

Notice that last phrase again; God helped him “until he became strong.” Now look at the next statement in the biblical account: “But when he was strong his heart was lifted up, to his destruction, for he transgressed against the LORD his God.” Clearly, Uzziah’s power and achievements went to his head.  He noticed that the pagan kings of Egypt enjoyed both the royal and the priestly functions.  Uzziah, dissatisfied with royal power, now wanted divine power like the other kings of the other religions.  However, Egypt’s gods were not the same as the Holy One of Israel, who required that only the consecrated priests offer up the incense in the temple service.  Still, Uzziah entered the Temple to burn the priestly incense with complete disregard for God’s standards.

The Bible tells us that “Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the LORD” confronted Uzziah, saying, “Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God" (26:17 & 18).  Angered by their resistance and undaunted by their words, the king proceeded in his headstrong disregard for things holy.  Immediately, he was stricken with leprosy and left the temple to live the rest of his life in shame as a lonely leper.

The Pathway of the Fallen Mighty

As we review Uzziah’s gracious rise to prominence and his tragic forfeiture of God’s blessing, what can we learn? I see four lessons:

Loss of godly counsel – 2 Chronicles 26:5 tells us one of the secrets of Uzziah’s success: “He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.” Uzziah enjoyed the godly counsel of a prophet who instructed him in the fear of the Lord.  Somewhere along the line, it appears that Zechariah died and Uzziah took a tragic turn to pride and self-will.  Like Uzziah, we all need to pursue and accept the godly counsel of wise mentors during the course of our entire life.  We never get beyond the blessing of courageous, biblical wisdom.  If we do, we fail.  Who are the “Zechariahs” in your life today?  How often do you seek their advice?  Do you comply? 

Lack of accountability – Uzziah’s selfish aspirations soon overpowered his spiritual accountability.  He even rebuffed the warnings of 81 godly priests.  Power and fame can have that impact on people. They begin to believe they can “break the rules” and get away with it.  Learn from Uzziah.  No one ever gets so successful, famous, or powerful that he can play "fast and loose" with God’s holiness and get away with it.  How willing are you to submit to godly counsel when it goes against what you want or think you deserve?

Love for perceived privileges – Psalm 62:10 warns, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”  Like seawater, power and affluence demand that you keep drinking more, to your own eventual demise.  Uzziah could not be content with life in Judah; he wanted what other kings had.  Truly, there is always someone out there with more prominence, possessions, talent, or toys.  Godliness with contentment is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6).  Discontent can undermine our godliness and our welfare when we seek privilege over piety.  Has God blessed you with more than you deserve?  Cherish these blessings humbly.  Hold them loosely.  Never compare or aspire for more than God grants or wills for you.

Lethargy toward the holiness of God – Ultimately, it seems Uzziah’s success became his idol, completely eclipsing his grasp of the holiness of God.   He became more interested in exercising his royal rights than doing what was right in the sight of a holy God.  

Uzziah’s success disintegrated in an instant.  Fame was replaced by shame.  His successful reign as king was permanently corrupted by his ruin. 

The Mighty One Remains!

Yet, God’s holiness remained.  This is underscored by the riveting account of Isaiah 6:1-8.  You’ve read it before.  With the context fresh on your mind, read it again, carefully please…  

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.  Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!’  And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 

“So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone!  Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’ Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it, and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”  

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”

Ultimately, the mighty fall because they disregard a holy God.  Uzziah hardened his heart toward holiness.  Isaiah humbled his heart before God’s holiness.  Uzziah chose calamity.  Isaiah received cleansing.  Uzziah experienced a fall.  Isaiah received a call.

God is holy.  Now the choice is ours.  

Last week, I had the deep joy of providing teaching and leadership in prayer at the Moody Bible Institute’s Pastors’ Conference in Chicago, Illinois.  In addition, I was joined by both my sons, who helped lead worship for the prayer sessions, and my brother, a pastor from Texas, who assisted in the prayer times and co-taught my workshops.  It was a great reunion of “the brothers” from two generations.

For over twenty years, MBI has served pastors through this conference with a strong emphasis on biblical teaching and practical training in church leadership.  For the last two years, they have allowed me to lead an early morning prayer session for those willing to attend.  Last year, it was in an auxiliary auditorium and attracted hundreds of pastors each day.  This year, they moved it into the main auditorium and graciously promoted it as a plenary session.  Again, hundreds of pastors came each morning as we engaged in powerful sessions of Scripture-fed, Spirit-led, worship-based prayer. 

A Bold Decision

I applaud the leadership of MBI for this commitment.  Strange as it sounds, it is a bold move, as very few pastors’ conferences today give any priority to extended sessions of prayer.  Content is always king.  Music is usually paramount.   Articulate and dynamic personalities are the draw.  Prayer is typically an “opening” and “closing” formality in most cases.  Thank God for Moody’s willingness to begin to find the balance we see in Acts 6:4 where the culture of church leadership was marked by a commitment to “prayer and the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).  It did not matter who led these sessions at Moody. The victory is in the fact that they existed at all.

The Biblical Ideal of a Young Heart

Last week, after the first morning prayer session, a young man who appeared to be in his early 20’s approached me.  He was blessed by the prayer time and asked if I led prayer times like this at other pastors’ conferences.  He asked what I felt about the attendance that morning.  I told him I was thrilled that 400 or more came.  In his idealism, he responded, “I was shocked that all of them did not come.  I thought pastors were supposed to be committed to prayer.  These are the guys leading our churches. No wonder we are in the condition we are in.”  I tried to explain to him that it was an early hour, men were tired and perhaps they had scheduling conflicts.  He was not to be deterred.  His angst was obvious.  I fear his concerns may be more legitimate than I wanted to admit.  In all honesty, I had to search my own heart as I wondered if I would have attended if I were not leading the sessions.  We all fight the battle of prayerlessness, distraction, and apathy.

Dreaming of a Better, Biblical Balance

As I reflect on the conversation, I do wonder about where pastors really are in their true passion for Christ through prayer.   On a broader level, I wonder why pastors’ gatherings, particularly major conferences, feature so much emphasis on information with so little real time dedicated to the actual experience of praying together.  As I thought of all the answers that might be proposed, I have decided to leave it up to you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions.  Most of my ideas really are not edifying to share in this context.  

Rather, I want to take a positive approach and consider what it might look like in the days ahead if major pastors’ gatherings began to move toward a better balance between prayer and the Word.  Of course, it could be argued that because prayer is mentioned first in the priorities of the early church leaders in Acts 6:4 (and in the example of Jethro’s three-fold advice to Moses for establishing leadership priorities in Exodus 18:19) that prayer should have a more prominent place than the Word.  Realizing this may sound like heresy, I would like to suggest the possibility of equal time: fifty percent prayer and fifty percent preaching.  How about one-third prayer and two-thirds preaching?  How about one-fifth prayer and four-fifths preaching?  Any of the above would be a monumental move toward biblical balance, fresh power, and extraordinary unity.

A Radical Scenario

Imagine with me the possibility of an upcoming national pastors’ conference, held in a major city, conveniently located somewhere in the central U.S.  Let’s call it “The Reconfiguration Conference.” The slate is filled with the ten most popular preachers, all with blockbuster books and mega-churches.  A half-dozen Grammy Award-winning Christian artists are scheduled to provide the music.  No expense has been spared in promoting the conference and every imaginable technological tool has been arranged to make the conference “high-impact.”  Thousands of pastors have registered and are beginning to arrive with great expectancy of an experience that will really pump them up.

However, the conference planners encounter a major complication.  All ten of the keynote speakers and every one of the musicians slated for the program happen to be in the same city the day before for a different event.  That night, the airport in that city is shut down by fog and is projected to remain closed for three days.  None of the featured platform personalities can get to The Reconfiguration Conference.

After a stressful night of reconfiguring The Reconfiguration Conference, the organizers step to the platform for the opening session with the shocking announcement.  They share, “Due to circumstances beyond our control, none of our speakers or musicians will be able to attend.  Nevertheless, God has clearly spoken to us about an even better plan.  We have a small, local worship band ready to help us for the next three days – and we are going to spend every session at the feet of Jesus in prayer.“

It is rather fun to imagine the response from the crowd.  Would they be disappointed?  Thrilled? Angry?  Eager? Of course, the real question is, how many would actually stay?  What would they do instead? 

Imagine the Possibilities!

Imagine if the pastors did stay – with open hearts, eager to seek God’s face, worship in spirit and in truth, and call out in faith to our great God.  Consider what could happen if thousands of pastors spent hours together in simple but sincere worship, praying from the Scriptures, following the prompting of the Spirit. 

More specifically, think on these possibilities:

• Pastors would discover a fresh spiritual delight and joy in the presence of Christ
• Pastors would find fresh delight in the application of God’s Word in the course of praying from the Scriptures for several days
• Pastors would experience an organic and powerful unity, together on their knees
• Pastors would open their hearts to Christ in ways that might cultivate fresh repentance, faith, and commitment to His Lordship
• Pastors would open their hearts to one another, experiencing deep healing and bearing each other’s burdens in a posture of prayer
• Pastors would receive fresh vision and direction from the presence of Christ, even as they did in Acts 13:1-2
• Pastors might find greater reward at the feet of Jesus than they would have in the crowd listening to gifted speakers and talented musicians.

It could be the “accidental” beginning of a new day.  It might spark a genuine revival.  It might ignite a fresh passion for pastors to go home and lead their churches in similar experiences. 

Dreaming of a New Direction

It does not hurt to dream, even if you have to create bizarre scenarios to make it work.  Yet, this is the kind of dreaming we desperately need if things are going to take an exponential and supernatural step in the “revival” direction.

Yes, I think it can be, should be, and must be.  Thank God for places like the Moody Bible Institute, along with other conferences, that imagine these possibilities and take steps to move in that direction.  God is able, if we are willing.  The world is waiting for a fresh revelation of their only hope – which is Jesus Christ, living through a revived church.  May that hope burst forth among pastors all around our nation for Christ’s glory.