Triple Proof

  As yet another Covid disappointment piles on the growing heap of cancelled plans, I found myself in a bit of a funk. All of us are wondering how much longer.  We all thought it was temporary, brief, a few months at most.   I write this as we enter our sixth month, ½ of the year.  And no end in sight.  All of us are experiencing disappointments, discouragement and fear.  Worse, we wonder where God is in all of this.  I feel like the writer of Psalm 77 must have been living with Covid.    

“Each night my mind is flooded with questions.  Have you rejected me forever?  Won’t you be kind again?  Is this the end of your love and your promises?  Have you forgotten how to have pity?  Do you refuse to show mercy because of your anger?  Then I said, God most high, what hurts me most is that you no longer help us with your mighty arm.”  CEV 6-10

     Yes, I’ve felt that way over the last six months. But, verses 11-14 encourage me.    “Our Lord I will remember the things you have done.  Your miracles of long ago.  I will think about each one of your mighty deeds.  Everything you do is right and no other god compares with you.  You alone work miracles and you have let nations see your mighty power.” 

    Covid 19 did NOT take God by surprise.  In fact, I have.  Three specific missionary friends of mine are living proof.  They would tell you of many times they have been proof, but this is what God gave for me, for such a time as this.   All three of them are in the states during this scary time and none of them should be.  All three families came home by “coincidence”.  In one case, plans set in motion over a year ago.   

  A family from Latin America had come home on business for a two-week trip.  Covid was just beginning in the US as they prepared to return to the field.  They left their hometown on a short jaunt to a larger airport where they would board a twenty-one-hour flight back to their assignment.  While waiting for their connection, they learned that the State Department was recommending Americans not travel to foreign countries.  Additionally, their country would require a 14-day quarantine upon their arrival.  With little time to decide, they found immediate peace in the decision to remain in the US.  A two-week trip has stretched into six months and they are now into their furlough year.   If, they had left as planned, it is likely they would not have been able to return to the United States. 

    A second friend made a very unexpected trip to the States for a “few days”.  She was asked by fellow missionaries to accompany their young daughter on the overseas flight to join the family in America.  The parents had left their daughter in boarding school in Africa for what they thought would be a short separation.  Her school closed due to Covid so they wanted to bring her home.  My friend readily agreed to accompany her and the two of them headed for Houston.  The flight is long and tiring so my friend planned to spend a few days resting and building up her immune system before returning.  Covid was now in full swing in Africa.  Within a few minutes of informing her leadership of her plan, the borders of her country were closed.  Foreigners (her) were required to have 2 documents to return.  She has only one as they were waiting for her second document to arrive.  Thus, she was unwelcomed in her adopted country.   

    Yet another couple who minister in a sensitive country are also spending this pandemic in America.  However, their journey began a year ago.   Don and Kathy* had returned home to attend a denominational meeting last summer.  Two weeks before they left, Kathy decided to pack family photos, mementos and other beloved things and bring them home with her.  It was unnecessary and some trouble but she just wanted to do it.  While here, they learned that they would have to vacate their home in the foreign country.  So, upon return, they did so.  A move made easier by the items Kathy had left in America.   During the Fall, the Lord told Kathy several times that their work would be changing and not as they planned.  This was a little unsettling as the country of their ministry was becoming more and more intolerant of Christianity.  In fact, Kathy thought they might be imprisoned.  In early 2020, they were scheduled to visit a nearby country for business purposes, in the heat of summer.  While packing, Kathy kept deciding to pack jeans and heavy shoes.  As her luggage pile grew, Don started repeating, “we’re only going for ten days”.  At this point, neither of them had any knowledge of a little virus called Covid 19.  On the first day of their visit outside their country, they learned of Covid and that their home away from home had sealed its borders.   They were unable to go back.   

   Clearly, God’s plan for these three families was that they experience Covid in the United States surrounded by family and friends.  The questions posed in Psalm 77 “Have you rejected me forever?  Won’t you be kind again?  Is this the end of your love and your promises?  Have you forgotten how to have pity?  Do you refuse to show mercy because of your anger?”  are answered quite simply in the words of the Cambridge Bible Commentary, “The history of the past is the most convincing answer to these questions.”

His love in times past, forbids me to think, He’ll leave me at last in trouble to sink. 

  Thinkin’ ‘bout that. 

Thinkin' on Fasting

        The first of January, before Covid,  I decided to make 2020 the year of my spiritual growth spurt.  My word of the year is Immanuel, God with us. The chorus that kept running though my mind was “I’m hungry for a mighty move of God. . . I long to see the hand of God move mightily, inside of me.”   Be careful what you ask for.  I didn’t really want it to happen this way.  Covid, racial unrest, a planner full of cancelled stickers, but it is happening. 

           One of my home churches asked the congregation to fast this week. They usually do 14 days of fasting at the beginning of the year but we can all agree on the need to revisit that this year.  I’ve read, listened, and studied about fasting in an effort to understand it and frankly, get something out of it.  Most teachings concentrate on giving up food, praying during meal time and seeing God move.  That hasn’t been my experience.   Fasting frustrates me, I get hungry, really hangry.  I try to pray during meal times but I’m not sure how to pray.  I struggle that my longest, hardest fast was unsuccessful.   At least from the standpoint of getting what I wanted. 

          So, as I am likely to do; I got out my Bible, my commentary website and a pad of paper to study fasting.  again.  In the Old Testament, fasting is mentioned in regard to trouble.  Joel, Daniel, Nehemiah and Esther all called the people to fast when they were in trouble.  It was always accompanied with weeping, mourning, and sorrow.  They fasted in hope of deliverance.   In the New Testament, fasting illustrates an intense prayer.   Anna fasted in prayer to live to see the Messiah.  Matthew warned Christians to fast in private and not put on a show like the Pharisees.  Paul and Barnabus were fasting when they received specific directions.  When the disciples were unable to cast out a demon, Jesus said, “But an evil spirit of this kind is only driven out by prayer and fasting.”  (Matthew 17:21 Weymouth New Testament).  Ellicott says the “intensity of evil demanded fasting”.   Tough situations must be met with fasting.  Our spiritual life and faith are made stronger by self-denial and communion with God (Cambridge study Bible). 

            We understand “fasting” as willfully giving up food or pleasures for a specified time.   So, we give up lunch every day for a week and we pray during our lunch hour and God answers our prayers.  Done! So why are our prayers still unanswered?  God’s chosen people, the Israelites, had the same experience.  Their fasting didn’t seem to change anything and they complained about it.    Isaiah 58:3-7 addressed their complaints.    

Isaiah pointed out six reasons  that their fasting did not result in answers.  I wonder if these are relevant to us. 

1.       In their fast, there was no repentance or call to repentance. (I have never heard a speaker include repentance in their call for a fast). 

2.     Unforgiveness   We know prayers are hindered when we harbor unforgiveness against someone.   Matthew 5:24.

3.      Wrong Motives   Why are fasting?  What do we hope to gain?    Every fast I have ever participated in was for something I wanted badly.  Is that a ‘right’ motive?

4.     Hypocrisy, going through the motions with no real repentance.  Fasting because everybody else is and making sure they know I’m doing it too, Pride? 

5.     Good Works must follow the fast.  Fasting approved by God will be followed by “deeds of justice, kindness and charity.”  (Barnes)

6.     The fast does not result in a changed heart.  They had all the outward dressings of the fast but there was no change in their hearts.  

      Fasting that the Lord accepts   must be devoid of pride.  Matthew Henry says, “If it (a fast) does not express true sorrow for sin and does not promote the putting away of sin, it is not a fast.”    A fast is about the heart, not the stomach.  A fast requires self-denial of food but also denial of worldly desires.   John Piper says we must fast “for our own holiness”.  True fasting must include a change of heart which results in changed behavior. 

Thinkin’ ‘bout that. 

Triple Cord Prayers

   In 1984 Dr. Paul Yonggi Cho was pastoring a large church in Korea.  As a scholar of the Bible, Dr. Cho knew the only catalyst for revival and safety from the government was prayer.  However, the logistics of his congregation made gathering for a weekly prayer meeting difficult.  Taking his plan from Ecclesiastes 4:12, (GNT) “Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person  alone.  A rope made of three cords is hard to break.” Dr. Cho asked his congregation to connect in groups of three and set aside fifteen minutes one day a week to pray.  They did not have to physically come together for prayer, simply stop and pray where they were at the same time of day once a week.  With his large church, he believed that there would be three people praying 24/7 across his city.  The Korean Christian church exploded.   12,000 converts a month were being added to the Kingdom of God.

   I have borrowed Dr. Cho’s idea on several occasions in my life.  For three years, four Mama’s with prodigal sons prayed every Sunday afternoon for their boys. One of the four has returned to the Lord, the remaining three have reconnected with those Mama’s and are slowly turning their hearts to home. 

   Three RFK camp staff members from three different camps in two states joined together on Sunday nights for a year to believe for our summer camps that minister to neglected and abused children.  One director reported her staffing issues had never been easier or more efficient in ten years.  Another camp experienced extreme opposition during planning that was overcome in implementation.   

   Over the course of the last few months, many calls for prayer have gone out from churches; many congregants have answered.   I was one, but I confess, I have grown weary.  However, I also confess that I am desperate.  If He does not act, we will not survive.  So, I ask two things of you today:

1.      Commit to CBN’s September 26^th event, The Return.  www.thereturn.org

2.      Gather three friends and set a time to pray together weekly between this week and September 26.  Some suggest 7:00-7:15 am or pm in honor of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

We are God’s children and we must humble ourselves, pray and turn from our wicked ways.  It is our only hope.   Don’t think about it, do it!

A little Political

      At the risk of controversy, I have to be a little political today.  I want to talk about Presidents, Governors and government leaders.  I won’t have to name names.   I live in a country ruled by a President who has his faults, a state with a Governor who has his faults and a county with a government who is going rogue.   All these leaders have offended me in one way or another over the course of their terms.  Apparently, Paul had some issues with his government also.  He wrote to the church of Rome, under Roman control.  “Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. After all, they are God's servants, and it is their duty to help you.” 

(Romans 13:1-4CEV) That’s a lot to swallow and gets unpopular very quickly. I have many opinions about those four final sentences but I want to concentrate on sentence number 2.    Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power.  The ISV translates to say “for not authority exists except by God’s permission.”   Like it or not.  Our faulty President, faulty Governor and all the rest were elected by God’s permission.   Before I can lift these names in prayer, I must believe that.  I have neither the space nor the inclination to argue all the reasons that God could not have wanted this person or persons in charge.  His Word states clearly that He has given them the authority. I admit, I’m struggling with this but if I disagree with them, isn’t that all the more reason to pray for them?

    Again, we are commanded to pray for our leadership.  I Timothy 2:1-3 CEV, “First of all, I ask you to pray for everyone. Ask God to help and bless them all, and tell God how thankful you are for each of them. Pray for kings and others in power, so we may live quiet and peaceful lives as we worship and honor God. This kind of prayer is good, and it pleases God our Savior.”   I do not struggle with wanting to please my Savior, so I must pray for those in power. 

   We should know that prayer is effective in changing circumstances.  If we are unhappy with our leaders and their behavior, all the more reason to pray for them. Specifically, our leaders need wisdom, humility and a spirit of servanthood.  Our prayers may be the very thing that changes even the heart of a President.  

    When Paul wrote to the Philippians, his final greeting had an interesting phrase, “All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.” (Philippians 4:22 NIV).   What!  There were people of God in Caesar’s palace!  Hopefully, there are people of God in the White House and the Governor’s mansion. They are in desperate need of our prayers.

    The families of our government leaders are in need of our prayers.  I have a friend who is a wife of a leader in a small city.  She asked for prayer for him as he chaired a meeting recently where threats had been made.  She was afraid for his safety.  Opinions about our leaders and their families are  irrelevant for the people of God.  Melania Trump must experience fear for her family in these times.  The children of our leaders endure all manner of isolation, criticism and judgement.  Imagine the toll that takes on a marriage and a family.  I’m convicted that I have not called the names of these families in prayer.  

    I often feel helpless in what I can do to help my country in these trying times.  I’ve wondered how little ole’ me can turn the tide.  I think I know.

Thinkin’ about that. 

Did God Really Say?

 Did God Really Say. . .?

       They come.  From north to south, east to west and across the oceans, they come.   From the congregation of twenty-five to the mega church of 5000 and four services, they come.  The semi-annual meeting of our denomination takes place in various cities around the country in August, the hottest month of the year and they come.  They come for renewal, reunion and evaluation. 

    On this night in 2001, they came.  On this night, the head of the denomination brought the crowd to tears with his message about the difficulties of ministry.  He called the discouraged, the battered who needed a fresh anointing and encouragement to the altar. 

   They came.  Pastors and wives, tears streaming, holding hands, joined by the leadership of the denomination.  Men placing their hands on their brothers’ backs, women embracing, the room swelled with prayer. 

    That’s when I saw them.   A short, chubby, couple with coal black hair.  From behind, they had matching green shirts; even a quick look belied them as double knit.  He was wearing khaki  with his wife in cream double knit pull on pants.  Their hands clasped, she used her free one to brush at her eyes.  They had come, out of place aesthetically, but clearly in need of a touch from God.

     “Go, pray with them,” the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart.   I shook it off.

     “Go pray with them,” He spoke into my heart again. 

     “Not me,”   I answered from my brain.  “This room is full of distinguished

Christian ministers, evangelists, missionaries, ordained and licensed.  Who am I?”

     “Go”, the Holy Spirit was shouting inside me.  I looked up from under my

 lashes of my bowed head to see if someone else had heard.  

     “Not me,”   I argued the more.  “Everyone in the room would wonder who I am

 to step up.”

     The next voice I heard was one who had successfully deceived me many times.

“You’re just trying to draw attention to yourself.  You wanted to be a pastor’s wife,

 but you’re not!”

    “Go!”  the Spirit thundered.

    “Yeah,”   the other voice said, “Go, make a spectacle of yourself.”

     I sat down in my chair and the Holy Spirit went silent.  I didn’t feel like praising

 or worshipping and He wouldn’t be pleased anyway.

      I looked away when the double knit couple turned to go back up the aisle.

     Later, much later, I tossed and turned in the hotel bed unable to sleep.  My

daughter in the other bed rolled over toward me.    “What’s wrong?”

    “I can’t sleep.  I refused to listen to God tonight in the service.”

     “What?”

     “God told me to go pray for someone but there were so many people there,

much more qualified to pray than me, I didn’t do it.  I feel bad.”

     Guilty was the real word, but “bad” sounded better.

     I saw her shadow sit up in the bed across the room, “The double knit couple?”

 she asked.

     “Yes”.

     “He told me too.  And I thought the same thing.”

    We were quiet for a minute, and then we hit the floor between the beds on our

knees.  Several minutes passed while we repented and called out to God for the

 nameless couple.  Then my nineteen year old daughter asked a haunting question,

 “Is it ever wrong to step up and pray for someone, whether God ‘tells’ you too or

not?”

     We agreed that it couldn’t be, that Satan had used our weakness.   Certainly,

we never want to be motivated by pride.  However, there is a distinction between

God’s correction and Satan’s deception. And we decided that "bear ye one another's burdens means  just that."  Paul's letter to Timothy "exhort" (ed) him to pray for all men, "FIRST OF ALL".  James is famous for his words on praying for others.  Why would we wait for God to tell us to pray for someone,  He already has!  Repeatedly in His Word.

     From that day on, I vowed to never let a person stand alone at an altar, in a

hospital waiting room, a courtroom, a graveside.    And to the couple in double knit

who did stand alone, tears streaming down their faces, feeling and looking out of

 place at the front of auditorium back in 2001, I think of you often.  I pray you

 continued your ministry.   I missed a divine appointment with you that night and

 robbed both of us of a blessing.  I hope we meet in Heaven and the Lord allows us

to know each other. 

     The experience taught me a lesson that has served me well since that hot August night.