Focus 40: Day 34 - April 16, 2011

Prayer for Freedom: Who Sets Your Boundaries?

"I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

I walked into a funeral home office, where I saw a large salt water aquarium with colorful exotic fish. My eyes landed on what looked like a six-inch shark. It was. The funeral director explained that it was a white shark. He said sharks adapt to their environment. This one would grow no longer than six inches in the aquarium. In the ocean, it could grow up to twenty-five feet long. I thought, as I watched it swimming continuously from end to end with a restless passion, "How sad! That shark's environment determined its maximum size. Five pieces of glass glued together limited the fulfillment of the shark's potential! Born to be a magnificent creature fathoming the depths of oceans, yet confined to a four-foot aquarium." I pictured people who allow their boundaries to be determined by environment, circumstances, negative-thinking, power-hungry people, controlling people, low self-image, memories of failure always playing on the screen of your mind, laziness, and a myriad of dream destroying, potential-robbing attitudes.

That little shark doesn't have a choice. The only way he could fulfill his potential is if someone reaches in and takes him out of the aquarium and releases him in the ocean. God can reach into your imprisonment, lift you out, and place you in the ocean of his love, power, and resources. He promised: I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jer 29:11 NIV). Don't let circumstances, other people, fear of failure, poor self-esteem, the way you look, or anything else set the boundaries for your life and ministry. God says, Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you…and will bring you back from captivity (Jer 29:12-14). That prayer will release you to fulfill your God-given potential and set you free to be the winner he created you to become through his power and creativity!

Jesus says, "Get up, pick up your brokenness, failure, hopelessness and give them to me. Walk into my healing, wholeness, joy, and incredible love like you've never dreamed possible." Pick up every dream for your life, every heart's desire, every longing in your spirit, everything you want to do, and place them in the Master's hands, and pray:

Lord, please set me free from the boundaries that people, circumstances, and I have placed on me. Show me the awesome plans you have for me. By your power, fulfill every good purpose of mine and every act prompted by my faith. Set me free to fulfill my God-given potential. Heal and restore me in my spirit, mind, emotions, body, and relationships. Thank you! Amen!

Dr. Sam Bruce, President, Sam & Sandie Bruce Ministries; Pastor, Hope Point Church, Pearl, Mississippi; Online Instructor, Mid-America Christian University; Member, Transformation Team Connect/Refresh

Focus 40: Day 33 - April 15, 2011

Lessons from the Garden

He went on a little farther and fell face down on the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will, not Mine" -Matthew 26:39

In the olive press called Gethsemane, with the full weight of his mission bearing down on him and the cross now clearly in view, Jesus takes his disciples to the garden. He stations some at the entrance and takes Peter, James, and John with him to an area suitable for prayer. Jesus is at the end of his earthly road. He has left Bethany for the last time; he will not return there. This is it-Gethsemane, his betrayal and subsequent arrest, the scourging, the Via Dolorosa, and Mt. Moriah. The Lion of Judah is vividly now manifested as the Lamb who will be slain. As Jesus prays and becomes the object lesson for the namesake of this garden, one realizes a couple of truths. First, Gethsemane precedes Calvary. This is not merely a geographical truth but an ideological and spiritual one as well. Think about it. Jesus is pouring out his heart to his Father, and what is his cry? "If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet, I want Your will, not Mine."

What a passionate prayer and testimony! Should this not also be the cry of your heart and mine? Before Jesus would carry his cross, he surrendered to the will of his Father. Surrender comes first; cross-bearing follows. And so it is and will be with us: we can't take up our own cross until we have surrendered our will to the Father's own. Today's church might think cross-bearing is some trite thing we toss around as part of our Christian-ese vernacular. We don't understand that before Calvary, there is an olive press of surrender. Is the church stuck between Palm Sunday and Easter? Gethsemane is the corrective for Eden, and the errors of the self-will can be cleansed and commissioned by God's grace in full surrender.

Second, Gethsemane is a place that calls for action. This is the place, the prayer closet, which calls us to make a decision. The contemporary church stands in an opportune window of time at this very moment. There is much work to do. Will the body of Christ rise up and seize the opportunity? It is indeed intriguing and fascinating that at the genesis of the New Testament church, when the Master calls his own followers to watch and pray, they fall asleep. Now, perhaps at the sunset of time, the church continues to sleep. The bride just can't seem to keep her eyes open. Within the body of Christ, are we content to play at our worship and worship our play? Is the American church too comfortable? Gethsemane calls us to action. We can choose to sleep; that is an option. Yet, Jesus tells us: "Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing
enough, the body is weak!" (Matthew 26:41).

Father, by your Spirit, awaken us from our corporate slumber. Quicken us that we might see the joy of full surrender. Grant that your people will long to bring glory to your name through a fully surrendered, obedient life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Dr. Marshall Stokes, Pastor, Olde Towne Church, Ridgeland, Mississippi

Focus 40: Day 32 - April 14, 2011

Timing Is Everything

They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking." Jesus answered, "Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast." -Luke 5:33-35 NIV

This past fall, I had one of the rare experiences of life: my favorite team, the San Francisco Giants, won the World Series. They haven't won it since before I was born, so it may be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. The morning after the series ended, I logged onto a forum that follows the Giants. We no longer live in California and I wanted to bask in that moment with others who shared my euphoria. To my shock and irritation, the first post documented how many of the Giants players were in the final year of their contract. The writer agonized over how many might sign big contracts with other clubs, how expensive it might be to keep them, and what moves the Giants should make to stay on top. I couldn't believe my eyes. "Not today!" I was willing to concede that planning for the future is important, and such topics were common fodder for that forum, but the timing stunk. That was a day for celebration and for enjoying the accomplishment of our team. Worrying about next season could wait a day or two.

The Pharisees came to Jesus implying that his disciples were not as devout as John's disciples. After all, John's disciples fasted and Jesus' disciples didn't. Jesus argued that both groups were responding to their situations appropriately. There are those who see our Christian walk as something to be taken seriously, and meditation and fasting should be the defining characteristics of our lives. There are others who see our salvation as something to rejoice in, and our lives should be marked by joy and celebration. Which approach is right?

Our physical lives are too complex to limit ourselves to one kind of response. Sometimes we laugh and sometimes we weep, sometimes we crawl and sometimes we soar. Why would we expect that our spiritual lives would be any less rich? Our walk with the Lord is just that—a walk, a lifelong walk. The journey we travel will wind though mountains and valleys, meadows and deserts. Jesus was teaching that there will be times to fast and times to feast, times to celebrate together and times to meditate alone, times to dance over a World Series title and times to worry about who will play shortstop.

Father, help us to see our faith as a walk not a technique.

Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon

Focus 40: Day 31 - April 13, 2011

Coming Near

Come near to God and he will come near to you... -James 4:8 NIV

The Bible is full of paradoxes. James lays one out for us. In several different ways he demonstrates how the humble are exalted.

We don't usually view humility as an effective path of advancement. If you don't take credit for what you have done, someone else will. If you aren't tooting your own horn, no one will toot it for you. The path to success that we most often follow is the path of attention and achievement. It's a "look at me! I did it, and I did it well!"

It would be easy to apply that idea to this scripture. What does "coming near to God" look like? Do I have to get God's attention in order to know him? Is it a competition, whoever gets to God's front row first wins? If I make enough noise for God and do enough good in God's name will I get a favored place with him? While we may not voice these ideas we often act as if they are true.

James points us another direction.

God's favor is not earned, it is received. The focus of the Christian life is to seek God and God's will. The path to doing that is submission and obedience. Humility opens our hearts, minds, and lives up to God's work.

Drawing near to God is a process of removing sin and selfishness from our lives. It is a process of cleansing and focusing ourselves on the things of God. It is a clearing away of the junk of life we have accumulated with God's help.

Biblical thought demands a fourfold cleansing. It demands a cleansing of the lips (Isaiah 6:5, 6). It demands a cleansing of the hands (Psalm 24:4). It demands a cleansing of the heart (Psalm 73:13). It demands a cleansing of the mind (James 4:8). That is to say, the ethical demand of the Bible is that a person's words and deeds and emotions and thoughts should all be purified. Inwardly and outwardly a person must be clean, for only the pure in heart shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

Are you willing to clear away the junk of life? Are you willing to enter into the process of cleansing through humility and the work of God?

Spend some time in prayer today. Search out that which is unclean in you and give it over to God. Listen for God's response. In humility, do what you can to draw near to God. Look for God's working in your life. Celebrate as your relationship with God deepens.

Pastor John Mattern, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

1 The Letters of James and Peter, ed. William Barclay, lecturer in the University of Glasgow, The Daily study Bible series, Rev. ed. (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 2000, c1976), 107.

Focus 40: Day 30 - April 12, 2011

Not too Close

When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die." -Exodus 20:18-19 NIV

To be honest, I can't really criticize the Israelites too harshly here. Moses had just delivered the Ten Commandments to them-God had expressed his authority over them and their lives. The expression of his presence was too much for them; they wanted a filter. The prospect of being face to face with God was intimidating.

When I look at myself, I have to wonder if I am any different. Going to church is easy. Listening to a message that speaks generally to what God wants for me and from me is a fairly safe filter. Occasionally, a message will get dangerously close to where I live, but most of the time I can keep them at an arm's length. But talking directly to God is a much different prospect.

Having a direct conversation with God, allowing him close enough to peer into my life, to comment directly on my thoughts, priorities, prejudices, and choices, is a frightening prospect. So often I limit my God exposure to the filter of a Sunday morning sermon. I can justify it in my mind. After all, I am going to church and that is what Christians do, right? They go to church and live by the rules. That thinking makes me no different than the Israelites.

The identity as God's children was fine for the Israelites. They were even okay with the Ten Commandments, as long as God kept his distance. I can be that way too. It is one thing for God to say to everyone, "Thou shalt not covet." It is quite another for him to look directly into my own life and ask, "Why are you so jealous of your neighbor's new car?" or "Why do you resent your co-worker's promotion?" "Why do you try to imply to others that that great idea was yours?" That is when God gets too close and prayer gets too dangerous. Is your prayer life really limited because you are too busy or too distracted? Or do you avoid prayer because you're afraid to let God too close?

Father, give us the courage to speak to you face to face, to let you examine the deepest part of us, and to challenge our most private thoughts.

Rev. Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon

Focus 40: Day 29 - April 11, 2011

A Prayer to Fulfill Every Good Purpose of Mine

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. -2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 NIV

"With this in mind, we constantly pray for you." Paul's motivation for being in constant prayer for the Thessalonian church is described in the earlier parts of this chapter. Paul states that he is thankful for the Thessalonians' growing faith, increasing love, and perseverance during persecution. Paul declares that their faith, love, and perseverance are evidence that God is empowering these believers.

Paul is in constant prayer for the believers so that "his [God's] power" would continue to empower them. Paul recognizes that it is God who enables them to have faith, love, and perseverance. By their acts of faith, love, and perseverance, they demonstrate and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is glorified in his children. We are God's ambassadors to a world that is at enmity with God. This glory comes not from within ourselves, but is a gift of God's grace working in us. It is our supreme calling as Christians to bring glory to Jesus Christ. Indeed, time itself is racing to the end of the age when God will reveal himself in a "blazing fire" and all will recognize God as Lord over all.

Paul's prayer for the Thessalonians was that they would excel in their calling; that by their conduct Jesus Christ would be glorified. This too should be our prayer. Not just for ourselves, but for the whole body of Christ. In your prayers do you lift up the names of other believers to God? Do you pray that God will work in the lives of others to bring glory to His name? Is it your prayer that you will be filled with God's grace working in you to produce fruit that showcases the glory of God?

Let us be mindful that our actions, our speech, our faith and love, are all testimonies to our union with Christ. Let us live a life that is worthy of Christ. You may be the only encounter with Christ that others have. Are they going to see the real Christ working in you? Let your prayer be that you will be.

Darren R. Covington, First Church of God, Greensburg, Indiana.

Focus 40: Day 28 - April 9, 2011

Fasting to Disappear

"'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?'...Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I." -Isaiah 58:3, 6-8 NIV

The people of Isaiah's time had a misconception about fasting. In fact, they had it backwards. They fasted to get answers from God. They fasted to implore God to meet their needs. They fasted to show God what was important to them. They fasted to get God's attention.

Oops, wait a minute. That's exactly why I fast. Uh, oh. Through Isaiah, God gives a very different perspective on fasting. According to God, fasting isn't about me getting answers to my questions; it's about learning what the important questions are. Fasting isn't about petitioning God to meet my needs; it's about me seeing the needs of others. Fasting isn't about God understanding what is important to me; it's about me seeing what is important to God. Fasting isn't about God showing up-he is ever present. It's about me showing up.

I wonder what would happen if I started fasting because it was good for the kingdom? What if I began fasting to make myself available to God? What if I began fasting so more of my time and resources were available for God's use-so that the money I saved by not eating for a day fed someone who was hungry or helped finance some missions project? What if I fasted as a gift to others instead of as a means to my own ends? What if I fasted so I disappeared and the hands and feet of Jesus rose to the surface?

According to Isaiah, I would begin to see and hear from God. But it wouldn't be because some cosmic equation balanced out-I did X for God, so he'll do X for me. I'll begin to see God because I'll begin to be a part of what he is doing and his handprints and footprints will be visible all around me. All I have to do is disappear. And according to Isaiah, fasting is a gift God's given me to help me disappear.

Lord, help us to learn to disappear so you can be seen more clearly.

Pastor Bruce Steffensen, Interim Pastor, Holiday Park Church of God, Portland, Oregon