Too Tired to Care
At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.” - Luke 22:45-46

The disciples were tired, they knew something was up but couldn't put their finger on what, exactly it was. No matter; Jesus had told them to bring their swords so it must be now! Now they would finally see what they had been waiting all this time to see, Jesus was going to usher in the Kingdom of God and route the Romans and He was going to use them to do it! But as the night drug on and nothing seemed to happen but praying, they grew weary. Pray, pray, pray; that's all we ever get to do. When will the action start, when will we get to fight and kill Romans? The night dragged on Jesus was praying, the Devil was working, Judas was betraying, God was weeping and the disciples were sleeping. 

While Good Men Sleep
Jesus knew what was about to happen and he told them to pray so they would be able to withstand fear and temptation. But- they didn't and they couldn't because they wouldn't - pray. Prayer could have kept Peter from denying, prayer could have kept Matthew and Mark from running, prayer could have kept them all from fearing. But it didn't because they wouldn't. Things go wrong when good men sleep while they should be praying.

A Prayer for Help
Father, so often prayer is the last thing on my priority list. I claim it to be first but it so often falls last. Please forgive me Lord and bring me to the place where I see prayer for what it truly is, spending time with the one who knows me best and loves me most. I want prayer to be a delight.  Give me the grace to press through the discipline into delight.

I love you Father

Jesus met Peter and the boys on the shore of the lake after a poor day of fishing. They had tried everything they knew to get a few fish to make a living for themselves. Along comes Jesus, a carpenter-turned-traveling preacher. Carpenters don't usually know a whole lot about commercial fishing unless of course they are from Alaska and you need many trades in order to make ends meet. But these guys are not , they were born into their trades and they would pass the family business on tho their sons after them also. So along comes the non-fishing carpenter Jesus and he tells these life-long wave warriors what
they need to do to catch a load of fish. If I were with Peter and the boys, I'm not sure how I would have responded, but they listened to Jesus because He was different; different than anyone they had ever met before. Reluctantly but obediently they rowed out into the deep water (not a great place to catch fish that usually run close to the shore) and threw out their nets AGAIN. This time it was all different. They caught the biggest catch of their lives!

To me this is not the most amazing part of the story. We all know that Jesus is different, that He is God and can do anything. We know that He can make a bunch of fish swim into a fisherman's net because He's God and he does "God-stuff" all the time. What is amazing to me is the response of the Disciples, these guys are not "God-men" they are just men like me. They are concerned about their future, their families, their children, how they will pay their taxes and rent and food. They are filled with the same concerns of life that I am and yet... The very provision that they needed to pay the bills etc., Jesus had just provided. But they left it all. They had just landed the biggest deal (catch) of their lives and yet at one word from Jesus they walked away from it all for the promise of the unknown. "Unknown?" Not really. They knew that they would be with Him, His presence was all the security they needed. They just walked away from the biggest catch of their lives to follow Jesus. It says in Luke 5:21 that they "left everything and followed Jesus." It seems that when you are in God's will and following Jesus that provision is not a problem. So, what really was the greatest catch? 

I remember seeing this old skinny dog who I think was lost or had run away or been abandoned. He roamed around town looking for enough scraps to fill his aching belly. Every time he was around people, he was skittish and fearful. If you came near him, he would shy away and if you lifted your hand, he would quickly jump out of your reach. It was obvious that this poor brute had been very mistreated by the hands of a former master. 

I also remember our yellow lab, Sophi. She was as bold as a lion. She knew she was part of the family, if she wanted something, she was not afraid to let you know. She alway had the pick of whatever she wanted, all she had to do was show her big, sad, brown eyes to one of the kids and she could get whatever they had available whether it was dinner, dessert or anything in between. She knew she belonged, there was no fearful cowering there at all. She didn't see herself as a slave or even a dog for that matter, but a full-fledged member of the Harris family and was entitled to all the benefits that came with that coveted position.

If only we as God's children had that same kind of bold, confident, sense of belonging. 

Romans 8:15-17 NLT
"So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave instead like
God's very own children, adopted into His family - calling Him "Father, dear Father." For
His Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children. And
since we are His children, we share His treasures - for everything God gives to His Son,
Christ, is ours too."

Not only are we deeply loved but we are also abundantly provided for. God doesn't want us to cower about like abused dogs, that would not accurately reflect His care for us as a loving Father. A confident and happy child is a testimony and evidence that he has loving, generous parents. It is the same with our Heavenly Father, if His children are content and blessed, it is a living testimony to His infinite goodness. 

Let us then as His dearly-loved children, be bold in His presence (Hebrews 4:16). We confidently expect that our Father delights in us and in providing for us so that we may demonstrate to the world that out God is a loving and generous Father who delights in giving good things to His children. (Matthew 7:11, John 16:24)

I'm NOT a control freak, just ask anyone they'll tell you; anyone that
is except my 16 year old daughter who is learning to drive. Nothing
flushes your controlling tendencies out like not being in control.
She wanted  to drive home from a football game yesterday. It
sounded like a good idea,  I mean, you know, I'm a good dad,
a little bit of nostalgic, "Dad  and daughter time", that is until I
have my finger imbedded into the  dashboard and every word
from my mouth is unsolicited advice on how to drive correctly.
"Slow down, put on your blinker, turn wider around that  corner, SLOW DOWN!"
No, I'm not a control freak, I'm a father, just ask my  daughter....

Jesus' words in Mark 8:35, If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will
lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the Gospel,
you will find true life."  Easy words to read, near impossible words to
live. What! Jesus is asking me to give up my life, to relinquish control. But
what will He do once He has control? Where will He take me, how can I be sure
I will like what He has in mind? How do I know I will be happy or fulfilled
or successful if I let Jesus do the driving? What if He crashes my life
into  the guardrail or if I get into a head-on collision on the road of non-control?
What kind of insurance coverage and benefits package does this discipleship
gig come with? How can I be expected to relinquish control when I don't even
know where He is taking me? Okay, I admit it, I'm a slight control freak.

All the questions we find ourselves asking: Where are you taking me? When
will we get there? Are there any rest stops along the way? Are you watching
out for the...? These are all the wrong questions. The one question I need to
ask is: "Do I trust the driver?" If I trust the driver and His ability to control the vehicle
of my life and I trust that He knows the way better than  I do, I can trust that He will get
me to the right place at the right time in good condition. Relax, let go of the dashboard,
loosen up those clenched leg  muscles that are trying to push your feet through the
floorboards, quit  giving directions, sit back, trust Jesus and enjoy the trip.

Neil Sedaka didn't quite get it right with his song, it should have been,
"Giving up is hard to do." That is where the words of the Apostle James
comfort us where he says, "But He gives more grace." (James 4:6) It is hard to
"let go and let God", but thankfully we don't have to muster the courage to
do it, He provides the grace to accomplish what wecan't do on our own. Jesus
loves control freaks like me and transforms us into people who trust and
people who accomplish greater things by letting go that we ever could
by running the show. Thanks God, I need you.

Saturday we had some friends over for dinner and we decided on a whim to make an apple crisp for dessert.  We dove in wholeheartedly peeling and slicing apples, melting butter and mixing it all up. All was going well until we discovered we were missing baking powder. Who knew you needed baking powder in an apple crisp? I knew we had some in an unpacked box SOMEWHERE! 

As I looked at the mountain of boxes in the garage, I decided I didn't have the courage to face 
that task so Shanda decided to call the neighbors and borrow some. She called and they had just left for the evening but told us to go on in and get what we needed. They said that if the door was locked just go around back and go in one of the two there, surely one was bound to be open. Shanda sent me off and reminded me to hurry it up! Well, you guessed it, every door, window and crack was locked tight. (Paranoid I guess!) I peeked in the kitchen window and there were all the supplies I needed but to my dismay I could not gain access to them.  

This makes me think of how different it is when we are sent on a mission by Jesus. Here's what Jesus said:

"Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I am sending you." Then He 
breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."  (John 20:21-22 NLT)

When the Father sent Jesus, He had everything necessary to accomplish His mission. 
1. He knew exactly what He was supposed to do and why. (Luke 19:10, 1Jn. 3:8)
2. He had access (authority) from the Father to do what needed to be done. (Matt. 28:18) 
3. He was thoroughly equipped to accomplish His mission. (Matt. 3:15-17)
4. He was passionate about His mission. (John 2:16-17,Luke 19:41)
5. He accomplished His mission. (John 19:30) 

When Shanda sent me to get baking powder, my mission was clear, I knew exactly what I needed; I had lots of passion because I love apple crisp; the problem was I was not equipped properly with the authority to access the place where the provision was. I had permission but no authority (the keys) to do what needed to be done. 

When the Father sent Jesus here to do the work of Redemption, he not only provided everything Jesus needed, He was given authority and access to the provision in order to get the job done (Matt. 16:19). Jesus does the same for us. He has given us His Holy Spirit, we have the same power and authority He had. We now have access to all that we need to accomplish His mission. 

"For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father." (Ephesians 
2:18 NKJV)

So, let's be determined about out our mission since Jesus died to fulfill it. Let's be thankful because God has provided all we need to accomplish our mission. Let's be bold because Jesus gave us His authority when He filled us with His Holy Spirit. 
This is kingdom living. 

As for the apple crisp, we skipped the baking powder. It turned out just fine, tasted great but just a little watery. (I ate most of it myself!)

In our city there is a man who by all accounts is very confused. About six feet two inches tall, quite hairy and by most criteria, a fairly "manly" man. For some reason this man in his brokenness and pain chooses to wear a miniskirt, bikini top, gaudy makeup, high-healed shoes and call himself "Mary" (name changed here).The first time I encountered "Mary", we were riding our bikes downtown with six kids in tow. As we were crossing the street we had a seven year old straggler who had gotten detached from the pack, "Mary" kindly warned us of the straggler and to be careful. My kids eyes got as big as dinner plates when they heard the deep baritone voice coming out of the makeup sodden, dress-clad person that they had previously assumed was just a very ugly woman with too much body hair. Then came the barrage of questions which I did my best to answer in a very fatherly, "Christian" way all the time being ticked at "Mary" for introducing my kids to a whole other world that I wasn't ready for them to be exposed to.

When the Mary's of life cross our path, what do we see? Those that are broken down, worn out, distressed, hopeless, in despair, dirty, sinful - even wretched, what do we see? That is the question that God asked Ezekiel in this passage: 


Then he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones become living people again?""O Sovereign Lord ," I replied, "you alone know the answer to that." (Ezekiel 37:3 NLT)  

Let me paraphrase the conversation for a moment. "What do you see Ezekiel?" All that remains of a life that was once was alive, vibrant and thriving, just a pile of bones. That was pretty much Ezekiel's response, "Nothing much Lord, just a pile of dried up ole bones." What do we see when we encounter the Mary's of life, those that or torn and ravaged by sin and Satan? Do we cross the street to avoid the encounter? Do we turn our eyes away and busy ourselves with something else to block out the possibility of having to engage in conversation?

The Lord's next question is even more revealing as to the condition of our hearts, "Ezekiel, can these bones live?" God, are you kidding me? These are worthless, dried up old bones. No value here, their time is long gone there is no hope left for them. Ezekiel's reply was one that didn't have much faith in it, he said, "Lord only you know!" Often times that is the extent of my faith. I can't see anything worth salvaging, all I see is a wrecked life, lost career, an empty house, hope destroyed, ravaged by sin, beaten by life, friendless, vision less, hopeless, worthless - a pile of bones. Thank you Jesus for the power of grace, I see bones Jesus sees an army.

What God says next is the most incredible thing yet. The same God that shouted to a dead man to come out of the grave commands His prophet to: "Speak to these bones and say, 'Dry bones, listen to the Word of the Lord...I will put breath in you and you will come back to life.'"

Just as Lazarus had no choice but to come out of that grave, when the prophet spoke the word of the Lord over those bones, they sprung back to life and became a great army (abridged version). No matter how wrecked, hopeless and ravaged a life is; yours, mine or another's; when the Word of the Lord comes, it changes everything. What was dead becomes alive, what what was once considered hopeless has hope restored. Just like Ezekiel spoke the will and Word of God into a hopeless situation, so we too must speak the word of The Lord over our situation, over that person who has no strength or inclination to find the One who can change everything. He sends us out filled with His Spirit and clothed with His power into the hopeless, dark sea of humanity and says "Prophesy O man, O woman, speak My Word, bring My power, change a situation, bring hope, bring help, make a difference in the world around you!"

The next time you see a person or a situation that seems like it is beyond help or beyond hope, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit asking "What do you see?" Remember the power of the one who set the stars in their place and say, "Others may see bones but I see and army!"

Stay the Course
Scripture
But as for you, be strong and courageous, for your work will be rewarded.” 
2 Chronicles 15:7 

Observation 
There was war, problems and trouble going on all over the nation and the world at this 
time. Everyone was fighting everyone else. In the middle of the chaos, the Lord gives a 
promise to Asa and the kingdom of Judah. He wanted to reassure him of his favor and 
protection as long as he remained faithful to the Lord. 

Application
We all have times in our lives when it seems as if the world is caving in around us. 
There is conflict and battle everywhere. We can begin to get edgy, critical and 
suspicious. We wonder if we have any friends and allies. Our natural inclination is to 
draw back into mistrust and protection mode. For me, I get irritable and sometimes 
fearful. I may even doubt the calling and blessing of God upon my life. The word of the 
Lord to Asa was to be courageous because his work would be regarded if he just 
remained trusting and faithful. That is the same word for me. Stay the course. I can't
allow fear, failure or weakness pull me off mission, God will come through for me, He 
will fight for me if I am wholeheartedly engaged in His mission. Stay the course, my 
efforts will pay off eventually. 

Prayer
Father, I can tend towards faint-heartedness at times. Help me to see what you see. 
Help me to be a courageous man who is both dependent on and confident in you and 
your faithfulness and goodness. I love you Father