Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’ “For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ ” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.” Luke 18:1-8

This is not a welcome parable for most of us but a needed parable. It is a parable about enduring in prayer even when we don’t see God working in response to our cries. Jesus begins by encouraging his followers to always pray and never give up. He wouldn’t have told them the parable if there were not times when we are greatly tempted give up on God and lay aside a prayer and a hope rather than continuing until we see God’s answer.

How often have we prayed for something and when we haven’t seen the result we imagined in a few days, a few weeks, or a few months we stop praying and go on to something else or simply decide that our prayer is not in God’s will? That scenario is especially true when we don’t perceive any progress in the thing we are praying for. This “unperceived progress” comes up most often when we are praying for salvations, healings, reconciliation in relationships, or for a turn around in our nation. We pray, we cry, we fast, and yet we see the relationship, the nation, or a loved one’s health not only not improving but continuing to decline. What do we do with that? Often we simply decide that what we are praying for is not God’s will or that there is something wrong with us so he will not answer our prayer and we give up. Yet Jesus says that we should never give up but keep on praying.

One thing scripture reveals is that God’s promises are certain but his timetable rarely matches our own. For instance, Abraham was given a clear promise by God himself that he would father a child with is wife Sarah. The promise came when Abraham and Sarah were already at an age in which childbearing was highly unlikely. I’m guessing that Abraham was expecting a son before he got too old to enjoy him…say 18-24 months from the time of the promise. Time passed. Abraham was probably diligent in doing his part. Nothing happened. Undoubtedly, Abraham was praying with faith and thanking God for the promise while asking for the promise to be fulfilled right away. Time passed – not months but years.

As each year passed, the likelihood of the promise being fulfilled seemed to diminish as Abraham and Sarah continued to age. In response to their deteriorating circumstances, they decided to do the human thing and take matters into their own hands by putting a little spin on the promise. They determined to have a son through Hagar, Sarah’s servant. It would be Abraham’s son and technically Sara’s son as well since the child of the servant would technically belong to the master or the mistress.   Ishmael was born from that union but God rejected him because he was the not he child of promise. Eventually, the child of promise was born but he was born 25 years after the original promise. The more years passed the more God’s promise seemed impossible – but once again we discover that nothing is impossible with God.

The greatest promises and the most profound prayers seem to take years for their fulfillment. Sometimes, something as easy as a word from God takes weeks of prayer and fasting. There are probably lots of reasons – appointed times, demonic resistance (Dan.10), character development, free will issues, etc. but we may never know exactly why an answer to some prayers take so long. The point Jesus was making is that if the desire is still in our heart and the prayer is based on a promise of God, keep praying and never give up.

As he concluded the “parable of the persistent widow,” Jesus declared that God will not keep putting off his children who cry out to him day and night but will see that they get justice and quickly. If quickly, then why worry about endurance and persistence in prayer? The Greek construction of the sentence doesn’t mean that the prayers will be answered in short order but in the fullness of time, everything will come together and fall into place in an amazingly compressed period of time. But until that appointed time comes, we must continue to pray and to pray with faith believing that God makes good on his promises although every appearance seems to cry out that no answer will ever come.

Some who are reading this blog undoubtedly have given up on answered prayer for something once precious to your heart. Others have simply laid a desire aside rather than deal with the perception that nothing has changed. But so often, God is storing up your answer and when he releases your answer you will be amazed how quickly everything falls into place. Don’t give up. The biblical record is that some prayers and promises take years to answer. Some prophetic words take years to transpire. But the promise is sure as long as our prayers persist. Always pray and never give up.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom.8:35-39)

Paul finishes this section of his letter, which translators have dubbed Romans 8, with a theological volley. It reveals the mindset of a spiritual warrior and a mindset that we must all adopt as we move into a probable season of persecution in the world and our nation. There is definitely a war on Christianity and Judaism unfolding all around the globe and we would be naïve to think we will escape it. The spirit of Anti-Christ is certainly on the move.

In the face of his own battles with this spirit, we should notice Paul’s emphasis in this section. It is not so much on power as it is on love. His great hope is the love of Christ and the devil’s inability to sever us from that love. As you look at this part of Paul’s letter, you realize that this love is a sustaining love. If you don’t watch the context, you might assume that Christ’s love keeps us from trouble in this world and just moves us from blessing to blessing as we live the good life above the fray. The context does not suggest that and Jesus never promised that either. In fact, what he did promise was persecution and trouble (see Matt.5:10-12 and John 16:33). He also promised great reward for those who did not abandon their faith in the midst of that trouble.

I have noticed an essential difference between our brothers and sisters in places like China and the Middle East and American believers. Those coming to Christ in “non-Christian” countries expect and even invite persecution and hardship for the sake of Jesus. They pray for strength to endure while we in America pray for God to deliver us from any hardships and almost take offense when they come.

Paul makes no promise that God’s umbrella of protection will keep us from struggles. To the contrary he uses words like hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, death and slaughter to describe the potential Christian experience in this world. Paul’s hope is not in a life of ease and blessing in this world but in the love of Christ sustaining him in seasons of hardship as he presses toward the next life.

Many believers see hardship as evidence of God’s indifference or abandonment. Paul saw hardship as the normal course of the believer’s life while we push back against the dominion of darkness. But in the midst of that he experienced the love and faithfulness of the risen Lord. In fact, it is in the midst of battle and struggle that we truly discover the goodness and faithfulness of God. Because of that he saw himself as more than a conqueror. The Greek word means to “completely prevail” and is actually a verb declaring that we live in a state of absolute triumph. The “indicative mood” of the verb makes it clear that Paul sees this state as an actual rather than a potential or figurative view of the believer’s life. The paradox is that we truly are more than conquerors even while sitting in a “Chi-com” cell in a re-education camp outside of Beijing or in a hospital room watching a loved one fight a losing battle with cancer. Only an eternal and relational view of our faith makes that possible.

Ultimately, for our faith to endure we must believe that God is, that God is always good, and that God is always motivated by his love toward us. We must also believe that the “norm” is this world is hardship at some level. We live in fallen world. We still live in enemy territory. We still have bodies subject to aging and our own bad choices in diet and exercise. Hardship comes in the form of persecution, broken relationships, damaged genes, internal struggles against temptation, demonic attack, and more. (Don’t think about it or you won’t want to get out of bed in the morning.) It is the rare believer and, probably, the one who keeps a low profile on the devil’s radar that doesn’t encounter significant battles in this world.

The victory comes in knowing the ultimate outcome of every struggle and every encounter with the enemy. The victory is often apparent in this world but at other times it won’t seem so apparent except that the “big win” is always being with Jesus. In the movie, Saving Private Ryan, Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) told his men that his primary objective in the war was to get home to his wife. Our primary objective must also be to get home and our primary mindset must be that this world is not our home. How often do we find believers who are angry at God because some saintly person they knew died. If our primary goal for ourselves and others is to be with Jesus then we should not be angry when those we love reach that goal – maybe envious but not angry.

Paul’s celebration was not about “the good life” on earth but that no person, no demon, and no circumstance can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. No doubt there will be seasons of blessing in this life but there will also be seasons of battle. In all of that, the love and grace of God is assured and we can take heart in that. We will never be alone and his grace will also be sufficient. Knowing that, we can live without fear as those whose ultimate triumph is absolute and absolutely assured. Be of good courage.

Partnering with the King

After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”    So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. (1 Kings 18:1-2) And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ” Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain came on and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. (1 Kings 18:41-45).

This section from 1 Kings is one of the most interesting in all of the Bible. In the middle of the account above, Elijah challenged the prophets of Bail to a showdown on top of Mt. Carmel. He built an altar, placed sacrificial animals on it, and challenged the false prophets to call on their God to consume the sacrifice with fire. They prayed, screamed, danced and cut themselves all day but no response came from their god. Toward the end of the day, Elijah poured huge amounts of water on the sacrifice along with the wood and stones of the altar and called on Jehovah. Immediately, fire came down from heaven consuming not only the sacrificial animals but also the entire altar. Elijah then had the false prophets of Bail executed.

Bookending the demise of the prophets of Bail is the account of the great drought. As punishment on Israel because of her wicked leaders, God had given Elijah a prophetic word to speak in the presence of Ahab. “Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). Then, three years later, just before the Mt. Carmel showdown, God told Elijah that rain was coming. Interestingly, after the showdown, Elijah climbed to the top of Mt. Carmel again and began to pray for rain which God had already declared was coming. Why would he do that? Wasn’t God’s word good enough for him?

Of course it was. But this account once again reveals how God partners with his people to do his will on earth. Undoubtedly, God could have stopped the rain and released the rain whenever he wanted to without involving any human. But remember, God has determined to rule the earth and expand his kingdom through his people – his representatives. God did not stop the rain until his prophet declared the word of the Lord in front of Ahab. God would not begin the rain until his prophet prayed and released the rain through a prayer of faith. What an honor and what a responsibility.

God’s will was done after a man declared the word of the Lord over a situation and after a man prayed fervently for the thing God had already told him he was about to do. God holds much of his will in reserve until his people hear or sense his will and then declare it, command it, or pray it. In Elijah’s case, he apparently prayed seven times for God to release the rain. There will be times when we will have to pray earnestly and persistently for something that we know is God’s will. We know that God desires that all men should be saved. We already have his word on that but we may have to pray for a loved one for years before God’s will is manifested in that person’s life.

The honor is that the King partners with us in accomplishing his will. The responsibility is that we have to seek his will and then declare it, command it, or pray persistently for it. It may not happen if we do no do our part on this end even if it is something God desires. God has decided that we can release his will or stifle his will on the earth – not in all things, but in very many things. So…we need to ask his what he wants us to do to release his will and then do it. After all, much of what heaven wants to do is in our hands and in your hands.

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

… I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev. 3:7, 11-13)

This letter offers more promises to the faithful who hold on to their faith until the end. One of the constant messages of the book of Revelation is that in order to experience eternal life and to receive your reward you must finish the race. No medals are given to those who step off the track and never cross the finish line. No victor’s crowns are given to the runner who begins the marathon as a whim and then soon tires of the race and goes on to other pursuits. No crowns are given to those who stop as soon as it gets hard – when the hill is steep, the sun is hot, or when wind is against you. You must finish even if you crawl across the finish line.

Endurance is not a trait of modern life for most of us. As soon as the job gets hard we quit. As soon as a marriage enters a difficult season we divorce. As soon as our faith really begins to cost us something we may lay it aside. But the kingdom of God calls us to endure and when we do the King is pleased and in his pleasure he give’s great reward.

Philadelphia was a church that had little strength but had held onto the truths of the faith even as they had experienced the bite of persecution. In the midst of their trials Jesus called to them like a coach from the sideline, “Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Rev.3:11). Then he promises them strength, glory and a permanent place in the kingdom of heaven if they would just hold on until he came. For those in Philadelphia and for all those who hold fast until the end, Jesus promises to make us “pillars in the temple of God.”

Pillars are the strength and glory of a temple. They create space, hold up the roof, and supports glorious art and architecture that can be seen for miles. They let in light and the cooling breeze and are often are seen as works of art in themselves. In the Temple of Solomon, pillars were huge, ornate, and costly. Some were so impressive that they were given names. They were permanent and glorious.

Jesus promises that those who finish the race will be given a permanent place in the temple of God. They will be known for their own strength and glory. They will also clearly belong to God and the city of God, as the names of both will be written on those who endure. In the ancient world, certain cities and kings were so great that the citizens of those cities held special honor wherever they went. They shared in the glory of the king and in the greatness of the city. As citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem where the Great King rules, we also walk in that glory and power now. How much more will that be true when we are in the physical presence of the King?

Jesus makes one other great promise as well. He promises to write his new name on each of us if we hold on to our faith to the end. He will make us his possession in the New Jerusalem and we will reflect his honor and glory as well. When scripture speaks of “a new name,” it usually implies a new found relationship with the Father or a new order of things in the same way that Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Peter were given new names. When the heavenly Jerusalem is finally established on the earth, a new order of things on the earth and in heaven will be established. Jesus will garner even more glory and more titles beyond King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The faithful will share in that glory and will wear the name of their King and his glorious titles throughout eternity. They will have a permanent place in the presence of the Father (in his temple) and although they were scorned on earth, they will be honored in the courts of heaven.

The time is coming and is already here when being a Christian will not be a title of honor and acceptance in this world. There is a real war on Christianity in this nation and across the world. Believers who hold to the truth of God are being painted as intolerant, hatemongers, bigots, and the like. Governments are competing with God to dictate truth, determine morality, define marriage, and decide who lives and dies. Those who love God will be despised by those who despise him. But Jesus says, “Hold on, I am coming soon. And those who do not deny my name will be honored and rewarded in ways they cannot possible imagine. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take your crown!”

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev.3:4-6)

In some ways, Sardis came off as the least pleasing church in the list of churches in Asia. Jesus charged them with living on a reputation that pertained only to the past. He pronounced them spiritually dead and charged them with not completing the work he had given them. He called them to repentance and obedience and warned them that if they did not “wake up” he would come when they least expected it to discipline them.

And yet, he was very aware of the few in their midst who had been faithful and had continued to serve while the rest had abandoned their calling. He described them as those who had not “soiled” their clothes. The Greek word translated as soiled means “to defile by sexual immorality and/or involvement in pagan idolatry.” Those who had coasted to a halt in their passion for Jesus and their service to God had drifted back into a mixture of Christianity and pagan immorality. They kept an appearance of faithfulness and maintained ties with the church but partied with the pagans on weekends.

God knows our hearts, our lives, our works, our secrets, and our sins. We cannot hide our unfaithfulness from him in the midst of the congregation on Sunday nor will our faithfulness go unnoticed even in the midst of the unfaithful. The writer of Hebrews told the faithful Jews, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” Notice that God notices.

As difficult as it is to stay on track with the Father in the face of persecution, it is often more difficult to stay on track in a fellowship of lukewarm and dispassionate believers. In that environment, over time it is easy to begin to believe that “lukewarmness” is the standard and is somehow acceptable to the Lord. In his letter to Sardis, Jesus is clear that a casual attitude toward the cross and a double-minded man who tries to dance with the Lord on Sundays while dancing with the world the rest of the week is unacceptable. It’s like a man who sleeps with prostitutes six days and week but comes home declaring faithfulness to his wife on Sundays.

But Jesus declares that the faithful walk with him and they dress in white – the color of righteousness and priesthood. He promises all of us that when we live a life of overcoming the enemy and faithfully remain in the ranks of heaven, we also will be dressed in white. Not only that but those who continue in faithfulness will have their names eternally written in the book of life. Jesus declares that he will personally acknowledge the names of those who do not compromise, who do not become casual or careless, and who do not lose their passion for the kingdom before the Father and his angels.

Too many believers had a heavenly fire in their hearts for a season and served God with energy and passion for a time. But after a few years the kingdom of heaven lost its fascination for them. The riches and pleasures of the world began to glow brighter than the treasures of heaven. Little by little they began to mix the “not so bad” things of the world with the good things of heaven and eventually they simply slipped back in the world while maintaining their “membership” at the local church. Many believers know that their faith is not what is used to be but are banking on God remembering what they used to do when they stand before him. This letter indicates that these “believers” are in a very dangerous place.

We can easily look down on those who have slipped away but we can all be tempted to do the same thing when, after years of going to church, our faith can seem ordinary, humdrum, less rewarding than what the world is offering, and has even become unpopular and criticized in the culture. We must all guard against this “natural erosion” of faith and passion. How can we guard our hearts and keep the fire alive? Be sure you stay around people who still have a fire in their bones for the kingdom. The heat from their fires will keep your embers burning. If your group of believers has settled down and made peace with the world, find a new group. Intentionally risk. Develop a habit of doing “crazy things” for Jesus. Go on mission trips to 3^rd world countries. Pray for the sick at the local HEB. Share your faith with a stranger. Pursue the gift of tongues or prophecy. Consistently do things that are a “little scary.”

Risking things for the kingdom and being around others who risk makes your life in Christ an adventure. It does not get boring or irrelevant. It keeps stoking the fires and the excitement of seeing God do miracles through you makes the promises of the world seem lackluster. I believe that Jesus will not only acknowledge your name before the Father and his angels on the Day of Judgment, but even now as we passionately serve him. Those who serve faithfully now are already known in heaven and your name is already spoken there. Remember when God asked Satan if he had considered Job? Remember the angel who told Daniel that he was already highly esteemed in heaven. If you are living four Jesus, your name is already spoken in the courts of the King. Live in a way to insure that your name never fades in the halls of heaven but is mentioned there often until you arrive in person.  Be blessed.

Pergamum was the city where Satan had his throne. It was a city filled with demonic religions where the persecution had been so severe that Christians had been put to death. In his letter, Jesus had affirmed for their faith but had also scolded them for tolerating “believers” who were leading members of the church into idolatry and immorality.   Jesus called the church to endurance and faithfulness with the following promise.

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. (Rev.2:17)

This is a promise not just to believers at Pergamum but to all the churches and to all believers. Being faithful to the end is not always easy. Sometimes it is difficult because persecution comes rushing our way and threatens our lives, our security, or our ability to provide for ourselves or our family. At other times faith falters because life or the enemy has pecked away at our hearts and our hope through an accumulation of disappointments, losses, and loneliness through the years. Sometimes the constant distraction of the cares of the world causes our faith to wither and eventually die. Enduring and overcoming day after day and year and year is not easy.

God’s word is filled with promises that tell us that enduring in our faith and guarding our hearts is worth it. Here Jesus promises hidden manna for those who continue to battle and overcome the enemy. Manna, of course, was the supernatural bread that Israel found in the desert every morning. As a symbol it speaks of God’s strength and provision for his people. As the Jews left the wilderness to enter the Promise Land, the manna ceased because they had entered into a land that would sustain them with God’s blessing. But as a reminder of the source of their strength, health, and provision  manna was placed in a golden pot inside the Ark of the Covenant as a reminder of the days when Israel was totally dependent on God’s faithful provision.

Jesus promises the “hidden manna” to those who endure.   Jesus tells us that he is both the bread of life and the bread of heaven (See Jn.6:48, 51). This manna is hidden because it is unseen. You can’t walk out in the morning and pick it up off the ground but it comes to you unseen and supernaturally. It is Jesus giving himself to us for strength, health and provision. Like the manna in the wilderness it can’t be stored up but must be collected every day. Manna is daily bread and those who will overcome must receive from him every day. The promise is that when we seek Jesus daily and endure in our faith, he will be there and meet our needs for life in amazing ways seen only by faith.

The second promise is a white stone with a new name written on it. In the ancient world, those on trial were found innocent or guilty by the casting of a white stone or a black stone by those sitting in judgment. It is probable that Antipas, the faithful martyr of Pergamum, was found guilty by black stones and executed for his faith. But Jesus will cast the vote for those who are faithful to the end and he will cast it with a white stone. On that stone your new name will be written and known only to you and the one who wrote it – Jesus. A new name represents a greater and more intimate relationship than you have had before. Abram became Abraham, Jacob became Israel, and so forth. As God gave them new names their walk with him deepened and their blessings increased.

As we continue to live in faithfulness to God and overcome the enemy day by day, our walk with Jesus will increase, our intimacy with the Father will deepen, and we will have a unique and abiding relationship with him. Those who are extremely close in their relationships share things that no one else knows. Nicknames, shared experiences, and inside jokes are expressions of fondness and familiarity. This promise offers a relationship like that with the Father, the Son and the Spirit – extremely personal and intimate. You will not just be a face in the crowd in heaven but you will have a name and, perhaps, knowledge of God that will not have been revealed to anyone else. Power, provision, intimacy, and eternal innocence is the promise for those who keep their hearts aligned with the Father and who do not step off the track before finishing the race.

To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Rev. 3:7-11)

The church at Philadelphia receives no rebuke from the Lord but only a commendation and a promise. When we are aligned with the Father’s heart we can expect the same. Let’s look to see what they did have. First of all, this church was faithful. Apparently it was not a large church full of resources and influence but it was a church that had continued to serve Jesus with good deeds, they have kept his word and been obedient to his commands, and had not denied his name even in the face of Jewish opposition or criticism. They had endured patiently and that fact caught the Lord’s attention in a big way.

Endurance and patience are spiritual qualities of the mature. It is easy to stay passionate and faithful when everything is going your way. When churches are growing and God is prospering his people the kingdom looks bright. When persecution is a short-lived event then people shake it off like a bad storm and move on feeling triumphant because they survived. The hard thing in the kingdom of God is grinding out a life of faith when the persecution keeps coming and you are not seeing massive breakthroughs. It is easy for discouragement to set in when God hasn’t answered the prayer or brought the solution as quickly as you thought he would. It’s even tougher if you see other churches or other believers prospering and having quick victories in their lives while you continue to slog it out.

The praise and the promise for Philadelphia came because they had continued to do what they could with little strength or power even in the face of constant discouragement. They were faithful and had endured. Because of that Jesus, determined to open a door for them that no man could close. Because they had endured long he was giving them success that would last long time…an open door for evangelism, ministry, or blessing. Not only that but he was going to protect them from trials that others would soon face because they had already faced their trials. In addition, he would cause those who had persecuted them to come and acknowledge that these believers were true children of God.

The principle in this is that those who must wait another season before prayers are answered are given a greater blessing if they endure the season with faith. The question of Job is whether God is worthy of our worship and service regardless of our circumstances or only if we always get what we want. Job answered that he was always worthy and because of that he was blessed more in the end than in the beginning.

Some believers wait for healing, others wait for pregnancy, others wait to be release from re-education camps in China, others wait for a child to come home. If they wait in faith and continue to serve and obey God will surely honor that faith when some kind of open door that no man will be able to shut. God declares, “Those who honor me, I will honor” (1 Sam.2:30). Patient endurance and faithfulness honors God. Be sure, he will honor you as he honored those in Philadelphia. Be blessed.

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. (Rev. 2:8-11)

In the book of Revelation, Jesus delivers words of warning and encouragement to seven churches in the province of Asia. The second church is the church of Smyrna. This church existed in a wealthy city with a large Jewish population and yet the church is characterized by afflictions and poverty. The sense we get from the letter is that they were suffering persecution that was provoked by Jewish leaders in much the same way that Jesus was persecuted.

If we do the things that Jesus did, it is inevitable that we will also be slandered and persecuted in some way. Some of that slander and rejection will come from religious people. Just a few months ago, a prominent west coast preacher and author published a book that was an impassioned attack on all those who claim that God still does miracles through his people and that God still speaks in any way other than through the Bible. Although God is doing amazing things all over the globe there are many who will still declare that any such activity is a lie, a deception, or from the devil. If you walk in the power of the Spirit you will probably hear some of that from your own family members, from friends, or from your church or former church.

In the face of that slander or rejection you will be tempted to go underground with your faith and your prayers and to display your faith in Jesus and the power of his Spirit only in the presence of those who believe as you do. And yet, the power of the Spirit is to be displayed before unbelievers so that they might believe and so that they can experience the goodness of God which calls them into the kingdom.

The church in Smyrna had it right. Jesus said that though they were poor and afflicted by worldly standards, they were actually rich. The church in that Roman city was laying up treasure in heaven through faith and persistence in doing what God was calling them to do – regardless of the cost. The people that I know who walk most powerfully in the Spirit are those who do what the Spirit prompts them to do regardless of the cost or the risk. That mindset is alignment with Jesus because Jesus did exactly the same thing.

In this short statement to the church at Smyrna, Jesus simply told them that a season of persecution was coming and that they must remain faithful in the face of that persecution. Christianity is statistically the most persecuted faith on the planet. Even in America there is a war on Christianity. If we are to stay aligned with the Father, we must simply accept the fact that if we follow Jesus the world will reject us because it rejected him. We do not have to enjoy the fact but we must accept the fact as part of the cost of following Jesus.

On the other hand, when you walk in the power of the Spirit you will also be loved by many. Those individuals whose lives God touches through you will love you. Those who share your faith will love you. More importantly, God himself will delight in you. But others will not because they do not know God as they should or at all. If you read Chapters 8 and 9 of the gospel of John you will see what Jesus has to say about that.

In his letter to Smyrna, we discover that true alignment with the Father requires the acceptance of some level of persecution and rejection in our lives and the willingness to do the works of the Father regardless. As we become willing to endure that realty from time to time, the power of the Spirit will increase in our lives. For many of us that is a bitter pill to swallow because our greatest desire is to be loved and accepted by every person in our lives. There is nothing wrong with the desire to be loved but we must love Jesus more than any other. To do so will require experiencing the disapproval of those who do not love him or know him as they should. It is how you become rich in heaven and it is one of the qualities that invites a greater measure of the Spirit into our lives which is true wealth even in this world.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.           Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Tim.2:2-7)

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul is alone and writing from a Roman prison. He assumes that his time of execution is near and so what he shares with his young protégé in the faith are essentials and, perhaps, his most important final declarations. The Holy Spirit called Timothy to a significant role of leadership in the church and yet it appears that Timothy didn’t see the greatness in himself that Paul or the Spirit saw. He often hesitated as a leader and, as a young man, seemed to avoid confrontation even at times when it was needed. As a result, Paul attempted to encourage Timothy to step up and fulfill the call that was on his life. Many of us struggle with the same hesitancy when it comes to fulfilling our destiny in Christ so, perhaps, Paul’ words might be helpful for us as well.

First of all, in his letter Paul reminded Timothy to be strong in Christ’s grace. Grace is God’s enabling power to fulfill the life he has assigned to us. Strength does not come because we have it all together. If we did, we wouldn’t need strength from God because we would possess it ourselves. Grace is given because we lack some quality or capacity and are desperate to receive it from God so we should ask for it often and expect to experience God’s strength in the moment of need or battle. As you scan the exploits of the Old Testament heroes of faith you see that strength came on them when they were already engaged in battle rather than before. They began with their strength but ended with God’s. We will need to accept the challenge God has given us before he will equip us for it. By faith and God’s grace he will strengthen us as we begin to move in the calling he has placed on our lives.

Secondly, Paul charged Timothy to entrust to others what he had learned so that they would also entrust the truths of the kingdom to others. Leadership is not just about doing something yourself but about equipping God’s people to take the baton, run the next leg of the race, and then pass it to another. Historically, great moves of God have died out after one generation because leaders did not equip the next generation or pass the torch to them. Sometimes leaders do not pass on their skills and experience to others or help others succeed because they enjoy being “the man” or because they actually fear their students will surpass them. The Spirit, however, is like a river that flows to us and then desires to flow through us. When we are conduits for the kingdom, more strength and capacity will be given to us.

Paul went on to adjust Timothy’s expectations for leadership. It will not always be easy, convenient, or popular. There will be times of hardship that require endurance. No leader in biblical history had a cakewalk. Each of them endured danger, risk, opposition, soul searching, betrayal, and attacks from the enemy. To expect less is to give up at the first sign of hardship. We are in a war. We have been dropped into enemy territory and must fight our way out. Soldiers expect hardship, cold nights, hunger, and even wounds. It goes with the territory. We will experience the same hardships from time to time.   In addition, we must maintain our focus. If we allow ourselves to be distracted from our primary mission we will fail. Satan loves to spread God’s leaders thin. He loves for us to get involved in more and more good things so that we loose focus and impact for our primary mission. Paul warns us to keep an eye on our primary mission.

As a sports fan, Paul suddenly draws another analogy – the runner. In order to win a runner must wait on the starting gun, stay in his own lane, and cross the finish line. He can’t compete by his own rules but must compete according to the rules of the Master of the Games. Too often leaders try to succeed in their mission by using worldly principles rather than kingdom principles. Worldly principles are shortcuts and draw the applause of men. Kingdom leaders can’t take shortcuts and must seek the applause of God rather than men.

Finally, Paul reminds Timothy that he must work hard, understand that there is a gap between planting and harvesting, but also remember that God will be faithful to reward him when the harvest comes. We live in a microwave culture. We want instant results and often jump from one ministry to another, one strategy to another, and one vision to another because we don’t see instant growth or the outcomes we expected. There are times to change but patience and hard work are also virtues in the kingdom. Great churches and ministries are built in years and decades not months. Great gifts are developed over time as well. To forget that sowing and reaping come in seasons and that the greatest trees take hundreds of years to grow rather than a few seasons sets us up for discouragement.

Paul asked Timothy to reflect on these things and to be blessed by doing so. You may want to do so as well. Be blessed.