In the Name of Jesus

We are in the sixteenth chapter of Acts, verses sixteen through eighteen. That means Paul is on his second of three missionary journeys. The story is straight forward – Paul, Silas and Timothy are looking for a place to pray. That should have been easy, but it was hard. According to the text, their solitude is broken by an enslaved woman. We know next to nothing about her. We do not know her height. We do not know her weight. We do not know if she was physically beautiful or homely. We do not know if she was intellectually brilliant or dim. We know next to nothing about her, but we do know two things. First, she was a fortuneteller, making her owner a great deal of money. Our generation has disguised fortunetelling as entertainment; her generation saw it for what it was, and is, satanic. Second, we know she was a pest.

The meeting of Paul and the fortune teller is not a brief encounter. She stalks Paul and his small group for an unknown amount of time. I am not exactly sure what happened, but something happened, and it broke the camel’s back. With his patience completely gone, Paul looked at the woman and called on the name of Jesus. The demon was extracted, and the story ends with the woman being liberated. Time and time again, the Bible tells us calling on the name of Jesus reveals God’s authority.

Have you ever called on the name of Jesus in your time of greatest need? I have never met a person who hasn’t called on the name of Jesus occasionally. After all, life is hard. That is why it is important to understand what calling on the name of Jesus means. Many do not. Ted Turner (born 1938) does not.

Today, Ted Turner is 85 years old. He is worth $2.5 billion. When cable television exploded onto the American scene, Atlanta-based Ted Turner was one of the pioneers. One of his first stations was CNN, the Cable News Network. It was the first to carry news 24/7. I always remember watching Turner’s channel nine, WTBS. They carried all the Atlanta Braves baseball games in the days of Bob Horner (born 1957) and Dale Murphy (born 1956). Let me state the obvious – he has made many wonderful business decisions. However, his spiritual life is completely bankrupt. His story is sad. Born in Cincinnati, he was raised in a Christian home. As a youth, he dreamed of going into the mission field. That all changed during the illness and death of his sister, Mary Jean (1941-1960). That experience changed him. He became disenchanted with Christianity. He said, “I prayed for my sister, but she died anyway.” Discouraged, he walked away and never looked back. Can you imagine being 85 years old and not knowing Jesus? The problem is Ted Turner is ignorant about prayer.

Do you know of anyone who is ignorant about prayer? You must know someone who prayed with a sincere heart for their greatest desire, only to be disappointed. They prayed for a terminal brother, sister, or child only to have them die. They prayed for a baby, but the baby never came. They prayed for a perfect job, but perfection never happened. The problem was not the sincerity of their words. The problem was not their lack of faith. The problem was not their unholy lifestyle. The problem was that they were ignorant about prayer. Prayer is not about getting what you want. Prayer is not just saying the right words. Prayer is your spirit yearning to be with God. When you pray in the name of Jesus, three things happen. Consider them with me.

First, when you pray in the name of Jesus, you are admitting your limitations. Sixteenth President of the United States Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) once said, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”  How many times has life driven you to your knees? God always has our attention when life is hard. I witness that daily.

Did you know the countries with the fasting growing conversion rates to Christianity are all found in Africa and Asia? Not one of those countries on the list is found in western Europe or North America. There are several reasons for this, but one stands out. The areas of the world where Christianity is declining are the same areas that have the highest standard of living. In other words, those areas have the most money. God has a hard time getting our attention because we can take care of ourselves. That is why more church mortgages in America were paid off during the Great Depression than any other decade in the twentieth century. How many people don’t pray because they don’t think they need God? They can take care of themselves. When we pray in the name of Jesus, we are admitting our limitations.

Second, when you pray in the name of Jesus. you are identifying Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You are not praying in the name of Mohammed or Buddha. You are not calling on the name of your country or your favorite sports franchise. You are calling on the name of Jesus. In the scripture lesson Paul commanded the spirit to come out in the name of Jesus. That is important because it shows Jesus’ authority over the spirit. This is not the only place. Jesus had authority over a variety of things in the Bible. When you pray in the name of Jesus, you are telling the world that you belong to him.

During the 1800s, Reverend E.P. Scott (1812-1864) was a missionary in India. Against the advice of his peers, he decided to travel to a remote tribe to share the Gospel. Several days into his journey, he was confronted by a group of warriors. They took their spears and pointed them toward his chest. He responded by pulling out his violin, closed his eyes and started singing. What did he sing? He sang All Hail the Power of Jesus Name. The warriors didn’t know what to do so they lowered their spears. In time, the warriors began to cry. Scott was saved and spent the rest of his life teaching that tribe about Jesus. There is something about that name, Jesus! When we pray in the name of Jesus, we are admitting our limitations. When you pray in the name of Jesus you are identifying Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Third and finally, when you pray in the name of Jesus, you are submitting to his will. God hears and answers all prayers. Sometimes, God answers, “Yes.” That is what happened in the scripture lesson. The slave was healed. Sometimes, God answers, “No.” Paul was never healed from the thorn in his side. Sometimes, God answers, “Later.” There are many examples of that in our world. Sometimes, God answers, “Are you crazy?” when we pray to win the lottery or for our favorite sports team to win. We always want the answer to be yes, but it doesn’t always happen. What really matters is, are you submitting to God’s will? That is hard for people. When you pray in the name of Jesus you are submitting to God’s will.

One of the great stories in the Bible is the Garden of Gethsemane. You know the scene. The end is near. After three years of teaching and healing, Jesus is staring at the cross. It was Holy Week and so much had already happened. Jesus had already entered Jerusalem on that humble animal. Jesus had already cursed the fig tree and taught at the temple. Jesus had already been anointed and shared that last Seder with the disciples. Judas Iscariot had already agreed to betray him. There was nothing left for Jesus to do but wait. As he waits, he goes to the garden to pray. The master struggles as he prays. In Luke 22:42 Jesus prays, Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but your will be done.” Those are powerful words. Jesus does what we are unable to do – submit to God’s will. When we pray in the name of Jesus, we are admitting our limitations. When you pray in the name of Jesus you are identifying Jesus as your Lord and Savior. When you pray in the name of Jesus, you are submitting to his will.

Years ago, I served three United Methodist congregations near Saint Clairsville, Ohio: Morristown, Lloydsville and Bannock. The total attendance at all three was approximately eighty. I preached at all three weekly. I preached at Morristown at 9:00. I preached at Lloydsville at 10:00. I preached at Bannock at 11:00. The best thing about those churches was the people. They were good to me and taught me a great deal about pastoral care.

I will never forget the day a woman called me and said, “Russ, I need your help.” She went on to tell me her neighbor’s son was killed in a traffic accident and asked me to visit her. He was out celebrating his twenty-first birthday and drank too much. When the highway patrol cut his lifeless body out of the car, they found a half-emptied case of beer and countless empty beer cans. The young man never had a chance. I found out later his father gave him the case of beer as a birthday present. Over the next few days, I spent hours with the grieving mother. With red rimmed eyes she asked me two questions “Was God punishing my son for some past sin?” And “Why didn’t God hear my prayer and save his life?” It was clear to me the poor woman was ignorant about prayer.

Do you know anyone who is ignorant about prayer? Prayer is not a magic wand to get what you want. Prayer is more. Prayer is an admission. We just don’t have all the resources we need to solve all your problems. Prayer is an identification. We are saying Jesus was the greatest life that ever lived. Prayer is about submitting. You must surrender to God’s will and accept the fact that God knows best. The great reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546) once said “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” How healthy is your prayer life?

Talking to God

The founder of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland was John Knox (1514-1572). He died on November 24, 1572. Historians tell us that as he lay on his death bed he asked his wife, thirty-two years his junior, to read the prayer in John 17. In that chapter, Jesus is about to be arrested, so Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and all believers. As Knox heard Jesus’s prayer, he seemed to forget his own weakness. Suddenly he began to pray. He prayed for his fellowmen. He prayed for the ungodly who had thus far rejected the gospel. He prayed for recent converts. He prayed for protection for the Lord’s servants, many of whom were facing persecution. He prayed a word of thanksgiving. As Knox prayed, his spirit went home to be with the Lord. The man of whom Queen Mary of Scotland (1542-1587) had said, “I fear his prayers more than I do the armies of my enemies,” ministered through prayer until the moment of his death.

What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? One of the great privileges I had in the ministry was praying with people. I have prayed with people at some incredible times. Both the best and worst in life seem to lead us to prayer. I prayed with young couples who had just welcomed a child into the world. I prayed with young couples who experienced one of life’s greatest disappointments. I prayed with couples who had just decided to unite in marriage. I prayed with people who had decided to end their marriage. I prayed with families who were waiting for a loved one to pass. I prayed with people during a long surgery. I prayed before church dinners and meetings. I prayed for sick family pets and the blessing of a new home. I prayed early on Easter morning and late on Christmas Eve. I prayed for those who are incarcerated and those who were miles away serving our country. I prayed for strangers and for the people I love the most. I have asked people to pray for me when I was sick and recovering from surgery. What is it about prayer that makes it so powerful? Martin Luther (1483-1546) said, “If I should neglect prayer but a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.” That leads us to our scripture reading, Mark 1:35-39.

According to the text, it is Sunday and Jesus is praying. Jesus is physically, emotionally, and spiritually spent. Saturday had been a long day. We will never know how long he taught in the synagogue. We will never know how many people were healed. We will never know how many demons he exorcised. What we do know is that Jesus was tired, but the population of Capernaum was energized about Jesus. Verse thirty-five says Jesus got up early the next day to pray. We do not know the content of his prayer, but it must have been something special. He decides to leave his popularity in Capernaum and teach in other synagogues throughout Galilee.

However, there is more to this story than discovering Jesus’ itinerary. It models for us the importance of prayer. If you are a prayer warrior, then you understand the next line. Prayer changes the one who prays. You may think you are changing the outcome, but you are really changing yourself. When you pray, you change your heart. Consider these three things with me.

First, prayer changes your agenda. Look at the text with me. Verse thirty-five says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” In other words, Jesus had a plan. He didn’t wait until an opportunity presented itself. Jesus was very intentional about prayer. He got up early and went to a private place to pray. Are you intentional in your prayer life, or does prayer just happen when an opportunity presents itself? Why is this point so important? It is my experience that people find time for things that are important to them. There is never time for things that are not important.

Years ago, when I was a seminary student, Christmas fell on a Sunday. I remember that year clearly because it was the first Christmas morning I wouldn’t be home. I served a small membership church near Danville, Kentucky and duty called. I preached both on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. I planned to leave for home after Sunday morning worship. My parishioners worried about me driving home. They lived in Garrard County and rarely left their little corner of the world. They saw northeastern Ohio as another planet. They asked for a short service on Christmas morning so I could get on the road, because they didn’t want me to get home too late. It was about 400 miles. One of the men surprised me by filling up my car with gas during the service, and I drove from Danville, Kentucky to Akron, Ohio.

When I got to Akron, I needed a break and some gas. The only gas station that was open was manned by a hairy young fellow with worn-out jeans. He was wearing a shirt that looked like something stolen from Goodwill, and a large multicolored wrinkled hoodie. I walked in and said, “It stinks to work on Christmas Day!” He smiled and said, “I don’t care. I am off on New Year’s Eve! I am having a party! I couldn’t care less about Christmas, but I wouldn’t miss the party.” He asked me, “What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?” I said, “I don’t know.” I hadn’t even thought about New Year’s Eve. It is all a matter of priority. Honestly, I am normally depressed on New Year’s Eve because Christmas is over.

Have you ever noticed people make time for what is important to them? How much time do you spend at work? How much time do you spend golfing? How much time do you spend watching television? How much time do you spend watching football? How much time do you spend playing with the children in your life? How much time do you spend in prayer? Those questions expose your priorities in your life. We make time for the things that are important to us. Prayer changes your agenda.

Second, prayer changes your heart. Prayer makes you more sensitive to human need. Jesus got up early to pray. Then the disciples came and told him everyone was looking for him. He was the talk of the town! But Jesus wasn’t interested in popularity. He was more concerned about others. Prayer led Jesus to the physical and spiritual needs of his world. Verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine say, “Jesus replied, ‘Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.’ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.” That piece of scripture tells us prayer calls us to action.Never forget, faith is a verb. The great reformer Martin Luther also said, “Pray as if everything depends on God, then work as if everything depends on you.” Where are your prayers leading you?

Years ago, the Salvation Army was holding their international convention and their founder, Gen. William Booth (1829-1912), could not attend because of physical weakness. He cabled the convention his message. His one-word message was: “OTHERS.” That is the one message that God has sent to our world from the very beginning. The problem is, we aren’t listening. We are so consumed with ourselves that we have missed it. Prayer is not about our needs and wants. Life is not about our needs and our wants. Life and prayer are about OTHERS! God is sending you to the intersection in your life where your personal interest meets human need. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart.

Third, prayer will change your relationship with God. Prayer cultivates a friendship with God. Real friendships take time to grow. Have you ever noticed how much time Jesus spent praying? He is cultivating a relationship with God, an intimacy with God. Let me give you a short, incomplete list of all the times in scripture that Jesus prayed.

1. Mark 1:35 Jesus prayed in the morning

2. Mark 6:46 Jesus prayed in the evening

3. Luke 5:16 Jesus heals the leper and retreats for prayer

4. Luke 6:12 Jesus prays all night and then calls the twelve

5. Luke 9:18 Jesus is praying with the disciples

6. Luke 22:41 Jesus is praying in the garden of Gethsemane

Do I have to go on? Jesus was always praying because it was a priority to him. Prayer was a priority to him because he was trying to stay connected to God. When you pray, you are cultivating a friendship with God.

I am always humbled when I say this, but when we pray, we are talking to the God of the universe. Maybe the reasons you don’t feel an intimacy with God is because you haven’t spent enough time cultivating your friendship with God? Prayer is not just informing God of your needs and your wants. Prayer is taking the time to develop a relationship with God. German-born theoretical physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) once said, “Physics is easy, relationships are complex”. Take time to cultivate the most important relationship you will ever have, your relationship with God. Prayer will change your agenda. Prayer will change your heart. Prayer will change your relationship with God.

Bill Moyers (born 1934) was a special assistant to President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973). He was asked to say grace before a meal in the family quarters of the White House. As Moyers began praying softly, the President interrupted him with “Speak up, Bill! Speak up!” The former Baptist minister from east Texas stopped in mid-sentence and without looking up replied steadily, “I wasn’t talking to you, Mr. President. I was talking to God.” When was the last time you talked to God?

In The Name of Jesus

I live outside of Youngstown, Ohio. According to Google, there are eight psychics in my immediate area. The closest one is eight miles away – Psychic Readings by Laura Lynn in Boardman. Have you ever gone to a psychic or fortune teller? I hope not, because there is nothing fun about them. There is a dark side to that old practice. I do not doubt their ability to see into the future. I worry about the source of that power. Let me say this clearly: the source of that power is rooted in the occult. In other words, the ability to read into the future comes from Satan, himself. Fortune telling has been with us a long time. It is even found in the scripture lesson for today.

We are in the sixteenth chapter of Acts, verses sixteen through twenty-three. Paul, Silas and Timothy are looking for a place to pray. That should be easy, but it has become quite hard. According to the text, their solitude is broken by a female slave who could read the future. Her ability to do so has made her master a great deal of money. Our generation has disguised fortune telling as entertainment; her generation saw it as satanic. The meeting of Paul and the fortune teller is not a brief encounter. She stalks Paul and his small group for an unknown amount of time. I am not exactly sure what happened, but something did and it broke the camel’s back. With his patience completely gone, Paul looked at the woman and called on the name of Jesus. The demon was extracted from the woman. The story ends with the woman being liberated. Time and time again, the Bible tells us that calling on the name of Jesus reveals God’s authority. Have you ever called on the name of Jesus in your time of greatest need?

Years ago, I served three United Methodist congregations in the Saint Clairsville, Ohio area – Morristown, Lloydsville and Bannock. The total attendance at all three was approximately eighty. I preached at all three every week. I was in Morristown at 9:00. Lloydsville at 10:00 and Bannock at 11:00. The best thing about those churches was the people. They were good to me and taught me a great deal about pastoral care.

I will never forget the day a woman called me and said, “Russ, I need your help.” She went on to tell me her neighbor’s son was killed in a traffic accident. He was out celebrating his twenty-first birthday and drank too much. When the highway patrol cut his lifeless body out of the car, they found a half-emptied case of beer and countless empty beer cans. The young man never had a chance. I found out later his father had bought him that case of beer to help him celebrate. I spent hours with the grieving mother over the next few days. With red rimmed eyes she asked me two questions that I will never forget: “Was God punishing my son for some past sin?” No, God did not make your son drink and drive. How many times must we be told not to drink and drive? Then, “Why didn’t God hear my prayer and save his life?” It was clear to me that she was ignorant about prayer.

Do you know of anyone who is ignorant about prayer? You must know someone who prayed with a sincere heart for their greatest desire, only to be disappointed. They prayed for a terminal brother, sister, or child only to have them die. They prayed for a baby, but the baby never came. The cradle still sits in the corner collecting dust. They prayed for a perfect job, but perfection never came. They are still wearing a name tag or a hair net. The problem was not the sincerity of their words. The problem was not their lack of faith. The problem was not their unholy lifestyle. The problem was that they were ignorant about prayer. Prayer is not about getting what you want. Prayer is not just saying the right words. Prayer is your spirit yearning to be with God. When you pray in the name of Jesus, three things happen. You need to remember these three things because they will revolutionize your prayer life.

First, when you pray in the name of Jesus you are admitting your limitations. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) once said, “I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.”  How many times has life driven you to your knees? God always has our attention when life is hard. I witness that daily.

During the 1800s, Reverend E.P. Scott was a missionary in India. Against the advice of his peers, he decided to travel to a remote tribe to share the Gospel. Several days into his journey, he was confronted by a group of warriors. They took their spears and pointed them into his chest. He responded by pulling out his violin, closed his eyes and started singing. What did he sing? He sang All Hail the Power of Jesus Name. The warriors didn’t know what to do so they lowered their spears. In time, the warriors began to cry. Scott was saved and spent the rest of his life teaching that tribe about Jesus. There is something about that name, Jesus!

Second, when you pray in the name of Jesus you are identifying Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You are not praying in the name of Mohammed or Buddha. You are not calling on the name of your country or your favorite sports franchise. You are calling on the name of Jesus. In the scripture lesson Paul commanded the spirit to come out in the name of Jesus Christ. That is important because it shows Jesus’ authority over the spirit. This is not the only place. Jesus had authority over a variety of things in the Bible. When you pray in the name of Jesus, you are telling the world that you belong to him.

One of the great stories in the Bible is the Garden of Gethsemane. You know the scene. The end is near. After three years of teaching and healing, Jesus is staring at the cross. It was Holy Week and so much had already happened. Jesus had already entered Jerusalem on that humble animal. Jesus had already cursed the fig tree and taught at the temple. Jesus had already been anointed and shared that last Seder with the disciples. Judas Iscariot had already agreed to betray him. There was nothing left for Jesus to do but wait. Jesus was waiting to be arrested. As he waits, he goes to the garden to pray. He knows of the coming ugliness. He struggles as he prays. In Luke 22:42 Jesus prays, Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will but your will be done.” Those are powerful words. Jesus does what we are unable to do – submit to God’s will.

Third, when you pray in the name of Jesus, you are submitting to his will. Do you remember your old Sunday school teaching? God hears and answers all prayers. Sometimes, God answers, “Yes.” That is what happened in the scripture lesson. The slave was healed. Sometimes, God answers, “No.” Paul was never healed from the thorn in his side. Sometimes, God answers, “Later.” There are many examples of that in our world. Sometimes, God answers, “Are you crazy?” Praying to win the lottery isn’t going to help. We always want the answer to be yes, but it doesn’t always happen. What really matters is, are you submitting to God’s will? That is hard for people. When you pray in the name of Jesus you are submitting to God’s will.

Everyone knows the name Ted Turner (born 1938). When cable television exploded onto the American scene, Atlanta-based Ted Turner was one of the leaders. One of his first stations was CNN, the Cable News Network. It was the first to carry news 24/7. I always remember channel nine, WTBS. They carried all the Atlanta Braves baseball games. Today, Ted Turner is 84 years old and is worth an estimated $2.5 billion. He has made many wonderful business decisions, but his spiritual life is completely bankrupt. His story is sad. He was raised in a Christian home and as a youth he dreamed of going into the mission field. That all changed during the illness and death of his sister. That experience changed him. He became disenchanted with Christianity. He said, “I prayed for my sister, but she died anyway.” Discouraged, he walked away from the faith and never looked back.

Do you have any Ted Turners in your life? I don’t mean billionaires. I mean people who have become disenchanted with the faith. They are not ignorant about life. However, they are ignorant about prayer. Prayer is not a magic wand granting you wishes. Prayer is so much more. Prayer is an admission. We just don’t have all the resources we need to solve our problems. Prayer is an identification. We are saying Jesus was the greatest life that ever lived. Prayer is about submitting. You must surrender to God’s will and accept the fact that God knows best. Do you remember the words of the great reformer, Martin Luther (1483-1546)? “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

Effective Prayer

Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time, the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, “Brother, the grass grows on your path.” That leads us to an important question.

How often do you pray? In 2014, the Pew Research Group told us 55% of all Americans pray daily. In the same study, they reported 21% say they pray weekly or monthly. 23% of Americans say they seldom or never pray. I am happy to report I am in the 55% who pray daily. As a matter of fact, I pray more than once a day because I need God. Let me state the obvious. In the Christian faith, prayer is vital. The great reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546) once said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” I wrote this blog to help you pray more effectively. That takes us to our scripture reading.

We find ourselves in the twelfth chapter of Acts, verses one through twelve. According to the text, King Herod (c. 72 BCE – 4 c. BCE) is on the throne. That was bad news for the early church because he is still practicing Christian persecution. Verse two is hard to read two thousand years later. It tells us James, the brother of John, had been put to death. His end was not pretty. He died as John the Baptist died, by the sword. I find verse three to be disturbing. The Jews were pleased at his death and longed for more blood. This time, the victim will be Peter himself. Like Jesus, he was arrested during the Passover and is watched by a surplus of guards. His outcome was predictable, except for one thing. In verse five, we are told the church begins to pray for him and the miraculous happens. An angel appears in his prison cell and helps him to escape. Isn’t it great when our prayers are answered, “Yes!” That is not the only story. There are many stories when God answered, “Yes!”

Dr. Helen Roseveare (1925-2016) was a missionary in Zaire, Africa. A mother at her mission station died shortly after giving birth to a premature baby. They tried to improvise an incubator to keep the infant alive, but the only hot water bottle they had was beyond repair. So, she asked the children to pray for the baby and for her sister. One of the girls prayed, “Dear God, please send a hot water bottle today. Tomorrow will be too late because by then the baby will be dead. And dear Lord, send a doll for the sister so she won’t feel so lonely.” That afternoon a large package arrived from England. The children watched eagerly as it was opened it. Much to their surprise, under some clothing was a hot water bottle! Immediately, the girl who had prayed so earnestly started to dig deeper, exclaiming, “If God sent that, I’m sure He also sent a doll!” And she was right! The doll was in the bottom of the trunk. Isn’t it great when God answers our prayers, “Yes?” Wouldn’t it be nice if our prayers were always answered with a, yes? This is the truth. Experience has taught me sometimes God’s answer is no.

It was on a Sunday evening years ago. The plan was to bring a terminally ill woman to the altar for prayer. The medical world said there was no hope. She came to the church that evening by the nursing home’s van. When she arrived, the sanctuary lights were dimmed, and the candles were lit. The congregation who had assembled was ready for the miraculous. After the healing scriptures were read, she was surrounded by the most important people in her life. We laid hands on her, and I placed oil on her forehead to intensify our prayers. One by one, we all prayed for her. Filled with emotion, each word was genuine. When we said the Lord’s Prayer, the Holy Spirit washed over us. Emotionally and spiritually exhausted, the woman was placed back into her wheelchair and directed back to the van. With few words spoken, we watched her being driven out of the parking lot. That evening we boldly prayed for a complete healing, but it never came. A short time later, the same group gathered for her funeral. Sometimes our prayers are answered, “No!” Sometimes our prayers are answered, “Later”.

One of the great privileges I had in the ministry was praying with people. I prayed with people all the time and in various locations. I have prayed with people in my office and in the parlor. I have prayed with people at the altar and in their homes. I have prayed with people in the hospital. Several years ago, I was talking to a man who began complaining about something that happened years ago. He told me the story in detail. As I listened, I realized all the characters in his story were dead! He was mad at dead people. I said to him, “They may be dead, but they still have power over you! Look how upset you are! You need to pray!” He responded, “I don’t pray.” I said, “You do today!” And in the middle of the parking lot, I grabbed his hand, and we prayed that God would heal his damaged emotions. This is my question for you today.

What makes prayer effective? Many seem to believe effective prayer is always getting what you want. They pray for the terminally ill person, and they are healed. They pray for the winning lottery numbers, and they are drawn. They pray for the missing family pet, and they are returned. They pray for their favorite team, and they win. They pray for a new love, and one suddenly appears. Is that your definition of effective prayer? To God, effective prayer cultivates a relationship with God. Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) was not a Christian, but he saw the value of prayer. He once said, “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is a longing for the soul…It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than to have words without heart.” You know it is true. Many of our prayers sound like a wish list for a rich uncle. Never forget it. When you pray, you are speaking to God, the creator of the universe. That reminder should change your prayer life. In comparison to God, we are nothing. In this blog, I want to help you improve your prayer life by reminding you of three things.

First, effective prayer praises God! In our scripture lesson, we were simply told the church prayed for Peter. Their prayer is not quoted, and no details are given. However, the early church was mindful of the fact that God was worthy of their praise. The one thing that united them was the resurrection of Jesus. If you have the power to bring a dead man back to life, then you have the power to do anything. Factor in this next statement. This all-powerful God wanted to have a relationship with them, and He wants to have a relationship you. If you let that divine truth sink into your heart, then you will be humbled. Does your prayer life include praise?

One of my favorite Bible stories is the transfiguration. It is found in all three of the synoptic Gospels: Mark 9:2-13, Matthew 17:1-13, Luke 9:28-36. Peter had just stated for the first time that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. That announcement changed everything. Jesus took the inner circle, Peter, Andrew, James, and John, to the top of the mountain to pray. They had no clue what was about to happen. Without warning, Jesus is transfigured. In other words, he begins to glow. Then, Moses and Elijah suddenly appear. Moses was the great law giver and Elijah was considered the greatest of the prophets. (They must have been wearing name tags for the disciples to recognize them.) Then God showed up covered by a cloud. He tells everyone Jesus is his son. “Listen to him!” The disciples are blown away. You cannot blame them. They had just experienced God, firsthand. When you pray, you are talking to God, the great and mighty one, one on one. God desires to be praised. (Hebrews 13:15) Effective prayer praises God!

Second, effective prayer obeys God! What you say is important. What you do is equally important. We are only in this world for a short time. We are going to be in heaven for eternity. Are you practicing today what you will be doing in heaven for eternity? How obedient are you to God? Jesus isn’t just your Savior. Jesus is also your Lord.

One of the great mysteries in life is discerning God’s will. Have you ever wondered what God wants you to do? I am convinced most of the time we know, but we just refuse to do it. We know we are to love everyone, but we only tolerate people who are just like us. We know we are to forgive, but we remember. We know that we are to sacrifice for others, but we save the best for ourselves. We know that we are to tithe (10%) but we give about 2%. We know we are to love God completely, but we only come to church when it is convenient. It is a matter of obedience. Effective prayer praises and obeys God!

Third, effective prayer trusts God! Sometime God answers, “No!” That means that your will and God’s will are running in opposite directions. Have you ever been mad at God because He didn’t listen to your advice? If so, then you are extremely arrogant and not very trusting. In prayer, we are cultivating a relationship with God. Do you have a good relationship with God, or do you have some work to do? It is a matter of trust.

In 1962, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch was published. It is considered one of the most significant works to emerge from Soviet Russia. It is set in a Soviet labor camp and focuses on a single day of one prisoner, Ivan Denisovitch. In one scene, he is praying with his eyes closed when a fellow prisoner notices him, and says with ridicule, “Prayers won’t help you get out of here any faster.” Opening his eyes, Ivan answers, “I do not pray to get out of prison, but to do the will of God.” Effective prayer praises, obeys and trusts God!

On April 13, 2021, I was in Chicago. My daughter Anna was married a few days earlier, and my wife and I were escaping the post wedding blues. We were excited about visiting the “Windy City.” We had a list of things we wanted to see. However, we never saw a single thing. Instead, I had emergency surgery at Northwestern Medical Center. That surgery triggered the longest months of my life. Complications set in. A friend had to drive to Chicago to take us home. A few days later, I was taken to Mercy Health Hospital in Youngstown, Ohio. They transferred me to the Cleveland Clinic. When I was released ten days later in early May, my recovery was slow. My wife gave me excellent care at home, along with the visiting nurse and a good friend. My church daily prayed for me and sent food. In time, I did rebound.

In August, I drove myself back to the Cleveland Clinic for my last doctor’s appointment. When my name was called, I sat in the small examining room. In a few minutes, the doctor walked in and began to smile. He asked me how I felt. I felt tired, but I was on the mend. In the middle of the pandemic, he sat next to me and said, “Can I tell you the truth? I thought you were coming in today to schedule more surgery. Obviously, you do not need it. What do you attribute to your recovery?” I answered with one word, “Prayer!” There can be no other answer. I am a living example that prayer is a powerful thing. I am thankful sometimes God answers our prayers with a “YES!” But that is not why we pray. We prayer to cultivate a relationship with God. That leads us back to our original question.

How often do you pray? In other words, how often do you talk to God? Are you cultivating a relationship with God? Or do your prayers sound like a wish list for a rich uncle? Is it possible you have forgotten you are speaking to God, the creator of the universe? Next to Him, we are nothing. Effective prayer praises God. Effective prayer obeys God. Effective prayer trusts God. Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) once said, “Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays.”

Sometimes God Says, “No!”

When I was a student at Asbury Seminary, I had a friend by the name of David. Prior to seminary, he had to battle for his life. He had a brain tumor. He enrolled in seminary the day his doctor said he was tumor-free. Halfway through seminary his brain tumor returned. This time, the malignancy moved quickly. David seemed to grow weaker daily. Soon the doctors said it was only a matter of time. On the Sunday night before his last hospitalization, David attended a healing service. The traveling evangelist promised a healing if David truly believed. It saddens me to say, David was not healed. I attended his funeral and mourned. I still have questions about his death. In the months to follow, I talked to his twenty-seven-year-old widow, Char. She said David died feeling like a spiritual failure. David believed the traveling evangelist; if he had faith then he would be healed. The problem was, he wasn’t healed. David forgot the divine truth. Sometimes, God says, “No!” That leads us to the scripture lesson for today.

We find ourselves in the seventh chapter of Matthew, verses seven through twelve. Our reading is part of the Sermon on the Mount. These words were not directed to just the twelve disciples. They are directed to the crowd that had gathered in Galilee. Jesus encourages his followers to be bold in prayer. Verses seven and eight grab our attention,“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” The primary point that Jesus is trying to make is about the very nature of God. Verses seven and eight were uttered by the Master to explain the depth of God’s love for us. Those are not magic words to get your heart’s desire. That is how many interpret that verse. They are destined to be frustrated.

That is Ted Turner’s (born 1938) story. The cable television mogul is a true American celebrity. He is worth a fortune and seems to lack nothing. However, he lacks any spiritual foundation. He was raised in a strict Christian home, and at one time he even considered being a missionary. That all changed when his sister died, despite his prayers. Turner has been quoted as saying, “the more I strayed from my faith, the better I felt.” I have a hard time believing that quote. With all Ted Turner knows, he forgot the divine truth. Sometimes, God says, “No!” He is not alone.

How many people do you know who are mad at God because God said, “No!” They will be glad to tell you, their story. With a sincere heart, they prayed. It may have been for a person or a certain situation. They prayed, but their prayer requests seemed to fall on deaf ears. You know it is true because it has happened in your life. How many gravely ill people have you prayed for who have died? How many hopeless situations remained hopeless? How many unemployed people remain unemployed? Have you ever become disenchanted with the faith because your prayers were not answered to your satisfaction? This is the sad divine truth. Sometimes God says, “No!”

In verses nine through twelve, Jesus uses a loving parent to illustrate this divine point. You know it is true. I know many loving parents, so we understand Jesus’s point. We would like to say “Yes” to every request our children present to us but that is impossible. There are many reasons why. Sometimes we say “No” because it is asked out of ignorance. Sometimes we say “No” because our children are short-sighted, and we want to spare them from future harm. Sometimes we say “No” because it is uttered in an emotional moment and there is nothing logical about the request. Sometimes we say “No” because the request is grounded in selfishness. When was the last time you said “No” to your children because you love them? Sometime God says “No” because he loves us too. Let me say this clearly. Verses seven and eight were uttered by the Master to explain to the crowd the depth of God’s love. God wants us to come to Him with the desires of our hearts because he wants an open relationship. God loves us. We struggle with this passage because we assume the main topic is prayer, but the main topic is the nature of God. However, that does not mean that prayer isn’t important.

Prayer is important to the believer for three reasons. First, God expects us to pray. (Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 18:1, 1 Thess. 5:17.) That is the most important reason to pray. Second, it is in our very nature to pray. It is natural for us to reach to God when our problems are larger than our resources. Third, prayer is the link between us and God. It is upon prayer that God gives us His grace and spirit. The next question is key.

Why does God want us to pray? The answer is not to inform God about a certain situation. God knows all things. The answer is not to change God’s mind or alter a particularly sad or hopeless situation. The answer is more fundamental. God wants us to pray to change us. There is no way you can spend time with God and not be changed. Prayer reminds us of who God is and prayer reminds us of who we are! He is the God of the universe. He is the one who created this world out of nothing. He is the one who knows our great dreams and greatest fears. He is the author of history. He is the one who loves you so much he sent Jesus into this world to die so he could spend eternity with you! In prayer, we learn that God is big, and we are extremely small. In prayer, we learn Jesus was right! The very nature of God is love. God wants us to pray not to change particularly sad situations, God wants us to pray because prayer changes us.

History tells us Martin Luther (1483-1546), the great reformer, saw prayer as vital. We are told he got up every day and spent two hours in prayer before he attempted his first earthly task. The night before one particularly busy day, he looked at an associate and said, “I have so much scheduled for tomorrow that I must rise an hour earlier to have an extra hour alone with God.” Can I ask you an extremely personal question? How much time do you spend in prayer? If you are serious about growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ, then you must find time to pray.Did you know John Wesley (1703-1791), the father of the great Methodist movement, got up at 4:00 am every day to spend time with God? How much time do you spend with God? How much has prayer changed you?

I love this story. Mother Theresa (1910-1997) was summoned to the kitchen of the orphanage one day in Calcutta. There was a problem. The head cook was upset because the order of food hadn’t been delivered and she was expecting three hundred for lunch in less than an hour. Everyone expected Mother Theresa to contact one of her sponsors for help. She didn’t. Instead, she looked at the kitchen staff and said, “I suggest you go to the chapel and pray about this situation”. They did, and ten minutes later a stranger showed up at the front door holding a clipboard. He asked for Mother Theresa. When she appeared, the stranger looked at her and said, “The teachers have just gone on strike, so school has been canceled today. I have 7,000 extra lunches. Can you help us use them?” Isn’t it great when God answers our prayers with a yes! The problem is, God often answers our prayers requests with a “no”. It is frustrating when God answers our prayers requests with a “no”. Ours is not the first generation to experience a divine no.

Consider this: God also said, “No!” to the greatest personalities in the Bible. How do you say, “No!” to Paul? He took the Good News to the Gentile world. He was the greatest missionary of all time. Yet, when Paul prayed that God would heal him from the thorn in his side, the thorn remained. How do you say, “No!” to Jesus? He was the very son of God, who left the perfection of heaven to slum it in this world. You remember the story. Jesus prayed in the garden that this cup could be taken from him, but it remained. Jesus went to the cross and died a horrible death. If God could say, “No” to Paul and Jesus, then God can say, “No!” to you. Life teaches us that God often says, “No!” That is what makes our scripture lesson so difficult to understand. It is almost like Jesus is lying to us. The text is not really about prayer. It is about the very nature of our loving God. Let me end this blog with this story.

In the early days of Dallas Theological Seminary there was a critical need of $10,000 to keep the school open. During a prayer meeting, renowned Bible teacher Harry Ironside (1876-1951), a lecturer at the school, prayed, “Lord, you own the cattle on a thousand hills. Please sell some of those cattle to help us meet this need.” Shortly after the prayer meeting, a check for $10,000 arrived at the school, sent days earlier by a friend who had no idea of the urgent need or of Ironside’s prayer. The man simply said the money came from the sale of some of his cattle! What a great story!

Isn’t it great when our prayers are answered, “Yes”! The problem is, sometimes God says, “No.” However, God always loves us and longs to hear the desires of our hearts. Never forget it. Prayer is important. Prayer may not change every situation, but prayer will change you. How much time do you spend in prayer? The great reformer Martin Luther said it best. He said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

Let Us Pray

Years ago, I served three small membership United Methodist congregations in Belmont County, Ohio. I was proud to serve the Morristown, Lloydsville and Bannock churches. Combined, they averaged eighty people on an average Sunday morning. You could drive the loop in 12 miles. My three churches were teamed with two other United Methodist congregations in the area, Belmont and Bethesda. Together, we formed the West Belmont Cooperative Parish.

Every Monday morning the pastors of those churches would meet. The pastor of the Belmont church was a guy by the name of Lew. He was sort of an odd fellow, but I liked him. He wore a rumbled shirt and sported an un-groomed beard with uncombed hair. His glasses were always dirty and sliding down his nose. He left the ministry years ago. He was more passionate about computers, then he was anything else.

At one of our Monday morning gatherings, he showed up with his computer. Within the first few minutes, he turned it on and asked the group, “Can I show you something?” He hit a few buttons and showed us a list of prayer requests. He flashed his yellow smile and said, “My church is compiling a list of prayer requests. We are going to prove to the world that prayer works.” I thought that was an odd thing to do, so I said nothing. I thought, how many answered prayers do you need to prove pray works? Lost in his computer world, Lew showed us his list. There was all kind of things on it.

Vern was facing knee surgery
Doris’ children were traveling up from Charlotte
Jennifer was taking a big exam in school
Dorothy was trying a new hair color and prayed she would like it
Kelly wanted a date with someone named Steve
Rain for the crops
Lois was worried about a new recipe

Wanting to impress us with his computer, he printed the list out and gave each one of us a copy. When I got home, I looked the list again. The more I studied the list the more critical I grew. Everything on that list was about them, their wants, their needs, and their desires. I hate to say it. Their prayer requests were extremely narrow and selfish. Listen to what I am about to say. There is more to prayer than our wants, needs and desires. Prayer is not about us. Prayer is really about God. That takes us to the scripture lesson for today.

We find ourselves in the fourth chapter of Acts, verses twenty-three through thirty-one. Much has happened already. It is really a continuation of a single story. It began in the third chapter, where Peter healed a lame beggar. The miracle created a crowd and Peter took that opportunity to talk about Jesus. In the end, Peter and his companion, John, were arrested. Once released, they were sent back to their own people. The Apostles reported on what had happened, and the people responded by praising God in prayer. It is that prayer that grabs our attention. Those early believers knew what we often forget. Prayer is not about us. Prayer is about God. Their prayer models for us three things we should never forget in our prayers. It is those things I want to look at in this blog.

First, when you pray never forget the sovereignty of God! One of the most beloved stories in the Bible is the story of Jonah. We think of it as a children’s story. However, it is really a story for adults. You know the story as well as I. Jonah was the reluctant prophet. God tells him to go to Nineveh because they need to repent. The problem is Jonah does not want to go. This is the question you must answer to understand the book. Why doesn’t Jonah want to go to Nineveh? The reason is the people of Nineveh were Gentiles and Jonah was a Jew. He only wants God to love people who are just like him. This is the point. Every day we play the part of Jonah. We only want to love people who are just like us. When was the last time you prayed for someone who wasn’t just like you?

When you pray remember the sovereignty of God. When God looks at the world, he doesn’t see political boundaries or different philosophies of living. God is not a racial profiler. God does not have a foreign policy. God does not see Americans and non-Americans. God does not see one’s sexual orientation. God has never uttered the phrase, “Charity begins at home.” (That is such an unchristian phrase. It was shut down any church.) God only sees human needs and suffering. Look at verses 24b-26. It says, “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one.’” The early believers knew of the sovereignty of God. I hope we never forget about the sovereignty of God. I challenge you to remember sovereignty of God the next time you pray.

Second, when you pray never forget the supremacy of Jesus! Max Lucado (born 1955) is a Christian author and clergyman. He once said:

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator.

If your greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist.

If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist.

If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer.

But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

When you pray remember the supremacy of Christ. Jesus was the greatest life that ever lived. I am sure the founders of the other world regions were fine people, but they can not hold a candle next to Jesus. He is the bridge between God and humankind. He is our only hope of salvation. The early church understood the supremacy of Christ. In the second chapter of Philippians Paul wrote:

He (Jesus) humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

In verse 27 of our scripture lesson, Jesus is called the anointed one. To the early church, Jesus was everything. Some things should not change. Jesus should be everything to us. I challenge you to remember sovereignty of God and the supremacy of Jesus the next time you pray.

Third, when you pray never forget the sanctity of the church! In 1949, the Chinese communist government expelled all foreign missionaries. That action signaled the beginning of a new round of Christian persecution. For decades, there was next to no news about the church in China. The only thing the church could do was pray. Everyone expected the worst. Then, the world found out what was happening, revival! In 1949, there were 1.8 million Christians in China. By the year 2000, there were 26 million Christians. In 2018, the Chinese government declared there were 44 million Christians in China. Yes, there is terrible persecution, but there is also revival!

When you pray never forget the sanctity of the church. I am not talking about the human organization we call the church, the one that is filled with boards and committees. I am talking about that organism God calls the church, the body of Christ, those individuals who are glorifying the name of Jesus, and those individuals who are still proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. Verses 29-31 says, “Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” I challenge you to remember sovereignty of God, the supremacy of Jesus, and the sanctity of the church the next time you pray.

Saint Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) was an Italian friar, deacon, and mystic. He died at the age of 44. Don’t let his age fool you. We know his name because of his spiritual maturity. He once uttered this prayer:

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive it; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Saint Francis knew the truth. Prayer is not about us. Prayer is about God.

One of the saints in my life is a woman named Carol. She truly is an amazing Christian woman. I have known her for years. My wife Kathryn has known her longer. As a matter of fact, Carol was Kathryn’s Sunday School teacher during her High School years. Years later, she babysat our daughter, Anna, in her home. Life is funny. Carol and Anna are now Facebook friends. Every visit with Carol is a treat. On one such visit, Kathryn looked at Carol and said, “I must tell you something. Without you I never would have gone into the ministry.” Carol responded with moist eyes and said, “Every time I hear about you and your ministry in the former Soviet Union, I am so proud I know you. I must tell you something. I’m not in a situation to financially support your ministry. I’m sorry.” Kathryn said, “I don’t send you those reports because I want your money. I spend you those reports because I want something more valuable. I want your prayers.” If Carol knows anything, she knows how to pray.

Do you know how to pray? Are your prayers filled with your wants, needs and desires? Are your prayers filled with the things of God? Prayer is not about us. Prayer is about God. The founder of the great Methodist movement once said, “Prayer is where the action is.”

Worth the Risk

His name is Felix Baumgartner (born 1969). His is an Austrian born skydiver. On October 14, 2012, he roared twenty-four miles up in a helium balloon. He found the place where space begins. Do you remember what happened? The video clip was shown countless times. He jumped out of his balloon and drifted down to the surface of the earth safely. Along the way he became the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular power. I knew he would be safe because the whole thing was sponsored by energy drink company, Red Bull. Can I ask you a question? Do you consider Felix a hero? Do you consider Felix a fool? We can all agree on the fact that he is a risk taker. Here is a question you must answer. How great of a risk are you willing to take for God? That leads us to the scripture lesson for today.

We are in the third chapter of Acts, verses one through ten. According to the text, Peter and John are on their way to the temple to pray at 3:00 in the afternoon. It is unusual for us to show up at church for pray in the middle of the afternoon, but it was not unusual for them. The devout came at scripted times. They came at 9:00 in the morning. They came at 3:00 in the afternoon. They came at sunset. The Hebrew faith has always valued prayer.

As the devout came, they saw the usual cast of characters lining the street, the beggars. Most did not come by their own power. They were placed there by their loved ones, who knew of the generosity of the religious. After all, how can you worship God and ignore the needy of this world? Each one of the beggars had their own spot and story. Some were begging because of some physical limitation. They were blind, lame, or deaf. Some were begging because of an accident or a disease. Some were begging because they were simply too old to work. It was quite a crowd. The only thing they had in common was poverty. They sat there begging because they had nowhere else to go. They were the lowest of the low in their society. They were a sea of hopelessness. Everyone had pity on them, but no one would have traded places with them.

According to the text, as Peter was nearing the temple, he does something unexpected. In the middle of that sea of hopelessness, Peter picked out one man. I do not know why that man. Perhaps, he had been there the longest? The text tells us he had been lame from birth. Perhaps, his voice was the loudest or the most annoying? Perhaps, he was the most pitiful? Or perhaps, the man just got lucky? The man just happened to be at the right place at the right time. He just happened to be there when Peter mustered enough courage to try something new. That was Peter’s first miracle. It is always hard to do something for the first time. What happens if he calls on the name of Jesus to heal the man and nothing happens? The more I have wrestled with this text, the more I am convinced Peter was a risk taker. Are you a risk taker? I hope you are, because you are never going to make a difference in this world playing it safe. Let me ask you two questions. Both are extremely practical.

First, how much of your personal pride are you willing to risk serving God? There are no guarantees in the ministry. In the history of the church, we have known great success and we have known great failure. When was the last time you were part of a ministry that failed? The feeling never goes away. When ministries fail egos are damaged and people never forget. However, the worst thing is there is nothing we can do. Are you willing to be a risk taker for Jesus or are you happy playing it safe? Helen Keller (1880-1968) once said, “Life is either a wild adventure or it is nothing at all.” Are you willing to risk your personal pride serving God?

Listen to this list of names:

Bill Gates
Abraham Lincoln
Isaac Newton
Ludwig van Beethoven
Frank Woolworth
Walt Disney
Thomas Edison
Winston Churchill
Henry Ford
Albert Einstein

Each one these individuals knew great success. Each one of these individuals also experienced failure. I can give you a story of failure about each one. For example, Thomas Edison’s (1847-1931) teacher once told him me was too stupid to learn. I respect each name on the list because they worked through their individual failures.

I love this story because Peter lays everything on the line. Verse six says, “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” It is one thing to say the words. It is another thing to have a miracle flow through you. I don’t care how you turn the story. Peter was risking his personal pride. What would have happened if the man wasn’t healed? Peter would have looked like a fool. How foolish are you willing to look for Jesus? Are you willing to risk your personal pride?

Second, how much of your personal security are you willing to risk serving God? It isn’t just true of Peter. It is true of us. We live in a sea of hopelessness. Our world is filled with hurting people. God expects us to help them. They are not going to come to us. We are going to have to go to them. God expects us to meet them. God expects us to interact with them. God expects us to get emotionally involved with them. That is the difference between missions and charity. Yes, there is an element of risk. Are you willing to risk your personal security?

During my time in the ministry, my wife Katheryn and I have visited the former Soviet Union over two dozen times to help unadoptable orphans. In December of 2011, Kathryn and I were getting ready to travel back to Russia. We were traveling to an orphanage we had visited in the past, the Renewal Orphanage in Dmitrov. We were excited about that trip because our youngest daughter, Anna, was going. It was her first trip, and she was a little apprehensive. I couldn’t blame her. She had never done anything like this in the past. She had seen a mountain of pictures from previous trips but going was different. Anna has always tried to hide her emotions, so she was not always easy to read. That is why when she came home from school just a few days before we left upset, I was surprised. I said, “Anna, what is wrong?” She responded, “Someone asked me if my will was up to date. You may need it if you are going to Russia.” She asked for the first time, “Dad, are we going to be safe?” I said, “Yes! Do you really think I would put you in danger?”

Have you ever noticed how many cowards there are in this world? You know it is true. You don’t have to travel out of the country. Just try to do something in the name of Jesus. Annually, my church sent teenagers on domestic youth mission trips. They went everywhere. Annually, someone will tell me it isn’t a good idea because the highways are dangerous. Try to help people in the city and people will try to discourage you by quoting some crime report. Try to save the souls of the incarcerated and people will wonder about your sanity. Have you ever tried to discourage someone from doing something in the name of Jesus? Could it be our pews are filled with cowards?

Are you willing to risk your personal security? Just think about it for a moment. In the text, the group that was responsible for killing Jesus was still in power. They had the authority to kill anyone who supported Jesus. Peter healed this man in the name of Jesus. He was aligning himself with Jesus and putting himself in danger. You can say a great deal about Peter, but you can’t call him a coward. Do you consider yourself a coward? Are you willing to risk your personal pride? Are you willing to risk your personal security?

I love this old story. A clergyman from New York called on Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) at the White House during the darkest days of the Civil War. He said: “I have not come to ask any favors of you, Mr. President; I have only come to say that the loyal people of the North are sustaining you and will continue to do so. We are giving you all that we have, the lives of our sons as well as our confidence and our prayers. You must know that no boy’s father or mother ever kneels in prayer these days without asking God to give you strength and wisdom.” Lincoln was moved by his words. He replied, “But for those prayers, I should have faltered and perhaps failed long ago. Tell every father and mother you know to keep on praying, and I will keep on fighting, for I know God is on our side.” As the clergyman started to leave the room, Mr. Lincoln held him by the hands and said: “May I consider this a pastoral call?” “Yes,” replied the clergyman. “Out in the country,” replied Lincoln, “when a parson makes a pastoral call, it was always the custom for the folks to ask him to lead in prayer, and I should like to ask you to pray with me today. Pray that I may have the strength and the wisdom.” The two men knelt side by side, and the clergyman offered the most fervent plea to Almighty God that ever fell from his lips. As they arose, the President clasped his visitor’s hand and remarked in a satisfied sort of way: “I feel better.”

I love that story because it humanizes one of the great figures in American history.

I don’t care if you are president of the United States or a common citizen, we all need prayer. If you are going to make a difference for Jesus in this world, then you better collect as many prayers as possible. It is not easy risking your personal pride. Sometimes we fail. It is not easy risking personal security. There is a sea of hopelessness out there. It is not easy serving in the name of Jesus, but it is worth the risk. Albert Einstein (1879-1955) once said, “A ship is always safe at the shore – but that is NOT what it was built for.” Neither are you!