A treasured time I enjoy and which immediately gives me a surge of energy and vitality is to talk or share the Gospel. I enjoy sharing the Word with the lost. But I truthfully value even more so, to speak with older or other brethren about the Word because we can go on and on about something that begets to more and then to more. Whether in our Bible studies or even moments like I occasionally have with my son last night to talk about things—spiritual or not—and then to bring in the Word. Jesus always gives me excitement and pep in this how to apply spiritual to physical or current topics. And in, for example, the conversation last night with Cordell, how do I speak with him about God? It is a melded or molten moment of that he is my son as well as he is a fellow brother in Christ and he is a disciple with a Calling on his life. Regardless it is a valued free-range of opportunity that neither him nor I strut our Bible knowledge like peacocks or like some men like to provide their resume of where they’ve been and what they’ve done (or know) to assert they are senior or the alpha man of God. Yet with Cordell—and others whom I truly value in my life—we are equals with no one man (or woman) having more than another even if one may have experienced, preached, or been somewhere more than the other (even if these I speak of are pastor friends engaged in these conversations and of course I respect and honor them, but they don't wear their title or seniority like a badge). And because of that, we do not have to carefully craft our words as if to stroke our ego or egg our listeners to do it for us or to avoid how Jesus is presented…We just share Jesus and know each other’s hearts that we ONLY want what is best for each other. And all that matters is that Jesus is glorified and the Truth is shared with each other and are encouraged.
With that, we (in the mindset of last night with my son) have a personal yet communal passion toward prayer and for the world to be won for Jesus, of how Jesus is carried, and neither one of us care for any glory for ourselves or even pats on the back…Just so long as Jesus is glorified and that one more gets to know Jesus.
A pastor this morning shared with his small congregation nestled in the rural farmlands of northern Missouri a verse of scripture that I stopped the message to ponder what the Lord would speak just about the verse he read. So to take his singular verse and to add a couple more to keep the full context and flow, we see in Colossians 4:2-4 AMP says, “Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving. At the same time pray for us, too, that God will open a door [of opportunity] to us for the word, to proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I have been imprisoned; that I may make it clear [and speak boldly and unfold the mystery] in the way I should.”
This to bring in, again for the sake and example of this writing only because I have a number of wonderful conversations with brethren whom I value whom I can include as examples, the conversation I had with Cordell last night was two way (meaning we both directed and responded/reacted in the conversation). Despite me being his dad and being older in the faith, we both gained, learned, loved what Jesus can say and do…even if it is a guided or a surprise lesson that the Holy Spirit wishes to step in to join in our conversation so we are both encouraged. These are sacred times that I am certain that Paul valued, even more so while in prison unable to know the time of day, how many days have passed, and what has occurred beyond the breadcrumbs of information that are passed to him through the windows and walls of his prison by brave brothers and sisters who lift him personally up in prayer.
As I shared this morning briefly during Sunday School that prayer is a two-way conversation with God. Prayer isn’t just a time of being a one-sided conversation with us giving to God our chore list and then off we go to what is more important or more fun to do leaving God to "figure it out" (and the will of God in those prayers don't cross our mind). Prayer is a time to, yes, listen to God but to also have a time—like Cordell and I had—to share and weave the Word of God in where applicable (2 Timothy 2:15). We ought to involve God into our daily lives beyond the moments of morning prayer, perhaps some time before church service, and the hurried prayer at a table laden with food before shoveling it into our mouths. In speaking about the last, what if Jesus wanted to have a conversation with us that denied us that particular meal (such as instead of leaving from a morning seminar of preaching to take a meal) and to just remain at an altar or our motel room to just spend time with God in thanks to Him for what He has shared and to allow what we preached/taught or listened to settle in (or to wrestle out a matter)…not like we sadly often do when we leave from church with greater enthusiasm for where we eat than what was preached and have already forgotten the message.
What is our attitude toward prayer? What is our attitude toward the Word in breaking the Bread (not physical food) so that each other can “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8)? May the Lord grant us opportunity not just during this week at conference but at all times to speak as one bound in chains—not chains of sin and rebellion but as bondservants for Christ—to seek every opportunity, in thanksgiving, of an open door for the Word to be spoken to those who are outside of the grace of God to come to be partakers. Please, come and join in; you can even have my seat.