Prayers of an Honest Pastor
I love teaching the Bible. It’s what I feel called to and it’s probably the most rewarding thing I do. I hope and pray that I’m allowed to do it until I’m really old and just drop dead doing it one day. I love teaching the Bible.
But there are times that I look out and think, instead of teaching something that week, I think about just telling you how I’m praying for you.
It may be a timely thing in my heart, because yesterday, my only son, Dane, turned 21. When Bonnie and I were 13 and Dane was born...
Anyway…he’s passed some significant mile markers: 15 and working, 16 and driving, 18 and being a legal adult; voting, and now 21. A full fledged adult now by anyone’s standards..., except for Avis Rent a Car. And I have to say I don’t blame them for not renting him a car, but that’s another sermon altogether.
Now it’s different than when he was 3, different than when he was 12. Different even than it was 2 days ago.
My responsibility in his life is influence and leadership, not Law. When he was 3, I said, “Do this.” When he was 12, it might have been, “Do this – here’s why.’- to sort of help him understand why I required something of him.
But now, it’s his choice to submit himself to my leadership and influence. He could walk away and never listen to a word I say for the rest of his life if he wants. It’s up to him.
That probably won’t happen, because of the relationship that’s been established over 21 years. He knows that I’m not in it for what I can get out of it. It’s a relationship of voluntary love that I willingly and gladly give, even at a cost to me. If I have the wherewithal to help, guide, encourage, correct, or teach, I will, without question, and without hesitation. But it’s up to him to position himself for that influence when he has a choice in the matter.
To a certain degree, my relationship with Dane now, is not unlike my relationship with 360 Church. These days in the church are not the same as they were 1300 years ago, 300 years ago, or even 30 years ago. And it’s mostly a good thing. It used to be, the leader in a spiritual community told people what to believe, how to live, and what to do. That’s unhealthy and it was culturally driven at best, and power or demonically driven at worst. Spiritual authority is good; but if it’s exploited, it’s wicked to the core.
Our culture has moved away from that sort of top-heavy domineering leadership, and that’s very good. Now, clear thinking adults align themselves with a spiritual community like 360, for several reasons that many of us are familiar with. Here are just a few of them:
• The Bible commands it Literally, there are dozens of Biblical commands that you cannot obey without being a committed member of a community of believers. It’s disobedient not to connect and commit.
• Corporate worship God receives your private worship and I believe enjoys it as much as what we do together; but our souls cry out for a part in something that is “bigger than me”.
• Meaningful community Doing life together is better than doing it in isolation. Period.
• SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE AND LEADERSHIP Although it may not be on the front of our minds, this is a big one. When God calls us to a church, part of what that church brings is a significant measure of influence into our lives. We submit ourselves to teaching, guidance, leadership, and ultimately allowing its influence, trusting that God is working through it.
On flip side of that, I bear the weight of responsibility before God, on how I use that influence. And I’ll answer for it, both here before men, and one day before God. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about that sobering reality.
With this in mind, I do look out from time to time want to just talk to you about your lives, seeing the amazing potential. I think about what could be, what should be, if only we’d get this or that.
So I’m going to ignore what I tell others, when I’m helping them learn to teach. And I’m going to talk to you about 5 completely disconnected and random things. I must say that I was inspired to do this by Andy Stanley, a pastor and author from Atlanta. He’s written some incredibly helpful books for Christians, leaders, and also books that help not-yet-believers come closer to Christ.
3 prayers I pray for you
If this were my last Sunday – for whatever reason, this is what I pray for your life as your pastor. And if this were your last time here, this is what I’d want you to remember. Because this supersedes our church, this is what I want for your life no matter where you are.
My 1st prayer is based on Hebrews 11:6
“So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith.”
I pray that God would prompt you to a wild, culture-defying, seemingly irresponsible act of obedience.
I wish every one of you as an individual could know the thrill of obeying God in a very specific area that scares you the pants off you, and it sets you up to potentially lose something. I pray you’d be prompted by the Holy Spirit in such a way that you’d be compelled to respond, and when you obeyed, it would be like a free fall out of airplane. The kinda faith step where you’re out of control, and if God doesn’t come through for you, it’s not going to be pretty.
But I specifically say “Act of obedience” – because it would start with God. Your Heavenly Father would nudge you in such a way as to encourage you to do something so unusual, that its like a free fall.
(Jump! video here)
The reason why I’d wish this for you, as crazy as that sounds, is that I know personally and many of you know it as well – you’ve experienced this in your past, but maybe it’s been a while – that when you obey in one of these unusual, culture defying, seemingly irresponsible acts of obedience, somewhere along the line, something happens. Your faith will intersect with God’s faithfulness, and you will know your God like you cannot know him in any other way.
So, I wish for God to disrupt your tidy plans. I wish for God to prompt you with a big one. That you’d experience the freefall of faith – and then the faithfulness of God. Because when that happens, your life will never be the same. Even if you’ve protested at first, you can still obey. Remember in Luke 5, Jesus says to Peter, “Lets go fishing.” Peter protested at first. “This isn’t the time to go fishing. We already tried that. It’ll be a waste of time. I’ll embarrass myself in front of the other fishermen. I don’t wanna!” But Peter finally obeys, and is greatly blessed.
Later there’s a bigger test– “Peter, drop the nets for good and follow Me.” Now, Peter just says, “Yes sir. You’ve proven yourself already – I’d be fool not to obey.”
So what is that step for you? That leap of faith?
A job change? A ministry leap? Finishing your education? Taking a foreign mission trip? Downsizing to accomplish a Spirit-inspired goal?
That’s how 360Church got started – we and few other folks just jumped because God led us. It’s still a faith leap – it’s not for the faint of heart.
Know who I wish this for the most? The folks, you’ve been Christians a long long, looonngg time. You look at the sermon notes in the bulletins and try to fill in the blanks during worship! (God tells me about you people)
You’ve been Christians forever and you’re so loaded with Bible knowledge and it’s so easy to get in the routine, but I just pray that God would come along and call you to do something so uncomfortable that you’ve just gotta trust Him! Because there’s something that happens in our hearts there, that doesn’t happen any other way.
And my prayer is that some of us get our bell rung today, and in the car on the way home, you know you’ve gotta step out and do what God’s nudging you to do, right away. You say, “I’ve gotta make this move; make this right; apologize and restore that relationship; end that relationship; ask that girl out,” or whatever! You’ve heard me say this before:
You don’t want to get late in life and wonder what God might have done. The truth is, when people are interviewed near the end their lives, the #1 regret is that they wish they would have risked more.
So I wish that God would call you to a wild, culture-defying seemingly irresponsible act of obedience.
That’s how we grow; that’s how we change; that’s my prayer for you.
My 2nd prayer is based on Jude 23
“Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment.”
I pray that you would personally know the thrill of being involved in helping someone cross the line of faith.
In other words, when someone is asked how the Christianity thing happened for them, your face comes to mind.
There is no more on-mission / on purpose thing than to be involved in seeing someone transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light for all eternity. That’s the thing; that’s what everything comes down to in this world, because everybody spends forever somewhere!
And like we talked about last week, eternity doesn’t have to be a gamble where you just hope for the best, hope God grades on some kinda curve, and hope you squeek in somehow. We can know for sure. And so can your friend or neighbor. 2000 years ago Jesus came to seek and save the lost; then he handed off that mission to you and me, and if we’re not partnering with Him in that, we’re not fully devoted followers of his.
We’re called to be involved in that process – that means any and all of the following:
-Pray daily for the salvation of your family / friends / co-workers / neighbors, and so on. Specifically, not “God save the world.”
- Speak to them when God opens the door, or with an invitation to church or event – they’ll like it! And God may just meet them here, in a way that changes everything.
- Intentionally invest in people’s lives, to give opportunity for God’s best to be brought to bear in their lives.
I’m here because there were people who partnered with God in the quest for my salvation. They cared enough about me to jeopardize their comfort, their convenience, when they probably would have rather not.
I pray for you, that soon, very soon, you’d be here and see your friend pray with 1 of our prayer workers to cross that line of faith, because you invited them. There is no greater thrill. If your Christian life has gotten predictable and boring, this is my greatest wish for you. Get involved in the lives of those around you for eternity’s sake. I’m so glad someone did that for me.
My 3rd prayer is based Matt 6:21
“Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will be also.”
I pray that finances would not be the dominant force in your life
Many of us, without knowing it, elevate finances to the place of kingship in our lives. While finances are extremely important and God cares about how we handle them, remember that Jesus said, “You cannot serve two masters. You cannot serve both God and money.”
My prayer is that you’d order your finances, and simplify your finances so you’re not in bondage to your finances. By “simplify”, I’m not saying you shouldn’t be diverse in how you invest; I am saying to simplify in terms of this approach – ready? Here it is: Give, then Save, then Live.
Give, then Save, then Live.
In our world, the average person / family makes their money, spends all of it on living, wishes they’d save some, and then wonders why they can’t give.
God says that money is a thermometer; it just shows you what’s inside. It’s an accurate reading of your spiritual temperature. If He’s not the Lord of your finances, you’re not a fully devoted follower.
There are equal and opposite errors here – in other words, you can fall in a ditch on both sides of the road.
On the one side, there’s the prevalent spirit in America, which is to spend, spend, spend. “I want / I need / I must have”.
Therefore, we spend all we have plus some, acquire consumer debt in stratospheric proportions, and end up in bondage.
I’ve talked to folks who end up in a place like that, then come to know God and I’ve heard them say these words: “I’m starting to understand God’s will for me, but I can’t even do it! I’m so far in debt I can’t even think of giving or going or doing – I’m not making it now!”
I have no doubt that many would like to be more generous givers but you can’t, you’re so strapped. You’ve already given your money to a lifestyle that now calls the shots. Choices have been taken from you.
It wasn’t intentional; you didn’t go into it hoping to end up with money as a consuming issue or dominant force in your life, but now it is. And you probably hate it, because it keeps you up at night or causes you stress.
It may take some radical re-ordering; but you’ve gotta do it. “You cannot serve two masters.”
I pray for you to have the courage to address this and take it to God. Don’t ignore it. Ask God for the strength and the plan to move towards full stewardship, where God owns it all and you manage it well.
The issue of good stewardship goes much deeper than just tithing. That’s a great place to start, but it’s not just about giving. It’s about who owns what. I’m gonna poke a little bit here, and you may not like it:
I said there’s a ditch on the other side of the road as well. Some people treat tithing as if it buys off God. “I give 10%, and then I don’t have to listen anymore. It’s the price of getting God out of my hair so I can do what I want with my money, and still be a good Christian.” BZZZT! Sorry, not the way it works.
Its about honoring God with everything He entrusts to your care. I want you to honor God with your resources because He’ll bless you if you do. Even if you never gave another dollar to this church, I’d want you to get this truth: God owns it all, we only manage it, and it’s a Spirit – led endeavor. It’s not our kingdom we’re building. And at those financial forks in the road, don’t always assume the choice that brings you more money is automatically the choice God wants you to make.
So I pray for you, that finances would not be the dominant force in your life.
So these are my prayers for your life. I’ve poked around in your faith, your witness, and your finances. I think I’ll end it here, or I’ll be drinking coffee alone after the service! Stand, and let’s pray together.
