Victory of the Heart

Regionals was an interesting tournament. From upsets in the debate break announcements to the four flights of stairs to get to the hangout and competition rooms, it certainly presented its challenges. But in those challenges there was such incredible joy. This week, you reminded me what victory truly was.

Everyone at that tournament was fighting for a slot to nationals. And not everyone at that tournament met that goal. It hurt so many of us. Amidst the exhaustion, laughter, and endless hallways of the past week, sometimes I had to wonder what we were really there for.

The real champions this week, were the ones who lived beyond. I was so blessed to call them my brothers and sisters in Christ. Some were successful. Some were hurting. Some were disappointed. But each and every one of them was rooted in why they were at that tournament. They reminded me what it meant to be victorious.

Victory was the competitor of integrity, who took a stance and prayed with those who had made it to finals, when he found out they had taken his spot in the round. Victory was the warrior of the heart, who would pour herself out encouraging others, even when she knew they would be going to nationals in her place. Victory was the speaker of conviction, who moved past the ballots and made a lasting impact, even when placed last in the room.

Triumph was found in the hands that grasped mine as we wrestled in prayer. Love was manifested in the words that wrenched my heart and brought secret tears that they never saw. Hope was made known in the arms that held others, when pain and exhaustion were beyond words. Thankfulness was found in the feet that crossed the stage that night, but strength was found in the ones that did not.

This tournament, God gave an open door. And no matter how hard breaks, discouragement, and exhaustion tried to close that door, it remained open. I was so inspired by the ones who had eyes to see what the Spirit was doing. I was in awe of the men and women around me, who had ears to hear what the Spirit was saying. Regardless of what judges had to say about you, YOU were the champions.

You reminded me of how beautiful a heart committed to His purposes could truly be. Even when you felt like you yourself could barely stand, you picked me up and carried me, and everyone around you, with encouragement and prayer. You were strong, even in your weakest moments. You were a fighter, even when you felt defeated. We prayed for revival, in our midst. And this week, I saw it in you. Thank you for being His hands, His feet, and His heart. Thank you for letting Him fill you, to pour You out to the waiting world.

Whether your season has ended or not, you were a victor of the heart. You were triumphant, in Him. These are His words, to you.... the vessel of brotherly love:

 “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. 8 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. 9 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. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.

11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my Godand 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 them my new name. 13 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

"Courage, dear heart."

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Worship Song: 

"Desert Song",
by Hillsong United

Dear Fifth and Below

Dear Fifth and Below,

  I know you are disappointed that you didn’t break. I can imagine your face as you look through your ballots and don’t find the glowing reviews you had hoped for. Perhaps you are frustrated or a bit sad. You may even wonder if any of the effort you put into your speech was worth it. I understand your feelings because I’ve been there. I’ve wondered what the point of all this competition is if I never achieved my goals. If you don’t mind, I’d like to take a moment of your time and show you a part of competition that you may not always see. A part that I didn’t realize existed until I stopped giving the speeches and started judging them.

When I became a judge I learned that rankings can sometimes be random. That’s right, I said random.  There are three judges in a room and, although we do our best, I’m not going to say we are always correct in our assessment of your speaking. We get headaches, we get tired, and we sometimes even forget which speaker you were. If you ever become a judge you will probably do the same thing. I don’t tell you this to make you doubt every ballot you have ever received, but to point out that placing in an event really doesn’t mean as much as you may have thought it did. To a certain extend, wether or not you break is random. The impact you make is never random.

Competing is a lot of work. It takes endless hours of commitment and effort. Yet, for all the effort you put into your speeches, you probably won’t take first place. And even if you do, no one will remember that in a year or two. You will graduate, move on, and eventually even you will begin to forget which category you did the best in, or what your debate record at Nationals was. This may sound bleak, but it’s the truth. So why should you strive to perfect every speech, stay up late researching, and spend countless hours talking to a wall?

Because you are making an impact.

You probably don’t see it. You may not be impacting a crowd of thousands, or speaking to the world, but your voice spoke straight to my heart. Fifth and below, you gave me a message I desperately needed to hear. I was wondering if God even heard my cries, and you walked in with an explanation of what true love is. When I was frustrated with my failures, you came in and convicted me to always stand up for what I believe. You offered an argument so brilliantly thought out I am still in awe.  You made me laugh when I was so tired the only other option was to cry. You  made an impact and I know that for many of you high school is just the beginning. You are training right now to make an even larger impact in this world.

I walked through the halls on the last day of Nationals and saw face after face of people that had touched me, at this tournament or tournaments before. The funny thing is, most of them had no clue who I was. They didn’t realize that I could recite portions of their speech from memory or that the words they had spoken days ago were copied down in my journal. I don’t remember those people because they took first place. Right now I can’t even remember if they broke or not. I don’t remember them because of  how they did but because of what they did. I remember them because they touched me, convicted me, amused me, and blessed me beyond measure.

Are you wasting your time? If you are striving for first place, approval, or fun than yes you are. All those things will slowly pass away. But if you allow God to let you touch others, the impact you make stays long after your trophy is forgotten. For what it’s worth, this alumna doesn’t think you are wasting your time. She is grateful, convicted and blessed. And she wants you to keep going, striving for something so much more than a trophy.

Rankings can be random, but impact never is. I pray you remember that, even when you discover you are Fifth and Below.

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Worship Song: 

"Yet Will I Sing",
by Audra Lynn

Praying Through

John Hyde was one of the most incredible Christian prayer warriors to ever walk the earth. He had dedicated his entire life to furthering the Gospel among the lost. He also knew that the only way He could ever succeed was if he was a man of prayer.

So he prayed. He would go for weeks at a time, fasting and interceding strenuously while his mission held conferences. He fought on his knees, and he saw victory in ways I can't even imagine. As his ministry progressed, God gave him the promise one year that He would use him to save one person per day. The next year, it was two. The next year, three. It continued until John Hyde had the promise from God that he would save four souls per day; and that promise was perfectly fulfilled, if not exceeded, every single time. This man was built in prayer, and the results of the faith in his life were clear.

John Hyde didn't die a normal death. He suffered from an unusual heart condition. He prayed so hard that his heart actually moved from one side of his chest to the other. When I first heard his story, my only thought was, I want to be able to pray like that.

My prayer life is so weak. I made the commitment earlier this year to intercede on my knees every day, but that doesn't mean every day is a powerful time of communion with God. My heart and my faith are so weak, and sometimes my prayers feel like they will come to nothing.

Ellerslie pastor, Eric Ludy, gave a sermon a few years ago, about the concept of "praying through"; the resolve to fight on your knees until you see an answer, and to refuse to give up until you see God come through. At first, this concept seems unsettling. What if it's not God's will to answer?  What if we're praying the wrong way?  Isn't it wrong to keep pressing in, when God hasn't answered, and may not ever answer?

At first, these seem to be legitimate concerns. But, at their core, they undermine the fundamental nature of Christ-built prayers. Jesus said in Matthew 7:7, "Ask and it shall be given to you".  We have the assurance in Christ that God hears our prayers, and desires to give to those who seek Him.  The key to answered prayer is given later on, in John 15:7, when Jesus expands on this idea: "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done until you."

If we are in Christ, and His words abide in us, it changes everything. It alters the way we view the world; it affects the way we perceive those around us; it transforms our minds and everything in our being, and conforms us to His image. Our thoughts become His thoughts; our words become His words; our prayers become His prayers. When we are in Christ, our prayers are no longer about furthering our own kingdom, but about seeing His come to earth. We aren't fighting with Him; we're fighting for Him. We're partnering with Him to see His name made known. In the words of E.M. Bounds:

"The prayers of God's saints are the capital stock in heaven by which Christ carries on His great work upon earth. The great throes and mighty convulsions on earth are the results of these prayers. Earth is changed, revolutionized, angels move on more powerful, more rapid wings, and God's policy is shaped as the prayers are more numerous, more efficient. It is true that the mightiest successes that come to God's cause are created and carried on by prayer."

If we are praying "God-prayers", we have the assurance that, in the name of Jesus, He will answer. But it may not be right away; we are called to keep pressing into Him, and persevering in prayer until we see an answer. A picture of this is seen in 1 Kings 18, when Elijah prays again for rain to return to the land. He could hear the sound of rain in heaven; He knew God was sending it, but that reality was not yet manifested on earth. So he prayed. And six different times, there was no visible answer. But Elijah was not shaken; He had faith, and continued to pray. On the seventh time, the rain came.

My faith is so weak; I know how hard it is to pray, believing. But I also know that His strength is made perfect in weakness. Even the most shallow, incompetent prayer lives can be transformed into a testimony of what God can do. My heart echoes the cry of the Roman centurion: "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"

He answers the cry of His people. My God has promised, and He cannot lie.

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Worship Song: 

"Grace Like Rain",
by Todd Agnew

Holy Week: Enabled to Trust

Every time I think about the Saturday after the crucifixion, I have to wonder what the disciples were thinking. Each one of them had followed the call, to give up everything and follow their Messiah, to become fishers of men. They had left their families, dreams and careers to pursue the one they believed was the Son of God. This man was the Promised One from God; He was the Savior, who would set His people free, break every chain, rescue the oppressed, and bring triumph over their captors. And now, He was dead.

One of the hardest things about being a follower of Jesus is that we don't know the plan. Many of us are willing to follow Jesus... some even to the extent that the disciples did. We know He has a plan for us, and we have given everything to follow that plan. And suddenly, the door closes.

Gladys Aylward had given everything, to follow the calling of God to be a missionary to China. She knew this was the plan He had for her... but the door was shut. At age 27, she was dismissed from Missionary training school for failing her Bible class. But Gladys had a resolve, through the power of the cross, that nothing could could stop God's plan... not her own failures, not the world's agenda, and not even death. She chose to follow and seek Him, in spite of all the improbabilities of this plan being fulfilled. And as a result of her radical abandonment and trust, she rescued hundreds of lost Chinese souls, and became one of the greatest spiritual warriors of all time.

God may shut doors. I've seen Him do it in my own life. But I have also seen the fact that, if this is truly His plan, He will open an even more glorious passageway.

In this case?  An empty tomb.

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Worship Song: 

"I Will Follow",
by Chris Tomlin

Holy Week: Enabled to Forgive

"I am broken,

I am wounded,

I am wretched and ashamed.

And a harlot,

Is like a chain around my neck; 

It's my name."

We were loved. We were cherished. We were given life. And we rejected its supernatural Giver.

I sold myself to the world. Even while calling myself a Christian, I surrendered the most sacred parts of my spiritual life to another lover. I pursued fulfillment in the eyes of people, even though I innately knew that true fulfillment could only come from Him. I took the deepest longings of my heart, and set them on things of the world. In Him, I was loved... but somehow, that was not enough. I threw it away; I became a harlot.

Growing up in the church, we are so used to the message of forgiveness, and the fact that we have been forgiven. I think many of us have subconsciously come to think that we deserved it. But let's make something perfectly clear: all we deserve is death. We have sold ourselves to other lovers; we have betrayed the one who breathed life into our lungs. Even on this side of the cross, we continue to reject the offer of a victorious lifestyle in Him, because we are still clinging hopelessly to our idols.

The cross was ours. We know the physical torture it brought, but it is so easy to skim over the fact that we deserved that death. We betrayed Him. It was our sin that caused Him to bleed. It was our unfaithfulness that drove the nails into His wrists. It was our idolatry that put Him on the cross.

But He forgave you.  He forgave me; He offers to take us back. He offers new life to all who ask. More than that, He offers a chance to forgive those who have wronged us. Whether it's an unkind word, or death itself, we have the enabling power to cry out with Him:  "Father forgive them; they know not what they do."

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Worship Song: 

"The Harlot (Spontaneous)",
by Misty Edwards

Holy Week: Enabled to Pray

Thirteen men entered the Garden of Gethsemane one Thursday night 2,000 years ago. Thirteen men believed in God that night. Thirteen men had made the claim that they would die for Him.

But only one did.

The night before the event that would become the climax of all history, thirteen men were called to pray. But only Jesus followed the call. The other twelve fell asleep, overcome by their own weakness. But Jesus wrestled in prayer, until drops of blood formed on His forehead. He knew what was coming, and the horror that He was about to experience. He also knew that the only thing that would carry Him would be prayer. In the words of E.M. Bounds:

"The prayers of God's saints are the capital stock in heaven by which Christ carries on His great work upon earth. The great throes and mighty convulsions on earth are the results of these prayers. Earth is changed, revolutionized, angels move on more powerful, more rapid wings, and God's policy is shaped as the prayers are more numerous, more efficient. It is true that the mightiest successes that come to God's cause are created and carried on by prayer."

Jesus understood the power of prayer more deeply than anyone else. But what amazes me the most is the way He prayed. John 17 gives a powerful glimpse into the prayer closet of God's own son.  When He was faced with death, His cry was: "Not my will, but Thine".  Then, instead of mourning the pain He was about to encounter, He lifted up the other twelve, who were too weak to stand with Him, in intercession. And then, He prayed for us; for all that would believe because of their testimony.

Our prayers are often so weak; they can so easily become self-centered. As Americans, we pray for safety and prosperity, when we are the safest, most prosperous nation in the world. Where are the Acts 4 prayers, of believers crying out for boldness to speak God's word without fear?  Where are the 1 Kings 18 prayers, where we would wrestle until we see the victory, even when it looks as though none would come?  Where are the John 17 prayers, that would focus outwardly on those around us, even in our moments of deepest need?

I know that so often, they're missing in my life. But I also know that when Jesus prayed for us, He did not leave us powerless in our own prayer lives. In Him, we can intercede; we can wrestle; we can see victory through prayer.

Thirteen men entered the Garden that night. But through the enabling power of the cross, those other twelve, though they were weak, would not always have to remain that way; the cross empowered them to pray, to wrestle until the breaking of day.

On this side of the cross, our prayers lives can be victorious.

~     ~     ~     ~     ~     ~     ~     ~     ~     ~ 

Worship Song: 

"Grace Like Rain",
by Todd Agnew

Holy Week: Enabled to Serve

"I guarantee you, Tass is willing to help!  He'd even even clean the floor tiles with a toothbrush, if you needed him to!"

Tass Saada nodded his agreement; he genuinely wanted to serve. After converting to Christianity, Tass had gone from being a huge business owner and city-dweller to a low-paid member of a church staff in an unknown small town in the Midwest. It had a difficult transition, but he prayed for faith and a willingness to follow God's plan for him. Little did he know how low he would have to bend.

The next morning, Tass showed up to work.... and was handed a toothbrush to clean the floor tiles. His anger nearly erupted at the humiliating task; of course he wasn't really willing to stoop so low! Surely there were more distinguished ways to further the Kingdom of heaven.

I don't think Tass was the first one to feel this way. So often, I see the same mindset enter my own life; I'm willing to serve... if it furthers my self-image, and if the work isn't too degrading or difficult. I convince myself that I would be willing to clean floor tiles with a toothbrush, if that was what God wanted from me. But, in my heart, I have implicitly set a standard for how low I will bend, and I refuse to go further.

Many of us genuinely want to serve God, and the people around us. But have we set a limit to how far we will bend?  Who am I, to say God can use me, but then define the terms and conditions of how He will use me?

It is so humbling to look at the life of Jesus. When He came into the world, He took the lowest place; a helpless, dependent, tiny infant born in a cave with animals. He was the King of the universe, the Prince of Peace, the one seated at the right hand of the Father, to whom was given all power and glory and dominion over all the earth..... and yet He came down and washed our feet.

How could we refuse to do the same?

Later that week, Tass would reflect on the task. As he washed floors in the kitchen, he remembered that boys would come in and talk to him. They were intrigued by his stories of war, and the life he lived before he immigrated to the United States. One boy was touched so deeply that he took an interest in the church Tass served; later, he was saved. God had a glorious plan for that seemingly degrading task; He will work through a willing servant in ways that we may never see, but that are beyond imagination.

5 "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!"

-Philippians 2:5-8

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Worship Song: 

"Killing Me with Mercy",
by Misty Edwards