An Open Door – A Greater One

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Talk about a long time ago! I was just a young, seminarian who thought he knew all the answers back then. You can’t imagine how surprised I was to receive a letter from a man I met more than 25 years ago at Folsom Prison. Vance is the one I credit for opening the door for me to begin speaking in prisons, well actually God used him, but nonetheless way back when he wrote a letter to the President of Westminster Seminary things changed for me. Vance’s request was for fellow believers to help bring God’s Word to those behind bars, I “happened” to be in the right place at the right time, although I wasn’t so sure at the time, and was asked to submit paperwork so that I could teach in the prison chapel. I had no idea that this would later be a significant moment in my Christian walk. To put it bluntly, “My life was forever changed!”

The prison doors clanked behind me, I entered into a place where grace and forgiveness flowed freely, and the powerful Kingdom of God penetrated through those prison walls! It was in this unexpected place that God taught me different lessons through men like Vance. It was here in this “home for hardened hearts” where I realized His heart and that this is where Jesus loves to hang out. It was here that God used Vance sentenced to life in prison to initiate a reformation and revival that broke out of the prison doors and would eventually touch lives all over the world!

Let me share a portion of his letter with you:

I have come to that great crossroad where I put aside all of my own ambitions for this life in this world (such as freedom) when I had that epiphany that Christ is about salvation, and the resurrection from the dead into sinless perfection, and face to face with God in all His glory and beauty forever. When Jesus said at Gethsemane, “Not my will, but your will be done,” he provided the perfect example of denying selfish wants and desires picking up the cross that God has given, and doing his will. Tim, it came to me that Jesus said, “If possible, take this cup from me.” Therefore, it was not possible to free me from prison and fulfill His plan for the hundreds of men touched by my direct ministry in here…

Vance surrendered to the will of His Father in prison and another, greater door has opened for him to witness to many others residing both inside and outside of those prison doors. I wonder how my life would have been different if Vance had not written that letter way back then, and if I had not been the one asked to drive up the California coast to preach. I wonder if I would have missed out on a great Kingdom training ground for my soul and the Kingdom movement that was birthed because of Vance’s surrendering heart.

All this makes me reflect on this week, Holy Week and Jesus’ prayer to His Abba Father of “not my will but your will be done.” I wonder if Jesus had blurted out, “No” to becoming a prisoner of wicked sinful me; and, “No” to his execution on a curial cross? If this was the case the world would be left hopeless and forever imprisoned to Satan and his cohorts because of our sin.” But Jesus humbly said, “Yes to the cross” and this act of obedience opened wide a greater door for sinners to be washed in His perfect blood and enter into the Kingdom of a loving Father forever. I know for sure that I am forever grateful!

Jesus shows us the way to that greater door when he prays:

“Abba Father…everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will” Mark 14:36.

You and I need to remember this verse that when our requests for a particular door to open is answered with a “no,” perhaps we need to step back and bring to mind Vance and more importantly Jesus and look for the greater door that awaits. We need to only walk through it.

 

 

An Open Door – The Divine Adventure

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Last week Tuesday my friend Steve emailed me about a radio interview he heard with John Ortberg, a pastor who authored the book, All The Places To Go How Will You Know? God has placed before you an open door. What will you do? This was quite astounding as I had just posted a blog that morning on “An Open Door” from Revelation 3:8. Even more interesting is that Steve and another friend Mike had flights to Colorado arriving on Friday to help in the discernment process concerning a possible ministry door. The question before us, “Was God calling us to walk through this door?”

Steve found the book and bought 3 copies out with him for us to read as we seek, discern and pray about this possible ministry door and God’s will. We all dove into the book and had some fantastic discussions. It is a worthwhile read, especially if you are sensing that God may be calling you to walk through another door. Here are few words from the back of the book:

God places lots of open doors in front of us every day. For those who recognize them and choose to walk through, life becomes a divine adventure. And those who don’t well…not only are they missing out on a lot of incredible adventures and experiences, they’re missing out on all the amazing work God wants to do through them! 

As I have been pondering some apparent open doors, not wanting to miss “a divine adventure,” yet still faced with some fears, I again pondered Revelations 3, especially verse 7:

“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the keys of David. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts no one can open.”

Jesus holds the keys to all the doors because He is the true King, the one king David pointed to. The one who opens the door into the presence of God the Father and His Kingdom through His life, death, and resurrection. Jesus is the one always calling out to follow after a divine kingdom adventure. I think of Peter and the other disciples struggling to stay afloat in a violent storm and Jesus appears even walking on water. But Jesus does more than that He calls out for them to “take courage it is I don’t be afraid,” and tells Peter to come, an open door to do the impossible. And Peter accepts the invitation and walks forward and walks on water. Talk about a “divine adventure.” All was good until his eyes looked away from His King and focused on the impossible life-threating storm it was then that fear griped him.

However as Peter began to sink like a rock, the King immediately rescued him in his arms and said, “You of little faith…why did you doubt.” Walking through the door into a divine adventure is always risky and uncertain, sort of like walking on water. But the key is to keep our eyes on the King who holds the keys to the Kingdom.

I praise God for some great friends this past weekend that reminded me to keep looking at the King who always waits for me on the other side of the door he has opened.

An Open Door – The Gift of Disappointment

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A few weeks ago a young man told me that while praying God gave him this text to share with me:

“See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut,” Rev. 3:8

After receiving this scripture I read and reread Jesus’s words to the church in Philadelphia. Asking God what does this exactly mean in the context of this passage and for my life. This was during the 40-Day Prayer Challenge, which I was journeying on with some of you and there were definitely doors I was praying God would open for ministry.

One of the doors I was praying about was a two day seminar I was to lead sponsored by Prison Fellowship & Denver Seminary in Cannon State Prison. I thoroughly enjoyed studying for the eight sessions I would teach on Friday and Saturday. And I was also feeling blessed and excited to have my brother Curt and a friend Henry, who was flying in from California, help out. As I was packing my suitcase for an early morning departure the next day, I got a call informing me that the prison was locked down for the entire weekend because of violence. The director of Prison Fellowship was surprised and added that this has not happened in a long time.

The door was closed and there was nothing I could do about it. After 40 days of praying and preparing for this ministry event. We were looking so forward to sharing the healing love of Abba Father with these men in prison and one phone call changed the entire weekend.

My friend Henry was great, the disappointment on my face was obvious, and so he made sure all was not wasted. Henry and a few others have been encouraging me to explore podcasting and so Henry decided this was the weekend it was going to happen. He put me to work, got me a mike and used his tech gifts and before you knew it we were podcasting! You can check it out on the website. I made Henry be the first interview and we just finished another that will come out this Thursday with a good friend Ray Haakonsen from South Africa. These two interviews were a blessing, something that wouldn’t have happened if the prison door had been open.

However, on February 29, I had a long conversation with God asking why He shut the prison door. As I wrestled with the Father over this, tears begin to flow and I felt overwhelmed as no answers came. I opened my Bible to my Gospel reading for the morning in Mark 9, the story of Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Even though I have read, studied, and preached on this text many times the Holy Spirit was bringing fresh insights that bombarded my mind. I quick picked up my journal and wrote everything that was coming. My spirit of despair was being lifted as I sensed the Father speaking life and revealing profound truth from the text.

Two doors opened that day that would not have if He had not shut the prison door. I hope in the next few blogs to share more about those doors. But for me the greatest door that opened that Monday that surpassed the other two was the one that opened up to the Father’s voice to me in Mark 9. He heard the cry of my heart and even though I didn’t get the answer I was looking for I got more of His loving presence, which was all that was needed.

The door of disappointment became a gift that led me to a different door that Christ has opened into the Father’s presence that no man can shut. So when disappointments come let them bring you to the door Christ opened for you into the loving presence of the Father.

40 Day Prayer Challenge – Join the Movement

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My daughter Sarah just tried to order Draw the Circle, the 40-Day Prayer Challenge, by Mark Batterson for some friends and told me it was out of stock! What a great problem to me this signifies that the Holy Spirit is up to something. I want to thank those of you who committed to praying these last 40 days and share a few of the responses I have received via email or phone call! Be blessed as you read how a passion for prayer has multiplied, maybe even into a movement:

  • A pastor friend presented the 40-Day challenge to the elders at his church to have the whole congregation participate and they said, “YES!”
  • Another person just finished praying the 40 days and is now going through it a second time with 10 different guys.
  • Three high school teams heading to Africa this summer consisting of over 40 students and adults will be doing the challenge to prepare for what God has for them on this mission trip.
  • Another man purchased 40 books and already gave 20 away to friends and co-workers, now he is starting the 40 Days of Prayer with his extended family both in out of state.
  • After hearing about others who have taken this challenge another pastor called me last week and is looking to begin praying for 40 days with their church staff.
  • Several families have gathered around the dinner table to pray together over these last 40 days. What a powerful tool for discipleship!

These are just a few examples of a much bigger movement that I believe the Holy Spirit is initiating in our day. Our culture again and again promotes the tainted gospel of self-worship and the result is deep emptiness and unresolved pain. In the state Colorado this is particularly true, as over 100,000 people have moved into the Denver area in the last year and many are searching for their “pot” of gold and not finding it. The farther we run from the presence of God the more unmanageable life becomes, just read the headlines on the internet or watch the evening news!

Crying out to God in prayer from a needy heart is always the first step back to a spiritual break through, this step can revive and heal the deep pain in our hearts and has the potential for a break through in the imprisoned culture which we find ourselves living in. God gives us this lasting promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14:

“If My people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked way, then will I hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.”

It is humbling to pray, because by doing so you and I are admitting our weakness and lack of control. Weakness and lack of control fly in the face of our “self worship” culture. So when you and I submit to prayer and we realize there are others around us doing the same we know in our hearts something super natural has to be taking place. These last 40 days of prayer shared with many of you, has given me much hope for what our Good Father has around the corner. I believe this is the beginning of a movement that will bring us back to His glorious face!

 

 

 

40 Days of Prayer – Prayer Discipleship

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I found one of the best ways to fulfill Jesus’ command to “Go and make disciples of all nations” is by praying with others. When you pray with another person somehow you enter into God’s Holy presence and His Spirit seals your hearts together with His. Over my years serving in the ministry I have witnessed this as one of the most powerful tools of following in the steps of Jesus. For my marriage, family, and friendships prayer has been the key to growing into a deeper love for Jesus and true care and concern for the person I am praying with.

Several years ago I was at a retreat in the San Bernardino Mountains teaching a group of high school students. This was where I first met Rick. He was a chaperone for the weekend and his strong handshake and infectious laugh was enough to make me sure to remember who he was. Later, I came to find out that Rick was a general contractor in the rough and tough construction world and as I had also done some summer construction work we hit it off immediately. However the real lasting impression came about when he spoke these sincere words to me, “Young man keep it up, I’m praying for you.” By the end of the retreat this man I had just met left a mark on my heart, somehow I was mysteriously connected to Rick, I attribute this to the fact that his was praying for me.

Years later I was one of the pastors at church Rick attended. What a joy for me to see him again especially since we already had a spiritual bond through prayer. I was particularly happy when the church started a Wednesday night prayer meeting and one of the first people to show up was Rick. For the last 9 years Rick has been at pretty much every prayer meeting except when he was in the hospital. Unfortunately Rick has experienced several severe health issues and this has taken a huge toil on his body. Yet, even then he would often escape from the hospital with tubes attached to his body in order to join this group at prayer.

God has used Rick and his prayers to disciple more people than he will ever know. Every Sunday he goes to the front of church and prays over anyone who has a need and rejoices with others when a prayer is answered! And his prayers won’t stop there, he WILL remember to bring you before the presence of the Father all week and until there are answers. While serving at the church I could always anticipate a call from Rick, and many other staff members would attest to his weekly phone call of encouragement. He truly wanted to know how our week was going and if we had any prayer needs. Even now that I live in Colorado, once a week I can count on a call from Rick asking how Oceans is doing and offering up prayers.

Because of his prayers and time spent praying together, I look to Rick as one of my spiritual fathers who has helped me grow deeper in my love relationship with the Heavenly Father. This once rough and tough construction guy, who played a wild defensive end for UCLA, has become a prayer warrior who has impacted lives far and wide.

During this prayer challenge obey Jesus’ command by making “disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20) by praying with your wife, kids, co-workers, neighbors, friends, even strangers and watch what your Mighty Father will do in your heart and the hearts of those you are praying with. Prayer brings Heaven to earth and unleashes the Kingdom of God. As Jesus says, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them,” (Matthew 18:20).