Author: S. Tory Teller

Stan began the conversation with “There’s an interesting story about a woman in Matthew’s Gospel.  She did something for which the disciples of Jesus condemned her, but Jesus, Himself, gave her high praise.”

“How could there be such a distinction in their reactions?” I asked.

“This, along with everything, absolutely everything, has to be seen in the right perspective.”

“What did this woman do that caused the different reactions?” I asked Stan.

“Jesus was reclining at a table at the home of someone who was hosting him.  A woman came up behind Him and poured some very expensive perfume on His head.”

“Why did she do that?” I asked.

“Jesus said it was done to prepare His body for burial.  And He said it was a good thing.”

“What about the disciples?”

“They condemned the woman, saying that she wasted what could have been sold for money to give to the poor.”

“Who was right?” I asked.

“Jesus is always right,” Stan said with a laugh.  “In fact,” he continued, “Jesus criticized the disciples rather harshly and told them to leave the woman alone, for she had done a good deed to Him.”

“Jesus went even further and gave this woman higher praise by saying that wherever the Gospel is preached what this woman had done would be spoken of in memory of her.”  

I responded, “That is an amazing testimony for Jesus to say that she would be remembered in that way!  I would love to be in that position!”

“I agree,” said Stan.  “And there is a valuable lesson here to see the amazing contrast in the perspectives of the disciples and of Jesus. They had all witnessed the same event, but had totally different reactions.”

“Praise by the only One who counted, and condemnation by those in the dark about the truth.”

Stan concluded, “I need to see clearly and to be quick to praise in line with what Jesus praises.  Not always easy, but that is what I know I need to do.”

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Why do you bother the woman?  For she has done a good deed to Me.  Matthew 26:10.

Prayer:  Lord, you know how quick I am to criticize others.  It is such a self-focused thing I do way too often.  I ask you to move in me to help me to see everything from your perspective so I will know what you praise, why you praise it, and will join you in that praise.  Amen.

Stan surprised me one morning when he said, “Do you realize you are carrying around a lie in your pocket?”

“What in the world do you mean by that?” I responded.

He pulled out a five-dollar bill and laid in on the table.

“Turn it over.  What does it say on the back?”

I looked and responded, “You mean where it says ‘In God we trust”?

“That’s what I am talking about.”

He continued, “While it is fair to say that I trust in God or that you trust in God, I can say with confidence that our country as a whole does not trust in God.  It’s a lie.”

“Does that mean we should take that off of our currency?” I asked with a bit of alarm.

“Not at all,” he responded.

“At one point in the history of our country, it was entirely fair and accurate for our currency to say that.  I believe it will be again one day.”

“And,” he continued, “one of my daily prayers is that God will move in our county to bring us, individually and as a nation, to confession, repentance, revival, conversion, and transformation.”

“That we would truly trust in Him is my prayer.”

“That is a worthy prayer,” I said.  “I will try to remember to add that to the things I pray about regularly.

“I have a suggestion for helping you to remember.  “Use a dollar bill as a bookmark in your Bible.  Every time you open your Bible you will see that bill and remember to keep our country in your prayers.”

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Whenever the devil speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar, and the father of lies.  John 8:44.

Prayer:  Lord, our country is a mess.  You know that and I know that.  We have gone so far away from you and from your desire for our nation.  I ask you move in our country, one person at a time, to bring us to confession, repentance, conversion, revival, and transformation so that we are truly a nation that can proudly and truthfully say that we trust in you.  Amen.

One morning as Stan and I were ending our time together, he said, “I noticed a new bakery on the way over here.  They have some really good looking pastries.  Want to meet there tomorrow?”

“Sounds good to me.  Where is it?”

Stan gave me the address and we agreed to meet there at 7:30.

As I walked into the new place the next morning, I saw Stan sitting at a table near the back of the bakery.

“Just got here,” he greeted me.  “Smells like something good is going on here!”

Just then a waitress came to our table.  “Can I get you some coffee while you decide what you would like?”

“Sure thing,” Stan replied.

By the time the waitress brought our coffee, we both had decided what we wanted.

We gave her our orders, and then Stan added, “In a little while when you bring us our food, we will pray and thank God for His blessing.  Is there anything you would like us to pray about?”

Looking a bit surprised, the waitress said “Let me think about that.”

After she left, I said to Stan,“That was an amazing thing you just did.  Do you do that often?”

“Only as the Spirit leads.”

“Do you think she will have anything for us to pray about?”

“We’ll see”, was his response.

When the waitress returned with our food, Stan looked at her expectantly, but didn’t ask about any prayer request.

“I’ve been thinking about what you asked,” she said.  “How did you know to ask?”

“My younger brother is in terrible shape.  He has a bad addiction to some pain pills.  He really needs help.  Would you pray for him?”

“Sure will”, was Stan’s response.  “Not that God doesn’t know, but what’s his name?”

She told us, left the table, and we prayed.

When we were finished praying, Stan said, “That is why we were led here today.  It is going to be real interesting to see how God answers that woman’s prayer for her brother.”

“Do you think we will know?”, I asked.

“That is up to the Lord,” was Stan’s response.

“The obvious point is to be ready at all times to pray for whoever He brings with whatever needs.”

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First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers. Petitions, and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men.  1 Timothy 2:1

Prayer:  Lord, please help me be sensitive to the needs of others and to lift them to you in prayer so that you will provide all they need in ways that will open them to the truth of your love, grace, mercy, and every provision.  Amen.

Stan started our conversation with, “Last night I was re-reading some of my journal entries from the Book of Psalms and found something I think will interest you.”

“What’s that?”

“In Psalms 32:21, David gives thanks to the Lord for His loving provision of protection in a besieged city.”

“That’s good,” I replied, “but we don’t have any besieged cities today, do we?”

“Every single one”, was Stan’s somewhat somber reply.  “Every city, every town and village, and, yes, every single life is besieged.”

“By what?”

“The world, the flesh, and the devil.”

“If a person doesn’t think we are under siege, he or she is not paying attention or simply doesn’t care.”

“Being a bit melodramatic this morning aren’t you?”

“No, I’m serious about this.  We are constantly confronted with seemingly-endless temptation and attacks on our beliefs and faith.”

“But I am equally serious about God being our refuge if we will only choose to call on Him for His help in overcoming being besieged.”

“He has provided all we need to be victorious and a conqueror in the name of Jesus.  It is available for the asking.  Just ask.”

“Is asking all we need to do?”

“Yes, in one sense; no, in another.  Asking is all we need to do to have available God’s refuge, but beyond asking it is essential to listen to His response and to obey.”

“We can’t just ask for God’s help and then go merrily on our way without making the necessary changes in what we think and do.”

“We have to take God and His every provision seriously.  Claim and embrace all He offers.”

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Blessed be the Lord, for He has made marvelous His lovingkindness to me in a besieged city.  Psalm 32:21.

Prayer:  I am constantly besieged.  I am weak, but you are strong.  I ask for and claim your strength and lovingkindness in providing protection from all that besieges me.  Amen.

“There’s an interesting story in Luke’s Gospel I want to point out to you,” was Stan’s opening remark one morning.

He continued, “It has to do with different groups of people who were interested in Jesus.”

“Tell me what you have in mind.”

“It’s in the sixth chapter of Luke’s Gospel.  Jesus had just appointed the 12 apostles and they were coming down the mountain with Jesus.”

“In the seventeenth and eighteenth verses of that chapter, it says they were greeted by ‘a great multitude of His disciples’ and ‘a great throng of people’ who came to hear Him, be healed of their diseases, and have their unclean spirits removed.”

“So, it seems to me,” Stan continued, “that there are two distinct groups who are mentioned.”

“The first is the group of people who were already disciples of Jesus; the second is a group of the ‘great throng’ who came to get what they could for themselves.”

“It isn’t mentioned, but just like today, there was a third group that wasn’t even there.”

“What group is that?” I asked.

“That third group consists of the people who have no interest whatsoever in Jesus.”

“That disinterest can come from ignorance, having never heard of Jesus, or it can come from rejecting Him because they just consider Him irrelevant to their lives.”

“So,” Stan continued, “the really big point about this is that each person has to decide which group he or she is going to be in, be a disciple of Jesus or be a disciple of self, only interested in what Jesus can do for them, not the other way around.

“I suppose,” I added, “that the first group of those who are disciples of Jesus can be further divided into two groups.”

“I think I know your point,” Stan said, “but go ahead and tell me.”

“Just like today, disciples can be divided into two groups, those who are serious about being disciples, and those who are just sort of hanging around.  It’s like what the station master told me when he encouraged me to leave the station platform and return after I have done all there is to do.”

Stan smiled and said, “You, my friend, are making great progress!”

And I smiled too.

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If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Matthew 16:24.

Prayer:  Lord, I want only to be your disciple.  You know how difficult it is for me to get myself out of your way so I will be ready to be who and what you have for me to be.  I need and I ask for your help in taking up my cross, whatever the cost, and following you, wherever you want me to be.  Amen.

“Do you read any daily devotionals?” I asked Stan one morning.

“Over the years, I have read many devotionals.  Some I have stuck with and others did not appeal to me as much.”

“Do you have a favorite one?”

“By far my favorite is one by Henry and Richard Blackaby.  It is called Experiencing God Day-by-Day.  As with many of the books I have read over the years, this devotional was given to me by a friend.”

“I am not familiar with that one” I replied.

“Are you at all familiar with Henry Blackaby’s work in the area of experiencing God?”

“Can’t say that I am,” was my response.

“The bottom-line approach of Blackaby is that a person should always be watching for how God is moving to accomplish His will and purposes, and then join Him in what He is doing.”

“Can you give me an example?” I asked.

“Lots of them, but I will start with just one,” Stan responded.

“Say, for example, your next-door neighbor begins to ask you questions about your faith or your church and seems genuinely interested.  What are you going to do, ignore him and his questions?”

“Or are you going to have an answer for him about your faith.  Or invite him to go with you to church?”

“It could very well be that God is moving in this person’s life.  And it could be that God put you where you are so you can join Him in what he wants to do in your neighbor’s life.”

“I can understand that,” was my response.  “What a privilege to be a part of what God is doing in another person’s life by joining Him!”

Stan responded, “And it doesn’t have to be another person, it can be you.”

“How so?”

“If you sense that God is working in your life — or wanting to work, the biggest and best thing you can do is to choose to join God in what He wants to do in and through you.”

“Surrender to God and tell Him you will join Him in whatever He wants to do.”

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If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.  John 14:15.

Prayer:  Lord, you are constantly moving to accomplish your will and your purposes.  I am grateful for that and want to be a part of what you are doing.  Please open me to see all you are doing, see how I can join you in what you are doing, and help motivate me to join you.  Amen.

“Are you familiar with the story of Peter weeping after he denied knowing Jesus?” Stan asked me one morning.

“Somewhat,” was my reply.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately,” he said.

“Any particular reason?”, I asked.

“Well, mainly, because I have been thinking how often I deny knowing Jesus.”

My surprised answer was, “Really?  Why would you say that?”

“Peter walked with Jesus for three years.  He had seen Him do amazing things with and for people out of His Love.  Peter had heard Jesus say some astonishing things.”

“Yeah, I know that.  But how does that relate to you?”

“After all Peter had experienced with Jesus, he denied even knowing Him when the going got tough.”

“Jesus was not surprised by what Peter did, but Peter sure was.  And when he realized it, he wept.”

“I still don’t see how that relates to you,” I said.

“You don’t know me as well as I do, but I want to be totally honest with you about how many times I deny knowing Jesus by my thoughts, words, and actions.”

“I may not come right out and say to someone that I don’t even know Jesus, but I know there are too many things about me that scream that I don’t even know Him.”

“What do you do when you realize those things?” I asked.

“I weep,” was Stan’s answer.  “I weep with the tears of confession and repentance.”

“And I hope and pray you get to that point of weeping over such things as well.”

“That is my prayer as well,” I responded.  “Thanks, Stan.”

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Peter began to weep.  Mark 14:72

Prayer:  Lord, you know how often I deny knowing you by my thoughts, words, and actions.  You know and I know.  Please forgive me.  And please move in me to transform me into the person you intend, the one who will not deny you in any way, but will manifest you.  Amen.

Stan began our conversation with, “Something happened to me a long time ago that you may find hard to believe.”

“What was that all about?”

“First, a little background.  When I was in high school I began smoking cigarettes.  Mainly sneaking around at first, but then more seriously until I was fully addicted.”

“In college I switched to smoking a pipe.  Over time, I went from being a ‘puffer’ to fully inhaling all of the pipe smoke.”

“My lungs suffered, but I was unable to break the habit even though I tried many times.”

“One Saturday night I attended a church service at the church we normally attended on Sunday mornings.  That was out of the ordinary, but that is how God works sometimes!”

“The church had a large congregation.  The pastor did not know me personally.”

“At the end of that service, the pastor was announcing that there would be a special prayer service the next night.  It would be for anyone who had a special prayer request, such as marriage, family matters, finances, or whatever was needed.”

“In the congregation of several hundred people, the pastor looked right at me and said, ‘or if you have an addiction you need to give up.’  I noted that with no particular interest.”

“I left the service and went to my car.  I turned on the radio and the first thing I heard was a story about how many people were going to die from heart disease related to smoking.’

“I went home, smoked my pipe, and went to bed about ten o’clock.”

“At three in the morning, I awoke and heard God’s audible voice saying, ‘Stop smoking!’  That sort of thing had never happened before.  I listened.”

“I have not smoked since that encounter with God.  And it is the only time I have heard His audible voice.”

“He speaks through His indwelling Spirit, but that voice is different from His audible voice.”

“Wow, Stan, that is quite a story!”

“Yes, it is,  And it gave me a very valuable lesson in addition to freeing me from an addiction.”

“What’s that?”

“Always, always, be open to listening to the voice of God however it comes to me.  He has something important to say.  If it wasn’t important He probably wouldn’t go out of His way to say it.”

“Hear, listen, and obey.  My life with Him depends on it.”

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An angel of the Lord spoke to Phillip.  Acts 8:28.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for speaking to me in whatever way you want.  Please help me to hear and to listen to your voice so I will know what it is you have for me to obey.  And please move in me in accord with your will for me to want to obey.  Amen.

“Can I ask you a question about the beginning of your journaling?” I asked Stan one morning.

“What do you want to know?”

“You said you started with the fifteenth chapter of John, and then continued on from there.”

“That’s right.”

“How much time did you spend on each chapter?”

“At the beginning, and for some time after that, I was reading a chapter each day.”

“In addition to proceeding on from the fifteenth chapter of John in the New Testament, I began making my way through the Old Testament a chapter each day.”

“And you were writing in your journal about each chapter?” I asked.

“Yes, but the Lord fairly quickly showed me that was not what He had in mind for me.”

“How?”

“I was real excited about what I was doing with the journaling, and told everyone who would listen!”  Stan said with a bit of passion in his voice.  “I’m afraid I may have bored more than a few people,” he laughed.

“One of my friends I had talked with about the journal sent me a book that changed my focus.”

“In what way?”

“Well, one of the nuggets of truth in that book, when the author was talking about reading the Bible, was her suggestion to stay with a particular verse until being satisfied that all it had to offer was claimed.”

Stan continued, “All of a sudden it came clear to me that I was likely missing a lot by reading whole chapters each day.”

“The voice of the Lord was, in essence, saying, ‘What’s the hurry?’”

“It became clear that the point was not getting through the Bible, it was learning what the Bible has for me to know verse by verse.”

“So, did you slow down?”

“Yes, and I can say that slowing down really made a huge difference in the process of drawing closer to God.  Many days I focus on a single verse, snd some verses get more than one day!”

“Obviously, it will take you a long time to get through the Bible.”

Stan responded, “Yeah, you are right, but then what’s the hurry?”

“The Lord will keep me here on this side of eternity as long as He wants, and if the Bible is still open when it’s time for me to get on the train, that is what He intends.”

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So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.  Romans 10:17.

Prayer:  Lord, I thank you for your precious word that is available for me to read and to make my focus.  Please help me to concentrate on, receive, and embrace every thought you have for me from every verse you put before me.  Please help me in not wanting to rush through and, thereby, miss any part of what you have for me.  Amen.

“You familiar with computers?” Stan asked me.

“Oh, I know how to do most things on them, but I am lost if something goes wrong,” I responded.

“Sounds about like me,” he said.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, there was (maybe still is) an expression of ‘garbage in garbage out’ that is shorthand for saying a computer will only do what it is programmed to do.  It has the short name of GIGO.”

“If the program is garbage, in that it is no good, that is what the program is going to produce.”

“I have never programmed a computer,” I responded, “but I am familiar with the term.  What’s the point?”

“One morning during my time with God,” Stan began, “it became very clear to me that I am just like a computer.”

“In what way?”

“If I allow garbage into my mind, garbage is likely to come out.  If I concentrate on negative thinking, negative words are most likely going to come out of my mouth.  And so on.  I think you can agree with that.”

“Sure can.  Or as the expression goes, ‘been there, done that.’ Do you have a way for dealing with it?”

“CICO,” was Stan’s response.

“What’s that?”

“It’s a term that was given to me, it that stands for ‘Christ in Christ out.”

“Or you could call it GIGO” I joined in, “for God in God Out.”  That’s better than the original meaning of GIGO!”

“Exactly!” Stan responded with a big smile.  “What I put into my mind determines what is going to come out of my mouth, and it determines what my actions are going to be.”

“If my mind is filled with thoughts of Christ, He is going to be manifested in what I think, say, and do.  And the only way I can have the mind of Christ is to know what it is and to concentrate on it being an intimate part of me.”

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We have the mind of Christ.  1 Corinthians 2:16.

Prayer:  Lord, you know my mind.  You know the difficulty I have in allowing into my mind only what you want.  I need and ask for your help in guarding what I allow my focus to be.  Please help me to focus only on you and what you have for me to be and to do.  Amen.