11/05/2017
When you talk with a friend about Jesus in a public place do you speak in hushed tones? When someone asks you about Jesus in a crowded room do you whisper in their ear, or just nod you head? If so, let me tell you a couple of stories, and give you some scripture, that might change your behavior.
“For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
Luke 9:26 ESV
I was facing cancer, and when something dire like that confronts me I always turn to prayer, and people I know who will pray for me earnestly. I was in such a situation and a longtime friend, Chuck Savage, had set up a conference call with several prayer warriors in the Atlanta Georgia area to pray for me across the miles.
I was at work, and had scheduled a meeting room where I could have privacy and access to a speaker phone, but when the time came for the call there were three men using the room, and their meeting was running long, so I stuck my head in the door and asked if they were through... To which they apologized and closed out their meeting.
One of the men happened to be Elliott Kershaw, a friend and devoted Christian Brother, so when they exited the room I asked if he had a couple of minutes in which he could join me in a call. He said yes, and then asked what the call was about; after all we were at work. I looked at the other two men, and said... “It’s a prayer call.” To which he replied “certainly!”, and excused himself from the others.
We entered the call and as it turned out there were six men and women waiting for us on the phone; by my asking Elliott to join me I had inadvertently made him number 7. The call was wonderful as each person in turn prayed for me and then I prayed a blessing upon them. What happened after we hung up the phone was amazing.
At first I received an email asking me if I could add three of the phone warriors to my devotional email list, then in a few minutes came a call from one of the other participants with a word of healing for me that began “I normally don’t do this but...”. Then it happened... Elliott emailed me asking if I could add one of the two men who had been standing with him when I asked if he would join the call. By voicing my faith, and Elliott responding as he did, it had opened an unforeseen dialog about Jesus Christ with one of the men who just happened to be a bystander. This is the power behind not being ashamed of Jesus and our Father. People’s lives are enhanced and changed in ways that amaze us.
Elliott, by acknowledging Jesus openly in front of others, was acknowledged that day before our Father in heaven.
“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33 ESV
The second story I would like to share occurred while I was flying through the sky, and was amazing! No I didn’t have wings, and it wasn’t a dream.
I was in Reagan Airport in Washington DC waiting for a flight back to Nashville. A major storm was battering the northeast and airports were closed, or flights cancelled, from Maryland to Maine. What this meant to me was that the airport in DC was filled to capacity with people trying to find a way home. Babies were crying, tempers were flaring, voices were raised, and there wasn’t a seat to be found at any of the terminal gates.
As I stood there a woman became aggravated and left, and I was able to take her seat. Then in a few minutes a flight was announced that was heading south to Birmingham and several rose around me and headed to their gate. Quickly an African American man and woman took the seats opposite me. They were dressed in suits and looked very distinguished; I thought that they must be flying on business. I looked at the man, and immediately thought I knew him. As I kept looking at him and trying to remember where we knew each other from I noticed he was looking at me in the same way. So I leaned forward and told him that I felt I knew him from someplace, and asked if he worked for HCA. The woman quickly responded in a rich African accent that he was a Pastor. After I told him where I went to church, he responded, also in a strong but elegant, accent, that he had visited there a couple of times. We chatted a moment in which I as told that he pastored an Ethiopian immigrant Church in Nashville, and was returning home from abroad... all of this in a crowded terminal with others listening in. Finally, I told him that I was going to the gate for my flight, said “God Bless You”, and politely excused myself, but God wasn’t done yet.
I boarded my plane, which was a smaller commuter jet with two seats on either side of the isle. I had an aisle seat and after stowing my carryon luggage I stood waiting for whoever had the window seat beside me. The flight was full.
People filed past me heading to their seats and then I saw the woman I had met in the terminal. My God radar went up and I wondered where she would be seated... she took the window seat directly across the aisle from me. I smiled, and thought to myself that this would place the Pastor directly across the passageway from me. A couple of others passed by and my new acquaintance came into view. He stowed his bag, and then pointed to the window seat right beside me. So, after letting him into his seat, I looked at his traveling companion and asked if she wanted to switch seats with me so that she could sit next to him. She shook her head no and responded in the most unusual way “No, you need to sit there!” I took my seat thinking that something amazing was about to happen.
The plane took off, and as we were climbing, I reintroduced myself to the Pastor, and asked him about his church and his faith. We openly talked for a while and then the Holy Spirit pressed me to give him a Word. I did so, even though I didn’t know the fullness of what that Word meant. He smiled back and I could tell it had impacted him... he shared that was traveling back and forth to the Middle East to bring people to faith in Jesus Christ. His Word I had delivered had indicated God’s courage, protection, and success was upon him in bringing many to Christ.
We talked all the way to Nashville about our faith and what had led us to it, and where we were in it today. Then the Holy Spirit visited again, and I looked at him and asked “How is your health?” I couldn’t believe that the Lord wanted me to ask that, but He did. The pastor told me of some issues, and after thinking to myself “Really Lord? Right Here?” I looked at him and asked if I could pray for him. He smiled and said yes. Then I reached into my pocket, pulled out a small vial of oil and asked if I could anoint him... to which he smiled again, emphatically saying yes, and leaned toward me as I anointed his forehead in the name of Jesus Christ and began to pray.
Now this prayer was no whisper, but came out as if we were standing before the altar in a crowded church. The Holy Spirit led me in it, and it was incredible. I didn’t think about it at the moment, but many people around us had shared in our conversation, and in the prayer that was prayed publicly at 25,000 feet in the air. After I said Amen the Pastor echoed with Amen, and then said something I will never forget... he said “before tonight you didn’t know me, and I didn’t know you, but our spirits knew one another.” I knew this was true, I felt it the moment I saw him.
Since that flight we have been in communication via emails and he reads my devotionals. I pray for him each morning in my prayers, and ask the Lord to keep and protect him that day, but above all else I pray that he continues to have courage, and bring souls to our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ.
Now, I don’t know what has transpired in the lives of the bystanders in the terminal, and on our plane, has been since that day, but I have a feeling that what happened that evening was much more than just what occurred between the Pastor and myself. I think that our open and unashamed profession of faith, and our time of anointing and prayer was also meant for the ears of many others. Perhaps one day, when I need encouragement, someone will share with me how two men during an airline flight, on a stormy night between Washington DC and Nashville, had changed their lives during an open recollection of faith, and prayer.
I do know that the pastor continues to win souls to Christ, and that our friendship will last a lifetime... and beyond. His voice never weakens, and the gospel rolls from his lips boldly, and in power! No shame, and no whispered faith.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15 ESV
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for giving me the courage to speak boldly of you before the world. I thank you for your Holy Spirit that guides and comforts me in my faith. Give me strength Father, and allow my life to be a witness to you always. Don’t let me be tempted to hide my faith under a basket, but to hold it high before those who need you most. Let me be steady before my enemies, and courageous in the face of those who would do me harm because of my faith in you. Jesus, walk with me, and let your life and your suffering be of encouragement to me always. Hold and give strength to my arms as I lift the flame of your gospel high, and draw souls from afar off to me that I might share you with them. Never let me be ashamed or timid regarding my faith. Let my words of you be spoken openly and without fear of reprisal, for you are my Savior, Redeemer, Advocate, and our Father goes before us, and knows no defeat. My faith is not an object of shame Father, nor is it to be whispered of in fear. Hear me as I shout Holy, Holy, Holy, art thou Lord God Almighty!!!
“And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."”
Luke 23:42 ESV
Rich Forbes