Servant-Hearted *

Servant-Hearted
Charles R. Swindoll

2 Corinthians 4:1-7

In his fine little volume In the Name of Jesus, Henri Nouwen mentions three very real, albeit subtle temptations any servant of Christ faces. They correspond with the three temptations our Lord faced before He began His earthly ministry. They also fit with three observations the apostle Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 4:1-7).

First Temptation: To be self-sufficient and self-reliant. Instead of being so self-assured, we need to be open, unguarded, and vulnerable.

Second Temptation: To be spectacular . . . a celebrity mentality. In Nouwen's words, "Jesus refused to be a stunt man . . . . He did not come to walk on hot coals, swallow fire or put His hand in a lion's mouth to demonstrate He had something worthwhile to say."

Third Temptation: To be powerful . . . in charge. To lead is appropriate, necessary, and good. But to push, to manipulate, to be in full control . . . never! To say it simply, one God is sufficient.

Servanthood implies diligence, faithfulness, loyalty, and humility. Servants don't compete . . . or grandstand . . . or polish their image . . . or grab the limelight. They know their job, they admit their limitations, they do what they do quietly and consistently.

*Servants cannot control anyone or everything, and they shouldn't try.
*Servants cannot change or "fix" people.
*Servants cannot meet most folks' expectations.
*Servants cannot concern themselves with who gets the credit.
*Servants cannot minister in the flesh or all alone.

Let me suggest five practical guidelines for cultivating the right kind of servant habits.

1. Whatever we do, let's do more with others. Ministry is not a solo, it's a chorus.
2. Whenever we do it, let's place the emphasis on quality, not quantity. Excellence, not expansion, is our goal.
3. Whenever we go to do it, let's do it the same as if we were doing it among those who know us the best. Not only will this keep us accountable, it'll guard us from exaggeration.
4. Whoever may respond, let's keep a level head. If someone criticizes, don't allow it to get you down. If someone idolizes, don't tolerate or fantasize such foolishness.

However long we minister, let's model the Master . . . a servant-hearted and a grace-oriented style. Let's serve . . . in the name of Jesus. A servant-hearted attitude keeps us from self-minded attitude.

Moving in Presumption

Moving in Presumption
Os Hillman

"Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord's covenant moved from the camp." -Numbers 14:44

The people of Israel were brought out of Egypt to enter a new land-the Promised Land. This land was not handed over to them freely; it required the removing of God's enemies through battle. It required a partnership between God and the people. As long as the people remained true to God, they were victorious. The people were camped at Kadesh Barnea, near the border entrance to the long-awaited Promised Land. All the hardships of their journey from Egypt were now culminating at this important crossing.

However, Joshua and Caleb were the only scouts who proclaimed faith in God to take them into the land and conquer their enemies. The other spies saw all the dangers and refused to take the risk. The people of the camp shrank in fear because of their report. They decided not to enter in. God was angered at the people for their lack of faith. Moses had to intercede on their behalf. Once they realized what they had done, it was too late. But they thought their repentance was enough to right their wrong. They presumed this was all that was necessary. Moses informed them they were deceived in their presumption of God's favor. They went to battle against the Amalekites only to be soundly defeated.

Those who returned did not understand why they lost the battle. It is important for us to know whether we have God's hand upon our endeavors. Presumption leads to failure. God's favor leads to success. Ask God to confirm His hand on your endeavors. ... "If Your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here". Exodus 33:15

Discern True Intent!

Discern True Intent!
Bill Gothard

There is a common perception that in the Old Testament God reveals Himself as a harsh and unloving God and that in the New Testament He reveals Himself as a loving and compassionate God Who forgives our sins and overlooks our transgressions. “I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6). In reality, the commands that God gave to the nation of Israel in the Law of Moses do not seem as strict as the commands that God gave to New Testament disciples through the teachings of Christ. Christ clarified the true intent of the Law of Moses.

Law of Moses (Old Testament)
1.Thou shalt not kill. Whosoever sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed. (NT: Whoever hateth his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.)

2.Thou shalt not commit adultery. (NT: Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.)

3.An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. (NT: Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.)

4.Thou shalt love thy friend and hate thine enemy. (NT: Love your enemies; bless them that curse; do good to them that hate you.)

5.Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement. (NT: Whosoever shall put away his wife … causeth her to commit adultery.)

“ … Be ye holy in all manner of conversation;because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy” (I Peter 1:15-16).

Those who try to take comfort in a supposed New Testament “attitude of leniency” toward sin need to hear again the words of Paul: “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6). However, there is hope, because “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20).

Let us embrace the holy Law of God, recognize our sinful condition before it, and come boldly before the throne of grace to obtain the grace we need to live it out. (See Hebrews 4:15.)

Through Christ our Lord, Bill Gothard
(Matthew 5:17).“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil”

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Lord, I thank You for the mystery of the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us. I am grateful that while the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. Amen and Amen.

A Remnant That Prays

A Remnant That Prays
Os Hillman

“One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.’” -Luke 11:1

God is calling out a remnant of workplace believers throughout the world who understand the role of prayer in their work. These people have learned that prayer is not a five-minute exercise in the morning devotion time, but it is a vital strategic tool to discern and know God’s will and purposes in their work lives. You see they have learned that their business lives are their ministries to God and others.

These men and women have entered into covenant relationships with intercessory prayer partners who help discern the activities they should be involved in. Some even have paid staff, who intercede for the decisions and activities in which they will be involved. They are a small remnant of workplace believers who know that skill and technique are not enough to fulfill God’s purposes.

A servant of the Lord has well said: Prayer is the rail for God’s work. Indeed, prayer is to God’s will as rails are to a train. The locomotive is full of power: it is capable of running a thousand miles a day. But if there are no rails, it cannot move forward a single inch. If it dares to move without them, it will soon sink into the earth. It may be able to travel over great distances, yet it cannot go to any place where no rails have been laid. And such is the relation between prayer and God’s work.

Without any doubt God is almighty and He works mightily, but He will not and cannot work if you and I do not labor together with Him in prayer, prepare the way for His will, and pray “with all prayer and supplication” (Eph. 6:18) to grant Him the maneuverability to so work. Many are the things, which God wills to do, and would like to do, but His hands are bound because His children do not sympathize with Him and have not prayed so as to prepare ways for Him. Let me say to all who have wholly given themselves to God: Do examine yourselves and see if in this respect you have limited Him day after day. [Watchman Nee, Let Us Pray (New York, New York: Christian Fellowship Publishers, 1977), 11.]

Is prayer a vital part of your strategic business practices? Put prayer on the front lines, instead of making it an afterthought. You will begin to see renewed power in your work life.

Steps To Handling Frustration

Steps For Handling Frustration
Rick Warren

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.” -Isaiah 26:3

Here are five simple steps for dealing with frustrations in your life.

1. Ask yourself, “Did I cause it?”
The Bible says, “A man reaps what he sows” (Galatians 6:7). Many things in life frustrate us because we brought them on ourselves. We don't have anybody else to blame. It’s frustrating to run out of gas on a trip. But if you didn't stop to get gas before you left, or decided to push your luck, who’s to blame?

2. Ask yourself, “What can I learn from it?”
Use the irritation as an opportunity to grow in character and become more like Christ. How does God produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life? He places you in the opposite situation. If God wants to teach you love, He will put you around unlovely people. If God wants to teach you peace, He will put you in a situation of total chaos so you can have inner peace. Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for good”. There are many bad things in the world, but all things work together and even the negative God can turn into a positive if we will let Him.

3. Thank God in the situation.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks”. You don't have to be thankful for a bad situation. But you can be thankful in a bad situation. That frustration, that irritation, that inconvenience, that interruption, may be a blessing or an opportunity in disguise. The Apostle Paul wanted to go to Rome to preach, but God took him to Rome to be in prison and write the letters that formed the New Testament. Paul was frustrated but God saw it as an opportunity to make him sit still long enough to write the Bible.

4. Turn the frustration into a funny, humorous event.
The Bible says, “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). A sense of humor is God's antidote for anger and frustration. 5. Ask God to fill you with His love. Why? Because 1 Corinthians 13:5 says, “Love is not easily angered”. Love is self-giving, not self-serving.

We get irritated because we think everyone and everything has to revolve around us. Love concentrates on the other person. Jesus faced constant frustrations in his life, but he always made time for people. We get so preoccupied with our own things; we forget that people are the priority in life.

David's Armor

David's Armor
Os Hillman

"David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. 'I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them.' So he took them off." -1 Samuel 17:39

David, the young shepherd boy, heard the challenge from the Philistines to send someone to fight Goliath. No one volunteered to fight except David. King Saul reluctantly agreed and offered David his armor. David put on the weighty equipment, but quickly concluded he could not fight in this heavy armor.

God equips each of us in such a way that is unique to our strengths and abilities. David was trained as a shepherd to use another weapon. For David, it was a slingshot. David showed great maturity in realizing he could not be effective with Saul's armor. What are the gifts and talents God has given to you? Have you ever tried to accomplish a task with tools you were not trained to use? God allows each of us to develop skills that are unique to our life. He will not call you to use someone else's tools.

However, this is only half of the equation. These talents must be mixed with faith. Talent alone is not enough. Faith alone is not enough. It is only when the two are combined that God's power is released and manifested in the physical realm. Mix your unique gifts with faith today; you will be surprised at the power of God that will be manifested.

Avoiding Detours

Avoiding Detours
Os Hillman

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." -Proverbs 3:5-6

I turned off the interstate to get gas for my car. I was returning from a speaking engagement and it was very late. As I turned onto the road, I looked for the entrance ramp to get back on the interstate. It was dark and I could not see any signs. I made a turn to the right that appeared to be the turn I needed to make. I could see the interstate was next to the road. As I continued down this road, the interstate was on my left. It soon became obvious it was not the entrance road but rather a frontage road. I assumed it would take me to the next interchange. However, the road soon turned away from the interstate. It grew darker and darker. The road became a dirt road. I realized I was not going to get to the interstate on this road. Being a bit frustrated that I had made the wrong turn, I turned around and went back, losing valuable time.

It is easy to make assumptions about the path we are on. If God's Spirit has not enlightened our reasoning, we are inclined to make the wrong choices. Our choices seem right at the time, but later we discover these choices have led us away from God because they were based on our own reasoning. Acknowledge God in all your ways today. Lean completely on Him to reveal His direction for your life. If you do so, He will direct you to the desired destination He has for you.

Stop Anger When It Starts

Stop Anger When It Starts
Biblical Parenting

The child who is getting frustrated with a puzzle or struggling with a friend needs to learn how to deal with the building energy inside before exploding. We encourage children and parents to learn to stop. The size of the “stop” depends on the intensity of the anger. Sometimes the stop means engaging in another activity or leaving the situation. Other times it just means pausing for a moment and taking a deep breath. The child needs to recognize that frustration is present and anger is building.

Stopping is helpful whether the child is just becoming frustrated, or is already quite angry. This step is especially important for the child who is enraged. Rage is anger that controls you no matter how well you conceal it. The primary way to tell that children are enraged is that they can no longer think rationally and their anger is now controlling them. They have lost control.

The solution to rage is always to stop. When a child is enraged you might say, “You are too angry to talk about this right now. Spend some time alone. Come back when you can tell me in a calm voice why you're angry and we’ll continue to talk about it.” One sign that the child is ready to address the issue again is that he or she will be able to put anger into words and talk about the problem rationally.

Whatever you do, don't jump into the battle with your kids. When they are angry, children look for ways to draw you into a fight. Avoid it. It's not productive and often escalates the problem. Rather learn how to stop and teach your kids to do the same. By slowing down the process you'll see a greater ability to interact with your kids without the complications that anger brings.

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Father, I thank You so much for my children. Thank You for demonstrating Your fatherly love to me in so many ways. Help me to be warm and affectionate with my children. Help them to develop emotionally and spiritually in a way that is pleasing to You. In Jesus' name ... Amen and Amen.

Are You Salty?

Are You Salty?
Os Hillman

"Everyone will be salted with fire." -Mark 9:49

Jesus used parables to communicate principles of the Kingdom of God. He said each believer's life should have the same impact on his or her world as salt has on food. Salt gives food flavor and brings out the best, while at the same time it serves as a preservative. What allows a Christian to become salty? Fire. God knows that each believer needs a degree of testing by fire in order for Christ's fragrance to be manifested. We cannot become salty without this deeper work of the Holy Spirit's fire in our lives. Fire purifies all that is not of Christ. It takes away all the impurities that prevent His nature from being revealed in us.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (1 Peter 1:6-7).

Are you a salty Christian? If not, pray a prayer that the immature are unwilling to pray. Pray that God makes you a salty Christian. It will result in praise and glory at the throne of God.

God's Provision

God's Provision
Truth For Life

"There is grain for sale in Egypt.." -Genesis 42:2

Famine pinched all the nations, and it seemed inevitable that Jacob and his family should suffer great want; but the God of providence, who never forgets the objects of electing love, had stored a granary for His people by giving the Egyptians warning of the scarcity and leading them to treasure up the grain from the years of plenty. Little did Jacob expect deliverence from Egypt, but there was grain in store for him.

Believer, though all things are apparently against you, rest assured that God has made a reservation on your behalf; in the roll of your griefs there is a saving clause. Somehow He will deliver you, and somewhere He will provide for you. Your rescue may come from a very unexpected source, but help will definitely come in your extremity, and you will magnify the name of the Lord. If men do not feed you, ravens will; and if the earth does not yield wheat, heaven will drop manna.

Therefore be of good courage, and rest quietly in the Lord. God can make the sun rise in the west if He pleases and can make the source of distress a channel of delight. The grain in Egypt was all in the hands of the beloved Joseph; he opened or closed the granaries at will. And so the riches of providence are all in the absolute power of our Lord Jesus, who will dispense them generously to His people. Joseph was abundantly ready to help his own family; and Jesus is unceasing in His faithful care for His brethren. Our responsibility is to go after the help that is provided for us: We must not sit still in despondency, but stir ourselves. Prayer will bring us quickly into the presence of our royal Brother. Once before His throne we have only to ask and receive. His stores are not exhausted; there is still grain: His heart is not hard; He will give the grain to us.

Lord, forgive our unbelief, and this evening constrain us to draw largely from Your fullness and receive grace for grace. Amen and Amen.

Wisdom Of The World

Wisdom Of The World
By Steve Troxel

"Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a "fool" so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight." -1 Corinthians 3:18-19

There are many influences which compete for our attention; many different inputs which seek to shape our view of the world and, in turn, direct how we make decisions about our life. There is also an enemy who greatly desires to win this competition. The enemy is battling for the hearts of men, women and children; and he knows if he can win the battle of the mind, the heart will remain his.

Many of the battle lines are easy to recognize. For example, the direct assault from various forms of sexual temptation and drugs claim numerous victims every day. But there are many other plans of the enemy which place hidden mine fields along the path and destroy those who are not careful where they step. Perhaps the best disguised and most effective weapon of the enemy is that of worldly wisdom.

Since the Garden of Eden, the enemy has propagated a set of values which sound wise and appealing, but which consistently lead down a path of destruction. His "wisdom" attempts to define happiness and success - tells us we must achieve, push, and obtain in order to succeed and be fulfilled. But if we will come into the presence of God, we will see the world's wisdom for what it truly is...foolishness.

"For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight."... The values of the world are continually promoted in every type of media and from every possible class of people - even sometimes from those who profess faith in Jesus. But these values are lies! They are weapons of the enemy used to pull us away from God...they are foolishness! And when we choose to live as a captive to world values, we have chosen to live outside of God's perfect plan; "Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

God's plan will always require faith - always require us to be "sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see". This often means we must have the faith and courage to stand alone. Though the world may label us a "fool," we must continue (and continue some more) to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding".

We are being called to become a fool to the world, (1 Corinthians 4:9) but this is not an easy task. We have been well "educated" in the world system, and now must reshape the way we think; "be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2).This renewal process will take determined, consistent, and intentional prayer and the study of His Word; but God will provide sufficient strength for the process. Let's refuse to live in a cloud of deception. Let's make an uncompromising commitment to God and break free from the wisdom of the world.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

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Heavenly Father. Please forgive me when I assume that this world, and where I have come from, should shape my future. Help me to resist the daily temptations to fall on worldly ways, and to be strong to say 'No' to wrong desires, even if my friends cannot understand why. May my new life of obedience and humility prove to be an effective witness to Your grace and power - so that others may also find peace with God, before Jesus Christ returns. In Jesus Christ’s victorious and mighty name I ask and pray. Amen and Amen.

Verses for meditation: Proverbs 3:3-6

The Great House of God

The Kitchen: God's Abundant Table
Max Lucado

"Give us this day our daily bread..."

Your first step into the house of God was not to the kitchen but to the living room, where you were reminded of your adoption. "Our Father who is in heaven." You then studied the foundation of the house, where you pondered his permanence. "Our Father who is in heaven." Next you entered the observatory and marveled at his handiwork: "Our Father who is in heaven." In the chapel, you worshiped his holiness: "Hallowed be thy name." In the throne room, you touched the lowered scepter and prayed the greatest prayer, "Thy kingdom come." In the study, you submitted your desires to his and prayed, "Thy will be done." And all of heaven was silent as you placed your prayer in the furnace, saying, "on earth as it is in heaven."

Proper prayer follows such a path, revealing God to us before revealing our needs to God. (You might reread that one.) The purpose of prayer is not to change God, but to change us, and by the time we reach God's kitchen, we are changed people. Wasn't our heart warmed when we called him Father? Weren't our fears stilled when we contemplated his constancy? Weren't we amazed as we stared at the heavens?

Seeing his holiness caused us to confess our sin. Inviting his kingdom to come reminded us to stop building our own. Asking God for his will to be done placed our will in second place to his. And realizing that heaven pauses when we pray left us breathless in his presence. By the time we step into the kitchen, we're renewed people! We've been comforted by our father, conformed by his nature, consumed by our creator, convicted by his character, constrained by his power, commissioned by our teacher, and compelled by his attention to our prayers.

The prayer's next three petitions encompass all of the concerns of our life. "This daily bread" addresses the present. "Forgive our sins" addresses the past. "Lead us not into temptation" speaks to the future. (The wonder of God's wisdom: how he can reduce all our needs to three simple statements.)

First he addresses our need for bread. The term means all of a person's physical needs. Martin Luther defined bread as "Everything necessary for the preservation of this life, including food, a healthy body, house, home, wife and children." This verse urges us to talk to God about the necessities of life. He may also give us the luxuries of life, but he certainly will grant the necessities.

Any fear that God wouldn't meet our needs was left in the observatory. Would he give the stars their glitter and not give us our food? Of course not. He has committed to care for us. We aren't wrestling crumbs out of a reluctant hand, but rather confessing the bounty of a generous hand. The essence of the prayer is really an affirmation of the Father's care. Our provision is his priority.

Yes Lord, as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

When Insecurity Turns Evil

When Insecurity Turns Evil
Os Hillman

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." -Romans 12:15

Saul was the King of Israel. David was in Saul's army and beginning to build a reputation as a great warrior. One day when David came back from a battle, the women danced and sang: " 'Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands' " (1 Samuel 18:7). Saul was very angry; this refrain galled him. "They have credited David with tens of thousands," he thought, "but me with only thousands. What more can he get but the kingdom?" (1 Samuel 18:8)

This statement caused something to snap in King Saul. From this point on, Saul was never the leader God intended him to be. He allowed insecurity to drive his every decision. Insecurity leads to the need to control people and circumstances. The need to control leads to anger once we realize we are unable to control the circumstance. King Saul could not accept, much less rejoice, over David's success. David's life would never be the same, because Saul sought to kill David every chance he had. Saul had a choice; he could have seen David as an up-and-coming general in his army who could have become an important part of his team and made the kingdom of Israel even stronger. Instead, he looked at him as a threat. When you hear good news about fellow workers or associates, do you rejoice with them? If you find yourself comparing your life's circumstances to others and don't feel you measure up, recognize that this is one of satan's greatest ploys to destroy you.

Christ has given you all things in Him. He has a unique plan for you that cannot be compared to another. He alone is your security. Trust in the purposes He has for your life. And remember, "My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19 KJV).

Accountability to God

Your Personal Life
A. W. Tozer

Some things may be neglected with but little loss to the spiritual life,but to neglect communion with God is to hurt ourselves where we cannot afford it.

"And as it is appointed for men to die once,but after this the judgment." -Hebrews 9:27

It was the belief in the accountability of man to his maker that made America a great nation. Among those earlier leaders was Daniel Webster whose blazing eyes and fiery oratory often held the Senate spellbound. In those days the Congress was composed of strong, noble statesmen who carried the weight of the nation in their hearts and minds. Someone asked: "Mr. Webster, what do you consider the most serious thought that has ever entered your mind?"

"The most solemn thought that has ever entered my mind is my accountability to my maker," he replied.

Men like that cannot be corrupted and bought. They do not have to worry if someone listens to their telephone calls. What they were in character and in deportment resulted from their belief that they would finally be accountable to God. Echoes from Eden, 130.

"Lord, help me to live my life today in such a way that, should You call me tonight to stand before You and give account, I would have nothing of which I would need to be ashamed. Amen."

Tested for Abundance

Tested for Abundance
Os Hillman

"We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance." -Psalm 66:12b

It is nice to hear that God desires to bring us into abundance. In fact, many a preacher has promoted the goodness of the Lord and His ability to prosper His children. Alas, my experience is that this gospel of material abundance has little to do with the gospel of the Kingdom as our Lord works in the realm of the sanctified soul.

The passage above tells us that God does in fact bring us into places of abundance. However, upon further study of the entire passage, we learn the route to this abundance. For you, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of abundance (Psalm 66:10-12).

God's economy of abundance often has little to do with material blessing. In God's economy, abundance is often measured in wisdom and knowledge of Himself. It is then that we are truly blessed. Wisdom cannot be gained through intellectual pursuits. Wisdom comes only through experience. Real wisdom comes from the kinds of experiences that come only through the deepest tests.

Lessons of refinement, including prison accompanied by burdens, lead us through the fire and water. This is the territory that must be traveled to reach that place of abundance. It would seem strange that a loving God would use such means with His children. What we often fail to realize is that God's measuring stick is the character and likeness of Jesus Christ Himself in each of us. This cannot be gained through a life of ease and pleasure. Ease and pleasure fail to refine.

Is God using your workplace to refine you today? Has He placed you in a prison or laid burdens on your back? Take heart if this is the place you find yourself, and realize that if you are faithful through the tests, you will enter a place of abundance that few will ever attain. The darkest hour is just before daybreak.

Presumptuous or Penitent?

Presumptuous or Penitent?
LeRoy Eims

"If we confess our sins,he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." -1 John 1:9

There's a saying in business: "It's easier to ask forgiveness than to ask permission." This same attitude seems to be prevalent among some Christians. The problem with this approach is that every time we take God's forgiveness for granted, we are more likely to tolerate what we've done, and less likely to see it as sin that needs to be repented of.

Apparently this is what happened to the city of Nineveh, and the prophet Nahum had a message for them about God's judgment. About a hundred years before, Jonah had gone to the city. The people turned to God and the city was spared. Later, the people of Nineveh turned back to their old ways and became worse than before. In Nahum 3:1, the prophet says, "Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims!" In the midst of Nineveh's violence and deception, God sent a prophet to tell them He would not always strive with man.

While God is good and merciful, it is dangerous to presume upon His goodness. It is the goodness of God that should lead us to repentance, but if we persist in our sin, God will respond in judgment. Christian, if you are acting like the people of Nineveh, figuring that you'll get forgiveness later for deliberate wrongs today, there's only one solution. Confession! To confess means to say the same thing about sin that God says. When we agree with the Lord about the sin in our lives, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to restore our fellowship with Him
Prayer

Lord, show me how I take Your goodness for granted, and help me turn from my sin of presumption. Amen.

To Ponder: What does God's goodness mean to me?

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Dear Heavenly Father: I come to You today confessing my own sin. Help me never to hide or justify my sin, but to see it as the offense to You that it is. I humbly repent before You and thank You for Your mercy that is new every morning. Thank You for forgiving the truly repentant heart. In Jesus' Name. Amen and Amen.

An Audience of One

An Audience of One
Os Hillman

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:2

What audience do you play to? Each day you are seen by many who will make a judgment about the way you handle yourself among different audiences. Politicians have learned to play to their audiences, customizing messages for the needs of their particular groups. Musicians have learned to play to their audiences. Pastors play to their congregations each Sunday morning. Workplace believers play to the audiences who will buy their product.

Christ has called us to play to one audience - the audience of Himself. When you seek to please any other audience in your life, you become susceptible to situational ethics and motivations based on the need for the moment. Your audience becomes a pawn in your hands because you know what they want. Is that wrong? Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

Pure obedience to pleasing God in our lives will often meet the needs of those around us. It is God's will that you and I love our spouses, provide good services to our customers, and look to the interests of others before ourselves. This will result in meeting many needs of the audiences in our lives.

However, there are other times when our audiences are asking for something contrary to God's will. Politicians are often forced to appease their audiences, even though it may go against God's laws. When we are asked to go with the flow, we discover which audience is most important in our lives. Is it the audience of One, or the audience of many?

Today, be aware of which audience you are playing to. Ask yourself why you are taking a particular action. Is it to please the audience of One? Or is it to please the audience of others who might negatively impact you should you not play to their tune?

One Faithful Steward

Giving To God Demonstrates Your Faith
Rick Warren

"Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest;then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine." -Proverbs 3:9-10

The purpose of tithing is to teach us to always put God first in our lives. God doesn't need our money. He wants what it represents: our gratitude, our priorities and our faith.

Now look at these verses in Proverbs 3. Do you see where it says, “Honor the Lord by giving him the leftovers of all your income”? You can see that’s NOT what it says at all. It says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest ….” We give to God first, before anyone else, right off the top of our income. And here is the promise: “Then your barns will be completely filled, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

You and I are called to give back to God in gratitude, but also as a demonstration of our priorities. And it is a demonstration of our faith in his promises. In Malachi 3:10, God says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse ….”That means the place where you worship. Then God says, “Put me to the test!” In a sense, he says, “Test me and see how I will bless you for your obedience.”

God says he will provide all that you need. He doesn’t say he’ll provide all that we greed, but all that we need. Make a list of all the things you want, and identify the things on it that you truly need. If you aren’t giving to God, start this week. See it as a step of faith, a concrete way to show God you believe in his promises.

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Grant us Lord, the wisdom to appropriate the earthly possession You placed in our hands. Sustain us O'Lord with a willing spirit and a mindful heart to know that we do not tithe unto men but for all that we bring into Your courts, we long to honor You with what little that we have. May you increase our faith this day, our sacrifice of praise. In Jesus Name. Amen.

The Ananias' Call

Place of Obedience
Os Hillman

"Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing." Acts 9:8a

There is a place of obedience for all of us. For Paul, it was being struck blind on the Damascus road. God literally knocked him off his horse with a blinding light. A voice from Heaven asked Paul why he was persecuting Him (Jesus). When Paul arose, he could not see. Jesus told him to go to Damascus and meet a man named Ananias. There, Jesus restored Paul's sight through Ananias.

Each of us has a place of obedience. For some, it requires only a nudge of pressure to gently lead us toward God. For others of us, a lightning bolt is necessary to get our undivided attention. Many who are hard-hearted rebel against the living God. Yet God's love for these individuals is so great that He takes extreme measures to gain their attention-and their hearts.

When you come in contact with people like this, do not fear their arrogance. Instead, see them as God sees them-as people who need the Savior and who could be a powerful force in the Kingdom if God saved them. It is a sign to begin praying for them. We've all heard the saying, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall." In many cases this is true. God has called many hard cases into His Kingdom through miraculous circumstances in order to save their lives from the pit of hell and transform them into a sweet-smelling fragrance.

Do not let the hard exterior fool you. These are needy people who are crying out for help in their own prideful way. Whenever God begins this process in the life of a sinner, He has others standing by to assist. Ananias was the person in Paul's life. He found it unbelievable that Paul really could have been saved. An angel had to convince him. Has God placed such an individual in your path? Perhaps God desires to use you to be an "Ananias" in the life of one of His wayward children. To do so requires a willingness to come alongside that one who needs your help. Who knows, that person could be the next apostle Paul.

The Golden Rule

The Absent One Among Us
Dr Harold J. Sala

"These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts." -Zechariah 8:16

The late Amy Carmichael, missionary leader in India, said that her mission--the Dohnavur Fellowship--had a rule for conversation: "The absent one must be safe among us." That was her way of reminding people that to talk about another person in a derogatory or degrading way in their absence when we would never say the same thing in their presence takes unfair advantage of the person. "The absent one must be safe among us..."

Amy Carmichael was not the first to observe such a principle. Some fifteen centuries before, St. Augustine had a motto over his table which read, "He that speaks an idle word against an absent man or woman is not welcome at this table." Augustine had remembered the words of Jesus, who said, "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken" (Matthew 12:36).

Idle words--a lot of them come carelessly from our lips. According to one statistician, the average person spends 13 years of his life just talking, and, of course, some folks are way above average. In the course of a normal day, the average person speaks 18,000 words--enough to fill a book of 54 pages. In a year your words put in print would fill 66 books of 300 pages each. A great many of those words concern other people, and often would be better unsaid.

How many times this past week have you heard someone say, "Did you hear about so-and-so?" And you replied, "No, what happened?" And they began to relate something to you that they had heard--you accepted it at face value. But if you said, "How do you know this to be true? Do you know it to be a fact?", the person might have replied something like, "Well, I heard it from ‘so-and-so,’ and, if the truth were known, she heard it from a neighbor who heard it from the ladies down at the market. That choice bit of news may be totally out of context, and may be so distorted as to make the truth appear to be false.

Yesterday I was with two businessmen, and one asked the other, "Where were you this past weekend?" He replied, "Oh, I was up in the mountains with my secretary." Not knowing that his secretary is his wife, I said, "And I hope your wife was along." He smiled as he said, "Oh, I guess you did not know my secretary is my wife." How much damage could have been done with the first half of that conversation?

I am thinking about a colleague who was the pastor of a certain church, and in the course of time one of the men working with him got disgruntled. "I'll fix him," he thought. So he began to suggest to the elders in the church that because of his close working relationship with the senior minister, he knew that he was morally indiscreet. He really was innocent of the charge which had been whispered out of malice, but rumor is always more palatable than truth, and people believed it. "Always thought he was a bum!" "He is that kind of fellow!" "Just goes to show, you can't trust anybody!" What happened? The senior minister was completely exonerated as the instigator of the story confessed what he had done, and why he did it. But the damage was done and the reputation of an innocent man had been so badly hurt that he had to be transferred to another church in another city. Should you be tempted to pass on a savory bit of news, remember Amy Carmichael's motto, "The absent one must be safe among us."

Verses For Meditation: Galatians 6:1-2

A Personal Encounter

Mount Horeb
Os Hillman

"So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God." -1 Kings 19:8

Elijah and Moses were men of great zeal. They were passionate about their causes. Moses sought to free the Hebrews from the tyranny of slavery by killing an Egyptian with his own hand. Elijah, after calling down fire on the evil prophets of Baal, found himself spent physically and emotionally to the point he asked God to take his life. Immediately after these two events, 500 years apart from one another, both men were led to the same Mount Horeb, the mountain of God.

In Hebrew, Horeb means "desolation." This barren environment mirrored the condition of Moses and Elijah. For Moses, it was 40 years of barrenness. For Elijah, it was 40 days without food. Elijah became tired of standing alone for God. As workplace believers we often become so focused on the goal we forget to meet God at our own Mount Horeb. This was the place God met both Moses and Elijah. It was a place of renewal, a place of new beginnings, a place of personal encounter with the living God.

Perhaps Elijah's greatest virtue was his zeal. Indeed, we shall see that twice in his communication with God, Elijah speaks of having been "very zealous" for the Lord. But zeal, unattended eventually becomes its own God; it compels us toward expectations, which are unrealistic, and outside the timing and anointing of God. To remain balanced, zeal must be reined in and harnessed by strategic encounters with the living God. We otherwise become frustrated with people and discouraged with delays. We step outside our place of strength and spiritual protection.

Many of us become so consumed with our battles that we are no longer aware of the presence of Jesus. We have been traveling in our own strength. [Francis Frangipane, Place of Immunity (Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Arrow Publications, 1994), 5.] Pray that Jesus will teach us that intimacy with Him is the greatest measure of success. Lord, guide us to the mountain of Your presence.

Established And Anointed In Christ

Established And Anointed In Christ
Chip Brogden

"He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God." -2 Corithians 1:21

If we have Him then we have everything that is in Him already. If only we can get less of everything else, there will be more of Him revealed! With less of me there will be more of Him. Jesus said that "only One Thing is needed," but like Martha, we have become troubled over "many things" (Luke 10:40-42).

When those many things are discarded, and we are decreased, then we are free to focus our attention on the One Thing that really matters, and Christ is increased in us. This is why we say that spiritual growth is not more knowledge or increase of years; it is simply more of Him and less of me. He increases as I am decreased. This is what it means to be a disciple. This is how Christ becomes preeminent over us individually. It does not happen all at once, but over the process of many temptations, tests, trials, and a fair amount of suffering. I call it being reduced to Christ.

The Unfailing Love of God

The Golden Calf
Timrufus

"Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." -Exodus 32:14

He was a sincere and generous man to the poor workers from Bangladesh but he was never my Hero. My father was a man of few words who would always keep his head nodded whenever someone tried to correct him but to his own children he would never even speak a word of apology. As we came to a cross road one day and having witness that never once had he turned his back to look on me, I ran in all of my might hoping to supersede him at the destination ahead and to surprise him with a "hoo-haa". But when I realize I had lost him, I became so scared that I almost didn’t want to go home that day.

“He must have gotten his rattan ready for me.” I thought to myself. But bracing myself up to way back home, I found Dad sitting quietly on his favorite chair and reading the newspaper!

Have you ever felt threatened by your own father before? “I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” (verse 9-10, NIV Gen 11:5, 18:20-21)

Here in this passage it may seems that the LORD really wanted to go all out in exterminating the Israelites yet we all know that unfailing love have those genuine dads who truly loved their kids too much to carry out their threats many a times! and God is definitely a more gracious and more loving Father than we could ever imagine!

Hence, Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. “LORD,” for he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self..” (Exodus 32:11-13, Romans 11:28-29)

Like the Jews in the days of Saul, the Israelites were though descendants of the great Patriarch Abraham, in faith, they were unlike their father Abraham. There they were, thirsting and dying of water themselves, yet they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” (Exodus 17:2)So Moses was angry that day and he struck the Rock twice with his staff but no sooner had Moses struck the rock, stream of living water gushed out of the Rock and the people get to drink to their hearts’ content. (Numbers 20:11)

Now The LORD had sent Joshua son of Nun ahead with the Israelites into the promise land but Joshua son of Nun soon made a grave mistake by reportedly making a treaty with people of the land, the Gibeonite - A people of whom The LORD had said to Moses, “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.” (verse 12)

The Israelites paid a big price for it, but Moses died and was buried in Moab. While many bible commentary attribute Moses’ anger as the reason why God refused him entry into the promise land, the people of Israel mourned for him thirty days. (John 19:37) The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness is even pleased that Moses had interceded for these stubborn and stiff-necked people in the wilderness, but why was it that He could have 'barred' Moses from entering the promise land?
Job lived a hundred and forty years, one hundred and twenty years was the time frame God set for himself that He would not contend with man forever. By the waters of Meribah the rebellious Israelites angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them; for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses’ lips. (Psalm 106:32-33)

While it was God divine sovereign will that Christ should died on the cross, here we see that Moses was in fact a type of Christ and a deliverer rejected by his own people. (Acts 7:25, Isaiah 53:7) The fact that Moses actually lived a hundred and twenty years may have implied that, if Moses were to continue to lead these stubborn and stiff-necked Israelites into the promise land for another forty years, he could have probably died of exhaustion! (Genesis 47:9-10, Deuteronomy 34:6, Isaiah 57:1)

“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin...” (Exodus 34:6-7a)

Read: (NIV Acts 7: 1 - 58, Acts 26:14)

Come Holy Spirit we need Thee. Come Sweet Spirit I pray. Come in Thy strength and Thy power. Come Lord Jesus in Thy own special way! In Jesus Most Glorious Name. Amen!

Authority In christ

Understanding What God Has Given
Os Hillman

"We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us." -1 Corinthians 2:12

God desires for us to know what He has freely given to us. One of the responsibilities of the Holy Spirit is to reveal His plans and purposes to us. They may be hidden for a time, but if we seek Him with our whole heart, we can know what He has given to us.

John the Baptist understood this principle. When asked if he was the Messiah, he replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven" (John 3:27). John understood his role in the Kingdom of God. He came to pave the way for the Messiah; he was not the Messiah himself. His ministry on earth was very brief, yet Jesus described his life in this way: " 'I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he' " (Matthew 11:11).

Once we understand what God has given to us, we can walk freely in our calling. However, if we strive to walk in a role that He never gave us, it will result in frustration and failure. God wants to reveal His plan to us by His Spirit. This requires a willingness to seek and accept what He gives us.

It may be different from what we thought. (Isaiah 55:8-9) It may require adjustments to follow His path for our lives. As we learn from the life of John the Baptist, obedience requires death to our own wills. Ask God to reveal what He has freely given to you.

Pray that you receive and embrace only those things He has reserved for you to receive and to accomplish in your life. Then you can be assured of a life full of meaning and purpose, and you can look forward to hearing those all-important words someday, "Well done, My good and faithful servant."

Sanctifying Discipline

Sanctifying Discipline
Wendy Blight

"No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful!But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right livingfor those who are trained in this way." -Hebrews 12:11

Discipline hurts. When on the receiving end of it, we hate it. We whine. We groan. We complain. Our sin nature rises up to defend, rebel and justify. The author of Hebrews recognized this and says so in our key verse today: "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening - it's painful."

Yes, it is. Don't you love how God validates our feelings? Discipline hurts! But when we examine the second half of this verse, God also makes a promise. He promises that afterwards there will be "a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way." God promises to bring forth fruit from discipline. This fruit is the outward effect of His divine discipline. Each time God disciplines us, He moves us closer and closer to holiness. Oh, how it hurts, though.

Recently, I watched and listened as my husband spoke what I believed to be harsh words to my son about his behavior. I did not feel my son's childish behavior warranted my husband's reaction. I made my opinion known right then and there...in front of my son. Looking back, I can see that I disrespected my husband. But, of course, I did not see it that way at the time. In my mind, I was protecting my son's heart, believing I knew the right way, a better way, to say what my husband said.

Later that night, my husband addressed this with me privately. It felt like he was correcting me. I reacted as expected...defending and justifying my words. God being God had already arranged for me to have coffee the next day with a dear friend who is about ten years ahead of me in parenting. I casually asked how her youngest son was doing. It opened the door to a conversation that led to how a woman needs to respect her husband and trust him with the discipline of a son. She stressed the importance of wives not only respecting their husbands, but also trusting them and praying for them...for wisdom and strength as they father their children, especially sons. Wow!! She knew nothing of my circumstances when she began sharing her wisdom. Tears fell from my eyes as I heard God speaking to me through her. God softened my heart. Why? To be honest, it was probably because the words did not come from my husband. I realized in that moment that I needed to change my heart. I learned through her words that my husband's admonishment about what I had done was God's discipline and sanctifying work. With this new perspective, I find myself more willing now to accept discipline and to work with God instead of against Him. As we closed our time together, my friend prayed the most beautiful prayer that moved my heart to repentance. I could not wait for my husband to get home that night and share what God taught me. God's promise does not end there.

Hebrews 12:12-13 says: "Therefore strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed."

Friend, God uses discipline to heal. Our God wants the very best for us. He loves us. He delights in us. He has a plan for us. It is only when we willingly allow God to sanctify our hearts and remove sin...whatever it may be (pride, bitterness, fear, mistrust, shame, guilt, anger)...that God can truly use us and accomplish His plans in and through us.

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Heavenly Father, give us a heart of glad surrender, one that willingly receives Your discipline. Father, whatever it takes, make us more like You. Bring forth a harvest of righteousness and peace in our life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff!

Worldly Wisdom Operating in Godly Principles
Author Unknown

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth." -Psalm 121:1-2

Here are some simple ways to keep the little things from taking over your life: Ask yourself the question, “Will this matter a year from now?” Is what you are worked up over going to matter a year from now? If not, don’t let it destroy you today.

(1) The less compelled you are to try to prove yourself to others, the easier it is to feel peace inside. Remember that you become what you practice the most. -Practise Humanity!

(2) How do you spend your time? What you do is what you become. Every day, tell at least one person something you like, admire, or appreciate about them. Telling others that you appreciate them takes almost no effort, but pays enormous dividends. -Be Humble!

(3) Every circumstance or problem is not worth the fight. There will always be things and people that don’t do right. -Apply Godly Wisdom!

(4) Life is a test. It is only a test. When you look at life as a test, you begin to see each issue as an opportunity to grow. -View Life in Angles not Corners!

(5) Remind yourself that when you die, your “In Basket” won’t be empty. The purpose of life isn’t necessarily to get it all done, but to do the right things. -Virtue comes first!

(6) Learn to live in the present moment. “Life is what’s happening while we’re busy making other plans.” Think of what you have, instead of what you want. The Apostle Paul taught contentment and not always waiting for some future event to happen. -Be Prophetic not Pathetic!

(7) Understand the statement, “Wherever you go, there you are.” We tend to believe that if we were somewhere else, we’d be happy. Whatever you are, that’s what you’ll be wherever you go. -Take The Vocational Aptitude Test Today!

(8) Become a better listener. Most of us are only adequate listeners, but the best gift you can give someone is to listen. Resist the urge to criticize. When we judge or criticize someone, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical. -Be Supernatural Critical!

(9) See the innocence. One of the most frustrating aspects of life is not being able to understand other people’s behavior. We see them as “guilty” instead of “innocent.” But, when you see others as not trying to hurt you, you can relax. -Just Relax!

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters. ~Alan Simpson

Verses For Meditations: Genesis 50:15-21

Zuckerberg, Babel, and the Church

The World One Common Language
Steven Furtick

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole Earth.” -Genesis 11:1-4

The story of the tower of Babel is usually used as a warning against pride. And that’s valid. But I choose to also see it as a challenge. Using the technology of their day – brick baking – mankind tried to build a tower to reach the heavens to make their name great. And they almost succeeded.

Think about that for a second. Mankind had the skill to accomplish this feat. They had the drive. The vision. All they lacked was God’s favor. That made all the difference, of course, but look at what they were willing to try without it. This gets me thinking about the God-sized mandate that Jesus gave to us right before He left the Earth in Matthew 28:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

If the people of Babel could do all they did to make their name great, why should anything be impossible to us as a Church as we seek to make the Name of Jesus great? If the people in Genesis 11 could accomplish so much having God against them, how much more should we accomplish having God for us? Maybe it would help if I put this in modern terms:

If Mark Zuckerberg can build Facebook for his own glory, what will we as the church build for the glory of God? If Mark Zuckerberg can build Facebook for his own glory, what will we as the church build for the glory of God? (Luke 16:9-12) If Oprah can start a network to cover the Earth with Oprah, why shouldn’t we use every resource at our disposal to cover the Earth with the name of Jesus? (Matthew 10:16-17, Luke 10:2-4)

The people of Babel built a brick tower for their own glory. Zuckerberg and Oprah are making their names great. The tower came down. Their names were to be forgotten. As much as that is a testimony to the futility of human pride, it’s just as much a question to us:

What will you build for the glory of God? Whose Kingdom will last forever. Whose Name will be praised for eternity.

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Dear Almighty God, please help me to see what You want me to achieve with my life, give me the faith to believe it is possible, and the courage and determination to pursue it with all my heart for the betterment of others and for Your glory. In Jesus’ mighty name I ask and pray. Amen and Amen.

The Need to Control

The Need to Control
Os Hillman

"You acted foolishly," Samuel said .... 1 Samuel 13:13

The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul the first king of Israel. Saul was now 30 years old and was leading the nation in battle against the Philistines. The Philistines had gathered at Micmash to come against Saul and his army. The Lord was directing Saul through the prophet Samuel. Samuel instructed Saul to go ahead of him to Micmash, and he would follow in seven days. He would then offer a burnt offering on behalf of the people of Israel. The pressure began to build as the Philistines gathered around Micmash preparing for battle. The people of Israel grew fearful and began to scatter throughout the countryside. Saul was also afraid. Samuel did not show up on the morning of the seventh day. Finally, Saul, fearing the impending attack, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering. After he had done this, Samuel showed up.

... "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord's command" (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

Saul believed he needed to take control of the situation. Whenever we try to take control of a situation out of God's will, we demonstrate that we are led by fear. Many a boss is so driven by fear that he attempts to manage by over controlling his people. This results in codependent relationships in which the employees are fearful of making the wrong decisions, and are driven to please the manager at all costs. This results in loss of respect for the manager.

Many times the employees make poor choices just to please their manager; as a result, resentment begins to build among the employees due to the manager's over control. Do you see any signs of over control in how you relate to others? Can you allow others the freedom to fail? Do you find yourself changing directions in midstream when you see something you don't like? Are you fearful of failure? These are all symptoms of a Saul-control spirit. Pray that God will allow you to walk in the freedom of trusting in Him and those around you.

The Goal of Life

The Goal of Life
Os Hillman

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11

For many people in the world, real meaning in life is the next vacation, career success, or stepping up the income ladder. It is a life based on pleasurable experiences. Many a human being has toiled their whole life to gain a pleasurable lifestyle only to find a life that is empty and meaningless. You only have to watch television for one evening to discover that advertisers want us to believe this is the goal of life. The work-to-play theme is consistent with most advertising messages.

Solomon was a man who had nothing withheld from his appetite. He was a great builder, a great businessman, and a great lover of women. Every imaginable pleasure was his. Nevertheless, he was to discover that these things alone could not satisfy the human soul. A recent trip to a beautiful island left me grateful that God had allowed me to understand the futile trap of the work-to-play lifestyle. It is great to experience times of refreshing and visit beautiful places as long as we don't fall into the trap of thinking that these experiences equal a meaningful life.

God's beautiful creation can so easily become a prison of emptiness if Jesus is not in the center of it. The apostle Paul said there is only one way to find meaning and purpose in life: "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe..." (Ephesians 1:17-19).

Knowing Christ brings the only real meaning and purpose to the human soul. Spend time today getting to know the Lord in a more intimate way. Then you will discover real meaning and purpose in life.

By Christ’s Measure

By Christ’s Measure
Timrufus

"If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise." -1 Corinthians 3:18

I used to feel stupid because I can’t seem to cope with numbers but because of God, I can now find myself relating better with numbers. Now, people of the world today like to look at the outward appearance of a person, but when God or when Christ measure us, He measure us according to His standard and he looks at the heart.

What is the standard of the world?

James said, suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? For such is the standard of the world, but the bible tells us, by the measure of Christ, the greatest among us ought to be the servant of all.

Here Paul was telling them (the Corinthians) to avoid worldly wisdom, of which sectarianism is carnal; therefore Paul said, "if there is any who think he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become “fools” so that he may in turn become wise." ( NKJV 1 Corinthians 3) In any case, let us always gather with the Lord, for the cause is always "Thy Will be done and Thy Kingdom Come" and never, our will be done, our kingdom come. (Matthew 12:30)

There are however several reasons as to why a person may be blind to the gospel. Firstly, there are some of whom the temporal King of the world has blinded their very eyes. Paul said, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:4-5) In other words, Paul is trying to say, “Look, what we are simply preaching here is the salvation of God and of sin he freely pardons and yet men do not believe us or our testimonial! But even then the conscience that is now pricking on them also testified of this knowledge in Christ.” (verse 6, Luke 24:32)

Secondly, there are others who although knew God, had instead refused to being seen as understood and had so suppress the truth by their wickedness and since what may be known about God is plain to them and because God has made it plain to them, they are without excuses. (Romans 1:18-20) But still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) The heaven and the earth will indeed pass away and even then as the world today continue to change, knowledge will soon lost its value and will also pass away but this prophecy of the bible will never pass away.

Last but not least, the Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient. How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. His ways are all corrupted, and his ways all vile. He does no good for he neither believes in God nor does he believes in Prophecy – That is the Word of God, are actually storing up wrath against himself for the day of God’s wrath; when God’s righteous judgment is revealed unto one's own stubbornness and unrepentant heart. (Romans 2:5)

"The atheist is, morally as well as mentally, a fool, a fool in the heart as well as in the head; a fool in morals as well as in philosophy. Corrupt are they. They are rotten. It is idle to compliment them as sincere doubters, and amiable thinkers— ("they are putrid” ) -Charles H. Spurgeon

Verses For meditation: 1 Corinthians 13:8-12

Yes Lord, indeed he who does not gather with you (Jesus) scatters and if there is anyone who think he is wise by the standards of this age, let him become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For when we are weak, then we are strong but the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.

Changing Our Paradigm of Experience

Changing Our Paradigm of Experience
Os Hillman

"So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does not burn up.'" -Exodus 3:3

Have you ever heard someone say, "God doesn't work that way? He would never do that." Well, there are times when God chooses to confound the foolish in order to change our paradigm of experience. Moses had never seen a bush that burned but did not burn up. It got his attention and it drew him to God.

When Jesus appeared on the water in the middle of the night during a storm, the disciples exclaimed, "It's a ghost!" They had never seen a man walk on water. This led to a great miracle-Peter walked on the water, too. When Jesus asked Peter to catch a fish and get the coin from its mouth to pay their taxes, you can imagine what Peter must have thought about those instructions. When Moses got to the Red Sea, he ran out of options. God had an unexpected solution to the Israelites' problem-He parted the Red Sea to demonstrate His power and allow the people of Israel to cross over to flee the Egyptian army.

Each of these new paradigms was a stepping-stone of an encounter with God so that the individual would experience God in a new way. God used these times to enforce the principle that His ways are not our ways. Whenever we try to predict that God will act in a certain way, He changes the paradigm to keep us from becoming our own little gods.

Have you ever been guilty of judging someone for an experience they've had that you've never had? Did you dismiss it as extreme or something not of God? God is in the business of changing our paradigm from no personal experiences to God-experiences. However, if you operate on a level of rigid logic, you may never have the privilege of having the God-experiences. Keep your heart free to experience new paradigms with God today.

Meeting Grace In Your Weakness

Meeting Grace In Your Weakness
Chip Brogden

"I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses,for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." -2 Corithinas 12:10

Now it does not say that Paul made himself weak on purpose. We do not have to seek weaknesses, infirmities, tribulations, temptations, or trials. We already have them. The key is how do we respond to them? We can fight them, or we can embrace them. Paul clearly shows us that it is not always God's will for us to be saved FROM the fire.

Often we are called to walk THROUGH the fire, with no assurance except that His Grace is sufficient. In the fire we learn that "Grace" is a Man, just like Victory is a Man. To be delivered from weakness is one thing, but to meet Grace in my weakness is something else entirely.

Keys of the kingdom of Heaven

Keys of the kingdom of Heaven
Timrufus

The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. -John 3:35

Have you ever come across someone who would give away an empire he has painstakingly built up into the hands of another man? Yet the bible tells us, the heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. (Psalm 115:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Praise God today that we can count on the Name of Jesus because The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands so that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

There is no a religion in the world to witness such great spiritual power given to the sons of men where demons fled at the name of Jesus and a people whose God is The LORD and all glory and power in the Name of God alone and alone. But now with this power on hand, one may be led to think, “Can we also use these keys to release material wealth into our life as well?” True as it is, God is great and much as He longs to be gracious to us and to release His blessings on each and every of his children, the bunch of keys here is certainly not keys for us to help ourselves to the numerous count of goldbars found in His House as in a gold vault but rather what is our new identity in Christ through the Name of God.

What is the Kingdom of heaven like? Jesus likens the Kingdom of heaven to treasure in a field where one man found it and instead of keeping it to himself, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field, and another merchant who had gone in search of fine pearls. Then finding one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. But how can one’s joy be found complete unless he put his hand to the plow and with that same matter of heart into the field he had found - The Kingdom of God?

Now this joy is very much the same as that of John the Baptist who said, “That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” But God had given to us these keys to the kingdom of heaven so that the chains of injustice may be loosed and the cords of the yoke may be untied, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost since the creation of the world and the Kingdom of God is among us. But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Verse for Meditation: Matthew 16: 17-19

Mighty and Righteous Ruler of the earth, nothing in all creation is hidden from your sight and everything is laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. We thank you Lord for these keys of the kingdom of Heaven you have placed in our hands, to loose the chain of injustice, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and to break every yoke. With this new bunch of keys you now place in our hands, teach us O'LORD the hallmarks of what a true stewardship should be. All glory and honor and power belongs to you and you alone. In Jesus most holy Name. Amen.