"Pray about everything...Tell God what you need." Php 4:6 NLT
The four-year-old son of a missionary family in Africa spotted a picture of a little pink dinosaur in a magazine and set his heart on having one. His mom knew it was impossible (the magazine was three years old), but her son never doubted God would come through for him. Ten months later, on Christmas Eve, a box from home arrived. At first glance it seemed to contain something special for everyone-except a four-year-old boy. Then they reached the bottom-and they were stunned. The lady who sent the box had no way of knowing God would use her to answer a little boy's prayer. Before taping up the box, at the last minute, she tossed in the one item impossible for his parents to provide-something so insignificant no rational adult would ever have been foolish enough to ask God for...a pink plastic brontosaurus from a fast-food restaurant promotion!
Sometimes we feel foolish bothering God with little things, but we shouldn't. The Bible says: "Pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." God is interested in every detail of your life; if something is important to you, it's important to Him. In Bible times two sparrows were sold for a cent (on sale you could buy five for two cents!) yet Jesus said, "Not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it...the very hairs on your head are all numbered" (Mt 10:29-30 NLT). When you learn to trust God in little things, you'll be able to trust Him in big ones.
FATHER'S DAY IS JUNE 19.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Two Stories about Marriage
"Love...keeps no record of being wronged." 1Co 13:4-5 NLT
Story one: Deborah K. Johnson writes: "My seven-year-old daughter wanted to take violin lessons, so I took her to a music store to rent an instrument. Hoping she would understand the importance of making a commitment to practice, I explained that lessons were expensive. I was willing to make the financial sacrifice if she promised to work hard. ‘There may be times you'll feel like giving up,' I said, ‘but I want you to hang in there!' She nodded, understanding, then in her most serious voice she said, ‘It will be just like marriage, right, Mom?'" Story two: A husband asked his wife, "Tell me, dear, have you ever been in love before?" She thought for a moment and replied, "No, darling. I once respected a man for his great intelligence. I admired another one for his remarkable courage. And I was captivated by yet another for his good looks and charm. But with you, well, how else could I explain it, except love?" Have you been finding fault with your mate instead of remembering the qualities that attracted you to them? Attitudes are like weeds, they spring up overnight and if you don't deal with them they take over the whole garden. Don't let that happen! Next time you're too busy to show love, or you react in anger, read these words: "Love is patient and kind. Love...does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged...Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (1Co 13:4-7 NLT).
Story one: Deborah K. Johnson writes: "My seven-year-old daughter wanted to take violin lessons, so I took her to a music store to rent an instrument. Hoping she would understand the importance of making a commitment to practice, I explained that lessons were expensive. I was willing to make the financial sacrifice if she promised to work hard. ‘There may be times you'll feel like giving up,' I said, ‘but I want you to hang in there!' She nodded, understanding, then in her most serious voice she said, ‘It will be just like marriage, right, Mom?'" Story two: A husband asked his wife, "Tell me, dear, have you ever been in love before?" She thought for a moment and replied, "No, darling. I once respected a man for his great intelligence. I admired another one for his remarkable courage. And I was captivated by yet another for his good looks and charm. But with you, well, how else could I explain it, except love?" Have you been finding fault with your mate instead of remembering the qualities that attracted you to them? Attitudes are like weeds, they spring up overnight and if you don't deal with them they take over the whole garden. Don't let that happen! Next time you're too busy to show love, or you react in anger, read these words: "Love is patient and kind. Love...does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged...Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance" (1Co 13:4-7 NLT).
Friday, November 26, 2010
Stand on God’s Promises
"He always does exactly what he says." 2Co 1:19 TLB
Ever had a friend break a promise? The check doesn't come, the repairman doesn't show, your date doesn't call? Count on it, people will let you down. But God won't, "He always does exactly what he says. He...fulfills all...[His] promises" (vv. 19-20 TLB). Knowing that enables you to keep walking by faith while you wait for them to be fulfilled. James MacDonald says: "It's the not-knowing that crushes us. We doubt...worry...despair...falter and fail...If we knew how this was going to play out we'd be okay. We can take a bad day...month...year...or decade...as long as we know how it ends. A health crisis...a question about your marriage...uncertainty over a child...we all have areas we need to hold on to what God said...He knows what He promised, He can't lie, and He can't forget. He'll deliver on time. Who else can make a promise like that? Now I wish I could tell you it always figures out perfectly in our lifetime, but I'd be lying...You can't make sense of God's promises with this life only. You must factor in the reality of eternity...Eternity brings it all together...eternal life...and the assurance of heaven are what make His promises so precious." Victor Frankl, who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, said, "A weak faith is weakened by predicaments and catastrophes, whereas a strong faith is strengthened by them." A Sunday school class was memorizing Psalm 23 and little Tommy couldn't get beyond the first verse. On the big day he stepped up to the microphone, grinned at the audience and announced, "The Lord is my Shepherd-and that's all I know!" And it's all you need to know for now.
Ever had a friend break a promise? The check doesn't come, the repairman doesn't show, your date doesn't call? Count on it, people will let you down. But God won't, "He always does exactly what he says. He...fulfills all...[His] promises" (vv. 19-20 TLB). Knowing that enables you to keep walking by faith while you wait for them to be fulfilled. James MacDonald says: "It's the not-knowing that crushes us. We doubt...worry...despair...falter and fail...If we knew how this was going to play out we'd be okay. We can take a bad day...month...year...or decade...as long as we know how it ends. A health crisis...a question about your marriage...uncertainty over a child...we all have areas we need to hold on to what God said...He knows what He promised, He can't lie, and He can't forget. He'll deliver on time. Who else can make a promise like that? Now I wish I could tell you it always figures out perfectly in our lifetime, but I'd be lying...You can't make sense of God's promises with this life only. You must factor in the reality of eternity...Eternity brings it all together...eternal life...and the assurance of heaven are what make His promises so precious." Victor Frankl, who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, said, "A weak faith is weakened by predicaments and catastrophes, whereas a strong faith is strengthened by them." A Sunday school class was memorizing Psalm 23 and little Tommy couldn't get beyond the first verse. On the big day he stepped up to the microphone, grinned at the audience and announced, "The Lord is my Shepherd-and that's all I know!" And it's all you need to know for now.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Your Trial is Producing Maturity
"After you have suffered...God...will...establish you." 1Pe 5:10 NAS
Stephanie Voiland writes: "My friend...spent months job-hunting, and as leads failed to pan into paychecks she became discouraged. Yet...she refused to anesthetize the waiting ache...She fasted from TV, believing God had given her this time to reflect on where she was headed. Through those agonizing months God showed up in ways more profound than a job offer. She looked for a way to support herself; He taught her a new level of dependence on Him. As she waited for a potential employer's call, God spoke into her soul...She searched for a ‘genie-god' to instantly meet her needs; God blew her away by revealing He's bigger than she ever dreamed. Eventually she landed a job and was grateful...but she was even more grateful to learn how God meets us through waiting in ways beyond those we can ask or imagine...Sometimes in the bleakest moments, His intervention manifests itself...we receive the perfect job, the physical healing, the necessary funds, and the wait is over. Other times He does the miracle in us."
Gold only becomes valuable when the impurities have been removed in the fire, and God uses tough times like a refining process to bring out the best in us. He controls the heat, because His goal isn't to destroy you but to develop you. He tailors the trial to the area in your life that needs work, and as you mature He ups the intensity. Athletes start out training with light weights, and as they grow stronger they progress to heavier ones. As you grow in Christ, obstacles that once seemed overwhelming will be par for the course.
Stephanie Voiland writes: "My friend...spent months job-hunting, and as leads failed to pan into paychecks she became discouraged. Yet...she refused to anesthetize the waiting ache...She fasted from TV, believing God had given her this time to reflect on where she was headed. Through those agonizing months God showed up in ways more profound than a job offer. She looked for a way to support herself; He taught her a new level of dependence on Him. As she waited for a potential employer's call, God spoke into her soul...She searched for a ‘genie-god' to instantly meet her needs; God blew her away by revealing He's bigger than she ever dreamed. Eventually she landed a job and was grateful...but she was even more grateful to learn how God meets us through waiting in ways beyond those we can ask or imagine...Sometimes in the bleakest moments, His intervention manifests itself...we receive the perfect job, the physical healing, the necessary funds, and the wait is over. Other times He does the miracle in us."
Gold only becomes valuable when the impurities have been removed in the fire, and God uses tough times like a refining process to bring out the best in us. He controls the heat, because His goal isn't to destroy you but to develop you. He tailors the trial to the area in your life that needs work, and as you mature He ups the intensity. Athletes start out training with light weights, and as they grow stronger they progress to heavier ones. As you grow in Christ, obstacles that once seemed overwhelming will be par for the course.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Be Humble!
"No...messenger [is] greater than the one who sent him." Jn 13:16 NIV
One of the reasons God chose John the Baptist as Jesus' forerunner is because he was humble. He's introduced simply as a "voice...crying in the wilderness" (Mk 1:3), no pretentious preambles or highfalutin titles. Many notable saints came before John, but Jesus said, "Among those born...no one has arisen greater than John" (Mt 11:11 RSV). John had no hidden agenda or overblown ego; his message was: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). John Barnett says: "Pride is the sin of competing with God...it makes you self-reliant, self-absorbed, self-deceived, self-confident, self-conscious, self-sufficient, self-satisfied, self-focused, self-centered and self-driven. It makes you unreliable, because nobody can tell you what to do...unloving, because you won't sacrifice for others...unteachable, because nobody can correct you...competitive, because you'll always try to outdo others. Humility means not always having to be asked, reminded and recognized...you go round looking for ways to serve." Somebody asked Hudson Taylor, "Are you conscious of the way God has prospered you in the China Inland Mission? I doubt any man has had greater honor." Taylor replied, "I don't see it like that. I think God must have been looking for someone small enough and weak enough to use so that all the glory might be His...and He found me." Bottom line: "God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets himself against those who are proud" (1Pe 5:5 TLB). So, be humble!
One of the reasons God chose John the Baptist as Jesus' forerunner is because he was humble. He's introduced simply as a "voice...crying in the wilderness" (Mk 1:3), no pretentious preambles or highfalutin titles. Many notable saints came before John, but Jesus said, "Among those born...no one has arisen greater than John" (Mt 11:11 RSV). John had no hidden agenda or overblown ego; his message was: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30). John Barnett says: "Pride is the sin of competing with God...it makes you self-reliant, self-absorbed, self-deceived, self-confident, self-conscious, self-sufficient, self-satisfied, self-focused, self-centered and self-driven. It makes you unreliable, because nobody can tell you what to do...unloving, because you won't sacrifice for others...unteachable, because nobody can correct you...competitive, because you'll always try to outdo others. Humility means not always having to be asked, reminded and recognized...you go round looking for ways to serve." Somebody asked Hudson Taylor, "Are you conscious of the way God has prospered you in the China Inland Mission? I doubt any man has had greater honor." Taylor replied, "I don't see it like that. I think God must have been looking for someone small enough and weak enough to use so that all the glory might be His...and He found me." Bottom line: "God gives special blessings to those who are humble, but sets himself against those who are proud" (1Pe 5:5 TLB). So, be humble!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
How’s Your Prayer Life?
"It is time to seek the Lord." Hos 10:12
The place of prayer is where you meet with God to be instructed, corrected, cleansed, loved, built up and prepared to do His will. It can be anywhere, but it must be somewhere! It can be anytime, but it must be a set time. Without prayer, what do you have to draw on? You'll work harder and harder and accomplish less and less because you're operating in your own strength. But after you've prayed you'll struggle less and accomplish more because you're operating in God's strength. If you're spending hours watching television but say you've no time to pray, "It is time to seek the Lord." If you're living comfortably with sins that once troubled you, "It is time to seek the Lord." If you're speaking words of bitterness towards someone who hurt you, "It is time to seek the Lord." If having material things consumes so much of your energy that there's none left for God and your family, "It is time to seek the Lord." The New Testament church grew so fast that the apostles found themselves with no time to pray. So they said, "It is not right" (Ac 6:2 NCV). That's where you must start! If you've forsaken the place of prayer it will show up in your attitudes and actions. What did the apostles do? They said, "We will give ourselves continually to prayer" (Ac 6:4). And look what happened: "The word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied" (Ac 6:7). If you've gotten this far with little prayer, inconsistent prayer, or no prayer, think how far you'll go when you begin to pray.
The place of prayer is where you meet with God to be instructed, corrected, cleansed, loved, built up and prepared to do His will. It can be anywhere, but it must be somewhere! It can be anytime, but it must be a set time. Without prayer, what do you have to draw on? You'll work harder and harder and accomplish less and less because you're operating in your own strength. But after you've prayed you'll struggle less and accomplish more because you're operating in God's strength. If you're spending hours watching television but say you've no time to pray, "It is time to seek the Lord." If you're living comfortably with sins that once troubled you, "It is time to seek the Lord." If you're speaking words of bitterness towards someone who hurt you, "It is time to seek the Lord." If having material things consumes so much of your energy that there's none left for God and your family, "It is time to seek the Lord." The New Testament church grew so fast that the apostles found themselves with no time to pray. So they said, "It is not right" (Ac 6:2 NCV). That's where you must start! If you've forsaken the place of prayer it will show up in your attitudes and actions. What did the apostles do? They said, "We will give ourselves continually to prayer" (Ac 6:4). And look what happened: "The word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied" (Ac 6:7). If you've gotten this far with little prayer, inconsistent prayer, or no prayer, think how far you'll go when you begin to pray.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Your Heavenly Body
"How are the dead raised? With what kind of body?" 1Co 15:35 NIV
Ever wonder what your heavenly body will be like? The Bible gives us three answers to the questions, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" First, it speaks of anatomy: "Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another" (1Co 15:39 NIV). Just as fish are designed to handle the pressures of the ocean and birds are designed to fly, your heavenly body will be custom-made for eternity. (Imagine traveling not merely at the speed of light, but the speed of thought!) Next, it speaks of astronomy: "The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead" (1Co 15:41-42 NIV). There will be degrees of honor and differences of reward when we get to heaven. Your service now is what determines your status then (See Ro 2:6). Finally, it speaks of agriculture: "It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power" (1Co 15:43 NIV). The old Saxon word for cemetery means "God's acre." How wonderful; Christians don't get buried, they get planted!
There's a bulletin board in the Mayo Clinic which reads: "Cancer is limited: it cannot cripple love, it cannot shatter hope, it cannot erode faith, it cannot eat away peace, it cannot destroy confidence, it cannot kill friendship, it cannot shut out memories, it cannot silence courage, it cannot invade the soul, it cannot reduce eternal life, it cannot quench the spirit, and it cannot lessen the power of the resurrection."
Ever wonder what your heavenly body will be like? The Bible gives us three answers to the questions, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" First, it speaks of anatomy: "Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another" (1Co 15:39 NIV). Just as fish are designed to handle the pressures of the ocean and birds are designed to fly, your heavenly body will be custom-made for eternity. (Imagine traveling not merely at the speed of light, but the speed of thought!) Next, it speaks of astronomy: "The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead" (1Co 15:41-42 NIV). There will be degrees of honor and differences of reward when we get to heaven. Your service now is what determines your status then (See Ro 2:6). Finally, it speaks of agriculture: "It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power" (1Co 15:43 NIV). The old Saxon word for cemetery means "God's acre." How wonderful; Christians don't get buried, they get planted!
There's a bulletin board in the Mayo Clinic which reads: "Cancer is limited: it cannot cripple love, it cannot shatter hope, it cannot erode faith, it cannot eat away peace, it cannot destroy confidence, it cannot kill friendship, it cannot shut out memories, it cannot silence courage, it cannot invade the soul, it cannot reduce eternal life, it cannot quench the spirit, and it cannot lessen the power of the resurrection."
Friday, November 19, 2010
THE DOMINO EFFECT OF PRAISE
"I will praise you more and more." Psalm 71:14 NLT
We have all heard the phrase, "praise Him anyway, praise Him when you don't feel like it." Did you know that many times it's not about feelings, but limitations that we place on ourselves, which in turn limits God.
We relate praise to church, when in essence you should have already worked up a spiritual lather before you get there.
Don't limit yourself to worshiping God in church. Be like the Psalmist: "I will bless the Lord at all times" (Ps 34:1). When you don't feel like praising God but you do it because you want to please Him, that's called "the sacrifice of praise" (Heb 13:15). And when praise becomes a lifestyle it has a domino effect (that's where one change causes another, which in turn causes another). When you tell God how wonderful He is, how much you love Him and want to spend time with Him, you're more likely to find your mate telling you how wonderful you are, how much they love and enjoy being around you. Over time your family and friends start to feel the effect. On the other hand, when you withhold from God the praise He deserves, you deprive yourself of what you need in your own life. David said, "Magnify the Lord with me...let us exalt his name together" (Ps 34:3). God inhabits [occupies, sets up house in] the praises of His people (See Ps 22:3). When you tell Him, "You're wonderful, there's no problem You can't solve and no need You can't meet. I'm casting all my care on You. I know You love me and I'm not going to give in to depression and defeat. I'm trusting You to conquer my enemies, break down the doors that are locked and give me victory," God sends angels to fight and win the battle on your behalf (See Heb 1:14). No wonder David said, "I will praise you more and more." It works! Isn't it time you started thinking along the same lines?
We have all heard the phrase, "praise Him anyway, praise Him when you don't feel like it." Did you know that many times it's not about feelings, but limitations that we place on ourselves, which in turn limits God.
We relate praise to church, when in essence you should have already worked up a spiritual lather before you get there.
Don't limit yourself to worshiping God in church. Be like the Psalmist: "I will bless the Lord at all times" (Ps 34:1). When you don't feel like praising God but you do it because you want to please Him, that's called "the sacrifice of praise" (Heb 13:15). And when praise becomes a lifestyle it has a domino effect (that's where one change causes another, which in turn causes another). When you tell God how wonderful He is, how much you love Him and want to spend time with Him, you're more likely to find your mate telling you how wonderful you are, how much they love and enjoy being around you. Over time your family and friends start to feel the effect. On the other hand, when you withhold from God the praise He deserves, you deprive yourself of what you need in your own life. David said, "Magnify the Lord with me...let us exalt his name together" (Ps 34:3). God inhabits [occupies, sets up house in] the praises of His people (See Ps 22:3). When you tell Him, "You're wonderful, there's no problem You can't solve and no need You can't meet. I'm casting all my care on You. I know You love me and I'm not going to give in to depression and defeat. I'm trusting You to conquer my enemies, break down the doors that are locked and give me victory," God sends angels to fight and win the battle on your behalf (See Heb 1:14). No wonder David said, "I will praise you more and more." It works! Isn't it time you started thinking along the same lines?
Thursday, November 18, 2010
YOU'VE GOT TO "WORK AT IT"
"Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting."
1Co 13:7 CEV
We find this out with our kids, that if we continue to give them things without teaching them rewards, gains and blessings only causes the child to be expectant of receiving without working for it. We call it be spoiled, and if not corrected we will carry this "stinkin' thinkin'" into our adulthood.
Wealth comes by work, relationships come by work, and yes we must work at our marriage, continually.
Clara Null writes: "At a wedding my granddaughter Melissa asked, ‘Why is the bride always dressed in white?' I replied, ‘Because white represents happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life.' Her next question was: ‘Then why's the groom dressed in black?'" Marriage only works if you "work at it." So here are three principles for strengthening yours: 1) Become a good listener. Jesus said, "Consider carefully how you listen" (See Lk 8:18). Sometimes the most important thing in communicating with your mate is to hear what is not being said, to learn to read between the lines. Just "being there" isn't enough; your mate needs to feel heard-and validated. When they are, they'll open up and accept what you have to say. (2) "Speak the truth in love" (Eph 4:15 NLT). Nobody likes to be corrected, but when someone is heading down the wrong road, love will "get in your face." Our marriages break down when truth is violated, integrity is forsaken, trust is broken, manipulation is allowed, self-interest is the rule, control is the goal, and time isn't invested. (3) Always believe the best. Love sees you at your worst but never forgets your best; thinks you're a little bit more wonderful than you really are; will talk with you endlessly or just sit with you in silence; is happier about your success than you are; doesn't try to know more, act smarter or be your constant teacher; it listens even when what you have to say is not particularly interesting. That's because love believes you're important!
1Co 13:7 CEV
We find this out with our kids, that if we continue to give them things without teaching them rewards, gains and blessings only causes the child to be expectant of receiving without working for it. We call it be spoiled, and if not corrected we will carry this "stinkin' thinkin'" into our adulthood.
Wealth comes by work, relationships come by work, and yes we must work at our marriage, continually.
Clara Null writes: "At a wedding my granddaughter Melissa asked, ‘Why is the bride always dressed in white?' I replied, ‘Because white represents happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life.' Her next question was: ‘Then why's the groom dressed in black?'" Marriage only works if you "work at it." So here are three principles for strengthening yours: 1) Become a good listener. Jesus said, "Consider carefully how you listen" (See Lk 8:18). Sometimes the most important thing in communicating with your mate is to hear what is not being said, to learn to read between the lines. Just "being there" isn't enough; your mate needs to feel heard-and validated. When they are, they'll open up and accept what you have to say. (2) "Speak the truth in love" (Eph 4:15 NLT). Nobody likes to be corrected, but when someone is heading down the wrong road, love will "get in your face." Our marriages break down when truth is violated, integrity is forsaken, trust is broken, manipulation is allowed, self-interest is the rule, control is the goal, and time isn't invested. (3) Always believe the best. Love sees you at your worst but never forgets your best; thinks you're a little bit more wonderful than you really are; will talk with you endlessly or just sit with you in silence; is happier about your success than you are; doesn't try to know more, act smarter or be your constant teacher; it listens even when what you have to say is not particularly interesting. That's because love believes you're important!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
WHERE YOU ARE MATTERS!
"You have been wandering around...long enough; turn."
Deut 2:3 NLT
God's plan for your life always involves your gifts, His timing, and being in the right place. But three things can keep that from happening: fear of failing, unwillingness to leave your comfort zone, and being swayed by the opinions of others. There came a point where in order to enter the Promised Land, God said to Israel, "You have been wandering around...long enough; turn." When you reach this point it's crucial that you say yes to God and be willing to step out in faith.
During a famine God said to the prophet Elijah: "‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.' So he did what the Lord had told him...and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook" (1Ki 17:2-6 NIV). God's plan for your life is always connected to a place. Jesus "had to go through Samaria" (Jn 4:4 NIV). Why? To meet a woman who was destined to reach that city with the Gospel. You can't just go where you like, God will honor you when you're where He wants you to be. God has promised to bless you, but sometimes He has to reposition you in order to receive His blessing. It was when Ruth moved to Bethlehem that she met Boaz and married him. It was when Bartimaeus went to where Jesus was that he received his sight. Where you are matters!
Deut 2:3 NLT
God's plan for your life always involves your gifts, His timing, and being in the right place. But three things can keep that from happening: fear of failing, unwillingness to leave your comfort zone, and being swayed by the opinions of others. There came a point where in order to enter the Promised Land, God said to Israel, "You have been wandering around...long enough; turn." When you reach this point it's crucial that you say yes to God and be willing to step out in faith.
During a famine God said to the prophet Elijah: "‘Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there.' So he did what the Lord had told him...and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook" (1Ki 17:2-6 NIV). God's plan for your life is always connected to a place. Jesus "had to go through Samaria" (Jn 4:4 NIV). Why? To meet a woman who was destined to reach that city with the Gospel. You can't just go where you like, God will honor you when you're where He wants you to be. God has promised to bless you, but sometimes He has to reposition you in order to receive His blessing. It was when Ruth moved to Bethlehem that she met Boaz and married him. It was when Bartimaeus went to where Jesus was that he received his sight. Where you are matters!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
FAN OR FOLLOWER?
"By Him actions are weighed."
1Sa 2:3 NKJV
Are you a Fan of Jesus, or a Follower? What’s Your Heart-Motive?
I heard a story of a lady who answered the knock on her door and saw a man with a sad expression. "I'm sorry to disturb you," he said, "but I'm collecting money for an unfortunate family in the neighborhood. The husband is out of work, the kids are hungry, the utilities will soon be cut off, and worse, they're about to be kicked out of their apartment if they don't pay the rent by this afternoon." With great concern the woman said, "I'll be happy to help. But who are you?" He replied, "I'm the landlord." Clearly, this man was more concerned with his own interests than with anyone else's. What he was doing was not illegal, but it was wrong. Under the pretense of serving, he was self-serving. Hello! What's your heart-motive?
The Pharisees prayed, fasted and gave money to the poor, but they did it to impress others. So Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired...for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven...When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them" (Mt 6:1,5 NLT). Then Jesus said, "Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father" (Mt 5:16 NLT). You're supposed to make God look good-not yourself. Check your heart-motive; are you doing a good thing with a bad motive? "The Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed."
1Sa 2:3 NKJV
Are you a Fan of Jesus, or a Follower? What’s Your Heart-Motive?
I heard a story of a lady who answered the knock on her door and saw a man with a sad expression. "I'm sorry to disturb you," he said, "but I'm collecting money for an unfortunate family in the neighborhood. The husband is out of work, the kids are hungry, the utilities will soon be cut off, and worse, they're about to be kicked out of their apartment if they don't pay the rent by this afternoon." With great concern the woman said, "I'll be happy to help. But who are you?" He replied, "I'm the landlord." Clearly, this man was more concerned with his own interests than with anyone else's. What he was doing was not illegal, but it was wrong. Under the pretense of serving, he was self-serving. Hello! What's your heart-motive?
The Pharisees prayed, fasted and gave money to the poor, but they did it to impress others. So Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount: "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired...for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven...When you pray, don't be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them" (Mt 6:1,5 NLT). Then Jesus said, "Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father" (Mt 5:16 NLT). You're supposed to make God look good-not yourself. Check your heart-motive; are you doing a good thing with a bad motive? "The Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed."
Monday, November 15, 2010
STRIVE FOR PROGRESS....NOT PERFECTION
"It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you." Php 3:1 NIV
Have you any idea how often the people you admire got it wrong, half right, almost right, before they got it right? Making mistakes is the unenjoyable, unavoidable part of making progress. That's why Paul said, "It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you." He understood that you have to keep hearing and doing it in order to get it right.
Stop comparing yourself with others. The Bible says, "When they measure themselves by themselves...they are not wise" (2Co 10:12 NIV). Some of us are given five talents, some two, and some one. Your talents, not your wishes, determine your potential. One-talent people who make the most of what they've been given receive the same "well done" as five-talent people. The person who gets into trouble is the one who's afraid to take the risk; their biggest mistake is their unwillingness to make a mistake! Dr. John Maxwell says, "Your performance depends on your commitment to practice. Consistently good practice leads to consistently good play. It sharpens you. Wise people understand this, and develop the discipline to do it." If you want to sum up what lifts most successful individuals above the crowd, you could do it in these four words: a little bit more. Successful people do what's expected of them-plus a little bit more. So, the word for you today is-strive for progress, not perfection!
Have you any idea how often the people you admire got it wrong, half right, almost right, before they got it right? Making mistakes is the unenjoyable, unavoidable part of making progress. That's why Paul said, "It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you." He understood that you have to keep hearing and doing it in order to get it right.
Stop comparing yourself with others. The Bible says, "When they measure themselves by themselves...they are not wise" (2Co 10:12 NIV). Some of us are given five talents, some two, and some one. Your talents, not your wishes, determine your potential. One-talent people who make the most of what they've been given receive the same "well done" as five-talent people. The person who gets into trouble is the one who's afraid to take the risk; their biggest mistake is their unwillingness to make a mistake! Dr. John Maxwell says, "Your performance depends on your commitment to practice. Consistently good practice leads to consistently good play. It sharpens you. Wise people understand this, and develop the discipline to do it." If you want to sum up what lifts most successful individuals above the crowd, you could do it in these four words: a little bit more. Successful people do what's expected of them-plus a little bit more. So, the word for you today is-strive for progress, not perfection!
Friday, November 12, 2010
DECIDE AND TAKE ACTION!
"Everyone who has will be given more."
Matthew 25:29 NIV
Every accomplishment starts with a decision. Choice, not chance, determines your destiny. Jesus gave us the parable of a businessman who gave one employee ten talents to invest, and he doubled them. A second employee received five talents, and he doubled them too. A third employee got one talent, but he buried it. Afraid of losing it, he failed to take even a modest risk. "The master was furious...‘It's criminal to live cautiously like that...you knew I was after the best, why did you do less?'" (Mt 25:26 TM). The Bible says we "walk by [the eye of] faith, not by [natural] sight" (2Co 5:7). Unless you're willing to take prayed-over, carefully-considered and well-advised risks, you're not operating in faith. And "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" (Heb 11:6). Jesus ended His parable saying, "Everyone who has will be given more...Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Your goal should be to maximize the investment on everything you do. Ken Blanchard calls this getting the highest return on life. It means putting all your eggs in God's basket (don't worry, He won't drop them!). To get more, you must use what God's already given you. When you step out in faith, God moves, and extraordinary things happen. John Mason says: "Not what we have but what we use, not what we see but what we choose-these are the things that mar or bless human happiness." When you limit what you will do, you limit what you can do. Think: if you don't act now, what will it ultimately cost you?
Matthew 25:29 NIV
Every accomplishment starts with a decision. Choice, not chance, determines your destiny. Jesus gave us the parable of a businessman who gave one employee ten talents to invest, and he doubled them. A second employee received five talents, and he doubled them too. A third employee got one talent, but he buried it. Afraid of losing it, he failed to take even a modest risk. "The master was furious...‘It's criminal to live cautiously like that...you knew I was after the best, why did you do less?'" (Mt 25:26 TM). The Bible says we "walk by [the eye of] faith, not by [natural] sight" (2Co 5:7). Unless you're willing to take prayed-over, carefully-considered and well-advised risks, you're not operating in faith. And "without faith it is impossible to please [God]" (Heb 11:6). Jesus ended His parable saying, "Everyone who has will be given more...Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." Your goal should be to maximize the investment on everything you do. Ken Blanchard calls this getting the highest return on life. It means putting all your eggs in God's basket (don't worry, He won't drop them!). To get more, you must use what God's already given you. When you step out in faith, God moves, and extraordinary things happen. John Mason says: "Not what we have but what we use, not what we see but what we choose-these are the things that mar or bless human happiness." When you limit what you will do, you limit what you can do. Think: if you don't act now, what will it ultimately cost you?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
CHANGING AND GROWING!
"They go from strength to strength." Ps 84:7 NIV
In an old Peanuts cartoon Charlie Brown says to his friend Linus, "What would you do if you felt that no one liked you?" Linus replies, "I'd see what I could do to improve." To which Charlie Brown replies, "I hate that answer!" There are three reasons we hate that answer and want to freeze life where it's at: (1) When it took everything we had to get to where we are, "Let's go" is not what we want to hear. (2) We're creatures of habit; we form our habits, then our habits form us. (3) Change makes us feel insecure; deep down, we fear we don't have what it takes.
Near the top of Mount Everest is a marker which reads, "He died climbing." (What a great way to be remembered!) Growth is an uphill climb. If you want to keep growing you must never stop climbing: "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Pr 4:18). How do we grow and change? "They go from strength to strength." In his book Teaching to Change Lives Dr. Howard Hendricks asks teachers these soul-searching questions. "How have you changed lately? In the last week, let's say? Or the last month? Can you be very specific? Or must your answer always be incredibly vague? You say you're growing, okay-how? ‘Well,' you say, ‘In all kinds of ways.' Great; name one! You see, effective teaching only comes through a changed person. When you stop changing, you stop leading." Today ask God to pinpoint the areas in which you need to change and grow.
In an old Peanuts cartoon Charlie Brown says to his friend Linus, "What would you do if you felt that no one liked you?" Linus replies, "I'd see what I could do to improve." To which Charlie Brown replies, "I hate that answer!" There are three reasons we hate that answer and want to freeze life where it's at: (1) When it took everything we had to get to where we are, "Let's go" is not what we want to hear. (2) We're creatures of habit; we form our habits, then our habits form us. (3) Change makes us feel insecure; deep down, we fear we don't have what it takes.
Near the top of Mount Everest is a marker which reads, "He died climbing." (What a great way to be remembered!) Growth is an uphill climb. If you want to keep growing you must never stop climbing: "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Pr 4:18). How do we grow and change? "They go from strength to strength." In his book Teaching to Change Lives Dr. Howard Hendricks asks teachers these soul-searching questions. "How have you changed lately? In the last week, let's say? Or the last month? Can you be very specific? Or must your answer always be incredibly vague? You say you're growing, okay-how? ‘Well,' you say, ‘In all kinds of ways.' Great; name one! You see, effective teaching only comes through a changed person. When you stop changing, you stop leading." Today ask God to pinpoint the areas in which you need to change and grow.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
BLESSED IN GIVING
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Acts 20:35 NCV
Wendy Pope writes: "When God calls me to give, I don't always feel like I'm being blessed. Perhaps you've had a similar experience. He prompts you to prepare a meal for a family hit by illness, and after a long day you're barely able to prepare one for your own family. Or when you're exhausted, He nudges you to go get your friend's children because she needs a break. No matter what the situation, when God calls us to give...we come out blessed...His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. He has the master plan, and all we need be concerned about is doing what He asks without complaining. You may question His reasoning when [He] nudges you to take your rude co-worker to lunch...or teach your child's Sunday school class and give the teacher a break. The bottom line is, whether we think it or not...it means something to eternity and to the person we're giving to. Basically, without Jesus I'm a selfish person. I wonder what kind of blessing I'll get...money, a new car or a finer home? I'm ashamed of those thoughts, but they came from an infant Christian who didn't understand that the blessing...is a closer walk with the greatest Giver who ever lived." Do you sometimes give out of obligation, or guilt, or to gain other people's approval? Giving is the true measure of our love for God, and He always blesses us when we do it. So, "Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure" (2Co 9:7 NLT), do it with a willing heart.
Acts 20:35 NCV
Wendy Pope writes: "When God calls me to give, I don't always feel like I'm being blessed. Perhaps you've had a similar experience. He prompts you to prepare a meal for a family hit by illness, and after a long day you're barely able to prepare one for your own family. Or when you're exhausted, He nudges you to go get your friend's children because she needs a break. No matter what the situation, when God calls us to give...we come out blessed...His ways and thoughts are higher than ours. He has the master plan, and all we need be concerned about is doing what He asks without complaining. You may question His reasoning when [He] nudges you to take your rude co-worker to lunch...or teach your child's Sunday school class and give the teacher a break. The bottom line is, whether we think it or not...it means something to eternity and to the person we're giving to. Basically, without Jesus I'm a selfish person. I wonder what kind of blessing I'll get...money, a new car or a finer home? I'm ashamed of those thoughts, but they came from an infant Christian who didn't understand that the blessing...is a closer walk with the greatest Giver who ever lived." Do you sometimes give out of obligation, or guilt, or to gain other people's approval? Giving is the true measure of our love for God, and He always blesses us when we do it. So, "Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure" (2Co 9:7 NLT), do it with a willing heart.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
SACRIFICING SLEEP
Psalm 119:145-152
Would you rather have the Word of God than sleep? Don't misunderstand me.
We need sleep. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that God expects us to
take care of our bodies, and sleep is part of that care. But the psalmist
says that he would rather have the Word of God than sleep. "I rise before
the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word. My eyes
are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word"
(vv. 147,148).
Imagine being married to a person who gets up early in the morning to cry
out to God and hope in His Word. Then late at night he's still awake,
reading and meditating on the Scriptures.
Jesus also was up early in the morning, praying and meditating on the
Word. And on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus, Moses and Elijah were
discussing Christ's plan to die in Jerusalem. Peter, James and John were
there, but they were asleep (Luke 9:32). They slept through perhaps the
greatest Bible conference ever held on earth!
I'm afraid some of us have done the same thing. We've slept through the
blessing. For God to bless us through His Word, we have to start each day
with it. Do you set your alarm clock early enough in the morning to read
the Bible? Sure, that extra half hour in bed would be pleasant. But like
the psalmist, we need to say, "I'm going to anticipate the dawning of the
morning. I want to spend time with God and meditate in His Word."
Sacrificing sleep to meditate in the Word of God is not a loss; it's an
investment in your spiritual life. The Bible contains blessings you can
use the rest of the day. Let it be the key that opens and locks your day.
Would you rather have the Word of God than sleep? Don't misunderstand me.
We need sleep. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that God expects us to
take care of our bodies, and sleep is part of that care. But the psalmist
says that he would rather have the Word of God than sleep. "I rise before
the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word. My eyes
are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word"
(vv. 147,148).
Imagine being married to a person who gets up early in the morning to cry
out to God and hope in His Word. Then late at night he's still awake,
reading and meditating on the Scriptures.
Jesus also was up early in the morning, praying and meditating on the
Word. And on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus, Moses and Elijah were
discussing Christ's plan to die in Jerusalem. Peter, James and John were
there, but they were asleep (Luke 9:32). They slept through perhaps the
greatest Bible conference ever held on earth!
I'm afraid some of us have done the same thing. We've slept through the
blessing. For God to bless us through His Word, we have to start each day
with it. Do you set your alarm clock early enough in the morning to read
the Bible? Sure, that extra half hour in bed would be pleasant. But like
the psalmist, we need to say, "I'm going to anticipate the dawning of the
morning. I want to spend time with God and meditate in His Word."
Sacrificing sleep to meditate in the Word of God is not a loss; it's an
investment in your spiritual life. The Bible contains blessings you can
use the rest of the day. Let it be the key that opens and locks your day.
Monday, November 8, 2010
LIGHTEN UP!
"Unless you...become like children."
Matthew 18:3 NAS
How's your sense of humor these days? Jesus said, "Unless you...become like children, you will not enter the kingdom." Anne Klein, an expert on healing through humor, reminds us that children laugh about four hundred times a day and adults just fifteen. And you pay a price for it! Your spirit breaks, you lose your vitality and shrivel up emotionally. Laughter has an immediate effect on your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, muscle and brain activity. It influences how your body handles disease by activating your immune system. The Bible says: "A relaxed attitude lengthens...life" (Pr 14:30 TLB). "A joyful heart makes a [happy] face" (Pr 15:13 NAS). "For the happy...life is a continual feast" (Pr 15:15 NLT). "A cheerful heart is good medicine...a broken spirit saps a person's strength" (Pr 17:22 NLT). If a pill could do all that for you, wouldn't you take it? Life should be enjoyed, not endured!
Chuck Swindoll says, "Laughter is a God-given escape hatch...a safety valve...to lack a sense of humor is a serious deficiency." He points out that a healthy sense of humor is defined by the ability to laugh at your own mistakes, to accept justified criticism and get over it, to interject (or at least enjoy) wholesome humor in the middle of tense situations, and control statements that would be unfit, even though they may be funny. Theologian Helmut Thielecke wrote: "Lines of laughter about the eyes are just as much marks of faith as lines of care and seriousness. The church is in a bad way when it banishes laughter and leaves it to the cabaret, the nightclub and the toastmasters."
Matthew 18:3 NAS
How's your sense of humor these days? Jesus said, "Unless you...become like children, you will not enter the kingdom." Anne Klein, an expert on healing through humor, reminds us that children laugh about four hundred times a day and adults just fifteen. And you pay a price for it! Your spirit breaks, you lose your vitality and shrivel up emotionally. Laughter has an immediate effect on your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, muscle and brain activity. It influences how your body handles disease by activating your immune system. The Bible says: "A relaxed attitude lengthens...life" (Pr 14:30 TLB). "A joyful heart makes a [happy] face" (Pr 15:13 NAS). "For the happy...life is a continual feast" (Pr 15:15 NLT). "A cheerful heart is good medicine...a broken spirit saps a person's strength" (Pr 17:22 NLT). If a pill could do all that for you, wouldn't you take it? Life should be enjoyed, not endured!
Chuck Swindoll says, "Laughter is a God-given escape hatch...a safety valve...to lack a sense of humor is a serious deficiency." He points out that a healthy sense of humor is defined by the ability to laugh at your own mistakes, to accept justified criticism and get over it, to interject (or at least enjoy) wholesome humor in the middle of tense situations, and control statements that would be unfit, even though they may be funny. Theologian Helmut Thielecke wrote: "Lines of laughter about the eyes are just as much marks of faith as lines of care and seriousness. The church is in a bad way when it banishes laughter and leaves it to the cabaret, the nightclub and the toastmasters."
Friday, November 5, 2010
IN TRAINING
"Everyone who competes...goes into strict training."
1Corinthians 9:25 NIV
Author Brian Tracy was at a conference when he met Kop Kopmeyer, an expert in the field of success. Kopmeyer has written four best sellers based on 250 principles he observed from fifty years of research. Tracy asked him, "Of the 1,000 success principles you discovered, what's the most important?" Without hesitation Kopmeyer replied, "Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not." We are like sticks of dynamite; the power is on the inside but nothing happens till the fuse gets lit. Self-discipline lights the fuse, and without it, even if you've been blessed with talent, a good background, education and opportunity, it can be a struggle to rise above mediocrity.
The same principle that governs physical fitness governs spiritual fitness. To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done. It takes: (1) Discipline. Thankfully, "God has...given us...power...and self-discipline" (2Ti 1:7 NLT). (2) Faith. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Ro 10:17 NKJV). (3) Determination. You don't always feel like exercising every day, but when you do it you feel better, right? And when you don't feel like doing what God says but you do it anyway, your feelings catch up with your actions and you're glad you did it. (4) Accountability. Having a trusted friend monitor your progress increases your odds of maintaining new habits. Lack of accountability makes it easy to revert to your old ways. Bottom line: you are in training to win "a crown that will last forever."
1Corinthians 9:25 NIV
Author Brian Tracy was at a conference when he met Kop Kopmeyer, an expert in the field of success. Kopmeyer has written four best sellers based on 250 principles he observed from fifty years of research. Tracy asked him, "Of the 1,000 success principles you discovered, what's the most important?" Without hesitation Kopmeyer replied, "Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not." We are like sticks of dynamite; the power is on the inside but nothing happens till the fuse gets lit. Self-discipline lights the fuse, and without it, even if you've been blessed with talent, a good background, education and opportunity, it can be a struggle to rise above mediocrity.
The same principle that governs physical fitness governs spiritual fitness. To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done. It takes: (1) Discipline. Thankfully, "God has...given us...power...and self-discipline" (2Ti 1:7 NLT). (2) Faith. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Ro 10:17 NKJV). (3) Determination. You don't always feel like exercising every day, but when you do it you feel better, right? And when you don't feel like doing what God says but you do it anyway, your feelings catch up with your actions and you're glad you did it. (4) Accountability. Having a trusted friend monitor your progress increases your odds of maintaining new habits. Lack of accountability makes it easy to revert to your old ways. Bottom line: you are in training to win "a crown that will last forever."
Thursday, November 4, 2010
THE ATTITUDE OF AFFECTION
“Be persistent in your prayers.”
Eph 6:18 NLT
We have started a new teaching series called "The Love, Anointing Connection". In it I talk about if serving God is a burden to you, you block His blessings. Deuteronomy 28:47-48 says, "When we serve God with a grudging, ungrateful attitude, His provisions are blocked in our lives." A lack of affection toward God, along with ungratefulness, can actually be the reason we are experiencing LACK!
Andrew Murray wrote: “Many Christians look upon it as a burden and a duty and a difficulty to get alone with God! That is the great hindrance to our Christian life everywhere.” God says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great…things, which you do not know” (Jer 33:3 NKJV). The answers you seek can be found on your knees. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (Jn 15:7 NKJV). Prayer is like a platinum card; it gives you access to God’s wisdom and resources. Paul writes: “Continue steadfastly in prayer” (Ro 12:12 NKJV). The story’s told of a soldier in World War II who was caught creeping back into his quarters from some nearby woods. Brought before his commanding officer and charged with communicating with the enemy, he said he had just gone out to pray. His commanding officer asked, “Do you make a habit of spending hours alone in prayer?” “Yes, sir,” he replied. “Then get down on your knees and pray now,” roared the officer, “for you’ve never needed it more!” The soldier kneeled down and prayed so powerfully that his CO shouted, “Enough, you may go, I believe you! If you hadn’t been so often at drill, you wouldn’t have done so well at review.” Prayer isn’t like a spare tire; you can’t just leave it in your trunk and expect it to be effective when you need it. You must “be persistent in your prayers.” In other words, stay in constant contact with God.
What's your attitude toward God? A bad attitude toward God blocks His power.
Eph 6:18 NLT
We have started a new teaching series called "The Love, Anointing Connection". In it I talk about if serving God is a burden to you, you block His blessings. Deuteronomy 28:47-48 says, "When we serve God with a grudging, ungrateful attitude, His provisions are blocked in our lives." A lack of affection toward God, along with ungratefulness, can actually be the reason we are experiencing LACK!
Andrew Murray wrote: “Many Christians look upon it as a burden and a duty and a difficulty to get alone with God! That is the great hindrance to our Christian life everywhere.” God says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great…things, which you do not know” (Jer 33:3 NKJV). The answers you seek can be found on your knees. Jesus said, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (Jn 15:7 NKJV). Prayer is like a platinum card; it gives you access to God’s wisdom and resources. Paul writes: “Continue steadfastly in prayer” (Ro 12:12 NKJV). The story’s told of a soldier in World War II who was caught creeping back into his quarters from some nearby woods. Brought before his commanding officer and charged with communicating with the enemy, he said he had just gone out to pray. His commanding officer asked, “Do you make a habit of spending hours alone in prayer?” “Yes, sir,” he replied. “Then get down on your knees and pray now,” roared the officer, “for you’ve never needed it more!” The soldier kneeled down and prayed so powerfully that his CO shouted, “Enough, you may go, I believe you! If you hadn’t been so often at drill, you wouldn’t have done so well at review.” Prayer isn’t like a spare tire; you can’t just leave it in your trunk and expect it to be effective when you need it. You must “be persistent in your prayers.” In other words, stay in constant contact with God.
What's your attitude toward God? A bad attitude toward God blocks His power.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
YOUR FIRST STEP, GO AHEAD...TAKE IT!
"Jesus said...‘Get up!'"
John 5:8 NIV
At the pool of Bethesda Jesus was drawn to a man who'd been physically incapacitated for thirty-eight years and couldn't walk. That's a long time to wait for things to change. Many of us would have given up. "When Jesus...asked...‘Do you want to get well?'...[he] replied, ‘I have no one to help me...While I am trying to get in, someone else goes...ahead of me.' Then Jesus said...‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk'" (vv. 6-8 NIV).
How do you see yourself? As a helpless victim? Wendy Blight says: "I lived like that...for a decade. At twenty-one I was raped by a masked stranger hiding in my apartment. Before that I loved life. I'd just completed college...graduated with honors...become engaged to a wonderful man...and had an amazing job waiting for me...My attacker's...act shattered my hopes and dreams. I lived in a prison of fear and despair. Then I encountered Christ...the words He spoke...pierced my soul. I...was the man on that mat...accustomed to my place of sorrow...I enjoyed being the victim...I was comfortable. The Bible says, ‘The Word of God is living and active...it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart' (Heb 4:12 NIV) and it spoke personally to me. I knew I needed to take the first step. I surrendered my fear, pity, and grief...I learned God had a plan for my life and a purpose for my pain. However, I'd never see it until I had the courage to get up and walk. If you're on the mat...open God's Word. Let Him speak...promises of hope and healing. Before you can get off the mat, you must surrender your fear, self-pity, and despair. Will you do it?"
John 5:8 NIV
At the pool of Bethesda Jesus was drawn to a man who'd been physically incapacitated for thirty-eight years and couldn't walk. That's a long time to wait for things to change. Many of us would have given up. "When Jesus...asked...‘Do you want to get well?'...[he] replied, ‘I have no one to help me...While I am trying to get in, someone else goes...ahead of me.' Then Jesus said...‘Get up! Pick up your mat and walk'" (vv. 6-8 NIV).
How do you see yourself? As a helpless victim? Wendy Blight says: "I lived like that...for a decade. At twenty-one I was raped by a masked stranger hiding in my apartment. Before that I loved life. I'd just completed college...graduated with honors...become engaged to a wonderful man...and had an amazing job waiting for me...My attacker's...act shattered my hopes and dreams. I lived in a prison of fear and despair. Then I encountered Christ...the words He spoke...pierced my soul. I...was the man on that mat...accustomed to my place of sorrow...I enjoyed being the victim...I was comfortable. The Bible says, ‘The Word of God is living and active...it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart' (Heb 4:12 NIV) and it spoke personally to me. I knew I needed to take the first step. I surrendered my fear, pity, and grief...I learned God had a plan for my life and a purpose for my pain. However, I'd never see it until I had the courage to get up and walk. If you're on the mat...open God's Word. Let Him speak...promises of hope and healing. Before you can get off the mat, you must surrender your fear, self-pity, and despair. Will you do it?"
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
TRUST GOD AND KEEP GOING!
"Gideon...crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit."
Judges 8:4 NKJV
Are you thinking of quitting? You believed you could make a difference until they poured criticism and cold water on you. At that point you decided it was easier to adjust your expectations to their opinion and just keep smiling. Don't do it; God has too much invested in you! The comfort zone is for those who are exempt from pain but denied progress; protected from failure but held in the grip of mediocrity. Get up and get out of there while you still can: "Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die" (Rev 3:2). Open your Bible and begin to fill your mind with God's promises; they're powerful motivators. Pray, believing God for great things. Plug in at church. Rekindle your desire, for ultimately that's what determines your destiny! Jesus suffered the loss of His disciples, His friends, and even His clothes (See Jn 19:23-24). But they couldn't rob Him of "the joy that was set before him" (Heb 12:2). Even while He was dying He continued to minister. Then He went into hell, came out with the lock and keys and announced, "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore" (Rev 1:18 NKJV). And He is your example!
When Gideon fought the Midianites we read that he "came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit." Because Gideon refused to let the Jordan River intimidate him, or fatigue stop him, God gave him a great victory! And He will do the same for you.
Judges 8:4 NKJV
Are you thinking of quitting? You believed you could make a difference until they poured criticism and cold water on you. At that point you decided it was easier to adjust your expectations to their opinion and just keep smiling. Don't do it; God has too much invested in you! The comfort zone is for those who are exempt from pain but denied progress; protected from failure but held in the grip of mediocrity. Get up and get out of there while you still can: "Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die" (Rev 3:2). Open your Bible and begin to fill your mind with God's promises; they're powerful motivators. Pray, believing God for great things. Plug in at church. Rekindle your desire, for ultimately that's what determines your destiny! Jesus suffered the loss of His disciples, His friends, and even His clothes (See Jn 19:23-24). But they couldn't rob Him of "the joy that was set before him" (Heb 12:2). Even while He was dying He continued to minister. Then He went into hell, came out with the lock and keys and announced, "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore" (Rev 1:18 NKJV). And He is your example!
When Gideon fought the Midianites we read that he "came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, exhausted but still in pursuit." Because Gideon refused to let the Jordan River intimidate him, or fatigue stop him, God gave him a great victory! And He will do the same for you.
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