“I have finished my course.” 2Ti 4:7
To finish strong, you must understand that: (1) People will leave you. It may be because you’ve outgrown them, or to fulfill their own vision, or because they don’t want to go where God’s taking you. People left Jesus: “Many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (Jn 6:66 NKJV). (2) Challenges will come. Everybody God uses moves from one challenge to the next. Paul writes: “People are watching us as we stay at our post…when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all!” (2Co 6:4-10 TM). (3) Satan will attack you. When he does, remember, attack is a sign of respect. It lets you know you’re valuable to God. It also indicates the level of blessing that awaits you beyond the attack. Satan will attack when God is about to birth something in your life. It may be the birth of a relationship, a career, a ministry, or even a child God will use. Your “difficult child” may be a child of destiny; that’s why they encounter more difficulties than your other children. They have an assignment the enemy has discerned. When the attack comes, stand on God’s Word and say: “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Co 15:57 NKJV).
FATHER'S DAY IS JUNE 19.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
In need of God’s help
“My help comes from the Lord.” Ps 121:2 NKJV
Did you hear about the guy who prayed: “Lord, so far today I’ve done okay. I haven’t gossiped, lost my temper, been nasty, greedy or grumpy. But in a few minutes I’m gonna have to get out of bed, then I’m gonna need all the help I can get.” We smile, but the truth is, it’s hard to acknowledge our need of help, especially in a world that prizes self-sufficiency. The most dangerous time in your life is when you think you don’t need God! Complacency will set in. Smugness will grow. You’ll say, “I need you, Lord,” then act like it all depends on you. As a result your faith will be unused, and when you’re not using your faith you can’t please God (See Heb 11:6). If your vision doesn’t require God, it’s not of God! When He gets involved in your vision, He becomes the only means of achieving it. Without His help, what can any of us say or do that truly makes a difference? We can’t even begin to make progress until we humbly acknowledge that we are powerless over most things in life. We are, but God’s not! Whatever you’re facing today, read these words and rest in them: “He will never let me stumble, slip or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil, and preserves your life. He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go, and always guards you” (Ps 121:3-8 TLB).
Did you hear about the guy who prayed: “Lord, so far today I’ve done okay. I haven’t gossiped, lost my temper, been nasty, greedy or grumpy. But in a few minutes I’m gonna have to get out of bed, then I’m gonna need all the help I can get.” We smile, but the truth is, it’s hard to acknowledge our need of help, especially in a world that prizes self-sufficiency. The most dangerous time in your life is when you think you don’t need God! Complacency will set in. Smugness will grow. You’ll say, “I need you, Lord,” then act like it all depends on you. As a result your faith will be unused, and when you’re not using your faith you can’t please God (See Heb 11:6). If your vision doesn’t require God, it’s not of God! When He gets involved in your vision, He becomes the only means of achieving it. Without His help, what can any of us say or do that truly makes a difference? We can’t even begin to make progress until we humbly acknowledge that we are powerless over most things in life. We are, but God’s not! Whatever you’re facing today, read these words and rest in them: “He will never let me stumble, slip or fall. For he is always watching, never sleeping. Jehovah himself is caring for you! He is your defender. He protects you day and night. He keeps you from all evil, and preserves your life. He keeps his eye upon you as you come and go, and always guards you” (Ps 121:3-8 TLB).
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Learning from the Prodigal Son
“When he came to his senses.” Lk 15:17 NIV
Answer these two questions: (1) Do you have a prodigal heart? The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that by listening to God we can avoid tragedy; that by living under His rule we’re saved from our misguided tendencies. Jesus said: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said…’Father, give me my share’…Not long after…[he]…set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine…and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out…to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything” (vv. 11-16). When God says no, heed Him. When He pulls back on the reins, thank Him. It’s better to be alone, and walk with God, than be surrounded by those who’ll hurt you. Prodigal, things won’t improve till you start doing things God’s way! (2) Are you willing to repent and come back home? In three back-to-back parables, in Luke Chapter 15, Jesus pointed out that the shepherd went looking for his lost sheep, the woman went looking for her lost silver, but nobody went looking for the lost son. That’s because he knew the way back. And it happened when “he came to his senses.” The rebel who left home saying, “Give me,” humbled himself and came back saying, “Forgive me.” When he did, his father embraced him and said, “This son of mine was…lost and is found” (Lk 15:24 NIV). Today your Heavenly Father is waiting to welcome you home.
Answer these two questions: (1) Do you have a prodigal heart? The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that by listening to God we can avoid tragedy; that by living under His rule we’re saved from our misguided tendencies. Jesus said: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said…’Father, give me my share’…Not long after…[he]…set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine…and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out…to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything” (vv. 11-16). When God says no, heed Him. When He pulls back on the reins, thank Him. It’s better to be alone, and walk with God, than be surrounded by those who’ll hurt you. Prodigal, things won’t improve till you start doing things God’s way! (2) Are you willing to repent and come back home? In three back-to-back parables, in Luke Chapter 15, Jesus pointed out that the shepherd went looking for his lost sheep, the woman went looking for her lost silver, but nobody went looking for the lost son. That’s because he knew the way back. And it happened when “he came to his senses.” The rebel who left home saying, “Give me,” humbled himself and came back saying, “Forgive me.” When he did, his father embraced him and said, “This son of mine was…lost and is found” (Lk 15:24 NIV). Today your Heavenly Father is waiting to welcome you home.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
What sank the Titanic?
“These things happened…as…warnings for us.” 1Co 10:11 NIV
Scientists now say it was a series of slits, not a giant gash, that sank the Titanic, the opulent, nine-hundred-foot ocean liner that went down in 1912 on its first voyage from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died that night in one of history’s worst maritime disasters. The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in its side. But an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe through the wreckage, which is buried in mud two and a half miles deep. Here’s what they discovered. The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of a huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds. “Everything that could go wrong, did,” said William Garzke Jr., a naval architect who helped the team with their analysis. So, what sank the Titanic? Basically four things, and these four things will sink you too: (1) They thought they were immune, that it couldn’t happen to them. (2) They were “asleep at the wheel” and failed to heed five different warnings. (3) It wasn’t one big thing, but a series of small things that took them under. (4) The problem that finally destroyed them was hidden beneath the water line, out of sight. The Bible says: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us…So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (vv. 11-12). Not one of us, however strong, wise, successful or virtuous, is immune to failure. So stay close to God!
Scientists now say it was a series of slits, not a giant gash, that sank the Titanic, the opulent, nine-hundred-foot ocean liner that went down in 1912 on its first voyage from England to New York. Fifteen hundred people died that night in one of history’s worst maritime disasters. The most widely held theory was that the ship hit an iceberg, which opened a huge gash in its side. But an international team of divers and scientists recently used sound waves to probe through the wreckage, which is buried in mud two and a half miles deep. Here’s what they discovered. The damage was surprisingly small. Instead of a huge gash, they found six relatively narrow slits across the six watertight holds. “Everything that could go wrong, did,” said William Garzke Jr., a naval architect who helped the team with their analysis. So, what sank the Titanic? Basically four things, and these four things will sink you too: (1) They thought they were immune, that it couldn’t happen to them. (2) They were “asleep at the wheel” and failed to heed five different warnings. (3) It wasn’t one big thing, but a series of small things that took them under. (4) The problem that finally destroyed them was hidden beneath the water line, out of sight. The Bible says: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us…So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (vv. 11-12). Not one of us, however strong, wise, successful or virtuous, is immune to failure. So stay close to God!
Monday, July 25, 2011
Life stabilizers (2)
“Like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.” Jas 1:6 CEV
Here are two more life-stabilizers: (1) Submission. Our ego always wants to “do it my way,” for my purposes and my pleasure. The result is hardening of the attitudes—a dangerous resistance to God. So His Word says: “Warn each other every day…that none…will be deceived by sin and hardened against God” (Heb 3:13 NLT). Like a pond gradually freezing in winter, our self-will slowly rigidifies, destroying our spiritual sensitivity. The Spirit’s gentle influence no longer moves us; we’re left feeling content and justified doing our own thing, to our own demise. It’s not wrong to have your own will, and God won’t “cure” or “deliver” you from it. But He intends you to line your will up with His. A good race horse must have a will in order to win, but its will must be submitted to the rider’s directions or winning will be impossible. “The sacrifices of God are a broken [submitted] spirit [will]: a broken…heart…God, wilt not despise” (Ps 51:17). (2) Self-sacrifice. The world’s philosophy is “Get and keep all you can!” Few things sabotage our peace and stability like this philosophy. “Take care of yourself” isn’t a kingdom principle. “Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way…to finding…your true self” (Mt 16:25 TM). Psychologists say that grasping, holding onto things and people only makes us anxious, possessive, controlling, and difficult to live with! That’s why Jesus said: “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses [invests] his life will preserve it” (Lk 17:33 NIV). You’ve tried everything else—now try giving yourself fully to God!
Here are two more life-stabilizers: (1) Submission. Our ego always wants to “do it my way,” for my purposes and my pleasure. The result is hardening of the attitudes—a dangerous resistance to God. So His Word says: “Warn each other every day…that none…will be deceived by sin and hardened against God” (Heb 3:13 NLT). Like a pond gradually freezing in winter, our self-will slowly rigidifies, destroying our spiritual sensitivity. The Spirit’s gentle influence no longer moves us; we’re left feeling content and justified doing our own thing, to our own demise. It’s not wrong to have your own will, and God won’t “cure” or “deliver” you from it. But He intends you to line your will up with His. A good race horse must have a will in order to win, but its will must be submitted to the rider’s directions or winning will be impossible. “The sacrifices of God are a broken [submitted] spirit [will]: a broken…heart…God, wilt not despise” (Ps 51:17). (2) Self-sacrifice. The world’s philosophy is “Get and keep all you can!” Few things sabotage our peace and stability like this philosophy. “Take care of yourself” isn’t a kingdom principle. “Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way…to finding…your true self” (Mt 16:25 TM). Psychologists say that grasping, holding onto things and people only makes us anxious, possessive, controlling, and difficult to live with! That’s why Jesus said: “Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses [invests] his life will preserve it” (Lk 17:33 NIV). You’ve tried everything else—now try giving yourself fully to God!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Life stabilizers
“Like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm.” Jas 1:6 CE
Are you winning or losing most of your spiritual battles? Are you down more than up? Do you feel frustrated, going in circles, your experience full of stops and starts, a constant guilt-failure cycle? That’s not God’s plan for you. You can live a stable, consistent life! But it will require life stabilizers like: (1) Decisiveness. Israel wanted to have it both ways: God’s blessing, yet the right to disregard His Word. Freedom to live like heathen nations, yet be His special people. But Joshua declared it unacceptable. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Jos 24:15 NIV). The church at Laodicea also wanted it both ways, but God pressed them: “You are…neither cold nor hot…make up your minds” (Rev 3:16, 19 CEV). God requires a direction chosen, a goal set, and a mind made up. Wavering classifies you as double-minded and guarantees you will “[not] receive anything from the Lord” (Jas 1:6-8 NIV). (2) Faith. You are called a “believer” because faith must characterize not just some, but every area of your life. “Without faith it is impossible (not unlikely, improbable, difficult) to please God” (Heb 11:6 NIV). Faith is not what you study on Sunday morning, it’s what you do 24/7! The Bible says: “My righteous [ones] will live by faith.” You say, “Where do I get faith?” By meditating on, and living in God’s Word (See Ro 10:17). Who possesses faith? The spiritually exceptional? No, “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Ro 12:3 NKJV). That includes you! Faith, not feelings or circumstances, is what makes your life stable!
Are you winning or losing most of your spiritual battles? Are you down more than up? Do you feel frustrated, going in circles, your experience full of stops and starts, a constant guilt-failure cycle? That’s not God’s plan for you. You can live a stable, consistent life! But it will require life stabilizers like: (1) Decisiveness. Israel wanted to have it both ways: God’s blessing, yet the right to disregard His Word. Freedom to live like heathen nations, yet be His special people. But Joshua declared it unacceptable. “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Jos 24:15 NIV). The church at Laodicea also wanted it both ways, but God pressed them: “You are…neither cold nor hot…make up your minds” (Rev 3:16, 19 CEV). God requires a direction chosen, a goal set, and a mind made up. Wavering classifies you as double-minded and guarantees you will “[not] receive anything from the Lord” (Jas 1:6-8 NIV). (2) Faith. You are called a “believer” because faith must characterize not just some, but every area of your life. “Without faith it is impossible (not unlikely, improbable, difficult) to please God” (Heb 11:6 NIV). Faith is not what you study on Sunday morning, it’s what you do 24/7! The Bible says: “My righteous [ones] will live by faith.” You say, “Where do I get faith?” By meditating on, and living in God’s Word (See Ro 10:17). Who possesses faith? The spiritually exceptional? No, “God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Ro 12:3 NKJV). That includes you! Faith, not feelings or circumstances, is what makes your life stable!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Empowered for a purpose
“Who will go for us?” Isa 6:8 NIV
Understand two things: (1) Borrowed beliefs have no power. You must have a personal encounter with God or your life will have no impact. After they’d been filled with the Holy Spirit, we read: “The apostles testified powerfully…and God’s great blessing was upon them all” (Ac 4:33 NLT). (2) Unused power has no value. Isaiah writes: “The posts of the door were shaken…and the house was filled with smoke” (Isa 6:4 NKJV). What a mind-blowing experience to have in church! But Isaiah had to leave, go out and perform God’s purposes. “I heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send?’…Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ And He said, ‘Go, and tell this people’” (Isa 6:8-9 NKJV). You must spend time in God’s presence building a relationship with Him, then carry His word to those hurting around you. When Jesus took His disciples up the Mount of Transfiguration Peter got so caught up in the experience that he wanted to stay there. “Lord, it is good for us to be here” (Mt 17:4 NIV). But Christ explained that His power is not for storing—but sharing. Paul wrote: “I will not…speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me” (Ro 15:18 NIV). Paul didn’t glory in what Christ had done for him, but through him. God has only one reason for filling you with His Spirit, that’s to pour you out in service to others. Jesus said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach…[and] heal the brokenhearted” (Lk 4:18 NKJV). You have been empowered for a purpose!
Understand two things: (1) Borrowed beliefs have no power. You must have a personal encounter with God or your life will have no impact. After they’d been filled with the Holy Spirit, we read: “The apostles testified powerfully…and God’s great blessing was upon them all” (Ac 4:33 NLT). (2) Unused power has no value. Isaiah writes: “The posts of the door were shaken…and the house was filled with smoke” (Isa 6:4 NKJV). What a mind-blowing experience to have in church! But Isaiah had to leave, go out and perform God’s purposes. “I heard the voice of the Lord saying: ‘Whom shall I send?’…Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ And He said, ‘Go, and tell this people’” (Isa 6:8-9 NKJV). You must spend time in God’s presence building a relationship with Him, then carry His word to those hurting around you. When Jesus took His disciples up the Mount of Transfiguration Peter got so caught up in the experience that he wanted to stay there. “Lord, it is good for us to be here” (Mt 17:4 NIV). But Christ explained that His power is not for storing—but sharing. Paul wrote: “I will not…speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me” (Ro 15:18 NIV). Paul didn’t glory in what Christ had done for him, but through him. God has only one reason for filling you with His Spirit, that’s to pour you out in service to others. Jesus said: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach…[and] heal the brokenhearted” (Lk 4:18 NKJV). You have been empowered for a purpose!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
God will bring you through
“I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.” Ac 27:25 NIV
On his way to Rome Paul and 276 others were shipwrecked. We learn three important lessons from their story: (1) You must listen to God. If you don’t, you’ll experience heartache and loss: “Paul warned them: ‘Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss’…But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and…the majority decided that we should sail on” (Ac 27:9-12 NIV). Notice, being in the majority doesn’t make somebody right. Who are you listening to? Do they know God? Are they walking by faith or by human reasoning? Jesus said: “He who receives whomever I send receives Me” (Jn 13:20 NKJV). (2) The purposes of God will always overcome the plans of men. God can actually make mistakes work for your good. Through this shipwreck Paul landed on Malta and introduced the Gospel to its people. Instead of beating yourself up over your mistakes, or arguing about who’s right and who’s wrong, try to see the hand of God in it. (3) Whatever you’ve lost, God can restore. “[The people of Malta] honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed” (Ac 28:10 NIV). Don’t limit God. He will use people to bless you—people you haven’t even met yet. Jesus said: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” (Lk 6:38). Be encouraged; God will bring you through!
On his way to Rome Paul and 276 others were shipwrecked. We learn three important lessons from their story: (1) You must listen to God. If you don’t, you’ll experience heartache and loss: “Paul warned them: ‘Men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss’…But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and…the majority decided that we should sail on” (Ac 27:9-12 NIV). Notice, being in the majority doesn’t make somebody right. Who are you listening to? Do they know God? Are they walking by faith or by human reasoning? Jesus said: “He who receives whomever I send receives Me” (Jn 13:20 NKJV). (2) The purposes of God will always overcome the plans of men. God can actually make mistakes work for your good. Through this shipwreck Paul landed on Malta and introduced the Gospel to its people. Instead of beating yourself up over your mistakes, or arguing about who’s right and who’s wrong, try to see the hand of God in it. (3) Whatever you’ve lost, God can restore. “[The people of Malta] honored us in many ways and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed” (Ac 28:10 NIV). Don’t limit God. He will use people to bless you—people you haven’t even met yet. Jesus said: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom” (Lk 6:38). Be encouraged; God will bring you through!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Memorize the Scriptures
“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” Ro 10:8 NKJV
Nothing pays greater spiritual dividends than memorizing Scripture. Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be more effective. Your counseling will be in demand. Your outlook will change. Your mind will become more alert. Your confidence will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified. Even if you’ve tried memorizing Scripture and given up, try again using these seven simple steps: (1) Choose a time when your mind is free from outside distractions. (2) Learn the reference by repeating it every time you say the verse. Numbers are more difficult to remember than words. (3) Read each verse through several times—both in a whisper and aloud. Hearing yourself say the words helps cement them in your mind. (4) Break the passage into its natural phrases. Learn the reference, then the first phrase. Then repeat the reference and the first phrase as you go to the second phrase. Continue adding phrases one by one. (5) Learn a little bit perfectly, rather than a great deal poorly. Don’t go on to the next verse until you can say the previous one perfectly. (6) Review the verse immediately. Twenty to thirty minutes later repeat what you’ve memorized. Before the day has ended, firmly fix the verse in your mind by going over it fifteen to twenty times. (You can do this while you’re driving.) (7) Use the verse orally as soon as possible. The purpose of Scripture memorization is a practical one, not academic. Use the verse in conversation, in correspondence, in everyday opportunities. Relate what you’ve learned to your daily situation.
Nothing pays greater spiritual dividends than memorizing Scripture. Your prayer life will be strengthened. Your witnessing will be more effective. Your counseling will be in demand. Your outlook will change. Your mind will become more alert. Your confidence will be enhanced. Your faith will be solidified. Even if you’ve tried memorizing Scripture and given up, try again using these seven simple steps: (1) Choose a time when your mind is free from outside distractions. (2) Learn the reference by repeating it every time you say the verse. Numbers are more difficult to remember than words. (3) Read each verse through several times—both in a whisper and aloud. Hearing yourself say the words helps cement them in your mind. (4) Break the passage into its natural phrases. Learn the reference, then the first phrase. Then repeat the reference and the first phrase as you go to the second phrase. Continue adding phrases one by one. (5) Learn a little bit perfectly, rather than a great deal poorly. Don’t go on to the next verse until you can say the previous one perfectly. (6) Review the verse immediately. Twenty to thirty minutes later repeat what you’ve memorized. Before the day has ended, firmly fix the verse in your mind by going over it fifteen to twenty times. (You can do this while you’re driving.) (7) Use the verse orally as soon as possible. The purpose of Scripture memorization is a practical one, not academic. Use the verse in conversation, in correspondence, in everyday opportunities. Relate what you’ve learned to your daily situation.
Monday, July 18, 2011
God Is Getting You Ready
“No man builds without counting the cost.” See Lk 14:28
Before God gives you more, He observes you with what you have. Furthermore, when He speaks a word over your life it’s like a seed; it needs time to take root and sprout. If God has planned it for you, don’t get into a hurry. “Wait for it; because it will surely come” (Hab 2:3). Patience develops in us the ability to stand up to the pressures that accompany blessing. Look back; aren’t some of the things you’ve been through, the very things that have equipped you to handle what you have now? Had God allowed you to go through them sooner, you couldn’t have handled them, and He loves you too much to let that happen. Think: if you’re having difficulty handling criticism from a few people, how would you do if God made you pastor or company president? Are you ready to pay the price? And more importantly, are you able to pay it? The more God gives you, the more He holds you responsible for. Jesus said: “No man builds without counting the cost.” Sometimes we want things because others have them. You say you want a husband and children, but are you ready to start living sacrificially? You say you need a wife, but are you ready to “give yourself for her” (See Eph 5:25)? Whatever you’re going through today, there’s great peace in knowing that nothing the enemy does can preempt God’s plan. So, “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing” (Ps 37:34 TLB). Rejoice; God is getting you ready.
Before God gives you more, He observes you with what you have. Furthermore, when He speaks a word over your life it’s like a seed; it needs time to take root and sprout. If God has planned it for you, don’t get into a hurry. “Wait for it; because it will surely come” (Hab 2:3). Patience develops in us the ability to stand up to the pressures that accompany blessing. Look back; aren’t some of the things you’ve been through, the very things that have equipped you to handle what you have now? Had God allowed you to go through them sooner, you couldn’t have handled them, and He loves you too much to let that happen. Think: if you’re having difficulty handling criticism from a few people, how would you do if God made you pastor or company president? Are you ready to pay the price? And more importantly, are you able to pay it? The more God gives you, the more He holds you responsible for. Jesus said: “No man builds without counting the cost.” Sometimes we want things because others have them. You say you want a husband and children, but are you ready to start living sacrificially? You say you need a wife, but are you ready to “give yourself for her” (See Eph 5:25)? Whatever you’re going through today, there’s great peace in knowing that nothing the enemy does can preempt God’s plan. So, “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Keep traveling steadily along his pathway and in due season he will honor you with every blessing” (Ps 37:34 TLB). Rejoice; God is getting you ready.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Live!
“They will still bear fruit in old age.” Ps 92:14 NIV
Have you noticed that no matter how old certain people get, they never lose their attractiveness? It just moves from their face to their heart. Today you get the impression that a person’s usefulness ends at sixty-five or seventy. What nonsense! What a waste of potential! Picasso produced some of his greatest works at ninety. Rubinstein gave one of his greatest recitals at eighty-nine. Marjorie Stoneham Douglas, who’s credited with saving the Florida Everglades, was still fighting for the cause at one hundred. Read your Bible: “Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated” (Dt 34:7). “The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:12). Noah built the ark when he was five hundred, went into it for a while, then came out and started the world all over again. “It ain’t over till God says it’s over,” and if He “ain’t said so,” live every moment He gives you to the fullest! “The older the violin, the sweeter the tune,” so pick up your bow and make some music. When someone told the eighty-nine-year-old poet Dorothy Duncan that she had lived a “full life” she replied sharply, “Don’t you dare ‘past tense’ me!” If you’re not too old to learn and you haven’t outlived your enthusiasm, you can “still bear fruit in old age.” It’s up to you. If you can breathe—pray! If you can speak—encourage others! If you can recall—share your wisdom. Remember creation? It’s wonderful what God can do in just one day. So give Him all the days you have left.
Have you noticed that no matter how old certain people get, they never lose their attractiveness? It just moves from their face to their heart. Today you get the impression that a person’s usefulness ends at sixty-five or seventy. What nonsense! What a waste of potential! Picasso produced some of his greatest works at ninety. Rubinstein gave one of his greatest recitals at eighty-nine. Marjorie Stoneham Douglas, who’s credited with saving the Florida Everglades, was still fighting for the cause at one hundred. Read your Bible: “Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated” (Dt 34:7). “The Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:12). Noah built the ark when he was five hundred, went into it for a while, then came out and started the world all over again. “It ain’t over till God says it’s over,” and if He “ain’t said so,” live every moment He gives you to the fullest! “The older the violin, the sweeter the tune,” so pick up your bow and make some music. When someone told the eighty-nine-year-old poet Dorothy Duncan that she had lived a “full life” she replied sharply, “Don’t you dare ‘past tense’ me!” If you’re not too old to learn and you haven’t outlived your enthusiasm, you can “still bear fruit in old age.” It’s up to you. If you can breathe—pray! If you can speak—encourage others! If you can recall—share your wisdom. Remember creation? It’s wonderful what God can do in just one day. So give Him all the days you have left.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Start praying!
“Noah, warned by God…[saved] his household.” Heb 11:7 RSV
Are you close enough to God to hear His warnings when danger approaches? Noah was, and he saved his family. Are you close enough to your family for them to have confidence in what God has spoken to you? You can change the direction of your family without argument or discussion—through prayer. Your loved ones need to be sheltered under the covering of your prayer life. If you don’t have one, get down on your knees and say, “Lord, teach me to pray!” (Lk 11:1). We are emotionally overwhelmed and spiritually depleted because we haven’t learned the power of prayer. The lack of it has left us weak and anxious. We blindly make decisions for our businesses, our relationships and our ministries without taking time to talk it over with the Lord. The story of Noah teaches that you can’t prepare for trouble—without a warning from God. That means staying close to Him and hearing what He has to say. You can do great things after you’ve prayed, but you can do nothing of eternal value until you’ve prayed. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2Ch 7:14). God promises to intervene on behalf of the person who prays in His will. “If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1Jn 5:14-15 NIV).
Are you close enough to God to hear His warnings when danger approaches? Noah was, and he saved his family. Are you close enough to your family for them to have confidence in what God has spoken to you? You can change the direction of your family without argument or discussion—through prayer. Your loved ones need to be sheltered under the covering of your prayer life. If you don’t have one, get down on your knees and say, “Lord, teach me to pray!” (Lk 11:1). We are emotionally overwhelmed and spiritually depleted because we haven’t learned the power of prayer. The lack of it has left us weak and anxious. We blindly make decisions for our businesses, our relationships and our ministries without taking time to talk it over with the Lord. The story of Noah teaches that you can’t prepare for trouble—without a warning from God. That means staying close to Him and hearing what He has to say. You can do great things after you’ve prayed, but you can do nothing of eternal value until you’ve prayed. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2Ch 7:14). God promises to intervene on behalf of the person who prays in His will. “If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him” (1Jn 5:14-15 NIV).
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Give them another chance!
“How often shall…I forgive him?” Mt 18:21 NKJV
When people are upset they say and do the wrong things. At that point it’s easy for you to become critical of them and arrive at the wrong conclusion. Slow down; ask God for patience and understanding. Don’t force others to live by their past while you expect yours to be forgotten. Whatever you sow in mercy you’ll reap a hundred times over. Everybody makes mistakes, so give them a chance to come back into the relationship with dignity. How long has it taken you to correct the mistakes in your life? Aren’t you still working on some of them? Aren’t you glad people don’t know the whole story of your struggles? So give people time. Give them an opportunity to explain themselves. They may not even know the right words at first, so be willing to listen a little longer. Jesus put up with Peter’s weaknesses because He knew what Peter would one day become. Interestingly, when someone upset Peter he came to Jesus and said: “‘How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him…‘Seventy times seven’” (Mt 18:21-22 NKJV). If they have a flicker of hope, fan that flame, don’t extinguish it. They don’t need a critic, they need a cheerleader. So give them another chance.
When people are upset they say and do the wrong things. At that point it’s easy for you to become critical of them and arrive at the wrong conclusion. Slow down; ask God for patience and understanding. Don’t force others to live by their past while you expect yours to be forgotten. Whatever you sow in mercy you’ll reap a hundred times over. Everybody makes mistakes, so give them a chance to come back into the relationship with dignity. How long has it taken you to correct the mistakes in your life? Aren’t you still working on some of them? Aren’t you glad people don’t know the whole story of your struggles? So give people time. Give them an opportunity to explain themselves. They may not even know the right words at first, so be willing to listen a little longer. Jesus put up with Peter’s weaknesses because He knew what Peter would one day become. Interestingly, when someone upset Peter he came to Jesus and said: “‘How often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him…‘Seventy times seven’” (Mt 18:21-22 NKJV). If they have a flicker of hope, fan that flame, don’t extinguish it. They don’t need a critic, they need a cheerleader. So give them another chance.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Knowing your true identity
“His father called him Benjamin.” Ge 35:18
When people label you, those labels can cause you to shrink instead of stretch to your potential. But the God who gave Jacob a new identity, can give you one too. Are you struggling with the old names people called you and the old images you have of yourself? Nothing will change in your life until it first changes in your mind. Jacob’s wife Rachel died in the desert in childbirth. Just before she died she named her son Ben-Oni, which means “son of my sorrow.” When the midwife handed him to his father Jacob, he said: “He shall not be called Ben-Oni, the son of my sorrow; he shall be called Benjamin, the son of the right hand” [the son of power]. Guess which name prevailed? Benjamin! Hear this: you are who God says you are, not who others say you are! If God didn’t give you the name—it’s not yours. Only believe what God says about you. Nobody understood better than Jacob the power of a name change. It was in God’s presence that Jacob the trickster was renamed Israel, “a prince…with God” (Ge 32:28). Christ breaks the power of every negative thing that would attach itself to you. “You’re a saint, not a sinner; not a loser but a winner.” When people try to label you, tell them you don’t answer to that name anymore. Tell them the person they’re talking about died, was buried, and rose brand new in Christ. God sees you as a new creation, so start thinking, talking and acting like one!
When people label you, those labels can cause you to shrink instead of stretch to your potential. But the God who gave Jacob a new identity, can give you one too. Are you struggling with the old names people called you and the old images you have of yourself? Nothing will change in your life until it first changes in your mind. Jacob’s wife Rachel died in the desert in childbirth. Just before she died she named her son Ben-Oni, which means “son of my sorrow.” When the midwife handed him to his father Jacob, he said: “He shall not be called Ben-Oni, the son of my sorrow; he shall be called Benjamin, the son of the right hand” [the son of power]. Guess which name prevailed? Benjamin! Hear this: you are who God says you are, not who others say you are! If God didn’t give you the name—it’s not yours. Only believe what God says about you. Nobody understood better than Jacob the power of a name change. It was in God’s presence that Jacob the trickster was renamed Israel, “a prince…with God” (Ge 32:28). Christ breaks the power of every negative thing that would attach itself to you. “You’re a saint, not a sinner; not a loser but a winner.” When people try to label you, tell them you don’t answer to that name anymore. Tell them the person they’re talking about died, was buried, and rose brand new in Christ. God sees you as a new creation, so start thinking, talking and acting like one!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Give it All You’ve Got!
“This one thing I do.” Php 3:13
Ask yourself these two questions: (1) Do I want God’s best? It’s not easy to rise up early while others sleep, and prepare for the challenge. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, you’ll discover it’s hard to find people who will stand with you while you’re in preparation. But there can be no celebration without preparation. Not everybody can handle success. Some would rather have tranquility; they don’t like criticism and they can’t take the pressure. But if you want God’s best you can have it. If you’ve the passion, the price won’t stop you! You’ll be drawn and driven toward the goal. (2) How strong is my desire? If you don’t have the passion for it, you’ll never overcome the obstacles. Real power comes from desire kindled in the furnace of unfilled longing. Long-distance runners take steady strides and focus on endurance, not just speed. They run each lap, stretch to their limits and give themselves to one thing—winning. Perspiration pours out of them. The taste of exhaustion is in their mouths. As they near the finish line a final burst of energy kicks in. It’s the last lap. No excuses, it’s now or never! At least one time before they lay you in your casket, you owe it to God and yourself to experience that last-lap feeling of giving it all you’ve got. Victory doesn’t come cheap. Paul writes: “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet” (Eph 6:13-15)
Ask yourself these two questions: (1) Do I want God’s best? It’s not easy to rise up early while others sleep, and prepare for the challenge. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, you’ll discover it’s hard to find people who will stand with you while you’re in preparation. But there can be no celebration without preparation. Not everybody can handle success. Some would rather have tranquility; they don’t like criticism and they can’t take the pressure. But if you want God’s best you can have it. If you’ve the passion, the price won’t stop you! You’ll be drawn and driven toward the goal. (2) How strong is my desire? If you don’t have the passion for it, you’ll never overcome the obstacles. Real power comes from desire kindled in the furnace of unfilled longing. Long-distance runners take steady strides and focus on endurance, not just speed. They run each lap, stretch to their limits and give themselves to one thing—winning. Perspiration pours out of them. The taste of exhaustion is in their mouths. As they near the finish line a final burst of energy kicks in. It’s the last lap. No excuses, it’s now or never! At least one time before they lay you in your casket, you owe it to God and yourself to experience that last-lap feeling of giving it all you’ve got. Victory doesn’t come cheap. Paul writes: “Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet” (Eph 6:13-15)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Closing the door the right way
“To everything there is a season.” Ecc 3:1 NKJV
In life, relationships come to an end. How you handle such moments can influence and shape your future. You can’t enter the next season of your life properly if you don’t exit this one right. So: (1) Close the door with grace. You may need to walk back through it some day. (2) Close the door with forgiveness. Resentment will poison your attitude and your memories and destroy you from within. Leave the judging to God; He knows both sides. (3) Close the door with your promises fulfilled. At great personal cost, Jephthah said: “I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break” (Jdg 11:35 NIV). Your character is on the line here; whatever the price tag, keep your word, because God is listening when you give it! (4) Close the door with courage. It’s not easy to face tomorrow when you feel alone, but remember, you are not alone. Jesus said: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Mt 28:20). (5) Close the door in God’s timing. Grieve your losses, but don’t get stuck in the past. King Saul represented the past but David represented the future. When God rejected Saul because he had displeased Him, God said to the prophet Samuel: “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him…go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king from among his sons” (1Sa 16:1 NKJV). Endings bring new beginnings. It’s okay to acknowledge the past and learn from it, but when God shuts the door it’s time to move into the future He’s prepared for you.
In life, relationships come to an end. How you handle such moments can influence and shape your future. You can’t enter the next season of your life properly if you don’t exit this one right. So: (1) Close the door with grace. You may need to walk back through it some day. (2) Close the door with forgiveness. Resentment will poison your attitude and your memories and destroy you from within. Leave the judging to God; He knows both sides. (3) Close the door with your promises fulfilled. At great personal cost, Jephthah said: “I have made a vow to the Lord that I cannot break” (Jdg 11:35 NIV). Your character is on the line here; whatever the price tag, keep your word, because God is listening when you give it! (4) Close the door with courage. It’s not easy to face tomorrow when you feel alone, but remember, you are not alone. Jesus said: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Mt 28:20). (5) Close the door in God’s timing. Grieve your losses, but don’t get stuck in the past. King Saul represented the past but David represented the future. When God rejected Saul because he had displeased Him, God said to the prophet Samuel: “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him…go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king from among his sons” (1Sa 16:1 NKJV). Endings bring new beginnings. It’s okay to acknowledge the past and learn from it, but when God shuts the door it’s time to move into the future He’s prepared for you.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Pray for our leaders
“Pray for…all who have authority.” 1Ti 2:2 NCV
The Bible says: “Righteousness exalts a nation” (Pr 14:34 NASB). In the Old Testament Abraham interceded with God on behalf of Sodom (See Ge 18:22-33). Moses stood between God and Israel, and saved it from destruction (See Ex 32:11-14). When Achan sinned, Joshua pled the people’s case before God (See Jos 7:6-9). We live in an era of dwindling regard for authority, and it’s easy to add your voice to the chorus of naysayers. Even if you didn’t vote for those who are in power, the Bible says: “Pray for rulers and…all who have authority.” Why? Because it “pleases God;” it’s that simple! Ask Him to give our leaders three things: (1) Humility. “Humility comes before honor” (Pr 15:33 NIV). Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, “gave up his divine privileges [and]…took the humble position of a slave” (Php 2:7 NLT). Servant-leadership is the epitome of strength; it means acknowledging our limitations and looking to God for insight and guidance. (2) Wisdom. Solomon said: “[The] fear of the Lord [precedes] Wisdom” (Pr 15:33 AMP), and James adds: “If you need wisdom, ask…God, and he will give it to you” (Jas 1:5 NLT). Instead of praying only for the advancement of your own political agenda, ask God to give our leaders what they need to exercise sound judgment and make wise decisions. (3) Courage. David said: “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Ps 27:14 NKJV). In the face of global terrorism, war, financial upheaval and a climate of fear, pray that God will give our leaders the strength of character to do what’s right, instead of what’s popular.
The Bible says: “Righteousness exalts a nation” (Pr 14:34 NASB). In the Old Testament Abraham interceded with God on behalf of Sodom (See Ge 18:22-33). Moses stood between God and Israel, and saved it from destruction (See Ex 32:11-14). When Achan sinned, Joshua pled the people’s case before God (See Jos 7:6-9). We live in an era of dwindling regard for authority, and it’s easy to add your voice to the chorus of naysayers. Even if you didn’t vote for those who are in power, the Bible says: “Pray for rulers and…all who have authority.” Why? Because it “pleases God;” it’s that simple! Ask Him to give our leaders three things: (1) Humility. “Humility comes before honor” (Pr 15:33 NIV). Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, “gave up his divine privileges [and]…took the humble position of a slave” (Php 2:7 NLT). Servant-leadership is the epitome of strength; it means acknowledging our limitations and looking to God for insight and guidance. (2) Wisdom. Solomon said: “[The] fear of the Lord [precedes] Wisdom” (Pr 15:33 AMP), and James adds: “If you need wisdom, ask…God, and he will give it to you” (Jas 1:5 NLT). Instead of praying only for the advancement of your own political agenda, ask God to give our leaders what they need to exercise sound judgment and make wise decisions. (3) Courage. David said: “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Ps 27:14 NKJV). In the face of global terrorism, war, financial upheaval and a climate of fear, pray that God will give our leaders the strength of character to do what’s right, instead of what’s popular.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Purity
“The pure in heart…shall see God.” Mt 5:8
In the tabernacle there was a large washbasin called the laver (See Ex 30:18). Its bronze base acted like a mirror letting the priest see the dirt on his feet. Before he could approach God he had to stop and be cleansed, otherwise he would die. The Psalmist writes: “Who may stand in [your] holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…He will receive blessing from the Lord” (Ps 24:3-5 NIV). God’s blessings are contingent upon the condition of your heart. Does that mean you must be sinless? No, it means you must be conscious of your sin and deal with it right away. Why the big deal about purity? Because Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” The problem is not God’s inability to be seen, but our inability to see Him. No wonder David prayed: “Create in me a pure heart” (Ps 51:10 NIV). This word pure is from the Greek word katharos, which means “to clean out.” When you’ve heard too much and seen too much, you need a spiritual catharsis. Only a pure heart can understand God’s will and discern His ways. Unidentified, unconfessed, unforgiven sin will block your spiritual arteries. A heart that’s not pure will keep you seeking the wisdom of men rather than the ways of God. It will keep you needing prayer instead of offering prayer for others. Don’t carry around what God wants discarded. Get rid of “every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares” (Heb 12:1 NKJV). What God wants to show you is worth cleaning up for.
In the tabernacle there was a large washbasin called the laver (See Ex 30:18). Its bronze base acted like a mirror letting the priest see the dirt on his feet. Before he could approach God he had to stop and be cleansed, otherwise he would die. The Psalmist writes: “Who may stand in [your] holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…He will receive blessing from the Lord” (Ps 24:3-5 NIV). God’s blessings are contingent upon the condition of your heart. Does that mean you must be sinless? No, it means you must be conscious of your sin and deal with it right away. Why the big deal about purity? Because Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” The problem is not God’s inability to be seen, but our inability to see Him. No wonder David prayed: “Create in me a pure heart” (Ps 51:10 NIV). This word pure is from the Greek word katharos, which means “to clean out.” When you’ve heard too much and seen too much, you need a spiritual catharsis. Only a pure heart can understand God’s will and discern His ways. Unidentified, unconfessed, unforgiven sin will block your spiritual arteries. A heart that’s not pure will keep you seeking the wisdom of men rather than the ways of God. It will keep you needing prayer instead of offering prayer for others. Don’t carry around what God wants discarded. Get rid of “every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares” (Heb 12:1 NKJV). What God wants to show you is worth cleaning up for.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Anonymous, but indispensible
“Parts…that seem…least important are…most necessary.” 1Co 12:22 NLT
In his book Encourage Me, Charles Swindoll asks the following questions: “Who taught Martin Luther his theology and inspired his translation of the New Testament? Who visited Dwight L. Moody at a shoe store and spoke to him about Christ?…Who financed William Carey’s ministry in India? Who refreshed the Apostle Paul in that Roman dungeon as he wrote his last letter to Timothy?…Who followed Hudson Taylor and gave the China Inland Mission its remarkable vision and direction?…What was it Jim Elliot, the martyred messenger of the Gospel to the Aucas in Ecuador, once called the missionaries? Something like ‘a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody.’ But don’t mistake anonymous for unnecessary. Otherwise, the whole body gets crippled…even paralyzed…or, at best, terribly dizzy as the majority of the members…become diseased with self-pity and discouragement. Face it, friend, the head of the body calls the shots. It is His prerogative to publicize some and hide others. Don’t ask me why He chooses whom He uses. If it’s His desire to use you as a Melanchthon rather than a Luther…or a Kimball rather than a Moody…or an Onesiphorus rather than a Paul…or a Hoste rather than a Taylor, relax! Better than that, give God praise! You’re among that elite group mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. ‘God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important’” (vv. 22-24 TLB). So be encouraged: you may be anonymous, but you’re indispensible!
In his book Encourage Me, Charles Swindoll asks the following questions: “Who taught Martin Luther his theology and inspired his translation of the New Testament? Who visited Dwight L. Moody at a shoe store and spoke to him about Christ?…Who financed William Carey’s ministry in India? Who refreshed the Apostle Paul in that Roman dungeon as he wrote his last letter to Timothy?…Who followed Hudson Taylor and gave the China Inland Mission its remarkable vision and direction?…What was it Jim Elliot, the martyred messenger of the Gospel to the Aucas in Ecuador, once called the missionaries? Something like ‘a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody.’ But don’t mistake anonymous for unnecessary. Otherwise, the whole body gets crippled…even paralyzed…or, at best, terribly dizzy as the majority of the members…become diseased with self-pity and discouragement. Face it, friend, the head of the body calls the shots. It is His prerogative to publicize some and hide others. Don’t ask me why He chooses whom He uses. If it’s His desire to use you as a Melanchthon rather than a Luther…or a Kimball rather than a Moody…or an Onesiphorus rather than a Paul…or a Hoste rather than a Taylor, relax! Better than that, give God praise! You’re among that elite group mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. ‘God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important’” (vv. 22-24 TLB). So be encouraged: you may be anonymous, but you’re indispensible!
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