Becoming Bilingual — by Bill Crowder

Becoming Bilingual — by Bill Crowder

Read: Acts 17:19-31
In Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring." —Acts 17:28

Is it possible—in a society that seems increasingly indifferent to the gospel—to communicate the Good News to people who don't share our faith?
One way to connect with people who are unfamiliar with the things of Christ is to become culturally "bilingual." We do this by communicating in ways people can easily relate to. Knowing about and discussing music, film, sports, and television, for example, can offer just such an opportunity. If people hear us "speak their language," without endorsing or condoning the media or events we refer to, it could open the door to sharing the timeless message of Christ.
Paul gave us an example of this in Acts 17. While visiting the Areopagus in Athens, he spoke to a thoroughly secular culture by quoting pagan Greek poets as a point of reference for the spiritual values he sought to communicate. He said, "In Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring'" (Acts 17:28). Just as Paul addressed that culture by knowing what they were reading, we may have greater impact for the gospel by relating it to people in terms they can readily embrace.
Are you trying to reach a neighbor or a co-worker with the gospel? Try becoming bilingual.

To earn your neighbor's ear
And prove you really care,
Use terms he understands
To show you are aware. —Branon

The content of the Bible must be
brought into contact with the world.

-- Our Daily Bread

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Leave the Popularity for Jesus

It is the biggest temptation every preacher deals with. Every preacher? Yes, every preacher; and if one ever tells you he or she has never experienced its power, do not buy a used computer from that preacher. What is it? Popularity!

Phillips Brooks, who gave the world his wonderful carol "O Little Town of Bethlehem," knew popularity's seductive powers. As a preacher, he experienced it firsthand and declared, "To set one's heart on being popular is fatal to the preacher's best growth. It is the worst and feeblest part of your congregation that makes itself heard in vociferous applause, and it applauds that in you which pleases it."

Truth is that the love of popularity does not just seduce preachers. Everybody likes to be liked. For preachers, however, it is an especially deadly enticement. More than one unusually gifted preacher has been caught up in its grips and weakened, even destroyed, by its deadly power.

These days Jesus is literally everywhere. He is in newspapers and on the covers of magazines. He is on TV and radio.

You can find Him on football fields and on the tailgates of SUVs. He gets a mention in the great debates of the day—from Iraq to gay marriage, from evolution to the environment.

He is a celebrity unequalled in human history, this Jesus you and I are called to preach. My granddaughters might tell you, "He's hot!" That's right, He sizzles! Of course, it will not last, will it? Jesus will go out of fashion as quickly as He came in once the media tires of Him, don't you agree? No? Me neither!

(To read the entire article, "Every Preacher's Fiercest Temptation!" by Robert Leslie Holmes at Preaching.com, click here)

Time

A friend said, "My problem is that I have surrendered my time to work, to other people, and to bad habits." We should first surrender our time to God. God owns it anyway. Our task is to manage properly what has been entrusted to us until he returns or wants it back, including our time.

Think about a compass and a clock Two very important tools, but two very different instruments. One would be wise not to confuse the two. To surrender our time to God is to be governed by a compass rather than to be controlled by a clock. A compass provides a sense of direction, purpose, vision, perspective, and balance. A clock measures duration, the expenditure of time. A compass determines effectiveness-doing the right tasks. A clock determines efficiency-how long it takes to accomplish a task. Both have their place. But, the compass must come before the clock, therefore, effectiveness before efficiency. The "mega priorities" of the compass subordinate the "mini priorities" of the clock.

A compass, therefore, becomes a symbol of an internal guidance system that provides us with our values and convictions based on God's Word. This non-negotiable governs our lives. In the same manner that the gravitational force pulls the compass needle; it is God that governs the drive of our lives. We surrender to his force. 

Our time should be surrendered to God daily. I asked a friend who is engaged in many pursuits successfully, how he managed it all. He said, "I give my first minutes to God, then I commit the remainder of the day to his Lordship. And amazingly I work more effectively and efficiently."

Have you surrendered your time to God?  Is your time in his hands? (Rick Ezell,One Minute Uplift newsletter)

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A Crown of Life

God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain. Revelation 21:4

Why all the effort to stay fit? To stay alive?  We pop pills, pump pecks, pass on the pie, and pursue the polyunsaturates.…

Why? Because we are worried about staying alive. In heaven that won't be a worry.

In fact, you won't be worrying at all. You won't worry about your kids getting hurt. In heaven there will be no pain. You won't worry about getting old. We'll all be ceaselessly strong.

Scripture describes heaven as a place where God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more death, sadness, crying or pain.

We are not made of steel, we are made of dust. And this life is not crowned with life, it is crowned with death.

The next life, however, is different. Jesus urges us to "be faithful, even if you have to die, and I will give you the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10).

Max Lucado

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From Tired to Inspired

From Tired to Inspired

We all get tired. Somebody once told me the crucial question for ministers was not, "Am I tired in the work?" but, "Am I tired of the work?" I have to admit there've been times when I could answer either query in the weary affirmative.

Even preaching, my first love in the ministry, the thing I truly feel called to do, I've gotten tired in and of. There have been days when I felt I could make more impact throwing beans against the wall (or at the folks in the pews!) than by preaching. There have been days when study time insidiously morphed into e-mail time and sermon preparation sailed dangerously close to sermon rehashing. Even though I try to remain fresh and engaging, the very words I'm required to use Sunday after Sunday — believe, repent, confess, even Jesus — can sometimes lose their flavor. Depending on what's going on in the church — infighting, a scandal, simple doldrums — an imp seems to hover near my eye with brush and jaundice- palette.  I'm tempted to cynicism.

Been there? Because we preach as sinners to fellow sinners, we all have. Thankfully, for most of us, such times don't last. Thankfully, God's grace and power somehow waft back to our lives, lifting the sagging sails, refilling our preaching with purpose, clarity, and emotion.

It might be a vacation that does the trick or maybe a conference. The rekindling of power might come with sunshine after weeks of slate-gray skies. Or maybe it comes wrapped in some member's thoughtful, encouraging note.

(To read the entire article "From Tired to Inspired" by Gary D. Robinson at Preaching.com)

Ancient Words- Words and Music by Michael W. Smith

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God's own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart

Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart.

Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e'er we roam
Ancient words will guide us Home

Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ

Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world
They resound with God's own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart

Ancient words ever true
Changing me and changing you
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart /4x

We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart



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Do Not Lose Your Vision

"Like the blind we grope... feeling our way like men without eyes..." Isaiah 59:10 NIV

The Pilgrims landed on the shores of America full of vision. The first year they established a town. The next year they elected a council. In their third year the town council proposed building a road five miles out into the wilderness for westward expansion. But the people criticised it as a waste of public funds. Amazing! Once they had been able to see across oceans to new worlds, now they could not see five miles down the road. What happened? They lost their vision! How can you keep that from happening to you?

First, refuse to become self-centred! God wants you to enjoy success, but anytime the profit margin becomes more important than the service principle, you will forfeit God's blessing. Second, do not get lost in the mundane! One successful leader writes, 'In preparation for the day, I focus on the main event and ask, "In order to make the main event a good event, what must I know? Do? Eliminate?" Some things will be fun, some will not, but with preparation the most important things will get done well.'

Third, refuse to go with the flow! Most of us are married to the status quo. We want what is, not what can be. We seek safety and simple answers. To keep your vision alive you must give yourself permission to go a different way; to break new ground. The moment your eyes open each morning remind yourself, 'There is more out there than what I've experienced', then commit your day to God and get moving!

- Bob Gass
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Daniel: A Travel Guide by Michael Milton

The Book of Daniel is the place where prophecy and theology meet in a teenage boy named Daniel in captivity to a foreign king. Along with Daniel's friends, the reader comes face-to-face with the realities in his own life:

How a believer must live in times of apostasy

How a believer may follow the Lord in the most secular of conditions

How a follower of Christ can trust Christ even when it seems He is not in control

How a disciple of Jesus can meet the demands of discipleship in the tough, hard places of life

This part of Daniel grips me as your pastor. So I am back to why I love travel books. Think of Daniel as your divine guide to living for God in those times when it looks like God is nowhere to be found. And if we are truly becoming the secular nation that many say we are, then Daniel is God's guide for our lives as we stand up for Him in this generation.



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We Can Take Authority

We believers can take authority over the evil spirits that are out to destroy the nation because we are important to world affairs.

We are the ones whose prayers can change every office of authority in this land. It's up to you and me to intercede right now, using the power God has given us.

Jesus Christ is our Lord. And that alone is enough to alter the spiritual complexion of this earth.
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EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE

EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE

By Mike Segal
 
There is a famous saying: "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." At times, human beings are not satisfied with what they have. People seem to do well until, unfortunately, they experience a loss. Then, usually, they want to be better - to experience the "green grass." It's human nature to always want to be better, to have more. Isn't that what is meant by the phrase "dream big?" At times, dreaming big might be great; however, at other times one should be thankful for what one has.

Consider the story of the 85 year old grandmother taking her 5 year old grandson, Johnny, to the beach for the first time. She was so excited. She bought Johnny a brand new complete outfit for his first time at the beach: new cap, new swimsuit, new t-shirt, new shoes and a new sand bucket with a shovel.

They walked to the beach holding hands. As they got to the sand, Johnny said, "Grandma, because I can't swim I won't go near the water; so I'll just dig up the sand with my new shovel far from the sea."
However, Johnny had difficulty digging up the hard sand far from the water. Therefore, he said, "Grandma, this sand is too hard. Can I get close to the water where the sand is easier to dig?" Johnny quickly added, "But I promise I won't go in the water."
Hesitantly, the grandmother looked into Johnny's begging big eyes and said, "Okay, but promise you won't go in the water."

Johnny screamed with glee, "I promise." As he was close to the ocean he was having such a good time, digging and digging with ease in the soft sand. Unfortunately, a huge wave came on the shore and swallowed up little Johnny, taking him out to sea.

With her vigilant eyes, watching him from afar, his grandmother screamed, "Oh my God! Oh my God! Help me God!"

Just then, another huge wave thundered onto the beach from the ocean and "spit forth" little Johnny safely back on the shore.

Elated, the grandmother ran toward the boy and tightly hugged her 5 year old grandson. Wiping tears from her eyes she cried out as she looked toward the heavens, "Thank you God! Thank you so much!" She then looked back down at her little sweet Johnny. She once again quickly looked back at the heavens and screamed, "Hey...Where's his new cap!?"

~~~~~~~~~
Life is full of people who are not satisfied and not thankful for what they have. Many times people are constantly dwelling on what they have lost, rather than being satisfied and thankful for what they still have left. Believe me, I speak from experience.

When I was 19 and well on my way to fulfilling my life-long dream of becoming a surgeon, I walked into a convenience store which was in the process of being robbed. One of the thieves shot me in the back of my head, leaving me for dead. However, I fooled everyone. Sure, I have my disabilities and I used to constantly dwell on the many things I had lost, being negative, saying, "Before I was shot I was athletic, now I can barely walk (with a significant limp), my arm is very weak, I speak somewhat slowly, my voice is hoarse. Before I was shot I could do 500 things really well, after the shooting, I can do only 200 things well. For a long time, I was constantly dwelling on the 300 things I had lost." However, eventually I began focusing on the 200 things I could still do. It wasn't easy and it took me a long time, but refocusing one's attitude is crucial - not merely for people shot in the head, not merely for people who are sick, but for everyone. Having a more positive attitude is vital and essential.

One of my friends had a stroke. I would always try to encourage him by trying to get him to refocus on the positive. It was not easy but it was slowly working and he was improving. He still had a long way to go but he was getting there. He was always asking, "How long did it take you to walk? I hope I will be able to walk again."

I would say to him, "Everyone is different. Even though I have problems walking, my hopes and prayers are that one day you'll be able to walk." With that statement I limped out of the hospital room.
When I visited my friend the next week I immediately asked him to "tell me something good." He started by saying he had walked 60 feet with a cane in therapy, but just then his doctor (whom I knew) came in and asked how he was doing.

"Fine," replied my friend, "but I just want to be able to walk perfectly again - just like Mike." I stood there, a little shocked, but I said to myself, "He's just started on the road to recovery. He's beginning to think positive."

Another friend of mine once told me that he used to feel sorry when he would see people who needed walkers. However, I will never forget what he said after that: "I would give anything if my daughter (diagnosed with a possible brain tumor and currently needing a wheel chair) could progress to the point where she just needed a walker." He prays for that; I pray for that; and many other people are praying for that.
Again, "Be thankful for what you have, and set your goals for higher things." The world is full of many horrible things, as well as many wonderful things. Sometimes a person is constantly looking at the "horrible" things. However, my hopes are that they will be able to find the beauty in life. It's there - if you look for it!
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Do Not Lose Your Vision

"Like the blind we grope... feeling our way like men without eyes..." Isaiah 59:10 NIV

The Pilgrims landed on the shores of America full of vision. The first year they established a town. The next year they elected a council. In their third year the town council proposed building a road five miles out into the wilderness for westward expansion. But the people criticised it as a waste of public funds. Amazing! Once they had been able to see across oceans to new worlds, now they could not see five miles down the road. What happened? They lost their vision! How can you keep that from happening to you?

First, refuse to become self-centred! God wants you to enjoy success, but anytime the profit margin becomes more important than the service principle, you will forfeit God's blessing. Second, do not get lost in the mundane! One successful leader writes, 'In preparation for the day, I focus on the main event and ask, "In order to make the main event a good event, what must I know? Do? Eliminate?" Some things will be fun, some will not, but with preparation the most important things will get done well.'

Third, refuse to go with the flow! Most of us are married to the status quo. We want what is, not what can be. We seek safety and simple answers. To keep your vision alive you must give yourself permission to go a different way; to break new ground. The moment your eyes open each morning remind yourself, 'There is more out there than what I've experienced', then commit your day to God and get moving!

- Bob Gass
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The Carpenter

An elderly carpenter told his contractor of his plans to retire. The contractor asked him to build one more house as a personal favour.

The carpenter agreed to do it. Yet, this time, the carpenter didn't put his heart into his work; he used cheap materials and bad workmanship.

After the house was finished, the contractor came by and told the carpenter, "Here is the key to the front door. The house is my gift to you for your years of service." What a shock! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well. So it is with us. We are now living the life we have built.

Think of yourself as the carpenter. Each action you take is a nail hammered, a board placed, or a wall erected. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and choices you make today.

Quotes: "Do not throw the arrow, which will return against you." – Kurdish Proverb

"Anyone can predict your future, all they have to do is take a close look at the actions that you are taking today"
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As He Is, So We Are

Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world - 1 Jn. 4.17.

The beginning of our Christian experience according to John was the gift of the power to become sons of God. If no other portion of the scripture was written to expatiate on this, we would have been locked, as we think, to a state far away from God's transcedence; a state that we can only escape bye and bye.

That power works in us now, not just to reveal Christ in us, but to do the same through us. He came to this world and "... became what we are that he might make us what he is" (Athenasius of Alexandria).

The love of God is perfected to us in that as His beloved "...now are we the sons of God..." because as he is, so are we in this world. What a glorious basis for boldness when we shall appear before Him.

Let this mind be in you.
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PRAYER GRASPS ETERNITY

"No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shopwindow to display one's talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off.

Poverty-stricken as the Church is today in many things, she is most stricken here, in the place of praver. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.

The two prerequisites to successful Christian living are vision and passion, both of which are born in and maintained by prayer. The ministry of preaching is open to few; the ministry of prayer-the highest ministry of all human offices-is open to all. Spiritual adolescents say, "I'll not go tonight, it's only the prayer meeting." It may be that Satan has little cause to fear most preaching. Yet past experiences sting him to rally all his infernal army to fight against God's people praying. Modern Christians know little of "binding and loosing," though the onus is on us-"Whatsoever ye shall bind..." Have you done any of this lately? God is not prodigal with His power; but to be much for God, we must be much with God.

This world hits the trail for hell with a speed that makes our fastest plane look like a tortoise; yet alas, few of us can remember the last time we missed our bed for a night of waiting upon God for a world-shaking revival. Our compassions are not moved. We mistake the scaffolding for the building. Present-day preaching, with its pale interpretation of divine truths, causes us to mistake action for unction, commotion for creation, and rattles for revivals.

The secret of praying is praying in secret. A sinning man will stop praying, and a praying man will stop sinning. We are beggared and bankrupt, but not broken, nor even bent.

Prayer is profoundly simple and simply profound. "Prayer is the simplest form of speech that infant lips can try," and yet so sublime that it outranges all speech and exhausts man's vocabulary. A Niagara of burning words does not mean that God is either impressed or moved. One of the most profound of Old Testament intercessors had no language "Her lips moved, but her voice was not heard." No linguist here! There are groanings which cannot be uttered."

Are we so substandard to New Testament Christianity that we know not the historical faith of our fathers (with its implications and operations), but only the hysterical faith of our fellows? Prayer is to the believer what capital is to the business man.

Can any deny that in the modern church setup the main cause of anxiety is money? Yet that which tries the modern churches the most, troubled the New Testament Church the least. Our accent is on paying, theirs was on praying. When we have paid, the place is taken; when they had prayed, the place was shaken!

In the matter of New Testament, Spirit-inspired, hell-shaking, world-breaking prayer, never has so much been left by so many to so few. For this kind of prayer there is no substitute. We do it--or die!

Taken from Why Revival Tarries, by Leonard Ravenhill. Copyright 1959, Leonard Ravenhill. Published by Bethany House Publishers.

Christ, Head of the Church

By J. Michael Shannon

Can you believe it? The head of a baby Jesus statue was knocked off and carried away by vandals at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, Wauwatosa, Wis.. The church members are angry and looking to get the statue fixed. If the head is not found, the church will have to replace the entire statue at $12,000.

Disturbing! Isn't it? We often have done something worse without even knowing it. The Bible says Christ is the head of the church, and frequently we assume we are. Understanding that Christ is the head of the church will not solve all our problems, and we still will debate and discuss what we think Jesus would have us do; but it is guaranteed that if we take Jesus away from His place as head of the church it is a prescription for disaster.
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His Will Must be Done

The night on which He was betrayed started as the night in which He reclined at the table with them in a festive mood for the last time. He ate with them with His eyes on the future. Salvation at last has come to mortals; for those who shall believe, provision of eternal redemption was about to be made. Hence he said, this is my body... this is my blood....

Amazingly, they left the table with a wrong perspective. The concern of some of them was who shall be the chiefest. Let it not be so among you", he said in response.

How things should be henceforth is found in the garden called Gethsemane. He struggled with the flesh as He stood close to the implementation of the way out for sinners who have been all their lives subjected to vanity. Their salvation would require that flesh should be put under. His humility was not yet complete, not until the cross.

"Not my will", He said, "but yours be done"

This is the weekend to reflect on our pursuits and ambitions to align them with His; time to use the willingness of the spirit to subdue the weakness and the vulnerabilities of the flesh; time to say not my will but yours be done.

We can dream bigger dreams and have our eyes on the world as the constituency of our service,; but it must be in tune with His will.

God bless you

IAT™


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Easter and the Cross

In a church marketing newsletter just a few years ago, a campaign was suggested to attract people to church during the season of Easter. In this public relations campaign, it was suggested the cross be removed from the altar. According to the author, a survey has revealed the cross is one of those symbols the new generation of churchgoers considered too churchy. One pastor interviewed for the campaign gave his wholehearted endorsement. "We are going to attempt to concentrate on the resurrection, and not the death of Jesus."

Easter without the cross. Is it possible to have resurrection without crucifixion? No. It distorts the entire gospel if crucifixion is separated from resurrection. The road to the empty tomb will forever pass by a cross. The One who is raised from the dead is none other than the crucified Christ. Easter without a cross is a hoax


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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... ' (Revelation 3:2 NKJV). 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 (John 19:23-24). But they couldn't rob Him of '... the joy that was set before him... ' (Hebrews 12:2 NKJV). 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... ' (Revelation 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.

The Word for Today and scripture citations are copyright.


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When God Says “No”

Communication is an interesting matter. We all see and hear through a filter that has been shaped by our life events and how we have processed them. Our filters often like to hear "yes," and we can even tolerate "wait," as long as that wait is short-term. But we aren't fond of the word "no" from God. In fact, when we hear "no," we tend to believe it is the enemy blocking us, and so we muster our faith to rebuke the resistance.

In reality, it may be the "wind" of the Holy Spirit—that metaphor so often used to describe God's presence and working in our lives—that is causing the resistance. I read a commentary on Acts 16 that described this passage like part of St. Patrick's benediction that says, "May the wind be always at your back."

This was true for Paul's second missionary journey as they started to nurture the believers: "So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers" (Acts 16:5, NIV). In two instances, God says "no" to Paul regarding the direction he and his band of missionaries are about to take.

As we know, the wind can blow in some unexpected directions, as it did for this group. Though we don't know the method God used to speak "no," it was clear that they had been "kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia" (v. 6). Then again, when they tried to enter Bithynia, "the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So ...' (vv. 7-8).

The wind was blowing against them in some manner, but they seemed to understand the "no" of God was simply a redirection. Notice the word "so" in Acts 16:8. It was their response to God's "no." They knew the change of the wind wasn't intended to cause them to stop moving, nor was it for them to press into the wind and go against it.

Paul and his team had also come to discern the difference between being tossed to and fro by the wind rather than being led by it.

"How does God guide his church to the right place for mission? There will be 'closed' as well as 'open doors.' There will be guidance addressed to individuals as well as to the entire team. There will be guidance via circumstances, sometimes extraordinary, as well as through the use of reason in evaluating circumstances in the light of God's Word. And specific guidance will come only to those who are already on the road, living out their general obedience to the Great Commission. Being able to say, 'God sent me; I come with the wind at my back,' is a strong witness to one's hearers that one's message is from God and true" (IVP New Testament Commentary Series, published by InterVarsity Press).

Do you feel as if a strong wind is blowing against you? Listen for God's "no," and see if He isn't redirecting you. There may be people waiting for you in your "Macedonia" (see Acts 16:9-15).

By: Tammy Dunahoo, Foursquare Vice President and General Supervisor

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Support Your Spouse!

"The heart of her husband safely trusts her" - Proverbs 31:11 NKJV

The poet wrote, 'Love in your heart is not put there to stay. Love isn't love, till you give it away.' We can be rejected by many, as long as we can come home and be loved by one. At times life will beat you down, so make your home a sanctuary. Here's a story to help you do that.
He'd finally decided to ask his employer for a pay rise. Before leaving for work he told his wife about it. All day long she felt apprehensive. Finally, late in the afternoon he summoned the courage to approach his boss. To his delight he got the pay rise. Elated, he arrived home to a beautiful table set with their best china and lighted candles. Smelling the aroma of a specially prepared meal, he guessed that somebody from the office had called his wife and tipped her off. Finding her in the kitchen he shared the good news. They embraced before sitting down to a wonderful meal. Next to his plate he found a note that read, 'Congratulations! I knew you'd get the pay rise. This dinner is to show how much I love you.' Later, on his way to the kitchen to help his wife serve dessert, he noticed a second card that had fallen from her pocket. Picking it up off the floor he read, 'Don't worry about not getting the pay rise. You deserve it anyway. This dinner is to show you how much I love you.' Acceptance! Love! She stood behind him no matter what - softening the blows, healing the wounds, believing in him. So the word for you today is - support your spouse!
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Reach for Others!

A newspaper carried the story of a woman who fell asleep behind the wheel and plunged her car through a safety rail on the motorway. It dangled precariously, 60 feet in the air. Motorists stopped, grabbed ropes, tied them to the back of the woman's car and hung on till the emergency units arrived. A ladder was extended from below to help stabilise the car while fire-fighters chained the vehicle to tow trucks. Every time her car moved she screamed. It took over two hours for passers-by, the motorway patrol, tow-truck drivers and fire-fighters - about 25 people in all - to pull her to safety. The fire captain at the scene said later, 'It was funny. She kept shouting, "I'll do it myself!"'' Are you like that? If you want to enjoy God's best, reach for others!


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Put Aside Procrastination And Excuses

Put aside procrastination and excuses for doing nothing at all.
There is a famous compound interest story about the Emperor of China who offered the inventor of the game of chess one wish. The
inventor replied that he wanted one grain of rice on square one of
the chessboard, two grains on the second square, four on the third
and so on through square sixty-four. The unsuspecting emperor
agreed to the seemingly humble request. Yet, two raised to the
sixty-fourth power is eighteen million trillion grains of rice,
more than all the rice in China! Do you think your actions might
only be a tiny drop in your bucket? Have you ever placed a bucket
under a dripping tap overnight?

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Become God's Friend 4

Become God's Friend (4)  

"I have called you friends" - John 15:15 NKJV

Another step in developing your friendship with God is choosing to be honest with Him! God doesn't expect you to be perfect, but He does expect you to be honest. If perfection was a requirement not one of us would qualify. In the Bible, God's friends were honest about their feelings - sometimes even complaining and arguing with Him - yet He didn't seem to mind. In fact, He encouraged it. God listened patiently to David's accusations of unfairness, betrayal and abandonment. He didn't zap Jeremiah for claiming God had tricked him. Job was allowed to vent his bitterness and God actually defended him for being honest. On the other hand, He rebuked Job's friends for faking it: '... "You haven't been honest either with me or about me - not the way my friend Job has... My friend Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer"' (Job 42:7 TM). To be God's friend you must share your true feelings with Him, not what you think you ought to feel or say. Until you understand that God uses everything for good in our lives, you'll harbour resentment towards Him over your looks, your nationality, your economic background, your unanswered prayers, your past hurts, and the things you'd change if you were God. Actually, revealing your feelings and releasing your resentments to Him are the first steps to becoming spiritually whole. Isn't it encouraging to know that God's closest friends felt just like we do, but instead of masking their feelings in pious clichés they voiced them openly? Why? Because expressing them leads to healing and a deeper level of intimacy with Him.

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Become God's Friend - 3

Become God's Friend  

"I have called you friends" - John 15:15 NKJV

Friendship with God is maintained and strengthened through continual meditation. It's impossible to be God's friend apart from knowing what He says. You can't love God unless you know Him, and that's only possible through the Bible. '... He revealed himself to Samuel through his word' (1 Samuel 3:21 NIV). Now you can't spend all day studying the Bible, but you can think about it throughout the day, recalling verses you've read, mulling over them in your mind. Meditation isn't some mysterious ritual, it's simply focused thinking - a skill anybody can learn. When you think about a problem over and over, that's called worry. When you think about God's Word over and over, that's called meditation. If you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. Just switch your attention from the problem to the solution! The more you meditate on God's Word the less you'll have to worry about. The more time you spend meditating on the Scriptures the more you'll understand their secrets. The Psalmist said, 'The Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant' (Psalm 25:14 ESV). After Jesus told His disciples, '... "I have called you friends"... ', He went on to say, '... "I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you"' (John 15:16 NKJV). The benefits of friendship with God include abundant living and answered prayer. So if you want to become God's friend, read, digest and meditate in His Word.

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Become God's Friend - 2

"I have called you friends" - John 15:15 NKJV

In his book The Practice of the Presence of God, a French monk called Brother Lawrence suggests we pray short conversational prayers throughout the day rather than long, complex ones. To maintain our focus and counteract our wandering thoughts, he writes, 'I do not advise you to use a great multitude of words in prayer, since long discourses are often occasions for wandering.' What great insight! In the age of attention deficit disorder (ADD) this centuries-old suggestion to 'keep it simple' still works. Paul writes, '... Pray all the time... ' (1 Thessalonians 5:17 TM). 'But how can I do that?' you ask. One way is to use 'breath prayers', as many of the great saints and writers have done through the ages. You choose a simple phrase that can be repeated in one breath: 'Lord, You are with me'; 'I am depending on You'; 'I want to know You better'; 'Help me to trust You more'. You can also use short phrases of Scripture: 'For me to live is Christ'; 'You will never leave me'; 'You will supply all my needs'. Repeat it until it's rooted deeply in your heart and begins to reflect in your attitude and actions. This is a skill, a habit you can develop. Just as musicians practise their scales every day in order to play well, you can discipline yourself to think about God at different times in your day. 'But sometimes I don't feel God's presence,' you say. If you're seeking an emotion, you've missed the point. Your goal is not a feeling, but a continual awareness that God is always with you!

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Become God's Friend

Become God's Friend (1)  

"I have called you friends" - John 15:15 NKJV

Jesus told His disciples, '"No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."' Notice, Jesus initiated this friendship. With full knowledge of their problems and their possibilities, Jesus said, '... "I have called you friends"... ' Amazing! In royal courts the servants must keep their distance, but the inner circle enjoys close contact, direct access and confidential information. How can you become a friend of God? Through constant conversation. God wants to be included in every activity. You can carry on a conversation with Him throughout your day, talking about whatever you're doing at that moment. Brother Lawrence, a humble cook in a French monastery, writes, 'The key to friendship with God is not changing what you do, but changing your attitude towards what you do. What you normally do for yourself you now begin doing for God, whether it is eating, bathing, relaxing or taking out the rubbish.' Some of us think we must 'get away' in order to experience intimacy with God. That's because we haven't learned to recognise and cultivate His presence in all things. No place is closer to God than where you are right now! In Eden there were no rituals - just a simple relationship between God and those He created. Unhindered by guilt or fear, they delighted in Him and He delighted in them. 'Is such a relationship possible?' you ask. Absolutely. '... Our friendship with God was restored by the death of His son... ' (Romans 5:10 NLT).

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A Better Tomorrow

A Better Tomorrow  

"To bestow beauty instead of ashes" - Isaiah 61:3 NIV.

The Chinese have an interesting symbol for the word 'crisis'; it indicates both danger and opportunity. When the stakes are high and the outcome in doubt, purpose can emerge from pain like beauty from ashes. But real healing can't begin until you face the facts and express your pain. That means doing what David did: taking it to God. 'How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart?... ' (Psalm 13:2 NIV). Just as lancing a boil is a necessary first step to healing, facing the truth is the first step towards becoming whole. Those who grow through a crisis learn which hopes, dreams and expectations were violated by the event. They identify where the repair work is needed, then they develop a road map for the future. At first you will feel as if 'nothing will ever be the same again'. That's normal. You may have to make adjustments in how you work, where you spend your leisure time, and how you relate to your family and friends. It's the nature of a crisis to destabilise your world. But it also forces you to reach deep within yourself and find hidden strength you didn't know existed. You may not feel courageous or hopeful right now, but that doesn't mean those things aren't there waiting to be tapped. Even though you don't feel strong today, you can draw strength from the One who is. 'The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God... in Whom I will trust... ' (Psalm 18:2 AMP). Face it. Find God in it. Follow Him, and He will give you a better tomorrow.

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The God of Small Treasures

A preacher told the following fascinating story.

"One day I was walking down the streets of a Montana city with a fellow preacher who had his 3-year old son along. As we walked the little boy looked down and saw a penny lying on the sidewalk. The child became so excited, he reached down and grabbed it. He could have been no happier if it were a thousand dollars.

"Daddy, Daddy," he cried. "Look what I found -- a penny!"

"His excitement fascinated me. I could not imagine getting so excited about so little. I ran my hand into my pocket and found I had a whole pocket full of change, mostly pennies. I hurried my step to walk just ahead of the child and for the next few moments I dropped pennies for the sheer joy of watching his excitement as he found them. 

"Pennies buy so little that I didn't even feel any sense of sacrifice in what I was doing. But to the little boy the retrieval of every one of them was over and again erupting with joy.

"I doubt if I would even stop to pick up a penny, and yet that which was not to be treasured by me was clearly celebrated by the child. I have been overwhelmed time and again by what seems to be God's sense of wonder.

Treasuring the seemingly worthless is somehow like our God."

What do you think?

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Don't Fall In Love With The World

Don't Fall In Love With It  

"Live as temporary residents on earth" - 1 Peter 1:17 GWT

The fact that this world is not our ultimate home explains why we experience difficulty, disappointment and rejection. It also explains why some promises seem unfulfilled, some prayers unanswered, and some circumstances unfair. This life is not the end of the story! In order to keep us from becoming too attached to this world, God allows us to feel a certain amount of discontent - longings that will never be fulfilled this side of heaven. We're not completely happy here because we're not supposed to be! Indeed, we won't be in heaven two seconds before we'll look around and say, 'Why did I place such importance on earthly things?' The truth is, at death you don't leave home, you go home! Imagine being an ambassador in a hostile nation. You would have to learn its language and adapt to its customs. You couldn't isolate yourself. To fulfil your mission you'd have to understand what's going on and know how to relate to those around you. But what if you fell in love with that country, preferring it to your own? Your loyalty and commitment would be compromised. Instead of representing your country, you'd start acting like a traitor. The Bible says, '... We are Christ's ambassadors... ' (2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT). So don't get too attached to what's around you, because it's temporary. 'Those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world as we know it will soon pass away' (1 Corinthians 7:31 NLT). So use it, maximise it to fulfil God's purposes, but don't fall in love with it!

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Look For The Best In The Worst

"God turned the curse into a blessing" - Deuteronomy 23:5 NCV

When Thomas Carlyle completed his manuscript on the French Revolution, he asked his neighbour John Stuart Mill to read it. Later, Mill came to Carlyle's house, shaken and pale. His maid had inadvertently used it to light the fire! Carlyle despaired - two years lost! Writing it initially was daunting enough; rewriting it was unthinkable. Then one day, watching a stonemason build a wall, he observed it was going up one brick at a time. Inspired, he thought, 'I'll write a page today and one tomorrow. One at a time; that's all I'll think about.' It was slow, tedious work, but he persevered and the result outshone his original. Jon Gordon writes, 'If you're concerned about the future... I know how you feel. I lost my job in 2001... the company sank faster than the Titanic... I thought it was the worst event of my life. I was two months away from bankruptcy. I'd a wife, two children, a mortgage, no health insurance, and very little savings. I was a payslip away from losing it all and... I had to make some important decisions. Eventually they led to the work I now do as a writer, consultant and speaker. I went from Fired to Fired-up! My lay-off led to my life's mission... what I thought was the worst... led to the best... When the wave hits we have a choice... allow it to crush us, or learn from it and ride it to a positive future. We can move forward with determination and faith that our best days are ahead.' Rejoice. Refocus. God can turn the curse into a blessing.

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Illustration: Marriage, Forgiveness

On her golden wedding anniversary, a grandmother revealed the secret of her long and happy marriage. "On my wedding day, I decided to choose 10 of my husband's faults, which (for the sake of our marriage) I would overlook," she explained. A guest asked her to name some of the faults. "To tell the truth," she replied, "I never did get around to listing them; but whenever my husband did something that made me hopping mad, I would say to myself, 'Lucky for him that's one of the 10.'"

No one is perfect. So marriage is the union of two imperfect people, with their individual faults, bad habits and undesirable qualities. As Christians, marriage should be a place to practice grace. When you can look past the faults of your spouse and concentrate on encouraging them, you will find satisfaction and peace.]

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Engaging the Surpassing Power of God

Engaging the Surpassing Power of God Eph. 1.19-23

We cannot afford to have any problem with what the word says about the power of God. God's word is exalted above his name – Ps. 138.2. With his name the word constitutes the two immutable things by which it is impossible for God to lie – Heb. 6.13-18. Is this his word? Yes all scriptures are given by the inspiration of God... – 2 Tim. 3.6 this is God's word expressed through Paul.

God's power is surpassingly great – Eph. 1.19. His power is also at work towards/for us. The word power means ability; its being at work suggests that God's power is quickened or energised towards/for us. The power of God is not latent; it is quickened/active – according to the working power which he wrought in Christ.....

The power, being active, works. It works to heal; deliver; save; bless; lift; give victory; change. It produces change wherever it is directed. What energises it is not just the intention of God, but also the agreement of man with God. When man believes, all things become possible – Mk.9.23; the working mighty power becomes activated in him.

Here we see the significance of the prayer of Paul. It is for us to have a spiritual experiential consciousness of this power and the way it worked in the Lord.
How did it work in him? Initiated by the Father's design, the power was activated by the son's resignation (trusting faith) to the Father's will and effected by the work of the Holy Spirit.

We are to maintain/have a consciousness that uses the awareness of how the power worked towards Jesus.

He was raised (resurrected) from the dead, never to die again. Christ death is the death of death itself – 1 Cor. 15.54-57; Eph. 2.5;

He was seated in the heavens and we also in him – Eph. 2.6, thereby granting us control in the spiritual realm (aerial control) with a wider reach and distance removed.

He became exalted above all... Eph. 6.12; Col. 2.15. His resurrection exalted him above all of hell. They are defeated, though still here. We fight not for victory, but from victory, by taking stand (with the word) always

He got everything under his feet. The victory is won

He was given as head to the church which is the fullness or compeletion of Him that fills all in all. The power fills the universe through us with all the fullness of His authority, His victory, and His glory. We are His body and the comic force with which He penetrates everything here..

We are not denying the power of the devil; we are rather appreciating and establishing our preference for the power of God. The devil hates us and could attack all the plantings of the Lord around us. We do not avoid him or run from him; we consciously engage him every day with the full consciousness of God's power taking our stand with it always.

This is what he hates. He is frustrated with those who know the power at work towards them; and these are they that win in all life's battle.

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Standing On His Promise

"He who comes to God must believe that... He is a rewarder" - Hebrews 11:6 NAS

Christopher Pylant's parents refused to believe there was no hope for their son who'd been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. After studying the x-rays, neurosurgeon Ben Carson told them, 'There's no way I can encourage you.' 'The experts told us that in Georgia,' the mother replied, 'but God led us to Baltimore and said there's a doctor here who can help him. We believe you're that doctor.' Carson replied, 'I'll do my best,' praying for a miracle. When he operated, Christopher's brain stem looked like it had been consumed by cancer, and without that there's no real life. In the waiting room he told the Pylants, 'I'm sorry I couldn't help your son. We've all prayed but sometimes God works in ways we don't understand.' They never wavered, saying, 'God's going to heal our son. We're standing on His promise.' Carson admired their faith, but the evidence was irrefutable. For three days little Christopher was comatose, but his eyes were focusing and his physical movements improved. Following another scan Carson reoperated, and after removing the cancerous mass in layers and cleaning out the crevices, there it was - a healthy brain stem, distorted, but intact! Taking their son home a month later, his parents and the doctor thanked God together for a miracle. '... He who comes to God must believe that... He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.' The neurosurgeon said, 'As they walked out of the hospital that day... glory shone on their faces, and I heard my mother telling me again, "If you ask God for something believing He'll do it... He'll do it".'

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Giving And Receiving Forgiveness

"Be kind and compassionate... forgiving each other" - Ephesians 4:32 NIV

A counsellor writes, 'We have all been wounded. Who wounds us? Those we love and those who love us. When we feel rejected, abandoned, abused, manipulated or violated it's usually by people close to us: our parents, our friends, our marriage partners, our children, our teachers, our pastors. This is what makes forgiveness so difficult. It's our hearts that are wounded! We cry out, "You, who I expected to be there for me, have failed me. How can I ever forgive you for that?" Though forgiveness may seem impossible, the God who lives within us will give us the grace to go beyond our wounded selves and say, "In the name of Christ, I forgive you." But remember, there are two sides to forgiveness: giving and receiving. Although at first sight, giving seems harder, often we are not able to offer forgiveness because we haven't fully received it ourselves. Only as people who have tasted the joy of forgiveness can we find the inner motivation to give it. Why is receiving forgiveness so difficult? Because it's hard to acknowledge that without your forgiveness I'm still affected by what happened between us. I need you to help set me free and make me whole again. That requires not only a confession that we've been hurt, but also the humility to admit our dependence on the very one who hurt us. Yet, only when we're able to receive forgiveness, can we truly extend it to others.' That's why the Bible says, 'Get rid of all bitterness... Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.'

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Illustration: Excellence, Commitment, Work

David Jeremiah tells about the group of men gathered one Saturday morning to help paint a friend's large, two-story home. Toward the end of the day when the job was almost complete, a small bit of trim, which actually could not be seen from the ground, remained unpainted. One of the men said, "Since nobody can see that piece of trim, I guess we don't need to paint it."

"Not true," said another of the crew as he went for a ladder. "God sees it."

The difference in the two approaches is the difference between working man's way and working God's way; working in light of the end of the day versus working in light of the end of life; working for immediate rewards versus working for ultimate rewards. It's easy to get confused about who we really work for in this life. We go to work and interact with a human boss who makes the rules and signs the checks. We may face him at the end of the day; but at the end of the age, we will come face to face with the ultimate "Boss," God Himself. What we got away with on the job will be made known, and what went unrewarded will be paid in full.

The best way to get high marks on our final "employee review" is to picture God as our employer each day.]



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How God Reveals His Will To Us

How God Reveals His Will To Us  

"Did not our heart burn within us" - Luke 24:32 NKJV

Look at the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and you'll discover how God speaks to us and gives us direction. They thought they'd seen the death of Jesus and His movement. Fearful and disillusioned, they packed their bags and headed for home, when suddenly Jesus appeared to them. How does the Lord reveal His will to us? The simplicity of the process may surprise you. First, through others. The travellers' first mistake was to disregard the words of their fellow disciples. '... Today some women among us amazed us. Early this morning they went to the tomb, but they did not find his body there. They came and told us... Jesus was alive!' (Luke 24:22-23 NCV). God still works that way. He still speaks to us through others. That's why you need to attend church regularly and build relationships that strengthen you. Second, through Scripture. '... Starting with what Moses and all the prophets had said about him, Jesus began to explain everything that had been written about himself in the Scriptures' (v. 27 NCV). Their second mistake was disregarding the Word of God and listening to their fears. Are you doing that? God still speaks through His Word; the answers you need are in your Bible. Third, through our heart's desire. 'They said to each other, "It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us."... ' God reveals His will to us by giving us a burning desire. What fuels and focuses you? Singles? The inner city? Untouched nations? Forgotten orphans? Whatever it is - heed the fire within you!

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Purpose and Direction

Former Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice once told graduates of the Mississippi College School of Law in Jackson that they have a responsibility to be "optimistic" in their lives.

"I first learned this lesson from hearing stories about my paternal grandfather," she said. "Grandfather Rice was a poor farmer's son in Eutaw, Alabama. One day, he decided to get book-learning. So he asked, in the language of the day, where a colored man could go to school.

"They said that a little Presbyterian school, Stillman College, was only about 50 miles away. So he saved up his cotton to pay for the first year's tuition. After the first year, he ran out of cotton and he needed a way to pay. My grandfather asked the school administrators how those other boys were staying in school, and he was told that they had what was called a scholarship.

"They said, 'If you want to be a Presbyterian minister, you could have a scholarship, too.' My grandfather said, 'That's just what I had in mind.'"

The moral of the story, she said: "In America, it is not about where you are coming from, but where you are going."



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What You Learn In A Crisis

"Why are we sitting here until we die?" - 2 Kings 7:3 NKJV

The armies of Syria had besieged Samaria and the people were dying of starvation. Four lepers, whose disease forced them to live outside the city walls, had got used to living on scraps of bread people threw over the wall each day. But now no more scraps were coming their way. So they said to themselves, '... "Why are we sitting here until we die?"' So they took action. '... They rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians... to their surprise no one was there. For the Lord had caused... the Syrians to hear... the noise of a great army... Therefore they arose and fled... and left... their tents, their horses, and their donkeys... these lepers... went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing... Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent... let us go and tell the king's household"' (2 Kings 7:5-9 NKJV). This story teaches us three important truths. First, that crisis becomes our friend when it moves us to take action. Only when we're sick and tired of being sick and tired, will things begin to change for the better. Second, that - once we take a step of faith - God will move on our behalf. The only thing that can limit Him is our doubt, our stubbornness and our complacency. His Word says, '... Therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you... ' (
Isaiah 30:18 KJV). Finally, it teaches us that when God blesses us, we can't keep it to ourselves. Others need what God has given us, and we must get it to them - on time.

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Surrender

"Because you say so, I will" - Luke 5:5 NIV

Until we accept and cooperate with the law of gravity, we can't fly. Until we accept and cooperate with the law of economics, we can't succeed in business. Getting the idea? Surrendering to God is not weakness, it's wisdom. Only a fool resists God, because it's a fight we can't win. It's in surrendering to Him that we are empowered to succeed in what He's called us to do. Surrender is demonstrated by obedience. It's saying, 'Yes, Lord' to whatever He asks. To say, 'No, Lord' is a contradiction. How can we call Jesus 'Lord', and refuse to obey Him? (Luke 6:46 NKJV).

Peter demonstrated true surrender when Jesus told him to try again. '... "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish... ' (Luke 5:5-6 NKJV). Surrendered people obey God even when it doesn't seem to make sense. Abraham followed God without knowing where it would take him. Hannah waited on God's timing without knowing when. Mary expected a miracle without knowing how. Joseph trusted God's plan without knowing why circumstances happened as they did. Each was fully surrendered to God, and they came out on top. 'How will I know I'm fully surrendered?' we ask. When we rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force our own agenda or control the situation. We don't have to be in charge, we simply let go and let God have His way.

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Joseph's Coats

"Then Pharaoh... clothed him in garments of fine linen" - Genesis 41:42 NKJV

To be used by God, you must wear the two coats Joseph wore - namely, those of favour and integrity.

First, the coat of favour. 'Now [Jacob] loved Joseph... and he made him a coat of many colours' (Genesis 37:3 KJV). Like Joseph's multicoloured coat, the favour of God will cause you to stand out in the crowd; it will open doors, protect and promote you. The Bible says, 'For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favour You will surround him as with a shield' (Psalm 5:12 NKJV).

Second, the coat of integrity. This is the coat Joseph left in the hands of Potiphar's wife when he refused her advances and stayed true to his convictions. 'When Joseph went into the house to do his work... she caught him by his garment, saying, "Lie with me." But he left his garment in her hand, and fled... ' (Genesis 39:11-12 NKJV). Your temptation may be different from Joseph's. You may be tempted to gossip, cut corners on a job, lie to save face, or claim credit for something you didn't do; whatever it is, you'll be tested. And your character will be revealed. Passing the test of integrity is what qualifies you to be used by God.

Dr Joseph Parker, the great English preacher and contemporary of Charles Spurgeon, said, 'An un-tempted minister will never do us any good, and an untried one will talk over our heads.' When your hour of testing comes, the thing that will hold you steady and get you through is knowing, standing on, and speaking God's Word. That's why the Psalmist wrote, 'Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You' (Psalm 119:11 NKJV).

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Denominations

A Baptist preacher and his wife decided to get a new dog. Ever mindful of the congregation, they knew the dog must also be a Baptist. They visited kennel after kennel and explained their needs. Finally, they found a kennel whose owner assured them he had just the dog they wanted.

The owner brought the dog to meet the pastor and his wife. "Fetch the Bible," he commanded.

The dog bounded to the bookshelf, scrutinized the books, located the Bible, and brought it to the owner.

"Now find Psalm 23," he commanded.

The dog dropped the Bible to the floor, and showing marvelous dexterity with his paws, leafed through and finding the correct passage, pointed to it with his paw.

The pastor and his wife were very impressed and purchased the dog.

That evening, a group of church members came to visit. The pastor and his wife began to show off the dog, having him locate several Bible verses. The visitors were very impressed.

One man asked, "Can he do regular dog tricks, too?"

"I haven't tried yet," the pastor replied.

He pointed his finger at the dog. "HEEL!" the pastor commanded. The dog immediately jumped on a chair, placed one paw on the pastor's forehead and began to howl.

The pastor looked at his wife in shock and said, "Good Lord! He's Pentecostal!"

IAT Boluwatise
Kiss the Son, lest He be angry .... Blessed are all who take refuge in Him. Ps. 2.12

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Do Not Fear; I Will Help You

"All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. 12 Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. 13 For I am the lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isa 41.11-13 (NIV)

Is there really anything that kills as the fear of the unknown or the fear of the future based on the uncertainty today. Jesus said this will be one of the features of the end time in Luke 21.26: "Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world ....."

But also there is really nothing as refreshing and motivating as to knowing the future ahead and as to receiving certainty of God.

Many are really concerned, for there are certain factors and circumstances that naturally mobilise against them featuring as opposition and barriers; and definite as areas of constant battle. So constant are such features that you have concluded on them as "my problems" meaning that though you do not enjoy these travails, you have come to establish an identity with them.

Your fear is addressed by God: the fear of shame and disgrace; the fear of being cast into oblivion and doom; and the fear of being destroyed is dealt with.

For every threat the factors posed against you, such design shall amount to the fate of the factors in your sphere of experience.

You shall look for them and not find them, for the Lord will take hold of your right hand to both guard and guide you; He is allaying your fears by saying "I will help you".

Can you see the reason now why you can zealously push towards that future you have been afraid of this year?

I see an overflowing barn of your harvest this year.

Engage the strength He has provided for you and press forward. The finishing line and the prize are both awaiting you.

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Why Walk When You Can Fly?

There was once a king, who received a gift of two magnificent falcons from Arabia. They were peregrine falcons, the most beautiful birds he had ever seen. He gave the precious birds to his head falconer to be trained. Months passed and one day the head falconer informed the king that though one of the falcons was flying majestically, soaring high in the sky, the other bird had not moved from its branch, since the day it had arrived. The king summoned healers from all the land to tend to the falcon, but no one could make the bird fly. He presented the task to a member of his court, but the next day, the king saw through the palace window that the bird had still not moved from its perch. Having tried everything else, the king thought to himself, "May be I need someone more familiar with the countryside to understand the nature of this problem." So he cried out to his court, "Go and get a farmer." In the morning, the king was thrilled to see the falcon soaring high above the palace gardens. He said to his court, "Bring me the doer of this miracle." The court quickly located the farmer, who came and stood before the king. The king asked him, "How did you make the falcon fly?" With his head bowed, the farmer said to the king, " It was very easy, your highness. I simply cut the branch, where the bird was sitting."

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When Things Settle Down - Bob Gass

"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." - Psalm 90:12NLT

He logged twelve-hour days, and sometimes weekends. Even when he wasn't working, he was thinking about work. His wife tried to slow him down. He knew they weren't as close as they once had been. He hadn't intended to drift away, it's just that she always seemed to want time, and that's the one thing he didn't have to give. He was vaguely aware that his kids were growing up and he was missing it. They complained about books he wasn't reading to them, games he wasn't playing with them and trips he wasn't taking with them. After a while they stopped complaining or expecting their lives might ever be different. 'I'll be more available when things settle down,' he thought. When he felt guilty he told himself, 'I'm doing it for them.' His wife asked him about going to church but he said, 'There'll be plenty of time for that sort of thing when things settle down.' His doctor told him he had elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol-but he told himself there'd be plenty of time for that when things settle down. Quietly, efficiently, irresistibly, his body was preparing to do him in. One morning his wife woke at 3 a.m. and he was not beside her. She went downstairs to drag him to bed and saw him sitting still in front of the computer, his head hanging low. She touched him but he didn't respond. When the paramedics got there they told her he had suffered a massive heart attack. Things had finally settled down!

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THE YEAR OF DISTINGUISHABLE BLESSING - Abraham Sam Aiyedogbon

You must be aware, like I am, that the concept of divine blessing has being so much bastardized and subjected to lots of theological controversies. There is a school of thought contending that there is too much emphasis on being blessed in the Church. Such people are displeased that the Church has become 'A sort of bless me club'. However, people with keen and balanced spiritual insight have discovered that what many seekers and promoters of 'blessings' are desperate pursuing are transient in nature and self centered in motive.

Although most people have some vague ideas about the benefit and effects of some divine blessings, they are yet to actually comprehend the nature and the purpose of God's outstanding covenant blessings. A proper understanding of this will make it clear to everyone that divine blessings are desirable and needful for everyone. It doesn't necessarily start with, neither is it limited to mere financial or material acquisition. These are just part of the side effect of divine covenant blessings. No one can actually survive without some aspects and elements of God's blessing.

A close examination of the biblical account of creation shows mankind as the crowning glory of that divine project. There is no other creature given the degree of attention by all members of the Godhead as the case was with man. The likeness in which Man was made transcends all other creatures. He was made in the very image and likeness of God. The intention was for man to rule and reign over everything created. One of the most inspiring Psalms captured the disposition of God concerning Man in a very profound way. (Read Psalm 8:3-6) It is instructive that though man was made in the very image of God, God still saw the need for him to be blessed in order to fulfill his divinely allotted destiny.

"…Then God blessed them, and God said to them; "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth." This scriptural truth indicates that God recognized that man, in his very best state, can never really function as He is meant to function (in order to fulfill the divine purpose for his life) without the impartation of divine blessing. This being the case, it will be fool hardy for anyone, in our current maladjusted state, to imagine that we can by ourselves be what we are meant to be, and accomplish what we are created to accomplish, without a constant flow of God's blessing.

Divine blessings in this context can be defined as the miraculous empowerment to function and fulfill destiny. It is far beyond the perennial tokens granted by providence for the mere sustenance of biological life on earth. There are such blessings which God unconditionally gives to all of humanity. The Lord Jesus affirmed this when He instructed His disciples saying "….Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."

On the other hand, there are exceptional and outstanding blessings from God that can make our lives distinguishable among billions of the earth inhabitants in a particular year. These were the types of blessings that marked the lives heroes of the faith like Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, and Israel as a nation. The Bible reveals that "….Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him."

The exceptional blessing pronounced on the lives of both Joseph and the nation of Israel made them outstanding in the comity of nations. Part of the invocation says "Blessed of the Lord is his land, With the precious things of heaven…and the deep lying beneath….With the best things of the ancient mountains, With the precious things of the everlasting hills, With the precious things of the earth and its fullness…Let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers."

This is the type of blessing which made Jabez nobler than all his brethren, although the beginning of his life, and his initial identity in the family were all rooted in sorrow and misfortune. The LORD's promise to me and to everyone connected with me in one way or the other, not only in this New Year, but for the rest of our lives is that we shall recognized among nations as the generation which has being exceptional blessed by God. This is for us a year of remarkable and outstanding blessings that will make us distinguishable among all people. I have received a divine command to specially bless God's people in a way that will make the blessing irreversible, and I cannot do otherwise! Thus says the LORD "…Blessed are those who bless us, and cursed are those who curse us." May this be your portion this year and forever in Jesus' name, Amen.

(Published in Thisday of Sunday Jan. 2, 2010)

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Lay up His Word in Your Heart in 2011

"Accept instruction from His mouth and lay up His words in your heart." Job. 22.22

Make it part of your commitment to read through the Bible in 2011.

May He supply you with strength to press forward also in this manner.

God bless you.

IAT Boluwatise
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