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.

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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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