Devotion: In Pursuit of Holiness
 

In Pursuit of Holiness

ÔÇ£God caused Him who knew no sin to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God.ÔÇØ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

What keeps you pursuing holiness? What has happened as a result?

For me, I have learned to trust God in times when everything seemed perfect, but MOST importantly I have learned to trust Him in times of wilderness.

The gospel truth keeps me pursuing holiness and the assurance of His grace gives me the courage to pass on to others what I learn, and continue to learn.

Today, itÔÇÖs a joy to remind you what God has given His people to help them grow and pursue holiness, these gifts are the gospel truth, the Word of God.
Being rooted in the gospel truth will help us face tomorrow and walk in victories.

Devotion: What to Do When You Don't Understand
 

ÔÇ£What to Do When You DonÔÇÖt UnderstandÔÇØ
By Scott Hunter


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil 8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones (Proverbs 3:5-8)


Have you ever said the following, ÔÇ£I donÔÇÖt understandÔÇØ? I know that I have. There are many times in life whether it is sickness, finances, relationships and other things that happen and we just donÔÇÖt know why. We try to figure it out but it doesnÔÇÖt make sense. There are things we will never figure out, but we can faith it out. Here are some things we can do. First, trust God.

Proverbs 3:5-8 says that we should trust in the Lord with all our heart and
lean not to our own understanding. How many of us really trust God? I mean when it comes down to it, are we still involved in the situation, or have we given it all to God? Are we willing to let go and take the leap of faith, trusting that He will never fail us? Second, pray in the Spirit. In Romans 8:26-28, it says that the Spirit will pray through us when we donÔÇÖt know how to pray.

This is awesome because I know that many times I have prayed about something every way I know how, and still nothing. When we pray in the Spirit, we pray the perfect will of God. Third, know that He understands. Hebrews 4:14-16 says that Jesus, our high priest, was tempted on all
manners just as we are. He understands and according to Hebrews 7:24-25,

He is praying for us. He gets it, and He will see us through. Lastly, be thankful. Remind yourself of His faithfulness. In Philippians 4:6-8, it says donÔÇÖt worry, be thankful and let GodÔÇÖs peace override your understanding as you meditate on good things. Win the battle by meditating on Him. I know sometimes it doesnÔÇÖt look like it is working, that 1 + 1 + 1 = 2. If we keep doing these things above and believe that what he has started, He will finish. That 2 will turn to a 3. DonÔÇÖt give up, even when you donÔÇÖt understand

I want to encourage you to check out ScottÔÇÖs new You Tube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/CFGMUSA, or you can go to his website at www.compassionfireandglory.org and see all that God is doing through him.

Devotion: Unexplainable Power
 

Unexplainable Power


"I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony." - John 3:11

When is the last time God did something in your work life that can only be explained as God? Was it yesterday? Was it just last week? A month ago? A year ago? The answer to this question may mean several things. If it has been some time since you saw God's activity in such a way that you know it was His hand, you may not be trusting to a level that requires faith. You may not be risking enough for God to show Himself. The converts in the early Church changed the world they lived in because of what they saw and heard. It was the power of the gospel that changed lives, not what they learned from mere teaching. This power drew people to Christ. Things happened that could not be explained as anything other than the activity of God. Is that the kind of faith you are experiencing in your life? Many of us live a wholesome, moral life, but those we associate with do not see this activity as anything that cannot also be achieved by them. That is why many are not drawn to our lives. God's power is not evident. The Lord has been challenging me to trust Him at levels I have never trusted before. This level of trust has placed me in a vulnerable position. However, the blessing of this relationship is that I see the activity of God as never before, and those closes to me see it as well. It builds their faith and draws others to investigate.

Sometimes the activity of God comes in unusual ways. God often sets up scenes that appear to be negative on the front end, but God has orchestrated these events for His glory.

-Without Pharaoh's pursuit of Israel at the Red Sea, there is no miraculous deliverance.

-Without Lazarus's death, there is no rising to life.

-Without Goliath, there is no underdog story.

-Without Peter stepping out of the boat, there is no miracle on the water.

-Without Judas' betrayal, there is no resurrection.

God wants to show Himself in ways you and I cannot imagine. Let God demonstrate His power in your workplace today. Then, you will see "all men drawn unto Me."

Devotion: The Spirit of Competition
 

The Spirit of Competition
I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. - John 17:23

A story is told about F.B. Meyer, the great Bible teacher and pastor who lived a century ago. He was pastoring a church and began to notice that attendance was suffering. This continued until he finally asked some members of his congregation one Sunday morning why they thought attendance was down.

A member volunteered, "It is because of this new church down the road. The young preacher has everyone talking and many are going to hear him speak."

His name was Charles Spurgeon. Meyer, rather than seeking to discourage this, exhorted the entire congregation to join him and go participate in seeing this "move of God" as he described it to his congregation.
"If this be happening, then God must be at work."
Meyer, even though he was an accomplished preacher and teacher, recognized where God was at work and joined Him in it.

Can you imagine this story taking place in our competitive world today? Competition has penetrated the Church so much that many churches and Christian organizations approach ministry like a sports event. They view their mission as a business that seeks to gain market share among Christians - donors, members, influence - all under the name of God. I am sure God looks down at us and asks, "Whatever happened to John 17:23?" Sometimes we must remind our fellow servants that we are all on the same team! We should be seeking to impact the Kingdom of God, not increase our own market share.

When Jesus made this statement about unity in John 17:23, it represented the key to bringing salvation to many. He was saying that when His Body is unified, the non-Christian would be able to see who Jesus really is - the Son of God. Are you contributing to unity in the Body of Christ? Or are you contributing to a spirit of competition? Ask God where you can be an instrument of unity in His Body

Devotion: God's Authority
 

GodÔÇÖs Authority


"I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on Me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what My Father has commanded Me...." - John 14:30-31

There is a constant war going on between our flesh and the Spirit. As Christians, the Spirit seeks to move us under the authority of His domain in order for us to fulfill all that we were created for. Every person was designed to be under some form of authority. Jesus modeled this in His own life. He lived under the authority of His heavenly Father. He made no independent decisions. He, unlike us, was sinless and always remained under His Father's authority. He acknowledged that the prince of this world has a hold on many, but did not have a hold on Jesus.

The prince of this world does have his hold on many in our world, even among our brothers and sisters. The one thing most of us want the greatest is the freedom to make our own decisions. It goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when the decision was made to exercise a personal right: freedom to decide, freedom of choice, freedom from hindrances, freedom from pain. However, Jesus chose to live under the authority of the Father's desire for His life. He was the ultimate model of a man under authority.

Each day we must determine if we'll willingly choose to be under the authority of the Father and the direction of the Holy Spirit. It is a choice each of us must make. It is a choice that actually leads to freedom, not bondage. Choosing to live under the authority of our heavenly Father frees us to gain the greatest fulfillment in life-His mission and the purposes He has for us. It is the little decisions of daily life that reveal whether we truly live under His authority

Devotion: Beware of Unusual Circumstances
 

Beware of Unusual Circumstances


"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit?" (1 Corinthians 12:7-9).

Whenever something unusual happens in daily life, these are often signs that God is up to something. We must have a heightened sense of awareness of what God may want to do in these situations. My mentor once shared how he was upgraded on an airline unexpectedly. A woman sat down next to him who was very troubled. He began to quietly pray for the woman and God gave him supernatural insights that her problem related to the fact that she had not forgiven her mother in a family-related issue. He decided to politely share his insight. The woman was shocked. My mentor began to minister to her on the airplane and ultimately led her to Christ.

God is raising the spiritual bar for Christians who want to impact the world for Christ today. He wants to break through into people's lives supernaturally by giving them insights into the needs of people in order to bring them to Christ.

Jesus often spoke supernaturally into the lives of others based on the circumstance of the moment. He often spoke of their current condition in life and invited them to make a change.

As you go about your day, there are situations that we can find ourselves in that are open doors for bringing Christ into the circumstance. In fact, He is the one orchestrating the circumstance!

Next time an unusual situation develops, be aware that God may be creating such a circumstance to bring His glory into the situation.

Devotion: Turning Tragedy into Triumph
 

Turning Tragedy into Triumph


"So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you" (2 Corinthians 4:12).

On 9/11/01, New York City firefighter Stephen Siller had just completed his shift when he heard on his truck's scanner that a plane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. Siller quickly turned his truck around and attempted to drive back to Manhattan via the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel but found the entrance blocked by abandoned vehicles. Desperate to join his elite Squad One brothers, Siller donned 75 pounds of fire gear and ran a mile-and-a-half through the tunnel, before an emergency vehicle picked him up and dropped him off at Tower Two.

Siller had been orphaned at the age of 10 and raised by his much older brothers and sisters. Siller died that day trying to save others. He left behind a wife and five children.

His story proved so inspirational that it became a legend in the newsrooms and firehouses of New York City. His six siblings - who in many ways viewed Siller as a son, as well as a brother - found themselves grappling with a dilemma: should they allow the tragic circumstances of their brother's death to paralyze and embitter them or use it as a catalyst to help others and preserve his memory?

The Siller family chose the latter.

Once they made that decision, and armed with no extraordinary wealth or political clout, the siblings combined forces to convince New York officials to close down the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel the last Sunday morning of each September and stage the "Tunnel to Towers Run" to commemorate their brother's heroic last run.

Each year since 9/11 tens of thousands of runners have retraced the steps of a hero. As part of the event 343 New York City firefighters, each representing a fallen comrade and holding an American flag, stand throughout the length of the tunnel. They are joined by firefighters from across the United States, each holding a poster-size picture of a firefighter who perished on 9/11.
The Siller family has raised more than $1 million and donated the money to charities, that benefit families of those affected by the 9/11 attacks.

This is a tribute to one heartbroken family who opted to channel its energy into triumph out of tragedy.

Devotion: The Importance of the Scripture
 

The Importance of the Scripture
by Bill Moeny

"When he (the king of Israel) is seated on this royal throne, he is to write a copy of this instruction for himself on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It is to remain with him, and he is to read from it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to observe all the words of this instruction, and to do the statutes. Then his heart will not be exalted above his countrymen, he will not turn from this command to the right or the left, and he and his sons will continue ruling many years over Israel." Deuteronomy 17.18 - 20

This applies to us as business owners and business leaders called by God to run His companies for Him in the marketplace. Jesus bought us and "our" companies at the Cross (I Corinthians 6.20). He owns the companies, and has hired us to run them for Him. We need to know how He wants each of us to run the company He has assigned to us. We need to know the mind of Christ (I Corinthians 2.16) through the Scriptures. We need to know His purposes, His ways, and His will concerning these companies He has called us to run for Him. What does He want us to do with the company? How does He want the company culture to look like and to function?

We represent Christ to the marketplace in leading this company that He has assigned to us. To do a good job in representing Christ, we need to know Him; we need to know His purposes, His ways, and His character. We need to immerse ourselves in the Scriptures. We need to become students of the Text. Reading the Bible daily needs to be an important part of our executive leadership of our lives and company. Without a daily immersion in the Scriptures, the adversary will steer us off course and into a mud pit, and the consequences will be significant.

All of the above also is crucial for our daily lives as individuals.

Devotion: Victory in Jesus
 

Victory in Jesus


"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ." (
1 Corinthians 15:57)

There is victory for every child of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. All we have to do it have a child like faith and patient to wait on the Lord. I love the old song, Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever! Now I will tell you that there are times when it looks like youÔÇÖre being defeated, but just HOLD ON, don't throw the towel in just yet, THERE IS VICTORY IN JESUS! What may seem as Jesus is going to be late; He gets there always in time!

Just hold on, our God will show up, and take you through the fire again.

Devotion: Trust and Obey
 

Trust and Obey
Proverbs 3: 5 - 7 ÔÇ£Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil."
Every Christian needs to Trust and Obey the Lord with their life.

One of the greatest problems with Christians is that we say we trust the Lord and Obey the Lord, but do we really? Many of our Christian marriages are ending in divorce because as long as couples have sufficient funds to live very High Cost lives everything is good. The problems come into the marriage when couples live HIGHER than their means and when the money runs out or runs low, that is when the trouble begins. Christians need to learn how to be content with what they have, trusting and obeying the Lord's will for our lives, will bring contentment. When Christians start truly trusting and obeying the Lord, it is then that Life at its fullest will begin!

Next, Trusting and obeying the Lord will lead to absolute Joy and Peace in one's life.

Jesus clearly tells all people in John 14: 27, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not you heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." There is nowhere else to find Peace except the Lord! Money can't bring it, Houses can bring it, and BIG gains on your stock can't produce it. Only Trusting and Obeying Jesus can move us into a life of Absolute Joy and Peace!

Last, Trusting and obeying Jesus is the only way to be Born Again!
In Romans 10: 17, Paul said "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of GOD!" It is by hearing the instructions of GODÔÇÖS WORD that mankind are saved! The Philippians Jailer cried out to Paul and Silas, "Sirs, What must I do to be saved?" Paul gave the Jailer THE biblical answer to his question, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be SAVED..." Trust and Obey, for there is no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!

Devotion: Stoplight Faith
 

Stoplight Faith

"And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith" (Matthew 13:58).

You can learn a lot about people in traffic. For instance, I observe a lot when I see 20 cars in one line and only 3 cars in another. The reason for the longer line is these people want to make sure they get to make their turn after the light. I, on the other hand, want to get through the light first, and then I will worry about making the next turn. This is a difference in risk taking tolerance, or perhaps faith; or even some might argue with me that I'm operating out of presumption versus real faith.

No matter which person you might be in this situation, it is sure that faith is often spelled R.I.S.K. When the priests carried the ark into the Jordan River at flood stage there was a risk they could lose the ark to the Jordan River. However, that is not what happened. "And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap" (Josh 3:13). God changed the entire environment and made it possible to walk across without the pressure of wading through the powerful water only when they took the first step.

Risk means there is a potential for loss. However, when God leads us to take a risk, then He is there whether we succeed or fail. He is there in the success and He is there in the failure. If He leads you to take a risk it may not always succeed in the way you think. In fact, it could even fail.

The only true failure is when we fail to take the risk when God is leading us to do so. Sometimes the fear of failure is the greater obstacle than the risk itself.

Has God called you to step out in an area that requires risk? This could be the place He wants you to move. Ask Jesus to give you the courage to step out

Devotion: Old Paths
 

Old Paths

Jeremiah 6: 16 "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein. "

WOW! Have Christians ever strayed from the Old paths around the world today! Our Homes are different, our Churches are different, and our Nation is different. The reason for the difference is that the Christians have strayed from the Old Paths. Christians have chosen their own paths, their own ways, to the ways of man that we feel more comfortable in.

Husbands and wives, you need to understand that the further away from the Old Paths that you walk, your children will walk yet further away from the Old Paths than you. It will also affect your church; it will be two more votes for your church to drift away to a more liberal state.

Oh, we Christians still look pretty godly when we compare our homes to the worldly places, the bars, or the clubs, but if you compare your home to the Home of the Bible, you will be ashamed at what you have become.

Devotion: God's Preparation for Moving Out
 

God’s Preparation for Moving Out


"In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys." - Genesis 30:43

Jacob left his homeland after suffering a broken relationship with Esau for stealing the family blessing. He went to work for his uncle Laban where he stayed for 20 years. It came time for him to leave, but he had no physical assets to show for those years under Laban. Laban had taken advantage of his nephew in every way. (In some ways, Jacob was reaping the seed he had sown his entire life as a manipulator and controller.)

Nevertheless, God's hand was on Jacob, and He had plans to prosper him. However, Jacob had one problem - he had no resources of his own. For Jacob to launch out on his own, he would need resources. In those days, resources often meant large flocks of animals. God gave Jacob a dream that resulted in a strategy for creating wealth by multiplying his sheep. Even though Laban sought to thwart Jacob's efforts, God overcame the evil in Laban to allow Jacob to prosper.

There are many important lessons for us in this story. First, when God decides it is time to move you into a larger place of His calling, He has the ability to provide the resources you need to support the call. God gave Jacob a dream that resulted in a strategy never used before to build wealth. It was totally from God's hand. It was creative and new. God called Jacob to move out after he had demonstrated his faithfulness in 20 years of serving Laban. He learned to live under authority and served Laban faithfully, even though he knew he was being taken advantage of.

God will do the same for you and me. However, a word of caution: Be sure the strategy is born from above, and not from self-effort. The difficulty for most of us workplace believers is to learn the difference between the strategies born of God versus the strategy of self-effort.

Devotion: Horizontal versus Vertical
 

Horizontal versus Vertical


Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. - Exodus 2:12

Moses saw the pain of his people. He saw the bondage and the injustice. His heart was enraged, and he decided he would do something. He would take matters into his own hands. The result was murder. The motive was right, but the action was wrong. He went horizontal instead of vertical with God. Moses fled to the desert, where God prepared the man who would ultimately be the deliverer of a nation. But it took 40 years of preparation before God determined Moses was ready. He was a professional businessman - a sheepherder. It was during the mundane activity of work that God called on him to be a deliverer.

Moses was like a lot of enthusiastic Christian workplace believers who seek to solve a spiritual problem with a fleshly answer. The greatest danger to the Christian workplace believer is his greatest strength - his business acumen and expertise to get things done. This self-reliance can become our greatest weakness when it comes to moving in the spiritual realm.

We're taught to be problem solvers. But, like Moses, if our enthusiasm and passion are not harnessed by the power of the Holy Spirit, we will fail miserably. Peter had to learn this lesson too. His enthusiasm got him into a lot of trouble. But God was patient, just as He is patient with each of us. Sometimes He must put us in the desert for a time in order to season us so that Christ is allowed to reign supreme in the process.

Before you act, pray and seek the mind of Christ until you know it is God behind the action. Check it out with others. You may save yourself a trip to the desert.

Devotion: Perfectionist
 

Perfectionist

"Moses said to the LORD, 'O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue'" (Exodus 4:10).

One of the greatest affronts you can commit against God is to refuse His calling that He has placed upon you. Imagine arguing with your Creator and telling him you know better than Him.

That is exactly what Moses did when God called him to be his spokesperson to Pharaoh. God and Moses got into an "I know best" competition. "The LORD said to him, 'Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.' But Moses said, 'O Lord, please send someone else to do it.'"

God actually relented in the argument. Can you imagine that? But He's not happy about it. "Then the LordÔÇÖs anger burned against Moses and he said, 'What about your brother, Aaron the Levite?'" God has to use Aaron as Moses' mouthpiece.

Have you ever not pursued something because it had to be perfect? There is a fine line between doing things with excellence and being a perfectionist. Perfectionists become argumentative with God. They refuse to step out in faith and obedience because they care too much about what others think if the results don't turn out perfectly.

I battled these same demons when God led me into a writing ministry. "Lord, I am weak in grammar and you know I'm an introvert." Then He reminded me "...for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

When God places His anointing on you He uses whatever level of skill you have to fulfill His purposes in your life. This is why you need not fear moving into an unfamiliar area if He calls you there.

What is God waiting for you to do? It may be time to step out. He specializes in "cliff-catching."

Devotion: Forgiving Ourselves
 

Forgiving Ourselves


If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

The murderer was condemned to life in prison. Then one day something amazing happened. The guard came and opened the jail cell. "You are free to go. Someone else is taking your place," said the guard. "How can this be? I am still guilty!" said the prisoner. "Your debt has been paid. You are free to leave," said the guard once more. The prisoner decided not to leave. "I cannot allow another to pay my debt," said the prisoner. Because of his pride he chose to remain in bondage.

Imagine the guilt Peter must have felt when he denied the Son of God three times by saying he never knew him. Imagine what he must have felt the moment he reunited with Him after the resurrection.

The hardest person to forgive sometimes is ourselves. It is especially hard for high achievers to forgive themselves. We think we are above such failure. However, the Bible says we all sin and it is impossible to remedy that sin by ourselves.

"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives?" (1 John 1:8, 10). The question is not whether we will sin; the question is what we will do when we do sin.

There is only one thing for us to do. Go to the cross. Jesus paid for that sin by dying on the cross. Picture yourself writing your sin on a white piece of paper, then pinning it to the cross. Now, leave it there. The cross is for sinners. When Jesus looks at you, He no longer sees your sin. He cannot see the sin because He can only see the cross.

When you come to Jesus with your sin, there is nothing more you can do besides confessing and renouncing your sin. Sometimes it may require restitution with others. However, once you confess your sin and ask forgiveness, it is no longer on the ledger of debts.

Why not choose to walk free. The cell has been opened.

Devotion: Special Callings
 

Special Callings


"Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him." 1 Corinthians 7:17a - 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Each of us is called to relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We are called by Him, to Him, and for Him. Once we enter that relationship with Christ, we are called into the physical expression of that relationship. This is where our vocations are manifested as a result, not as an end in themselves.

Additionally, there are examples of special callings in the Bible in which individuals have a direct communication from God to do a specific task for Him. Moses, Paul, Peter, and many others had direct communication about what God was calling them to do. Not everyone receives this "special" calling. This is not to say God is not personal with each of us. Some have had extraordinary supernatural encounters with God that led to their calling being specific to a task ordered by God. All of us have been called to follow Christ and live our lives in obedience to Him. Many of us have a sense to go in one direction or another based on our life experiences and giftedness. This, too, is God's calling.

Calling goes beyond our work and includes our relationships to others: our spouse, our children, our neighbors -- and our co-workers. We must remember this in order that our "work calling" does not become elevated at the expense of the other important aspects of our lives. This is the holistic approach to the gospel in which God made all of life equally important.

Therefore, the next time someone says, "I was called into the ministry" or "I am in full-time Christian work," stop him or her and tell him or her we are all in full-time Christian work. There is no secular and religious in the economy of God. I have a dear friend who often says, "I am a servant of the living God masquerading as a dentist." So, too, are you first a servant of the living God.

Resurrected Faith


"Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son" (Genesis 22:10).

There are times in our lives when God brings a test to see if we are ready to put to death the very thing that God promised we would have. Such was the case in the life of Abraham with Isaac. Isaac was the promised son. Yet, God said to raise the knife to sacrifice him in obedience to God.

When God brings such a test into our lives we usually have a choice. Neither choice is attractive. One choice will often salvage some aspect of the vision. The other choice will totally kill the vision from our perspective. However, that is the faith decision. That is the only decision from God's perspective.

If we choose the faith decision that kills the vision - we will witness the resurrection of the vision supernaturally by God. Our own faith will be launched into a whole new dimension. He will raise us up in order to speak through our lives in that experience. God often brings that person into a very public ministry.

However, if we choose the lesser decision, we will reside in a lesser walk with God. God will accept the decision but there will be consequences to our faith journey. He cannot trust us with a bigger vision because He sees our obedience is moveable based on our perceived consequences.

If we choose the lesser decision then God will often orchestrate other events in our lives that are designed to develop our faith to a level that will allow us to make the right decision the next time.

Do you have resurrection faith that will trust God to raise your situation from the dead

Devotion: His Presence
 

His Presence


And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not (Malachi 3:18).

"Good morning," I said to the woman behind the counter as she asked if she could take my order. "You're a Christian, aren't you?" "I can see Him in you!" I boldly proclaimed. "Yes, I am," she replied with a beaming smile. I could literally see the presence of God in her countenance in the way she related to me and others.

When Moses led the people out of Egypt he had several crisis moments during those forty years. His greatest crisis was when he came back from the mountain and discovered the people had made a golden calf. It was after this he came to a profound conclusion. "Then Moses said to him, 'If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.' What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:15-16).

The difference between a Christian in the workplace and a non-believer should be that the Christian brings the presence of God with him to work. However, this is not always the case. A Christian can shut out the presence of God by his behavior. Like the Israelites who experienced great miracles in their lives but began to worship idols, we can move away from God. Sin separates us from God. His presence moves away from us. Moses realized, he too had to have the presence of God with him to lead such a people.

The prophet Malachi was saying a day is coming when you'll be able to recognize a clear difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. Would your co-workers be able to recognize a difference in you from others? Ask God to fill you with His overflowing presence in all you do today.

Devotion: Retarded Spiritual Progress
 

RETARDED SPIRITUAL PROGRESS


I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statues. I will not forget thy word. (Psalm 119:15-16)

Probably the most widespread and persistent problem to be found among Christians is the problem of retarded spiritual progress. Why, after years of Christian profession, do so many persons find themselves no farther along than when they first believed?

The causes of retarded growth are many. It would not be accurate to ascribe the trouble to on single fault. One there is however, which is so universal that it may easily be the main cause; failure to give time to the cultivation of the knowledge of God

The Christian is strong and weak depending upon how closely he has cultivated the knowledge of God

Progress in the Christian life is exactly equal to the growing knowledge we gain of the Triune God in personal experience. And such experience requires a whole life devoted to it and plenty of time spent at the holy task of cultivating God. God can be known satisfactorily only as we devote time to Him.

In a busy life, Lord, itÔÇÖs so easy to neglect the important time we need to cultivate our knowledge of You. I devote myself to furthering my spiritual progress by seeking knowledge of You. Amen

Devotion: Know Your Armor
 

Know Your Armor


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

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

God equips each of us in such a way that is unique to our strengths and abilities. David knew who he was and who he wasn't. David was trained as a shepherd to use another weapon. For David, it was a slingshot. David showed great maturity in realizing he could not be effective with Saul's armor.

What are the gifts and talents God has given to you? Have you ever tried to accomplish a task with tools you were not trained to use? God allows each of us to develop skills that are unique to our life. He will not call you to use someone else's tools.

However, this is only half of the equation. These talents must be mixed with faith. Talent alone is not enough. Faith alone is not enough. It is only when the two are combined that God's power is released and manifested in the physical realm.

Sometimes we admire the talents of others and seek to emulate them. The temptation arises to be someone we are not. This is a mistake. Let God live His life through the unique you.

Then, mix your unique gifts with faith today; you will be surprised at the power of God that will be manifested.

Devotion: When His Work Exceeds His Presence
 

When His Work Exceeds His Presence

"If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here" (Exodus 33:15).

One of the great dangers in Christian service is to move from a presence-based work to operate purely on our natural skill. Once we become established in something, the daily maintenance can lead us into complacency until a crisis arises that forces us back to our knees to appeal to the Lord for His presence to return.

Things were going well for Moses as he led the people out of Egypt. God was calling him to Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God, to receive the Ten Commandments. While he was there, the people fell away from the Lord by returning to the ways of Egypt by building and worshipping a golden calf under Aaron's watch.
This revealed that the spiritual foundation of the people and the leadership of Aaron had not been grounded enough for the leader to have an extended absence. God's presence had left the people. If you are in management, you must know the condition of your team to know how long you can be away from hands-on leadership.

When Moses came back and saw what had happened, he recognized the solution as well. Having God's presence return was the only way they could proceed and have success. "How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:16).

Moses also realized a weakness in his own ability to lead. He pleaded God to mentor him: "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you."

Is the presence of God in your current activities? Are the people you lead mature in their faith that allows you to be off site? Ask for God's help on both counts

Devotion: Come Out of the Stronghold
 

Come Out of the Stronghold


"...Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah ..." (1 Samuel 22:5).

David and his fighting men had been hiding in the cave of Adullam. He was fleeing Saul. Many of life's down-and-out had come and joined David's army. David was content to stay in the stronghold of safety. Then, God's prophet came to David and told him that he must leave the stronghold and go into the land of Judah. Judah means "praise."

When life beats down on us and we get to the place where we want to hide in a cave, God often places people around us who prod us into moving in the right direction. He does not want us to remain in the place of discouragement. He wants us to move into the land of praise.

I recall when I went through a very difficult time. It seemed to drag on and on with no change until finally I wanted to retreat to a cave and forget pressing on. It was a great time of discouragement. A godly man came to me and said, "You must keep moving! There are too many who are depending on you in the Kingdom."

I didn't totally understand what he meant at the time. Now I know he was saying that God is preparing each of us to be the vessel He wants to use in the life of another person, but we will never be that vessel if we give up and hide in our cave of discouragement. Not only must we keep moving, we must move into a new realm. Our attitude must move from discouragement to praise.

"He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners - to comfort all who mourn. ... a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor" (Isaiah 61:1-3).

It is only when we move past discouragement to praise that we begin living above our problems. Make a decision today to go into the land of Judah

Devotion: Know the Time
 

been pretty slack on these, with school & all, but with this storm coming in, figured we need one...

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Know the Time


Deuteronomy 31: 6 ÔÇ£Be strong and of good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

The times. If you look around you, what time would you say that it is? Some would say, "Well it is 1:30 or it is 2," but I am not talking about the present time of the day, I am talking about the time in history, what time is it? If you go to the Bible and look and read 2 Timothy Chapter 3, you will quickly and clearly see what time it is.

Know the time of our departure is at hand; the Child of God should not fear nor be afraid. Romans 13:11, Paul tells the Born again, "And that, know the time, that now it is HIGH time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than we believed." Hey, everything that is coming to pass must do so. It has been prophesied and it will come to pass, but don't worry, Jesus is with us.

Know the time; every Child of God should work endlessly to witness to those that are lost. Now those are the ones that should be worried!

Devotion: Tested for Abundance
 

Tested for Abundance

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

It is nice to hear that God desires to bring us into abundance. In fact, many a preacher has promoted the goodness of the Lord and His ability to prosper His children. Alas, my experience is that this gospel of material abundance has little to do with the gospel of the Kingdom as our Lord works in the realm of the sanctified soul. The passage above tells us that God does in fact bring us into places of abundance. However, upon further study of the entire passage, we learn the route to this abundance.

For you, O God, tested us; You refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us to a place of abundance (Psalm 66:10-12). God's economy of abundance often has little to do with material blessing. In God's economy, abundance is often measured in wisdom and knowledge of Himself. It is then that we are truly blessed. Wisdom cannot be gained through intellectual pursuits. Wisdom comes only through experience. Real wisdom comes from the kinds of experiences that come only through the deepest tests.

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

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

Devotion: Seeing the Works of God
 

figured we could use a lesson on 'water' today...

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Seeing the Works of God


Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord.... - Psalm 107:23-24a

When you were a child, perhaps you may have gone to the ocean for a vacation. I recall wading out until the waves began crashing on my knees. As long as I could stand firm, the waves were of no concern to me. However, as I moved farther and farther into the ocean, I had less control over my ability to stand. Sometimes the current was so strong it moved me down the beach, and I even lost my bearings at times. But I have never gone so far into the ocean that I was not able to control the situation.

Sometimes God takes us into such deep waters that we lose control of the situation, and we have no choice but to fully trust in His care for us. This is doing business in great waters. It is in these great waters that we see the works of God.

The Scriptures tell us that the disciples testified of what they saw and heard. It was the power behind the gospel, not the words themselves, which changed the world. The power wasn't seen until circumstances got to the point that there were no alternatives but God. Sometimes God has to take us into the deep water in order to give us the privilege to see His works.

Sometimes God takes us into the deep waters of life for an extended time. Joseph was taken into deep waters of adversity for 17 years. Rejection by his brothers, enslavement to Pharaoh, and imprisonment were the deep waters for Joseph. During those deep waters, he experienced dreams, a special anointing of his gifts to administrate, and great wisdom beyond his years.

The deep water was preparation for a task that was so great he never could have imagined it. He was to see God's works more clearly than anyone in his generation. God had too much at stake for a 30-year-old to mess it up. So, God took Joseph through the deep waters of preparation to ensure that he would survive what he was about to face. Pride normally engulfs such young servants who have such access to power at such a young age.

If God chooses to take us into deep waters, it is for a reason. The greater the calling, the deeper the water. Trust in His knowledge that your deep waters are preparation to see the works of God in your life.

Devotion: The I in Christ in You
 

ÔÇ£The I in Christ in YouÔÇØ
By Scott Hunter

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27)

In Colossians 1:27, it says that God willed to make known the riches of His glory among the world which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. This is a powerful statement. The hope of salvation and His goodness is made manifest through us to the world. So many times we put ourselves out of the picture and believe that it is all about God and not about us. This is true to an extent. God deserves all the glory and He makes all things possible. Without His work through the cross and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we would be nothing. However, we have a major part to play as well.

Paul said in Philippians 4:13 that he can do all things because of ChristÔÇÖs ability in him. Notice he said he could, not God could. You see, in reality it is about you sometimes. If you do not do what you are supposed to do, then God cannot do what He wants to do through you. You have a part. Your self-discipline and obedience are key to finding success. I truly believe that God will not do what He has given you the ability to do.

Remember, God is not looking for perfection, He is looking for obedience. He prospers what you set your hand to. Obedience is learned through testing according to Hebrews 5:8. The testing of our faith also produces endurance. These times of testing produces the ability to continue and finish what God has for you. It is foolish to think that God will do everything as long as we make ourselves available. Availability does not produce fruitfulness, obedience does. When we really understand that God will never set us up to fail, we can begin to launch out into the deep and serve Him fully. He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, so now it is up to us to do what He called us to do. No excuses. The bottom line is if I donÔÇÖt do what I need to do, He cannot do what he wants to do through me. The result is then others will miss out because of my disobedience. In this light, it is about you and me. Make a decision today to put your hands to the plow and not look back. Go in for the long haul and finish the race. Let the Christ in you produce the hope of glory to the world around us!


Check out Scott at www.compassionfireandglory.org and on Facebook and You Tube

Devotion: You Want Me to Do What???
 

You Want Me to Do What?


..."Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." - John 21:6a

The disciples were fishing. It was after Jesus had been crucified. Peter had gone through his most agonizing moment in which he had denied Jesus three times. He had lost a friend. No doubt he probably wondered whether the last three years were a dream. What now?

Peter had been prepared three years, but he was not going out to preach; he was going fishing. He had returned to his trade of days gone by. He had a level of experience with Jesus that no other human on earth can boast. This was the third encounter he was about to have with Jesus after His resurrection. Jesus looked to Peter and John in their boat and made a suggestion.

"Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.

He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some" (John 21:6a).

Now, if you are as seasoned in your fishing as these guys were, wouldn't you be a bit irritated if a stranger suggested that you simply put your nets over the other side to catch some fish? Yet we find that they took this stranger's advice. Once they were obedient, the Lord revealed Himself.

When they followed Jesus' advice, the catch was enormous - 153 fish in total. In most cases such a haul would have broken the net. Jesus invited them to have breakfast with Him - fish and bread; He had already started the fire. I can only imagine that this scene would resemble some buddies going out and camping together.

There is so much that we are to learn in this passage about God's ways. As a workplace believer, we must understand that after we have spent years with Jesus, this does not always mean we must leave our professions in order to fully follow Jesus. Peter went back to his profession - fishing. It was here that Jesus asked him a simple question: Do you love Me and will you feed My sheep? He didn't say to Peter, "Fishing is a waste of time for you now, Peter."

This recommissioning was in the area of his original calling - his work. We need not feel that we must go to the "mission field" to please Jesus. Our work is our mission field. We must, however, make a paradigm shift in our thinking about our place in the work world.

We must have an overriding sense of mission and ministry that comes out of that work. This is what is meant when we say that we must all be circumcised before we can enter the Promised Land. When this happens, we can expect to see God fill the nets with His blessings. He wants to do this because He now owns the net, and He can trust us to manage it.

Devotion: Impossibilities
 

Impossibilities


"Without me, you can do nothing." John 15:5

Is there anything facing you right now that is impossible for you to do without God's help?

Do you have a "list of impossibilities" in your prayer journal that you are praying over?

Do you profoundly and desperately need Christ, through His Holy Spirit, to be doing the work of your business and your ministry through you? Or have you so organized your life and your business so that everything is under your control? Have you tackled only those tasks and issues that you can do on your own?

Have you insulated yourself from needing God because you have never attempted something that God directs that is a God-sized task? Have you insulated yourself from needing God? Be honest now, which is it?

If you have insulated yourself from needing God, what does John 15.5 say about your effectiveness for the kingdom? Are you doing things that matter? Or just doing things?

Are you experiencing the Holy Spirit working through you to accomplish things that only He can do? Are you seeing lives changed for the kingdom? Are you seeing daily miracles in your business or life? Or is it just "ho-hum?"

An assignment from God will always be a God-sized assignment that you cannot do on your own. Because we want to be in control and do not trust God, we design our own assignments to be things we can easily do, without too much heartache or disruption. Have you turned down an assignment from God because you could not do it? What does He think about that?

We are to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6.33). He promises that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4.13). This verse REALLY says that just because you cannot do something is never a reason to turn down an assignment!

The real issue is trust, isnÔÇÖt it? Do you believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do? Do you trust Him?

And how is your list of impossibilities coming?

A Biblical View of Stewardship Part 8 The Secret of Giving Everything we have comes f
 

A Biblical View of Stewardship Part 8
The Secret of Giving

Everything we have comes from Gods handall our wealth, our abilities, our talents, our intelligenceall of it comes from God. We are merely stewards of Gods treasure, great and small that He has entrusted to us. Our giving of our wealth, our abilities, our time, and our talents is an act of worship given to God and directed by God.

God is asking us to give for all the right reasons, not because we have been coerced or shamed or pressured into giving. He wants us to bring our gifts to Him as directed by the Holy Spirit. Since our giving should be directed by the Holy Spirit, what difference should it make how much a person gives? God will bless and multiply the gift when it is given for all the right reasons.

Remember the little boy who gave a few fish and a little bit of bread. God blessed what the little boy gave and there was an abundance left over. Remember the poor widow. She put in a fraction of a penny. Yet Jesus said she put in more than all the rich people who threw in large amounts.

The value of a personÔÇÖs contribution to a church or an organization should never be measured by how much money that person gives. This is the reason we are directed to give our gifts in secret. When our giving is done in secret, influence and positions of authority will never be awarded based on the amount of money given.

Matthew 6:1-4
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

We are warned about announcing how much money we give and how much service we do, just so we can receive praise from men. That would be giving and serving for all the wrong reasonsjust to be seen and honored by men.

Matthew 6:16-18
"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

We cannot be justified by God with our public display of serving and giving. We are justified by humbling ourselves and acknowledging that we are sinners in need of mercy from Almighty God. (Luke 18:10-14)
What is the Biblical View of Stewardship?

GodÔÇÖ instructions are to bring His wealth to Him, as led by the Holy Spirit, for all the right reasons, willingly, cheerfully, without coercion, and in secret.
This is the secret of giving.

Devotion: A Refiner's Fire
 

A Refiner's Fire


"For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap." - Malachi 3:2b

The Lord has a specific manner of preparing His people for useful service. God desires to turn His children from rough, hard-edged stones into gems of gold and silver.

"He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years" (Malachi 3:3-4).

The refiner's fire can only accomplish its purposes when the heat is turned up to extraordinary temperatures. It breaks down the metal in order for it to become moldable and shapeable. Only when the temperatures reach this level can the work be fully accomplished. So it is in our lives.

Until the Lord completes His refining process, the offerings we make are not made in righteousness and cannot be acceptable. Thank God that Jesus is our righteousness and that there is no righteousness apart from Him. Still, the Lord continues to purge all that is not of His righteousness out of our lives. This comes through trials that bring each of us to the end of ourselves in order that He may only reflect that which is Himself.

When God takes you through the refiner's fire, be encouraged because it is His overriding commitment to turn you from a rough, hard-edged stone to a precious metal. He will do this through certain events in your workplace, your relationships, and other circumstances in your life. Our job is to avoid trying to blow out the fire.

Devotion: Fulfilling Your Purpose
 

Fulfilling Your Purpose


"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD" (Psalms 139:1-4).

Your purpose in life is chosen by God. It is not negotiable. It is like calling water wet, there is no changing that fact, and there's no changing God's purpose for your life. While you may not fulfill the purpose for which you were made, you still have a purpose that God intends for you to fulfill. This is your blueprint from God. In the same way that He had a specific purpose in mind for Jesus when He sent Him to the earth, He has a specific purpose in mind for your life.

This doesn't mean, however, that there is one highly specific niche for you to fill and that if you miss it, too bad. It is my belief that you can achieve your purpose in many different and creative ways. This should take the pressure off. You won't throw your entire life off course by choosing the wrong college, job or mate. God is much bigger than any miscalculation or disobedience on your part. "The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me" (Psalms 138:8). Isn't that comforting to know?

Defining your purpose will help you to determine the activities that you should be involved in. Like Jesus, you should not involve yourself in activities that contradict His purpose for your existence. JesusÔÇÖ purpose was to do the will of the Father and become the salvation for mankind.

Each of us must ask why we are involved in an activity. Is it a God-activity, or just a good activity? Remember, Jesus only did something if He saw the Father doing it, and He was able to see what His Father was doing because of His intimate relationship with Him.

Today, take steps to insure you are aligned with your purpose.

Devotion: Hanging Out With Sinners
 

Hanging Out With Sinners


"When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.' So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, 'He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner'" (Luke 19:5-7)

Jesus modeled four things when He lived on the earth that allowed Him to impact other people's lives. I call them the Four B's of transformation.

First, he built a relationship with them. In the marketplace it is rare that you can impact a person without building a relationship first. The old saying, "People don't care what you know until they know that you care" is especially true in the workplace. Jesus modeled this in His life every day of his public ministry.

The second thing Jesus did was he blessed them. He tried to meet a physical need they had. Many times he healed them first, and then told them to go and sin no more. He listened to their concerns.

The third thing Jesus did was He began praying for them. He often prayed for deliverance for a person that was demon possessed. He prayed they would know the Father. He prayed for Lazarus to come back from the dead.

Finally, the fourth thing Jesus did was He Brought the Kingdom of God into their lives. He invited people to believe in Him as the Savior of the world and to partake of eternal life.

I decided to test this model with an acquaintance. I intentionally refused to talk about Jesus to this person until I had accomplished the first three steps in my relationship with him. After I had fulfilled the first three steps, I presented Christ to my friend. He received Christ immediately because the soil was prepared and he was ready to receive.

As you consider your ministry at work, consider these four stages of relationship building before you present Christ to others. You will find the fruit of this process will be great

Devotion: Do You Love the Lord
 

Do You Love the Lord

Mark 12:30 (KJV) "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."

How much do you love the Lord? This is a question that everyone must have an answer for. Can you say that you love the Lord more than anything else in your life, more that your children, more than your husband, your wife, more than your grand-children, more than your mom or your dad, more than your own self?

Wow, this question really opens the eyes of God's people because I believe it will show us that we are not where we should be in our relationship with the Lord. You see, how much people love God will show in their daily lives, how they walk, how they talk, how faithful they are to the Lord and his work.

In John 10:27, the Lord says this, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." Sheep will follow the Shepherd, but Goats will never follow anyone, in order to get them to a place they need to be, they have to be lead. Once you determine how much you love God, then you may answer a lot of questions about your salvation and where you stand for the Lord.

Devotion: Waiting on God
 

Waiting on God


"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Isaiah 30:18

Have you ever noticed that God is not in a hurry? It took 40 years for Moses to receive his commission to lead the people out of Egypt. It took 17 years of preparation before Joseph was delivered from slavery and imprisonment. It took 20 years before Jacob was released from Laban's control. Abraham and Sarah were in their old age when they finally received the son of promise, Isaac. So why isn't God in a hurry?

God called each of these servants to accomplish a certain task in His Kingdom, yet He was in no hurry to bring their mission into fulfillment. First, He accomplished what He wanted in them. We are often more focused on outcome than the process that He is accomplishing in our lives each day. When we experience His presence daily, one day we wake up and realize that God has done something special in and through our lives.

However, the accomplishment is no longer what excites us. Instead, what excite us are us knowing Him. Through those times, we become more acquainted with His love, grace, and power in our lives. When this happens, we are no longer focused on the outcome because the outcome is a result of our walk with Him. It is not the goal of our walk, but the by-product. Hence, when Joseph came to power in Egypt, he probably couldn't have cared less. He had come to a place of complete surrender so that he was not anxious about tomorrow or his circumstances.

This is the lesson for us. We must wait for God's timing and embrace wherever we are in the process. When we find contentment in that place, we begin to experience God in ways we never thought possible.

Devotion: The Coming Wealth Transfer
 

I've never heard of some of this, but here it is:
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The Coming Wealth Transfer


But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous (Proverbs 13:22).

In the last days there will be a transfer of wealth into the hands of the righteous for the purpose of funding a great harvest of souls and for believers to have greater influence on society in the name of Christ. This will happen in at least four ways.

1. Supernatural Transfer - Like the Israelites leaving Egypt, Christians and non-profit organizations will receive major gifts from individuals or foundations to carryout their Christian mission. In 2004, the Salvation Army received one of the largest gifts ever for Christian ministry via the founder's wife of McDonald's, Joan Kroc, in the amount of 1.5 billion dollars.

2. Power to Make Wealth - God is going to give witty inventions to believers throughout the world that will generate wealth. This has already begun. "But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today" (Deuteronomy 8:18).

3. Social Entrepreneurship - Just as Joseph was entrusted with the resources of Egypt to solve a societal problem resulting from a famine in the land, God is going to transfer money to believers who are solving societal problems. Governments will fund private enterprises because government is not been able to do it.

4. Wealthy Individual "Conversions - Finally, many non-believers who are wealthy will become Christians in these last days and will begin to use their wealth for Kingdom purposes.

The transfer of wealth is designed to accelerate God's activity on the earth, not to simply make believers wealthy. Pray that God uses your work life call to accelerate His Kingdom on earth. And pray that God rises up good stewards of wealth.

Devotion: The Plans of Tomorrow
 

The Plans of Tomorrow


"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." - James 4:14b

A group of believers meet every week for fellowship, study, and prayer. One man attended our group for several years. Jim was well liked and in good health. One Thursday he showed up as usual. The next morning we received a call, "Jim is dead! He died in his easy chair last night!" Jim had no prior problems and there was no indication he was about to go be with the Lord. Naturally, it came as a shock to us all.

Whenever things like this happen close to home, it brings us face to face with our mortality. A friend of mine said he was challenged by someone to do an experiment. He challenged him to live his life for one year as if it were the last year he would live. He responded to the challenge and did as proposed. It changed his life forever. He began to focus on different priorities and people when he viewed life in these terms.

James gives us a perspective on viewing tomorrow.

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:13-15).

Life is fragile. Consider where you are investing your time and energies. Someone once said they had never heard anyone on his deathbed say that he wished he had made more money in his lifetime or he wished he had made a certain deal. Usually it is something like, "I wish I had spent more time with my kids." Ask the Lord to give you His priorities for your life.

Devotion: Finding the Will of God
 

most folks who are SERIOUS about God spend about 3 hours a day between reading the Bible, praying, and reading other devotions. here's a lesson that talks about that:
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Finding the Will of God


I desire to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart. - Psalm 40:8

How would you describe the process by which you find and do God's will in your life? For some, finding God's will is like playing bumper cars. We keep going in one direction until we bump into an obstacle, turn, and go in another direction. It is a constant process of elimination, failure, or success. Is this the way God would have us find His will? No. There is much more relationship between hearing God's voice and living within the mystery of His omnipotence in our lives.

Perhaps this process is more like water in a stream bed. The water is constantly flowing to a final destination. As it presses against the stream bed, it gently points the water toward its final destination. There are no abrupt head-on collisions, simply slight modifications of direction. Occasionally, we come to a sharp turn in the contours of our life. For those times, God allows us to stretch our normal response to change. A popular Bible study says that we cannot go with God and stay where we are. Finding and doing God's will always require change. What changes are necessary in your life to join God in what He is already doing?

There is a direct connection between finding and doing God's will and having God's law in our heart.

A friend once complained that he did not know what God wanted of him in his life. My immediate response was, "How much time do you spend with God in Bible study, prayer, and meditation on Scripture?" "Only a few minutes a day," he replied. How can we expect to hear and discern God's voice if we don't spend focused time with Him? If you have a spouse, how did you get to know him or her before you were married? You spent time together. You got to know everything about each other.

Our walk with God is no different. It isn't enough to have a desire to follow God; we must put our energy into getting to know Him. His will for us flows out of our relationship, it is not an end in itself. Commit yourself to seeking Him more in your life by spending more time with Him. "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jeremiah 33:3).

Devotion: Earthy Stuff
 

EARTHY STUFF


1 Peter 2:11 ÔÇ£Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;"

How much do we, the Christians think about the end of our mortal lives, whether it be by death or by the Rapture? How many Christians think about life in Heaven, being with the Lord, family and friends? I guess the better question to ask a Christian is this, are you a Stranger and a Pilgrim here on Earth?

Christians today are cluttering their lives with EARTHY STUFF and Earthly Stuff many times turns to Sin because the Christian minds are more on their STUFF than on the Things of GOD! Understand Christians, your soul has been changed by the Blood of the Lamb, the Old life has passed away and behold everything is new! (2 Corinthians 5:17) So, when the Christians become complacent with the things of this world, they are no longer a Stranger to this world, they are no longer a Pilgrim, but they are now a permanent resident of this world, and it grieves the Soul of the Christian! Many Christians today lust after the things of this world and they accumulate much of the worldly goods and therefore it causes their soul to grieve. Their Real Joy is gone so the Earthly Christian must replace the Real Joy for the Worldly Joy, and Worldly Joy only can come from Earthly STUFF! Real Joy comes from the Lord Jesus Christ and the things of God.

Christians, be very careful that you don't trade in your tent for a PERMANENT DWELLING PLACE.

Devotion: Seeing Thorns as Blessings
 

Seeing Thorns as Blessings


"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan, to torment me" (2 Corinthians 12:7).

Have you ever had something in your life you wish was not there? If God gave you one wish, perhaps it would be to change that one thing. Perhaps it is the source of pain or challenge in your life. You seek God continually for relief from it, but He seems strangely silent.

Paul also experienced an ongoing burden that he called a "thorn in [his] flesh." Bible scholars have speculated as to what this thorn might have been, but no one knows for sure. We do know that it was so hurtful to Paul that he asked God on three different occasions to remove it from his life:

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Paul had a great calling on his life. The revelations and faith experiences that God gave him would have been too much for any man's humility. So God, in order to insure His investment in Paul's life, allowed this man a thorn in his flesh to help him maintain a humble, godly perspective.

Perhaps God has given you such a thorn designed to allow you to place greater trust and reliance upon Him. Ask God to reveal to you the blessing of the thorn He has placed in your life.

The bloom of a rose is beautiful, but the thorn of a rose produces only pain. Thorns hurt us yet they humble us. That is the blessing of thorns