we used to say this to our kids "make a memory"
 

Creating a Memory



"The greatest among you will be your servant" (Matthew 23:11).


Ken Blanchard, the author of the One Minute Manager, once shared a story about what can happen when individuals in a company model servant leadership, no matter where they are on the totem pole.


A business consultant was training more than 3000 employees of a mid-western grocery chain to approach their jobs with a goal of creating a memory for their customers. She stated that "this is what will distinguish your store from all others."


Johnny was a 19-year old bag boy that had down-syndrome. His first response to the consultant's suggestion was "I'm just a 'bag boy.'" Nevertheless, he went home and shared what the consultant said with his mother. They began to ponder the consultant's words about how he could create a memory for his customers. Johnny had a habit of collecting inspirational thoughts that he would often read. He decided he would begin printing these sayings and place one in each of the bags of his customers. When customers came through the line he would place the sayings in their bag and say, "I've included some of my favorite sayings in your bag in hopes it will encourage you today. Thanks for shopping with us."

After just a few weeks, an amazing thing began to happen. One day the store manager noticed that all the customers were lined up at only one cashier station when there were other stations open. He began to panic, thinking the other stations were broken. After further investigation he found this was not the case. Actually, customers wanted to come through Johnny's line in order to get his saying of the day.


One woman came up to the manager and said, "I used to come to the store only once a week, but now I come everyday!" Johnny's example spread to other departments in the store. The florist began giving a flower to each florist customer. The meat department put Snoopy stickers on each meat order with a special greeting. This one act by a bag boy changed the entire climate of the store.*


How can you create a memory for someone in your workplace today? Jesus was all about creating memories.



*Ken Blanchard, presentation made at 2004 His Presence in the Workplace conference, San Antonio, TX, 2005

Face to Face





I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. - 2 John 12

It is easy to fire off a letter to someone in this age of electronic communication because of its expediency. In business we call this being efficient. However, there are times when nothing but a face-to-face meeting is the appropriate means of communication. We know that verbal skills are a very small portion of communication. Body language, voice tone, and our expressions make up the majority of our overall communication. This cannot be seen through a letter or electronic medium.

John knew that being face to face with those he ministered to was important. And for John, it meant some major trouble to get from one place to another. It wasn't as simple as getting into a car or hopping onto an airplane. John's desire and determination to visit and talk face to face reinforces the importance of one-on-one personal communication.

I once had to confront a businessman about some problems we were having in a business deal. He lived in another town. The negotiations had stalled to some degree. I could have attempted to solve the problem over the phone. But I realized the serious nature of the issues required a face-to-face meeting. I drove two hours to his office and met with him face to face. It meant all the difference. It demonstrated to my friend I was serious enough about solving the problem to take a day to come see him. It also showed I valued him and he was worth the effort. This resulted in him giving greater emphasis to the issue.

Next time a situation arises that requires more focused communication; consider whether the situation requires a personal visit. You may find this will be the key to resolving issues that otherwise might end in a stalemate.

Are You a Threat?





"One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?'" - Acts 19:15



Are you a threat to the kingdom of darkness? If satan and his demons had a board meeting and your name came before the board, what would they say? Would they say that you are one of their most feared enemies and they needed to keep many demons harassing and opposing you? Or would they say, "Gentlemen, this person poses no threat to our activities. Leave him alone. He needs no help from us." There are millions of church-going believers sitting in pews Sunday after Sunday who pose little threat to the kingdom of darkness.



If we truly believe that we war against rulers and principalities that cannot be seen, then we must realize that their mandate is to hinder any believer who is seeking to walk in the fullness of God. However, "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4b KJV).



If you are seeking to fully follow the Lord, you can expect harassment from the enemy. God permits temptation because it drives us deeper into the soil of God. These times reveal God's power to keep us and walk us through the temptations. Our message becomes fruitful when it is born out of obedience and suffering for His name. Do not consider it strange if you find yourself fighting major battles the more obedient you become to the Master. God desires each of us to become a feared enemy of hell in order to affect satan's domain. When you begin to feel harassed, chances are you are beginning to affect the kingdom of darkness, and satan doesn't like this. So, how many demons do you think are assigned to you?

The Workers' Pay

by Bill Moeny



"Look! The pay that you withheld from the workers who reaped your fields cries out, and the outcry of the harvesters has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts." James 5.4 (see also 5.1-6)

Does this apply to us as business owners? Have we failed to pay our workers their due? Have we lived in self-indulgence? Are we sharing the profits of the business with our employees or keeping it ourselves? Are we sharing the profits of the business with God? The business belongs to Him.

This is a challenging set of verses. Every one of us running a business in the United States is wealthy compared with the rest of the world. How are we dealing with that wealth? Do we understand that we are stewards of Christ's company and He owns it all (I Corinthians 7.23)? I believe this set of verses is challenging us to take our monetary decisions to the Lord and ask him how He wants us to treat His money. He has not given us these companies to enrich ourselves, but rather to further His Kingdom. How will he have us spend His money?

And another thing, are we doing business with suppliers who exploit their workers? Do we seek a lower price on a product at the expense of someoneÔÇÖs workers being unfairly treated? Or are we doing business with suppliers of integrity, who have righteous business practices and treat their employees fairly? Will God hold us accountable for the selection of the companies we do business with? These passages suggest that may be the case.

It seems the best course is to not make money-based decisions, but rather make all of our decisions God-based. And to make sure that we are taking care of His kingdom first, then our employees - before taking care of ourselves, as directed by Him. We need to spend substantial time in prayer with the Owner of the business to determine how He wants His resources spent; how He wants His employees cared for, and who He wants us to do business with. Our prayer relationship to God needs to be so strong and our management of His company so on-target that we will get a good performance review for managing it His way. (ÔÇ£Well done, good and faithful servant.ÔÇØ ÔÇô Luke 19.17)

The Lies of the Adversary “I can do whatever I want and God will forgive me” by Bill Money





For we know Him who said, "It is mine to avenge, I will repay" and again, "the Lord will judge His people." It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10.30-31



It is God's purpose to mold us and shape us to be like Christ (Romans 8:29).



He loves us intensely, evidenced by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for us. As part of that love, He disciplines us. It is an integral part of shaping us into the image of Christ.



"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as a son." Hebrew 12:5-6 (see also Hebrews 12:7-11)



Therefore we should expect to be disciplined when we sin - accidentally or willfully. It is part of His explicit plan in molding and shaping us to be like Christ.

There are significant consequences for sin. There are especially significant consequences for willful sin - that is, actions that we know are wrong and we choose to do it anyhow (Psalms 19:13.)

Out of His love for us He must discipline us to drive the heart of rebellion out of us so that we might become more like Christ. He loves us too much to leave us in a rebellious state rebelling against his commands.

Therefore, do not yield to the lie of the adversary that you can do whatever you wish and God will forgive you.

As with most lies from the adversary, there is an element of truth to this.

He will forgive you, He will continue to love you, and out of that love He will discipline you. And the discipline will be significant if the rebellion is significant.



It is His goal and purpose to change us from the rebellious people we are into the image of Christ, Who was not able to do anything unless God did it through Him and Who did only what He saw the Father doing.

And God will do what He needs to do to accomplish that change in us.

Don’t rebel, Obedience matters, big-time.

The 9 to 5 Window





Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 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 33:15-16).



A few years ago, the "AD 2000" movement was a major emphasis in the church and had a goal of reaching the "10/40" window. This reference was related to the 10th parallel and the 40th parallel of the globe. It was determined that this was where the most people resided who had never heard the message of the gospel.



Today, there is a new move of God that is focused on the "9-5" window. This represents those who work, whether they are homemakers, construction workers, nurses, executives, Fortune 500 CEOs or pastors and vocational ministers. The one thing many of us have in common is that we work. However, the one thing most workers have failed to do is bring Christ into their work lives. But, God is changing this.



God is helping workplace believers today understand the importance of bringing the presence of Christ into their work lives so that He may be shared with those who have yet to receive salvation. God is calling us to move past "principle-based" living to "presence-based" living. It is only when we bring God's presence into our work lives that we see real transformation in us and others. It is the mission field of the 21st century, the "9-5" window. It is where more unsaved people live than the 10/40 window.



God is calling us to establish "church plants" into this new frontier that the church has failed to focus upon. The "Church" is a Church when two believers come together in the name of Jesus. It is not a building. It is a people. So today, bring the Church to the workplace by focusing your mission activity on the greatest mission field of the 21st century, the 9-5 window.

Give Me Your Last Meal





"I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die" (1 Kings 17:12).



Imagine telling a widow who was about to eat her last meal with her only son to give you a portion of that meal. That would seem like a cruel and unusually selfish thing to do. Imagine you have a need for provision and God tells you to go to the most desperate person in the land to get your provision.



God led Elijah to a poor widow who was on her last meal of flour. Why would God lead Elijah from one desperate situation into another? He wished to perform yet another miracle and show His faithfulness to those who needed it most.



Elijah proceeded to tell the widow: "But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land'" (1 Kings 17:13-14).



Would you have questioned such logic in the face of a life-threatening situation? The woman demonstrates her faith in God and Elijah by giving him her last meal. This act of faith insured that her provision would be there day after day. God multiplied her flour and her jug of oil. Provision followed obedience.



"For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah" (1 Kings 17:16).



God often multiplies what we already have in our hand in a miraculous way when we yield it to Him. God took her only resource just like He took the loaves and fishes, and multiplied it for those who were in need.



God has placed skills and resources in our hand already. We need to apply faith to that which He has placed in our hand in order to see His provision manifested through them.

Like a Shepherd





He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart (Isaiah 40:11a).



Sometimes we can see Christ modeled in the most unusual ways.



Gerry, our neighbor, is a shepherd to the neighborhood dogs. Once Buddy, the roving black lab of the neighborhood discovered that Gerry was a wellspring of treats by simply pushing open his broken front door, he began bringing other dogs on his visits. They made themselves welcome in his front foyer.



One of them was an older cocker spaniel named Joe Cocker. But unlike Buddy, Joe didn't leave after thirty minutes. He ended up staying for two days! Finally Gerry called the name listed on his dog tag and found out that his owner lived up the road. As Gerry started to walk him home Joe stopped as soon as he reached the hill because he was too weak to climb it. So Gerry picked him up and carried him home. It was not a short walk and Joe was not a small dog.



Day after day this routine continued and I was amazed at how much Gerry grew to love that dog. He'd let him stay at his house for days at a time and Joe was content to just hang out with him and loved to sleep on top of his dirty laundry. Then one day Gerry got a call from Joe's owner to let him know that Joe had died. When I called Gerry to see how he was, he choked back the tears as he talked about him.



Jesus is often referred to as the good shepherd in the scriptures and his followers are referred to as His sheep He carries close to His heart. There are times in our lives when Jesus knows that we cannot make it up our own hill in life. It may be because we are facing financial ruin, debilitating health or insurmountable grief. But no matter what the reason, we can trust that Jesus is there to carry us.



Allow Him to pick you up so you can find rest in His arms and comfort in hearing His heartbeat as He carries you close to His heart.

Two Grocers





"You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you" (Deuteronomy 25:15).



A few hundred years ago there were two Christian grocers in London. One of them said to the other, "You know, as Christians, we're supposed to have honest scales. It says so in the Bible. So how should we do that?" "Well, I'll tell you what, I'll come and check your scales on Wednesdays to make sure they're accurate and you come on Sundays and check mine. We'll make sure they're accurate." The two grocers developed a list of twelve principles that they felt should guide the way they were to do business.



People preferred to buy from them because they knew they would get a good product, at a fair price, with honest scales. Other grocers who were Christians decided to join in and they formed an association of Christian grocers. In those days it wasn't called exactly that, but was actually called the Most Worshipful Company of Livery Merchants. The name is very odd and peculiarly British.



This group led to other industries adopting a similar idealism known as Livery Companies in the City of London. There are now 300 companies in the City of London registered as Livery Companies. The latest one was the Most Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. Everybody that joins one of the companies in the City of London, even today, receives a list of the principles they have to agree to. The list contains 36 biblical principles to guide your life. And they call the book, Some Rules for the Conduct of Life to Which Are Added A Few Cautions.



The rulers of the nation in Britain began to see the affect of these companies and said 'What we need to do is make it a law for the whole nation. So instead of just these grocers having their honest scales, every scale in Britain needs to weigh accurately." The government Weights and Measures Department, which is in existence today, can trace its history back to the day when these two grocers decided to keep themselves accountable for biblical principles."



Are you operating based on honest weights and measures?

Follow Him in Humility


K.P. Yohannan




"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord." - James 4:10

"God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6)

Two men went to the temple to approach God in prayer and seek His favor. One, a Pharisee very sure of his outstanding spiritual achievements, recounted to God his flawless service record. He even thanked the Lord that he was better than others, especially that tax gatherer over there. This other man didn't dare lift his head. He stood at a distance and pleaded guilty as a sinner, asking God for mercy

Jesus, who told the story, informed His audience that this man went home forgiven, while the self-righteous man did not. Why? Because God always rejects pride and accepts humility: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

Walking in humility, just as Jesus did when He was on earth, is God's plan for us as believers. We take the first step when we accept Christ's invitation from Matthew 11:29 and take His yoke upon ourselves. The second step comes when we learn from Him how to humble ourselves.

Our Commitment Does Not Automatically Make Us Humble

In our relationships with others, we often find a lack of love in our hearts. We are insensitive to people's feelings and indifferent to their circumstances. Our lack of love shows up as hidden anger, impatience, irritation, bitterness and a tendency to quickly pass judgment. If we analyze these feelings and actions, we find that all of them have their roots in some form of pride. Like the Pharisee in Jesus' story, we feel superior because of our background, ministry position, education, knowledge or spiritual experience.

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord." - James 4:10

Jesus' disciples were radical: They were men who forsook all to follow Christ and held nothing back. They left their homes, parents, familiesÔÇöeverything. Yet after three-and-a-half years of listening to Jesus' teaching, learning from His example and experiencing His presence, they were fighting about who among them was the greatest.

For us this means that we, too, can forsake all, be totally committed to world evangelism and be willing to die for Christ. Yet within our hearts, pride can still exist, as well as the longing to be more important than others.

Jesus: Humble before God and Men

In contrast, Christ dealt with people in humility. During His earthly life, He always sought to lift others up, even when He confronted them with their problems. He never looked for opportunities to gain a higher position, more respect or greater honor for Himself. That's why He could tell His disciples to follow His example and be servants of all, to choose the last seat instead of the first and most prestigious one.

When we look at Jesus, we find that He first humbled Himself before God, to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:7ÔÇô8). That heart attitude before His Father enabled Him to be humble before men as well.

Humble Yourself

The Bible tells us that we received our pride and self-important nature from Adam. So we must receive humility from the second Adam, Christ.

The way we receive it is to learn from Him how to humble ourselves like He did. Therefore, the key to Christ like humility is that we first humble ourselves before God. Only then is it possible for us to be humble before others as well.

When we forget who we are when we stand before God, this is when we think we are better than others. The one who is aware of how much he was forgiven will find it much easier to meet a wretched man and deal mercifully with him, even saying to him with conviction, "You are better than I, because my debt was much greater than yours."

The problem with most of us is that we forget from where God has brought us. I have an old, worn-out shirt that hangs between my nice dress shirts in my closet. I wore it when I was 18 or 19 years old. It doesn't fit me anymore, but once in a while I stand there and look at it. It takes me back to those days in North India when I worked with a mission team. It helps me remember God's grace and stay down-to-earth.

James 4:10 exhorts us: "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord." For our transformation into Christ likeness, this is where it all starts!

Will you make a commitment today to practice this Scripture? You will find that your love and compassion for others will grow tremendously, and you will experience the joy of being a servant like Jesus.

Devotion: Sin
 

SIN

Genesis 3: 7 "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons."

I have always said that this verse is the clear evidence of the beginning of manmade religion. Adam and Eve put on themselves, fig leaves to COVER their sin. No one had to tell Adam and Eve that they had sinned, they KNEW IT! No one had to tell them the severity of their sin, THEY KNEW IT.

Today, mankind has used a church building, a denomination, a certain type of clothes they wear to HIDE their sin. Mankind has also explained away the severity of their sin by saying "NO ONE IS PERFECT."

From the very first transgression of God's way to today's transgression, SIN is just as severe. Sin is an awful thing and it is the one thing that will send a person to hell. Yes, Sin is that bad.

What are you hiding? Adam knew God, Adam knew that God is Omnipresent, Omniscient and yet he still tried to hide from God. Mankind today everywhere is doing the same thing. WHY? God knows and HE can see everybody and everything that they are doing. He knows every word that comes from your mouth, and, HE knows every thought that is generated in your mind.
The blood of Jesus is the only thing that can hide sin from a Holy God. The Blood of Christ is the only Atonement for Sin. God's way is not a cover up; it is a complete wash away!

Devotion: Disappointment
 

Disappointments



Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)

Life is filled with disappointments. Many of God's greatest servants experienced deep disappointment in their journeys of faithfulness to God. Joseph, after spending years as a slave and in jail for crimes that he did not commit, revealed deep disappointment when he was forgotten another two years in prison. John the Baptist, when awaiting execution, doubted whether Jesus was, in fact, the Christ because he was sitting there awaiting his death. Elijah, losing all hope and despondent to the point of death, asked God to take his life in the desert; and Peter, who left his fishing business and invested three years of his life only to watch his Savior crucified, wondered whether the purpose of those three years could be justified.

When life doesn't add up, it leaves the heart sick. When we have done all we know to do and the formula has not worked, it leaves us questioning. These are times that try the very souls of men. There is no human sense to be made of it. We are left with a choice: to cling or not to cling. There are times when holding on to our Master's robe is all that we can do. It is all that He wants us to do.

The heights by great men reached and kept Were not obtained by sudden flight; But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.
Standing on what too long we bore,
With shoulders bent and downcast eyes,
We may discern-unseen before-
A path to higher destinies!
Longfellow

There is only one answer to life's disappointments. Like the psalmist, we must "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken" (Ps. 62:5-6).

Devotion: Diligence
 

ÔÇ£DiligenceÔÇØ

By Scott Hunter



But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)



I believe that this year is a year for op*portunities, new territories and a year for establishment. As I began to meditate on the awesome things that God was going to do, I asked the Lord what is the key to walking in these things. He said to me ÔÇ£DiligenceÔÇØ. In Hebrews 11:6, it says that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. This means that those who are whole heartedly seeking God will be re*warded. Diligence is defined as painstaking effort. This means it costs us something to persevere.

There are three enemies that I believe we need to be aware of that will try and derail our diligence.

The first is complacency. When we become self satisfied with where we are, we stop pressing forward. Paul is an excellent example of this. He was never satisfied with his accomplishments until he knew that he had finished his course. We have to keep pressing forward for more of God and more of His plans for our life.

The second is discouragement. No matter what you have accomplished, the enemy will still try and bring discouragement against you. Elijah had just finished a great victory, but still he had to bat*tle the temptation to quit.

You can go from a spirit of victory to a spirit of suicide if you are not careful. We have to keep our guard up when we are coming out of a great victory, be*cause sometimes the greatest battle is after the victory and not before.

Lastly, there is weariness. Paul instructs us not to be*come weary while doing good. Esau was willing to sell his destiny to satisfy the need of the moment. We must remain future minded and not present minded. We have to protect our*selves against becoming weary. The joy of the Lord is our strength and Jesus endured the cross because of the joy that was set before Him. We must continue to keep our eyes on the prize and not on the circumstances of the moment.



Check Scott out at www.compassionfireandglory.org <http://www.compassionfireandglory.org/>

Devotion: Curious to Know God
 

CURIOUS TO KNOW GOD





And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. (Exodus 33: 14-15)



In what I have to say I may not be joined by any ground swell of public opinion, but I have a charge to make against the Church. We are not consciously aware of God in our midst. We do not seem to sense the tragedy of having almost completely lost the awareness of His presence.



I do not say that to condemn. I say it with a grieving spirit. I pray that the churches in this day may yet reap the joys and fruits of gracious revival and the deep inward awareness of GodÔÇÖs presence.



Revival and blessings come to the Church when we stop looking at a picture of God and look at God Himself. Revival comes when, no longer satisfied just to know about a God in history, we meet the conditions of finding Him in living, personal experience



Modern mankind can go everywhere, do everything and be completely curious about the universe. But only a rare person now and then is curious enough to want to know God.



Lord, increase my curiosity and help me to know You so intimately that I am especially, specifically, consciously aware of Your Presence throughout the day. Help me to know You that intimately, Amen.

think about that.....how much time we spend on FB or CHP, and how very little time we spend in the Bible,

or even how very little QUALITY time we spend with our kids/family wives.

I guess the bold/italicized part is how I feel about this forum, and my life, I don't try to use "wise and persuasive words"

i just try to act like i have some sense, not cheat no one, and not cuss & carry on. hopefully, that small example would help some you guys to see some truth to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.


--------------------------------
Real Customer Service

"While they were going out a man, who was demon-possessed and could not talk, was brought to Jesus." Matthew 9:32

Years ago, it was not uncommon to have your milk delivered to your home. Doctors made house calls. And when you made a call to a company to discuss a problem, you actually spoke to a human being. Those days of personal service are gone, and if we are not careful, we will follow the same trend in how we share the gospel.

So often we are encouraged to bring people to church. Yet, we see no examples of where Jesus brought people into the synagogue to get them saved or healed. The miracles happened more often in the workplace because that was where Jesus could be found. Jesus had less response and found more resistance in the synagogue than in the workplace. He took the gospel to and modeled the gospel in the workplace. That is where the power of God was manifested. This is not to say we should not bring people to church, only that our priority should be to bring the Church into the workplace, not bring the workplace into the church.

Paul understood this when he said, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Corinthians 2:4).

Paul understood that it wasn't words that impacted people; it was the power of God manifested through him.

When is the last time someone saw something happen through your life that could not be explained other than God working in your life? When you begin to see this happen, you will be modeling ministry as Jesus modeled it. You will be bringing the Church to the people, not the people to the church. Pray that God makes you a vessel of His power, not simply a vessel of words.

God Speaks through Circumstances





"As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother's womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things" (Ecclesiastes 11:5).



God will often use circumstances in our lives to direct us in making and confirming decisions. I have often discovered this to be the case - but only after a situation have occurred.



God often confirms His direction through circumstances. Be on alert that when God sets up situations that are out of your control - He may be giving you direction through these circumstances.

this one don't do anything for me, post up if you understand it.

--------------------------------------------

Activating What’s on Your Life



Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (I Chronicles 4:10)



As we continue into this year of great opportunity, we should be aware that not only has God opened many great things to us but also to the fact that much is required of us. In the book of first Chronicles chapter four, we see a passage about a man named Jabez. There is a demand that he places on God that pleases God. This demand comes from a revela*tion which is, God has something for me. When you are able to recognize what is on your life, you can then successfully activate it. Jabez is probably born illegitimately, which is why his birth is so painful to his mother. His life is defined as a mistake and sorrow. He has no inheritance or hope, so he has nothing to look forward to. I believe that he got a revela*tion of his Heavenly Father which changed his identity, and then ultimately his speech and outlook. He makes a five part declaration to God that defines his future and overrules his past. Five is the number for grace, and it is always important to remember that it is by grace that we have been adopted into the family of God and have become joint heirs with Je*sus. He begins by coming to God with authority. We must know that we have that means to enter into the throne room of grace boldly. He then begins to praise God for the bless*ing. We must come to Him in an attitude of praise which be*gins to activate the victory that’s already there. He then begins to make a demand on his heavenly inheritance. We have got to recognize that man can’t put a boundary on us when God has blessed us. He then asks for divine guidance. Spiritual wisdom is a must in this hour. It is the hinge that holds everything to*gether. He then asks God to keep him from unnecessary prob*lems. Jesus taught His disciples to pray this same way. We don’t need anything extra when we are going into new terri*tory. Lastly, he prays not to revert to his past, but to walk in his future. Don’t give up on your destiny. Be persistent as you are awakened to the fact that it’s yours. Make a demand on God’s best for you today.

Is America Independent from God?

By Jay Younts

On July 4th, two hundred thirty-eight years ago, Americans declared their independence from England and her King. Unfortunately, such matters are seldom settled by simply signing a piece of paper. England was not pleased with this declaration and went to war. But in the end, America had her desire—she was independent of the English.

But in what sense are people and countries ever independent? It is an enticing idea that a person or a country can independently forge their own destiny, write their own history. However, this idea is just as deadly as it is enticing. Reality is this: no country is free from the rule of the Great Sovereign of the Universe. Each person owes his next breath, and each country its next day of freedom, to the God of heaven and earth.

Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful king who thought he was in control of his world. God chose to humble him with a small demonstration of his power. Afterwards, the great king said this:

Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.

His dominion is an eternal dominion;

his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

All the peoples of the earth

are regarded as nothing.

He does as he pleases

with the powers of heaven

and the peoples of the earth.

No one can hold back his hand

or say to him: “What have you done?”

God does as he pleases with the countries and people of earth. The most secure position anyone can have is to acknowledge that God is the Ruler, the Sovereign, and the King of all. Independence from the rule of God is not an option.

Americans achieved independence from England, but we shall never be free from the dominion of Christ. This is an offensive statement to many. Laws are made that challenge the authority and rule of God. Marriage is redefined by man’s decree and not God’s. It has become unconstitutional for leaders to pray and acknowledge that we owe our lives to the God of the Bible and his Son, Jesus Christ.

The hope for America lies not in the passage of laws and in elections, but in the gospel.

The political leaders of 21st Century America want to be independent of the God of the Bible. Our leaders have forgotten Nebuchadnezzar’s warning: the God of Heaven is able to humble those who walk in pride.

This July 4th, praise God that you are dependent upon him. Pray that our leaders would heed the warning of Psalm 2:10-12:

Now then, you kings, act wisely!
Be warned, you rulers of the earth!



Serve the Lord with reverent fear,
and rejoice with trembling.



Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,
and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant.
But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

Freedom and Boundaries



Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" - Genesis 3:1

God is big on giving man freedom and boundaries--freedom to manage what He has entrusted to us, boundaries to protect us from evil. The boundaries in the Garden of Eden were not set for the purpose of limiting Adam. Man got into trouble when he questioned those boundaries. God had provided everything he would need for life. He also entrusted man with responsibility to manage and work the Garden. God gave him freedom in that responsibility. God knows we were made to express ourselves creatively through our work.

Each of us must have freedom and boundaries in our work life. Whenever you are hired for a job, you must have the freedom to make certain decisions. You must have the authority to manage things within your area of expertise. You must also have limits within your area of responsibility. You need to know where those limits are and stay within them.. Both freedom and boundaries are always under the umbrella of God's authority and our authorities at work

Jesus understood these boundaries. When He was tempted for 40 days by the devil after being baptized, He was challenged by satan to go outside His freedom and boundaries. (See Matthew 4:1-11.) Satan said that He had the power to turn a stone into bread. Jesus was hungry and easily could have justified using His power to feed Himself. However, Jesus understood He could do nothing outside the boundaries of God's will for His life. It was God's will for Jesus to be tempted and to withstand the temptation. God was showing His Son that "man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4b).

You and I are tempted every day to go beyond our God-ordained boundaries. Whether it is solving financial problems that have arisen through debt, making wrong decisions due to pressure, or manipulating someone in order to achieve our ends, it all represents rebellion toward God. Ask God to show you His freedom and boundaries for your life. These are meant to enhance your life, not hinder it

John the Baptist was the Greatest





"I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Mathew 11:11-12).



John the Baptist did no miracles. Elijah performed miracle after miracle. Daniel interpreted dreams for kings and he and his friends impacted an entire nation. Jeremiah and Isaiah were two of Israel's greatest prophetic voices. Jesus built his church through the twelve disciples. But Jesus made a profound declaration about this man who performed no miracles - He is the greatest among all the prophets.



Why did Jesus make such a claim? Because he did one very important thing - he fulfilled his purpose on earth in every way.


The disciples asked John the Baptist, "Are you the one we have been waiting for? John responded quickly, "No." Then he made a profound statement: "A man can receive only what God gives him" (John 3:27). He had a complete understanding of why he was placed on earth.



Jesus proclaimed John the Baptist was the greatest because he (John) knew and fulfilled his purpose. The angel Gabriel described John's purpose to his father: "And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luke 1:17).



His purpose was absolutely necessary to be achieved in order to prepare the way for Jesus. Do you know why God made you? Are you fulfilling the destiny He has planned for you since the foundation of the earth?



Understanding your work life purpose is the key to receiving your inheritance. Paul said no matter what kind of work you do, if God has called you to do it, you will receive an inheritance for doing it. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving" (Colossians 3:23-25).

Free to Stand





"That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies..." Joshua 7:12



It matters not how strong you are. It matters not whether you have the greatest resources and talent. It matters not if you have the best plans and procedures. It will all fail if you have a break in your armor.



This is the message God told Joshua when he attempted to go against a small army at Ai, which was the Israelites' second battle in the Promised Land. Sometimes we try to figure out why we are not successful in an endeavor. We look at all aspects of our performance to see what went wrong. For the people of Israel, it was not easily seen on the surface. Everything seemed just as it should be from Joshua's vantage point, so when his army was soundly defeated, he cried out to God, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?" (Joshua 7:7a)



The people had been defeated because God could not bless them. One person had violated the covenant with God. They were not to take any possessions from the first battle, but one person failed to live up to this, and the whole army suffered.



Sin makes our armor vulnerable to attack from satan, who then gains permission from God to attack us in the area where we have failed to uphold righteousness. If we break down in moral purity, satan comes in and establishes a stronghold. If we give place to bitterness and unforgiveness, we will break fellowship with God and others. If we become money-focused, we will fall into greed and deception. It is a vicious cycle.



Examine your armor today. Make sure you are not susceptible to attack. Begin from a solid spiritual foundation and your chances of success will be great.

so...Glenn sends out pictures with each devotion, and many of them are awesome sunrise/sunsets over the marshes & bridges of the lowcountry.

if they are good, i set them as my background & pick out details

for the Fourth, it looks like he bought a new flag, so the colors would be crisp, and he took it to the beach....yeah, about that...

it looks like a push broom handle (the type you unscrew) at the bottom, drove into the sand, a peice of PVC at the top, but the PVC was too small, so he put a PVC TEE on there to fit over the handle, then a few feet long peice of PVC pipe to make it long enough.

and huge black zip ties to hold the flag on, and did not cut the ends off.

it's a good pic :) you can't get details like that with a potato :)

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BE YE STEADFAST



1 Corinthians 15: 58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. "

As we all start our week, I thought this verse might be an encouragement and a reminder to us all. BE YE STEADFAST, this is what we must keep reminding ourselves. So many Christians today are falling by the wayside and it is very sad to see this, But what it all boils down to is Christians are not steadfast, unmovable in the faith in Jesus Christ. I want to challenge every Christians today to stand up and proclaim, I WILL NOT BE MOVED! Folks, I am going to stand for Jesus, the precepts, the standards that HE gave us to live by. After all, look what Jesus did for us, I think it is the least Christians can do and that is live for him.

Remember this brothers and sisters, many people are watching as we walk our Christian walk. Let us be an example of Christ to others that they too might want to receive Jesus into their hearts.

got this prayer request from my neighbor last night, from their friend in Israel:

We are very shaken, every 5 minutes the situation is getting worse! Rebecah and Yair just saw a rocket flying from their living room! Nathan from Jerusalem called and the siren is also playing there and couple rockets fell in Jerusalem now, Nathan said they are together praying!

Many other cities from the center are under attack!

We are in war and more than ever we need your prayers,please!


Sent from my iPad




it's pretty distant when it's on the news, but when you get an email from a friend, saying they see the rockets go by....thats crazy.

WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN DO NOTHING

by Bill Moeny

"Without Me, You Can Do Nothing." (John 15:5)


Why do you think you can run the business God has entrusted to you on your own?





Do you trust your own abilities more than you trust God's abilities? Or, are you afraid to trust God for your business? Are you afraid that He might not run the business the way you want to?



There can be only one CEO for the business.

Either you are in charge or God is in charge. Let's pretend that we are the Board of Directors of the company God has called you to run, and we are to choose between two candidates to be CEO of the business: you and God.

Let's look at God's qualifications for the job:






* He knows what's going to happen in the future so He can make absolutely the correct strategic decisions to grow the business.

* He knows the character of every new employee so He can make exactly the right selection of every new hire.

* He knows which customers are going to buy the product and which are not. He knows which customers you should make a sales call to, and which will be a waste of time.

* He already knows which new regulations are going to be promulgated next year that will affect the operation of the business, and knows how to adjust corporate operations to compensate for new regulations.

* He has unlimited resources and may be willing to invest those resources into the business.







Now let's look at your qualifications for the job:


* You have some limited experience in business, with a very limited understanding of business dynamics.

* You have some education in business, perhaps in the product field for the company, but are quite limited in your understanding of the marketplace for the product line.

* You have a very limited ability to discern which customers are going to buy your product and which are not.

* You have almost no understanding of new regulations that may affect your business and very little understanding of how to adapt the business to those new regulations.

* Even if you have an extensive interview process, you have almost no ability to discern the heart of any new hires and are greatly at risk for making a poor hiring choice.

* You do not know the future, and even if you did, would not know how to respond to what is coming.

* You have very little access to capital and have difficulty bringing significant capital resources to bear for corporate growth.




As a member of the Board of Directors, who has fiduciary responsibility for the company, I vote to have God as CEO.

No offense, but I believe He will do a much better job than you will.

So why are you trying to do it on your own? Why are you resisting yielding control of the business to God? Do you not trust Him? What part of His character is not trustworthy?

Or is this an ego problem? Are you willing to sacrifice the company on the altar of your ego?

Are you now ready to do the right thing? Are you ready to put God in charge?

Perhaps you should remove CEO from your business card, and put President in its place, to remind yourself and others that God is the CEO of the business and you are just a hired hand.

And did you really make the change? Does your prayer life show an utter dependence upon God? By just looking at how you spend your time, could you be convicted of operating a company in dependence upon God? Well?

This also applies to our daily lives, we need to give everything to Him and seek His will for everything.

Avoid personal attacks and implying motive behind someone else's position. This will allow you to disagree and still maintain a relationship.


Confront and Support





"Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company" (Acts 15:37-39).



Conflict in the workplace, in ministry, or even marriage is inevitable because you are working closely with one another. God has wired each of us with different personalities that can view circumstances differently. One person can see a situation and conclude something totally different from another.



There are times when differences and conflicts just cannot be resolved. It doesn't mean that one person or the other is evil or sinful. It just means that the difference of opinion or the personality clash has no solution.



We see an example of this in the relationship of Paul and Barnabas, two partners in Christian ministry who had a sharp disagreement regarding a young man named John Mark. In Acts 15, we see that Barnabas wanted to take John Mark on a missionary journey. However, Paul refused. John Mark had disappointed him once before and Paul didn't want to give him another chance. In the end, Paul and Barnabas agreed to disagree and to part company. Paul went one way; Barnabas and John Mark went another. Sometimes, that's the only solution to a disagreement.



There's a postscript to this story: In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul writes from his prison cell in Rome and tells Timothy, "Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry." Sometime after the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas, John Mark redeemed himself and became a valued partner in Paul's ministry. In fact, as Paul faced execution in Rome, he wanted his friend John Mark at his side.



Whenever there is disagreement, make sure you maintain support of the person at the same time you disagree with their position. Avoid personal attacks and implying motive behind someone else's position. This will allow you to disagree and still maintain a relationship.

This, to me, represents the greatest problem the church/people have ÔÇ£spreading the GospelÔÇØ

We slide up close to Jesus/God.then we backslide. The cares of this world choke us down.

So, when we get backslidden, our friends see us as hypocrites and say why do I need God, he aint doing nothing for youyou are out here in the world, getting beat to death by bills/worries/problems just like me

In other words,.non-believers see us getting beat down and losing our faithand they see no need to join us.

The world today is a TOUGH placeand being a grown up with bills & cars & houses & kids is a lot tougher than we ever thought it would be, and that makes it hard to live a solid Christian example.

Are you backsliding? I feel like I am.


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The Joy of His Salvation

by Scott Hunter



Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12)



In Psalm 51:12, David is praying a prayer of repentance and asks God to restore unto him the joy of His salvation. David had slipped away from his kingly responsibilities and as a result, sinned against God.

David had evidently lost something in his relationship with God and it cost him.

He prays for the Lord to create in him a clean heart and to renew a steadfast spirit within him. He then says that this restoration would cause him to lead others to God. When I look around the Body of Christ today, I see this same situation in many people.

They have walked away from their position in GodÔÇÖs plan and as a result, have backslidden from the joy of His salvation.

There is little evangelism in the church and even less passion for GodÔÇÖs presence. I often observe new people in the church, whether they are new to the move of the Spirit or new converts in the Kingdom. They always have such passion and zeal, and are always the first to share their new found place in God. The sad truth is that the presence of religion is greater than the presence of God in so many places, and that fire is dampened to a small flickering flame. I believe the key is to return to the cross.

The cross is the place where Jesus solidified our place with God. He paid the price and made a way for you and I to come boldly into the throne room of grace. At the cross is where we see how little we are and how great He is. We understand that there is nothing more important than our relationship with Jesus. I believe we need revival in the church, but it is a revival of the cross, the blood and the joy of His salvation.

I believe this revival will mobilize a sleeping church to take its rightful place and expand the Kingdom of God with greatness. I encourage you today to examine your life. Have you lost the fire? Are involved in religious works of obligation, or are you passionately serving our King? If you have, pray Psalm 51:1-17 from your heart and return to the joy of His salvation.



Check our ScottÔÇÖs Ministry and how God is using him at www. <http://www.compassionfireandglory.org/> compassionfireandglory. <http://www.compassionfireandglory.org/> org <http://www.compassionfireandglory

Closed on Sunday



"Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you" (Exodus 31:14).



Can a business have a Christian testimony without ever saying a word? Absolutely.



Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is America's second-largest quick service chicken restaurant chain. The company's stated corporate purpose is "to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us, and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A." The company is a great example of a business that is modeling Christian values and producing a quality product in the competitive fast-food industry. Chick-fil-A is one of the fastest-growing chains nationally, currently with over two billion dollars in annual sales.



One of the defining distinctions of Chick-fil-A is that the restaurants are not open on Sundays. From the time Truett Cathy, the company's founder, started in the restaurant business in 1946, he believed that God wanted him to honor the Sabbath by keeping the stores closed on Sundays. Though the Biblical Sabbath is Friday sundown to Saturday sundown, most Christians today celebrate Sunday as a day of worship and as "Sabbath".

Although he was challenged on this idea many times by shopping mall operators, Truett always held that "we will have more sales in six days than those who are open for seven." This has proven to be true, and today it is no longer an issue to fulfill the malls' requirement to remain open on Sunday."



When you go to a Chick-fil-A restaurant, you can tell something is different about the people and the atmosphere. The messages in the company's kids' meals always reinforce education, values, and integrity. Although the employees do not wear their faith on their sleeve, the fruit of the company is known by many - especially the many young restaurant employees who receive educational scholarships each year. The company also focuses on character-building programs for kids, foster homes, and other community services. The appearance of their headquarters conveys their values - a sense of quality without extravagance.

God Delays





"Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days" (John 11:6).



"Why doesn't God heal me? I have prayed and prayed and I am still sick. Do I not have enough faith? I am so tired of this," said my friend who had gone more than three years battling her illness.



Mary and Martha were very close to Jesus. The Bible says Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary was the woman who came and poured expensive perfume on Jesus and the disciples rebuked her. Lazarus, Mary and Martha's brother, had become terminally ill. Jesus was away in Jerusalem during the time of Lazarus' illness. After Jesus heard the news that Lazarus was ill, instead of running to the aid of Mary and Martha, Jesus waited two days. Lazarus died and was placed in a tomb. His response to the news was: "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it" (John 11:4). Jesus had to look beyond Mary and Martha's current grief in order to fulfill God's purpose for this sickness.



"When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home" (John 11:20-22). Mary was in deep mourning over the death of her brother. When she finally went to see Jesus, she immediately cried out to Him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." But there was a pre-ordained plan for the purpose of Lazarus' death. But only Jesus knew this. Jesus healed Lazarus that day.



When we experience sickness and do not see a breakthrough, we can only seek Jesus for our healing and leave the outcome to Him. We must trust that He knows the answer to our need and the timing for its solution. There are times when we experience supernatural healing and other times that we simply do not know why Jesus chooses not to heal. In either case, our devotion to Jesus must not change. God-delays are always pre-ordained for a greater purpose. If you find yourself in this place, bring your concerns to Jesus and leave them there. A day will come when Jesus will reveal His purposes in your situation.

Trusting in Chariots (hot rods?)


"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD" (Isaiah 31:1).



It is human nature to want to use whatever means available to us to succeed. However, a conflict arises when we place our total trust in ourselves instead of God. The idea of maintaining a proper balance between trust and obedience to God versus placing an over dependence upon our natural skill and resources has created problems since Genesis.


We are prone to build strong defenses through our natural gifts to avoid failure and use all of our might to be successful in our endeavors. However, this can often be done at the expense of the supernatural in our lives. When it comes to receiving from God, it is important we don't make the same mistake Moses made when God told him to speak to the rock in order to receive water for the people. Instead, He struck the rock and failed to enter the Promised Land. The people of Israel often fell back to trusting in their own abilities and God had to send a reproof into their lives.

How do we avoid the trap and maintain a proper balance between the natural and the spiritual? The rule of thumb is to submit every activity to God and use your skill as God directs you. Be sensitive to God's leading in all your activities. Avoid trying to build resources for the sake of insulating yourself against calamity which is rooted in fear.

Finally, follow Solomon's advice: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs3:5-6).

ÔÇ£Characteristics of a Godly ManÔÇØ

By Scott Hunter





Recently, the Lord had me to teach a message about the characteristics of being a Godly Man. In my years of being in the church, women have always played the most significant parts in the church. Men have always set by the side, letting the women set the attendance, hold the prayer meetings, and do the majority of the work in the ministry.



Although this has been great for the women, it has set the church out of balance as the men should be leading their homes and their communities. It is not to say that women canÔÇÖt be in charge, but rather the men should be leading by example. We will look at the life of David to see five characteristics to being a Godly man.



First, he must be passionate about the things of God and His Presence. David was so passionate about GodÔÇÖs Presence. In order to lead our homes and other people, we must be full of the Presence of God.



Secondly, we must walk in humility. To be humble, means that we are teachable, correctable, and submitted to authority. David was quick to take the blame for his mistakes.



Third, we must be able to stand alone. No matter if our wives, our children, or our friends come against us, we must be able to stand alone for what we know is right in the eyes of God.



Fourth, we must be men of mercy. It is GodÔÇÖs place to gain vengeance, not ours. David did not seek vengeance on his son or Saul, but he was a man of mercy.



Lastly, we must be men of diligence. This means we are men of our word, men of character, and mean of honor. To be a hard a hard working man is a great quality, but if we add diligence to it, we get mighty results.



I challenge the men out there, not just to be great men in the sight of other men; but to be great men in the sight of God. Lead your family in the fear of the Lord. Train your children in the way that God wants them to go, and stand firm for what God has said about you and your family. Now is not the time to be a coward and conform in the eyes of society. Now is the time stand up and be the Godly man you were created to be!





I want to encourage you to check out His new You Tube channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/CFGMUSA and website at www.compassionfireandglory.org.



We will be gearing up for our home churches Camp Meeting. It will be July 27-August 1. We are expecting God to do mighty things. Live stream broadcasting will be available at 10 AM and & 7:30 PM each day EST at http://www.ustream.tv/search?q=spoke...ach+ministries. Or come and be with us for an awesome time in GodÔÇÖs Presence.

Spoken Word Outreach Ministries Church, 42 Kean Neck Rd, Seabrook, SC 29940

He Had Such Great Potential





"Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright" (Genesis 25:34).



Have you ever heard someone say, "Oh, he had such great potential? He never lived up to it though."



Esau was the brother of Jacob. He was a man who had great potential. He was skilled in almost everything he did. He was a hunter. He was a leader. He came from a Godly patriarch family. He could do just about anything he put his mind to. The problem was he put his energies in all the wrong places. The Bible says he was a lady's man too. He was promiscuous and married outside the tribe. His parents were greatly saddened by the direction his life was taking.



During a moment of weakness, Esau made the greatest mistake of his life when he traded away his birthright for a simple meal. He had just returned from a time of hunting and he was hungry. His brother was making stew but would not give him any. Esau was angered by this and negotiated for what he wanted by agreeing to give Jacob his family inheritance. It seems almost unbelievable that Esau would do such a thing.



Esau had not understood the value of his birthright or his future in God. He could only see the immediate pleasures available to him. His appetites were driven by his flesh. And his choices led to a life that even God said He despised in Esau. Everyday there are EsauÔÇÖs living out their calling in the same way. They see the fruits that their professional life can give them. They make choices based on what seems right at the moment for immediate gratification. The Bible says there is a way that seems right but only leads to death.



God has a future and a plan for every person. But not every person will choose to follow this plan. Pray for those you encounter today that are still living as EsauÔÇÖs and ask God to move on their behalf in order that they fulfill their Godly heritage.

Reflecting His Glory





"They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might, so that all men may know of Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom." Psalm 145:11-12



How do you measure your effectiveness in God, or should you even be thinking like this? The early Church turned the world upside down in that first century. What made them so effective? Was it their theology? Was it great preaching? Was it due to one man's influence apart from Jesus?



The Scriptures are clear as to what made the early Church effective. It is at the core of God's heart, and it is quite simple. God desires to reflect His nature and power through every individual. When this happens, the world is automatically changed because those who reflect His glory affect the world.



We serve a jealous God. He is a God who will not share His glory with anyone. God sets up situations in order to demonstrate His power through them. He has done this since the day He created man. His desire is to reflect His glory through you and me, so that all men may know of His mighty acts and the glorious splendor of His Kingdom.

The apostle Paul understood this principle: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). If you do not see His glory being reflected through your life, then you need to ask why. He has promised to do so if we will walk in obedience to His commands.

are you guys "men of your word"?

do you know someone who is a "man of thier word"?
how much do you respect them & why?

--------------------------------------------------


ÔÇ£Being Responsible for Your WordsÔÇØ





33 ÔÇ£Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.ÔÇØ Matthew 12:33-37




In Matthew 12:33-37, Jesus is describing the process of the main fruit of our life, our words. He is using a tree as the example. A tree trunk, the bark, the limbs, nor the leaves make the tree. It is the roots that make the tree. The root determines the fruit. Jesus said that out of the abundance of our hearts, our words would come forth. I
t is what most in you that determines what you say is.

That is why we cannot have 10% word and 90% world and speak the word effectively. We are speaking spirits, created in the likeness and image of God. God changed His environment with His words. He spoke by faith the words of life and created what He desired.

This is why faith is not the greatest force in the universe, but your words. Faith, good or bad, will bring the words out and it is those words that determine your life. Adam had been given dominion over everything in the earthly realm that God had spoken into existence. He had the same ability that God had in this area, but he failed to use it to keep the order that God had created.

When we become a child of God, everything becomes new and in order, but it is our words that keep them that way. We have a responsibility to speak what God has planned for our lives because He has given us the dominion over the earthly realm. This is why Jesus said we have to say what heaven says. I believe that it is extremely important right now to make a check of our words. Doors are before us and it is our words that will open or close them. There are so many great things that God has for us, but we must declare a thing so it can be established for us.

The Word of God



Psalms 12: 6-7 (KJV) "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord; thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever."

There are no other words given that can calm the heart like the words from the Lord. King David said in Psalm 119:16, "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word."

King David knew the comfort that come from the words of the Lord. In a time when all else fails to give us comfort, the Word of God will give us assurance that all will be ok.

The Word of God is like the stars in the heavens, they shall never change. In old times, the ships would navigate from place to place using the stars to guide them. Still today, those same stars are there that man could use to get to the same places as the men of old.

The Word of God in the days of Paul, that guided him in the ways of God, are the same words that we have today to guide us in the ways of the Lord.

what do you REALLY live for? a faster car? boat? bike?

or do you try to make your families situation better?

or do you just work, pay bills, work, pay bills, work....

there has to be more to this life, than working, giving half your pay to the bill collector, and the other half to drinking, drugs, women and cars.

most days, it just feels like I am treading water, never making no headway.

here's a famous qoute:
"i spent most of my money on hot women, cool cars, and fast bikes....and I think I wasted the rest"


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Living for a Cause Greater Than Yourself



"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13

In the thirteenth century a man named William Wallace became the instrument of freedom from England's tyranny over Scotland. A very wicked king ruled England. A tragedy in the life of William Wallace launched him into living for this cause. Initially his cause was revenge, but soon his cause turned to something bigger than himself - freedom for a nation.

When he challenged the commoners to fight for this freedom, they responded that the enemy was too great and that they might die on the battlefield. They also refused to fight for the nobles, the knights and leaders who had a vested interest in gaining more land for themselves versus a pure cause of freedom. Wallace's response: "Yes, we might die. We will all die sooner or later. But we will die for a cause worth dying for. So that our children and their children might live in freedom." This story was popularized in the movie Brave Heart.

Today we find many Christian workplace believers living a status quo relationship with God that is more characterized as "business as usual" than a life demonstrating God's power. Our focus is often more concerned with improving our standard of living than improving the Kingdom of God through our circle of influence.

While this takes place, millions upon millions die without the saving grace of Christ. Many other Christians die never experiencing the freedom in Christ that His blood paid for. God has called each of us to live for a cause greater than ourselves - a life that is dependent on His grace and power to achieve things we never thought possible through our lives. This is His plan for your life.

The apostle Paul prayed that He might experience the power of the resurrection in his life. This power is available to you and me to live for a cause greater than ourselves. Ask God what He wants to achieve through your life today. And consider yourself dead already to the consequences of what that might mean for you.

One of the Twelve


"And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again." - 2 Corinthians 5:15

It is believed that there were about 5,000 believers during the time of Christ. Among those believers, it was thought there were three types.

--The largest number of believers was those who came to Jesus for salvation. They served Him little beyond coming to Him to receive salvation.

--A much smaller number, say 500, actually followed Him and served Him.

--Then, there were the disciples. These were those who identified with Jesus. They lived the life that Jesus lived. Each of these ultimately died in difficult circumstances. They experienced the hardships, the miracles, and the fellowship with God in human form.


If you had to say which group best represented your life, which one would you fall into - the 5,000 who simply believed, the 500 who followed and sought to implement what they were learning from the Savior, or the 12 who identified completely with the life and mission of the Savior? Jesus has called each of us to identify with Him completely. "This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:5b-6).


Pray that God will allow you to walk as Jesus did. Experience His power and love in your life today so that others will see the hope that lies in you.

A Remnant That Prays





"One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.'" Luke 11:1



God is calling out a remnant of workplace believers throughout the world who understand the role of prayer in their work. These people have learned that prayer is not a five-minute exercise in the morning devotion time, but it is a vital strategic tool to discern and know God's will and purposes in their work lives. You see they have learned that their business lives are their ministries to God and others.



These men and women have entered into covenant relationships with intercessory prayer partners who help discern the activities they should be involved in. Some even have paid staff, who intercede for the decisions and activities in which they will be involved. They are a small remnant of workplace believers who know that skill and technique are not enough to fulfill God's purposes.



A servant of the Lord has well said: Prayer is the rail for God's work. Indeed, prayer is to God's will as rails are to a train. The locomotive is full of power: it is capable of running a thousand miles a day. But if there are no rails, it cannot move forward a single inch. If it dares to move without them, it will soon sink into the earth. It may be able to travel over great distances, yet it cannot go to any place where no rails have been laid. And such is the relation between prayer and God's work.

Without any doubt God is almighty and He works mightily, but He will not and cannot work if you and I do not labor together with Him in prayer, prepare the way for His will, and pray "with all prayer and supplication" (Ephesians 6:18) to grant Him the maneuverability to so work. Many are the things, which God wills to do, and would like to do, but His hands are bound because His children do not sympathize with Him and have not prayed so as to prepare ways for Him. Let me say to all who have wholly given themselves to God: Do examine yourselves and see if in this respect you have limited Him day after day. [Watchman Nee, Let Us Pray (New York, New York: Christian Fellowship Publishers, 1977), 11.]



Is prayer a vital part of your strategic business practices? Put prayer on the front lines, instead of making it an afterthought. You will begin to see renewed power in your work life.

to me, this devotion means...when someone/something/circumstances back you into a corner, you have to CHANGE, you have to let the old "flesh" man in you die

you are new "spiritual" man...born in Christ, washed in the blood, and you ALLOW yourself to be changed, so you can better serve God.

maybe one you guys out there goofing off can post the story of David & Absalom's betrayal, most folks are familiar enough with the others.

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3 Nails


"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20).


It took three nails to crucify our Savior to the cross. God says that if we are to allow Christ to live through us then the old man must be crucified. We can each voluntarily crucify our flesh, but we often cannot complete the process by ourselves. It usually requires a third party to put the third nail into the old man that allows the work to be completed in us.


For Jesus, it was Judas.

For David, it was Absalom.

For Joseph, it was his brothers.


Betrayal is a nail that will either complete the death process, or we will linger in unforgiveness and bitterness that will result in an even worse state - partial death.

This condition never allows you and me to experience true freedom.

When Jesus died He was freed to fulfill His mission on earth. He was resurrected from death to glory. When you and I die we are freed to become all God wants us to become in our lives before God. God gives us the cross to give us God and a new life in Christ.

Is someone in your life trying to put the third nail into your death process? Do not fight it. Allow God to complete His process.
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. You have freed me from my chains." -Psalm 116:15, 16b

Considering Your Investments





"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:4).



It's rewarding to get a good return on an investment. In business we invest money, time, and people resources into promoting a product and service in hopes of a return. We make financial investments in hopes we can gain a return on our money invested. The apostle Paul understood another kind of investment. It was an investment in the spiritual lives of people.



He invested his life in a man named Epaphras, who was a man deeply impacted by Paul's investment in him. Paul makes reference to Epaphras when writing to the Colossians: "You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit" (Colossians 1:7-8). It can be rewarding to invest in other people's lives.



One day I received this note from a friend I had made an investment into: "You have had a tremendous influence on my life. For that, I will be forever grateful and love you as well." Sometimes we don't realize the difference we can make in another life. For us, it can seem a natural way of operating. We may not even think we are doing anything unusual. Until one day, you receive a note like this one.



In the marketplace we can often get very focused on the projects we are called to promote and gain a return on. However, we each need to be making an investment in other people as well.

Are you investing in lives that may be in your sphere of influence through your workplace call? The returns on this investment are considerable.