local Daily Devotions

[04ctd]

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).

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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. compassionfireandglory. org <http://www.compassionfireandglory

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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).

[04ctd]

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

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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?

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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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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.

[04ctd]

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

[04ctd]

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.