local Daily Devotions

[04ctd]

Who is doing the Driving?

19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that broke out when Stephen was killed traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, spreading the word only among Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The LordÔÇÖs hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

22 News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11: 19 ÔÇô 26)

May our focus be on the Word of God and how that every child of God should be godly Purpose Driven. Acts 11: 19 - 26 showed that the First Church was driven with a purpose to please God! In the book of Daniel we learn that Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself and be displeasing to God. The Three Hebrew Boys would not bow to the Idol god of the king, because the purposed in their heart to stand right for God!

John Wesley said, "I want the whole Christ for my savior, the whole bible for my book, the whole church for my fellowship, and whole world for my mission field."

I ask you today, who is doing the driving in your life?

[04ctd]

Candy Maker


For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son.... - John 3:16

A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make a candy that would be a witness of his faith. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry, and death of Jesus Christ. He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy-white to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church and the firmness of God's promises.

The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also be thought to represent the staff of the Good Shepherd with which He reaches down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs who, like all sheep, have gone astray.

Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes to show the stripes of the scourging Jesus received, and by which we are healed. The large red stripe was for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.


The candy became known as the candy cane-a decoration seen at Christmas time. But the meaning is still there.

During Christmas, do you reflect on the real meaning of the season? It is one season we can use like no other to bring the focus on Christ. Ask God to give you opportunities to share Christ with someone this Christmas.

[04ctd]

Unwrap Some More


Who am I, O Lord, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?ÔÇÖÔÇØ (2 Samuel 7:18)

One of the most poignant moments in the Old Testament comes when King David is planning to build a temple in Jerusalem, but is told by the prophet, Nathan, that God doesnÔÇÖt want him to do that ÔÇô the building of the temple is to be left to DavidÔÇÖs son, Solomon. DavidÔÇÖs heart is pure, his motives are good and his rationale is clear, but God says ÔÇ£NoÔÇØ. How would you respond?

David doesnÔÇÖt complain, he doesnÔÇÖt argue ÔǪ instead, he ÔÇ£went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, ÔÇÿWho am I, O Lord, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?ÔÇÖÔÇØ (2 Samuel 7:18)

David faced what must have been disappointing news by sitting down with God and remembering ÔÇô with amazement ÔÇô how far they had come together. Christmas is a great time for you and I to sit down with God and do the same thing.

For many of us, this past year has been a year with disappointments ÔÇô plans unfulfilled, good intentions thwarted ÔÇô but it has also been a year with amazing blessings, surpassed expectations, and abundant evidence that God has been at work in all of our circumstances to bring us ÔÇ£this farÔÇØ.

Part of unwrapping the gift this Christmas needs to be taking time to review just what God has done this past year, and to ask Him to help us put it all in perspective ÔÇô perhaps to get just a glimpse of how He is using these experiences to reveal His character, to take us deeper, and to continue the work of making us into the image of Christ. ItÔÇÖs that kind of perspective that allowed David to respond even to disappointment with a sense of gratitude and awe.

We can have the joy of helping our families and others related to Christmas as a time for giving, a perspective that might very well lead some into a personal relationship with Jesus in the process.

Each year as we come together, exchanging gifts, eating Christmas goodies and spending time telling stories of what had happened in our lives over the past year. The stories are usually all over the map ÔÇô stories of people weÔÇÖd encountered, challenges overcome, great blessings. There are always crazy things happening in our lives but may our part be on that day of reflecting to help other see God in those stories, and to wrap them up with a clear message of how He had been at work in our lives and how blessed we were to have come ÔÇ£this farÔÇØ.

Creating a time to tell stories is a great way to highlight the reality of Gods fingerprints in our lives. A great way to continue to un-wrap the gifts already given while creating that sense of gratitude and awe that prepares us to celebrate again that most amazing of all gifts - Immanuel  God with us  Jesus the Christ.

By the way, intentionally unwrapping the past year with your family can build that same perspective in our home, while encouraging both parents and children to expect to see God at work in the year ahead.

I continue to be amazed at how wonderfully God has set the stage to allow us to unwrap Christmas well, and how He blesses our efforts to do that. Why not go in and sit with the Lord today, let Him give you ideas for unwrapping Christmas in your life, and while you are there, take some time to be amazed that, like David, He has brought you ÔÇ£this farÔÇØ.

Christmas Blessings

[04ctd]

Having a Right Christmas

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:1-5)
Lord, help us have a right Christmas, one about You, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Help us not go through this season of Christmas not realizing what the birth of Christ means to each of us.
Lord, this Christmas morning help us not look under the tree at the gifts but look in our hearts to see if You are first and to give thanks for the gift of eternal life. Lord, help us today consider the power of Christmas, You are the Maker and the Master of Creation. Thank You Lord that You came to bring life into deadness, Jesus, You are the Strength of Earthly Life, the Secret of Effective Life, and the Source of Eternal Life.
The truth that God came to earth in human form is plainly announced in His Word. Lord, help us not get so wrapped up in activities and programs that we miss the immeasurable worth of knowing who that Baby was. Jesus is God! He came to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. This Christmas we should join with the wise men and shepherds and give praise to Jesus, God who became man.
Thank You, Lord that You came to bring Light into this darkness, Father, help us not get so busy this holiday that we push Christ out of Christmas.
Help us make sure that we give Christ the glory He is due today and every day.
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

This is an awesome song by Holly Tucker about baby Jesus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFou30v7O5I

From the OwensÔÇÖ to You and Yours
We send warm and loving wishes
For a very Merry Christmas
With Peace and Blessings

[04ctd]

The Scriptures Are the Foundation


The Bible is the Word of God. This is a simple statement, but profound. Do we believe it to be true?

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3.16)

This is a description of the nature of Scripture, its purposes, and its capabilities. This says the Scripture is useful for equipping the man of God for every good work, such as running a company for Christ. Do you believe it to be true? Do you want to be equipped? Equipping will not occur without studying the Scriptures on a daily basis. We are in a lifetime school for being equipped by God to run His company for Him. We are earning our MBP ÔÇô Masters in Business by Prayer - and knowing the Scriptures well is the basis for all the rest of the equipping.

Note the word "God breathedÔÇØ (theopneustos). This is the only place in Scripture this word is used. This tells us the Scriptures are not just inspired but personally dictated by God. By studying the scriptures we have the incredible opportunity to view the mind of Christ and learn the basic principles of how God wants us to run these companies for Him as platforms for ministry and our lives. Don't miss the opportunity. Study the Scriptures daily.

[04ctd]

The Savior is Born


Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:11)

For many, the Christmas season brings to mind some of the most pleasant and vivid memories of childhood; the hustle and bustle of shopping, decorating, and wrapping gifts; the aroma and flavor of special treats, like my motherÔÇÖs fruit cake cookies; the smiles of laughter of family and friends; the anticipation and joy of opening presents, I still recall the look and excitement on my childrenÔÇÖs faces when they were small as they came to the tree to see what was there, those memories will never fade.

But to some, not all Christmas memories are happy ones. For some, the recollections of Christmas past are bound up with feeling of deprivation, heartbreak, or loss. But, Praise God, there is a message of hope that still rings out to all of the events of the first Christmas, regardless of past experience or present circumstances.

Thank You Father of the good news that a Savior was born, one who would bring freedom to the prisoners, sight to the blind, deliverance to the oppressed, healing to the brokenhearted, and acceptance to the outcast. The Savior was born for us, we are the blessed recipients of GodÔÇÖs favor, oh, what a gift. Lord, help us share what You have done for us, and not keep a secret of such an awesome gift.

The Almighty God entering the world in the form of a helpless infant, the eternal plan of God culminating in the birth of a child, the greatest miracle ever conceived, lying in a manger.

Thank You, Father, for the gift of salvation that our Savior brought to us. Lord, I long to get to that place that I can open my present with You, and help us remember that humbly You came and humbly we will go.

Jesus was born to be the Savior of the world, the glory of God and the salvation of the world was revealed in His birth. Thank You Father for the treasure of Heaven that You sent into the world that first Christmas day; the gift of Love addressed to each of us, a gift that keeps on giving. ÔÇ£Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!ÔÇØ

[04ctd]

my Dad says this all the time: "the little foxes that ruin the vineyards"
in other words, you mind your dollars but not your dimes...and end in bad times.

pay attention to the small things!

------------------------------
DonÔÇÖt Let the Smalls Beat YouÔÇØ

By Scott Hunter

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom (Song of Songs 2:15)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableÔÇöif anything is excellent or praiseworthyÔÇöthink about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

In the Song of Solomon 2:15, we see that he instructs us to catch the small foxes that destroy our vines. In this coming year, I believe that God wants to do big things, but we must be on the lookout for the small things that would keep us out of our destiny. In order to beat the smalls, we must think big, talk big and act big. We must enable our spirit man to see what God sees, and then pursue it with boldness.

I believe this is a Caleb year in which our dreams will begin to come true. It is a year to obtain our prophetic inheritance. In the account in the book of Numbers, we see that most of the spies saw themselves small. They were defeated in their destiny because they couldnÔÇÖt see what God saw in them. Caleb saw it! He knew that they were well able to take the land, and forty years later, he had not lost site of the promise. He refused to stoop down to the smallÔÇÖs level. He wouldnÔÇÖt talk like them, think like them or act like them. Refuse to engage in small talk.

DonÔÇÖt get caught up in the drama that surrounds you. DonÔÇÖt murmur or complain, but speak the word of God over your life and current situation. DonÔÇÖt see the giants, see the victory! Paul instructs us in Philippians 4:8 to mediate on positive things. What you think about, is what you become. Forget the past and press toward your future. Stop falling into the enemyÔÇÖs traps of strife, contention, unforgiveness, offense and jealousy. ItÔÇÖs time catch the foxes and see our vines bear the fruit that God desires for us.

DonÔÇÖt let the smalls beat you!

Check Scott out on his website at www.compassionfireandglory.org and you can also find a link to his ministry page on Facebook there too.

[04ctd]

Going Without Jesus


"After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it" (Luke 2:43).

Odell and Nell had five children. Odell was preaching at a church in a revival and the oldest son always was in the vehicle when the family got ready to leave. In the rush of preparing to leave and getting the other kids situated, they failed to notice Glenn was not there, he was sleeping on the back bench in the church. As they started the trip home someone noticed that Glenn was not in the vehicle, then there was a rush back to get him. That son on the bench was I.

Mary and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. Jesus was 12-years old. They were evidently very distracted by the excitement and business of the Feast. In fact, Mary and Joseph began their return trip to Nazareth only to realize well into the trip that Jesus was not with them. It would be three days before they would be reunited with their 12-year-old son. It caused quite a scare for Mary and Joseph, and they reprimanded Jesus for "wandering" off.

As a parent, I find this story truly amazing. How can parents of the Son of God not know their son is not in their presence? Yet, this story illustrates how each of us can become so busy that we continue to operate not realizing Jesus is no longer with us.

We can walk away from fellowship with Jesus. Do not let this happen to you. He longs to have daily fellowship with you because He loves you. Today, ask yourself if Jesus is accompanying you in your daily activities. He desires to walk with you each and every day.

[04ctd]

Open Doors and Open Heavens
by Scott Hunter


For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries. (1 Corinthians 16:9)

As we are now into this new year, I pray that God is moving mightily in your lives. I believe that as we came into the spiritual new year last fall, we moved into a time of open heavens. I believe that this year will be one of open doors as a result of what God has already begun to do. Aligning our lives with His purpose is key in the coming days. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 16:9 that there are adversaries at the open door. The word adversary means to oppose, to lie opposite, and to be contrary. I know that many people in the Body of Christ have felt great opposition in the previous months. This is only a sign that newness is ahead of you. The Lord revealed to me three specific adversaries that we must confront in order to walk through the new doors that await us.

The first one is fear. The fears of failure, disappointment, not measuring up, and letting others down are all things that we face as we walk in new directions. As David went to face Goliath, he had to muster the faith from his previous tests to move against this new opposition. Although he was anointed to be king, this first step was key in moving forward.

The second is options. You will never move forward if you are trying to keep your options open. It would be like walking through a new door still holding on to the door behind you. David told Saul that he used to keep his fatherÔÇÖs sheep. In other words, he was saying I am not going back, I am going forward.

Lastly is offense. David was criticized by his brothers as he tried to move into what God had for him. All of us will have the opportunity to become offended during transition. Whether it is from those from afar or from those who are close, you will receive criticism.

The key is to refine your love walk during this process, because it will assist you in later phases. We must then recognize GodÔÇÖs timing in all these matters. It is important to be exactly aligned to GodÔÇÖs plan. The faith that has brought you here, will take you though. Recently the Lord said to me, ÔÇ£Stop getting your hopes up and start building your faith upÔÇØ. LetÔÇÖs not walk in disappointment by living in hope alone, but rather build our faith and walk in the newness that God has for us.


Check out ScottÔÇÖs Ministry and how God is using him at www.compassionfireandglory.org and you can also find a link to his ministry page on Facebook there too.

[04ctd]

Walk as Jesus Did


"This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did" (1 John 2:6).

I have always found the above verse very intimidating. It says that if we are truly living in Christ, we must walk as Jesus did. How did Jesus walk? He healed the sick. He perceived the needs and situations of others supernaturally. He spoke boldly into the lives of the unsaved. He met the needs of people by leading them to the Kingdom of God. Jesus says we must walk as He did. So, I can only conclude from this verse that if we are each called to live this way, He will also equip us to live this way.

How did Jesus walk? He walked on earth as a human being, not as God, yet He was God. His miracles were done as a human being who tapped into the power of His Heavenly Father. This is why he can exhort us to live like He did not as deity, but as a human being who could appropriate all the Father had for him. This is what He means when He says "live as He lived." We are to exercise obedience and faith just as He did.

I believe we live in a day that requires more than proclamation evangelism to break through in the workplace. We live and work in a skeptical society. It takes more than reasoning to see those in the workplace come to Christ. The workplace is trained to see past phonies. So, it will require the genuine love and power of Christ to be manifested to break through to a Muslim co-worker, a power-driven executive, or a foul-mouthed customer.

Jesus modeled a way of reaching the lost. He did not use reasoning to convince a person to follow him. He often operated in the supernatural revelation about a need in that person's life. Such was the case of the Samaritan woman. This encounter not only led to a woman placing her faith in the Messiah, but it led to the transformation of a city.

Next time you have an encounter with an unsaved associate, find out about a need they have and ask God how you can meet it through His power.

[04ctd]

Mount Horeb


"So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God." 1 Kings 19:8

Elijah and Moses were men of great zeal. They were passionate about their causes. Moses sought to free the Hebrews from the tyranny of slavery by killing an Egyptian with his own hand. Elijah, after calling down fire on the evil prophets of Baal, found himself spent physically and emotionally to the point he asked God to take his life.

Immediately after these two events, 500 years apart from one another, both men were led to the same Mount Horeb, the mountain of God. In Hebrew, Horeb means "desolation." This barren environment mirrored the condition of Moses and Elijah. For Moses, it was 40 years of barrenness. For Elijah, it was 40 days without food. Elijah became tired of standing alone for God.

As workplace believers we often become so focused on the goal we forget to meet God at our own Mount Horeb. This was the place God met both Moses and Elijah. It was a place of renewal, a place of new beginnings, and a place of personal encounter with the living God.

Perhaps Elijah's greatest virtue was his zeal. Indeed, we shall see that twice in his communication with God, Elijah speaks of having been "very zealous" for the Lord. But zeal, unattended eventually becomes its own God; it compels us toward expectations, which are unrealistic, and outside the timing and anointing of God. To remain balanced, zeal must be reined in and harnessed by strategic encounters with the living God. We otherwise become frustrated with people and discouraged with delays. We step outside our place of strength and spiritual protection. Many of us become so consumed with our battles that we are no longer aware of the presence of Jesus. We have been traveling in our own strength.

Pray that Jesus will teach us that intimacy with Him is the greatest measure of success.

Lord, guide us to the mountain of Your presence. Amen

[04ctd]

Seeing the Big Picture


..."Everything is against me!" - Genesis 42:36

Eventually, Benjamin along with Jacob's other sons learned that their brother Joseph was second in command in Egypt. Joseph revealed his identity, and Jacob was reunited with his son whom he had not seen for more than 13 years. He had thought Joseph to be dead.


So often we believe our dreams are dead. There seems to be nothing left in our world to live for. Everything appears to be against us.

During these times, God is doing His deepest behind-the-scenes work. During these times, God is performing a deeper work in each of us -- a work that cannot be seen.

When clients began leaving my business and it dried up for no apparent reason, it appeared "everything was against me." I could not see that God was orchestrating a whole new calling on my life. At the moment, it seemed like the worst thing in the world.

It seemed that I had been a failure. But God said, "No." All the years before had been preparation for what God's ultimate calling would be. One of God's methods for directing His children's steps is through drying up resources: a job loss, a career change, or a disaster. In these times we are willing to listen more intently, and to seek God in ways we would not normally do.

C.S. Lewis once wrote, "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

[C.S.Lewis, The Problem of Pain (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1962), 93.]

[04ctd]

Made for Heights


"The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights" (Habakkuk 3:19).

The book of Habakkuk inspired Martin Luther's reformation and the book "Hinds Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hunnard. Habakkuk encourages us to question what God is doing in our lives. When we are thrown into suffering for a period of time, or our enemies is prospering while we are just barely getting by, we wonder about the equity of God and life. Habakkuk affirms that God is God and we are made to scale the mountains of adversity. We just need to be still and know He is at work. He is who He says He is and does keep His promises.

God equips His people to scale the heights even in the midst of great challenges. He enables us to go to the higher places with Him where we are set apart from the world. Sometimes the way we have to go to get us there is through suffering and sorrow, but if we rest in Him and trust Him we come out where He wants us.

When Jesus told the disciples He was going to send the Holy Spirit to them, it was in order for them to scale the mountain before them with a new form of power they had not experienced. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

If you find yourself in a place of doubting God and His plan for your life, know that this is a normal aspect of your journey in God. However, know that God has made available His Holy Spirit in order for you to accomplish the tasks that lie ahead.

Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to achieve the heights for which He has created you.

[04ctd]

Sowing in Tears


"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." - Psalm 126:5

The most difficult place to keep moving in faith is the place of extreme pain. Extreme pain, especially emotional pain, can become immobilizing to the human spirit if it is allowed to overcome us. The psalmist tells us there is only one remedy for overcoming painful circumstances that will result in joy. We are to sow in the midst of these times. You cannot do this if you live by feelings alone. It is an act of the will. This act requires that we go outside ourselves in pure faith.

I learned this principle during one of the deepest periods of my life. I had lost much that was dear to me. A mature man in the faith admonished me to reach out to others in spite of my own pain. "Invest in someone else," he said. I did not realize what a place of healing and comfort that would become.

"He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him" (Psalm 126:6). Pain can become a source of joy if we take the first step by planting seed. There is a harvest that will come if we sow in the midst of tears.

[04ctd]

God-Inspired Delays


Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. - John 11:6

Delays in our life are not always easy to handle or to reconcile in our minds. Often, when God does not answer our prayers in the time that we feel He should, we appoint all sorts of characteristics to God's nature that imply He does not care. Such was the case with Lazarus' sisters when Lazarus became ill and died. Jesus was a close friend to Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. (Mary, you may recall, was the woman who came and poured perfume on Jesus' feet.) When Jesus arrived two days later, Martha shamed Him by saying, "If You had come he would not have died." She implied that He didn't care enough to come when sent for. It was a matter of priorities for Jesus, not lack of love.

God often has to delay His work in us in order to accomplish something for His purposes that can be achieved only in the delay. Jesus had to let Lazarus die in order for the miracle that was about to take place to have its full effect. If Jesus had simply healed a sick man, the impact of the miracle would not have been as newsworthy as resurrecting a man who had been dead for four days. This is Jesus' greatest "public relations act" of His whole ministry. What many do not realize is that the key to the whole story is in the next chapter.

Many people, because they had heard that He had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet Him. So the Pharisees said to one another, "See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!" (John 12:18-19)

If Jesus had not raised Lazarus from the dead, there would have been no crowds to cheer the Lord when He came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

God often sets the stage so that His glory is revealed through the events that He orchestrates. He did this with Moses and Pharaoh, allowing delay after delay for release of the Israelites from Egypt. He did this with Abraham and Sarah for the promised child, Isaac. God granted Sarah a baby past the age of childbearing in order to demonstrate His power.

God did this in my own life. He delayed the fulfillment of what I believed He called me to do for several years. But the delays provided the necessary preparation and greater glory that God was to receive. My friend, don't take the delays lightly. Do not faint as God places you in what seems to be a holding pattern. God is at work. God knows the purposes for His delays. Don't give up, for they are for His greater glory; so we need to remain faithful.

[04ctd]

Power of the Tongue


"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." - Proverbs 18:21

Words have the power to motivate or destroy, energize or deflate, inspire or create despair. Many successful executives can remember the time their father failed to give affirmation to them as a child. The result was either overachievement to prove their worth, or underachievement to prove he was right.

Many a wife has lost her ability to love because of a critical husband. Many a husband has left a marriage because of words of disrespect and ungratefulness. Stories abound regarding the power of words. There are just as many stories of those who have been encouraged, challenged, and comforted with words that made a difference in their lives.
Jesus knew the power of words. He used parables to convey His principles of the Kingdom of God. He used words of forgiveness and mercy. He used words to challenge. He used words to inspire His disciples to miraculous faith.

Do your words give life? Do they inspire and challenge others to greatness? Who does God want you to encourage through your words today? Affirm someone close to you today.

[04ctd]

Sudden Ghosts in Life


When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. - Matthew 14:26

Have you ever had some unexpected event happen in your life that caused great fear? Sudden calamities can result in great fear unless we know Who is behind the event. Such was the case for the disciples when they were out in their boat at night. Suddenly, they saw a figure walking on the water and assumed it was a ghost. They feared for their very lives. But as the figure got closer and closer, they could see that it was Jesus. Their fear turned to joy because now they knew whom they were confronting. This seemingly life-threatening event turned into one of the great miracles of the Bible. Peter was invited to walk on the water -- and he did just that.

Many times we have events in our lives that appear to be ghosts. For me, it was a period in my life when I experienced family loss, loss of my finances, and 80 percent of my business -- all in a matter of a few months. These were the ghosts that instilled fear and great turmoil in my life.

But after two years in this desert experience, God revealed His true purposes for these events. He turned them from being a place of fear, to a place of miracles. He led me to a totally new calling in my life, and He demonstrated to me that He was behind the storm that led to these new discoveries. The events were real. The emotions I went through were real. I had to hold fast to the reality that nothing can touch us without passing through God's sifter. He allows only that which is necessary to touch us. And if it does, it has a purpose. But we may not know it for a while.

Are there some "ghosts" in your midst? Look beyond the appearance and let God turn your ghosts into a miracle.

[04ctd]

The Logic of Faith


"Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen."
Hebrews 11:1

Christianity and our relationship with God are very logical. It is a step-by-step process. While it requires faith to proceed, it is not a great leap into the darkness. God always provides the basis for trusting in Him. That is why the Christian life is a journey, a process, not an event.

From Salvation (the process of believing in and trusting Christ for His redemption of my soul on the cross) to Sanctification (the process of God changing me from who I was into the image of Christ - Romans 8.29) to Surrender (the process of giving God full control of all aspects of my life), it is a process. The growth of faith is a logical step by step process, each step building on the previous.

At each step, God prepares us for the next step. He teaches us the truth of the Kingdom about the situation we are in. He teaches us His character. He prepares us for every situation we are going to face. And then, like any good teacher, He tests us to see how we have learned the material. He provides difficult situations for us to go through so that we can put to use the faith and trust He has taught us.

So how does faith become the reality (or conviction) of what is hoped for? It does so gradually. God demonstrates to us, step-by-step, that He can be trusted. He teaches us His word, and then demonstrates to us that His word is true.

Each time we venture out beyond our comfort zone in response to His direction, we find that our faith grows. Our conviction that His promises are true and that He can be trusted grows stronger every time we test His promises and experience Him and His provision.

So the Christian life is very logical. It starts with the tiniest seed of faith to believe that God exists, based on the substantial evidence He reveals to us. Then God builds on that tiny seed of faith to grow our faith stronger and our trust deeper until His Scriptures become reality to us, His presence becomes reality to us, and His commands become our very life blood. It is a process, not an event

[04ctd]

The Fertile Pasture


"Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands" (Micah 7:14).

"I've called you to pastor the bank," said the Lord to my friend Chuck. "Pastor the bank? How does one pastor a bank, Lord?" "The things I taught you I want you to teach others," came the reply.

There are a people who live isolated in fertile pasturelands. They long for a shepherd who will help them discover their own inheritance. They are the lost majority in the marketplace who are living lives as though they are a child lost and aimless in a deep, dark forest.

Though most do not know it, they long for a pastor who will reveal to them their destinies. Your staff, which represents your vocation, is the means by which God is going to use you to pastor those in your sphere of influence in the workplace.

A fertile pastureland means there is a great harvest that can come if only there is someone to do what is necessary to bring a harvest from it. This is where you will derive your inheritance. The people you serve will be the spiritual inheritance God has allotted to you.

This forest is more fertile than all other potential fields because the power and authority represented by this forest has the potential to impact far greater fields. This forest has CEOs, presidents of nations, entertainment moguls, media tycoons, and educators to name just a few. They are the shapers of society who have yet to meet their Maker.

Are you willing to use your staff to be a shepherd to those in the fertile pasturelands?

[04ctd]

“Famine"
"For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places." Matthew 24:7 (KJV)
In this chapter, the disciples ask Jesus questions about when the end of the world will come. My focus today is on one of the things that Jesus told his disciple would come and that is "Famine." When one hears or reads the word, "Famine," automatically you think of a lack of food, but I believe Jesus was trying to tell them and us of a shortage of something far more devastating.

I believe the famine that Jesus was talking about is of the knowledge of God's Word and it being rightly divided. Today, there is a multitude of people that are malnourished due to not getting fed with the Word of God properly. People are misinterpreting the Word of God which is causing great confusion and it is creating churches with no foundation, which is nothing more than a social club. If there ever was a day that the Word of God needed to be Preached and taught properly, it is today! If there ever was a day that godly knowledgeable teachers of the Word of God were needed, it is today!

Today people that think they have this GREAT BIBLICAL GIFT OF KNOWLEDGE is trying to rewrite the Bible to say what they feel is proper.
Those GREAT MINDED PEOPLE say that the King James Bible is full of errors and needs to be fixed. They taking the truths of the bible, the doctrine and twisting it to say what mankind wants it to say.

Well, I ask you to look at the church of Yesterday and look at today's powerless churches and answer this question for me, DO WE NOT HAVE A PROBLEM? People today have no regard to what God has said. They want it their way, they want the church to operate their way, they want the Bible to say what they want it to say so that their church, their homes, their lives can be RAN the way THEY want it to be ran.

The Word of God gives great warning of that in Galatians 6:3 " For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself." Be careful on how you evaluate yourself! The proper look that a Child of God or anyone else should have for themselves, the proper evaluation is this, APART FROM CHRIST, I AM NOTHING!