Blessing Those Who Curse You

"Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you." -Luke 6:28
 

Have you ever had an enemy? It could be someone you might have gotten into an argument with, someone who wronged you, or it could even be a former friend or estranged relative. However the enemy became an enemy, Jesus taught us that we are to bless our enemies, to pray for those who have hurt us. (Matthew 5:44) 

This is easier said that done. Often if there has been abuse involved it is difficult to think about that person and even harder to forgive them. But, forgive them we must - because as Jesus said, "...if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:15 

One night I was driving home from the gym with my mom, as she was visiting from out of town. All of a sudden, a dog rushed out in front of us, and (BAM!) I had no time to stop. My first concern was the dog, because I thought for sure he would be lying on the side of the road either dead or needing emergency care. But as I walked over to where the dog came from he was bounding around, like nothing had happened. I saw the dog's owner as I began to walk over and asked, "Is your dog alright?" to which he replied, "He seems fine to me!" "Ok," I said. I couldn't see any damage to my car in the dark, so I drove home, slightly shaken. 

When I got home I told my husband what had happened and he came out to look at my car. The car had been chipped above the right wheel, where I had hit the dog. I began to think about what had happened. In our county it is illegal to let a dog roam in a neighborhood without a leash. So, my husband and I decided to go over to the man's house and talk to him about the situation. 

When we got there, the dog's owner was sitting inside the garage smoking. When we walked up, he greeted us and was very nice. We told him about the situation and showed him the damage, and he immediately said, "I'd be happy to compensate you for that." I was so glad. I didn't want it to turn into a big confrontation. 

A couple days later I got an estimate for the repair of my car and put it on his door, like he asked, with a note. Several minutes later he called on my phone and left a message saying, "It was your fault you hit my dog. My lawyer said it's your fault, so I'm not paying for this." At that point, we became enemies. I called him back and asked him if he was aware of the county leash laws. He said that he was but that he was not responsible. I told him my mom and I could have been seriously hurt due to his irresponsibility, to which he hung up the phone. 

I was so mad! It made me even more upset that this whole situation was taking up time due to the drama of it all. But, eventually, I got over it - I let it go. I just hoped that his dog wouldn't be let out again so we wouldn't have any more incidences. 

One day, I drove past and remembered the situation, and remembered the scripture, "pray for your enemies - bless those who curse you." So I prayed that God would bless him. Wouldn't you know it, two weeks later, a "For Rent" sign showed up on the lawn. He had moved! I definitely felt a lot safer. 

Do you pray for your enemies? Do you bless those who curse you? Ask God to help you bless your enemies today.

Making Agreements

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." -Ecclesiastes 4:12

People make agreements all the time. We make them with friends, with business partners, or in a marriage. Agreements between people can be very powerful. When we agree to do something together, we can accomplish great things. But did you know there are other types of agreements?

Agreements happen in the spiritual realm too, beginning with our minds. We can agree with an attitude, a perception, with God, or with the enemy. When we see something a certain way, we have made a conscious decision within ourselves to see it that way, and to agree that's the way it is. Perception really is reality. Our beliefs about ourselves are agreements. We choose to believe whether we are fat or ugly, skinny or beautiful. "Fat" is not just a body weight - it is a measure of our worth, and a measure of our "acceptability". We agree with ourselves about how much we're worth. Sometimes these thoughts are valid, sometimes they're not. But, we need to be very careful who or what we are agreeing with - a cord of three strands is not easily broken.

Once a friend of mine was having a difficult time fitting in socially. She had tried to talk to certain people and make new friends, but it just wasn't working out. She felt worthless, like she had nothing to offer. I told her, "Jessica, you've got to walk in there with an attitude like you've got something to offer. Not in a haughty sort of way, but in a way that says, 'hey, I know I'm worth something, and I know God thinks that way too. And I'm not going to let your actions or my perception of what you're thinking about me tell me I don't!"

Who or what are you choosing to agree with? Would God agree the same way? Make a decision today to agree how God agrees. When we do this, the kingdom of heaven lives in our hearts, and we are never the same.

Being Steadfast in Our Faith

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You."  -Isaiah 26:2-4

Have you ever heard the term, "slow and steady wins the race"? Or, have you ever heard the story of the Rabbit and the Tortoise?  I'm sure you've heard of one or both of these.  This principle of being consistent and grounded is very important in living out our faith!

Our maturity as Christians is often revealed as we walk through life’s obstacles.  It is our proving ground for growth.  Dr. Sam Peeples said, “The circumstances of life, the events of life, and the people around me in life, do not make me the way I am, but reveal the way I am.”  Will we bend or will we break?  Someone who is steadfast in their faith is not likely to break when storms come.  They are firmly rooted in what they believe.  Though the winds may be howling and the rain pelting, and even though they may have a hard moment or two, they stay grounded in the truth.  They stay rooted in their faith.  Emotional maturity is tied to this – when we’re steadfast we’re not likely to fly off the handle.  We know God’s got it covered –  we search for His promises applied to “such and such” situation.

“They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.”  -Luke 6:48

In a moment in time, how we feel about our lives or about a situation is only temporary  It won’t last.  We won’t even carry our emotions with us into heaven.  Though they are so real in the moment, emotions normally don’t even last more than a day.  What does remain is our love for people, our love for God; the kindness and love of Jesus we showed others. The artist Jewel said it well:  “In the end, only kindness matters.”

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”  -1 Corinthians 13:13 

Are you steadfast in your faith?

Don't Despise Small Beginnings

"Who despises the day of small things?" -Zechariah 4:10

Have you ever had an idea for something? Perhaps, if you've had an idea for a business, you've envisioned a beautiful tall skyscraper with shiny blue windows and your company's name on the side. You envision 500 of your perfect smiling employees working away within the spotless facility that is, of course, owned by you and your Board of Directors, who all work together with perfect ease.
But, as of right now, you've just received your business license in the mail. It's pretty much the only piece of inventory you own. And the landlord just called and your rent is late. Your mind takes a crash landing right smack into the pavement of reality.

So then, how do dreams interact with the reality of life? How can we ever hope to accomplish those things we feel that God has placed inside us? Are our dreams too lofty? Unrealistic? Too ambitious? Arrogant? Mindless? Stupid?

Joseph's dreams were thought of as lofty and unrealistic. He was thought of as arrogant by his brothers. It took a long time for the fulfillment of his vision. But, he never stopped dreaming. And he knew that his dreams were from God, no matter what anyone said. The key is that Joseph allowed God to work His purposes in Him. He surrendered and let God use his "dreaming" ability for His purpose.

Giant Sequoias are known as the world's largest trees. But did you know that their seeds are only 1-4 mm wide?

Don't be discouraged if your dream seems too grand. If the seed has been created or birthed by God, then with time, water, and care, it will grow larger than your wildest imagination.

God Is Picky

 

"At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him."  -Exodus 4:24

There is a random verse in Exodus as Moses is on his way to Egypt to free the Israelites from slavery that is quite surprising.  Moses and his wife Zipporah are staying at at lodging place.  It says in Exodus 4:24 that God met Moses, and was about to kill him for not circumcising his son. 

"At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)" -Exodus 4:24-26

Now, this is after Moses was rescued as a child from the Nile River and adopted by Pharaoh's daughter, being spared from death then.  This is after he killed a man who was torturing another Hebrew and was banished from Egypt, but saved from death himself.  And, this is after he spent 40 years in the wilderness being a shepherd, and after God called him from the burning bush and told him to free the Israelites.  This is even after Moses turned down the offer and God told him his brother Aaron would help him.  God still wanted him to do it.  But here, now, God is ready to kill him.  Say what??

Circumcision was a basic for a Hebrew.  It was a sign of the covenant between the Israelites and God.  What does this mean for us?  Often if we don't get down the basics, God can't use us for His purposes.  If we fail to love others, if we fail to respect authority, if we fail to see the value in promises, if we fail to see the value in worship and sacrifice - all of these things can discredit us from being used by God.  This doesn't mean He can't, through His Son redeem our lives as we seek forgiveness.  It does mean, however, that God won't settle.  He desires that we submit to His will for our lives.  But often it takes the closest ones around us who  know us well to help us in this journey, like Moses' wife Zipporah helped him.

Is there anything you feel could disqualify you from what God has called you to?  Often it takes someone else to help us see perspective in the areas where we lack.  Ask God to bring those trustworthy people around you to help you in your journey.  God desires that we have success in Him!

The Darkroom of Calling

"Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined.  But while Joseph was there in the prison, the LORD was with him..." -Genesis 39:20-21

Do you know what a darkroom is?  Darkrooms were used as one of the first methods of developing film. Wikipedia says of darkrooms: "From the initial development to the creation of prints, the darkroom process allows complete control over the medium."

Often when we begin on our walk with God, we have big ideas and big visions for what He wants to do with us.  Somewhere down the line though, disappointment or circumstances get in our path, perhaps through no fault of our own. We can wonder what God is doing with us during these times.  "But God," we might say, "I thought You wanted to do A, B, or C in my life!"

At this God invites us to wait on Him, to be still before Him and “wait” on what He is going to do.

This waiting place is not an idle place however; it is a place where we are to be faithful. Faithful in what?  Faithful to God, in His truth. Faithful to develop our prayer life, even when we feel dry.  Faithful to forgive others, and let Him purge sin out of our hearts. Faithful to seek Him, even when He seems far away.  Faithful with our money, even when we don't have a lot. And faithful with our time and talents, even if we aren't getting many results in the moment. 

We can't try to develop ourselves, or make the process go faster. Only God knows when we are ready. We learn to become secure in God, versus ourselves, our ambitions, money, intelligence, or other people. In order for a darkroom to work it's purpose, there cannot be any sunlight. God uses these places in our lives so that we will learn to trust Him fully, becoming more like Him.

Are you in a darkroom right now? Can you cite times when God was using a "darkroom" to develop you in ways you couldn't see at the moment?  Let us not short-circuit God's processing, so we can be fully developed, and become everything He has called us to be. (James 1:4)

Bug Lights

"For the LORD your God is a consuming fire..." -Deut 4:24

We were at the worship concert, singing and worshipping God.  The Spirit was very alive in the meeting, and I could feel the "fire" of God all around us.  I felt consumed with the power and presence of God. 

Then I had this thought: Life's circumstances and the negative things that happen really don't matter at all as long as we're consumed with the fire of God.  If we are really on fire, all the time, everything negative gets burned up by Him!

It may sound silly, but I imagined myself as a "bug light", that when plugged in to the fire of God, consumed every negative circumstance, thought, or attitude before it was even allowed to get close to my heart.

This is what being "on fire for God" is all about.

We are made in God's image. As we become more and more like Him, the real Him, we begin displaying His characteristics: His mercy, His love, His grace, His truth, and most of all His life. Life in Him is about being alive - being truly alive.  And when we are alive, we burn for Him.

As we sang the words, "You set our hearts on fire... we are consumed by you," the analogy of being a "bug light" resonated - nothing else matters because the fire of God is within us.

Are you so on fire with the Presence of God that any negative thought, attitude, or behavior is "zapped" in your midst?  May we be on fire for Jesus, so that our main focus is Him, and Him alone.

Keeping the Main Thing the Main Thing

"Then he asked them, 'But who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' Jesus replied, 'You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.'"  -Matthew 16:15-17

How would you feel if you bought tickets to see your favorite artist and you showed up, only to find that someone else, not quite as talented, was going to do the show? 

I don't know about you, but I would be super disappointed!  I'd want my money back, and I'd want to leave, even if the show was decent.

Sometimes in Christian circles we can get caught up in the programs, the people, and unfortunately, the money.  None of those things are bad at all, in fact, they are good things!  They are what help bring people closer to Christ, and build His kingdom.  But if we do not keep the focus of Jesus at the center, then it is all for naught.

I am reminded of an experience at a church I went to once where it was all about the programs.  I began to miss my Savior, Jesus.  Isn't that sad?  Missing Jesus at a church!  He was supposed to be the star of the show, but He wasn't - the programs were.

As Christians, we need to be sure in our ministry work and even in our lives, that we keep the main thing the main thing - Jesus at the center. 

Is Jesus at the center of your life and ministry?  Make sure He is the main thing, and He will allow all those other things that are needed to fall into place. 

Developing An Attitude of Boldness

"According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death." -Philippians 1:20

I love Hayley Williams' attitude in the band Paramore. (Lead singer.) She's so flashy but so humble at the same time. She's an example of how we're called to live - a life of boldness using the gifts and talents God has given us, to glorify Him through our love and by our works.

Boldness, as defined by Webster, means "fearless before danger, : intrepid b: showing or requiring a fearless daring spirit." (Webster's online dictionary.) It doesn't mean prideful, brash, obnoxious, or arrogant. Boldness and humilty go hand in hand. Boldness encased in humilty knows why it is bold - because of the assurance of faith and complete salvation in Jesus Christ, that apart from Him, we are nothing.

It wasn't until a few years after my re-dedicating my life to Jesus that I realized that being timid was actually a character flaw. You can't be all that God has called you to be without being bold. God created all the color in the fish in the sea, the birds of the air, and all the rest of His creation. And we are called to be just as bold, just as bright, and perhaps step on a few toes in the process, (without compromising our faith).

The world needs us to be living examples of the color, life, and love of Jesus. Do you have the courage to live boldly?



http://bigbighousemorningshow.blogspot.com/2008/11/music-news-paramore.html

The Washing of the Word

"Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light unto my path." -Psalm 119:105

"I don't know how people do it," said my friend. "I don't know how people do it without the word of God to sustain them. It's my lifeline."

My friend had recently taken on a job in a large firm where the work was very grueling. The long hours and work with no breaks was definitely challenging, and I knew she had sacrificed a lot in her personal life for her career. No matter, she knew it was just for a season, but during this season of "intense training" and limited friend and family time she knew she needed the word of God more than ever to sustain her.

In general, we tend to have a limited dependency on the Word. We may read it when we're bored or when we need a small pick me up. Others of us are more diligent to read the Bible every day. But, when our reading is nothing more than head knowledge, our spirits aren't fed and we can tend to get frustrated and discouraged. Sometimes we read the Bible as a religious ritual, instead of asking for a  'rhema' word - what could God be saying to me today that helps me fulfill His plans and purposes for my life NOW?  In order to prepare her heart to receive from God, another friend of mine would worship before reading. She experienced a lot more out of reading scripture than if she hadn't.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." -John 1:1-4
 
So why should we read God's word?   Reading God's word is so important to us as Christians. It brings light to old mindsets and healing to our hearts. It's like saltwater on a wound, cleansing our hearts from the dirt and dust of the world.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." -1 Timothy 16 & 17

How often do you read the Bible? Make it a regular practice - you will notice positive changes in your life!

Risky Business

His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ - Luke 19:22&23

Have you ever taken a risk in your life? I don't mean a risk like gambling with money or dating someone you didn't really know...but putting yourself out there with a goal or trying something new?

When we try to do something we're never assured of success, but if we do not try at all we are assured of failure. Hockey great Wayne Gretzky said, "You will miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Jesus told a parable about a master who left 3 servants in charge of his estate while he went out of town, and gave them each a share of his money. One doubled it, one made a 25% increase, but then one hid it in the ground so it would be safe. And do you know what? The servant who hid the money was punished.

The reason we don't try is that we are afraid of failure. But failure is not failure if we give it our best shot.  Failure becomes valuable wisdom as we learn what to do and what not to do. Failure becomes our teacher - if we let it. And failure paves the way on our road to success.

Sharing our faith involves risk. Starting a business involves risk. Starting a church or ministry involves risk.  We will have to give up our pride and let go of our ego (caring what other people think of us). But this should not let us miss out on the fruit the risk may produce. We must be careful that we do not end up like the wicked, lazy servant.

Anything worth doing will involve some sort of risk. Are you willing to step out in faith today?

Absolute Truth

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me'". – John 1:6

Sometimes I have a difficult time talking to friends who question God’s goodness because they believe in something other than, or in addition to, the gospel. 

“Why would God send good people to hell?” they query.  “Why won’t Muslims or Buddhists go to heaven? Your God is so close-minded!”

The sad thing is the lack of understanding of God’s goodness.  God doesn’t send people to hell – we choose where we go.  He provided a way out through His Son, Jesus Christ, so that, “none would perish, but could have eternal life.”- John 3:16

Imagine that a friend of yours was telling you how to get to their house.  They gave very specific instructions as to the way to get there, but you said, “Oh no, that’s alright – I can get there myself my own way.”  You would never get to the place your friend intended for you to go.  You would, in fact, be lost. 

Our generation is the biggest believer in relative truth.  “Do what feels good, as long as it doesn’t affect someone else,” we say.  We rely a lot on grace.  Now, I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with freedom in Christ - that is one of the main benefits of our salvation in Him.  But, when we believe in something other than, or in addition to, the truth, it sets us up for yokes of bondage limiting us to the full potential of God’s grace and power to accomplish great things in our lives.

Do you believe in an absolute truth?  If you are uncertain, ask God today to reveal it to you, and reveal the reason why.  Often if we do not have the why behind the truth, we are less likely to know how to tell others why we believe the way we do.  Ask Him- He will show you. 

God Speaks to Us Where We Are

"When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. 'Zacchaeus!' he said. 'Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.'" -Luke 19:5

Has God ever spoken to you right where you are?  I heard a funny joke one time that a pastor shared.  "Do you think God speaks to sinners?  If you don't, then how on earth did you all get here?"

I had bought tickets to see Third Day for my husband’s birthday.  The opening act was a man named Josh Wilson, a great musician with some great songs.  On one of the last songs, he shared his inspiration for the song.  He said that there was a season in his life where he had struggled with panic attacks.  I looked at Justin and began to tear up, because he had struggled with a similar issue due to an allergic reaction several years prior where his throat swelled and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. I thought it was such a cool thing, God putting that there in the concert - seemingly just for him.

In the Biblical story of Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus was a tax collector who really wanted to see Jesus.  Today we might call him a groupie.  However, he was short, so he decided to climb a tree in order to get a better look at Jesus.  But Jesus prophetically knew where he was and told him to come down and said he was going to be a guest at his house.  Zacchaeus was overjoyed.  And even though the people disapproved and called Zacchaeus a notorious sinner, Jesus called Zacchaeus where he was.

Has God ever spoken to you right where you are, right into your situation?  Praise Him today for His faithfulness.  If it has been a while or you have never felt God speak into your situation, pray and seek Him that He would reveal Himself to you today.  He so delights in being near to His children and speaking to us right where we are.

Daily Bread

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" -Matthew 4:4

What does the phrase mean, "our daily bread?" When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by Satan after 40 days of fasting, he replied, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God."  Even though He knew He could have had a feast at His fingertips by a wave of His hand, He decided that in order to pass the test, God’s words had to be even more important than eating.  In order for Him to gain the authority to overcome the spiritual, He had to overcome the natural.

"He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." -Deut 8:3

When Jesus teaches us how to pray, He includes the phrase, "Give us this day, our daily bread," (Matt 6:11)  as a reference to when the Israelites lives on manna for 40 years in the desert. God’s daily provision is a HUGE blessing when we’re learning to trust in Him.  This provision has a spiritual connotation as well - the Israelites could only store up manna for that day’s meals, otherwise it would rot.  God has words that He wants to give us, each and every day - if we would only seek Him for them. He has "fresh bread" waiting for us. We cannot live today on yesterday’s revelation.  As it says in Lamentations, "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning" (3:22&23).

Do you seek God for your daily bread? May we each seek God daily so that our lives can be living reflections of Him.

Dumbing Down Sin

"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God." -Galatians 5:19-21
 
We live in a dangerous world today. And I'm not just talking about the dangers of drunk driving, murderers, terrorists, or drugs. It has to do with the way we see our humanity.

As our humanity runs the show more and more, more of us try to make our particular brand of sin socially acceptable. When this happens, everything becomes muddied and grey - there is no such thing as black and white morality. But the fact of the matter is, there is a right and wrong. There is a plumb line of morality that exists, that would make our world better if we could all learn to embrace it.

The problem with this as we go on is that we see no need for salvation. We think we are good on our own, (even if we don't feel that way all of the time), and so we go on in life, defensive if anyone calls attention to our sin and cites it as a problem. We may even go to extremes to get the government to agree with us. But in reality, it is a huge problem. Proverbs says, "Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery." -Proverbs 29:1

When Abraham put Isaac on the altar, it was a prophetic sign of things to come, for Jesus especially, but also for us. You see, when we put what may be dear or close to us on the altar, God can use that greatly. The fact that Abraham put his own flesh on the altar is testament that we, too, need to put our flesh on the altar - we are "crucified with Christ, so it is no longer I that lives, but He that lives in me." (Gal 2:20) The very fact that we need to put things on the altar is what allows us to step into God's kingdom!

Are you willing to put anything in your life that is not of God on the altar today?

When Things Don't Go As Planned

"In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your path." -Proverbs 3:6
 
Often when we find ourselves struggling in the area of vision, we find it hard to believe that God could do the extraordinary with our lives. We think things will turn out a certain way, and it turns out, they don't. Was it our fault? What happened?

God has a vision for our lives, and so do we. Often, it takes the messing up of our own vision in order for us to truly see what God had in mind. Sometimes He won't tell us. Sometimes He will. But in the end it is all for the structuring of our character, and for the shaping of our faith. It is also for the structuring and shaping of others.

The story of Job is recorded in the Bible. Job found himself in excruciating circumstances. His story goes something like this:

One day the angels presented themselves to the Lord and Satan came with them. God asked Satan where he had come from. Satan said, "From roaming through the earth." 

God said, "Have you seen my servant Job? He is a man of faith and character."

Satan replied, "Well yeah duh, you have placed a hedge around him and everything he has, and have blessed him with abundance. But take it all away and he will curse you to your face!"

"Alright, do what you will. But on the man do not lay a finger." Job 1:6-19

Job lost everything he had: his livestock, his servants, and his seven sons and three daughters. Now, I am sure that was not in Job's plan! But after God had found Job's heart to be pure, he gained back everything he had lost, times two!

When things don't go as planned we can think, "God, why have you left me? Why have you let these circumstances come my way? I'm trying to do your will here!" But he is always testing our hearts. "The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart." Proverbs 17:3

If it doesn't work out, get up, try again. God wants to see our success. But sometimes when things don't work out as planned he wants a different result - the purity of our hearts. That is what is most important to him.

Praying God's Will

“…your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”  -Matthew 6:10

Often we hear of people’s answered prayer.  Then again, there are many other prayers that seem as of yet unanswered.  We think of prayer like a phone call to God, with God on the receiving end.  We are happy when He picks up (answers our prayer), yet discouraged when He does not. We weigh God's goodness as to the number of prayers He answers.

“God, please heal my grandmother.”

“God, please give us a new house.”

But is this in fact how we are called to pray?

Craig Hill in his book, If God, Then Why…? cites an interesting viewpoint when it comes to prayer.  He considers believers ambassadors of heaven, and as such, given authority in prayer due to God’s covenant (promise of redemption) with us. 

He says in Chapter 8:  “If God Is In Control, Then Why Pray?”:

We oftentimes hear people talk about “answered” prayer.  From the standpoint of ambassadors, we are actually the ones doing the answering.  God wants to speak to us and has many things that He would like us to proclaim and release on earth.  Thus, He is waiting for us to listen and answer Him.  I believe that the greatest problem in accomplishing God’s kingdom purpose on the earth is not getting God to answer us, but rather getting us to listen to and answer Him.  So true answered prayer is when we finally pick up the line to heaven and answer God’s request of us as His ambassadors.  (p. 180-181)

Knowing God's will is a big part of this equation.  What about our belief in God?  Do we believe God's will is for there to be so sickness, no pain, no disease?  Do we believe in the verse that says God is "not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance"? (2 Peter 3:9)  Craig says, “I believe if we (prayed God's will), we would see an explosion of the Kingdom of God.” (p. 181)

Have you picked up the line to God’s call?  May we all have ears to hear and eyes to see what the Father would have us proclaim on the earth, so that windows of heaven might be opened to the will and plans of God for all humanity. 

“By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.” –Jesus, John 5:30

Working in Rest

"'There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the LORD.'" -Leviticus 23:3

Our world is crazy. Literally, crazy. We wake up, get ready, eat breakfast, go to work, go to lunch, go home, workout, watch tv, do homework, feed the kids, and do it all over again the next day. It's a wonder we haven't turned into pieces of metal machinery! But even in the midst of work and stress, there is still a way to find a place of meaningful rest in God, devoid of stress.
 
My dad (Os Hillman) has said, "A dead man can't have stress." That's an interesting concept. If you're dead to something, you certainly can't have any stress. And you're most likely very at peace. When we get to this place of complete trust and dependence upon God for our outcomes, that's when we know we have died to ourselves. We don't worry. We don't fret. We do things with integrity. We do them with excellence. We do them within the boundaries God has set for our lives. But, there is no need to "worry ourselves to death." Why? We have already "died".
 
After the Isrealites left Eqypt, they had to depend on God completely. They were no longer slaves to Egypt, or to the world's way of thinking. They had to learn how to depend on God for everything. They had to learn how to be sons and daughters, and have peace in God's provision for their lives. This is a paradigm shift. This is called receiving grace. There is nothing we can do apart from God. Why do we think that we can? We only stress ourselves out further by thinking that we alone are the solutions to our problems, and we can make everything happen on our own.
 
There's a great book called Margin, which highlights the state we're in, and how we've lost the "Margin" in our lives. I encourage you to read it. It cites very specific reasons why we've lost the "Margin" or extra buffer of time and resource in our lives, and how we can get it back, without losing our life's efficacy.
 
Are you able to work in rest? If not, ask God to help you. He desires for all His kids to have peace in the midst of everything. This is how He can tell us apart, as true sons and daughters of His.

The Good Life

"Be vigilant, listen obediently to these words that I command you so that you'll have a good life, you and your children, for a long, long time, doing what is good and right in the eyes of God, your God." -Deut 12:28
 
What is the good life? It seems in our culture that a good life is defined as being filled with money, fame, and unconditional recognition. This seems as though it's the good life... but, is it? 

"The good life begins in the fear of God - Do that and you'll know the blessing of God. His Hallelujah lasts forever!" -Psalm 111:10
 
The Israelites spent years in the desert, 40 to be exact, learning how to trust in and be obedient to God. They were lived day by day, with just that day's bread for food. But, after many years and many failed tests, a new generation of Israelites got to enter the Promised Land and have the 'good life' they had wanted and waited for for so long. 

How can we have this good life as Christians? 

"Even though a person sins and gets by with it hundreds of times throughout a long life, I'm still convinced that the good life is reserved for the person who fears God, who lives reverently in his presence, and that the evil person will not experience a "good" life. No matter how many days he lives, they'll all be as flat and colorless as a shadow - because he doesn't fear God." -Ecc 8:12
 
Being right with God brings the good life. Staying within the boundaries of His teachings & commands brings the good life. Doing right by others, and not believing Satan's lies about us brings about God's goodness in our lives. 

Are you experiencing the good life today? Ask God if there are any areas in your life where He is teaching you to bring you into the good life. God desires that all of His children experience this good life through serving, worshipping, and loving Him.

Planted Like A Tree

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." -Psalm 1:3

I was in the gym with my husband when Flyleaf's song All Around Me came on. As I started to hum the tune under my breath I had a thought. Worshipping God on a continuous basis brings life to our lives. Worship is like breathing in God's presence when we praise Him. Being without God's presence results in a static, lifeless faith. Every day we have this new opportunity to develop our relationship with God, and thus strengthen our faith in Him. It is something that brings us closer to Him and gives us more of His life in our lives.

Then I began to think about the trees, and how they provide oxygen to the rest of the world. One tree produces enough oxygen per year to support two human beings through the process of photosynthesis!* When trees convert sunlight into energy, this results in the production of oxygen. When we run in the natural, we require more oxygen. Therefore we need more of His presence and more faith to "run the race" He intended for us.

When we let God's light and life shine through us, we can create an environment of faith whereby people can experience (breathe in) God's presence, even if they don't know Him yet.

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." -John 15:5

Problems arise when we're not fully connected to Jesus, or when we're not planted next to a water source. Trees need water to survive. Also, they need the light of the sun to grow. Without these two things, a place of refreshment (a house of worship), and the sun (Jesus), a tree can't have a successful, fruitful life. Trees that are plated together overlap in their root systems, so that their roots are that much stronger, being less likely to fall, especially when storms come.

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" -Matthew 7:16

As trees, we need to make sure we're planted in the right place so that God's life in us can flourish.  Are you planted like a tree?

* http://chemistry.about.com/b/2010/04/22/how-much-oxygen-does-one-tree-produce.htm

Faith vs. Feelings

"Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus." -Luke 22:3&4

Each of us struggles with emotions - emotions are a part of life.  But, what do we do with emotions when we have them? Positive or negative, emotions are powerful forces that can get us into trouble. Are we going to be run by our emotions - or are we going to run them?

The enemy of our souls can so easily distract us by putting a negative though in our mind, which results in a feeling. Often these thoughts are tied to sore spots where we’ve been wounded in the past. Isn't that just like him? We've got to look past our emotions and into faith.  What does the word of God say? What would Jesus say to us if He knew we were thinking that way?

There are many examples in the Bible where people decided to live by their feelings instead of by faith. The Israelites could not enter the promised land the first time because they were afraid. (Numbers 14:23) David lusted after Bathsheba, and acted on his desires.  (2 Sam 11:2)  Judas betrayed Jesus. These are all examples of Satan's activity, deceiving God's people through their emotions, resulting in inappropriate action. We have to realize that even though our feelings may seem valid, they often lie.

When our circumstances speak of rejection, we must go to faith: God loves & accepts us completely and has a plan for our lives.  When our surroundings speak of fear, we must go to faith: God's word says not to worry, because He loves us more than many sparrows. (Matt 10:31) When the temptation seems greater than we can bear, we must look to Him, applying our will to the measure of faith we’ve been given. (1 Cor 10:13)

Are you living by your feelings or by faith?  I pray that each of us would go to faith, so that we will not be run by our feelings.  God honors those who live by faith.  (Rom 1:17)

Arrive vs. Abide

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you."  -John 15:7

Do you ever just feel like you want to "get there?”  Are you always feeling tension between where you are now and where you feel called to be?  I am reminded of a Switchfoot song, "This is Your Life", whose lyrics reflected, "This is your life, are you who you want to be? This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?"  It's true that we never "arrive" in our Christian walk - we are always maturing and progressing, until the day we leave this earth.

While it may be true we're not quite where we want to be, we can still find contentment in our lives here and now.  The world is always progressing, always wanting more and more, never satisfied.  But as Christians, we have the answer for contentment in the arms of Jesus: "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have." (Phil 4:11) "Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." (1 Tim 6:6)

How can we learn to be content? First, we can be thankful for what we have.  Even people on the lower end of income in America have quite a lot compared to the world's wealth, and also compared with any other time in history.  Second, we can learn to be faithful.  "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much" -Luke 16:10.  Third and most important, we can learn to "abide" in God.  That is, we can experience God's presence most or all of the time, by worshipping, getting into the word, and having a "posture" of prayer. Once we are plugged into the source, we lack no good thing. (Ps 84:11)

Are you abiding in God today?  Let God's arms surround you as you go through life.  Life is much better when we're abiding in Him. 

Places of Influence

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ -Matthew 25:21

“Argh!  Church people suck!” said my fellow server one Sunday afternoon.

We all looked at him as he took the tract and the tip out of the check holder.

“Two dollars and a tract for a party of eight.  Do you really think I want to know more about your religion if you don’t even tip?”

I was saddened.  I said immediately, “Jake, (not his real name) I’m so sorry- not all Christians are like that.  In fact, a true Christian is quite the opposite.”

But it was no use.  There was no way I could battle the obvious as he walked away in frustration.  What made it worse was that my co-server was gay.  I’m sure their stares of disapproval only made things more disappointing.

There is no doubt that we have a brand problem in the Christian faith.  A brand is the perceived identity of something, whether it be a product or service, an organization or even a group of people.  It amazes me to think that this is where some of us are in the body of Christ today.  I’m sure the well-meaning folks at his table had the best of intentions – saving the soul is obviously more important than money – but from my friend’s perspective the $2 tip certainly didn’t help him think so.

We talk about being influential in culture so that Jesus’ life and light, his healing and his love for others can shine through us– but what about right here, right now?  Our worship director has said – “Do your best with what you’ve got in your hands now!”  Every encounter we have with others is “brand management.”  Are we who we say we are, especially when no one “important” is watching?  It’s not about being perfect or doing it for the sake of religion– it’s about the intention to really think about people and love them wherever we go, like Jesus did.  

In Matthew 23:11, it says, “The greatest among you will be your servant.”  How are you able to serve others today?  Only when we’re been faithful with our influence can God entrust us with more. 

God Is My Source

 

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein." -PSALM 24:1 NKJ

Not a job, not an opportunity, not a relationship, and not a circumstance.
 
I was offered an opportunity at a global company known for excellence in advertising. They had won many awards, and were highly respected in the industry. The position I was applying for would not have been the most appealing job in the world, but I applied anyway since friends and family were excited and the company was highly respected and well-known.
 
Somewhere deep down I knew however that this opportunity was not the best one for me. The money was appealing. So was the location. The company was part of a beautiful highrise in downtown Atlanta. And, after a time, I began to justify all the reasons why I should be working there. I thought for certain they were going to offer me the position, especially since they had been the ones who had asked me to apply!
 
But then, a strange thing happened. A week went by. No response. Two weeks went by. Nothing. At the end of the second week I thought, "Maybe I should send an email, just to follow up." But, my quiery was answered before the email was sent. "I'm sorry, but we are writing to let you know the position has already been filled." "GEEZE!" I thought, "After all that!"
 
Their response really affected me. But what I realized through the experience was that I had come to place my faith in the JOB and not in GOD to make the right thing happen. If I had placed my faith in God I probably would have moved on sooner and had recognized my initial gut-response, but because I had placed my faith in the job I considered the opportunity the "be-all-end-all" of my future.
 
The same is true in many other aspects of life. Meeting goals at work, relationships, opportunities, circumstances -- God must be our source. If He's not, we end up worshipping the "thing", and our livelihood becomes dependent on that thing, instead of on God. It's a dangerous way to live.
 
Let God be your source today. When we place our trust in Him, we can rest assured that He has everything under control, and outcomes are determined by Him alone.

The Cost of the Cross

"Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'" -Luke 9:23
 
Have you ever paid a lot for something you really wanted? When I was a teenager, I saved up enough money to buy 1/2 of my first car. I really wanted the car, but more than that, I wanted what the car represented: Freedom! As a teenager, I was desperate to get out of the house. I knew that getting a car would afford me this. And so, I was willing to pay the price for that freedom.

We hear a lot about Jesus paying the price for our sins. Being a genuine Christian isn't about works, but we can often get caught up in this battle, because it says, "Faith without works is dead." (James 2:20) They tell us to not drink and not smoke and hang out with the right crowd. But sooner or later, this list of "do's" and "don'ts" becomes nothing more than a religious ritual if we don't learn to hear God's still small voice and seek the answers for ourselves. As we progress in our faith, the cost of our freedom in Christ becomes more and more subtle. He requires more of us as we mature in our faith. But these subtle sacrifices can greatly change our lives and others' if we can learn to "take up our cross" in following Jesus.

There has been many a leader who started well but did not finish well. Kenneth Lay, former CEO of Enron was a minister's son, and had had a passionate belief in ethics and integrity. What went wrong? Perhaps the cost of the cross became too great. We know we are called to new levels when what was once acceptable behavior now gives us a prick in our spirit, a "check" if you will, of an increased sense of conscience. What once was okay and even right for others is no longer okay for us. These smaller discrepancies in what is right or wrong for us is described in this scripture: "One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables." -Romans 14:2. This doesn't necessarily have to do with food - it could be our habits, our discipline, the way we relate to others, the letting go of offenses, how we spend our money or time, or the words we speak.

We will find that when decisions or actions bring conviction and we act on that conviction it will bring new levels of freedom. God's intention for us is not to live by mere rule and regulation - He instructs us to live within boundary for our own benefit. And, by doing so, we discover more of His abundant life in the process. "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!" -Romans 5:17
 
Is there anything you feel an increased sense of conscious about? When we are called by Christ, we are given great responsibility. Don't let selfishness take a hold of the freedom that is waiting for you. Take up the cross that God has called you to.

Do You Blame God?

"People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the Lord." -Proverbs 19:3

Do you know people who think God hates them, or that He causes or allows bad things to happen in their lives in order to "teach them a lesson"?  Because we live in a fallen world, each of us might believe this to a certain extent when times get tough.  When we can’t see God’s hand in a situation, we can question whether He really is for us, and why the situation is happening to us.  The negative circumstance becomes very personal.

Author and Pastor Craig Hill wrote a book called, "If God Is In Control, Then Why...?" In the book he explores why bad things happen to good people.
 
"Sometimes devastation occurs as a result of of enemy activity... Other times it is simply a lack of understanding of the natural principles in life..." pg. 74  He states that God has authority, but He is not in control.  "This thinking that 'God is in control' renders New Covenant believers powerless as pawns, rather than warriors." pg. 58 

When God set up the world, He gave Adam authority. (Genesis 1:28) When Adam fell, He lost that authority, however when Jesus came, He reclaimed that authority and delegated His authority to man. "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." -Matt 28:18-19

I am reminded of a graphic I saw online that says, "Sometimes I want to ask God why He allows poverty, famine, and injustice in the world when He could do something about it, but I’m afraid He might ask me the same question."

Do you believe God has His best reserved for you, in spite of ours and others' mistakes?  Decide to believe Him, and walk in His promises today. Because of His sacrifice we can abide in victory, even though we live in a fallen world.

Random Acts of Kindness

"Then you will say, 'And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?' Then the King will say, 'I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to me.'" -Matthew 25:39&40

Have you ever done something kind for a stranger?  In our modern world, we often fear getting close to people we don’t know, and perhaps for good reason ("stranger, danger!") Technology, for all it's good uses, has had quite an isolating effect on us compared to life in the 1950s and 1960s.  During that time, many folks hung out on porches and were more involved in their communities. (Bingo, anyone?)

Today, it takes more of a conscious effort to talk to someone we do not know.  But, doing something kind for someone can be the greatest open door for sharing Jesus' message of salvation.

"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?"  -Romans 2:4

What can we do to be kind?  Whether it's making a homemade meal for someone, serving in a shelter, or opening a door for someone, each of these things can be open doors for God's kingdom.  It’s not uncommon for my husband to go above and beyond to help someone with their car at his job, or to help someone outside his job if they have car trouble. Even if we are providing for someone's basic needs, this act of kindness still has supernatural value in God's kingdom. 

When was the last time you did something kind for someone?  Has it been a while? Let us create a culture of kindness so that people can experience God's kingdom through us and know that His intentions for them are to be loved by Him.

Naturally Supernatural

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father." -John 14:12

Have you ever wondered how to walk in the supernatural?  Many people desire to walk in the supernatural, but few know how.  There is always the danger of looking like a crazy person - repelling more people from the gospel than attracting them to it!  But, there is a way to bring the supernatural to earth, naturally.  God desires for each of us to walk in the supernatural, as His Son did.

Bethel Church Atlanta (at the time of this writing) experiences an average of 1 miracle a day through the faith of their members.  This happens by their members stepping out in faith and having open eyes and ears to what the Father is saying.  

A woman shared one Sunday morning about how she and her husband were led to talk to some teenagers who were passing by on the street.  The woman had perceived that one of them was struggling with foot pain, so she asked the group if one of them did.  A young man spoke up and said he had foot pain. She then asked if she could pray for him, and he said yes.  After they prayed, he had no more foot pain! This event led to an open door to the woman sharing her faith, and one of the teenagers gave their lives to Christ. 

Now that’s naturally supernatural! 

Have you ever stepped out into the supernatural? Have you ever had an impression for someone or a word of knowledge about someone and stepped out in it?  If you’re not sure how, find a place where the walking in the supernatural is taught. Let us be people of the supernatural, so that God’s kingdom can flow through us into the lives of others, naturally. 

A Father's Heart

"Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba, Father.'" Galatians 4:6 NIV

Once when I worked for a high-end department store I was helping a young lady and her father with a dress for prom. I had a dress on hold for her, but when she came in to try it on we realized it was going to be too big. Both she and her father were so sad, but then, I found one dress hiding in another place, in exactly her size! Both the dad and daughter were overjoyed, and it was gorgegous; white satin with beautiful butterflies of all different colors all over the dress, and sparkling silver sequins dotted throughout the bodice.
 
When she tried it on, she looked fantastic. It seemed as though the dress had been made especially for her. As she turned to go back into the dressing room, brimming with excitement, her dad began to tell me of his shopping adventures with his four little girls. Ever since they were young he would take his daughters shopping. He remembered his youngest, the daughter he was shopping with now, trying on clothes when she was just a toddler, and he reminisced about how people would look at her, thinking she was just the cutest thing.
 
I was struck by his open affection and big heart. What also struck me was how down to earth these people were - both he and his daughter. It made me think of our relationship with our heavenly Father. Sometimes our earthly fathers may not be able to give us everything they want to give us. Sometimes we ask for things that aren't very good for us. Sometimes we may not have the best relationship with our "earlthy" fathers. But our Father in heaven does want the very best for us. He loves us so much! Can you imagine what it must be like to be God's son or daughter in heaven? If this man had such a big heart for his four girls, how much bigger is God's heart for us?
 
"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:9-12 NIV
 
God is a God of the unlimited - unlimited love, unlimited acceptance, unlimited resources, unlimited everything. In Him there is no need. Ask him to be your perfect father today, to be everything you missed, and everything you will ever need. Ask him to be your perfect Father today.