I'll never forget the first time I discovered what a feeling was. It was in my early forties. Surely not! you may be thinking. Yes, it is true. Since then, I have discovered many men still live in this condition. It took an older mentor to help me understand the difference between information and a feeling. Wives are frustrated because their husbands share information, but not their feelings. They want to know what is going on inside their man. The fact is, most men have not been taught to identify feelings, much less how to share them. It is something that men must learn to do because it is not a natural trait. If they do share their feelings, society often portrays them as weak. No man willingly wants to be portrayed as weak.In order to become an effective friend and leader, one must learn to be vulnerable with others and develop an ability to share feelings. It is a vital step to becoming a real person with whom others can connect emotionally. This is not easy to do if your parents did not teach you to share your emotional life with others. Emotional vulnerability is especially hard for men. Author Dr. Larry Crabb states,
Men who as boys felt neglected by their dads often remain distant from their own children. The sins of fathers are passed on to children, often through the dynamic of self-protection. It hurts to be neglected, and it creates questions about our value to others. So to avoid feeling the sting of further rejection, we refuse to give that part of ourselves we fear might once again be received with indifference. When our approach to life revolves around discipline, commitment, and knowledge [which the Greek influence teaches us] but runs from feeling the hurt of unmet longings that come from a lack of deeper relationships, then our efforts to love will be marked more by required action than by liberating passion. We will be known as reliable, but not involved. Honest friends will report that they enjoy being with us, but have trouble feeling close. Even our best friends (including spouses) will feel guarded around us, a little tense and vaguely distant. It's not uncommon for Christian leaders to have no real friends. [Larry Crabb, Inside Out (Colorado Springs, Colorado: Navpress, n.d.), 98-99.]
If this describes you, why not begin on a new journey of opening up your life to others in a way that others can see who you really are? It might be scary at first, but as you grow in this area, you will find new freedom in your life. Then, others will more readily connect with you.
Job 4:10 - The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of the great lions are broken.
In the advertising business we often say that "perception is reality" for the person who views our advertising message. It does not matter whether the audience believes the message to be true, only that they perceive it to be true. Their actions will be the same whether they believe it or only perceive it.
The enemy of our souls is very good at this game. He may bring on us what we perceive to be true when it is a lie. It may appear that there is no way around a situation. He may bring great fear on us. When we buy into his lie, we are believing only what we have chosen to perceive to be true. It usually has no basis of truth. Such was the case when Peter looked on the waters during a night boat journey with the other disciples. At first glance, he and the disciples screamed with fear, thinking that what they saw was a ghost. It was actually Jesus.
Satan's name means "accuser." He travels to and fro to accuse the brethren. He brings an impressive front to all he does, yet behind that front is a weak, toothless lion with a destination that has already been prepared in the great abyss. He knows his destination, but he wants to bring as many with him as possible; so he often has a big roar, but little bite.
The next time some event comes into your life that creates fear and trembling, first determine the source. Look past the emotions and evaluate the situation in light of God's Word. Perception is not always reality.
If you are a stranger to prayer…you are a stranger to power.
We study because our mind is hungry for knowledge,
we pray because our soul is hungry for God.
Prayer should be your steering wheel,
not your spare tire.
To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible
than to be alive without breathing.
If we don’t believe God when circumstances seem against us,
then we do not believe Him at all.
Use the faith God gives you to overcome any challenge you’ll ever face:
Live by the Spirit. Don’t rely on your own limited strength. Instead, plug into God’s unlimited strength by asking the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you. Trust that He will help you obey God’s leading in all situations.
Believe even when you don’t see answers to your prayers. Remember that God is always at work, but sometimes He’s working behind the scenes until the right time to reveal His answers to your prayers. Believe in who Jesus really is and in what He has done for you. Recall God’s promises from Scripture. Ask God to give you the confidence to continue to listen to God’s guidance and act on it.
Be courageous. Understand that faith in the known is greater than fear of the unknown. Pray for the courage you need to follow uncharted paths. Expect that there may be a time of testing between the time you act in obedience and the time you receive what God has promised.
Be patient. Know that your faith must sometimes be tried to produce patience in you and help you mature. Don’t lose your vision simply for a lack of patience. Trust God as you wait. Remember that God is never late.
Build unity with other believers. Recognize that faith is effective when there is unity. Understand that agreement on Earth releases provision from heaven. Do your best to work with others to find a place together in God’s will, so that God’s will supercedes your individual wills. Then agree to do God’s will together.
Realize that true faith originates from God – not just good intentions. Don’t take claims based simply in good-intentioned emotion seriously. Know that when sincere or zealous statements of faith have no divine origin, they don’t bear witness to the truth, and they don’t bring real comfort. Understand that it’s much better to face reality – no matter how hard that may be – and speak the truth in love than to speak without God’s leading and just tell someone what he or she wants to hear.
Don’t worry about provision. Be assured that God will not only meet your needs, but He’ll do so abundantly. Pray specifically about whatever practical needs you have, and trust God to respond.
Don’t substitute sacrifice for obedience. Realize that your greatest sacrifice to God is not enough to justify disobedience.
Stay focused. Expect your faith to waver if you allow other concerns to distract you from God’s guidance. Focus on your God-given goals instead of the past, and on God’s promises rather than your circumstances. Invite God to remind you of how much He loves you, and let that motivate you to stay steadfastly focused on what He wants for you.
Let fear jumpstart your faith. Whenever you experience something that troubles you, realize that God may intend that experience to be a roadblock to help you change direction in your life. Turn to God with all your heart when He’s trying to get your attention, and ask Him to direct your steps.
Know that faith makes it possible to be secure anywhere. Understand that anyplace is secure with Jesus, but no place is safe without Him. Realize that God’s provision isn’t dependent on your own resources, that His ways aren’t subject to your approval, and that His timing is often different from yours. Recognize that your security lies in trusting God. Know that, no matter what, your faith can stand when it’s based on God’s promises instead of your own understanding.
Stand firm when you encounter evil. Know that faith born in the light may be tested in darkness as you go through attacks from evil. Be strong, pray, and keep believing when darkness temporarily hides victory from view.
Remember that faith without love is worth nothing. Realize that any attempt to follow Jesus’ example of ministry will be ineffective unless you also follow His example of love. Don’t let any of your sacrifices or service for God be in vain. First, get your motivation right by getting your heart right with God. Then – out of true love for God and gratitude for His love for you – give to others.
Let faith give you quiet confidence. Recognize that strength comes not from power, but from the quiet confidence of an indwelling faith. Expect that every time you submit your needs to Jesus, you’ll experience the confidence that only He can give you. Rely on that confidence to do whatever God leads you to do.
Act in faith when it’s not convenient. Whenever you sense God leading you to do something that doesn’t make sense in your current circumstances, be willing to follow His leading despite that. Remember that it’s rarely convenient to walk by faith, and that God may challenge your faith when He wants to encourage you to grow. Choose to hold God’s call in higher regard than the circumstances surrounding you.
Let faith build understanding in your relationships with others. Know that you can share a bond with other people through faith, which will transcend all your differences and unify you like nothing else. As you interact with others, take the time to truly get to know them, and let God’s love flow through you into their lives.
Fight so that the enemy doesn’t steal your faith. Be alert to ways Satan is trying to discourage you and tempt you to turn away from God. Stay connected to God through frequent prayer, and build relationships with other believers who will regularly encourage you. Remember that good is more powerful than evil.
Don’t give up under pressure. Be assured that God will give you faith sufficient for whatever you need you’ll face. Never give up in the midst of tough circumstances; just pray for the faith to handle them well.
Let your faith help you solve problems. Look beyond your problems to the God who will give you solutions. Pray for creative ideas to solve whatever problems you’re dealing with, and apply the wisdom you receive.
Remember God’s promises. Understand that, while you may be unfaithful to God, God will always be faithful to you. Read God’s promises in the Bible and know that you can count on Him. Persevere in tough circumstances, trusting that God will deliver on His promises to you.
Recognize that faith works by love. Realize that the power behind faith is love. Let love inspire you to reach beyond your own inadequate abilities and resources and into the realm of God’s help. Be willing to try whatever God wants you to try, trusting that He’ll help you along the way. Remember that nothing is impossible with God. Expect that you may even experience a miracle as God’s love flows through you.
Know that faith is never in vain. Don’t judge your faith by the apparent failure or success of your work. Remember that faith is not based on what you can see. When you don’t see the results you’d hoped for when you prayed about something, remember that God still has in answer. When your current circumstances don’t indicate anything to assure you that God is working, wait for the right time and know that God will reward your faith.
Understand that faith is not limited by time or space. Realize that God is always near even when He seems distant. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, be assured that God sees you and cares. Know that someone is always interceding for you in prayer – either Jesus in heaven, or another person who cares about you. Recognize that prayers from another dimension (heaven) or another location (even across the globe) are just as powerful as those uttered by someone in the same room with you.
Expect God to reward your faith. Know that God will never send you out to accomplish something without generously providing everything you need in order to do it. Understand that God will sometimes surprise you with extra blessings when He sees you respond faithfully to His guidance.
Recognize that God calls young people to be just as faithful as older ones. If you’re young, don’t let your age be an excuse or a hindrance from living out your faith. Remember that maturity isn’t the same as chronological age. Respond to God’s challenge to live a life of integrity that pleases Him and represents Him well to others. If you’re older, do all you can to encourage youth to live out their faith.
Remember that faith is worthwhile. Be patient during times when your faith is tested by hardships. Remember that the effort you must make to follow God’s leading is always worth it.
Let faith motivate you to give. Remember how much God has given to you, and let your gratitude for His generosity motivate you to give to other people. Know that God sees when you give with pure motives, and will reward you in heaven for doing so.
Don’t trade your faith for comfort. Know that you’ll regret any time you back away from something God wants you to do, just because it makes you feel uncomfortable. Instead of focusing on temporary, earthly rewards, focus on the eternal rewards that God will give you if you’re faithful to follow where He leads.
Don’t sacrifice obedience on the altar of common sense. Understand that faith’s security lies in obedience. Rather than basing your decisions on circumstances you can see, seek wisdom from God, who has the benefit of a complete perspective on every situation. Rely on God’s guidance instead of your own limited understanding.
Bolster your faith with daily guidance from God. Don’t neglect regular prayer time during which you seek divine direction. Know that God always has something to say to you; make time to listen to Him.
Let your faith transform your weakness into strength. Read, study, and meditate on God’s Word, the Bible, often. Realize that the substance of faith is inherent in God’s Word. Expect that when you receive His Word in faith, you’ll also receive the strength you need to live it out.
Realize that you can’t reach a positive goal by taking negative steps. Understand that faith can either be strengthened or defeated by your actions. Decide to trust God, even when you don’t understand or like what He’s doing in your life. Don’t give in to wrong feelings and act outside of God’s will. Ask God to help you stay positive.
Know that your faith will affect future generations. Remember that the greatest gift you can give your children, grandchildren, and the others that come after them is a heritage of faith. Hold onto your confidence in God, realizing that doing so will benefit not only you, but others who will be inspired by your example.
Remember that faith is the substance and evidence of the unseen. Know that faith points to the One who gives it: God. Remembering that your faith is a gift from God, decide to use it to serve God as your gift back to Him. Make good use of the faith God has invested in you, and trust that as you apply this intangible resource, you’ll see tangible blessings as a result.
Realize that God can multiply a single act of faithful giving. Expect that, when you lovingly give even a small gift to help someone in need, God will use it in ways that go beyond what you can imagine. Be willing to let your possessions go when God asks for them, knowing that the little gifts you give may become great.
Let the knowledge that God truly sees and cares about you strengthen your faith. Realize that, through your relationship with God, you are truly known and truly loved. Let His deep personal love for you increase your hope for the future and bolster your faith.
Be active, not passive. Don’t squander your time and energy on activities that don’t relate to God’s purposes for your life. Don’t be idle and then pity yourself when others receive opportunities you would like. Ask God to give you the self-discipline you need to grow in your faith and serve diligently.
Link your faith together with other believers’ faith. Build meaningful relationships with other believers. Participate in and contribute to a healthy church. Know that when believers are linked together in active faith, they form a chain of deliverance. Be obedient enough to give to others in need, and humble enough to receive from others for your own needs.
Remember that faith is founded on, and maintained by, an intimate relationship with God. Recognize that faith isn’t measured by anything else but the quality of your relationship with God. Make building a close relationship with God your top priority in life, and know that God will respond by giving you more and more faith.
Proverbs 18:21 - The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
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.
Hardening of the heart will age you
quicker than hardening of the arteries.
Character is not formed on the mountaintops,
it is formed in the valleys.
There are times when silence speaks the loudest.
After victory, tighten your helmet chord.
The more you pray during times of peace, the
less you bleed during times of battle.
See what I've given you? Safe passage as you walk on snakes and scorpions, and protection from every assault of the enemy. No one can put a hand on you.
Luke 10:19 (Message Bible)
our body...
our finances...
our families...
The devil has no authority to lay a hand on us unless we give it to him through sin or simply allow him to attack us without a fight.
If you are standing on the word of God or something God has spoken to you ~ not matter how it seems ~ if you keep standing, God will enforce the victory that Jesus purchased for you.
If you are willing to believe God for it, He will back you up every time. Go ahead; trust Him when it seems impossible. Trust Him when it looks like it’s not going to happen, trust Him anyway and remind the enemy who has the power (you) and who has the authority (you) and who is backing you up (God, Jesus and Holy Spirit).
Exodus 16:19 - Then Moses said to them, "No one is to keep any of it until morning."
Have you ever seen God do something really good in your life only to find that you have abused the blessing He gave you? Such was the case of the Israelites as they were traveling through the desert on their way to the Promised Land. God was providing for them in miraculous ways. Manna was provided each day as their bread. God gave Moses specific instructions as to how this manna was to be eaten. God said each one was to gather only what he needed for that day. No one was to keep it until the next morning.
"However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them" (Ex. 16:20). God was teaching the Israelites daily trust in His provision for them. He wanted them to trust Him one day at a time. If they tried to hoard, God put a self-destruct feature in the manna. Yet God also told them to gather two days' worth on the sixth day so that they would have manna to eat on the seventh day. Interestingly, this manna did not stink or have maggots.
For many years I gathered manna in business out of fear of not having enough. One day, the Lord decided that manna should be destroyed in order for me to learn total trust in His provision. When we operate out of fear, we can expect the Lord to lovingly discipline us in order to help us learn to trust Him. There is a danger when we seek to "insure ourselves" against calamity. If your actions are born from fear, you can expect God to demonstrate His loving reproof so that you might not live in fear.
Now, THIS is really fascinating. It's rather dazzling to see it presented this way.
I certainly thought this was enlightening. Beyond our sun ... It's a big universe.
Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky. It is more than 1000 light years away.
Isaiah 61:5 - Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
God is calling forth a remnant of businesspeople whom He will use mightily to bring good news to those who have never heard the gospel. The "10/40 Window" is commonly referred to as those areas of the world where no one has heard the name of Jesus Christ. This region represents many of the Muslim nations in the Middle East, India, China, and the former Soviet Republics. If Christian missionaries are not welcome in these countries, how do you suppose God plans to bring His message to these people? Certainly He loves these people just as much as He loves us.
God is mobilizing His businesspeople around the world to be the vessels who will bring the good news to these peoples. These countries welcome commerce, and in most cases this represents the only way to bring the gospel to these nations. In these countries, businesspeople are often viewed as those who have corrupt morals. However, God wants to change this. The "Joshuas and Calebs" are spying out the land. This class of businessperson has a pioneer spirit that is seeking ways of penetrating strongholds of spiritual darkness in these countries. God is raising them up. They see the risks, but they see the awesomeness of God that enables them to accomplish something for His Kingdom by using their resources and talents.
And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of their shame My people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs ( Isaiah 61:6-7).
Businesspeople in these nations will be called priests of the Lord. They will feed on the wealth of these nations. The wealth of these nations are the souls who are precious in God's sight. Salvations will be their true reward as a result of their efforts. No longer will the shame many of these people live under rule their lives. God will set them free.
Has God called you to be such a vessel? Has He called you to be a catalyst in some way? Ask your heavenly Father if He might want you to affect nations for Him.
If you have never attended The 9 to 5 Window Workshop, we are offering an "extended" workshop weekend in just 3 weeks in Atlanta. This is an excellent opportunity for you to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped in practical ways to bring the Kingdom of God into your workplace. Plus, a special time of personal prayer ministry is being provided to each participant. Os and Angie Hillman will be hosting this workshop, which is being held at a beautiful wooded property conference center nestled along the Chattahoochee River just north of Atlanta. Space is limited, so don't delay registering.
God tests His children to know what is in their hearts. God's desire for each of His children is to walk in relationship with Him, to uphold His righteousness and integrity. It is a high calling that we will fail to achieve without complete dependence on Him.
The greatest tests come not in great adversities, but in great prosperity. For it is in prosperity that we begin to lose the sensitivity to sin in our lives. Adversity motivates us to righteousness out of a desire to see our adversity changed. Prosperity fails to provide this motivation for obedience. We fall into a satisfaction and confidence in life that is based on our prosperity rather than on God.
Hezekiah was a great godly king. He was a faithful, God-honoring king most of his life, but toward the end he became proud. God wanted to find out if he would still honor Him and recognize His blessings in his life. He failed the test when God sent an envoy to his palace to inquire about a miracle that God performed on behalf of Hezekiah. The test was designed to find out if Hezekiah would publicly acknowledge the miracle performed on his behalf.
But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart (2 Chronicle 32:31).
Hezekiah's failure resulted in his children failing to carry on as rulers of Israel, and the nation would eventually be taken over by Babylon.
The lesson of Hezekiah is clear. If we are to remain faithful to our Lord, we must remain steadfast in our obedience to Him. Prosperity can be our greatest test. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to be a faithful follower during times of prosperity.
The only difference between black coal and a precious diamond...
is the amount of pressure it endured.
Hebrews 6:15
The only way to find the limits of the possible is
to go beyond them into the impossible
Wisdom doesn’t come by chance,
but by choice
Happiness depends more on inward perception
than on outward circumstances.
The brightest thunderbolt comes from
the darkest storm
Our ideas, like orange plants, spread out in proportion
to the size of the box which imprisons the roots
Psalms 147:10
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.
Mammon and power are the ruling strongholds of the marketplace. If you possess either of these, you will be courted by those who serve the marketplace in hopes of increasing market share. It is a competitive environment that often gives way to decisions and actions that are dictated by the financial bottom line. A recent newspaper article stated that employers are requiring workers to put more time into their jobs, often requiring weekend work in order to be more competitive. For the Christian worker, this brings pressures on the family and will result in "lost market share" in the spiritual realm.
The Lord has a different measuring stick. The Lord is not impressed with your ability or what you can do for Him. Only one thing delights Him-people who fear Him and put their hope in His unfailing love. What does it mean to fear God and place our hope in His love? It means we acknowledge that God is the source of all that we are. He is the one who gives us the ability to work, plan, and execute. He does not want us to look to our abilities, but to His abilities. Sometimes it is difficult to balance these two perspectives. However, if we ask God to show us how to maintain this balance, He will do it. Put your hope in His unfailing love today. Then you will know that your heavenly Father is looking on you as a proud Father.
Dr. Creflo A. DollarFrom Fresh Outlook Magazine
Sometimes what you do speaks so loudly…
that what you are saying goes unheard.
I John 3:18
From Fresh Outlook Magazine
Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Matthew 6:33
The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.
Proverbs 29:25
But we're not quitters who lose out. Oh, no! We'll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.
Hebrews 10:39
My people will live in a peaceful neighborhood - in safe houses, in quiet gardens.
Isaiah 32:18
The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both.
I John 4:21
Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Ephesians 4:26 (KJV)
Have you ever said something in anger that you wish you simply had not said? After you thought about it you said, "That was dumb. I shouldn’t have said that."
Well, anger will cause your love clothes to be loosed. Acting in anger is like putting on grimy garments. But since the love of God has been placed on the inside of you, you can avoid anger. Instead of being driven by anger, you can let love take over the driver’s seat and kick out the devil and the anger he brought with him.
What happens when anger shows up? It comes to drive you to sin. A flash of anger may come your way, but don’t let it control you, and definitely don’t let it drive you to sin. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your wrath."
Now he is not saying that you can be angry until sundown. The scripture is saying that you cannot allow anger to dwell in your heart any length of time. Recognize anger and put it away from you quickly, lest you say something or do something that you will regret. Do away with anger by operating in the love of God. Let love drive your words and actions. Consequently, there will be peace and quietness in that situation.
You can control anger. Someone may say, "I’ve always had a short fuse. That’s just my personality." But your personality is found in the word of God. And when you yield to the love of God on the inside of you, a godly personality comes forth. Love takes over and anger cannot control you, you control it. Let love drive anger out by forgiving and showing mercy according to Colossians 3:13 (Amp.), “Be gentle, and forbearing with one another and, if one has a difference (a grievance or complaint) against another, readily pardoning each other; even as the Lord h as [freely] forgiven you, so must you also [forgive].”
When you yield to the love of God that is shed abroad in your heart, you can get along with anybody. The moment someone comes against you, love comes from your heart and out of your mouth. It erases that unpleasant feeling of anger and allows God to bring peace.
Scripture Reference: Ephesians 4:26
 | Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word. Click here to read more! |
“For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have [sufficient] to finish [it]?” Luke 14:28 KJV
It’s Friday night. You just got paid. You know the rest of the song. If you don’t, then you’re probably white. Black people used to sing that song every payday where I’m from. Everybody was happy and smiling. It was like Christmas and the Fourth of July all rolled into one. But I never heard anyone singing, “It’s Monday morning. Money’s gone. Got a hangover. Weekend was too long.” Never heard that one. Monday was responsibility day. You had to earn that money to pay those bills. Somebody shout amen.
By the time most of you read this, it will be either late Friday night or it’s already Monday again, so you can feel exactly where I’m coming from. You were soooo excited when that clock was winding up on Friday. You couldn’t wait to get to your car. But the moment you get there, you’re already headed back towards Monday. It never ends, unless you’re a kid. Man, did we have it good. Well, some of us had it good. My dad left but my momma stayed. I love you ma. You are the hardest working, most diligent and faithful person I know. You’re loyal and giving and a woman of prayer and action. Which brings me to a point: are you sure I wasn’t adopted? I’m thirty-three and I am pretty sure that I didn’t inherit those qualities from you! I’m only half joking!
You’re reading a letter from a guy who, as a kid, would run my bathwater at my mom’s request of course, then sit by the tub with the door closed and sit next to the tub, on the floor, and splash the water with my hand and sit there for ten minutes so she would think that I took a bath. I did all of that because I didn’t want to get in that water. I worked hard to be lazy. I went to bed stinking many a night! Man that’s funny! It felt good to ‘get away’ with not taking that bath. But I never counted the cost. You see, at school the next day, when I wanted to converse with a particular young lady, I didn’t have the confidence to get close because I was sure she would be able to smell my disobedience. It’s all connected. And it’s still funny.
It’s funny but dangerous. You see, when you’re little and you shirk responsibility, you tend to think that you can get away with things. You begin to think that the rules don’t apply to you. You could almost begin to think that it’s your world and everyone has to do what you say. It’s just not the case. The reason this Manna is being sent so late is that I was dealing with the fruit of immaturity in an area of personal development that came knocking on my door this very day.
Now see? Just look at you. See how you are? You’re not even focused on the word right now. You’re over there on the other side of the screen trying to figure out what I did or what happened. Nosy! No I didn’t go to jail! No I wasn’t arrested. And no, the baby isn’t mine. It’s my cousins. I’m just playing. But for real though, I had to deal with a situation that cost me a lot of money but it didn’t have to had I done what I needed to do in a timely fashion. I was so busy running around the earth trying to save everyone else that my own personal life was suffering. You can be deep if you want to, but past reading the Bible and fasting and praying, you need to pay your bills on time. Now I feel the Holy Ghost for real. I was like this big kid running around living life carefree. But when you’re finished having fun running around and traveling, you have to open up mail and run a household. That’s the part I didn’t like. I only like certain types of mail, and I can tell which letters I’m going to open based on the envelope. Have you ever done that? Yes you have. Quit lying.
When I got mail, if it wasn’t a Christmas card or a letter with cursive writing on the front letting me know that it wasn’t from a bill collector, I wouldn’t open it. That’s immaturity. I’m all on television and I have songs on the radio and all that. But at the end of the day if I can’t pay bills on time, my witness is tainted. Handle life before life handles you. This is practical stuff today. If you have a calling on your life, that’s great. Just make sure you count the cost before you trot off into the world trying to do everything. I know you love Jesus. I know you’re saved. And I know that Jesus paid it all. But He’s not paying your bills for you. You have to do that. Write the check. Put it in the mail. With a stamp. Open the envelope back up. Sign the check. Get some tape. Close the envelope. Take it to the mailbox. Leave it there. Let the mail carrier come and get it. Open your door. Let your German Shepherd run out and bite their pants leg off. Okay, don’t do that. But you know what I’m saying. Take care of the daily responsibilities of life. You’ll be surprised at how much God will bless the rest of your stuff when you take care of home first.
Many pastors, and leaders in general for that matter, have had unnecessary drama in their respective places of influence because they went after the bright lights of a position without counting up the costs attached to that platform as far as personal health, family and finances were concerned. I learned today that you can’t neglect one for the sake of the other. They’re all connected. What good is your witness to a credit card company or car company if your check bounces? You have the Fish on your check and a Cross. But your check is a miracle. It was made of flat paper, yet it bounced like a rubber ball. Hallelujah. You will never know the small things that can have a major impact on your life or the lives of others.
The Christian life should be a life of balance. We should encourage connection to a local body of believers. We should do outreach. We should feed the hungry and clothe those in need. But we should also have a structured and organized home life that does not lend itself to the chaotic. Let’s stop living day-to-day. Let’s think about the future. Let’s count the cost of our actions or inactions from today and see what that could possibly reap for us in harvest in the weeks, months or years to come. And don’t be like me earlier today. I wanted to blame everyone else for my misery. I wanted to blame everyone else except the one whose fault it really was: my own.
I had to grow up today. Growth hurts. But it’s necessary. If I want a worldwide platform, I better count the cost and know that my private life isn’t so private anymore. I better count the cost and realize that what I do affects others. I better count the cost and know that what I say will most likely be repeated whether I want it to be or not. I better count the cost and know that just because I am anointed, it doesn’t exempt me from honoring the statutes of the land. I can’t live like that little spoiled kid anymore. I have to get in that tub and scrub the dirt off. It’s time to grow up.
Well, enjoy your weekend. OR have a happy Monday. You’ll be getting another Manna in a few minutes(for those reading this at the beginning of the week!). And remember, what you do today affects your future in ways you may not be able to imagine. A good name is to be desired above riches. Count the cost attached to your calling, your job, your platform or your ministry. Assess the weak areas and fight to shore them up. That’s where true elevation begins.
God blesses where His reputation is safe.
Can He count on you not to make His Name look bad?
Keep counting.
John Gray
www .myspace.com/johngraymusic
| 1-877-MANNA-77 |
A university professor challenged his class: “Did God create everything?”
A student replied, “Yes.” The professor continued: “If God created everything, then He created evil too. And since our works define who we are, then God is evil.”
The class became silent. Suddenly another student raised his hand and asked, “Professor, does darkness exist?” The professor responded, “Yes.” The student replied, “No, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is just the absence of light. Light, we can study, but not darkness. In fact we can use Newton’s prism to break the white light into many colors and study the various wavelengths of each color. But you cannot measure darkness. A simple ray of light can break into a world of darkness and illuminate it. How can you know how dark a certain space is? You measure the amount of light present. Darkness is a term used by man to describe what happens when there is no light present.”
Then the young man asked, “Sir, does evil exist?” Now uncertain, the professor responded, “Of course.” To this the student replied, “No, evil does not exist, sir, or at least it does not exist unto itself. It is simply the absence of God. It is just like darkness, a word that man has created to describe the absence of light. God did not create evil. It is the result of what happens when man does not have God’s love present in his heart. Evil is like the cold that comes when there is no heat, or the darkness that comes when there is no light.” The professor sat down.
The young man’s name was Albert Einstein.
