I have a friend who tells a story of a lesson the Lord taught him through his wife. It seems that every time he and his wife would get in the car to travel somewhere, his wife had a strong need to direct his driving. She would tell him where to turn and when to turn, even in their own subdivision. It was such a horrible habit that it drove my friend crazy and became the source of many an argument. Finally, one day my friend concluded that the Lord was trying to teach him something through this experience. He decided he would let go of his need to be free from this correction. He began to affirm his wife and even thank her for her input. It was excruciatingly painful to do this from where he sat.
Live close enough to God that all else seems
small in comparison.
Only when you are completely pliable can you
become completely strong.
The greatest reward for your labor is not what you
get from it but what you become through it.
Whatever God’s desire for you may be, it certainly
can not come unless you cooperate.
Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor to walk upon.
We are entering the day when even those who once scoffed at the gospel will soon realize that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is the only source of light in this dark world. We are entering the day when the Spirit of God is saying to His people:
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising (Isaiah 60:1-3).
The problem is, many believers aren't hearing His voice. They aren't seeing His Glory in their lives. Instead of arising in the power of God, their hearts are burdened down and troubled by the pressures of the world. They're wringing their hands and crying, "Oh my God, what are we going to do?"
I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll do exactly what Jesus said we should do in times like these. We will let not our hearts be troubled!"Well, Brother Copeland, I just don't see how that is possible. After all, these are dark days. Wickedness is just running rampant. Good people are suffering."
Those are exactly the kinds of things happening when Jesus gave that instruction. He was about to be crucified by wicked men. His disciples were about to see everything they had believed in and hoped for appear to crumble before their very eyes. They had invested their whole lives in the ministry of Jesus and they were about to see Him killed like a common thief. Naturally speaking, their entire world was about to come to an end.You want to talk about pressure and trouble? There has never been a darker time than that.
Yet Jesus looked those men straight in the eyes and said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me" (John 14:1). He wasn't just giving them an emotional pat on the head when He said it, either. He was giving them a command, a command so important He repeated it just a few minutes later saying, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
When I was a kid, I knew how serious my Dad was about something by how many times he told me to do it. If he just told me once to take out the trash, I might be able to get away without doing it. But if he said a second time, "Now boy, don't you forget to take out that trash like I said. Do you hear me?" I knew he meant it and I'd better follow through.
I believe that's what Jesus was doing when He repeated Himself in John 14. He was saying, "Listen to me, now. I said, don't let your heart be troubled and I mean it. I'm telling you again so you can get it straight. I don't care how bad things look, don't be afraid!"
Dominating the Storms of Life
If you understand the way fear works, you can see why Jesus warned us so sternly against it.
Fear is perverted faith. Just as faith is confidence in God's ability to protect you, fear is confidence in Satan's ability to hurt you. And in the same way faith opens the door for God to bring blessings into your life, fear opens the door for the devil to bring destruction.
If you refuse to fear, you can go through trouble without that trouble getting inside you. You can go through it in peace and come out on the other side in victory.
But understand this: When Jesus said don't let your heart be troubled, He wasn't telling you to stick your head in the sand and pretend like the trouble isn't there. He wasn't telling you to ignore the events around you. No, look again at what He said: "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."
The secret to maintaining an untroubled heart in the midst of troubled times is to believe Jesus! It is to put more faith in what He said than in what the devil says.
Exactly what did Jesus say?
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (Luke 4:18).
Jesus is the Christ. The Greek word Christ means the Anointed One. And since Isaiah 10:27 tells us that the yoke of the devil is destroyed by the anointing, we don't have to run scared when the devil comes against us, our loved ones or our nation. We can put him to flight with the blood of the Lamb, the Word of our testimony and the yoke-destroying anointing of Jesus Christ Himself!
That's what Jesus expects us to do. He has already taken care of every kind of trouble that could ever come to the human family when He was put on the Cross, raised from the dead, and glorified at the right hand of the Father. He spoiled the principalities and powers of darkness. He triumphed over them and made an open show of them (see Colossians 2:15). He stripped the devil of every last vestige of power.
"But if that's the case," you ask, "why is He letting the devil wreak so much havoc on the earth today?"
He isn't. We are!
Jesus has done His part. He has taken back the devil's authority over the earth and He has given it to us. Just before He ascended to heaven He said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore..." (Matthew 28:18-19). He delegated His power and authority to us - His Church - then "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, [he] sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool" (Hebrews 10:12-13).
Jesus doesn't expect us to cower and whimper under the attacks of the devil. He expects us to take authority over the devil and overcome him. He expects us to stand up in the midst of the storms of life and dominate those storms with faith-filled words. He expects us to look sickness and lack and terror in the face and say, "You get under my feet, in the Name of Jesus!"
I realize you may not feel like you can do that. But, regardless of how you feel, if you're a born-again child of God, you can because the Bible says, "Whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
No One Said It Would Be Easy
I'm not saying it's easy to exercise that kind of overcoming faith in times like these. It's not. The devil will bring all kinds of pressure against you. He'll do everything he can to discourage you and wear you out because he knows that if you succeed he'll lose control not only of you, but also of those in your sphere of influence.
Some people have the idea that if you live by faith, you can float through life with no problems at all. Forget about that. It will never happen this side of the rapture.
Just look at Jesus. If anyone should have been able to float through life, it was Him. He had perfect faith. But He never had an easy day of ministry. He had the toughest time of any man who ever walked on earth. He was persecuted, criticized and plotted against. What's more, He was tempted with every sin mankind has ever known. Yet He resisted it all.
If you think that's easy, think again. There's nothing tougher than feeling the pressure of sin, sickness, lack or grief, and yet refusing to let it dominate you. There's nothing tougher than standing up at those times and saying, "No! I'll not receive this sickness on my body. I'll not yield to this circumstance! I've been set free from the curse by the blood of Jesus, and I will live free by faith in Him!"
If you want to see just how much pressure such a stand of faith can bring, look at Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane before He went to the cross. The pressure of the temptation He faced there put such a strain on His physical body that drops of blood poured through His skin like perspiration. But even then, sin could not conquer Him.
None of us will ever face that much trouble. We'll never have to stand against that much pressure. Yet, we have available to us the same power and peace that took Him not just through the pressure at Gethsemane, but through the whipping, the mocking and the Crucifixion. We have the peace that took Him all the way through to the Resurrection!
"Peace I leave with you," He said. "My peace I give unto you.... Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
But, praise God, He didn't stop there. He told us how to gain access to that peace. He told us how to stand in faith when frightening things were happening all around us.
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you" (John 15:7).
Think for a moment. If you knew beyond any doubt that God would do anything you asked Him to in any situation, then would you ever be afraid? Would your heart ever be troubled? Of course not!
You know God has the power to make everything right. He has the power to prosper you in the midst of famine. He has the power to rescue you and your family from danger. He has the power to save your children - spirit, soul and body. In fact, the Bible says:
His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Make the Word Your Home
What's the key to having God's promises fulfilled in our lives? What's the key to receiving whatever we ask? Abiding in Jesus and letting His words abide in us!
Abiding in the Word is more than just knowing it. It's more than just mentally agreeing with it. Abiding in the Word means making the Word your number one priority.
When you abide somewhere, you make it your permanent place of residence. You make it your home. You wake up there in the morning and you go to sleep there at night. When trouble hits, the first thing you want to do is go home, because that's where your heart is.
The same thing is true with the Word. When you abide in the Word, it's the first thing you think of when the storms of life come - not the second thing or the third thing. It's the first! When you abide in the Word, your heart is so full of it that when the devil puts pressure on you, the Word is what comes out your mouth. You don't have to run and get your Bible. You don't even have to think about it. You're so full of the Word, it just spills out.
Abiding in the Word is not some passive state you slide into accidentally. The book of Hebrews says we labor to enter into that rest of faith (Hebrews 4:11). We don't labor to fight the problems and trouble surrounding us. We labor to enter into our rest with God.
What does that labor include? Sometimes it includes getting up out of your chair, turning off the TV and saying, "I'm not watching the world's news anymore. I'm tired of seeing this conflict through their eyes." It includes spending more time reading and meditating on the Word of God, building your faith until you can boldly say, "It doesn't matter how bad this situation looks, I believe God's Word. And I declare that my family, my church, my community and my nation will come through this in victory!"
Some people are afraid if they turned off the TV and buried their nose in the Bible, they'd be caught off guard by world events and be unequipped to handle them. But the truth is, they'd be more equipped to handle them than ever because the primary battles aren't taking place here on earth where you can see them and hear them. They're taking place in the heavenlies.
They're spiritual battles and you can't fight spiritual battles from a natural perspective. You have to see God's perspective. You have to put aside your natural human thoughts and start thinking His thoughts. You have to stop handling things your way and start handling them His way. As the prophet Isaiah says:
Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it (Isaiah 55:6-11).
Do you see the cycle there? We take God's Word - His thoughts and ways - and put it in our hearts. It causes faith to spring forth within us. Then we return that Word to God by speaking it out our mouths.
When that happens, the devil has to run for cover because there is nothing he can do to stop that Word from coming to pass. He can only stand by wringing his hands and crying, "Oh my, what am I going to do?"
This is no time for us to let our faith in God slip. This is no time to start fastening our eyes on the conditions around us. This is no time to open our hearts to fear.
On the contrary, now more than ever, we must immerse ourselves in the Word of God. We must fill our hearts so full of it, that there's simply no room there for trouble. We must make it our first thought when we wake up every morning and our last thought before we go to sleep at night. It must be the most precious thing in our lives.
We can do it. We must do it. Not only for ourselves and our families, but for this desperately troubled world.
We have in our mouths and in our hearts and in our lives the only hope: the burden- removing, yoke-destroying power of Jesus, the Anointed One. Let's hold Him high.
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me.
John 14:27:
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Isaiah 10:27:
27 In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders,
their yoke from your neck;
the yoke will be broken...
Hebrews 4:11:
11Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
Isaiah 55:6-11:
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
8 I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 29:11:
11 The LORD gives strength to his people;
the LORD blesses his people with peace.
Psalm 37:4:
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:11:
11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.
Proverbs 3:24:
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Proverbs 17:1:
1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet
than a house full of feasting, [a] with strife.
Proverbs 17:14:
14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam;
so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
Proverbs 20:3:
3 It is to a man's honor to avoid strife,
but every fool is quick to quarrel.
Ecclesiastes 4:6:
6 Better one handful with tranquillity
than two handfuls with toil
and chasing after the wind.
Isaiah 9:6:
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, [a] Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 26:3:
3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.
Isaiah 26:12:
12 LORD, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
Isaiah 32:17-18:
17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace;
the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places,
in secure homes,
in undisturbed places of rest.
Matthew 5:9:
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
John 14:27:
27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 16:33:
33"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Romans 14:19:
19Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
1 Corinthians 14:33:
33For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Galatians 5:22:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Philippians 4:7
7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:15:
15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
1 Thessalonians 5:13:
13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.
James 3:17-18:
17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
What are the things that arouse the strongest emotions in you? Perhaps it is a rude motorist who cuts you off in traffic. Perhaps it is the anger you feel when you are wrongfully accused. Perhaps it is frustration that results from not having enough money to meet perceived needs. When do emotions turn into sin?
One way to discover what is “major” is to find out what is important to God, to determine what it is that He attaches special significance to. And in Scripture, He does give us a clue.
There is a phrase that comes up over and over again in the Bible, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, that lets us know when God is saying, “Hey, what’s coming up is especially important.”
It is the phrase take heed.
Whenever we find this phrase, we’ve come upon something that God considers especially vital. For example, in Hebrews 2:1 it says:
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”
The word heed in the verse above is the same Greek word translated “take heed” elsewhere in the Bible. What the writer of Hebrews is telling us is that you and I need to give our undivided attention to the things that we have heard “lest we drift away.”
And what are the “things we have heard”? God’s Word! God wants you and I to realize how incredibly important it is for us to stay focused on what we have learned from the Scriptures!
But the verse above is actually stronger than that. The word earnest literally means “superabundant, excessive, and frequent.” You and I need to give superabundant, excessive, and frequent heed to the Word of God which we have heard. Why? Lest we drift away!
There are many good men and women who have run their lives aground on the rocks of sin by not giving attention to God’s Word. And it wasn’t because they overtly turned away from God, but because they began to drift.
That’s why the writer of Hebrews emphasizes how vital it is for you and me to pay attention to what God says in His Word. He says to give superabundant, excessive, and frequent heed “to the things we have heard.”
The obvious question you need to ask yourself is this: Am I taking God’s Word for granted, or am I taking it seriously and giving heed to it?
Many of God’s people don’t realize the treasure they have in God’s powerful Word. They get washed in the blood of the Lamb, they know they’re going to heaven, but they begin to allow dust to collect on the cover of their Bible.
And then they wonder why their life isn’t what it should be and why their Christian walk is empty. My friend, the Bible tells you who you are in Christ, it tells you what you have in Christ, it tells you what you can do, and it tells you what God has done for you.
The Word of God is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among those who are sanctified. It is bread for your spirit and water for your soul! So it’s my prayer that you will make God’s Word the priority God desires for it to be in your life???starting today!
Answers with Bayless Conley broadcasts practical teachings of the Bible to its viewers in a non-religious way. For years, Bayless Conley struggled with drugs and alcohol while searching for answers. It was not until he was more than 20 years of age that a 12-year-old boy showed him the powerful reality of a relationship with Christ. Since 1979, the Lord has opened the television airwaves to the Answers program, which currently airs each week in more than 100 nations around the world.
5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
Joshua 24:14:
14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness."
Joshua 24:15:
15 ...But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Proverbs 1:33:
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."
13 I would not obey my teachers
or listen to my instructors.
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin
in the midst of the whole assembly."
Proverbs 10:8:
8 The wise in heart accept commands,
but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:17:
17 He who heeds discipline shows the way to life,
but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.
Proverbs 19:16:
16 He who obeys instructions guards his life,
but he who is contemptuous of his ways will die.
Proverbs 20:11:
11 Even a child is known by his actions,
by whether his conduct is pure and right.
Proverbs 21:16:
16 A man who strays from the path of understanding
comes to rest in the company of the dead.
Proverbs 25:12:
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.
Proverbs 25:28:
28 Like a city whose walls are broken down
is a man who lacks self-control.
Proverbs 28:7:
7 He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
Proverbs 28:13:
13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 29:18:
18 Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint;
but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Ecclesiastes 12:13:
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
Luke 6:46-49:
46"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is 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. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."
Romans 6:4 - We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
If you commit yourself to live for Christ in and through your business life, there will be a consequence of faith. You could avoid much hardship and take a much easier road in life if you do not choose to live an obedient life of faith in Christ. This is a spiritual law. None of us is excluded from identification with the cross.
When we commit ourselves to fully follow Christ, He begins a "circumcision" process in each of us designed to rid all that is of the world system from our lives. This circumcision is required of every believer. Moses had much preparation from God for His calling to free the people of Israel from Egypt. He spent years in training as a young boy in the family of Pharaoh. He tried to free the people through the flesh by killing an Egyptian. That cost him 40 years in the desert of loneliness and toil before God said he was prepared to free the people from their suffering. God invested much in Moses; however, that preparation was not enough. Experience and preparation had to be mixed with obedience. God required his family to be circumcised. Moses failed to circumcise his son before returning to Egypt. This was so important to God that He was going to kill Moses if he did not uphold his commandment. "At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him" (Ex. 4:24).
Are there any areas in your life that have not come under the lordship of Christ? Is there any lack of obedience that will prevent you from being used fully by the Lord? Ask Him to show you this today so that you might be fully used of God.
1 My son, do not forget my teaching,
but keep my commands in your heart,
2 for they will prolong your life many years
and bring you prosperity.
3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight. [a]
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
11 My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline
and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves,
as a father [b] the son he delights in.
13 Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
the man who gains understanding,
14 for she is more profitable than silver
and yields better returns than gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand;
in her left hand are riches and honor.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who embrace her;
those who lay hold of her will be blessed.
19 By wisdom the LORD laid the earth's foundations,
by understanding he set the heavens in place;
20 by his knowledge the deeps were divided,
and the clouds let drop the dew.
21 My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment,
do not let them out of your sight;
22 they will be life for you,
an ornament to grace your neck.
23 Then you will go on your way in safety,
and your foot will not stumble;
24 when you lie down, you will not be afraid;
when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
25 Have no fear of sudden disaster
or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,
26 for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being snared.
27 Do not withhold good from those who deserve it,
when it is in your power to act.
28 Do not say to your neighbor,
"Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"—
when you now have it with you.
29 Do not plot harm against your neighbor,
who lives trustfully near you.
30 Do not accuse a man for no reason—
when he has done you no harm.
31 Do not envy a violent man
or choose any of his ways,
32 for the LORD detests a perverse man
but takes the upright into his confidence.
33 The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the righteous.
34 He mocks proud mockers
but gives grace to the humble.
Genesis 2:15 - The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
Man was created to have seven basic needs. Each of us has a need for dignity, authority, blessing and provision, security, purpose and meaning, freedom and boundary, intimate love and companionship. When we go outside God's provision to meet these needs, we get into trouble.
Every man has a need to work and gain satisfaction in caring and seeing something come from his efforts. Many of our basic needs are derived from our work; it was one of the first acts God did for man in the Garden of Eden. He gave him responsibility to care for and work the Garden. God knew man needed to be productive. He needed to gain satisfaction from his work.
The danger of this is when we allow our work to be our complete source of purpose and meaning in life. This leads to a performance-based life. A performance-based life says, "As long as I perform in my work, I am acceptable to myself and others." This is a subtle trap for all of us. It can lead us to become workaholics if we are seeking acceptance through what we do. Sometimes this can be on a subconscious basis.
Our value must be centered in Christ, not in what we do. If we lose our job or our business, this should not devastate us if we are centered in Him. It will certainly create difficulties, but God is the orchestrator of all the events in our lives for His purposes. Even difficult times have purposes.
Today, ask the Lord if you have a proper balance in your work life. Is Christ the central focus? If you work long hours, ask yourself why. You might discover that God may not be the central focus.
"God hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ
Jesus." (Ephesians 2:6-7)
All my life people told me the reason God saved us was so that when we got to Glory, we could spend the rest of eternity loving Him and worshiping Him. But, you know, that's just not so.
It sounds pretty good, but it's just something somebody made up. God isn't selfish. He's just the opposite. He's the ultimate giver. The ultimate lover. He doesn't do anything just so He can get something in
return.
Why then did He save us? The Word of God tells us He did it so that in the ages to come, He could show us the exceeding riches of His grace.
Think about that! God is going to spend eternity showing the riches of His grace to you and me.
That's why He sent Jesus into the world. He so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. God gave Jesus so that He wouldn't be His only son. He sent Jesus so He could have more sons to love and give
to--and He plans to spend the eons of time doing just that.
As a believer, you have the most glorious future ahead of you that anyone could ever ask. But don't wait until you get to Glory to enjoy it. You can start right now. You've already been seated in heavenly
places!
Scripture Study: Ephesians 2:1-8
1 Corinthians 12:4 - There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Have you ever tried to do anything that you were not gifted to do? I am not a handy man. If there is a household project, like a plumbing leak or anything mechanical - forget it. God has not given me any "natural" gifts for such things. And I'd prefer not buying anything that requires assembly!
I have a friend who can fix or assemble anything. It comes naturally to him, and he loves to help me. This same person looks at some of my abilities and marvels. We appreciate the gifts God has given to each of us. These differences have created a need for one another. God wants each of us to need one another. The Scriptures describe the Body of Christ in the same way. Each person is a member of His Body with gifts and talents designed to make His Body perform as a multi-talented group, all playing to the same tune. It is when one member is "out of tune" or decides he doesn't like his gifts, or decides to do something he is not designed to do that the orchestra begins to sound off key. Imagine if the parts of the human body decided they didn't want to fulfill their parts any longer. That body would no longer function effectively because one or more of its members were not performing the functions they were designed for.
What has He equipped you for? What role has he called you to play in God's Kingdom? When one link in the chain is weakened, the whole chain is susceptible to breaking. God made it that way so that we could help that weak link. He made it that way so we would be forced to depend on one another. Are you being a strong link in the chain of God's Kingdom? Ask Him if you are fulfilling your role as He designed.
I’ve been married for almost three years now, and finally, I no longer blush bright red when the word “sex” is mentioned out loud.
It’s more of a faint pink tinge.
Growing up, sex wasn’t talked about very much. Not at home, not with family, and certainly not in church! There, the very mention of the word would have turned ears to scarlet and had the deacons popping antacid pills. Sure, every year the youth group did a “True Love Waits” program, but we never got down to the real nitty-gritty. We dutifully signed cards and pledged to “wait for true love and marriage” - whatever that meant.
Many Christian youth today are in the same rapidly sinking boat. They have plenty of questions, but not enough people willing to give answers. Or worse, the wrong kind of people are giving the wrong kind of answers. For those getting no answers, sex turns into "This Great Mystery." Lack of information inspires intrigue and sex becomes even more appealing. The lure of the unknown consumes the mind, and much like Eve, regret blooms after one taste of the forbidden fruit.
How many young men and women could have been protected if they had just been told that sex was not some guilty pleasure denied them, but rather, a part of God’s plan for their future marriage and well worth the wait? How many babies could have been saved if only these young girls had realized not just the negative consequences of sex outside marriage but the positive truth about sex within marriage?
Silence Outside Marriage, Confusion Within
After the wedding, one of the hardest things for young Christian couples to adjust to is the fact that sex is suddenly - okay! All the years of silence on the “forbidden topic,” all the years of feeling guilty for asking questions, all the years of wondering and dreaming, all the years of thinking sex as a four letter word, suddenly diminish. Sex is expected, allowed, and not only that, but – gasp – it’s a part of God’s plan!
During their most formative years Christian teenagers, especially young girls, are often expected to push the topic of sex aside. The good girls are the ones that sign their pledge cards, sit on their hands when dying to ask questions, and polish their purity rings once a week.
However, I think those years are equally hard if not harder for young men. Those who remain pure during the trying years of hormone overload get married and suddenly expect to experience everything they’ve seen on TV, read in books, or heard in the locker room at school. And why wouldn’t they? It’s all they know.
Suddenly, we have two Christians who’ve done their best to remain pure but may be facing some challenges ahead. Because the mindset “sex is bad” has been drilled into the young woman’s mind for as long as she can remember, she finds it hard to relate to her husband physically. This creates tension between the newlywed couple. The woman creates a false sense of guilt in her head, and the young man develops insecurity – he misreads the situation and assumes something is wrong with him or thinks he is not appealing to his new wife. And what God has purposed for good between a husband and wife becomes distorted.
The couples who failed to protect their purity may be facing even greater challenges. Flashbacks from the past, unmet expectations, and recurring guilt plague this couple. Soon distance forms between the man and woman as their pasts begin to consume much of their emotional energy.
I firmly believe that nothing makes the Enemy happier than a loveless marriage. Which leaves only one option – fighting back. Stand up for your marriage. Give your concerns, your guilt, your insecurities, your fears and your past to God. If you remained pure until your wedding day yet still struggle with your emotions and mindsets, pour out your heart to God. Ask Him to change your way of thinking to a mindset that will be honoring and pleasing to both Him and your husband.
If you made a sexual mistake in your past, you can still move on. Confess to God, ask Him to forgive you, and make it right from here on out. It’s never too late for a fresh start. God is a God of second chances. You have no excuse as to why you can’t fight back and save your marriage from the Enemy’s grasp.
The Subtlety of the Serpent
If the above issues aren’t a problem for you, and you consider your marriage to be on track physically and emotionally, there are still many danger signs to watch for. The old adage “Sex Sells” is unfortunately all too true. Sex remains dominant everywhere you look. Movies, television shows, sitcoms, novels, websites, advertisements, commercials…even the “family” channels on TV promote filth in disguise. Characters in both television programs and books sleep together before they’re married and promote “casual sex.” These shows are often humorous on a superficial level (hence their draw!) but they fail to show the emotional, and usually physical, consequences of such flippant choices.
This is obviously an extremely dangerous situation, not only to our youth of today but to married couples everywhere. How can we save our spouse from temptation from such filth when it’s everywhere? How can we protect our eyes and ears when it seems sex is plastered all over any form of entertainment? Are we supposed to never see movies? Never turn on the television set? Never pick up a novel? Never venture outside of our house?
There are some precautions that are easy to take. For example:
1. Before seeing a movie in theaters, I always check out this website: www.kidsinmind.com. This site has a rating scale of 1-10 on sexuality, violence, and language. Not sure what number on the scale is suitable for you or your spouse? You can read on for a detailed account of each category. (2 religious profanity, 3 mild obscenities, 4 F-words, a woman wears a low-cut dress, etc.) This website archives movies back for literally decades if not older – so you can check out not only movies currently released in theater, but old rentals, as well!
2. Ladies, if you love reading romance novels but hate having to flip past the graphic love scenes – switch over to Christian Fiction. Christian fiction is a growing genre and provides readers with a clean version of the same romance, adventure and escape they seek. Visit my blog for a list of fantastic Christian authors of whom I am a fan: www.betsy-ann.blogspot.com.
3. Turn off the TV! Some shows are still worth watching but to be honest, not that many. Spend that quality time with your spouse, instead. Take the dog for a walk together. Pretend to be kids again and go play in the neighborhood park. Work together on a goal or project – update a room in the house, start your spring cleaning, cook a gourmet meal, etc.
There are ways to protect your mind and your spouse’s. Filth going in will eventually come out creating painful, lingering consequences. A wife doesn’t want to wonder if her husband is comparing her to the partially or completely naked woman he saw on the big screen last night. A husband doesn’t want to guess if his wife finds him as attractive as the buff, long-haired hero in the romance novel she devoured that afternoon. Allowing these insecurities in your spouse is not pleasing to God. As an act of love for both your Heavenly Father and your husband/wife, watch what you put into your mind. You might think it doesn’t affect you, but it does. No one is immune to sin. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8.
One of the enemy’s greatest tricks is that of subtlety. You give an inch, he’ll take a mile. But you can beat him at his own game – with a lot of prayer and altering of your entertainment habits.
Take these steps toward a healthier marriage today. Filter what you pour into your mind – it’ll eventually seep into your heart. Be sensitive to the emotional and physical needs of your spouse. And remember, within the constraints of marriage, sex is not a four letter word but a unique blessing from God. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” James 1: 17.
5May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
1 The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a man of understanding and knowledge maintains order.
3 A ruler [a] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.
4 Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
but those who keep the law resist them.
5 Evil men do not understand justice,
but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.
6 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless
than a rich man whose ways are perverse.
7 He who keeps the law is a discerning son,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
8 He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.
9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law,
even his prayers are detestable.
10 He who leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into his own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.
11 A rich man may be wise in his own eyes,
but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.
12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, men go into hiding.
13 He who conceals his sins does not prosper,
but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
14 Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD,
but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.
15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked man ruling over a helpless people.
16 A tyrannical ruler lacks judgment,
but he who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long life.
17 A man tormented by the guilt of murder
will be a fugitive till death;
let no one support him.
18 He whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall.
19 He who works his land will have abundant food,
but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
20 A faithful man will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.
21 To show partiality is not good—
yet a man will do wrong for a piece of bread.
22 A stingy man is eager to get rich
and is unaware that poverty awaits him.
23 He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor
than he who has a flattering tongue.
24 He who robs his father or mother
and says, "It's not wrong"—
he is partner to him who destroys.
25 A greedy man stirs up dissension,
but he who trusts in the LORD will prosper.
26 He who trusts in himself is a fool,
but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.
27 He who gives to the poor will lack nothing,
but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.
Psalms 53:2 - God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
Are you a man or woman who is a seeker of God? The Lord delights in seeing those children of His who truly understand the meaning of life and why there is only one thing worth seeking-God Himself.
I can always tell when I have not been seeking God. The cares of this life, the urgent over the important, and the petty irritations-these are the symptoms of a life that has not been in the presence of God. Do we understand, really understand? That is the question God raises to each of us today. If we understand, then why do we spend day after day toiling and fretting over what doesn't matter? Can we set proper boundaries in our lives that don't allow our time with Him to be continually stolen away? It is a challenge in a world that screams "activity, activity!"
Do you have a consistent time of seeking Him in your life? Are you committed to developing that intimacy with your Lord that He so desires? If not, ask Him today to help you. This is the longing of His heart. Ask Him to make it the longing of your heart. Then you will demonstrate to Him that you understand, and you will be a seeker of God.
Proverbs 18:18 - Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.
We prayed about it. We discussed it. My friend had one desire; I had a different one. "Okay, let's settle the issue the way the early Church settled matters when an agreement could not be achieved. Let's flip a coin."
"You must be joking!" my friend lamented.
"No, the early Church cast lots often to determine a course of direction or even select the disciple who would take Judas' place."
"Okay," my friend agreed. We flipped the coin and the matter was quickly settled.
In the Old Testament there are many examples of casting lots for determining a decision. We hear little of this method today. Most of us do not want to release the decision process to this seemingly "flippant" process; yet the Lord says, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord" (Prov. 16:33). Flipping a coin is the equivalent to casting a lot. It removes our own opinions and leaves the final outcome to the Lord. Pray before you take such an action. It will surprise you who is willing to submit a decision to the Lord and who isn't. It removes the element of control from both parties.
I believe the Lord would first have us make decisions through agreement and continued prayer for the decision. However, there are times when this approach can be the quickest and simplest. It removes each person's temptation to lord it over the other. Cast the lot and settle the dispute.
FreshOutlook magazine
We should all be like tea; our real strength
appearing when we get in hot water.
You have matured when keeping a secret gives you
more satisfaction than spreading one.
Whatever you begin in anger will end in shame.
A little lie is like a little pregnant, it doesn’t
take long and everyone knows.
Pride makes us artificial, humility makes us real.
A man wrapped up in himself makes a
very small package.
Go the extra mile, it is never crowded.
John 14:26 - But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
I was driving down the interstate feeling discouraged from an appointment I had just had. A former employee's company was seeking to displace me and my company as their source for our services. It had been one of many difficult events during those months. As I was driving, some words popped into my mind, No weapon formed against you shall prosper. I could not tell you where those words came from other than I knew the Holy Spirit was speaking them to me; I knew they were in the Bible. I knew they were in the Old Testament.
When I returned to my office that day, I searched for the key words in my concordance and found the verse. "No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you" (Is. 54:17a).
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would remind us of the things He desires us to know. There are times in our lives when the Holy Spirit speaks into our spirit words designed to encourage us or give us what we need at the moment. That is just one of the roles of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. The more you know God's Word, the more often you'll recall verses the Holy Spirit will bring to mind for a given situation. Study God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to remind you of the things He desires you to know.
