Moving With the Cloud

Numbers 9:21 - Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out.

God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and they had to pass through the desert on their way to the Promised Land. God was their guide by means of a cloud that appeared overhead. When it moved, they moved. When it stopped, they stopped-sometimes a day, a week, even a year.

Imagine living with the uncertainty of this situation. One day you work at getting your "house" in order, only to have to pick up the stakes and move. Your ability to plan is totally gone. But even greater is the temptation to move when the cloud did not move because you felt it was time to move. For the Israelites, perhaps the grass was no longer green. Perhaps the water was not easily accessible. Perhaps the bugs were a problem. Whatever the case, they were strictly prohibited from moving if the cloud did not move.

It is still the same today. We are not to move unless the Holy Spirit instructs us to do so. We are not to make that business deal on the basis of whether or not it makes sense, but on the leading of the Holy Spirit's "cloud" in our life. It is a difficult process to move only when we are directed, and to remain if we are not. The pressure is always upon us to move, to plan, to act. But if we act, we may move into a place where the presence of God may not be. Hence, the rub. The Christian businessperson must learn to move when God says move; it is a sign of complete surrender and dependence on God's Spirit to direct our steps.

Ask God today if you are sitting under His cloud. Or, have you moved when He said stand still? He will show you.

Don't Hesitate

Kenneth Copeland

"He that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways." (James 1:6-8)

What happens when you hesitate to do something God has told you to do? Your adversary takes the first step. The devil gets the jump on you.

If you want to live by faith, hesitation is one of the most hazardous habits you could ever have. It comes from being indecisive. The Bible says a man like that is "unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything he thinks, feels, decides" (The Amplified Bible).

If you are double-minded, the decisions you make are split. You try to live by faith and protect your fear at the same time. You make faith statements like "I believe God is going to heal me." Then your fear whispers, "But I wouldn't want to say I'm well just yet." You're so busy going back and forth between faith and fear, you can't make any progress at all.

Kick the habit of hesitation today. Make a solid decision to trust in and act on the Word of God. Settle it forever. Resolve never to entertain doubts again. When doubt comes to your mind, cast it out quickly.

When God speaks, don't waste a moment. Step right out in faith. That way, you can always keep the devil a step behind you!

Scripture Study: James 1:1-8

Think on These...

Many victories are won in the final seconds.

Don’t ruin the present by worrying about the future.

Speak the Word and your miracle begins.

Nothing ruins the truth like stretching it.

Footprints on the sands of time are not made by sitting down.

Receive the Man of God

Kenneth Copeland

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." (John 13:20)

I can't tell you how many born-again, Holy Ghost-filled Christians pick their pastor apart on Saturday night and then expect him to pray the prayer of faith for them Sunday morning! They'll constantly make critical comments about the evangelists and preachers that God has sent to minister to them and then wonder why the rain of the Spirit has all but dried up in their churches.

Most of those folks would never dream of criticizing the ministry of Jesus. Yet, according to the Word of God, that's precisely what they're doing. You see, Jesus said, "He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me."

I know ministers fail sometimes. I know they make mistakes. Jesus knew they would too. But, even so, He said, "If you receive them, you receive Me."

If you think some preacher's doctrine is wrong, then pray for him. Stop sitting under his ministry if necessary. But the Scripture says, "Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14:4, NIV).

The ministers of the gospel are not your servants, they're God's servants. Whether they're right or whether they're wrong, love them and respect them if for no other reason than to honor the One who sent them.

Learn to receive the minister of God that Jesus sends to you with the same respect and the same honor that you would give Jesus Himself. You'll open the door for great spiritual power to be released. You'll clear the way for God to meet your needs. The anointing of God will be released through the man of God to you.

Refuse to let criticism hold back the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Then get ready to be blessed because, I guarantee, He won't hold out on you.

Scripture Study: Numbers 12:1-16

Discover What the Name Can Do

Kenneth Copeland

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." (Philippians 2:9-10)

Once you make up your mind to keep the commands of Jesus and begin to allow the Word to dwell in you richly, the Name of Jesus will become far more powerful to you. It will become more than just a word. It will become a force that will cause every circumstance and every demon that tries to stand in your way to bow its knee to your command.

I tell you, the Name of Jesus works. There is far greater power in it than any of us have yet realized.

My faith is so set on the authority of the Name of Jesus that there are times I just say, "In the Name" and the power of God comes on the scene.

In fact, I've discovered that the Name of Jesus--just the Name alone-- is effective when spoken by a Word-abiding believer. Revelation 19:13 says the Name of Jesus is the Word of God! So, when an evil spirit is trying to bring sickness, poverty, depression, or any other garbage into my household, I don't have to quote every scripture I know to stop him. I can just point my finger at him and say, "Jesus!" That's like throwing the whole Word of God in his face at one time!

Discover for yourself what the exalted Name can do. Begin to speak it with confidence and authority. There is power in the Name of Jesus.

Scripture Study: Acts 3:1-16

Grace

John 20:19 - ..."Peace be with you!"

How would you respond to a group of fellow workers if you were their leader and you poured your life into them, teaching them all you know for three years, only to have them disband and go their own way when troubles came? What would you say to them after you were reunited for the first time? Perhaps you might scold them. Perhaps you might cite each one's offense. At the least, you might shame them for their lack of faithfulness and courage.

After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, He appeared to the disciples. His first words to them were, "Peace be with you!" The word grace means "unmerited favor." When someone loves you unconditionally, without regard to your behavior in return, it becomes a powerful force in your life. Such was the case for the disciples when Jesus appeared to them. They could have expected reprimand. Instead, they received unconditional love and acceptance. He was overjoyed to see them. They were equally overjoyed to see Him.

Jesus understood that the disciples needed to fail Him as part of their training. It would be this failure that became their greatest motivation for service. Failure allowed them to experience incredible grace for the very first time. Grace would transform them as human beings.

Have you experienced this grace in your life? Have you extended grace to those who have hurt you? Can you let go of any wrongs that have come through friends or associates? The grace you extend may change their lives-and yours.

What does the Bible say about managing your finances?

Question: "What does the Bible say about managing your finances?"

Answer: The Bible has a lot to say about managing finances. Concerning borrowing, see - Proverbs 6:1-5; 20:16; 22:7, 26-27 ("The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender's slave...Do not be among those who give pledges, among those who become sureties for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?"). Concerning bribes, see - Proverbs 17:8; 18:16; 21:14; 28:21; 17:23 ("A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom to pervert the ways of justice"). Concerning riches, see - Proverbs 10:15; 11:4; 18:11; 23:5; 28:20 "A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished."

Concerning the sluggard and finances, see - Proverbs 6:6-11 ("Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest. How long will you lie down, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest - your poverty will come in like a vagabond and your need like an armed man"). Concerning the futility of riches, see - Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12 (5:10 says, "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This, too, is vanity"). Also 1 Timothy 6:6-11. Concerning giving, see - Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (verses 6-7, "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver").

Concerning stewardship, see - Luke 16:1-13 (verse 11, "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you?"). Also James 1:17. We are also responsible to provide for our own household. 1 Timothy 5:8 says, "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

In summary, what does the Bible say about managing money? The answer can be summarized with a single word – wisdom. We are to be wise with our money. We are to save money, but not hoard it. We are to spend money, but with discretion and control. We are to give back to the Lord, joyfully and sacrificially. We are to use our money to help others, but with discernment and the guidance of God’s Spirit. It is not wrong to be rich, but it is wrong to love money. It is not wrong to be poor, but it is wrong to waste money on trivial things. The Bible’s consistent message on managing money is to be wise. If you need financial help, you can inquire more through Christian Financial Concepts – www.crown.org

The Bridegroom Cometh

Gloria Copeland

"And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him."
(Matthew 25:6)

The Spirit of God is delivering a vital message to you today: Get ready for Jesus' return! It's an old message. But there's a fresh urgency to it. An urgency you can't afford to ignore.

Some believers make the mistake of saying, "Oh well, I just don't think we're supposed to know about the Second Coming. It's supposed to come upon us like a thief in the night!"

But they're wrong. The Word of God says that as children of light we shouldn't be taken by surprise. We should be so keen in the Spirit that even though we don't know the day or the hour, we should sense that the season of Jesus' return has come.

First Corinthians 2:10 tells us that God reveals His plans to us through His Spirit. I suspect that those who are walking in the Spirit on the day the Lord comes again will actually begin to anticipate that something is about to happen.

Be like the five wise virgins in Matthew 25 who were prepared when the bridegroom's arrival was announced. Stay full of the oil of the Holy Spirit and with your light shining!

Don't get caught sleeping when Jesus returns. Wake up now to the Holy Spirit. Let Him put you on the inside track and get you ready for your Lord. Because just as Jesus foretold, there is a cry going out at midnight. The Spirit of the Lord is announcing His return.

Can you hear it in your spirit? Can you sense the Lord saying, "Get up and come out to meet Me. Fellowship with Me. Get in the light now, and at that crucial hour, you'll be on the inside of My plans."

Obey Him quickly. For, behold, the bridegroom cometh!

Scripture Study: Matthew 25:1-13

Silence the Critics

Gloria Copeland

"For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men." (1 Peter 2:15)

I know from personal experience that when people start to criticize you and persecute you because you live by faith, your natural human response is to want to strike back. It's easy to want to start dishing out a little criticism of your own. "Maybe if they get a taste of their own medicine, they'll shut their mouths," you think.

But you know what? They won't. Your words will just add fuel to their fire and they'll criticize you harder and louder than they did before.

According to the Word of God, however, there is a way to silence them. Not by arguing with them. Not by defending yourself. But by keeping quiet and continuing to do the good works God has called you to do.

Jesus was highly criticized by the religious establishment of His day. But He never fought back. Instead, Acts 10:38 says He simply went about doing good.

When people start riding you about living the faith life, be like Jesus and just keep on blessing people. Keep on praying for folks who are oppressed by the devil and get them delivered. Keep on laying hands on the sick and get them healed. Keep on doing what God has called you to do.

That will aggravate the devil because his primary purpose is to make you ineffective for the kingdom of God. He wants you to get wrapped up in the criticism. He wants to distract you, to get your mind off the job God has given you. He really wants you to quit.

Don't do it! Instead, follow the instructions in 2 Timothy 3:14 and "continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of." Silence the ignorant criticisms of men by continuing to do good and by continuing to live by faith. And when all their foolish words have faded away, you'll still be standing strong.

Scripture Study: Luke 23:1-9

Possess Your Promised Land

Gloria Copeland

"When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you...and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it." (Numbers 33:51-53)

God has given you a Promised Land. It's a place flowing with milk and honey, where your every need can be met. A place where you can keep sin underfoot as you rule and reign with Christ. A place where no weapon formed against you will prosper. A place where you are seated with Christ in heavenly places, far above principalities and powers--far from oppression.

As you study the Word of God, you'll find that's an accurate description of the kind of victory you should be experiencing in Christ--not in the sweet by-and-by--but right here, right now.

You may say, "Yes, that sounds nice in theory, but I'm dealing with reality here. The rent is due, and all I see is sickness, oppression and fear. This doesn't look like much of a Promised Land to me."

Are you still letting the devil live there? He's not just going to pack up and go home, you know, just because God has promised you victory. You have to kick him out.

But don't let that scare you. God has given you the power to do it. Remember what Jesus said? He said, "Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10:19).

What's more, the devil is totally unarmed! Colossians 2:15 says, "[God] disarmed the principalities and powers ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in...[the cross]" (The Amplified Bible). You have absolutely no reason to cower before the devil. Jesus defeated and disarmed him through His death, burial and resurrection. The devil can't defeat you unless you let him. All he can do is make empty threats.

But beware! Empty threats can stop you cold if you believe them. So don't. Believe the Word of God instead. Use the Word and the Name of Jesus to drive the devil out of every last detail of your life.

Don't let him dwell in your territory. Force him to pack up and go home. Start possessing your Promised Land!

Scripture Study: Mark 16:17-18; James 5:7-9

Don't Waste Time Wondering

Kenneth Copeland

"Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:17)

Sometimes, believers wring their hands and worry about whether or not they're praying according to God's will. "Oh, dear me," they say, "I certainly can't expect God to do something for me that's outside His will." And they're absolutely right.

But they don't need to waste time standing around looking puzzled. They need to grab their Bibles and find out what the will of God is.

God has made some very specific promises in His Word and it's His will to fulfill every one of them in your life. In fact, those promises are divinely guaranteed by a contract that's been signed in the blood of Jesus.

Think of it this way. Your Bible is the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. It is a record of your inheritance. Everything that belongs to you has been written down in that book and the smartest thing you can do is to find out what is in it. Don't leave it lying on the coffee table and hit the floor crying, "Oh, God! Oh, God! I'm searching for the truth."

Pick up your Bible from the coffee table and find out what belongs to you! Find out how you need to change to get in line with God's will.

Some people don't do that. They try to change God instead. They'll go on and on trying to convince God just how badly they hurt or how poor they are. They'll beg and plead and wheedle, all the while acting as though they had to somehow change God's mind about the situation. Those folks are in for a long wait.

God is never going to change. The Bible says He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. His will is too. So don't waste your time wondering if your prayers are in line with it. Get the Book and base your prayers on it. Then you can rest assured the answer is on the way!

Scripture Study: Proverbs 2:1-12

New Things

Philippians 3:13-14 Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Our past can be a hindrance or a help in moving toward God's purposes for each of us. For some, the past has meant pain and heartache, and grace is required so that we do not let our past dictate our responses to the future. If we allow our past to make us a victim, then we have not entered into the grace that God has for us. If we live on memories of past successes and fail to raise our vision for new things, we again are victims of our past.

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Is. 43:19). Our past should only be viewed for what we can learn from it. We must move forward and avoid viewing the negative or the positive for more than what we can learn. Many have allowed their past to dictate their future. God is always about doing new things in our lives. He gives fresh revelation of His purposes in our lives. Do not live in the past. Do not hold onto bitterness that may hinder God from doing new and exciting things in your life. He turns our wastelands into streams of water to give life, not death.

How have you viewed your past? Has it hindered you in some areas of your life? Have you relied on past successes to dictate what you will do in the future? Put aside such thoughts and allow God to do a new thing in your life. Ask Him to help you see the new things He wants to do in and through you today.

"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" [Author unknown].

He'll Be Listening

Kenneth Copeland

"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (1 John 5:14-15)

Have you ever been in prayer and suddenly had the disturbing sensation that God simply isn't listening?

It's happened to all of us. We limp along praying the same old prayers, half-hoping those prayers are heard and half-suspecting they're not.

Today I want to show you how to resolve that dilemma once and for all. But let me warn you, I'm not going to slap you on the back and assure you God will listen to any old doubtful, self-centered thing you say to Him. He won't. He's only promised to listen to prayers that are prayed according to His will. The Apostle John says when you pray like that, you'll know that you have the petitions you desire of Him.

The word petition is defined as "a formal written request addressed to a sovereign superior of a particular right or grace," and that's exactly what you need when you're praying about something serious.

How do you put together a solid petition, one that's in line with the will of God?

First, you have to roll up your sleeves and dig into the written Word. Find scriptures that apply to your situation and make those the foundation for your petition.

Then get on your knees and consult with the Holy Spirit. Let Him help you develop your petition in detail. The best way to do that is to spend time praying in other tongues. (See Romans 8:26-27.) Expect God to reveal things from His heart to yours. He wants you to know His will. So, while you're praying, listen!

Last of all, write it down. Make a formal written request by writing down every scripture you found. Also, as you're listening to the Holy Spirit for the details, write down the impressions and ideas He gives you.

Take your time. Let the Spirit develop your prayer. Let the truth He reveals to you settle in and begin to work in you. Get your petition firmly in mind, then when you're ready, present it to God.

Believe me, He'll be listening.

Scripture Study: 1 John 5:1-15

The Power of a Positive Attitude

Keeping the Right Perspective


by Joyce Meyer

I believe that more than any other thing, our attitude is what determines the kind of life we are going to have. It’s especially important to maintain a positive attitude because God is positive. And when we are positive, it releases Him to work in our lives.

Being positive was an area of my life that God really had to help me with. Many years ago I was an extremely negative person. So many devastating things had happened to me that I was afraid to believe anything good could ever happen. As a result, my whole philosophy was, “If you don’t expect anything good to happen, then you won’t be disappointed when it doesn’t.” Since my thoughts were all negative, so were my words; therefore, so was my life.

When I really began to study the Word and trust God to restore me, one of the first things He showed me was that the negativism had to go. In fact, the longer I serve God, the more I realize the tremendous power there is in being positive in both our thoughts and words. I believe when we maintain a positive attitude, God makes even the things the enemy means for our harm to work out for good—and not only for our good, but also for the good of many other people. My own life is a perfect example.

The enemy’s plan was to use the years of abuse I suffered to destroy me. If I had chosen to continue responding to my circumstances with a negative attitude of anger and bitterness, he would have succeeded. But instead I chose to be positive and believe that God’s plan to heal and restore me would come to pass. It did, and now He is helping millions of people through my testimony! Having a positive attitude not only takes the limits off what God can do in and through us, it also helps us see our circumstances from God’s perspective and enables us to enjoy our everyday lives.

A Positive Attitude Takes the Limits Off

You and I always have a choice about what our attitude will be toward the life we live. When we decide to react to our circumstances with a negative attitude—such as self-pity, resentment or bitterness—it hinders God from doing everything He wants to do in our lives and keeps us from reaching our full potential.

It’s true that some of us may have to work harder than others to keep a positive attitude. For instance, I used to be the type of person who could walk into a newly decorated room and when someone would ask, “How do you like my decorations?” I would say, “Well, they look nice, but you’ve got a piece of wallpaper loose up there in the corner.” I always saw what was wrong. I had to work a lot harder at having a positive attitude than some people like my husband, Dave, who just naturally has a more positive attitude than me.

The problem was that having a negative attitude did not make me or the people around me very happy. Proverbs 23:7 says, …as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he…. Therefore, if I was a negative person, it was because my thoughts were negative. So I decided that if I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life being negative and unhappy, I’d have to think positively, even if things around me looked negative.

Remember the twelve men Moses sent as spies into the land of Canaan? Ten came back with a negative report and two—Joshua and Caleb—had a positive report. The ten with the negative report told Moses and the rest of the people about the fortified cities and the big, strong giants that lived there. They said, …We are not able to go up against the people [of Canaan], for they are stronger than we are (Numbers 13:31).

The effect of the negative words of those ten men was amazing. Based on their negative report, the entire nation of Israel refused to go into the land, thereby forfeiting God’s promises to them! In the same way, a negative attitude can keep you from realizing the promises of God for your life because it keeps you from moving forward in faith. The only two people out of that whole generation who ever saw the Promised Land were the two spies who gave a positive report, Joshua and Caleb. After seeing the same thing that the other ten spies saw, they said, …Let us go up at once and possess it; we are well able to conquer it (Numbers 13:30). These two men had a different perspective.

A Positive Attitude Gives Us Right Perspective

A positive attitude is a result of focusing on the right thing—God. When we focus on the problem instead of on God, we miss His perspective of our situation. In Numbers 13:33, the ten spies who gave the negative report said, There we saw the Nephilim [or giants], the sons of Anak, who come from the giants; and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight. These men were looking at the giants and at themselves—they were not looking at God. How does God want us to respond to difficult circumstances? He does not want us to ignore them or deny their existence. He just wants us to acknowledge that He is greater than our circumstances and deny their right to control us. Maintaining a positive attitude is one of the most powerful ways that we can do that, because it’s not our circumstances that make us miserable—it’s our attitude toward them. No matter what sort of giants we may be facing, the truth is, …He Who lives in [us] is greater (mightier) than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

A Positive Attitude Helps Us Enjoy Everyday Life

I remember how differently Dave and I would deal with problems in the early years of our marriage. Dave would just go on and do what he normally did—enjoy his life and trust God to take care of it. I, on the other hand, would be worried, frustrated and upset for days on end. In some cases when we were dealing with things concerning our children, I may have been upset for years!

Eventually, we would get an answer, the problem would be taken care of, and I would have wasted a lot of time being upset. Like Dave, I learned to choose a positive faith-filled attitude and began trusting God instead of worrying all the time. When we keep our eyes on God instead of the “giants” in our lives, things take on a whole new perspective, and we can enjoy our lives while we positively trust Him to take care of our circumstances.

Whatever you may be dealing with, I want to encourage you to ask God for grace to maintain a positive attitude all the way through. It will not only help you maintain God’s perspective and enjoy your life, but it will also make you a blessing to everyone around you. If you let Him, God will use even your problems to create a testimony of His power and goodness.

Step Out of the Boat

Kenneth Copeland

"And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water."
(Matthew 14:28-29)

It's easy to be so afraid of making a mistake that you never get around to stepping out on faith. You can spend all your time wondering, "Is this faith? Or is it presumption? What if I exercise my faith for something and find out later I've missed God's will?"

Don't worry. God can handle any mistake you can make. I know because I've made plenty of them. When I did, I'd just go to the Lord and He'd tell me, "Stay on the Word, son. Together we'll overcome this thing." And we always did.

If you act on the Word out of the sincerity of your heart and you steadfastly stay with the Word, Jesus will never let you down...no matter how many dumb mistakes you make. He proved that the night Peter jumped out of the boat in the middle of the lake.

Have you ever stopped to think about that incident? Peter hadn't been praying or seeking God's will before he did that. On impulse he just blurted out, "Lord, if it's You bid me come."

What was Jesus supposed to say? He couldn't very well say, "It's not Me." I suppose He could have said, "Wait a minute now. You don't have the faith to get out here. You'd better stay in that boat or you're going to drown for sure."

But He didn't say that to Peter--and He won't say it to you. If you want to get out and walk by faith, He'll get out there with you and pick you up when you start sinking. He'll walk you back to the boat if He has to.

It's better to risk being presumptuous than to waste your life in the boat of unbelief! If you have to, just dive into the water and say, "God, help me!"

Don't let fear keep you from taking that step of faith. Come on, get out of the boat today!

Scripture Study: Matthew 14:22-33

Mixing Faith With Commerce

2 Kings 4:2 - "Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil."

Her husband had died. There was no way to fulfill her debts. Her creditors decided to take her two sons as slaves for payment of the obligations that still remained. She pleaded for assistance with the only man of God she knew.

"Is there anything in your house?" Elisha asked.

"Nothing at all," she said, "except a little oil."

Elisha then instructed her to go and collect all the empty jars that her neighbors might possess. "Ask for as many as you can," he instructed.

When the jars were collected, he instructed her to pour what little oil she had into the jars. The oil was more than enough to fill the jars. In fact, there was more oil than jars to fill. "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left" (2 Kings 4:7b).

God often mixes faith with the tangible. The widow believed she had no resources to meet her need. God said she had more than enough resources. She did not see the one jar of oil as a resource. It did not become a resource until it was mixed with faith. Her need was met when her faith was mixed with the practical step of going into the marketplace to sell what she had in order to receive her needed income. In fact, there was so much income she was able to pay her debts and live on the money derived from the sale.

Quite often we forget that God works through commerce to provide for our needs. It is wrong to place total trust in commerce without faith in God. God often requires simple obedience to an act that seems ridiculous to the logical mind. It is this faith mixed with the practical that God honors.

Do you have a problem that is perplexing to you? Do you see no way of meeting your need? God may have already given you the skills and talents to meet your need. However, He may be waiting for you to mix them with faith. Ask God to show you the steps necessary to solve your problem. Be willing to take the next step.

John 15:7

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you,
you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Think on These...

With complete consecration comes perfect peace.

God loves with a great love the man whose heart is
bursting with a passion for the IMPOSSIBLE.

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary.
To one without faith, no explanation is possible.

The blood of Christ stands not simply for the sting of sin
on God but the scourge of God on sin, not simply for God's
sorrow over sin, but for God's wrath on sin.

If you reveal your secrets to the wind, don't be surprised
if they are whispered to the trees.

Life bit

Your conscience is what hurts…

when everything else feels good.
I Timothy 1:19

Priorities of Prosperity

Gloria Copeland

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)

God isn't against your having money. He's against money having you. He's against your making it your priority and putting your trust in it instead of in Him.

Why? Because He knows money makes a lousy god. Its power is limited. It will only buy so much. It will only go so far.

If you need healing from an incurable disease, money won't help you at all. If your family is falling apart, money won't mend it. But if you'll seek God first, His prosperity will reach into every area of your life.

God is so generous that He desires you to have the best on this earth, just as you desire the best for your children. His plan is for you to have all of your needs met according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Get in on that plan by keeping your priorities straight. Seek Him first and His righteousness.

Make pleasing God your number one priority. Set your eyes on Him above all else and all these things will be added unto you.

Life bit

If God brought you to it…

He will bring you through it.
I Thess. 5:24

Think on These...

Attitude is the single most significant
decision you make each day.

Faith that’s weak will never speak.

Choosing to trust God is never the
wrong decision.

Freedom does not come in having your own way,
but in yielding to Gods way.

People use duct tape to fix everything;
God used nails.

Exodus 14:13-14

Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you and you shall hold your peace.

Never Fall

Kenneth Copeland

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed."
(2 Timothy 2:15)

A lot of people have been playing games when it comes to the Word. They claim to be faith people in public. But, in private, they never open the Bible at all. Then, when a time of trouble comes and they try to stand on the Word, they fall flat on their spiritual faces.

Well, the time for playing games is over. It's time for us to realize that real faith involves action. James 2:20 says faith without works [or corresponding action] is dead.

If you want the kind of faith that will keep you on your feet when others are falling around you, you need to take some action where the Word is concerned.

First, you need to study. You can study the Word in many ways. You can not only read it, you can dig deeply into it with concordances, Greek/Hebrew dictionaries and other study guides. What's more, if you have a cassette player, you can walk around half the day listening to teaching tapes. It's only one way of study, but it is a powerful one.

The second thing you need to do is go where the Word is being preached. When Romans 10:17 says "faith comes by hearing," it's talking about the preached Word.

Whenever I start feeling surrounded by problems and I'm having trouble hearing from God, I drop everything and find some place where I can hear the Word preached. I've received more answers from God that way than I can count. Even though the preacher may not have been preaching about anything even remotely connected with the issue I was struggling with, some Word of Scripture would suddenly start my thoughts in a certain direction. I'd realize, "That's the answer to that problem I've been dealing with for the past six weeks!"

Third, you need to start confessing the Word you've heard. Find the promise of God that covers your situation and then declare it out loud as if it had already come to pass in your life.

Get serious about the Word of God. Study it. Go hear it preached. Confess it. Become such a diligent workman that the devil himself will look at you with fear and say, "There's one believer who's not playing games anymore."

Scripture Study: 2 Peter 1:3-10

Business as Ministry

Colossians 3:23-24 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

The Bible is very clear that the purpose for our work life is to reflect Christ in and through our lives. It is an attitude that says our work is to have an overriding "ministry" objective to it. Our work is our worship to God. These two words even originate from the same Hebrew word, avodah.

Robert Laidlaw was born in Scotland in 1885 but grew up in New Zealand. Born to Christian parents, he committed his life fully to the Lord when he was 17. Laidlaw began working in a hardware merchant company as a traveling sales representative when he was 19. Later he had the idea for a mail-order catalogue business that sold everything imaginable including underwear, groceries, cosmetics, and farm equipment, all at bargain-basement prices. His concept proved successful and his business later merged with the Farmer's Union Trading Company. He became general manager and held that position for 50 years.

But this is not the most significant thing that can be said about Robert Laidlaw. He understood that his work life was a tool to affect others for Jesus Christ. He began giving ten percent of his income early in his business life. Later, however, he entered this into his journal: "September 1919, age twenty-five. I have decided to change my earlier graduated scale, and start now giving half (fifty percent) of all my earnings." This he continued for the next 60 years. [John Woodbridge, ed., More Than Conquerors (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1992), 351.]

The result of that commitment was countless numbers affected for Jesus Christ through the resources he gave to mission groups and other worthy Christian causes. He was personally involved in ministry. He wrote a small book that gave a thoughtful answer to basic questions about life and faith. It was titled The Reason. Many hundreds of thousands came to faith in Christ because of this 46-page booklet. He publicly spoke to many of his faith in Christ and became very involved in the Soldier's and Airmen's Association when World War II broke out. Robert Laidlaw understood what it meant to view business with an overriding ministry objective.

Does the Lord have complete control of your life? If so, you will be able to see your business life as an extension of His life in you. Let the Lord live in and through your business life today.

Embracing the Mess

Proverbs 14:4 - Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest.

My wife and I run together through a new home subdivision. Often we see the street filled with red clay from the land as bulldozers clear it to lay a foundation. The job site is littered with lumber, all sorts of trash from workers, and is generally a mess. The house looks ugly; it has all its insides exposed as it is being pieced together, yet this process is necessary to get to the finished product. When completed, the home is beautiful. The landscaping looks like it came out of a home-design magazine. Everything is clean and perfect in order for the new homeowner to move in.

Our walk with God is much the same process. Often we must go through a messy period of our lives in which all aspects of it are in disarray. It is in these times that God builds a new structure. He might remove some structural timbers in our lives and replace them with new ones. He might even add on another room. And unless this process takes place, we will never see the end product. The goal is more Christlikeness. In order to achieve this in us, He requires a period of removing all that is not of Him. It can be a painful process.

It would be impossible to keep oxen in a barn without having to clean up the mess from time to time. It just comes with the territory, but the result of the oxen is an abundant harvest. God may be allowing a mess in order to ensure a fruitful harvest in your life. Learn from Him so that you might experience the fulfillment of His purposes for you in these times.

Bad Alliances

Isaiah 30:1-2 - "Woe to the obstinate children," declares the Lord, "to those who carry out plans that are not Mine, forming an alliance, but not by My Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting Me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge."

Have you ever entered a business relationship with someone you knew you were not supposed to? Throughout the history of Israel, the people were called to come out of an old way of life. Egypt represented that old way; when things got tough, the Israelites reverted to what was comfortable. They always knew they could take a trip to Egypt and find what they lacked. Perhaps this was their reasoning: "If we can't get it accomplished under the new way, why not go back to the way we used to do it? At least we know we can get it there."

When God calls us into a walk of faith, we can expect to be tested in this walk. If we enter into alliances that God has not ordained, it will only bring heartache. Such was the case for Israel. "But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace" (Is. 30:3).

Beware what you perceive as an alliance that may advance your business. It may actually bring you great distress if God has not directed you to align it. Ask yourself what the motive is behind this possible alliance. Make sure that it is not based on fear or a quick fix. Get confirmation that God is leading you to make such an alliance. Then you will not end up in the way of Israel, experiencing shame and disgrace.

Press on in Patience

Gloria Copeland

"...be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."
(Hebrews 6:12)

You've been walking by faith. You've been believing God to meet your need. But what do you do when the results seem slow in coming and you are tempted to give up?

Be patient!

There is not much said about patience these days. But, when it comes to receiving from God, it is just as important as faith.

It will make the difference between success and failure for you.

Patience undergirds and sustains faith until the result is manifested. After you have meditated on the promises of God and have them in your spirit, patience will encourage you to hold steady. Patience is power. It has the courage to refuse the lie of Satan that says the Word is not working for you. It knows that God's Word has never failed. Patience will not draw back in fear but will press forward in faith until you have the answer.

When the results of your faith seem slow in coming, don't give up! Continue to put the Word first, with patience, and you will surely receive the promise of God!

---

Scripture Study: Hebrew 10:32-39

Presumption Versus Faith

1 Chronicles 13:10 - The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God.

A life of faith often requires us to leave God's work alone. Responding to a need out of a desire to help move a vision along can be the greatest challenge for a Christian entrepreneur. There is a fine line between presumption and faith.

Uzzah learned that presumption can cost him his life. He was part of the crew that was to move the ark with the help of a team of oxen. When the way became rough, Uzzah responded in a natural way. He grabbed the ark to steady it. When he did, he was immediately struck down. God said it was forbidden to touch the ark. King David mourned the death of his servant and argued with God about this loss.

Walking with God in the marketplace requires sensitivity to balancing our God-given talents and operating in the power of the Holy Spirit in and through our business life. A mentor once told me, "You almost have to hold back your natural gifting to ensure that God is the one who is guiding you. If not, you will not know if it is through your skill versus His hand that you are accomplishing the work." I find this the most challenging aspect of a walk with God in the marketplace.

You can only grow in your understanding of this balance by being accountable to others in the process. By having other committed Christians walking close to you, they become the safety net to keep you from presumption and the deceit of the heart. God also gives godly spouses to help many in this area.

James 4:7

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Oppose the Devil

Gloria Copeland

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - (James 4:7)

If you've been crying and asking God to run the devil out of your life, STOP! The Bible says you're the one who's supposed to overcome the devil.

How? By resisting him. By rebelling against him when he tells you to do something and doing what God says instead! When Satan tells you some lie, contradict him with the Word of God. Oppose him. This verse says when you do that, he'll flee from you. He'll "run as in terror."

That means everywhere you go, as you walk in faith and oppose the devil, darkness is pushed back.

So start pushing back that darkness. You can do it! The life of God is within you. Jesus Himself is living inside you. Everywhere you go, He goes. Every problem that rises up against you, every evil spirit that tries to influence your life, is coming up against GOD when he comes up against you.

All you need to do is become conscious of that. Begin now living your life moment by moment, knowing that the light of God is in you. The Word of God is in you. The Spirit of God is in you.

Live knowing that Jesus, the Son of God, is in you. Then watch the devil run!

---

Scripture Study: Ephesians 6:10-18

He Really Does Care for You

Kenneth Copeland

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" (1 Peter 5:7)
Do you know what it's like to face a problem so big it seems downright irresponsible not to worry about it? There may not be a thing you can do about it, but you feel like you need to at least be concerned. After all, somebody needs to! And no one else seems to be volunteering for the job.

I remember one time in particular I felt exactly that way. I was holding a series of meetings in Ruston, Louisiana. I had just discovered our budget was $800 short--and in those days, $800 might as well have been 9 million! The devil was attacking my mind, telling me that no one cared about me or my ministry, telling me that I was facing this problem alone.

But instead of giving in to those thoughts, I got my Bible and turned to every scripture in the Word of God that guaranteed me my needs were met. Then I rolled the care of those expenses over on God. I promised God that with the Holy Spirit as my Helper, I would not touch that problem with my thought life again.

That wasn't an easy promise to keep. I wanted to worry so badly! I went into the courtyard of the Motel where I was staying and walked around the swimming pool. Every time I thought about the problem, I would say out loud, "No, I have rolled the care of that over on the Lord. I will not think about it. The budget is met."

After a while, a man drove up in the driveway and began to honk his horn. I tried to ignore him because I don't like to be interrupted when I'm praying, but he stuck his head out of the window and shouted, "Come here!" He said it with such authority that I obeyed.

He said to me, "Brother Copeland, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I'm committed to another obligation and will be late for the meeting tonight. I was afraid I would miss the offering." Then he handed me a check. When I went back to my room and looked at that check, I found it was for $500. Coupled with the offering in the service that night, it totaled the exact amount I needed to meet that budget.

Would you like to have people chasing you down to meet your needs? Then next time you're facing a problem, give it to God. Let Him be the one who's concerned about it. He's volunteered for the job and you can trust Him to do it well. After all, He really does care for you.

---

Scripture Study: Psalm 37:1-11

Experiencing God in Your Business

Hebrews 11:1 - Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

The CEO walked into the president's office after reviewing his new marketing plan for the next year. It was a well-prepared, thoughtful plan.

"This will not do!" exclaimed the CEO. "This plan describes how you will achieve these objectives through your own planning. I am certain you can achieve these objectives through normal business operations; however, you have allowed no room for faith in your plan. Now you must determine what God wants us to trust Him to accomplish through this business. You must go beyond what you can naturally achieve."

What was this CEO saying? If you and I want to experience God in business at the practical level, we must be willing to trust Him for more than what our natural abilities can accomplish. God likes to show Himself in the midst of unlikely circumstances. This is the place that God receives the glory. God always forced Israel to trust Him for the supernatural. This is how glory was brought to the Father. It is no different in our lives.

The world is looking for real faith. Perhaps you are the instrument that He wants to use to demonstrate real faith to the unbelieving business world. It will require courage, faith, and action; also, it will require risk. You may risk finances, reputation, and being misunderstood. This was the risk of all leaders in the Bible. It was a risk worth taking. Are you willing to see God move in your business life? Ask Him what this might mean for you.

Second Chances

Jonah 4:2 - ..."I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger aand abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."

Have you ever gone through a time of disobedience with God? Jonah was a prophet of God who decided he didn't want to prophesy for the Lord. God wanted him to deliver a message to Nineveh to warn them against impending destruction if they didn't turn from their ways. Jonah had developed a hardened heart toward the people of Nineveh. He didn't really care if they repented or not; so rather than travel to Nineveh and deliver the message, he hopped a boat in the opposite direction. You probably know the rest of the story. He was eaten by a fish and spent a few days thinking about his decision.

There is a place where we all will obey. What circumstances must take place for us to become obedient? For some of us, it requires a good shakeup. For Jonah, it required a big shakeup because he was God's man to save 120,000 people. He was chosen by God to be used by God, and God didn't give up on him.

God understands our disobedient heart. He sees what we really are, yet He gives second chances. God gave Jonah a second chance. He gave the people of Nineveh a second chance. It is a lesson of love from a heavenly Father who specializes in second chances. Have you blown it? Have you disappointed someone close to you? God is the God of second chances. All we have to do is acknowledge our waywardness. He will restore. He will give grace. Ask Him.

Philippians 4:4-9

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Psalm 34:19

¹⁹ A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all

Joel 3:10

¹⁰...let the weak say, I am strong.

Romans 4:17

¹⁷...calls things that are not as though they were.

Acts 27:22

²²And now I exhort you to be of good cheer

Be of Good Cheer

Kenneth Copeland

"And now I exhort you to be of good cheer." (Acts 27:22)

What do you do when you're in a really perilous situation?

If you're like I used to be, you cry out to God in desperation. One afternoon when I was squalling to God about something, He interrupted me and said, "Kenneth, did you know I don't hear the cry of My children when they cry out in desperation?"

"What?" I said. "I thought you did."

He said, "No, I hear the desperation cry of a sinner because that's all he can cry about. But once you get born again, son, you ought to be crying out of faith. I hear the faith cry."

What is a faith cry? It's calling things that be not as though they were (Rom. 4:17). It's what the Bible means when it says, "Let the weak say, I am strong" (Joel 3:10).

The Apostle Paul knew how to use the faith cry. That's why in Acts 27 he exhorted the men on that battered, sinking ship to "be of good cheer." He was telling them to start acting by faith. Can't you imagine what those sailors thought when he said that? "Listen to that stupid preacher. We're sinking and he says be of good cheer. We've thrown everything we have overboard and he says be of good cheer."

You may feel just like those sailors did, right now. You may feel like your ship's going down. You may feel like crying out in desperation. But don't do it. Instead, do what Paul said and be of good cheer!

Cry out to God in faith and say, "Lord, I'm not going to panic. I'm not going to despair. I'm going to be of good cheer because Your Word says You'll deliver me from this situation" (Ps. 34:19).

Then start being cheerful. It may take more determination than anything you've ever done before, but God will give you the strength to do it. He'll give you the power to be cheerful in the middle of the most ungodly darkness the devil can bring up.

Instead of crying out in desperation, take a faith stand. Sing and rejoice and praise God for your deliverance. Be of good cheer and you can be sure God will bring you through the storm just fine!

---

Scripture Study: Philippians 4:4-9

Beware of the Thief

Luke 12:39 - But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.

What are the times when you and I are most vulnerable to being caught off guard by the enemy of our souls? One of those times is just after you've had a great victory. Consider Jesus when He was baptized and was about to begin His public ministry. He was taken away into the desert to be tempted by satan.

Leisure time is another place in which satan seeks to take us off our normal routine of personal quiet times. In the normal routine of life, our senses are tuned to the need to draw upon God's Spirit to see us through the activities of each day. However, when we get away from our routine and go on vacation, we can often drop these routines. We wrongfully think that we do not need to spend time with the Lord during leisure times. This is a grave mistake. The vacation becomes a test of character. During vacations we turn freely to what we love most. It reveals to us what is at the core of our existence.

A teacher in a large school reportedly said, "The greatest difficulty we encounter is the summer vacation. Just when we have brought a student to a certain discipline and place in their study habits, we lose him; when he comes back we have to begin all over again." It is the same in our spiritual lives. It only takes a small crack in the door of our heart to lose our spiritual focus.

This summer, be on guard when times of retreat are made available to you. Use these times for spiritual refreshment, not just physical refreshment, and you will keep the thief from entering your house.

How To Handle Guilt, Anger And Fear

Joyce Meyer

Part I
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Part II
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Part III
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Part IV

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Expectations

Philippians 1:20 - I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Have you ever had expectations that did not get fulfilled? Perhaps a coworker let you down. Perhaps you were trusting God for something in your life that never materialized. Perhaps you became devastated by an unmet expectation that you felt you were entitled to. Expectations can be a difficult trap for each of us if we are not fully committed to God's purposes in our lives.

Paul wrote this verse from prison to the people of Philippi. He had an expectation that his life would bring glory to God, whether through his continued ministry or his death. His joy in living was not based on his expectations getting fulfilled, but on remaining true to the purpose for which God made him.

When we react to circumstances with bitterness and resentment as a result of unmet expectations, we are saying that we know better than God, and that God has made a mistake in not meeting our expectations. The process of resolving unmet expectations may require full disclosure to the individual who was the source of the unmet expectation, and of how the unmet expectation made you feel. This is not to make the person feel obligated to meet the expectation, but simply to share your feelings about it. If God was the source, then it is important to share this with the Lord. However, once we have done this we must let go of the situation and allow God to work in our hearts the grace that is needed to walk in freedom from the pain of the unmet expectation. If we do not do this, we will allow the seed of bitterness and resentment to enter in. This seed of bitterness will create leanness in our soul and eventually will spread to others.

Ask yourself today if you have any unmet expectations. How have you responded to them? Have you processed this with the Lord and others who may be involved? These are the steps to freedom from unmet expectations.

Life bit

from FreshOutlook magazine

We stumble over pebbles…

not mountains.
Song of Solomon 2:15

Think on These...

from FreshOutlook magazine

Character is not made in a crisis, it is only exhibited.

The fingers of your thoughts are molding
your face ceaselessly.

Take heed of little sins.

A fault, once denied, is twice committed.

Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable,
and receives the impossible.

Knowing Our Limits

Proverbs 28:19 - He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.

Webster's defines entrepreneur: "one who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk in a business venture." [Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth ed. (Springfield, Massachusetts, 1993), "entrepreneur."] Entrepreneurs can smell an opportunity a mile away. However, what is often their greatest asset can become their greatest downfall. The road is littered with entrepreneurs who have been successful in one venture only to fail in countless others. Is this the natural way for an entrepreneur, or is there a better way?

King David was an entrepreneur. He grew up as a shepherd boy and later became Israel's greatest warrior. He responded to opportunities, like the time when no one would fight Goliath. He saw this as an opportunity. He ultimately became king of Israel and faced many opportunities placed before him. David learned an important lesson somewhere along the way that each of us as businesspeople should learn.

As an entrepreneur the greatest danger is engaging ourselves in activities in which God never intended us to be involved. This is poor stewardship of what God has entrusted to us. When the Philistines attacked David, he always inquired of God as to if and when he was to counterattack. When he was attacked a second time on one occasion, David inquired of God as to whether he was to attack yet. This time God said yes, but with a condition, "Wait until you hear the sound of marching in the balsam trees" (see 2 Sam. 5:24). This story tells us that David had learned an important lesson about staying vertical in his relationship with God at all times. David had learned the important principle of staying focused on what God wanted for him, not what seemed logical. He was an opportunist, but only through the filter of the Holy Spirit in his life.

How do you approach opportunities? Do you consider the merits of the opportunity only? Or do you inquire of God as to whether He desires you to pursue? It may be a wonderful opportunity, but it may not be God's will for you to be involved. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct you as you seek to use the skills He has given you.

Proverbs 28:19

"He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty."

2 Samuel 5:24

"When you hear the sound of shuffling in the trees, get ready to move out. It's a signal that God is going ahead of you to..."

No Offense

Kenneth Copeland

"He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him."
(1 John 2:10)

Whenever you find yourself stumbling into failure or sin, check your love life. Sit down with the Lord and ask Him to show you if you're in strife with anyone or if you've taken offense. If you have, the devil can come in and trip you up.

As a preacher, I've seen that happen countless times. I'll be preaching about something and some believer will get upset with me about it. He'll decide I'm wrong and go off in a huff--and first thing you know, he's in trouble.

Mark 4:17 tells us the devil uses those kinds of offenses to steal the Word from our hearts. He causes us to get crosswise with each other. Then he's able to pull the plug right out of us and drain the Word like water from a bucket.

Don't ever let that happen to you. If you hear a preacher or another believer saying something that rubs you the wrong way and you catch yourself getting offended say, "Oh no you don't. You're not stealing the Word out of me, you lying devil." Then get right down on your knees and repent before God.

Search the Word and listen to the Spirit within you and find out what you should do. If you still feel what that person said to you was wrong, pray for him.

Remember, taking offense never comes from God. He says we're to be rooted and grounded in love. So reject those feelings of offense. Give yourself to that person in love and in prayer. You'll be able to walk right on through that situation without ever stumbling at all.

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Scripture Study: 1 John 2:1-11

Proverbs 13

¹ A wise son heeds his father's instruction,
but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

² From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things,
but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.

³ He who guards his lips guards his life,
but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

⁴ The sluggard craves and gets nothing,
but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

⁵ The righteous hate what is false,
but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

⁶ Righteousness guards the man of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

⁷ One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing;
another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

⁸ A man's riches may ransom his life,
but a poor man hears no threat.

⁹ The light of the righteous shines brightly,
but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

¹⁰ Pride only breeds quarrels,
but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

¹¹ Dishonest money dwindles away,
but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³ He who scorns instruction will pay for it,
but he who respects a command is rewarded.

¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,
turning a man from the snares of death.

¹⁵ Good understanding wins favor,
but the way of the unfaithful is hard. ^[a]

¹⁶ Every prudent man acts out of knowledge,
but a fool exposes his folly.

¹⁷ A wicked messenger falls into trouble,
but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

¹⁸ He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame,
but whoever heeds correction is honored.

¹⁹ A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul,
but fools detest turning from evil.

²⁰ He who walks with the wise grows wise,
but a companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹ Misfortune pursues the sinner,
but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

²² A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children,
but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.

²³ A poor man's field may produce abundant food,
but injustice sweeps it away.

²⁴ He who spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

²⁵ The righteous eat to their hearts' content,
but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry

1 Corinthians 13:5

⁵ [Love] is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Leaving the Pain Behind

Kenneth Copeland

"Love...is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it pays no attention to a suffered wrong." (1 Corinthians 13:5, Amp)

Have you ever tried to forgive someone and found you simply couldn't do it? You've cried about it and prayed about it and asked God to help you, but those old feelings of resentment just failed to go away.

Put an end to those kinds of failures in the future by basing your forgiveness on faith rather than feelings. True forgiveness doesn't have anything at all to do with how you feel. It's an act of the will. It is based on obedience to God and on faith in Him.

That means once you've forgiven a person, you need to consider him permanently forgiven! When old feelings rise up within you and Satan tries to convince you that you haven't really forgiven, resist him. Say, "No, I've already forgiven that person by faith. I refuse to dwell on those old feelings."

Then, according to 1 John 1:9, believe that you receive forgiveness and cleansing from the sin of unforgiveness and from all unrighteousness associated with it including any remembrance of having been wronged!

Have you ever heard anyone say, "I may forgive, but I'll never forget!" That's a second-rate kind of forgiveness that you, as a believer, are never supposed to settle for. You're to forgive supernaturally "even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Eph. 4:32).

You're to forgive as God forgives. To release that person from guilt permanently and unconditionally and to operate as if nothing bad ever happened between you. You're to purposely forget as well as forgive.

As you do that, something supernatural will happen within you. The pain once caused by that incident will disappear. The power of God will wash away the effects of it and you'll be able to leave it behind you once and for all.

Don't become an emotional bookkeeper, keeping careful accounts of the wrongs you have suffered. Learn to forgive and forget. It will open a whole new world of blessing for you.

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Scripture Study: Luke 6:27-37

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7 (Message Bible)

Feed on the Word!

Kenneth Copeland

"Attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes."
(Proverbs 4:20-21)

Once you've made the Word of God final authority in your life, your first step to victory over the attacks of the enemy is to go to the Word and lay hold of God's promises concerning your situation.

Notice I said, "Go to the Word." It's good to have the Word committed to memory. But don't let that substitute for getting the Word before your eyes on a daily basis.

Think about it this way. It never did a hungry person any good to think about what a potato tastes like. Not even if he can remember it perfectly. The same thing is true with the Word of God. It's important to keep it in memory, but it's also necessary to go directly to it and feed your spirit with it. There is power in keeping the Word in front of your eyes and going into your ears. That's how it gets in your heart, so you can live by it.

So don't just think about the Word today, read it. Go to the promises that cover your situation. Feed on those promises and grow strong!

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Scripture Study: Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Overlooking Offenses

Proverbs 19:11 - A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.

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.

A few months passed. He let go of the entire situation and actually got to a place where it just didn't matter to him anymore. An interesting thing happened a few months later. One day his wife looked at him and said, "John, I just realized that I have been directing your driving all these years and now realize why I do that. It goes back to my childhood when I had to direct my younger brothers and sisters. I am so sorry I have been doing that." My friend nearly fell out of his seat!

Whenever we work close to another person, whether in an office or home, small offenses can become the source of great conflict. Resentment and irritability soon follow. God brings these "offenses" into our lives to develop character qualities in us. He uses individuals in our lives to accomplish his goal of making us more Christlike. So the next time you complain or resist a habit or action from someone close to you, ask God if it has been placed there to develop some quality in you.

Pride is the root source of the need to change another person. A man's wisdom gives him patience-to let go of little offenses. This is where spiritual maturity is seen in the day-to-day activity of life. Is there someone close to you who has some habit you really want to change? Give up that desire to the Lord. Who knows, He may even change it after you let go of the need to change it.

Life bit

Life can’t go according to plan…

if you have no plan.
Jeremiah 29:11

Think on These...

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.