Genesis 50:15-21

Joseph Reassures His Brothers

¹⁵ When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?" ¹⁶ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, "Your father left these instructions before he died: ¹⁷ 'This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.' Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father." When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. "We are your slaves," they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. ²¹ So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children." And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

How Character Breeds Perspective

John Maxwell

REF: Genesis 50:15-21

Joseph puts his entire life in perspective in the final chapter of Genesis. During the height of a terrible famine, his brothers come before hims and bow down, just as he had predicted decades earlier. But instead of using his enormous power to punish them, he said, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive" (Gen. 50:20).

How does one develop such a godly (and rare) perspective? What enabled Joseph to refrain from exacting the kind of vengeance most of us would be tempted to dish out in similar circumstances? One word: character. Because Joseph had spent years in God's character-building course, he could maintain a proper perspective and use his power to bless his brothers rather than curse them.

How a leader deals with the circumstances of life tells you many things about his character. Crisis doesn't necessarily make character, but it certainly does reveal it. Adversity is a crossroads that makes a person choose one of two paths: character or compromise. Every time he chooses character, he becomes stronger, even if that choice brings negative consequences (remember why Joseph ended up in prison?) The development of character is at the heart of our development as leaders.

If you want God's perspective on life, then make sure to develop your character. It's the only way, as Joseph reminds us.

Open Their Eyes to the Light

Kenneth Copeland

"If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

Since God doesn't save anyone against their will, does it really do any good to pray for people who consciously refuse to receive Jesus as Lord?

Yes. Yes! YES! IT DOES!

You see, in spite of the fact that most all unbelievers who have purposely refused to receive Jesus as Lord think they've made that decision of their own free will, the truth is, they haven't. The Word of God says they've been blinded by Satan. He's blocking their perception of the truth. So their decision hasn't been freely made at all.

That's important for you to grasp. Because through the prayer of intercession, you can interfere with the satanic forces and help take those blinders off! You can also change circumstances with your prayers and help create situations that will bring them in contact with the Lord. You're well within your spiritual rights when you do that.

I prayed with a friend of mine once who'd been praying for his lost brother for years. Jesus said in Matthew 12:29 to first bind the strong man and then enter his house and spoil his goods. So we said, "You spirit blinding the eyes of ______________, you stop what you are doing to keep him out of the kingdom of God. In Jesus' Name, you stop NOW!"

Jesus also said in Matthew 9:38, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." So we prayed, "Lord, send someone to ____________ with the Word of God. You know who he will listen to. We claim _____________ for the kingdom of God. We believe we receive his salvation and deliverance. In faith we praise You for it."

In almost no time at all his brother called him. "What have you been doing up there?" he asked. "In the past few days, everybody I've come across has started preaching to me!"

Our prayers had interfered with the forces Satan had been using to blind this man to Jesus and created the circumstances to bring him into the kingdom. Sure enough, within a few days, he was born again.

Use this same prayer for your loved ones and believe when you pray and you'll see the same results.

Don't sit by and let the devil take your friends and loved ones without a fight. Pray. Pray! PRAY! Come against the "god of this world." Take off the blinders and open their eyes to the glorious gospel of God.

Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

The Pitfall of Being Entrepreneurial

1 Chronicles 13:9-10 - When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark....

There are good things we can do, but only God-things we should do. Those activities not born out of the Spirit will result in wood, hay, and stubble. What seems good in our eyes may be an abomination in God's eyes. For instance, if you decide to build an orphanage but God has never directed you to do so, then that work will not be seen as good by God; it was born out of your own strength, even though it was a "good work."

The most difficult challenge a Christian businessperson will ever have is to know what things to be involved in and what things not to be involved in. Many businesspeople have a great ability to see opportunity. What appears to be a "slam dunk" may come back to haunt us if God never ordains us to enter that arena.

There are many good things we can be involved with. However, there are God-things we are supposed to be involved with. Uzzah was a good man in David's sight. It was a time of celebration, and David and the people were transporting the ark of God. However, the ark hit a bump, and Uzzah reached for the ark to hold it steady. He touched the ark, and he immediately died. David became very upset with God about this situation; he questioned whether he could serve God.

God's ways are not our ways. The most important quality God desires to develop in us is our dependence on Him and Him alone. When we begin to make decisions based on reason and analysis instead of the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, we get into trouble with God. David later learned the importance of this principle in his own life. This encounter was one of the stepping-stones in his pilgrimage. David was an extraordinary entrepreneur. He ran the nation very successfully, but he, like each of us, had to learn the difference between "good things" and "God-things."

Are you involved in anything in which God has not directed you to be involved? Do you seek God about every decision, every action before you take it? This is where God wants you and me to be. Ask Him to show you how to walk with Him in this way.

Relationships: Coping with Difficult People

John Maxwell

2 Samuel 21:1-14

Every leader faces difficult people and draining circumstances. The following difficult personality types commonly accost leaders today:

TYPE	STRATEGY
The Sherman Tank: rides over people	Consider the issue; stand up if important.
The Space Cadet: lives in another world	Find and develop their unique gifts.
The Volcano: explosive, unpredictable	Remove from crowd, listen, be direct.
The Thumb Sucker: self-pity, pouts	Don't reward, expose them to real trouble.
The Wet Blanket: always down	Be honest, don't cater; don't let them lead.
The Garbage Collector: attracts the worst	Challenge their statements; force honesty
The User: demands lots of time, energy	Set boundaries; require accountability.

The Gibeonites became one of David's difficult people. Answer the following questions about how David chose to deal with them:

1. Why did God send the famine and the Gibeonites to David (vv. 1,2)?
2. How far should the leader go to satisfy the complaints of a critic (vv. 3,4)?
3. Did David go too far in trying to appease the Gibeonites or Rizpah (vv. 5-15)?

2 Samuel 21:1-14

¹ During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death."

² The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) ³ David asked the Gibeonites, "What shall I do for you? How shall I make amends so that you will bless the LORD's inheritance?"

⁴ The Gibeonites answered him, "We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death."
"What do you want me to do for you?" David asked.

⁵ They answered the king, "As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, ⁶ let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and exposed before the LORD at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord 's chosen one."
So the king said, "I will give them to you."

⁷ The king spared Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath before the LORD between David and Jonathan son of Saul. ⁸ But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah's daughter Rizpah, whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul's daughter Merab, ^[a] whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite. ⁹ He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed and exposed them on a hill before the LORD. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.

¹⁰ Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds of the air touch them by day or the wild animals by night. ¹¹ When David was told what Aiah's daughter Rizpah, Saul's concubine, had done, ¹² he went and took the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead. (They had taken them secretly from the public square at Beth Shan, where the Philistines had hung them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.) ¹³ David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.

¹⁴ They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul's father Kish, at Zela in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

Discovering the Source of Problems

2 Samuel 21:14 - After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land.

During the reign of David, there was a famine in the land for three successive years. So David sought the Lord regarding this famine, "Why is there famine on this land?" The Lord answered David, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death" (2 Sam. 21:1b).

Years earlier, Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. This, too, was an act of disobedience. When God called Israel to come into the Promised Land, they were to destroy all the enemies of God. Joshua failed to see through the ruse of deception when the Gibeonites portrayed themselves as travelers. The Israelites signed a peace treaty only to discover who the Gibeonites were after the fact. Now, they had to honor the treaty. However, this led to intermarriages and much sorrow for Israel. Years later, Saul made a decision to kill the Gibeonites.

The nation was now receiving the punishment for their sin of disobedience through a famine. David knew that famines could have a spiritual source, so he inquired of God and God answered. The source was Saul's murder of the Gibeonites. Once David knew the source of the problem, he took action. He repented on behalf of the nation and made restitution. The famine was then lifted.

Do you have a problem that seems to be a continually unresolved issue? Have you asked God to tell you the reason for the problem? It may have a spiritual root that is still unresolved with God. He may be allowing this pressure to bring attention to an issue He wants you to take care of. Ask the Lord today to give you revelation on your problem. As a loving Father, He desires to make known anything that stands in the way of fellowship between you and Him. However, His righteousness must always be upheld.

Exodus 31:1-5

Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.

Called to Craftsmanship

Exodus 31:1-5 - Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.

Bezalel was called by God to perform a most important work for Him. I am sure that Bezalel believed that he was naturally gifted with his hands to make fine crafts with gold, silver, and bronze. He probably did not associate it with God's work. But the Scripture tells us that God chose him and filled him with God's Spirit to enable him.

Does God call men and women into their vocations to fulfill His purposes-to fulfill that which needs to be accomplished throughout the world? Have you ever thought about how many occupations there are in the world? How did that balance of interest among each human throughout the world happen? Did it just happen? Was it by chance that we have only so many doctors, only so many accountants, only so many geologists?

Your interest in your vocation is not born of your own making. So many businesspeople and even pastors have made the mistake of encouraging us who have a deep desire to walk with Christ in the workplace to pursue vocational ministry. To remove us from the marketplace where the greatest harvest is yet to occur would be to remove us from where God called us. Do not take this bait. Serve the Lord in the marketplace where He has gifted you and called you.

I almost made this same mistake when God drew me to Himself when I was 28 years old. I concluded that I must be called to be a pastor. I took steps to fulfill this by leaving my job and entering a Bible school for training. Upon completion, I took a job as an assistant pastor in a church. But God's mercy allowed me to be removed from that position only three months into it. I was "forced back into business," where God wanted me in the first place. It was a great lesson. I was never cut out to be a pastor in a church, but a "pastor" in the marketplace.

Cast Your Cares on Him

Kenneth Copeland

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
(1 Peter 5:6)

When I first learned to cast my cares on the Lord, I was down in south Texas preaching a meeting that nobody was coming to. I'm telling you, people were staying away from that meeting by the thousands; and after a service or two with just the preacher, one or two others and me in attendance, I was starting to sweat it. But the Lord said, "Cast that care on Me," so I did.

I started walking around grinning and whistling. I told the devil, "I'm not going to frown or have one worried thought. I came here to preach and that's what I'm going to do, and it's God's business whether anyone shows up or not. I couldn't care less!"

I went around so happy I felt downright foolish. The devil said, "What's the matter with you? Don't you even have sense enough to worry over something like this?" I suppose people were saying, "I guess he's too dumb to worry. I think it's because he's never been to seminary. He can't tell a landslide from a flop."

But I told the Lord, "I have my care rolled over on You, and if nobody shows up but that one dear old woman, she's going to be the most preached-up old woman in the state of Texas because I'm going to preach just the same as if there were a crowd."

I didn't realize then what was happening, but that carefreeness put me in a non-compromising position with the devil. He couldn't get to me anymore. He couldn't get me in fear and unbelief anymore. He couldn't pressure me and get me to compromise because I didn't care. I'd given all my care to God!

Are you ready to be free of care? If you are, just make this confession of faith:

I'm a believer. I'm not a doubter. The Word works in me; and at this moment, I humble myself under the mighty hand of God. I cast all my care over on Him. From this moment forward, I refuse to worry. Instead, I will pray. I will use my faith and believe, and He'll exalt me over the problem and over the devil. For I belong to Jesus and He cares for me!

Scripture Study: Psalm 55:16-22

Zechariah 4:6

..."This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty."

The Error of Positive Thinking

Zechariah 4:6 ..."Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord Almighty.

God's people should be the most positive, joyful people on earth. This joy should be a by-product of a healthy, intimate relationship with Jesus. In today's business climate, we are barraged with every possible means of becoming more productive businesspeople. Positive thinking and self-help philosophy are promoted as tools for businesspeople to fulfill their potential and overcome the mountains in their lives. God calls each of us to be visionary leaders, but we must be careful that vision is born out of His Spirit, not the latest self-help program. These ideas lead us away from dependence on God to a self-based psychology designed to give us more power, prosperity, and significance.

The result is heresy. Our faith in God becomes faith in faith. It is born out of hard work and diligence rather than obedience to God's Spirit. The problem lies in that these philosophies sound good, and can even be supported by Bible verses. Beware of anything that puts the burden of performance on you rather than God. There are times in our lives when God doesn't want us to climb every mountain. Sometimes He wants us to go around. Knowing the difference is the key to being a man or woman led by the Spirit.

God has called us to affect the marketplace through His Spirit, not by our might. Have you tapped into the real power source of the soul? Ask the Lord to reveal and empower you through His Spirit today. Then you will know what real positive thinking is.

God’s Prescription for a Sound Mind!!

Joyce Meyer



As you begin to claim your mind back from the enemy, he will not want to give up the place that he has had. You will have to do battle with his lies and confusion.

Your first step is to declare out loud that you will not allow any outside force to do your thinking–no man and no spirit. There are spiritual laws that demons must obey. They cannot stay where a man wills them not to stay. Your power is in the Name of Jesus, the Blood of Jesus, and the Word of God. Ask God to give you discernment of the lies of the devil.

Think about what you are thinking about. As you recognize a lie to your mind, always defend yourself out loud. That means speaking to Satan and the evil forces out loud, binding them in the Name of Jesus, and forbidding them to lie to you and to use your mind.

When you catch a lie to your mind, use this prescription regularly–and you will regain peace, your memory, restful nights, and the ability to concentrate and comprehend.

You are in a battle–you are not alone–for all of God’s people fight this same fight (Ephesians 6:12). Make up your mind not to give up! According to Colossians 3:2, set your mind on things above and keep it set! As you begin this battle, it will seem worse than ever. The reason is that the demonic powers are fighting to keep their place in your mind (and in your thinking). Call upon God’s grace in the Name of Jesus, and He will give you the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome every evil tendency fully.

Remember, regaining your mind is a process. We all fail at one time or another. God knows our weakness; that is why He gave us I John 1:9. Just ask for forgiveness and see the Blood of Jesus washing away your sin. Don’t give up! Continue claiming what belongs to you (your mind and your thinking belong to you), and Jesus will help you overcome.

II Timothy 1:7 says,

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind!”

Cut and carry:

Know God's Will

Kenneth Copeland

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." (Psalm 127:1)

What a time of monumental decisions and changes we're living in. If there ever was a day when you and I must know God's will and purpose for our lives, it's now.

In fact, nothing else is going to work! God is changing and rearranging things, lining them up for the endtime move of the Spirit. If you're going to keep up, you must know God's perfect plan for your life--and how to carry it out in His power!

How do you do that? Through prayer.

In fact, God has provided us a prayer in His Word that we can use to receive the wisdom and understanding we need for this critical time. You'll find it in Colossians 1:9-11:

"For this cause we...do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of [God's] will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness."

In recent months, God has instructed Gloria and me to pray that prayer for our ministry partners and for ourselves every day. It's a powerful, Holy Ghost-inspired prayer that will not only enable you to know what God's will is, but to have the wisdom and understanding to carry it out.

Once we get a glimpse of God's will for our lives in the Spirit, let's not mess things up by trying to carry it out in the flesh. Let's not try to build the house ourselves and end up doing it all in vain. Instead, let the Lord build the house in His power.

Pray this prayer that God has given us. It was written in the New Testament for you. Put your name in it. It's a prayer you can be sure God will answer. Put it to work in your life daily and God will fill you with His knowledge and understanding!

Scripture Study: Colossians 1:9-2

Just Let It Go!

Lisa Comes

Forget the former things; do not dwell on the 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. Isaiah 43:18-19

• We have to forget what is behind in order to press on and take hold of the things God has for us. Philippians 3:13-15
• Forgetting = Not necessarily losing all memory, but leaving it behind as done with and settled.
• Forgetting and letting go of the past is a sign of maturity. Hebrews 6:1

Things we need to let go of:

1. Guilt over our weaknesses and shortcomings.
2. Guilt over sin and mistakes and failures.
3. Revelation 12:10, I John 1:7-9, Isaiah 43:25, Psalm 103:12, Proverbs 24:16
1. What we do is we hold on to guilt instead of taking hold of God’s forgiveness.
4. Our negative upbringing as a child.
5. Regret
1. Regret = turmoil and pain in the mind.
2. Regret makes you a prisoner of the past and it steals your future.
3. We can’t go back and change our decisions and our actions, but we can let it go!
6. Negative words that people have spoken over us.
7. Little offenses.
8. Unforgiveness and bitterness. Proverbs 11:17

How to let go of unforgiveness and hurt:

1. Make the decision to forgive the person in spite of the way you feel. Romans 5:8, Matthew 10:8, Matthew 10:8, Matthew 6:14, Matthew 5:7
1. Forgiveness in not an emotion. It is an act of the will, and the will can function in spite of the temperature of the heart.
2. Don’t dwell on the offense. Luke 6:27-28
3. Don’t talk about the person in a negative way.
1. You know you have forgiven and you have let it go, when you think about that person and you don’t get angry and you don’t talk negatively about them.
4. If you are carrying hurt, ask God to heal your broken heart. Psalm 147:3, Hebrews 12:1
1. Forget the former things. Do not dwell on the past! Leave it behind!

Lisa Comes is an Associate Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX, under the leadership of her brother Pastor Joel Osteen. Born with a crippling birth defect that doctors said might keep her from walking, Lisa was miraculously healed as a child. In 1990 God spared her life when a pipe bomb sent through the mail exploded in her lap.

A graduate of Oral Roberts University, Lisa dedicated her life to full time ministry in 1983 and began working with her father, the late John Osteen. Since then, she has traveled the world teaching God's Word and ministering the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Lisa and her husband Kevin reside in Houston and are the parents of three children.

Take a Nap to Reduce Stress - and Protect Your Heart

Dr. Cherry



Not many of us have the luxury to take a midday snooze. But perhaps we should make a better effort. Taking time for a nap during the day could actually reduce our risk of death from heart disease, most likely by lowering stress levels. That's what researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and Greece's University of Athens Medical School recently found.

According Dimitrios Trichopoulos, M.D., whose study appeared in the February 12, 2007, issue of The Archives of Internal Medicine, his research stemmed from the observation that heart disease death rates are lower in Mediterranean and Latin American countries where midday siestas are part of the culture.

"The siesta is a victim of progress. Most of us aren't in the position to take a daily nap," he says. "But our research suggests that the practice could help protect the heart, and we need further studies to find out if this really is the case."

For the study, Dr. Trichopoulos and his colleagues enrolled nearly 23,700 residents of Greece with no history of heart disease, stroke or cancer and followed them for an average of 6.3 years. After controlling for other heart disease risk factors, such as diet and physical activity levels, the researchers concluded that people who took naps at least three times a week for an average of at least 30 minutes were 37 percent less likely to die of heart disease than people who did not take regular naps. Less frequent nappers had a 12 percent reduction in heart disease mortality. Also, it appeared that working men benefited more from taking naps as compared to men who were retired, suggesting that the stress-lowering effects of napping may explain their findings, according the researchers.

Of course, this study is only one of many explanations for why fewer Greeks than Americans die from heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Trichopoulos' prior research has already helped establish the cardio-protective benefits of the traditional Mediterranean diet, which is low in red meats and rich in fruits, vegetables, beans and grains.

For more information on Dr. Cherry's ministry, visit his Web site: http://www.AbundantNutrition.com

Play to Win

Kenneth Copeland

"Who is he that over cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:5)

I've often heard people say, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." That's nonsense. If you play the game right, you'll win!

Any coach will tell you that part of playing the game right is having a winning attitude. That's what God wants us, as believers, to have. He wants us to have so much faith in Him that we expect to whip any obstacle the devil brings our way. He wants us to expect to win at the game of life.

We don't always come by that attitude easily. We're so accustomed to losing that we have to totally change our way of thinking if we want to have a winning mind-set. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul told the Church to renew their minds. They needed to change their attitudes, to renew their minds to the fact that Jesus has overcome the world.

If you haven't already, you need to do that too! You need to develop a glorious sense of confidence that says, "Hey, devil, I'm going to be victorious and there's not a thing you can do to stop me!"

"But, Brother Copeland, you don't know the kinds of problems I'm facing."

I know I don't, but Jesus does and He said you should "cheer up" because He can give you peace in the midst of tribulation. He said that when Satan comes against you with everything he has, you should take heart because He's already beaten it-- Jesus has already overcome it and so can you!

First John 5:5 puts it this way, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"

Do you know what that scripture means? It means that if you are a born-again believer, you have an absolute right to be a winner, to overcome every aspect of this evil world. Think about that. Meditate on it. Start developing a winning attitude today!

Scripture Study: Romans 8:29-39

Think on These...

Do you want to be strong and carry out
great exploits…Know God.

Live close enough to God that all else
seems small in comparison.

Deeds, not words, tell who you are.

Only when you are completely pliable can
you be completely strong.

Speak the Word and your miracle begins.

Life Bit

Don’t look at the conditions…

hold your position.
II Chronicles 20:17

Will You Enter?

Numbers 20:11 - Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff.

Will you fulfill the destiny God has for your life? Perhaps you have never thought about it. God had a perfect plan for Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. It's been said the hardest place to score a touchdown is from the goal line. You're almost there. But there is something about crossing over that makes those last few yards the most difficult. Moses failed at the goal line, and it prevented him from finishing well a glorious life of service for God.

The people of Israel were complaining that they did not have water to drink. It was another of many tests for Israel. Moses inquired of God and God said, "...Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water" (Num. 20:8a). Moses, in his frustration and anger with the people, began to act on his own and made a strategic mistake. Instead of speaking to the rock, he struck the rock twice with his staff. In spite of his disobedience, the rock poured forth water.

God was calling Moses to a different dimension. Moses was to use his words to speak the miracle. However, he not only lost his temper, but he also took credit and dishonored God. He used his staff, the symbol of his work life as a shepherd, to force the provision.

When we become callous, we can use our skills and abilities to force what we believe should happen. We take control. When we do this, we are in danger of failing to enter the Promised Land of blessing from God. Living in life's spiritual dimension requires patience and obedience. Beware of solving problems in your own strength. God wants to bring you into the Promised Land of His blessing. But it will require walking in the spiritual dimension.