A Light in the Dark

A Light in the Dark   13 Jan 2013

"Enoch lived 365 years in all. He enjoyed a close relationship with God throughout his life. Then suddenly, he disappeared because God took him." —Genesis 5:23-24

Enoch lived at a unique time in history, prior to God's judgment by the Flood. People of Enoch's day were really wicked. So wicked, in fact, that God was sorry He ever created them. Scripture tells us of that time that all their thoughts were "consistently and totally evil" (Genesis 6:5). But in the midst of this dark environment was an individual who walked with God. Enoch shows us that it is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly world.

We also read in Hebrews 11:5 that Enoch was pleasing to God. We too can live our lives in a way that pleases God. How? We can start by finding out what God specifically says is pleasing to Him. Here are a few from the pages of Scripture:

1. God is pleased when, in spite of the fact that we are in the right, we patiently endure when misunderstood (see 1 Peter 2:19).
2. God is pleased when children obey their parents (see Colossians 3:20).
3. God is pleased when we worship Him and help others (see Hebrews 13:15).
4. God is pleased when we give to the work of the kingdom (see Philippians 4:17).

Of course, as you read and study God's Word, you'll discover other things that please Him. Some people have the mistaken notion that God is very difficult to please. He is not. He loves you. He knows all about you. Your failures do not come as a surprise to Him. He wants the very best for you. His resources are at your disposal. He is patient with you.

Enoch had this testimony: he pleased God. How is your testimony today?

Ready to Go?

Ready to Go?  12 Jan 2013

"Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." —Titus 2:12–13

If the rapture happened today, would you be ready to go? The Bible says that Christ is coming for those who are watching and waiting. Does the thought that Jesus could come back today make your heart leap? Or does it make your heart sink?

Any person who is right with God should be excited about the imminent return of Jesus. It is a good litmus test of where you are spiritually. If the thought of His return brings joy to your heart, then that would indicate to me that you are walking with God. But if it causes fear, then that would be an indication that something is not right spiritually.

As Jesus spoke to His disciples about end times events, He closed His teaching with a personal exhortation: "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth" (Luke 21:34–35).

As followers of Christ, we need to be living in such a way that we are ready for His return. We need to be living in such a way that every moment counts. One day, each of us will be held accountable for how we spent our time, our resources, and our lives. Let's not waste them. Let's allow the anticipation of the Lord's imminent return to keep us on our toes spiritually. Let's allow it to motivate us to live godly lives.

Dealing with Distraction

Dealing with Distraction  11 Jan 2013

"So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step." —1 Corinthians 9:26

In first-century track competitions, each runner would be assigned to a lane on the track. Each was expected to stay in his assigned lane. In the same way, as you and I run the race of life, our competition is not with other believers. Rather, our competition is with our enemies—the world, the flesh, and the devil. The goal is not to outrun someone else. The goal is to outrun those wicked influences that could bring us down.

You might justify your slow pace by pointing to other people still running behind you. True. But there are probably some people ahead of you too. You are not to concern yourself with who is behind you or who is ahead of you. You are to run the race before you. God has not called you to run someone else's race. We are each called to run our own race.

An incident from the life of Peter illustrates this truth. After Peter had been restored to the Lord following His denial, Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Then the Lord proceeded to tell Peter how his life would end. As they were talking, Peter noticed another disciple, John, was walking behind them. Peter asked, "What about him, Lord?" (John 21:21).

Jesus said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me" (John 21 22). A loose paraphrase would be, "Peter, it is none of your business. You just do what I have told you to do."

I ask you today, are you just offering a half-hearted effort in the race of life? Or are you running as well as you can?

Discipline Begets Self-Discipline

Discipline Begets Self-Discipline  10 Jan 2013

1 Kings 1:6 NIV

(His father had never interfered with him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

Adonijah had grown up in a life without limitations. He had always had his own way. David had never questioned his behavior, had never shown him any boundaries, had never given him any form of discipline. The result was the adult Adonijah, a man without self-discipline, a man who still wanted his own way.

Children need discipline - discipline administered with love. Once, when my oldest son was about 12, he disobeyed me - and then lied to me to try to cover for his disobedience. When I discovered what he had done, I explained to him that disobeying me was bad, but lying to me about it was worse. His punishment was to be grounded (staying in his room at all times except for school and church) for two days for disobeying me and another seven days for lying to me. We suffered through his grounding together (it's sometimes harder on the parents than the child!), but I pretty much forgot about the ncident in years to come. But my son did not forget. I later learned that he had not forgotten when I overheard a conversation he was having with one of his friends when he was about 16. The friend was angry at some punishment his own mother had administered. My son related the punishment he had received four years earlier, in an apparent attempt to show his friend that the friend's punishment was minor compared to that! Upon hearing the story, my son's friend became adamant, stating that if his mother had done that to him, he would have run away from home. My son's answer to his friend's outcry showed me that he understood the reason for discipline when he said, "But Mom only punished me because she loves me!"

Show your children how much you love them by giving them boundaries - emotional, behavioral and spiritual - within which to live. Teach them self-discipline through your loving discipline. Allow them the opportunity to grow up to be adults of whom you - and God - can be proud.

My son, keep your father's commands
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

Bind them upon your heart forever;
fasten them around your neck.

When you walk, they will guide you;
when you sleep, they will watch over you;
when you awake, they will speak to you.

For these commands are a lamp,
this teaching is a light,
and the corrections of discipline
are the way to life,

Proverbs 6:20-23 NIV

"He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him." Proverbs 13:24 NIV

How Long, O LORD?

How Long, O LORD?  9 Jan 2013

Psalm 13 NIV

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and every day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD,
for he has been good to me.

Oh, how easily we can relate to David's feelings! "How long, O Lord?" How often does it seem that God has us "on hold," taking forever to respond to our prayers. so very slow in acting on our behalf. allowing evil to go unchecked. bills to go unpaid. pain to go on and on. loneliness to continue unceasingly. life to continue to be frustrating?

Take a look at the number of people in the Bible who had to wait YEARS for God's promises to come true. Look at Abraham. he was 75 years old when God first told him, "I will make you into a great nation." (Genesis 12:2 NIV), but there he was with a barren wife, and already well past his prime. Twenty-five years later Isaac was finally born! What a wait!

Remember, God does not wear a watch, nor does He pay attention to our calendar. He exists outside of time and space, and He causes things to happen in HIS time according to HIS eternal purpose. But even though we know that, we can become frustrated while waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled. I can remember one particular promise God made to me through His word, and it took five months for Him to begin to fulfill that promise, and He is still fulfilling it today, sixteen years later, one step at a time.

When we feel the same feelings that David expressed in this Psalm, we must also emulate David's commitment - to continue to trust in God's unfailing love for us. to rejoice in His salvation in the midst of our pain. to sing praises to God. to remember how good He has been to us already. to seek His purpose in our lives. and to continue to live for Him, no matter how slow He seems to be to act.

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 NIV

Preaching the Cross

Preaching the Cross  8 Jan 2013

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. —1 Corinthians 1:22-24

We may look with some envy on first-century believers who seemed to have miracles as part of their daily lives. Certainly, there were dramatic miracles that took place during their time.

We read of great things happening, such as the man at the gate Beautiful who received the ability to walk. Peter was released from prison by an angel. A woman was raised from the dead. We can look back on that time with some fondness and say, "Those were the good old days."

Realistically, though, I think we should recognize that the Book of Acts is a record of what God did over a 30-year period. As we read it, it almost appears as though miracles happened every 12 minutes. But the truth is that it's a record of miracles that took place over a long period of time.

Some Christians may think that if they could perform a sign or miracle for the unbelievers they know, then they would believe. But here is the sign they need to know about: what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

It is the preaching of the cross that will make the difference. "We preach Christ crucified," Paul said. That is our message. That is what we have to say.

Paul said, "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Though I believe in miracles and hope to see more in my lifetime, one thing will never change: the simple message we must proclaim.

Listening to God

Listening to God  6 Jan 2013

Read: 1 Samuel 3:4-10

"Speak, for your servant is listening." (v. 10)

The word for prayer in Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, means to open oneself to God. In prayer I enter a relationship in which I am attentive to God, listening as well as speaking.

If I truly want to pray I need to do some listening to what God is saying to me. Reading the Bible is a way of doing that. I ask God, "What is it that you want to say to me?" As I approach the Bible with that request I am attentive to a word or phrase that seems to carry something that demands my attention. I am not trying to comprehend all that is said in the text. I am paying attention to a word that resonates in me.

When I receive that word I spend some time asking, "What does this mean for me? What am I being told? How does this apply to my life?"

Then I form my words of response. It may be in thanksgiving for what I have heard. It may be a petition for help in following what is indicated.

Finally, I let the word I have received sink deep into my heart. I give some time of silence to this. Then I can take that word with me for the day. Listening prayer isn't easy, just richly rewarding.

Prayer: Help us, Triune God, to listen attentively to your word for us. Amen.

Do you have connections?

Do you have connections? 5 Jan 2013

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Recently, we've been dealing with every internet problem you could imagine — from router problems to problematic servers, to war-related electric and internet cable issues. Being that our livelihood, much of our ministry, our email and our telephone are all dependent upon the internet, we've been a bit disconnected from the world (no pun intended). We're not sure how long this will go on. Please pray for this situation to be resolved and forgive us for not being able to answer your emails and send our devotions regularly.

And speaking of being disconnected, one missionary tells of his experience about being assigned a car that would not start without a push. After pondering this problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years.

When a new missionary came to take over his station, he proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started. As he was talking, the young missionary picked up the hood only to find that the only trouble was a loose cable. He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and the engine roared to life.
For two years, needless trouble had become routine — but the power was there all along.

Hmmm. How many of us have a loose connection today? I know I do. I think we need to check under our hoods and examine what's loose. Whatever our problems are today, the power is there for us to utilize. It's only a loose connection keeping us from putting that power to work! We need to be hungering and thirsting for that bond, that union, that connection with the Lord! There is so much work to be done!

Time to pull out the big bait!

Time to pull out the big bait!   4 Jan 2013

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

I love fishing but sadly, I haven't been able to do it in quite some time. Yeah, I know, one would think there'd be some good fishing spots here. However from what I understand, they're not really available to the public. So sad. Nevertheless, fishing gives me a chance to get a break from the world and just relax and meditate – and on a good day, maybe catch a fish or two.

I recently saw a fishing-related cartoon that really moved me. Pictured, were two Eskimos fishing through holes in the ice. One of them had his line in a hole the size you'd expect to see. But the guy sitting next to him had his line in an enormous hole, in the shape of a whale!

This guy was hungry! He didn't want some dinky little fish! He was fishing for whales! In the same way, if we want to do greater things for the Lord, we must have a greater hunger and a greater vision!!

Are you hungry for the bigger and better things of the Lord today? Let's enlarge our vision for Him! Let's pull out the big bait! Let's expect even bigger catches! Let's allow the Lord to get us ready! The harvest is plentiful — there's so much work to be done!

Have you been praying?

Have you been praying? 3 Dec 2013

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Two men were talking about religion. The first challenged the other, "Ok, then if you are so religious, let's hear you quote the Lord's Prayer. I'll bet you ten bucks you can't do it." The second thought for a moment and then responded, "Now I lay my down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. And If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take." The other reluctantly pulled out his wallet and said "Gee, I didn't think you could really do it."

Prayer needs to be a big part of our lives. We need to recognize that our spirit needs prayer like our body needs food! Many a time, we have heard it said "But I don't really know how to pray." While there is no one "right way" to pray, a good guideline for prayer comes straight from "The Lord's Prayer." Let's piece it apart, shall we??

Our Father which are in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. (First and foremost, we need to address our Lord and Savior with honor and worship. We can sing to Him, praise Him, give Him the glory He deserves).

Thy Kingdom come.
(His Kingdom come — may our loved ones who don't yet know Him come into His Kingdom, who ever they may be. May the lost around the world and especially in Israel come into His Kingdom too).

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
(We ask His will to be done in our lives, in our friends and families lives, and in all the earth).

Give us this day our daily bread.
(Lord please provide what we need to make it through just today, whatever that may be).

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
(Of course, we ask the Lord to forgive us of our sin and we relinquish the sins of those against us, whatever they may be).

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
(Lord, help us to steer away from all the temptations that entice us — and grant us deliverance from those things, whatever they may be).

For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, Forever. Amen.
(And lastly, we proclaim our faith in the Most High, Most Powerful, All Encompassing King of Kings. And say Amen, "so be it!" in Hebrew).

Let's make a habit of spending time in prayer each day. Our spirit is longing for the transformation a life of prayer will bring!

Perfect Practice makes perfect

Perfect Practice makes perfect!   2 Jan 2013

Psalms 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?"
The rabbi answers, "Take your goat into the room with you." The man in incredulous, but the rabbi insists. "Do as I say and come back in a week."
A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. "We cannot stand it," he tells the rabbi. "The goat is filthy."
The rabbi then tells him, "Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week."

A radiant man returns to the rabbi a week later, exclaiming, "Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there's no goat — only the nine of us."
This is a funny story but how many of us know how to be truly thankful in the face of trial? Many powerhouses of the faith who preceded us realized the importance of mastering thankfulness. How much more should we who have so much more than they!
We have an opportunity this Thanksgiving week, to practice being thankful! If we’re struggling today, let’s practice paising God in thankfulness for all the good things He's done! He deserves all of our praise regardless of our circumstance!

Haven't you forgotten something?

Haven't you forgotten something? 1 Jan 2013

Psalms 111:4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

A farmer was showing his visiting citydwelling friend around his farm. "Watch this!" he said. He gave a whistle and his little dog came running from the house, herded the cattle into the corral, then latched the gate with her paw. "Wow, that's some dog — what's her name?" The forgetful farmer thought for a minute and then asked, "What do you call that red flower that smells good and has thorns on the stem?" "A rose?" "That's it!" The farmer turned to his wife. "Hey Rose, what do we call this dog?"

Funny how we forget things, isn't it? But I'm not so sure God finds it all that funny! When we read about the children of Israel and their journeys through the wilderness for forty years, we see how God provided wonderful miracles for them, feeding them daily with manna, guiding them by a pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day, parting the Red Sea!

How is it, then, that they became so very hard hearted toward Him? Over time, I think those miracles just became commonplace and they began to take them for granted!

But then again when I look back on my life, I can't really blame them. It happens to the best of us! God has done miracles in our lives and I'm sure he's done many in each of yours as well! But we still get anxious when things aren't going quite the way we hoped, don't we?
Recall a miracle of God in your life. Remember the joy you felt? We need to relive that joy today! The miracle of God's new birth in us and the many other miracles God has done are not ones to be quickly forgotten. We need to relive them daily!

We never want to become cold toward God! Let's spend some time remembering the miracles He has done in our lives and strive to trust Him for the trials we face today!

Against All Odds

Against All Odds     31 Dec 2012

"And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the Lord; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord." —2 Chronicles 20:3-4

Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, faced a dilemma. His enemies greatly outnumbered him. To make matters worse, his enemies had joined forces with Israel's other enemies and were coming to destroy him.

One day, someone came to King Jehoshaphat and warned him that a gigantic army was headed his way, bent on his destruction. It was hopeless. There was no way that he could meet this army with what he had. He was going to be destroyed.

What did Jehoshaphat do? The Bible says that he "set himself to seek the Lord." He prayed, "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You" (2 Chronicles 20:12).

The Lord told Jehoshaphat, "Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. . . . Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you" (2 Chronicles 20:15–17).

Jehoshaphat and his army went out to meet their enemies, but they put the worship team out front. The Bible says that when they began to sing and praise the Lord, the enemy started fighting among themselves and destroyed each other.

Maybe you are facing what seems like an impossible situation right now. You may not be able to see a way out. But God can. Call on Him. Then stand still and see what He will do.

God has something special in store for you

God has something special in store for you! 29 Dec 2012

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

When we were in the womb we had eyes, but there was little to focus on. Our eyes had rods and cones to distinguish shapes and colors, yet there were no shades or colors to see. We were in total darkness. But we had eyes that were meant to see light. Our eyes were the evidence that beyond the womb was a whole other world, still yet to be seen.

As we dwell in this world, our hearts cannot be satisfied by the things they see here. Deep inside, we know there is more… and we long for it. This life is Heaven's womb.

No matter what this world gives us, it can never satisfy what the eyes of our hearts long to see. It is here that we are being formed, and prepared to enter the realm of the Heavenly. Don't be discouraged that this this life can't give us all we want. It is a reminder of our inheritance yet to come.
Let's give our desires to the Lord once again. He wants to prepare us to rule with Him!

God has called us to live as rocks

God has called us to live as rocks — even in a hard place! 28 Dec 2012

Psalms 62:2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall not be greatly moved.

We've been living in Israel now for almost two and a half years and it's not easy. Israel is the place that our Messiah will return to reign and rule. The Jewish people are to know Him and become a light to the nations. And we have an enemy who will go to great lengths in order to keep this from happening. Spiritually, here the warfare is great.
The tragic things that happen daily have taken a toll on everyone who lives here. Emotionally, the fear and hardness of heart hovers over every neighborhood, every city — and we feel it.

Financially, minimum wage here is about three dollars an hour and the majority are in great debt and terribly stressed. Materially, there are things we have learned to live without. Despite all the challenges we face in this hard place, God has called us to be rocks, trusting Him to meet our needs, spiritually, emotionally and in every other way. He has called us to find our strength in Him and become strong for those who are needy and hurting.
Has God called you to represent Him in a workplace where His very name is a curse word? Or perhaps you're living in a neighborhood where people are too busy seeking material things to seek God?

Now is the time to reflect God's truth in your life. Now is the time to be a rock, even in that hard place.

Lights! Camera! Action!

Lights! Camera! Action! 27 Dec 2012

Mark 10:27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

The world loves the extraordinary, the spectacular. It relishes on the big, bright, grand and expensive. I remember when we traveled through Las Vegas this summer, to speak at a church in Carson City. Uyy! The lights, the size of everything — crazy! But all I could think as we rolled down Sunset Strip was how sad it is that this is what the world finds extraordinary. The bigger, the brighter, the more expensive — the more the world worships it.

I don't think God is very impressed though. I think He Has a slightly different take on the spectacular. One of many examples in the Word is when Gideon defeated the Midianites. It wasn't with a grand army of thousands — it was with an army of a measly 300! You see, God took a few ordinary men and created out of them an "extraordinary" victory!
We may think to ourselves "I'm just an ordinary person. I don't have much to offer." But when we are born again, God takes our ordinary and makes it "extraordinary!"

Let's dare to let God in on the things we find weak and uninteresting about our lives today and watch as He turns it to spectacular! Be encouraged! God has great things planned!

Giving thanks

Giving Thanks 26 Dec 2012

Psalm 7:17

I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Did you know that there is no word in the ancient Hebrew language for "Thanks?" It's true that the words "thanks" and "thank you" and "thank offering" are used throughout our English versions of the Old Testament, but the word from which it is translated has a much different meaning than you and I think of when we use that word. Like this Psalm says, "I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High."

Giving thanks means praising God. It means expressing in words what God has done. It means talking about Him and His goodness and mercy and love. It means praising His name. It means praising Him not only for what He has done but for Who He is.

Have you "thanked" God lately? Have you lifted up His name and praised Him for who He is in your life today? Have you just praised Him because you want to praise Him... just because He is God? Far too often, the "thanks" we give in our prayers are so quick and shallow that we might well not even speak. Instead, our prayers turn into a long "wish list" of things we want from God - what we want him to do for us, when he's already done so much already!

Have you ever thought of spending your ENTIRE prayer time just offering up praises to Him - just because he's God? Just because He loved you enough to save you? Just because He's done so much for you that you can't count the blessings?

God delights in the praises of His children. Do you want Him to bend a little closer and listen a little harder? Thank Him by praising Him. Tell Him how grateful you are for everything He does for you every single day. And be sure to tell Him you love Him... right now.

Time Well Spent

Time Well Spent 24 Dec 2012

Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever. —Daniel 12:3

I heard the other day that the average people will spend 15 years in front of the television during his or her lifetime. Can you imagine 15 years of sitting in front of that box, clicking away? What a waste of life.

On the other hand, the Bible speaks of many rewards in heaven for the person who faithfully serves the Lord during his or her lifetime, and even speaks of crowns that will be given. In fact, I think we might be shocked when the awards are presented in heaven.
We may expect them to go to all the big names that we know. But just imagine if most of the awards were given to someone named Maude Firkenbinder. You hadn't heard about her. She never pastored a church. She never recorded Christian music. She never wrote a book. But she used the gifts that God gave her. Maybe God called her to be a person of prayer. Maybe she labored in obscurity somewhere. But God saw her faithfulness and rewarded her openly.

When you get to heaven, what will you have to show for your life on this earth? Every man will be tried. Every woman will be tried. All of your accomplishments will be evaluated when you stand before Christ.

It is not so much a judgment for sin, but a judgment of time that was spent in a worthless way. Did you have more passion or excitement for your career or for a sport or for your possessions than you had for the things of God?

It will all come to nothing. Wasted hours. Wasted days. Wasted years.

Clarify the Vision

Clarify the Vision 23 Dec 2012

Like no other person in Scripture, David is called a man after God’s own heart. Yet David’s life was full of high peaks and very low valleys. David was imperfect, but God does not look for perfection; He looks for faith. Live your life to advance God’s vision.

1. SEE THE BIG PICTURE CLEARLY. (1 Sam. 16,17)

David focused on God at a very early age. He saw the big picture, and the big picture was God. In David’s view, even a nine foot tall giant named Goliath was small compared to his unlimited God. God wants to fulfill His purposes in you and through you! Don’t let the shadows of life’s giants blur your vision and keep you from becoming what God wants you to be.

2. GROW THROUGH NEGATIVE PEOPLE. (1 Sam. 18,19,25,26)

Ever had to deal with a downright negative, critical, hard-headed person? David did. After David killed Goliath, King Saul became jealous of David’s popularity and even tried to kill him. But David grew through it, and actually showed maturity and godliness by sparing Saul’s life. Don’t let negative people rob you of your God vision! Keep your eye on the prize.

3. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM. (1 Sam. 20)

You need people that will keep you encouraged and on mission. Detractors are a dime a dozen, but encouragers are treasures to be guarded and nurtured. Jonathan was David’s closest friend, and David’s mighty men were devoted warriors. How about you? Who is in your corner? Find people who will speak into your life and encourage you to become all that God wants you to be.

4. REBOUND FROM FAILURE. (2 Sam. 11, Ps. 51)

Along the way, David’s vision became muddied. He sinned against God and he paid for it dearly. That’s what happens when you lose focus on God’s vision. An unprincipled life is as out of control as a broken dam, flood waters, raging forest fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes. But to David’s credit, he rebounded from his failure. And God will forgive us as He forgave David.

5. RECOMMIT YOUR HEART. (Ps. 26:2; 66:18,19; 86:1; 119:10,11)

After David sinned against God, he humbled his heart and recommitted himself to serve God and advance God’s Kingdom. That’s what we need to do when we sin, too. To keep God’s vision clear in our lives, we need to recommit our hearts to Him. We need to get to the heart of the matter, which is the matter of the heart. Live a principled life anchored in God and His Word, instead of being anchorless and vulnerable to Satan’s lies.

Acts 13:22 “I have found David…a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.”

Temporary Pleasures

Temporary Pleasures 21 Dec 2012

" 'Yes, a person is a fool to store up 
earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.' " —Luke 12:21

There is a story in the Bible about a man named Esau 
who gave up everything for a little temporal pleasure. 
As the firstborn, Esau had been given the family birthright, 
which meant that he would one day be the spiritual leader of 
his family and would be in the ancestral line of the Messiah. 
But Esau didn't seem to care much about that.

One day, his brother Jacob came along and proposed a trade: 
Esau's birthright for some stew that Jacob was cooking. 
It sounded like a good deal to Esau at the time. Later, 
he realized how cheaply he had sold out. But it was too late.

Esau had no regard for spiritual things, and there are a 
lot of people like that today. They could care less about 
God until they are in a bind or until some tragedy hits. 
Then suddenly, miraculously, they have time for God. 
Then when the crisis is past, they return to their old ways.

Jesus spoke about a farmer whose crop had produced generously. 
The farmer decided to tear down his barns and build larger ones 
to store everything. That way, he could say to himself,
 "My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. 
Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!" (Luke 12:19)

But God said, "You fool! You will die this very night. 
Then who will get it all?" (Luke 12:20)

Are things on this earth more important to you than 
treasures in heaven? Everything you may hold dear will be 
left behind one day. And the only thing that will matter is 
what is waiting in heaven for you.