Prejudice is the product of a lazy mind. It’s contempt, prior to investigation. Your first impression of someone is incomplete, and often inaccurate. Don’t assume your intuition is always right. Don’t make lasting decisions based on limited insights. Your success in life will be adversely affected by prejudice, fear, and any form of discrimination you allow to color your thinking. Jesus never determined a person’s worth based on their race, gender, financial status, or appearance. He was comfortable in the presence of fishermen and tax collectors. He was at ease with the rich and the poor. He knew that every person He met had potential and He never looked down on them because of their past. Born to a mother who conceived Him as a virgin, He knew what it meant to have a questionable background and be subject to the rumor mill. But He rose above it. And He broke tradition. The Samaritans were considered such a lower class of people that Jews wouldn’t talk to them. But Jesus did. In fact, He went out of His way to meet with a five-times-divorced Samaritan woman, discussing the mysteries of worship with her and changing her life. When Peter, who struggled with prejudice, was called to introduce the gospel to the first group of Gentiles, he had to acknowledge, “I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.” That day God dealt with some of Peter’s deep-seated biases. And He will deal with yours too! If “God so loved the world” but you don’t, how can you claim to be “godly”? 

Ever watch a food commercial on television and suddenly feel hungry? That’s the power of suggestion. Whatever can grab your attention can capture you. Simply repeating, “I must stop drinking, or smoking, or overeating, or lusting,” doesn’t work because it just keeps you thinking about what you don’t want. Instead of trying to remove those thoughts, replace them. Once your focus is on something good, evil begins to lose its grip. Only by reprogramming your mind can you keep it centered on the right things. The Bible says: “Don’t let evil get the upper hand but conquer evil by doing good” (Ro 12:21 TLB). Satan can’t get and keep your attention when your mind is given to something else. That’s why Paul writes: “Fill your minds with…good” (Php 4:8 GNT). Fighting a thought is futile; it only strengthens the connection between you and it. By dwelling on it you actually reinforce it. Hit the remote; change the channel! Furthermore, you don’t overcome temptation by fighting the feeling of it. The more you fight a feeling, the more it engages and draws you. Turn your attention to something better! Your mind is where the battle is won or lost. Start managing your mind and monitoring your media intake. The Bible says, “Your life is shaped by your thoughts.” The Psalmist prayed, “Keep me from paying attention to what is worthless” (Ps 119:37 GNT). Is this easy to do? No, it takes discipline and practice. But with time, and God’s grace, you can change the way you think and overcome temptation. 

No matter how spiritually mature you become you will never outgrow temptation. When you conquer it on one front it attacks you on another. And the closer you get to God the more Satan will try to tempt you. Paul explains it this way: “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants…These two forces are constantly fighting each other” (Gal 5:17 NLT). So what’s the answer? Here are two ways you can overcome temptation: (1) Be honest about it. Ask yourself, “When am I tempted most?” Usually we are most vulnerable when we are under stress: when we are hurt, angry, worried, alone, bored, tired, or after a big success or spiritual high. Learn to identify your patterns: “God’s people…protect themselves by watching where they go” (Pr 16:17 CEV). (2) Reach for God’s help. “Call on me in times of trouble. I will rescue you” (Ps 50:15 GWT). So why don’t we call on God more often? Because sometimes we just want to do what we want to do, right? Or we are embarrassed because we keep giving in to the same temptations. Don’t be discouraged; God won’t give up on you. His Word says, “Let us…come before God’s throne where…we [will] receive…grace to help us when we need it” (Heb 4:16 NCV). If you have to cry out for God’s help every hour of the day, He will be there for you! Just as the roots of a tree deepen when storms come, each time you stand up to a temptation you become stronger. 

Soap cleanses the outside, fire cleanses the inside. And the Spirit of God does both! When you sin, repent! In-depth repentance brings in-depth cleansing. Don’t feel bad about feeling bad, feel good about it. Be glad your conscience is still sensitive and responsive to God. What you never want to hear God say is what He said about Ephraim: “Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone” (Hos 4:17 NKJV). The fact that God is convicting you of sin is proof of His love for you. God can forgive your sin but He cannot overlook it. Unconfessed sin disrupts your fellowship with Him. Forgiveness is about more than just escaping the penalty of sin, it’s about restoring your fellowship with God. You say, “Won’t God get tired of me sinning and repenting?” If Jesus told Peter to forgive his brother “seventy times seven” would He do less for you? The Bible says: “’Come now, and let us reason together,’ says the Lord, ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool’” (Isa 1:18 NKJV). When you sin and try to hide from God you only prolong your misery. So the moment you become aware of your sin, confess it, then leave His presence confident that He has forgiven you. You’re not a loser, you’re a learner. Alexander Pope said: “A man should never be ashamed to own he has been wrong, which is but saying in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday.” 

Together they built and pastored a great church. The husband was a gifted preacher and musician who wrote songs and led worship. His wife was a Bible teacher who knew God and taught His Word skillfully. But when he died, she experienced months of depression before eventually bouncing back. When someone says, “If you really love God and walk according to His Word you will never get depressed,” clearly, they have never read the Scriptures and never been depressed. Elijah called down fire from heaven in a spectacular victory, yet he became so depressed in the aftermath that he wanted to die. “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life” (1Ki 19:4 NKJV). That’s major-league depression! When you try to act super-spiritual and allow people to think you never battle in areas like fear, failure, finances, family, or feelings, you give them a complex and cause them to walk away feeling they’re not spiritual or mature enough to be used by God. Jesus uncovered Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. Then He told them to do the same for one another. You are never more effective than when you are transparent. Knowing that leadership decisions had to be made concerning the future of their church, this pastor’s wife felt overwhelmed and prayed, “Lord, I don’t know how to make all these decisions.” God told her, “I have already made every decision concerning you and the church. My will was established in the counsels of eternity. All you have to do is decide today what I have already decided yesterday, and tomorrow you will walk in My blessings and benefits.” 

When it comes to bitterness, here are two things you need to keep in mind: (1) It is contagious. You are a part of the body of Christ. So what happens to you, and in you, affects those you are connected to both positively and negatively. The Bible says, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1Co 12:26 NIV). A snakebite doesn’t just affect the body part that gets bitten; the venom spreads through the entire system. “Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time” (Heb 12:15 TM). Don’t get upset and leave the church God has placed you in. You need them and they need you. By overcoming bitterness you spread God’s blessing to others. (2) It can be overcome. Here’s how: (a) Acknowledge and admit it. (b) Don’t rehearse it in your mind or recite it to others. (c) Repent and renounce any attitude that’s not Christ-like. (d) Ask God to give you self-control, then submit to His leadership. (e) Don’t infect others and don’t let them infect you. (f) Without waiting for admissions or apologies, verbalize to yourself, God and a trusted friend, your decision to forgive all wrongs against you. “Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:32 TM). This will set you free to enjoy your relationship with God, yourself, and others. (g) Look for practical ways to “be kind…[and] tenderhearted” toward those who hurt you (v. 32 NKJV). 

There’s a legend about a soldier being court-martialed before Alexander the Great. Believing the verdict was unjust, the soldier asked to appeal it. The conqueror informed him that there was no one higher to whom he could plead his case. “In that case,” the soldier replied, “I appeal my case from Alexander the Small, to Alexander the Great.” In each of us there is a lesser self and a greater self struggling for supremacy. Your lesser self says, “Not enough people believe in me. I’ll never make it.” Your greater self says, “My faith in God and in myself is enough; I can make it.” Your lesser self says, “It’s taking too long to realize my dream.” Your greater self says, “Dreams are realized one day at a time.” Your lesser self says, “Enough is enough! I’ve taken too many hits.” Your greater self says, “I’ve come too far to give up now.” Your lesser self says, “I don’t have the strength to hold on to my dream.” Your greater self says, “Hold on a little longer; the darkest hour is just before the dawn.” After speaking about being shipwrecked, stoned, imprisoned, betrayed, hungry, thirsty, sleepless, cold and naked, Paul, who was resolute in his purpose and relentless in the pursuit of it, writes: “Who is weak, and I am not weak” (2Co 11:29 NKJV). Where does that kind of strength and tenacity come from? God! The assignment God gives you will never be greater than the grace He provides. So draw on His strength, keep pressing ahead, pursue your goal and you will prevail. 

One of the great themes of the Bible is—perseverance. Paul, who refused to quit, wrote: “Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The great majority of men are bundles of beginnings.” Are you merely a starter, or are you also a finisher? When the enthusiasm for a new idea fades, when the odds against you increase and the results diminish, when it looks as if success is impossible, you must keep forging ahead. Admiral Robert Peary attempted to reach the North Pole seven times before he finally succeeded. Oscar Hammerstein produced five shows on Broadway that were flops before staging Oklahoma, which was seen by almost five million people during a record-breaking run of 2,212 performances. Quitting is more about who you are, than where you are or what you’re up against. We all have our excuses. The truth is, external things don’t stop us; it’s what happens to us on the inside! Most of us stop ourselves from reaching our potential. We can pretend that people, things, and situations outside of ourselves are to blame, but in reality most failures are just the result of a lack of bulldog-like tenacity. Leonardo da Vinci said, “Obstacles cannot crush me. Every obstacle yields to stern resolve. He who is fixed on a star, does not change his mind.” You must have a mindset to tenaciously pursue your dream. The only guarantee for failure is to stop trying. There is no insurmountable barrier, except your own inherent lack of purpose and persistence. 

Author Philip Yancey writes, “On my first visit to Yellowstone National Park flocks of tourists surrounded the geyser, Old Faithful, cameras trained like weapons, while a big digital clock predicted the next eruption. We were in the dining room of the inn overlooking the geyser when the clock showed one minute to go. So along with every other diner, we rushed to the window to see the big event. We ‘oohed’ and ‘aahed’ and clicked our cameras; some even applauded. But glancing back I noticed that not a single waiter or busboy even bothered to look up. Old Faithful had become so familiar that it had lost its power to impress them.” So here’s the question: Why do we lose our sense of gratitude and begin to overlook God’s goodness? For three reasons: 

• (1) Problems. If you close one eye and hold a penny close enough to your other eye, you can actually block out the light of the sun. Getting the point?
• (2) Pressures. Sometimes the perks we thought would bring us pleasure end up wearing us down. 
• (3) People. When they disappoint us we turn sour and forget all that God has done for us. What’s the solution? “The [unfailing] love of the Lord never ends…Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lam 3:22-23 NLT). God’s mercies begin each morning, and your gratitude should too. Indeed, your days should be saturated in it. Continual gratitude comes from looking beyond your blessings to their unfailing source, the Lord. His love, His faithfulness and His mercy are already at work when your eyes open each day. 

Have you read the story of Isaac blessing his two sons when he was old, almost blind, and nearing death (See Ge 27)? When Jacob, the younger son, wanted his older brother Esau’s part of the family inheritance, which was twice as much, his mother Rebekah helped him steal it. Here’s how she did it. Esau was hairy and Jacob had smooth skin. So Rebekah wrapped Jacob’s arms and neck in goat hair and gave him some of Esau’s clothes to wear. When Jacob went in to his aging father pretending to be Esau, his father asked him to come near so that he could feel him. His father told him that he sounded like Jacob but he felt like Esau, so he decided to trust what he felt over what he heard. As a result, he gave the birthright that was destined for his firstborn, Esau, to his second-born son, Jacob. Bottom line: he was deceived by what he felt. Now we know God was at work in all this. But the point here is, you can’t always trust your feelings because they don’t always line up with God’s Word and they can deceive you. You say, “I got my feelings hurt so I haven’t spoken to my family in over a year.” Get over it! Learn to forgive. Refuse to remain offended. Practice love. If you let feelings rule your life they will mess you up. Feelings are like spoiled children: the more you indulge them the more they will control you. You shouldn’t suppress your feelings or deny them, but you must not be led by them. 

When bad news comes don’t allow it to panic you and cause you to act in haste. Stop, think rationally and get the facts before you arrive at a conclusion or make a decision. Prayerfully ask, “Lord, what can I do about this situation?” If you can do it for yourself, God won’t do it for you. The poet said, “His part we cannot do, our part He will not do.” Faced with a well-armed, vastly superior force there was nothing Hezekiah could do to save himself. So he went to the house of God and spread out his need before the Lord. That’s always a wise move. When you respond in faith, a crisis becomes an opportunity for God to demonstrate what He can do on your behalf. The truth is, when you’ve nothing left but God —you’ve got enough! Enough to handle the situation, enough to get through it, and enough to bounce back. Ask yourself, “Is this problem really mine?” Yes, we’re supposed to bear one another’s burdens (See Gal 6:2). But you’re not supposed to let everybody dump their problems on you. Sometimes in our eagerness to rescue others we get in God’s way when He’s dealing with them. And stop listening to round-the-clock news. If you do you’ll begin to “awfulize” and think, “Things are bad everywhere, so I guess I can’t expect any better.” What has God said about you, and your situation? God doesn’t respond to your need, He responds to your faith! So get into the Scriptures and discover what God has to say, then stand on it. 

The Bible says: “Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone…have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see…save us…that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone” (vv. 15-19 NKJV). Hezekiah was in a hopeless situation. An army of 185,000 soldiers was amassed against him, planning to destroy him. But in answer to prayer, God sent an angel to wipe every one of them out. Sometimes bad news comes in the form of a letter, an e-mail or a telephone call. It can come as the sound of screeching tires and broken glass, a lump in your breast, a court date, or a pink slip at work. Bad news knows no class lines, gender or age. It comes to us all. So what should you do when you have a problem you can’t resolve and can’t escape? Do what Hezekiah did: take it to the Lord in prayer. Spread it out before Him. But go to Him first, not last. When you do that you honor Him as “Lord” of the situation and He will respond to you. God’s promise is: “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him” (Ps 91:15). 

Deliverance is when God brings you out of a fiery trial that was meant to destroy you. Total deliverance is when, like the three Hebrew children, He brings you out without even the smell of smoke on you. You see, it’s possible to be delivered but still be ”damaged.” You can hear it in what a person says. They speak only of the past because they stopped living at a certain point. They survived the trauma, but because they haven’t dealt with it the right way they constantly refer back to it. When they talk, part of them is still “in the fire.” Now we are not talking about some “quick fix,” or a “one size fits all” form of healing. Your temperament, your faith level, and the depth of your pain at the time are all determining factors in how long it takes to recover and become whole. But this much is clear: Whatever was binding the three Hebrew children when they went into the fiery furnace, wasn’t binding them when they came out of it. And that’s what God wants to do for you too. Does that mean you’re not supposed to talk about what you’ve been through? No, but don’t talk like a victim, talk like a victor! David said: “He also brought me up out of a horrible pit (the past)…and set my feet upon a rock (the present)…He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord” (the future) (Ps 40:2-3 NKJV). Your experience may be old, but your song will be new. 

For generations the church was silent on the sin of slavery. That’s because it was popular and economically advantageous; not to mention that some church leaders had slaves of their own. But when the church finally acknowledged its wrong, it helped lead the way to reform. Today we can’t even imagine life any other way! Well, some of us are waking up to the fact that caring for God’s creation is not just something “tree huggers” do. A resolution at the Southern Baptist Convention condemning those responsible for the oil spill in the Gulf illustrates this. Southern Baptist theologian Russell Moore, in an eloquent statement about how the oil spill would devastate his beloved home town of Biloxi, Mississippi, acknowledged: “For too long we evangelical Christians have maintained an uneasy ecological conscience. I include myself in this indictment.” Then he asked, “Will people believe us when we speak about the One who brings life, and that abundantly, when they see we don’t care about that which kills and destroys?” The same God who put potatoes in the ground for us to eat, put oil in the ground for us to use. But He surely isn’t happy when we pollute His oceans and kill His creatures in our attempt to get it. “You have made him to have dominion [management and stewardship] over the works of Your hands…even the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea” (Ps 8:6-8 NKJV). Just because we are going to heaven doesn’t mean we can “trash” God’s beautiful earth! 

This word “building” is an architectural term that means to renovate. It implies tearing down what’s not working for you and building up what will. When you don’t understand that, you are left to believe that whatever life has handed you is just the way it is, and you have to take it. You’d be surprised at the number of people who go to church every week just to get a word to help them survive. They sing about faith and talk about it. But when you ask them, “How are you doing?” they say, “I’m just hangin’ on. I’m just hopin’ I can make it through.” Yes, there are times when that will truly be the case. But that should be the exception, not the rule. The Bible says, “We are more than conquerors” (Ro 8:37 NKJV). To be a conqueror means to fight a battle and win it. But to be more than a conqueror means to win a battle—without even having to fight it. Jesus has already fought and won the battle for you. And today He is saying, “I give…you power…over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Lk 10:19). You say, “How do I get this power?” Jude says we can access this power for living by “praying in the Holy Spirit” (v. 20). And you can do it anywhere: in your car on the way to work, on your treadmill, or even in your bathroom. You just need a place where you can be alone with God, praying and reading His Word, building up your faith.

The apostle Jude writes, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.” Jude places the responsibility of building yourself up spiritually and strengthening your faith where it belongs—squarely on you. There are two kinds of faith: mechanical faith and intentional faith. Each time you flip on a light switch you’re exercising mechanical faith. But when you face the unknown, the untried and the undone, you need intentional faith—faith that believes God to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that [you] ask or think” (Eph 3:20 NKJV). If you’re proactive, your faith will grow. If you’re passive, it won’t. Like the rush of water against a riverbank, there’s an erosion of faith that comes simply from living every day. If you don’t do anything to secure and strengthen your faith it begins to deteriorate. Christ told the church at Ephesus to remember the heights from which they had fallen (See Rev 2:5). What a strange thing to say! If you fell from a significant height, don’t you think you’d remember it? Not if the fall was so gradual that you didn’t notice it. So ask yourself: “Have those who know me best begun to notice that the gleam has gone out of my eye, the joy out of my step, the peace out of my spirit and the Word of God out of my conversation?” Faith is like a muscle; if you don’t exercise it consistently it will atrophy and become powerless. So the word for you today is: “Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die” (Rev 3:2 NKJV). 

The word for you today is—stop condemning yourself! God says, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (Isa 43:25). When God says He forgets your sin and you insist on remembering it, it’s like saying your standards are higher than His. That’s akin to idolatry! The Bible says, “God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Eph 4:32). In the Old Testament when someone sinned they brought a lamb to the priest and he would shed its blood on the altar as payment for their sin. Once that was done the record was expunged and the issue was settled. You say, “But I don’t feel forgiven.” Forgiveness comes by faith, not feelings. As long as you live by feelings Satan has a weapon he can use against you at every turn. You say, “But what I did was so wrong.” As long as you have not committed the unpardonable sin, whatever you have done is—pardonable. You say, “But Satan keeps bringing it up.” That’s because he is called the “accuser” (Rev 12:10). But notice how you overcome Satan the accuser: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” (v. 11). Next time Satan accuses you, say, “I’m glad you brought that up.” Then tell him what the blood of Jesus has accomplished on your behalf. If you do that he will flee. Learn from your failure, grow stronger through it, use it to bless others, move on with your life and stop condemning yourself! 

Can you imagine a nation without a leader, a workplace without a boss, or an army without a general? It would be chaotic. Structure creates order; without it no progress can be made. That’s why you don’t park your car in the bedroom or sleep in the garage. Learn to respect those in authority over you. Honor those who have lived longer than you because they possess a wealth of knowledge. Listen to them and grow. Until you learn to take orders you will never be qualified to give them. Jesus understood this. He was the Son of God. He knew more than any other human being, yet He honored the authority of the government in power. When the Pharisees asked Him His opinion on paying taxes He answered, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mk 12:17 NKJV). Are you speaking words of doubt about your own organization? Are you belittling those in authority over you? Stop it now! True, they are not perfect. (Perhaps that’s why they can tolerate you.) If you rebel against every instruction you are given, don’t complain when those around you rebel against your words and opinions. The law of reciprocity states that if you want to be treated with respect, you must respect others. That includes those you don’t agree with, or even like. Jesus did. Pray, “Father, I know that respect for authority is taught in Your Word. So remind me today that my success depends upon my attitude toward those You’ve placed in leadership over me. As I honor them, I believe You will honor me.” 

The Bible says: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came…full of grace and truth.” To know the Lord Jesus Christ personally is to love Him, to love Him is to serve Him, and to serve Him is to experience life’s highest joy and fulfillment. An unknown author wrote the following poem about Jesus. If you know Him as your Lord and Savior it will resonate in your heart. If you don’t, it’s our prayer you will want to accept Him today as your Lord and Savior: 
“I walked life’s way with an easy tread, had followed where comforts and pleasures led; until one day in a quiet place, I met the Master face to face. With station and rank and wealth for my goal, much thought for my body but none for my soul; I entered to win in life’s mad race, when I met the Master face to face. I met Him, and knew Him, and blushed to see that His eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me. And I faltered and fell at His feet that day, while my castles melted and vanished away. Melted and vanished, and in their place, naught else did I see but the Master’s face; And I cried aloud, ‘O, make me meet, to follow the steps of Thy wounded feet.’ My thought is now for the souls of men; I have lost my life to find it again; e’er since one day in a quiet place, I met the Master face to face.” 

Dr. John Maxwell points out that in order to thrive in uncertain territory you must be able to do the following things: (1) Understand your certainty quotient. Think back to your last big decision that turned out right. How certain were you? Eighty percent? Fifty percent? If your best decisions are usually made at the 75 percent mark, that’s your “certainty quotient.” When you reach that point, it’s time to stop debating and start moving. (2) Express your uncertainty with confidence. Never look at successful people and assume that single-handedly and with no hesitation, they fearlessly navigated the currents of uncertainty. No, they just understood that with each step, answers would be given. So instead of pretending to know more than you do, begin to encourage a culture of transparency that fosters the free exchange of ideas. When you don’t know, just say, “I don’t know, but I’ll try to find out.” (3) Consult others. King Solomon wrote more about seeking counsel than any other writer in the Bible. Do kings need good input? Yes, absolutely! And only those with the humility to acknowledge it ever prosper. (4) Measure your success by the scoreboard, not the playbook. Every good coach goes into the game with a plan, but he is willing to change it in order to win. Pencil in your plans, but write your vision in ink! Good leaders, like good coaches, are often forced to abandon or amend some of their plans in order to deliver on the vision. The ones who do are the ones who reach their destination. 

When Moses passed the torch to Joshua, a lot of things had changed. For forty years Joshua had been taught to navigate and survive in a wilderness, but now it was time to enter the Promised Land. And what worked in the wilderness didn’t necessarily work in the Promised Land. Can’t you hear Joshua’s thoughts: “I know a lot about wandering, but not much about warfare.” So God told him, “Be strong and courageous…for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Why would God tell Joshua to be strong and courageous? Because he must have felt anxious! Everything about his new situation reeked of uncertainty. The only thing Joshua knew for sure was that God had said, “Go.” So, “Joshua commanded the…people, saying…‘Prepare…yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan…[and] possess the land” (vv.10-11 NAS). Can’t you imagine the people’s thoughts? Question: “But Joshua, how are we going to get across the river?” Answer: “I’m not sure, but in three days be ready to go.” Question: “But Joshua, what are we going to do when we get to the other side?” Answer: “I’ll tell you when we arrive. Just be ready to move out.” Are you getting the picture? As a leader you will always be uncertain as to many things, especially when you go into new territory. But you can never afford to be unclear or in doubt as to your calling, your vision, and your ultimate victory. And where does such confidence come from? God’s promise, “I am with you.” 

As a leader you’ll be called upon to make decisions regarding relationships, money, time, values, opportunities and disputes. And your decisions will show up on the bottom line. There, in the clear light of day, your leadership will be judged. And there’s something else you need to know; in that realm it takes longer to recognize your brilliance or stupidity, because you’re forced to lead for long periods of time without the benefit of knowing if you made the right call. By the time your crop starts coming in, it’s too late to change your agricultural procedure. You have to wait until the next season of planting. When it comes to leadership, uncertainty is a permanent part of all progress; it never goes away! Furthermore, uncertainty isn’t an indication of poor leadership, it just underscores the need for it; it’s the environment in which good leadership is most often discovered. As a leader you may think you should always know what to do, but in reality there will be few occasions when you are absolutely certain. It’s why King Jehoshaphat prayed, “We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” Since you’ll constantly be called on to make decisions with limited information, your goal should not be to eliminate uncertainty but to develop the ability to trust God and be courageous and clear in spite of it. It’s not your job to remove uncertainty; it’s your job to inspire clarity, faith and progress in the midst of it. When you can do that, you are learning to be a leader. 

Billy Graham says: “The Bible is concerned only incidentally with the history of Israel or a system of ethics. It’s concerned primarily with the story of redemption as it is in Jesus Christ. If you read the Scriptures and miss the story of salvation, you have missed its message and meaning. There have been those who have gone through the Bible and traced the story of Jesus: In Genesis He is the seed of the woman. In Exodus He is the Passover Lamb. In Leviticus He is the Atoning Sacrifice. In Numbers He is the Smitten Rock. In Deuteronomy He is the Greatest Prophet. In Joshua He is the Captain of the Lord’s Host. In Judges He is the Deliverer. In Kings He is the Promised King. In Nehemiah He is the Restorer of the Nation. In Esther He is the Advocate. In Job He is my Redeemer. In Psalms He is my Shepherd. In Proverbs He is my Pattern. In Ecclesiastes He is my Goal. In the Song of Solomon He is my Satisfier. In the Books of the Prophets He is my Coming Prince of Peace. In the Gospels He is the One who came to seek and to save us. In Acts He is our Risen Lord. In the Epistles He is our Representative at the Father’s right hand. In Revelation He is our Returning Lord.” In an age of pop psychology and eclectic theology, the bedrock of our faith is still Christ’s virgin birth, His sinless life, His atoning death, His victorious resurrection, His mediatorial work, and His visible return as King of Kings. Christ—there’s no one like Him! 

If you think you’re not qualified to be used by God, start changing the way you think! When Elijah called Elisha he was plowing. When Jesus called Peter he was fishing. To follow God, Elisha had to leave farming and Peter had to leave fishing. Can’t you imagine Peter’s wife saying, “How are we gonna pay the bills?” Following God is like stepping out on tissue paper and discovering solid rock underneath. But you’ll never discover the rock unless you’re willing to step onto the tissue paper. When God asks you to walk away from a security base that’s been part of your life, you take your talents with you. Matthew, an accountant, took his pen and wrote the first book of the New Testament. When David went to Saul’s palace he took his harp, and went on to write psalms we still sing today. That’s why it’s important to know that it’s God who’s calling you, and to have it confirmed by trusted leadership. If you run before the starter fires the gun you’ll be disqualified from the race. When God calls you, keep these four things in mind: (1) There’s a price to be paid. If you’re willing to pay it you can have God’s best. (2) There’s a path to be walked. Each step is a step of faith. (3) There are principles to be observed. You’ve got to do God’s will, God’s way, in order to be blessed. (4) There’s a promise to sustain you. “Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Jos 1:9 NIV). 

David committed adultery with another man’s wife, got her pregnant, then arranged to have her husband put to death in an attempt to cover it up. Then he married her and thought everything would be okay. But the child became critically ill. Desperately wanting to save the baby’s life, David “fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground. The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food” (vv.16-17 NIV). In spite of all his praying, the child died. Why did God let this happen? Was it because the child deserved better parents? Or because the Bible says that to depart and be with the Lord is “far better” (See Php 1:23)? We don’t have a clear answer. But this much we know: when you have repented of your sin and experienced God’s forgiveness, you must get up and go on with your life. And that’s what David did. “Then David got up from the ground…washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes…went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and…they served him food, and he ate” (2Sa 12:20 NIV). We discover three important things in this story: (1) Until you are willing to make things right with God and those you’ve hurt, you can’t go forward with confidence. (2) Until you process your emotions in a healthy way, whether guilt or grief, you will remain stuck and forfeit the joy of what God has for you next. (3) When you’ve done these two things, get up and get on with your life. 

Overcoming the fear of loneliness requires understanding God’s commitment to you. His fatherhood isn’t based upon mood, sentiment or emotion; it’s based on His unchanging character and reputation. Everything He is, and claims to be, stands or falls apart, depending on His faithfulness to you. “For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own” (1Sa 12:22 NIV). Notice two things in this Scripture: Concern for His good name, and the pleasure He takes in being your Father, are why He will never turn His back on you. Your problems don’t mean that God is judging or disowning you. Satan would love to convince you of that. He will tell you that you’ve failed God, or that God has failed you in order to make you feel unworthy, hopeless, disowned by God and abandoned. No, generations of believers have sung through their soul’s dark night, “Great is thy faithfulness, O God, my father.” In your circumstances and suffering, “God’s loyal love couldn’t have run out, his merciful love couldn’t have dried up. They’re created new every morning. How great your faithfulness!” (Lam 3:22-23 TM). Suffering and adversity don’t cancel His faithfulness, He’s “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8 NKJV). He can’t love you once, and not love you always. “After you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling” (1Pe 5:10 NCV). Today declare, “Nothing can ever separate me from God’s love.” 

To overcome the fear of loneliness you must: (1) Understand who you are. Let scientists argue about whether or not there was a “big bang.” If there was, you were not the result of it! Nor did you descend from an amoeba in a pond. You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps 139:14-15). Made “in his own image” (Ge 1:27). God didn’t assign your creation to His most powerful angels. You’re a hands-on, made-to-order, one-of-a-kind product. As a redeemed child of God you are His “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Eph 2:10 NIV). Believe that and stand on it—regardless of your feelings or your social status. (2) Understand who God is. He calls Himself your “Heavenly Father,” not just your creator and designer. Your creator and designer refer to what He does; your Father refers to who He is. “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isa 9:6 NIV). These aren’t His roles, they’re His proper names. They are capitalized in Scripture because they are what you are to call Him! When Jesus taught us to pray He didn’t begin with “O, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God.” Yes, He’s all of those, but when it comes to us He wants to be recognized and called “Father” (Mt 6:9). That’s how He thinks about us, and wants us to think and to feel about Him. “Father” is meant to convey warmth, security, acceptance, concern, compassion, protection, assurance, provision, etc. He’s your Father—when you grasp the truth of that you will begin to overcome the fear of loneliness. 

Reeds. Few things are more fragile than a bruised reed. In Christ’s day, children playing beside the river made music pipes out of them. They were hollowed out and holes bored in them. But afterwards they were bruised and discarded. Perhaps you once stood tall and strong, nourished and rooted in the riverbed. But now you are hidden in the rushes, bruised by hurtful words, a mate’s betrayal, your own failure, or harsh religion. Wicks. Nothing is closer to extinction than a smoldering wick. When the oil in primitive lamps was gone and the wick burned low, it was extinguished, thrown away as worthless and replaced. Did you once burn with faith, lighting the path for others until the icy winds of criticism, unforgiveness and judgmentalism left you in darkness? What do all these people have in common: A woman trembling before an angry mob threatening to stone her? A house surrounded by people and a paralyzed man on a stretcher begging his friends not to give up until they get him to Christ? A blind man crying out for his sight and disciples telling him to be quiet? They are all bruised reeds and smoldering wicks that Jesus refused to give up on. The world thinks it knows what to do with you—break you off and snuff you out! But not Jesus: “He does not crush the weak, or quench the smallest hope” (TLB). No matter how far gone you may feel today, you’re not beyond the reach of God’s grace. Come, He will treat you gently. He will make you whole again. 

The moment somebody begins to gossip stop them and ask, “Why do I need to know this? Have you talked to the person you’re talking about?” Wise up; people who gossip can’t be trusted! The Bible says that when you listen to gossip you are a troublemaker: “Troublemakers listen to troublemakers.” And Jude adds: “These are the people who divide you, people whose thoughts are only of this world” (Jude v.19 NCV). Those are serious charges. And the Internet has only made the problem worse because now you can spread gossip faster and wider, and remain anonymous while you are doing it. Paul speaks about those who “devour one another…[and your whole fellowship]” (Gal 5:15 AMP). He says they should be avoided and disciplined. When was the last time you saw that happen in church? Solomon said, “A gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler” (Pr 20:19 NRS). In other words, “keep clear of them.” The quickest way to end gossip is to confront those who are spreading it. The church is not a “tell all” television show where we expose people and hang out their dirty linen for all the world to see. Quite the opposite: “Fire goes out for lack of fuel, and tensions disappear when gossip stops” (Pr 26:20 TLB). Jesus taught us how to deal with personal difficulties when they arise: (1) “Work it out between the two of you.” (2) “If he (she) won’t listen, take one or two others along.” (3) “If he (she) still won’t listen, tell the church [leadership]” (Mt 18:15-17 TM). That’s Christ’s way, and it must be our way too. 

Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials” (Jn 16:33 NLT). You solve one problem, and another one comes along to take its place. They’re not all big, but they’re all necessary to your spiritual growth. How do you assess the strength of something? By testing it! The Bible says: “Don’t be…shocked that you are going through testing…It will prepare you” (1Pe 4:12-13 CEV). Some of your most life-enriching experiences will come during your worst moments—when your heart is broken, when you feel abandoned, when you’re out of options, when your pain levels go through the roof—and you turn to God. That’s when you learn to pray heartfelt, honest-to-God prayers. When you’re in pain you don’t have the energy for superficial ones. And that’s when you discover, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted” (Ps 34:18 NLT). God could have kept Joseph out of prison, Daniel out of the lions’ den, Jeremiah out of the slimy pit, and Paul from being shipwrecked, but He didn’t. As a result, each one of them was drawn closer to God and impacted the world around them. Your problems force you to look to God and depend on Him instead of yourself. This is especially hard on superachievers like Paul. “We…saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us” (2Co 1:9 TLB). You’ll never know what God can do until God is all you’ve got. So place your needs into His capable, loving hands, and watch what happens. 

In God’s Kingdom, center stage is not for those who think they’ve got their act together and deserve public recognition. Nor is it limited to those in leadership and public ministry. It’s a call to action, to you, whoever and wherever you are today. When you trust God’s timing He grooms you for bigger and better parts. But there are some things you must, and must not do: (1) Don’t try to make it on your own. Popular wisdom says, “Fake it till you make it,” and you’ll be tempted to debut in your own strength. Don’t do it! If you do, you will get in the way of a much greater production. The Bible says: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Trust God, and when your moment comes He will give you your cue. (2) Leave the shadows. Are you ready to transform “acting” into an authentic performance that reveals the real you? Fear of rejection is powerful. It takes courage to be yourself. But you gain strength from the struggle and power from the pain when you are willing to risk moving from the shadows into the light. (3) Confront your inner critic. We are all subject to the little voice within that says, “You’ll never be smart enough, rich enough, pretty enough or good enough to stand in the spotlight.” But when God raises you up, nobody can put you down. So remind your inner critic of God’s promise: “You shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak” (Jer 1:7 NKJV). 

Do you remember Rosa Parks, the black woman who refused to surrender her seat to a white man and move to the back of the bus? There was more at stake that day than just a ride home from work. By simply being herself, Rosa suddenly moved to center stage. She wasn’t playing games. She was the real thing, and God shone a light on her soul that day that changed history. That’s how it works: when God’s light shines on your efforts, little becomes much. Jesus said, “If you’re content to…be yourself, your life will count.” Now, since God is the only One who knows when your time will come, you must be prepared. “How do I do that?” you ask. The Bible answers: “Be content with who you are…don’t put on airs. God’s…hand is on you; he’ll promote you at the right time” (1Pe 5:6-7 TM). Allow the Holy Spirit to be your agent and advance man. Don’t get ahead of Him. Just be faithful; when the time is right God will shine His spotlight on the next stage and assign you an even bigger role. And when the moment comes for you to stride confidently into the spotlight and fulfill your God-given role, try to remember that there’s no room for self-importance and pretence. This moment calls for: (1) stripping away all lesser roles you’ve acted out and settled for; (2) discovering who you are and what your life is really about; (3) depending totally on God to help you give the most authentic performance of your career. 

Jeremiah told God, “I cannot speak, for I am a youth” (v. 6 NKJV). Sound familiar? Have you been saying, “I don’t have what it takes”? God told Jeremiah, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you” (vv. 7-8 NKJV). When actors audition for a part, the director conducts what are known as “callbacks.” At that point the actor either gets the part or it goes to somebody else. But when an actor is experienced and well-known, sometimes the director offers them the part without them even auditioning for it. Understand this: God doesn’t do auditions and callbacks! That’s because He’s already designed a role for you that nobody else could fill. Even if others were to study you endlessly they still couldn’t be you. When God says, “I know you by name and you have found favor with me” (Ex 33:12 NIV), be careful about responding to any other call except the one that comes from Him. Since God designed you with all the built-in qualifications you need, you don’t have to compromise your convictions, manipulate, drop names or do special favors. The part is yours! And don’t be jealous or intimidated by anybody else no matter how talented they are. In God’s eyes there are no other contenders; you’re it! You’re the only one who can fill the slot because He created it with you in mind. When you feel insecure and unqualified, remind yourself of that. 

Someone has said that mediocrity is just the best of the worst and the worst of the best. Is that what you want this year? If not, you must be willing to leave the safety of where you are, and go where God wants to take you. After fishing all night and catching nothing Jesus told His disciples, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” In other words, leave the safety of the shoreline and be willing to face the fury of the storm, knowing that God is with you. Helen Keller, who overcame incredible challenges, said, “Security is a myth. The reason we don’t experience it is because it doesn’t exist. Avoiding danger or failure is no safer in the long run than outright risk. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Launching out means setting goals, establishing a plan to reach them, and becoming accountable. It requires staying in sync with God’s will, confronting your fears and discovering the rewards that lie on the other side of them. It demands looking in the mirror, and either respecting or correcting what you’re becoming. It calls for devoting your life to something greater than yourself, even when others don’t understand. It’s having an “I will fear no evil for Thou art with me” (Ps 23:4) attitude, and attempting great things for God. As you enter this New Year, stop and recall God’s goodness. Check the price tag on His will for your life against what you’re already paying, and compare the rewards of both. Then, “launch out” and don’t look back! 

To start the New Year right you must let go of any old grudges that are weighing you down. Philip Yancey describes forgiveness as an unnatural act and says, “You don’t find dolphins forgiving sharks for eating their playmates. It’s a dog-eat-dog world…not a dog-forgive-dog world.” Grudges come naturally when you’ve been hurt, whereas forgiving requires God’s enabling grace. Jesus said, “If you do not forgive…your Father will not forgive your sin” (Mt 6:15 NIV). Humanly speaking, there’s not one single reason God should forgive your sins, yet the offenses He pardons you for every day far outweigh anything you’ll ever be asked to forgive others for. By forgiving, you change the whole dynamic. You open the door of a prison where you are both prisoner and jailer, setting yourself and the other person free. Grudges not only isolate you from people who were once friends, they actually shorten your life by producing deadly enzymes that contribute to a host of physical ailments. One man told his counselor, “I wish my brother could come to my wedding, but we haven’t spoken in years.” The counselor asked, “How come?” Pausing, the man replied, “It sounds ridiculous now, but I don’t even remember.” Drifting apart is the natural result of an unforgiving spirit; forgiveness reverses the trend by restoring and healing broken relationships. It’s a medical fact that forgiveness adds years to your life. As a rule, when you talk to people who’ve passed the eighty-year mark you find they are at peace with themselves—because they’ve learned to forgive and let go. 

She was safe as long as she stayed in the house. Before conquering Jericho, Joshua sent two spies in on a reconnaissance mission. That’s when they met Rahab and she befriended them. As a result they gave her a scarlet cord to hang from her window, identifying her house as “off limits” to the invading army. But notice the instructions that were given to her: “If any one goes outside your house into the street, his blood will be on his own head.” There’s a lesson here: if you’re a procrastinator the lesson is: “Get into the household of faith while you still have time!” If you’re drifting away from God the message is, “Don’t leave the house.” When it comes to the importance of staying under God’s protection, here are two great Bible illustrations: (1) “You shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood…And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning” (Ex 12:22 NKJV). (2) “Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, ‘Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved’” (Ac 27:31 NKJV). Are you getting the message? Stay in church. Stay in God’s Word. Stay in the place of prayer. Stay in the company of those who can build you up spiritually. The hour is too late and the attack is too great. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Ps 91:1 NKJV).

What she trusted in stood, when what everybody else trusted in fell. What did Rahab trust in? Her morality? No, the Bible says she was a harlot. Her nationality? No, she was a Gentile, and therefore excluded from the blessings of Abraham. So what did she trust in? A scarlet cord! What a beautiful picture of the power and protection afforded us by Christ’s shed blood. “You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” Notice what the blood of Jesus has rescued you from: “The empty way of life.” Do you remember when you had no interest in church because your soul was at war with God; the God who brokered peace between you and Himself? “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled” (Col 1:21 NKJV). How did it happen? “Having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Col 1:20 NKJV). You say, “But I still fall far short of God’s standards.” We all do. And God has made provision for that: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1Jn 1:9 NKJV). When Joshua’s troops saw the scarlet cord flying from the window of Rahab’s home it meant she was accepted by God. And Christ’s blood does that for you. 

While everybody else was preparing to fight, she was preparing to surrender. Somehow Rahab had heard about the things God had done for Israel; how He’d turned the Red Sea to a red carpet, converted rocks into drinking fountains, made breakfast for them every morning in the wilderness, and dried up the waters of the Jordan River. Rahab may not have been wise when it came to her body, but she was wiser than everybody else in town when it came to her soul. She wasn’t about to fight God, for she knew it’s a fight you can’t win. For her the path to victory was—surrender! And that is the right path for you too. If only you’ll stop trying to “run the show” and turn your life over to Christ, He will take you to places of blessing you‘ve always dreamed of, longed for, but didn’t know how to get to. God had a great future for Rahab. He planned to make her a progenitor to King David, and also our blessed Lord Jesus. How’s that for recycling? And God, who loves both the down-’n’-outer and the up-’n’-outer, will do the same for you regardless of the spiritual condition you may be in today. Read this: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me…I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes” (vv. 11-14 NLT). 

For the next few days let’s look at the story of Rahab the harlot. She lived in a doomed civilization. God told Abraham, “I give to you and your descendants…all the land of Canaan” (Ge 17:8 NKJV). Since Rahab lived on the “wall” of Jericho, in a sense she lived on the “brink of doom.” So do we. Today leaders are scrambling to stop the spread of nuclear weapons because in the wrong hands they have the power to destroy the world. The Bible speaks of a rider on a red horse with a weapon of such destructive potential, it could remove peace from the earth (See Rev 6:4). Could that be a nuclear device? Peter writes: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?” (2Pe 3:10-12 NKJV). Should we be frightened? No, the death throes of this old order are just the birth pangs of a new one. “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found in Him in peace, without spot and blameless” (vv. 13-14 NKJV). What God has in store for His redeemed people—is awesome! 

The Christmas story goes like this: “Now there were…shepherds…keeping watch over their flocks by night. And behold an angel of the Lord stood before them…the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (vv. 8-12 NKJV). Have you ever wondered why the angel talked to shepherds, a job considered to be the lowest on the social totem pole? Think about it: if he’d talked to church leaders they’d have had to consult their doctrinal textbooks and denominational boards. If he’d appeared to celebrities they’d have had to check and see who was watching. If he’d appeared to chief executives they’d have had to consult their Day-Timers and spreadsheets. So he gave the greatest news story in history to those with no axe to grind, no reputation to protect, and no ladder to climb; people with humble hearts and open minds; people with simple, child-like faith. Getting the idea? Outside Bethlehem there is a church marking Jesus’ birthplace. Behind the altar is a cave with a symbolic star embedded in the floor. You can enter the cave, but with one requirement—you must kneel. The door is too low to get in standing up! God still operates that way. You will find Him among the commonplace. But to experience Him, you must get down on your knees. 

The Bible says: “There was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout…and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come…The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Lord, now I can die in peace…I have seen the Savior’” (See Lk 2:25-34 NLT). The story of Simeon teaches us three important truths: (1) No matter how long it takes, if you seek the Lord you will find Him. Or better yet, He will find you and reveal Himself to you. (2) God, not you, chooses the time and the manner in which He will come to you. Simeon didn’t get to see Christ’s amazing ministry during His three and a half years on earth. He only saw a newborn baby in Mary’s arms. But he saw God, and that was enough for him. (3) Even though he was “very devout,” Simeon realized that he was ready to die only when he met the Lord and embraced Him. Some of us don’t want to die until we’ve seen the world; Simeon didn’t want to die until he had seen the Redeemer of the world. So the question you must answer is—have you met the Lord? Is He your personal Savior? Only when you have the right answer, are you ready to die. 

Heaven announced the birth of Jesus in these words: “The virgin will…give birth to a son, and…call him Immanuel—which means, ‘God with us.’” Isn’t it ironic that the first people to question the miracle of the virgin birth were religious leaders? The Pharisees said to Jesus, “We were not born of fornication” (Jn 8:41 NKJV). Their insinuation was clear, and cruel. After all, Jesus couldn’t point to Joseph and say, “He’s My father.” Understand this: Jesus had to be man in order to die, and He had to be God in order to save. You were the child of an earthly father so you were “born in sin.” But Jesus was the child of a heavenly Father so He broke the genetic cycle of sin before He was born. In the Old Testament a sacrificial lamb had to be without blemish (birth defect) or spot (something picked up along the way). Since Jesus had neither inherited sin nor practiced sin, He qualifies as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). The virgin birth is true because: (a) The angel of the Lord announced it (See Mt. 1:20). (b) Mary’s husband-to-be accepted it (See Mt. 1:24). (c) Elizabeth, her cousin, received it by divine revelation (See Lk 1:41-42). (d) The story was written by a well-respected medical doctor who knew the character of all concerned: “Since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you…that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught” (Lk 1:3-4 NIV). 

It’s not that you don’t know this, it’s that you keep forgetting it and need to be reminded of it: God can use you! Yes, the same God who worked through Moses and Esther, Deborah and Paul, works today through imperfect people like you. He can give you victory in the place of defeat and turn last year’s humiliation into this year’s celebration. All the great achievers in the Bible had one thing in common: they were just ordinary folks who took risks in obedience to God, believed Him and ended up doing amazing things. Can you imagine trying to fill Moses’ shoes? God had used him to dry up the Red Sea, wipe out the Egyptian army, receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, and feed millions of Israelites every day in the wilderness. How would you like to follow someone like that? The thought of it must have shaken Joshua to his core. But God reassured him: “No man shall be able to stand before you…as I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (Jos 1:5 NKJV). Once he heard those words he had the confidence needed to pick up where Moses left off. The Bible says, “We walk by faith, not by sight.” The Devil doesn’t mind you speaking words of faith as long as you don’t take steps of faith. So trust God. When He says something to you it’s always for a good reason. When He tells you to do something, He will give you the strength and resources to do it. What’s God asking you to do? Step out in faith and do it!

Your habits either work for you or against you. Take any habit you practice, multiply it by 365 days, then multiply it by seventy or eighty years and you can write your own obituary. Simply stated: great people have great habits. One billionaire says, “I arrive at my office at seven a.m. It is a habit.” A best-selling author says, “I get up at the same time every day. I start writing at eight a.m. and quit at four each afternoon. I do it every day. It is a habit.” Jesus was a creature of habit. “And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his [habit] was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day” (Lk 4:16). Daniel prayed three times a day. His prayer life was so predictable that his enemies used it to trap him. When measured by the same standard, how is your prayer life? 
Habit is a gift from God. It’s said that if you can do something consistently for twenty-one days you have proven that you can do it for twenty-one years. Will you slip at times? Sure, you’re only human. But once you have tasted success it’s hard to be satisfied with less. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples” (Jn 8:31 NAS). Note the word “continue;” it’s the secret of true greatness. Your success can be found in your daily routine. If you’re serious about changing your life you must stop practicing bad habits and start instituting good ones. 

The New Testament church grew so fast that the apostles couldn’t keep up with it. So they said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word” (vv. 2-4 NIV). As a result the Word of God spread, the church kept growing, and key leaders in the city of Jerusalem were won to Christ. It’s vital that you discover the area where you add the most value—and stay there. Why don’t we? (1) Turf guarding. We think, “This is my job; nobody does it but me.” Just because you’ve always done a particular job doesn’t mean you should keep doing it. What if God wants to write a new chapter in your life? (2) Being overloaded. People with too much on their plate tend to reject the very thing that will help them, thinking it’s just one more burden to carry. (3) The martyr complex. When complaining about your lot in life gets you the attention of others, you make it a lifestyle. But it doesn’t work. People begin to avoid you because they don’t see you doing anything to change the situation. (4) Not knowing what’s “right” for you. Only when the apostles delegated the administrative side of things to others and got back to what they were called to do, did things start to go right. Think about it. 

Don’t be surprised when God calls you to step out in faith and do something you don’t feel qualified to do. That tends to be His standard operating procedure. He does it so that you will lean more on Him, and less on yourself. Does that mean you won’t make mistakes? No, it means you probably will. But instead of being discouraged, you’ll see them as part of the learning curve and go on to greater things. Often we look at a task and think, “There’s no way I can do that.” Hold on there; you’re looking through the wrong end of the telescope! You’re looking at yourself instead of God. When God called Joshua to take the place of Moses, He promised Him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” (Jos 1:5). Now if God promises to be with you, and He does, then that is all you need. His strength is actually showcased through your weakness (See 2Co 12:9). Whatever ingredients you lack in the natural realm, you can withdraw from your account in the spiritual realm: “Be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides].” What kind of might is available to you? Boundless might! And where do you draw it from? The ultimate source—God! You are empowered and equipped as you work with Him, so stop selling yourself short. Armed with His might you have more capabilities than you think, and you are able to do a lot more than you’ve done in the past. So put your confidence in God and stop doubting yourself. 

Growing old graciously should be one of your life’s goals. You don’t need to fear aging, or try to gloss over your uneasiness about approaching it, or attempt to cover up your anxiety. The story’s told of a lady buying a new hat. When she tried one on, her friend said, “My, that hat makes you look ten years younger.” Quickly she put it back on the shelf and said, “I don’t want that one. I’d hate to look ten years older every time I took it off!” Mother Nature and Father Time may have brought you backaches, baldness and bifocals, but you don’t have to act old. And you don’t have to think old. Instead of trying to add years to your life, try adding life to your years. Instead of resenting the fact that you are getting old, think how much you would resent being denied the privilege. When asked how he felt about turning eighty, President Dwight D. Eisenhower replied, “It sure does beat the alternative!” If you are still alive, God kept you around for a reason. Find out what it is, then pour every day and every ounce of energy you’ve left into it. You can be “old” at twenty-five and “young” at eighty-five. You are only old when you feel old; or feel like you know all there is to know; or find yourself saying, “I’m too old to do that;” or think that tomorrow holds no promise; or take no interest in the activities of youth; or would rather talk than listen; or long for the “good old days,” feeling they were the best. 

When do the golden years begin? With your first gray hairs? When somebody says you remind them of their father instead of their brother? If you can still sleep—dream. If you can still work—plan. Take on new projects, make new friends, learn new skills, venture into a new ministry, take a short-term mission trip, volunteer for a worthy cause. Your golden years are not to be wasted, they are to be invested. 
With God, there is no generation gap. “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together” (Jer 31:13). The Psalmist said, “When I am old…Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.” They say young people aren’t interested in older people. Don’t you believe it! Young people are looking for those with wisdom and experience. They trust them when it comes to counsel and guidance, and you can be such a person. Don’t be like the old man who said, “It’s not hard to tell when your youth has been spent, ’coz your get-up-and-go has got up and went.” Get up and go after it! Caleb was climbing mountains and slaying giants in his last years. And Caleb’s God is your God! At a hundred and twenty, Moses’ eyes were not dim and his strength had not gone (See Dt 34:7). And Moses’ God is your God! At seventy, Paul announced, “I am eager to come to…Rome…to preach the Good News” (Ro 1:15 NLT). And Paul’s God is your God! Keep the torch burning brightly, then hand it off to the next runner before you go. 

Sometimes we joke about getting older and say things like, “I’m thirty-nine, and holding,” meaning we don’t want to turn forty and be considered “old.” As long as you have a dream in your heart you will never be old. The Psalmist said: “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread” (Ps 37:25). The main fear about aging is ending up lonely, needy and unwanted. As living costs go up and pensions go down it’s wonderful to be able to say, “My God shall supply all [my] needs” (Php 4:19 NKJV). Your golden years can be the greatest years of your life. All the things you wanted to do when you didn’t have time are now available to you. “I wish I had more time to read.” Now you can. “I wish I had more time to spend in prayer.” Now you can. So many things: travel, ministry, grandchildren, hobbies, visiting friends; now you have time to enjoy them. Job 5:26 speaks of going to the grave in a full age. Judges 8:32 speaks of a good old age. Genesis 25 speaks of old men and women, full of years. You can die—full of years! That word “full” means filled to the brim and running over. How good is that? Senior citizen, God has a word for you today: “Even to your old age…even to gray hairs I will carry you!” (Isa 46:4 NKJV). Do you remember the commercial for Maxwell House coffee, “Good to the last drop”? Make that your life’s motto!

It is always a lot easier to stand on the sidelines and take potshots than to get involved and try to help. The Bible repeatedly warns us not to criticize, compare, or condemn one another. When you judge what someone else is doing in sincere faith, you are on dangerous ground with God. “What right do you have to [judge] someone else’s servants? Only their Lord can decide if they are doing right” (CEV). Since you are not their “lord,” you need to exercise wisdom and restraint. Refuse to stand in judgment on those whose opinions differ from yours. Here Paul weighs in: “Why, then…criticize your brother’s actions, why…try to make him look small? We shall all be judged one day, not by each other’s standards or even by our own, but by the judgment of God” (Ro 14:10-11 PHPS). 
Whenever you take it upon yourself to analyze, scrutinize and categorize one of God’s children, four things happen: (1) You upset their Father. (2) You display your ego and insecurity. (3) You set the standard by which you yourself will be judged. (4) You alienate people. When you get a reputation for being critical, people will avoid you like a plague. They know that if you criticize others you will criticize them too. The Bible says: “Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault” (Ro 14:19 TM). Someone said, “The largest room in the world is room for improvement.” If you doubt that, look at the disciples Christ picked and promoted—then look in the mirror. 

Let’s look at two sinners Jesus welcomed: (1) Matthew. As a tax collector working for the Romans, he was hated by his own people, the Jews. But Jesus had special plans for him. Because he was skilled in keeping records Jesus not only saved his soul but salvaged his talents. As a result he ended up writing the first of the four Gospels. Do you still think God can’t use you? Not a chance. The fact that Matthew invited Jesus over to his house for dinner is surprising. The fact that Jesus accepted is truly amazing. That’s because “This man welcomes sinners.” (2) Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus so badly that he climbed up a tree. He was willing to go out on a limb to find God. “When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people…began to mutter, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a “sinner.”’ But Zacchaeus…said to the Lord…‘Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody…I will pay back four times the amount.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house’” (Lk 19:5-9 NIV). The Bible says that God “is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb 11:6). So be diligent in your search. Be persistent in your quest and relentless in your pilgrimage. Turn away from the puny pursuit of possessions and positions and seek the Lord. You will not be disappointed! 

The Bible says: “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming…’The time has come…The kingdom of God is near’” (vv.14-15 NIV). The average preacher takes three years to prepare for a ministry that will last thirty years or so. Jesus did the reverse. He took thirty years to prepare for a ministry that would last just over three. What’s the point? The quality of your preparation determines the quality of your performance. The world’s greatest pianists invest hundreds of hours into practice before a concert. That’s because they know those grueling hours of preparation will allow them to give their best performance. World champion boxers don’t become champions in the ring; they are merely recognized in the ring. Their “becoming” is a result of their daily routine. Something important is happening at each stage of your development. For example, God can introduce you to someone today who will play a major role in your life twenty or thirty years from now. If you’re in a hurry you may not stop long enough to connect with them. Think what a loss that would be. Waiting also reveals the weakness in your plans. Haven’t you looked back and said, “Thank You, Lord, for saving me from that!” Each chapter and season of life has a benefit and a product if only you will look for it. Before Christ launched His ministry, we read: “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Lk 2:52). Jesus understood the value of timing and training. He was willing to wait and prepare Himself. You must too. 

Have you ever encountered a homeless person, given them some money, watched them shuffle away and wondered, “Have I just paid for their next drink or drug, or rewarded laziness?” In some cases you may be right, in other cases wrong. So what should you do? In Second Corinthians chapter eight God gives us a plan we can understand and follow. The Macedonian church did it this way: (1) Both the well-off and the needy participated. They all gave, even those in “extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity…[and] gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability” (vv. 2-3 NIV). (2) They gave gladly, not under pressure. “Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing” (vv.3-4). (3) Their giving flowed from their devotion to Christ. “They gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us” (v.5). They didn’t give to impress others, or for a tax deduction, or to get the preacher off their backs, or because they “felt bad” for the needy. No, it was a natural response to being in love with Jesus. (4) The church leaders received, oversaw and distributed their collective giving. They didn’t give naively, trusting the integrity of the unknown and unproven. Their leaders handled and distributed their gifts openly, consistently, and with accountability. They knew the finances were handled honestly “in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men” (v. 21). Bottom line: you can give without loving, but you can’t love without giving to those God loves. 

When it comes to charitable giving some folks say, “That’s Old Testament doctrine. What’s the New Testament teaching?” Glad you asked! Jesus launched His ministry saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18 NIV). And it didn’t stop with Jesus. The New Testament church carried out Christ’s mission of mercy on a daily basis. “All the believers…shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.” As a result, they experienced “great joy” (Ac 2:44-46 NLT). You say, “Won’t that leave me financially strapped?” No. Because of their compassion and generosity: “There was not a needy person among them” (Ac 4:34 NAS). The giver and receiver were both blessed. The rules of God’s Kingdom are: “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (Pr 11:24-25 NLT). It seems counterintuitive, especially when you are struggling financially, but God promises that the generous will prosper. Your giving initiates God’s giving back to you. So look for someone in need, give, and watch it come back to you. The Bible says, “The Lord blesses everyone who freely gives food to the poor” (Pr: 22:9 CEV). “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing.” Try it. Next time God nudges you to show compassion and give, do it. Then when you have a need, pray, “Lord, I have honored You, now I believe You will honor me.” 

Even in a bad economy most of us are still better off than others, and better off than we have ever been. We may lack the latest, the biggest, the finest and the fastest, but we seldom lack the necessary, right? Now God doesn’t “guilt-trip” us, but He does want us to “Consider [remember, be mindful of] the poor.” The Bible says, “He who shuts his ear to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered” (Pr 21:13 NAS). Could this be a key to your prayers getting answered? To be comfortably provided for is a blessing, but you must not forget those in need. 
What is God’s attitude toward the poor? And what does He expect of us? “If there is a poor man among your brothers…do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward [him]…and give him nothing…you will be found guilty of sin” (Dt 15:7-9 NIV). Helping others is an obligation, not an option. In Scripture the tithe took care of God’s work and God’s servants, but it was also to be shared with “the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat…and be satisfied” (Dt 26:12 NIV). God said: “If one of your countrymen becomes poor…unable to support himself…help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you” (Lev 25:35 NIV). The truth is, we’ve been called to feed, shelter and clothe the needy (See Isa 58:5-12). God is compassionate and generous to the poor, and He promises us His blessing for following His example. 

The Bible records: “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh, my lord, what shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don’t be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those are who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (vv.15-17 NIV). By God’s power, the servant saw angels. And God can help you to see His hand at work in what you’re going through today. He never promises to remove us from our struggles, but He promises to change the way we look at them. After listing many of his problems, Paul writes: “In all these things we have complete victory through God” (Ro 8:35-37 GNT). We’d prefer another preposition. We’d opt for “apart from all these things,” but Paul says, “In all these things.” The solution is not to avoid trouble, but to change the way we see it. God asks, “Who gives a person sight?” Then answers, “It is I, the Lord” (See Ex 4:11). God let Elisha’s servant see an army of angels, Jacob see a ladder that went into heaven, and Saul of Tarsus see Jesus on the road to Damascus. The blind man said to Jesus, “I want to see” (Mk 10:51 NIV), and he walked away with clear vision. Today ask God to let you see His hand in it. 

The word Gethsemane means “crushed olives.” And from crushed olives comes oil that heals, illuminates, and nourishes. We all have our Gethsemane. To understand and embrace yours, look at the night Christ spent there before going to the cross: “Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them…‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch [pray] with me.’ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will’” (vv.36-39 NIV). Notice: (1) Gethsemane is where your prayers are not answered as you’d like them to be. God understands how you feel, and He has a better plan in mind. (2) Gethsemane is where those closest to you cannot help. Like Christ’s disciples, they will pray with you for a while but then grow tired and give up. At this point, you pray alone. You go on alone. (3) Gethsemane is where you feel the full weight of God’s will. The Old Testament prophets spoke of “the burden of the Word of the Lord.” Luke tells us that in Gethsemane Jesus was “full of pain” and that “his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (See Lk 22:44). We used to sing in church, “All that I have, all that I am, all I shall ever be; cannot repay the love debt I owe; I surrender to Thee!” If you’re finding it easier to sing than to surrender, you’re in Gethsemane! 

Nancy and Ed Huizinga were at church rehearsing for the Christmas program when their home burned down. It wasn’t their first tragedy that year. Three months earlier when a friend, a widow with two teenagers, died of cancer, the Huizingas took her kids to live with them as part of the family. So when their house was destroyed it wasn’t just their home they lost, it was home to two kids who’d already lost their parents. The following week as they sifted through the ashes they found a slip of paper that survived the fire. On it they read these words: “Contentment: Realizing God has already provided everything we need for our present happiness.” God gives you “more grace” when you walk through fiery trials. One Bible teacher says: “Our perspective changes when we catch a glimpse of the purpose of Christ. Take that away, and it’s nothing more than a bitter, terrible experience. Suffering comes in many forms, but His grace is always there to carry us beyond it. I’ve endured a sufficient number of trials to say without hesitation that only Christ’s perspective can replace resentment with rejoicing. Jesus is the central piece of suffering’s puzzle. If we fit Him into place, the rest begins to make sense.” Donna VanLiere writes: “When life blindsides us…and the diagnosis, abuse, foreclosure, broken marriage, death, or financial collapse brings us to our knees…grace says there’s more love after infidelity, more joy after the diagnosis, and more life after financial ruin…grace is real…an indomitable gift with power to change your life. But it comes with one condition—like any gift, you have to reach out and take it.” 

There’s a wonderful story behind the success of Mark Victor Hansen and Jack Canfield’s Chicken Soup for the Soul books. At first they had a very difficult time getting anyone to publish the book, and an equally hard time getting anybody to buy it. Then one day they got a piece of advice from a teacher called Scolastico, who told them, “If you would go every day to a very large tree and take five swings at it with a very sharp axe, eventually, no matter how large the tree, it would have to come down.” So Hansen and Canfield developed what they call “the rule of five.” Every day they did five specific things that would move them closer to their dream of selling books. They write: “Every day it meant having five radio interviews, or sending out five copies to editors who might review the book, or calling five network marketing companies and asking them to buy the book as a motivational tool for their sales people, or giving a seminar to at least five people and selling the book in the back of the room…We wrote press releases, we called in to talk shows (some at 3:00 a.m.)…we even got gas stations, bakeries and restaurants to sell the book. It was a lot of effort—a minimum of five things a day, every day, day in and day out —for over two years.” As a result, Chicken Soup for the Soul has sold 112 million copies in forty-one languages. With tenacious faith, you too will begin to make progress toward your dream. 

There is a strong relationship between our movement toward our dreams, and the resources we need becoming available to us. Too often we want to see the resources, or have them in hand before we start moving forward. When we do that, we have neither the resources nor the movement. We need to be like the snail that started climbing up the apple tree one cold day in February. As he inched his way upward, a worm stuck his head out from a crevice in the tree and said, “You’re wasting your energy. There isn’t a single apple up there.” The snail kept on climbing, and replied, “No, but there will be by the time I get up there!” Over and over in Scripture God sent people out with what seemed like little, or inadequate resources. But when they got to where God wanted them to be, the resources needed to get the job done were in place waiting for them. Vision doesn’t follow resources, it happens the other way around. First we have a dream, then we have to move forward. Then—and only then—do people and resources follow. Then the plan God has given to us begins to fall into place. A wise man once said, “Effort only releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.” People who succeed “see” what others don’t. It’s what keeps them moving forward. “It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.” 

Successful people do not spend the majority of their time thinking about what must be done. Instead, they spend twice as much time reflecting on what they have already accomplished, and on how they are capable of accomplishing what they set out to do. Football coach John Wooden said, “Things turn out best, for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” Pursuing a God-given dream is a bumpy ride, as every leader in the Bible found out. And only those who think right succeed. The greatest gap between successful people and unsuccessful people is the thinking gap. This is especially so when it comes to failure. Successful people see failure as a regular part of success, and they get over it. Jonah Salk, the developer of the polio vaccine, said: “As I look upon the experience of an experimentalist, everything that you do is, in a sense, succeeding. It’s telling you what not to do, as well as what to do. Not infrequently, I go into the laboratory, and people would say something didn’t work. And I say, ‘Great, we’ve made a great discovery!’ If you thought it was going to work, and it didn’t work, that tells you as much as if it did. So my attitude is not one of pitfalls; my attitude is one of challenges and ‘what is nature telling me?’” Such tenacity only comes from right thinking, and it is the hallmark of all successful people. They keep trying, keep learning, and keep moving forward. They win the battle in their minds, and then it overflows into what they do. 

Too many of us stand on the dock waiting. We want the ship in place, the gangplank perfectly positioned, the weather right, and an engraved invitation before we’re willing to launch out. It will never happen! Dreams don’t move toward us, we have to move toward them. One author writes: “It’s time to quit waiting for perfection, inspiration, permission, reassurance, someone to change, the right person to come along, the kids to leave home, the new administration to take over, an absence of risk, someone to discover you, a clear set of instructions, more self-confidence, or the pain to go away. Instead of saying, ‘We’ve never done it before,’ say, ‘We have the opportunity to be first.’ Instead of saying, ‘We don’t have the resources,’ say, ‘Necessity fuels invention.’ Instead of saying, ‘There’s not enough time,’ say, ‘We’ll change how we work.’ Instead of saying, ‘We’ve already tried that,’ say, ‘We learned from experience.’ Instead of saying, ‘We don’t have the expertise,’ say, ‘Let’s network with those who do.’ Instead of saying, ‘Our vendors and customers won’t go for it,’ say, ‘Let’s show them the opportunities.’ Instead of saying, ‘We don’t have enough money,’ say, ‘Maybe there’s something we can cut.’ Instead of saying, ‘We’re understaffed,’ say, ‘We’re a lean, hungry team.’ Instead of saying, ‘It’ll never get any better,’ say, ‘We’ll try one more time.’ Instead of saying, ‘Let somebody else deal with it,’ say, ‘I’m ready to learn something new.’ Instead of saying, ‘It’s not my job,’ say, ‘I’ll be glad to take the responsibility.’ Instead of saying, ‘I can’t,’ say, ‘By God’s grace I can!’” 

Some of us are like a closed book; people never get to know what’s on the inside of us. Jesus was not afraid to be vulnerable. He wept openly at the grave of His friend Lazarus. So, can you show honest emotion? Do you talk of the trophies you have won but not the tears you have shed? When you speak only of your success but fail to share what you went through to achieve it, you leave people feeling like they’ll never be able to rise as high as you have. Is that what you want? Jesus was infuriated when the strong took advantage of the weak; it’s why He threw the moneychangers out of the temple. Yet He wept over the people of Jerusalem because He knew what the consequences of their rejecting Him would be. Now we’re not talking about displays of uncontrolled temper, or dissolving into tears each time trouble comes. But unless you have the ability to show an appropriate level of empathy and transparency, you will have no credibility. The Bible says: “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven…A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance” (Ecc 3:1,4 NLT). If you are able to be tough but not tender, people may admire your achievements and comply with your instructions, but they will keep you at a distance. And you will be lonely. But it’s a self-imposed loneliness brought on by your unwillingness to open up and let them in. Jesus showed honest emotion; you must too. 

Joshua had already tasted the joys of the Promised Land. But now he had to go back and wait until Moses died and every doubter in Israel was buried. Observe: (1) Some of our old ways must die. Moses represented the old system. It was good for then, but not now. When you align yourself with what was, instead of what is, you’re not ready. There are still too many folks you need to impress. You’re so bound by certain philosophies that when God says it’s time to move, you have to consult somebody else. When God told Joshua, “Moses My servant is dead…arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them,” there was only one correct response: “Yes, Lord!” You must honor the past, but not get stuck in it. You must stand on the truth, but seek God for fresh instructions and insights if you’re to reach your destiny. (2) Your doubts must be buried. Only two out of the twelve spies who went into the Promised Land believed God would give it to them. The other ten saw giants, caved in to doubt, died and were buried in the wilderness. And every doubt that’s holding you back has got to die and be buried too, including the voice of your low self-esteem, your childhood fears, your anxieties and your critics. Gather them up, put them in a box, bury it, stand on top of it and say, “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” Before you can move ahead you must understand and live by these principles. 

At age six, Henry John Heinz began helping his mother tend the small garden behind their family home. At twelve, he was working three and a half acres of garden, using a horse and cart for his three-times-a-week deliveries to grocery stores throughout the city of Pittsburg. He went on to found his own company and named it 57 Varieties. The Henry John Heinz Company was incorporated in 1905, and today, over one hundred years later, it sells more than thirteen hundred products worldwide, ranging from ketchup to baby food. But there are other things you need to know: Henry John Heinz loved Jesus and was deeply involved in the promotion of Sunday school in Pittsburg and around the world. His company was noted for pioneering safe and sanitary food preparation and for being ahead of its time in employee relations. He provided free medical benefits, swimming and gymnasium facilities, and promoted women to positions of greater responsibility, making them supervisors. He earned a reputation for enhancing the working and living conditions of his workers. In his will, Henry John Heinz said: “I desire to set forth at the very beginning of this will, as the most important item in it, a confession of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior. I also desire to bear witness to the fact that throughout my life, in which there were unusual joys and sorrows, I have been wonderfully sustained by my faith in God through Jesus Christ. This legacy was left to me by my consecrated mother, a woman of strong faith, and to it I attribute any success I have attained.”

In 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested in Alabama for refusing to give her seat on the bus to a white man. Boycotts and bloodshed followed until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation unconstitutional. Later Rosa wrote: “Knowing what must be done does away with fear. When I sat down on the bus that day I’d no idea history was being made, I was only thinking about getting home. But I had to make up my mind. After many years of being a victim…not giving up my seat, and whatever I had to face afterwards, wasn’t important…I felt the Lord would give me the strength to endure whatever I had to face. It was time for someone to stand up—or in my case, sit down.” Courage is displayed at unexpected moments; what you do in such moments can change you, and those around you. The story’s told of a spy who was sentenced to death by a general in the Persian Army. The general had a strange custom of giving condemned criminals a choice between the firing squad and “the big door.” When the general asked, “What will it be?” the spy chose the firing squad. Turning to his aide the general said, “They always prefer the known to the unknown, yet, we gave them a choice.” The aide asked, “What lies beyond the big door?” The general replied, “Freedom.” Then he added, “Few are brave enough to take that door.” The dividing line between mediocrity and success is courage. That’s why David told his son Solomon upon ascending the throne: “Be strong and of good courage, and do it.” 

Joshua discovered four reasons why you need to be strong and demonstrate courage. Yesterday we looked at the first two. Today let’s look at the next two: (3) For the sake of others. People are watching you. They want to know if you’ll face the situation with courage or buckle before it in fear. Your ability to demonstrate faith in the midst of difficulties will give them courage. The battle is not just about you, it’s about those God has planned to bless through you. You may not have money or fame, but you have—influence. The attitudes you display and the decisions you make will influence your children and your grandchildren. You say, “But I am afraid.” We all experience fear. But the Psalmist declared, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Ps 56:3 NKJV). (4) For your enemies’ sake. David wrote: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” (Ps 23:5 NKJV). God will not only fight for you, He will vindicate you in the eyes of your critics. It’s good to have critics and competitors. Sometimes a foe can press you into victory where a friend cannot. Who would ever have heard of David, without Goliath? Who would have known about Moses, if there had been no Pharaoh oppressing God’s people? And what would have been known about Esther, without Haman’s evil plot against the Jews? What’s your dream? Is there an enemy standing between you and its fulfillment? Dare to confront them and they will become an instrument in God’s hand to press you into your destiny. 

Why did God say to Joshua, “Be strong and of good courage”? For four reasons: (1) For Joshua’s own sake. God had a lot invested in Joshua; the future of an entire nation rested on his shoulders. And since God has a lot invested in you too, you must believe that it’s His will for you to succeed. If you grew up in a family or church where you felt unworthy of God’s favor and unentitled to His blessing, you must reprogram your mind with the Scriptures. “Then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Jos 1:8 NKJV). (2) For the Lord’s sake. God told Joshua, “Do not be afraid…for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Jos 1:9 NKJV). God’s reputation was on the line. The nations in Canaan had heard how He delivered the Israelites from slavery, drowned the Egyptian army in the Red Sea, and fed His people with food from heaven every day. Had Joshua failed to conquer the Promised Land it would have brought reproach to God’s name and made His people a laughingstock. The Lord had a bigger stake in Israel’s success than anyone else. His plan to bring forth the Messiah depended on their success. His desire was to turn a bunch of slaves into the greatest nation on earth—one that served the true and living God. And Joshua had a big part to play in it. Where did Joshua’s strength come from? This promise: “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Jos 1:9 NIV). 

The poet wrote: “When you get what you want in the struggle for self, and the world makes you king for a day; just go to the mirror and look at yourself, and see what that man has to say. For it isn’t your father or mother or wife, whose judgment upon you must pass; the fellow whose verdict counts most in your life, is the one staring back from the glass. He’s the fellow to please; never mind all the rest, for he’s with you clear to the end. And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test, if the man in the glass is your friend. You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years, and get pats on the back as you pass. But your final reward will be heartache and tears, if you’ve cheated the man in the glass.” 

The story’s told of a small-town barber who was doing well until a big hair salon moved in across the street. They blitzed the area with signs: “EVERYTHING FOR A DOLLAR. Dollar haircuts! Dollar perms! Everything for a dollar!” In despair he hired an advertising expert, who called a billboard company and told them to put up a big sign on top of the barber’s shop. “And what do you want us to put on the sign?” they asked. The expert replied, “In big, bold letters put the words: ‘WE FIX DOLLAR HAIRCUTS!’” David said, “I insist on paying the full price. I will not take for the Lord…a burnt offering that costs me nothing.” In order to fulfill your God-given destiny in life, you’ve got to pay full price. 

Any habit you cannot break, or that you refuse to break, is a habit that has the power to break you. Are you dealing with appetites that are out of control? Do you struggle with compulsions that bring moments of pleasure followed by days of remorse? Do you go through periods of abstinence, only to be followed by seasons of indulgence that leave you defeated and condemned? Christ can set you free! The Bible says, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil” (Ac 10:38 NKJV). 

It’s not what you go through in life that messes you up; it’s what you keep going back to! Are you tired of saying, “I’m not going to look at it, I’m not going to listen to it, I’m not going to do it,” only to go out and repeat your old patterns over and over? Here’s a prayer for you to pray, a prayer God will answer: “Turn [me] back to You, O Lord, and [I] will be restored.” Ask God to turn your heart back to Him, because the truth is, you can’t do it for yourself! You say, “But my friends have given up on me.” God won’t. The Psalmist wrote: “Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’ But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head. I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me” (Ps 3:2-4 NKJV). Christ can set you free, so turn to Him today. 

When you have a dream, there are certain things you must be willing to give up. You can’t keep all your options open; you have to narrow your focus to what’s most important. John Maxwell says: “Many people do the opposite. Rather than focus on their dream and let go of less important things, they want to keep every option open. But when they do, they actually face more problems because decision-making becomes overly complicated….at first it’s fun to have so many possibilities…But as time goes by, you can’t make progress because you spend all your time preserving options rather than moving forward…When you expend your time and energy on the few things that make a difference…tasks that aren’t exciting or immediately rewarding take on added value. Each activity becomes an important piece in that bigger picture.” When God gives you a vision He doesn’t show you the whole picture up front. He does it in stages so you won’t get overwhelmed. For example, when He shared with Moses His vision for delivering Israel, Moses had to wait for each part to download. By faith he left Egypt. By faith he kept the Passover so the enemy wouldn’t touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the Israelites walked through the Red Sea and their enemies drowned trying to pursue them. By faith he kept the Israelites moving for forty years through the wilderness until he stood, an old man, overlooking the Promised Land. What kept Moses going even after God told him he’d never enter the Promised Land? Simply this: he stayed focused on doing the will of “him who is invisible.” 

Visualize yourself undertaking an important assignment. Things go well and God blesses your efforts. Then circumstances change, you face difficulties, discouragement sets in, those you counted on start blaming you, and now you wish you’d never undertaken the project. Welcome to Moses’ world! (See vv.10-20). God told him to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery into the land He promised them four hundred years earlier. But faith gave way to fear when they were stuck between the Red Sea and the pursuing Egyptian army. So they turned on Moses, blamed him for their dilemma and wanted to return to Egypt. What was Moses’ reaction? Whatever he felt, he still believed what God had promised. So to calm the people he said to them, “Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord” (v. 13 NKJV). That’s good counsel. But God had more to say. “Tell the Israelites to move on.” Instead of allowing them to rest, God redirected their energy by calling them to action. Anybody attempting an assignment for God encounters similar challenges. So what should you do? Ask God for direction, and don’t consult anxiety-driven people. Have you been standing still, waiting for improved circumstances when God wants you to move on? Get going! While you are walking God will be working. He will neutralize the enemy without and the “fifth column” within. Refuse to be depressed, deflected or derailed. The Red Sea will part, the enemy will be defeated, and you will sing the new song in the new land. 

Each time we offer our bodies as “living sacrifices” to God, our stubborn nature will rebel. But with Christ in control we can break its grip. “Do not conform…to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (NIV). We have the option; be conformed or transformed! Deciding “I will not conform to the world” leads to a transformed lifestyle. Your old nature naturally conforms, enslaving you to worldly influences. Phillips’s translation says: “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould.” Conforming to the world’s values—like sensuality, pride, control, etc.—will rob you of the liberating power of Christ living in you, resulting in a recurring cycle of guilt, failure and discouragement. Choosing not to conform to this world is what opens the door to your transformation. Unlike conformity, which is externally initiated, your walk with God will become an outer expression of an inner change. The tadpole’s life is transformed into the frog’s life, and the caterpillar’s into the butterfly’s. You become transformed from the inside out. How does it happen? “Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1Jn 4:4). Add to your decision not to conform, your commitment to “the renewing of your mind,” which in Greek text means you think God’s thoughts instead of your old thoughts, then watch as a Holy Spirit-empowered transformation begins to take place in your daily life. 

What does it mean to give yourself fully to God? (1) It’s an act of worship. “Offer your bodies…this is your spiritual act of worship” (v.1 NIV). Worship isn’t just attending Sunday service, singing praises and saying prayers. “This people…honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me” (Isa 29:13 NAS). It calls for surrendering your heart to God twenty-four hours of every day; whether you’re alone or in a crowd, at work, enjoying recreation, spending family time, at school, on a date, or just walking the dog. If your heart isn’t moving you, your behaviors will only be an act of reluctant compliance rather than one of joyful commitment. Surrendering to God isn’t a part-time thing done for your own benefit; it’s a full-time act of worship done for God’s benefit. (2) It’s a response to God’s generosity. “In view of God’s mercy…offer your bodies” (Ro 12:1 NIV). God doesn’t say, “If you don’t surrender I will punish you.” There’s no arm twisting. You don’t submit through clenched teeth because of fear; no, it’s a response to a debt. Everything God asks is initiated by His giving. Your repentance is a response to His love. Your tithe is a response to His blessing. Your obedience is a response to His promises. God’s grace is never “a deal,” it’s the “free gift” of His love to the undeserving (See Ro 5:18). Therefore “in view of” (NIV)—as a rational response to—His mercy, “offer your bodies as living sacrifices.” It’s your “reasonable service” and it will be “acceptable to God.” 

Transformation: (1) Requires personal sacrifice. It’s not easy, natural or automatic. It calls for becoming a “living sacrifice.” The problem with “living” sacrifices is their tendency to keep escaping the altar, having to be led back repeatedly to be sacrificed again and again. Salvation is an instant, once-for-all experience, but there can be no instant, once-for-all “living sacrifice.” It’s a day-by-day, moment-by-moment recommitment, that means bringing our stubborn nature back to the altar, surrendering it to God as often as necessary. Don’t wait for your old nature to improve, or to agree to die before concluding your sacrifice is truly genuine. And don’t let it discourage you in your battle for victory; your old nature and your regenerated spirit are mutual enemies, “constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions” (Gal 5:17 NLT). Your job isn’t to obliterate the flesh but to crucify it each time it wants to take over, refusing to let it curtail or cripple your commitment to spiritual growth. (2) Is a two-sided issue. “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” (Ro 12:1 NIV). That involves a resolute decision of mind and will, because our bodies don’t surrender themselves. Until you deliberately choose to “offer your [body]…to God,” your flesh will act unrestrained. “Just as you…offer the parts of your body in slavery…to ever increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness” (Ro 6:19 NIV). When you surrender to your lower impulses, you reap sin. When you surrender to God, you reap His blessing. 

Chuck Swindoll said, “We like to imagine ourselves a race of rugged individuals—the Patrick Henrys, Davy Crocketts and Lone Rangers. The truth is, we hate to appear different lest we be ostracized, branded fanatics and rejected. So, we conform. You’ll see it in the child eager to please; the adolescent aligning with peer pressure; the adult breaking their back to keep up with the Joneses.” Just being different for its own sake is likely to be worthless, even counterproductive. What God wants from us is our willingness to be radically transformed. “Therefore, I urge you…to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (vv.1-2 NIV). Here are two important observations to help you reach that goal: (1) Transformation belongs to believers. The unbeliever can’t break the world’s control over them without Christ, but believers are promised: “The Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world” (1Jn 4:4 NLT). God’s indwelling spirit enables you to resist the world’s pressure to conform you to its ways. (2) God’s appeal is urgent. “I urge you, brothers.” Words like beg, plead, beseech are used in some translations because the appeal isn’t secondary or optional. It’s vital, a divine imperative! God is seeking for surrendered vessels that are ready to be transformed for His use. Are you willing to say, “Yes, Lord, use me”? 

God’s grace comes to us free and clear, with no strings attached. In fact, He’s more tolerant and less judgmental than many of us are. We weren’t worthy and didn’t deserve it, but because we belong to Christ, “Out of His…(abundance) we have all received…one grace after another…spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing…favor upon favor and gift [heaped] upon gift.” Richard J. Neuhaus said, “The moralizing and legalizing of the Gospel of God’s grace is a dull heresy peddled to disappointed people who are angry because they have not received what they had no good reason to expect.” 

When you truly grasp the concept of grace: (1) You will gain a fresh appreciation for God’s gifts to you—things like salvation and forgiveness, the gift of life, health, laughter, music, beauty, and friendship. (2) You will be less critical and less concerned with what other people do. Ever heard the saying, “I’m okay with me. I don’t need to make you wrong?” When you operate in the freedom that comes with grace, you’re okay letting other people chart their own course and make decisions you may not make. (3) You will become more tolerant and less judgmental. Instead of focusing on appearance based on religious performance, you will look for authenticity and a genuine love for God. (4) You will grow spiritually. David said, “He brought me out into a spacious place” (Ps 18:19 NIV). Grace expands your horizons so you can never go back to where you once were. 

Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus: “Pray…that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me…that I will fearlessly make known…the gospel.” Do you pray for your pastor? You should! After Wilbur Chapman’s first sermon at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, a man said, “You’re pretty young to be pastor of this great church. We’ve always had older men. I’m afraid you won’t succeed, but since you preach the gospel I’m going to help you all I can.” Chapman thought, “What a crank.” But the man continued, “I’m going to pray for you, and a few others have covenanted to join me.” Later, Chapman wrote, “I didn’t feel so bad when I learned that they were going to pray for me. Soon the three became fifty, and the fifty became two hundred who met before every service to pray for me. In another room eighteen elders knelt so closely around me that I could put out my hand and touch them. I always went into my pulpit confident that I would have God’s anointing in answer to the prayers of those people. It was easy to preach—a real joy. And what was the result? Eleven hundred people were saved and joined the church in the next three years, and six hundred of them were men. It was the fruit of the Holy Spirit in answer to prayer. Church members have much more to do than go to church as curious, idle spectators to be amused and entertained. It is their business to pray mightily that the Holy Spirit will clothe the preacher with power and make his words like dynamite.”

The Bible says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Do you know what God expects of you? Faith! He wants you to trust His Word, His character, and His track record of faithfulness. It is impossible to please Him if you don’t.

The difficulty you’re dealing with right now may have to do with where you are in your faith walk with God. That doesn’t mean if you’re going through trouble, you don’t have faith. But while it may not be a lack of faith that got you into trouble, it’s the strength of your faith that will bring you through it. You say, “But shouldn’t I be rational?” Yes, but don’t be so rational that you fail to leave room for the supernatural. Narcissism is the worship of our own intellect. We say, “If I don’t understand it, I don’t believe it.” Then, in essence, you are your own god! You don’t really believe in God, you believe in you. What are you going to do when life hands you a problem you can’t solve? 

Before Christ raised Lazarus from the dead He asked Mary and Martha to take Him back to the grave, the place where they stopped believing, the point at which they gave up because of human limitation. Why? Because only when you reach that point, do you discover that God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that [you] ask or think” (Eph 3:20 NKJV). 

When God introduced Himself to Abraham He went by the name El Shaddai, which means “The provider of all.” And today God is saying to you, “I will be all you need!” Now you know that God is able, but don’t you sometimes wonder if He’s willing? Simply having a revelation of God’s ability is not enough; you must also believe that He will, in order to put a solid foundation under your faith. 

One day a leper came to Jesus saying, “If you will, you can heal my disease.” Jesus revealed His heart by saying, “I will” (See Mk 1:40-42). Don’t allow Satan to convince you that God may or may not take care of you. The Bible says, “God shall supply all your need” (Php 4:19 NKJV). Notice, the Bible doesn’t say, “God is power,” it says, “God is love.” It focuses on His willingness to use His power, rather than the power itself. Because God has a heart of love, He will use His power to meet your needs. 

God actually gets great pleasure out of meeting your needs. “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works…The eyes of all look expectantly to You, and You give them their food in due season. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing” (Ps 145:8-9 & 15-16 NKJV). God may not answer your prayer in the way you think He should, or when you think He should, but if you trust Him He will answer in the way that’s best for you. 

The title of William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, was drawn from the biblical story of Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead. When Jairus went to Jesus for help, his daughter was critically ill. While Jesus and he were walking toward his home the little girl died. At that point Jesus told the devastated father, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (Mk 5:36 NKJV). When they arrived at the house everybody was weeping. At this point Jesus asked, “Why make ye this ado?” (Mk 5:39). The word “ado” means “commotion, clamor and uproar.” Then Jesus took the child by the hand and told her to get up. And to everyone’s amazement, she did. Now if Jesus can raise the dead, surely you don’t have a problem He can’t solve! The miracle was set in motion the moment Jairus went to Jesus. And by doing the same thing, you are positioning yourself to get the results you need. Are you going to make a great “ado,” or are you going to pray in faith, believing God to come through for you? How much energy and emotion are you wasting over things that will never materialize? Or things you can’t control? How many more nights are you going to lie awake, staring at the ceiling, thinking about all the things that could possibly happen? Can you imagine how that makes God feel? Claim this promise: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Ps 4:8 NIV). 

Researchers have found that about forty percent of the things we worry about never happen. Thirty percent are in the past and can’t be helped. Twelve percent involve the affairs of others that are not even our business. Ten percent relate to sickness, real or imagined. That means only eight percent of the things we worry about are even likely to happen! Scientists at Yale University have actually identified a “worry gene.” But they say that while you may have inherited it, you can overcome it. Somebody has said that “worry is just interest paid on trouble before it comes due.” And in most cases it never comes due. Think; when you worry, there’s a ninety-two percent chance you’re paying interest on a debt that’s not even yours! How foolish is that? Take the fear of flying, for example. You would have to fly every day for nineteen thousand years before reaching the probability of being in a plane crash. Yet it is one of the six most feared causes of death. Someone has said that there are three hundred and sixty-five “fear nots” in the Bible—one for every day of the year. When you worry, you doubt God and give the Devil an entry point into your life. How long have you been doing this? When are you going to stop it? Knowing that Abraham was leaving his comfort zone and his security base, God said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (Ge 15:1 NIV). And today God’s saying the same to you.

God asked Abraham to do a very difficult thing: “Leave your country…and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing…So Abram left, as the Lord had told him” (Ge 12:1-4 NIV). If you’re afraid of changing jobs, houses or locations, stand on this Scripture because as a redeemed child of God you are entitled to the blessing of Abraham. All our fears basically come down to these two questions: (1) “Lord, will you protect me?” (2) “Lord, will you provide for me?” With Abraham, God addresses both: “Do not be afraid…I am your shield, your very great reward” (Ge 15:1 NIV). The words, “very great reward,” literally mean, “I am your unfailing, inexhaustible, ever increasing source of supply.” Awesome! You don’t have to go to anybody else for protection or provision; God’s got you covered! And notice what happened next. God entered into a covenant with Abraham (See Ge 15:17); He said to him: “I’ll take care of you and your descendants as long as you live.” But there was a problem. “Then birds of prey came down on the [sacrifice], but Abram drove them away” (Ge 15:11 NIV). There’s a lesson here. Even though God has promised to take care of you, you must drive away the worries Satan sends to prey on your mind. How do you do that? By standing squarely on the promises God has made to you in His Word. 

When it came to those he loved, notice what Paul prayed for: (1) That they would understand the will of God. “Asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Rome was not an easy place to be a Christian, yet Paul wrote: “Everyone has heard about your obedience” (Ro 16:19 NIV). Obedience to God’s will should be your number one priority. When your name is mentioned, no one should have any doubt as to the level of your commitment to Jesus. (2) That their lives would be pleasing to God. “That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way” (Col 1:10 NIV). When you stand before God to be rewarded you won’t hear the words “well said,” or “well planned,” but, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Mt 25:21 NKJV). (3) That they would prosper in the work God had given them. “Bearing fruit in every good work” (Col 1:10 NIV). Nothing brings joy to the heart of a parent like seeing their child succeed. And God feels the same way about you. (4) That they would persevere by drawing on His strength. “Being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance” (Col 1:11 NIV). Like a light bulb, you depend on power from another source. So unless you stay connected to God you’ll be spiritually weak. (5) That they would praise God. “Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints” (Col 1:12 NIV). In other words, live with an attitude of gratitude and a heart of praise. 

Martin Niemoller, a former U-boat captain, was among those in Germany who spoke out against Hitler. Predictably, he was arrested and imprisoned. En route to face his accusers in court he was walking through an underground tunnel when he heard these words: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Niemoller was shocked. There was nobody around who could have said them. Had God spoken to him audibly? In the end it didn’t matter because God used His Word to strengthen and encourage one of His own. Apparently a Christian guard, who knew the acoustics inside the tunnel would allow somebody to whisper into the wall and be heard up ahead, had quoted the verse. Niemoller was acquitted, but he was still imprisoned for another seven years. When the prosecutor asked, “How can we imprison a man who’s been acquitted?” Hitler replied, “Because he’s my personal prisoner!” Jesus said, “When people…persecute you and falsely say…evil against you because of me. Rejoice…great is your reward in heaven” (Mt 5:11-12 NIV). Charles Swindoll writes: “When you’re punished for doing the right thing, you’ve a ‘great cloud of witnesses’ surrounding you (Heb 12:1)…faithful men and women who extended the kingdom and made the world a better place…at great personal cost…Take courage…you fight for the winning side.” The Bible says: “Everyone who wants to live a godly life…will suffer” (2Ti 3:12 NLT). The second that prison-cell door slammed shut, Niemoller joined a distinguished league of saints willing to endure hardship in this life in order to reign with Christ in the next one. 

God knows everything there is to know about you, including your past, present and future. He doesn’t miss a thing. He knows your name: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine” (Isa 43:1 NKJV). He also knows your address: “I know…where you dwell” (Rev 2:13 NKJV). And here’s the most amazing part: with full knowledge of you, He loves you! He doesn’t say, “I love you, if.” There are no “ifs” in God’s heart. His love for you existed before you were born and it will exist after you’re gone. “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” Does that mean God doesn’t care what we say or do? No, to love without condition doesn’t mean to love without concern. Sometimes we confuse unconditional love with unconditional approval. God doesn’t approve of betrayal, selfishness, pride, dishonesty, lust, resentment, or any other form of sin. These are the opposite of the love God wants to instill in our hearts. God’s unconditional love just means He continues to love us even when we blow it; that He waits for us like the father waited for the return of his Prodigal Son. It’s important that we hold to the truth that God never stops loving us even when He’s grieved by what we do. “Why is that so important?” you ask. Because God’s love is the magnet that will draw us back to Him every time. 

When God wants to make you a bigger person, He does it through “distress.” The way to build stronger muscle is to lift more weight. Now when a muscle is put under stress, you groan. But if you persist, that muscle grows stronger and what you were groaning about last week you are smiling about this week. Who said the Christian life was supposed to be easy? Not God! His Word compares it to a battlefield, not a bed of roses. “Endure hardness, as a good soldier” (2Ti 2:3). Satan’s number one target is your faith! Jesus said to Peter, “Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail” (Lk 22:31-32 NKJV). In the same way you separate wheat from chaff, Satan wants to separate you from your faith. Not only did Peter survive this attack, he grew through it and wrote: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1Pe 4:12 NKJV). Because we tend to be shocked when trials come our way, Peter deals with our attitude toward attack. He wants us to know how to think when we’re under attack, to understand the appropriateness of the battle we are in. Satan may attack your health, but he’s after your faith. He may attack your finances, but he’s after your faith. If he can destroy your confidence in God and His Word, he wins and you lose. So the word for you today is “Strengthen your faith.” 

We often use the word “hope” when we want something to happen but we’re not sure it will. We hope fixing the car won’t cost too much. We hope our kids graduate. We hope the medical test goes well. But our hope isn’t wishful thinking; it’s trusting God. So how do you keep hope alive when you’re out of work? “God, the source of hope, will fill you…with…peace because you trust in him.” Jon Gordon says: “The media-created frenzy of panic is negatively impacting [our] collective psychology…people are more stressed than ever…like a horror movie, what you fear starts to happen…However, the economy isn’t some abstract entity…Our thoughts and behaviors create it. So how can we trust…when everything we’ve trusted in is falling apart? My answer: we’ve put our faith in the wrong things…and the cracks have been exposed. It’s a wake-up call. Charles West says, ‘We turn to God when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it’s God who’s shaking them.’ Security is an illusion. There’s no power in a bank account…no peace in an investment portfolio…our true purpose isn’t in a retirement plan…We’re meant to trust God…true power exists not in what seems strong and secure, but in what is silent and unseen…Instead of starting your morning watching TV, take a walk of prayer; instead of looking down at the newspaper, look up to heaven.” Pray: “Lord, sometimes my hopes are just wishes, but hoping in You is different; You give me solid ground. Today my hope is based on Your faithfulness and Your promise to meet my every need. Thank You; I know You’ll do it. Amen.” 

If you are not the one being laid off: Implement the “No Complaining Rule.” Chances are, there’ll be people around you looking for opportunities to grumble about the company. Don’t be one of them. “Stay away from complaining and arguing.” Don’t let other people’s negativity influence you. Work at tuning out pessimism and focusing on doing your best every day. Make yourself indispensable by working hard, staying positive, and contributing to the overall success of the company. If you are the one being laid off: It’s okay to let yourself feel angry, sad, and upset for a few days. Then let it go. Jesus said, “Forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too” (Mk 11:25 NLT). Maturity is having the ability to bear an injustice without wanting to get even. Forgive the company. Forgive your boss. Release the bitterness. You can’t create the future by dwelling on the past. Ask yourself what you can learn from the experience, and use the challenge to look for new opportunities. John Gardner said, “We’re not at our best when we’re perched at the summit; we are climbers at our best when the way is steep.” Who knows, your next move may lead to a new and more rewarding career, or more time with your family, or a better location. “We…make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (Pr 16:9 NLT); “Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed” (Pr 16:3 NLT). “With God all things are possible” (Mt 19:26). You are the only one who can limit your future! 

A consultant says, “I remember the call like it was yesterday…my boss said I was being let go. At the time I thought my life was over. Looking back, I realize it was just beginning.” Unfortunately layoffs are happening more frequently, but there are ways to deal with them. Let’s look at some of them. If you are the employer: Being a general calls for different talents than being a foot soldier. Layoffs aren’t just about the people you’re letting go; the ones staying on are watching to see if you’re compassionate, trustworthy, and transparent. If your actions tell them otherwise, your layoffs will cause morale, productivity and performance to plummet. If you create a crisis of confidence it can have a disastrous effect on the company. So how should you handle layoffs? (a) Communicate! Communicate! Communicate! Get out with your people and provide as much information as possible. (b) Explain the situation and the finances; let them know where the organization stands. Explain why you have to let workers go. Once people understand, they’re more likely to accept it. (c) Be honest. Let employees know where they stand. They’d rather know than not know. They’d rather have certainty than uncertainty—even if it’s bad news. (d) “Don’t ever forget kindness and truth.” Never treat those you’re laying off like a number. Treat them right, and your other employees will treat you right. Offer support, guidance, coaching, encouragement and hope. (e) Don’t prolong the agony with multiple rounds of layoffs. If possible, do it just once. 

Matthew writes: “One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority” (v.1 NLT). The Pharisees were bound by tradition, so they opposed anything new. The Sadducees were bound by reason, so they opposed anything supernatural. Since Christ brought a new revelation of God and a new dimension of His power, both the Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Him. So Jesus warned His disciples: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (v.6 NLT). In a culture where people used yeast to make bread, Christ’s point came through loud and clear. Just as yeast works silently and spreads slowly, so doubt and unbelief work the same way in our hearts and minds. 

Then Christ asked His disciples two questions: (1) “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (v.13 NLT). He wanted them to know when their thinking was being negatively influenced by those around them so that they would be on guard against it. (2) “Who do you say I am?” Immediately Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v.16 NLT). Jesus replied, “’You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being’” (v.17 NLT). There are things that people can teach you, and if you’re wise you will listen. But there are things that only the Lord can reveal to you, and if you’re wise you’ll listen and do what He says. 

Each night a little girl threw one of her shoes under the bed before going to sleep. When her mom asked why, she replied, “My Sunday school teacher said if I have to get down by my bed in the morning and look for my shoe, it’ll remind me to say my prayers while I’m there.” If it helps, throw your shoe under the bed! Prayer is the life force that sustains us spiritually. David wrote: “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you…My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” (Ps 42:1-2 NIV). 

In his book, The Power and Blessing, Pastor Jack Hayford writes: “I had gone on vacation, and I needed it! It was delightful to get to the beach. But about the fourth day… I found I was feeling empty inside. Then it occurred to me that for four days I hadn’t read a word of Scripture, prayed a prayer or sung a song of praise. It was just kind of ‘Let’s get away from it all.’ We were so involved with church that we didn’t want to do anything ‘godly’ for a while. But suddenly I was called back by the inner hollowness I felt. Through that experience I learned that I can’t recover at a physical or emotional level, if I neglect the spiritual level.” The Bible says: “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” Only when you’ve spent time in God’s presence and drawn strength from Him, will you be equal to the challenges you face on any given day. 

The Bible says: “That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working” (Php 2:13 TM). Often the dream that won’t let go of you, and the challenge that consumes you, is God ”willing and working” in you. If you have the faith to answer His call you’ll achieve things you never thought possible. Thomas Edison said, “If we did all the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.” Don’t let your background, your preconceived ideas, your present difficulties, your past failures, your self-doubt, or the opinions of others keep you from becoming all that God wants you to be. In If It Ain’t Broke…Break It! Robert J. Kriegel and Louis Patler write: “We don’t have a clue as to what people’s limits are. All the tests, stop-watches and finish lines in the world can’t measure human potential. When someone is pursuing their dream they’ll go far beyond what seems to be their limitations. The potential that exists within us is limitless and largely untapped…When we think of limits, we create them.” Israel did that; they “limited” God. “They did not remember His power” (Ps 78:41-42 NKJV). As a result, they died in the wilderness. Sharon Wood, one of the first women to climb Mount Everest, said: “It wasn’t a matter of physical strength but…inner strength. The conquest lay within my own mind. I had to penetrate those barriers of self-imposed limitation and get through to the good stuff—the stuff called potential, 90 percent of which we rarely use.” The Scripture, “With God nothing will be impossible” is not just a nice sentiment, it’s the absolute truth! 

Matthew writes: “One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority” (v.1 NLT). The Pharisees were bound by tradition, so they opposed anything new. The Sadducees were bound by reason, so they opposed anything supernatural. Since Christ brought a new revelation of God and a new dimension of His power, both the Pharisees and Sadducees opposed Him. So Jesus warned His disciples: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (v.6 NLT). In a culture where people used yeast to make bread, Christ’s point came through loud and clear. Just as yeast works silently and spreads slowly, so doubt and unbelief work the same way in our hearts and minds. 

Then Christ asked His disciples two questions: (1) “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (v.13 NLT). He wanted them to know when their thinking was being negatively influenced by those around them so that they would be on guard against it. (2) “Who do you say I am?” Immediately Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (v.16 NLT). Jesus replied, “’You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being’” (v.17 NLT). There are things that people can teach you, and if you’re wise you will listen. But there are things that only the Lord can reveal to you, and if you’re wise you’ll listen and do what He says.

Let’s look again at the ten lepers Jesus healed. In the final stages of their disease the flesh literally began dropping off their bodies. But notice, Jesus didn’t lay hands on them or pray for them. He didn’t even address their leprosy. Instead He commanded them to go and show themselves to the priest. How odd. To some of us it might even seem ridiculous. But before God will do the miraculous, sometimes He’ll ask you to do the ridiculous. Indeed, when He tells you to do something it may not seem like it’s even related to what you’re praying about at all. When that happens, you have a decision to make: doubt Him, or obey Him. Instead of discussing the issue endlessly, just do what He’s told you to! Sometimes God will give you “a word” and it looks like it’s not working—but it is—even when it doesn’t look like it. The faith that God responds to does not require explanations. “And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed” (v.14 NKJV). Note the words, “as they went.” The Bible says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Ps 37:23 NKJV). When God tells you something, step out on it. Try to imagine this: while they are walking, their toes are growing back. As they move in obedience to His word, a stub turns back into a finger. Don’t stop now. Keep walking. “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it” (Php 1:6 NKJV). Rise up in faith and declare, “I’m coming back!” 

Luke records: “As He…passed through…Samaria…there met Him ten…lepers, who… lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’ So when He saw them, He said…‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed” (vv.11-14 NKJV). In Christ’s day lepers were social outcasts, so they lived together in a colony. But the problem is, you can’t get well hanging around people who are as messed up as you are. That’s why you need to bring the problem to Jesus. Notice the words, “He passed through.” Jesus didn’t go to the leper colony, He was just passing through. What do you do when you’re losing your life, your family, your joy, your finances, etc., and Jesus doesn’t seem to be looking in your direction? You can get frustrated when it feels like He’s blessing everybody but you, and wonder, “Lord, when is my turn coming? I’ve served You faithfully, yet it seems like everybody else is the object of Your attention.” It’s time to cry out, “Jesus, have mercy on me!” Away with dignity and decorum; desperate people pray desperate prayers, and God responds to their prayers. Notice, when Jesus was passing by these lepers did not shout, “Unclean,” as the law required. No, they broke protocol. When you’re in a bad situation, sometimes you have to break out in order to break through. You’ve got to do what David did: “I cried to the Lord with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill” (Ps 3:4 NJKV). Come on, if you want an answer, put your faith to work! 

The Syrian army had surrounded the city of Samaria and its population were dying of starvation. Having lived off scraps of bread that folks threw over the wall each day, four lepers quickly assessed that they were in trouble. They said, “Why sit here until we die?” (2Ki 7:3 TLB). So they went into the city, only to discover God had worked a miracle, causing the Syrians to flee in terror, leaving behind them food, water, and riches. What do we learn from these four lepers? When you put your faith into action, God will go to work on your behalf. But you have to rise up and say, “If I’m going to die, I’m going to do it reaching for something, building something, going after something.” When it feels like you are down for the count of ten, you have to rise up and say, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord” (Ps 118:17 NKJV). That kind of faith gets God’s attention every time. 

When you get desperate enough you won’t care who God uses, you’ll be willing to receive any help He sends your way. Naaman the leper, a five-star general in the Syrian army, humbled himself and became willing to listen to a girl who washed dishes and made beds in his house. (That’s because she had an answer from God!) He was even willing to dip seven times in the dirtiest river around, in order to come up clean (See 2Ki 5:1-19). Faith says, “I don’t care where I have to go, what I have to do, or who I have to listen to, whatever God says, I’ll do it.” 

We become so engrossed in what we see, feel, and hear, that we operate within our natural senses rather than our spiritual ones. “Through your faith, God is protecting you by his power” (1Pe 1:5 NLT). Your “faith” is what activates the power of God. Before a stone becomes a diamond it’s just carbon put under millions of pounds of pressure. The Bible says, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine” (v. 7 NLT). Trouble not only places a demand on your faith, but reveals the depth of it. You don’t really know much about your faith when your bills are paid, your body is healthy, your children are acting right, and your marriage is intact. But when all hell is breaking loose and you trust God to bring you through it, you know you’ve got faith. 

Sometimes we think we’re doing better spiritually than we are. But often the enemy has not ceased to attack, he’s just moved from doing it in the natural realm to doing it in the spiritual realm. He’s attacking your mind, your rest, your peace, your emotions and your thought life. So what can you do? Lift up the shield of faith and stop his flaming arrows. Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and use it to drive him back (See Eph 6:17 NKJV). Put your faith to work. Say, “Enough is enough,” and begin to take back what the enemy has stolen from you. 

The Bible says, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God” (vv.15-17 NKJV). When Satan attacks you for doing God’s will, it’s both a compliment and a sign of respect. Clearly, you’re a high-value target and you represent a threat to his kingdom. But when you suffer as a result of your own foolishness, there’s only one thing to do: acknowledge it and repent. Don’t say you’re being attacked for being a Christian when you’re really being attacked for being a “busybody.” Note the words “murderer” and “busybody,” and make the connection! When you speak evil of someone and are persecuted for it, you’re not suffering for the Lord, you’re suffering the consequences of your own behavior. So what should you do? Go back and deal with it; say, “I was wrong.” Don’t try to act “spiritual” and say, “Well, I just don’t understand why they don’t like me.” Yes, you do! You can’t do what’s wrong, try to vindicate yourself, and then claim God’s promises. It doesn’t work that way. “The time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God.” It begins with you. God says, “If you fix this yourself, I won’t have to fix you. I only fix people who refuse to fix themselves.” Don’t wait for consequences to bring you to your knees. 

Dr. Robert Schuller’s hobbies include raising koi fish. Asked why some grow big while others stay small, he replied, “If a koi fish lives in a small tank it will never grow longer than two or three inches. In a larger pond they can grow up to ten inches long—in ponds the size of mine they’ll get to be eighteen inches long—but if they live in a huge lake where they can swim and stretch, they can grow up to three feet long. The size of the pond determines the size of the fish. Similarly, little ideas in little-thinking minds produce little achievements. But little ideas embraced by big-thinking minds produce enormous achievements.” Jesus said, “According to your faith be it unto you” (Mt 9:29). The size of your faith and your vision determines the outcome of your idea. Edison had to install electric lights for free in an office building before anyone even came to look at them. The first sewing machine invented was destroyed by a mob in France. Morse waited for ten years before the world showed any interest in his telegraph. And when the idea of traveling by railroad was introduced, people scoffed because it was widely believed that traveling at thirty miles per hour stopped blood circulation in the human body. Ronald E. Osborn said, “Undertake something difficult; it will do you good. Unless you try something beyond what you have already mastered, you’ll never grow.” You attain in direct proportion to what you attempt, which is why Jesus said to His disciples: “Launch out into the deep.” 

Satan’s plan was to infect Adam with the virus of sin before his first son was born; that way he could get all the rest of us. And it almost worked. Cain, Adam’s first son, murdered his brother Abel. But God wasn’t finished. “Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel.’” For everything you’ve loved or lost, God has something else. For everything that’s been stolen from you, God has something else. Your “seed” is your future, and God has another one in mind for you. The situation you are in right now is not the end of the story; God wants to write a new chapter. The Devil knew God had a plan for you; that’s why he tried so hard to wipe you out. He doesn’t want you to live long enough to fulfill it. But the fact that you’re still here and able to read this says he failed, and that God’s not through with you! Notice the word “appointed.” There’s an appointment on God’s calendar with your name on it. “God has appointed another [future] for me.” There’s something good just over the horizon—something for your life, your marriage, your family, your career, your ministry. God has an appointed task for you to accomplish, and appointed blessings for you to enjoy. He has called you with an “eternal purpose” and He will bring it to pass. 

A big stone blocked the entrance to the tomb of Lazarus. And before Christ raised him from the dead, He said, “Take away the stone.” There’s a lesson here. God will restore what you’ve lost—when you’re willing to remove the hindrances that stand in the way. What was behind that stone? A corpse, and it was stinking! John writes: “If our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God” (1Jn 3:21 NKJV). Your confidence in approaching God comes from knowing you’ve dealt with the stuff that separates you from Him—and it requires courage. But you’ll never experience new life until you’re willing to do it. God can give you back what life has taken. He can restore what you’ve lost, but only if you’re willing to face the truth. 

King David caused a big stink: adultery and murder. Now your issues may not smell that bad, but before God can answer your prayer you must acknowledge them. A more contrite and consecrated David wrote: “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. But certainly God has heard me; He has attended to the voice of my prayer” (Ps 66:18-19 NKJV). This is why when you counsel an addict it’s not just about what they’re addicted to, but about what they’re trying to cover up with their addiction. It may take months or even years of therapy, but change begins only when you’re willing to “take away the stone” and allow God to deal with what’s behind it. 

Solomon writes: “Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest” (Pr 14:4 NLT). If you insist on always having a nice neat stall, you’ll have an empty stall. If you want a big harvest, you’ll need a big ox with a big appetite who creates big messes. For example, if you decide to have children you’ll have lots of joy, and lots of messes to clean up. Within minutes, children can take a house that looks like it belongs in Better Homes and Gardens and make it look like a trial run for the battle of Armageddon. So you’ve an option: live by yourself and enjoy a less complicated life, or accept the problems that come with having a family. Even in the dictionary, the words striving and struggle come before the word success. Dr. John Maxwell says, “At some point you have to make a transition from believer of the dream, to buyer of the dream. No dream comes true without somebody paying for it. And part of the price you will have to pay is in learning from the mistakes you make. You can attend every success seminar, read every success manual and follow every success mentor, but the price must always be paid in messes and mistakes. There isn’t a single person in the world who has achieved anything without paying a price for it. Some pay with their lives or their freedom. Others pay by giving up options or finances or relationships. But one way or another, everybody pays.” 

The Psalmist wrote: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Ps 119:67 NKJV). By doing it the wrong way, he eventually learned to do it the right way. The truth is, when you fail in one area, it can drive you to explore other areas. Most of life’s successes are based on the principle of trial and error. Often failure is not falling short of your goal, it’s simply not making the effort. Failure can actually help you discover your area of success. For example, when you hate your job you will likely fail in it. Yet it’s in losing that hated position that you may be pressed to pursue what you really like to do, and are called to do. 

Another benefit of failure is that it makes you less judgmental of others. When you’ve experienced failure you become more sympathetic. Instead of pointing an accusing finger, you see the need to extend a helping hand. Instead of saying foolish things like, “I can’t believe you did that,” you remember the pit God dug you out of and say with gratitude and humility, “Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt.” You know how it hurts to fail, and you feel their pain because of what you’ve been through. This makes you a better friend, a better mentor, and a better example of grace. Jesus told Peter: “Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Lk 22:31-32 NKJV). 

Star baseball players only hit the ball about three out of every ten times. How do they live with such a high failure rate? By focusing on the law of averages. They know that if they just keep swinging the bat, they’ll get on base. In 1952 Roger Bannister ran in the Olympics and finished in fourth place, failing to win any kind of medal. But he refused to quit. Up until this time many experts considered it humanly impossible to run the mile in under four minutes. Yet that was Bannister’s goal. And on May 6, 1954, he became the first man to do it. Now runners do it regularly. What’s the point? If you refuse to quit when you fail, you’ll ultimately succeed. You just have to be willing to get back up and keep moving forward. In 1832 Abraham Lincoln was defeated for the State Legislature. In 1833 he failed in business. In 1835 his sweetheart died. In 1836 he had a nervous breakdown. In 1838 he was defeated for Illinois House Speaker. In 1843 he was defeated for nomination to Congress. In 1854 he was defeated for the U.S. Senate. In 1856 he was defeated for nomination for Vice President. In 1858 he was defeated again in a U.S. Senate race. But today he is considered one of America’s greatest presidents. A wise man concluded: “It’s a mistake to suppose that people succeed only through success; they often succeed through failures.” And you’re not defeated until the past takes your focus off the future. So don’t be afraid of failure. 

Until you overcome the fear of failure, you’ll be immobilized at the prospect of taking a risk. The important thing to remember when you fail is not to quit. History shows that failure can actually become a bridge to success. In school, Napoleon was forty-second in a class of forty-three, yet he went on to build an army that conquered much of the world. George Washington lost two-thirds of his military battles, yet against overwhelming odds he won the Revolutionary War and changed American history. Albert Einstein was such a slow learner that it was suggested he switch studies from physics to some other topic, yet he’s considered the father of the atomic age. When you recall these names you don’t remember their failures, but their contributions to the world. Only when you consider your failure to be final, are you finally a failure. Failure is not an event, only an opinion, and as long as it’s not your opinion you can come back and succeed. “A righteous man may fall seven times and rise again.” In his first inaugural address Franklin Roosevelt told the nation, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Failure is not fatal; you can begin again. But the fear of failure could prove fatal to your goals by keeping you from trying again. After cataloguing every possible scenario that could come against us, such as tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword, Paul writes: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Ro 8:37 NKJV). So the word for you today is—don’t be afraid of failure. 

James writes: “Consider it all joy…when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance…that you may be perfect and complete” (vv. 2-4 NAS). Peter writes: “Don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you” (1Pe 4:12 NLT). Trials are the common thread that unites us. When you get through with one, chances are there’s another one coming up the road. That’s why James didn’t say, “if,” but “when you encounter…trials.” Observe: (1) Trials come in various categories. They’re physical, emotional, financial, and relational; it’s not a one-size-fits-all deal. Some are shocking, like the unexpected loss of a loved one; others are more drawn out, like an acrimonious divorce or a prolonged illness. Some play out in public while others take place in your own private hell. Some are due to your own, or other people’s mistakes; others have nothing whatsoever to do with human shortcomings. (2) Trials test our faith. They bring us back to basics and remind us where our priorities should lie. One Bible teacher says, “During…intense trials I go back to…what I really believe…elementals such as prayer and dependence…getting quiet and waiting on God. Trials…force us back to the bedrock of faith upon which our foundation rests, and this becomes a refining and necessary process.” (3) Trials mature us. When we’re suffering there’s a tendency to try to look for the quick way out. Don’t do that. Trials are designed to make us “complete.” By letting them do their work, you end up stronger. 

You know you’re getting older when: your knees buckle and your belt doesn’t; you argue about which denture adhesive is best; you sit in a rocking chair and can’t make it go; by the time you’ve lit the last candle on your birthday cake the first one has burned out; you no longer think “getting older” jokes are funny. Getting older isn’t for the faint-of-heart, so the Bible gives us glimpses of what it entails. Isaac’s eyesight gave out (See Ge 27:1). David was always cold (1Ki 1:1-4). Paul referred to himself as “Paul, the aged” (Phm v. 9 NAS) and talked about the physical and emotional pains of old age—of feeling abandoned and lonely, being disappointed by fellow workers, and saying goodbye to friends he might never see again (See 2Ti 4:9-21). One author writes: “On my most recent birthday my sister sent me this message: ‘The bad news: outwardly we are wasting away.’ (Did I mention this is my older sister, and as I like to remind her, she’ll always be my older sister!) Then she added, ‘The good news: We do not lose heart…even though outwardly we are wasting away…the inward man is being renewed every day.’ If you have creaky joints, arthritic hands, weakened eyes, a slow step, an ear that struggles to hear, or a heart that beats to the sound of a cholesterol drummer, be encouraged! God is preparing a…celebration for the day you arrive in heaven, where you’ll no longer age because you’ll be home in the land of the ageless.” 

Peter writes: “Never return…insult for insult” (1Pe 3:9 AMP). When you’re under fire, instead of defending yourself with caustic comments and clever comebacks designed to put the other guy in his place, pray “for their welfare, happiness, and protection…that you may…inherit a blessing [from God]” (v. 9 AMP). “Keep [your] tongue… from evil” (v. 10 AMP). Some people never learn this lesson. There’s an old English headstone that reads: “Beneath this sod, this lump of clay, lies Arabella Young; who on the 24th of May began to hold her tongue.” During the French Revolution the king and queen were beheaded, leaving the crown prince orphaned. There was talk about beheading him too, until somebody said, “If you kill him you’ll just send his soul to heaven. Instead, turn him over to Old Meg and she’ll teach him vile, filthy words so his soul will be damned forever!” However, when they turned the prince over to this woman of the streets who tried to get him to repeat all kinds of profanity, he refused, saying, “I was born to be a king and I will not say it!” Bottom line, when you’re the child of the King your words should reflect it. “Seek peace” (v. 11 NKJV). It takes courage to be the peacemaker. Everywhere you look people are angry about the economy, health care, unemployment, and just about anything else you can think of. Being a peacemaker isn’t the same as being a peacekeeper. Peacekeepers look for ways to keep the peace by maintaining a delicate balance between both sides. Peacemakers plow into the middle of the conflict and help them make peace with each other. 

Spiritually, some of us haven’t grown up. “You…ought to be teaching others, but instead you…need someone to teach you…until you become…mature” (Heb 5:12-6:1 TLB). Just as there are signs of physical growth, there are hallmarks of spiritual maturity like the ones mentioned in 1 Peter 3:8-12 (AMP): (1) “Be…united in spirit.” Now unity isn’t the same as uniformity where everybody has to think alike, or even unanimity where we have to agree about everything. Unity is focusing on what unites us, instead of the petty issues that divide us. (2) “Sympathizing with one another.” The Greek interpretation of the word sympathy is “to feel for” others. “When [they’re] happy, be happy with them…when they are sad, be sad” (Ro 12:15 CEV). When you become more concerned about others than you are about yourself, you’re starting to mature. (3) “Loving each other.” We all need friends to love and support us. The president of Taylor University said one of his greatest hopes is to end up with eight friends who’ll attend his funeral without once checking their watches! (4) “Be… compassionate.” In a high-tech age it’s easy to tune out those in need. When Jesus saw people, “He felt compassion…because they were distressed and dispirited” (Mt 9:36 NAS). Hurting people touched His heart, and they should touch ours too. (5) “Be…humble.” One Bible teacher says, “Look for opportunities to give…to build up rather than tearing down, to serve rather than being served, to learn from others rather than clamoring for the teaching stand.” So, how are you doing so far? 

God’s Word has the answers you need, but you’ve got to read it! You say, “But I’m not sure where to start.” Here are some helpful Scriptures from the New Living translation: 

When you are worried: 1Pe 5:7: “Give all your worries…to God…he cares about you.” Php 4:6: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” Ps 62:6-7: “He…is my rock and my salvation…I will not be shaken.” Isa 26:3: “You…keep in perfect peace all who trust in you…whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Dt 31:6: “The Lord…will…go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” When you are heartbroken: Ps 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” Ps 23:4: “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” 2Co 1:4: “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” Dt 33:27: “God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.” When you are feeling guilty: Ac 13:39: “Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God.” 1Jn 1:9: “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” Col 1:22: You are holy and blameless as you stand before him.” Isa 1:18 TLB: “No matter how deep the stain of your sins…I can…make you…clean.” Ro 8:39 NLT: “Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God.” Isa 43:25 TLB: “I…am he who blots away your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” 

Ruth turned her life around when she was bereaved, broke, and barren. How? (1) By choosing the right mentor. She told Naomi, “Wherever you go, I will go” (Ru 1:16 NKJV). The fact that Naomi was a Jew and Ruth a Gentile, or that Ruth was young and Naomi was older, didn’t put Ruth off one bit. Doubtless, there were times they didn’t see eye-to-eye or relate to each other at all. But when God wants to stretch you He will put somebody into your life with different experiences and insights. Naomi was Ruth’s eyes and ears in a world she didn’t know; she was her tutor and guide in getting Ruth to her destiny. God is raising up leaders with solutions for today’s problems. If you hope to be called for duty, recognize those He sends to prepare you. Whether they come to cheer, comfort, counsel or correct you, remember the words of Jesus, “He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me” (Jn 13:20). (2) By getting into the right field. Ruth said, “Let me…glean…after him in whose sight I may find favor.” Things were bad in Moab but good in Bethlehem. So Ruth left the comfort of the familiar, stepped out in faith, and not only ended up surviving, but thriving. In the end she married Boaz, the owner of the field, and went on to become part of the family of King David and our Lord Jesus Christ. How’s that for a turnaround? God’s plan for your future involves connecting with the right people, and being in the right field. So ask Him to guide you. 

President Reagan said, “Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere.” Yet in our eagerness to please God we take on responsibilities that are “too heavy…to handle…by [ourselves].” Moses was spending every waking minute listening to complaints from long lines of people. Finally his father-in-law said, “You’re going to wear yourself out—and the people, too,” and advised him to appoint capable leaders to “help…carry the load” (v. 22). It was a win-win solution; the people got help faster, and Moses became a better leader. One Bible teacher writes: “One of our greatest challenges…is determining what God doesn’t want us to do! We love God, we love His people, and we see many needs. But sometimes good intentions cause more harm than good…When you become aware of a need, don’t automatically assume God wants you to meet it. The only reason to perform ministry is when God clearly tells you it’s His will. If you’re overwhelmed…you’re probably doing more than God asked. Pray about the assignments you take on, so you don’t rob yourself and others of God’s best.” Jon Walker adds: “Imagine if God created you to be the Michelangelo of this age, but you stayed so busy doing all kinds of things—good things—that you never got around to painting and sculpting. You’d end up missing the best because you got distracted chasing the good. What a disappointment…for God…and all the people who would have been blessed if you’d stayed focused on your original purpose.” Learn to delegate. Release the burdens God never meant you to carry, and focus on what He called you to do. 

To succeed in life you must do these three things: (1) Decide what’s important. The story’s told of a family who moved to the country to get away from the city. They decided to raise cattle so they bought a ranch. One day a friend visited them and asked what they’d named it. Dad said, “I wanted to call it The Flying-W, but Mom wanted to call it The Suzy-Q. One of our sons liked The Bar-J, but our daughter preferred The Lazy-Y. So we compromised and called it The Flying-W, Suzy-Q, Bar-J, Lazy-Y Ranch.” The friend asked, “How are your cattle doing?” Dad replied, “We don’t have any. They didn’t survive the branding.” Come on—decide what’s important to you! (2) Prioritize your time. Too many of us are like the store owner who got so busy trying to keep the place clean that he forgot to open the front door. The reason you’re in business is to serve customers and make a profit, not get distracted by secondary things. Base your life’s decisions on your priorities. And if you need help figuring out what they are, ask God: “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (3) Learn to motivate yourself. Most times, nobody else will. When tragedy struck his life, we read: “David encouraged himself in the Lord” (1Sa 30:6). You need to learn how to do that too. Jude writes: “Building up yourselves…praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude v. 20). To succeed in life you must learn to encourage yourself, pray and build yourself up. 

Observe: (1) Change means accepting risk. Your anxiety will kick in and say, “What if I don’t get the job? What if the economy fails? What if I make the effort to change but they don’t?” We like ironclad guarantees. The predictable feels less threatening than sticking our necks out. But the price of our security often means remaining stuck with the status quo. Sometimes your greatest risk is taking no risk at all! God often requires you to leave the path that feels and looks safe, for the one that feels and looks risky. “Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for…the proof of things [we] do not see” (Heb 11:1 AMP). Your faith is foolproof assurance, God’s confirmation, the title deed guaranteeing that the change you want will take place if you act on it. (2) Change will happen if failure is not allowed to stop you. Fear of failing often stops us from trying, yet many of God’s best people experienced failure on their way to success. Consider Abraham, Moses, Elijah, David, etc. All of them succeeded only after dealing with personal failure. Indeed, the richest, most profound change often happens after we’ve tasted failure. Until then we tend to be cocky and of not much use to God. Peter failed the Lord miserably, and at the most crucial moment (See Mt 26:72). But he grew, becoming Christ’s choice to lead His newly empowered church on the Day of Pentecost, winning three thousand souls (See Ac 2). Don’t let failure stop you! 

Here are two more life-changing principles: (1) You must be willing to change unconditionally. In the early stage of therapy counselors bump into the “change-if” syndrome. The client sees change as a strategy of give-to-get: “I’ll change if they are willing to do… If not, I won’t.” With God, your reward for changing is intrinsic. You get the joy of His approval, plus all the benefits that follow from being a changed person. This includes God’s gift of “salve to put on your eyes, so you can see” (Rev 3:18 NIV). The ability to see things clearly will enable you to understand the problem and deal with it effectively, regardless of what someone else does, or doesn’t do. (2) You must accept the truth that change means letting go of the past. Whatever you cling to ultimately controls you. If the offense resulted from your actions, or the loss from your poor judgment, confess it to God, receive forgiveness and leave it at the cross. If it was the other person’s fault but you’ve held onto it because you think you’re the innocent party and “deserve your pound of flesh,” the freedom you forfeit and the options you miss are too high a price for the false comfort of being right. “Forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Eph 4:32 NIV) will release you from the chains of resentment and give you back your future. If you’re bound by chains of regret over “coulda, woulda, shoulda,” God stands ready to make your future better than your past could ever have been (See Joel 2:25). 

The Bible’s story is one of change from Genesis, the book of “beginnings,” to Revelation, where God says: “Behold, I make all things new.” Whatever your situation today, change is possible through Him. However often you’ve repented, confessed and tried changing, God can change what you can’t—and make it last. But change requires understanding certain principles. Let’s look at them: (1) You don’t need to change others in order to change your life. “I’d be happier if he’d stop…” “Things won’t improve for me until she…” Such beliefs make you focus on the problem and not the solution, ignore realistic options and feed depression. “Make a careful exploration of who you are…take responsibility for …your own life” (Gal 6:4-5 TM). Instead of trying to change others, which only produces resistance and resentment, let God show you what you need to do differently to improve your handling of the problem. When you stop doing what doesn’t work and change your reactions to the problem, others often change spontaneously. (2) True change begins by addressing your relationship with God. Bitterness and frustration over problems just result in distancing from God, leaving you to handle the issue in your own strength. Surrendering to Him changes you fundamentally, challenging pride, envy, resentment, fear, dishonesty, etc.—characteristics of poor change management. “Let's take a good look at the way we're living and reorder our lives under God” (Lam 3:40 TM). With “our lives under God,” we’re more honest, self-aware, able to perceive realistically; we’re respectful, and prepared to become God’s change agents. 

In the wilderness God provided His people with manna so that they wouldn’t go hungry. It appeared miraculously each morning: “Everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over, and those who gathered…a little had enough. Each family had just what it needed.” Ever notice there are times in life when God’s blessings seem to “overtake you”? (Dt 28:2). Your prayers are getting answered, the doctor’s report is good, the bills are paid, your job is going great and your kids are finally on the right track. When that happens—rejoice and thank God for His goodness. Then there are other times when He gives you “just enough” light to take one more step. That’s when He’s teaching you to trust Him on a daily (or sometimes hourly) basis; to test His Word and see for yourself that “his mercies…are new every morning” (Lam 3:22-23 NCV). Bottom line: God never lets us gather tomorrow’s manna today. The Bible says He will “supply all your need according to his riches in glory” (Php 4:19). He wants you to rely on the Giver and not the gift, to trust Him to meet all your needs, and to expect that He will bring good things out of bad situations. Instead of getting stressed out, He wants you to “let [all] your requests be made known to God” (Php 4:6 NKJV), to stop fretting when you’re alone because He will “never leave you nor forsake you” (Dt 31:6 NIV); to realize that no matter what life throws at you, you never have to question His love because it’s “everlasting” (Jer 31:3). 

When Moses killed the Egyptian and hid the body in the sand, he looked around to make sure no one was watching. Ever done something wrong when nobody was watching? We all have! One pastor says he counsels people whose business travel makes them vulnerable. “An executive finds that away from home she’s inappropriately flirtatious, even though she loves her husband and wants to remain faithful. A high-powered professional struggles with [sexually explicit images] in hotel rooms, even though he’s not tempted by them at home. The Internet sets innumerable ethical traps…By frequenting online chat rooms a wife becomes entangled in an emotional relationship with another man …a husband struggles with the availability of Internet pornography…The sense that no one was watching allowed them to sin in ways they would never sin in ordinary, observed life.” Here’s what you need to realize: (1) God sees you when nobody else does. When you couple that with a desire to please Him and not grieve Him, it makes a difference in how you act. (2) “The godly offer good counsel” (Ps 37:30 NLT). If you know you’re vulnerable in a certain area, share it with someone who will pray for you and hold you accountable. (Nowadays there are even computer programs that will monitor your Internet activity and send a report to others). (3) Avoid situations that afford you too much privacy. One woman closed her personal bank account and opened a joint account with her husband because her spending was out of control. God created you to live in relationship with others, and the more open and honest you are, the less likely you’ll be to stray. 

Have you been asking God, “Why do I have to wait so long?” If so, here are four important things you need to know: (1) Waiting trains you. Time spent waiting can be time spent learning. And if you’re learning, you’re not losing. God will train you for battle because He’s a good general. “Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle” (Ps 144:1 NIV). (2) Waiting corrects you. The Psalmist wrote: “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (Ps 119:67 NKJV). Pain can be profitable. Adversity can lead to spiritual advancement if you’re willing to glean from it. Pain forces you to look to God for answers, to lean on Him instead of others, to learn where you went astray, to hunger for His presence and His healing touch, to listen for His instructions and be sensitive to the changes He wants to bring about in your life. Yes, you can turn your pain into progress. (3) Waiting reveals those around you. Motives are not easily discerned. Trust God, but test people. That’s scriptural. “The Lord your God led you …forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart” (Dt 8:2 NIV). People can keep their intentions and motives covered for a long time, but waiting generally forces the truth to the surface. (4) Waiting gives God time to solve the problem. He’s a miracle-working God, so don’t get ahead of Him and rob Him of the opportunity to demonstrate His power in your life. 

God answered Jonathan’s “maybe” with a “definitely.” That’s because his cause was just, his faith was strong, he had a heart to do God’s will, glorify His name and bless His people. To step out on a “maybe” you must know that your motive is right, that you have prayed and searched the Scriptures and that you have been willing to listen to godly counsel. A “maybe” doesn’t give you the right to be presumptuous, or ask God to rubber-stamp your personal agenda. Sometimes when we want something to happen, we presume God does too. Up until this point Israel went to war based on a plan, a prophecy, or a well-thought-out strategy. But sometimes God-given opportunities come to you “on the fly,” and it takes faith and wisdom to know how to respond to them. In those “maybe moments” you can’t wait for guarantees or sit still and do nothing because your actions involve risk. You can’t fear natural circumstances, obstacles or frightening situations. You must take the “maybe” you’ve been given and do something with it, for that’s when you begin to see God turn your “maybe” into a miracle. Once you know that your heart is right before God, you must be willing to face your fear and seize the moment. When you’re in a moment that has the potential to alter your future, trust God, step out in faith and move forward. Don’t let your dream die inside you because of the risk involved. With God, risk is the bridge that gets you to where He wants you to be. 

Jonathan, King Saul’s son, was pursuing a Philistine garrison. No prophet had spoken. He had no word from the Lord to confirm that he was going to win the battle. He simply said to his armor bearer, “Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us.” Now, this doesn’t give you license to go off and do your own thing, then ask God to back you up. Clearly, Jonathan was fighting on the side of the Lord’s people so he knew that God was with him. But without specific, detailed direction he stepped out on a “maybe.” Did it work? Yes. When Jonathan and his armor bearer killed twenty of the Philistines, it threw the opposing force into such confusion that they started killing one another, and Israel came out on top. Solomon said, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap” (Ecc 11:4 NKJV). In other words, if you wait for perfect conditions you’ll neither attempt nor accomplish anything. Yes, it would be wonderful if God always gave us specific directions. But often He leads by an idea or an impression that begins to grow inside you, and as it strengthens and persists you start to think, “Maybe this is what God wants me to do.” We like the guaranteed outcome (and income). We’re comfortable with the certain, absolute deal, with no risk of failure or loss. But you’re going to face a “maybe” more times than you will have guarantees. And it’s those times of uncertainty that strengthen your faith, your resolve, and your courage. 

The first recorded question God ever asked was, “[Adam]…Where are you?” And it’s a question you need to stop and ask yourself today: “Where am I—really?” If you don’t know the answer, or you do but you don’t like it, then today’s devotion is for you. When God asked Adam, “Where are you?” he responded by saying, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid” (v.10 NIV). It’s amazing the lengths we will go to in order to hide. We’ll bury ourselves in work, or get involved in an affair, or build a wall around our hearts—anything but face the truth. God wasn’t trying to find Adam; He just wanted Adam to find himself. Until you do that, you’re truly lost. And the problem is, when you hide you become a phony. Have you any idea how much emotional energy it requires to keep up a charade for others? Only two things are worse: being a phony with yourself, and being a phony with God. Furthermore, you’ll find it difficult to be honest with others or look them in the eye. Why? Because you’ll be afraid they might look into your heart and see the real you. Is that where you are today? Afraid to look into your own heart? The good news is, Adam was naked but God clothed him; he was guilty but God cleansed him; he was anxious but God comforted him. And if you come to Him today God will cleanse you, clothe you, and comfort you. He’s just waiting for the opportunity to do it! 

Paul writes: “And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” Dr. Gerald Mann tells the fascinating story of how he got his doctorate in Greek. There were only six students in his class. The professor had never given anyone an A. On the first day he held up a Greek textbook and to their amazement he announced, “I have already written your grades and no matter how much you study or what you score, I have given every one of you an A!” Dr. Mann said, “Out of six students, five of us learned more Greek in that class than we ever thought possible. The other fellow just got by and never really applied himself.” Understand this: Grace is the power to excel, or license to just get by. Either way, you’re accepted and considered righteous in God’s eyes the moment you trust in Christ. Why would God arrange it that way? Because the love He gives us is unconditional, and only a response of love can satisfy Him. What an amazing truth; God makes Himself vulnerable to the rejection of people like us! Perhaps you’re wondering, “How can I prove that I truly love God?” That’s easy: you’ll love your brother and sister (See 1Jn 4:21). You’ll love God’s Word (See Ps 119:97). You’ll love spending time in prayer (See Jer 29:12). Grace, rightly understood, doesn’t prevent holiness, it produces it. “The grace of God that brings salvation…teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” (Tit 2:11-12 NIV). 

The third thing that describes Christ’s relationship with His Father is obedience. Jesus said: “As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.” Jesus neither considered nor consulted His own will in the matter. Instead He focused like a laser on one thing—doing the will of God, no more and no less. Note the words, “As I hear.” When you have heard from God the discussion is over; it’s time to act. God’s not going to change His mind, so you need to start changing yours and “get with the program.” 

When you make Jesus the Lord of your life, you give up three basic rights: (a) What it will cost you. (b) Where it will take you. (c) The extent to which it will change you. In order to enjoy a relationship with Jesus similar to the one which He had with His Father, that’s the price tag! You say, “That sounds very demanding.” Yes, but it’s also very protective. When God told His people to do something, He also told them why: “That it might go well with you” (See Dt 5:33, 6:3, 12:28). God’s not trying to cramp your style, make your life hard or put you in a straitjacket. He’s a Father who wants only the best for His children. Isn’t that what every good parent wants? So when you walk in obedience, God’s best is what you will get. 

Don't become a slave to someone else's dream, because once you own a dream that dream will own you. Being a slave to someone else's dream quickly becomes a nightmare. Paul writes: But they are only comparing themselves with each other; How ignorant We will boast only about what has happened within the boundaries of the work God has given us(2Co 10:12-13 NLT). If you are confused, out of focus, or going in circles, pray, Lord, give me a clear vision and an undivided heart.That's a prayer God will answer.

The pastor of a great church tells of running out of money when they were only halfway through the construction of their new sanctuary. The congregation was growing and there was no doubt that they needed the extra space. But the bank wouldn't give them any more funds. So the pastor prayed and said, Lord, personally speaking, I don't need this big building. I already have a place for all my children. You need a place for Yours. I don't know how You're going to take care of this, but those are Your kids, Lord, so I'm turning it over to You. God answered, the money came through, and within a few years they were worshipping in a beautiful sanctuary, debt free. So give your problem to God and don't take it back!

Have you ever gone to a grocery store with a coupon cut out from a newspaper? You want a bag of flour or sugar, but you've no money. Yet they give it to you. Why? Because with the coupon, they give you credit as though you had the money. Getting the idea? You have no righteousness to bring before God in exchange for salvation, but He has set up a coupon system called redemption and said, Once you place your trust in Christ, I will view you as righteous from that moment on. The word righteous simply means to be in right standing with God. What a way to live! What a well of joy! What a source of confidence!

Like Ishmael and Isaac, sometimes your miracle and your mistake can grow together under the same roof. Things can be so bad in one area, yet so good in another. Today God may be saying to you, Because of the destiny I have in mind for you, you've got to put this thing out of your life. It's painful letting go of something your flesh creates, but you have no choice. Here are your options: You can be moved by their pleading and miss God's best. Or you can say, As much as I love you, I love God more. When you're willing to walk away from something you love because you love God more, that's called the sacrifice of praise (Heb 13:15). And when you offer it up to God, you position yourself to receive the fullness of His blessing in your life.

His divine power has given us everything we need. 2Pe 1:3 NIV

The Bible says: His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive (2Pe 1:3-8 NIV). Here are ten scriptural principles to help you live, as God intended: (1) Guard your tongue. Always say less than you think and others will respect you. (2) Make promises sparingly, keep them faithfully, and people will trust you. (3) Never let an opportunity pass to say a kind word, and someday you will look back with joy and not regret. (4) Be genuinely interested in others; show it by listening attentively and expressing your appreciation. (5) Be cheerful. Don't dwell on your aches and pains; everybody has trouble. There are people in the nearest hospital who would gladly trade places with you. (6) Keep an open mind and try to get all the facts. Discuss, but don't argue. Learn to disagree without being disagreeable. Give other people the benefit of the doubt. (7) Discourage gossip, it's destructive. (8) Be sensitive to the feelings of others. If you do, people will consider you to be wise. (9) Pay no attention to ill-natured remarks about you. Live so that nobody will believe them. (10) Don't worry about getting the credit, just keep giving your best and be patient. God records and God rewards!

A good mentor will: (1) Affirm in public, correct in private. Your goal should be to help, not hurt. When you rebuke someone in public you humiliate them, destroying their self-esteem. But when you affirm them in public you build their self-esteem, confidence and incentive. Of course, your praise should be genuine, not just empty words. By affirming sincerely and publicly, you plant the seeds of growth and greatness in the learner. (2) Build an allegiance to relationships, not issues. We tend to build an allegiance either to relationships, or to issues. We become primarily concerned about other people, their feelings, and the relationship, or we become focused on rules, agendas, quotas, tasks and results. A good mentor always puts relationships ahead of issues. In his book Mentoring: The Strategy of the Master, Ron Lee Davis writes: My father was that kind of mentor, both in his own family and in the church he pastored for twenty-five years. Many times I heard him say, The individual is always more important than the issue. He lived this principle daily and he built it into my life. Today, I try to pass on this principle to others. God has called each of us to run our race and finish it successfully. He has also called us to keep the torch lit and hand it off to the next runner. Don't merely be satisfied with doing the job, make sure the job keeps getting done by teaching and training someone else. Jesus, the Master-mentor, said: The works that I do shall [you] do also; and greater works than these shall [you] do (Jn 14:12).

“Each part helps the other parts grow. Eph 4:16 NLT

When we are under attack our survival instincts come out. We are fighters! But that creates a problem, for Paul says: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” If your number one goal is self-preservation, you are no longer free to make the right decisions. You'll keep doing things based on what feels good, and what's acceptable to others, rather than what God wants you to do. You'll talk a lot about being faithful, but very little about being fruitful. You can only bear fruit if you are willing to die to self. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the [ground] and dies [to self], it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (Jn 12:24 NAS). The survival seekers in the Bible forfeited God's best by looking out for their own interests rather than God's. Without considering Abraham, Lot chose the well-watered plains of Jordan, and lost his family (See Ge 13:10-11 NIV). The rich young ruler could have been numbered among Christ's disciples, but he had too much to lose (See Mk 10:22). Often the more we have, the tighter we hold on. Jesus said: Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses [invests] his life for My sake will save it (Lk 9:24 NAS). Paul wrote: I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me (Ac 20:24 NIV). The safest place to be the only place to be is in the will of God!

 It feels good to live without shame. That doesn't mean you'll never stumble, it just means that by God's grace you'll get back up. Do you remember when you had to get a permission slip to miss school? Some of us have given ourselves permission slips to be weak, because we've become weary in the fight. Yes, it's a long fight, but you can win if you want to! Here's one of the keys to victory: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. If you are struggling to break a habit that's trying to break you, God never intended you to do it alone. Whatever your habit or struggle may be, the moment it comes tell on it! When you do, it begins to lose its power. You say, Tell who? Someone who's been through it, someone who's compassionate, someone who'll stand with you in prayer, someone who'll hold you accountable, someone who'll keep your confidence. The Bible says: Pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves (Ecc 4:10-12 NIV). Roman soldiers stood back-to-back, protecting each other when the attack was coming from different directions. So, who's got your back? But a word of caution: confess your faults, not someone else's! You can never be healed by confessing the faults of others. Confess your faults, and let God heal you. Today God wants to make you whole and set you free to enjoy His blessing. Will you let Him?

"This one thing I do. "Php 3:13 Ask yourself these two questions: (1) Do I want God's best? It's not easy to rise up early while others sleep, and prepare for the challenge. Like Jesus in Gethsemane, you'll discover it's hard to find people who will stand with you while you're in preparation. But there can be no celebration without preparation. Not everybody can handle success. Some would rather have tranquility; they don't like criticism and they can't take the pressure. But if you want God's best you can have it. If you've the passion, the price won't stop you! You'll be drawn and driven toward the goal. (2) How strong is my desire? If you don't have the passion for it, you'll never overcome the obstacles. Real power comes from desire kindled in the furnace of unfilled longing. Long-distance runners take steady strides and focus on endurance, not just speed. They run each lap, stretch to their limits and give themselves to one thing-winning. Perspiration pours out of them. The taste of exhaustion is in their mouths. As they near the finish line a final burst of energy kicks in. It's the last lap. No excuses, it's now or never! At least one time before they lay you in your casket, you owe it to God and yourself to experience that last-lap feeling of giving it all you've got. Victory doesn't come cheap. Paul writes: "Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet" (Eph 6:13-15 TM).

Wednesday July 6, 2011

Tuesday July 5, 2011

“Pray for…all who have authority.” 1Ti 2:2 NCV

The Bible says: “Righteousness exalts a nation” (Pr 14:34 NASB). In the Old Testament Abraham interceded with God on behalf of Sodom (See Ge 18:22-33). Moses stood between God and Israel, and saved it from destruction (See Ex 32:11-14). When Achan sinned, Joshua pled the people’s case before God (See Jos 7:6-9). We live in an era of dwindling regard for authority, and it’s easy to add your voice to the chorus of naysayers. Even if you didn’t vote for those who are in power, the Bible says: “Pray for rulers and…all who have authority.” Why? Because it “pleases God;” it’s that simple! Ask Him to give our leaders three things: (1) Humility. “Humility comes before honor” (Pr 15:33 NIV). Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, “gave up his divine privileges [and]…took the humble position of a slave” (Php 2:7 NLT). Servant-leadership is the epitome of strength; it means acknowledging our limitations and looking to God for insight and guidance. (2) Wisdom. Solomon said: “[The] fear of the Lord [precedes] Wisdom” (Pr 15:33 AMP), and James adds: “If you need wisdom, ask…God, and he will give it to you” (Jas 1:5 NLT). Instead of praying only for the advancement of your own political agenda, ask God to give our leaders what they need to exercise sound judgment and make wise decisions. (3) Courage. David said: “Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Ps 27:14 NKJV). In the face of global terrorism, war, financial upheaval and a climate of fear, pray that God will give our leaders the strength of character to do what’s right, instead of what’s popular. 

“Christ has set us free.” Gal 5:1 TM

“The pure in heart…shall see God.” Mt 5:8

In the tabernacle there was a large washbasin called the laver (See Ex 30:18). Its bronze base acted like a mirror letting the priest see the dirt on his feet. Before he could approach God he had to stop and be cleansed, otherwise he would die. The Psalmist writes: “Who may stand in [your] holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…He will receive blessing from the Lord” (Ps 24:3-5 NIV). God’s blessings are contingent upon the condition of your heart. Does that mean you must be sinless? No, it means you must be conscious of your sin and deal with it right away. Why the big deal about purity? Because Jesus said: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” The problem is not God’s inability to be seen, but our inability to see Him. No wonder David prayed: “Create in me a pure heart” (Ps 51:10 NIV). This word pure is from the Greek word katharos, which means “to clean out.” When you’ve heard too much and seen too much, you need a spiritual catharsis. Only a pure heart can understand God’s will and discern His ways. Unidentified, unconfessed, unforgiven sin will block your spiritual arteries. A heart that’s not pure will keep you seeking the wisdom of men rather than the ways of God. It will keep you needing prayer instead of offering prayer for others. Don’t carry around what God wants discarded. Get rid of “every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares” (Heb 12:1 NKJV). What God wants to show you is worth cleaning up for. 

"We loved you so much." 1Th 2:8 NIV

Sharing your life with them. "We were delighted to share with you...our lives." How can your daughter learn to have healthy relationships with men, or your son develop a healthy male identity, unless you share your life with them? Today's mother-led family is largely the creation of the absentee father. Dad, you share your life with your kids by: (1) Sharing your values. They need to know what's important to you and where your priorities lie, what you stand for and truly believe. (2) Sharing how they can live by biblical principles. Life will throw obstacles in their pathway, confusing them. They need to know God's ways and God's Word when making tough, crucial decisions. (3) Sharing moments of laughter and fun. When you come home do your kids scatter or gather around you? Are you fun to be with? Teach them that Christianity is something to be enjoyed, not endured. They say "The family that prays together stays together." So does the family that plays together! (4) Sharing with them the finer interests of life. Criticizing their interests only strengthens their commitment to them. Instead of condemning their music, dress, TV shows and internet use, introduce them to better alternatives. (5) Telling them how valuable they are to you. Don't assume they know. Researchers say that most kids, particularly boys, feel like they're a nuisance to their dads. "We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you...our lives...you had become so dear to us." Tell them again and again!