Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
Today's Passage > Galatians chapter 5
Memory Verse> Gal. 5: 16-17
This time of year, pretty much everyone gets into the habit of looking back and taking inventory. We spend time thinking about the things we've failed at, and we also look at our successes. But we focus mostly on how we can do better at improving every part of our lives. We want to be better at our relationships, saving money, and of course giving more of ourselves to God. Nevertheless, we're also aware of the fact that those wonderful plans end up being just that-- plans.
So what's the difference-maker? What is it that pushes the things we desire to change about ourselves into the realm of the possible? It's recognizing the difference between resolutions and commitments. Resolutions are merely things WE want to accomplish for ourselves. Some of us look at ourselves in the mirror and envision ourselves thinner and more attractive, so we resolve to work on that more diligently. Others of us want certain things such as a new house or a new car, and so we make resolutions to save more money or pay more to get out of debt at a faster rate. And you know what? If we really want to be honest with ourselves, we'll admit that we make resolutions as a result of comparing ourselves with others to see how close we are to the mark of success set by this world.
Being committed has to do with not focusing on ourselves at all, but allowing God's will for us to be manifested in a greater way. Basically, what that boils down to is making commitments that will cause God to increase in us while WE decrease. Resolutions are all about us, while commitments are all about God. Today's passage reminds us that all the works of the flesh keep us "me-minded", but the fruit of the Spirit point to and glorify God. We have to decide whether we want our lives to reflect more of ourselves, or more of our Lord. Let's take love, for example. Love is an action word that requires giving of ourselves, while a resolution to make our relationships better may have us focusing only on what others can do for us instead of the other way around.
This week, as we re-arrange our priorities, may we remember that the works of our flesh only go so far, while the fruit of the Spirit increase the more we operate in them. The enemy would have us to believe that only others benefit as a result of our walking in the Spirit, leaving us holding the bag. But the opposite occurs. The seeds of fruit that we sow grow and multiply, while nothing done just for ourselves lasts beyond us. May we thus be encouraged to make commitments rather than resolutions. Because ultimately, the only mark we'll press toward will be God's. And THAT is the difference-maker.
Prayer: Father, over and over again You remind me to walk in Your ways rather than work to please only myself. Every time I trust You and do things Your way, the seeds are long-lasting. I just want to bring a smile to Your face and glory to Your Name in everything I do. Please help me do that today and everyday in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Say YES!!!
Thursday, December 22 nd, 2011
Today's Passage: Luke 1: 26-38
Memory Verse: Luke 1: 38
God, the Sovereign One, the Greatest Being of all time. Creator of the universe and everything we see and know. Can you imagine the thought of Him NEEDING anything from us? And yet, when you give it a little thought, it's easy to see how much stock God places in our agreement with His plan. All throughout the Word, God presented His plan to His people, going on faith that they would say yes.
Abraham agreed with God 's command to change his ways and begin to worship Him, and we are the result of his decision. Saul agreed to stop persecuting the church, and half of the New Testament is evidence of his obedience. Rahab, a prostitute, wanted more out of life and therefore lined up with the children of the One True God. Because of the choice she made to do this, she became a part of the lineage of King David. Ruth, Boaz, Elijah and Elisha-- the list goes on and on of examples of decisions made about total devotion to the Lord. But every time I come to the story of Mary and Joseph, the gravity of our choices became so clear.
What if Mary had decided that the risk of being rejected and possibly even stoned by the people of Nazareth was too great? What if her words to the angel were the opposite of what we read today? What if Joseph, who knew this was not his child, decided not to stand with Mary and give her respectability by marrying her? God would no doubt have had to wait another few hundred years for someone else in the lineage of David. But this couple was perfect for what God had planned, and they trusted the Sovereignty of His ways more than the circumstances surrounding their destiny.
The question of the day is this: how will WE respond to God's request of our services when He calls on us? Jesus' birth was the most awesome undertaking since the creation of man, but as long as we are on this earth and the enemy is allowed to roam freely, God will continue to search for willing vessels whose lives will bring Him glory in opposition to satan. And we could decide, like all the others, to agree or not to agree. Free will is part of what we were created with, so the Father would have to keep searching. But what an amazing testimony it is when we say YES! Everything falls in place, just like it did with Mary and Joseph. We pray this week that you surrender your life completely to the Father's will, and that this Christmas holiday will be one of the most special for you and your family.
Prayer: Father, You have a plan, and I want to be a part of it today. In Mary's words, let it be unto me according to Your words. Let Your plan be fulfilled in my life, and may my obedience be complete .Thank You for sending Him to bear my sins on the cross. I'll forever live to serve You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Today's Passage: Luke 1: 26-38
Memory Verse: Luke 1: 38
God, the Sovereign One, the Greatest Being of all time. Creator of the universe and everything we see and know. Can you imagine the thought of Him NEEDING anything from us? And yet, when you give it a little thought, it's easy to see how much stock God places in our agreement with His plan. All throughout the Word, God presented His plan to His people, going on faith that they would say yes.
Abraham agreed with God 's command to change his ways and begin to worship Him, and we are the result of his decision. Saul agreed to stop persecuting the church, and half of the New Testament is evidence of his obedience. Rahab, a prostitute, wanted more out of life and therefore lined up with the children of the One True God. Because of the choice she made to do this, she became a part of the lineage of King David. Ruth, Boaz, Elijah and Elisha-- the list goes on and on of examples of decisions made about total devotion to the Lord. But every time I come to the story of Mary and Joseph, the gravity of our choices became so clear.
What if Mary had decided that the risk of being rejected and possibly even stoned by the people of Nazareth was too great? What if her words to the angel were the opposite of what we read today? What if Joseph, who knew this was not his child, decided not to stand with Mary and give her respectability by marrying her? God would no doubt have had to wait another few hundred years for someone else in the lineage of David. But this couple was perfect for what God had planned, and they trusted the Sovereignty of His ways more than the circumstances surrounding their destiny.
The question of the day is this: how will WE respond to God's request of our services when He calls on us? Jesus' birth was the most awesome undertaking since the creation of man, but as long as we are on this earth and the enemy is allowed to roam freely, God will continue to search for willing vessels whose lives will bring Him glory in opposition to satan. And we could decide, like all the others, to agree or not to agree. Free will is part of what we were created with, so the Father would have to keep searching. But what an amazing testimony it is when we say YES! Everything falls in place, just like it did with Mary and Joseph. We pray this week that you surrender your life completely to the Father's will, and that this Christmas holiday will be one of the most special for you and your family.
Prayer: Father, You have a plan, and I want to be a part of it today. In Mary's words, let it be unto me according to Your words. Let Your plan be fulfilled in my life, and may my obedience be complete .Thank You for sending Him to bear my sins on the cross. I'll forever live to serve You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
YOU Stand!
Friday, December 16th, 2011
Today's Passage> Joshua chapter 2
Memory Verse> Ephesians 6: 13
Now more than ever before, the need for God, morality or anything of that nature seems to be dissipating along with the ozone layer. With all the adversity that we face from one day to another, it would seem as though the argument for God is on the losing end. The more trials arise, the less people seem to be willing to tolerate a God Who supposedly just sits idly by while the poor continue to get poorer, and oppression from the rich and powerful gets more overwhelming. But now more than ever before, the people of God must be willing to stand for what we believe no matter what.
Case in point: for years, a city in Califonia has always allowed local churches to put up nativity scenes during the Christmas holidays. But not this year. Protests from atheists opened the door to the city granting them permission to make bids on the spots usually held by those churches. The atheists, who had obviously planned this out long before the holidays even got here, were prepared for a fight. They made 11 bids for spots and received 18; the believers, who didn't see this coming and didn't have the time to counteract this highly- organized attack, made 8 bids and only received 2 spots. And what did the atheists do with the spots throughout the city? They put potted plants at all the spots except for 2 specific locations. These two were used to display their ideas of why there is no need for a God. This means they merely wanted the ABSENCE of Christian symbols which had aggravated them for so long. If you don't think the CAMPAIGN for the antiChrist has begun, think again.
In today's passage, God uses a prostitute to show us how taking a stand is done. She knew it was time to stand for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when the spies showed up. Rather than quake in fear of what the king of Jericho could do to her, she decided it was better to be on the side of THE God Who had shown His power by delivering His people from the tyranny of the Egyptians. Instead of being pre-occupied with what she would LOSE if she protected God's people, she set her gaze on what she was about to gain. Her acts of obedience established the foundation for Israel's takeover of Jericho. What message does that send to us today? It only takes ONE believer to take a stand.
The enemy is very crafty and cunning, slipping in behind the scenes and systematically removing the essence of who we are from our society while he pre-occupies us with the petty aggravations-- financial struggles, what other saints are saying/doing, and anything that will cause us not to have the strength to fight. But that is PRECISELY why we MUST fight. We cannot afford to be unprepared to make INFORMED decisions about our faith. We must be sober and steady, knowing that our fight is really not against flesh and blood-- although the enemy uses people to come against us all the time. All it boils down to is being willing to DO something. Now, I'm sure the churches in that city will be ready next year. But what the enemy has done is gain ground for his kingdom. This thought alone should put us on guard and fill us with the desire to always be at our post, leaving no room for the enemy. All the Lord requires of us is to stand with our WahOLE armor. And the gates of hell will NOT prevail.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the shift in our mindset as believers. I declare total submission to you and Your plan for my life. I stand with the WHOLE armor fixed and in place. Cleanse my heart and forgive all my rebellious acts. I repent and turn from them today so that You can use every part of me for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Today's Passage> Joshua chapter 2
Memory Verse> Ephesians 6: 13
Now more than ever before, the need for God, morality or anything of that nature seems to be dissipating along with the ozone layer. With all the adversity that we face from one day to another, it would seem as though the argument for God is on the losing end. The more trials arise, the less people seem to be willing to tolerate a God Who supposedly just sits idly by while the poor continue to get poorer, and oppression from the rich and powerful gets more overwhelming. But now more than ever before, the people of God must be willing to stand for what we believe no matter what.
Case in point: for years, a city in Califonia has always allowed local churches to put up nativity scenes during the Christmas holidays. But not this year. Protests from atheists opened the door to the city granting them permission to make bids on the spots usually held by those churches. The atheists, who had obviously planned this out long before the holidays even got here, were prepared for a fight. They made 11 bids for spots and received 18; the believers, who didn't see this coming and didn't have the time to counteract this highly- organized attack, made 8 bids and only received 2 spots. And what did the atheists do with the spots throughout the city? They put potted plants at all the spots except for 2 specific locations. These two were used to display their ideas of why there is no need for a God. This means they merely wanted the ABSENCE of Christian symbols which had aggravated them for so long. If you don't think the CAMPAIGN for the antiChrist has begun, think again.
In today's passage, God uses a prostitute to show us how taking a stand is done. She knew it was time to stand for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when the spies showed up. Rather than quake in fear of what the king of Jericho could do to her, she decided it was better to be on the side of THE God Who had shown His power by delivering His people from the tyranny of the Egyptians. Instead of being pre-occupied with what she would LOSE if she protected God's people, she set her gaze on what she was about to gain. Her acts of obedience established the foundation for Israel's takeover of Jericho. What message does that send to us today? It only takes ONE believer to take a stand.
The enemy is very crafty and cunning, slipping in behind the scenes and systematically removing the essence of who we are from our society while he pre-occupies us with the petty aggravations-- financial struggles, what other saints are saying/doing, and anything that will cause us not to have the strength to fight. But that is PRECISELY why we MUST fight. We cannot afford to be unprepared to make INFORMED decisions about our faith. We must be sober and steady, knowing that our fight is really not against flesh and blood-- although the enemy uses people to come against us all the time. All it boils down to is being willing to DO something. Now, I'm sure the churches in that city will be ready next year. But what the enemy has done is gain ground for his kingdom. This thought alone should put us on guard and fill us with the desire to always be at our post, leaving no room for the enemy. All the Lord requires of us is to stand with our WahOLE armor. And the gates of hell will NOT prevail.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the shift in our mindset as believers. I declare total submission to you and Your plan for my life. I stand with the WHOLE armor fixed and in place. Cleanse my heart and forgive all my rebellious acts. I repent and turn from them today so that You can use every part of me for Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
As For Me And My House...
Thursday, December 15th, 2011
Today's Passage: Exodus chapter 32
Memory Verses> Exodus 20: 1-3
In Exodus chapter 20, like a patient and loving Father, God outlines the laws He wants His children to live by in order to set them up for success. He leaves no confusion, but clearly says, "I am your God, the God Who brought you up out of slavery. You shall have NO other gods before me. You shall NOT make for yourself a carved image or ANY likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a THOUSAND generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
But in Exodus 32, only a short while later, the children of Israel are doing the exact thing God tells them not to do. As a matter of fact, they are so specific in their rebellion that they make for themselves a carved image of a calf. Then they bow down and worship it, saying: "you, o great calf that we have made, are our god. You are the one who brought us up out of Egypt." and every time I read this passage, I get a little better understanding of the passionate mercy and grace of God. I can't see how God could witness that blatant disrespect and let those people live for one second longer. I get outraged in my spirit and want to punish them myself for going against God's law in such an outright manner.
But in the midst of my self-righteousness, I am reminded by the Holy Spirit that we are not so far removed from what the children of Israel did. Whereas we are not necessarily willing to physically carve an image to worship, what do we do instead of waiting on God? We find an alternative. The hearts of the Israelites are exactly the same as ours when we say to ourselves, "this God I put my trust in is taking too long to respond to my situation, so let me find another route, another answer, another solution.... Basically, another god". So what we end up communicating to God when we self-medicate or find illegal ways to solve our problems is this: "You are NOT the God Who delivered me before, for I have ALWAYS had to take care of myself, and I will do it again." We communicate our distrust and lack of faith in Him, and we let Him know that we're rejecting His ways and everything He is.
Saints, as we make choices concerning where we will live, what our occupation will be, and who we want our children to emulate, we have to put God first in everything we do. Finding other solutions to the problems that come up rather than waiting on Him to guide and direct us push Him farther and farther down the ladder. Who comes first says exactly how we feel about God. As for me nd my house, we've already chosen to be totally devoted to Him alone-- no matter what sacrifices we have to make, and no matter how long we have to wait. Anything less is not an option.
Prayer: Father, You are the God Who brought me out of darkness into Your marvelous light. You deserve all my worship, and I will seek to put You first no matter what. I will have no other gods where You should be. I will lift You high in my life for all to see. May Your Name be glorified forever! In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Today's Passage: Exodus chapter 32
Memory Verses> Exodus 20: 1-3
In Exodus chapter 20, like a patient and loving Father, God outlines the laws He wants His children to live by in order to set them up for success. He leaves no confusion, but clearly says, "I am your God, the God Who brought you up out of slavery. You shall have NO other gods before me. You shall NOT make for yourself a carved image or ANY likeness of anything that is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water below. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, responding to the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, and showing covenant faithfulness to a THOUSAND generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
But in Exodus 32, only a short while later, the children of Israel are doing the exact thing God tells them not to do. As a matter of fact, they are so specific in their rebellion that they make for themselves a carved image of a calf. Then they bow down and worship it, saying: "you, o great calf that we have made, are our god. You are the one who brought us up out of Egypt." and every time I read this passage, I get a little better understanding of the passionate mercy and grace of God. I can't see how God could witness that blatant disrespect and let those people live for one second longer. I get outraged in my spirit and want to punish them myself for going against God's law in such an outright manner.
But in the midst of my self-righteousness, I am reminded by the Holy Spirit that we are not so far removed from what the children of Israel did. Whereas we are not necessarily willing to physically carve an image to worship, what do we do instead of waiting on God? We find an alternative. The hearts of the Israelites are exactly the same as ours when we say to ourselves, "this God I put my trust in is taking too long to respond to my situation, so let me find another route, another answer, another solution.... Basically, another god". So what we end up communicating to God when we self-medicate or find illegal ways to solve our problems is this: "You are NOT the God Who delivered me before, for I have ALWAYS had to take care of myself, and I will do it again." We communicate our distrust and lack of faith in Him, and we let Him know that we're rejecting His ways and everything He is.
Saints, as we make choices concerning where we will live, what our occupation will be, and who we want our children to emulate, we have to put God first in everything we do. Finding other solutions to the problems that come up rather than waiting on Him to guide and direct us push Him farther and farther down the ladder. Who comes first says exactly how we feel about God. As for me nd my house, we've already chosen to be totally devoted to Him alone-- no matter what sacrifices we have to make, and no matter how long we have to wait. Anything less is not an option.
Prayer: Father, You are the God Who brought me out of darkness into Your marvelous light. You deserve all my worship, and I will seek to put You first no matter what. I will have no other gods where You should be. I will lift You high in my life for all to see. May Your Name be glorified forever! In Jesus' Name, Amen.
HE'S Our King!!!!!!'
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Today's Passage: 1 Samuel chapter 8
Memory Verse> 1 Samuel 8:7
Over the centuries, we've witnessed how pitifully flawed humanity's sense of "right" can be. We have the capacity to do so many great things, and when we stand up for those things, no-one can stand in our way. But because even our best attempts to make the world a better place are rooted in iniquity and rebellion against God, that "sense of right" can not only be wrong, but it can also have devastating effects. Cain "felt" unfairly treated by his brother Abel and by God, so he simply killed him. Sarah "felt" that God was taking too long to give them a on, so she suggested Abraham have one by the servant girl. The list of events goes on and on of how even godly people miss the mark when attempting to do what seems "right".
Fast-forward to the last few centuries. There was a need for labor to make life more bearable in this new world called America, so it was decided that African men, women and children would be snatched from their lives and transported here to facilitate that purpose. Hitler "felt" it was his God-given right to preserve the Aryan race, so he methodically slaughtered millions of Jews over just a period of a few years. Where does it end? As long as humans are in control of our own actions, our sense of what seems right is dreadfully skewed. This is the same predicament the children of Israel found themselves in. They saw that the judges God had placed over them were beginning to fail, but rather than turn back to their Source, they came up with a plan of their own -- to have a king. And I bet you've already guessed what their spiritual reason was: BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE HAD ONE.
It's like a person who has no clue about building or measurements saying to the contractor who's building his house: "I feel like the closet should be where the bathroom is, and the living room should be 20 by 2." it sounds just as stupid when we try to take God's place and figure out the course of our lives for ourselves. So we make decisions like walking away from our marriages (or staying in and becoming unfaithful), walking in unforgiveness towards those we love, and walking away from God when things don't seem "right" about our lives. There's no way we can make choices outside of God and expect them to end well. All we're doing is walking in rebellion against Him, opening up doors for the enemy to come in.
Our pastors ministered to us this past Sunday about using "illegal substances" -- anything that is not in God's will for us. Recognize God as not only the One Who will judge us, but as One Who loves us and wants only the best for us. He holds the plumb line by which we can set our lives and TRUST that if we obey Him, the best will come out. But disobedience will only result in pain that we won't recover from easily. He's the King-- we don't need another. Whatever He says goes. It's such a place of peace to let Him be in control. Won't you trust Him with your life, dreams and eternity today?
Prayer: Father, my life is in Your hands. I not only WANT You, but I NEED You to guide me and keep me from the enemy's traps that are laid out for me. You see my end from my beginning, and You are full of wisdom and knowledge about things I could never even begin to understand. Forgive me for the times when I didn't trust You completely. Please take control today. You're my King, and I give You free reign. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Today's Passage: 1 Samuel chapter 8
Memory Verse> 1 Samuel 8:7
Over the centuries, we've witnessed how pitifully flawed humanity's sense of "right" can be. We have the capacity to do so many great things, and when we stand up for those things, no-one can stand in our way. But because even our best attempts to make the world a better place are rooted in iniquity and rebellion against God, that "sense of right" can not only be wrong, but it can also have devastating effects. Cain "felt" unfairly treated by his brother Abel and by God, so he simply killed him. Sarah "felt" that God was taking too long to give them a on, so she suggested Abraham have one by the servant girl. The list of events goes on and on of how even godly people miss the mark when attempting to do what seems "right".
Fast-forward to the last few centuries. There was a need for labor to make life more bearable in this new world called America, so it was decided that African men, women and children would be snatched from their lives and transported here to facilitate that purpose. Hitler "felt" it was his God-given right to preserve the Aryan race, so he methodically slaughtered millions of Jews over just a period of a few years. Where does it end? As long as humans are in control of our own actions, our sense of what seems right is dreadfully skewed. This is the same predicament the children of Israel found themselves in. They saw that the judges God had placed over them were beginning to fail, but rather than turn back to their Source, they came up with a plan of their own -- to have a king. And I bet you've already guessed what their spiritual reason was: BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE HAD ONE.
It's like a person who has no clue about building or measurements saying to the contractor who's building his house: "I feel like the closet should be where the bathroom is, and the living room should be 20 by 2." it sounds just as stupid when we try to take God's place and figure out the course of our lives for ourselves. So we make decisions like walking away from our marriages (or staying in and becoming unfaithful), walking in unforgiveness towards those we love, and walking away from God when things don't seem "right" about our lives. There's no way we can make choices outside of God and expect them to end well. All we're doing is walking in rebellion against Him, opening up doors for the enemy to come in.
Our pastors ministered to us this past Sunday about using "illegal substances" -- anything that is not in God's will for us. Recognize God as not only the One Who will judge us, but as One Who loves us and wants only the best for us. He holds the plumb line by which we can set our lives and TRUST that if we obey Him, the best will come out. But disobedience will only result in pain that we won't recover from easily. He's the King-- we don't need another. Whatever He says goes. It's such a place of peace to let Him be in control. Won't you trust Him with your life, dreams and eternity today?
Prayer: Father, my life is in Your hands. I not only WANT You, but I NEED You to guide me and keep me from the enemy's traps that are laid out for me. You see my end from my beginning, and You are full of wisdom and knowledge about things I could never even begin to understand. Forgive me for the times when I didn't trust You completely. Please take control today. You're my King, and I give You free reign. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Resist The Button!
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
Today's Passage: Job 2
Memory Verse: Job 2:10
The Easy Button. Remember those commercials? Staples released commercials that told office personnel it will solve all their in-office problems. Got a broken printer? Use the Easy Button. Is the copier jammed? Just use the Easy Button. The commercials were so convincing, viewers couldn't help wishing there was an easy button for all of life's problems.
If there were an easy button, would God want His people to use it? I don't think so. As a matter of fact, I believe He'd be totally against it. Simply because tthe Easy Button (as it were) would quickly become a 'bail-out' device that would leave little to nothing for the exercising of faith. With the Easy Button around, how could God use trials to build character in us? How would we develop a resistance to the enemy's attacks? The honest answer is we'd be void of things like Godly character, faith, and resistance. Think about it, although we don't actually have an Easy Button, we still employ the same approach to our trials,don't we? For instance, if we were to experience a financial struggle, we wouldn't wait for God to move. We'd go borrow the money and use His tithe to pay off the loan (Easy Button). If we're single and get lonely, we wouldn't wait for God to connect us to who He wants us to be with. Instead, we'd hook up with the first person who paid us attention and use His worship to make them feel loved (Easy Button).
So God in fact wouldn't like the Easy Button because it'd make life too easy. And mature Christians know an easy life is a faithless one. See, God knows because of sin, our lives will never be easy. But through Him, we can have an easy "living". I'll explain. Satan will never let us have peace. And he won't let our marriages prosper. He won't allow us to have a clear path to health, nor will he offer us financial freedom. Actually, the only thing he could do is make sure the words EASY BUTTON were permenantly branded into the palms of our hands. God, on the other hand, does something the Easy Button can't. He vaccinates us. To be vaccinated is to be exposed to the thing in order to build a defense against it. Which means God doesn't take away the harshness of life, He builds within us a defense against it. He wants our end result to be like Job. In chapter 2, he went from having it all to losing it all in mere moments. But Job had had his vaccine. Therefore he was able to fight off the urge to curse God. His resistance (through his faith in God) caused him to experience fullness of joy in the midst of great pain.
So get rid of the Easy Button mentality. Not only is it a temporary intervention, it doesn't actually work. Let God build your faith through situations that challenge you. Don't worry! He won't let you fall. I know it'll be uncomfortable. I know it won't make you popular. It will, however, make you stronger. And strength is what you need. You don't need another bad relationship or expensive leg-up. You need resistance. You need strength. You need faith. And all that has already been provided.
Prayer: Gracious Father, I thank You for taking care of me. I realize that even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I don't have to fear because You are with me. Your presence gives me the resistance I need to stand. So, I resist fear, worry, depression, and failure in Jesus' name. Amen.
Today's Passage: Job 2
Memory Verse: Job 2:10
The Easy Button. Remember those commercials? Staples released commercials that told office personnel it will solve all their in-office problems. Got a broken printer? Use the Easy Button. Is the copier jammed? Just use the Easy Button. The commercials were so convincing, viewers couldn't help wishing there was an easy button for all of life's problems.
If there were an easy button, would God want His people to use it? I don't think so. As a matter of fact, I believe He'd be totally against it. Simply because tthe Easy Button (as it were) would quickly become a 'bail-out' device that would leave little to nothing for the exercising of faith. With the Easy Button around, how could God use trials to build character in us? How would we develop a resistance to the enemy's attacks? The honest answer is we'd be void of things like Godly character, faith, and resistance. Think about it, although we don't actually have an Easy Button, we still employ the same approach to our trials,don't we? For instance, if we were to experience a financial struggle, we wouldn't wait for God to move. We'd go borrow the money and use His tithe to pay off the loan (Easy Button). If we're single and get lonely, we wouldn't wait for God to connect us to who He wants us to be with. Instead, we'd hook up with the first person who paid us attention and use His worship to make them feel loved (Easy Button).
So God in fact wouldn't like the Easy Button because it'd make life too easy. And mature Christians know an easy life is a faithless one. See, God knows because of sin, our lives will never be easy. But through Him, we can have an easy "living". I'll explain. Satan will never let us have peace. And he won't let our marriages prosper. He won't allow us to have a clear path to health, nor will he offer us financial freedom. Actually, the only thing he could do is make sure the words EASY BUTTON were permenantly branded into the palms of our hands. God, on the other hand, does something the Easy Button can't. He vaccinates us. To be vaccinated is to be exposed to the thing in order to build a defense against it. Which means God doesn't take away the harshness of life, He builds within us a defense against it. He wants our end result to be like Job. In chapter 2, he went from having it all to losing it all in mere moments. But Job had had his vaccine. Therefore he was able to fight off the urge to curse God. His resistance (through his faith in God) caused him to experience fullness of joy in the midst of great pain.
So get rid of the Easy Button mentality. Not only is it a temporary intervention, it doesn't actually work. Let God build your faith through situations that challenge you. Don't worry! He won't let you fall. I know it'll be uncomfortable. I know it won't make you popular. It will, however, make you stronger. And strength is what you need. You don't need another bad relationship or expensive leg-up. You need resistance. You need strength. You need faith. And all that has already been provided.
Prayer: Gracious Father, I thank You for taking care of me. I realize that even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I don't have to fear because You are with me. Your presence gives me the resistance I need to stand. So, I resist fear, worry, depression, and failure in Jesus' name. Amen.
Let's Make Him Famous!
Monday, December 12th, 2011
Today's Passage> Job chapter 1
Memory Verse> Luke 22: 31-32
Most of us love God with a passionate love. We know that because of Him our lives have meaning, and we do desire to serve Him with all our hearts. But something happens to some of us when the resistance comes that makes our witness doubtful. We change from being full of passion to not being sure of Who God is from one day to the next. One moment, we're on fire; the next, we've dropped off the face of the earth. What happens is an age- old tactic used by our enemy to wear down our faith until it totally disappears, or it at least is severely inactive. This strategy is called "sifting".
The meaning of this word in the physical sense is to "agitate", to move back and forth so as to separate parts of a substance that usually cannot be seen with the naked eye. When you're trying to remove impurities and rough lumps from flour, you sift it so that the undesirable elements can be separated from the part that you want to use. The figurative meaning is to "try one's faith by agitating inwardly". The enemy literally wants to pick at us until there's no SUBSTANCE left that God can use to move on our behalf. This process of wearing away is quite effective because it doesn't happen overnight. Rather, it takes place little by little, just like erosion wears away the protective sand from the beach. He's an expert at blending in when our problems are in full swing so that we don't even notice he's there, and we can begin to question God's ability to deliver us.
But God, Who knows all things and is aware that this is the enemy's primary purpose, also has a plan. He allows the enemy to sift even while providing us with the grace and strength to face the trials. Did you really think He was surprised when satan showed up before God? Why do you think God handed Jobto him on a plate? God ALREADY had a plan in place to show Himself strong and mighty in Job's life. You see, God has more confidence in that FAITH He gives us when we make Him Lord of all, and if we can just stand, we will overcome. Study Job's reaction when he began to lose the things he had worked so hard for. His response to "stuff" being gone was: "naked I came to this earth, and naked I shall return to the dust".
Job is one of the shiny examples of how firm our faith should be in the midst of the toughest trials. We must know that God is always a million steps ahead of the enemy when it comes to how much He will allow him to inflict on us. He's already calculated how much we can handle at the level of our walk. Things He never would've allowed in our lives when we were babes, He now does because our faith should be stronger. This is why Jesus told Peter the secret: "satan's plan is to agitate and aggravate all of you until you give up. But I have prayed for you that you won't allow the sifting to eat at your faith. Stand firm in that, then turn around and strengthen (encourage, bear up) your brethren".
The lesson in this story isn't to cause fear about the fact that the enemy's always after us. The issue is that our Father has confidence in what He placed inside of us. Actually, fait is so solid that it CANNOT just be whittled away with the passing of time, especially if we CONTINUE to build it up. In Jude verse 20, we learn that faith is built when we pray in the Holy Ghost. And while WE do what God's Word tells us, HE will make sure that the only things the enemy can sift from our lives will be the secret sins and other unsightly lumps that trip us up. So really and truly, we must yield to the sifting because God uses it to refine us. How much glory God gets out of the trials inflicted upon us depends upon how well we pass the test, making God's Name famous for His ability to cause us to triumphn in trials.
Prayer: Father, You are so faithful. Thank You for reminding us today that trials must come, but that YOUR purpose for us is greater than the enemy's, and only Your purpose for us will prevail. I declare today that we, Your children, will make You famous when we stand in the midst of the trials for all the world to see. Thank You for Christ, the Intercessor Who is praying that our faith won't fail. And by Your Grace, we WILL be victorious. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Today's Passage> Job chapter 1
Memory Verse> Luke 22: 31-32
Most of us love God with a passionate love. We know that because of Him our lives have meaning, and we do desire to serve Him with all our hearts. But something happens to some of us when the resistance comes that makes our witness doubtful. We change from being full of passion to not being sure of Who God is from one day to the next. One moment, we're on fire; the next, we've dropped off the face of the earth. What happens is an age- old tactic used by our enemy to wear down our faith until it totally disappears, or it at least is severely inactive. This strategy is called "sifting".
The meaning of this word in the physical sense is to "agitate", to move back and forth so as to separate parts of a substance that usually cannot be seen with the naked eye. When you're trying to remove impurities and rough lumps from flour, you sift it so that the undesirable elements can be separated from the part that you want to use. The figurative meaning is to "try one's faith by agitating inwardly". The enemy literally wants to pick at us until there's no SUBSTANCE left that God can use to move on our behalf. This process of wearing away is quite effective because it doesn't happen overnight. Rather, it takes place little by little, just like erosion wears away the protective sand from the beach. He's an expert at blending in when our problems are in full swing so that we don't even notice he's there, and we can begin to question God's ability to deliver us.
But God, Who knows all things and is aware that this is the enemy's primary purpose, also has a plan. He allows the enemy to sift even while providing us with the grace and strength to face the trials. Did you really think He was surprised when satan showed up before God? Why do you think God handed Jobto him on a plate? God ALREADY had a plan in place to show Himself strong and mighty in Job's life. You see, God has more confidence in that FAITH He gives us when we make Him Lord of all, and if we can just stand, we will overcome. Study Job's reaction when he began to lose the things he had worked so hard for. His response to "stuff" being gone was: "naked I came to this earth, and naked I shall return to the dust".
Job is one of the shiny examples of how firm our faith should be in the midst of the toughest trials. We must know that God is always a million steps ahead of the enemy when it comes to how much He will allow him to inflict on us. He's already calculated how much we can handle at the level of our walk. Things He never would've allowed in our lives when we were babes, He now does because our faith should be stronger. This is why Jesus told Peter the secret: "satan's plan is to agitate and aggravate all of you until you give up. But I have prayed for you that you won't allow the sifting to eat at your faith. Stand firm in that, then turn around and strengthen (encourage, bear up) your brethren".
The lesson in this story isn't to cause fear about the fact that the enemy's always after us. The issue is that our Father has confidence in what He placed inside of us. Actually, fait is so solid that it CANNOT just be whittled away with the passing of time, especially if we CONTINUE to build it up. In Jude verse 20, we learn that faith is built when we pray in the Holy Ghost. And while WE do what God's Word tells us, HE will make sure that the only things the enemy can sift from our lives will be the secret sins and other unsightly lumps that trip us up. So really and truly, we must yield to the sifting because God uses it to refine us. How much glory God gets out of the trials inflicted upon us depends upon how well we pass the test, making God's Name famous for His ability to cause us to triumphn in trials.
Prayer: Father, You are so faithful. Thank You for reminding us today that trials must come, but that YOUR purpose for us is greater than the enemy's, and only Your purpose for us will prevail. I declare today that we, Your children, will make You famous when we stand in the midst of the trials for all the world to see. Thank You for Christ, the Intercessor Who is praying that our faith won't fail. And by Your Grace, we WILL be victorious. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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