Seeing Your Work as God's Will (3)

'Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.' Psalm 127:1 NRS
When your skill level is high but the challenge of the task is too low, you experience boredom. When your skill level is low and the challenge of the task is too high, you experience frustration and anxiety. But when the level of the challenge matches the level of your skills—then you’re ‘in the flow’.

We don’t work mainly for money, recognition, promotion, applause or fame. We work for the flow that comes from a partnership with God. We hunger for flow, and when it’s present, something happens in our spirit as we connect with a reality beyond ourselves and become a co-worker with God.

This is why the psalmist says, ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.’ Flow is part of what we experience in that partnership and, in that, God in turn uses flow to shape us. Bezalel experienced flow when he carved wood, David when he played the harp, Samson when he used his strength, Paul when he wrote a brilliant letter, Daniel when he ran a government, and Adam when he gardened. If other people report to you, one of the great spiritual acts of service you can perform is to ask whether they’re experiencing flow in their work, and help them experience it even more. Paul was in the flow when he described himself as ‘poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.’ (2 Corinthians 6:10 NIV) When you’re working in the flow of service to God, when you’re experiencing flow in activities that enhance and bless the lives of others—you’re working ‘in the Spirit’.

Seeing Your Work as God's Will (2)

'Do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.' Colossians 3:17 NIV
Research shows that the best moments of our lives don’t come from leisure or pleasure; they come when you’re immersed in a significant task that’s challenging, yet matches up well to your highest abilities.

In those moments, you’re so caught up in an activity that time somehow seems to be altered; your attention is fully focused without your having to work at it. You’re deeply aware, without being self-conscious; you’re being stretched and challenged, but without a sense of stress or worry. You have a sense of engagement or oneness with what you are doing. This condition is called ‘flow’, because people experiencing it often use the metaphor of feeling swept up by something outside themselves. Studies have been done over the past thirty years with hundreds of thousands of subjects to explore this phenomenon of flow.

Ironically, you experience it more in your work than you do in your leisure time. In fact, your flow is at its lowest ebb when you’ve nothing to do. Sitting around doesn’t produce flow. This picture of flow is actually a description of what the exercise of dominion was intended to look like. God says in Genesis that we’re to ‘rule’ over the earth, or exercise ‘dominion’ (See Genesis 1:26, 28). We often think of these words in terms of ‘dominating’ or ‘bossing around’. But the true idea behind them is that you’re to invest your abilities to create value on the earth, to plant and build and write and organise and heal and invent ways that bless people and cause God’s Kingdom on earth to flourish. You are Loved!

Seeing Your Work as God's Will (1)

'I must work the works of Him who sent Me.' John 9:4 NKJV

I know you've asked the question what is God's will for my life. Have you ever thought that what you do for a living has an important part to that? You’ll experience a new level of fulfilment when you begin to see that your job is an important part of God’s will for your life. Jesus preached and healed, but He saw it all as ‘work’ given to Him by His Father. You must too. Instead of seeing church as a place where you meet with God on Sunday morning, see it as a place where you’re fed and strengthened so that you can carry the presence of God with you into the workplace. ‘Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.’ (Colossians 3:17 NIV) Notice two words here: (1) ‘Word.’ That covers skills of communication and information. (2) ‘Deed.’ That covers skills such as creativity and building. Whatever you do, you’re supposed to do it with a thankful heart, as though the Lord were your boss—because He is. When you work with that attitude, you come alive. One person comes alive when they pick up a musical instrument, another when they lead a team, another when they counsel someone who’s hurting, and another when they’re looking at a financial spreadsheet. When each of us is doing what God designed and called us to do, the world around us is enriched. All skill is God-given, and we’re invited to live in conscious interaction with the Holy Spirit as we work, so that we can develop the skills He gives us. Work is a form of love. We cannot be fully human without creating value.

Christmas Love

"And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him." - Mark 15:19-20

Christmas. It is one of the most joyous Christian holidays, a time to remember the birth of Christ our savior. Christmas is a time to share our blessings with one another, and to be surrounded by the people we love. It is a time for giving, and a time for forgiving. Most importantly, it is a reminder of how much God loves us.

Last Sunday someone asked me after Church, "Why did God send Jesus if He knew He was going to die?" In fact, Jesus wasn't just going to die, Jesus was going to be mocked, beaten, tortured, and then sentenced to die a slow, painful death by crucifixion. All at the hands of those He came to save.

It's funny, because as Christians we like to remember the good times in Jesus' life. We love to tell the Nativity story, but we forget that shortly after His birth Christ needed to flee from Herod's army. We tell about His wisdom, His love, and His healing, but we forget about His suffering. We forget the price He paid, for our sins. We forget the lengths that God went to show us His love (Romans 5:8).

To be honest, thinking about this leaves me dumbfounded, because God knew what would happen to His Son. God had told Isaiah along with many other prophets of the suffering the Savior would endure. God knew that the very creatures He had created, would crucify Him for trying to save us from ourselves. And yet, God lowered Himself in Christ, feeling physical pain and suffering. God lowered Himself, and let mere humans beat Him and mock Him (Philippians 2:7). The God who has all the power of the universe, humbled Himself to be lower than the angels, and to die at our sinful, hateful hands (Hebrews 2:9).

God knew this would happen ahead of time, and yet He loved us so immensely that He sent His Son, the third person of the Trinity, to suffer a painful death, so that we could spend eternity with our Heavenly Father (John 3:16). That's the story of love. That is the story of Christmas.

Today, remember the price God paid for you, because of how much He loves you. Remember what true love is, and share that love, God's love, with all.

The Christmas Tree

Every Christmas I pull this out to remind myself of who I am. I pray you will save this and do the same. Amy and I Love you Much!

 

THE CHRISTMAS TREE

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child. (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend. (John 15:15)

I am united with the Lord. (1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price. (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)


I am a personal witness of Christ. (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth. (Matt. 5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:27)


I am free forever from condemnation. ( Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant. (Phil. 3:20)

I am free from any charge against me. (Rom. 8:31 -34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God. (2 Cor. 5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 2:18)


I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. (Eph. 2:6)


I cannot be separated from the love of God. (Rom. 8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God. (2 Cor. 1:21- 22)

I am assured all things work together for good. (Rom. 8: 28)


I have been chosen & appointed to bear fruit. (John 15:16)


I belong to God


And that is who He says I am. How about you?

“The LORD bless you and keep you;


the LORD make His face shine upon you

and be gracious to you;

the LORD turn His face toward you


and give you peace…”

Numbers 6:24-26

Repent

'Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation.' 2 Corinthians 7:10

The word ‘repent’ means to acknowledge your sin before God, turn from it, seek God’s forgiveness, and start living differently. It means doing an about-face turn and heading in the opposite direction. If you go 20 miles down the road in the wrong direction, it requires doing a U-turn and coming 20 miles back. At first this can seem discouraging. But it’s profitable, because next time you’ll think twice about where you’re headed.


Repentance also sometimes means making restitution to others. Zacchaeus was a tax collector who got rich by overcharging people. But after he met Jesus he said, ‘If I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times as much.’ (Luke 19:8 GNT) God is more than willing to forgive you, but He may allow you to experience the painful consequences of your sin in order to motivate you towards obedience. ‘No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.’ (Hebrews 12:11 NLT) Satan will try to tell you that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, but you’re not. The Prodigal Son wasted his inheritance and ended up in a pigsty. But the day he decided to come back home, his father ran to meet him and restored him to full sonship in the family. And God will do that for you too. ‘Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will forgive generously.’ (Isaiah 55:7 NLT)

Protecting Your Life Source

'Come and drink the Water of Life.' Revelation 22:17




The Babylonians encircled Jerusalem and cut off its food supply. The question was, how long could they hold out? That’s what the Babylonians kept wondering. But a month passed, then two, then an entire year, and still they held out. The secret of Jerusalem’s survival lay in a water supply from a spring outside the city walls where Hezekiah had cut a 542 m long tunnel through solid rock. From there water passed under the city walls to a reservoir inside called the Pool of Siloam. Without it God’s people would have gone down in defeat. But it’s not just another Bible story; there’s an important lesson here for you. To live victoriously you must: (1) know your life’s true source; (2) protect it; (3) draw from it daily. If your security, your strength, your self-worth or your strategy for living comes from any other source but God, the enemy can defeat you. Everything you need comes from God, so protect and nurture your relationship with Him, for it will always be the focal point of Satan’s attack. A day without reading God’s Word isn’t merely a slip; it’s a set-up for failure. Prayerlessness isn’t carelessness; it’s foolishness in the extreme. You say, ‘Well, I’m doing ok and I don’t pray or read the Bible very much.’ Maybe you haven’t reached your hour of testing yet. When that comes, without an established source to draw from you’ll struggle more and succeed less. Is that really how you want to live? If not, the word for you today is: ‘Come and drink the Water of Life.’

Seeing God's Hand in Your Life

'This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.' Matthew 21:42 NKJV

Jesus said, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.’ Note the word ‘rejected’. The rejection of his brothers put Joseph on a path that led to the throne of Egypt and the saving of his family and his nation. How often has something happened in your life that you later realised was necessary? If you hadn’t experienced this or walked through that, you wouldn’t have been ready for the blessings you enjoy now. When you begin to see the hand of God in it you understand that what the enemy intended for your destruction, God used for your development. To be ‘more than a conqueror’ means you can stand up and say: ‘Here’s how I see it. It took everything I’ve been through to make me who I am and to teach me what I know. So I choose to be better, not bitter. I trust the faithfulness of God more than ever. I’ve learned that if faith doesn’t move the mountain, it’ll give me strength to endure until tomorrow. And if it is not gone by tomorrow, I’ll still believe that God is able and trust Him until He does.’ Relax, rejoice; your steps are being arranged by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). He hasn’t taken His eye or His hand off you, not even for a single moment. When you get through this trial you’ll realise that ‘the worst thing that could have happened’ was, in reality, ‘the Lord’s doing’, and it will become ‘marvellous in your eyes’.

Share Your Life

'They shared everything they had.' Acts 4:32

When you read the story of the New Testament Church, you tend to get caught up in its explosive growth and amazing miracles. But here’s a component you shouldn’t miss: ‘No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had… There were no needy persons among them…those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money…and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.’ (Acts 4:32–35 NIV) You say, ‘If I just had more money I’d be happy.’ You might feel more secure and have fewer worries, but you wouldn’t necessarily be happier. Researchers have looked at what distinguished quite happy people from less happy people. One factor consistently separated those two groups. It’s not about how much money you have; it’s not about your health, security, attractiveness, IQ or career success. What distinguishes consistently happy people from less happy people is the presence of rich, deep, joy-producing, life-changing, meaningful relationships. Social researcher Robert Putnam writes: ‘The single most common finding from a half-century’s research on life satisfaction, not only in the U.S. but around the world, is that happiness is best predicted by the breadth and depth of one’s social connections.’ But you can know a lot of people without really being known by any of them, and end up lonely. Those folks in the New Testament Church got it right: it’s in sharing with one another spiritually, emotionally, financially and relationally that you achieve your highest level of joy.

The Cure for Spiritual Boredom

'Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.' James 1:22

Why does the Bible say, ‘Be doers of the word, and not hearers only’? Because hearing without doing becomes boring—every time. You can get to the place where you’ve heard so much preaching and teaching that you say to yourself, ‘Oh no, not another sermon!’ The problem isn’t the Word; it’s that you’ve become oversaturated and spiritually numb. You’re bored because you aren’t putting it into practice and reaping the rewards of what you’ve heard. Jesus said, ‘If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.’ (John 13:17 NKJV) Once you start doing what you’ve been told to do, you won’t have time to be bored. The phrase ‘hearers only’ is from the Greek noun akroates. Today we’d use it to describe students who sit in on a class just to hear the teaching, instead of taking any assessment or being graded. These folks weren’t interested in learning, passing exams, earning a degree and going out to make a difference in the world. They were there because they found it intellectually stimulating and they loved the excitement of being with the crowd. Often they followed their favorite teacher from one town to another; they loved new speakers, and when the class ended they’d get together to eat, drink, laugh and discuss what they’d heard. Mostly, they just wanted to look knowledgeable in each other’s eyes. Don’t let that happen to you. ‘Remember… knowing what is right to do and… not doing it is sin.’ (James 4:17 TLB) Open your heart to the truths you’ve heard preached and begin to put them to work in your life. When you do, rest assured you’ll never again suffer from spiritual boredom.

Bringing Down Your Goliath

'I come...in the name of the Lord.' 1 Samuel 17:45

To bring down the ‘Goliath’ in your life, here are three things you must do: (1) You must stand up to him! Any problem you try to excuse or escape, you empower. After listening to Goliath’s threats every day, fear gripped the hearts of God’s people and they couldn’t stand up to him. (2) You must remember what God has already done for you. David recalled his victories over the lion and the bear. And you must do the same. Jeremiah said, ‘This I call to mind…therefore I have hope: because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning.’ (Lamentations 3:21–23 NIV) The strength to deal with today’s struggles comes from remembering how God helped you solve yesterday’s struggles. (3) You must cut off the giant’s head. ‘David…took his sword…and cut off his head…And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.’ (1 Samuel 17:51 NKJV) You need to know your spiritual enemy, study his tactics, and be willing to fight with the same level of intensity as he does. You must take what you learn and apply it to his weak areas. And never assume he’s dead when he’s just dazed. If you do, he’ll sneak up on you another day. Go for a permanent solution, not a short–term fix: (1) fortify yourself with prayer (2) renew your mind with the Word of God (3) reach for the support that’s available to you through your spiritual family. Above all, remember your strength doesn’t lie in yourself, but in God. With Him on your side you’ll win every time.

Stop Being So Critical (3)

'Take delight in honoring each other.' Romans 12:10 NLT

Having a critical attitude may not destroy your relationship with God, but it’ll definitely hurt your capacity to experience His love, His presence and His blessing!


Notice, it was God who smote Miriam with leprosy. She started out by criticising her brother Moses, and ended up feeling the consequences in her relationship with the Lord. Why? Because God pays attention to the way we treat each other! Maybe you’re wondering, ‘Why would God make such a big deal out of this?’ Because when you choose to sin, you choose to suffer. Everything God classifies as sin is hurtful to you—everything. When God says, ‘Don’t,’ what He really means is, ‘Don’t hurt yourself.’ And when He says, ‘Don’t criticise,’ He’s not trying to deprive you of satisfaction. He’s saying that having a critical attitude goes against who He made you to be, and what you’re called to do. Just as fish were made to swim and birds were made to fly, you were made to live in fellowship with God—and a critical spirit hinders that fellowship. Even people who don’t claim to be particularly religious are cognisant of the negative effects of criticism. Dr David Fink, author of Release from Nervous Tension, studied thousands of mentally and emotionally disturbed people. He worked with two groups: a stressed-out group and a stress-free one. Eventually one fact emerged: the stressed-out group was composed of habitual fault-finders and constant critics of people and things around them. On the other hand, the stress-free group was loving and accepting of others. There’s no doubt about it, the habit of criticising is a self-destructive way to live. Don’t go there!

Stop Being So Critical (2)

'Keep your tongue from speaking evil.' 1 Peter 3:10 NLT

Thanks to all who prayed for Gail Clark's surgery yesterday. He came out great and praying the two lumps aren't cancer. I love this statement by Dale Carnegie...How are you doing in this area of your life? Think about Moses for a minute. God dealt with Moses because of some of the mistakes he made. In fact, one of them kept him from entering the Promised Land. Nevertheless, God wouldn’t permit anybody else to criticise Moses—not even his sister Miriam. So what can you learn from this?
(1) We’re all capable of harboring a critical attitude. Miriam had great qualities. She saved Moses’ life as a child, and she wrote a song of praise Israel used to celebrate the crossing of the Red Sea. But she paid a high price for her critical attitude—leprosy.
(2) When you’re resentful you become critical. ‘Miriam…began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife.’ (Numbers 12:1 NIV) But was that the real issue? No. ‘They said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?”’ (Numbers 12:2 NKJV) Moses’ wife was just a diversion; the real issue was Moses’ success. Their beef was: ‘How come he gets all the attention?’
(3) Anytime you succeed you’ll be criticised. The Bible says, ‘Moses was very humble’ (Numbers 12:3 NKJV), yet even he couldn’t escape the pain inflicted by self-appointed critics. And you’re no different; as long as you’re alive somebody will find fault with what you’re doing. Brush it off and keep going.
(4) If you’ve been critical, you need to repent. When Aaron acknowledged, ‘We have acted foolishly…we have sinned’ (Numbers 12:11 NAS), God showed mercy and healed Miriam. Most of us would rather classify criticism as a weakness, but from God’s perspective it’s a genuine, bona fide, registered sin. And there’s only one way to deal with sin—repent and stop committing it. More tomorrow...

Stop Being So Critical (1)

'The sin we have so foolishly committed.' Numbers 12:11 NIV

When Miriam criticised her brother Moses because of the wife he chose, the Lord heard and she was smitten with leprosy. Maybe you grew up in a family that was forever finding fault, and now you hear the same tone in how you talk to your children. You can’t enjoy God’s blessings because you’ve been programmed to inspect, nitpick and form opinions—usually negative ones. The Bible says, ‘If you want to enjoy life and see…happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil.’ (1 Peter 3:10 NLT) The definition of the word ‘criticism’ (dwelling upon the perceived faults of another with no view to their good) should cause you to pause and think. First, there’s the word perceived. Often your perceptions aren’t accurate; there are always circumstances you don’t understand. Next we come to the words dwelling upon. We’re inclined to walk through life saying, ‘That’s not right,’ or ‘I wouldn’t do it that way.’ You say, ‘I’m an analytical person, it’s how God made me.’ That’s fine, but the problem comes when you choose to dwell on your observations—when you can’t set them aside. You say, ‘But how can I help somebody if I don’t dwell on what they’re doing?’ That’s why the last part of the definition—with no view to their good—is so important. It’s not wrong to dwell upon somebody’s faults, provided you do it in a non-judgmental way with a view to helping them find a solution. Does that mean it’s ok to discuss it with a third party? Only if you can end the conversation by saying, ‘Let’s pray about it, keep it in confidence, and try to help.’

Faith Perspectives

'Christ means everything to me in this life, and when I die I'll have even more.' Philippians 1:21

When the apostle Paul wrote the Philippians, he had first hand knowledge of what Roman prisons were like. Offenders were stripped, flogged and placed in leg irons. Their blood-soaked clothing wasn’t changed even in the dead of winter. And the ‘inner cell’ (Acts 16:24 NIV) where Paul and Silas were imprisoned was the worst. Lack of water, cramped conditions and the stench of toilets (if that’s what you could call them) made sleep impossible. Prisoners routinely begged for death, and some even committed suicide. It was your worst nightmare! Yet ‘Paul and Silas were…singing…and the other prisoners were listening.’ (Acts 16:25 NIV) Paul’s attitude impressed his fellow inmates before his religious beliefs ever reached them. Let’s face it, anybody can sing in church, including hypocrites. But when you can praise God in the midst of pain, pressures, and problems—that’s something else. How did they do it? They had a faith perspective! It’s not what you have lost, but what you have left that counts! Paul didn’t just sing in prison, he wrote some of his best stuff there. Here’s his take on it: ‘...through my being in prison, the Lord has given most of our brothers and sisters confidence to speak God’s word more boldly and fearlessly than ever... I will speak very boldly and honour Christ... now as always, whether I live or die. Christ means everything to me in this life, and when I die I’ll have even more.’ (Philippians 1:19–21 GWT) What are you going to do with a man or woman like this? They’re beyond your threats. Their strength comes from a source that’s not diminished by outside circumstances. That’s because they have a faith perspective. And that’s what you need today too!

Today, Depend on God

'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.' 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT

Hindrances, hang-ups, and hurdles are God’s gift to the self-sufficient. While He won’t let you use your weakness as a crutch or a cop-out, He’ll allow it to keep you dependent on Him. Paul wrote, ‘I was given a thorn…to…keep me from becoming proud.’ (2 Corinthians 12:7 NLT)


Why would God keep you in touch with your limitations? To embarrass you? No, to empower you so that you can do His will. God’s intention is to increase, not decrease your need for Him. Perhaps this illustration will help you. Imagine four steel rings. The first can support eighty pounds, the second sixty, the third forty, and the fourth twenty. Linked together, what’s the greatest weight the chain can support? Two hundred pounds? No, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so the answer is twenty pounds! And it’s the same with us; we’re only as strong as our weakest area. That’s why we sometimes try to excuse or ignore them. But that’s dangerous because relying on your own strength may win you a few victories and accolades and cause you to think you can handle everything on your own. It was because Paul was so brilliant that God permitted difficult circumstances that kept him on his knees, living in a state of forced dependence. After praying repeatedly for God to take his weakness away, Paul finally came to the place where he could say, ‘I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.’ (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV) So today, depend on God!

Today, Speak Words that Encourage

'You have... encouraged those who are weak or falling.' Job 4:3




The Bible says, ‘...let us pursue what makes for… mutual upbuilding.’ (Romans 14:19 ESV) When Job was in trouble, his friend Eliphaz reminded him how in the past Job’s words had ‘encouraged those who were weak or falling.’ Words can hurt or heal, bless or blister, destroy or deliver, tear down or build up. ‘The tongue has the power of life and death.’ (Proverbs 18:21 NIV)


Think about this for a moment: ‘You…the one with Jesus in your heart—are capable of murder. And so am I. We have the power to speak death with our words, and… the power to speak life. Perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of a message meant to murder. “You’re not smart enough…fast enough…good enough…a real Christian wouldn’t think such things.” In a world where people are beaten up and put down, God gives you superhero power to punch through the negativity. You speak life when you say, “You matter to me. I like you just the way you are… Your life counts. You were created for a purpose. God loves you, and you’re incredibly valuable to Him.” You can become the voice of God’s grace in the lives of others, supporting, loving, helping and encouraging them with the words that flow from your mouth.’ God wants us to encourage each other, but that doesn’t mean flattering or buttering people up. It means speaking words that help them to stay on their feet and keep going. What you say can give fresh hope to a friend, a relative, a neighbor, or a co-worker who’s about to collapse. What a gift!

Different Types of Prayer (2)

'Pray...with all [manner of] prayer.' Ephesians 6:18

Here are three more types of prayer: (1) The prayer of petition. You must learn to be confident in asking God to meet your needs. Jesus promised, ‘Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.’ (Mark 11:24 NKJV) If we’d stop trying to impress God, we’d be a lot better off. Length, loudness or eloquence isn’t the issue; it’s the sincerity of our heart, the faith that’s in our heart, and the assurance that we’re praying according to God’s will that gets results.


(2) The prayer of agreement. ‘All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer...’ (Acts 1:14 ESV) When you’re up against something too big to handle alone, find a prayer partner and get into agreement with them. This isn’t for people who constantly live in strife, then decide to agree because they’re desperate. God honors the prayers of those who pay the price to live together in harmony (See Psalm 133:1)


(3) The prayer of thanksgiving. When your prayers outnumber your praises, it says something about your character. Self-centred people ask, but rarely appreciate. God won’t release us into the fullness of all He has planned for us until we become thankful for what we’ve already received. Petition avails much; praise avails much more! ‘In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.’ (Philippians 4:6 NIV) Powerful living comes through thanksgiving. We can literally ‘pray without ceasing’ (1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV) by being thankful all day long, praising God for His favor, mercy, loving kindness, grace, longsuffering and goodness.

Different Types of Prayer (1)

'Pray...with all [manner of] prayer.' Ephesians 6:18 AMP

In Scripture there are many different kinds of prayer. Let’s look at some of them and see what we can learn:


(1) The prayer of surrender. When Paul met Christ on the Damascus Road he prayed, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ (Acts 9:6 NKJV) That’s like signing your name to a blank check and saying, ‘Here I am, Lord, do with me as You please. I hope I like what You choose, but even if I don’t, I’ll do it anyway; Your will be done, not mine.’ You’re deciding to voluntarily follow God rather than trying to get Him to follow you. As a result He will do the work that needs to be done in you, so that He can do the work He desires to do through you.


(2) The prayer of commitment. The Bible says, ‘Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him.’ (1 Peter 5:7 AMP) As long as you keep trying to control everything, your stress levels will keep mounting. But once you learn to hand things over to God, you’ll wonder why you spent even a single day worrying.


(3) The prayer of intercession. The prophet Ezekiel writes, ‘I looked for someone…who would…stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land.’ (Ezekiel 22:30 NIV) ‘The gap’ is the distance between what is— and what can be. And when there’s a ‘gap’ in someone’s relationship with God due to a particular sin, as a believer you have the privilege (and responsibility) of placing yourself in that gap and praying for them. You are Loved!

God... "choses things the world considers foolish"

'God... choses things the world considers foolish.' 1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT

Writing about his time at a teen Bible camp, a counsellor tells this story: ‘Teenage boys have a tendency to pick on some unfortunate child. That summer it was 13-year-old Billy, a child who couldn’t walk or talk right. When the children from his cabin were assigned to lead devotions, they voted Billy in as the speaker. It didn’t seem to bother him. He dragged himself up to the pulpit amid sneers and snickers, and it took him a long time to stammer, “Je–sus loves…me… and…I…love Je–sus.” There was stunned silence, and when I looked around there were boys with tears streaming down their cheeks. We’d done many things to try to reach these boys, but nothing had worked. We’d even brought in famous baseball players whose batting averages had gone up since they started praying, but it had no effect. It wasn’t until a special needs child declared his love for Christ that everything changed.' I was at a bible camp counseling the year I heard that story. Even today as I sit here and reflect on it, the story it still effects me. When you are tempted to look at and treat people in a less than positive manner; always remember that the Bible says, ‘God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.’ (1 Corinthians 1:27 NLT) So when you find yourself focusing on what you can’t do, remember His ‘power works best in [your] weakness.’(2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT) Just do what you can, and God will do the rest! He’ll crown your efforts with success.

Your Time with God (4)

'I have...treasured His words more than daily food.' Job 23:12 NLT

Your quiet time with God is more than just a good idea, it’s vital to your spiritual survival. It’s also essential to your spiritual growth and maturity. You say, ‘But I go to church every week.’ Can you imagine what would happen if you ate only once a week? The patriarch Job said, ‘I have…treasured His words more than daily food.’ Peter described the Scriptures as nourishing milk (1 Peter 2:2), and the writer to the Hebrews called the Word of God solid food (Hebrews 5:14). Your quiet time is also like a spiritual bath. Jesus said, ‘You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.’ (John 15:3 NKJV) You shower every day to stay clean and avoid body odors. It’s not easy to be around someone who smells badly, and you run the risk of offending them by telling them so. But if you love them you’ll do it. Paul describes the Christian as: ‘...the aroma of Christ to God.’ (2 Corinthians 2:15 ESV) Here’s the bottom line. Unless you protect your quiet time with God: (1) you’ll be cut off from your source of strength, guidance, and wisdom; (2) your usefulness to God will be limited; (3) you’ll be inconsistent in your Christian life. You say, ‘But I don’t have time!’ You have the same 168 hours each week that everybody else has! And how you spend them is determined by what you think is most important. So if you think being in fellowship with God is important, begin to make time for it. You are Loved!

Your Time with God (3)

'He went out into the mountains to pray, and prayed all night.' Luke 6:12 TLB

Why do you need a quiet time with God each day? Because Jesus did, and He’s your example: ‘He was up long before daybreak and went…to pray.’ (Mark 1:35 TLB) The truth is, we make time for what we value most, for the people we love most, for our highest priorities, and what we find most rewarding. Notice, Jesus seldom prayed for anybody in public. Why? Because He’d already done His praying before He got there! He made deposits each morning so that He could make withdrawals all day long. And the busier He got, the more He prayed. Did He know something we don’t? Jesus had no difficulty choosing between the crowd’s agenda and His Father’s will. ‘I can do nothing on My own. I judge as God tells Me. Therefore, My judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the One who sent Me.’ (John 5:30 NLT) Why do spiritual leaders sometimes fall? Because they get caught up in the work of the Lord and neglect their relationship with Him. Throughout history, anyone who has been greatly used by God was a person of prayer. Martin Luther said, ‘I have so much to do that I must spend the first three hours each day in prayer.’ Ceaseless activity will drain you and leave you vulnerable to Satan’s attack. The sign on a church bulletin board says it all: ‘Seven prayerless days make one weak Christian.’ So the busier you become, the more time you need to spend with God. Simply stated: if you’re too busy to have a quiet time with God, you’re too busy!

Your Time with God (2)

'...it is for Your pleasure that they exist and were created.' Revelation 4:11 NLT

What an amazing time with God we had on Sunday. I hope you were refreshed and touched to make it through another week. But think about being in His presence everyday? Did you know you need your time with God: (1) God created you for His own pleasure and His greater glory. He also saved you ‘both to will and to work for His good pleasure.’ (Philippians 2:13 ESV) Your attitude towards quiet time with God will be transformed when you realize this. Time spent with God brings Him great pleasure, honor and glory. He waits for you and welcomes you into His presence—He knows how much benefit you will receive from Him. (2) The cross is what made this relationship possible. When Adam sinned, God drove him from the Garden of Eden and placed angels with swords at its entrance so that mankind could never re-enter. Then God did something truly amazing; He took on human form, lived among us, died in our place, and was cut down by the sword of divine judgment at the cross, providing us with a way back into His presence. Wonderful, isn’t it? In the Old Testament only one man, the high priest, could go into the Holy of Holies. And he could only do it one day a year. A thick veil separated God from the people. They stood outside wondering what God’s voice sounded like, what His presence felt like and what His glory looked like. Only the high priest knew. But when Jesus cried, ‘It is finished!’ (John 19:30 NKJV), the Bible says, ‘The veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.’ (Mark 15:38 NKJV) Now, as ‘priests unto God’ we can come into His presence at any time and meet with Him (Revelation 1:6 KJV). What a privilege! Grace makes it possible. And gratitude should be the magnet that draws you there each day.

Your Time with God (1)

'Seek first the Kingdom of God.' Matthew 6:33 NKJV

Many years ago I when I was a kid in Sunday school, I was bribed to memorize this verse. I say it that way because it was a method to get me to memorize something I didn't want too. But I'm thankful to Mr. & Mrs. Anderson who cared enough to know this verse would never leave me. A candy bar was all it took and this verse has stuck with me all these years.  Jesus said, ‘Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.’


What kind of ‘things’ was He talking about? Things like money, houses, relationships, health and jobs. What did He mean by ‘the Kingdom of God’? Living under the rule of Christ each moment and submitting to His will in all things. When Jesus used the word ‘seek’, He called for three things: (1) Intentionality. When something important is lost, you must put aside other things and seek until you find it. (2) Importance. Position, performance, prosperity, and popularity can be good things when properly used. But without the rule of Christ in your life, you’ll always be vulnerable to the devil. (3) Importunity. No matter how long it takes, how hard you must work, or what you must rearrange, restore your quiet time with God to its rightful place. The psalmist wrote, ‘When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.”’ (Psalm 27:8 NKJV) ‘Quiet time’ has been called many things throughout the history of the Church: morning watch, daily devotions, appointment with God or personal devotional time. It really doesn’t matter what you call it, as long as you have it regularly. Your quiet time with God is just daily fellowship with Him through His Word and prayer. It’s a time you deliberately set aside to meet with Him. The goal is that you might grow in your personal relationship with God so that you can know Him, love Him, serve Him and become more like Him.

You've Been Forgiven, So Live Like It!

'I will...remember their sins no more.' Hebrews 8:12 NIV

This is one of the biggest things Christians fight with, how to forgive ourselves. When an accusing voice confronts you with your past, respond in the manner Jesus did—It is written: ‘I will… remember their sins no more.’ It’s not that God’s forgetful; it’s that He chooses not to remember your sins. And when you choose otherwise, you question His forgiveness, allow the enemy to guilt-trip you, and forfeit the confidence you need to receive what God has promised you (See 1 John 3:21–22). When you keep rehearsing your past you not only keep it alive, you empower it. What you keep on deposit, you’re more likely to withdraw and act on in a moment of weakness. Just as nobody knows when a dormant volcano may erupt, you can’t predict when an unresolved issue will resurface, turning your words into hot coals and your behaviour into a blaze of destruction. Only by the power of God’s forgiveness, and by forgiving others, is the hold your past has over you broken. Shame isn’t a blessing; it’s a weight Jesus bore for you on the cross. So set it down and walk away! God’s Word says, ‘As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.’ (Psalm 103:12 NKJV) Notice, there’s a North Pole and a South Pole, but no east or west pole. Why? Because that distance is infinite and beyond measure. Are you getting the idea? Whenever you are reminded of past sin, the enemy hopes you’re ignorant of the truth in order to rob you of your future. Don’t take the bait! Instead look to the cross of Christ, refuse to dwell on it further, and keep moving forward.

Why We Do What We Do

I received this email this morning from Laura and was blown away with the fact that loving people is the key to leading them to Jesus; and we can never give up on people no matter what. Please Pray for Laura as God is doing some amazing things in her life.


During my day...rolling over and over in my heart..all the work that went into Trunk or Treat last night...The Faith, Trust, Prayers of Readiness.....an exhaustive preparation, amidst everything being a son, Pastor, husband and dad....

Last night if not one child/family stopped by ..I Knew Jesus, God was completely Glorified...

Today began prepping, readying my effort of resubmitting receipts, included into my State budget...Past few days came to understand of late had asked 3 C/W's if acceptable to do so....asked permission to do so...acceptable for me to leave this portion of the 'system'... 

Truth, 1st lifetime de-containing myself from COPES Program....system as I Follow Jesus...not one C/W replied to me...during my paperwork effort...began to feel upset, hurt, angry at moments, frightened...

Do know I have been contained whether loving or by family, my Catholic upbringing full on Devotion to God as care 'Love' tend to my mother from 1967 forward, every choice first came taking care of my family in what ever way popped up, after 2010 shifted demanded respect of my siblings over myself, to present realized continue.. reporting in, checking in, sense a responsibility for, same life long habitual 'tending'...

Instilled in me well over 50 years, an inner stronger sense, the need to 'ask another's permission' to move Forward...

After listening to this mornings Message, just this evening, been in tears since...

With help of recent weeks, Prompting from The Spirit am finally decontaining myself, beginning free life to discover me, Love on others as Jesus has, as witnessed last night... free me from 50 years of dated, kind Loving, to the undue, unkind most difficult duties...

Pastor I could not be more humanly frightened...I don't know anything else...

Do Know Jesus has me..been in Prayer for hours, now tears, weeping into late hours...Have not a clue what is to come...

Know, Following Him, Trust Jesus..this is absolutely the correct turn to take....the biggest about face I've ever Moved Forward Into, His Timing, making a huge Turn....shake one's heart, mind soul, Spirit....

Am speechless, for all the Love since my arrival..meeting you and Amy in my apartment on first floor....all the Love, Prayers as Lead Pastor and my friend, for and from my sweet, dear Sister Amy, to all those at CFW past and present who have helped me, come along side, opened themselves up to and for me...

Day by day, Prayer by Prayer.....May you and yours Always be so Richly Blessed....As you so graciously Blessed and enrich others in Jesus...

 

Teary eyed, heart shivering...Amy pointed out my photo w/ Sadie posted on her board, a big WOW...

Never an adult photo of me posted by any, in my life time...

[Mom kept us all on her wall photos as 'babies'....

To many more Countless Awesome Amazing Grace Jesus Sightings which began upon arrival 10/5/2011, Keep on Moving Forward in the name of Jesus...