'...I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.' Genesis 32:30 NLT
Calvary Church
Thursday, December 13, 2012
You're Here for a Reason
Monday, December 10, 2012
God Can Turn Your Failure into Success
Good Morning, I need to ask you a favor. I'm looking to see how many people would like to be a part of a Christmas Eve Service @6pm on the 24th. I'm looking for a solid RSVP from you. Please email me and RSVP so I can announce it this Sunday if we are going forward.
I was thinking this morning how the Holy Spirit works in our lives. I love how God turns our human failures into successes. We struggle through the week and yet when all is said and done, when we trust in Jesus, there can be nothing but success. Look at Jesus, '[Jesus] said to Simon: Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch. Simon answered, Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will... When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.' (Luke 5:4-6 NIV)
Notice two principles in this story: (1) God will use failure to get your attention. Peter was tired, empty-handed and disappointed when Jesus spoke to him. And He will speak to you through a rocky marriage, a child you're about to give up on, or a job that seems too hard. He doesn't want you to run from your problems, He wants you to learn from them; to discover the difference He can make in your situation when you invite Him into it. (2) God can take you back to the place of failure and give you success. We assume that because we weren't successful at something, it wasn't God's will. But often the truth is that we failed because we relied on our own strength instead of His. When Jesus spoke, the fish responded. The Bible says: '...They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.' (Luke 5:6-7 NIV) God is not limited by your circumstances, He's only limited by your unbelief. When you obey Him, you'll discover He has a level of abundance in mind that will exceed all your expectations. So don't limit what God has for you. Keep on believing by faith that your God takes care of you! You are loved...
Friday, December 7, 2012
Unhealthy Comparisons (5)
Paul writes, 'Godliness with contentment is great gain.' This word 'gain' doesn't mean increase, but profit. There's a difference. Profit is what you have left when the transaction is over. Paul meant that when everything is said and done, you must feel good about being yourself. You must be able to say, 'I would rather be a great sergeant than a poor general.'
Only when you've followed well, can you lead well. If you're praying for a certain position or promotion, check your motives. Sometimes what we call faith is really just ambition, because we haven't come to the place where we're comfortable with the role God has given us. King Saul's undoing was his ego. He couldn't stand somebody else doing it better than he did. Many of us have a wrong concept of what being 'blessed' looks like. We have seen God's blessing in someone else's life, so we think that to be like them is to be blessed. And no matter what God gives us, we are never happy because we're not like them. We are asking God for something but we don't know what it is, what it looks like, or when we have it. And if you don't know you have it, you won't know when you lose it. When you keep comparing yourself to somebody else you make that person an idol in your life. Tear that idol down! Ask God for a dream of your own. Stand on your own two feet. Be who God created you to be. Even though God has more in store for you, praise Him for what He's given you right now. You are loved...
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Unhealthy Comparisons (4)
Ever thought about this, no matter how good you are, you'll never be good at being somebody else. Don't fall into the trap of trying to live up to the reputation of another person. When Amy and I got married sometimes I would think, 'My mother makes better fried chicken than this.' I once said that to Amy; you know what she said, 'Then tell your mother to come over here and cook you some.' If you want your wife to shine in the kitchen, compliment her. Don't compare her with somebody else. Unhealthy comparisons hurt relationships! The Psalmist writes about the successful person who 'is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season...' (Psalm 1:3 NIV) A wise fruit grower understands three things about his trees: (1) Apple trees are only capable of producing apples. (2) Apple trees only produce apples in certain seasons. (3) It is a mistake to pick your apples too early. When the daughter of a well-known preacher was introduced on a Christian television network, she received invitations from several churches to come and speak. But her father said, 'No, leave her alone. I won't allow the system to eat her up and begin to compare her unfavorably with her father or mother or somebody else she can never be. I want her to be herself.' What great counsel and insight! Paul writes, '...That we...might be for the praise of His glory.' (Ephesians 1:12 NIV) When you understand who you are and God created you to be - being yourself brings glory to God! You can say, 'Lord, I'm thankful for who You made me; I've finished complaining or wishing I could be somebody else.' You are loved!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Unhealthy Comparisons (3)
Unhealthy comparison is a sign of spiritual immaturity. I think it takes all of us a while to realize that our walk with Christ is different than someone else's. We all can look to other's who have walked this walk of faith a long time and admire them. But when we compare ourselves to them so we can somehow be better or look down on them in superiority, there's something wrong in our thinking. Here's what Paul wrote to the Corinthians: 'Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly - mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, I follow Paul, and another, I follow Apollos, are you not mere men? What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour.' (1 Corinthians 3:1-8 NIV) Understanding your gifts and your God-given purpose frees you from the need to measure yourself by the runner in the next lane, or someone playing a different position on the team. When you understand this, your sense of inadequacy will be healed and you'll be able to enjoy and complement others. You'll also be able to help liberate your children from sibling rivalry and show them that success is not about being like somebody else, but about being the best you can be, and God made you to be. That's a person whose heart and attitude is right with God and people! You are loved...
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Unhealthy Comparisons (2)
A certain level of competitiveness is good. You need it. When children enter a spelling contest they study harder and learn more because they're going to compete. They know their academic prowess is about to be challenged and they get ready for it because we like to win. But when your competitiveness makes you feel 'less than', or 'better than' another person, it's gone too far. One of the things I had to overcome and some would say I haven't yet, is my grandma letting me win all the time. I thought I should win all the time as a child and when I didn't it wasn't pretty. Paul writes about unhealthy comparisons when he says: '...When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God...has assigned to us.' (2 Corinthians 10:12-13 NIV) To evaluate your success accurately you must first understand your God-given purpose. When you play on a team your position determines your purpose. Attackers and defenders have different skills, but to win, the team needs both. The defender who keeps the opposing team from scoring is just as valuable as the attacker who scores. One may get more applause than the other, but victory belongs to them all. When you keep comparing yourself with others you're denied a sense of accomplishment, because you've made the benchmark to be like somebody else. No, they are playing a different position. They have a different purpose. They have a different skill set designed to fulfill the role God has given them. God gives you everything you need for the position you play and the purpose you have. What a liberating truth! And God, who gave others the ability to excel at what they do, will do the same for you when you learn to focus on Him, not them.'...They measure themselves by themselves...' 2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV You are loved...
Monday, December 3, 2012
Unhealthy Comparisons (1)
A big thanks to John Shane and his ministry @CFW yesterday. Its always a life changing time as he shares what God has done the past year in the different countries he's been in. So how do we overcome unhealthy comparisons of other people? Instead of celebrating David's victory over Goliath with those who sang 'David [has slain] his ten thousands', Saul became jealous. As a result, he opened himself to 'an evil spirit'. (1 Samuel 18:10 NIV) There are three lessons here: (1) Those who help you today, may hurt you tomorrow.So what should you do? When Saul threw spears, David refused to throw them back. Instead he forgave, prayed for Saul, and positioned himself to be promoted. It's not easy, but it's a winning strategy. 'You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in Heaven...' (Matthew 5:43-45 NIV)
(2) Those who love you today, may loathe you tomorrow.God says, '...I have loved you with an everlasting love...' (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV) All other sources of love are subject to change. You can marry someone who resents you for being what you are, and you end up thinking, 'You chose me because I'm outspoken; now you don't like me because I speak out,' or 'You liked me because I was quiet; now you say I'm boring.' You feel betrayed when people invite you, then fight you. But God will be faithful to you! (3) While others speak well of you, some will resent you. David didn't sing, 'Saul killed a thousand, but I killed ten thousand.' You can understand why that would irritate others. But David didn't boast about his success. Sometimes those who congratulate you can create enemies for you. That's because some people can't celebrate anyone other than themselves. So take a look at yourself today and ask God to show you, what's up? You are loved...
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