Anonymous, but Indispensable

In his book Encourage Me, Charles Swindoll asks the following questions: 'Who taught Martin Luther his theology and inspired his translation of the New Testament? Who visited Dwight L. Moody at a shoe store and spoke to him about Christ?... Who financed William Carey's ministry in India? Who refreshed the Apostle Paul in that Roman dungeon as he wrote his last letter to Timothy?... Who followed Hudson Taylor and gave the China Inland Mission its remarkable vision and direction?... What was it Jim Elliot, the martyred messenger of the Gospel to the Aucas in Ecuador, once called the missionaries? Something like "a bunch of nobodies trying to exalt Somebody". But don't mistake anonymous for unnecessary. Otherwise, the whole body gets crippled... even paralyzed... or, at best, terribly dizzy as the majority of the members... become diseased with self-pity and discouragement. Face it, friend, the head of the body calls the shots. It is His prerogative to publicize some and hide others. Don't ask me why He chooses whom He uses. If it's His desire to use you as a Melanchthon rather than a Luther... or a Kimball rather than a Moody... or an Onesiphorus rather than a Paul... or a Hoste rather than a Taylor, relax! Better than that, give God praise! You're among that elite group mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. '"God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important"' (vv. 22-24 TLB). So be encouraged: you may be anonymous, but you're indispensable!

It's Time to Move On!

'Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea.' Exodus 15:4 NKJV

For 400 years the Egyptians had enslaved the Israelites. Then just when they thought they'd escaped Pharaoh, he showed up at the Red Sea. And that's when God intervened, causing them to sing, 'Pharaoh's chariots and his army He has cast into the sea'. And God wants to do the same for you. Regardless of what has happened, He can bring you through it and give you a new song. Will it happen quickly or easily? No, we get through it in different ways and at different rates. How did the Israelites get through the Red Sea? One step at a time! But when they got to the other side that body of water became the dividing line between their past and their future. But to get beyond your past you must forgive, and keep on forgiving until the past loses its hold over you. You must rise up and declare by faith that the power those old issues had over you is broken. Jesus promised that when His word on the issue becomes your word on it, your circumstances will begin to change (Mark 11:23-26). So make God's Word the final word! But look out, old memories will try to negotiate another deal to see if you're serious about moving on. Paul writes, 'Reckon yourselves to be dead.' (Romans 6:11 NKJV) Now, death alone doesn't bring closure; you need burial. So establish a time, a place and an epitaph that reads, 'The past ends right here!' Tell Pharaoh, 'Your hosts and your ghosts can't hurt me any more', and move on!

Looking Forward to Better Days

'I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord...' Psalm 27:13 NIV

When a player begins to score, the opposing team assigns their best players to block him. So the attack you're experiencing right now could be an indication of your value to God. Paul wrote, 'I have...been in danger from rivers, thieves, my own people, the Jews, and those who are not Jews. I have been in danger in cities...and on the sea and...with false Christians. I have done hard and tiring work, and many times I did not sleep. I have been hungry and thirsty...cold and without clothes. Besides all this, there is on me every day the load of my concern for all the churches.' (2 Corinthians 11:26-28 NCV) How did Paul handle these experiences? By 'forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.' (Philippians 3:13 NLT) Now, Paul didn't forget any of it; he could remember names, places, faces, and even record it. But here's the difference: he refused to let what was done to him affect his outlook. That's the attitude you need! When your desire to go forward becomes greater than the memories of your past, you'll begin to live again. 'Where there is no vision, the people perish...' (Proverbs 29:18 KJV) Until you have a vision of tomorrow, you'll live in yesterday's struggles. The very fact that God is putting desire back into your spirit means that better days are coming! So rise up and say with the Psalmist, 'I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.'

Don't Worry, You Will Have Enough!

'My God shall supply all your need...' Philippians 4:19 NKJV

Are you afraid you won't have enough to meet your needs? Let's read the story of the feeding of the 5000 and observe three things about the disciples. First, they tried to escape the problem. They told Jesus, 'Send them away, that they may go...and buy themselves bread.' (Mark 6:36 NKJV) But He said no. Jesus understood that you grow by dealing with problems, not avoiding them. Your faith increases only as you place a demand on it. Lazy, inactive faith will fail you in the hour of need, so you must feed on God's Word and exercise your faith regularly. Secondly, the disciples thought what they had wasn't enough: 'There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?' (John 6:9 NKJV) God will ask you to look at what you've got because even though it doesn't look like much, when you factor Him in, it'll be more than enough to meet the need. In the disciples' hands it was just lunch for one, but in Christ's hands it became dinner for 5000. So put what you have into God's hands and let Him work. Thirdly, only when the disciples obeyed His plan was their need met. When you ask God for a miracle He will often give you a plan with a set of instructions. At that point your obedience sets the timer, activates the plan and determines the results. With God, there's no lack and no limit. When it was over, '...they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.' (Mark 6:43 NKJV) Don't worry, you will have enough!

Knowing Where You Stand with God

'But Christ gave Himself...one sacrifice for all time.' Hebrews 10:12 TLB

Notice how God dealt with sin in the Old Testament. The priest took a lamb, shed its blood and offered it on the altar. As the sacrificial smoke went up, the priest would sprinkle the ashes on the ground, then stand on them. At that moment the person's sin was atoned for and their guilt removed. What a beautiful picture of your salvation! At Calvary, the fires of God's wrath were fully expended on Christ. In that moment, He was both your High Priest and your sacrificial lamb. When He cried, 'It is finished,' (John 19:30 NIV), your sins were paid for-from the cradle to the grave. And the minute you trust in Christ as your Savior, your standing before God is altered; you are made righteous (2 Corinthians 5:21). In the early days of the American West one of the greatest fears the wagon train masters had was prairie fires. The hot sun could start them, and before you knew it you were engulfed in flames. But a wise wagon train master would immediately give the order to back up the horses and wagons on to the ground that had already been burned. Why? Because the fire could not come where the fire had already been! Augustus Toplady wrote, 'Payment God will not twice demand; first at my bleeding Surety's hand, and then again at mine.' Jesus 'took the heat' for every one of us. 'He...bore our sins in His body on the tree...' (1 Peter 2:24 NIV) So today, if the devil is beating you up because of your faults and failures, tell him: 'I may not be perfect, but I'm redeemed, loved and accepted by God!'

You Can Get Beyond the Past

'...you shall remember it as waters that pass away.' Job 11:16 AMP
Tamar experienced the terrible trauma of rejection. But her future was greater than her past: she gave birth to a child who became a progenitor of our Lord Jesus. What an honor! Wounded one, you can come through this painful experience and sing the song of the overcomer. By God's grace you can learn to live in the present and let go of the past. How? By spending time in God's presence and allowing His love to touch the hurting places within you. Give all your secrets to God-and leave them there. He can take the misery out of the memory like you take the poison out of an insect bite; then your healing will begin. Job, who lost his health, his wealth and his family, lived to see these words fulfilled: 'You shall forget your misery; you shall remember it as waters that pass away.' Go ahead, stand in the stream of God's grace and release it. Let it all go. It was night, but now it's day! Let God hold you safely in His arms. There, you can allow the past to fall from you like a garment. You may remember it, but you won't have to wear it any more: 'You shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid.' (Job 11:19 AMP) No more pacing the floor, no more bad dreams, no more fear of tomorrow. Shame has been removed and grace enthroned. Rise up in Christ's name and take authority over every memory that keeps you linked to the past. Allow God to heal your scars, break your chains and set you free.

There's a Place at the Table for All of Us

'...they made Him a supper; Martha served...Lazarus...sat at the table with Him.' John 12:2 NKJV

After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, we read: 'a dinner was given in Jesus' honor.' (John 12:2 NIV) Martha served, Mary sat listening to what Jesus had to say, and Lazarus talked to the guests. So, there's room at God's table for all kinds of people. Let's take a closer look at Martha. Martha's are generally in the background with their sleeves rolled up, making sure everybody's fed and watered. They rarely seek the spotlight, and often we don't appreciate them until they're missing. The problem with Martha's is that they're inclined to make the mission more important than the Master. They need to remember that worship is also service. Mary's tend to forget there are bills to be paid and meals to be cooked. Sometimes they act so heavenly-minded, they're no earthly use. They need to realize that service is worship too. But we need Mary's; they bring passion to our worship, and you can always count on them to intercede with God on behalf of others. '...they flocked to see...the man Jesus had raised from the dead...because of him...many...believed in Jesus.' (John 12:9-11 NLT) Lazarus had a story so amazing that those who heard it became instant converts. He reminds us that we each have a story to share about God's grace and mercy. When was the last time you shared yours? So, if you're a Martha, God sees your labor of love. If you're a Mary, He delights in your worship. If you're a Lazarus, He promises to honor your testimony. There's a place at the table for all of us!