CELEBRATE THE LIVING WORD

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”—Hebrews 4:12

 

Have you ever wondered why some people get so excited about the Word of God?  There is a reason why it is the best selling book of all time.  There has never been another collection of writings like the Bible and there never will be.  It is the Book of books—truth worth living by and dying for.

 

No other writing contains the mind of God and reveals the true path to salvation.  There are many other books that claim there are the many ways to salvation, but only the Bible tells us that there is only one way—Jesus.  The Bible’s doctrines are holy, and its precepts are binding.  This sacred Book provides light to guide us, food to nourish, comfort to cheer our hearts, and an anchor in the times of a storm.  It is the traveler’s map; the pilgrim’s walking staff, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. 

 

So that people can know the Lord, Bible translators living all over the world in distant village’s labor to translate at least one book of the gospel into obscure languages.  Countless pastors stand in pulpits all over the world to proclaim the life—changing message of the Scripture. 

 

Millions of lives are being transformed daily by its timeless truth.  There is no single promise in God’s Word that He has ever failed to keep.  Scripture encourages’ us in times of adversity.  It gives us strength when we feel weak. This is the Book that we can turn to again and again and be reminded that our sins have been forgiven—and that no matter what happens; we have a loving Father, a helper in the Holy Spirit, and a Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Celebrate the living Word of God by turning to it regularly, humbling yourself and being eager to learn. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for Your Word.  Help me to remember that Your Word is a living thing that will affect my life, in Jesus Name. Amen.

TRAIN YOUR EYES TO SEE GOD

“I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”—Psalm 16:8

 

Reading this Psalm we can see that David was confident that the Lord was always at his right hand.  David’s psalms reveal that in surveying his life, he saw God’s fingerprints all over it.  Like David, we must train our spiritual eyes to notice the evidence of our heavenly Father’s presence. 

 

Seeing with spiritual eyes is not an ever-once-in-awhile thing—it is a lifestyle.  Just like a runner training to run a marathon, you cannot run once-a-week or once-a-month and expect to be in shape to run.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8-emphasis added).  Those who walk before the Lord with a clear conscience will take captive unholy thoughts, habits, attitudes, and words.  They cast out sin and live in righteousness, and as a result, such believers have a spiritual clarity that sharpens their awareness of God’s presence and involvement in their lives. 

 

Here are some ways to train your eyes to see God:

 

Thank Him even in the small things.  For a place to lay down your head to sleep; for the air you breathe, for the food you have, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

 

Keep your eyes focused on Him.  When we watch others, or television, or the internet, or face book, etc. more than we do Him, we are training are eyes to see in the natural; not in the spiritual.

Daily Read the Word of God.  Reading the Word of God keeps your eyes on how God sees.

Pray that your spiritual eyes would be open so that, “the eyes of your understanding [will be] enlightened…” (Ephesians 1:18).

Develop a habit of recalling the events of your day before falling asleep.  Try to recall the events of your day looking for the evidence of God at work in your life.  See How He guided you in your decisions.  How did He answer your question?  How did He protect you in situations?  How did He help you in relationships?

The evidence of God’s great power is all over your life, if only you will see it.  Viewing the world with open spiritual eyes changes your perspective.  Instead of saying, “I can not, say, I can because the Lord always gives me the ability.” 

Prayer—Father I thank You for my spiritual eyes.  I ask You to help me train my spiritual eyes to see the reality that You want me to see, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

REDEMPTION: A MATTER OF THE CROSS

“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.’)”—Galatians 3:13

 

We can understand from our scripture reading for today that Christ has already redeemed us.  The verb tense “has” shows us that redemption is a past tense occurrence.  Christ has already suffered the penalty for the curse of the law (see Deuteronomy 28 for details of the curse).    

 

The root word of “redemption” is “redeem” and it means to buy back - to get back – to free from what harms – to free from captivity by payment of a ransom – to free from the consequences of sin – to restore humankind to the place and position they had before sin entered – in other words to reestablish God’s original idea.

 

We, as God’s people, must recognize that when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior that are sinful nature is changed from death to life; however, the habits that we had before our salvation experience has not been redeemed—they must be changed.  For example, someone could have the habit of lying before they were “born again” they will continue to have that habit after their salvation experience until the habit attitude is changed.  “Sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). 

 

We exercise our redemption status when we believe more in grace than we do sin.  Habit attitudes can only be changed through the knowledge of redemption.  That is why I say that Redemption is a matter of the cross.

 

Today, reflect on the habits in your life.  Make sure that the message of REDEMPTION is applied to every habit.

 

Prayer—Father, I thank You for Your grace and the knowledge of redemption in my life to change every habit that does not reflect the message of the cross, in Jesus Name. Amen.

JEALOUSY A NEGATIVE EMOTION OF THE FLESH

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies.”—Galatians 5:1, 19, 20

 

Typically, when jealousy is thought of, we think that someone wants what someone else has.  However, jealousy has a much deeper emotional meaning.  Jealousy has a combination of negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear and anxiety attached to it.  The deeper feelings of jealousy provide housing for anger, resentment, inadequacy, disgust and helplessness.  Cultural beliefs and values can play a role in the feeling of jealousy. 

 

Jealousy can be the cause of murder, as in the case of Cain killing his brother Able, because he was envious of the offering that Able had brought to the Lord.  I have seen people being jealousy in church services when someone gave a larger offering than someone else.  Trying to justify themselves in their own eyes, the person giving the smaller offering talked negatively about the amount of the offering to their friends and anyone else who would listen.  Jealousy tries to justify its negative behavior and destroy other people.

 

Jealousy tries to shut down the prophetic voice.  Jezebel did not like what the prophets of the Lord were saying and had them killed; however, God’s voice will never be stilled and He always reserves a remnant that will speak for Him.

 

We should guard our hearts against jealousy and every negative emotion of the flesh.  Our flesh wants what it wants when it wants it.  However, as a believer, we our filled with the Holy Spirit that lives in us and by that Spirit we are able to live the Jesus life.  We are able to demonstrate to the world that God is love and that His love is in us, “Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy; is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited—arrogant and inflated with pride; it is not rude (unmannerly), and does not act unbecomingly.  Love [God’s love in us] does not insist on its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it—pays no attention to a suffered wrong.  It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.  Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under al circumstances and it endures everything [without weakening].  Love never fails—never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end…” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

 

Today search your heart for any areas where jealousy is trying to rear its ugly head and ask the Lord for His forgiveness and help.  He is an ever present help for whatever we have need of.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that Your love in me never boils over with jealousy and with your help I will demonstrate to the world what true love is, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

THERE ARE TIMES TO LOOK TO THE “BACK SIDE” OF THE CROSS

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement needful to obtain peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with his stripes that wounded Him we are healed and made whole.”—Isaiah 53:5 Amplified

 

God never intended for His people to be sick and weak or to from suffer pain and disease.  Physical disease came about after Adam and Eve gave in to Satan’s temptation, “Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:15).

 

Isaiah, the prophet, prophesies nearly 750 years before Jesus’ birth that a Savior would be born and die for the sins and healing of humanity, “For unto to us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6), and “Surely, He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted, but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). 

 

Although it is not logical and I can not explain how Jesus suffered our diseases, bore our pains, and endured the judgment of our sins on the Cross, but I believe it.  Christ Jesus paid for our complete healing when He died in our place.  Psalm 103.3 says, “Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases.” 

 

If you are suffering from an attack of sickness in your body, I challenge you to picture in your mind to see not only the front of Christ hanging on the cross; but remember to see His back that was nailed to the cross.  The back that suffered being whipped thirty-nine times with a cat-of-nine tails, the back that bore your sickness and disease, the back that, “carried all your diseased and suffered your pains, taking the stripes by which we were healed (Isaiah 53:4-5).  The result of picturing Jesus Christ’s back is so that you will see, “…by His stripes we were healed” (1 Peter 2:24)—spiritually, mentally and physically.  

 

Salvation and healing are free gifts from God to release the captivity and to heal the human race, not only from the evil of sin in their hearts and spirits, but from the frightening physical effects of disease in the human body.  Psalm 103:3 tells us that God forgives and heals, “Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:3).  Today thank Him for providing salvation and healing for you.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You included in your plan of salvation, healing.  Lord, I look to You today to touch my body and heal me of all infirmities, all diseases physically and emotionally, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

WHAT IS YOUR SPIRITUAL COMPASS?

 “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.”—Proverbs 3:1-2

 

Recently, I was traveling to a city that I had never been to before to meet with some people.  I had written down the directions to the address of where we were to meet.  However, as I followed those directions I came to an empty field, not the building where we were to meet.  I carefully reread the directions and then I mentally retraced the streets that I had driven and could not think of any place that I had turned onto a wrong street.    Finally, as it was nearing the time of our meeting, I telephoned to see if I had written the wrong address down.  I discovered that I had not written the wrong address down, but I had turned north on a road instead of turning south.  I had unknowingly mistaken the direction of north for south.  Had I used the compass on my telephone, I would have known what direction I was traveling in.

 

Spiritually speaking, we have a compass—God’s Word.  But it will do us no good unless we let it guide us.  However, there are times we may fail to follow its direction because of…

 

1.        Neglect.   Sometimes we are so busy walking through life that we forget to look at God’s compass to make sure we are headed in the right direction.

2.      Pride.  Oftentimes we start to determine the destiny ourselves.  Relying on our own strength, understanding, and abilities, we plan our own route.

3.      Distractions.  God’s path of obedience is not always easy.  In fact, sometimes it can be extremely challenging.  Satan offers other roads that promise pleasure and ease if we will just ignore the compass and follow him.  Although these roads seem pleasant at first, they lead to heartbreak and discouragement.

4.      Difficulties.  Whenever obstacles appear on the road, our natural tendency is to try and find a way around them.  But by ignoring God’s compass and turning off the road we will miss the blessings He wants to give us through the rough patches—strong faith and godly character.

 

Why should we wander when the Lord’s compass is available?  Let Scripture be your guide as you make decisions.  God promises to give you productive days and fruitful years if you follow His road.  He will direct each step of your way, and His peace will sustain you, even during difficult times.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for the compass of Your Word.  As I follow Your direction, I thank You that You have promised me length of days, long life and peace, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

COMPROMISE THE INVISIBLE DANGER

“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths. You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully.”—Psalm  119:1-4 (NLT)

 

Carefully camouflaged landmines are deadly weapons of war.  If a soldier unknowingly steps on one, he or she will suffer serious injury or death.  What is true in the physical realms of battle is also true for spiritual battles.  Compromise is an invisible danger that has disastrous results that can cause major damage to unsuspecting to believers. 

 

To compromise is to make concessions or accommodations for someone who does not agree with a prevalent set of standards or rules. The Bible makes it clear that God does not condone compromising His standards.  Not compromising requires our unswerving submission to Him and to Him only, regardless of the world’s concession to godlessness, “With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!” ( Psalm 119:10).

 

King Solomon is a tragic example of how compromise affected his life.  God equipped him with surpassing wisdom to rule Israel and gave him the task of building His temple.  Yet despite these blessings, his heart began to drift from the Lord.  He followed his own desires and married many foreign women who led him into idolatry.  His heart did not become divided suddenly.  It developed through a slow process of bad choices that violated God’s commands.

 

There are those who profess to be Christians, yet live lives not in keeping with the precepts of the Scripture, i.e., compromising their biblical beliefs by giving in to worldly pleasures, like King Solomon did.   For them, the things of the world and its sensual allurements take precedence over the Word of God, “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but of the world” ( 1 John 2:16).   Jesus referred to these people as “those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Mark 4:18-19).  These are the ones who, though professing to follow Christ, compromise their faith by proudly craving worldly success and accolades from their fellow man. Jesus chastised such people who rationalized their questionable behavior: “How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?” (John 5:41-44).   

 

Jesus taught the concept of compromise brilliantly when He said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24).  In other words, to compromise in one’s total allegiance and devotion to God is to allow the allurements of this world, with its accompanying worries, to take precedence over Christ. 

 

Compromising one time leads into a slippery slope where the enemy has a toehold into your life and will use it to draw you farther and farther along the pathway of disobedience.  Each progressive compromise becomes easier and easier until you are at the point of rationalizing that it is not sin. 

 

Here are some ways how we compromise the Word of God.

• When we fail to accept the Word: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

• When we place our desires, and that of others, ahead of the Word of God: “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5:4).

As true believers in Christ, we must accept God’s Word as absolute, inerrant truth, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  We must be fully obedient to His Word, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). And we must recognize that His Word is not to be compromised for any reason or for any one, “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot” (Revelation 3:15).  Make a quality decision to refuse to take the first step of compromise.  If you are already on the slippery slope of compromise repent and ask God to strengthen you to resist the temptation to compromise.

 

Prayer—Father I as You to deliver me from the temptation to compromise and its invisible danger.  I ask You to strengthen me by Your power and might in the inner man so that I can stand whole and complete in You and be a good witness for you, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

 

 

GOD IS NOT ASHAMED WHEN WE SIN

"I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame" (Psalms 34:4-5, NIV).

 

A friend of mine related a life lesson that the Lord had taught her, “God is not ashamed when she sinned.”  As she related to me, the many times that she had become depressed when she did not always act as a Christian, my mind went back to the days of my childhood.  During the era that I was raised, a child’s behavior reflected on how others viewed his or her parents—at least this was the way my parents taught me.  So, if I or one of my brothers or sisters did not behave well in public then our parents would bemoan the fact that we brought shame upon the family name, and our parents would “never be able to show their face in public again.”  Of course they always did; however, this was so ingrained in our thinking as children that it carried over into our adult lives, and translated into how we viewed our Heavenly Father.      

 

My friend’s life lesson caused me to begin to reflect on the fact that many of our ideas on how God thinks about us are simply not based upon fact; but, rather on a faulty belief system whose biases cloud our view of how God really thinks about His creation.  Perhaps the root of this problem began in the Garden when Eve’s view of God was distorted and she and her husband sinned.  After Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened, they withdrew from God because they were ashamed: God was not ashamed He immediately began to deal with the problem and covered their shame (Genesis 3).

 

God is not ashamed of sin because He covered humanities sin with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.  His blood sacrifice never looses it power, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2).  God still covers sin for those of us who love Him, but at times our behavior does not reflect who we truly are as His children, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). 

 

Today, do not allow the enemy or cultural ideas distort your view of God and how He thinks about you.  He is not ashamed of you.  If you have done wrong, confess it to the Father, repent—turn from doing the same thing over and over again—by faith accept the fact that your Heavenly Father is not holding anything against you—and begin to conduct yourself as a child of the living God.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You are never ashamed of me.  Lord forgive for the times that I have thought that You were ashamed of me, cleanse my mind and my heart from false ideas and view points of who You really are, in Jesus Name. Amen.

LIVE YOUR LIFE SEATED IN THE HEAVENLIES

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”—Ephesians 2:4-6

 

God’s desire for the body of Christ is for us to sit together with Him.  Sadly, most Christians do not realize where they are to sit.  Instead of being aware that they have this awesome place of honor and respect, too often they see themselves as begging for whatever already belongs to them.  Picture a king sitting in his throne room on a beautiful chair.  Envision him thirsty and needing a glass of water what does he do?  He does not beg for a glass of water he tells his servant to get him something to drink.  Beloved, you are a “…chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).  Once you became a new creature in Christ Jesus, you became a royal priesthood.  No longer do you have to beg.

 

Determine in your heart today to no longer live your life as a failure, moaning, complaining and begging.  God is on your side, He is for you not against you.  We are His children and He loves us.  It is a legal fact that you no longer have to beg for what is already yours, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out ‘Abba Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Him, that we may also be glorified together” (Romans 8:14-17).

 

Accept as fact that you a representative of the kingdom of God and as a representative you have certain rights.  It is your right to have everything that pertains to life, health, and abundance, and now by faith begin to partake of that position (that seat) that He has given to you in the heavenlies.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You have given to me everything that pertains to life, health abundance, and I purpose in my heart to partake of that position that you have given to me by faith, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

EVERY DIFFICULTY DEMANDS A CHOICE

“We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed: we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”—2 Corinthians 4:8-9

 

There is no such thing as a trouble-free life, but something within us still expects it.  There are even those who think that when a person becomes a Christian that God removes the difficulties from his or her life.  It is not long before disappointment sets in, as they discover that instead of less trouble, they may have more.  This could be because God is in the process of cleansing and changing old and habits that do not fit in a believer’s life.

 

Salvation is the beginning of a lifelong process of transformation.  There are areas in our life that need to be sanded, sifted, and shaped into Christ likeness, and trouble is one of God’s most effective tools.  I realize that this view point may not be popular among some Theological points of view; however, the men and women of Scripture whom God used greatly were those who endured hardship and responded correctly.

 

For example, the apostle Paul gave his entire life to serve Christ.  He founded and encouraged churches, answered tough theological questions, and wrote many of the Bible’s epistles.  Yet his sufferings exceed anything most of us have endured.  We may think God was unfair to let him face so much hardship, but it was the suffering that shaped and equipped him to be an effective servant of Christ.  Without it, he would not have developed an intimate relationship with God or been used so mightily.

 

Corrie ten Boom has long been honored by evangelical Christians as an exemplar of Christian faith in action. Arrested by the Nazis along with the rest of her family for hiding Jews in their Haarlem home during the Holocaust, she was imprisoned and eventually sent to the Ravensbruck concentration camp along with her beloved sister, Betsie, who perished there just days

 before Corrie's own release on December 31, 1944.  Inspired by Betsie's example of selfless love and forgiveness amid extreme cruelty and persecution, Corrie established a post-war home for other camp survivors trying to recover from the horrors they had escaped.  She went on to travel widely as a missionary, preaching God's forgiveness and the need for reconciliation. Corrie's devout moral principles were tested when, by chance, she came face to face with one of her former tormentors in 1947.  The following description of that experience is excerpted from her 1971 autobiography, The Hiding Place, written with the help of John and Elizabeth Sherrill.

                                                           

 

                                                              I'm Still Learning to Forgive

It was in a church in Munich that I saw him, a balding heavy-set man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken. It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives. ... And that's when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister's frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp where we were sent. ...

"You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk," he was saying. "I was a guard in there." No, he did not remember me.

"I had to do it — I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us."

"But since that time," he went on, "I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein, ..." his hand came out, ... "will you forgive me?"

And I stood there — I whose sins had every day to be forgiven — and could not. Betsie had died in that place — could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it — I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. "If you do not forgive men their trespasses," Jesus says, "neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses." ...

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion — I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. "Jesus, help me!" I prayed silently. "I can lift my hand, I can do that much. You supply the feeling."

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

"I forgive you, brother!" I cried. "With all my heart!"

For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then.

From Guideposts. Copyright © 1972 by Guideposts, Carmel, New York 10512. All rights reserved.

 

Whatever difficulty that you are going through right now, I am sure God can use it to draw you to Himself.  Every difficulty demands a choice.  You can waste your suffering and be miserable, or you can let the Lord use it to transform and equip you to become His valuable and effective servant just like He did with Corrie ten Boom.

 Prayer—Father I thank You for helping me through every difficulty in my life.  Lord, I give it all to You to be used for Your glory and to shape me and mold me into the person that best represents You, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

FOCUSING ON OBSTACLES DISTORTS YOUR VISION

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal”—2 Corinthians 4:18

 

The Lord gave the Israelites a commission to go in and possess the land of Canaan.  The people needed a separate place in which to thrive as a God-centered nation.   And He chose an exceptionally good country for their development.

So at the Lord’s direction, Moses sent twelve men to spy out the land.  Ten of them returned with frightening negative stories.   All that these spies could see were the obstacles to taking ownership (Numbers 13:25-14:10).

However, Caleb was certain that they would “surely overcome” (Numbers. 13:30), because he was focused on God’s promises rather than the obvious difficulties.   He based his confidence on God’s words to Abraham: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis. 12:7).

The people did not share Caleb’s faith—tales of giants and fortified cities scared them. Ordinarily, those would have been obstacles worth fearing.  But the Israelites served a God who had proven that He could overcome anything:  He had parted the Red Sea to facilitate their escape from Pharaoh.  And He fed them for two years in the desert.

Focusing on obstacles distorts our vision.  Problems seem to loom so large that we can not see to take the next step in faith.  In reality, if God has called us to do something, the only hindrance is our mind—our way of thinking, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7)

. God has already planned a way around, over, or through any barriers that might lie on the path to fulfilling His purpose.

 

In 2 Kings Chapter 6, we see that the King of Syria was at war against Israel.  However, the Syrian army could not trap Israel because by the word of knowledge God let Elisha know where the Syrian were encamped, thus Israel escaped from them.  The King of Syria found out who was letting the King know their whereabouts, so the King of Syria sent out his army to look for Elisha and they found him in the city of Dothan.  When Elisha’s servant got up early the next morning, he saw that the army had surrounded the city with horses and chariots and he asked Elisha what they were going to do.  Elisha responded to his servant: “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (verse 16).   Elisha prayed and God opened the eyes of the servant and he saw that the mountains were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.   When the Syrians came down to Elisha, he prayed that their eyes would be struck with blindness.  He went on to lead them to Samaria where he prayed and asked the Lord to open their eyes.  After seeking the counsel of Elisha, the King of Israel did not kill the Syrians, instead he prepared a great feast for them and sent them back to their king, and as a result the Syrians did not raid Israel anymore.  Do not focus your vision on the obstacles that you see around you,  “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin, which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

 

Today you may have a problem or difficulty that you cannot see your way around or through, ask the Lord to refocus your vision.  Ask Him to help you see the answer and not the problem.  Ask Him to give you strategies for moving forward.  He is faithful who has promised to never leave you nor forsake you.  You are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus.

Prayer—Father I bring my problem of ________________before You today.  I ask You to forgive me for trying to fix it in my own strength and not in Yours.  I ask You to refocus my vision so that I can see Your solution to the problem, in Jesus Name. Amen.

USE THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE WISELY

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”—Ephesians 5:15-17

 

All of us, both women and men, are very familiar with busyness.   It seems as though our lives are governed by time.   When was the last time someone told you they did not have enough to do?   A lot of people connect significance with busyness, and most of us either boast or complain about how busy we are.  The reality is that God has given us enough time to do exactly what He has planned for our lives.  The bigger issue is whether we are using our time to do our will or the Lord’s.

 

Time is a gift from God, and He has allotted each of us as measure in which to live and to accomplish His purposes.  We have only two options—to spend it temporally on our own interest or invest it eternally, “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).  Since time can never be retrieved or reversed, it is critical that we make the most of every opportunity that the Lord provides.

 

The key to investing in eternity is following God’s plan for your life, not just filling your days with activities.  Jesus was allocated just thirty-three years of life on earth; the majority of His life was spent in preparation with only the last three spent in fulfilling His Messianic ministry.   To us this may seem like a very short time; but He was able to accomplish everything His Father gave Him to do.  That is why on the cross He could say, “It is finished” (John 19:30).

 

Scripture compares earthly life to“…a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14), but eternal life never ends.  Spending your life on a vapor is foolish when you can reap everlasting benefits by following God’s will for your time here.  Each day is an opportunity to choose.

 

Are you willing to honestly ask yourself this question: Am I busy for the right reasons?   Make it a matter of prayer; write all your commitments and responsibilities on paper, and then one by one ask God “Is this one of the good works you put me here to do?”   That is how we get serious about doing God’s will and ridding our schedules of the things that God never intended for us to do.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You for the good works that You have given me to do.  I ask You to help me prioritize those works that You have given me to do so that I can use my time wisely and efficiently, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

 

 

LOVE DEMONSTRATE

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8

  

 The word demonstrates means to show or to prove something clearly and convincingly.  When Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13), He defined love in terms of sacrificial actions rather than words or emotions.   He said that the way we treat other people demonstrates to the world that we are followers of Christ. Because He first loved us, we can demonstrate love to the undeserving.

 

Love is a distinguishing mark of Christians and something the Lord commanded us to do, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Jesus said we should love others as God loves us—selflessly, sacrificially, with understanding and forgiveness.   The Greek word for love, as translated here is, “Agape, and means sacrificial love—a commitment that motivates us to deny ourselves on behalf of another.  This is the type of love the Lord had in mind when He commanded His followers to love one another.

 

 When Jesus gave the commandment to his disciples to love one another it was a new commandment and it raised the standard for how we treat others—thinking of their needs before our own.

 

Jesus told us to love our enemies, “But I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).  That doesn’t mean we have to like how they act or think.  However, we are called to love even those who oppose us.  Jesus hated the hypocrisy of the temple money changers (Matthew 21:12-13) but still had compassion on them, just as He did on all of Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37-38).

 

The distinguishing characteristic of a believer is love (John 13:34-35).   First Corinthians 13:1 says that if we do not have love, we are like a noisy gong--loud, unpleasant, and meaningless.

 

As Christians, we are to walk in sacrificial love.   More than our words, our deeds should convey/demonstrate God’s love, “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.  And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma” (Ephesians 5:2).

 

We demonstrate love as Jesus did my serving others.  “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many “ (Matthew 20:28).  Our love should not be centered on what someone can do for us, but how we can bless her or him.

 

We demonstrate God’s love by having compassion on others’ failings and short comings and caring for them anyway.   Forgiving and extending mercy even to those who have responded to us in a negative way.  Christ forgave us, extended mercy to us and died for us when we were still sinners.  By forgiving others and extending mercy to them, we are laying down our own life and imitating God’s love.

 

 

God unselfishly gave Himself to us without restrictions, limitations and exceptions which bring about blessings in our lives.  When we give ourselves unselfishly without restrictions, limitations and exceptions to others, we are demonstrating the love of God and as a consequence it will bring about blessings in our lives.   

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You demonstrated Your love towards me when I did not deserve it.  Lord I ask You to help me be mindful that Your love in me demonstrates to others unselfishly, in Jesus Name. Amen

 

DESPERATION LEADS TO UNFINISHED WORK

“So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’  And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”—John 19:30

 

Every day, people have specific responsibilities whether they are a stay-at-home mother or father, a banker, a waitress, a student, or any other profession each has requirements of duties, responsibilities and accountability.   As a farmer, my father would often tell me that he felt that he was holding the land in trust for future generations and that he had a duty and a responsibility to preserve it for the next generation.  Many people feel that way about what they are doing; just as Jesus did.    

 

Jesus, the Son of God, was given specific responsibilities and tasks to carry out.  For example, He came to bear the sins of the world and to demonstrated God the Father as Healer, Forgiver, Deliverer, Restorer, the Everlasting Father, and as the Prince of Peace.  He said that He came not to do His own will, but the will of the Father who had sent Him.  You and I can experience whatever we need through Christ because Jesus finished the works—the tasks that the Father had given Him to do. 

 

Jesus related a parable in Matthew chapter 25 that is applicable for us today.  “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the son f Man is coming” (verses 1-13).    In this parable, we see ten people who all had the same opportunity, but only five were able to finish their task because they were prepared—they had bought sufficient oil and were wise not to interfere with God’s work.  Those who did not come prepared became desperate and were not able to finish their work. Therefore, we can understand the principle that lack of preparation leads to desperation and unfinished work. 

 

Perhaps you have been like me and have seen the operation of desperation in your life or ministry.   One of two things usually happens, distractions come to take up your time so that you are not prepare sufficiently and feel desperate so you ask others to come and help you—which puts an undo burden upon them, or you are not able to finish what you had started.  Other times, you might respond to the request of others for help because of their lack of preparation and get involved in their problems which caused you problems.  The only solution so as not to feel desperate is to prepare and be confident that you will be able to complete your work, and be wise by not interfering with God’s work in others. 

 

Because of where the Church is in God’s timing of world events, it is imperative that we learn how to be a wise person that is prepared and finish the work—the race, and that we can say like the Apostle Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (1 Timothy 4:7). 

 

Ask the Lord for His wisdom as you prepare to finish your race.  Stay solidly positioned in His Kingdom which is immoveable and can never be shaken.  Keep your faith and hope in Him and your walk in the love of Jesus. 

 

Prayer—Father I ask You for Your wisdom in preparation to finish my race.  I ask you to remove all distractions and interruptions so that I will not become desperate.  Thank You Lord that I am kept in the presence of Your faith, hope and love, in Jesus Name.  Amen.

DEVELOP YOUR CONSCIENCE TO HELP GUIDE YOU

“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith.”—1 Timothy 1:5

 

Perhaps you have asked someone a question and their response was, “Let your conscience be your guide.”  Although in the English language this is a well-known expression,  it is not necessarily good advice.  The reason why is because your “moral compass” is only as reliable as the principles with which you have programmed it.  If you store up proper biblical instruction and training, it will be dependable to help safeguard you through life.  But using false ideologies from popular culture to program your conscience will set you up for moral failure.

 

God has given each person a conscience as a gift intended to be a tool of the Holy Spirit who is our true Guide.  And as such, it is designed to protect you from going astray.  You can trust it only when the following seven statements are true of you.

 

1.      Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord.

2.      The Bible is the basis for your conduct.

3.      You have a strong desire to obey God.

4.      You make decisions prayerfully.

5.      Your conscience sounds the alarm when you consider a wrong direction in thought or action.

6.      You feel guilty when you disobey.

7.      You feel compelled to repent of your disobedience.

 

A trustworthy conscience reacts immediately to disobedience.  There is no making excuses and no waffling over whether or not something may have been wrong.

 

To develop a reliable conscience, read and apply scripture so that God’s principles will override any prior bad programming.  Then, under the Holy Spirit’s guidance, it will sound protective alerts.  Do not put faith on your conscience alone, but trust God to make it an effective tool for leading you.

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You have given me a conscience to help lead me.  I ask You to help train my conscience so that it becomes refined instrument for the Holy Spirits use, to help lead and guide me, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

THERE IS REST FROM HEAVY BURDENS

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”—Matthew 11:28

 

Throughout life, we all bear many burdens.  Some may concern everyday things like finances, or relationships, but we might also feel over whelmed about future unknowns.  These can weigh us down to the point of exhaustion if we do not handle them biblically.

 

Jesus knew how difficult life would be for us.  After all, Je was human too.  But our Savior did not want us to bear unnecessary weight, for He knew that our heavenly Father can carry it for us.

 

So He spoke the words, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gently and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  These words are full of promise and the hope of relief.  Yet how do we, in the midst of difficulty, practically apply what He is telling us?  First, He wants us to acknowledge that we have a specific burden.  Next, we are to identify the issue.  Then we can bring the problem before God.  He tells us to cast it upon Him, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 55:22), and He will carry our load.

 

When we kneel before the Lord in prayer and truly ask Him to take care of the problem, we can be relieved of the weight, and not buckle under its pressure, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

 

Jesus desires that you experience peace and rest even in the midst of trials.  He has provided everything necessary for freedom from burdens. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You care for me.  Today I cast all of my burdens upon You for I know that you care for me.  Lord I ask You to free me from the weight and the care of the burden, in Jesus name. Amen.

TRANSFORM BY THE POWER OF PRAYER

“…pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”—James 5:16 - 17

If you have ever been confused about how to intercede for someone, the Apostle Paul’s prayer in Colossians is appropriate for every person and every situation.  Because it fits perfectly with the will of God, you can ask these requests with great confidence—both for yourself and for others.

 

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:9-14).

 

To be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  Not only do we need to know God’s plan for our lives; we also require discernment to distinguish His guiding voice from our own self-directed ideas.

 

To walk in a manner worth of the Lord, pleasing Him in all ways.  Our lives should be patterned after the One we follow, with a goal of glorifying and delighting Him.

 

To bear fruit in every good work.  Instead of being wrapped up in our own jobs, possessions, pleasures, and plans, we should be contributing to the lives of others.

 

To increase in the knowledge of God.  By reading His Word, applying it to our lives, and observing His ways, we will gain a deeper understanding of the Lord.

 

To be strengthened with His power so we remain steadfast.  The Christian life can be lived only with the Holy Spirit’s power.

 

To joyously give thanks for all the He has done for us. Believers should be characterized by joy and gratitude.

 

Our prayers should be focused on the spiritual work that the Lord is doing.  Effective prayers are based less on temporal needs and emphasize the Lord’s desires.  Your life will be transformed and the people for whom you intercede when the focus of your prayers is less temporal and more spiritual. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that You help me always and I ask for your help when I pray so that my prayers will be effective and life transforming, in Jesus Name. Amen.

 

WE ARE CALLED TO A LIFESTYLE OF GIVING

“Contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”—Romans 12:13 (NASB)

 

In our scripture reading for today, the word contributing is koinoneo in the Greek language and, “describes the sharing of one’s possessions, with the implication of some kind of joint participation and mutual interest,” according to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible.   Additionally, the thought behind the meaning of the present tense of the word means to have a “lifestyle of sharing.”

 

Koinoneo was used in Greek marriage contracts where the husband and wife agree to a joint-participation in the necessities of life.  The key idea is that of a partnership.   In contrast to modern day marriages, in many nations of the world, there are “pre-nuptial” agreements.

 

Christian koinonia means sharing the burdens and the blessings of others so that we all grow together and glorify the Lord.  It is much more than a pat on the back and a handshake.

 

The idea is not just the outward act of giving but, sharing in one’s own heart the burden of need felt by the needy, and the sense of a common ownership of those things that can meet these needs.  “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.  And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.” (Acts 4:32-35).   Following the example of the early Church, we are to identify ourselves with the needs of the saints and make them our own.

 

The words of Apostle Paul continue to exhort us today, “So we being many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:5). “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).   When the children of God fall into want, we are to take a part of their wants upon ourselves, and to make their wants our wants to the full extent of our ability to relieve them.  Which should be a natural outflow of the truth,  that although we "are many, (we) are one body in Christ and individually  members one of another  and so if one member suffers all the members suffer with them.

 

Although you may be in need yourself, no one is excluded from God’s promise of giving and receiving, “Give, and it will be given to you, good measure, pressed down shaken together, and running over will be poured into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).  The early Church understood the principal of family—sharing what you have for the common good of all so that all may be strong. 

 

Prayer—Father I thank You that you have called me to a lifestyle of giving.  Please forgive me for the times that I have held back because I did not clearly understand why I was to give.  Help me Lord to never hold back from helping our family—the saints, in Jesus Name. Amen.

BE PERSISTENT IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT

“…I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down…”—Nehemiah 6:3

 

After Nehemiah head about the desperate condition of the Jews who had returned from exile to Jerusalem, his heart was burdened, “And they said to me, ‘The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and the gates are burned with fire.’  So it was, when I [Nehemiah] heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days: I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven” (Nehemiah 1: 3-4).  God got Nehemiah’s attention by hearing about the extremely difficult conditions of the Jews and then He revealed His assignment to him. (Read all of Nehemiah).

 

Although Nehemiah was not near Jerusalem, and was a servant of the king he still felt the weightiness of the assignment.  Some times the word “burden” is used to describe when an individual feels that God wants her or him to do something.  But, if I use the term “weightiness” I think it best describes the feelings that are often associated with an assignment by the Lord.  When the assignment is from the Lord, the “weightiness” is like an even pressure distributed over your personage; however, if it is a false “weightiness (burden) then it is pressure only in one area.  The enemy uses this tactic to get us off course and to not complete our assignment. 

 

Whenever God gives us an assignment He will open a door to accomplish His will.  In this case, the Lord used Nehemiah’s sad expression and desperate prayer to prepare a pagan king to send him on his assignment (Nehemiah 2:2). 

 

How do you respond when you sense that the Lord is calling you to a task that seems beyond your abilities?  Do you list all the reasons why you can not possibly do it?  God already know everything about you and the situation.  He is not asking your permission to proceed; rather, He is calling you to move forward with faith and obedience.  He did not make an error in choosing you for the assignment.  God will equip you for whatever He calls you to do.  Also, He always provides for the assignment.  He does not send you out to fail and He will provide people to help you complete the assignment. 

 

Even though the enemy sends distractions through objections as to why you cannot complete the assignment, do not fear; God is on your side and determine not to: “come off the wall”—be persistent to complete your assignment, “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). 

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to shut the mouths of those who speak against me and those who have come against the assignment that You have given to me, and I ask You to strengthen me for the task to bring it to completion, in Jesus Name.  Amen. 

 

 

 

ARE YOU BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ASSIGNMENT?

“I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”—John 17:4

 

In the parable of the talents, the master gave three servants an assignment to carry out in his absence, along with the resources to accomplish it. Upon his return, he asked for an accounting of what they'd done.

 

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.  Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.  But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.  After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’  He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your lord.’  Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed.   And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground.  Look, there you have what is yours.’   But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.   So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.  For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness.  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” ( Matthew 25:14-30).

 

From this parable, we can understand several principles about the Christian life.  First, God has chosen us to be His servants.  Second, He has prepared an assignment for us to do, and He supplies the things and abilities that we will need to achieve it. Some of what we are to do apply to all believers—such as loving Him through thru loving people, and making disciples. He gives us specific assignments to us, utilizing our personal talents and skills.  Finally, the Lord blesses those who obey Him. Pleased by the obedience of two servants, the master, in Matthew 25:14-30, passage recompensed them accordingly.  In a similar way, we are promised a heavenly reward for our faithful service.

 

Being a good steward of what God has entrusted to us is a serious matter. He wants us to invest in His kingdom plan rather than over committing time to earthly matters or overspending on the pursuit of pleasure. You might wonder about the third servant.  The master was very disappointed in the servant’s attitude towards being accountable for his assignment.  He did nothing with his talent and was cast out of his master's presence. This cannot happen to believers, for we are permanently adopted into God's family.  But the Lord will hold us accountable for all that we do, “So then each of us shall give account of himself [herself] to God” (Romans 14:12). 

 

With the Holy Spirit's help, we can move past our self-centered ways to carry out God's assignment.   If you do not know what your assignment is, ask Him to reveal it to you, and for His help in carrying out the assignment.

 

Prayer—Father I ask You to clearly show me what my assignment is and for strength my talents and abilities to carry it out, in Jesus Name.  Amen.