DATE: 05/03/2008 09:41:45 / MOOD: Encouraging

Have you ever felt the Lord calling you to something really big, maybe a task that seems impossible or a goal that would take years to achieve? Most likely, some aspiration or God-given promise just came to mind. As you think about it, let's consider three common courses of action. 

First, we can take a shortcut. After all, if God makes a promise or gives us a goal, wouldn't He want us to attain it as quickly as possible? The answer is, "Not necessarily." God often gives a pledge years before He brings it to pass. When we try to manipulate circumstances and "help" the Lord fulfill His promise, we'll surely get in the way of the good things He has in mind for us. We should remember that part of the blessing will be the trust and wisdom gained while waiting.

Second, we can simply quit. Who wants to wait ten years for something? So, we just walk away, forget it, and try not to think about it any more. Just imagine hearing God's promise and then saying, "No, that would take too long. I'd rather move on to something else." What a tragedy!

Third, we can wait patiently and trust God for the blessing. This is clearly the best option, but sadly the one we often avoid. If someone were to say to you, "Ten years from today, I'm going to give you 10 million dollars," what would you say? Most likely, you would not respond, "No, thanks. I want it now or not at all." Why then, do we say that to God? He has tremendous blessings in store for you, if you're willing to wait.

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DATE: 05/02/2008 08:49:21 / MOOD: Angry

Patience is a hard lesson for us to learn. We don't like patience. We don't have time for patience! Life is fast, time's running out, and we've got to get this show on the road, right?

This is clearly how most of us act, even if we don't express it. Perhaps that's why Scripture includes so many examples of godly patience and reward. Over and over, we see the Father making promises to His children, only to have them wait years, sometimes decades, for the promise to be fulfilled. But the result of that patience is always blessing.

Consider Abraham. At age 75, he was given God's promise of a son. 10 years later, he was still waiting. Fifteen years passed, then 20, and still no son. Finally, when Abraham was 100, a quarter-century after God had made the promise, baby Isaac was born. Surely Abraham had times of doubt during those 25 years. Yet he continued to trust God and kept watching for the fulfillment of His promise.

There are plenty of other examples. As a young man, Jacob met the girl of his dreams, but he worked many years before making her his bride. Joseph had a God-given vision of blessing at age 17 but languished 13 years in slavery and prison before receiving the reward. David was anointed King of Israel as a teenager but spent the next 14 years or so running for his life before taking the throne.

Shortcuts never lead to where God wants us to be. The long road, however, is filled with faithful servants. Are you waiting on the Lord today? Be encouraged. You're in good company.

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DATE: 05/01/2008 09:30:55 / MOOD: Teaching

What does a worldly church look and sound like? Would we know one if we saw it? How can we recognize a church that is more secular than sacred?

Like any counterfeit, the thorough way to recognize the danger of secularism is to be conformed to the sacred. This is why the knowledge of the Word of God is so important. If we find something in the church that is contrary to scripture but is taught in the secular world, then that church has become, in part, secularized.

The following is a list of things that are examples of worldliness in the church.

1. The Bible is increasingly competed against (2 Tim.4:1-5). That is, the Bible is merely inclusive and not exclusive. There is an obvious prejudice against the exclusiveness of the Bible.

2. The Gospel is Taught as a solution verses salvation. In this world of relativism, it is not popular to claim that Jesus is the only way to be saved. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not an alternative... it is God's ultimatum.

3. There is a feeling of embarrassment as a witness of Christ. Our silence is Satan's victory.

4. Tolerance verses dogmatism is consider essential. A worldly church is more concerned with public-relations verses a personal relationship with Christ. In particular, you will find a worldly similarity in the music program.

5. There is a fear of offending the world. Obviously, we should not be offensive just for the sake of being offensive, but we should not be timid in speaking the truth of God's word when the need arises. The gospel that offends no one is not the gospel of the Bible.

6. A greater emphasis on moral and social issues verses spiritual issues. Moral and social preaching left to it self is a form of godliness while denying the power of the cross.

7. Prayer, worship, and fellowship with God is reduced to a formality and left there.

The world cannot afford a worldly church. Our chief asset is the Word of God rightly divided. This alone is what keeps a division between the world and the Church.

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DATE: 04/30/2008 10:36:38 / MOOD: Excited

Many thousands of people cheer and scream as loudly as they can at a professional sports event. Some believe their shouts were actually willing their teams to victory. People certainly get excited about their favorite teams. How many believers do you know who put that same passion and intensity into their faith? How often do you proclaim the saving truth of Jesus Christ as loudly as a football fan proclaims his allegiance?

In his letter to the church at Thessalonica, the apostle Paul rejoices in the young congregation's passion for telling the world about Christ. The city was a busy seaport. Paul knew the church there had the ear of the whole world. Travelers would hear the gospel and then take it back to their own communities.

By saying the word of the Lord had "sounded forth" from the church, Paul painted a powerful word picture in 1 Thessalonians chapter 1:8. Long before microphones and loudspeakers, a long, curved device known as a sounding board was used to amplify a public speaker's voice. So Paul was praising the Thessalonians for being a living megaphone that proclaimed Christ.

If you're a "fan" of Jesus, then you have the responsibility of sharing with the world who He is and what He has done. Shout it from the rooftops! Fill entire stadiums with the thunder of your praise! Don't just show the people around you who your favorite sports team is. Make sure they know who your Savior is too.

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DATE: 04/26/2008 09:41:18 / MOOD: Encouraging

The Lord wants us to make wise decisions based on sound principles. But choices that follow His will aren't always compatible with the world's way of doing business. Some people may be surprised that the foundational concept of God's financial plan is to give rather than to save or invest.

First, give sacrificially. When the average person decides how much to donate toward charity, he considers his income versus his expenses. He chooses an amount that feels comfortable. In contrast, a sacrificial offering can mean a believer follows the Holy Spirit's leading to pledge resources beyond his means. Initially, some Christians may feel worried about exercising their faith in this way. But thankfully Philippians chapter 4:19 says God has promised to meet His children's needs. God's totally trustworthy.

Also, give compassionately. Psalm 24:1 tells us all resources belong to God. Believers with a generous spirit hold their material possessions loosely. They desire to use their share of the Lord's wealth to spread His blessing. A missionary, charity, or pastor does not have to beg them to part with their money.

God's financial plan differs from any we'll see in the world. But His principles have proven effective. The Bible and church history show this for thousands of years. His followers have chosen to give from a compassionate heart and a sacrificial spirit. And He rewards them with increased faith and enough material goods to meet their needs.

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DATE: 04/24/2008 11:11:05 / MOOD: Teaching

Acts 9:5

"'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied."

Saul's respectful response, "Who are you Lord?" acknowledges that he has had a supernatural experience and is "appropriately positioned" to listen -- he is on the ground (verse 9:4 "He fell to the ground..."). Many times the Lord needs to knock us to the ground -- literally or figuratively -- take our feet right out from under us to get our attention as well.

Have you ever had an experience like that before? When the Lord grabs you so dramatically and decisively (not because He wants to hurt you but because He wants your full and undivided attention), how did you respond? Did you change or did you go back to your old ways?The Lord then identifies Himself to Saul, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting." I see a lot of my own history in this statement. In the past I have spent time in my own energy and power doing my will -- thinking it was probably the Lord's will -- without ever really checking with the Lord to see what He wanted me to do. Jesus is saying to Saul, "You think you are helping me, but when you hurt my church -- you are hurting me." It seems the only way the Lord could get Saul's attention was to knock him to the ground -- by doing so the Lord stopped him long enough to meet face to face.

My greatest prayer is that the Lord would open my ears and heart so that I would not need to be floored by some catastrophic event to become open to receiving a course correction from the Lord. As in steering a boat or a car, small and regular adjustments are much easier than huge and difficult adjustments when we have completely gone off course.

When you had your last encounter with God -- did you just get up and go about your business, or did you allow the Lord to speak to you in the experience? Saul asked the question, "Who are you Lord?" If you asked that question of the Lord right now, what behavior or attitude would He tell you to change?

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DATE: 04/21/2008 09:15:52 / MOOD: Encouraging

Sometimes we set ourselves up for defeat by letting adversity dictate our decisions. Christianity would've lost a great leader and teacher if the apostle Paul had stopped serving the Lord because of his difficulties. Paul endured a shipwreck, persecution, beatings, and poverty. Instead, Paul made a bold proclamation from prison. In Philippians chapter 4:13, Paul says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Paul prepared himself to perform any service or face any trial for the Lord. His willingness was rooted in the belief that God would always be faithful. He could've regarded prior difficulties as a run of bad luck and chosen to give up. Instead, the apostle viewed his experiences as proof that the Father would provide what was required in any circumstance. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12, he had learned to be content in every situation. He says God always met his physical, spiritual, and emotional needs at the right moment.

The apostle tackled each new challenge with the confidence that Christ would equip him to do the job well. Too often people ignore a new opportunity that feels unfamiliar. Never having tried it, they anticipate being unable to meet expectations. But the Lord's call to a fresh area of service means He's about to do good work through His child.

 If a believer is willing to serve God in any capacity, he'll make an impact for the kingdom. Remember, Paul's proclamation is also ours. We can do all things through Christ, who's our strength.

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DATE: 04/18/2008 09:47:55 / MOOD: Encouraging

Before pushing clients to a new level of "personal best," sports trainers will sometimes have them close their eyes. They know people can be limited by what they see. When sight is no longer an obstacle, athletes can often reach beyond what they originally thought possible.

Likewise, all of us create limitations in our lives based on personal experiences and limited knowledge. We might dismiss the idea of giving to others, because our finances seem tight. We might allow fear of failure, harm, or rejection to keep us from living fully for the Lord. But God isn't constrained by our boundaries. He wants us to be and do all that He has planned.

So, identify what you view as limitations. Is something holding you back from a rich prayer life and intimacy with God? What's keeping you from sharing the gospel or living a Godly life? Perhaps you're letting personal details, like age, health, or education, hold you back.

Release yourself from these boundaries by confessing them to God. Then yield every aspect of your life to His will. Despite our human flaws, God's power is "perfected in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9 says the Holy Spirit enables believers with the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.

Romans chapter 8:25 gives us the last step to live beyond our limitations. We should wait expectantly for what the Lord will do. Faith is the belief in what we cannot see. Is your limited sight keeping you from living God's best?

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DATE: 04/18/2008 09:46:43 / MOOD: Enthusiastic



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