A Call To Worship

...but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.

 

Exodus 6:9

It is very difficult to lead when those you are leading believe they have been mistreated and have lost all hope. Such was the case when God called Moses to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt—they had lived under many years of oppression and slavery. Yet God heard their cry and He sent someone to bring them out of slavery, "so that they might worship God" (See Ex. 8:1)... interesting that God didn't say, "to serve Him."

 

Above all else, God desires our worship.

 

A person cannot enter into true worship of God while still in slavery to bondage. In Proverbs, the writer tells us "hope deferred makes the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12a). There is a place in life where life becomes so discouraging and hopeless that we lose all hope, and it can actually make us sick—it brings you to the edge of despair. In this particular cause, the people would not listen to Moses and God did not deliver them immediately from their slavery to bondage and despair. In fact, it would be many plagues later before ultimate deliverance would take place.

 

Why does God withhold deliverance at times?

 

It is in order to bring greater glory from the situation, and not because He doesn't care. It is because His plan for mankind is resting in these events. It is a finely tuned plan that involves many people and situations—all operating at the same time. It can seem cruel at times, but God knows that His children cannot worship Him if they are in bondage and lose all hope. And He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear, so He has a plan of deliverance for each of us, when we find ourselves in such circumstances.

 

God has a plan of deliverance for each of us.

 

This plan is not always the kind of deliverance we might think is best. It sometimes has pain surrounding the deliverance. When a mother gives birth, that child is delivered into this world through much pain. But with that pain comes great joy is on the other side. Every mother will say the pain was worth it because of the exceeding joy that child brought in the midst of the pain.

What keeps you from entering true worship… ask God to show you the areas of bondage that you are living in so that you may worship Him and Him alone.

 

In the Zone

Be strong and very courageous.

Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you;

do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.

 

Joshua 1:7

In sports, there is a term known as "in the zone." It is a description of a person executing his skills so well that total concentration is taking place, and the athlete is performing flawlessly.

 

Performance seems effortless because it comes so easily.

 

For the tennis player, it is hitting every shot right where he wants. For the baseball pitcher, it is throwing a strike. For the golfer, the fairways are wide, and the hole is small, but everything is flowing just right as the club makes contact with the little white ball. For the basketball player it is hitting the 3-point shot with nothing but net. For the surfer it is catching that perfect wave and gliding through the tunnel of the tube without wiping out.

Those who grew up involved in sports know what it feels like to be in the zone.

 

You just knew when you when you where in the zone and when you weren't. Imagine now, that, you have the opportunity to play in a golf tournament championship. It is the opening round, and you are in the zone. You are focused and are aware of the difference in your mental attitude when executing the swing you want to make with little regard to the outcome. You can visualize the swing so well that it is like a vivid picture in your mind. You know that if you make the right swing, the outcome would take care of itself. At the end of the day you shoot four under par for a 68, and go on to win the golf tournament.

 

When we are obedient to God it is like being in the zone of life.

When we live a life of obedience, we begin to experience the reality of God like never before. Wisdom grows in our life and meaning and purpose accelerates. In the early Church, the Hebrews gained wisdom through obedience. Later, the Greeks were characterized as gaining wisdom through reason and analysis.

 

When we rely on reason and analysis alone instead of obeying God, we lack being in the zone.

 

Today, we live in a very Greek-influenced Church and thus many Christians determine if they will obey based on whether the outcome will be beneficial to them. Imagine if the early Church had adopted this philosophy. No walls would have fallen down at Jericho. No Red Sea would have parted. No one would have been healed. No coins would have been found in the mouth of a fish. Reason and analysis would not have led to making the obedient decision.

 

Obediently trust God with and in all things and you will find that you are always in the zone!

Enduring Faith

 

"Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor because of all the multitude which is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

 

2 Chronicles 32:7-8

 

 

 

King Hezekiah faced an impossible challenge. However, despite the odds stacked against him, he still trusted in God to overcome. No wonder he was granted honor among those God counted as faithful. He "trusted in the Lord… and did not depart from following Him... and the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered." (See 2 Kings 18:5-7). As a result, in his battle against the Assyrians, Hezekiah never had to lift a finger, for God stepped in and defeated 185,000 of his enemy's camp.

Hezekiah had a faith unlike any other before him and a faith that endured.

 

An enduring faith is one that sits deep within our heart and is not influenced by the circumstances. It's a faith that fully trusts, without reservations, in what God can do and will do, which allows us to step away from the control panel and watch Him do His work. Like Hezekiah, it's what will set us apart to overcome even the greatest opposition we may ever face.

It's an enduring faith that the Lord will bless and honor.

 

James 5:10-11 says, "As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we count those blessed who endured." Regardless of the size and apparent strength of our challenge, when our faith truly trusts that "the one with us is greater than the one with him," nothing becomes impossible to overcome.

 

What is the level of your faith when facing uncharted waters, when the size of the opposition seems impossible to overcome?

 

In those times, you need to remember the faith of Hezekiah and develop within your own heart that deep, abiding, and enduring faith—one that will fully trust in what God can and will do.

No More Wasted Time

The voice said, "Cry out!" and he said, "What shall I cry?" "All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever."

 

Isaiah 40:6-8

 

 

God is speaking to the prophet Isaiah, telling Him to cry out to everyone, telling them that their life in the flesh is like grass—it is very temporary. And that their life can be really lovely sometimes, like a flower in the field.

 

What's the point of all this?

 

God is saying that our bodies, as well as our lives on this earth and all the things that we busy ourselves with, are very temporal—here today, gone tomorrow.

 

So the questions God wants us to deal with here is:

 

What are we doing with the precious moments God has given us?

 

Are we spending the majority of our time on things that, although seemingly so important now, will pass away, and not make any difference at all?

 

Or are we investing our time in the Word of God and doing the things of God, because those are the only things that are eternal and will stand forever?

 

These are good questions and if we stop and think about it, there is no time to waste. It's a time for us to rise up and live deliberately and carefully according to the Word of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit in service to the King!

 

 What is good, beneficial to others and will endure beyond us?

 

Spending time in the Word of God and living according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is being about God's business that He has called us to, equipped us for, and is leading us in. That is what will generate a life that will produce much fruit that will last—that's the kind of life we want to live.

 

No more wasted time!

Hypocritical Blindness

Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he eats meat as he roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, "Aha! I am warm, I have seen the fire." But the rest of it he makes into a god, his graven image. He falls down before it and worships; he also prays to it and says, "Deliver me, for thou art my god.

 

Isaiah 44:16-17

 

 

 

Many times the hypocrisy in our lives can be so evident to others, yet so well hidden from our own perception at the same time. Isaiah illustrates this hypocritical blindness in a wood carver who raised and nurtured a tree and used half to roast his meal, while using the other half to carve his idol, and had no second thoughts about his actions.

 

To the wood carver, there was no significant difference between what he used to satisfy his hunger, and what was used to create an object of worship. We, too, can subtly fall into this same spiritual blindness, when our actions, flowing from the same source, produce two contrasting results. Take the tongue, for example, as James 3:8-1 points out:

But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?

 

Hypocrisy is unveiled when the same source simultaneously produces both good and evil. It can happen in our finances, offering to God what is good, yet tracing our income to decisions which lack integrity. It can happen in our friendships, where we form friendships only to take advantage of others for our selfish demands. It can happen in our marriages, where we take for granted the marriage instituted by God, and live a lifestyle that is inconsistent with the sacred covenant we made to the Him.

Our lives must not reflect such hypocrisy.

 

There must be consistency between what we believe and how we live. How do we best remove the hypocritical blinders that we are all subject to:

 

• Be correctable and teachable – Allow the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to lead and correct you on a daily basis.
• Submit and be accountable – To godly men and women who seek to help you grow and become more Christ-like.   

 

Ask God to help you live a life that reflects nothing but one of consistency in every area of your life—physical, mental, and spiritual.

The Crucible

The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts.

 

Proverbs 17:3

This proverb describes one of God's strangest mysteries. It is a description of God's formula to refine the human heart in order to bring out its finest qualities. The significant leaders who make the greatest mark for the Kingdom had to experience their own crucible and fire.

 

Without it, the dross can never be removed from the human heart and the encumbrances weigh us down.

 

God understands the human heart and He understands that for us to become all that He has for us, there are seasons refining. For example, Joseph went through many tests and succeeding in the test qualified him for greater responsibility.

 

Some of God's greatest crucibles are found in our every day lives.

Even so, God's grace has been provided that we might embrace the crucible and come through it stronger and wiser for doing so. Should we fail, we need not fear—His grace is sufficient for this as well. Ask God for the grace to walk with Him in whatever crucible is placed before you—He is able to accomplish what He has for you in this as well.

Unlimited Measure

For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

 

John 3:34

 

 

 

This is such a great promise that speaks of the unlimited nature of our God. He isn't sitting measuring how much of, or standing before scales calibrating the percentage of His Spirit He will pour out upon us—He gives without measure.

So, then, if God gives so freely, why is it that we can't seem to sense His presence in our lives on a daily and continual basis?

 

The answer lies not in doubting His desire to give or what He has already given, but in our willingness to receive. Like the desperate widow in 2 Kings 4 who was instructed by Elisha to bring "empty vessels" before him, which he continued to fill, so too must we bring ourselves each day to be filled to over flowing with the Holy Spirit which dwells within us.

 

Here, then, is a question we must ask ourselves, daily:

 
Are we willing and wanting to be filled to over flowing with the Holy Spirit—who again dwells in us—to be vessels that are not just ½ empty or ¾ empty but completely filled?

Testing Our Walk

Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

We shall know by this that we are of the truth, and shall assure our heart before Him.

 

1 John 3:18-19

 

 

Herein lies the Litmus Test to our Christian walk:

 

It's not what we say, but what we do that reveals the true intent of our hearts.

 

Like the Litmus Tests we used in science class to test the acidity of a solution, the credibility and sincerity of our Christian walk is tested in the things we do—by our actions—not just in what we say.

Jesus was a great teacher, but in many ways His actions spoke louder than His words. Just as a picture is worth a thousand words, so is a single act like a powerful message being preached in living color. There is much truth to the premise that the world isn't looking for any more ornate speeches, but is watching for Christians who are authentic in their actions and in their lifestyles.

 

It has been said that the eye and not the ear is the convincing organ in today's society. People are looking—not just listening—for the gospel to be preached and each day we must be willing to apply the Litmus Test to our Christian walk.

 

Words and phrases can be compromised and we can justify any action with our words, but in the end, the question will always remain—do our actions reflect our true commitment and love for our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ?

 

Talk is cheap and words can flow freely, but if it isn't consistent with our actions, we fail the Litmus Test.

It's a simple test that we need to apply daily in every area of our lives—in our work, in our family, in our relationships, in our finances, and even in our decisions. Are our actions a true reflection of our heart and if God was to dip His Litmus strip into our heart, what would it reveal?

Unexpected Expectations

And when Jeremiah finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, "You must die!"

 

Jeremiah 26:8

 

 

Jeremiah was faithful to do exactly as the Lord had commanded. If we look to the previous in  Jeremiah 26:2 we see that he was warned to speak to the people all that was commanded of him and "do not to omit a word" (See Jeremiah 26:2b). And for his obedience, there was no love offering taken, there were no gifts of appreciation or words of affirmation and encouragement, there were only death threats that awaited him.

 

But notice how Jeremiah chose to respond: "Amend your ways and your deeds and obey the voice of the Lord, your God... but as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight." (Jeremiah 26:13-14). His faith wasn't shattered and his conviction to follow God fully never wavered.

 

Sometimes following faithfully the ways of God will produce results we weren't exactly expecting.

What should be our response when our obedience meets up with unexpected expectations or when the results of our obedience fail to live up to what we expected—change our expectations.  Our motivation to move in obedience with what the Lord has asked of us—whether in our work, our relationships, or in our finances—should never be based on selfish expectations.

 

Obedience must be generated out of a sincere desire to honor God for who He is, rather than what we want. When our wants overshadow our willingness to obey, it is a one way ticket to the land of frustration. Our actions of obedience must be based upon what He said, without omitting a word, regardless of the results.

 

Continually

Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually.

 

1 Chronicles 16:11

 

 

Continually is the one word that qualifies and quantifies this entire verse. It's seeking God not just when things seem not to be going in our favor or just when the going gets tough, but it is having a continuing and relentless pursuit of God—His ways, His directions, His purposes and desires for our lives—regardless of the circumstances.

 

Regardless of the circumstances.

David discovered the difference between part-time devotion and devotion that is continual. He learned it through a tragic lesson that was mined in the irony of transporting the Ark of God. Historically, David had repeatedly sought God prior to every major battle, and God never failed him. When he needed God the most, when anxieties and tensions ran high, David was open and receptive to God's direction.

 

How ironic, however, when peace had finally rested on his side, and in the midst of performing a spiritual duty, David neglected God's direction, allowed his spiritual guards to drop, and in so doing failed to follow God's moving instructions on transporting the Ark. Consequently, one of his men suffered at the expense of David's error.

We exhibit the same tendencies in our lives, don't we—when facing struggles, when approaching the battle lines, we fall to our knees and cry out to God. But, once victory has been won, once we are in the midst of celebration, we tuck Him away and proceed on our own.

God isn't to be treated like a road map.

God isn't to be treated like a road map that's taken out only when we are lost, and then folded neatly away once we are on the interstate freeway. He needs to be alive and active in every phase and season of our lives. It seems, however, that we forget God when we get caught in the swell of momentum. Our pursuit of Him must be relentless and, here's that word—continually.

 

Being Controlled By Choices

...promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

 

2 Peter 2:19

 

 

 

Whether we know it or not, like it or not, we're controlled by a number of things on a daily basis. It may be that cup of coffee we just have to have in the morning, or the television drama that we cannot miss, or the poor attitude we have towards a coworker—we face factors that control our lives everyday.

 

For what overcomes us, this we will be enslaved to.

 

There are emotions of anger, impatience, temptations of immoral thoughts and lusts that will also compete and vie for our attention. The question is, will we allow ourselves to be overcome by it, for what overcomes us, this we will be enslaved to.

It's a choice we need to make on a daily basis.

 

We often blame our circumstances, or others, for our predicaments, when the responsibility to choose that which controls us is ultimately ours to make. There is nothing wrong with having a cup of coffee in the morning, or watching television, or anger for that matter. But, when we allow everything else in our lives to be dependant upon, subject to, or submissive to that which we are engaged in, then we have chosen it as our master, and we have become its slaves.

 

What master us on a daily basis or from time to time?

 

It's that which we allow to overcome us. And it will be reflected in the choices we make in regards to how we spend your time, to what we devote our attention to, and submit our thoughts and actions to as well.

 

How do we navigate through the choices that we must make on a daily basis or from time to time?

 

By allowing the Holy Spirit to serve as our guide in every area of our lives—no matter what it might be. While there may be many things that will compete for control over our decisions, the Holy Spirit is always there to be our guide and will help us to determine how to make decisions that are based on God's truth.

Having A Humble Heart

And it came about when the king heard the words of the book of the law, that he tore his clothes... "[Because] your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the Lord.

 

2 Kings 22:11, 19

 

 

What does the Word of God do for you?

 

To Josiah, the Word wasn't simply teachings—it was revelation. It revealed the wrongs which the previous generations had committed and led Josiah to make the changes that were necessary to set his house in order. When it was read to him, it was as if the Word exploded within his heart and he was moved to take action, to make the adjustments to his life and his household.

 

And for his humility, the Lord blessed him.

• It's humility that primes our hearts to be receptive and sensitive to the revelation of God's Word.
• It's humility that moves us to correction and change—to adjust and alter our ways—in favor of God's ways.
• It's humility that will lead to obedience of God's Word.
• It's humility that tenderizes our hearts and heightens our awareness to the leadings and promptings of the Holy Spirit who is working in us.

Without humility, our hearts become hardened.

 

Without humility, our hearts become hardened and resistant to change. We may in fact read God's Word, but it simply becomes head knowledge. And while we may memorize scripture, the Word and the lessons to be revealed, will never move us to change and His Word fails to make a difference in our lives.

 

How do we measure our degree of humility?

 

By truthfully answering these questions:

 

To what extent am I willing to make a change in my life because of what God revealed to me today?

 

How will I be different today because of what I have read in God's Word?

Regardless of past accomplishments and achievements, regardless of success, each day we need to possess a heart of humility that is willing and open to change according to what God has revealed to us.

 

Ask God to reveal to your heart, by the leading of the Holy Spirit, the areas of your life that you need to begin to sweep, especially the chambers of your heart and the corners where no one sees, except God Himself.

Speaking Words By God's Power

Then He said to me, "Son of man, stand on your feet that I may speak with you!" As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me. "I am sending you to them who are stubborn and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord God.' "As for them, whether they listen or not— for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them." Moreover He said to me, "Son of man, take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely."

 

Ezekiel 2:1-2, 4-5, 3:10

 

 

God appears to Ezekiel the priest in the land of their captivity and calls him to be His mouthpiece to the people. He calls him to go to the people whose hard heart, rebellious spirit, and actions have caused them to wind up in captivity.

 

God calls Ezekiel to speak His Word to them.

 

He tells Ezekiel to speak to them exactly what He says, whether they listen or not; but God also tells him that whether they listen or not, they will have no doubt that a true prophet of God has been among them. And that God would reveal Himself and His power through Ezekiel.

 

How would God do this?

 

If we look again at Ezekiel 2:2, we see it says that God's Spirit entered Ezekiel and set him on his feet and he was able to hear God speaking. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in him was essential for the people to receive God's word. And if we look proceed to look at Ezekiel 3:10, God says to him, "Take into your heart all My words which I will speak to you and listen closely." The other aspect of effectively speaking forth God's Word would be for him to take into his heart, his innermost being, his inner-control center, all of the Words God would speak.

 

What that is talking about is that Ezekiel had to take to heart God's words and let them become his; that he would take in God's word and live it and let his life become according to those words, before he could speak it to others. This is where it God's Word becomes credible and is transformed from mere words that a man can give a report on, into divinely empowered arrows of God that could pierce the hearts of many and accomplish what only God can do!

 

What is so incredibly exciting to me about this is that it applies to all of us today as well. Because as Christians, we all have had the Holy Spirit of God enter us once we are saved. 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" We have the inconceivable presence of God in us and the ability to hear Him speak and to share His words with others through our mouths.

 

And because the Spirit lives in us we will take into our hearts all the words that God speaks to us, make the adjustments in our lives to what God is saying, and by the power of the Holy Spirit we can and will live out a life that speaks volumes. Ezekiel 36:27 says, "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." If we appropriate the power of God that is in us and obey and live His Word, then God can use us powerfully to speak forth His word to others in a way that they can receive and in a way that can absolutely change their lives! These words will not just be any word, but words that are anointed and filled with the very power of God.

 

Let's seek to be men and women who speak God's Words by God's power.

Moral Excellencies

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

2 Peter 1:5-8

 

 

The Christian life is not lived to God's glory without effort—an effort that produces godly fruit. Having God-given blessings and abundance of divine grace calls for total dedication—giving maximum effort to live a life for God's glory. Even though God has poured His divine power into us, we are to make a disciplined effort alongside what God has done (See Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:27-29) to live a God glorifying life.

 

For this reason then, as we live out God glorifying lives we will see added to our lives faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

 

The word "add" in this Scripture is to give lavishly and generously. In Greek culture, the word was used for a choirmaster who was responsible for supplying everything that was needed for his choir. The word never meant to equip sparingly, but to supply lavishly for a noble performance. Knowing this we realize that God has given us faith and all the grace necessary for godliness to live a diligently devoted life to Him.

 

As we read in this Scripture we find a list of moral excellencies to guide us in our devotion to live God glorifying lives and they are as follows:

 

 

• Virtue – In classic Greek this word meant the God-given ability to perform heroic deeds. It also came to mean the quality of life which made someone stand out as excellent. It never meant cloistered virtue, or virtue of attitude, but virtue which is demonstrated in ones life. Here in this particular Scripture virtue is referred to as moral energy, the power to perform deeds of excellence.
• Knowledge – This means having understanding, correct insight, truth properly comprehended and applied. This involves being involved in constant study and pursuit of truth in the Word of God.
• Self-control – Literally meaning to hold oneself in. In the day and age this Scripture was written, self-control was used of athletes who were to be self-restrained and self-disciplined. Thus, a Christian is to control the flesh, the passions, and the bodily desires, rather than allowing them to be in control.
• Perseverance – This is patience or endurance in doing what is right, never giving in to temptation or trail. Perseverance is that strong spiritual staying power that will die before it gives in. It is a quality which can endure, not simply with resignation, but with a vibrant hope.
• Godliness – To be godly is to live reverently, loyally, and obediently towards God. As Christians we have every necessary spiritual resource to manifest and sustain perfect godly living.
• Brotherly Kindness – This means having a brotherly affection and mutual sacrifice for one another.
• Love – This form of love means having more concern with giving than receiving.

 

To not find these qualities actively growing in our lives is to be compared to barrenness—inactive, indolent, or useless. However, with these qualities cultivated and increased in our lives, as Christians, we will not be found useless, ineffective or unproductive.

 

We need to continue to be diligently devoted to God by living out the moral excellences—virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love—which are manifested in the life of every Christian by the power of God in us as we seek to live God glorifying lives.

 

Christ Our Hope

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Romans 15:13

 

 

Many "voices" offer solutions from the minds of men and women in the world. They all promise hope, but none can guarantee it. But for us who believe, Christ is our hope.

 

Paul had a deep desire for all believers to have total spiritual satisfaction in Christ alone. The above verse is a prayer for us to have satisfied souls in Christ to know and experience the peace, the hope, the love, the victory, the joy, and the power of the indwelling Spirit of God—the Holy Spirit. 

 

Like Paul we "have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us…" (Hebrews 6:18b-20a). The promise of hope for us—and a watching world—is forever fulfilled in Christ!

 

Seek to recognize where God is calling you to be an example of hope to others for His glory. Be Christ, who is our hope, to a world that is crying out for hope.  We need to be bearers of God's sure hope. May we be found "not lagging in diligence, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer…" (Romans 12:11-12).

God Orchestrated Delays

 

Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.

Nevertheless let us go to him."

 

John 11:14-15

 

 

 

Delays in our lives are not always easy to handle or to resolve in our minds. Often, when God does not answer our prayers in the time that we feel He should, we appoint all sorts of characteristics to God's nature that imply He does not care.

 

Such was the case with Lazarus' sisters when Lazarus became ill and died. Jesus was a close friend to Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha (See John 11:1-45). When Jesus arrived two days later, Martha shamed Him by saying, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." She implied that He didn't care enough to come when he was sent for.

 

It was a matter of priorities for Jesus, not lack of love.

God often has to delay His work in us in order to accomplish something for His purposes that can be achieved only in the delay. Jesus had to let Lazarus die in order for the miracle that was about to take place to have its full effect. If Jesus had simply healed a sick man, the impact of the miracle would not have been as newsworthy as resurrecting a man who had been dead for four days. What many do not realize is that the key to the whole story is in the following chapter—John 12.

God often sets the stage so that His glory is revealed through the events that He orchestrates.

 

He did this with Abraham and Sarah for the promised child, Isaac. He did this with Moses and Pharaoh, allowing delay after delay for release of the Israelites from Egypt. All this and more God has done in order to demonstrate His power.

Delays can provide the necessary preparation and greater glory that God should receive.

 

Don't take the delays lightly and do not faint as God places you in what seems to be a holding pattern. God is at work and He knows the purposes for His delays. Don't give up, for they are for His greater glory—we just need to remain faithful.

Here Am I Use Me

Do you remember before you truly knew Christ?

 

Maybe you grew up with the knowledge of Christ your whole life, or maybe you grew up not ever hearing Christ's name. Either way you know what it feels like to be alone, afraid, lost and worthless. No matter how great your life is, you've felt the sting of hopelessness and the bitter cold of rejection. You know the doubt that creeps in when life turns upside down. You know the hurt that comes when those you care about stomp on your heart.

 

We are all born sinful and are in need of coming to saving grace through Christ Jesus.

Why then, after we have found the truth, the everlasting hope of salvation, the rock, protector, provider, redeemer and true Love do we hide behind our insecurities instead of sharing our faith?
I know you've heard it all before—I have too—get out there, share your faith, and be bold, blah blah blah. But the truth of the matter is we live in a dying world and it is more then physical death—it is spiritual death. People are dying everyday in our own neighborhoods, coffee shops, gyms, and the likes.

 

Have you even noticed?

Have you taken the time to see them?

 

Do you have the compassion to reach them?

It's easy to be comfortable on our Christian pedestals and neglect those who are in need around us. As Christ's we must stand up and proclaim the gospel with our lives. You don't have to be bold and outgoing to reach your generation. But you have to be willing for Christ to lead you by the guiding of the Holy Spirit and be ready to follow His voice no matter the cost.

How many times have you ignored God's voice out of fear and have missed opportunities to share the gospel. Is there a specific time that you knew God was telling you to step forward and proclaim the truth but instead withered back and said nothing—don't let fear keep you from sharing God's life-saving message.

 

Staying comfortable isn't worth risking someone's life.

It isn't just the foreign missionary's job—it is our job. Did Christ not call all of us to follow the Great Commission? Mark 16:15 says, Go unto all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

 

Aren't our places of business, recreational facilities, towns, and states a part of "all the world"?

 

Then who are we to ignore a command of God?

So… are we supposed to run around screaming about Jesus to everyone's face? No. It's using the opportunities God gives us. It's standing firm and walking in truth. It's crying out to God and saying "Father, I'm desperate to see this world won for You—use me."

So I ask:

 

Are you willing to carry out the Great Commission right where God has placed you to reach the portion of the world that He has called you to right now?