Friday, September 28, 2012

BE AS LITTLE CHILDREN

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1a
 "I have an important business meeting in the morning. Would you please set the alarm for 5:30 a.m.?" I said to my wife. "Oh, that won't be necessary. Just tell the Lord what time you want to wake up. He does it for me all the time," my wife said. I rolled my eyes in disbelief. "Well, I'd feel more comfortable if we set the alarm." "Okay, ye of little faith. But just to prove my point I am going to ask the Lord to wake us up just before 5:30." The next morning I awoke before the alarm went off. I looked at the clock. It read 5:15. I looked at my wife, who had just awakened at the same time with an I-told-you-so smile. Sometimes we wrongfully view God as someone we go to for only the "big things." The idea of "bothering God" for such a trivial matter seems foolish and presumptuous. However, when you were a child and had to get up in the morning for school, didn't your mom or dad come wake you up? They were your parents, and you could come to them with the most trivial concerns or requests. Why would our heavenly Father be any less approachable? Perhaps our problem is that we simply have not developed a level of intimacy with God so that we feel the freedom to approach Him at these daily, routine levels. We often operate with an unwritten code that says our needs must have a certain degree of importance or crisis before we come to God with them. This is not God's character towards us. Does the Lord desire this level of intimacy with you and me? The apostle Paul exhorted us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17 KJV). There is never a caution to pray only about matters of greater importance. Today, go to God with matters that you might view as trivial and would normally avoid bringing to God. Ask God to increase your level of intimacy with Him. You may even be able to get rid of your alarm clock.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

FORGIVENESS ENSURES FREEDOM

"But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:15).
  Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983) was born in Amsterdam and raised in the Dutch Reformed Church. When the Nazis came to power in the late 1930s, Corrie and her family hid Jews behind a false wall in Corrie's bedroom. In 1944, Corrie's family was arrested and sent to Ravensbrück, one of the worst concentration camps in Nazi Germany. There, Corrie's entire family died. Corrie herself was scheduled for execution - but she was released shortly before the end of World War II because of a clerical error. Corrie concluded that God had saved her for a purpose. She committed her life to preaching the good news of Jesus Christ, speaking in churches, tent meetings, and open-air rallies. At one meeting in Germany in 1947, she taught on God's forgiveness. Afterwards, a man came up to her and introduced himself as a former Ravensbrück guard - but Corrie needed no introduction. She remembered him well. He was notorious for his cruelty. "I've become a Christian since the war," he said. "I know God has forgiven me for the horrible things I did, but I would like to hear it from you. Could you tell me that you've forgiven me, too?" He put out his hand. Corrie stood there for what seemed an eternity, unable to think of anything but the horrors this man had committed. Then she remembered the words of Jesus that required her to forgive ANY sin. She silently prayed, "Jesus, help me!" ...then she took the man's hand and cried out, "I forgive you, brother!" She later recalled, "I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then." That was the defining moment in Corrie's ministry. Over the years that followed, she took the Christian gospel to more than sixty countries around the world and changed hundreds of thousands of lives through her speaking, writing, and the motion picture The Hiding Place, based on her autobiography. If we want to be used in a great way by God, we must be willing to forgive those who may be a great source a pain in our lives. Is there someone who needs your forgiveness today?

Monday, September 24, 2012

GOD'S MESSENGERS

"Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets." Amos 3:7
  "You are called to free workplace believers from the Esau life." Those were the words spoken to me years ago by someone God sent into my life. I had been in the midst of trying to understand some catastrophic events that shook my world. Years later, I was able to see that God gave this person supernatural insight that revealed God's calling on my life. God still uses His prophets today to reveal His plans in the lives of His people. I have seen this Scripture proved over and over in the lives of people. It is as though God sends out His "scouts" to inform His servants what is ahead for them. Sometimes He does this because He knows the event will require such changes in that person's life and so He wants to assure them of His love. I have experienced the Lord using me in this way in the life of other individuals. God did this in the life of Moses. He came to Moses at the burning bush to reveal His purposes for the people of Israel and His call on Moses to free them. Has God placed individuals in your life to speak His plans for you? Are your eyes and ears spiritually sensitive so that you will know who are messengers of God? Elisha had a servant who could not see or hear with spiritual eyes and ears until Elisha prayed they would be opened. Then the servant could see the great army of God protecting them (see 2 Kings 6:17). Pray that you might see and hear with the Spirit. He may desire to reveal His purposes and plans through another individual.

Friday, September 21, 2012

WHEN A PROBLEM TURNS INTO A CALLING

"As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and all your father's family?"  - 1 Samuel 9:20.
 Saul and his servant were out seeking his father's lost donkeys. This was symbolic of the waywardness of the nation of Israel. The people of Israel had just asked the prophet Samuel to have a king rule over them. This saddened God greatly, yet God granted their request. Saul and his servant heard of a man of God named Samuel. "Perhaps this man of God can tell us where to find our donkeys," said the servant. Isn't that just like us? We seek God to solve the issues related to material life. Saul was about to receive the greatest opportunity of his lifetime. He was about to be crowned as king of Israel. His life would never be the same. What was he concerned about? His donkeys. We don't have to be worried about the material things of life if we are about the things He's called us to do. God called Saul to be the next king in order to free the people from the Philistines. God sent a messenger, the prophet Samuel, to inform him of his new career. The messenger also had to ease his mind about his donkeys. Donkeys often represent commerce in the Bible. They were the primary means of transporting goods; therefore, in essence, what was Samuel saying to Saul? He was saying, "You don't need to worry about your business if you respond to the call of God on your life. All the material things will take care of themselves." Jesus said the same thing to the disciples years later. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" (Mt. 6:33). When God calls us, it often involves making major adjustments in our lives. Saul went from one kind of business to another. He went from working for his father to being a king. What changes is God calling you to make today in order to join Him in His work?

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

USING OTHERS

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matt 7:12).


Have you ever heard the term, "Money talks?" This old cliché has some truth to it. How we handle money speaks very loudly about our values, especially among those in the marketplace. One of the common business practices today is to extend payment on invoices to use that time to extend a company's cash flow. The bigger companies can often insist upon even longer times for payment. And because this practice is so prevalent it allows a business that honors their vendors with on-time payments to stand out from the crowd. This delayed payment policy violates a basic biblical principle. "Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor" (Rom 13:6-7). One of your greatest opportunities to show you are different is in the practical matters of being faithful to your obligations. True servant-hood is revealed when we have the best interest of others in mind. This means not always seeking to negotiate the lowest price for services, but the price that is fair and still honors the vendor for his service or product. "For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Matt 7:2). Use money to demonstrate your respect of others by paying others in a timely manner.

Monday, September 17, 2012

ERROR OF POSITIVE THINKING

..."Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6
  God's people should be the most positive, joyful people on earth. This joy should be a by-product of a healthy, intimate relationship with Jesus. In today's business climate, we are barraged with every possible means of becoming more productive workplace believers. Positive thinking and self-help philosophy are promoted as tools for workplace believers to fulfill their potential and overcome the mountains in their lives. God calls each of us to be visionary leaders, but we must be careful that vision is born out of His Spirit, not the latest self-help program. These ideas lead us away from dependence on God to a self-based psychology designed to give us more power, prosperity, and significance. The result is heresy. Our faith in God becomes faith in faith. It is born out of hard work and diligence rather than obedience to God's Spirit. The problem lies in that these philosophies sound good, and can even be supported by Bible verses. Beware of anything that puts the burden of performance on you rather than God. There are times in our lives when God doesn't want us to climb every mountain. Sometimes He wants us to go around. Knowing the difference is the key to being a man or woman led by the Spirit. God has called us to affect the workplace through His Spirit, not by our might. Have you tapped into the real power source of the soul? Ask the Lord to reveal and empower you through His Spirit today. Then you will know what real positive thinking is.

Friday, September 14, 2012

CALLING BY NAME

"These were the chiefs among Esau's descendants: The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz." Genesis 36:15
 God is big on giving meaning to names. Names often are specific indicators of God's plans and purposes for that individual. A young boy grew up as Moses' servant. His Hebrew name, Hoshea, means "salvation." As the lad grew, Moses could see that he had a "different spirit" from the rest of the Hebrew men. He was selected to be one of the 12 men whom Moses chose to spy out the land of Canaan. Before the expedition, Hoshea was given a new name by Moses-Joshua, which means "the Lord saves." Joshua became the new leader of Israel who would lead them into the Promised Land. He would, in fact, save an entire nation. Os Hillman said,"in my own journey I had learned that God gave me a name that had something to do with my future call from Him. I was 44 years old and had just gone through two of the most difficult years of my life. During that time, God brought a man into my life who discipled me in areas where I had never been trained. I was discovering many new spiritual truths about myself and Christians in the workplace. I came to identify with the struggles of Esau and Joseph in their desire to understand their own birthrights. I began to write about these discoveries to help other workplace believers understand their own callings through business. One morning on a weekend getaway in the mountains, my friend looked at me and said, "Do you know the meaning of 'Omar'?" Omar is my first name. My real name is Omar Smallwood Hillman III. Dr. Smallwood had delivered my grandfather. No one, not even my mother, knew the origin of "Omar." They put the "O" and the "S" together to call me "Os." "You need to know the meaning of 'Omar.' It has something to do with your future," said my friend. Startled by his assertion, that night I looked up the name of "Omar" on a computer program. Here is what I found: Arabic for "first son" and "disciple," Hebrew for "gifted speaker," and German for "famous." Rooted in the Middle East, this name is rarely used in the West. Omar was the grandson of Esau. [http://www.babyhold.com/]
I was shocked. I had just completed 300 pages of material on the relationship of Christian businessmen to the life of Esau. My friend quickly concluded that God had called me to free Christian businessmen and women from the "Esau life." And He had allowed me to receive a name that related to the person of Esau. It was the closest thing to a burning bush experience I'd ever had. Could the Lord be this personal with us? Yes, Matthew 10:30 tells us He knows the very hairs of our head.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

WILL YOU ENTER?

"Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff." Numbers 20:11a
 Will you fulfill the destiny God has for your life? Perhaps you have never thought about it. God had a perfect plan for Moses to lead the people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. It's been said the hardest place to score a touchdown is from the goal line. You're almost there. But there is something about crossing over that makes those last few yards the most difficult. Moses failed at the goal line, and it prevented him from finishing well a glorious life of service for God. The people of Israel were complaining that they did not have water to drink. It was another of many tests for Israel. Moses inquired of God and God said, "...Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water" (Num. 20:8a). Moses, in his frustration and anger with the people, began to act on his own and made a strategic mistake. Instead of speaking to the rock, he struck the rock twice with his staff. In spite of his disobedience, the rock poured forth water. God was calling Moses to a different dimension. Moses was to use his words to speak the miracle. However, he not only lost his temper, but he also took credit and dishonored God. He used his staff, the symbol of his work life as a shepherd, to force the provision. When we become callous, we can use our skills and abilities to force what we believe should happen. We take control. When we do this, we are in danger of failing to enter the Promised Land of blessing from God. Living in life's spiritual dimension requires patience and obedience. Beware of solving problems in your own strength. God wants to bring you into the Promised Land of His blessing. But it will require walking in the spiritual dimension.

Monday, September 10, 2012

THE SPIRITUAL REALM

"So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 1 Corinthians 14:15
 How real is the spiritual realm? My lawyer friend in Nigeria tells a personal story of how he was preparing for an important case. He knew that he must be prepared to argue five separate points. He was to appear before his country's supreme court, so it was a very important case. As he neared the time in which he was to go to court, he began to pray about how he was to argue the case. He spent much time in legal preparation and intercessory prayer. As he went to court, the Spirit spoke to him and said, "Do not argue point one, point two, point three, or point four. Only argue point five." Imagine my friend's struggle of faith. If he were reading this wrong, the shame and professional fallout would be devastating. The time had come to present the case before the judge when my friend said, "Judge, I wish to withdraw points one through four. I wish to argue only point five." The opposing counsel stood up and objected. "Your honor, he cannot do that!" "Objection overruled, counsel," said the judge. My friend went on to present his case around point five only, and then sat down. When the opposing counsel stood to present his case, he stood speechless for 12 minutes. He could not get a word out of his mouth. He finally mumbled a few words and complained to the judge that he was going to have to yield. It seems that the opposing counsel had prepared to argue only points one through four, but failed to prepare for point five. The judge ruled in favor of my friend. The unseen Lord wants to help us in the physical realm of our work life. We must acknowledge His presence and tap into this incredible resource He has given to each of us. Seek Him today and ask Him to reveal His perfect plan for you this day.

Friday, September 7, 2012

DYING FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE

"The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God." 1 Chronicles 13:10

A business friend of mine confessed that he did not like to read. He found it a difficult discipline. I replied, "If you do not commit yourself to knowing what is in God's Word and following it, you will fail to know and experience God. God's Word is life to our souls. It provides knowledge that leads to life." The prophet Hosea tells us, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as My priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children" (Hos. 4:6). God has given us His Word that has specific laws and principles that must be followed if we expect His blessing. King David forgot to follow one of those laws related to the ark. "...But they must not touch the holy things or they will die..." (Num. 4:15). When they were transporting the ark, Uzzah innocently reached to steady the ark but was immediately stricken dead when his hands touched the ark of God. Did David know this law or did he simply forget? Did Uzzah know this law? If so, did he really believe it? David thought it was okay to carry the ark the way Uzzah did. A man lost his life for his presumption. Many workplace believers I know take God's Word lightly. They believe they can violate His Word without consequence. This is not true; the Lord stands by to uphold His Word. It can be life, or it can bring death. When God provides instructions, we need to follow them. Knowing this about God brings a healthy fear of the Lord. "David was afraid of God that day and asked, 'How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?' " (1 Chron. 13:12) We must all have a fearful respect of God's Word. For truly, it is life or death. Do you take God's Word seriously? Is it life or death for you? Do you feed upon His Word daily so that you might know Him and know His precepts? Feed upon this knowledge and be blessed of God.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

CALLED TO THE MINISTRY

"Usually a person should keep on with the work he was doing when God called him" - (I Cor. 7: 20 TLB).

 We've all heard stories of men or women in the workplace that left their jobs for the "ministry." Certainly God does call people into vocational ministry. However, many times this move is more rooted in dissatisfaction with a career combined with a spiritual renewal or first time commitment to the Lord. The idea of a "higher call" can also appeal to our sense of a greater and nobler destiny. We have incorrectly elevated the roll of the Christian worker that serves within "the church" or a traditional "ministry" role to be more holy and committed than the person who is serving in a secular environment. Yet the call to the secular workplace is as important as any other calling. God has to have His people in every sphere of life to meet the needs of His creation. Also, many would never come to know Him because they would be separated from society. I learned this lesson personally when I sought to go into "full-time" service as a pastor in my late twenties, only to have God thrust me back into the workplace unwillingly. This turned out to be the best thing He could have done for me, because it was never His will for me to be a pastor. He knew I was more suited for the workplace. We are all in missions. Some are called to foreign lands. Some are called to the jungles of the workplace. Wherever you are called, serve the Lord in that place. Let Him demonstrate His power through your life so that others might experience Him through you today. View your vocation as means to worship Him. Paul said it right; "In most cases we're going to remain in the place where He first called us."

Monday, September 3, 2012

MOVING WITH THE CLOUDS

"Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out." Numbers 9:21b
 God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and they had to pass through the desert on their way to the Promised Land. God was their guide by means of a cloud that appeared overhead. When it moved, they moved. When it stopped, they stopped - sometimes a day, a week, even a year. Imagine living with the uncertainty of this situation. One day you work at getting your "house" in order, only to have to pick up the stakes and move. Your ability to plan is totally gone. But even greater is the temptation to move when the cloud did not move because you felt it was time to move. For the Israelites, perhaps the grass was no longer green. Perhaps the water was not easily accessible. Perhaps the bugs were a problem. Whatever the case, they were strictly prohibited from moving if the cloud did not move. It is still the same today. We are not to move unless the Holy Spirit instructs us to do so. We are not to make that business deal on the basis of whether or not it makes sense, but on the leading of the Holy Spirit's "cloud" in our life. It is a difficult process to move only when we are directed, and to remain if we are not. The pressure is always upon us to move, to plan, to act. But if we act, we may move into a place where the presence of God may not be. Hence, the rub. The Christian workplace believer must learn to move when God says move; it is a sign of complete surrender and dependence on God's Spirit to direct our steps. Ask God today if you are sitting under His cloud. Or, have you moved when He said stand still? He will show you.