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 clich? 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 for others by paying others in a timely manner.

CALLED TO CRAFTSMANSHIP

 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts-to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.'” Exodus 31:1-5

Bezalel was called by God to perform a most important work for Him. I am sure that Bezalel believed that he was naturally gifted with his hands to make fine crafts with gold, silver, and bronze. He probably did not associate it with God’s work. But the Scripture tells us that God chose him and filled him with God’s Spirit to enable him.

Does God call men and women into their vocations to fulfill His purposes – to fulfill that which needs to be accomplished throughout the world? Have you ever thought about how many occupations there are in the world? How did that balance of interest among each humans throughout the world happen? Did it just happen? Was it by chance that we have only so many doctors, only so many accountants, only so many geologists?

Your interest in your vocation is not born of your own making. So many workplace believers and even pastors have made the mistake of encouraging us who have a deep desire to walk with Christ in the workplace to pursue vocational ministry. To remove us from the workplace where the greatest harvest is yet to occur would be to remove us from where God called us. Do not take this bait. Serve the Lord in the workplace where He has gifted you and called you.

VICTORIA'S FRIEND

 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9-10).

Victoria grew up like many middle income families. She loved school and was even in her homecoming court all four years in high school. After some tragic family deaths during her teen years, she began to experiment with alcohol and drugs. She was raped, underwent multiple abortions, and began working as a dancer at local nude dancing club, which she continued for more than four years.

After suffering nosebleeds from her cocaine addiction, Victoria became very involved with the new age movement, nearly had a nervous breakdown, and eventually became suicidal. By the age of 28, she was homeless, stranded, and fired from her job as a strip-club dancer. Barely 100 pounds, she was no longer profitable to the industry. Then a Christian gave her a Bible. The first book she read was Job, and something gripped her heart. A church family took her into their home. They surrounded her with love and pointed her to who she was in Christ. Victoria says, “Jesus is the only healer of deep, deep wounds.”

Now, years later, Victoria’s compassionate heart is focused on reaching other lives on the brink of life or death. She founded a ministry called Victoria’s Friends, which goes into the heart of the darkest places of the city in the strip clubs. Trained women
ministry volunteers bring baskets to the dancers in their dressing rooms with no motive other than to show they care. Men stay outside the clubs and pray for the women going inside. It is the ultimate rescue mission. It is the love of Christ expressed in a simple but powerful way. This act translates into relationships that are formed between those who continue to show their love for them.

Hundreds of young women have come out of this lifestyle because one woman decided to do what others had done for her – rescue her from the pit of darkness.

What type of rescue mission might God call you to lead?

AFFIRMING NEW LEADERSHIP

 “But Moses replied, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!'”(Num 11:29).

One of the attributes of a Kingdom leader is to recognize when God is raising new leadership and be a catalyst to affirm and encourage it. These leaders also model a level of humility that God blesses. Leaders who are insecure about their leadership will put down new leadership in order to maintain their own status. The Bible says that Moses was the most humble man on the face of the earth. That is why God used him as a leader to bring an entire nation out of bondage.

Joshua was concerned that two young men prophesied in the camp and considered this an affront to Moses’ leadership. Moses viewed the same situation very differently. He viewed it from an eye of a Kingdom leader who modeled humility and a Kingdom focus. Moses was secure in his own leadership, and so he did not need to put down others who he could construe as usurping his leadership.

King Saul represented the opposite of this principle with David. The people began to see God raising David into leadership. However, because Saul had a stronghold of insecurity in his life, he was not able to affirm God’s new leader. This ultimately led to Saul’s removal. God rejected Saul because of this. The Body of Christ is in great need of leaders who are secure in their leadership. If God has called you to be a leader, look for opportunities to encourage new leaders. As you do, God will ensure that you will fulfill the purpose for which He called you.

UNLESS THE LORD GOES WITH US

 “Then Moses said to him, ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.'” Exodus 33:15

Moses was in the middle of his journey through the wilderness, leading the people of Israel out of Egypt. The people had just sinned by worshiping the golden calf. Moses interceded for them, and God spared them their lives. Moses then talked one on one with the Lord. He knew he could not lead this stubborn people without God’s presence. He had come to realize that without God’s presence, he could not do anything. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? (Exodus 33:16)

Moses did not want to move farther without the assurance that God was moving with him. He knew it was a life-and-death situation. He sought the Lord with his whole heart on this one matter.

The question is a good one. If we are to be effective in anything we do for the Lord, the Lord must be in the midst of it. Unless the Lord’s power is seen among us, we will be just another person who has religion. Unless we manifest His life to others, they will see only good behavior that is easily counterfeited by moral people. Moving out in presumption will end in failure and frustration. Ask the Lord today to assure you of His presence and power in your activities. Then you will be assured that you will be distinguished among all the other people on the face of the earth.

SEEING THE ORDINARY AS EXTRAORDINARY

 “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Our Lord never saw the mundane activities as ordinary. Whether He healed the sick or sat around the fire with the disciples, He did not see one activity as spiritual and the other non-spiritual. Life was lived as a holy service to His Heavenly Father.

Many times, we fall prey to a spiritual hierarchy mentality. We believe certain activity is more blessed by God because it is done under a spiritual guise. We conduct our Christian meetings and conclude one is blessed by God based on attendance. We work to give money to ministry when we fail to recognize the very work we do is ministry.

God’s glory can be expressed in the most common task. Whether washing the dishes or changing diapers or driving to the grocery store. When we begin to assign spiritual value to activities we begin to give greater importance to those activities we deem spiritually higher in the hierarchy.

Philip was in the midst of a major crusade when the Holy Spirit abruptly instructed him to stop and go to a desert road.

“Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said.”

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it'” (Acts 8:26-29). We see in this story that neither activity was more important than the other. Philip’s job was to live in communion with the Holy Spirit and be obedient to His promptings.

Today, view every activity you do with an attitude of worship and communion with Jesus.

FEAR THAT KEEP US FROM HIS PRESENCE

 

"Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So He got into the boat and left." - Joshua 5:8 Jesus did many miracles when He lived on earth. One of those miracles involved the deliverance of a demon-possessed man. The people of the community witnessed this awesome demonstration of God's power when Jesus commanded the demon spirit to come out of the man and go into the herd of nearby pigs. The man was healed and sat at Jesus' feet. You would expect the people who witnessed this to embrace Jesus as one performing good deeds and to honor Him. The opposite was true. Instead, they were overcome with fear. Why? Many of us respond the same way to Jesus when He does an out-of-the-ordinary act among His people. We are fearful because we have never personally experienced this before. So, we draw wrong judgments. The result is that Jesus removes Himself from us. The Lord is able to do far exceeding above what we think. Jesus does not remain in the places where there is fear of His goodness. It is often subconscious fears that prevent us from going to a deeper level with Him. The people in Gerasenes could not benefit from Jesus' presence because of their fears. Have you feared Jesus because of what He might require of you? Have you feared that He might ask of you something you are not prepared to give? Do not let your fears drive Him from your presence. His motive is always love for His children. You can trust Him.