FEAR NOT!

 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

God calls each of us to engage in spiritual warfare at times. Whenever satan wants to come against one of God’s children, he does so by trying to intimidate through fear. Goliath’s formidable size and arrogant boasting intimidated Saul and Israel’s army. And because God’s anointing had fallen from Saul, he was unable to respond with courage to Goliath’s charge. Fear paralyzes and torments. That is why Saul could not respond.

The anointing had fallen on David, who was just a young boy, but mighty in spirit. David did not cower at the size or shouts of the giant Goliath. He saw Goliath through the eyes of God, who saw him as a mere speck. David had righteous indignation for an affront to the armies of the living God.

David did not weigh the risk of failure because his faith was resting totally in God. That is another important factor in overcoming fear-complete trust in God. When the Lord began training me to confront fear, the training grounds were a groundless lawsuit, intimidation, and calamity that confronted my very existence. Learning that these were merely tactics of the enemy, designed to instill fear, allowed me to stand firm in God’s power to overcome.

Do not fear sudden calamity if you are walking uprightly before God. It may be setting the stage for a great victory that will bring praise and honor to your heavenly Father. These battles are training grounds for greater victories to come.

SEEING WHAT OTHERS CANNOT SEE

 “And Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” 2 Kings 6:17

Several years ago, a movie was made called Field of Dreams. The story is about a man who had a vision to build a baseball field in the middle of a cornfield on his rural farm. He did not know why; he just knew he was to do it. To the chagrin of his neighbors, he built the baseball diamond in the farm community. One night some players showed up. The man realized these were no ordinary players, but were actually the great players from the past. When the skeptical neighbors came to view this phenomenon, they were unable to see what the farm owner could see. This made it even worse for him. Now he was really a lunatic in their eyes.

This fictitious story has a spiritual application for us. First, if God tells us to “build a ball field,” we should do it. It is not for us to determine the reason we are instructed to do it. Once we are obedient, God will allow us to see what others cannot see. It is the rite of passage for those who are willing to risk all for God’s purposes. God increases the spiritual senses to levels we never knew before. Those around us will observe this.

Do you want to see what others cannot see? If so, it will require a level of obedience that will go beyond human reason. It may require risk and ridicule from others. But you will see what others cannot see.

HOW AND WHERE GOD SPEAKS

 “The hand of the Lord was upon me there, and He said to me, ‘Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.'” Ezekiel 3:22

God speaks in many different ways to His children. He spoke through a bush to Moses. He spoke through a donkey to Balaam. He spoke through prophets to His kings. He speaks through other believers. He speaks directly to us through the invisible Holy Spirit. And He speaks even through circumstances.

When God wants to speak a very important word directly to us without interruption from the noise of our busy lives, he will take us “into the plain.” The plain is a place of no distractions and no other persons. It is a place of silence. It can be a place of great need, as it often fails to have the normal provisions we are accustomed to. It can be a place we go to voluntarily to seek His face, or we can be moved there without choice by His supernatural ability. More often, it is the latter method that brings us into the plain. In modern times, it often means a separation from our normal activities, such as jobs or families.

The plain can also be a place where we discover afresh that God’s hand has been on us all the time. When we are so busy with life, we sometimes forget that God’s hand is still there, gently leading our path. When our lives get so busy that we are not listening or responding to His gentle touch, He must take more aggressive measures to get our attention. Thus, the plain is one of those appointed times of one-on-one communication with our heavenly Father. No distractions, no people, no beautiful surroundings to capture our thoughts. It is a barren place designed to allow us to seek and hear clearly. When He speaks, we need to be able to listen. We hear much better in the plain.

Do you need to hear God’s voice today? Is your life such that you cannot even hear His voice? Each day God calls us to our own mini-plain in order to speak to us and for us to hear. If we neglect this time of open communication, we may be invited to His plain in order to hear without distraction. Pray that you might make time to hear.

DAVID'S ARMOR

 “David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. ‘I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.’ So he took them off.” 1 Samuel 17:39

David, the young shepherd boy, heard the challenge from the Philistines to send someone to fight Goliath. No one volunteered to fight except David. King Saul reluctantly agreed and offered David his armor. David put on the weighty equipment, but quickly concluded he could not fight in this heavy armor.

God equips each of us in such a way that is unique to our strengths and abilities. David was trained as a shepherd to use another weapon. For David, it was a slingshot. David showed great maturity in realizing he could not be effective with Saul’s armor. What are the gifts and talents God has given to you? Have you ever tried to accomplish a task with tools you were not trained to use? God allows each of us to develop skills that are unique to our life. He will not call you to use someone else’s tools.

However, this is only half of the equation. These talents must be mixed with faith. Talent alone is not enough. Faith alone is not enough. It is only when the two are combined that God’s power is released and manifested in the physical realm. Mix your unique gifts with faith today; you will be surprised at the power of God that will be manifested.

WORK TO PLAY, WORK TO ACQUIRE

 “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do”(John 17:3-4).

A popular TV commercial comes on the screen, raising the question of why the viewer works long hours while showing beautiful pictures of a luxurious car. The message was clear. We work in order to acquire.

Another TV commercial comes on showing beautiful aqua blue ocean waves and an attractive couple lounging on the white sandy beaches. “Come to Jamaica says the voice.” The message from this commercial is that a vacation to Jamaica is the ultimate reward for your work.

There are many motivations for work. Some might say it is simply to put food on the table. George Barna, the American researcher on religious habits, found disturbing results from his study on the motivations of many Christians in American society. “We are not a society that simply enjoys its time off. We are driven by our leisure appetites. It is increasingly common to hear of people turning down job offers because the hours or other responsibilities would interfere with their hobbies, fitness regimens, and other free-time activities. Even our spending habits show that playing has become a major priority. The average household spends more money on entertainment than it does clothing, health care, furniture, or gasoline.”

His study also found that many people define success in surprisingly non-Christian terms: He found that 66% of Americans define success in life as the acquisition of sufficient money, education, material possessions, or career prestige; only 7 percent related success to their faith condition and its influence upon their life. “The Christian Church has stagnated, largely due to its comfort with routines and rituals that are neither challenging nor relevant for millions of people,” said Barna.*

Have you ever asked yourself the question, “Why do I work?”

Jesus had a work to do that was given to Him by His Heavenly Father. You too, have a work you are called to do. Ask God to give you a renewed sense of the work you are called to do today.

*George Barna, Boiling Point, Regal Books, Ventura, CA p. 223, 2001

THE PLACE OF OBEDIENCE

 “Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.” Acts 9:8a

There is a place of obedience for all of us. For Paul, it was being struck blind on the Damascus road. God literally knocked him off his horse with a blinding light. A voice from Heaven asked Paul why he was persecuting Him (Jesus). When Paul arose, he could not see. Jesus told him to go to Damascus and meet a man named Ananias. There, Jesus restored Paul’s sight through Ananias.

Each of us has a place of obedience. For some, it requires only a nudge of pressure to gently lead us toward God. For others of us, a lightning bolt is necessary to get our undivided attention. Many who are hard-hearted rebel against the living God. Yet God’s love for these individuals is so great that He takes extreme measures to gain their attention-and their hearts. When you come in contact with people like this, do not fear their arrogance. Instead, see them as God sees them-as people who need the Savior and who could be a powerful force in the Kingdom if God saved them. It is a sign to begin praying for them.

We’ve all heard the saying, “The bigger they are, the harder they fall.” In many cases this is true. God has called many hard cases into His Kingdom through miraculous circumstances in order to save their lives from the pit of hell and transform them into a sweet-smelling fragrance. Do not let the hard exterior fool you. These are needy people who are crying out for help in their own prideful way. Whenever God begins this process in the life of a sinner, He has others standing by to assist. Ananias was the person in Paul’s life. He found it unbelievable that Paul really could have been saved. An angel had to convince him. Has God placed such an individual in your path? Perhaps God desires to use you to be an “Ananias” in the life of one of His wayward children. To do so requires a willingness to come alongside that one who needs your help. Who knows, that person could be the next apostle Paul.

THE POWER OF INFLUENCE

 “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel”(Phil 1:12-13).

Have you ever heard these statements: “Money talks.” Or how about this: “He who has the gold, rules.” Both of these statements have truth in them.

When Jesus was crucified, there was a question as to where Jesus would be buried. Those that hurried him to the cross designed that he should make his grave with the wicked; but God designed he should make it with the rich (Isa 53:9), and so he did.

In order for Jesus to be buried with honor, a man of influence was permitted to take the body of Jesus. His name was Joseph of Arimathea. It seems this man had a personal relationship with Pilate. He was a man of influence and owned a burial cave that was reserved for the rich.

Joseph of Arimathea was called an honorable counselor, a person of character and distinction, and in an office of public trust; some think in the state, and that he was one of Pilate’s privy council; his post rather seems to have been in the church, he was one of the great Sanhedrim of the Jews, or one of the high priest’s council.*

The Bible says that He desires His people to be the head, not the tail. If we are to influence the culture, there must be men and women of influence in whom God uses to impact the culture. If you are a successful person, consider the words of Paul when he said, “…what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.” Although Paul was referencing adversity in this statement, it can be equally said that each of us needs to ask if our prosperity has served to advance the gospel.

Are you using your influence to impact your workplace, city, or even nation for the sake of the gospel?

*(from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

IS THERE HIERARCHY IN CALLING?

 “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Cor 12:27).”

All legitimate work matters to God. God Himself described Himself as a worker. In fact, human occupations find their origin in His work to create the world. Work is a gift from Him to meet the needs of people and the creation. “You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas” (Ps 8:6-8).

However, there is often an unspoken hierarchy that positions clergy (missionaries and evangelists, pastors and clergy) at the top, and occupations such as those of the “helping professions” (doctors and nurses, teachers and educators, social workers) next, and “secular” workers (business executives, salespeople, factory laborers, and farmers) at the bottom.

So what determines the spiritual value of a job? How does God assign significance? The hierarchy assumes sacred and secular distinctions and assigns priority to the sacred. But does God view vocations that way? No, He does not.

God creates people to carry out specific kinds of work in order to meet human needs. God uniquely designs each of us, fitting us for certain kinds of tasks. He distributes skills, abilities, interests, and personalities among us so that we can carry out His work in the world. That work includes “spiritual” tasks, but also extends to health, education, agriculture, business, law, communication, the arts, and so on.

Paul was a tentmaker by occupation, along with his friends, Aquila and Priscilla. Other church leaders practiced a wide variety of professions and trades. There’s no indication that God looks at vocations in the form of spiritual hierarchy.*

The next time you consider your vocation a second-class spiritual calling, consider what God says. Your work matters to God and is valued by God equally to other forms of work.

*Adapted from Study notes from the Word In Life Study Bible, copyright 1993,1996, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Adapted from Ministry in Daily Life study notes page for WIL bible.

THE VALLEY OF BACA

 “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion”(Ps 84:5-7).

There is a spiritual law in the Kingdom of God. Every great leader in the Kingdom will pass through the Valley of Baca. Baca means to weep. It comes from the Hebrew word,bakah (baw-kaw’); a primitive root; to weep; generally to bemoan.

However, Baca is also a place of springs. There is nothing better on a hot day when you’re thirsty and weary than to drink water from a mountain spring. It refreshes. It renews. It gives you a second wind to continue your journey. Those who commit themselves to a pilgrimage with God will experience the Valley of Baca. But in the midst of Baca, they will discover that in this valley, they will also drink from a very special spring that refreshes with a different kind of living water.

It becomes the source of “secret things in hidden places” described by the prophet Isaiah (Isa 45:3) reserved only for those willing to journey on the Great Pilgrimage with God. Once you drink from this spring, you will be energized in your spiritual man from strength to strength. Each Valley of Baca will result in a new spiritual spring from which you will drink. It is handmade just for you by God. But know this, it will be used to provide a refreshing drink for others you will encounter who are also on their pilgrimage.

Ultimately, Baca leads to the presence of God. There is something about being in a place with God that results in our weeping and crying out to Him. Do you find yourself in this place with God today? If so, know that His springs are also available to you. Ask him today to give you a drink from His spring, which is only available in the Valley of Baca.

WHEN OTHERS FAIL YOU

 “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you'” (John 20:21-22).

Have you ever entrusted someone to carry on a project only to have them fail miserably? What was your response? Many times, leaders shame others in order to help them realize the gravity of their failure.

Bill ran a manufacturing company. His executive management team sought to take over the company in a hostile corporate take over. It was unsuccessful. Bill would have to manage the same team that betrayed him.

When Jesus was crucified, many of the disciples fled. Peter denied Jesus three times. He was a leader without followers. Jesus has now come back to life. How will Jesus handle this reunion among those who have totally abandoned Him and the mission?

“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you'” (John 20:21-22). What an incredible greeting after all they had experienced. No shame. No harsh words. Just a reaffirmation of the mission and His commitment to them. Jesus used grace and total acceptance as motivation for His followers to carry on the mission.

He didn’t need to remind them of their failure. They already felt bad enough. It was time to recast the vision with new life. When there is failure in the organization, it is more important to revitalize the team, not focus on the past.

Do you need to rally your team around a mission that has stalled, failed, or gotten off track? Begin by affirming those under your leadership. Be at peace and send them forth!

DELIVERANCE FROM THE BLACK HOLE

 “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5b).

A black hole is a place of total nothingness. It’s a time in our lives when God removes the resources and supports that we normally rely on to feel secure – our careers, finances, friends, family, health, and so forth. It is a preparation time.

When you find yourself in a black hole experience, don’t just sit and brood. Take stock of your life. Take a look at your relationship with God.

First, ask God if there are any sins, habits, or attitudes that He might be judging in your life. It’s important to discern whether the trial we face is the result of God’s discipline for our sin or if it is preparing us for a future leadership role.

Second, when you enter a black hole, don’t trust your feelings. Trust God. Your feelings will tell you, “God has rejected you. Abandon hope. He has left you utterly alone.” Feelings change; God never changes. Feelings come and go; God is always with us.

Third, remember that your black hole experience is not only intended to refine and define you; it’s also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but also for others in our sphere of influence.

Fourth, don’t try to hurry the black hole process along. Remember, when Joseph was in the depths of the pit, there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t climb out, jump out, levitate out, or talk his way out. All he could do was pray and wait upon the Lord.

Fifth, lean on God. Even when you don’t feel like praying, pray. Even when you don’t feel like reading His Word, read. Even when you don’t feel like singing songs of faith, sing. When you pray, don’t just talk; listen. Be silent before Him and listen for His still, quiet voice.

Sixth, be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During a black hole experience, God often leads us to amazing new discoveries. A black hole can be a storehouse of unexpected riches for the soul.

ADVERSITY: CATALYST TO A CALL

 “Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything” (Acts 9:8-9).

It’s hard to find anyone in Christian history who became a great leader without earning an advanced degree in adversity.

To look at John Wesley (1703- 1791), you wouldn’t have thought of him as a great Christian leader. He was just over five feet tall and skeletally thin. In his early years, he suffered greatly from feelings of guilt, inadequacy, and a morbid fear of death. Though he didn’t understand the Christian gospel, he devoted himself to doing good works for the poor in an effort to earn his way to heaven. While in his early thirties, he sailed to America to do missionary work among the American Indians.

While crossing the Atlantic, Wesley’s ship passed through a violent storm that broke the main mast off its base and nearly sank the ship. As the waves crashed over the ship, Wesley huddled in terror, knowing he didn’t have peace with God. He survived the storm, and continued to struggle in his relationship with God for several more years.

Finally, back in London, he attended a meeting on Aldersgate Street, where he heard a preacher say that salvation comes by faith in Christ alone. At that point, he said, “I felt my heart strangely warmed.”

Soon after that, Wesley began preaching the gospel. His fifty-two-year preaching ministry became the foundation of the modern evangelical movement. But it never would have happened if John Wesley had not been tossed on the stormy seas of adversity.

Adversity is often God’s manure for spiritual callings.

GOD IS THE GOD OF SUCCESS

 “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth” (Deut 28:1-2).

Our God is a God of success. You are created to be a success. Success is rooted in our relationship with God, not in our abilities. When our abilities are separated from our relationship with God, success is short-lived.

“All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you” (Deut 28:2-8).

Sometimes God allows you to fail in order for you to succeed. Each of us must first experience our own death and resurrection from our old nature. This is for you to learn who the source of true success is. You will be amazed how easy success will come when your life is in proper alignment with the purposes of God.

Today, reaffirm your commitment to follow His ways in all that you do. This will ensure God’s purposes will be fulfilled in you.

STAYING THE COURSE

 “Then the angel of the LORD ordered Gad to tell David to go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. So David went up in obedience to the word that Gad had spoken in the name of the LORD” (1 Chron 21:18-19).

In 1857, an American businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier was sent out by his local church to begin a noon-day prayer meeting on Fulton Street, right around the corner from Wall Street in New York City. A simple prayer, a willing heart, and an act of obedience resulted in city transformation throughout the United States.

However, at that very first meeting, no one showed up in the first 35 minutes. But Jeremiah waited. Gradually, six people wandered into the room at 35 minutes past the hour. Six months later, 10,000 people were meeting for prayer throughout New York City. This led to one of the greatest spiritual renewals in the United State’s history.

What would have happened if Lanphier had decided to abandon the idea after 30 minutes?

In a small, darkened room, in the back of one of New York City’s lesser churches, a man prayed alone. His request of God was simple, but earth-shattering: “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” He was a man approaching midlife, without a wife or family, but he had financial means. He had made a decision to reject the “success syndrome” that drove the city’s businessmen and bankers. God used this businessman to turn New York City’s commercial empire on its head. He began a businessmen’s prayer meeting on September 23, 1857.

The meetings began slowly, but within a few months 20 noonday meetings were convening daily throughout the city. Thousands met to pray because one man stepped out. This was an extraordinary move of God through one man.*

It only takes one man or woman who is willing to be obedient to be used by God to impact a workplace, city, or even an entire nation. Simple obedience can lead to things you cannot imagine. Are you willing to be used by God?

*John Woodbridge, More than Conquerors: Portraits of Believers from All Walks of Life (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1992), p. 337.

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.

PRAYER AT WORK

 

"Epaphras, who Paul states to the Colossians, is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus. . . . He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured" (Colossians 4:12). Many of us have been entrenched in the "secular versus sacred" model for so long that it can be difficult for us to view our work as a ministry and workplace believers as missionaries in the 9 to 5 Window. However, God tells us clearly that we are to glorify God in all that we do (see Col. 3:17, 24). Having people pray for us to fulfill our purpose and calling in our workplaces is consistent with the will of God for every individual. While the idea of a workplace intercessor may be a new concept for us, we need to remember the examples we find in the New Testament of believers praying for one another, such as Epaphras in the scripture above. Colin Ferreira is a friend, a board member for our ministry, and an owner of an optical business in Trinidad. I first met Colin in 2001 when he invited me to speak at a Caribbean workplace conference that he was organizing. I have watched Colin develop into a Kingdom business leader, shared by Os Hillman. Through a series of struggles common to most businesses, Colin began to recognize the need for more prayer coverage. One of the organizations for which he had been supplying financial and leadership support maintained a prayer ministry. Colin asked the minister who headed the organization to intercede for him and his company on an ongoing basis, and she gladly agreed. The two met periodically to discuss prayer needs and critical issues developing within the organization, which the minister then addressed discreetly in her intercessory group meetings. Often, this woman would recognize specific problems during these prayer meetings and know how to pray for them effectively. Is prayer a regular part of your time with God? Are you in a relationship with others who are praying for you?

LIVING FOR A GREATER CAUSE

 

"He will bless those who fear the Lord- small and great alike." Psalm 115:13 What will be written on your epitaph? How do you want people to remember you? What type of legacy will your life leave behind? I interviewed a very successful and powerful man one time for a magazine when this question came up. The man ran an international business that is a household name to all. He was a professed Christian, but he had difficulty answering my question. "I always knew someone would ask that question someday. I am not sure I am any more prepared to answer it now either," was the man's answer. He grappled for a few nice words, but it was clear he had not seriously considered his life much beyond his business success. It is said of George Washington Carver that he got up early in the morning each day to walk alone and pray. He asked God how he was to spend his day and what He wanted to teach him that day. Carver grew up at the close of the Civil War in a one-room shanty on the home of Moses Carver - the man who owned his mother. The Ku Klux Klan had abducted him and his mother, selling her to new owners. He was later found and returned to his owner, but his mother was never seen again. Carver grew up at the height of racial discrimination, yet he had overcome all these obstacles to become one of the most influential men in the history of the United States. He made many discoveries with the use of peanuts and sweet potatoes. However, after he recommended farmers to plant peanuts and sweet potatoes instead of cotton, he was led into his greatest trial. The farmers lost even more money due to the lack of market for peanuts and sweet potatoes. Carver cried out to the Lord, "Mr. Creator, why did You make the peanut?"Many years later, he shared that God led him back to his lab and worked with him to discover some 300 marketable products from the peanut. Likewise, he made over 100 discoveries from the sweet potato. These new products created a demand for peanuts and sweet potatoes, and they were major contributors to rejuvenating the Southern economy. As he made new discoveries, he never became successful monetarily, but he overcame great rejection during his lifetime for being black. He was offered six-figure income opportunities from Henry Ford, and he became friends with presidents of his day, yet he knew what God had called him to do. His epitaph read: He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world." [John Woodbridge, More Than Conquerors (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1992), 312.]

WALKING IN THE ANOINTING

 

"So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power...." 1 Samuel 16:13 Has the Spirit of the Lord rested on your life? Can you cite the time when God's Spirit began demonstrating His power through you? David knew the day the Spirit of the Lord began a special work in him. That Spirit was different from most leaders. Instead of seeking power and control, he led in response to a need. Instead of being a perfect person, he learned from mistakes and acknowledged them among those he led. Instead of placing confidence in his own abilities, he sought wisdom from the only real Commander in charge. David never lost a battle throughout his many years of leading Israel. He failed God by sinning with Bathsheba and by numbering the troops, but he learned from those failures, and he had to pay a price for them. However, God's Spirit never left David. He never left because of David's willingness to keep a soft heart toward God, even when he failed. God wants to do the same in you and me, but He will not allow that Spirit to rest on us if we seek to control outcomes and manipulate out of our need for power. Servant leaders know that they are only a tool in the Master's hand. They do not value themselves more than they ought. David's heart was fully the Lord's. Is your heart fully the Lord's to do with what He wills?

MOTIVATIONS TO CALL

 ..."Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." Mark 10:49

Do you recall the circumstances when God first called you into relationship with Him? Were you in need of something? Were you in a crisis situation? Every day, God calls someone into relationship with Him through different circumstances. More often than not, the circumstances relate to a need in their life that only God can meet.
Bartimaeus had the need to see again. He was a poor, blind beggar who had heard about Jesus and the miracles He had done. The crowds rebuked him for seeking Jesus, yet he continued to cry out. "Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!'...Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus" (Mk. 10:48,50). That day, Bartimaeus saw for the first time. But more than that, he saw with spiritual eyes for the first time.
Each workday, we rub shoulders with someone who has not met this Jesus we know personally. God uses needs to draw us to Himself. What need has He placed in a coworker that only Christ can meet? Perhaps you are the instrument He wants to use to introduce that person to Himself. It requires availability and a willingness to look for people with needs, then point them to Christ to meet their needs. Pray for divine appointments today.

TRUE REPENTANCE IN A NATION

 

"When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes." 2 Chronicles 34:19 Josiah was a godly king in Israel. However, before he came to power, the nation had fallen into all kinds of evil. One man, Manasseh, had brought the nation to a condition of inexorable evil. God finally had enough. "Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am going to bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down" (2 Kings 21:12-13). Josiah came into power just before this judgment. He began to clean up the evil by burning all the idolatrous temples, ridding prostitution and homosexuality from the streets, and destroying occult shrines. He did this without the benefit of even reading God's Word, but through the Holy Spirit working in his heart. Then one day the ancient Scriptures were discovered in the temple that had lain dormant for years. They had a profound impact on King Josiah. When the king heard the words of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's attendant: "Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the remnant in Israel and Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord's anger that is poured out on us because our fathers have not kept the word of the Lord; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written in this book" (2 Chronicles 34:19-21). Josiah was broken. He tore his robes in repentance. He fell to his knees and repented for the wickedness of his nation. He stood in the gap, and God honored Josiah; however, it wasn't enough. God still had to judge the nation for its previous wickedness under the reign of Manasseh. "Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before God when you heard what He spoke against this place and its people, and because you humbled yourself before Me and tore your robes and wept in My presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord. Now I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be buried in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place and on those who live here." ... (2 Chronicles 34:27-28). God spared Josiah during his reign, but after he died, judgment came upon the nation. No nation is immune from God's judgment. Pray for your nation today. Pray that your nation will have a repentant heart among the leaders and the people.

FREE TO STAND

 

"That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies..." Joshua 7:12 It matters not how strong you are. It matters not whether you have the greatest resources and talent. It matters not if you have the best plans and procedures. It will all fail if you have a break in your armor. This is the message God told Joshua when he attempted to go against a small army at Ai, which was the Israelites' second battle in the Promised Land. Sometimes we try to figure out why we are not successful in an endeavor. We look at all aspects of our performance to see what went wrong. For the people of Israel, it was not easily seen on the surface. Everything seemed just as it should be from Joshua's vantage point, so when his army was soundly defeated, he cried out to God, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?" (Josh. 7:7a) The people had been defeated because God could not bless them. One person had violated the covenant with God. They were not to take any possessions from the first battle, but one person failed to live up to this, and the whole army suffered. Sin makes our armor vulnerable to attack from satan, who then gains permission from God to attack us in the area where we have failed to uphold righteousness. If we break down in moral purity, satan comes in and establishes a stronghold. If we give place to bitterness and unforgiveness, we will break fellowship with God and others. If we become money-focused, we will fall into greed and deception. It is a vicious cycle. Examine your armor today. Make sure you are not susceptible to attack. Begin from a solid spiritual foundation and your chances of success will be great.

THE RESPONSE OF FAITH

 

.."Everything is all right".... 2 Kings 4:26 The prophet Elisha often would travel through the town of Shunem, and in that town was a well-to-do couple who extended hospitality to him. At first, they simply offered Elisha a meal when he came through town. Then, seeing that Elisha needed a place to stay and study, they built a room for him above their house so that each time he came through town, he had a place to stay. He was so appreciative of their kindness that one day he asked the wife what he could do for her. His servant Gehazi later informed Elisha that the woman was barren and her husband was old. " 'About this time next year,' Elisha said, 'you will hold a son in your arms' " (2 Kings 4:16). A year later, the son arrived. One day, the father was working in the field, and the son became ill and died. The woman ran to meet Elisha to inform him. When Elisha asked what was wrong, she did not panic and react in fear. Her response to Elisha seemed almost unnatural. "Everything is all right," she said. Elisha went to the boy and raised him from the dead. It was a glorious miracle. (See Second Kings 4.) Faith looks at situations through God's eyes, not the eyes of our limited understanding. This woman did not panic, for she knew something more than the current circumstance. Faith does not panic, but realizes that what looks like devastating circumstances may be God's plan to bring glory to Himself by demonstrating His power. When Jesus appeared on the water to the disciples in the middle of the night, they exclaimed, "It's a ghost!" (see Mt. 14:26). First appearances can bring great fear upon us, even to the point of paralyzing us. Find the Lord in your circumstance today. Exercise your faith today and trust Him for His outcome in the situation.

THINGS I CANNOT UNDERSTAND

 

"Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know." Job 42:3b If there was any one man on earth who had reason to question God's love, it was Job. He lost his family, his health, and his wealth - all at the same time. His friends came to his side only to question his spirituality. God had already answered the question of his integrity. Job was described in the opening verses of the book as "blameless and upright" (see Job 1:1). His calamities were not born from sin. Job acknowledged God's right to do anything in his life until one day he could take it no longer. He questioned God's motives. God answered Job, but not in the way he wanted to hear. God answered him with a series of questions that represents the most incredible discourse of correction by God to any human being. Three chapters later, Job realized that he had questioned the motives of the Author of the universe, the Author of love. He fell flat before his Creator and realized his total depravity. "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know." Have you ever questioned God's activity in your life? Have you questioned His love for you based on circumstances that came your way? The cross at Calvary answers the love question. He sent His own Son in replacement for your sin. If you were the only person on earth, He would have done the same. His ways cannot always be understood or reconciled in our finite minds. That must be left for a future time when all will be understood. For now, entrust your life to Him completely. Embrace Him in the hard times and the good.

THE WORKS OF THE FLESH

 

"You may say to yourself, 'My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.'" Deuteronomy 8:17 We've all heard someone say, "He's a self-made man." What are they saying in this statement? Are they saying that this individual achieved success by his hard work and sweat? Many a person has achieved success through honest hard work. There is a danger for any of us who may have achieved significance through our work. That danger is the belief that we achieved it through our own efforts apart from God's grace and mercy. When we live in this belief, we assert that we are entitled to certain rights and privileges because of the position we have earned and feel we deserve. The prodigal son's brother who refused to celebrate the wayward son's return, was a man who felt he was entitled to certain rights. He saw himself as one who had been faithful to his responsibilities and deserving of more attention. He could not appreciate his brother's failure and the pain of falling into a sinful life because, in his mind, he had never failed. This pride kept him from experiencing God's real grace. This is how legalism develops in believers. It grows into a cold heart and an insensitive attitude toward others who may have stumbled in their lives. This same brother did not truly understand the love of his father apart from works; for he felt he gained acceptance only by doing his job. Do you feel accepted by God, regardless of what you do? Have you wrongfully viewed your works as something you alone have achieved? These are the minefields of which each of us in business must be aware. God has gifted us to accomplish anything through His grace, not by our works.

REFLECTING HIS GLORY

 "They will tell of the glory of Your kingdom and speak of Your might, so that all men may know of Your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of Your kingdom." Psalm 145:11-12

How do you measure your effectiveness in God, or should you even be thinking like this? The early Church turned the world upside down in that first century. What made them so effective? Was it their theology? Was it great preaching? Was it due to one man's influence apart from Jesus?
The Scriptures are clear as to what made the early Church effective. It is at the core of God's heart, and it is quite simple. God desires to reflect His nature and power through every individual. When this happens, the world is automatically changed because those who reflect His glory affect the world.

We serve a jealous God. He is a God who will not share His glory with anyone. God sets up situations in order to demonstrate His power through them. He has done this since the day He created man. His desire is to reflect His glory through you and me, so that all men may know of His mighty acts and the glorious splendor of His Kingdom. The apostle Paul understood this principle: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Cor. 2:4-5). If you do not see His glory being reflected through your life, then you need to ask why. He has promised to do so if we will walk in obedience to His commands.