THE TRY FACTOR

 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!'” -Matthew 25:23

What is the difference between someone who is progressing in their faith and life and someone who is just getting by? What do you think will be the difference between Jesus saying “well done, good and faithful servant,” and “not so much” when we get to heaven? I believe it is the “try” factor.

There is certainly a difference between “progression” and “regression” in the kingdom of God and in our lives. If we aren’t moving forward, the world keeps turning, so by default we’ll be moving backward. If we’re stuck in old mentalities or old ways of thinking, it isn’t likely we’ll be able to fulfill God’s calling on our lives. Many times fear and unforgiveness can limit us from fulfilling our purpose. Regret is living in unforgiveness toward ourselves, which can hinder us much more than any outside person or circumstance.

God doesn’t expect us to be right all the time or to be perfect – so what’s the defining mark? Our ending “grade” in the kingdom doesn’t necessarily amount to how many souls we got saved or our attendance record at church. It has to do with being open to God’s leading and “doing the good works your Father prepared in advance for you to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) The defining factor is trying, not giving up, being hopeful in the face of hopelessness, remaining in faith when the circumstances are dim, and staying pure when the temptations are great. When we at least “try” to do God’s will with an intent to serve Him, there’s no way we can fail, no matter the outcome.

Are you stuck in any ruts? Pray today and ask God what you can “try” today. Maybe it’s picking up the Bible again. Maybe it’s having a more active prayer life. Perhaps it’s trying something again a different way or trying something else entirely. Make sure you don’t stay stagnant. God is always moving – where is He in your life today?

IN PERFECT PEACE

 “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You!” -Isaiah 26:3

What is it like to live in perfect peace? In the world we live in, many people live with lots of fear. Depending on what is going on in the world and in our lives, and where we have placed our trust, this can increase or decrease our fear.

But Jesus didn’t want us to live as slaves to the world. Instead, He wanted us to live as “slaves” to the kingdom, which means a different thing entirely. It means we are obedient to His will, which produces the fruits of peace, love, and joy in our lives. (Among many other things.)

There have been times in my life where I’ve feared certain events or circumstances. But it Hebrews it says, “all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain.” (12:27) This means that the things we fear in this life are temporary, (will be shaken and removed) while the things of God are eternal. If we have accepted Jesus as our Savior, we don’t even need to fear death – we know where we are going when we die!

Other versions of the verse above say “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You (NKJV), and “because he remains in you.” (ISV) the truth is, if we keep our minds fixed on God, we can walk in perfect peace, because we trust in Him.

Are you able to fix your thoughts on Him today, in order to live in perfect peace? “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:7

MADE IN HIS IMAGE

 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'” -Genesis 1:26

“Red, yellow, black and white, we’re all precious in His sight…”

Every time I go to the mall or another public place, I am struck with how different each of us is. Some short, some tall, some big, some small – we have different personalities, characteristics, likes, dislikes, hopes and dreams. Each of our differences makes up a wonderful world where each of us was born unique – and born to do something special. Imagine if we looked the same or each did the same thing or thought the same way – how boring life would be! And nothing in the world would get accomplished because nothing ingenious would be created.

Problems come in when we start comparing ourselves to others, or, we don’t see the value in our traits. We may not look like the supermodel off the cover of Vogue, or we may not look like our favorite sports star. No matter, God has fashioned us. Every bit of us. He made us for a unique purpose in Him.

I love the story of Nick Vujicic. Here is a man who was born without limbs. “How cruel must God be?!” you might say. But Nick doesn’t think so. He blesses God for the opportunity to share his witness as he ministers to the thousands with the message, “There is no obstacle too big that you can’t overcome.” Although doing daily tasks such as brushing his teeth and taking a shower require immense effort, Nick has found solutions to these deficiencies and obstacles brought on by his lack of limbs. Some days it was difficult, yes, but even through that he managed to thank God for his life and remember that He would use him for His glory.

Do you know you are wonderfully made? If you lack in self-confidence, remember that God has fashioned you for a unique purpose. There is no shame in how God has made us. He loves us each the same.

WHEN GOD FIGHTS FOR US

 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God.” -Matthew 5:3, The Message

Have you ever felt powerless?  Have you ever felt like you’ve exhausted every resource, but still do not have an answer?   King Jehoshaphat and the tribe of Judah faced an unfortunate situation.  He and his people faced an enemy that was impossible for them to defeat.

Jehoshaphat was king of Judah when he was threatened with war by the Moabites, Ammonites, and the Meunites.  These were territories that Israel did not invade when they came into the Promised Land from Egypt. The Bible says their enemies were comprised of “a vast army.”  When Jehoshaphat learned that they were coming to attack Judah, he became afraid and called for a fast for all of Judah.  The people of Judah came together and prayed and petitioned the Lord for an answer, remembering what He had done for the Israelites to bring them into the Promised Land.

“Our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” -2 Chronicles 20:12

Then God’s Spirit came upon a man from the line of the prophet Zachariah, who prophesied victory over Judah and gave them supernatural instruction from the Lord:

“Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. … Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'” v.15-17

The next morning, they set out to meet their enemies, appointing men to go before the army and sing praises to God as they went.  Amazingly, when they arrived near the battle site, the Lord had confused their enemies, and they began fighting each other!

“As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.” v.22

Is there a battle that you need to let the Lord fight? If so, pray and ask Him to be your avenger.  Sometimes, all we need to do is step out in faith and be obedient. He is more than able to help us with any battle or struggle we face.

“And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.”  -2 Chronicles 20:30

LAYING OUR LIVES DOWN FOR OTHERS

 “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” -Luke 22:42

Have you ever had difficult defining moments in your life, when you just did not want to do something, but you knew it was essential for the fulfillment of God’s purposes in your life?

At the beginning of our walk, it might mean laying down addictions or detrimental behaviors at the foot of the cross. As we progress, it may mean standing up to false mindsets or overcoming our fear of what others think. We might experience this when we decide to share the gospel with someone, or to step out of our comfort zone doing things we are afraid to do.

Just as a husband lays down his life for his bride in a marriage, Jesus laid down His life for His bride.  As Christians we are to lay down our lives for others, so that they might experience the life of Christ more fully.

This doesn’t necessarily mean we do anything and everything others want us to.  It means submitting to godly leadership, yes.  But it means hearing the voice of God in our lives, receiving His instruction, and doing it. “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do.”  -James 1:25   It means making sacrifices and being uncomfortable so that others can experience life.

John Maxwell said, “If we are growing we are always going to be outside our comfort zone.” In fact, if we aren’t experiencing some discomfort in our calling, it’s likely we aren’t very threatening to the kingdom of darkness.

As Christians, we are responsible to serve and lay down our lives for those we are called to touch.  Are you willing to lay down your life?

USING SATAN FOR GOD'S PURPOSES

 "Hand this man over to satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord." - 1 Corinthians. 5:5

Paul encountered a believer who was involved in an incestuous relationship in the Corinthian church. This man was deluded by satan and was controlled by immorality. The man was unwilling to change his behavior, so Paul recommended to the church that tough actions be taken. He spiritually handed this man over to satan for the destruction of his flesh for the benefit of his soul. The idea is that the person will wallow in the pit of sin so long until it becomes detestable to him and he cries out for God's grace. We know this man was a Christian because only a Christian can be subjected to church discipline.
Have you ever known someone who was walking in disobedience and no matter how much you prayed he seemed oblivious to his sin? God has given one weapon to counter satan's schemes against those who fall prey to satan. That is, let satan have access to them fully so that their lives become so miserable they cry out to God for mercy. Probably few of us have ever had to pray this prayer. However, you should not be fearful of this prayer for any believer who is willingly walking in disobedience. This is love--tough love. There is a time and place for tough love. I have seen this principle work. God restores His children when His Body takes a stand against sin. It is not comfortable for those who take this action.
Do you know someone who needs tough love in his or her life right now? Ask God if it is time to pray the prayer that Paul prayed. "So that his spirit might be saved on the day of the Lord."

HEARING HIS VOICE

"He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." - John 8:47

Jesus said that the key to being able to hear God's voice is first to be one of His children. One of the great mysteries of the universe to my logical mind is how God can communicate with six billion people on the earth at the same time. It is one of those mysteries I must let go of because my "hard drive" would crash if I had to explain and understand this before I believed and trusted in Him. It is as though God places a computer chip in each human being, and when we place our faith and trust in Him, it becomes activated. We begin to communicate with Him. Jesus says that if we are children of God, then we can hear God's voice. He further explains this relationship in the following parable:

"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice (John 10:1-5)."

The Shepherd is always representative of Christ. Sheep are representative of God's children. This passage tells us that the Shepherd communicates with His children. We are called by name and we can listen to our Shepherd's voice. There is another comforting aspect to this relationship. The Shepherd goes before the sheep to prepare the way. Jesus has already gone before us today to prepare our way.

Knowing the Shepherd and His voice allows us to have the assurance that we will not be fooled by another shepherd's voice. The sheep know His voice. It is only when we are dull of hearing that we mistakenly hear another's voice and follow it. Sin can create a poor frequency in our communication with the Shepherd. Make sure your frequency is free of static (sin) today so that the Shepherd can lead you and go before you.

Finally, distractions can also keep us from hearing our Shepherd's voice. When the sheep get entangled in the fence or wander off, they get too far away to hear the Shepherd's voice. We must stay in close proximity to the Shepherd to hear His voice. Stay close to the Shepherd today. Listen and follow. He wants to lead you.