alliances

"Woe to the obstinate children," declares the Lord, "to those who carry out plans that are not Mine, forming an alliance, but not by My Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting Me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge." Isaiah 30:1-2

Have you ever entered a business relationship with someone you knew you were not supposed to? Throughout the history of Israel, the people were called to come out of an old way of life. Egypt represented that old way; when things got tough, the Israelites reverted to what was comfortable. 

They always knew they could take a trip to Egypt and find what they lacked. Perhaps this was their reasoning: "If we can't get it accomplished under the new way, why not go back to the way we used to do it? At least we know we can get it there."

When God calls us into a walk of faith, we can expect to be tested in this walk. If we enter into alliances that God has not ordained, it will only bring heartache. Such was the case for Israel. "But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace" Is. 30:3.

Beware what you perceive as an alliance that may advance your business. It may actually bring you great distress if God has not directed you to align it. Ask yourself what the motive is behind this possible alliance. 

Make sure that it is not based on fear or a quick fix. Get confirmation that God is leading you to make such an alliance. Then you will not end up in the way of Israel, experiencing shame and disgrace. 

-os hillman

remove

Jesus has finally arrived, but it was too late; Lazarus was dead! If only He had arrived earlier. Jesus made His way to the tomb with the grieving crowd following. He stood in front of Lazarus’ tomb weeping, revealing His heart to the crowd John 11.

Then suddenly, He instructed the people to remove the stone from grave’s entrance. They couldn’t believe their ears. Martha blurted out in her surprise, "But Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been dead four days."

The people obeyed. Jesus calls out to Lazarus and behold the creator of life gave new life to Lazarus.  Lazarus waddled out of the tomb, still wrapped in His grave clothes, alive! Jesus directed the people to remove the grave clothes.

This miracle catches us by surprise in several ways. We dare not miss the sign - the miracle of raising a person from the dead is primary. Yet we are surprised by other elements as well. Why did Jesus have the people remove the stone? Was He challenging their faith? Why did He have the people remove the grave clothes? This request seems more obvious.

Lazarus couldn't do it for himself. Whatever the reasons, one thing is abundantly clear – Jesus chose to involve the people in His work. Amazingly, astoundingly He involved His people in His work.

There are many obstacles that hinder people from coming out of their sin – their "graves". There is the sin itself binding them. We cannot remove the sin. Only Jesus can do that. But we can work to remove stones. They cannot even hear the voice of God calling because these "stones" are so thick that they muffle His voice.

Though it is impossible for you and me to remove all these stones, Jesus is instructing us, His people, to "remove the stone."  Stones of ignorance; stones of apathy; stones of physical need; stones of misunderstanding; these are just a few of the stones we can address and help remove.

And the grave clothes; when people find new life in Christ Jesus they bring with them habits, experiences, hurts – "grave clothes". They need to be discipled – to have their grave-clothes removed. It is our responsibility in partnership with the Holy Spirit to help them remove the excess baggage that they carried with them from their life in sin. This takes time, effort, patience, persistence, diligence and an extra amount of God's love, which He provides. But Jesus is looking at us and telling us – "remove the grave clothes."

Let's not neglect our responsibilities. Let’s draw upon God’s limitless resources and accept the glorious gracious privilege of being involved in His work. He calls us and people's eternal lives depend on it!

"Remove the grave clothes... and let him go!!!"  John 11:44

tarries

For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. 

Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3

God has a storehouse of blessings that He has reserved for you and me. However, our timing to receive those blessings may not be the same as our Lord's. God has a specific timetable that He requires to accomplish His purposes in the life of the believer. Sometimes that timetable seems excruciatingly cruel and painful, yet it is needful.

When we read that Joseph remained a slave in Egypt and was then placed in prison after being wrongfully accused, it would be easy to second-guess the God of the universe. Oh, how cruel and uncaring, we might think. Joseph thought he was going to be delivered from prison when he interpreted a dream for a court official, but then he was forgotten another two years. Why? An early release would have disrupted God's perfect plan.

God takes time to develop character before anything else. God could not afford to have a prideful 30-year-old managing the resources of an entire region of the world.

We can sometimes delay this timetable if we refuse His correction.

Although it is sometimes difficult to understand, the Lord is just and gracious in His dealings with His children. When He does decide to move on our behalf, we will appreciate the delay and will often understand the reason it was needed.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Is. 30:18

If you are awaiting the fulfillment of a vision in your life, ask the Lord for His grace to sustain you. It will be worth the wait.

-os hillman 

missed

 They were looking for a Lion,

    He came as a Lamb, and they missed Him.

They were looking for a Warrior,

    He came as a Peacemaker, and they missed Him.

They were looking for a King,

    He came as a Servant, and they missed Him.

They were looking for Liberation from Rome,

    He submitted to the Roman cross, and they missed Him.

They were looking for a fit to their mold,

    He was the mold maker, and they missed Him.

They were looking for their temporal needs to be met,

    He came to meet their eternal need, and they missed Him.

 

What are you looking for?

    Lion?

    Warrior?

    King?

    Liberator?

He came as a Lamb to be sacrificed for your sin.

      Will you miss Him?

He came to make peace between God and man.

      Will you miss Him?

He came to model servanthood for all mankind.

      Will you miss Him?

He came that we might have true Liberty.

      Will you miss Him?

He came to give you eternal life.

      Will you miss Him?

When we submit to the Lamb,

      we will meet the Lion.

Join with the Peacemaker

      and we will meet the Warrior.

Work with the Servant

      and we will meet the King.

Walk with the Submitted

      and we will meet the Liberator.

Concern ourselves with the eternal

      and we will have the temporal.

If Jesus is not fitting into the mold you have, then come to the mold maker and get His new one. Submit to His plan for your life and you will see your eternal need met first, then all the other things you have need of will be taken care of as well. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." Matthew 6:33

-dave langerfeld

overcomer

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. John 16:33

"Why does it seem that those involved in Christian enterprise find the way so hard? It seems as though it is harder for those who are committed Christians in business. Have you found this to be true?"

This was the comment from a business associate recently. My answer was a definite yes. In fact, if you were not a Christian and sought to do a similar business without regard to maintaining a biblical philosophy, the way would be much smoother sailing. It makes us think of the prophet who asked, "Why do the wicked prosper?" Jer. 12:1

It is a spiritual principle of which we speak. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan before they entered the Promised Land, they fought only two battles. Then after they entered the Promised Land, they fought 39 battles. 

The way of the cross is not paved with lilies; it is paved with grace. When we seek to honor God in our business life, we will be met with opposition from the spiritual forces of this world. This is why each of us must commit ourselves to walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and to be as gentle as doves but as wise as serpents.

Do not be surprised when you find the way harder as a believer than when you were a non-believer. You now have more at stake among the spiritual forces that desire you to be defeated and ineffective.

Stand firm against the evil forces that desire to keep you from walking in freedom in the Promised Land. 

Jesus is your victory for every battle you will encounter - Call on His name.

-os hillman

push

A man was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.

This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind: "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it." Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure, these thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man.  "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort and that will be good enough."

And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. "Lord", he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"

The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.

And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so?  Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back is sinewed, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition, you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have.

Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My Wisdom. This you have done. "I, my friend, will now move the rock."

At times when we hear a word from God, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what God wants is just simple obedience and faith in Him....... 

By all means, exercise the faith that move mountains, but it is still God who moves the mountains. 

-dave langerfeld

bridge

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done — Philippians 3:7

There’s a lot of power in the simplicity of a changed life:

• The man who was born blind told others, “I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” John 9:25 
• The Samaritan woman testified of Jesus, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” John 4:29, “the people came streaming from the village to see him” verse 30.

When you can share the before and after of what God has done in your life, it can speak to people in a special way. Perhaps they would never imagine that you were once who you were and did what you did, because Jesus Christ has completely transformed you.

It’s interesting how often the apostle Paul, who was a brilliant orator and a wonderful intellect, would use his testimony to speak to people. We see in Acts 24 that when he was speaking before the Roman governor, he began with his own story of how he came to faith. And then he went to the essential message of the gospel.

When you’re telling your story, accuracy and truthfulness are important, because some people’s testimonies seem to become more dramatic with the passing of time. Another problem is that some Christians make their past sound more appealing than their present. That makes me wonder whether they fully understand what it means to be a Christian and what their lives before Christ really were.

I love the way Paul put it: “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” Philippians 3:7–8.

Telling your story is a powerful bridge for the gospel message. 

-greg laurie

....words

 Consider these quotes from the past:

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." - Western Union internal memo, 1876.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." - Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.

"The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?" - David Sarnoff's associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." - Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons." - Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year." - The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957

"But what ... is it good for?" - Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." - Ken Olson, President, Chairman and Founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." - Bill Gates, 1981

It is amazing that we've accomplished so much technologically in this country considering the pessimistic views held by many (and even more amazing when you consider that some of the achievements eventually came from people who at one time held those pessimistic views themselves).

What is your vision for the future? What would you like to accomplish? More to the point, what would you like to see God accomplish through you? There will likely be someone around you ready to tell you that "it can't be done", or "we've tried that before with no success", or "it's too much trouble".

And they may be right. Or they may have a "grasshopper complex" like the ten spies in Numbers 13 who were unable to see what God could accomplish because they were looking so intently at the obstacles in their way.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

May the God who can do more than we can even imagine (and I can imagine a lot!) be with you this day.

-alan smith

thief

But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. Luke 12:39

What are the times when you and I are most vulnerable to being caught off guard by the enemy of our souls? One of those times is just after you've had a great victory. Consider Jesus when He was baptized and was about to begin His public ministry. He was taken away into the desert to be tempted by satan.

Leisure time is another place in which satan seeks to take us off our normal routine of personal quiet times. In the normal routine of life, our senses are tuned to the need to draw upon God's Spirit to see us through the activities of each day. However, when we get away from our routine and go on vacation, we can often drop these routines. We wrongfully think that we do not need to spend time with the Lord during leisure times. This is a grave mistake. The vacation becomes a test of character. During vacations we turn freely to what we love most. It reveals to us what is at the core of our existence.

A teacher in a large school reportedly said, "The greatest difficulty we encounter is the summer vacation. Just when we have brought a student to a certain discipline and place in their study habits, we lose him; when he comes back we have to begin all over again." It is the same in our spiritual lives. It only takes a small crack in the door of our heart to lose our spiritual focus.

Be on guard when times of retreat are made available to you. Use these times for spiritual refreshment as well, not just physical refreshment, and you will keep the thief from entering your house.

-os hillman 

big

Two men went fishing. One man was an experienced fisherman, the other wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.

The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got tired of seeing this man waste good fish. "Why do you keep throwing back all the big fish you catch?" he asked. The inexperienced fisherman replied, "I only have a small frying pan."

Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throw back the big plans, the big dreams, the big jobs and the big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is too small. We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed was a bigger frying pan; yet how ready are we to increase the size of our faith?

Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can confidently walk into anything God brings our way.

You can do all things through Christ Philippians 4:13. Nothing is too big for God.

Stop telling God you've got big problems. Tell your problems you've got a big God!

-dave langfeld

tact

So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: ‘Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way Acts 17:22

I heard about a barber who decided to share the gospel with the first person who sat in his chair the next morning. He owned an old-fashioned barber shop where he used a straightedge razor for shaving.

And sure enough, the next morning someone walked in and sat down in his chair for a shave and a haircut. The barber, who was vigorously sharpening his razor, turned to the man and said, “Friend, are you ready to meet God?”

His customer ran out, apron and all. You see, that barber needed to use a little tact when he was sharing his faith. And we need to do the same.

Believers sometimes approach nonbelievers with strange verbiage and then conclude that some people just take offense to the gospel.

Yes, there’s offense in the gospel. But many times, people are offended because Christians are just weird and unnecessarily offensive. They don’t know how to use tact. They aren’t persecuted for the sake of righteousness; they’re persecuted because they’re obnoxious.

We should use a little tact, a little winsomeness, when we share our faith. Someone has defined tact as the intuitive knowledge of saying the right thing at the right time.

For example, when the apostle Paul saw that the people of Athens worshiped everything imaginable, he could have said, “You’re a bunch of pagan idolaters!”

Instead, he told them, “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about” Acts 17:22–23.

If people can be argued into the kingdom of God, they can be argued out of it as well. 

The idea is not to win the argument. It’s to win the soul.

-greg laurie

expectations

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. Philippians 1:20

Have you ever had expectations that did not get fulfilled? Perhaps a coworker let you down. Perhaps you were trusting God for something in your life that never materialized. Perhaps you became devastated by an unmet expectation that you felt you were entitled to. Expectations can be a difficult trap for each of us if we are not fully committed to God's purposes in our lives.

Paul wrote this verse from prison to the people of Philippi. He had an expectation that his life would bring glory to God, whether through his continued ministry or his death. His joy in living was not based on his expectations getting fulfilled, but on remaining true to the purpose for which God made him.

When we react to circumstances with bitterness and resentment as a result of unmet expectations, we are saying that we know better than God, and that God has made a mistake in not meeting our expectations. 

The process of resolving unmet expectations may require full disclosure to the individual who was the source of the unmet expectation, and of how the unmet expectation made you feel. This is not to make the person feel obligated to meet the expectation, but simply to share your feelings about it. 

However, once we have done this we must let go of the situation and allow God to work in our hearts the grace that is needed to walk in freedom from the pain of the unmet expectation. If we do not do this, we will allow the seed of bitterness and resentment to enter in. This seed of bitterness will create leanness in our soul and eventually will spread to others.

Ask yourself today if you have any unmet expectations. How have you responded to them? Have you processed this with the Lord? This  is the step to freedom from unmet expectations.

-os hillman  

glove

 "You're so quiet, Son. What's on your mind?" asked Ben's father as he stopped at Ben's room to tell him good night.

Ben put his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling above his bed. "Oh, I've just been wondering if I should be a missionary."

"You don't seem very excited about the idea," said Dad.

"It seems like such a hard job," said Ben, propping himself up on one elbow. "I have this feeling that I might not be any good at it. What if God calls me to do something I can't do!"

Ben's father thought for a moment, then reached over to Ben's desk and picked up his baseball glove. "What's this?" he asked.   Ben laughed. "Don't be silly, Dad! It's my ball glove."

Dad walked over to the corner of the room. He propped the glove against the wall, found a baseball, and threw it at the glove. Though the ball hit the center of the glove, it rolled to the floor. Dad picked up the glove and looked at it in disgust. "This glove is a total failure," he said, shaking his head.

Ben laughed and laughed. "Oh, Dad, you know it can't catch by itself! It has to have a hand inside."

Dan smiled at Ben. "You're just like this glove," he said. "God has a purpose for your life, Ben, just as there is a purpose for this glove. You put your hand inside the glove to give it guidance and strength----you give it power to catch the ball. 

In the same way, God will give you power to do whatever He calls you to do. Don't worry, Son, God will never prop you in a corner and leave you alone. It's His mighty hand that does the work when you are willing to be used."

Abide in me, and I will abide in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.  “I am the vine; and you are the branches. Those who abide in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

-dave langerfeld  

fuel

During World War II an American bomber ran out of gas over the Pacific and was forced to land on a Japanese-held island. Without fuel to get away, the crew knew they would be soon captured and resigned themselves to this looming fate. But the bomber was also carrying a chaplain. A firm believer, he refused to give up hope and prayed to God for deliverance. Though the crew respected his faith, they did not share his optimism.

But the next day they changed their minds. Early that morning, just before dawn, one of the crew was awakened suddenly with a strong feeling that he should go down and walk on the beach. There he found, bobbing on the incoming waves, a huge drum of aviation gasoline. With a shout, the astonished airman awakened the rest of the amazed crew, who rushed down to the water, pulled the big drum ashore, and transferred the miraculous gift of gas to the stranded plane. Soon they were safely off the island, airborne to their not-too-distant base. 

Later, the facts concerning the miraculous gasoline came to light. The drum had been part of a cargo of fuel that had been jettisoned from its barge following a Japanese attack. All the other drums had been lost, but this one had managed to float nearly 1,000 miles past 25 other islands to finally wash up at the very feet of the men who desperately needed that gasoline to save their lives. 

God delights in miraculous rescues! He rescued the disciples from sinking in a storm on the Sea of Galilee by walking on water. He rescued Jonah from drowning by allowing a whale to swallow him. He rescued Daniel from a den of hungry lions by sending an angel to shut the lions’ mouths. And he rescued Joseph from a lifetime of imprisonment by sending a pagan king a dream. Are you in a difficult situation? 

Paul counseled, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Philippians 4:6,7. Perhaps God has a miraculous rescue planned for you! 

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

-doug batchelor

faithful

A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. Proverbs 28:20

There is a distinct difference between the workplace believer who operates based on living in the Promised Land versus the one who operates in Egypt. In Egypt, the workplace believer sweats and toils to generate an outcome. The final objective is foremost in their mind. Outcome is everything.

In the Promised Land, we learn that obedience is the only thing that matters. We are called to execute, and leave outcome to God. Sometimes that outcome is very positive, yielding a return. In other cases, we may not yield a corresponding return. 

We may even get a negative outcome. 

The difference is that we know that we have been faithful to what God has called us to and we yield results to God. God often blesses obedience beyond what we deserve. If God brings wealth to your life, it should come as a by-product of obedience, not an end in itself.

God may call each of us to be obedient to situations that may not yield immediate, positive results. It is in these times that our faith must be obedience-based versus outcome-based. What if Jesus had considered the immediate ramifications of whether he would go to the cross? Based on the immediate outcome, the decision would have been an easy one. Who wants to die on a cross? However, for Him there was a higher purpose in that obedience. We are called to this same kind of obedience. This means putting our own flesh on the line daily, dying to our own self-will.

Pray that God will make you a faithful man today.

-os hillman 

recollection

For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31:34

There's a legendary story that's been told for years about a Rolls Royce.  The story is based on an actual event that happened to Rudyard Kipling while driving though France in his Rolls Royce.  Here is the story.

      

The great British automaker Rolls Royce takes great pride in the reliability of their handcrafted automobiles.  It is said that, "A Rolls Royce never breaks down; it just fails to proceed!"  An obviously wealthy owner of a Rolls took it to Europe on an extended trip. While traveling in France, the car had some mechanical problem. He called the Rolls Royce factory and asked them to send out a mechanic immediately to fix the problem.

The company responded in royal fashion. They put a mechanic on a private jet with all of the necessary tools and flew him over to France to make the repairs. The owner was so wealthy that he wasn't at all concerned about the cost and he would not spare any expense to assure that his beloved Rolls Royce was properly repaired.

However, after several months he realized he had not received a bill for the repair. He directed his secretary to contact the Rolls Royce factory to inquire about the charges. He received a prompt reply from the Rolls Royce company. With typical British aplomb, it simply said, "We have no recollection or any record of any Rolls Royce ever having a breakdown or being in need of repair anywhere in France."

When we repent of our sin and ask God to fix things that have resulted from sin in our lives, He fixes them, and once He does, He has no "memory" of the problem.  Once forgiven, in God's eyes, it's as though it never happened. He remembers that sin no more.

Make no mistake.  We are NOT righteous.  "No one is righteous - no, not one person!" Romans 3:10.   However, when we truly trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and we ask for His forgiveness, we are "declared" righteous by God".  

We are "justified".  God looks at us Justified!  ("Just-as-if-I'd"  never sinned.) 

For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Jeremiah 31:34 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness.1 John 1:9 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

-steve blair

today

Plan for Tomorrow but Live for Today

Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:34.

The good thing about the future is that it doesn't hit you all at once. If you had your entire life thrown at you at one time, it would no doubt be overwhelming. So God gives it to you in bite-size, 24-hour segments.

Since God gives you only one day at a time, that’s how he expects you to approach your life. Live one day at a time, and make it count.

Jesus taught: "Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today" Matthew 6:34.

Jesus is saying  stop borrowing trouble. If there’s something happening next week, why are you messing up today by worrying about it? Today is the result of what you did yesterday, so don’t spoil tomorrow by allowing yesterday's mistakes to affect your tomorrow, rather you live today, work on your today so that it will be your tomorrow's testimony.

Worry can't change the past. It can't control the future. 

Worry only makes you miserable today.

God gives you all the grace you need—but just enough for today, every day. He doesn't stockpile all that power in your life and give it to you for the next week or month. He says to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread.” He wants you to take life one day at a time.

When you don't know what the future holds, you can still take life one day at a time. That’s all you are meant to do!

When everything is uncertain and you don’t know how to make wise decisions for the future, then just take care of today. God doesn’t want you to worry about tomorrow, but he also doesn’t want you to presume about it, either. It’s important to plan, pray, and trust God for the future. But God still expects you to put your energy into making today count.

A great way to do this, especially during the pandemic, is to reduce your media intake. Focus instead on the things God loves and cares about, like your spiritual growth and caring for people who need help right now. That’s how you make the day count.

Don't brashly announce what you're going to do tomorrow; you don't know the first thing about tomorrow Proverbs 27:1. When everything else in life seems unclear, this is about as clear as you can get.

Plan for tomorrow but live for today. God will give you everything you need to be obedient in both.

-gema simbee

time

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us Romans 5:6-8.

At just the right time, when we were struggling with temptation the right person came to be with us. 

They did not know we were on the verge of giving in to the temptation. They just came to be with us. Because they came at just the right time, we were able to stand firm and not fall.

At just the right time, when we were feeling lonely the right person showed up at our door.

There did not know we were lonely. They simply came for a visit because they wanted to be with us. Because they came at just the right time, we were able to get through another night.

At just the right time, when life appeared to be over the right person reminded us of all the reasons we have to live. We were ready to quit. We had no energy or desire to stay in the race. Because they came at just the right time, we saw another sunrise and look forward to the next.

At just the right time, when we were struggling with our marriage the right couple invited us over to dinner. We were talking divorce. We saw no reason to keep up appearances any longer. They did not know how hopeless we felt, but because they connected with us at just the right time, we continue to celebrate anniversaries.

At just the right time, when we were at our lowest as parents the right people sat next to us in church.

When the service ended, they visited with us. We were filled with despair. Guilt was destroying us. They did not know how heart-broken we were, but because they were friendly at just the right time, we did not give up.

At just the right time, when we were most desperate the right person called to offer assistance.

They hardly knew us, but heard that times were hard. They said they remembered what it was like and wanted to help. Because they demonstrated that they cared at just the right time, we were able to survive the crisis.

At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for us. God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.At just the right time, God uses people to represent Him in the lives of those who need Him. 

Be aware that today you may be His instrument for someone He needs to help. 

It will likely be at just the right time.

-tom norvell

banner

Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner. Exodus 17:15

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. God instructed Moses to stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand. Moses' staff represented something that God said He would use to bring glory to Himself. The staff represented what Moses had done for most of his life - shepherding. It was his vocation. When God first called Moses at the burning bush, He told him to pick up the staff; He would perform miracles through it.

God wants to perform miracles through each of our vocations. At Rephidim, God defeated the Amalekites only when Moses held his staff to Heaven. It was a symbol of dependence and acknowledgment that Heaven was the source of the Israelites' power. When he dropped his hand, the power was removed and they began to lose the battle. 

Each day we are challenged to reach toward Heaven and allow God to be the source of victory in the workplace or be defeated. God calls us to let His banner reign over the workplace so that others may know the source of our victory. 

"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven' "Ex. 17:14. The Lord wants those behind us and around us to know that He is the source of our power and success. With each victory is a testimony that is to be shared with our children and our associates.

Is the Lord your banner today? 

Reach toward Heaven today and let His banner wave over your work so that He might receive glory from your life. 

-os hillman

unlimited

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

What might God want to accomplish through you in your lifetime? As a workplace believer, you may yet have your greatest contribution to society. Such was the case of Cyrus McCormick, born in 1809.

Raised on a farm by an inventor father, Cyrus McCormick sought to invent a mechanical reaper to harvest wheat. His father's attempts at inventing a successful machine had failed until Cyrus, at 22, created one that worked. McCormick had to overcome many setbacks including the loss of his patent 14 years after his first invention. This opened up competition. Then, in 1837 he went bankrupt due to the bank panic of 1837. However, these setbacks did not prevent McCormick from achieving his goals.

He expanded his market by trying to sell his machine to European farmers in 1851. A long series of honors compensated for the lack of recognition and praise from his American compatriots. By 1856, he was not only a world figure but his factory produced more than 4,000 reapers a year.

McCormick was a committed believer. He lived during the time of D.L. Moody and gave $10,000 to Moody to start the Chicago YMCA in 1869. That building burned along with his Chicago factory in 1871. By this time, McCormick was over 60 and wealthy enough to retire. Before his death in 1884, he had given $100,000 to help open Moody Bible Institute. His son, Cyrus Jr., was to become the first chairman of the school's board. 

Cyrus McCormick was a devoted Christian who passed his faith on to his son who later met up with J. Pierpoint Morgan to become the first president of a combined reaper firm, the famed International Harvester Corporation. [John Woodbridge, ed., More Than Conquerors (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1992), 328-331.]

What might God want to accomplish through your life? Surely you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. 

-os hillman

immunity

Around the year 1927, in Ghana, West Africa, a blood specimen was taken from a native man named Asibi, who was very sick with yellow fever. From that blood sample, a strain of the yellow fever virus, now known as the Asibi strain, was identified. After years of testing and experimentation with monkeys, mice, and chick embryos, that mild strain of yellow fever was developed into a vaccine.

Asibi recovered, but all the vaccine manufactured since 1927 derives from the original strain of virus obtained from this humble native. Carried down to the present day from one laboratory to another, through repeated cultures, and exponential multiplication, it has offered yellow fever immunity to millions of people around the world. Through the creative imagination of science, the blood of one man in West Africa has been made to prolong and improve life among the whole human race. 

However, in order to receive a benefit from a vaccine, a person must personally take the vaccine shot. They can acknowledge the existence of the vaccine, understand how it works, rejoice in the marvel of its provision, and praise the man who provided it, but unless an individual actually receives it, it will be of no personal benefit. 

Immunity from the penalty of sin works in a very similar manner. The blood of just one Man, Jesus, provides salvation to every person: “through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” Romans 5:18. We can acknowledge that God exists, understand the finer points of doctrine, be amazed at God’s provision, and praise Jesus for it, but unless we actually accept it by faith, it will do us no good. 

On the other hand, while vaccine supplies may at times run low, the grace of God is unlimited—everyone who asks for salvation can be sure of receiving it! Moreover, while it was infinitely expensive to obtain, it is provided free of cost: “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” Romans 3:24. 

The only side effect of God’s vaccine is a new life in Christ! Won’t you accept His heavenly immunity? 

Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Romans 5:18

-Doug batchelor 

 

selection

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, 'Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink.'" Judges 7:5

Would you ever take on an army of 100,000 with only 300 men? Sound preposterous? However, this is exactly what happened with Gideon.

It was bad enough that he began with 10,000 against 100,000, but this was too many men according to God. He would not allow Gideon to fight with this many soldiers, because the temptation would still remain to believe that it was the strength of his army that won the victory. 

God told Gideon to pare down his army to a mere 300. This would ensure that God would receive total credit for the victory. This is a law in the Kingdom of God. All glory must go to Him. "Announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained" Judg. 7:3.

Now there are 10,000 men left but that was still too many. God gave Gideon an interesting selection method for the 300 as he took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink" Judg. 7:5. 

What was the significance of this? Those soldiers who lapped water like a dog were soldiers who were more aware of the enemy around them compared to those who kneeled to drink. The lappers were men who were on constant guard to the danger around them, keeping their eyes up and looking about them. The others could be easily picked off.

If you and I are going to be one of God's elite, we must be battle ready. We must be sensitive to the spiritual dangers around us. We must be trained to go about our business while, at the same time, discern when the enemy of our souls is prowling about seeking to destroy us. "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" 1 Pet. 5:8. 

Beware of the spiritual dangers around you. 

-os hillman

Uninterrupted

Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law they meditate day and night. Psalm 1:2

A real Christian stands out in the crowd!

  Their character is deeper,

      their ideas fresher,

      their spirit softer,

      their courage greater,

      their leadership better,

      their concerns wider,

      their compassion more genuine,

      their convictions more concrete.

They're joyful in spite of difficult circumstances and show wisdom far beyond their years. And they're full of surprises: you think you have them boxed in, but they turn out to be unpredictable. When you're around them you feel slightly off balance because you don't know what to expect next. Over time you learn that their unexpected ideas and actions can be trusted.

Why? Because these people have a strong relationship with the Lord - one that's renewed day by day. David said: "Their delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law they meditate day and night."

They have a spiritual root system that reaches down to streams of living water. Consequently, what they put their hand to prospers. Too few of us ever reach this level. How come? Because we're just too busy!

The arch-enemy of spiritual growth is business, which is closely tied to something the Bible calls "worldliness" - getting caught up with society's agenda, to the neglect of walking with God.

Anyway you cut it, a key ingredient in real Christianity is - time.

Not left over time, not throw away time, but quality time.

    Time for contemplation.

    Time for meditation.

    Time for reflection.

Unhurried, uninterrupted time with God!!!

-dave langerfeld 

...revival

The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.” Matthew 12:41

The greatest revival in human history that we know of took place in the city of Nineveh. The population of Nineveh at that time was around one million people, and an awakening swept through the entire city.

Yet it wasn’t thanks to Jonah, the prophet whom God sent. When the Lord told him to go to Nineveh and preach, he caught a boat going in the opposite direction. He was swallowed by a great fish, and after he repented, the fish vomited him onto dry land.

Jonah wasn’t happy about preaching to these people. He didn’t even care if God judged them. So he simply told them, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Jonah 3:4. Loosely paraphrased, Jonah was saying, “You’re going to burn, so deal with it.”

There was no offer of forgiveness, yet amazingly, God worked in Nineveh. The people turned to Him. They repented. And because of that, God spared them.

Later Jesus said, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here” Matthew 12:41

The people of Nineveh didn’t have the message that we have today. They didn’t hear that God loved them so much that He sent His own Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross and pay for their sins. They didn’t hear that if you will put your faith in Jesus, you can know that when you die, you will go to Heaven.

And they didn’t know that forgiveness could be given and received instantaneously if a person would believe.

If your life is falling apart right now. Christ can transform it. 

-greg laurie

.....unless

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 further 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.

-os hillman

....become

 ...The Lord is with you, mighty warrior. Judges 6:12

God always looks at His children for what they will be, not what they are now. The Lord already had seen Gideon as a leader of others, not just a laborer who threshed wheat.

Gideon was an Israelite who lived during a time of oppression from the Midianites. God had allowed Israel to be oppressed because of its rebellion. However, the Israelites cried out to God, and He heard their cry for help. He decided to free them from the oppression of their enemies. God chose a man with little experience in such matters to lead an army against Midian.

When God came to Gideon through a visit by an angel, the angel's first words to him were, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." God always looks at His children for what they will be, not what they are now. The Lord had already seen this man as a leader of others, not just a laborer who threshed wheat.

The apostle Paul said, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" Phil. 4:13. God has reserved an inheritance for you and me. He has foreordained that we should accomplish great things in His name-not so that we will be accepted or become more valued, but to experience the reality of a living relationship with a God who wants to demonstrate His power through each of us.

What does God want to accomplish through you today? He used Gideon, with only 300 men, to deliver Israel from an army of more than 100,000. He demonstrated His power through one man who was willing to let God use what little faith he had to free a nation from oppression and bring glory to the God of Israel. 

The Lord delights in showing Himself strong through those who will trust Him.

-os hillman

....memory

 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Psalm 119:11

I’m amazed sometimes at all the things we fill our minds with. For instance, some people know the names of every character in the Star Wars films along with all the plot twists. Others seem to know the scores of every professional baseball game that has been played in the last four decades.

As for me, I have in my memory banks the lyrics to songs I’ve heard years ago, including the theme song to The Flintstones. I don’t know when I consciously learned them, but I know them.

We have all kinds of data floating around in our minds, but do we know the Word of God? Do we know what verses deal with specific subjects and what the Bible says about certain topics?

In our own strength, we don’t have the power to resist temptation. That’s why we need to take time to memorize the Word of God.

When Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and nights in the wilderness, the devil came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” Matthew 4:3.

Yes, Jesus had the power to do that. No doubt He was hungry—hungry to the point of starvation, even.

But with His response, Jesus gave us an example to follow. He showed us how to deal with temptation. And He stood on ground that we, too, can stand on.

Jesus said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God’” verse 4. He fought temptation with the Word of God.

It’s good to carry a Bible, but the best place to carry the Word of God is in your heart. Memorize it so you can draw upon it when temptation comes knocking at your door. And indeed, temptation will come.

-greg laurie

.....works

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. 

-os hillman