.....start

When you've trusted God and walked his way
When you've felt his hand lead you day by day
But your steps now take you another way ...
Start over.
When you've made your plans and they've gone awry
When you've tried your best and there's no more try
When you've failed yourself and you don't know why ...
Start over.
When you've told your friends what you plan to do
When you've trusted them and they didn't come through
And you're all alone and it's up to you ...
Start over.
When you've failed your kids and they're grown and gone
When you've done your best but it's turned out wrong
And now your grandchildren come along ...
Start over.
When you've prayed to God so you'll know his will
When you've prayed and prayed and you don't know still ...
When you want to stop cause you've had your fill ...
Start over.
When you think you're finished and want to quit
When you've bottomed out in life's deepest pit
When you've tried and tried to get out of it ...
Start over.
When the year has been long and successes few
When December comes and you're feeling blue
God gives a January just for you ...
Start over.
Starting over means "Victories Won"
Starting over means "A Race Well Run"
Starting over means "God's Will Done"
Don't just sit there ..............
START OVER!!!
-woodrow kroll

....sealed

Do you have difficulty opening those child-proofed packages? Or how about items that have been shrink-wrapped? I sure do. I find them very frustrating; and after a few futile minutes, I head for the household scissors, feeling weak and useless. "I can't even open a package of meat!"

I know there are safety and health issues involved, but such packaging can sure build aggravation in those trying to retrieve the contents. There is, however, a seal, a form of shrink-wrap that gives a feeling of peace and protection. Ephesians 4:30 says: "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by Whom you have been sealed for the day of redemption."

The Greek word for seal is *sphragizo* meaning to close up and make fast with a seal; to set a seal or mark on a thing as a token of authenticity or approval. We belong to God once we have asked Christ into our hearts. He has put His mark of ownership on us and has set His Holy Spirit in our hearts. We are sealed and protected from the evil one. Yes, we can be oppressed, but we can never be possessed. We are shrink-wrapped, protected from the entrance of any other entity.

As life issues claim our attention, we can easily forget we are not our own. We grieve the Spirit within by not listening to that still, small voice, by doing and saying things contrary to the Word of God. We become fearful, perhaps rebellious, trying to fill the emptiness with things of the world. All to no avail. We need to be reminded that God owns us and that all of His commandments are for our good. His plan for us is for a hope and a joy-filled future. He loves us, and the Holy Spirit's seal on us is a deposit guaranteeing more good things to come. To be so sealed in God's all-powerful wrap is an awesome thought indeed.

Several years ago, as I awaited surgery, I flipped open my Bible and God spoke to my heart. "Fear Not. I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. *You are Mine*." As I meditated on those words, fear fled and God's peace enveloped me--a timely reminder from a loving Heavenly Father.

Commercial, man-made shrink-wrap may cause angst and turmoil, but God's seal has wrapped us in loving arms of forgiveness, mercy and protection. We can rest in peace, assured He who owns us is able to present us unblemished, before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.

"Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

-pat earl

....amazing

By grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:5

Do you have you any idea of the mess you were in, or moving toward, when God reached down and saved you?

Perhaps an illustration may help remind you of just what God did for you.  If you took your children to a petting zoo and a little lamb came running towards you, you probably wouldn't be afraid at all because lambs are harmless. You might even reach out your hand and let the lamb lick it.

But let's say you're at the zoo and the alarm goes out that a lion has escaped from its cage. If you're standing there and that lion comes running towards you, you'll be terrified and start to run because you know what lions can do. But just suppose that the runaway lion corners you in one part of the zoo and comes up to you - but instead of attacking you, he gently licks your hand the way the lamb did. 

If that happened, whose gentleness would you appreciate more, the lamb's or the lion's? You'd appreciate the lion's gentleness more because you know that he could just as easily have destroyed you without violating his nature as a lion.

Well, grace is God's kindness and gentleness to us when He could have backed us into a corner as guilty sinners and destroyed us without violating His Holy character. But God wanted to make us His children, so instead of expressing His wrath against us, He poured it out upon His own sinless Son on the cross. Jesus took our punishment so God could embrace us. Hence, we have a brand-new relationship with God - through grace.

Isn't that amazing?  Isn't that truly amazing? That's God's amazing grace!

-david langerfeld

...hero

Who was your Superhero growing up? Superman who could fly? Spider man who could climb walls? Flash who could move faster than a speeding bullet? These were often men who looked just like anybody else - but then were transformed into an entirely different person. With this different identity came the power or ability to do superhuman things others couldn’t do.

Do you know you have been made a Superhero by Jesus? When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your old identity died and you were made brand new. With this identity change came spiritual power and the ability to do superhuman things. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "If any one is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."

When you become a Christian, you don’t just join a club. You become a brand new creature - a Superhero! God’s Spirit comes to live in you and gives you power and authority to be a "hero" to the people around you.

Live today looking for opportunities to help people live like a Superhero. Extend a helping hand, give of your resources, share a smile, pray a prayer, be friendly to the person who speaks badly about you. Keep your joy when your friends mistreat you or gossip about you. You have the ability to live this life, because God Himself lives in you!

Remember... "I am in Christ and I am a new creature. The Holy Spirit lives in me and gives me supernatural strength and power to live each day. I will look for opportunities to use that strength and power to be a Superhero to my world today - in small ways and big ways."

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:10-11

-david langerfeld

....rejoice

In the warm glow of the lamp light, the family room looked ready and welcoming for our relatives visiting from the west. In the bright sunlight of morning, a different story appeared. There, to my chagrin, on the black DVD, DVR and cable box, there appeared layers of fine dust, hidden from sight in the darkened room, but in the bright light of morning, there for all to see.

This scene reminded me of a verse in scripture: Psalm 90:8 - "You have set our iniquities before You. Our secret sin in the light of Your countenance."   We may think our sins are hidden where no one can see, but Almighty God knows. He is light and there is nothing hidden from His sight. As a layer of dust separates me from being a calm, relaxed hostess, so, too, does sin in our lives separate us from our heavenly Father: "Your iniquities have separated you from your God and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

When my eyes see the dust , what do I do? I grab my Swiffer, rub vigorously and remove those pesky dust bunnies. When the Holy Spirit convicts our souls of sin, what do we do? We run to our Heavenly Father and confess our sins.  

Confession is a combination of two Greek words - "homos" meaning same and "lego" meaning to say.  Confession, therefore, means to agree with God, to see sin as God sees it and to acknowledge it is wrong. When we repent sincerely, we turn 180 degrees away from thoughts, words or actions which have been disobedient to God's word. We humble ourselves, rebuke the enemy, and draw close to our Heavenly Father.

God, for His part, is waiting for us to recognize our sin and turn to Him: "Lord, you are good and ready to forgive. In the day of my trouble, I will call to You and You will answer me." Psalm 86:5,7 When we confess our sin, He forgives and removes our sin from us as far as the east is from the west: "I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord, and You forgave the guilt of my sin.'" Psalm 32:5

When my house is clean, I can relax and enjoy visits with company. When our hearts are clean, we have a wonderful peace and a joy that is contagious. Not only do we have joy, but there is rejoicing in heaven: "Likewise I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10

Repent, Remove, Rejoice - We Repent, God Removes, and We Rejoice. Thanks be to God for His wonderful words of wisdom!

-pat earl

...neutral

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. - Isaiah 43:1

It wasn't that long ago that I recall my daughter Lacey's car being stalled for some reason and I had to push it back into the driveway.  As I began to push, it wasn't long before I realized that she had not taken the car out of gear.  Despite my Herculean effort, the car wasn't going anywhere!  But after correcting her mistake, the car practically glided effortlessly back into the garage. 

I can't help but think that's the way it is when we "relinquish" our lives over to God's Will.  Far too often, I find myself telling God that I give Him complete control, but I still leave my life in gear.  By doing so, in a sense, I'm telling God to push me out of this mess, but to do so by going only in a particular direction, depending upon which gear I have my life in at the time and where I choose to steer it.  

But God's will is more that just momentum.  If God is going to rescue us, we need to completely take our lives out of gear and relinquish complete control over to Him.

All we have to do is put our lives in neutral, get out from behind the steering wheel and let Him deliver us to where He wants us.

-glenn w. miller  

....unshakable

It is on the unshakable fact of the resurrection of Christ from the dead that I base my faith in God's utter integrity and faithfulness. He let Jesus die - but only because he would raise him again. You can count on him! You can stake your faith on God - the God of Jesus Christ. He will keep His word!
-leighton ford

.....forward

...Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on - Exodus 14:15

Moses had brought the whole nation of Israel, approximately 600,000, to a dead end in the desert. The only thing between Israel and Pharaoh's pursuing army was the Red Sea. This was after ten plagues God had inflicted on Pharaoh to motivate him to free the Israelites. Finally, Pharaoh had freed Moses and the people, and they left Egypt. They thought they were home free. "Freedom at last," they said. But God did a strange thing. He directed Moses to take a route that led to the Red Sea, instead of the northern route around the Red Sea. God explained that He didn't want them fighting the enemies they would have encountered on this route. But still, there was the issue of the Red Sea.

They finally arrived at the Red Sea, and the people were wondering where they would go from there. News hit the camp: Pharaoh had changed his mind. He was coming after them with his army. Panic set in. The defenseless Israelites cried out, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?...It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Ex. 14:11-12

God sometimes brings each of us to a "Red Sea" in our life. It may be a work problem that can't be solved. It may be a marriage that seems to be failing. It may be a debilitating disease. Whatever your Red Sea, God tells us one thing: "Keep moving." The Red Sea was before them, yet God was angered at Moses and told him to "Keep moving."

"But Lord, the Red Sea is before me." "Keep moving." When we live by sight, we act on what we see. God sets this stage in dramatic fashion. God is into the dramatic. There is no way out without God here. That is just the way He wants it. No one will get glory except God.

-os hillman

....assignment

The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. Ex 12:37-38.

How does God prepare someone for big assignments? Consider the mission given to Moses. He was called to deliver an entire nation from slavery. The assignment was to bring six hundred thousand men, on foot, out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. In addition, there were the women and children. Talk about a big assignment! Imagine the logistics of such an endeavor.

God prepared Moses by allowing him to grow up from infancy under the ways of Egypt. He learned their customs, their idols, and was a favored son of Pharaoh until God revealed his birthright. He began to realize God had placed him in the court of Pharaoh but realized he was not one of them. He was being called back to his own people. He tried to deliver his people using the ways of Egypt. This was not God's way. So, God banished him to the land of Midian for additional training. 

God guided Moses to Midian because the Midianites were of the seed of Abraham, and retained the worship of the true God among them. God allowed Moses to learn the trade of shepherding sheep for forty years. Moses learned while living in the arid dry land moving sheep around to places where water and grass could be found. The desert was a place of preparation for one of the greatest assignments given to one man. 

Moses was battle-trained in the same environment he would spend another forty years to bring a stubborn and willful people out of slavery.

What kind of assignment is God preparing you for? 

Does He have you in the desert of preparation? 

Learn well the lessons you are there to learn. 

You may find you are called to be a deliverer, just like Moses. 

-os hillman

......will

I desire to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart. - Psalm 40:8

How would you describe the process by which you find and do God's will in your life? For some, finding God's will is like playing bumper cars. We keep going in one direction until we bump into an obstacle, turn, and go in another direction. It is a constant process of elimination, failure, or success. Is this the way God would have us find His will? No. There is much more relationship between hearing God's voice and living within the mystery of His omnipotence in our lives.

Perhaps this process is more like water in a streambed. The water is constantly flowing to a final destination. As it presses against the streambed, it gently points the water toward its final destination. There are no abrupt head-on collisions, simply slight modifications of direction. Occasionally, we come to a sharp turn in the contours of our life. For those times, God allows us to stretch our normal response to change. A popular Bible study says that we cannot go with God and stay where we are. Finding and doing God's will always require change. What changes are necessary in your life to join God in what He is already doing?

There is a direct connection between finding and doing God's will and having God's law in our heart. A friend once complained that he did not know what God wanted of him in his life. My immediate response was, "How much time do you spend with God in Bible study, prayer, and meditation on Scripture?" "Only a few minutes a day," he replied. How can we expect to hear and discern God's voice if we don't spend focused time with Him? If you have a spouse, how did you get to know him or her before you were married? You spent time together. 

You got to know everything about each other. Our walk with God is no different. It isn't enough to have a desire to follow God; we must put our energy into getting to know Him. His will for us flows out of our relationship, it is not an end in itself. Commit yourself to seeking Him more in your life by spending more time with Him. Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know Jer. 33:3

-os hillman

......cause

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Rescue the weak and needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. Ps 82:3-4

God raises up leaders to take on causes that are much greater than themselves. However, these causes are often first birthed as a result of a personal crisis or conviction; then this leads to a larger cause.

Martin Luther King had a personal conviction that racial discrimination was wrong. He sought to change this through preaching and nonviolent demonstrations. It wasn't long before this became the conviction of others and it became a movement larger than any one person.

William Wilberforce was a political statesman in England. He came to Christ when he was twenty-eight years old. He began to have personal convictions about slavery in England and he committed his life to the goal of destroying slavery. He finally achieved his goal after fifty years of work. His work also resulted in sixty-four world changing initiatives before he died.

William Wallace was burdened about the persecution his country received from the wicked English king named Edward the Longshanks. Born in 1272, Wallace grew up under the persecution from the wicked king. When he was older, he led a rebellion against England that resulted in the freedom for the nation of Scotland. The popular movie, Braveheart, was the story of William Wallace.

Has God allowed a crisis in your life? 

God often raises leaders and begins movements as a result of a personal crisis in their lives. 

....called

I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. Isa 45:3

When God takes you to a depth of soul experience be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During these times God often leads us to amazing new discoveries. It can be a storehouse of unexpected riches for the soul.

Bible teacher F. B. Meyer once observed, "Whenever you get into a prison of circumstances, be on watch. Prisons are rare places for seeing things. It was in prison that Bunyan saw his wondrous allegory and Paul met the Lord and John looked through heaven's open door and Joseph saw God's mercy. God has no chance to show His mercy to some of us except when we are in some distressing sorrow. The night is the time to see the stars.

We must live each day to the fullest. We can't live in the future. We must live in the moment that God gives us right now. Our time of deliverance will come according to God's schedule. Meanwhile, we need to be faithful in doing what God has given us to do and be content in the place where He has placed us.

When we go through a trial of adversity, we need to understand that God is performing radical surgery on our life. The purpose of this surgery is not to destroy us, but to give us a new heart. God is making a fundamental change in who we are and who we will be.

And, He will always reveal treasures from these secret places if we are willing to walk through the process patiently.

-os hillman

......limp

The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and he was limping because of his hip. - Genesis 32:31

Jacob was a man who was a controller. He connived and manipulated his way to get what he wanted. It was a generational stronghold passed down through his mother, who encouraged her son to play a trick on his father, Isaac, by pretending to be Esau. 

This trick led Isaac to give the family blessing to Jacob, which meant Jacob would eventually inherit the land God had promised to Abraham's seed. Jacob also learned control from his uncle Laban who caused Jacob to work for 14 years to take Rachel as his lifelong mate. One must ask which was more ugly in God's sight, the self-centered nature and worldliness of Esau, or the control and manipulation of Jacob?

Control is a problem for men and women. Many women use sex to control their husbands. Many men use power and force to control their wives. Control is at the core of that which is opposite the cross-self-rule. 

What delivers us from this fleshly nature of control? A crisis. Jacob's crisis came when he was faced with the prospect of meeting a brother who said he would kill him the next time he saw him. Esau had built his own clan and was about to meet Jacob and his clan in the middle of the desert. 

Jacob was fearful, so he retreated. There he met a messenger from God who wrestled with him. Jacob clung to God and refused to let go of this angel. It is the place where Jacob was given a painful but necessary spiritual heart transplant. From that point on, Jacob would walk with a limp, because God had to dislocate his hip in order to overcome Jacob's strong will.

For workplace believers, God often has to "dislocate our hip" through failure and disappointment. Sometimes it is the only way He can get our attention. Our nature to control and manipulate is so strong that it takes a catastrophic event to wake us up. Yet God did not reject Jacob for these character traits. In fact, God blessed him greatly because He saw something in Jacob that pleased Him. 

He saw a humble and contrite heart beneath the cold and manipulative exterior of Jacob's life, and it was that trait that God needed to develop. He did this by bringing about the crisis in Jacob's life that led to total consecration. This event was marked by Jacob getting a new name, Israel. For the first time, Jacob had a nature change, not just a habit change. What will God have to do in our lives to gain our complete consecration to His will and purposes?

"Beware of the Christian leader who does not walk with a limp."

- bob mumford 

....winning

He will judge the world with righteousness and the people with His truth. Psalm 96:13

Does it seem that your unethical co-workers prosper? Does it seems that even though you try to live according to God's ways, you are always overlooked? Taken advantage of? 

Does it seem that the wicked prevail and the righteous get stepped on?

 

In your child's school, do the cheaters prosper? And the honest students get lower grades? Do you wonder why some of the superstars who continually have brushes with the law are allowed to continue in their professions, making even more money in the process? Doesn't it seem useless at times to stand for God when those who live contrary to His will receive all the benefits and you don't?

Don't lose hope! Although it may seem that God is allowing people to get away with evil today, He is coming back! And He will judge all men, all women, and all children with equity... with righteousness... and according to His Truth, His standards! At that time, those who have been living contrary to God's Word and His ways will have to account for all their thoughts, decisions, and actions. God's judgments will "set things right," punishing the wicked, but helping and protecting those who have a relationship with Him Deuteronomy 32:36; Psalm 135:14; Revelation 20:11-13.

The next time that it seems that wrong is winning out, that the unethical prevail, and that evil has dominion over good... know that Jesus is coming back!  He will exercise His divine kingship... He will judge... and the day will come when "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow - of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11

- marji kruger

....will

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight Prov 3:5-6.

George Mueller was a pastor in England during the nineteenth century who knew what it meant to live a life that was focused on knowing and doing the will of God. God led him in a walk of faith that has become an incredible testimony to all who hear his story. 

Whenever he lacked for something, he prayed for the resources. During his ministry in Bristol, England, George built four orphan houses that cared for 2,000 children at the time. When he died at the age of 93, over 10,000 children had been provided for through his orphanages, and he had distributed over eight million dollars that had been given to him in answer to prayer. 

How did he know and do the will of God? 

“I never remember…a period…that I ever sincerely and patiently sought to know the will of God by the teaching of the Holy Ghost, through the instrumentality of the Word of God, but I have been always directed rightly.” Here is how George summed up the way he entered into a “heart” relationship with God and learned to discern God’s voice:

1   “I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter.

2  Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3  I seek the will of the Spirit of God through, or in connection with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined.

4 Next, I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

5 I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.

Thus, (1) through prayer to God, (2) the study of the Word, and (3) reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly.”[1]

Consider these five steps when discerning God’s voice in your life.

[1] Henry Blackaby, Claude King, Experiencing God, Lifeway Press, Nashville, TN, p. 33,34

....glory

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all. - Exodus 5:23

Have you ever felt that the more obedient you are to following God, the more adversity there is? Moses had been instructed to go to Pharaoh and tell him to release the people of Israel. God had said He was going to deliver the people through Moses. 

The only problem is that God did not tell Moses at what point they actually would be released. When Moses complained to God, the Lord told Moses "I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord" Exodus 10:1-2

God has a reason for everything He does. 

These delays were designed to bring greater glory to God and were to be a lasting legacy of God's miracle-working power for generations to come.

When the people were freed, God again hardened Pharaoh's heart to go after them. This action of God to harden Pharaoh's heart was to set the stage for an even greater miracle -- the parting of the Red Sea. The people were angry with Moses for bringing them to the desert "to die." But God said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on" Ex. 14:15. There was only one place to go by this time -- the Red Sea. God parted the Red Sea, and another greater miracle took place.

Moses learned several lessons that each of us must learn. God's promises are true, but His timing is not the same as ours.  God puts obstacles and adversity into our lives in order to build perseverance and faith. 

Why has God put the mountain in your life at this time? To demonstrate His power through your life. To show His glory. 

- os hillman

....calling

 "If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer." - 2 Corinthians 1:6

"God must love you a lot! He doesn't allow someone to go through the kinds of adversity you have experienced unless He has a special calling on your life." Those were the words said to me by two different mentors at two different times within a three-year period.

Later I would learn another related truth from a respected man of God - a man who lives in another country, a man whom God uses throughout the globe. "The depth and width of your faith experiences are directly proportional to your calling." 

They were describing a process of preparation that God takes His followers through when He plans to use them in significant ways. A "faith experience" is an event or "spiritual marker" in your life about which you can say, "That is where I saw God personally moving in my life." It is an unmistakable event in which God showed Himself personally to you. It was the burning bush for Moses; the crossing of the Red Sea or the Jordan River for the nation of Israel; Jacob's encounter with the angel. It was the feeding of the 5,000 for the disciples. It was the time when you saw God face to face in your life.

If God has plans of using you in the lives of many others, you can expect that He is going to allow certain faith experiences to come into your life in order to build a foundation that will be solid. That foundation is what you will be able to look back on to keep you faithful to Him in the times of testing.

Each of us must have personal faith experiences in which we experience God personally so that we can move in faith to whatever He may call us.  Pray that God will reveal Himself to you. He delights in doing that.

-os hillman

....obedience

A young son of a missionary in Zaire was playing in the yard when suddenly he heard his father yell to him from the porch, "Phillip, obey me instantly! Drop to your stomach!" Without hesitation the boy did as his father commanded. His father then commanded, "Now crawl to me as fast as you can!"

Again, the boy immediately obeyed. "Now stand up and run to me!"

Phillip responded without questioning and ran into his fathers arms. When Phillip turned around and looked back at the tree where he was standing, he saw a huge, poisonous snake hanging from one of the branches. The boy could have hesitated and asked, "Why?" or said, "In just a minute," but he instantly obeyed. That simple act of obedience saved his life!

"To obey is better than sacrifice" 1 Samuel 15:22

"This is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands." 2 John 1:6

.....delays

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. - Revelation 5:10 

The Bible describes two distinct roles in the Old Testament-kings and priests. Kings were the rulers; priests were the religious leaders. The New Testament reveals we all are kings and priests because of the redemptive work of Christ.

Today, kings are most often represented by business and political leaders, while pastors represent the priestly roles. God calls each of us to fulfill both roles in our lives today. However, our vocational roles often create a division that is misunderstood by both believers and pastors. These misunderstandings have led to a weakened and less effective Church.

Pastors have been guilty of viewing their believers as dollar signs. They sometimes see them for what they can contribute to their ministries instead of equipping them to use their gifts and talents to impact the believer's mission field-their.

Believers have tried to get pastors to operate their churches like businesses, and have used their worldly ways for spiritual purposes. They often view the pastor as the primary ministry worker instead of taking on the responsibility themselves to do the work of the ministry.

This is a grievous sin that exists in the Body of Christ, and it requires repentance from both groups. Unless we recognize this, we will never see the reality of revival that God wants to bring to the business community, and pastors will fail to gain an ally to fully complete the work of the Church in their community.

Are you a pastor who has failed to see the calling that believers have received? If so, ask God to forgive you for viewing your believers as those to be used for your own purposes.

Are you a believer who sees your church as another business to be run based on worldly measurements? Do you see the pastor's role as one who is primarily responsible for the work of the ministry? If so, you must repent and ask God to forgive you of this unbiblical view. 

God has called both of you to fulfill His purposes together through your gifts and talents. 

-os hillman

....new

Are you hoping 2022 will finally be different?  

Are you ready for a change in your life? 

The only way to truly change your life in 2022 is to allow Jesus Christ to change you from within. 

Mark 10:46-52   "Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. [47] When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” [48] Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” [49] Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” [50] Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. [51] “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” [52] “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."

From this passage, we can discover the ABC’s to help with bringing change to our lives…

A -  Assume Responsibility For Your Own Life!

"When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v.47)

Things happen that you can’t control - but you can control your response!!!   Let me repeat that...  Things happen that you can’t control - but you can control your response!!!

I hear people say all the time… “He makes me so mad” or “She makes me so mad.” Nobody can make you mad. You’re the only person who can make you mad. People can do things that upset you, things you don’t like, things that hurt you. But you decide how you’re going to respond. Look back at the scripture. See what did Bartimaeus did and did not do.

1. He didn’t blame someone or something else.

2. He didn’t think that God or anyone else owed him something.

3. He DID go to Jesus. He humbled himself and sought help and deliverance.

B  -  Believe You Can Change!

"What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” (v. 51) He believed he wouldn’t walk away the same.  He believed that he’d be DIFFERENT.  So often people pray…

“God,

     if you’ll just change my employer,

     if you’ll just change my spouse,

     if you'll just change my kids,

     If you'll just change my friend

God never promises that he will change your situation. God does promise that he will change YOU!!!  He’ll change your attitude… your perspective… your outlook… Then you can change your attitude toward your situation.

C  -  Clarify What It Is You Really Need

Notice the question in verse 51 – “What do you want me to do for you?”   Specific prayers get specific answers. Jesus already knew what the man needed. Jesus just wanted the man to say it.

How often do we play communication games with each other?  A wife will tell me, “He doesn’t meet my needs.”  “Well, does he know what you need?”  “Sure, he loves me, he ought to know.”  ” Maybe he ought to know, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he really knows. You have to tell him what your needs are.”

We do the same thing with God.  We assume that since God knows everything, we don’t have to tell him.  But that’s just exactly the opposite of the way God operates.  He wants us to tell him what we need.  Exactly what we need.  Jesus will meet your needs when you tell him what your needs are.  But sometimes He doesn’t meet your needs because you never tell Him what you really want and how you really feel.

Notice his cry – “Have mercy on me.”  He was beggar.  Yet, notice, he didn’t cry out for food, or clothing, or money or housing.  He was given sight that day.  He was healed that day – because he realized that his most basic need was for mercy and grace.  He needed what only Jesus was offering – and because of that, he was healed.

D  -  Decide to Stop Worrying  (Stop Worrying About What Other People Will Say)

“Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more.” (v. 48)

What were they telling him?  Shut up! Nobody wants to hear what you have to say!   This isn’t the right place.. This isn’t the right time…   Just be quiet

We have to quit worrying about what other people think. In this particular situation, everyone else was wrong. Everyone else told him he shouldn’t do it that way. He didn’t care what the protocol was. He didn’t care if all the people agreed that you just don’t approach Jesus that way. He knew he needed help and he wasn’t going to be denied.

    Have you prayed for something and God hasn’t answered you yet?

        Keep on calling out to God.

    Do you have a need and God hasn’t met it yet?

        Keep on calling out to God.

    Are you hurting and don’t have an answer?

        Keep on calling out to God.

    Are people telling you to give up?  Are people telling you to quit?

    Are you worried about what other people think or what other people will say?

        Stop worrying.

        Don’t quit.

        Don’t give up

        Just cry out even louder

Two of the greatest attributes a Christian can have are persistence and perseverance. Jesus tells a parable about the neighbor who comes at midnight and is rewarded for his persistence. Someone once said, "God doesn’t answer shallow prayers, he answers desperate prayer."

E  –  Exercise Your Faith

“Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.” (v’.50)

Sometimes, we have to do something different. We can’t do the same old thing.

     If we’re really going to change,

     If we want life to be different,

          we have to do something bold

          ........something dramatic.

Bartimaeus did something unique and unusual for that day and time. It was not normal for a man to cast aside his garment. It was not the usual protocol for a man to leave his garment. Sometimes we have to do something totally out of the norm. Totally different. Hebrews 12:1 says, let us lay aside every weight, every sin that so easily entangles us.”

Notice those words, lay aside every weight and every sin. We know the sins. But what are the weights? Whatever is keeping you from keeping Jesus first in your life. Whatever is keeping you from running to Jesus. Whatever is holding you back from surrendering your life to the LORDSHIP of Jesus so he can do a miracle in your life.

F  –  Follow Jesus

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. (v. 52)

He was a beggar, he was blind, he had been healed. It would have been so easy to go into town and tell everybody what had happened – to show his friends and relatives, to let the whole town know that he had been healed – but that’s not what the scripture says. It simply says, “He followed Jesus!”

2022 can be totally different from 2021 if you will…

    A  –  Assume responsibility for your own life

    B  –  Believe you can change

    C  –  Clarify what it is you really need.

    D  –  Decide to stop worrying

    E  –  Exercise Your Faith

    F  –  Follow Jesus!

-david langerfeld 

...failure

All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader.... - 1 Samuel 22:2

God uses broken things to accomplish His greatest work. When David was anointed to be the next king, he was just a boy, the youngest among all his brothers. Little did he know that the next several years would be years of fleeing from Saul whose successes turned into obsessions as a leader who had fallen from God's anointing. Perhaps David thought, "Why am I living a life as a fugitive? I am the next king of Israel." Yet, his life was filled with adversity after adversity before he ever fulfilled the ultimate calling God had for him.

Others began to hear of David's successes and identify with his plight. But, it wasn't the successful and polished who came to join him. It was "those who were in distress or in debt or discontented" who would be part of his army -- and an army it was! His army would become known throughout the world as the greatest ever assembled, not because of their skill, but because of the God behind the army. God turned David's men into "mighty men of valor" [1 Chron. 11:10].

God often uses failure to make us useful. When Jesus called the disciples, He did not go out and find the most qualified and successful people. He found the most willing, He found  fishermen,  tax collectors, and  farmers.

The Hebrews knew that failure was a part of maturing in God. 

The Greeks used failure as a reason for disqualification. In the Church, we often treat one another in this way. This is not God's way. We need to understand that failing does not make us failures. It makes us experienced. It makes us more prepared to be useful in God's Kingdom -- if we have learned from it. And that is the most important ingredient for what God wants in His children.

-os hillman

....elevation

And the Lord said to Joshua, 'This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.' Josh 3:7-8.

Joshua had been a faithful number two man under Moses for 80 years. Serving one man for 80 years? Now that is faithfulness!

Even so, when the time came to pass the mantel to Joshua, God knew he needed to be elevated in the eyes of the people in order for Joshua to accomplish his purpose. That is the purpose for elevation - so that you and I can fulfill our purpose and our mission.

We are not called to elevate ourselves. If we elevate ourselves before our time we will short circuit God's plans for our lives. We will not have the same level of grace as we would have if it were in God's perfect timing. Jesus refused to let others elevate Him or make Him into something contrary to His purpose. Moving into a job or responsibility before we are ready is a formula for failure. We may not be mature enough. We may not have the proper skill set.

Let God elevate you in His timing and you will be successful in the thing He created you to be and do. 

...regrets

When Bill Borden, son of the wealthy Bordens, went out to China as a missionary, many of his friends thought he was foolish to "waste his life," as they put it, "trying to convert a few heathens to Christianity".  But Bill loved Christ and he loved the Chinese people!

He hadn't been there very long before he contracted a disease native to that area and died.  At his death, his family found the following written in the back of his Bible.  "No reserve, no retreat, and no regret."

Bill had found more happiness in his few years of sacrificial service than most people find in a lifetime.

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Philippians 4:12-13

-david langerfeld

....new

 "...the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." Deuteronomy 11.12:

I will help you to say goodbye to the previous year filled with "yesterdays" and comprised of 

Disappointments and surprises 

Losses and gains

Failures and Successes

Defeats and victories 

A year which may be remembered by recalling... 

Fleeting moments

Delightful memories and good times

The sobering reality of missed opportunity 

The insight gained from daily living

The unexpected surprise of reconnecting with old friends.

The joy of sins forgiven

Golden words fitly spoken Proverbs 25:11 

And the fruit of obedience and pleasing the Lord 

Yes, the old year is a time in which we can recall with gratitude...

Blessings, protection, and rewards from the Providential hand of God 

Grace that was sufficient for our every need

Mercy received when justice would have just as easily been fitting for us. 

And realizing that even bad things that happened could have been worse...much worse.

May your past productively transition to the future as you experience...

The warm daylight of lessons hard learned, 

and the fading sunset of the pain that was long endured while living through them.

The priceless value found in genuine friends, 

and the sober understanding of the shackles of superficial people who merely use us.  

The glorious journey of...

The unmatched wealth in reading and studying the Bible

The unparalleled stability of Christian fellowship 

And the unrivaled enjoyment of serving the Lord.

And as you experience the wise departure from... 

The comfortable enticement of procrastination

The deceptive decoy of excuses 

The childish pleasure of pettiness 

And the dull applause of mediocrity.

I AM THE NEW YEAR.  

I am...

The challenge of new goals

The desire for spiritual growth 

The continual burden for lost souls 

The anticipation of answered prayer 

And the eager expectation of Christ's soon return for His Bride, the Church.

I am the New Year, I may only be lived one moment at at time. 

I am replete with the unknown 

and rife with...

Opportunities to trust

Unexpected moments of blessing and delight 

Satisfaction for spiritual truth and hunger

Motivations to give of your time and effort to people and projects

And the joy and privilege of serving the Lord in new and exciting ways.  

YES, I AM THE NEW YEAR!

- barry black

.....forever

The ancient Romans called the first month of the year January, naming it after the Roman god Janus. You see, Janus has two faces. One face looks back at the year past, and this face is filled with sorrow and dismay and perplexity; the other face looks forward to the new year with hope and cheer and confidence. This cycle repeats year in and year out, with the new year becoming the old and optimism turning to despair.

On New Year's Eve, you can feel the excitement in the air. It's almost electric. But as those two faces of Janus reveal, it's short-lived. A funny thing happens a couple weeks into January: People begin to realize that the problems they had last year followed them. Whatever catharsis they received from saying goodbye to the old year and ringing in the new one has faded away.  

 

However, we who love Jesus Christ don't have to tie our hope to a new year, nor do we have to wallow in grief when that new year disappoints. That's because the God we serve is the same "yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). He is the God who overrules our past sins and forgives our trespasses. He rules over the present, and He also guarantees our future.   

Because this is true, it doesn't matter what date it is. Whether it's January 1 or December 31 or any day in between, we can spend every day thanking and praising the Lord for each circumstance that comes our way. We are free to praise God and thank Him for the ups and downs of life. We can worship and be grateful on good days and bad. We can bless the Lord for the joys and for the sorrows. Why? Because God's promises to us are as sure as God Himself.   

Here's one of the greatest promises in the Bible: God says to us, His children, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). This promise was for last year. This promise is for this year. This promise is for all our future years, whether we are here on earth or with Him in eternal glory. Whatever the future brings, those of us who love God and follow His Son can have peace and confidence, for our God will never leave us.   

"God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."' Hebrews 13:5

-michael youssef, Ph.D.

....partnership

So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord. - Genesis 13:18

Abraham took a totally different approach to solving this problem. He told Lot to choose which land he wanted. Imagine, Abraham could have been dooming himself and his family if he was unable to find adequate land and water for them. He gave up his rights in the matter, and Lot took full advantage. 

"Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar" Gen. 13:10. So Lot left and took up residence in the valley later to be known as Sodom and Gomorrah. 

Sometimes what seems good on the front end turns out to be disastrous later. Such would be the case for Lot and his family.

As for Abraham, he made a choice. He decided to take life's high road -- a choice that didn't necessarily mean his life circumstances would benefit him. He was willing to leave that outcome to God. He made the decision based on an eternal measuring stick. Interestingly, the place where Abraham moved was called Mamre. 

In Hebrew, the name Mamre means "strength." 

How can choosing the weakest position become "strength"? Jesus must have asked the same question of His Father when faced with the proposition of going to the cross. How can the cross be a place of strength? 

The devil thought he had won, but the cross is what freed the captives for eternity. The Bible tells us that when we are weak, then we are really strong. To willingly choose the way of the cross becomes our strength.

-os hillman 

....key

THE KEY

The key to victory in 2022 is Philippians 3:13-14. Paul was using the illustration of a race to describe his life. He was in the home stretch, but he was still running the race; the race wasn't over. He said, "I have not apprehended it yet." - NOT YET!

Right behind this conjunction is one of Paul's secrets to living: THIS ONE THING I DO! Single-minded concentration on the things of God is essential to running the race of Christianity.  You cannot be dwelling on other things as an athlete and give your best performance. Therefore, Paul says "this one thing I do."

What is "This One Thing I Do"?

"Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." That's the key for victory in the Christian life. That's the key for victory in 2022.

What do we need to forget?

Paul had learned that we have to lock the door on yesterday and throw away the key. Paul discovered that looking back almost always ends up in going back. Let me repeat that... Looking back almost always ends up in going back. In the Old Testament we find the wandering Israelites ready to return to their old ways rather than pressing on. In the New Testament Jesus clearly taught us in Luke 9:62 that "no man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for God's Kingdom."

4 THINGS WE NEED TO FORGET:

1. YESTERDAY'S MISTAKES

In his book "ENCOURAGE ME", Chuck Swindoll has a chapter entitled, "The Fine Art of Blowing It". It begins like this, "It happens to every one of us. Teachers as well as students. cops as well as criminals. Bosses as well as secretaries. Parents as well as kids. The diligent as well as the lazy. Not even presidents are immune. Or corporation heads who earn six-figure salaries. The same is true of well-meaning architects and hard-working builders and clear-thinking engineers... not to mention pro ball players, politicians, and preachers. What? making mistakes, that's what. Doing the wrong thing, usually with the best of motives. And it happens with remarkable regularity."

Everyone makes mistakes. Everybody does stupid, foolish things. God's Word says: "forget it" - leave them behind you. There are 3 things we should do about yesterday's mistakes:

   1. Learn from them

   2. Determine with God's help not to do them again

   3. Forget them.

Satan will want to remind you and make you feel guilty for your past mistakes – but God says: "Forget Them. I HAVE"!

2. YESTERDAY'S HURTS

Life is a battlefield. You're a soldier in God's Army. On any battleground, injuries will occur and soldiers are going to get hurt. Sooner or later, someone is going to

   ... hurt you.

   ... lie about you

   ... verbally or physically harm you

   ... misrepresent you

   ... chop you up in little pieces

   ... slander you

It's going to happen--what do you do?

You have two choices:

   1. Allow the resentment and hate to build

   2. Forgive and Forget

          A. Forgive as Christ forgave you

          B. Forget those things that are behind you Phil. 3:13

You might say, but David -

   ... You don't Understand

   ... You don't understand what's happened to me.

   ... You don't know how bad I've been hurt.

   ... I was innocent.   I didn't do anything wrong, but they hurt me.

   ... They lied about me.   They hurt my feelings and they didn't care.

   ... They criticized me when I didn't do anything wrong.

   ... They talked about me behind my back.

   ... They cheated me, they rejected me, they hurt me really bad.

God understands. Jesus was innocent, but they beat him, they tortured him, they mocked him, they crucified him. He didn't deserve it, but they did it anyway. On the cross, He forgave them. On the cross, He provided salvation for even those who beat him, who mocked him, who crucified him. In order to press on in the Christian life, we have to lock the door on yesterday's hurts.

3. YESTERDAY'S POSSIBILITIES

How often do I see people unable to operate in today because they are still living a "what if" life of yesterday. They keep talking about "what could have been"--"if I had only..."

Quite often they blame someone else

   ... if only my spouse hadn't...

   ... if only my parents (children) hadn't...

   ... if only my business partner had...

   ... if only my friend hadn't...

They even blame God - "if God would have… or if God wouldn't have…"

We can't live on yesterday's promises or yesterday's dreams. Too many people are dissatisfied with life because they've had an expectation that just hasn't worked out. Paul is saying - forget your past hurts, forget your past mistakes and forget living with what might have been and finally...

4. YESTERDAY'S SINS

Billy Graham once said that 60% of all the patients in mental hospitals could go home if they would accept the fact that they are not guilty or that they have been forgiven.

Many people are carrying a burden of guilt:

   ... A past mistake

   ... A moral failure

   ... A painful cut to a friend

   ... A physical hurt to someone

   ... A stupid, hateful remark

   ... A poor decision

   ... A sin so horrible that they believe either God will not forgive them or they will not forgive themselves

There is no sin, no matter how great or small, once it has been confessed and forgiven, that the memory of it should torment us no more."

Notice, Paul didn't say, "I've forgotten those things which are behind. Paul said, forgetting those things. Paul had learned the secret. There are some things in our memory that we will never forget.  We have to keep practicing forgetting...

Guilt will eat us alive. Every time the memory comes back, every time a song or a word or a smell or a picture or a person reminds us, we continue to practice forgetting. How long do we practice forgetting?

   ... until the memory doesn't hurt any more.

   ... until we allow God to forgive us

   ... until we allow God to forgive through us

   ... until the pain is no longer there

   ... until we can use our past to help us grow in the present

   ... until we can use our past to help others in the present

God says in Jeremiah 31:34  "I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more."

Psalm 103:12  "I will remove their sin as far as the east is from the west."

I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

It's time to:

     Lock the Door on the Past!

     Throw Away the Key!

     Forget Where You Have Thrown It!

-david langerfeld