job

 

"But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:26-27).

 

God is raising up a new kind of workplace believer who is experiencing the power of God in their daily work life. My friend, Emeka Nywankpa, was a barrister (lawyer) in Nigeria. Emeka spoke at a conference a few years ago on the subject of how the spiritual impacts the physical.

 

Emeka shared a story about arguing an important Supreme Court case in his country. There were five points to argue in the case. The morning the trial began, he prayed with his wife and junior lawyers in his chambers. During his prayer time, he sensed that theHoly Spirit was telling him, "Do not argue points one through four. Only argue point five."

 

Imagine making such a change just before you are to argue a case before the Supreme Court! In the courtroom, Emeka announced that he wished to drop points one through four and only wished to argue point five. The judge was shocked, but gave him permission to proceed. He argued point five and sat down. The other attorney got up, and then for twelve minutes stumbled around trying to defend his position, unable to get a coherent word out.

 

Finally, he approached the bench and said, "Your Lordship, it is unfortunate that my learned friend has dropped the first four points. I wish to yield the case." The other attorney had only prepared for the first four points. Emeka won the case. God had given him a strategy to win his case supernaturally. It made no sense to him, but he obeyed and God gave him victory in a very unusual way.

 

Isaiah 48:17 tells us "Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: 'I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.'"

 

When is the last time you allowed God to give you a strategy to be successful in your work life call and bring glory to His name? This is his desire for you!

-os hillman

prayers

A hospital chaplain visited a delightful old lady in the hospital. As he approached her bed, he noticed that with the index finger of one hand she was touching, one by one, the fingers of the other, with her eyes closed.  When the chaplain spoke to her she opened her eyes and said, "Oh, chaplain, I was just saying my prayers - the prayers my grandmother taught me many years ago."

The chaplain looked puzzled, so she went on to explain, "I hold my hand like this, my thumb towards me. That reminds me to pray for those nearest to me. Then, there is my pointing finger, so I pray for those who point the way to others - teachers, leaders, parents.  The next finger is the biggest so I pray for those in high places. After that comes the weakest finger - look it won't stand up by itself - so I pray for the sick and the lonely and the afraid. And this little one - well, last of all I pray for myself."

What a great lesson!  It is so easy to make our prayers about us - "Help me...  deliver me...  give me...  show me...  I need...   I want..."  when our prayers should be for and about others.    

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."  Ephesians 6:18

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself." Philippians 2:3

 

heroes

"May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains," (2 Timothy 1:16)

One of our ministry team is a pretty enthusiastic NASCAR fan. If you're into that sport, then you know that for many years, Jeff Gordon was one of the best in the business.

Several years ago, there was documentary about his pit crew.  When they interviewed the head of his pit crew (who, by the way, has a degree in organizational behavior), he revealed just how amazing the work of the pit crew is in a sport where seconds really matter. The pit crew chief said they will change up to 20 tires in one race.  Just think of what those speeds must do to a tire! And they change a complete set of four tires in thirteen seconds - that's faster than I can finish off a bite of my dinner!

The driver is the name everyone knows - but the driver knows he's nothing without his pit crew!

There are unsung heroes whose support is the key to finishing the race - and not just at a speedway. For every one of us, at one time or another, it's our pit crew that has made the difference in us finishing our race.

In Paul's last letter, written shortly before his death, the great missionary pays tribute to one of his pit crew heroes - a man with themouthful name of Onesiphorus. At one stressful season of Paul's life, Onesiphorus was the head of his pit crew - and kept Paul rolling.

Here's the story of an unsung hero from the Word of God.  It's found in 2 Timothy:  "May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me - may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day! - and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus."  (2 Timothy 1:16-18)

Man, we all need an Onesiphorus. We all need to be Onesiphorus - except maybe with a name that's easier to pronounce. You can't control if you HAVE a friend like this - but you can DECIDE TO BE A FRIEND like this! "Whoever brings blessings will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." (Proverbs 11:25)

You know some people right now who are at a tough time in their race.  They're slowing down...they're overheating... they're under heavy pressure...they may not feel like they can finish. And the difference is going to be someone who is willing to step up and be their Pit Crew. Someone like you. Someone who follows the example we just read about.   Someone who frequently asks, "Lord, what could I do that would refresh my hurting friend - a call, a note, a meal, babysitting, giving him some time off?" 

And notice what Paul wrote... "He often refreshed me."  You need to go out of your way to find that person.  You need to go out of your way to find out what's wrong.  "He searched hard for me."   We're talking about you being their "be there" person.  They need to know you will always be there.

God has a wonderful promise for you if you will be someone's unsung hero in the pit crew who keeps them in the race. The promise is in Hebrews:  "For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving thesaints, as you still do." (Hebrews 6:10)

-ron hutchcraft

title

Some years ago radio evangelist Charles E. Fuller announced that he would speak the following Sunday on "Heaven." It was to be broadcast on radio. During that week he received a letter from an elderly gentleman who was very ill.

Here is part of that letter: "Next Sunday you are going to talk about 'Heaven.' I am interested in that land because I have held a clear title to a bit of property there for over 55 years. I did not buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. But the donor purchased it for me at a tremendous sacrifice.

I am not holding it for speculation since the title is non-transferable. It is not a vacant lot. For more than a half-century I have been sending material out of which the greatest architect and builder of the universe has been building a home for me.  It will never need to be repaired because it will suit me perfectly, individually, and will never grow old.

Termites can never undermine its foundation for it rests upon the Rock of Ages. Fire cannot destroy it. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be placed upon its doors, for no vicious person can ever enter that land where my dwelling stands, now almost completed and ready for me to enter it and abide in peace eternally without fear of being ejected.

There is a valley of deep shadow between the place where I currently live and that to which I shall journey in a very short time. I can not reach my home in the City of God without passing through the dark valley of shadows. But I am not afraid, because the best friend that I have ever had went through the same valley alone, a long, long, time ago and drove away all the gloom. He has stuck by me through thick and thin since we first met and became acquainted 55 years ago, and I hold His promise in printed form, never to forsake me nor to leave me alone. He will be with me as I walk through the valley of shadows, and I shall not lose my way when He is with me.

I hope to hear your sermon on "Heaven" next Sunday from my home, but I have no assurance that I shall be able to do so. My ticket to heaven has no date marked for the journey... no return coupon... and no permit for baggage.  Yes, I am ready to go and may not be here while you are talking next Sunday, but I shall meet you there some day."  

chinese

Chinese is a language where pictograms are used to represent words. I have been told that the Chinese word for "holy" is a pictogram with three symbols representing "ear", "mouth", and "king".  So, the word "holy" in Chinese literally means "putting your ear next to the mouth of the king".

When I first read that, I thought, "Wow!"  Being holy isn't about cutting or not cutting your hair in a certain way, wearing particular kinds of clothes, or performing various rituals.  Being holy is simply a matter of listening to God. 

The Chinese word for "king" is composed of three parallel lines.  The top line represents heaven, the bottom line represents earth, and there is a middle line representing man.  Then a vertical line is drawn from the top line to the bottom line, cutting right through themiddle line.  The result is an image of a cross.  But wait, it gets better.  The literal translation of the word "king" is, "a man suspended between heaven and earth."

We have a King by the name of Jesus, a man suspended between heaven and earth for the sins of the world, who has left themessage of Good News for all men to read and understand. That is good news to really think about.

-glenn white

remember

"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 5:7-8

I have read that, back in the 19th century, when many people from Ireland were seeking passage to move to the New World, a young boy who didn't have the fare secretly boarded a ship as a stowaway. At sea the ship ran into an iceberg and began to sink. When theboy realized what was happening, he came out of hiding and rushed to the deck only to see the captain taking the last seat in the last lifeboat. In the tradition of the sea the captain got out of the lifeboat and gave his seat to the boy. The last thing the captain said to him was, "Never forget what's been done for you."

In the years ahead the boy grew up to be a very successful man. When asked what was the secret of his motivation, he said, "Whenever I begin to doubt myself or let up from what I ought to be doing, I always remember a captain standing on a deck and saying, 'Never forget what's been done for you.'"

May you and I never forget what Jesus Christ has done for us in giving his life on the cross in your place and mine to pay the penalty for all our sins, to grant us a full and free pardon, and to give us the gift of eternal life. May our manner of life and how we live for God and others be evidence of our heartfelt gratitude.

-dick innes

"I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!"  Isaiah 65:24 (NLT)

Literally, I had no agenda. True, many things had been on my mind. Several situations I'd been mulling over. A few people that had been especially on my heart. Some unresolved relationships that were sort of stewing in the back corners of my brain.

You know, just things... Things that are on our minds, yet unspoken. Things that are on our hearts, and not shared. God knows them all.  All.

So, I had no agenda when we went to this church for an evening service of refreshing and renewing. I just know that when there was a time to be quiet, to be still before the Lord, and this beautiful music was in the background, I began to zone out, let my mind wander.

As I sat there, just being thankful to be in the presence of the Lord, God began to speak softly to me. One by one, He spoke to theconcerns of my heart. I began to be aware that He was sharing with me direction and answers to these unspoken concerns.

Later, I thought about how amazing God is. Amazing God! Amazing grace! How good to remember that God knows our deepest needs and desires before they are even fully formed in our minds, or on our lips. And, that in His time, the perfect time, He will answer. Even if we have `no agenda'.

-sally kennedy

climbed

Jeffie was in his playpen and he was crying. Tears were rolling down his little cheeks, his face was red as it could be. He was crying, and he looked pitiful in his little baseball T-shirt and a diaper.

Then Jeffie's Grandpa entered the room; Jeffie's little face lit up when He saw his Grandpa!  He immediately reached out his little arms in supplication and said "Out Pa Pa out."  

 

What is a Grandpa to do? How can someone resist that?   So Grandpa went over to the playpen, he bent over. He reached down to lift his little buddy from captivity and distress... 

 

Just then "Law and Order" walked into the room. Momma said "Jeffie, you stay right there! I'm punishing you because you have been naughty! Dad, leave Jeffie alone!"

 

What's a Grandpa to do?   Grandpa backs off and is thinking, "I can't just pick up a book and read it with Jeffie here. He would think I was uncaring and distant. I can't leave the room because he would feel like I have abandoned him."  So, what's a Grandpa to do?

 

But you know what? Love always finds a way. Since Grandpa couldn't take Jeffie out of the playpen, Grandpa climbed in with Jeffie!   Grandpa said "If you are in the playpen buddy, I'm in the playpen too.  What are you in for? What is your sentence?"

 

Having Grandpa join him in his "prison cell" brought Jeffie great comfort and joy. In the midst of his captivity, Jeffie no longer felt so alone.

 

What Jeffie's Grandpa did is also a picture of what Jesus Christ did for us when He came to Earth as a baby.  God the Father yearned to reach down into our "playpen of captivity" and pull us out. He could not... because of our disobedience... because of our sin. So what did God do?  God climbed into our "playpen" with us!

 

When Jesus Christ entered into our "playpen of captivity," He took the sin and disobedience that should have been ours alone, releasing us from our captivity... allowing us the opportunity to experience the fullness of life God has for us!

 

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.   (1 John 4:10)

 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   (Romans 5:8) 

steps

God’s plan doesn’t require a drum roll or crashing cymbals. He doesn’t use neon signs blinking, “Get ready! Get ready! Today’s theday I do something big in your life!” That’s not His style. God works by simply stepping into an ordinary day and saying what He wants to say.

-charles swindoll

wait

Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried,

Quietly, patiently, lovingly God replied.

I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate,

And the Master so gently said, "Child, you must wait."

"Wait?  You say, wait! " my indignant reply.

"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!

Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?

By Faith, I have asked, and I am claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I can relate

Hangs in the balance, and YOU tell me to "WAIT"?

I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign,

Or even a 'no' to which I can resign.

And Lord, You promised that if we believe

We need but to ask, and we shall receive.

And Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:

I'm weary of asking!  I need a reply!

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate

As my Master said once again, "Child, you must wait."

So, I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut

And grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting... for what?"

He seemed, then, to kneel, and His eyes wept with mine,

And he tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.

I could shake the heavens, and darken the sun.

I could raise the dead, and cause mountains to run.

All you seek, I could give, and pleased you would be.

You would have what you want  -  But, you wouldn't know Me.

You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint;

You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair;

You'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there;

You'd not know the joy of resting in Me

When darkness and silence were all you could see.

You'd never experience that fullness of love

As the peace of My Spirit descends like a dove;

You'd know that I give and I save... (for a start),

But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,

The faith that I give when you walk without sight,

The depth that's beyond getting just what you asked

Of an infinite God, who makes what you have LAST.

You'd never know, should your pain quickly flee,

What it means that "My grace is sufficient for Thee."

Yes, your dreams for your loved one overnight would come true,

But, Oh, the Loss! If I lost what I'm doing in you!

So, be silent, My Child, and in time you will see

That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.

And though oft may My answers seem terribly late,

My most precious answer of all is still, "WAIT."

-russell kelfer

 

guilt

One of the greatest preachers who ever lived, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, called the "prince of preachers," loved to tell this story:

It seems there was a duke who once boarded a galley ship and went below to talk to the convicts manning the oars. When he asked several of them what their crimes were, almost every man claimed that he was innocent, blaming someone else, or even accused thejudge of taking a bribe.

There was one young man whose reply was different. He said. "I deserve to be here, sir. I stole some money. No one is at fault but me. I am guilty."

When the duke heard this he shouted, "You scoundrel, you!  What are you doing here among all these honest men? Get out of their company at once!" The duke ordered the young prisoner to be released.

So, the young man was set free, while the rest of the prisoners were left to continue to tug at the oars. The key to his freedom was his admission of guilt.

This is a picture of salvation. Until one is willing to admit, "I am a sinner in need of salvation," one cannot experience freedom from guilt and condemnation.

"God, have mercy on me, a sinner."  (Luke 18:13)

"Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3)

 

faith

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days." (Hebrews 11:30)

Prince Henry the Navigator of Portugal (1394-1460) never captained a ship or sailed on a voyage of exploration. He stayed home and read accounts of others who had. He thought about what they said and let his mind march around new theories about what the world must be like. He wondered and imagined, calculated and drew maps. Prince Henry died thirty years before Portuguese explorers were able to test his theories, but when they did, they brought back proof that he had been incredibly accurate. As a result, Portugal took the lead in world exploration for fully a hundred years. Other nations held back, making excuses about internal problems. Other explorers did not see the possibilities or worried about lack of money. They lacked faith to move past what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles.

To feel bound by perceived limits is so human, so common. A century ago there were predictions that no one could ever drive a car 60 miles per hour because the wind would suck one's breath away. In 1934 the track coach at the University of California laid out what he believed were the absolute limits of achievement in track and field events. All of them, of course, have long since been exceeded. High school athletes today are out-performing Olympic champions of a few decades ago. There appears to be no limit to how fast we can run, how far we can go, how high we can leap.

So we do well not to set limits on what we can do and become as children of God if we believe in the power of Christ within us. We do well not to minimize the potential of the people of God when we act in faith. Walls fall down. Families are transformed, communities changed.

When my two grandchildren blow out the candles on their birthday cakes each year and make their wishes, I make one of my own for them. My birthday wish for each is faith, the single quality that will guarantee him a successful life. Faith is simply trust that God is stronger than all the limitations, hurts, fears and problems they may face. I do not pray that they will have superior intellects or well-coordinated bodies. I am not concerned that they be popular or clever, blessed with talent or wealth. I care only that they will persist in faith toward the goals and dreams that God may give them - the Prince Henry's of their time.

"By faith walls fall down."

-dr michael halleen

answer

Why are so many "believers" content to live a life of mediocrity in Christ - a life partially devoted to following God and partially devoted to following the ways of the world? Without question, some have only put on the face of a Christian and have never given their heart to God through a saving faith in Jesus Christ. But others are true believers in desperate need of a spiritual kick in the pants!

Paul's letters comprise much of the New Testament. They were written to give instruction on the Christian faith and to encourage perseverance through times of testing. Paul often wrote of the simplicity of the gospel message; "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). But he also wrote to encourage those who truly put their faith in Jesus to live a life of service, holiness, and unity.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we begin a new life. We are set free from the bondage of sin (Romans 6:22) and are called to follow Christ as we are conformed to His image (Romans 8:29). But Paul saw many believers sitting on the sidelines of the Christian life; "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" (Ephesians 4:1).

Paul gives encouragement by "urging" a life worthy of Salvation. This has nothing to do with earning our way to Heaven; rather, we are encouraged to live in holy thankfulness for the gift we have received. The word Paul uses for urge can also be translated as beseech, beg, implore, exhort, or challenge. He's not giving a gentle pat on the back which says, "You're doing well, keep running a good race." Rather, Paul is presenting a firm challenge to draw nearer to God and give our lives more fully to Him. Paul uses the same word in his letter to the Romans.

Romans 12:1

"Therefore, I urge {beg, implore, exhort, and challenge} you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship."

We have been set free and made new! We are a new creation and CANNOT continue to walk with one foot on God's path and the other being allowed to tiptoe along worldly desires. These simply have no place in the life of a worshipper of the One True God!

Today, we are being urged (challenged) to trust God more; to talk with Him more and seek His presence more diligently; to not get pulled away by the lies of the world! We are being challenged to love Him with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength (Mark 12:30). As we face this day with its multitude of struggles, let's live a life worthy of the calling we have received and forevermore answer the challenge!

-steve troxel

gear

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned 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 me having to push it back into thedriveway.  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 to 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 control but leaving my life in gear.  By doing so, I'm in a sense, 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 miller 

his

There is a story that comes out of the Bedouin culture. "Bedouin" is the Aramaic name for "desert dwellers." These people live much as the characters of the Old Testament did. During a heated argument, according to this story, a young Bedouin struck and killed a friend of his. Knowing the ancient, inflexible customs of his people, the young man fled, running across the desert under the cover of darkness, seeking safety.

He went to the black tent of the tribal chief in order to seek his protection. The old chief took the young Arab in. The chief assured him that he would be safe until the matter could be settled legally.

The next day, the young man's pursuers arrived, demanding the murderer be turned over to them. They would see that justice would prevail in their own way. "But I have given my word," protested the chief.

"But you don't know whom he killed!" they countered.

"I have given my word," the chief repeated.

"He killed your son!" one of them blurted out. The chief was deeply and visibly shaken with his news. He stood speechless with his head bowed for a long time. The accused and the accusers as well as curious onlookers waited breathlessly. What would happen to the young man? Finally the old man raised his head. "Then he shall become my son," he informed them, "and everything I have will one day be his."

The young man certainly didn't deserve such generosity. And that, of course, is the point. Love in its purest form is beyond comprehension. No one can merit it. It is freely given. It is agape, the love of God. Look to the cross. At the cross we encounter love in its purest form.

-king duncan

shift

"Behold, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who by night stand in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in thesanctuary, and bless the Lord. The Lord that made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion." (Psalm 134:1-3)

Years ago when I was attending seminary, I worked the night shift on occasion. It paid a little more money than the day shift, but I was a bit lonely. If you've ever had to work the night shift, you will appreciate Psalm 134.

God never slumbers or sleeps. Therefore, we can serve and praise Him any time of day. The psalmist says there were priests who prayed and praised God in His temple at night. There was a constant repetition of praise and prayer from the temple.

We can bless the Lord in the night seasons. It's not easy when we are going through the nighttime experiences of life to lift our hands and bless the Lord. But He does give us songs in the night. Paul and Silas were able to lift their hearts in praise to God while in thePhilippian jail (Acts 16).

They were on the night shift. They knew that God was awake, so they blessed Him, and He sent deliverance. We can get some strange blessings in the night seasons, for God speaks to us in different ways. Others may not see your praise at night, but God sees and hears.

Whether you are in the sunshine or in the darkness, whether you are serving on the day shift or the night shift, remember that you are serving the Lord. Because He never slumbers or sleeps, He hears your prayer and praise at all times, and He will bless you.

-steve blair