.....entrepreneurial

When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord's anger burned against Uzzah, and He struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark... 1 Chronicles 13:9-10

There are good things we can do, but only God-things we should do. Those activities not born out of the Spirit will result in wood, hay, and stubble. What seems good in our eyes may be an abomination in God's eyes. For instance, if you decide to build an orphanage but God has never directed you to do so, then God will not see that work as good; it was born out of your own strength, even though it was a "good work."

The most difficult challenge a Christian workplace believer will ever have is to know what things to be involved in and what things not to be involved in. Many workplace believers have a great ability to see opportunity. What appears to be a "slam dunk" may come back to haunt us if God never ordains us to enter that arena. There are many good things we can be involved with. However, there are God-things we are supposed to be involved with. 

Uzzah was a good man in David's sight. It was a time of celebration, and David and the people were transporting the ark of God. However, the ark hit a bump, and Uzzah reached for the ark to hold it steady. He touched the ark, and he immediately died. 

David became very upset with God about this situation; he questioned whether he could serve God.

God's ways are not our ways. The most important quality God desires to develop in us is our dependence on Him and Him alone. When we begin to make decisions based on reason and analysis instead of the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, we get into trouble with God. David later learned the importance of this principle in his own life. This encounter was one of the stepping-stones in his pilgrimage. David was an extraordinary entrepreneur. He ran the nation very successfully, but he, like each of us, had to learn the difference between "good things" and "God-things."

Are you involved in anything in which God has not directed you to be involved? 

Do you seek God about every decision, every action before you take it? 

This is where God wants you and me to be. Ask Him to show you how to walk with Him in this way. 

-omar s hillman

......still

God is present everywhere and participates in all the circumstances of our lives. It is not necessary to shut down the rest of your life or retreat to a distant mountaintop to be with him. Driving down the highway, in hospital waiting rooms, at dinner, greeting clients - God's presence fills every moment of the day.

We can't fix ourselves. We can't find our own way. We certainly can't control life's twists and turns. But we can gradually learn to sense God's presence with us in all things. His love - and His peace. But I must confess to having a problem doing it.

As I've tried to figure out why I have the problem, at least this much is clear: I am more comfortable with noise than silence, with activity than stillness, with struggling than surrender, with trying to be strong than admitting my weakness.

It was the French philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal who said, "All human miseries come from not being able to sit in a quiet room, alone."  Could he possibly be right?  Do we humans need more reflection than we permit ourselves?  Time to take our thoughts and feelings seriously?  The courage to bring them honestly before God to see what he may want us to learn?  To be?

Last week I was forced to sit still in weather-bound traffic for a while. I had a schedule.  There were things to do. So... something told me to pray instead of churn. And I did -- about a host of things. The time passed quickly. When I was able to get going on the road again, there was no haste or panic. Just gratitude for an unanticipated time for prayer.  And a sense of peace about what lay ahead.

Perhaps it would be wise to book a half-day each month for silence before God. To use dead time in airports to be alone with God. To turn off the noise of an FM radio or Ipod for the chance to hear God while driving to work.

Perhaps you live at such a hurried pace that a half day or even a half hour of silence with God seems impractical. For today, put just five minutes of silence between appointments or work two five-minute periods of quiet into your morning.

At the end of the day, you may have discovered the meaning of this text from Scripture: "Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the nations.  I will be exalted in the earth.  The Lord of Hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge" Psalm 46:10-11

-steve blair

.....source

After that, God answered prayer in behalf of the land. 2 Samuel 21:14

During the reign of David, there was a famine in the land for three successive years. So David sought the Lord regarding this famine, "Why is there famine on this land?" The Lord answered David, "It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death" 2 Sam. 21:1.

Years earlier, Joshua made a peace treaty with the Gibeonites. This, too, was an act of disobedience. When God called Israel to come into the Promised Land, they were to destroy all the enemies of God. Joshua failed to see through the ruse of deception when the Gibeonites portrayed themselves as travelers. The Israelites signed a peace treaty only to discover who the Gibeonites were after the fact. Now, they had to honor the treaty. However, this led to intermarriages and much sorrow for Israel. Years later, Saul made a decision to kill the Gibeonites.

The nation was now receiving the punishment for their sin of disobedience through a famine. David knew that famines could have a spiritual source, so he inquired of God and God answered. The source was Saul's murder of the Gibeonites. Once David knew the source of the problem, he took action. He repented on behalf of the nation and made restitution. The famine was then lifted.

Do you have a problem that seems to be a continually unresolved issue? 

Have you asked God to tell you the reason for the problem? 

It may have a spiritual root that is still unresolved with God. 

He may be allowing this pressure to bring attention to an issue He wants you to take care of. Ask the Lord today to give you revelation on your problem. As a loving Father, He desires to make known anything that stands in the way of fellowship between you and Him. However, His righteousness must always be upheld. 

-omar s hillman

.....thinking

..."Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6

God's people should be the most positive, joyful people on earth. This joy should be a by product of a healthy, intimate relationship with Jesus. In today's business climate, we are barraged with every possible means of becoming more productive workplace believers. Positive thinking and self-help philosophy are promoted as tools for workplace believers to fulfill their potential and overcome the mountains in their lives. 

God calls each of us to be visionary leaders, but we must be careful that vision is born out of His Spirit, not the latest self-help program. These ideas lead us away from dependence on God to a self-based psychology designed to give us more power, prosperity, and significance.

The result is heresy. 

Our faith in God becomes faith in faith. It is born out of hard work and diligence rather than obedience to God's Spirit. The problem lies in that these philosophies sound good, and can even be supported by Bible verses. Beware of anything that puts the burden of performance on you rather than God. 

There are times in our lives when God doesn't want us to climb every mountain. Sometimes He wants us to go around. Knowing the difference is the key to being a man or woman led by the Spirit.

God has called us to affect the workplace through His Spirit, not by our might. Have you tapped into the real power source of the soul? Ask the Lord to reveal and empower you through His Spirit today. Then you will know what real positive thinking is.  

-omar s hillman

......breaks

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Matthew 9:35-36

With all that has been on the news lately, I find myself overwhelmed with feelings. I've been trying to think about what to say about it all. The situation is just devastating and there are plenty of opinions as to what we should or shouldn't do next, but instead of adding to the noise, I want to take a moment to hear God in the midst of it.

It is hard to see what is happening around the world and feeling like there is so little I can do to help. All the lives lost, the violence, the desperation, the grief… I asked the Lord "What can I do?!" That's when the words, "break my heart for what breaks yours" came to mind. I had previously heard those words sung by Hillsong in their song "Hosanna" and as I was talking to the Lord, he brought them to memory.

In the above verse, we see Jesus' heart. He had compassion on the crowds because they were confused and helpless… much like what I see on the news these days. I may not be able to personally be with every person who is suffering, but Jesus is already there! When we truly understand Jesus' heart, we can pray more effectively for others. We can intercede on their behalf to our Heavenly Father who is in all places. We can come to a place where our personal opinions don't matter as much as the connection we can have with Jesus as we ask Him to break our hearts for what breaks His. Many times, praying in accordance with the heart of God is the most powerful thing you and I can do to help our hurting world.

Dear God, I don't know where to begin, but coming before you is always the best place to start. So much loss, tragedy, pain. I pray that my heart would break for the things that break your heart. I pray that you would fill me with compassion for others regardless of personal opinions. Please show me the next steps, whether big or small, on how I can be your hands and feet in our hurting world. Please provide comfort and peace to the many families who are grieving and suffering. Help me to love my neighbor, both next door and around the world. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer, in Jesus' name.

-dick innes

....others

And David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that his kingdom had been highly exalted for the sake of His people Israel. 1 Chronicles 14:2

King David learned an important lesson every leader must learn if he is to ensure God's continual blessing. He knew why God blessed him. It wasn't because he deserved it, though he was a man who sought God with his whole heart. It wasn't because of his great skill, though he was a great military strategist. It wasn't because he was perfect, for he committed some horrible sins during his reign as king. No, it was for none of these reasons. 

God blessed David for the "sake of His people Israel." God never blesses an individual just for that person's exclusive benefit. God calls each of us to be a blessing to others. So often we forget this last part. R.G. LeTourneau, a businessman who built heavy construction equipment, came to realize this only after God took him through many trials. 

Once the Lord had all of LeTourneau, he came to realize that the question wasn't whether he gave 10 percent of what the Lord gave him. Rather, the question was, "What amount does He want me to keep?" 

LeTourneau was known for giving 90 percent of his income toward the end of his career and was a great supporter of world missions. But the Lord doesn't bless workplace believers just for the ability to give financially. God has given workplace believers many more gifts beyond the financial.

What is happening with the spiritual fruit of God's blessing on your life? Is it clogged, or is it freely flowing to others? Ask the Lord to free you to be a blessing to those in your circle of influence

-omar s hillman

guarantee

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."  Ephesians 1:13

The transaction of redemption is legitimized when Paul says in Ephesians 1:13 that believers are "sealed with the promised Holy Spirit" . 

In Paul's time, a seal was used to confirm that an object or a document was genuine and/or to mark a thing as one's property. 

The Holy Spirit is a deposit or payment of earnest money guaranteeing the inheritance promised by God. The Spirit is our down payment, the first installment made in advance, that secures the "legal" claim of our redemption.

When all seems lost. . . when it seems that God is silent. . . when it looks like God has disappeared. . . remember, God has not forsaken you. Jesus Christ died for you. The Holy Spirit secures God's payment in your relationship with Him. 

Read the Truth - Cling to the Truth - and Trust God! 

-dave langerfeld

.....miracles

With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the Lord touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the Lord disappeared." Judges 6:21

How does God call people into His service? There is a clear pattern in the way God calls men and women into service for Him. Almost every major leader has been called while he or she was in the midst of performing his or her everyday vocation. Peter was a fisherman; Matthew, a tax collector; Luke, a physician; Paul, a tentmaker; Moses, a shepherd; Jesus, a carpenter; and so on.

When God called Gideon to free the people of Israel from the oppression of the Amalekites, he did so while Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress. Like Moses, Gideon argued with God, saying his family was nothing special, so how could he be used of God to save Israel? Gideon acknowledged God by preparing an offering to Him. The angel did an interesting thing with Gideon's offering; he took the tip of his staff and touched the meat and the unleavened bread. 

Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. As with Moses, God chose to do a miracle with a staff, the instrument that symbolized Gideon's work life. Why would God do this? It is because God wants us to know that the tools He has given each of us are the tools He wants to use to demonstrate His power. However, in order for that to happen, we must yield our tools to Him for miracles to be manifested through them.

Have you yielded your tools to the Lord? God wants you to have an overriding ministry objective to your work life. He doesn't want you to leave your work; He wants to work through your work. Allow Him to do that today.

- os hillman

.....where

Hurricanes are causing heavy rains, wind, and a lot of flooding across the country.  Where does all that water go?  When there's a flash flood, or a super heavy rain, where does ALL of that water go?  Some evaporates into the atmosphere, and creates moisture in the air we need to breathe, along with plants and animals.  Most runs off and seeps into the earth.

When we flood ourselves with the Word of God, when we soak and saturate our minds and hearts with thoughts and messages from the Lord, it is the same. Some of it evaporates into the sphere of our relationships;  other people absorb and breathe it in, and it nourishes them.  

Most of it works its way deep down into our spirits, to give drink to our spiritual roots and to sustain us in dry times.

Isaiah 55:10-11 says, "As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Thank you, Lord, your living water always goes somewhere!

-dave langerfeld

name

These were the chiefs among Esau's descendants: The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: Chiefs Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz. Genesis 36:15

God is big on giving meaning to names. Names often are specific indicators of God's plans and purposes for that individual. A young boy grew up as Moses' servant. His Hebrew name, Hoshea, means "salvation." As the lad grew, Moses could see that he had a "different spirit" from the rest of the Hebrew men. He was selected to be one of the 12 men whom Moses chose to spy out the land of Canaan. Before the expedition, Hoshea was given a new name by Moses-Joshua, which means "the Lord saves." Joshua became the new leader of Israel who would lead them into the Promised Land. He would, in fact, save an entire nation. 

In my own journey I had learned that God gave me a name that had something to do with my future call from Him. I was 44 years old and had just gone through two of the most difficult years of my life. During that time, God brought a man into my life who discipled me in areas where I had never been trained. I was discovering many new spiritual truths about myself and Christians in the workplace. I came to identify with the struggles of Esau and Joseph in their desire to understand their own birthrights. I began to write about these discoveries to help other workplace believers understand their own callings through business. One morning on a weekend getaway in the mountains, my friend looked at me and said, "Do you know the meaning of 'Omar'?"

Omar is my first name. My real name is Omar Smallwood Hillman III.  No one, not even my mother, knew the origin of "Omar." They put the "O" and the "S" together to call me "Os." "You need to know the meaning of 'Omar.' It has something to do with your future," said my friend.

Startled by his assertion, that night I looked up the name of "Omar" on a computer program. Here is what I found: Arabic for "first son" and "disciple," Hebrew for "gifted speaker," and German for "famous." Rooted in the Middle East, this name is rarely used in the West. Omar was the grandson of Esau. [http://www.babyhold.com/]

I was shocked. I had just completed 300 pages of material on the relationship of Christian businessmen to the life of Esau. My friend quickly concluded that God had called me to free Christian businessmen and women from the "Esau life." And He had allowed me to receive a name that related to the person of Esau. It was the closest thing to a burning bush experience I'd ever had. Could the Lord be this personal with us? Yes, Matthew 10:30 tells us He knows the very hairs of our head. 

......lost

Leith Anderson shared a story about when he was a boy. He grew up outside of New York City and was an avid fan of the old Brooklyn Dodgers.  One day, his father took him to a World Series game between the Dodgers and the Yankees. He was so excited, and he just knew the Dodgers would trounce the Yankees. Unfortunately, not a single Dodger ever got on base and his excitement was shattered.

Years later, he was engrossed in a conversation with a man who was a walking sports almanac. Leith told him about the first major league game he attended and added, "It was such a disappointment. I was a Dodger fan and the Dodgers never got on base."

The man said, "You were there? You were at the game when Don Larsen pitched the first perfect game in all of World Series history?"Leith replied, "Yeah, but uh, we lost."

He then realized that he had been so caught up in his team's defeat that he missed out on the fact that he was a witness to a far greater page of history.

"You were there?"

I wonder how often the same thing happens to us. We get so caught up in the "defeats" in our lives -- the times when things don't turn out the way we want them to. So we're depressed because an illness continues to linger, or when people don't treat us the way we think they ought to, or when we face financial difficulties.

But, we are often so blinded by the pain and disappointment of our "defeat" that we fail to appreciate the fact that we might be witness to something far greater that God is doing in our lives.

Remember when Paul was in prison? He wrote to the Christians in Philippi: "My dear friends, I want you to know that what has happened to me has helped to spread the good news."  Philippians 1:12

While most of us would have focused on the "defeat" (being in prison even though he was innocent), Paul was able to see what God was doing in his life... It's never easy to view things from a heavenly perspective rather than an earthly one, but it is especially difficult in the midst of pain and defeat. But it is learning how to have a heavenly view that helps us to know joy no matter what happens in our lives.

-dave langerfeld 

......cocoon

The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. Exodus 14:8

Overprotective parents do their children a great injustice. The caterpillar that lies inside the cocoon will never become the beautiful butterfly if someone cuts open the cocoon prematurely. It is the struggle itself that allows the butterfly to emerge as a strong, new creature of nature.

God understands how necessary this process is. That is why we are allowed to experience difficult, often life-changing events. He even orchestrates them-all for our benefit. What the Israelites thought was a cruel joke when Pharaoh sent troops to pursue them after they had been freed and penned against the shore of the Red Sea became the stage for the most publicized miracle of all time-the parting of the Red Sea. 

Generation after generation has heard this incredible story of deliverance. God puts us against the "Red Seas" in order to show His power in and through us. If we do not know God can deliver, then we can never learn to trust Him. Circumstances that go beyond our capabilities of solving them place us at God's complete mercy. This is how He likes it.

Do not fear the calamity that comes your way. If you are faithful to Him in the test, you will see God's power manifested like never before. Just as the Israelites were able to sing a song of deliverance, you too will have your own testimony of the Lord's faithfulness; and you will be able to recall it for others to build your faith and theirs.

-os hillman

interested

Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you.  1 Peter 5:7

So nobody seemed to care if you changed jobs or not. And nobody said much to affirm your new project venture. As you poured out your feelings in what you thought was a safe place, you found she wasn’t all that interested. He is interested.

Maybe there weren't many calls or notes from people who commented on your promotion, or sympathized in the loss of a family member, showed concern for a recent illness, or even remembered your birthday. Perhaps they are too busy or maybe they don’t care enough to make it a priority. And when you were sharing from a gut level about the childhood hurt that God's healing, and there was no feedback or affirmation.

But He’s interested.

Got is interested in everything going on with you. Everything you think, everything you say, everywhere you go, everything you do, everything and everyone you are involved with. Jesus is the friend who ‘sticks closer than a brother’.

If you would like a relationship with somebody who cares - and is interested in you all the time- there you have it, anytime you want. How awesome is that?!

Have you ever heard the saying if you feel far from God, guess who moved? He is faithful. You can count on him to be interested in every single solitary thing going on with you and in your life. Always.

The Lord himself watches over you! Psalm 121:5

-sally i kennedy

....trust

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 1 Corinthians 14:15

How real is the spiritual realm? My lawyer friend from Nigeria tells a personal story of how he was preparing for an important case. He knew that he must be prepared to argue five separate points. He was to appear before his country's supreme court, so it was a very important case.

As he neared the time in which he was to go to court, he began to pray about how he was to argue the case. He spent much time in legal preparation and intercessory prayer. As he went to court, the Spirit spoke to him and said, "Do not argue point one, point two, point three, or point four. Only argue point five." Imagine my friend's struggle of faith. If he were reading this wrong, the shame and professional fallout would be devastating.

The time had come to present the case before the judge when my friend said, "Judge, I wish to withdraw points one through four. I wish to argue only point five." The opposing counsel stood up and objected. "Your honor, he cannot do that!" "Objection overruled, counsel," said the judge.

My friend went on to present his case around point five only, and then sat down. When the opposing counsel stood to present his case, he stood speechless for 12 minutes. He could not get a word out of his mouth. He finally mumbled a few words and complained to the judge that he was going to have to yield. It seems that the opposing counsel had prepared to argue only points one through four, but failed to prepare for point five. The judge ruled in favor of my friend.

The unseen Lord wants to help us in the physical realm of our work life. We must acknowledge His presence and tap into this incredible resource He has given to each of us. Seek Him today and ask Him to reveal His perfect plan for you this day.

-os hillman

....don't

Then Moses said to him, 'If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. Exodus 33:15

Moses was in the middle of his journey through the wilderness, leading the people of Israel out of Egypt. The people had just sinned by worshiping the golden calf. Moses interceded for them and God spared them their lives. 

Moses then talked one on one with the Lord. He knew he could not lead this stubborn people without God's presence. He had come to realize that without God's presence, he could not do anything. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? Exodus 33:16

Moses did not want to move farther without the assurance that God was moving with him. He knew it was a life-and-death situation. He sought the Lord with his whole heart on this one matter.

The question is a good one. If we are to be effective in anything we do for the Lord, the Lord must be in the midst of it. Unless the Lord's power is seen among us, we will be just another person who has religion. 

Unless we manifest His life to others, they will see only good behavior that is easily counterfeited by moral people. Moving out in presumption will end in failure and frustration. 

Ask the Lord today to assure you of His presence and power in your activities. Then you will be assured that you will be distinguished among all the other people on the face of the earth.

-os hillman

.....shelter

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty Psalm 91:1

As we observe the 20th anniversary of 9/11, many of us can remember that day so clearly. We can visualize where we were and recall what we were doing when we stopped to watch our televisions. In stunned silence, we witnessed the first, and then the second, tower of the World Trade Center collapse in a heap of rubble.

In the forefront of our minds was the shock of Is this really happening? But in the background was the disquiet of What does this mean for the future? The realization that our borders were not impenetrable, our defenses were not impregnable, and our nation was not invulnerable was an eye-opening experience for many of us.

I visited what was being called “Ground Zero” only days after this horrific and senseless attack. I stood in absolute amazement at the spot where the mighty twin towers of the World Trade Center once stood and watched the smoke billow from the mass of destruction. It was all so surreal and incredibly sad.

On September 11, 2001, God allowed in the life of a nation what He so often allows in the lives of individuals: tragedy. I wish I could tell you that tragedy only strikes in the life of the godless, but we know the godly also suffer. Why does God allow tragedy?

Of course, there are no easy answers to this question. But I do believe that one reason is because suffering peels away the veneer of self-sufficiency in our lives. It melts away the pretense that we don’t need help. It reminds us that we need God. C. S. Lewis wrote, “Pain removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of a rebel soul.”

It may come as a surprise to some people that the Bible does not promise a life that is free from suffering. But it does promise the presence of God for the person who believes. The Bible promises that God will help us through that suffering if we allow Him to.

Thinking back to the events of 9/11 and the days that followed, we were barely beginning to understand that a whole new kind of battle had begun. It was at that time that the phrase “War on Terror” was coined. More than a military conflict, though it includes that, the war we now face is a war of ideas, a war of beliefs. 

You see, fear is what gives terrorism its teeth. And today, we have no shortage of things to fear: The fear of suffering, the fear of death, the fear of an uncertain future—all these dissipate when we turn our focus to God. The Bible says that perfect love casts out fear and that God is this perfect love. God removed the sting of death and gained victory over the terror of the grave more than 2,000 years ago when He sent His Son to die on the cross.

Let me direct your attention to another “911” that our country can turn to in times of urgency: Psalm 91:1, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty”. The psalmist goes on to say, “He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust him" 

May we, as a nation, find safety and refuge in the shelter of the Almighty as we trust in Him.

And let’s not forget to pray for the comfort of those who lost loved ones 20 years ago.

-greg laurie

.....opportunity

In 1967, the Green Bay Packers were playing the Dallas Cowboys in Green Bay for the right to represent the National Football League in only the second Super Bowl to be played. The weather conditions through the game were so severe that the game has come to be known as "The Ice Bowl." When the game began, it was 15 below with a minus-49 wind chill. The teams battled back and forth, somehow managing to push each other up and down the field. As the game was nearing the end, the temperature had dropped to 17 below and a minus-57 wind chill.

But that game became famous not just because of the cold. The Green Bay Packers' right guard, Jerry Kramer, had been studying films of the Dallas Cowboys games, and he had noticed that the man he would be facing on the other side of the ball tended to be off-balance when he first rose up from his position.

With only sixteen seconds left in the game, Dallas was leading 17-14, but the Packers were threatening to score. Now was the opportunity for Kramer to use what he knew about the opposing lineman. When the play was called, Kramer pushed that opponent aside, wedging an opening for Bart Starr to sneak into the end zone for a touchdown. Jerry Kramer took advantage of his opportunity, and Bart Starr took advantage of his opportunity, and the Green Bay Packers won 21-17.

How many times through our lives does the opportunity open up in front of us like that? And they are so much more important than a football game!  How many times in a single day do you and I have the opportunity for doing something good, to encourage someone, to represent Christ, to speak to others of their eternal destiny?

 

The idea behind these words is that every time we can do something good, we should. But recognizing the opportunities with godly wisdom requires that we look for them. They are not always going to just fall into our laps. If we are going to wisely use the time we have remaining, we should be looking for opportunities to serve God and serve others. 

Our churches should see every occasion as a perfect opportunity to serve His Kingdom. We as individual believers should be looking for opportunities. And it's not just so we can take advantage of them. It is primarily so we can be obedient to Scripture, and to present our lives as living sacrifices to the Lord Jesus Christ.

-rocky henriques

....way

If My people would but listen to Me.... Psalm 81:13

God has a specific training ground for leaders. There are three patterns of preparation that have been common among most of God's leaders. First, there is a time when the leader is separated from his old life. Consider Moses, Joseph, Abraham, and Paul. In order for God to mold and shape them into His nature, it appears that He had to remove them from the life of comfort. A teacher once said, "You cannot go with God and remain where you are."

Next, there is usually a time of solitude. God often brings leaders into a time of solitude in order to speak to them without other distractions. Hosea 2:14 says, "I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her." Paul was sent to Arabia for two years for a time of solitude. Joseph spent years in the solitude of prison. Moses spent 40 years in the desert herding sheep.

The third characteristic of God's preparation for leaders is discomfort. The setting in which the preparation takes place usually is not a place of comfort. Abraham traveled through the difficult deserts. David lived in caves fleeing Saul. Paul was frequently persecuted.

Are you ready for the classroom of leadership preparation? If God chooses to bring you into this class, you may have one of three reactions to the events. 

1. You may say, "I don't need it." Perhaps you know intellectually that you do need this, but God wants you to know it in your heart. Pride prevents us from entering this classroom. 
2. The second reaction may be, "I'm tired of it." You decide you've had enough. If so, this will disqualify you from leadership. 
3. God's desired response from us in this preparation is, "I accept it." To accept it with joy is the place of maturity in Christ. 
4. God often keeps us in these places until we come to accept and agree that Jesus is enough. Is He all you need? 

Like the people of Israel, I think we have something to do with the timetable of our education. "If My people would but listen to Me, if Israel would follow My ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!" Ps. 81:13-14

Are you ready for the process required for being a godly leader? Ask for His grace to willingly embrace these times of preparation. 

-os hillman

....knocking

A young man who was an All-American football player in college went back to his alma mater as an assistant coach. One of his main responsibilities in his new job would be to go out and scout and recruit players for his college team.

Before he made his first recruiting trip, he went in to visit with the head coach, the same coach for whom he had played when he was there in college some years before. The head coach was a crusty old veteran. He had held that position as head coach for many years, was widely known and highly respected all across the country. The new young coach said to him, "Coach, I'm about to head out on my first recruiting trip, but before I go I want to be sure that we are on the same page. Tell me, Coach, what kind of player do you want me to recruit?"

The crusty old head coach leaned back in his chair. He looked the young coach straight in the eyes and said: "Son, I've been at this job a long time and over the years I have noticed that there are several different kinds of players. For example," he said, "you will find some players who get knocked down and they stay down. That's not the kind we want!"

And he said, "You will find some players who get knocked down and they will get right back up and get knocked down again and then they stay down. That's not the kind we want!"

And then the old coach said, "But you will also find some other players who get knocked down and knocked down and knocked down, and every time they get knocked down, they get right back up!"

At this point, the young coach got excited and he said, "Now, that's the kind of player we want, isn't it, Coach?"

"No!" said the old head coach. "We want the one doing all that knocking down!!"

Yes, we are called to be strong and to stand firm and to get back up when were been knocked down - and we commend people like that for being for being people of great faith. We must also remember that we in the church are called to knock down walls of hate and hostility and unforgiveness - and to build bridges of love and reconciliation.

"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility." Ephesians 2:14

-dave langerfeld

....tears

My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death Mt 26:38

Often the place of our greatest pain becomes the place of our greatest triumph. Gethsemane was the place of Jesus' greatest trial. Three times He asked the Father to let this trial pass. It was not to be. The Father sent His Son to the cross to pay a debt owed by humanity.

Jesus was faced with His own temptation to quit, to not fulfill His destiny, to run from his assignment. It was a personal battle to persevere. Sometimes we face situations that cry out "Quit! I cannot endure anymore!" We want to throw in our towel of what little faith we have left. We conclude that this faith thing simply does not work.

Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him Lk 22:43. After Jesus asked the Father if this cup could pass, an angel was sent to Him to comfort Jesus. The Father's answer to Jesus' prayer was "No." But, His compassion to His Son came in the form of an angel. 

Some temptations seem they are more than we can bare. However, God tells us: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" 1 Cor 10:13.

If we persevere we often realize later the place of our greatest battle becomes the place of our greatest victory. It would be here, on the Mount of Olives, near the Garden Gethsemane where Jesus ascended and would return triumphantly, not as a sorrowful soul, but a triumphant Savior. The battle He won in Gethsemane would result in the triumphant entry to be Lord of the universe.

God will use your greatest failure or greatest sorrow to be a powerful force in your life and the lives of others. Your Valley of Baca (weeping) becomes springs for you and others. You will go from strength to strength Ps 84:6. It is in the dying that the new springs are allowed to come forth and a new strength emerges.

If you find yourself in your Garden of Gethsemane, lay yourself at the feet of the only one who can sustain you. Entrust yourself to your Heavenly Father. Let Him determine your fate. It will ultimately become a place of victory.

-os hillman