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Daily devotionals for spiritual growth
1. A Collection of Inspirational Devotions, Spiritual Study
Lessons, & Mini Sermons
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Author: Various Edited by Lela Thomas 2013-2014
In efforts of establishing a closer walk
with God, I have compiled this booklet
to serve as a resourceful tool that will
help myself as well as others gain a
quick; yet, in-depth revelation of Godâs
unyielding word. Here, you will discover
the key principles that God wants us to
grasp and practice in our everyday walk
towards greatness. I hope that this word
blesses you as much as it has blessed
me! âLela M. Thomas
EDITORâS NOTE
2. 1
Spiritual Warfare (1)
âThe weapons we fight withâŠdemolish strongholds.â 2Co 10:4 NIV
In Bible times when an attack was launched against a city, a first strategy was to bring in a battering ram,
demolish the gates and defeat the inhabitants. Today you are at war with Satan! Only when you
recognize that, is victory possible. And the good news is, âThe weapons we fight withâŠhaveâŠpower to
demolish strongholds.â But you must âPut on the whole armor of Godâ (Eph 6:11 NKJV). Itâs not
something you pick up and wear when you feel like it. And youâve got to keep it on, because the Enemy
never lets up. He wants you to think heâs equal with God. Heâs not! God is omnipotent, omniscient, and
omnipresent; He can do anything, anywhere, anytime. No question, Satan is a formidable foe, but there
are limits on what heâs permitted to do (See Job 1:12). Your mind is command central; itâs where victory
or defeat is decided. Paul told the Corinthians, âI fear, lestâŠyour mindsâŠbe corruptedâ (2Co 11:3 NKJV).
Satan knows Christâs return is imminent and heâs ratcheting up the opposition (See Rev 12:12). The way
you win the battle is through: (1) Praise, the garment that protects you (See Isa 61:3). (2) Abiding in
Christ, your source of spiritual growth and fruitfulnessâ (See Jn 15:8-10). (3) Godâs Word. It is
âlivingâŠactiveâŠsharper than any two-edged swordâ (Heb 4:12 NAS), and itâs designed to defeat the
Enemy. When Satan comes against you, combat his lies with what God says. (4) Walking in love toward
others. Itâs impossible to be victorious when youâre wrapped up in yourself.
Spiritual Warfare (2)
âOur struggle isâŠagainstâŠspiritual forces.â Eph 6:12 NAS
When the first plane hit the World Trade Center we thought it was accidental. When another plane hit
it, we knew we were under attack. Dr. Robert Jeffress says: âKnowing the source of the problem is
crucialâŠa navigational accident demands one response. A hostile strike requires a completely different
strategy. Every day our world is invaded by what we consider random events. Couples divorce, so we
develop marriage enrichment seminars; drug use increases, so we educate our children to âjust say no;â
pornography among Christians rises, so we organize accountability groups; churches threaten to split, so
we hire arbitrators to help with conflict resolution; Christians battle depression and suicidal thoughts, so
we medicate them with the latest drugs. Please understand, Iâm all for [such programs], but what if the
source is more than random events and weâre under Enemy attack? Would we change our strategy?
Through Scripture we discover thereâs an unseen world and itâs at war. Paul writes: âOur struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but againstâŠspiritual forces of wickedness.â You canât just shrug your shoulders
and say, âI donât have a dog in that fight.â Youâre living in the crossfire of this spiritual warâŠthe Enemyâs
determined to destroy everything and everyone important to you. And those who dismiss such words as
being over the topâdo so to their own detriment. Martin Lloyd Jones said, âNot to realize youâre in a
conflict, means youâre so hopelessly defeated and you donât even know it.â Weâre in a very real war, the
stakes are high, the enemy skilled, armed, and determined. The possibility of losingâŠis real. You must be
aware of whatâs happening and be prepared to fight.â
3. 2
Spiritual Warfare (3)
âThe Lord disciplines those he loves.â Hebrews 12:6 NLT
Itâs important to know when youâre under attackâand when youâre not. One writer says: âThereâs a
tendency among Christians to view anything unpleasant as spiritual warfare, rather than admit weâre
reaping what weâve sown. For example, if youâve neglected your role as spiritual teacher to your
children, God may let them fall into sin. If youâve been dishonest, He may let you face the consequences.
âThe Lord disciplines those He loves.â It would be foolish to ask Him to ease your discomfort when Heâs
disciplining you to get your attention. How tragic never to make the connection. Godâs discipline wonât
help you if you dismiss it as Satanâs doing. If you misunderstand, you may blame Him for not answering
your prayers or failing to protect you; meanwhile, Godâs warning you of danger.â
âFor a little while you may have had to sufferâŠthat your faithâŠmay be proved genuineâ (1Pe 1:6-7 NIV).
A blacksmith with a chunk of metal on the anvil envisions what he wants. But it means melting down the
old, recasting it, removing scars, repairing cracks, filling voids, and purging impurities until what was
useless becomes valuable. Finally he plunges it into cold water until it hardens into an unbending, useful
tool. Max Lucado says, âAn instrument is useful only if itâs in the right shapeâŠA good blacksmith keeps
his tools in shapeâŠAnd so does God. Should He place you on His anvil, be thankful He thinks youâre
worth reshaping.â
Doing the Right Things
âYouâŠharvest what you plant.â Gal 6:7 CEV
George Bernard Shaw said, âPeople are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I donât
believe in circumstances. The people who get ahead are those who get up and look for the
circumstances they want, and if they canât find them, they make them.â A farmer can plant anything he
wants; the land doesnât care one way or the other. Suppose he plants both wheat and poisonous
hemlock. The land will return poisonous hemlock as plentifully as it does wheat. Your mind is far more
fertile, but the same principle applies. It doesnât care what kind of seeds you plant; success or failure,
good or evil, anxiety or peaceâwhat you sow returns to you. The Bible says, âIf you follow your selfish
desires, you will harvest destructionâŠif you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal lifeâ (v. 8 CEV).
Success lies in your daily routine. So, get to know God better through His Word and prayer. Make up
your mind to be of service to somebody every day. Tackle a problem bigger than you. Encourage
everyone you meet. Take the first step toward overcoming a bad habit. Do something for somebody
who canât repay you. Change your thinking from TGIF (thank goodness itâs Friday!) to TGIT (thank
goodness itâs today!). Do three things that will take you outside your comfort zone. Be thankful for what
you have. Ask for help when you need it. Give God the best part of your day. The Psalmist said, âThis is
the day the Lord has madeâŠrejoice and be glad in itâ (Ps 118: 24 NLT). The time to be happy is now, and
the place to be happy is here.
4. 3
Be Single Minded (1)
âA double minded man is unstable in all his ways.â Jas 1:8
The Bible says, âHe that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not
that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his
waysâ (vv. 6-8). Peter Marshall, chaplain to the Senate, prayed, âGive us clear vision that we may know
where to stand, and what to stand for.â A dream that isnât clear wonât help you get anywhere. What do
you want to accomplish? What do you want to contribute? Who do you want to become? In other
words, what does success look like for you? If you donât define it, you wonât be able to achieve it. Most
people donât get what they want because they donât know what they want. They havenât defined their
dream in clear and compelling detail. One author writes: âThe indispensible first step to getting the
things you want out of life is this: decide what you want! Instead of saying, âI want to lose weight,â say, âI
will weigh a hundred and eighty-five pounds by June 1.â Instead of saying, âI want to get out of debt,â
say, âI will pay off all credit card balances by December 31.â Instead of saying, âI need to improve my
leadership,â say, âI will read one leadership book every month.â Being specific doesnât necessarily mean
having every little detail thought out before you move forward. But your main goal should be clear. The
rest will unfold as you move forward, making adjustments as you go.â The question you need to answer
is, âAm I single minded?â
Be Single Minded (2)
âFix your gaze directly before you.â Pr 4:25 NIV
It doesnât take much effort to let your mind drift and dream. But it takes great effort to set your mind to
the task of developing a clear goal, of having a clear and compelling dream. One leader says: âFor me
the whole process begins with questions I must ask myself. The dream is always rooted in the dreamer,
in his or her experiences, circumstances, talents, and opportunities. I ask: âWhat am I feelingâwhat are
my emotions telling me? What am I sensing?âwhat is my intuition telling me? What am I seeing?â
what is happening around me? What am I hearing?âwhat are others saying? What am I thinking?â
what do my intellect and common sense say?â A clear picture may come to you all at once, in lightning-
bolt fashion, but for most people it doesnât work that way. Most people need to keep working at it,
clarifying it, redrawing it. If the process is difficult, thatâs no reason to give up. In fact, if itâs too easy,
maybe youâre not dreaming big enough. Just keep working at it because a clear dream is worth fighting
for.â If you can get a clear sense of where you are, what you know, and what you want, youâre well on
your way to understanding and embracing the thing God put you on earth to do. Moses spent the first
two-thirds of his life figuring out what God wanted him to do, trying to do things his own way, only to
fail. But he had a heart for God, and a vision from God, and eventually he succeeded. And you will too!
5. 4
Handling Temptation
âKeep your heart with all diligence.â Pr 4:23 NKJV
We all have our battlegrounds; in some cases theyâre things we surrendered to years ago that now
prowl through our innermost thoughts. Thatâs why the Scriptures warn, âKeep your heart with all
diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.â Max Lucado writes: âIâm at a desk in a hotel room far
from home. The voices that encourage are distant; the voices that entice are near. A placard on my
nightstand invites me to the lounge âto make new friends in a relaxing atmosphere.â Another on top of
the TV promises late-night movies that will âmake all my fantasies come true.â In the phonebook several
columns of escort services offer âLove away from home.â Voices! Some for pleasure, some for power.
The world rams at your door, Jesus taps. The world promises fleshly pleasure, Jesus promises us a quiet
dinnerâŠwith Him: âI will come in and eat with him, and he with meâ (Rev 3:20 NIV). Which voice will you
obey?â You ask, âHow should I handle tempting situations?â In two ways: First, by filling your mind with
Scripture so that your first response is always, âIt is written.â Second, by keeping your eyes on Jesus.
Lesley Durkin writes, âMy father used to put a bit of meat on the floor near his dog and say, âNo!â The
dog never touched it. But he never looked at it either, because if he did the temptation to disobey would
have been too great. He just kept looking at my fatherâs face.â Keep your eyes on Jesus. âThose who look
to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shameâ (Ps 34:5 NIV).
A Callous Spirit (1)
âYou do not know what manner of spirit you are of.â Lk 9:55 NKJV
The disciples had a problem with their attitude, and Jesus âcalled them on itâ six different times in two
chapters. Letâs look at each and see what we can learn: A callous spirit. Instead of believing Christ could
feed the crowd with five loaves and two fishes, they said to Jesus, âSend the multitude awayâ (Lk 9:12
NKJV). One of the dangers of succeeding in ministry is that you can end up loving crowds but not really
caring for individuals. Or wanting contributors, but not wanting to spend time meeting peopleâs
individual needs. Years ago a man decided to visit the churches of two well-known television ministers
he liked. After hearing the first, he asked if he could say hello to him. But the ministerâs âhandlersâ said
no, suggesting he call for an appointment. Disappointed, he went to hear the other minister, and was
invited to lunch with him following the service. Feeling valued, he handed the minister a check forâfour
million dollars. (This is a true story.) You must always be approachable, available, and affirming. You
must keep the personal touch. True, you canât personally minister to all who are sick and counsel all who
are hurting. As a pastor, having quality time to prepare sermons and Bible studies must be a top priority.
But Jesus was âtouched with the feeling of our infirmitiesâ (Heb 4:15) because He mixed and mingled
with us. Only as you stay in touch with peopleâs needs, can God use you to meet those needs in real
time. The saying goes, âPeople donât care how much you know until they know how much you care.â So,
do you care?
6. 5
Spirit of Python: Teaching the Angels to Worship
INTRODUCTION
Have angels ever faced adversity? Have they felt hunger or heartbreak? No. Theyâve never had to make
the mortgage or find a job. They worship in a holy atmosphere while you and I worship in a fallen earth.
Ephesians 3:10 says, âThe manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the
principalities and powers in heavenly placesâ. Letâs talk about what it means to worship in spirit and in
truth and how through that, we teach the angels.
CONNECTION QUESTIONS
1. John 4:3 says, âYet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in the Spirit and in truthâ. What has this passage meant to you in the past?
2. This message talks about us teaching angels to worship. Pastor Franklin says, âItâs not like theyâre
amateurs. Itâs not like theyâre novices at worshipâ. So what is it about our worship that they can learn
from?
3. Itâs easy to think of worship as what we do while weâre singing in church. How can you âwalk outâ
your praise?
7. 6
4. Weâve talked in previous weeks about the fact that there is a very real spiritual realm. Can you
identify the 3 chief angels God created and what their primary roles are as described in scripture and in
this message?
5. The story of Job can be hard to swallow. We know the outcome and itâs still hard not to ask, why? But
Job remained faithful without knowing what was ahead. Can you remember a time in your life when you
had to trust God in spite of your circumstances? What was the outcome?
6. The enemy is waiting for you to give up, to curse God and turn back. But the Father is seeking those
who will worship in spirit (on the mountain tops) and in truth (your low valleys). Discuss what this
passage means to you now.
CONCLUSION
When we face the unexplainable absence of Godâthose moments when we just donât understand
whyâwith worship and praise, we do something unexplainable ourselves. We worship in spite of our
situation and those are the making moments. Those are the moments we say, no matter what, âmy
redeemer livesâ!
CONNECTION POINT
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit
and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. John 4:23
A Notable Woman, or Man
âElisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman.â 2Ki 4:8 NKJV
The Bible says: âElisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to
eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. And she
said to her husbandâŠâLet us make him a small upper roomâŠand let us put a bed for him there, and a
table and a chair and a lampstandââ (vv. 8-10 NKJV). Observe:
(1) Whatever you need more of, make room for it. You donât get what you âwantâ in life, you get
what you âprepare for.â This womanâs generosity toward Elisha resulted in her having a child
when she wasnât able to, and her child later being raised from the dead when sickness claimed
him. When you make room for God in your life, you make room for the blessings that come with
Him. (2) Notice the four things she put in the prophetâs room: (a) A bed. There are times when
you must run, and there are times when you must rest. Indeed, if you donât learn to slow down,
youâll break down. (b) A table. You need spiritual food to nourish your soul. If you plan to keep
giving out, you must keep taking in. (c) A chair. This speaks of study. âStudy to [show] thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truthâ (2Ti 2:15). (d) A lamp. A place of illumination. Even after youâve studied long and hard,
you need the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth to your heart. And thatâs how to become a notable
woman (or man).
8. 7
A Judgmental Spirit
âYou do not know what manner of spirit you are of.â Lk 9:55 NKJV
One day Jesus went into a Samaritan village and was not well received. So the disciples said, ââLord, do
You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?â But He
turned and rebuked them, and said, âYou do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of
Man did not come to destroy menâs lives but to save themââ (vv. 54-56 NKJV).
Whatâs at work in this story? A judgmental spirit. A poll taken by the Barna Research Group reveals that
today most nonbelievers view Christians as too judgmental. So you can be sincere, but too severe. When
you mix and mingle only with those who share your views and values, you can communicate with others
in ways that attack, rather than attract. Letâs be clear; never has it been more important to know the
truth of Godâs Word and stand for it. But if you have the right doctrine and the wrong spirit, youâll drive
more people away from Christ than youâll draw to Him. If Satan has his way, he will drive holiness out of
our hearts and into our fists. ImagineâChristâs disciples wanting to incinerate those who didnât agree
with them! They werenât even aware of the spirit that was at work within their own hearts. âJesus
saidâŠâYou shall love your neighbor as yourselfâ (Mt 19:19 NKJV). That includes your non-Christian
neighbor. You donât have to defend Jesus, or âsellâ Him. All you have to do is introduce Him. The
Psalmist says, âTaste and see that the Lord is goodâ (Ps 34:8 NKJV).
A Fearful Spirit
âThey came to HimâŠsaying, âMaster, Master, we are perishing!ââ Lk 8:24 NKJV
The Bible says: âHe got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, âLet us cross over to the other
side of the lake.â And they launched out. But as they sailed, He fell asleep. And a windstorm came
downâŠand theyâŠwere in jeopardy. And theyâŠawoke Him, saying, âMaster, Master, we are perishing!â
Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the waterâŠBut He said to them, âWhere is your
faith?â And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, âWho can this be? For He commands
even the winds and water, and they obey Him!ââ (vv. 22-25 NKJV). Notice what is at work in this story: A
fearful spirit. No matter how often God blesses us and answers our prayers, we still give in to fear the
next time we face a crisis, especially when itâs one we havenât faced before. Who told the disciples to
get into the boat in the first place? Jesus. Understand this: faith doesnât exempt you from lifeâs storms; it
equips you to go through them. And when you are in the will of God no storm, however severe, can take
you under. Jesus knew the storm was coming before the disciples ever stepped into the boat. So why did
He expose them to it? Because He was equipping them for the future, for the day when Heâd no longer
be around and they would face persecution, imprisonment, and even death. So the word for you today
is, âDonât be afraid. The Lord is with you; you are going to make it to the other side.â
9. 8
A Self-Seeking Spirit
The Bible says: âThen A dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.â Lk 9:46 NKJV
The Bible says: âThen a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus,
perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, âWhoever
receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
For he who is least among you all will be greatââ (vv. 46-48 NKJV). Whatâs at work in this story? A self-
seeking spirit. As long as your motive for serving is to make yourself look good, youâll never enjoy Godâs
approval. And His âWell doneâ is the only thing that counts. The ability to serve behind the scenes, and
do it with joy, comes from the knowledge that ultimately your service will be recognized and rewarded
by the only One whose opinion counts. Why did Jesus feature a child that day? For three reasons: (1) A
child is teachable. When youâre done learning, youâre done! When you canât be told, God will have
nothing more to tell you. âThe heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it
outâ (Pr 18:15 NIV). (2) A child is trusting. When you promise a child something they believe you, act on
it, and expect it to be so. âIt is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in manâ (Ps 118:8 NKJV).
(3) A child is tenderhearted. âFinally, all of you beâŠtenderheartedâ (1Pe 3:8 NKJV). The Holy Spirit is
symbolized in Scripture as a gentle dove, so keep your heart tender and receptive to His dealings.
An Undiscerning Spirit
âAnd You say, âWho touched Me?ââ Lk 8:45 NKJV
One day a chronically ill woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years pushed her way through the
crowd and touched the hem of Jesusâ garment. And immediately she was healed. âJesus said, âWho
touched Me?â When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, âMaster, the multitudes throng and
press You, and You say, âWho touched Me?â But Jesus said, âSomebody touched Me, for I perceived
power going out from Me.â Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling;
and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of allâŠhow she was healed
immediately. And He said to her, âDaughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in
peaceââ (vv. 45-48 NKJV).
Whatâs at work in this story? An undiscerning spirit. Observe Peterâs words, âMaster, the multitudes
throng and press You, and You say, âWho touched Me?ââ Understand this: Jesus can tell the difference
between the indiscriminate touch of the crowd, and a touch of faith. Faith draws on His power and
brings results! Notice, this woman touched the âhemâ of Jesusâ garment. The last thing a dressmaker
does when she makes a garment is to sew up the hem. So the hem represents âthe finished work.â The
same back that bore the cross which takes away your sins, also bore the stripes which take away your
sickness. âAnd by His stripes we are healedâ (Isa 53:5 NKJV). What do you need today? Forgiveness of
sins? Healing? Reach out in faith and touch Jesus, and you too will be made whole.
10. 9
What Do You See?
âA greatâŠdoor has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.â 1Co 16:9 NKJV
Paul writes, âFor a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.â So,
what are you focusing on? The open door or the adversaries, the opportunities or the obstacles? In 1866
an amateur geologist noticed some South African children playing with a glistening rock. He asked the
childrenâs mother if he could purchase it. Thinking it was worth nothing, she gave it to him. Later, when
he examined it, he discovered that it was a premium twenty-one carat diamond. When word got out, a
Scottish mineralogist named James Gregory was sent to investigate. He reported back that South Africa
wasnât suitable for finding diamonds. He speculated that the previous discoveries had resulted from
ostriches, of all things, eating the gems in distant lands and depositing them in South Africa via their
dung. A few days after Gregoryâs report was made public, an eighty-three-carat diamond was found in
the area that he had visited. It is now known as The Star of South Africa, and it launched the regionâs
first mining operation in what is today the worldâs largest producer of diamonds. And what about
Gregory? His name lives on, but not as he might have wished. In the diamond industry when someone
exhibits bad judgment, itâs called âpulling a Gregory.â If you ask God, He will help you find the âtreasureâ
in your field (See Mt 13:44-45). If Jesus could turn water into wine and feed five thousand people with a
boyâs lunch, think what He can do through you. The question is, what do you see? The open door, or the
obstacles?
An Impulsive Spirit
âPeterâŠnot knowing what he said.â Lk 9:33 NKJV
On the Mount of Transfiguration, âPeter said to Jesus, âMaster, it is good for us to be here; and let us
make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijahâânot knowing what he
saidâŠAnd a voice came out of the cloud, saying, âThis is My beloved Son. Hear Him!ââ (vv. 33-35 NKJV).
Another spirit Jesus identified among His disciples was: An impulsive spirit. Note the words, ânot
knowing what he said.â Peterâs penchant for saying whatever came into his mind drew a strong rebuke
from heaven: âThis is My beloved Sonâhear Him!â Thereâs an important lesson here. Your need to
appear wise and have all the answers can get you into trouble with peopleâand God! Generally
speaking, youâre not learning while youâre talking. So learn to be quiet, observe whatâs going on, and
listen for what God may want to say. When you donât know, donât speak. People respect you when you
have the wisdom and humility to say, âIâm not sure, but if you give me time Iâll pray about it, consider it
more fully and get back to you.â Experts say the average person is now bombarded with thirty-five
thousand messages a day: e-mails, text messages, billboards, television, radio, Twitter, Facebook, blogs,
etc. Itâs âinformation overload.â People donât need more information, they need answers that work! And
God has those answers. So talk to Him first, then youâll have something to say to others thatâs worth
listening to. âEveryone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!â (Pr
15:23 NLT).
11. 10
A Callous Spirit
âYou do not know what manner of spirit you are of.â Lk 9:55 NKJV
The disciples had a problem with their attitude, and Jesus âcalled them on itâ six different times in two
chapters. Letâs look at each and see what we can learn: A callous spirit. Instead of believing Christ could
feed the crowd with five loaves and two fishes, they said to Jesus, âSend the multitude awayâ (Lk 9:12
NKJV). One of the dangers of succeeding in ministry is that you can end up loving crowds but not really
caring for individuals. Or wanting contributors, but not wanting to spend time meeting peopleâs
individual needs. Years ago a man decided to visit the churches of two well-known television ministers
he liked. After hearing the first, he asked if he could say hello to him. But the ministerâs âhandlersâ said
no, suggesting he call for an appointment. Disappointed, he went to hear the other minister, and was
invited to lunch with him following the service. Feeling valued, he handed the minister a check forâfour
million dollars. (This is a true story.) You must always be approachable, available, and affirming. You
must keep the personal touch. True, you canât personally minister to all who are sick and counsel all who
are hurting. As a pastor, having quality time to prepare sermons and Bible studies must be a top priority.
But Jesus was âtouched with the feeling of our infirmitiesâ (Heb 4:15) because He mixed and mingled
with us. Only as you stay in touch with peopleâs needs, can God use you to meet those needs in real
time. The saying goes, âPeople donât care how much you know until they know how much you care.â So,
do you care?
WHOSE âREPORTâ WILL YOU BELIEVE?
âWho has believed our report?â Isa 53:1 NKJV
An oil spill pollutes the Gulf of Mexico, devastating marine life and the livelihood of millions of people.
Day after day we watch it on TV, in real time. An earthquake hits Haiti, 200,000 die, and the worldâs
poorest people are left hungry and homeless. An American-born terrorist flies home from an Al Qaeda
training camp with a bomb in his underwear and tries to destroy not only the plane, but much of
Detroit. Bankers, car makers and oil executives we trusted sit in front of a Congressional committee and
say they have no idea how we got into this mess. The reports keep coming 24/7. Talking heads in the
media milk each moment and sensationalize each event because it increases their ratings, sells
advertising and makes money. Indeed, some of the news reporters have become celebrities. Fear sells!
Itâs a major industry. Paradoxically, we are the most prosperous generation in history, and the most
fearful one too. In the past you had to get your daily dose of anxiety from the evening news; today you
get it around the clock on your Blackberry or iPad. Now you canât bury your head in the sand. But if
youâre not selective in what you listen to, you can lose your peace of mind. God knows this, so His Word
asks, âWho has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?â In Scripture,
the âarm of the Lordâ speaks of His power to deliver and His providential care over every event in our
lives. So whose report are you going to listen to, internalize, and respond to?
12. 11
HAVE A WORK ETHIC GOD CAN BLESS
âDo you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings.â Pr 22:29 NIV
Journalist William Zinsserâs first job was writing for The New York Herald Tribune. Traditionally âcubâ
reporters often start by writing obituaries, but Zinsser was frustrated with his assignment. âI could be
doing Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporting,â he thought to himself, âand Iâm stuck writing
obituaries.â Finally he worked up enough courage to ask his editor, âWhen am I going to get some
decent story assignments?â His crusty old editor growled at him and said, âListen, kid, nothing you write
will ever get read as carefully as what you are writing right now. You misspell a name, you mess up a
date, and a family will be hurt. But you do justice to somebodyâs grandmother or somebodyâs mom, you
make a life sing, and they will be grateful forever. They will put your words in laminate.â âThings
changed. I pledged I would make the extra calls,â Zinsser said. âI would ask the extra questions. I would
go the extra mile.â That is essentially from the Sermon on the Mountâwrite obituaries for others as you
would want others to write an obituary for youâobituaries that deserve to be laminatedâbecause
someday, somebody will. Zinsser eventually moved on to other kinds of writing, including a book on
writing itself that has sold more than a million copies. But none of it would have happened if he had not
devoted himself to obituaries. Understand this: if you cannot experience the spirit in the work you are
doing today, then you cannot experience the spirit today at all.
GETTING âUNSTUCKâ!
âIâm off and running, and Iâm not turning back.â Php 3:14 TM
Though youâve settled the issues of forgiveness and faith, getting unstuck involves two more challenges.
You will need to learn: (1) Flexibility. When your faith runs into obstacles, your flexibility keeps you in
the race. You need the ability to âroll with the punches,â to bend without breaking. Donât marry your
methods! Be willing to make a mid-course correction when itâs needed. Flexibility, however, isnât
ambivalence or wishy-washiness. Flexibility is: (a) An attitude of determination to adjust to lifeâs
challenges and stay on course; to trust God for wisdom; to fine-tune your responses to changing
circumstances. (b) A commitment to take action. A positive mind-set alone wonât get you unstuck. Youâll
have to âdo something!â Remember, big doors swing on little hinges; taking small steps of faith will
move you forward! (2) Firmness: resolve not to quit. Youâll encounter problems that leave you no option
but to stand still, like the Israelites between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. In the tightest of spots,
they received this five-fold counsel: (a) Donât give in to fear. Donât let it decide your response. (b) Stand
still. Stop your irrational, emotion-driven behaviors. (c) Quit talking. Donât talk yourself into defeat. (d)
Look for Godâs way forward. Expect Him to take action that will get you unstuck. (e) Be ready to move
forward when He opens the way. These are simple but powerful steps you can take when you donât
know what to do. And what about when you blow it? Acknowledge it. Relabel it as âValuable lessons
learned,â and put it in your âWhat not to do next timeâ file!
13. 12
GETTING âUNSTUCKâ! (2)
âHe rewards those who earnestly seek him.â Heb 11:6 NIV
Ever notice how icy winters cause multiple car pile-ups, leaving drivers in ditches waiting for tow trucks
to rescue them? In life, we each have different reactions. Some surrender to feelings of being powerless,
others get frustrated and deepen the rut theyâre in. But the wise think rationally of steps they can take
to get unstuck. Getting stuck isnât always an option, but staying stuck is! Good news: no matter how long
youâve been stuck, the right attitude can get you moving again. So here are some attitude changers: (1)
Forgiveness. The guilt that follows failure can immobilize you long-term, but forgiveness liberates youâ
freeing up your energy and creativity. Forgiveness is two-dimensional: first, you must receive Godâs
forgiveness for your failures. Things youâve done: betrayal, angry words, dishonesty, broken promises,
etc. Things you havenât done: love unexpressed, responsibility avoided, a child, parent or spouse
neglected, the truth withheld. Heartfelt confession always brings Godâs forgiveness! (See 1Jn 1:9).
Second, you must forgive those whoâve failed youâparents, siblings, children, bosses, spouses, friends,
enemies, etc. Severing the chains to your past restores your options for the future. (2) Faith. When
youâve been stuck a long time, forward momentum can seem impossible. You lack direction, energy and
confidence. What to do? Getting traction requires a willingness to act in spite of your feelings. God calls
this âfaith,â and He always responds to it! âHe rewards those who earnestly seek him.â When you act
like you believe, God will reward your faithâand the feeling of faith will follow your action!
MARITAL HAPPINESS
âBlessed (happy, to be enviedâŠ) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant).â
Mt 5:3 AMP
When the rosy glow diminishes and reality sets in, what makes some marriages happy while others slide
into misery? Luck? Good genes? Hanging tough? Hardly! Marital happiness that transcends changing
circumstances is built on the qualities Jesus taught. Letâs look at them: (1) Happy are the humble.
âBlessed (happyâŠ) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant).â Pride thatâs
self-promoting and always demanding its rights brings misery, while humility, self-denial and considering
your mateâs needs brings happiness. (2) Happy are the meek: the gentle, patient and kind. Handling your
spouseâs struggles with kindness, sensitivity and long-suffering is an expression of love that brings
healing into the painful chapters of life and marriage. (3) Happy are the merciful. Sooner or later weâll
inflict injury on one another. Hurt, disappointment and anger will rise up, followed by a desire to make
them pay. But just as revenge begets revenge, mercy begets mercy. Mercy isnât âletting them get away
with it.â Treating your spouse mercifully is reciprocal. It creates an atmosphere, where, when you fail,
you âshall obtain mercy.â Mercy ends disputes when nothing else works! (4) Happy are the
peacemakers. The need to be ârightâ and âwinâ only intensifies conflict. In marriage, when one âwins,â
both lose! Giving up personal victory to be a peacemaker is ultimate victory. Youâd be eternally lost if
Jesus hadnât willingly surrendered His rights for your wrongs. The ring is not the sole symbol of Christian
marriage, but the cross superimposed on the ring. Christlike surrender of our uncrucified-self promotes
marital happiness.
14. 13
YOUâVE GOT TO WORK AT IT!
âWell informed, quick to understandâŠqualified to serve.â Da 1:4 NIV
When Nebuchadnezzar captured the Jews he told his Chief of Staff to look for the brightest and best,
and bring them to his palace. He wanted the following qualities: âShowing aptitude for every kind of
learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the kingâs palace.â Daniel seized
the opportunity. Yes, God gave him favor, but he also had to work at it! The CEO of one of the worldâs
largest companies put it this way: âThe only way youâre going to stand out is to grasp this simple
principle: when your boss asks you a question, assigns you a project or sends you to gather data, he
already knows the answer heâs looking for. He just wants you to confirm that what he believes is true.
Most people do just that. But thereâs a difference. You must understand that the question is only the
beginning. To elevate yourself, you must sink your thoughts into not only answering the question, but
going above and beyond it. That means presenting him with three or four other ideas that he had
probably not considered. Your goal should be to add value to the idea by exceeding expectations. This is
true not only with questions, but assignments, initiatives, and anything else ever given you to do. If you
understand that the question is only the beginning, youâll get out of the pile fast, because 99 percent of
all employees stay in the pile because they donât think. If you understand this principle, youâll be given
even more critical questions to answer, and in time, you will be the one giving the questions to others.â
THE WAY OUT
âHe will show you a way out.â 1Co 10:13 NLT
The Bible says, âWhen you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.â Maybe
you are in a situationâa relationship or a financial conditionâthatâs not what you wanted. You can lie
down and die. But when you donâtâwhen you show up, when you offer the best you haveâsomething
good is happening inside you that far outweighs whatever is happening outside you. Jesus was facing
adversity when He told His followers that if they had faith, they could command a mountain and it
would be cast into the sea. Now, when your focus is on the mountain, you are driven by your fear. But
when your focus is on God, you are made alive by faith. But if you didnât face the mountain youâd never
know that faith was in you, or to what extent. Adversity has a way of changing your values and priorities
for the better. When youâre on the treadmill of money, security, or success, and adversity knocks you
off, you start seeing the folly of chasing temporal things. And if youâre wise you resolve not to return to
your old way of life when things normalize. But the key to accomplishing this is taking action before
normal life takes over again. You have a finite window of time to make changes; otherwise youâll drift
back into your old patterns. While the memory of your adversity is still fresh, pray and ask God what
changes He wants to make in your attitudes, your relationships, your habits and your lifestyle, and âHe
will show you a way out.â
15. 14
SUFFERING WITH GRACE
âFor to you it has been granted on behalf of ChristâŠto suffer.â Php 1:29 NKJV
You need the kind of faith that not only believes God for good things, but also sustains you through bad
things. The Bible says, âIf you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So donât worry or
be afraidâŠInsteadâŠworship Christ as Lord of your lifeâ (1Pe 3:14-15 NLT). God has foresight but we have
only hindsight. So whether the path youâve been called to walk is rough or smooth, your attitude should
be one of âworship,â acknowledging âChrist as Lord of your life.â Josephâs kidnapping led to the saving of
his family. The lionsâ den led Daniel to a cabinet position. Christ entered the world by a surprise
pregnancy and redeemed it through an unjust murder. Do you believe what the Bible teachesâthat no
disaster is ultimately fatal? Chrysostom did. He was the archbishop of Constantinople from AD 398 to
404. He gained a following by his eloquent denunciations of corruption in the church. Twice banished by
the authorities, he asked: âWhat can I fear? Will it be death? But to know that Christ is my life, and that I
shall gain by death. Will it be exile? But the earth is the Lordâs and its fullness is the Lordâs. Will it be by
loss of wealth? But we have brought nothing into the world, and we can carry nothing out. Thus all the
terrors of the world are contemptible in my eyes; and I smile at all its good things. Poverty I do not fear;
riches I do not sigh for. Death I do not shrink from.â Thatâs suffering with grace!
When God Puts You on Hold (1)
âBe patient in trouble, and prayerful always.â Ro 12:12 TLB
Weâve been dubbed âthe microwave generationâ for good reasonâwe charge through life like weâre on
fire! But God has His own timetable and it canât be rushed. So when He puts you on hold: Watch your
words. Like a small rudder on a big ship, what you say determines your direction and helps stop the
wrong thoughts from infiltrating your mind. Mel Weldon said, âMy mind is a garden, my thoughts are
the seeds; my harvest will be either flowers or weeds.â Ask God to help you control your emotions. Paul
says, âBe glad for all God is planningâŠBe patient in troubleâŠand prayerful always.â Complaining
magnifies the problem. Prayer turns negative energy into a powerful force for good. Look for the humor
in it. Solomon said, âHe who is of a merry heart has a continual feastâ (Pr 15:15 NKJV). Laughter dispels
tension, lightens the burden and fills your soul with joy. Appreciate the chance to learn. The Chinese
view problems as prospects; in their culture the character/symbol for problems and opportunities is the
same. Solomon said, âThe diligent make use of everythingâ (Pr 12:27 NLT). Learn from your experience
regardless of how hard it is, and remember, some of the worldâs greatest discoveries and breakthroughs
resulted from crises. Love unconditionally. Problems are caused by people, and under pressure itâs
tempting to lash out. The bottom line is: we all make mistakes, and nobody is beyond redemption!
Arenât you glad about that? Learn to see people through Godâs eyes. âOvercome evil with goodâ (Ro
12:21)âŠbe courteous, and maintain your dignity when youâre under pressure (See Ro 12:10).
16. 15
Breaking the Family-Resistance Barrier
âAt just the right time we will reap.â Gal 6:9 NLT
Susan was the only member of her family motivated to work for change. Her husband, a military pilot,
was gone months on end while she raised the kids alone. Her repeated efforts to reform him and the
kids had failed miserably. Pointing out that doing more of what hadnât workedâwouldnât make it work,
the counselor suggested she work on what she could change: how she responded! He taught her to
âdefect in place,â relinquishing some of her âoverload.â Everyone became responsible for their own
dirty dishes, laundry, untidy room, etc. And Susan used the time she saved to do something sheâd always
wanted to doâtake voice lessons. Yes, she found it difficult to avoid picking up after everybody and
carrying their responsibilities. At first, when nobody assumed the unfinished workload and the âmess
seemed unbearable,â she was tempted to give in and return to âher old job.â Then, with perfect timing,
she read a book about breaking the sound barrier. Pilots who attempted it had always given up when
the plane vibrated violently, until astronaut Chuck Yeager said to himself, âMaybe once you get through
the vibrating everything calms down.â Yeager sped up where the others slowed down, and flew through
the barrier into the calm beyond. After a weekend of unrelenting family criticism Susan ârevved up,â
persisting against her old instincts. It took time. But after their complaints, the kids took on more
responsibilities, and her husband accepted fewer distant assignments. âSo letâs not get tired of doing
what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we donât give up.â
Keys to Answered Prayer
âAsk, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.â Jn 16:24 NKJV
If your prayers are not being answered, ask yourself: (1) How is my relationship with the Lord? âIf I
regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear meâ (Ps 66:18). Anything that adversely affects your
relationship with God also affects your prayers. Friendship gives you favor; intimacy gives you access.
Jesus said, âIf you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be
done for youâ (Jn 15:7 NKJV). (2) How strong is my faith? âWithout faith it is impossible to please Him,
for he who comes to God must believe that He isâŠa rewarder of those who diligently seek Himâ (Heb
11:6 NKJV). Notice three words: (a) âBelieve.â Godâs deepest longing is to be believed, regardless of
emotion or circumstance. (b) âDiligently.â When you pray, put your heart and soul into it. Paul speaks of
âlabouring in prayerâ (See Col 4:12). (c) âHim.â God is not some âforce out there,â Heâs your heavenly
Father Who âknows that you need all these thingsâ (Mt 6:32 NKJV). Your highest priority should not be
getting your needs met, but building your relationship with God. (3) Am I showing patience? âUntil Godâs
time finally cameâhow God tested his patience!â (Ps 105:19 TLB). Joseph was tested by the very
promise God gave him. Canât you hear Satan whisper, âI thought the dream said you were supposed to
be prime minister; what are you doing in prison?â But it only looks like a prison; in reality, itâs the
birthplace of destiny. Joseph saw Godâs promise fulfilledâin Godâs time. And you will too!
17. 16
Spirit of Python: Studio
INTRODUCTION
In nature, Pythons are nonvenomous. They kill their prey by constricting it until it can no longer breathe,
literally suffocating the life out of it. In the spirit realm Satan often works in the same way, slowly
working his way into our lives, stealing the Anointing of the Holy Spirit â attempting to choke the very
breath out of us. God wants to break the coils of the serpent off of your life. He wants you to ⊠breathe
again!
CONNECTION QUESTIONS
1. What comes to mind when you hear the phrase âspiritual warfare?â
2. In Luke 4 Jesus meets a man possessed with a demon. The demon cries out, âLeave us alone!â Why is
it dangerous to leave the Enemy alone?
3. The Spirit of Python comes from an encounter Paul and Silas had with a possessed woman in Acts 16.
She had the âspirit of divination.â The Greek word for âdivinationâ is translated, âpython.â How can you
recognize this spirit today?
4. In the message, Jentezen said, âThe Spirit of Python hates prayer.â Discuss ways to maintain a strong
prayer life even during strong opposition.
5. âThe greatest tragedy of prayerlessness is the unemployment of angels,â according to the message.
Do you agree? Why? Or Why not?
6. Discuss the ways Spirit of Python can constrict other areas of your life once it has you disconnected
from prayer.
CONCLUSION
Learn to breathe again! The python spirit can squeeze the joy out of your worship and prayers. It can
pressure you to keep quiet when God wants you to speak up. And it can steal the peace of knowing that
you belong to God. But there is a way to recognize the signs and defeat him. You donât have to become
his prey.
18. 17
WINNING
âRun to win!â 1Co 9:24 NLT
In the Roman Empire athletes stripped down to a simple loincloth so that nothing prevented them from
running their best race. Referring to it, Paul writes: âDonât you realize that in a race everyone runs, but
only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to
win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every stepâ (vv.
24-26 NLT). How about you? Do you just want the fun of being in the race, or are you running to win? To
succeed at being what God has redeemed and called you to be, youâll have to stop doing certain things,
even enjoyable things, and begin doing other things that support your goals and help you to fulfill your
God-ordained purpose. Sometimes this will mean saying no to well-intentioned people who try to
involve you in things that steal your time and produce the wrong results. It will also mean dealing with
âthe sin that so easily entanglesâ (Heb 12:1 NIV). When God says something is wrong, itâs wrong! You
donât need to rationalize, make excuses or feel sorry for yourself. You just need to agree, ask His
forgiveness and get it out of your life. Who gets the prize? Those who pay the price! Paul knew he
couldnât win the race without first bringing his body, mind and emotions under the control of Godâs
Spirit. The same goes for you. And you canât expect somebody else to make you do whatâs right; you
must listen to what Godâs saying to you, and take action.
CONFIDENCE (1)
âThe fruit of righteousness will beâŠconfidence.â Isa 32:17 NIV
Never mistake competence for confidence; one is ability-based, the other comes from knowing who you
are in Christ; that youâre âcomplete in himâ (1Jn 2:5 NIV). One author says: âThe first thing I learned
about confidence, was I didnât possess itâŠI had a thin glaze of arrogance covering a core of fear. All
those years of being a success in the eyes of the world left me deathly afraid of failure. Worldly success
requires taking risks beyond the comfort zones of previous accomplishments. Spiritual success requires
letting go of outcomes and allowing God to move on your behalf. I was so afraid of failureâŠI never found
success in it eitherâŠthe false confidence Iâd known was built on my own abilities⊠However if you
suddenly find a lump in your breast, or your spouse says he never loved you, or you get fired from your
job, or your child is seriously ill, every tactic youâve ever employed and every skill youâve ever mastered
will get you nowhereâŠThe Bible says, âHave a sane estimate of your [abilities]â (Ro 12:4 PHPS)âŠonce you
realize you arenât perfectâŠyou can exhale and start the task of being good enoughâŠWhen your
confidence stems from knowing the Almighty, unchanging One, you cannot be shaken by change or
circumstances. YouâŠexude competence, peace, contentment, and fortitude.â Isnât it time you got out
from under the pressure of acting like God and having all the answers? âWe have different gifts,
according to the grace given usâ (Ro 12:6 NIV). When you use your gift to glorify God, youâre doing what
He intended you to do.
19. 18
CONFIDENCE (2)
âWho told youâŠyou were naked?â Ge 3:11 NKJV
Itâs impossible to feel confident when youâre telling yourself youâre not good enough and that youâll
never amount to anything. One pastor says: âAfter Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they hid. God
came to them and said, âWhere are you?â They said, âWeâre hiding because weâre naked.â I love how God
answeredâŠâWho told youâŠyou were naked?â In other words, âWho told you there was something wrong
with you?â God immediately knew the Enemy had been talking to them. And Godâs saying to you today,
âWho told you âŠyou donât have what it takes to succeedâŠthat the best grades you can make are CâsâŠ
that youâre not attractive enough to succeed in your relationshipsâŠor talented enough to flourish in
your careerâŠor that your marriage isnât going to last? Those are lies from the Enemy. God said, âNo good
thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightlyâ (Ps 84:11 NKJV); âDelight yourselfâŠin the Lord,
and He shall give you the desires of your heartâ (Ps 37:4 NKJV). The potential is inside youâŠand it doesnât
change because you donât believe it, or because youâve been through negative experiences. âThe gifts
and the calling of God are irrevocableâ (Ro 11:29 NKJV). Heâs never going to take back the potential He
poured into youâŠor say, âIâm tired of dealing with youâŠyouâve failed too often and made too many
mistakes. Give Me back My gifts.â NoâŠHis calling on your life will be with you till the day you leave this
earth, but itâs up to you toâŠtap into it.â When the Enemy starts chipping away at your confidence, take
authority over him in Jesusâ Name; resist him and he will flee (See Jas 4:7).
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE
âI have set before you life and deathâŠchoose life.â Dt 30:19
Choice is the greatest power God gave you. Too many of us just accept our livesâwe donât become
leaders of ourselves. As a result, we canât get out of our own way. Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel wrote
in Souls On Fire that when you die and go to meet your Maker, youâre not going to be asked why you
didnât become a Messiah or find a cure for cancer. All youâre going to be asked is, âWhy didnât you
become you? Why didnât you become all that you are?â Fulfilling Godâs will for your life requires taking
responsibility for yourself and your life. How do you do that? By saying yes to God firstâthen to
yourself. Every time you say yes, you open yourself up to your God-given potential and to the greatest of
possibilities. If youâre used to saying no, you may find this difficult. If that is true in your case, then at
least be willing to say âmaybe.â One day a father whose child was chronically ill asked Jesus to heal him.
âJesus said to him, âIf you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.â Immediately the
father of the child cried out and said with tears, âLord, I believe; help my unbelief!ââ (Mk 9:23-24 NKJV).
If youâre a self-doubter, pray that same prayer. God will answer it. Never forget that you are unique,
possessing talents, experiences and opportunities that no one else has ever hadâor ever will have.
Youâre responsible to become all God made you to be, not only for your own benefit but for everyone
elseâs.
20. 19
WHEN CONFLICT COMES HOME (1)
âLet there be no strife between you and me.â Ge 13:8 NAS
The conflict between Abram and Lot teaches us important principles about our families. Lot had lived
peacefully in his Uncle Abramâs home. Abram had taken him along on the journey of faith, when
suddenly conflict arose. And because conflict reveals character, Lot showed his true colors. Since their
growing herds were too big to share the same pastures, Abram suggested they split the land between
them, offering Lot first choice. Lot âchose for himselfâ the best land, leaving the rest to his uncle (v. 11
NAS). Lot moved to rich, sinful Sodom; Abram built an altar to the Lord. Same genesâtotally different
values! So: (1) Consider the facts. Abram was Godâs appointed leader and Israelâs primary patriarch. God
had promised him a homeland, fatherhood of a great nation, blessing and protection. And above all
these, God promised that in him, âAll the families of the earth will be blessed!â (Ge 12:3 NAS). In
practical, day-to-day terms, Abram was the senior partner and major stockholder in the family business.
He had shown love and generosity to his nephew, and in the crunch, valued their relationship over
personal interests. Abram, therefore, deserved consideration and deference from his nephew. But Lot
never gave it to him. (2) Consider the point. For the familyâs sake, Abram chose not to âpull rank,â or
âinsist on his rights,â or âshow whoâs boss.â He proved that God alone vindicates us! We shouldnât even
attempt to vindicate ourselves. Abram chose grace over law, humility over pride, self-denial over
ârights,â mercy over justice, love over lust, and character over popular opinion. Think about it!
WHEN CONFLICT COMES HOME (2)
âLet there be no strife between you and meâŠfor we are brothers.â Ge 13:8 NAS
Family conflict brings out the worst and the best in all of us. But conflict itself isnât the problemâ
character is! Conflict just reveals whatâs important to us. Abramâs priority was the family; Lotâs was
âgetting rich.â Abramâs concern was harmony; Lotâs was self-preservation. Abram was driven by his
faith; Lot by his greed. Abram was a giver; Lot was a taker. But watch how the story turned out.
(1) What should have happened? The junior partner should have submitted to the senior; the follower
should have deferred to the leader; the less-spiritual should have acknowledged the more-spiritual. But
Lot failed on all counts!
(2) What could have happened? As the God-appointed leader Abram could have assumed top dog status
and enforced his will, but didnât. He could have been concerned about winning, but wasnât. He could
have called in his debts with Lot, but refused to.
(3) What did happen? First, Abram elevated relationship above personal advantage. Second, he
relinquished his ârightsâ to keep peace in the family. Third, he âturned the other cheekâ and deferred to
Lot.
21. 20
The greater gave way to the lesser. The stronger made allowance for the weaker. The mature showed
mercy toward the immature. Did it make Abram the weaker man and Lot the stronger? Did Abram lose
and Lot win? No! God always has the last word. And it was this: âLookâŠnorthward and southward and
eastward and westwardâŠall the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants
foreverâ (vv. 14-15 NAS). Doing things Godâs way is the sure road to peace and prosperity.
AVOID TRIANGLES
âMind your own business; do your own job.â 1Th 4:11 TM
Weâre not very good at knowing the difference between helpfulness and interference! Suppose two
people we care about are in conflict, and we think we can solve their problems. Ultimately, we discover
weâre in over our heads. Looking back, we say, âIâll never do that againââuntil the next time! Here are
some healthy relationship boundaries. Sometimes when two people are at odds with each other they
âtriangle inâ a third person to focus on, attempting to lower their stress. Whoever they âtriangle inâ gets
caught in the middle, becomes enmeshed in their unresolved issues, and ultimately becomes their shock
absorber. Unfortunately, when that personâs rescue attempt backfires they become part of the problem,
keeping the issues and themselves stuck. So what should you do?
(1) Unless God puts you in the middle, stay out! The Bible says, âMind your own business; do your own
job.â If your nameâs not on it, donât pick it up! Try saying, âI care about you both too much to complicate
things with unqualified advice. Iâll pray that God gives you the wisdom to do whatâs right for each
other.â
(2) Maintain a caring relationship with both people. Relationship specialist Edwin Friedman says, âThe
way to bring change to the relationship of two others is to maintain a well-defined relationship with
each, and avoid taking responsibility for their relationship.â Donât take sides. Donât let them pull you in.
If they try, remind them that youâre praying and trusting God to help them resolve the problem, and
that youâre confident He will do it.
LEARN TO WAIT
âThey that wait upon the Lord.â Isa 40:31
The word âwaitâ gives us a picture of two things. The first is of a waiter at your table attending to your
needs. The second is of a lower-level person making a request of a higher-level one. Your success
depends on approaching them the right way, and on their willingness to grant your request. Since they
hold the power, you must be patient and wait for them. Are you getting the idea? Our problem is
twofold. First, we want God to wait on us, instead of the other way around. Second, we donât want to
wait for anything! We drive to work listening to the radio and talking on the phone; some of us even put
ourselves and others at risk by text-messaging. Vance Havner points out that in the Old West if someone
missed a stagecoach they said, âThatâs okay, another one will come around in three or four weeks. Now
we donât even want to wait for a revolving door.â What God does in you while you are waiting is often
more important than what youâre asking God to do.
22. 21
Waiting on God brings rewards that nothing else will. Here are a few of them: (1) Vindication. âDo not
fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong⊠Delight yourself in the Lord and he will
give you the desires of your heartâ (Ps 37:1,4 NIV). (2) Strength. âWait on the LordâŠand He shall
strengthen your heartâ (Ps 27:14 NKJV). (3) Deliverance. âIâŠwaited for GodâŠHe lifted me out of the
ditchâ (Ps 40:1-2 TM). So relax, wait on God and He will come through for you.
WELCOME THIS CHANGE
âHave your sandals on and your walking stick in your hand.â Ex 12:11 NCV
The Boy Scout motto is âBe prepared,â and itâs a good one. In Exodus God told Israel, âEatâŠfully dressed
as if you were going on a tripâŠhave your sandals on and your walking stick in your hand.â In other
words, âBe ready when I tell you to move!â Maybe thereâs an area in your life where God is telling you
itâs time to move, but fear is making you shrink back. Donât! Change is just evidence of growth. What
worked yesterday can be tomorrowâs recipe for failure. You canât become who you are destined to be, if
you insist on staying as you are. John Patterson said, âOnly fools and dead men donât changeâŠFools
wonât, and dead men canât.â Change isnât the enemy. Once you start seeing yourself as a lifelong learner
looking for ways to grow and improve, change becomes your friend. Learn from the people you meet,
pursue new ideas, strategies, and ways to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Jim Penner says: âOur
bodies change no matter how hard we exercise âŠOur homes change as our needs ebb and flow. Our
places of employment change as the winds of economic forces blow and new opportunities
comeâŠfriendships change as family needs and employment pull us awayâŠWhile many changes become
enjoyable new seasonsâŠsometimes theyâre painful. But no matter what season of change youâre
experiencingâŠyou can find comfort in Malachi 3:6, âI am GodâŠI havenât changedâ (TM). His mercies
endure foreverâŠand itâs an awesome feeling knowing He loves and directs you just like He directed all
His people who came before you.â
THREE LEVELS OF ATTACK (1)
âCommand that these stones become bread.â Mt 4:3 NKJV
The Bible says, âJesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devilâ (v. 1
NKJV). This seems to be Godâs standard operating procedure. Why? Because Heâs a good general; before
He puts you into battle He puts you into boot camp. Imagine it: youâre up at dawn, running for miles
with a heavy backpack, crawling under barbed wire barriers with bullets whizzing over your head, taking
orders from authority figures you donât know and probably donât like. But if you pass the test you get to
wear the uniform. On the threshold of His ministry, God led His Son into a situation where He would
face three levels of attack. You will face them also. Letâs look at the first one:
The attack over the bread. Did Jesus need bread? Yes, Heâd been without food for forty days. But He
knew that His greatest need was not for natural food but spiritual food. So He told Satan, âMan shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of Godââ (v. 4 NKJV).
23. 22
Only when youâre convinced God will take care of all your material needs, will you start putting spiritual
things first in your life. Until that happens, youâll think you have to take care of yourself. As a result, you
will walk in fear and not faith. Thatâs not how God wants you to live. âSeek first the kingdom of God and
His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to youâ (Mt 6:33 NKJV). When you worry, you
donât trust God. When you trust God, you donât have to worry. The choice is yours.
THREE LEVELS OF ATTACK (2)
âThen the devilâŠset Him on the pinnacle.â Mt 4:5 NKJV
The attack on the pinnacle. Letâs look at the second temptation Jesus faced: âThen the devil took Him up
into the holy city, [and] set Him on the pinnacle of the temple.â Here you deal with the fear of failure.
Satan will whisper, âYouâre on the pinnacle of success now, but you could easily fall off.â He will bring up
your past failures. He will remind you of leaders who crashed and burned. He will say, âIf people realized
how little you really know, or the issues youâre struggling with, they wouldnât respect you.â There are
two kinds of fear: healthy fear and unhealthy fear. Healthy fear will keep you dependent on God; it will
protect you from pride and self-sufficiency. âTherefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he
fallâ (1Co 10:12 NKJV). But thereâs an unhealthy fear that will keep you in the boat when Jesus is calling
to you to step out and walk with Him on the water. You say, âBut Peter almost drowned.â Sure, but he
was the only one of the disciples who experienced the joy of walking on the water! Having faith doesnât
mean you wonât experience a sinking feeling at times. You have a choice. You can give in to fear, or trust
the God who has called you, sustained you, and never failed to give you the strength needed to cope
with whatever you face. If your own intellect or talents are the basis of your confidence, you have good
reason to fear. But if God is the basis of your confidence, you have nothing to fear.
THREE LEVELS OF ATTACK (3)
âAll these things I will give you.â Mt 4:8 NKJV-The attack over the cross. Letâs look at the third
temptation Jesus faced: âThe devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all
the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, âAll these things I will give You if You will
fall down and worship meââ (vv. 8-9 NKJV). Satanâs third attack was over a cross-less life. In essence, he
told Jesus, âYou donât have to carry the cross. Just bow to me and you can have it all.â Jesus said, âAway
with you, Satan!â (v. 10 NKJV). âAwayâ with any teaching that says God is your bellhop and He has to
wait on you! Or that Heâs like a vending machine; all you have to do is put in a few coins and out will
come whatever you want. Paul writes, âI have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave Himself for meâ (Gal 2:20 NKJV). Has God promised to bless you? Absolutely! But that doesnât
mean youâll never get hurt, or face lack, or battle sickness, or be betrayed and disappointed by others.
Jesus said, âUnless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies [to self], it remains alone; but if it dies
[to self], it produces muchâ (Jn 12:24 NKJV). Have you ever heard the expression, âDead man walking?â
To do Godâs will you have to die to your own will, and do it daily. But if youâre willing to, God will take
you to a new level of blessing.
24. 23
FREEDOM FROM SEXUAL ADDICTION
âHelp us for the glory of your name.â Ps 79:9 NLT
For fifteen years Mike Cleveland, airline pilot and founder of âSetting Captives Free,â seemed powerless
as his addiction to online pornography devastated his life, his marriage and his family. The spiral of lust
enslaved him âuntil there wasnât a moment of his days free from its tortured domination.â The cycle of
prayers for deliverance, followed by repeated indulgence in porn, XXX DVDs and sex chat-rooms,
plunged him deeper into the darkness of despair and self-loathing. He longed to escape the slimy,
secluded underworld of secret soul-destroying sin, but every pathetic attempt left him unchanged,
unhinged, and uncertain that freedom was possible for him. Mike turned to self-help books, counselors
and friends without success. His repeated disappointment, when every effort failed, led to increasing
guilt and self-incrimination. When his wife insisted on a last-ditch visit with her pastor (all other
remedies had been exhausted), the lights in their bleak prison cell suddenly came on.
Mike learned that âdeliverance belong(s) to the Lordâ (Jnh 2:9 AMP), and its rules are all dictated by
Him. Mikeâs old motivations for getting cleanââsaving my marriage for my kidsâ sake; Iâm a Christian, a
seminary graduate and preacherââwere full of âloopholes and escape clausesâ and produced one
botched disaster after another. His pastor taught him that the only viable motivation for getting clean
and staying clean was a commitment to glorifying God in all of his decisions, because God delivers the
powerless, âFor the glory of [His] name.â When Mike learned, âWhatever you do, do it all for the glory of
Godâ (1Co 10:31 NIV), the doors to freedom from years of sexual addiction began to open. Yours can
too!
DR. JAMES DOBSON ON PARENTING (1)
âImpress them on your children.â Dt 6:6-7 NIV
In an interview with Christianity Today, Dr. James Dobson said: âThe culture has totally changed. Girls
today are growing up too fast; the influences of the entertainment industry have changed everything.
Girls are experiencing things their mothers and grandmothers never experienced. The age of
compression thrusts girls into adolescent experience far too early, gets them thinking about sexuality at
an early age and creates pressure. We are dealing with evidences of emotional turmoil, including eating
disorders such as anorexia and bulimia; 90 percent of those with eating disorders are girls, some of
them as young as five. Recently a clothing manufacturer finally took this product off the shelves: bikinis
with padded bras for seven-year-olds! You also have cutting, piercing, and sexual aggression among
elementary school age kids and early involvement in drugs and alcohol. Girls have now reached parity
with boys in binge drinking, and thereâs a high level of violence among girls. One out of three boys and
girls is either a victim or a perpetrator of bullying. Weâve seen news recently about girls who hang
themselves after being taunted. There has never been an easy time to raise kids, but itâs harder today.â
Parent, if living in your dream home and climbing the ladder of success means losing your children,
youâll regret it. Youâve only one chance to get it right.
25. 24
âThese commandments that I give you todayâŠImpress them on your children. Talk about them when
you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get upâ (vv. 6-7
NIV).
DR. JAMES DOBSON ON PARENTING (2)
âTalk about them when you sitâŠwhen you walkâŠwhen you lie down âŠwhen you get up.â Dt 6:7 NIV
When asked, âHow do you teach your daughter about healthy self-esteem while not training her to be
self-focused?â Dr. Dobson gave this answer: âGirls in their adolescent and middle school years are going
through puberty, and that brings about acne and gangly bodies. Those girls look at role models like
Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan. If they dare to be a little overweightânot even fat, but
slightly overweightâthey hear about it all day long. It tears into the heart and worth of a girl who just
wants to be a princess, who wants to be loved by somebody. If the father in this situation doesnât affirm
her, love her, tell her sheâs pretty, put his arm around her and give her attention, she often looks for it
elsewhere. The only thing she has to bargain with is her sexuality, and she thinks sheâll be loved if she
gives certain gifts of her sexuality. We know where that leads: he gets what he wants and dumps her,
and she doesnât get what she wants, which is love.â Dad, if youâve been AWOL, come back to your
children, particularly your daughters. Your home is a classroom. What you teach them there, they will
take with them into the rest of their lives. If your life is out of order today, repent, get right with God
and start paying attention to what really matters. You canât undo the past, but with Godâs help you can
give your children the future they deserve. But it must become one of your highest priorities.
DR. JAMES DOBSON ON PARENTING (3)
âBring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.â Eph 6:4 NIV
When asked, âHow do you suggest parents handle their childrenâs activities on web sites like Facebook
and Twitter?â Dr. Dobson gave this advice: âParents have to know what technology their kids are using.
Sexting is a terrible thing. (âSextingâ is the new term for children exposing themselves to one another
online, thinking they are safe because they are in the sanctuary of their own home.) Pornography is
pervasive, and parents need to keep up with changes in technology and protect their kids. Thatâs a
tough assignment, because kids are ahead of them. Parents often have extremely demanding careers
and when they come home they have nothing left to give, so the culture will often take your kids to
hell.â One night a father and his daughter were out on a lake when their small boat was caught in a
storm. As he rowed, Dad kept saying to his daughter, âCan you see the shore? Can you see the shore?â
After a terrifying hour the little girl pointed over her dadâs shoulder and said, âYes, I see the light.
Momma said if we were out after dark she would hang a light in the window.â When they finally got
home a tearful mother hugged her husband and daughter, and thanked God for their safe return.
Looking at her, the little girl said, âMomma, you never had to worry. We steered by your light!â Parent,
your children are being caught in lifeâs storms. They are rowing in the dark with no sense of direction.
Live for God, and give them a light they can steer by!
26. 25
RESPONDING TO FAILURE
âA righteous person may fallâŠbut he gets up again.â Pr 24:16 GWT
You can tell a lot about somebody by how they respond to life. Everybody gets knocked down, but how
fast you get up again is what counts. Verla Gillmor says: âFailure teaches us things we canât learn any
other wayâŠTreat it as a visitor allowed to deliver unpleasant news, but donât let it take up residence.
Remember, all failures arenât equal. For example, when a beautiful, talented young woman is first-
runner-up in the Miss America Pageant, we say she failed. Yet some people would give their right arm to
be named the second most attractive female in a national competition. Itâs a matter of perspectiveâŠ
[examine] your failures and weigh them according to their importance in the overall scheme of thingsâŠI
once received a âDâ in collegeâŠitâs ridiculous, but that sticks in my mind like a pebble in my shoe. Why do
I fixate on that and not the fact that it happened the semester I carried nineteen credit hours, worked
part-time, got engaged, and spent six weeks in the college health center with mononucleosis? When I
put the experience in context, it loses its power to undermine my confidence. Failure teaches us whatâs
important. Iâve a friend who was downsized out of a jobâŠIt caught her by surprise because she was good
at her work. âI tended to be full of pride,â she says. âI got away with it because I was so successful. Losing
my jobâŠhumbled me. With pride you have no permission to fail. Itâs a heavy yokeâŠand I donât wear it
any more. I feel lighter in my spirit without the burden of having to be perfect.ââ
âPROMISES, PROMISES!â (1)
âWhen you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.â Heb 10:36 NIV
Many of us remember singing in church, âEvery promise in the Book is mine!â Exciting wordsâbut are
they entirely true? If youâve prayed for the fulfillment of a Bible promise that didnât materialize, you may
have wondered, felt disillusioned, or even stopped trusting. Whatâs true is that every promise in the
Book intended for you, is yours! God is committed to keeping every promise He has made (See Mt
24:35). So how can you know which Bible promises are yours? Here are some scriptural guidelines to
help you: (1) Be sure you understand the promise. God is committed to His Word, not to your
interpretation of it. When Jesus said, âDestroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it upâ (Jn 2:19
NKJV), His audience completely misunderstood Him, thinking He meant the literal temple when He
meant His body. (2) Walk in the Spirit, not the flesh. Walking in the Spirit, Peter received divine
understanding of Christâs deity. When Jesus asked, âWho do you say I am?â Peter answered, âYou are
the Messiah, the Son of the living God.â Jesus replied, âThis was not revealed to you by flesh and blood,
but by my Fatherâ (See Mt 16:13-18). Soon afterwards, walking in the flesh, the same man totally
misunderstood Jesus and was severely rebuked by Jesus (See vv. 21-23). Why? Because âThe natural
man does not receive the things of the Spirit of GodâŠnor can he know them, because they are spiritually
discernedâ (1Co 2:14 NKJV). So submit your thoughts to God; pray for His guidance, and in due time
youâll get the insight you need.
27. 26
WHATâS A PARENT TO DO?
âBut his sons did not walk in his ways.â 1Sa 8:3 NIV
At times every parent despairs over their childâs decisions and actions. âI did my best to raise them right;
did I fail as a parent?â Failure is a fact of lifeâand of parentingâand nobody does it perfectly! Parents
assume a heavier load of guilt than they deserve. Consider some Bible examples of real-world parenting:
Isaac had, at best, a 50 percent success rate with his sons, Jacob and Esau. Aaron struck out completely
with Nadab and Abihu. Manoahâs boy Samson didnât win the âson-of-the-year awardâ! And Samuel, a
recognized moral and spiritual giant, watched his sons reject his example and teaching and pursue lives
of bribery and shame. Since Adam, kids âdoing their own thingâ have broken their parentsâ hearts! So
whatâs a parent to do? (1) Realize youâre not responsible for their decisions. They make their own
choices. Condemning yourself just discourages you, and it undermines your ability to be the parent they
need. The Bible says, âSalvation is of the Lordâ (Jnh 2:9). He saves and deliversânot you. (2) Pray for
them and give them to God. Anxiety and frustration will only make you the kind of parent they donât
enjoy being around, and who canât enjoy them. Youâre not built to carry such a load; your heavenly
Father is, and He wants to carry it for you! (See 1Pe 5:7). (3) Remember that God loves them more than
you do! He gave His only child to save yours. He knows their heart, and how to reach it and turn it
toward Him (See Jer 17:9-10). So give your child to Him!
Law and Order (1)
âDiscipline your children; youâll be glad you didâtheyâll turn out delightful to live with.â Pr 29:17 TM
Weâre producing a generation of kids who are allowed to rear themselves with the aid of television,
violent videos, and the Internet (which can be a minefield!). Often both parents work, leaving one child
to supervise another. As a result they become a law unto themselves. âA child left to himself disgraces
his [parents]â (Pr 29:15 NIV). Most of us are loving parents, but our children need discipline and rules to
live by. Love has a backbone; itâs called law and order. Without it, love is just license. âA refusal to
correct is a refusal to loveâ (Pr 13:24 TM). Remember the cute cartoon where Dad, strap in hand, makes
disobedient Dennis âassume the positionâ? He says, âThis is going to hurt me more than you.â Dennis
responds, âDonât feel obligated to hurt yourself on my behalf.â Enforcing law and order isnât easy. But
the alternative is a betrayal of our children and our God-given responsibility! Failure to enforce law and
order to gain short-term popularity with our kids always ends up costing us their long-term respect.
Expecting younger kids to figure out whatâs right and wrong is a burden they shouldnât have to bear;
their neurological and moral equipment isnât sufficiently developed yet for such responsibility. The Bible
says, âYoung people are prone to foolishness and fads; the cure comes through tough-minded
disciplineâ (Pr 22:15 TM). Your children learn to make good decisions from the rewards and
consequences of dealing with law and order at home. So donât fail them!
29. 28
When You Feel Down (1)
âWe will stand in your presenceâŠcry out to youâŠand you will hear us and save us.â 2Ch 20:9 NIV
A parishioner asked his pastor, âDo you ever feel down?â âSure,â he responded. âWhat do you do about
it?â the parishioner said. âI get up again. Being down isnât my problemâstaying down is. Iâm either up,
or Iâm getting up. Iâve learned not to park in between.â Although feeling down is universal, sociologists
warn us to guard against its two most common causes: fear and fatigue. Letâs look at them:
Fear: When Edomite armies marched against Israelâs king, fear gripped him and his nation. Feeling
powerless, they feared losing their God-given land and possessions. If the stress of the last few years has
left you feeling fearful, do what Israelâs king did. He turned to God and prayed: âWhenever we are faced
with any calamityâŠwe canâŠstand in your presenceâŠWe can cry out to youâŠand you will hear us and
rescue usâ (v. 9 NLT). Donât let fear cause you to abandon your hope and your vision. Instead, stand in
Godâs presence, cry out to Him, and watch Him rescue you. Throughout the Old Testament God
reminded Israel of His track record of goodness. He wanted them to remember it and take courage. But
sometimes fear would cloud their memory and theyâd begin to doubt. Sound familiar? So He told them,
âDo not beâŠdiscouragedâŠthe battle is not yours, but [mine]â (v. 15 NIV). In other words, âYou donât
have to defeat the foe, thatâs My job. Iâm in charge; trust Me to work it out.â So remember Whoâs in
control of your circumstances today. Stand in His presence; believe His promise!
When You Feel Down (2)
âLet us not grow weary while doing good.â Gal 6:9 NKJV
Fatigue: Remember the old saying, âYou canât burn the candle at both endsâ? Today weâve gone from
candle power to atomic power, and few of us pay heed to that old saying anymore. We want bigger
homes, fancier cars and more exotic vacations, etc. So we start earlier, work harder, and finish later.
Then we stagger home and fall asleep in front of the television, worn out and feeling guilty about
spending so little time with our family. We forget that God designed us to need one work-free day a
week for rest and spiritual renewal (See Ex 20:8-11). As a result, fatigue saps our creative energy,
distorts our outlook, diminishes our joy, erodes our confidence and drains us spiritually. Elijah is a great
example of this. Single-handedly he defeated the prophets of Baal (See 1Ki 18). In answer to his prayer,
God sent fire from heaven that consumed the altar and turned Israel back to God. It was a spectacular
victory, yet on the heels of it he got so down that he actually asked God to take his life. Now thatâs a
major league downer! So what did God do? Like any good doctor, He diagnosed the manâs problem and
prescribed three things: proper diet, adequate rest, and a good assistant: Elisha. Many of us who love
what we work at, tend to get out of balance. We have no boundaries so we risk burning out. We âgrow
weary while doing good.â Whatâs the answer? âHe restores my soulâ (Ps 23:3 NKJV). The word
ârestoresâ has two parts: ârestâ and âstore.â Relax physically, and replenish spiritually. Thatâs what to do
when you feel down!
30. 29
VICTORIOUS LIVING
âBlessed is the man who perseveres.â Jas 1:12 NIV
Here are three keys to victorious living: (1) Perseverance. Dr. G. Campbell Morgan tells of a man whose
shop burned to the ground. The next morning he set up shop in the middle of the charred ruins and put
up a sign that read, âEverything lost except wife, children and hopeâbusiness as usual tomorrow
morning.â So get back up again! âBlessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has
stood the test, he will receive the crown of life.â (2) Purpose. Helen Keller wrote, âMany persons have
the wrong idea about what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification, but
through fidelity to a worthy purpose.â Jesus said, âThe Son of Man did not come to be served, but to
serveâ (Mk 10:45 NKJV). Donât pray for a generous heart, practice being generous and your heart will fall
into line with your actions. As long as you are a sower, God will give you seed (See 2Co 9:10). (3)
Perspective. Your disappointment may turn out to be Godâs appointment. âIn his heart a man plans his
course, but the Lord determines his stepsâ (See Pr 16:9). Remember how an oyster makes a pearl?
When a grain of sand gets into its shell, the oyster wraps it in layer after layer of beauty until a pearl is
formed. The poet wrote: âThis tale has a moral, for isnât it grand, what an oyster can do with a morsel of
sand? And what couldnât we do, if weâd only begin, with some of the things that get under our skin.â Get
the right perspective. Try to see âGodâ at work in what you are going through today!
When Youâre in a Storm
âThe boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves.â Mt 14:24 NKJV
Talk about a person caught in a storm! Jeremiah could tell you the height of the waves and the speed of
the wind. He realized how fast he was sinking, so he shifted his gaze. âBut this I call to mind, and
therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. âThe Lord is my portion,â says my soul, âtherefore I
will hope in himââ (Lam 3:21-24 RSV). When Jeremiah turned his eyes away from the waves to look to
God, he started to recite a quintet of promises: (1) âThe steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.â (2)
âHis mercies never come to an end.â (3) âThey are new every morning.â (4) âGreat is your faithfulness.â
(5) âThe Lord is my portion.â The storm didnât cease, but Jeremiahâs discouragement did. Paul talks
about âspeaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lordâ (Eph 5:19 NKJV). Great hymns are a great help. They help you to get your eyes
on the One who walks on the water and calms the storm. âGreat is Thy faithfulness, O God my father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou
hast been, Thou forever wilt be. Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning
new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!â
31. 30
Finding Comfort in Troubled Times
âBut God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us.â 2Co 7:6 NIV
You say, âSurely Paul was too spiritually mature to feel downcast?â Apparently not! The chief apostle
and leader of the church experienced discouragement, stress, restlessness, and even fears. âWhen we
arrived in Macedonia province, we couldnât settle down. The fights in the church and the fears in our
hearts kept us on pins and needles. We couldnât relax because we didnât know how it would turn outâ
(vv. 5-6 TM). So, where do we turn for strength in our times of trouble? Consider some ways God sends
us comfort and encouragement: (1) He comforts us by His presence. âNow mayâŠGod our Father, who
loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen
you in every good thingâ (2Th 2:16-17 NLT). Itâs Godâs nature to be with us, to give us comfort when
weâre mourning (See Mt 5:4); brokenhearted (See Ps 147:3); overwhelmed (See Ps 145:14); worried (See
Is 41:10); sick (See Ps 41:3). But we must acknowledge His presence and accept His comfort! (2) He
comforts us by His Word. âRemember what you said to me, your servantâI hang on to these words for
dear life! These words hold me up in bad times; yes, your promises rejuvenate meâ (Ps 119:49-50 TM).
(3) He comforts us through our prayers. âThe moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life
large with strengthâ (Ps 138:3 TM). (4) He comforts us through godly friends. Paul writes:
âGodâŠcomforted us by the coming of Titus.â Today, look for those who bring comfort, and practice
comforting others.
Deal with the Rooster
âThere isâŠno condemnation.â Ro 8:1 NKJV
Booker T. Washington tells a wonderful story about his mother. Every morning of his young life, he,
along with all the plantation slaves, was awakened by the crow of a rooster. Long before daybreak the
unwelcome noise would fill the shanties, reminding Washington and his fellow workers to crawl out of
bed and leave for the cotton fields. That roosterâs crow came to symbolize a life of long days and
backbreaking labor. But then came the Emancipation Proclamation. Abraham Lincoln pronounced
freedom for all slaves. The first morning afterward, young Booker was awakened by the rooster again.
Only this time his mother was chasing it around the barnyard with an axe. That day the Washington
family fried and ate their alarm clock for lunch. Their first act of freedom was to silence the reminder of
their slavery. Are any roosters stealing your sleep? You might need to sharpen the blade. The great news
of the gospel is, yes, His grace is real, and so is your freedom! âThere is therefore now no condemnation
to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.â
Forget your sins for Godâs sake, because when you keep bringing them up you bother Him! Does that
sound too strong for you? Then read what God says about your sins: âI, even I, am He who blots out
your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sinsâ (Isa 43:25 NKJV). God has
buried your sins in the âdepths of the seaâ and posted a sign beside it which reads, âNo fishing in these
watersâ (See Micah 7:19).
32. 31
Hindrances to Prayer (1)
âSo that nothing will hinder your prayers.â 1Pe 3:7 NIV
Here are two hindrances to answered prayer: (1) Unconfessed sin. âYour sins have hidden his face
from you, so that he will not hearâ (Isa 59:2 NIV). As a believer, God expects you to walk in
obedience. âWhat does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly
with your Godâ (Mic 6:8 NIV). Notice, these are ârequirements.â If you donât meet them youâre
wasting your time praying, unless itâs a prayer of repentance. You must seek Godâs forgiveness, then
He will hear your prayers. (2) Unresolved conflict. âHusbandsâŠbe considerate as you live with your
wives, and treat them with respectâŠso that nothing will hinder your prayers.â Thereâs no point
praying if you are always fighting with one another. âAnyone who claims to be in the light but hates
his brother is still in the darknessâ (1Jn 2:9 NIV). God will answer when you come out into the light,
deal with the thing that drove you apart, and attempt to mend the relationship. Now, sometimes it
isnât possible to make amends. âIf it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyoneâ (Ro 12:18 NIV). Sometimes the other person would rather keep the issue alive than accept
your apology. When that happens look into your heart. Do you really want restoration, or would you
rather âblame placeâ and let things fester? If your attempts have been wholehearted and honest,
God wonât let a broken relationship stand in the way of your prayers. But if your attempts have been
half-hearted and self-serving, try againâthis time for real.
Hindrances to Prayer (2)
âYou do not have, because you do not ask.â Jas 4:2 NIV
Here are two more hindrances to answered prayer: (1) Failure to pray. Itâs estimated that out of the
667 prayers for specific things mentioned in the Bible, there are 454 specific answers. That means the
Bible is a book of prayersâand answers. Our problem is, we spend a lot of time talking about prayer
and fail to get down to the business of praying. Charles Trumbull said, âPrayer releases the energies
of God.â The goal of prayer is not to overcome Godâs reluctance, but to believe Him and take hold of
His willingness. His Word says: âYou do not have, because you do not ask.â C. E. Cowman wrote: âNo
praying man or woman accomplishes so much with so little expenditure of time, as when he or she is
praying.â Until you learn to pray in faith and wait on God for the answer, youâll get nowhere. (2)
Failure to care. When the Israelites complained that God wasnât answering their prayers He told
them, âStop oppressing those who work for you and treat them fairly âŠshare your food with the
hungryâŠClothe those who are cold and donât hide from [those] who need your help. If you do these
thingsâŠthe Lord will answerâ (Isa 58:6-9 TLB). Sin and unbelief are not the only things that hinder
your prayers; self-centered living will! A little girl prayed for several weeks asking God for a certain
thing. Finally in frustration she said, âBy the way, Lord, Iâve mentioned this to You several times
before.â If thatâs your situation, stop thinking about your own needs and focus on the needs of
others.