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"WHERE PRAYER AND PRAISE TAKE YOU INTO HIS PRESENCE"

Friday, October 28, 2011

Highway Robbery!

I want to continue the series on The Apostle Paul that I’d started last week from one of the devotionals I read. Please read and enjoy!


2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;



When you live and preach the Gospel in volatile regions of the world, you deal with issues that believers in more civilized nations never have to think about. Some of these challenges simply go with the territory of working on the front lines of the Gospel, and there is nothing that can be done to change it. This is why God gives special grace to people whom He sends to difficult parts of the world. His grace empowers them to successfully live, preach, and minister in environments that others would consider chaotic and even bordering on the insane.

On occasion, representatives of other very large ministries have come to the other side of the world to look at our work. After seeing what we have accomplished and obtaining a better understanding of the many problems we face in fulfilling our divine assignment, they leave amazed that we are able to do what we do. But we are able to do it only because we're recipients of God's grace and anointing. Without these two factors, it would be impossible to make such a major impact. All the glory goes to Jesus!

One of the issues we have faced is the criminal element that exists in the vast expanse of the former Soviet Union. Because the region is so huge, it is very difficult for the government to control the "mafia" that works in every area. Thus, many parts of this precious nation where God has called us is controlled by hoodlums and bandits. These criminals try to invade every sphere of life and get their hands into everyone's pockets.

Several times these very dangerous criminals have attempted to beset our own organization. But as we listened to the voice of the Holy Spirit and carefully obeyed His promptings, God enabled us to circumvent meticulously laid plans that the devil was inspiring these thieves to execute against us. Had these plans worked, it would have robbed us of ministry finances and seriously affected our ministry. But thanks be to God, we successfully survived each of these planned attempts to destroy our ministry!

The situation I just related to you is not something you probably have to think about in your city or town. You live in a civilized system where police are available to help and where the mafia doesn't hide in the shadows, devising sinister plans to take advantage of you. But for people who live in other, less civilized parts of the earth, such criminal activity is part of the norm of life that must be dealt with, considered, and taken into account when making plans.

When the apostle Paul wrote to us about the things he endured as he traveled to take the Gospel to new places, he let us know that thieves and bandits were also a constant concern to him and to his fellow travelers. He wrote that they were "... in perils of robbers...."

In Perils of Robbers

I want you to notice that the apostle Paul uses the Greek word kindunos for the second time in this text. As noted in yesterday's Sparkling Gem, it is the Greek word for extremely dangerous.

Paul faced many dangers as he went about fulfilling his ministry, but one danger he constantly faced as he traveled was the threat of robbers. The word "robbers" is the Greek word lestes. It refers to a plunderer, robber, highwayman, or bandit. This was a bad breed of bandits who were very cunning in their thievery of others and who used weapons and violence to achieve their wicked ends.

In the ancient world, robbers and thieves hid in the ditches and caves along roads that led from city to city—particularly along main routes of travel. This is why some Greek expositors translate the word "robbers" as "highwaymen." This term especially applied to bandits who ambushed those who traveled by roads. Considering how frequently Paul and his companions walked, we can easily see why Paul faced "perils of robbers." This gives a whole new idea to the phrase "highway robbery"!

Just imagine for a moment that you are traveling to the farthest ends of the earth by foot. You are physically carrying everything you need for that journey. The luggage piled on your back is filled with the clothing and cash you need for your journey. You know that pillaging, predatory plunderers are hidden in the ditches and caves along the roadside as you pass by, just waiting for the right prey to come by. You also know that these bandits are famous not only for stealing, but for wounding and killing their victims. Yet there is no other road for you to take if you are going to get where you need to go.

We can be sure that Paul and his traveling companions were alert the whole time they traveled on those roads. They most certainly took authority in the Spirit and bound the evil forces influencing the bandits who lay in the ditches and caves, waiting for them to come along. But because Paul uses the word kindunos ("perils"), we know this was an extremely dangerous predicament.

Yet even this danger was not strong enough to stop Paul from doing the will of God. He and his companions exercised authority in the Spirit and courageously walked on, traveling through regions so dangerous that others dared not even venture there.

You may not live in regions of the world where you have to think about highway robbers, members of the mafia, and other criminal elements, but God might be calling you to venture into new areas of ministry or business that seem to entail risks and dangers. You may feel like there are hidden dangers awaiting you at every turn. In these cases, don't allow yourself to retreat in fear! You must do your best to faithfully follow God's call. Use the common sense God has given you; gird yourself with the power of the Holy Spirit; and head in the direction where God is calling you.

It doesn't matter how difficult the task is that lies before you—if God is the One leading you, you can do it. God isn't going to give you an assignment you can't do. Remember, many others have had to fight the same fight of faith before you. They have faced the same questions you face. They have walked the same road you are walking. They followed the call of God, and they victoriously accomplished God's plan. If those believers could do it, so can you!

So put fear aside, and get ready for a journey of faith. Think soberly and stay alert as you let the Holy Spirit lead you down the path toward your destination, allowing nothing to deter you from your goal. As you do these things, the day will come when you produce more fruit for the Kingdom than ever before!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I ask You to help me put aside fear and to believe that You will protect me as I follow Your call on my life. I know that You would never give me an assignment that You didn't think I could do. The fact that You've asked me to take this path means You are confident that I am capable of succeeding. Naturally speaking, I would feel fear at the prospect of taking such a step of faith. So please help me to permanently put away that fear and to trust that the Holy Spirit will carefully lead me past every danger and risk that lies along the way.

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am fear-free and ready to follow the Lord wherever He calls me. Even though there are dangers and risks along the way, the Holy Spirit will carefully lead me so I can circumvent every area of danger and move forward safely toward my goal. The Holy Spirit sees everything; He knows everything; and He has my best in mind. Therefore, He supernaturally leads me down the right path, alerting me along the way when there is something that could hurt or hinder me. Because I am led by Him, I dodge every attack the enemy has planned for my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1.Have you ever sensed the Lord leading you to take a step of faith that was risky?

2.When you knew that God was asking you to do something that moved you out of your comfort zone, were you excited to follow the Lord's leading, or were you fearful?

3.Did the Holy Spirit guide you past dangers that were secretly lying in wait for you? How did He safely lead you past those dangers so that you remained uninjured?

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Jesus Has Overcome Everything!

2 Corinthians 11:23-24 (NKJV) 23 Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.


Once when I was teaching from Paul's words in Second Corinthians 11:23-25, I especially emphasized the afflictions Paul overcame by the power of the Spirit. Later a young man came up to me and said, "It's obvious to me that the apostle Paul had no faith!"

Shocked by his words, I asked him, "What do you mean when you say the apostle Paul had no faith?"

He answered, "If Paul had walked in faith, he wouldn't have gone through any of those ordeals."

The young man's words made me think about the great number of people who have the wrong impression about faith. They think that if a person walks in faith, that somehow means he will escape all adversities in life.

But when you read the New Testament, you find that the early believers and the apostles faced many adversities. Certainly it wasn't God who planned those hardships. The devil was the one who shrewdly planned those attacks in order to stop the preaching of the Gospel. And Satan is still working nonstop to prevent people from stepping into the glorious plan God has designed for their lives.

There is something very encouraging about studying the strategies the devil arrayed against the early believers. You see, regardless of what the enemy tried to do, he was unsuccessful in stopping them! Because they did have faith, they were unconquerable.

So I told the young man who talked to me that night, "Young man, the fact that Paul survived all those ordeals and continued his ministry to the end of his life is proof that he did possess faith. A man with no faith wouldn't have survived those attacks."

Don't get the impression that walking in faith removes you from all challenges. Faith just gives you the ability to overcome the challenges that will attempt to assail you. Even Jesus said, "... In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

The word "tribulation" is the Greek word thlipsis, which describes a situation so difficult that it causes one to feel stressed, squeezed, pressured, or crushed. It can be translated as distress, affliction, or trouble, always indicating a level of intensity that is almost unbearable in the natural.

But Jesus tells us to be of "good cheer." These two words are from the single Greek word tharseo, which literally means to be courageous. It is consistently translated, "Fear not," but a better rendering would be "Take heart!" It is a word that would be spoken to strengthen someone who is facing some kind of hardship or difficult ordeal. Jesus was literally saying, "In this world you will go through some distressing times, but take heart and be courageous...."

Then Jesus tells us, "I have overcome the world." The word "overcome" is the Greek word nikos, which is also the word for victory. But the grammar used in this statement does not imply a single victory in the past, but a continuous and abiding victory. Therefore, the idea that this Greek word presents is this: "I have overcome the world; I am still overcoming the world; and I will always be in an overcoming position over the world!"

The word "world" in Greek is kosmos, the Greek word that is always used to depict the arena where Satan attempts to wield his influence and describes all the human systems of the world. It is the very word Paul uses in Second Corinthians 4:4 when he refers to Satan as the "god of the world." Satan is not god of the earth, but he operates through the human systems in the world—and these systems are what the enemy usually uses to attack the Church and God's people.

When we consider all the things that assailed the apostle Paul, we realize that most of the attacks came through the world systems of government or religion. These were the primary instruments Satan used in his efforts to curb Paul's activities. But Paul learned to take heart in such situations. He never gave up! Paul had obviously grabbed hold of Jesus' words in John 16:33, because he overcame everything Satan ever tried to use against him. The devil simply was unable to stop this man who was determined to finish the assignment Heaven had given him!

Five Times Received I Forty Stripes Save One

In Second Corinthians 11:24, Paul goes on to say, "Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one." This was a Jewish method of punishment, applied to Paul on five different occasions. Deuteronomy 25:2, 3 refers to this method when it specifies how the wicked man should be punished: "And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number. Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed...."

This was one of the most vicious treatments of the ancient world. The tortured person's clothing was completely removed so he appeared before his persecutors naked. His arms were tied so he could not defend himself. Then the torturer would begin to lash the prisoner's bare body with a whip made of three long cords, one from calf hide and the other two from donkey hide.

Pieces of glass, bone, and metal were often attached to the end of the cords to make the lashing more memorable. The torturer would hit so hard that the pieces of glass, bone, and metal would lodge into the victim's skin. Then as the cords were jerked backward for the next lash of the whip, those pieces of glass, bone, and metal would rip out significant amounts of flesh. This left horrid scars on the victim's body—permanently.

The first third of these lashes were given across the prisoner's upper chest and face, while the remaining two-thirds of lashes were applied to his back, buttocks, and legs; meanwhile, the victim was forced to bend over to make it easier for the torturer to hit his body. Blood flew everywhere as the cords whipped wildly through the air, making snapping noises as they struck the victim again and again.

But let's think a little deeper. If the whip was made of three cords and Paul received thirty-nine lashes each time, this means he received 117 lashes at each beating! And he went through this grueling exercise on five different occasions, which means 585 lashes were laid across Paul's upper chest, face, back, buttocks, and legs. There wasn't a place on his body that hadn't been beaten or had pieces of flesh ripped out of it!

Paul was so committed to fulfilling his God-given call that he wouldn't let anything stop him! After being repeatedly beaten in this terrible manner, he'd get up, put his clothes back on, and go right back to what he was doing before he was beaten. He had already made up his mind. He would not stop until his mission was complete!

Being beaten was an unpleasant experience. It was definitely a part of the journey that no one would relish. But Paul refused to let this experience become a permanent roadblock to his ministry. He pushed the opposition out of the way, got up, and went on. He overcame in the power of Jesus' name and in the power of the Holy Spirit!

What are you facing today? I'm sure it isn't a beating of thirty-nine lashes, yet it may still seem overpowering and overwhelming to you. How are you going to respond to these things? If you've been knocked down, are you going to stay there? Or are you going to get up, brush off the dirt, grab hold of the power of God, and start moving forward again?

Never forget that Jesus said, "In this world you will go through some distressing times. But take heart and be courageous, for I have overcome the world; I am still overcoming the world; and I will always be in an overcoming position over the world!"

If you'll make the choice today to get up, brush off the dirt, tell your mind and emotions to be silent, and submit yourself to these words of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will begin to fill you with new strength so you can come through the difficult situations you are facing victoriously. And as you rely on God's power to bring you to the place of victory you desire, you will learn how to overcome every challenge you will ever face in life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, I am so thankful that You have overcome the world and given me the power to overcome it! I am so sorry for the times I've allowed my flesh to whine and complain when I should have been digging in my heels and latching on to the power of the Holy Spirit. I know that even though victory is mine, I must take it and make it my own. Please help me take charge of my whining, complaining flesh so I can reach out by faith to seize the power of the Holy Spirit—the very thing I need to make me a winner in my situation today. I thank You in advance for this inflow of power!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I confess that Jesus Christ has given me the power to be an overcomer in every situation in life! I am not a victim who has fallen to defeat. I don't have to take what the devil tries to send my way. In the power of the Spirit and in Jesus' name, I am well able to stand against each attack, to resist every devilish scheme that comes against me, and to maintain the victory of Jesus Christ in every part of my life. Jesus purchased victory for me, and I will not budge from my decision to have, to hold, to possess, and to enjoy His victory in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
1.Are you doing your best to walk in the victory of Jesus Christ? Or have you allowed your flesh to moan and groan and drag you down into the language of defeat?

2.What scriptures can you meditate on and confess daily that will take you to a higher place of victory? Why don't you write those verses down and put them in a visible place where you'll see them every day and be reminded to declare them over your life?

3.Can you think of any people in your life who are currently struggling with the temptation to give up in the midst of difficult circumstances? What are some things you could do to encourage these individuals to keep believing and to stand fast in faith for the victory they desire?

If you've been knocked down, are you going to stay there? Or are you going to get up, brush off the dirt, grab hold of the power of God, and start moving forward again?

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Become More Determined Than Hell Itself!

2 Corinthians 11:23 (ESV) Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death

I am often amazed by people who say they want to be mightily used by God but yet are so "soft"! It doesn't take much at all to ruffle these people's feathers. A little inconvenience or discomfort is enough to upset them and start them complaining. And if they are asked to do a little extra work for free, they act like martyrs who are doing something extremely sacrificial!

If you're going to do something mighty for God, you have to throw yourself into the call of God and do what is needed, regardless of whether or not it is convenient to you. The fact is, doing what God has called us to do must be paramount in our lives—more important than any comfort or pleasure. Like the examples we see in the lives of Jesus and the apostle Paul, we must be willing to do anything required or go to any length to do exactly what God has assigned to us.

Of course God wants His people to be blessed! But a believer shouldn't start whining and complaining just because he runs into an attack of the devil that affects the level of comfort he is accustomed to. And if he's asked to do a little more than what is usually asked of him, he shouldn't start griping that the extra task is not a part of his job description. When a person does that, we can know that this is someone who will not do something mighty for God—at least not until he makes an adjustment in his attitude!

To push the forces of hell out of the way, you have to be more determined than hell itself. You have to be willing to do anything necessary to get the job done. The vision before you must be more important than your own personal pleasure. When you adopt this mentality for your life, you will always push through hard times and take significant territory for the Kingdom of God.

Paul then goes on to tell us more about his determined attitude to finish God's call, regardless of what he has to do to finish it and the challenges he has to face on his way to victory.

Stripes Above Measure

In addition to working hard, Paul tells us what he has physically endured in order to fulfill his heavenly assignment. He tells us that he has been physically beaten as he pursued the fulfillment of his God-given task, experiencing "... stripes above measure...."

The word "stripes" is the Greek word plege. It means to smite, to hit, to wound, or to violently strike. There are many examples of this word in the New Testament. In Luke 10:30, Jesus tells us, "And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead." The word "wounded" is this Greek word plege.

Notice that the man's wounds were so devastating that when the thieves departed, they assumed he was dead. These were mortal wounds. Now Paul uses this same word to describe the kinds of beatings he received as he sought to fulfill his God-given assignment in life.

This word is also used in Acts 16:33 to describe the kind of beating Paul and Silas received in Philippi. After God's power shook the prison walls and set Paul and Silas free, the keeper of the prison came to them to ask how to be saved. Acts 16:33 tells us that once the prison guard was saved, he "... took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes..." This word "stripes" is the same Greek word plege. Here we see an example of the physical beatings Paul endured.

But this incident in Philippi was just one example of Paul being physically knocked around by opponents to the Gospel. In Second Corinthians 11:23, he goes on to say that he experienced these stripes "above measure."

The words "above measure" are from the Greek word huperballo. It is a compound of the words huper and ballo. The word huper means above and beyond what is normal. The word ballo means to throw. And when these two words are joined together, they depict a very powerful picture!

Imagine an archer who takes his bow and arrows to the field for target practice. He aims his arrow at the bull's-eye, pulls back on his bow, and shoots the arrow. But he misses his target and shoots way over the top or exceedingly out of range. The arrow flies way beyond the range of anything considered normal. This pictures the meaning of the Greek word huperballo.

Paul's use of this word tells us that he was beaten way beyond the range of what we could even begin to imagine. The word huperballo describes both the frequency and the intensity of his beatings. The beatings Paul received occurred frequently. They were cruel, severe, merciless acts of brutality. What Paul's enemies did to his body was way over the top! But Paul never allowed even these acts of physical brutality to affect his commitment to the task God had given him.

You must be more determined than the forces that will try to come against you. Otherwise, it won't take much pressure to make you say, "This is too hard" or "I didn't understand how difficult this was going to be." You'll mentally start packing your bags so you can transfer back to more comfortable territory where less is expected of you.

By no means am I wishing hardships or hard times on you. But I do pray that you make up your mind to be tougher than anything the devil ever tries to throw in your direction. In your flesh alone, you are not strong enough to withstand the devil's assaults. But with the power of the Holy Spirit, you can resist, stand against, and drive back everything the devil will attempt to do to you, to your family, to your business, or to your church or ministry. Isn't it time for you to make up your mind to stick with God's call on your life and press ahead in the power of the Holy Spirit?

Prisons More Frequent

Paul goes on to tell us that he has been "... in prisons more frequent...." The word "prison" is the Greek word plulake. It describes a place of custody a prison ward, or a place heavily guarded by keepers and watchmen. Such a prison was usually a small, dark chamber in which the most hardened, dangerous, and menacing prisoners were confined. The prisoners who were put into this particular kind of chamber were considered so risky that they were usually accompanied by a host of prison guards who guarded them twenty-four hours a day.

This word plulake ("prison") is used in Acts 12:4 for Peter's imprisonment in Jerusalem. Acts 12:4 tells us, "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people." Peter must have been viewed as especially risky to have four quaternions of soldiers assigned to keep watch over him!

Paul was also kept in this kind of extreme confinement many times during his ministry; this is what he means when he says here that he has been in "prisons more frequent." In fact, Paul became so familiar with this type of confinement that he even spent his final days under similar circumstances: "And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself with a soldier that kept him" (Acts 28:16).

No one wants to go to jail! But if going to jail meant that Paul would accomplish his apostolic calling along the way, that was what he was willing to do. Paul was ready to undergo any inconvenience, pay any price, and go to all lengths to do what God had commissioned him to do. Even jail would not stop him.

Deaths Oft

In addition to the beatings and imprisonments he endured, Paul also says he was "... in deaths oft." The word "deaths" is from the Greek word thanatos. Here, however, Paul uses the plural form, thanatoi, which is literally translated "deaths."

We know that Paul wrote in First Corinthians 15:31, "... I die daily." We tend to spiritualize this statement, but in reality, Paul faced actual physical death on a regular basis. When he wrote, "... I die daily," he actually meant, "I am constantly confronted with the prospect of death."

Paul faced death so often that he learned how to face it bravely. In Romans 14:8, he wrote, "... whether we die, we die unto the Lord...." In First Corinthians 15:55, we see that he learned to meditate on victory rather than on mortality and fatality: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" These are not allegorical verses about death. They are the thoughts of a man who faced the prospect of death almost on a daily basis.

Paul never sought to live under this constant threat of murder or execution. It was just a part of the journey to get where he needed to go. But rather than run and hide from imminent danger, he faced it bravely and kept moving forward to do what he was called to do.

Had Paul been less committed, it would have taken only a few of these difficult experiences to knock him out of the race. But because he was totally focused on finishing the assignment Heaven had given him, he pushed beyond each of these attacks, and at the end of his life, he was able to say, "... I have finished my course..." (2 Timothy 4:7).

The Holy Spirit who empowered the apostle Paul to overcome each of these instances is the same Holy Spirit who is available to help you. You never have to be a defeated victim. If you choose to take advantage of the power that is available to you, the Spirit of God will energize and lift you to a place of victory over any obstacle the devil tries to throw in your way. Never forget that you have resurrection power residing inside you (see Romans 8:11). If you'll yield to that power, it will supernaturally quicken you to overcome every time!

So throw open your arms of faith and embrace the Spirit's power to overcome each attack the devil has tried to orchestrate against you. If you'll embrace that power, it will begin to flood you with everything you need to survive and to gloriously succeed in your task! Make the decision to let it start flowing today!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I thank You that because Your Spirit lives in me, I have everything I need to overcome any attack the devil would try to orchestrate against me. Because Your resurrection power resides in me, I am stronger than the devil; I am tougher than any problem; and I can outlast any time of difficulty. It is not a question of IF I will win, but of WHEN I will win the victory! I thank You for giving me the power of the Holy Spirit to outlast every attack and to persist until I have accomplished what You have asked me to do!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am totally focused on finishing the assignment Heaven has given to me. I will successfully push beyond each attack of the enemy because the Holy Spirit is empowering me. I don't have to be a defeated victim. I choose to take advantage of the power that is available to me. Therefore, the Spirit of God will energize and lift me to a place of victory over any obstacle the devil tries to throw in my way. I have resurrection power residing inside me, and it supernaturally quickens me to overcome every demonic attack that tries to assault me and my purpose in life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1.Was there a time in your past when you felt extremely weak, but then the Spirit of God suddenly quickened you with such divine energy that you became supernaturally strong to overcome a difficult challenge in your life? If yes, what was that occasion when divine power flooded you so strongly?

2.Can you verbalize the changes that occurred in you when God's power infused you with new strength? Were there immediate changes in your attitudes? Did it have an impact on your ability to endure?

3.How was that difficult situation resolved as a result of the supernatural empowerment you experienced?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

How Is Your Work Ethic?

2 Corinthians 11:23 (ESV) Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death.

I personally gain strength when I consider the many victories the Lord gave the apostle Paul. He had multiple challenges that came against him and his ministry, but none of them ever stopped him from his task. As noted earlier (see August 3), it is simply a fact that those who preach the Gospel in difficult parts of the world often encounter extremely hostile situations. In order to overcome these situations, a person has to possess a strong, internal resolution that no devil, no person, no government, and no force is going to stop him from executing the assignment God has given to him.

But this isn't true only of people who serve on the front lines of the Gospel. It is also true for you. God has a plan for your life. He has a specific vision He wants you to discover and achieve. On the other hand, you have an enemy who doesn't want you to find that vision. And I want to warn you—from the moment you do discover God's plan for your life, that enemy will try to stop you from achieving it.

But don't worry, friend—God has given you all the promises you need to overcome every attack Satan arrays against you. However, in order for those promises to be effective, you have to decide that you are going to stand in faith and resist each attack!

Because of the challenges my wife and I have encountered in our own ministry, I find great strength when I study about the attacks that came against the ministry of the apostle Paul. I like to read about how he persisted and overcame these attacks. The events Paul encountered would have shattered a normal man. But because he used his faith and kept his focus on the prize before him, Paul was able to override and supercede each act of aggression that Satan perpetrated against him. There is no doubt that Paul was hindered by these devilish attacks, but they never stopped him. The devil wasn't able to stop Paul because the apostle had made a commitment to be unstoppable.

In Second Corinthians 11:23-27, Paul describes some of the difficulties and hassles he encountered in the ministry:

Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

Let's look more closely at this list of difficulties so you can see what Paul faced as he carried out God's will for his life. Keep in mind that regardless of the cost or the roadblocks Satan tried to set before him, none of these difficulties ever knocked Paul out of his spiritual race. When you see the hardships Paul faced in the fulfillment of his life assignment, your hardships will pale by comparison! Here's what Paul tells us that he experienced:

Labors More Abundant

Paul says that in the course of his ministry, he worked "... in labours more abundant...." He uses the Greek word kopos to describe the kind of "labor" he put forth in the fulfillment of his apostolic call. This word kopos represents the hardest, most physical kind of labor. It is often used to picture a farmer who works in the field, enduring the extreme temperatures of the afternoon sunshine. The farmer strains, struggles, and toils to push that plow through that hardened ground. This effort requires his total concentration and devotion. No laziness can be allowed if that field is going to be plowed. The farmer must travail if he wants to get that job done.

This word kopos is the same word Paul uses to describe the kind of worker he is! He's perhaps the hardest worker he knows! In fact, he goes on to say, "... In labours more abundant...." The word "abundant" is the Greek word perissos. It is used here in the superlative sense, meaning very abundantly. It would be best translated, "I worked more abundantly than most men" or "I worked more than you could even begin to comprehend."

By making this statement, Paul emphatically declares, "When it comes to hard work, no one is a harder worker than I am!" He has personally put out incredible energy to apprehend what Jesus apprehended him to do (see Philippians 3:12).

I personally like this scripture because I believe in doing hard work. We live in a day when the work ethic is not what it once was. People are much "softer" than they used to be. The older generation who lived through World War I, World War II, and the hard economic times of the 1930s have a totally different mindset about work than the present generation. These older people lived through hard times and had no choice but to work hard to build their lives. They worked and worked and worked, and as a result, they achieved much and built great nations.

Today's generation knows little of hardship. I thank God for the great blessings that have come on the nations during these last days. However, much of it has come so easily for the younger generation that they don't comprehend the great price the older generation paid to build this easy success for them. When members of the younger generation are asked to do something extra or sacrificial, many of them resent the request or consider it to be almost abusive. Rather than focus on how they can do something extra to contribute to the health and success of the business, organization, or church, they just want to know if they are going to be paid for their efforts.

Paul was not a clock-watcher. He worked harder than anyone else he knew. Although we like to think of the mighty anointing that was on his life, a key factor to his amazing success as an apostle was that he worked at it harder than anyone else. Hard work always produces the best results.

Friend, if you want to be successful or to achieve more than others, you have to develop the mentality that you are going to do more than anyone else is doing. If you only do what everyone else is doing, you will produce nothing better than anyone else.

Align yourself with the apostle Paul. Determine to follow his example so that one day you'll be able to say, "When it comes to hard work, no one is a harder worker than I am!"

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I want You to help me become a worker who pleases You. Help me also to please my employer and direct supervisor with the quality of my work. Forgive me for wanting to take it easy and for complaining when I am asked to do something extra or to fulfill a task that isn't in my job description. I want to be the kind of Christian worker who brings joy and pleasure to those who are over me and who presents a good testimony to the name of Jesus. This is really my desire, so I am asking You to help me to do more, to be more, and to demonstrate an attitude of excellence regarding my work!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am a Christian who brings glory to the name of Jesus by the way I work and the attitude I demonstrate on the job. When people think of me, they think of how willing and cooperative I am to do anything that needs to be done and what a pleasure it is to work with me. When my attitude is wrong, I quickly repent and let the Holy Spirit make me what I should be. My supreme desire is to please God and to do a good job for those who pay me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1.If it were time for your boss to review your work habits and attitudes, would he find you to be a hard worker or one who just does the minimum on the job? If you were the boss, would you be satisfied with an employee who demonstrates the attitudes you do at the workplace?

2.How does the quality of your work reflect on the name of Jesus Christ? Do you believe that your work habits and attitudes give others a good impression of Jesus, or does working with you leave people with a bad impression about Christians?

3.What are the specific areas in your work habits or attitudes that need to be improved? Why don't you write these areas down so you can pray about them as a part of your daily prayer regimen?

Thank God for the great blessings that have come on the nations during these last days. However, much of it has come so easily for the younger generation that they don't comprehend the price the older generation paid to build this easy success for them. When members of the younger generation are asked to do something extra or sacrificial, many of them resent the request or consider it almost abusive. Rather than focus on how they can do something extra to contribute to the health and success of the business, organization, or church, they just want to know if they are going to be paid for their efforts.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Don’t Die Pregnant!

Various Scriptures



Last week, the media reported three different runners that participated in the 2011 Chicago Marathon. The 1st runner died less than a quarter-mile away from the finish line without achieving his goal. The second runner ran the race 9 months pregnant and then gave birth directly after finishing. The 3rd runner was forced to give back the 4th-place medal he was awarded when the competition committee got wind of the fact that he’d cheated. Instead of running all 26 miles, he exited the route, got on a subway, then got off to finish the course. Needless to say, he was disqualified because of his lack of integrity.



The Bible compares life to running a race. Hebrews 12:1 reads, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” At the end of his life, Paul told Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) Let’s aspire to be like the woman that ran the race pregnant but went into labor in the process. Like Paul, let’s also pray that we’ll run the race of life with integrity, dignity, and honor.



Myles Monroe said that the wealthiest place in the world is the graveyard. He continues that millions upon millions of dollars are buried in the graveyard due to the inventions that were never patented, goals that were never achieved, songs that were never written…(paraphrased). Let’s agree today that we won’t die pregnant, but we’ll give birth to everything that God has placed inside us.



Let’s Pray: “Father, in Jesus’ Name, I ask that You’ll allow us to give birth to everything You’ve placed inside us, in Jesus’ Name, amen!”



Daily Confession:

Thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conquerer and not the conquered



Thank You for giving me all things that pertain to life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I might live and not die

To declare Your Works



Thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I am healed



Thank You that I shall not be stressed, oppressed or depressed

But I'm kept in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



Thank You that I'm not distressed, distracted, or in disarray

But I'm focused on what You've called me to do



Thank You that there is no lack in my life today

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



This is the day that the Lord has made

I will rejoice and be glad in it,

In Jesus' Name,

Amen



Questions-of-The Day

Challenge



1. Who was the 1st disciple Jesus called?



2. What chapter of the Bible records the 10 Commandments?



3. What are Jesus’ 7, “I Am’s?”

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

How To Respond To a Financial Attack

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

One area where many people struggle is in the realm of finances. Financial stress is one of the most difficult pressures that can be experienced in life. If you've ever experienced the stress that comes from financial pressure, you know how difficult it is when you are so strapped that you don't have enough money to pay your bills.

But I want to tell you that God is always faithful! If you are living for God, walking in holiness, doing what the Holy Spirit has told you to do with your life, and sowing your financial seed into the soil of God's Kingdom, then you are promised a harvest to meet the needs in your own life. Sowing and reaping is not a fantasy or a fairy tale. This is God's promise to you, and it always works.

But what should you do when the devil is assailing your finances? I'm talking about those times when you've done everything you know to do, but you are still being financially hassled.

During those times when my family or our ministry experiences a financial shortage, we always evaluate several areas to see if we are doing anything that would hinder us from receiving the resources God wants to give us. In such moments, I always carefully examine my own heart, and I ask myself:

Am I harboring any unforgiveness that would block me from receiving God's blessings in my life?
Am I walking in holiness before the Lord, or am I allowing any sinful thoughts or actions to have a place in me that would block me from receiving from the Lord?
Am I doing what God has told me to do with my life, or am I disregarding His instructions and going my own way instead?
Am I being faithful to sow my tithes and offerings into the Kingdom of God, or have I gotten behind in my giving or forgotten to sow a seed that the Spirit of God told me to sow?
Am I under attack because the devil is against my dream or my mission and is therefore trying to turn off the valve of blessing so I become drained of what I need to fulfill the assignment God gave me?


If I am at peace and sure that I have done nothing to hinder God's blessings from flowing into my life or ministry, I then proceed to deal with these shortfalls as devilish attacks. I take authority over the devil and tell him to take his hands off my finances. I press deep in prayer until I know inwardly that the blockage has been removed. Often I literally feel that barrier move out of the way as the Spirit of God shoves it aside and makes an avenue for His blessings to flow into my life and ministry. When this occurs, it is never long before my wife and I see a manifestation of God's blessings.

As we are commanding the devil to move out of the way, God's Spirit often speaks to our hearts and tells us that we need to sow an extra, sacrificial financial seed into someone else ministry in order to break the stranglehold the devil is trying to put on us. For instance, once when we needed a new building and were desperate to find the money to pay for it, the Holy Spirit instructed us to sow a seed into someone else building project. "If you have a need, sow a seed" is the message I always share with our congregation and partners.

Therefore, at the time of our own need, we knew it was time for us to sow an extra large gift into someone else building program. Although the amount of money was huge to us at the moment, we knew that sowing that seed was essential if we were going to experience the financial breakthrough we needed for our own building. After we sowed that seed, it wasn't long before doors began to supernaturally open and the next facility we needed became available to us.

You see, sometimes you have to do something that requires extra faith in order to break the vice-like grip that the devil is trying to put on you. That extra sacrificial gift the Holy Spirit tells you to give may be the very act of faith that releases the power needed to rip the devil's hands off your situation. Could it be that this is what you need to do right now in order to make a bold stand of faith?

In Galatians 6:9, the apostle Paul told us, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." Do you see the word "weary" in this verse? It comes from the Greek work egkakao, which is a compound of the words en and kakos. The word en means in, and the word kakos describes something that is evil or bad. When these two words are used together, as in this verse, the new word means to grow weary; to give in to evil; or to let something bad defeat you. It gives the idea of surrendering or giving in to bad circumstances.



This means the apostle Paul was telling the Galatians:

"Don't let evil get the best of you...."

"Don't let the bad circumstances wear you down and wear you out...."

"Don't give in to the evil that intends to defeat you...."

When hard financial times come, that isn't the time for you to surrender to circumstances—it's the time for you to put up a fight! Instead of giving in and surrendering to the attacks that are assailing you, you have to "put up your dukes," heave backward with all your spiritual might, and throw a knockout punch at the face of the devil! Don't shrink back in fear or worry; instead, make this a critical moment when you sow an extra financial seed! Do something bold that will break that stranglehold the devil has tried to put on you.

Could it be that this is one of those moments when you need to throw all your spiritual weight against the devil and show him that you're not going to take any more flak from him by sowing an extra seed?

Do exactly what the Holy Spirit impresses you to do. Once you obey His leading, you must then use your God-given authority and command the devil to take his foul hands off your finances! Boldly declare by faith that God's blessings are yours. You have every right to expect God's blessings to come pouring into your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, thank You for showing me today how to respond to the financial attacks I am experiencing in my life. Please help me know where to sow an extra financial seed right now. Help me to sow it by faith, confidently expecting it to break the stranglehold that has been on my financial situation. Satan, I command you to take your hands off my finances! I am a giver and therefore a receiver of God's promised blessings. You have no right to exercise any control over my money and possessions! I tell you to go in Jesus' name! Father, I thank You for honoring Your Word and causing my situation to turn around. I thank You in advance for the abundance that is going to start flowing into my life!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am an overcomer! Difficult circumstances do not control my life or my obedience. Instead of surrendering to the attacks that are assailing my finances, I am going to throw a knockout punch at the face of the devil! At this critical moment, I am going to sow an extra financial seed that will break the devil's stranglehold on my life. Once I obey what the Holy Spirit is telling me to do, I will boldly command the devil to take his foul hands off my finances! It won't be long before the seed I sow is multiplied back into my life. Then I'll stand in the manifestation of God's blessings!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!
QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a specific time in your life when you were under great
financial stress and the Holy Spirit instructed you to sow an extra large,
extra sacrificial gift into your church or into someone's ministry?

2. What happened to your situation after you sowed that gift? Did you ultimately
experience a turnaround in your situation? Did you attribute your financial
breakthrough to your bold act of giving in a difficult moment?

3. If you are facing financial stress right now, could it be that you need to
sow a special seed to break the stranglehold the devil is trying to force
upon you?

Resolve to Know God Better

VARIOUS SCRIPTURES!!!



One of the keys to being close to someone is spending quality time together. If families are going to be close, then there must be an effort to come together as often as possible—to get to know new additions of the family as well as to stay connected with the already established unions. Successful marriages don’t just “happen,” but husbands and wives devote time into making things work. Parents with great relationships with their children invest the time in getting to know them with the goal of understanding the pressures they face and not just discipline them because of deviant attitudes. Close friends spend time communicating on the phone or they make time to do things together.




Like all other key relationships, if we’re going to be close to God, we must be willing to invest the time in getting to know Him. As a matter of fact, God expects us to prioritize our relationship with Him before and above all others. The Bible commands us to, “Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” (Matthew 22:36, NCV) Matthew 6:33 teaches us that we are to, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God…” God wants to reveal Himself to us in ways that are beyond our imagination. But we must be willing to spend time with Him in prayer and the study of His Word.


Sadly, most people (to include many Christians) know “about God,” but very few “know Him.” My prayer for all of us today is, “That we will know Him…” The exhortation today is this: Resolve to know God better!


Let’s Pray: “Father, we pray that we’ll prioritize our lives around getting to know You better, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”


Daily Confession

Thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conquerer and not the conquered



Thank You for giving me all things that pertain to life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I might live and not die

To declare Your Works



Thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I am healed



Thank You that I shall not be stressed, oppressed or depressed

But I'm kept in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



Thank You that I'm not distressed, distracted, or in disarray

But I'm focused on what You've called me to do



Thank You that there is no lack in my life today

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



This is the day that the Lord has made

I will rejoice and be glad in it,

In Jesus' Name,

Amen



Questions of the Day

List the Spiritual Armor in Ephesians 6:10-18

Friday, October 7, 2011

Confess Your Faults One to Another

James 5:16 (NKJV)
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed…

I remember how glad I was when I finally admitted that Satan was trying to drive a lie into my head! Even though I knew that the lie I was hearing was untrue, the devil wouldn't let up. He just kept pounding my mind hard and fast, one blow after another, as he tried to batter his way into my head and take my thinking captive.

I was too embarrassed to share with anyone else the stupid thought that was trying to take me hostage, so I tried to handle it on my own for a long time. Finally, I thought I would break under the assault that was bombarding my mind and emotions. The lie was beginning to affect how I viewed myself, penetrating and manipulating my mind to think poorly of myself. So in obedience to James 5:16, I went to a friend and told him what the devil was trying to make me believe. The moment I confessed the lie, it was as if an over-inflated balloon had just popped. The power that lie had held in my mind simply dissipated once I admitted to a friend what I was hearing!

I'm not recommending that you go from person to person, blabbing about all your faults. But if you experience a time of real need in your life when the devil is assaulting your mind and emotions, you might need to go to your spouse, a good friend, a brother or sister in the Lord, your pastor, or your parent and confess: "I need someone to help me! I'm being attacked in my mind, and I need someone to speak to me and to tell me the truth!"

In James 5:16, the Bible commands us, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed...." The word "confess" is the Greek word ekzomologeo, a word that means to declare, to say out loud, to exclaim, to divulge, or to blurt. I particularly like the last meaning—to blurt.

You see, sometimes it's hard to confess the wrong thoughts that are rolling through your mind. Even though you know you need to confess and thus destroy what the devil is trying to tell you, it can be embarrassing and humiliating to be so honest. Perhaps you've tried to admit these things before to someone, but each time you retreat back into silence because you can't bear the idea of anyone knowing that you ever entertained such foolish thoughts!

It's time for you to get bold! Go find a friend in whom you can confide—one who will not repeat what you tell him or her. Tell that person you have something you need to confess. If you feel yourself pulling back, just go ahead and blurt it out! Once you say it, you'll be done with it. Then the agony of telling someone will be over, and you'll be on the road to freedom!

But what are the parameters of what we are to confess to each others? James 5:16 goes on to define what we are to confess. It says, "Confess your faults...." The word "faults" is the Greek word paraptoma, which describes a falling in some area of one's life. That "falling" may be an actual falling into sin, or it may be a tripping up in the way one thinks. Either way, this word refers to a person who has fallen, failed, erred, or made some kind of mistake. One Greek translator says it can also denote a person who has accidentally bumped into something or one who has accidentally swerved or turned amiss and has thus thought something or done something that is erroneous.

This perfectly describes what had happened to me that time when my mind was being harassed with those distracting thoughts. The devil was pounding away at my head, and I was starting to believe the lie! As a result, it was affecting me; I was even starting to produce failure in that part of my life. I had bumped into a mental lie that was about to knock me off my feet and cause me to make some very erroneous decisions in my life!

I think of others who were harassed in their minds and never confessed it to anyone. Because they were not able to conquer those lies by themselves and yet were too proud to confess it to anyone else, these people eventually became enslaved by the lie and ended up doing some very regrettable things. If only they had confessed their faults to a godly friend who loved them, they could have been liberated from the lie and the actions that followed.

When you blurt out those destructive lies to a trustworthy friend, your confession is often the very thing that throws that lying spirit off you. As long as you keep those lies secretly hidden away in your mind and soul, they will continue to have the power to hold you hostage. But the day you expose them to the light of day, those lies will begin to lose their power over you!

You may be afraid to confess what you've been experiencing because in the past, something you shared privately wasn't held in confidence. That memory is Satan's ploy to keep you all tied up. But you must forgive those who betrayed your confidence and go get the help you need right now. Get that lie out of the darkness! Bring it into the light so it can dissipate and lose its power over your mind and emotions.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, I thank You for speaking to my heart today about confessing the things that are secretly bothering me. It is no secret to You that I have been struggling with fear, insecurity, and temptation. You know that I desperately need someone to stand with me in faith and to assure me that everything is going to be all right. Help me to know exactly to whom I should go to discuss what is disturbing me—someone who will be faithful to hold what I say in confidence. Once I confess this burden and get it off my heart, please let this be the very act that sets in motion the power to liberate me!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY
I confess that I have friends who are trustworthy and in whom I can confide when Satan is trying to pound my mind with his lies. I do not fear that friends will laugh at me or repeat what I tell them. They will stand with me, speak the truth to me, and help me step out of the darkness and into the light. My confession will break Satan's vice grip on my mind and bring wholeness and soundness of thinking to my soul!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER
1.Have you ever gone to someone and confessed something that was secretly bothering you? Once you finally blurted out to someone what you'd been struggling with, what effect did it have on you?

2.Are you the kind of person that people can confide in when they are being inwardly harassed? Do they consider you to be faithful and confidential, or would they be concerned that you might repeat what they told you?

3.Has the enemy been bombarding your mind with his lies lately? If so, who is the one person to whom you'd most like to confess this inward harassment?

Thursday, October 6, 2011

A Temporary Assignment

Various Scriptures (And it came to pass…)

One of the neat things about being a senior non-commissioned officer in the military is some of the fringe benefits that come with advancement. I enjoyed the privilege of having my own parking space at my final assignment on active duty. I could access the building within seconds from my designated location which proved very valuable during times of inclement weather. However, when I transitioned out of the military, the benefit of having my own parking spot in front of the LaPointe Health Clinic expired. The parking privilege was not permanent, but temporary. Someone else is enjoying the joy that was once mine.



Satan has mastered the tactic of making temporary situations appear permanent in the minds of believers. And the longer the season of our trials, the more permanent they appear to be. But our trials didn’t come to stay—they came to pass! There are five words in the Bible that should bring great encouragement in the lives of Christians and those words are, “And it came to pass…”



Child of God, your trials are only temporary! Don’t park permanently in a temporary place!



Let’s Pray: “Father, I pray that the one reading this devotional will realize that their situation is temporary and not permanent, in Jesus’ Name, amen.



Daily Confession


Thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conquerer and not the conquered



Thank You for giving me all things that pertain to life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I might live and not die

To declare Your Works



Thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I am healed



Thank You that I shall not be stressed, oppressed or depressed

But I'm kept in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



Thank You that I'm not distressed, distracted, or in disarray

But I'm focused on what You've called me to do



Thank You that there is no lack in my life today

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



This is the day that the Lord has made

I will rejoice and be glad in it,

In Jesus' Name,

Amen



Questions of the Day

Matthew 6:28-30



1. What question does Jesus ask in verse 28?

2. What does illustration does He give in verse 28?

3. Which famous king does Jesus compare in verse 29 to verse 28?

4. What is the root issue of the problem in verse 30?

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

A Bitter Root Produces Sour Fruit!

One of the devotionals I read blessed me to the point that I wanted to share it with you. PLEASE read openly and honestly and take the time to contemplate the questions at the end of the devotional!


Hebrews 12:15 (NKJV) looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;


When a person becomes offended and doesn't deal with that offense correctly, that bitterness often churns so long in a person's soul that it turns into a root of bitterness. This is exactly what Hebrews 12:15 is talking about when it says, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled."

The word "root" is the Greek word ridzo. It refers to a root, such as the root of a tree. These are roots that have gone down deep and are now deeply embedded. Therefore, the word ridzo often denotes something that is established or firmly fixed.

By using the word ridzo ("root"), God is telling you that if you don't repent of bitterness and remove it from your life, it becomes deeply embedded in your soul. Once it becomes this deeply rooted in your soul, your negative opinion of the offender will become firmly fixed. As time passes, your thoughts of judgment against him will become more developed, rationalized, and established. That root of bitterness will become so firmly fixed inside you that your angry, judgmental thoughts about the person will actually begin to make sense to you.

When a "root of bitterness" gets this deeply embedded in your mind and emotions, it's no longer just a "root" you're dealing with; now you have a mental stronghold. That stronghold of bitterness will take a lofty position in your mind and emotions. From that position, it will then present a myriad of logical reasons to explain why you shouldn't have anything else to do with that person and why you should keep your distance from him.

The word "bitterness" comes from the Greek word pikria. It refers to an inward attitude that is so bitter, it produces a scowl on one's face. In other words, you become so inwardly infected with bitterness that you are outwardly affected in your appearance and disposition.

This "bitterness" is acid to one's soul, and eventually it begins to surface. When it does, the fruit it produces is unkind, sour, sharp, sarcastic, scornful, cynical, mocking contemptuous, and wounding. Bitterness has nothing good to say about the other person. In fact, it looks for negative things to say about that person in order to affect others' opinions about him as well.

If you find yourself constantly saying negative things about someone who has offended you or upset you in the past, it may be that a root of bitterness is trying to grow inside your heart. If this describes you, it is essential that you grab hold of that root of bitterness through the act of repentance and rip those destructive roots clear out of your soul! If you don't, the roots of bitterness will go down deep into the soil of your soul, and eventually you'll be filled with the bitter fruit that bitterness produces.

If God's Spirit has been trying to deal with you about a negative attitude you have toward someone else, pay attention to what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. Go get alone with God. Ask Him to put His divine hand into your soul and to extract that ugly growth that is trying to grow inside of you. God wants to liberate you, but it must begin with your invitation!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I don't want any bitterness to sprout inside me, so I am asking You to turn on the spotlight of the Holy Spirit and reveal any unforgiveness or resentment that might be lurking inside my heart. I know that the fruit of bitterness is very sour, and I don't want that fruit to be a part of my life. So, Holy Spirit, I ask You to please show me every root of bitterness, and then help me rip it clear out of my soul!

I pray this in Jesus' name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I refuse to allow a root of bitterness to grow deep into the soil of my heart. The instant I recognize that a seed of bitterness is trying to sprout in me, I will grab hold of that root, and through the act of repentance, rip those destructive roots out of my soul. I choose to walk in forgiveness and to stay free!

I declare this by faith in Jesus' name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1.Is there anyone against whom you have a root of bitterness right now? If so, who is that person? Is there a reason you've allowed bitterness to fester inside your soul? Don't you see that it would be more healthy for you to forgive your offender and to walk free of those detrimental attitudes?

2.Is there anyone whom you have wronged and who now has a root of bitterness because of you? If yes, who is that person? What is stopping you from going to that person to ask him or her for forgiveness?

3.Which person comes to your mind as an example of someone who has been controlled by bitterness? When you think of that person and the bitterness that has dominated his or her life, doesn't it make you want to be sure that bitterness never controls you?

If you find yourself constantly saying negative things about someone who has offended you or upset you in the past, could it be possible that a root of bitterness is trying to grow inside your heart?

Monday, October 3, 2011

Putting Life in Proper Perspective



Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.



Well it’s Monday and perhaps your calendar is full of things that need to get done for the week—meetings to make, deadlines to meet, and people to see. In addition, there may be personal goals and aspirations that you’d like to accomplish—finish the book you started, get the three workouts in for the week, catch a movie with a family member or close friend, eat lunch with the children, turn in the assignment for school that’s due (and the list goes on and on). On top of that, there are people who need (some even demand it) your attention, your affection, and sometimes even your affirmation. Periodically, the pace of our 21st century lives can present great challenges for us.



Do you sometimes feel like you have more tasks to do than time to perform them? Have you ever felt like a juggler and your responsibility is to juggle many of life’s balls without dropping any? Ever wondered, “How do I balance life without the feeling of being overwhelmed?” For the believer, the key to success in life is to put things in their proper perspective. One of yesterday’s devotionals that I read, “Sparkling Gems in the Greek, really blessed me when the writer pinned: “So often believers allow themselves to become too busy with the affairs of life, and they fail to take time out of their hectic schedules to get into the intimate Presence of God. They want God to meet their need "on demand," but they don't want to fulfill God's need to be close to His people.”



One of the lessons I’ve learned over the years is that on the days that I prioritize spending time with God and doing His Will before everything else, He supernaturally arranges the affairs of my life in ways that amazes me. One of the Bible’s most quoted Scriptures carries the theme of prioritizing our lives. Instead of worrying about the cares of this world and the affairs of life, Jesus gives this advice to the hearer in Matthew’s Gospel chapter 6 verse 33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”



As we begin another week, the exhortation is simple—put life in its proper perspective.



Let’s Pray:
“Father, we pray that we’ll put our lives in its proper perspective. Help us to accomplish that task today and always, in Jesus’ Name, amen.”



Daily Confession

Thank You for making me the head and not the tail

Above only and not beneath

The lender and not the borrower

The conquerer and not the conquered



Thank You for giving me all things that pertain to life and godliness

And for delivering my life from death and destruction

So that I might live and not die

To declare Your Works



Thank You that no sickness shall live in my body

For by Your Stripes I am healed



Thank You that I shall not be stressed, oppressed or depressed

But I'm kept in perfect peace as my mind is stayed on Thee



Thank You that I'm not distressed, distracted, or in disarray

But I'm focused on what You've called me to do



Thank You that there is no lack in my life today

For my God shall supply all my needs according to His Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus



This is the day that the Lord has made

I will rejoice and be glad in it,

In Jesus' Name,

Amen



Questions of the Day


Matthew 6:25-27

1. What three things does God forbid us from worrying about in verse
25?
2. What question does He ask in that verse?
3. Explain the illustration Jesus gives in verse 26.
4. What practical question does Jesus ask in verse 27?