When The Young Are Drowned!

Scripture

"Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:" (Job 38:1)

Observation

Five abled, strong lives was snuffed out by the waters in the Cambodian Dragon Boat Tragedy. What a loss. Why such a loss? It's as though God remains silent for a period of time during seasons of difficulty, the tough times when we need God to speak, comfort and rescue us from the frustrations that come not knowing why such a loss.

But the Lord is faithful to answer although His timing may just not seem to be the same as ours. God stayed silent in the case of Job - amidst his many losses - wealth, health, children. But...the Lord eventually spoke to Job out of the storm.

Application

There may be some overcast over our lives when the things that happen around us confuse us. It is at such times that we must cling to His Word, so that we can avoid the threat of taking our mind off of our hope in the Lord.

This morning, at Dawn Prayer, I led the people to pray against pre-mature death among our nations gifted and talented youths. As the people prayed, I heard God's Spirit speaking to my heart. Here is the Lord again, answering me in the storm. These are refreshing, renewing words - He is always so faithful! The Lord said:

• Listen carefully to My voice and don't allow the "bolts of lightning and thunder" of the situation distract you.
• This storm, any storm is meant to side swipe your thoughts, heart and hope in Me. Fight the good fight of faith and keep your mind renewed according to My Word.

Prayer

Okay Lord ... I'm coming out of my journaling time, asking for Your strength to listen carefully and not be distracted. Help me to obey You in thought, word and deed. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You. Thanks for being a faithful Rescuer! Lord, watch over our nation's young; keep safe the youth in your Kingdom and protect and preserve our children that they may live to see their children's children for Your glory.

From Inheritance To Experience

Scripture

"So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law." (Gal 3:24).

"What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father." (Gal. 4:1).

Observation

Until the child had matured, he would not be able to receive the inheritance left by His wealthy father. He was too young when his father left, so he was put under the tutelage of another. Laws of conduct and rules of living were taught in order to train the youngster up in the way that he should go. And when he accrued the inheritance, he would steward the vast fortune well and not squander it.

So the tutor trained him, disciplined him, and worked hard with him to develop and cultivate the character, wisdom, attitudes, perspective, and skills necessary. And the tutor knew that his sole responsibility to the master was to prepare his child. He had no other purpose in life. And he must not fail in this, so he was serious about his charge.

The tutor? The Law.

Unswerving and at times rigid, it was designed to lead us to our inheritance. But now that we through Christ have inherited it, we need a daily counselor. And our Counselor? The one who is called alongside us to help? The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete; he guides us daily. The Law brought us to our inheritance in Christ, but the Holy Spirit leads us forward into maturity and how to steward our inheritance.

Application

One of the things I need now is not "more inheritance" but more courage to step forward in the use of my inheritance. I must be led by the Spirit of God, and walk into it more! I must see how it can be used for the furtherance of the Gospel without politicizing or self promotional methods.
That is why we are beginning a new series this Sunday from the book of Acts - we need so much to promote the wonder working power of the Holy Spirit!

I will continue to ask God to give me deeper wisdom on how to influence the Body of Christ. I know that we must cultivate self-feeding saints if we are to be ambassadors for Christ in these last days. I will continue to think through ways to build leaders who depend on the Word of God. This is the best way for people to apprehend their inheritance in Christ ... by knowing it! It is revealed in the Word of God.

Prayer

Dear Father:
I have so much further to go! Please ignite me anew and refresh me. Take me further than I have ever gone before. You died to give me my inheritance in Christ, so now may I be faithful in what you died for! I will proclaim Your Word and teach the saints. I will build leaders and reach the lost until you come to receive us back home! Amen!

Carryin The Right Spirit

Scripture

"The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side."
Mark 8:11

Observation

Jesus must have gotten exasperated with these guys. He seems so compassionate with some and with others, He is astute. It was something about their attitudes. It's what they brought with them. They possessed a false confidence that caused them to be stricken with pride. Jesus walked away from these people. He got in a boat and crossed to the other side.

Application

My attitude is very important to God. The spirit I possess when I come to Him is essential. If it is a testy attitude, the door will be closed. If it is a cocky or "know-it-all" kind of attitude, I will find Him distanced from me. Nothing but a humble and contrite heart will be acceptable.

Psalms 51:17 reminds us: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise."

There are sometimes I go into some meetings with an attitude. It could have been exacerbated by some people problems, but I must continue to cultivate a heart of humility and compassion. I must ask instead of tell, disciple instead of dictate, and encourage good decisions rather than waiting to reprimand bad ones. It is only with a humble heart that God will show up for my meetings to make something good take place.

Prayer

Lord, thank you for reminding me how important my spirit is. Help me to cultivate a humble spirit no matter who I am dealing with. But at the same time, help me not to be gullible to succumb to those I should have left long ago. Teach me who I should disciple and show me the ones I need to get in a boat and just go to the other side!

Blessing To Build

Painting on raising Jairus' daughter by Gustave Dore.

Scripture

While Jesus was still speaking, some men came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher any more?" Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
(Mark 5:35).

Observation

Jesus has always been known as the One who hears us all. He is the One knows us individually and cares. But sometimes He ignores certain ones.

"Is it I Lord?"

Jairus was a synagogue leader with a sickly daughter. Having requested of Jesus to pray, they began making their way toward the house. But in route, some men intercepted Him with news that the daughter was dead.

"Why bother the teacher anymore? It's over. Accept it."

The Bible then tells us that Jesus ignored them!

Instead of giving up the chase, Jesus reassures Jairus that he needs to keep Plan A and move forward. It wouldn't be long before people would see a little girl arise and astonishment would fill the house.

I've done that. I've ignored a rude comment, an off-the-cuff remark that was not worth arguing over. Or a poorly timed or off colour joke that was better left unnoticed than dealt with.

I wonder if Jesus has ever has to ignore me because of something I said? Maybe when I was a wet blanket to someone's zeal? Or I wonder if I have ever diminished someone's faith by settling for second best? We all can be too much like the men from the synagogue by minimizing something that means nothing to us but a great deal to another.

Application

I am realizing that I need to bolster the faith of others. I must be careful of my words and be sure that I am encouraging others' desire to follow God's best. Agape need not just another church. Instead, it must be a place where people can find solutions to their problems. I know that there are times where we will not be able to change circumstances, but still we can help people to rise above them.

I don't ever want Jesus to have to ignore me in order to give faith a chance.

I want God to marvel at my faith and my willingness to see things change. How easy it is to slide into mediocrity until it becomes "normal" and even "religious." I will choose to take the higher road and challenge people toward their best.

Instead, my prayer is that I be, according to Jeremiah 15:19, a spokesman for God!
"If you return, then I will restore you - before Me you will stand; and if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesman."

Completing the three sermons on Anger Management has been a rewarding experience. To keep the messages biblical, personal and practical has been fulfilling. But the best part was calling the church to rise above our anger-driven, revenge-filled culture and be counter-cultural - blessing those who mistreat us.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Thank you for teaching me Your ways by allowing me to shadow You through the Word. Thank you also for the privilege of being Your spokesman. Help me to see you as You are, and then pattern my life after Yours. In Jesus' name, Amen!

Finding The Secret

...seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

Everybody wants to know the secret. And we search everywhere for the secret.

What's the secret to love?
What's the secret to a great marriage?
What's the secret to wealth?
What's the secret to a happy life?

However, the secret has been out for over two thousand years; we just walk blindly by it, missing it. The true secret is found in seeking.

The Bible clearly tells us that it's a waste of time to seek anything else if we haven't sought God first. But we get so caught up in the worries of day-to-day life that we forget that God is the one who controls all of those things.

You wouldn't walk into your boss's office and start taking over his or her work because they weren't doing it according to your standards. But that's exactly what we do to God when we put other things before him. We're telling him that we can decide the order of things better than he can.

God should be the number one priority in our lives. Nothing in your world should come before seeking him. I challenge you to spend some time in prayer today, seeking God and his righteousness. And the Bible promises that when you do, the secret will suddenly be revealed.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, I realize that the secret is in seeking you first. Today, I commit to setting aside some time each day to pray and seek you and your righteousness. It is only through you that 'all these things' will be given to me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God's Blessing Zone

"But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving."

2 Corinthians 8:7

Everyone is susceptible to greed whether we make twenty-five thousand or twenty-five million dollars a year. We convince ourselves that we deserve a nicer car, bigger house, fancier clothes, and more money. But no matter what amount of money you have, God has blessed you with it so that you can bless others.

There's nothing wrong with excelling in our careers, earning more money or enjoying nice things. But God also wants us to excel in giving. When we are more concerned with keeping up with the others around us than living the life God has in store for us, those things become problems in our lives.

Are you caught in the grip of greed and materialism? If so, it will drag you out of the sweet spot of God's success, out of the zone of His blessings. God wants you to enjoy life in the zone of blessing. Start today by realizing that living in the zone is not just about obtaining things. It's also about excelling in the grace of giving.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, I know that I am at risk of being dragged out of the sweet spot of your success if I allow my things to be the focus of my life. Help me to develop an attitude of giving and generosity so that I may enjoy life in the zone of Your blessing, always. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Living Below Our Means

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

Proverbs 6:6-8

Most people don't believe monsters exist. Sadly, though, they are wrong.

There is a real life creature lurking around every corner of the financial world; one that has moved into the mainstream of life. And it is just waiting to drag each of us into the murky waters of financial bondage. It's the creature that is fed strong in our island nation!

God blesses us financially so that we can enjoy life. The creature attacks, though, when we try to live above our means. We can be so enticed by the latest trends, gadgets, and the status that comes with all of those things that we spend more than we make. We become vulnerable to this creature call materialism. We fall prey to ostentatious goods, buying things not because we need them but because we need to show-off our livestyle. But if we want to live as Godc intended us to, we've got to learn to manage our money by living not even within our means, but below our means.

The Bible is very clear about planning for more than just today. The first ten percent of our income is non-negotiable. It goes directly to God. Then, save some for yourself. By doing that, you will not only secure your future, you'll also discover God's plan for your financial life.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to enjoy the financial blessings you've given me. Help me to develop the self-control that I need when it comes to money. Place people in my life who will encourage me to bring you the first ten percent, save some for me, and live below my means. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Restore Your Rest

Be still, and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10

In today's world, we wear busyness like a badge of honour. We answer our cell phones at restaurants (and sometimes church), check e-mails while watching movies, and plug in the latest Disney movie for our kids on their drive to school. But our busyness is more devastating to our personal time than we realize.

When we allow busyness to clutter our lives, we ultimately miss the great possibilities for our time.

The greatest way to get the most out of your time is to first spend time with the Author of time. When was the last time you were still before God? No cell phone, no e-mail, no television, no radio. Just you and God in His Word?

If you are serious about getting your priorities in line with your commitments, learn to be still before God. And be strategic. Set a place and time where you can talk with God and focus on his will for your life. Set aside a time each day where you can focus solely on God's business, and not your own busyness.

November will soon give way to December and 2007 will bow out and 2008 will kick in. Have you sought the Lord and uncovered His will for your life in 2008? Have you reflected enough on what your life has been in 2007? If you have been too busy to take time for reflection, you have exchange depth for superficiality. Take time to be still before God. Restore that inner sense of meaning and purpose to living.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, there have been times in my life when I have allowed busyness to clutter my life I realize that in those times, I have forgotten to make time each day to be still before you. Empower me de-clutter my life and dedicate more time to knowing you. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Closing The Gap

My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment, do not let them out of your sight.

Proverbs 3:21

When most people think of the "gap," they think of things like their relationship with their teens - a generational gap. But there is a gap in our society that is much more common than the generational gap. It's the gap that exists between our priorities and our commitments.

People tend to get stressed out about their priorities. But we should never be confused about our priorities. After all, they are laid out for us in the Bible. Most Christians would agree that it's important to spend time with God, but at the end of the day, we wonder where all the time went. We say that our family is next in line, yet at the end of the week we find our spouse and children still waiting for our attention. Our schedules are jam-packed with obligations that do not reflect our priorities.

It's time to close the gap between our priorities and our commitments.

As you plan your days and weeks, ask yourself, "Does this activity sync up with God's priorities for my life?" If it does, then do it. If not, then don't. It's that simple. And begin to close the gap by saying yes only to the best.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, it's easy for me to fill my schedule with activities and obligations that do not line up with your priorities. I have put things ahead of you and my family. Today, I want to rearrange my schedule. Help me to close the gap by only saying yes to the best. In Jesus' name, Amen

Am I Correcting What Should Be Correcting Me?

Scripture

"You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him..." When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him." (Acts 7:5154)

Observation

What if they would have repented? Really ... I mean, what if, instead of getting angry at Stephen, they would have asked for forgiveness? What if they had not gotten angry at the facts and would not have treated truth as condemnation?

Application

I wonder if I do that. Oh, it might be in much more subtle ways, but nevertheless, we can have the same intent. It's seen mostly in the way I respond to the truth when it runs counter to my thoughts and actions. You could say that it is most easily seen in my "Correctability Factor."

(I guess that might be a word not in the dictionary because the spell check on my computer keeps popping up, incessantly trying to correct the word: "correctability.")

I wonder if I have such deep-seated, fully settled misguided conclusions on the inside that the spell check of my heart keeps trying to correct what should be correcting me? My defense mechanism kicks in, my self-protecting rationalizations begin its spin, and my pride rears its ugly head. And instead of being corrected, I spell check everything according to my internal dictionary.

When the truth is presented, I must recognize it rather than spell check it. If it calls for repentance, my desire must be that repentance comes easy. And when the truth is heard, my ears must rejoice in it rather than cringe from it.

I have to keep sitting at the feet of Christ with His Word on a daily basis so I am not only familiar to the sounds of truth, but my inner man rejoices each time I suspect its presence.

I also know that in these last days, there will be more false prophets than true. I must learn, as Jeremiah once cautioned me, to separate the precious from the worthless. (Jer.15:19) and in doing so, I will be able to discern truth from deception.

I will need to reshape my inner dictionary to delete incorrect meanings that have attached themselves to such words like "truth." Then I must replace it with a godly definition that helps me to see these words as friends and not as enemies... as tutors and not critics.

Prayer

Dear Father, I ask that You would open my ears to the truth and cause my heart to rejoice when truth wins. Then, I can truly learn to love You and rejoice in whatever corrects me closer to You ... remembering that "Love is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out" (1 Cor. 13:6).

The Real F-Word

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

Matthew 18:21-22

We've relegated the letter F to the trash heap of society. This past week a hateful email containing that f-word to a nominated member of parliament on her parliamentary speech against repealing 377A brought about quite a stir. When we hear "the f-word" we think of a very offensive word that society has manufactured. But God has another f-word—the real sanctified f-word—that we all need to think about; forgiveness.

There are going to be times in life when people will hurt us so badly that we don't even want to think about forgiving them. But when we choose not to forgive, we are choosing to be attached to a bunch of anger, resentment, and hurt that will only weigh us down.

A lot of people read a verse like the one above and think, "I'm not going to let anybody get away with hurting me 77 times!" But Jesus was not being literal in his math. He was simply telling Peter how ridiculous to count how many times he forgave people. Forgiveness is designed to be immeasurable.

Christ wants us to experience the most out of life. And the person who is experiencing the most out of life doesn't allow themselves to be weighed down by the junk of unforgiveness. Don't hold yourself back from experiencing life just because someone hurt you. Instead, ask God to help you experience the power of forgiveness.

When forgiveness increases in your soul, anger slowly but surely evaporates.

A Prayer for Today

Lord, true forgiveness can only begin with you. Free my heart from the weight of unforgiveness. I want to experience the life-changing power of forgiveness through your son, Jesus, so that I can share that forgiveness with others. In Jesus' name, Amen.