Day 17 of Your Journey
How About a Radical Ambition?
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35 ESV).
This is perhaps one of the most radical proclamations our Savior made. The drastic nature of Jesus’ statement lies in the fact that there is absolutely no qualification given to it.
Jesus did not say, “It is more blessed to give than to receive, unless someone gives you this much money. Then receiving is a greater blessing.”
There is no tipping point to the promise. It is simply more blessed to give.
The implications to this are staggering. For instance, the blessing we receive when we give ten dollars in obedience to God is greater than if someone walked up and gave us a check for a million dollars!
Why? Because the blessing we get for giving is stored up in heaven, where “neither moth nor rust destroys” (Matt. 6:20). Jesus made it clear that our goal should be to store up treasure in heaven, not on earth.
I have met many men who had an ambition to make a million dollars. The founder of Life Action Ministries, Del Fehsenfeld Jr., had a unique ambition: to give away a million dollars.
In Del’s lifetime, through his own substantial personal giving and the giving of Life Action, he gave away over a million dollars. This he did on a missionary’s income. When he died at the age of 42, all he had given was waiting in heaven to lay at the feet of Christ.
Making It Personal
What is your ambition? Are you living for earthly riches, or are you storing up treasure in heaven?
The surest way to fight greed is to give. How can you give in an unusual way? Big or small, give to someone in need today.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Day 16
Day 16 of Your Journey
Our "Default" Prayer
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but . . . the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27 ESV).
Perhaps the greatest challenge to prayer is praying according to God’s will. Paul acknowledges in these verses that sometimes we just don’t know what to pray for. Our understanding can be clouded in the midst of our circumstances.
Sometimes this is because of ignorance or lack of biblical knowledge. At other times our immaturity or our own emotions and desires confuse us. We look into the fog and see nothing that makes sense.
At these moments the Spirit is present to aid us. One of His jobs is to intercede on our behalf according to the Father’s will.
The Spirit is one with the Father. He knows the Father’s desire and heart perfectly. He will faithfully guide us toward God’s plan.
Our responsibility in uncertainty is always to return to what should be our “default” prayer. This is the prayer of Jesus in John 12:28, “Father, glorify your name.”
When we are uncertain what God is up to, the most important thing we can do is remember that life’s primary goal is for God to be glorified as He should be.
Making It Personal
Think of some specific circumstances that seem to be unresolved in your life. Take a moment to simply pray, “God, in this circumstance, glorify Your name.”
Our "Default" Prayer
“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but . . . the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom. 8:26-27 ESV).
Perhaps the greatest challenge to prayer is praying according to God’s will. Paul acknowledges in these verses that sometimes we just don’t know what to pray for. Our understanding can be clouded in the midst of our circumstances.
Sometimes this is because of ignorance or lack of biblical knowledge. At other times our immaturity or our own emotions and desires confuse us. We look into the fog and see nothing that makes sense.
At these moments the Spirit is present to aid us. One of His jobs is to intercede on our behalf according to the Father’s will.
The Spirit is one with the Father. He knows the Father’s desire and heart perfectly. He will faithfully guide us toward God’s plan.
Our responsibility in uncertainty is always to return to what should be our “default” prayer. This is the prayer of Jesus in John 12:28, “Father, glorify your name.”
When we are uncertain what God is up to, the most important thing we can do is remember that life’s primary goal is for God to be glorified as He should be.
Making It Personal
Think of some specific circumstances that seem to be unresolved in your life. Take a moment to simply pray, “God, in this circumstance, glorify Your name.”
Friday, November 27, 2009
Day 15
Day 15 of Your Journey
Discernment Is Not for Criticizing Others
“I therefore . . . urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:1-2 ESV).
Walking in a manner worthy of our Lord involves being kind and patient with fellow believers. When we are revived, we begin to see things more clearly. Areas we once considered gray, or perhaps did not even bother to consider, now become clear. Our perspective of ourselves and others may undergo a radical transformation.
If we’re not careful, we can be quick to condemn and look down on those who don’t seem to have the enlightenment we have. Remember this simple truth: God never gives discernment for the purpose of criticism. He gives it for the purpose of intercession.
As you walk more deeply with God, He will often give you understanding and discernment into the lives of others. This is a special blessing from God that is not meant to tear them down, but rather to build them up.
This is where asking God to watch our motives is important. The difference between wanting to make someone know they are wrong, and desiring to help someone be right, is as vast as the heavens yet as narrow as our motive. Our job is to patiently bear with one another in love as we pray and encourage them toward doing what is right.
Making It Personal
Lord, help me to stand passionately for truth, yet with patience and kindness toward others. Let the discernment You give me stir me to pray for others, not criticize them.
Take time to think of anyone you have been critical of. Spend some time praying for them.
Discernment Is Not for Criticizing Others
“I therefore . . . urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:1-2 ESV).
Walking in a manner worthy of our Lord involves being kind and patient with fellow believers. When we are revived, we begin to see things more clearly. Areas we once considered gray, or perhaps did not even bother to consider, now become clear. Our perspective of ourselves and others may undergo a radical transformation.
If we’re not careful, we can be quick to condemn and look down on those who don’t seem to have the enlightenment we have. Remember this simple truth: God never gives discernment for the purpose of criticism. He gives it for the purpose of intercession.
As you walk more deeply with God, He will often give you understanding and discernment into the lives of others. This is a special blessing from God that is not meant to tear them down, but rather to build them up.
This is where asking God to watch our motives is important. The difference between wanting to make someone know they are wrong, and desiring to help someone be right, is as vast as the heavens yet as narrow as our motive. Our job is to patiently bear with one another in love as we pray and encourage them toward doing what is right.
Making It Personal
Lord, help me to stand passionately for truth, yet with patience and kindness toward others. Let the discernment You give me stir me to pray for others, not criticize them.
Take time to think of anyone you have been critical of. Spend some time praying for them.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Day 14
Day 14 of Your Journey
Submission Requires Active Faith
There are very few times in Scripture where Jesus compliments someone. One of these is found in Matthew 8:5-13.
The Bible says that Jesus marveled at the centurion. That alone is amazing, that the Son of God would marvel at anyone.
Jesus then says of him, “I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel” (v. 10 NASB). What was the key to this faith the centurion possessed? It was his understanding of what it meant to be under authority (v. 9).
Responding and submitting to authority is one of the greatest challenges of the Christian life. In our submission we learn to trust God’s sovereign control over all things. God asks us to trust that He will use even ungodly leaders to accomplish His purposes. This is hard because it goes against our natural inclination to try to control our life.
Whether in our marriage, job, family, or church, God gives us the opportunity to learn submission. This earthly submission then gives us the faith to submit to God as He works in our lives.
Make no mistake, you will not grow in faith while you resist God-given authority. We cannot say we are in submission to God while rebelling against earthly authorities.
Our one exception, of course, is if we are asked to violate Scripture. Then we have a higher authority to obey. This, however, is rarely the case. We will find that most of the issues we struggle with will simply involve dying to our will or preference.
Making It Personal
Are there any authorities you find yourself resisting, in action or attitude? Each one provides an opportunity to learn submission to God. Take a moment to confess your sin to God, and then place yourself once again under that authority.
Submission Requires Active Faith
There are very few times in Scripture where Jesus compliments someone. One of these is found in Matthew 8:5-13.
The Bible says that Jesus marveled at the centurion. That alone is amazing, that the Son of God would marvel at anyone.
Jesus then says of him, “I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel” (v. 10 NASB). What was the key to this faith the centurion possessed? It was his understanding of what it meant to be under authority (v. 9).
Responding and submitting to authority is one of the greatest challenges of the Christian life. In our submission we learn to trust God’s sovereign control over all things. God asks us to trust that He will use even ungodly leaders to accomplish His purposes. This is hard because it goes against our natural inclination to try to control our life.
Whether in our marriage, job, family, or church, God gives us the opportunity to learn submission. This earthly submission then gives us the faith to submit to God as He works in our lives.
Make no mistake, you will not grow in faith while you resist God-given authority. We cannot say we are in submission to God while rebelling against earthly authorities.
Our one exception, of course, is if we are asked to violate Scripture. Then we have a higher authority to obey. This, however, is rarely the case. We will find that most of the issues we struggle with will simply involve dying to our will or preference.
Making It Personal
Are there any authorities you find yourself resisting, in action or attitude? Each one provides an opportunity to learn submission to God. Take a moment to confess your sin to God, and then place yourself once again under that authority.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Day 13 From Life Action Ministries
Day 13 of Your Journey
Need: The Path to Revival
“. . . that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2 NKJV).
Speaking on the subject of prayer, George Müller once said, “I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will.”
For most of us, that is the greatest part of our battle in prayer. It means releasing our desires and accepting that God’s plan will always be best.
Romans 12:2 tells us three very important things about God’s will. First, it is good. God’s will is innately good and therefore will always accomplish good, both in our lives and in those around us.
Second, God’s will is acceptable or well pleasing. Though God’s will may not, at any given moment, seem to be our preference, it will always bring us the greatest joy in the long run. We will always find it well pleasing in retrospect.
Finally, His will is perfect. Think how incredible it is to have a path in life that is perfect! His plan lacks nothing for our well-being, and at the same time it will bring Him the greatest glory.
That’s why someone has defined God’s will as “what I would choose if I knew all the facts.”
Making It Personal
Lord, too often I fear Your will. Please bring me to a place where I can sincerely pray, “If You are pleased, I am pleased.” Make my will Your own by the power of Your name. Amen.
Need: The Path to Revival
“. . . that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:2 NKJV).
Speaking on the subject of prayer, George Müller once said, “I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord’s will.”
For most of us, that is the greatest part of our battle in prayer. It means releasing our desires and accepting that God’s plan will always be best.
Romans 12:2 tells us three very important things about God’s will. First, it is good. God’s will is innately good and therefore will always accomplish good, both in our lives and in those around us.
Second, God’s will is acceptable or well pleasing. Though God’s will may not, at any given moment, seem to be our preference, it will always bring us the greatest joy in the long run. We will always find it well pleasing in retrospect.
Finally, His will is perfect. Think how incredible it is to have a path in life that is perfect! His plan lacks nothing for our well-being, and at the same time it will bring Him the greatest glory.
That’s why someone has defined God’s will as “what I would choose if I knew all the facts.”
Making It Personal
Lord, too often I fear Your will. Please bring me to a place where I can sincerely pray, “If You are pleased, I am pleased.” Make my will Your own by the power of Your name. Amen.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Day 12
Day 12 of Your Journey
Can God Bless with Trials?
Interpreting life’s events can be a tricky undertaking. Our instinct is to assume that if something bad happens, it’s because God is displeased with us. We then go on what I call a wild hunt for sin—that desperate search for whatever we’ve done to bring on our calamity.
To be sure, sin will bring with it trials (Prov. 13:15). The problem is, trials don’t necessarily indicate that sin is present.
James refers to “the testing of your faith” in James 1:3. Think about those very words: faith (a good thing) being tested by the events of life. In other words, God responds to something good He sees in our life by sending trials to grow it.
One of the greatest challenges of the Christian life is learning to embrace the trials God sends our way as gifts from Him. We use so much energy trying to escape or fight the tough situations we face, that we fail to see they have actually been given to us by God.
Are you going through a trial? Ask God for wisdom as to its source. According to James 1:5, God will liberally and graciously answer.
Making It Personal
What is the greatest trial you are facing right now? Whether it is caused by sin or testing, the Spirit will specifically show you if you sincerely ask for wisdom. If it is testing, take time to thank God for His commitment to your life in giving you this trial.
Can God Bless with Trials?
Interpreting life’s events can be a tricky undertaking. Our instinct is to assume that if something bad happens, it’s because God is displeased with us. We then go on what I call a wild hunt for sin—that desperate search for whatever we’ve done to bring on our calamity.
To be sure, sin will bring with it trials (Prov. 13:15). The problem is, trials don’t necessarily indicate that sin is present.
James refers to “the testing of your faith” in James 1:3. Think about those very words: faith (a good thing) being tested by the events of life. In other words, God responds to something good He sees in our life by sending trials to grow it.
One of the greatest challenges of the Christian life is learning to embrace the trials God sends our way as gifts from Him. We use so much energy trying to escape or fight the tough situations we face, that we fail to see they have actually been given to us by God.
Are you going through a trial? Ask God for wisdom as to its source. According to James 1:5, God will liberally and graciously answer.
Making It Personal
What is the greatest trial you are facing right now? Whether it is caused by sin or testing, the Spirit will specifically show you if you sincerely ask for wisdom. If it is testing, take time to thank God for His commitment to your life in giving you this trial.
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