Matthew 4:1-11
1)Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2) After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3) The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
4) Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. 5) Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6) "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 7) Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.8) Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9) "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
10) Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' 11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
I am an avid fan of all forms of gospel music. From my early introduction to the traditional sounds of, Thomas Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, James Cleveland, and the Clark Sisters to the pulsating rhythms of Christian rock bands like BarlowGirl, I am enamored by artists who passionately render the powerful Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I unashamedly roll the windows down on the two-seater and turn up my radio to the likes of Deitrick, Lecrae, J.R., Tye, Canton, Flame and yes Cross Movement giant, Da’T.R.U.T.H. While perusing the Cross Movement site late one evening, I happened upon a headline that truly pained me: “An Apology from Emanuel L. Lambert, Jr. - Da' T.R.U.T.H.” Therein he stated that he was entering a ministry sabbatical in order to address his marital indiscretions. In the quiet of my call room, I sat back from the computer, staring at his photographed image and printed apology. My heart entered into prayer for restoration of our brother and his family. I was immediately reminded that believers, especially ministers of the Gospel, are under relentless spiritual attack by the evil one. I Corinthians 10 13 reminds us that “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” In today’s lesson we will study our Elder-brother, Jesus Christ and learn that while yes, we all stand on the common ground of temptation, we have victory by the Power of God and His inspired Word. I hate to jump to the end (Matthew 4:11), but how wonderful to know that when we resist the devil using the Word,not only must satan the tempter flee, but God will send us the help that we need to recover! I am too excited about this lesson. Let's go!
A Relatable Savior
Perhaps one of the most amazing things to me about the gift of Jesus, is that He is relatable. As recorded in sacred and historically sound scripture, he was born into a real human family with real human issues. There were very real hurts, tangible joys and irrevocable sorrows. It was God’s will that Jesus would live a life that could serve as a living epistle for how we are to live and face temptation. Hebrews 4:15 encourages us: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-- yet was without sin.” Our personal situations must not be used to excuse giving in to temptation. For example, when your roommate smokes recreational marijuana and you are having a particularly stressful time at work, this set of circumstances does not excuse your “taking the edge off” by joining in the festivities. Or maybe your husband no longer pays you the attention that “Sam” from the office lavishes upon you. Certainly, having a quick coffee after work is innocent enough. Take comfort in knowing that Jesus too had times of stress, isolation and anxiety. Just read the story of his pre-Earthly ministry temptation here in Matthew 4 and his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (See Luke 22, Mark 14) Note that He did not give into even the humanly understandable temptation to forgo the cruelty of the Cross, since His heart is ever directed toward the Will of the Father. The life of our Lord declares “Not my will, but Your Will be done” Jesus, tempted in EVERY manner as we have been, and will be, triumphantly overcame the evil one by submitting His fleshly will to that of the Father as found in His Word, and so can you!
Spiritual triumph marks the path to temptation
Matthew 3: 16) As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17) And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."
Can you recall a time that you completed a period of deep consecration, fasting, or prayer where you were certain that God was with you? You seemed to be filled with so much of the Holy Ghost that you felt like a spiritual giant capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound? You exited this time of spiritual renewal excited about your God encounter, only to find that you were to face to face with greater temptations than you had ever faced before. Not only did God see you on the Holy Ghost mountaintop, the enemy saw you too! The experience of Jesus was quite like this. We see in Matthew chapter 3, that Jesus is audibly announced as the Son of God, having pleased the Father. What higher heights are there than to have had all those standing about hear from Heaven that you are in fact the Son of God? It was surely a glorious day for all who heard the Voice of God! Chapter 3 ends and Chapter 4 opens equally abruptly, with “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” There is no descriptive segue of a great celebration for Jesus perhaps led my John the Baptist or the people at large. No parades marking this present Messiah. Isn’t it interesting the noticeable quiet after the voice of God speaks? After this God encounter, Jesus is lead not directly onto a platform to preach, but into an isolated place where His flesh will grow hungry and weak. The enemy not only preys upon these physical longings for food, he also spoke to His emotions and thoughts with temptations to feed fleshly ego and pride as seen in verse 8: “…the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9) "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." Recognize that while God has spoken powerfully over one area of your life and you are enjoying the associated victory, the devil is standing with fiery darts aimed carrying any number of new temptations designed to destroy the great work that God has begun in you. He wants us to become obsessed with the cares of this life and pride of life, just as God desires to continue elevating us spiritually. Thank God that according to His word as found in Philippians 1:6 “…I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Perhaps it is now time to face tougher areas of your Christian walk in order to prepare for higher levels in God. Don’t be afraid of the desert. Your triumph on the mountain has prepared you for the great temptations to come.
Sword Play
When we were kids, my brothers and I would often play sword fighting with sticks. We had heard the words “On guard, touché!” many times on TV and we would match the click-clack of our “swords” with these utterances. “On guard” meant “get ready, I’m coming after you” while touché indicated that one had been “cut” by the opponent. In the Christian life, we are certainly spiritually embattled. We must be not only on guard, but also aware of the touché moments in our lives when our opponent the devil has wounded us with sin and temptation. As believers, know that temptation is coming, and we must be prepared, especially after experiencing high places in God. Ephesians 6 masterfully depicts how a follower of Christ can defeat the enemy by wearing and carrying the appropriate spiritual fighting gear. Verse 17 of that chapter admonishes us to “take on the …sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Every temptation offered to the Lord Jesus in Matthew 4 was renounced by the speaking the written Word. Jesus spoke directly against what the enemy is saying to Him. When satan offers Jesus natural bread, our Lord retorts that 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. The Word of God protects us from death associated with sin. We grow less concerned with physical hunger and our hearts yearn for the life gained by eating Bread from Heaven. I have found in my own life that physical desires are quenched by simply picking up my Bible and reading. This feeds my spirit man and he grows stronger while my physical desires grow weaker. Remember, what you feed will grow! In verse 5 the devil takes Jesus to the temple, and cunningly tempts Jesus with sacred text to test the grace of God by throwing Himself from a high place toward death in hopes that God will save Him. Jesus fights this ridiculous notion with scripture: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ Note in verses 5 and 6 that satan will meet you outside on the same church ground you danced around on during Sunday service. Also, note he, too knows the Word. He will manipulate Biblical truths in order to win the fight. Be on guard! When the enemy tempts Him to defy God and worship satan, the ruler of this world, in exchange for Earthly kingdoms, Jesus declares: "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Again, this mandate to serve God alone can be found throughout Old Testament scripture. To know the Word requires that we study it: Psalm 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Our best chance for winning spiritual battles starts with wielding the best weapon we have, the sharp and powerful Sword of the Spirit; the irrefutable Word of God!
Dr.’s Orders Even our greatest Gospel teachers, preachers, singers, and rappers alike share with the rest of us this common ground of temptation, but as followers of Christ we glean from His Divine example several keys to being victorious in the face of temptation.
1) Understand that our Lord sympathizes with our situation and that we have victory in Him! Confess your personal point of temptation to Him in prayer then accept His forgiveness and preserving power in your life. You will never be the same in Jesus name!
2) Understand that your spiritual mountaintop experiences are preparing you for places of challenge and temptation. While coming down off the mountain, be led of the Spirit into a quiet place of preparation and reflection. Do not be surprised when the enemy attacks. Know that you must be in the right place (the Will of God) since you got his attention.
3) Arm yourself with the Word of God. Daily study of God’s Word prepares us for the attack of the enemy that will surely come. Keep a journal of those scriptures that empower your walk with God. Read the Book, for in the end you win!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Disabling Your Disability
2 Corinthians 4:7 "We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves."
2 Corinthians 12: 8 "Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
“Do not allow your body to become the dictator of your potential” ~ Myles Munroe
Those who are closest to me know that I often have severe back that that has worsened over the last two years. I often have to ask for low lying items to be picked up for me and I need assistance with carrying even moderately heavy objects. Just getting out of my car can be an excruciating task. After spending months in progressive misery and wolfing down dose after dose of over the counter pain medicines, I finally resolved to go to the doctor earlier this summer. An MRI confirmed a degenerating and slightly bulging disk, as well as two vertebrae compressed secondary to arthritis. My grandmother, sister and maternal aunt all had or presently have the same problem, and I had spent some time trying to ignore the pain of what I already suspected was my issue. After being referred to an orthopedic surgeon, he reminded me that I am too young at this point to consider a risky spine surgery and that I should begin my healing process with physical therapy and weight loss. As I sat in his office, on a particularly painful day, it occurred to me that in order to overcome my disabling back pain, I would have to take a whole new approach to the problem. Certainly I would remain prayerful for a divine healing, but God let me know that this would be a process for me. There would be no instantaneous fix. No magical pill. No palliating procedure. In order to overcome my physical limitations, I was going to have to move forward all the while drawing on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit in this my “pre-miracle” phase. Nothing is too hard for God and He finishes what He starts! “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. “ (Philippians 1:6) We rejoice with great expectation of total Divine healing!
Speak the Word!
God wants us to lean and depend on Him both before and after we receive healing and we must encourage ourselves through His Holy Word. Our faith grows stronger as we pray the Word of God for ourselves. Romans 10:17 says it best: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” A poor medical diagnosis cannot negate the power of the Word of God in your life. We will not allow physical disability to dictate our Godly potential. There is simply too much Kingdom work to do and too much abundant life to life! Speak the Word! “My pain will not depress me, for the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10)!” “Pain will not deter me from going to the house of God to worship, for I too will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6).” “I will not focus on my present physical abilities since I am promised in the Word of God that we “…wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. (Romans 8:23). “ Pray prayers of faith that are solidly rooted in the written promises of our Lord.
Hidden Treasure
Recall that we are so much more than our bodies! We understand that “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) The enemy will certainly use our supposed limitations to try and hinder the light of God in us from penetrating the darkness of this world. Know that your potential impact in the Kingdom of God is a very real threat to the kingdom of darkness. 2 Corinthians 4:16 also encourages us: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.” Despite what you feel like, as a believer, you grow stronger day by day! Consistent communion with the Holy Spirit by prayer and reading of the Word allows us to bear temporary pain with the understanding that our inner man gains new vigor with each moment we spend gleaning from the hidden treasures of God within.
Grace; It's All You Need
The great apostle Paul, shares with us in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, that he too suffered some sort of physical condition. He describes a “thorn in the flesh” and states that he prayed three times for God to deliver him from it. The Lord Jesus responds in verse 9: “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” By the grace of God, our limitations are converted to opportunities for God to make manifest His glory upon the Earth. While I do not enjoy hurting on a daily basis, I relish the fact that God can use my weakness to strengthen others and that a treasure trove of potential Kingdom impact resides in me. When God elevates and sustains us in spite of our limitations He is truly glorified and the full power of Christ can work through us (2 Corinthians 2:9). When we are weak, He is made strong in our lives. Thank You Lord for your amazing grace!
We're in this thing together
Perhaps you do not have a physical disability, and yet you suffer the crippling effects of a broken heart, wounded spirit and clouded thoughts. Maybe you are emotionally bent and bowed in the wake of past relationships, lost opportunities, and internal struggles. Others, like me battle physical conditions. Whatever the case may be, know that God sees your weaknesses. He made you and knows all about you. The ache in your body, soul, or spirit is not a news flash to the Lord. God desires that we embrace the understanding that His grace is sufficient for us during our healing process and that we too have access to “great power” (2 Corinthians 4:7) through Christ! Everyone has pain in this life. We must never forget to lift one another's needs to the Father in prayer.
Dr.’s Orders: Today's orders are simple.
-Pray that God will strengthen your ailing family, friends, and co-workers according to His ever sufficient grace.
-Continue to pray God's promises of healing for your own life. --Recognize that your current situation is an opportunity for God to get glory from your life.
Your healing may be a process, but God will certainly strengthen you along the journey. Disable your disability in Jesus' name!
2 Corinthians 12: 8 "Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
“Do not allow your body to become the dictator of your potential” ~ Myles Munroe
Those who are closest to me know that I often have severe back that that has worsened over the last two years. I often have to ask for low lying items to be picked up for me and I need assistance with carrying even moderately heavy objects. Just getting out of my car can be an excruciating task. After spending months in progressive misery and wolfing down dose after dose of over the counter pain medicines, I finally resolved to go to the doctor earlier this summer. An MRI confirmed a degenerating and slightly bulging disk, as well as two vertebrae compressed secondary to arthritis. My grandmother, sister and maternal aunt all had or presently have the same problem, and I had spent some time trying to ignore the pain of what I already suspected was my issue. After being referred to an orthopedic surgeon, he reminded me that I am too young at this point to consider a risky spine surgery and that I should begin my healing process with physical therapy and weight loss. As I sat in his office, on a particularly painful day, it occurred to me that in order to overcome my disabling back pain, I would have to take a whole new approach to the problem. Certainly I would remain prayerful for a divine healing, but God let me know that this would be a process for me. There would be no instantaneous fix. No magical pill. No palliating procedure. In order to overcome my physical limitations, I was going to have to move forward all the while drawing on the enabling power of the Holy Spirit in this my “pre-miracle” phase. Nothing is too hard for God and He finishes what He starts! “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. “ (Philippians 1:6) We rejoice with great expectation of total Divine healing!
Speak the Word!
God wants us to lean and depend on Him both before and after we receive healing and we must encourage ourselves through His Holy Word. Our faith grows stronger as we pray the Word of God for ourselves. Romans 10:17 says it best: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” A poor medical diagnosis cannot negate the power of the Word of God in your life. We will not allow physical disability to dictate our Godly potential. There is simply too much Kingdom work to do and too much abundant life to life! Speak the Word! “My pain will not depress me, for the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10)!” “Pain will not deter me from going to the house of God to worship, for I too will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Psalm 23:6).” “I will not focus on my present physical abilities since I am promised in the Word of God that we “…wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. (Romans 8:23). “ Pray prayers of faith that are solidly rooted in the written promises of our Lord.
Hidden Treasure
Recall that we are so much more than our bodies! We understand that “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) The enemy will certainly use our supposed limitations to try and hinder the light of God in us from penetrating the darkness of this world. Know that your potential impact in the Kingdom of God is a very real threat to the kingdom of darkness. 2 Corinthians 4:16 also encourages us: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.” Despite what you feel like, as a believer, you grow stronger day by day! Consistent communion with the Holy Spirit by prayer and reading of the Word allows us to bear temporary pain with the understanding that our inner man gains new vigor with each moment we spend gleaning from the hidden treasures of God within.
Grace; It's All You Need
The great apostle Paul, shares with us in 2 Corinthians chapter 12, that he too suffered some sort of physical condition. He describes a “thorn in the flesh” and states that he prayed three times for God to deliver him from it. The Lord Jesus responds in verse 9: “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” By the grace of God, our limitations are converted to opportunities for God to make manifest His glory upon the Earth. While I do not enjoy hurting on a daily basis, I relish the fact that God can use my weakness to strengthen others and that a treasure trove of potential Kingdom impact resides in me. When God elevates and sustains us in spite of our limitations He is truly glorified and the full power of Christ can work through us (2 Corinthians 2:9). When we are weak, He is made strong in our lives. Thank You Lord for your amazing grace!
We're in this thing together
Perhaps you do not have a physical disability, and yet you suffer the crippling effects of a broken heart, wounded spirit and clouded thoughts. Maybe you are emotionally bent and bowed in the wake of past relationships, lost opportunities, and internal struggles. Others, like me battle physical conditions. Whatever the case may be, know that God sees your weaknesses. He made you and knows all about you. The ache in your body, soul, or spirit is not a news flash to the Lord. God desires that we embrace the understanding that His grace is sufficient for us during our healing process and that we too have access to “great power” (2 Corinthians 4:7) through Christ! Everyone has pain in this life. We must never forget to lift one another's needs to the Father in prayer.
Dr.’s Orders: Today's orders are simple.
-Pray that God will strengthen your ailing family, friends, and co-workers according to His ever sufficient grace.
-Continue to pray God's promises of healing for your own life. --Recognize that your current situation is an opportunity for God to get glory from your life.
Your healing may be a process, but God will certainly strengthen you along the journey. Disable your disability in Jesus' name!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Lost in Translation
Ephesians 4: 25) Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26) "In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27) and do not give the devil a foothold.
29) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
God is a God of relationships. From the creation of man and the first family unit, to the sacrifice of His son to re-establish our relationship to Himself, God has repeatedly demonstrated to us the value of positive relationships. Effective communication can be one of the most difficult aspects of relationships, especially new ones. Just before Thanksgiving, we spent considerable time studying prayer, which is simply communication with God. Communication is a must for healthy relationships, families and churches. Poor communication results in volatile, stagnant, and superficial relationships bound to crumble beneath the weight of real life experience. This is not the will of God for any of us! Time certainly does fly, and I look forward to celebrating this first year of dating my Johnathan. I can’t help but chuckle to myself when reflecting on the earliest communications we shared. More than a few times text messages, voicemails and emails were misinterpreted causing us to hurry to fix hurt feelings and address emotions. Some of what we said in those early days was simply lost in translation as we were learning each other’s unique ways of communicating. Sure there were the typical light-hearted ethereal talks typically found in the early dating process. We chatted happily carefree whilst along the beach, over shared meals and while sitting in gridlocked L.A. traffic. As our relationship evolved, there have been instances of simple misunderstanding that are easily resolved with few lines of conversation, while at other time truly tough issues arise. While my significant other prefers a direct approach and full disclosure, I feel more secure with a more subtle approach in discussing difficult topics. It was not unusual for me to completely withdraw for some time “to think” only to return to the table for a painfully protracted “play by play” of my thought process. His patience with my approach amazes me and I am making concerted efforts to be a more effective communicator in this and other relationships. James 1:5 reminds us that “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” I am encouraged to pursue the wisdom of God in all things! The power of life and death truly is in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) and we must wisely use Spirit led communication to bring life to our relationships. I want to highlight several keys to improved communication, including 1) listening, 2) thinking, 3) reframing, and 4) responding (Terminology found @ elitecoachingalliance.com). It is the will of God that our relationships; whether personal, familial, ministerial or professional are holy, healthy, and reflective of God’s grace at all times.
Listen Up!
Our communication with one another must be grounded in love and real love listens! 1 Corinthians 13: 5 reminds us that love “…is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” This is similar to what we see in Ephesians 4:25 as we are told to celebrate the truth with our friends. Conversations couched in love seek to arrive upon the truth, not accuse and catch one another in a lie. Often times we are so anxious for our turn to speak, find a “hole” in the other person’s story, etc, that we fail to listen in love with an open heart. Actively listening in love allows the truth of what the other person is saying to be revealed, even if hidden beneath anger, frustration and anxiety. Give people the opportunity to unburden themselves in such a way that anger can be addressed and resolved, disallowing the devil any “foothold” on the relationship (v. 27). Be an active listener; practice “listening” to the person’s body language, tone and inflections as well as the words they are saying. Listen prayerfully, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what is really being said, so that you may respond appropriately.
Think about it.
James 1 “19) My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20) for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” Effective communication is marked by listening, deliberate thought and proper control of anger. While listening in a spirit of love, you should take the time to think maturely before speaking. 1 Corinthians 13: 11 highlights the truth that operating in love requires Christian maturity; “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” I consider myself to be relatively mature in many areas, yet I can honestly say that I am not all that I should be when it comes to maturity in communication. I recall having had a long day at work and was leaving my research lab in more than a huff. My phone rang and it was my Johnathan. I immediately began to detail my crazy day and the fact that I was famished. As he started in to say that he was looking for dinner on his side of town, I hastily interrupted declaring that I did not mind eating by myself and that I would “throw something together.” Immediately I knew that the silence on the other end was shock at my tension filled response. He quietly finished the sentence that yes, he was in the process of finding dinner when I called, but that he was more than happy to drive over and have dinner with me. I felt terrible for being so short and rude with my friend. Sure I had had a rough day, but it was immature to fail to listen and speak prior to truly thinking through what had been uttered, especially mid sentence! As mature believers, we cannot allow misplaced emotions and “childish ways” to prohibit us from engaging in effective communication. Instead of jumping in to speak prematurely, we should pause to ponder what the other person is saying as well as what the Holy Spirit desires to speak into the situation. Allow Him the space to give you a clear understanding of what is truly being said. Proverbs 14:29 speaks to this: “People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.” We are reminded in our text to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Ephesians 4:31) Taking the time to think, control anger and submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit, can prevent the improper escalation of emotions and the preservation of wholesome relationships.
Speak up!
I love the movie “The Bucket List” and even more so John Mayer’s song found in the film’s musical score; “Say What You Need To Say”. Many of us speak prematurely in some situations while in others we fail to say what needs to be said in the proper way. Anthony Mullins, a Christian life coach who’s website was cited earlier, teaches that listening and thinking should be followed by reframing and responding. To reframe a conversation is to place yourself in the other person’s shoes. Really try to understand where people are coming from. Repeat out loud what was said in your own voice in a sincere attempt to gain needed perspective. Only after we have listened, reflected and reframed the conversation should we speak. Ephesians 4 reminds us: 29) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." What we say should serve to do more than relieve our own internal tensions. Godly communication aims to build up the hearer, restore wounded relationships and push others closer to God. Our Lord admonishes us in Matthew 12:36 “…You must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” God will not allow us to use the excuses of anger, immaturity, frustration or personal hurt for saying harmful things worthy of condemnation. Listen carefully. Think through the conversation. Consider the other person’s perspective as well as the implications of your words. Dare to speak with love and clarity through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Say what you need to say, and be sure to do so in love.
Dr.’s Orders
Recall a past instance of miscommunication. Identify ways in which the miscommunication could have been avoided.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead you in future communication to listen in love, think with clarity, be sensitive to other people’s perspective and speak in such a way that strengthens personal, family and work relationships.
29) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
God is a God of relationships. From the creation of man and the first family unit, to the sacrifice of His son to re-establish our relationship to Himself, God has repeatedly demonstrated to us the value of positive relationships. Effective communication can be one of the most difficult aspects of relationships, especially new ones. Just before Thanksgiving, we spent considerable time studying prayer, which is simply communication with God. Communication is a must for healthy relationships, families and churches. Poor communication results in volatile, stagnant, and superficial relationships bound to crumble beneath the weight of real life experience. This is not the will of God for any of us! Time certainly does fly, and I look forward to celebrating this first year of dating my Johnathan. I can’t help but chuckle to myself when reflecting on the earliest communications we shared. More than a few times text messages, voicemails and emails were misinterpreted causing us to hurry to fix hurt feelings and address emotions. Some of what we said in those early days was simply lost in translation as we were learning each other’s unique ways of communicating. Sure there were the typical light-hearted ethereal talks typically found in the early dating process. We chatted happily carefree whilst along the beach, over shared meals and while sitting in gridlocked L.A. traffic. As our relationship evolved, there have been instances of simple misunderstanding that are easily resolved with few lines of conversation, while at other time truly tough issues arise. While my significant other prefers a direct approach and full disclosure, I feel more secure with a more subtle approach in discussing difficult topics. It was not unusual for me to completely withdraw for some time “to think” only to return to the table for a painfully protracted “play by play” of my thought process. His patience with my approach amazes me and I am making concerted efforts to be a more effective communicator in this and other relationships. James 1:5 reminds us that “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all [men] liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” I am encouraged to pursue the wisdom of God in all things! The power of life and death truly is in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) and we must wisely use Spirit led communication to bring life to our relationships. I want to highlight several keys to improved communication, including 1) listening, 2) thinking, 3) reframing, and 4) responding (Terminology found @ elitecoachingalliance.com). It is the will of God that our relationships; whether personal, familial, ministerial or professional are holy, healthy, and reflective of God’s grace at all times.
Listen Up!
Our communication with one another must be grounded in love and real love listens! 1 Corinthians 13: 5 reminds us that love “…is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” This is similar to what we see in Ephesians 4:25 as we are told to celebrate the truth with our friends. Conversations couched in love seek to arrive upon the truth, not accuse and catch one another in a lie. Often times we are so anxious for our turn to speak, find a “hole” in the other person’s story, etc, that we fail to listen in love with an open heart. Actively listening in love allows the truth of what the other person is saying to be revealed, even if hidden beneath anger, frustration and anxiety. Give people the opportunity to unburden themselves in such a way that anger can be addressed and resolved, disallowing the devil any “foothold” on the relationship (v. 27). Be an active listener; practice “listening” to the person’s body language, tone and inflections as well as the words they are saying. Listen prayerfully, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what is really being said, so that you may respond appropriately.
Think about it.
James 1 “19) My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20) for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” Effective communication is marked by listening, deliberate thought and proper control of anger. While listening in a spirit of love, you should take the time to think maturely before speaking. 1 Corinthians 13: 11 highlights the truth that operating in love requires Christian maturity; “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” I consider myself to be relatively mature in many areas, yet I can honestly say that I am not all that I should be when it comes to maturity in communication. I recall having had a long day at work and was leaving my research lab in more than a huff. My phone rang and it was my Johnathan. I immediately began to detail my crazy day and the fact that I was famished. As he started in to say that he was looking for dinner on his side of town, I hastily interrupted declaring that I did not mind eating by myself and that I would “throw something together.” Immediately I knew that the silence on the other end was shock at my tension filled response. He quietly finished the sentence that yes, he was in the process of finding dinner when I called, but that he was more than happy to drive over and have dinner with me. I felt terrible for being so short and rude with my friend. Sure I had had a rough day, but it was immature to fail to listen and speak prior to truly thinking through what had been uttered, especially mid sentence! As mature believers, we cannot allow misplaced emotions and “childish ways” to prohibit us from engaging in effective communication. Instead of jumping in to speak prematurely, we should pause to ponder what the other person is saying as well as what the Holy Spirit desires to speak into the situation. Allow Him the space to give you a clear understanding of what is truly being said. Proverbs 14:29 speaks to this: “People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.” We are reminded in our text to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.” (Ephesians 4:31) Taking the time to think, control anger and submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit, can prevent the improper escalation of emotions and the preservation of wholesome relationships.
Speak up!
I love the movie “The Bucket List” and even more so John Mayer’s song found in the film’s musical score; “Say What You Need To Say”. Many of us speak prematurely in some situations while in others we fail to say what needs to be said in the proper way. Anthony Mullins, a Christian life coach who’s website was cited earlier, teaches that listening and thinking should be followed by reframing and responding. To reframe a conversation is to place yourself in the other person’s shoes. Really try to understand where people are coming from. Repeat out loud what was said in your own voice in a sincere attempt to gain needed perspective. Only after we have listened, reflected and reframed the conversation should we speak. Ephesians 4 reminds us: 29) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." What we say should serve to do more than relieve our own internal tensions. Godly communication aims to build up the hearer, restore wounded relationships and push others closer to God. Our Lord admonishes us in Matthew 12:36 “…You must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” God will not allow us to use the excuses of anger, immaturity, frustration or personal hurt for saying harmful things worthy of condemnation. Listen carefully. Think through the conversation. Consider the other person’s perspective as well as the implications of your words. Dare to speak with love and clarity through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. Say what you need to say, and be sure to do so in love.
Dr.’s Orders
Recall a past instance of miscommunication. Identify ways in which the miscommunication could have been avoided.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead you in future communication to listen in love, think with clarity, be sensitive to other people’s perspective and speak in such a way that strengthens personal, family and work relationships.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Take A Load Off!
Hebrews 12:1
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” NLT
This weekend I was afforded the awesome opportunity to minster alongside over 100 volunteers from my home church of West Angeles Church of God in Christ and several other Los Angeles church congregants at the Eastlake Juvenile Detention Center. We gathered to serve hot plates of Thanksgiving turkey, dressing, green beans, and sweet pumpkin pie; a welcome alternative to the usual cold or lukewarm Los Angeles County fare. We young adults also provided prayer, song, scripture reading (thankfully there were several mini New Testaments inside the units) and much needed positive reinforcement for education, goal setting, resolving family issues and development of a personal relationship to God. It was truly a blessing to see and feel the tattered and ice cold hearts of young people slowly warm beneath our widely spread blanket of brotherly and sisterly love. Heaven rejoiced as many confessed the Lord Jesus as Savior. We remain in prayer for these children even now, and it is our hope that those who did not accept Christ immediately will look back on those few precious hours, recall God’s love shown and experience a life transforming longing for the heart and purpose of God in their own lives.
There are messages from God all around us; divine lessons to be learned from the simplest existing organisms to the most complex integration systems in cyberspace. I am of the opinion that if the man who thinks himself nothing at all will dare to take a moment and quiet his thoughts of self-deprecation, he will gain audience with the Creator of the universe. John 10:27 reassures us of access to Heaven’s voice: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” As we learned last week in our study of contemplative prayer, we recognize that we must pause to listen, all while watching God’s handiwork in our lives. With this said, I am developing a habit of prayerfully watching God in my everyday experiences. The visit to Eastlake was a life changing experience for the reasons that I have already expressed, but there proved more that God wanted to share still.
Take it Back
Gaining entrance to Eastlake Juvenile Detention Center is a bit of a process. Armed guards and chaplains at the facility entrance welcomed us with smiles and nods of appreciation as well as stern glances toward our innocent hoarding of prohibited items. Common items taken to community outreach events such as bags, purses, multiple keys, sunglasses, cell phones, cameras, scarves and even books were deemed objectionable belongings that had to be placed back into parked vehicles outside. I love to take photos and had to take my camera back to my car along with the cell phones of several other volunteers. I had wanted to take candid shots of the activities, but I certainly understood the inherent privacy issues as they were explained to me. After returning from my car, I regained a place at the end of the long line and giggled to myself as a young lady indignantly tried to bargain with the guard to keep her scarf. She relayed that it was a simple item used to keep her warm. He replied that this “simple” item could in fact be used against her as a weapon. The scarf was taken back outside the gate. I knew how she felt, but I smiled as I found myself closer to the front of the line. Almost inside! My grin melted away when I was told that I was to return my shiny pink and green AKA key-chain with the CZ studded high heeled shoe as well as my pocket sized Bible to the car. What!?! Don’t tell me I have to go back to the car again! Could these objects be potential weapons as well! Certainly, no one could use a miniature shoe and a downsized version of the Good Book to physically slay anyone. I had already taken my camera back to the car earlier and now this! I wasn’t happy about the situation, but what I did know was that I was not going to let something as minor as a favorite sorority key-chain deter me from my goal. With a huff, I sauntered back to my car and hastily dropped off the items. As I was walking back, the Chaplain was coming toward me on his way to another location. We had met before and I shot out, “I had to go all the way back to my car again to drop off my Bible and key chain!” Never changing his pace, he calmly called back in a slow, Southern drawl “Yea, that’s why I sent ya’ll the rules before you got here. It’s all on the list.” He smiled, joked about me giving him all the money in my wallet, and faded around the corner. I exhaled. He was right. There had been an informational email that was sent out. I had even glanced at it, but I hadn’t paid much attention to the plainly written details. Because of this oversight and associated disobedience, I was weighted down with seemingly harmless items that delayed my entry to minister, created frustration and anxiety and ultimately exposed me to scenarios that could have brought me or others harm. When God calls you into sacred spaces, you will have to leave certain items, practices, thoughts and sometimes, even people behind you. Hebrews 12:1 is a verse that we have already visited, but is fitting to this discussion. It reminds us that we are to”…strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up…” Don’t allow seemingly harmless things to disallow you from fully experiencing the power of God in your life.
Critical Connections
As we have discussed before, the most critical thing as believers is to maintain a proper relationship and connection to God. Second to this are our relationships with others. We can never let even “little” things get in the way of our God-connection! Romans 8:38 “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” Maintain the God-connection at all costs! Playing online can be innocent enough, but if surfing the web trips you up and you find yourself on inappropriate sites; take the load off! Set boundaries for yourself by placing blocks on your surfing that will disallow unlimited access. Maybe your “harmless” weight is telephone time that often escalates to gossip and backbiting. Take the load off! Be proactive and refuse to have lengthy conversations with the work or church gossip queens and kings. You already know where the conversations will go, so when the numbers pop up, either don’t answer or when you do, keep it short. Colossians 4:6 states that we should “Let [our ] conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” For some of us partying and alcohol is still an issue. Clearly John 10:34 relays to us just a few of the problems associated with alcohol: “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life.” Many people feel that “social” drinking is not problematic, but are simply partying to cover up deep-seated emotional pain, feelings of inadequacies and often times loneliness. Be honest with yourself, for many young singles imbibing is about more that just a good time. You are seeking fulfillment and a sense of solidarity that this type of activity falsely affords. Many of us already know that even a drink or two lowers our inhibitions to the point that we regretfully find ourselves near or even totally in compromising and sinful situations. A “harmful” mixed drink or two can result in a world of unnecessary hurt for us. Lay aside the weight! Decide that you can have a great time at Christian activities absent of alcohol, and often the accompanying marijuana and sexual innuendo. You never have to wake up with a dry mouth, hurting head, empty heart and the question “how did I get here again?”. Live your life in Godly purpose; absent of regrets, even little ones! Know that you are on your way to a Kingdom destination and that everything you bring to the gate of your destiny simply cannot gain entry!
Easy Now!
The trip up of sin is so easy. The enemy cleverly masks himself as a gentleman. He gently offers us a little of this and a little of that. We step right into a grey zone on critical issues, strategically straddling a spiritual fence that is sure to crumble beneath the weight of little sins. Even if we initially are bounding along in spiritual mediocrity, a time will come when we will find ourselves weighted down with unrighteousness and guilt. We may never even realize our true plight until we are seeking entrance into places of blessing in God. We stand in wonder as to why our prayers go unanswered, our ministries flounder and our relationships fail to progress. Perhaps the reason we can’t gain access to the power of God in these areas is because we are simply carrying too many little weights to enter in. Just as we who served at the detention center last week had to leave some physical things behind, we must do the same in the things of God. Jesus promises us that for all we leave behind, what He gives us to carry will prove a true reward: Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Yes, falling into sin can be easier, but taking on the mind of Christ and will of God for our lives is even easier! I encourage you to use the truth of God’s Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit to take off even the those little things that will take you off course, separate you from the presence of God and deter you from your final destination. Take time to listen to the Lord’s leading. He will show you where there is unacceptable compromise in your life. You’re going somewhere my friends: higher and higher in God! Don’t allow the little things to delay your journey toward Kingdom greatness and real rest for your souls!
Dr.’s Orders
Little sins can be hard to identify, but God makes overcoming spiritual mediocrity easy for us. During your time with God, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you those gray areas in your life. Once identified, write these down and direct time in prayer for personal strength to truly let go!
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” NLT
This weekend I was afforded the awesome opportunity to minster alongside over 100 volunteers from my home church of West Angeles Church of God in Christ and several other Los Angeles church congregants at the Eastlake Juvenile Detention Center. We gathered to serve hot plates of Thanksgiving turkey, dressing, green beans, and sweet pumpkin pie; a welcome alternative to the usual cold or lukewarm Los Angeles County fare. We young adults also provided prayer, song, scripture reading (thankfully there were several mini New Testaments inside the units) and much needed positive reinforcement for education, goal setting, resolving family issues and development of a personal relationship to God. It was truly a blessing to see and feel the tattered and ice cold hearts of young people slowly warm beneath our widely spread blanket of brotherly and sisterly love. Heaven rejoiced as many confessed the Lord Jesus as Savior. We remain in prayer for these children even now, and it is our hope that those who did not accept Christ immediately will look back on those few precious hours, recall God’s love shown and experience a life transforming longing for the heart and purpose of God in their own lives.
There are messages from God all around us; divine lessons to be learned from the simplest existing organisms to the most complex integration systems in cyberspace. I am of the opinion that if the man who thinks himself nothing at all will dare to take a moment and quiet his thoughts of self-deprecation, he will gain audience with the Creator of the universe. John 10:27 reassures us of access to Heaven’s voice: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” As we learned last week in our study of contemplative prayer, we recognize that we must pause to listen, all while watching God’s handiwork in our lives. With this said, I am developing a habit of prayerfully watching God in my everyday experiences. The visit to Eastlake was a life changing experience for the reasons that I have already expressed, but there proved more that God wanted to share still.
Take it Back
Gaining entrance to Eastlake Juvenile Detention Center is a bit of a process. Armed guards and chaplains at the facility entrance welcomed us with smiles and nods of appreciation as well as stern glances toward our innocent hoarding of prohibited items. Common items taken to community outreach events such as bags, purses, multiple keys, sunglasses, cell phones, cameras, scarves and even books were deemed objectionable belongings that had to be placed back into parked vehicles outside. I love to take photos and had to take my camera back to my car along with the cell phones of several other volunteers. I had wanted to take candid shots of the activities, but I certainly understood the inherent privacy issues as they were explained to me. After returning from my car, I regained a place at the end of the long line and giggled to myself as a young lady indignantly tried to bargain with the guard to keep her scarf. She relayed that it was a simple item used to keep her warm. He replied that this “simple” item could in fact be used against her as a weapon. The scarf was taken back outside the gate. I knew how she felt, but I smiled as I found myself closer to the front of the line. Almost inside! My grin melted away when I was told that I was to return my shiny pink and green AKA key-chain with the CZ studded high heeled shoe as well as my pocket sized Bible to the car. What!?! Don’t tell me I have to go back to the car again! Could these objects be potential weapons as well! Certainly, no one could use a miniature shoe and a downsized version of the Good Book to physically slay anyone. I had already taken my camera back to the car earlier and now this! I wasn’t happy about the situation, but what I did know was that I was not going to let something as minor as a favorite sorority key-chain deter me from my goal. With a huff, I sauntered back to my car and hastily dropped off the items. As I was walking back, the Chaplain was coming toward me on his way to another location. We had met before and I shot out, “I had to go all the way back to my car again to drop off my Bible and key chain!” Never changing his pace, he calmly called back in a slow, Southern drawl “Yea, that’s why I sent ya’ll the rules before you got here. It’s all on the list.” He smiled, joked about me giving him all the money in my wallet, and faded around the corner. I exhaled. He was right. There had been an informational email that was sent out. I had even glanced at it, but I hadn’t paid much attention to the plainly written details. Because of this oversight and associated disobedience, I was weighted down with seemingly harmless items that delayed my entry to minister, created frustration and anxiety and ultimately exposed me to scenarios that could have brought me or others harm. When God calls you into sacred spaces, you will have to leave certain items, practices, thoughts and sometimes, even people behind you. Hebrews 12:1 is a verse that we have already visited, but is fitting to this discussion. It reminds us that we are to”…strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up…” Don’t allow seemingly harmless things to disallow you from fully experiencing the power of God in your life.
Critical Connections
As we have discussed before, the most critical thing as believers is to maintain a proper relationship and connection to God. Second to this are our relationships with others. We can never let even “little” things get in the way of our God-connection! Romans 8:38 “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow–not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.” Maintain the God-connection at all costs! Playing online can be innocent enough, but if surfing the web trips you up and you find yourself on inappropriate sites; take the load off! Set boundaries for yourself by placing blocks on your surfing that will disallow unlimited access. Maybe your “harmless” weight is telephone time that often escalates to gossip and backbiting. Take the load off! Be proactive and refuse to have lengthy conversations with the work or church gossip queens and kings. You already know where the conversations will go, so when the numbers pop up, either don’t answer or when you do, keep it short. Colossians 4:6 states that we should “Let [our ] conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” For some of us partying and alcohol is still an issue. Clearly John 10:34 relays to us just a few of the problems associated with alcohol: “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life.” Many people feel that “social” drinking is not problematic, but are simply partying to cover up deep-seated emotional pain, feelings of inadequacies and often times loneliness. Be honest with yourself, for many young singles imbibing is about more that just a good time. You are seeking fulfillment and a sense of solidarity that this type of activity falsely affords. Many of us already know that even a drink or two lowers our inhibitions to the point that we regretfully find ourselves near or even totally in compromising and sinful situations. A “harmful” mixed drink or two can result in a world of unnecessary hurt for us. Lay aside the weight! Decide that you can have a great time at Christian activities absent of alcohol, and often the accompanying marijuana and sexual innuendo. You never have to wake up with a dry mouth, hurting head, empty heart and the question “how did I get here again?”. Live your life in Godly purpose; absent of regrets, even little ones! Know that you are on your way to a Kingdom destination and that everything you bring to the gate of your destiny simply cannot gain entry!
Easy Now!
The trip up of sin is so easy. The enemy cleverly masks himself as a gentleman. He gently offers us a little of this and a little of that. We step right into a grey zone on critical issues, strategically straddling a spiritual fence that is sure to crumble beneath the weight of little sins. Even if we initially are bounding along in spiritual mediocrity, a time will come when we will find ourselves weighted down with unrighteousness and guilt. We may never even realize our true plight until we are seeking entrance into places of blessing in God. We stand in wonder as to why our prayers go unanswered, our ministries flounder and our relationships fail to progress. Perhaps the reason we can’t gain access to the power of God in these areas is because we are simply carrying too many little weights to enter in. Just as we who served at the detention center last week had to leave some physical things behind, we must do the same in the things of God. Jesus promises us that for all we leave behind, what He gives us to carry will prove a true reward: Matthew 11:29 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30) For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Yes, falling into sin can be easier, but taking on the mind of Christ and will of God for our lives is even easier! I encourage you to use the truth of God’s Word and the conviction of the Holy Spirit to take off even the those little things that will take you off course, separate you from the presence of God and deter you from your final destination. Take time to listen to the Lord’s leading. He will show you where there is unacceptable compromise in your life. You’re going somewhere my friends: higher and higher in God! Don’t allow the little things to delay your journey toward Kingdom greatness and real rest for your souls!
Dr.’s Orders
Little sins can be hard to identify, but God makes overcoming spiritual mediocrity easy for us. During your time with God, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you those gray areas in your life. Once identified, write these down and direct time in prayer for personal strength to truly let go!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Faith that Finishes
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 is the 322nd day of the year and for many of us it falls within a period of reflection and contemplation over what we have or have not accomplished in the past precious months. Think back to January, February or even March of this year. How fresh, bright and full of potential our goals, aspirations and projects appeared to be! Work directed to these tasks felt almost effortless as we face challenge after challenge with renewed enthusiasm for an expected and glorious end. For some of us it was the long, hot days of summer labour, while for others it proved the incessant reminders of investments and earnings lost, that somehow turned our eyes from our ultimate goals to our disconcerting present circumstance. If we are honest, some of us are dangerously close to losing sight of a God inspired vision and the person will to finish. I wasn’t so sure if I should share this, but my mother tells me to always speak to people from the heart and that people will in turn receive with their hearts. For most of my adult life I have suffered from bouts of mild to serious depression. As a Christian, I have been on the receiving end of much well intentioned admonishment that depression was a sign that I was a selfish and individualistic person only concerned with matters of self. After such “encouragement” I was often left more broken and down-trodden than before I shared my feelings. I am thankful for the many individuals, both professional and personal, who talked and prayed me out some very dark hours. While some episodes of depression are unpredictable with no clear etiology, other periods of sadness are situational. Most recently, the situation involved several key projects in my research laboratory that I had hoped would be finished by this point in the year. I began to look back at my previously penned plan of attack and immediately was reminded of how I had come miserably short. I had been so sure that all would be done by early December that I even planned an early vacation home to Arkansas. Last week was a dismal wake up call for me that nothing short of a miracle will enable me to complete all necessary experiments in order to publish a good manuscript by the spring. I was heartbroken. I felt inadequate. I began to question if I was even in God’s will for my life. While I prayed to God, I did so with feeble faith and certainty of my own personal failure. Though, I had warned others so passionately to be wary of the enemy who feeds us thoughts of hopeless despair, I began to feel myself sink into a deep, dark sadness. Not only was no work being applied to my projects, nothing else was being done effectively either. I even began to feel weak in my physical body with cold symptoms and exacerbation of preexisting back pain. But God! I am so grateful to God for His Word and His promises. I reached out to several strong believers to pray with me for strength. My mother reminded me of the God’s awesome promise as found in Phillipians 1:6 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” I was so encouraged to hear this from an old soldier of the Faith who has seen so many challenges in life. There remain many dreams and promises of God that she holds fast to in spite of harsh so-called realities. We hold fast to the true reality that faith truly is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen! Just because the lights are off in the room, it doesn’t mean that all the furniture disappears. As the furniture remains in a dark room, the perfect Will of God remains all the more. Proverbs 13:12 declares that “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a dream fulfilled is a tree of life. “ We must hold on to dreams inspired by God and rooted in faith. Today I encourage you to maintain a “Finishing Faith” that rests on the fact that it has been faith in God that has brought us this far and this same faith will lead us on!
The A-Team Finish!
In Exodus 36 we see the story of Moses and the people of Israel as they set about building sacred places to God. “1 ) So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded." 2 ) Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3) They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4) So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done." 6 )Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7) because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.”
In verses 1 and 2 we see that the Lord Himself had “given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary” to those that He feels are most capable to carry out the work. Look at yourself in the proverbial mirror today. Know that God has called you out for certain tasks according to the gifts and talents placed inside you from the start. You have the ability to do the work and as a possessor of finishing faith you also recognize your response-ability or responsibility to see your assignment through to the end. The part I like most about this passage is seen in verses 4-7 as we see that the people began to rally behind those who God had placed in leadership over the building of the Tabernacle and that they donated so much that Moses had to tell them to bring no more! When God places a job in front of you, He often positions people around to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support. The broader worldview is such that we begin to believe that we have to do things on our own in order to be respected and celebrated. How many believers take on a martyr’s mentality that compels them to carry entire loads alone when God ordained them to distribute the work evenly and march forward to lead the pack. Just as we see in verse 7, assess your project(s) fully to see if perhaps you already have “more than enough to do all the work.” Not only is the Source of your personal spiritual strength found in God, it is equally true that He uses earthen vessels; even mortal men to help you finish your Kingdom work. We are a part of a vast Family of God, each with unique gifts and talents that should be celebrated and maximized for the Kingdom. I am personally challenged to find ways in the coming week to utilize the people that God has placed around me to help me finish seemingly unconquerable tasks both at work and in ministry. Cliché or not, no man is an island. There really is no “I” in “team”. Finishing in faith often entails trusting the Godly purpose in someone other than yourself in order to finish; and finish well!
Been there! Done that!
My mother has an amazing memory. I have often heard from my married male friends that this is a gift claimed by most women. Somehow I think I missed the memory gene and am only now seeking to reclaim it. When pushing to finish, the believer must recall the past hurdles that have already been overcome and proclaim the power of God in days past. Psalm 46 summons us to stand firm in our faith in an all powerful and ever present God: 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.” That’s right think about it. Had it not been for the Lord who was on your side, where would you be? “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrew 13:8. As followers of Christ we take His awesome of example of submitting to the Will of the Father as a perfect example of how to finish. We look to Him when our memory of grace gone before fades against the backdrop or weary and worn faith. Be strengthened by the Word even now! When memory of past triumphs grow dim recall Hebrews 12: 2) "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3) Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” When we are faced with feelings of defeat and taunts from the enemy that we will die leaving our work undone, we must rebuke such thoughts fully aware of the knowledge of a Mighty God and His Son who have authored and will also bring to completion our faith centered dreams! Keep your eyes on Jesus. Recall miracle after miracle that He has performed in times past and rest on all that He is doing even now. He is Alpha and Omega. God goes ahead of you as you approach difficult tasks and He goes behind you to cover you and to help you wrap up otherwise unnoticed loose ends. It’s already done!
Stiff competition.
1 Corinthians 9: 24- 26 reads “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.” This passage is quite interesting to me in that upon superficial perusal it suggests that we are contending with one another. Paul clarifies in verse 25 that unlike competing athletes, we Christians run for eternal glory in the Kingdom of God. We are not running against each other, but decidedly in the direction of God and His purpose for our lives. While everyone will have a different race to run and finish, we all have the same destination. While Paul reminded us in Hebrew 11 of the many “faith runners” gone before, he continues on in Hebrews 12: 1) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Know that a faith finisher refuses to carry around anything that will slow him or her in pursuit of the finish line. If you are being hindered from finishing your race secondary to greed, ingratitude, inappropriate relationships, selfishness, laziness, pride or any matter of sin, you must be willing to let it go immediately. The faith finisher recognizes the brevity of this race and desires to reach the finish line before life’s end or to at the very least to die trying. The stiffest competition lies within the recesses of our minds. In a world that suggest to us that we have to keep up with the Jones’ and the Kardashians, we know full well that we live our lives and run our race within the context of Romans 12: 2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Transform your thinking to that of Christ in order to understand that you aren’t racing against people. You run to reach your God ordained destiny according to His will!
Dr.’s Orders
1)Identify at least one natural and spiritual task that remains undone in your life. Even if you presently feel inept to finish it, pray that the Holy Spirit will assist you in finishing the work that He has begun. Pray Philippians 1:6 over the situation. Know that if God brought you to a situation He is more than able to bring you through it!
2)Find trustworthy and prayerful cheerleaders to support your project. Let them know how you need help, either tangible or spiritual. Don’t be afraid to ask for God’s help through other people.
3)Dare to praise God for the victory of finishing! Speak in confidence and faith that the projects/tasks are moving forward to completion.
The A-Team Finish!
In Exodus 36 we see the story of Moses and the people of Israel as they set about building sacred places to God. “1 ) So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded." 2 ) Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. 3) They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. 4) So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work 5 and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done." 6 )Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, 7) because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.”
In verses 1 and 2 we see that the Lord Himself had “given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary” to those that He feels are most capable to carry out the work. Look at yourself in the proverbial mirror today. Know that God has called you out for certain tasks according to the gifts and talents placed inside you from the start. You have the ability to do the work and as a possessor of finishing faith you also recognize your response-ability or responsibility to see your assignment through to the end. The part I like most about this passage is seen in verses 4-7 as we see that the people began to rally behind those who God had placed in leadership over the building of the Tabernacle and that they donated so much that Moses had to tell them to bring no more! When God places a job in front of you, He often positions people around to provide physical, emotional and spiritual support. The broader worldview is such that we begin to believe that we have to do things on our own in order to be respected and celebrated. How many believers take on a martyr’s mentality that compels them to carry entire loads alone when God ordained them to distribute the work evenly and march forward to lead the pack. Just as we see in verse 7, assess your project(s) fully to see if perhaps you already have “more than enough to do all the work.” Not only is the Source of your personal spiritual strength found in God, it is equally true that He uses earthen vessels; even mortal men to help you finish your Kingdom work. We are a part of a vast Family of God, each with unique gifts and talents that should be celebrated and maximized for the Kingdom. I am personally challenged to find ways in the coming week to utilize the people that God has placed around me to help me finish seemingly unconquerable tasks both at work and in ministry. Cliché or not, no man is an island. There really is no “I” in “team”. Finishing in faith often entails trusting the Godly purpose in someone other than yourself in order to finish; and finish well!
Been there! Done that!
My mother has an amazing memory. I have often heard from my married male friends that this is a gift claimed by most women. Somehow I think I missed the memory gene and am only now seeking to reclaim it. When pushing to finish, the believer must recall the past hurdles that have already been overcome and proclaim the power of God in days past. Psalm 46 summons us to stand firm in our faith in an all powerful and ever present God: 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.” That’s right think about it. Had it not been for the Lord who was on your side, where would you be? “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrew 13:8. As followers of Christ we take His awesome of example of submitting to the Will of the Father as a perfect example of how to finish. We look to Him when our memory of grace gone before fades against the backdrop or weary and worn faith. Be strengthened by the Word even now! When memory of past triumphs grow dim recall Hebrews 12: 2) "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3) Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” When we are faced with feelings of defeat and taunts from the enemy that we will die leaving our work undone, we must rebuke such thoughts fully aware of the knowledge of a Mighty God and His Son who have authored and will also bring to completion our faith centered dreams! Keep your eyes on Jesus. Recall miracle after miracle that He has performed in times past and rest on all that He is doing even now. He is Alpha and Omega. God goes ahead of you as you approach difficult tasks and He goes behind you to cover you and to help you wrap up otherwise unnoticed loose ends. It’s already done!
Stiff competition.
1 Corinthians 9: 24- 26 reads “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.” This passage is quite interesting to me in that upon superficial perusal it suggests that we are contending with one another. Paul clarifies in verse 25 that unlike competing athletes, we Christians run for eternal glory in the Kingdom of God. We are not running against each other, but decidedly in the direction of God and His purpose for our lives. While everyone will have a different race to run and finish, we all have the same destination. While Paul reminded us in Hebrew 11 of the many “faith runners” gone before, he continues on in Hebrews 12: 1) “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Know that a faith finisher refuses to carry around anything that will slow him or her in pursuit of the finish line. If you are being hindered from finishing your race secondary to greed, ingratitude, inappropriate relationships, selfishness, laziness, pride or any matter of sin, you must be willing to let it go immediately. The faith finisher recognizes the brevity of this race and desires to reach the finish line before life’s end or to at the very least to die trying. The stiffest competition lies within the recesses of our minds. In a world that suggest to us that we have to keep up with the Jones’ and the Kardashians, we know full well that we live our lives and run our race within the context of Romans 12: 2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Transform your thinking to that of Christ in order to understand that you aren’t racing against people. You run to reach your God ordained destiny according to His will!
Dr.’s Orders
1)Identify at least one natural and spiritual task that remains undone in your life. Even if you presently feel inept to finish it, pray that the Holy Spirit will assist you in finishing the work that He has begun. Pray Philippians 1:6 over the situation. Know that if God brought you to a situation He is more than able to bring you through it!
2)Find trustworthy and prayerful cheerleaders to support your project. Let them know how you need help, either tangible or spiritual. Don’t be afraid to ask for God’s help through other people.
3)Dare to praise God for the victory of finishing! Speak in confidence and faith that the projects/tasks are moving forward to completion.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Answered Prayer
Romans 8: 24-27
24) For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25) But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.26) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27) And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
"The safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God,
though trials be great and the way seems hard,
it's in the will of God.
It may be on a mountain peak or in the valley low,
but wherever it may be,
if God says go, go, go!"
(Classic rendition sung by Karen Clark-Sheard & Kierra Sheard. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YjqfN3DUYM to listen!)
For those of us who are Clark Sisters fans, we know and love the interplay of these lyrics as sung by the incomparable Karen Clark-Sheard and her daughter Kierra. These two women sing with such passion, conviction and natural vocal virtuosity that you it is quite easy to become enraptured by the sound alone. Karen’s late mother, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark was appointed by the late Bishop J.O. Patterson as the Church of God in Christ International President of the Music Department in 1968. She worked to instill within her talented children, musicians and choirs a responsibility to Christ as well as capability for Christ. Throughout her efforts, young people especially received her and many were saved, and uplifted by her music and message. (Source:http://en.wikipedia.org) This powerful song (which I encourage you to watch on the above YouTube link), reminds us of the importance of finding and accepting God’s perfect will for our lives. Such clear understanding of divine purpose is found in daily prayer and devotion. Through prayer we learn to accept that in this life there will certainly be dizzying trials and mind bending, back breaking hard places to traverse. We come to know the security afforded by seeking God for guidance through the Holy Spirit. Whether God’s answer to our prayers is “no”, “slow”, or “grow” a consistent prayer life enables us to be sure that He is answering in a way that we can understand and that will ultimately lead us to our Kingdom Purpose. It is only then that we are enabled to safely go, go, go for the Lord! Today we will share in some of God’s possible answers to prayer including: “No”, “Slow”, “Grow”, and “Go”.
God’s “No” = Your “Yes ”
There are times in this life that God’s answer to our prayers is simply, “no”. No, it is not time to buy that new car. No, you cannot enter into a new mortgage. No, it is not time for you to enter into a new area or ministry. No, you cannot travel abroad right now. No is it not time for you to get married. No. No. No! The no answer can be the most difficult to accept for the modern believer. We have been conditioned to believe that since we are children of God we will ALWAYS and INSTANTLY get what we are seeking God for. God is not an like and ATM machine. We can’t simply put in our prayer cards and expect big returns all the time. It just doesn’t work that way. Being from a large Southern family there is heavy emphasis on marriage and family. In fact my older sister and two younger brothers have all been married for years at this point. Obviously I didn’t want to be a weirdo, and went to desperate measures sometimes to push myself into a position that would lead me down the aisle. Having heard so many people tell me to “name it and claim it” regarding my very premature requests I lost focus of the grace and the favor that God had placed upon my life. I would pray, long pitiful prayers to God, begging Him to bring me a mate, and when I tired of begging, to my detriment, I would go about “fixing” the situation on my own. There were individuals that I dated in my early twenties that I knew even then were no where in my destiny. I would date thugs with aims of helping them convert their “creative” employment into legitimate enterprise. I would ask God to bless these relationships and He simply answered, no. There were other times when I decided that as long as a man believed in God things could work out. It didn’t matter to me whether he had a tangible relationship with the Savior or not. God again shielded me from certain danger with another emphatic no! I was so determined to get a yes from God in this area, but in order for His perfect will to be made manifest in my life God had to tell me over and over again, no! It was not until I accepted that His choices for me were the best choices did I come to enjoy a deep and personal assurance that my prayers for a husband and family would be answered according to God’s will for me. Sure, I had to enter into a period of reflective singleness that would leave me lonely at times, but never ever was I alone, for the Lord was with me. When I accepted that the God was protecting me from distraction and strategically leading me toward purpose, I stopped resenting my singleness and began to tell god “yes” to His will. I grew busier and busier in the things of God and made greater effort to improve my love relationship with the Father. I developed an intense desire to be used by God that continues to mature even today. Our Elder Brother, the Lord Jesus knew all too well the suffering of a “no” from God. Matthew 26: 39 describes how Jesus experienced a painfully silent and final “no” from God” “He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”” You may be asking, where was the “no” from God in this passage? The “no” lies in the deep, silent space between “let this cup pass from me” and “Not my will, but thine be done.” When facing a “no” from God in your own life, resolve to submit your will to the Father. Know that He is leading you and guiding you in this process. Pray in the Holy Spirit that God will eventually reveal to you the necessity for the “no” and until you reach that point of clarity, he will provide you with the faith to trust His leading. Romans 8: 27 reads: “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” When God says “no”, be thankful for the fulfillment of the Father’s Divine Will in your life! When the enemy tries to make you think that “no” from God is some sort of spiritual let down on the part of God, dare to triumphantly lift your head toward Heaven and tell the Lord “YES”! God’s “no” is truly for our good!
Hold On, Wait a Minute!
One of my favorite passages of scripture is Ecclesiastes 3:11: “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Sometimes the answer from God is “wait, move slow”. It has been said that “timing is everything.” There is always a reason that God has not allowed certain things to come to pass in your life. My young adult pastor often asks us, “can you stand to be blessed?” indicating that certain blessings require particular levels of maturity in God. For most of us, God desires to increase our faith, and this increase will invariably require a wait. Romans 8:25 reads: “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” We must understand that a “wait or slow” from God is not a denial. If you know that God has made certain promises to you, hold fast and never give up. Wait patiently! Luke 21:19 reminds us that “in your patience possess ye your souls.” The soul is the seat of our thoughts, intellect, and emotions. This means that when we are patient before God’s desire for us to wait, we practice control over negative thoughts, poor rationalizations and misdirected emotions. Waiting on God mandates a spiritual and emotional posture of trust that God is truly working in your behalf. Remember, God’s message to proceed with caution is not a denial. Remind yourself often of your God inspired dreams and speak in faith that they will come to pass. Allow Him to fully prepare you for the joy and concomitant responsibility of your blessing. Get ready my friends. The wait is almost over!
Grow to Victory!
I once read the story of a man who saw a moth struggling to get free from it's cocoon. The man had pity on the moth and it's terrible struggle, so he carefully cut the cocoon to allow the moth to come out more easily. The moth was free, but could not fly. He learned, too late, that in order to develop the ability to fly, the moth had to struggle with it's wings to overcome the constraints of the cocoon. The pressure and pull of the wings against the cocoon are what would have afforded the wings to grow strong enough to fly. Opposition truly is the path to greatness. Where there is no struggle, there is no growth and certainly no flight! Understand that what appear to be “no” or maybe even “”slow” answers from God are actually “grow” answers. God will allow us to struggle a bit in certain areas so that we gain the strength and courage needed to overcome and emerge victorious. We shouldn’t ask God to cut away our cocoon. When the proverbial walls press in tightly on your spiritual and emotional wings, press back even harder! Endure hardness as a good soldier. Dedicate more time to prayer and study of the Word. Understand that God is readying you for Kingdom business, and that you will become stronger in the Lord and the power of His might! By allowing God to grow and mature you, nothing can stand between you and true victory in Jesus. Refuse to take easy routes out. Be courageous in God! James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Grow to victory!
When I move you move!
God’s answer to our prayers may require us to take action. It is at these times that God wants us to move forward in bringing his plan to fruition in our lives. Many of you may recall the story of Moses being called to go to Egypt in Exodus. God had ordained that Moses would go before a hostile Egyptian king and distrusting Israelite people to proclaim that the entire country of Jewish slaves were to be freed. Moses aptly recognized his incapacity to go on this mission of his own authority and asked the Lord, “Who shall I say sent me?” God responds in Exodus 3:14 "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' Moses went on to facilitate a massive liberation of God’s people solely based on the power of God’s message to “go”. As a believer, God is calling all of us to “go” in some area. When we go to God and receive an answer to “go” we must not be afraid, for we go under the authority of Almighty God! It is wrong to remain stagnant and stationary when God is compelling you to move. When He moves on your heart to take a new path, go with the flow. He will be all that you need Him to be in new and intimidating assignments. Confidently move forward according to the perfect Will of God. He is still the Great I AM!
Dr.’s Orders:
Are there areas of your prayer life that you hear God saying “no”, “take it slow” or “allow growth”? Are you being obedient to his leading and truly seeking his will for your life? If not, talk to God about your feelings of frustration, anxiety or even resentment with regard to these answers. Pray for the patience to allow God to make all things beautiful in His time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Do you have a friend that is depressed, frustrated and angry with God for not answering a particular prayer. Ask God for the right words to encourage this person in the Lord. Dare to share your story of waiting on God and how it has strengthened your faith in God.
24) For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? 25) But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.26) In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27) And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
"The safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God,
though trials be great and the way seems hard,
it's in the will of God.
It may be on a mountain peak or in the valley low,
but wherever it may be,
if God says go, go, go!"
(Classic rendition sung by Karen Clark-Sheard & Kierra Sheard. Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YjqfN3DUYM to listen!)
For those of us who are Clark Sisters fans, we know and love the interplay of these lyrics as sung by the incomparable Karen Clark-Sheard and her daughter Kierra. These two women sing with such passion, conviction and natural vocal virtuosity that you it is quite easy to become enraptured by the sound alone. Karen’s late mother, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark was appointed by the late Bishop J.O. Patterson as the Church of God in Christ International President of the Music Department in 1968. She worked to instill within her talented children, musicians and choirs a responsibility to Christ as well as capability for Christ. Throughout her efforts, young people especially received her and many were saved, and uplifted by her music and message. (Source:http://en.wikipedia.org) This powerful song (which I encourage you to watch on the above YouTube link), reminds us of the importance of finding and accepting God’s perfect will for our lives. Such clear understanding of divine purpose is found in daily prayer and devotion. Through prayer we learn to accept that in this life there will certainly be dizzying trials and mind bending, back breaking hard places to traverse. We come to know the security afforded by seeking God for guidance through the Holy Spirit. Whether God’s answer to our prayers is “no”, “slow”, or “grow” a consistent prayer life enables us to be sure that He is answering in a way that we can understand and that will ultimately lead us to our Kingdom Purpose. It is only then that we are enabled to safely go, go, go for the Lord! Today we will share in some of God’s possible answers to prayer including: “No”, “Slow”, “Grow”, and “Go”.
God’s “No” = Your “Yes ”
There are times in this life that God’s answer to our prayers is simply, “no”. No, it is not time to buy that new car. No, you cannot enter into a new mortgage. No, it is not time for you to enter into a new area or ministry. No, you cannot travel abroad right now. No is it not time for you to get married. No. No. No! The no answer can be the most difficult to accept for the modern believer. We have been conditioned to believe that since we are children of God we will ALWAYS and INSTANTLY get what we are seeking God for. God is not an like and ATM machine. We can’t simply put in our prayer cards and expect big returns all the time. It just doesn’t work that way. Being from a large Southern family there is heavy emphasis on marriage and family. In fact my older sister and two younger brothers have all been married for years at this point. Obviously I didn’t want to be a weirdo, and went to desperate measures sometimes to push myself into a position that would lead me down the aisle. Having heard so many people tell me to “name it and claim it” regarding my very premature requests I lost focus of the grace and the favor that God had placed upon my life. I would pray, long pitiful prayers to God, begging Him to bring me a mate, and when I tired of begging, to my detriment, I would go about “fixing” the situation on my own. There were individuals that I dated in my early twenties that I knew even then were no where in my destiny. I would date thugs with aims of helping them convert their “creative” employment into legitimate enterprise. I would ask God to bless these relationships and He simply answered, no. There were other times when I decided that as long as a man believed in God things could work out. It didn’t matter to me whether he had a tangible relationship with the Savior or not. God again shielded me from certain danger with another emphatic no! I was so determined to get a yes from God in this area, but in order for His perfect will to be made manifest in my life God had to tell me over and over again, no! It was not until I accepted that His choices for me were the best choices did I come to enjoy a deep and personal assurance that my prayers for a husband and family would be answered according to God’s will for me. Sure, I had to enter into a period of reflective singleness that would leave me lonely at times, but never ever was I alone, for the Lord was with me. When I accepted that the God was protecting me from distraction and strategically leading me toward purpose, I stopped resenting my singleness and began to tell god “yes” to His will. I grew busier and busier in the things of God and made greater effort to improve my love relationship with the Father. I developed an intense desire to be used by God that continues to mature even today. Our Elder Brother, the Lord Jesus knew all too well the suffering of a “no” from God. Matthew 26: 39 describes how Jesus experienced a painfully silent and final “no” from God” “He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”” You may be asking, where was the “no” from God in this passage? The “no” lies in the deep, silent space between “let this cup pass from me” and “Not my will, but thine be done.” When facing a “no” from God in your own life, resolve to submit your will to the Father. Know that He is leading you and guiding you in this process. Pray in the Holy Spirit that God will eventually reveal to you the necessity for the “no” and until you reach that point of clarity, he will provide you with the faith to trust His leading. Romans 8: 27 reads: “And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” When God says “no”, be thankful for the fulfillment of the Father’s Divine Will in your life! When the enemy tries to make you think that “no” from God is some sort of spiritual let down on the part of God, dare to triumphantly lift your head toward Heaven and tell the Lord “YES”! God’s “no” is truly for our good!
Hold On, Wait a Minute!
One of my favorite passages of scripture is Ecclesiastes 3:11: “Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Sometimes the answer from God is “wait, move slow”. It has been said that “timing is everything.” There is always a reason that God has not allowed certain things to come to pass in your life. My young adult pastor often asks us, “can you stand to be blessed?” indicating that certain blessings require particular levels of maturity in God. For most of us, God desires to increase our faith, and this increase will invariably require a wait. Romans 8:25 reads: “But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” We must understand that a “wait or slow” from God is not a denial. If you know that God has made certain promises to you, hold fast and never give up. Wait patiently! Luke 21:19 reminds us that “in your patience possess ye your souls.” The soul is the seat of our thoughts, intellect, and emotions. This means that when we are patient before God’s desire for us to wait, we practice control over negative thoughts, poor rationalizations and misdirected emotions. Waiting on God mandates a spiritual and emotional posture of trust that God is truly working in your behalf. Remember, God’s message to proceed with caution is not a denial. Remind yourself often of your God inspired dreams and speak in faith that they will come to pass. Allow Him to fully prepare you for the joy and concomitant responsibility of your blessing. Get ready my friends. The wait is almost over!
Grow to Victory!
I once read the story of a man who saw a moth struggling to get free from it's cocoon. The man had pity on the moth and it's terrible struggle, so he carefully cut the cocoon to allow the moth to come out more easily. The moth was free, but could not fly. He learned, too late, that in order to develop the ability to fly, the moth had to struggle with it's wings to overcome the constraints of the cocoon. The pressure and pull of the wings against the cocoon are what would have afforded the wings to grow strong enough to fly. Opposition truly is the path to greatness. Where there is no struggle, there is no growth and certainly no flight! Understand that what appear to be “no” or maybe even “”slow” answers from God are actually “grow” answers. God will allow us to struggle a bit in certain areas so that we gain the strength and courage needed to overcome and emerge victorious. We shouldn’t ask God to cut away our cocoon. When the proverbial walls press in tightly on your spiritual and emotional wings, press back even harder! Endure hardness as a good soldier. Dedicate more time to prayer and study of the Word. Understand that God is readying you for Kingdom business, and that you will become stronger in the Lord and the power of His might! By allowing God to grow and mature you, nothing can stand between you and true victory in Jesus. Refuse to take easy routes out. Be courageous in God! James 1:12 “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” Grow to victory!
When I move you move!
God’s answer to our prayers may require us to take action. It is at these times that God wants us to move forward in bringing his plan to fruition in our lives. Many of you may recall the story of Moses being called to go to Egypt in Exodus. God had ordained that Moses would go before a hostile Egyptian king and distrusting Israelite people to proclaim that the entire country of Jewish slaves were to be freed. Moses aptly recognized his incapacity to go on this mission of his own authority and asked the Lord, “Who shall I say sent me?” God responds in Exodus 3:14 "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' Moses went on to facilitate a massive liberation of God’s people solely based on the power of God’s message to “go”. As a believer, God is calling all of us to “go” in some area. When we go to God and receive an answer to “go” we must not be afraid, for we go under the authority of Almighty God! It is wrong to remain stagnant and stationary when God is compelling you to move. When He moves on your heart to take a new path, go with the flow. He will be all that you need Him to be in new and intimidating assignments. Confidently move forward according to the perfect Will of God. He is still the Great I AM!
Dr.’s Orders:
Are there areas of your prayer life that you hear God saying “no”, “take it slow” or “allow growth”? Are you being obedient to his leading and truly seeking his will for your life? If not, talk to God about your feelings of frustration, anxiety or even resentment with regard to these answers. Pray for the patience to allow God to make all things beautiful in His time. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Do you have a friend that is depressed, frustrated and angry with God for not answering a particular prayer. Ask God for the right words to encourage this person in the Lord. Dare to share your story of waiting on God and how it has strengthened your faith in God.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Prayerful A.C.T.S.
Matthew 6:9-15
9"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
It has been said that adequate kneeling will keep you in good standing with God. Great men and women of the Bible consistently provide support of the fact that prayer is a vital component of a victorious walk with God. Jesus Himself entered into periods of prayer and as we will see in our scripture passage, felt it important to methodically teach Christians to pray. Inarguably, this life is fraught with temptation, disappointment, and a myriad of difficulties. Sometimes a singular celebrated step forward gives way to two dismal steps back. What a sinking feeling we have all experienced when realizing a lack of progress and growth in a given area of life. There are precious few days that pass when we are not confronted with some sort of real life situation that can not be resolved using our intellect, financial resources, or physical strength. After we have done all that we can do, we finally realize that we must simply trust God. While this fundamental trust, or faith, is the key to the door blocking us from the blessings of God, prayer remains the most valuable instrument that unlocks the door. It is critical that we have a clear understanding of how to pray as well as possess a simple approach to prayer that we can share with the new and developing believer. A.C.T.S. is a mnemonic for four phases of prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. I also like to consider Intercession as an additional phase of prayer, but we will discuss this later.
Adoration: “God, You’re Everything to Me!”
When we come before the living God in prayer, we should do so with a humble heart and a spirit of adoration. In the film inspired by Alice Walker’s book of the same name, The Color Purple, there is a line spoken by Shug Avery that resonates with me each time I hear it: “God wants admiration and wants us to enjoy the things it has created. "I think it [angers] God if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it." For anyone who has seen the film, Shug is certainly no saint, but the scene in which this quote is couched reveals a heart that honors God as Creator and Sustainer of all. Psalm 100:3 reminds us “3… that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture." Adoration is to tell God of His inherent greatness as well as His powerful acts in your present and past life. Jesus, in teachingus to pray in verse 10, proclaims the Holiness of God: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The Book of Psalms provides many useful examples of how to go before God in Adoration. Pray back a Psalm to the Lord and in doing so you remind yourself of how wonderful our God truly is!
Confession: “God I’m sorry.”
Even on our best days, we will do something that does not reflect the glory and holiness of God. Even Paul, my Biblical super-hero, shares in Romans 7:15 (NLT) “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” As believers, the Holy Spirit will convict us and this conviction should then propel us to repentance, or confession. Refuse to carry guilt and shame around with you. Don’t let yesterday’s sins contaminate today’s prayer time. Go back to the basics of salvation: 1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Jesus tells us how to ask God to forgive sin in our lives: “12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Tell Daddy-God you’re sorry and through the grace of His Son Jesus, accept His forgiveness for your life. Recall that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1) Confession of sin positions you securely at the throne of God and prepares you to move into thanksgiving for what He has done in your life.
Thanksgiving: “Lord I thank You!"
In 1897 Johnson Ottman, Jr penned the now traditional hymn, “Count Your Blessings”. The familiar words, now widely adapted, simply state: Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God hath done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” In this phase of prayer simply begin to praise and thank God for all that He has done in your life. Even thank Him for what He is doing behind the scenes. Romans 12:12 proclaims that we are to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Thank God for spiritual, relational, physical and material blessings. “Thank you God for saving me and my family! Thank you that my needs are met. Thank you for taking me to higher spiritual levels in Your Kingdom!” Even when you are burdened with life’s sorrows and the worries of everyday life, press your way into thanksgiving. Develop an attitude of gratitude and carry that forward into prayer!
Supplication: “God I need Your Help!”
Jesus, our Elder Brother lets us know that we can pray to God for our fundamental needs: “11Give us today our daily bread.” God desires above all a relationship with man, but He also desires to meet our needs according to His riches in Glory! Many people, who have superficial relationships with God, overlook Adoration, Confession and Thanksgiving, while moving right into Supplication. “God give me this and God grant me that.” Often such prayers are not God-centered and hence go unanswered. When we know that we are living worshipful lives of adoration to God, accompanied by consistent confession of sin and thanksgiving, we can go boldly to the throne of grace! Our hearts and deeds are right with God. When I was a college student living many hours from home, I had a very difficult time asking my mother for money if I knew I had frivolously squandered her funds. I had such guilt, as I knew that she was working very hard to keep me comfortably enrolled, housed and fed. Alternately, when I had been frugal and had gone to the limit of my resources, I did not hesitate to go to her with expectant palms outstretched. Of course, she met me at the point of my need. God is just like that. He is so faithful that He not only meets our obvious needs, His Holy Spirit makes intercession on our behalf. Romans 8:26-27 reminds us of this marvelous truth: “26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.”
Dr.’s Orders: Be a blessing: Share the A.C.T.S. prayer phases with a young person or new Christian you know. Recall that many people simply don’t pray because they feel intimidated by the many eloquent prayers they have heard in the past. Use A.C.T.S. to simplify this critical exercise for them. The enemy desires to deceive us into believing that an active prayer life is unattainable, only for special people, or even unnecessary. Encourage young brothers and sisters in Christ that sincere prayer is essential to maintaining a right relationship with God.
9"This, then, is how you should pray: " 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 11Give us today our daily bread. 12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.14For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
It has been said that adequate kneeling will keep you in good standing with God. Great men and women of the Bible consistently provide support of the fact that prayer is a vital component of a victorious walk with God. Jesus Himself entered into periods of prayer and as we will see in our scripture passage, felt it important to methodically teach Christians to pray. Inarguably, this life is fraught with temptation, disappointment, and a myriad of difficulties. Sometimes a singular celebrated step forward gives way to two dismal steps back. What a sinking feeling we have all experienced when realizing a lack of progress and growth in a given area of life. There are precious few days that pass when we are not confronted with some sort of real life situation that can not be resolved using our intellect, financial resources, or physical strength. After we have done all that we can do, we finally realize that we must simply trust God. While this fundamental trust, or faith, is the key to the door blocking us from the blessings of God, prayer remains the most valuable instrument that unlocks the door. It is critical that we have a clear understanding of how to pray as well as possess a simple approach to prayer that we can share with the new and developing believer. A.C.T.S. is a mnemonic for four phases of prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. I also like to consider Intercession as an additional phase of prayer, but we will discuss this later.
Adoration: “God, You’re Everything to Me!”
When we come before the living God in prayer, we should do so with a humble heart and a spirit of adoration. In the film inspired by Alice Walker’s book of the same name, The Color Purple, there is a line spoken by Shug Avery that resonates with me each time I hear it: “God wants admiration and wants us to enjoy the things it has created. "I think it [angers] God if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it." For anyone who has seen the film, Shug is certainly no saint, but the scene in which this quote is couched reveals a heart that honors God as Creator and Sustainer of all. Psalm 100:3 reminds us “3… that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture." Adoration is to tell God of His inherent greatness as well as His powerful acts in your present and past life. Jesus, in teachingus to pray in verse 10, proclaims the Holiness of God: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The Book of Psalms provides many useful examples of how to go before God in Adoration. Pray back a Psalm to the Lord and in doing so you remind yourself of how wonderful our God truly is!
Confession: “God I’m sorry.”
Even on our best days, we will do something that does not reflect the glory and holiness of God. Even Paul, my Biblical super-hero, shares in Romans 7:15 (NLT) “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.” As believers, the Holy Spirit will convict us and this conviction should then propel us to repentance, or confession. Refuse to carry guilt and shame around with you. Don’t let yesterday’s sins contaminate today’s prayer time. Go back to the basics of salvation: 1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Jesus tells us how to ask God to forgive sin in our lives: “12Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Tell Daddy-God you’re sorry and through the grace of His Son Jesus, accept His forgiveness for your life. Recall that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1) Confession of sin positions you securely at the throne of God and prepares you to move into thanksgiving for what He has done in your life.
Thanksgiving: “Lord I thank You!"
In 1897 Johnson Ottman, Jr penned the now traditional hymn, “Count Your Blessings”. The familiar words, now widely adapted, simply state: Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God hath done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” In this phase of prayer simply begin to praise and thank God for all that He has done in your life. Even thank Him for what He is doing behind the scenes. Romans 12:12 proclaims that we are to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Thank God for spiritual, relational, physical and material blessings. “Thank you God for saving me and my family! Thank you that my needs are met. Thank you for taking me to higher spiritual levels in Your Kingdom!” Even when you are burdened with life’s sorrows and the worries of everyday life, press your way into thanksgiving. Develop an attitude of gratitude and carry that forward into prayer!
Supplication: “God I need Your Help!”
Jesus, our Elder Brother lets us know that we can pray to God for our fundamental needs: “11Give us today our daily bread.” God desires above all a relationship with man, but He also desires to meet our needs according to His riches in Glory! Many people, who have superficial relationships with God, overlook Adoration, Confession and Thanksgiving, while moving right into Supplication. “God give me this and God grant me that.” Often such prayers are not God-centered and hence go unanswered. When we know that we are living worshipful lives of adoration to God, accompanied by consistent confession of sin and thanksgiving, we can go boldly to the throne of grace! Our hearts and deeds are right with God. When I was a college student living many hours from home, I had a very difficult time asking my mother for money if I knew I had frivolously squandered her funds. I had such guilt, as I knew that she was working very hard to keep me comfortably enrolled, housed and fed. Alternately, when I had been frugal and had gone to the limit of my resources, I did not hesitate to go to her with expectant palms outstretched. Of course, she met me at the point of my need. God is just like that. He is so faithful that He not only meets our obvious needs, His Holy Spirit makes intercession on our behalf. Romans 8:26-27 reminds us of this marvelous truth: “26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.”
Dr.’s Orders: Be a blessing: Share the A.C.T.S. prayer phases with a young person or new Christian you know. Recall that many people simply don’t pray because they feel intimidated by the many eloquent prayers they have heard in the past. Use A.C.T.S. to simplify this critical exercise for them. The enemy desires to deceive us into believing that an active prayer life is unattainable, only for special people, or even unnecessary. Encourage young brothers and sisters in Christ that sincere prayer is essential to maintaining a right relationship with God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
