Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 6, 2009

At Just The Right Time
READ: Galatians 4:1-7
When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son. -Galatians 4:4

Why is being on time so challenging for some of us? Even when we start early, something inevitably gets in our way to make us late.

But here's the good news: God is always on time! Speaking of the arrival of Jesus, Paul said, "When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son" (Gal. 4:4). The long-awaited, promised Savior came at just the right time.

Jesus' arrival during the Roman Empire's Pax Romana (the peace of Rome) was perfect timing. The known world was united by one language of commerce. A network of global trade routes provided open access to the whole world. All of this guaranteed that the gospel could move rapidly in one tongue. No visas. No impenetrable borders. Only unhindered access to help spread the news of the Savior whose crucifixion fulfilled the prophecy of the Lamb who would be slain for our sins (Isa. 53). All in God's perfect timing!

All of this should remind us that the Lord knows what time is best for us as well. If you're waiting for answered prayer or the fulfillment of one of His promises, don't give up. If you think He has forgotten you, think again. When the fullness of time is right for you, He'll show up-and you'll be amazed by His brilliant timing!  - Joe Stowell

Not ours to know the reason why
Unanswered is our prayer,
But ours to wait for God's own time
To lift the cross we bear. -Anon.


God's timing is always perfect.

Releasing God's Love

We have been talking about pursuing love in the last couple of devotionals.  Today I want to go to a passage where Scripture gives us a snapshot of what God's love looks like.  1 Corinthians 13:4-8,

Love suffers long and is kind (a lot of people suffer long, but they are not very kind while they do it); love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own; is not provoked (it is not touchy or fretful or resentful); thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails.

What you just read about the love of God is already inside of you if you are a Christian.  It is not something outside of you that you need to seek.  It is something that is in you that needs to be released.

Romans 5:5 tells us,

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

God's love has already been poured into your heart!  The ability to do everything in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is already in you.  You have the ability to not be touchy, or fretful, or resentful, or seek your own or insist on your own rights; to suffer long and to be kind; to believe the best of every person.

The Bible is not talking about pursuing love as though it is something that is vacant from your life.  Rather, you are to pursue the expression of that love purposely and let it work its way into your words and actions. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!

Why the Workplace?
By Os Hillman

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom 12:2).

If we are going to see the transformation of workplaces, cities and nations it will only happen if we equip, affirm, and release believers into their callings in the marketplace. The marketplace is the place where there is real authority - authority that can change society. We will not see change come through pastors and prayer alone. It will come through those who are in places of power who are also in relationship with pastors and intercessors who can make changes.

I often receive requests from the media for interviews about the faith at work movement. One day a writer from the New York Times magazine called. After several interviews, the reporter asked me, "Can you point me to someone who can demonstrate what this looks like in a daily workplace?" I told the writer to give my friend Chuck Ripka a call. Chuck was a banker in Elk River, Minnesota who is a great example of a Christian impacting his workplace and city for Christ.
I told Chuck that the reporter would be calling him and Chuck and I immediately began praying for the writer. A few days later, Chuck called me and said the Lord was going to use this article not only for the workplace movement, but also for this writer's life.

The writer visited Chuck and the bank for two days and attended community meetings, interviewed all the employees of the bank, and watched Chuck pray for many people at the bank.

At the end of the reporter's visit, Chuck asked the writer if he and a friend could pray for God's blessing on him. He agreed, and they prayed for God's blessing on his writing skills and for the New York Times. They prayed that God would help him write the article. The writer was touched by this. Afterward, Chuck asked him about his own relationship with God, which led to him praying to receive Christ. Two weeks later, photographers came to take pictures for the article, and they too prayed to receive Christ.

When the article was published it was one of the best, most extensive and balanced articles on the faith at work movement that has been written from a secular viewpoint.

How might God use you to impact your workplace?

Contact Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.   


Handbook to Renewal
Set Your Mind on Biblical Truth
Designed to renew your mind on a daily basis, this beautiful leather-bound handbook is most effective when used just before going to sleep so that you set your mind on biblical truth for the rest of the night. Each night, the readings are structured around five kinds of affirmations from Scripture: The Attributes of God, The Works of God, My Relationship to God, The Character I Want to Cultivate, and My Relationship to Others. Order 

Liberty and the Standards of Jesus
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free . . . -Galatians 5:1
A spiritually-minded person will never come to you with the demand- "Believe this and that"; a spiritually-minded person will demand that you align your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals (see John 5:39-40  ). We are called to present liberty for the conscience of others, not to bring them liberty for their thoughts and opinions. And if we ourselves are free with the liberty of Christ, others will be brought into that same liberty- the liberty that comes from realizing the absolute control and authority of Jesus Christ.

Always measure your life solely by the standards of Jesus. Submit yourself to His yoke, and His alone; and always be careful never to place a yoke on others that is not of Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God's view. There is only one true liberty- the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.

Don't get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you- with patience and with gentleness. But never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, "Go . . . and make disciples. . ." ( Matthew 28:19  ), not, "Make converts to your own thoughts and opinions."

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 7, 2009


The Difference Prayer Makes
READ: Revelation 8:1-5
The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God. -Revelation 8:4

Does prayer have any real impact on our world? Or is it merely a private conversation with God?

When a New Jersey couple learned that a man had been released from prison and had moved into their area, they started praying for him. Then they paid him a visit and opened their home to a weekly breakfast for ex-offenders like him. Now, 22 years later, the area's most despised men have one place to go where they are welcomed and treated respectfully.

What would happen if we followed literally Jesus' command to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us? What if we became known for approaching heaven on behalf of outcasts and disagreeable people?

In a scene recorded in the book of Revelation, the apostle John foresees a direct linkage between the visible and invisible worlds. At a climactic moment in history, heaven is quiet. Seven angels stand with seven trumpets, waiting. Silence reigns, as if all heaven is listening on tiptoe. Then an angel collects the prayers of God's people on earth-all the accumulated prayers of praise, lament, abandonment, despair, petition-mixes them with incense, and presents them before the throne of God (8:1-4). The silence finally breaks when the fragrant prayers are hurled down to earth: setting off a storm of "thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake" (v.5).

The message is clear. The prayers are essential agents in the final victory over evil, suffering, and death.  - Philip Yancey

God's work is done by those who pray.

Choose to Love

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust'" (Matthew 5:43-45).

These are not suggestions to be considered, they are commands to be obeyed.  "A pretty tall order," you say.  Perhaps, but definitely within the realm of possibility.

Jesus would never tell us to do something we could not do.  That would be unjust. We can bless, we can do good, we can pray for and forgive those who have wronged us.

When people say, "I can't forgive," that generally means, "I won't forgive."  The ability to love, bless and forgive is within us-because God is within us.  Learn to let His nature of love dominate you.  Choose to love.  Let what God has put on the inside come out.

The world needs to see real love-the kind of unconditional love that brought us into God's family.  And they need to see it in us.  If we really are the children of God, then His nature should be displayed in us and through us.  The most outstanding feature of God's nature is love.  God is love.

One last thing.  When you choose to love and forgive those who have wronged you, you set a prisoner free.  The prisoner is you. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!




Witchcraft in the Workplace
By Os Hillman

"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft."(Gal 5:19-20).

The envelope arrived in my mailbox with the exciting announcement on the outside: "You've just won $1 million dollars!" Of course, like you, I have gotten so many of these over the years that I automatically file it in my nearby deep file - the trash can. The sensational headline is used to get you to open the envelope, only to discover they are trying to sell you magazines with an opportunity to be entered into a sweepstakes drawing that could allow you to win a million dollars.
Everyday we are exposed to witchcraft in the workplace. Yes, I said witchcraft. For most of us we think of this ancient term of witchcraft as something that witches do with no relevance to modern society. However, this is not the case.

Whenever you do something that has the appearance of giving something for nothing with the intentional goal of coercing someone to take action through deceptive practices, you have engaged in witchcraft. You see this take place in advertising, marketing, and even Christian ministries.

In order to avoid engaging in witchcraft in the workplace, ask yourself if you are attempting to persuade others to buy your product by using deceptive practices. Make sure you are conveying truth about your product and what it professes to do. Don't use gimmicky sales approaches to engage others.

Perception is not always reality. However, when it comes to promoting a product or service, you want people's perception to match the realty of your advertising. Then you will avoid the sin of witchcraft.

Contact Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.

Building For Eternity
Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it . . . -Luke 14:28
Our Lord was not referring here to a cost which we have to count, but to a cost which He has already counted. The cost was those thirty years in Nazareth, those three years of popularity, scandal, and hatred, the unfathomable agony He experienced in Gethsemane, and the assault upon Him at Calvary- the central point upon which all of time and eternity turn. Jesus Christ has counted the cost. In the final analysis, people are not going to laugh at Him and say, "This man began to build and was not able to finish" ( Luke 14:30  ).

The conditions of discipleship given to us by our Lord in verses 26, 27, and 33 mean that the men and women He is going to use in His mighty building enterprises are those in whom He has done everything. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple " (Luke 14:26  ). This verse teaches us that the only men and women our Lord will use in His building enterprises are those who love Him personally, passionately, and with great devotion- those who have a love for Him that goes far beyond any of the closest relationships on earth. The conditions are strict, but they are glorious.

All that we build is going to be inspected by God. When God inspects us with His searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus? (see 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 ). We are living in a time of tremendous enterprises, a time when we are trying to work for God, and that is where the trap is. Profoundly speaking, we can never work for God. Jesus, as the Master Builder, takes us over so that He may direct and control us completely for His enterprises and His building plans; and no one has any right to demand where he will be put to work.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 8, 2009

In Every Bad Experience
READ: 2 Kings 5:1-15
Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. -2 Kings 5:15

When I rear-ended a truck with my nearly new car, positive thoughts did not immediately come to mind. I was thinking primarily of the cost, the inconvenience, and the injury to my ego. But I did find some hope in this thought, which I often share with other writers: "In every bad experience, there's a good illustration."

Finding the good can be a challenge, but Scripture confirms that God uses bad circumstances for good purposes.

In 2 Kings 5, we find two people who had bad things happen to them. First is a young girl from Israel who was taken captive by the Syrian army. Second is Naaman, the commander of the army, who had leprosy. Even though the girl had good reason to desire bad things for her captors, she offered help instead. Israel's prophet Elisha, she said, could heal Naaman. Eager to be cured, Naaman went to Israel. However, he was reluctant to follow Elisha's humiliating directions. When he finally did, he was healed, which caused him to proclaim that Israel's God is the only God (v.15).

God used two bad things-a kidnapping and a deadly disease-to change Israel's enemy into a friend. Even when we don't know why something bad has happened, we know that God has the power to use it for good.  - Julie Ackerman Link

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bad may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower. -Cowper


God is the master of turning burdens into blessings.

The Qualities of Love

For the last number of devotionals, we have focused our attention on how love is such a vital quality to the Christian life.  We have seen that unless we love, any of the spiritual gifts are meaningless.

We have also seen that God has deposited His love in us already, and as a result, it is our responsibility to choose to express that love.  It is not something we can put on God's shoulders.  We must take on that obligation. 

So what do those qualities of love really look like?  I want to share with you 1 Corinthians 13 from theAmplified Bible, but I want to do it with a twist.  I want to make it personal and show how, if we choose to love as God has asked us to love, it will look.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 from the Amplified Bible...personalized (read it out loud),

I endure long, and I am patient and kind.  I am never envious or boil over with jealousy.  I am not boastful or vainglorious.  I do not display myself haughtily.  I am not conceited, arrogant, or inflated with pride.  I am not rude or unmannerly.  I do not act unbecomingly.  God's love in me does not insist on its own rights or its own way for I am not self-seeking.  I am not touchy or fretful or resentful.  I take no account of the evil done to me.  I do not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but I rejoice when right and truth prevail.  I bear up under anything and everything that comes, and I am ever ready to believe the best of every person.  My hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and I endure everything without weakening.  God's love in me never fails.

I challenge you to read this out loud to yourself every day for a month, and see if it does not change your life! 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!

Godly Forefathers
By Os Hillman

"The angel of the LORD gave this charge to Joshua: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you will govern my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you a place among these standing here'" (Zech 3:6-7).

On September 17th, 1796, George Washington said, "It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible." In His Prayer At Valley Forge, he entreated God: "Almighty and eternal Lord God, the great Creator of heaven and earth, and the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; look down from heaven in pity and compassion upon me Thy servant, who humbly prostrates myself before Thee."

On another occasion he said, "To the distinguished character of a patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of a Christian."

America was founded as a Christian nation. The founding fathers had a deep faith in Jesus Christ. Today, there is a movement designed to remove God from our history and our foundations. When we do this, America will no longer be good. And when America ceases to be good, we will cease to be great.

England also had a great Christian statesman in its early years. A man named William Wilberforce grew to prominence at an early age. At age 28 he came to faith in Christ and almost chose to give up politics to go into "the ministry." John Newton, author of Amazing Grace, convinced him to stay in politics. He would be credited with 69 world-changing initiatives, not the least of which was the abolishment of slavery after 50 years of work.

Pray that this generation might acknowledge and embrace their godly heritage and God will raise up other leaders who lead from a godly foundation.

Contact Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.

The Faith to Persevere
Because you have kept My command to persevere . . . -Revelation 3:10
Perseverance means more than endurance- more than simply holding on until the end. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, but our Lord continues to stretch and strain, and every once in a while the saint says, "I can't take any more." Yet God pays no attention; He goes on stretching until His purpose is in sight, and then He lets the arrow fly. Entrust yourself to God's hands. Is there something in your life for which you need perseverance right now? Maintain your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ through the perseverance of faith. Proclaim as Job did, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" ( Job 13:15  ).

Faith is not some weak and pitiful emotion, but is strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is holy love. And even though you cannot see Him right now and cannot understand what He is doing, you know Him. Disaster occurs in your life when you lack the mental composure that comes from establishing yourself on the eternal truth that God is holy love. Faith is the supreme effort of your life- throwing yourself with abandon and total confidence upon God.

God ventured His all in Jesus Christ to save us, and now He wants us to venture our all with total abandoned confidence in Him. There are areas in our lives where that faith has not worked in us as yet- places still untouched by the life of God. There were none of those places in Jesus Christ's life, and there are to be none in ours. Jesus prayed, "This is eternal life, that they may know You . . ." ( John 17:3  ). The real meaning of eternal life is a life that can face anything it has to face without wavering. If we will take this view, life will become one great romance- a glorious opportunity of seeing wonderful things all the time. God is disciplining us to get us into this central place of power.


PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 9, 2009

Childlike Faith
READ: Matthew 8:5-10
The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. -Luke 18:27

On the way home from a family camping trip, 6-year-old Tanya and her dad were the only ones still awake in the car. As Tanya looked at the full moon through the car window, she asked, "Daddy, do you think I can touch the moon if I stand on my tiptoes?"

"No, I don't think so," he smiled.

"Can you reach it?"

"No, I don't think I can either."

She was quiet for a moment, then she said confidently, "Daddy, maybe if you hold me up on your shoulders?"

Faith? Yes-the childlike faith that daddies can do anything. True faith, though, has the written promise of God for its foundation. In Hebrews 11:1, we read, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Jesus talked a lot about faith, and throughout the Gospels we read of His response to those who had great faith.

When a paralyzed man's friends brought him to Jesus, He "saw their faith," forgave the man of his sins, and healed him (Matt. 9:2-6). When the centurion asked Jesus to "speak a word, and my servant will be healed" (8:, Jesus "marveled" and said, "I have not found such great faith" (8:10).

When we have faith in God, we will find that all things are possible (Luke 18:27).  - Cindy Hess Kasper

God, give me the faith of a little child
Who trusts so implicitly,
Who simply and gladly believes Thy Word,
And never would question Thee. -Showerman


A childlike faith unlocks the door to the kingdom of heaven.

Spiritual Metamorphosis 

Romans 12:1-2 says this,

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

First, notice that it is your responsibility to present your body to God.  God will not do it for you.  You have to do it.  But Scripture doesn't leave us there.  We are shown how we are to do that in verse 2 above.

First, when it says, Do not be conformed, that word conform means to be pressed into a mold by outward pressures.  Instead of being conformed we are told to be transformed.  That is actually the Greek word from which we get our English word metamorphosis.  It means to let what is on the inside come to the outside.

One day many years ago, my kids came home from school with some silk worms.  We were supposed to put them in a box and feed them mulberry leaves.  I couldn't believe how many leaves these worms ate!  They ate leaves until they turned a translucent green!

Then they wove cocoons and went through a metamorphosis.  They went from being these ugly ol' fat green transparent worms, to the most beautiful fuzzy huge white moths.  It was amazing to see!

My friend, you renew your mind by feeding on God's Word, the same way that those silk worms fed on the mulberry leaves.  As you are filled with His truth, it causes a metamorphosis to take place.  It brings what is on the inside-God's nature-to the outside. 

So feed on God's Word and watch your life be transformed. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!

Our Reigning King

We imagine kings as powerful leaders, who are wise and just. They have wealth and riches. They have authority and influence. Yet, out of every king in history, none can compare to King Jesus. Our Messiah is different from any other king who ever lived.

Jesus is the only king whose scepter will never depart from Him: "The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs and the obedience of the nations is his" (Genesis 49:10).

He is the only king who is all-wise: "a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:5,6).

He is the only king who rules all the earth: "The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name" (Zechariah 14:9).

The book of Revelation tells us about Jesus, the glorified returning King. He will wear many crowns, which speaks of His conquering sin and Satan and his eternal monarchy. His diadems will testify that He has no rivals.

While many try to ignore Jesus, when He returns in power and might, this will be impossible.

Jesus' First Coming was in humility. His body was broken to save all who would believe in Him. But in His Second Coming, He will return in full splendor. At the Cross, He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. At His return, King Jesus will lead the victorious parade of His faithful soldiers. In His First Coming, He wore a crown of thorns. In His Second Coming, He will be crowned with many crowns.

Our Savior is the King of kings who reigns and rules the entire universe. He is superior in His nature, infinite in His wisdom, mighty in His reign and He is from everlasting to everlasting.

Have you forgotten who is King of all kings? What is taking your focus off of the sovereign leader of the universe? Is it your career, your portfolio, your hobbies?

Spend time in prayer today seeking King Jesus' forgiveness for the times when you have forgotten His majesty. Commit to Him now to daily give Him kingship over your life.

****

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Reaching Beyond Our Grasp
Where there is no revelation [or prophetic vision], the people cast off restraint . . . -Proverbs 29:18

There is a difference between holding on to a principle and having a vision. A principle does not come from moral inspiration, but a vision does. People who are totally consumed with idealistic principles rarely do anything. A person's own idea of God and His attributes may actually be used to justify and rationalize his deliberate neglect of his duty. Jonah tried to excuse his disobedience by saying to God, ". . . I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm" ( Jonah 4:2  ). I too may have the right idea of God and His attributes, but that may be the very reason why I do not do my duty. But wherever there is vision, there is also a life of honesty and integrity, because the vision gives me the moral incentive.

Our own idealistic principles may actually lull us into ruin. Examine yourself spiritually to see if you have vision, or only principles.

Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a heaven for?

"Where there is no revelation [or prophetic vision]. . . ." Once we lose sight of God, we begin to be reckless. We cast off certain restraints from activities we know are wrong. We set prayer aside as well and cease having God's vision in the little things of life. We simply begin to act on our own initiative. If we are eating only out of our own hand, and doing things solely on our own initiative without expecting God to come in, we are on a downward path. We have lost the vision. Is our attitude today an attitude that flows from our vision of God? Are we expecting God to do greater things than He has ever done before? Is there a freshness and a vitality in our spiritual outlook?

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 10, 2009

Magnets And Mothers
READ: Proverbs 31:26-31
Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you. -Deuteronomy 5:16

A teacher gave her class of second-graders a lesson about the magnet and what it does. The next day, in a written test, she included this question: "My name has six letters. The first one is m. I pick up things. What am I?" When the test papers were turned in, the teacher was astonished to find that almost 50 percent of the students answered the question with the word mother.

Yes, mothers do pick up things. But they are much more than "magnets," gathering up clothes and picking up toys around the house. As willing as many mothers are to do such chores, they have a higher calling than that.

A good mother loves her family and provides an atmosphere where each member can find acceptance, security, and understanding. She is there when the children need a listening ear, a comforting word, a warm hug, or a loving touch on a fevered brow. And for the Christian mother, her greatest joy is in teaching her children to trust and to love Jesus as their Savior.

That kind of mother deserves to be honored-not just on one special day a year but every day. And that recognition should involve more than words; it ought to be shown in respect, thoughtfulness, and loving deeds.  - Richard De Haan

Of all the earthly things God gives,
There's one above all others:
It is the precious, priceless gift
Of loving Christian mothers. -Anon.

Godly mothers not only bring you up, they bring you to God.

The Love of Money

In 1 Timothy 6:9-11, Paul gives us a critical insight,

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.  But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

I want you to notice:  Before Paul tells us to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness, he says we must first flee the love of money.  You have to be willing to flee the wrong things before you can pursue the right things, because you cannot go in two directions at once.

If you are pursuing riches, and the gaining of wealth and the achievement of success have become your number one priorities, pushing everything else, including God, to the side, then you are pursuing the wrong thing.

You may be thinking, "Well, that's great for some people, but that doesn't apply to me."  You need to understand that you can be eaten up with the love of money and not have a dime in your pocket.  All of us are subject to such a temptation and such a trap.

It's fascinating that Paul uses the word "drown" here.  I live by the Pacific Ocean, and generally people who drown do so because, (a) they overestimate their own abilities as a swimmer; or (b) they underestimate the power of the ocean.

If you overestimate your ability to be free from this type of a temptation, or you underestimate the power of this type of a temptation, you are setting yourself up for disaster.

Flee the wrong and pursue the right.  Stay on course with God. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!

Week of May 8

Jesus Touched the Untouchables
by Max Lucado

When Jesus came down from the hill, great crowds followed him. Then a man with a skin disease came to Jesus. The man bowed down before him and said, "Lord, you can heal me if you will."
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, "I will. Be healed!" And immediately the man was healed from his disease.
Matthew 8:1-3

I wonder... about the man who felt Jesus' compassionate touch. He makes one appearance, has one request, and receives one touch. But that one touch changed his life forever....

I wonder about this man because in New Testament times leprosy was the most dreaded disease. The condition rendered the body a mass of ulcers and decay. Fingers would curl and gnarl. Blotches of skin would discolor and stink. Certain types of leprosy would numb nerve endings, leading to a loss of fingers, toes, even a whole foot or hand. Leprosy was death by inches.

The social consequences were as severe as the physical. Considered contagious, the leper was quarantined, banished to a leper colony.

In Scripture the leper is symbolic of the ultimate outcast: infected by a condition he did not seek, rejected by those he knew, avoided by people he did not know, condemned to a future he could not bear...

The touch did not heal the disease, you know. Matthew is careful to mention that it was the pronouncement and not the touch of Christ that cured the condition. "Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man and said, 'I will. Be healed!' And immediately the man was healed from his disease" (Matt. 8:3).

The infection was banished by a word from Jesus.

The loneliness, however, was treated by a touch from Jesus.

Jesus touched the untouchables of the world.

From
His Name is Jesus
© (Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009) Max Lucado

Take the Initiative
. . . add to your faith virtue . . . -2 Peter 1:5
Add means that we have to do something. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God will not do what we can do. We cannot save nor sanctify ourselves- God does that. But God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do all that ourselves. We must "work out" our "own salvation" which God has worked in us ( Philippians 2:12 ). Add means that we must get into the habit of doing things, and in the initial stages that is difficult. To take the initiative is to make a beginning- to instruct yourself in the way you must go.

Beware of the tendency to ask the way when you know it perfectly well. Take the initiative- stop hesitating- take the first step. Be determined to act immediately in faith on what God says to you when He speaks, and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you are being careless, spurning the grace in which you stand. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. Burn your bridges behind you, saying, "I will write that letter," or "I will pay that debt"; and then do it! Make it irrevocable.

We have to get into the habit of carefully listening to God about everything, forming the habit of finding out what He says and heeding it. If, when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to God, we will know that the habit has been formed in us. We have to take the initiative where we are, not where we have not yet been.


PRAY, PRAY,   PRAY
GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 11, 2009

The World Is Watching

READ: John 13:31-35
By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. -John 13:35

My friends were serving in a ministry that was directed mainly to Christians when an opportunity came for them to change jobs and touch the lives of thousands of nonbelievers. They decided to make what they believed to be an exciting change.

Many people, even some who didn't personally know them, were shocked and accused them of seeking fame and fortune in the world. But believing that Jesus came "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10), they decided to pursue what they considered an even greater opportunity to serve the "lost" in their community.

They said later, "Some Christians were so cruel to us, and wrote hateful e-mails. Our new non-Christian friends were kinder to us than our fellow Christians. We didn't understand that, and were hurt deeply." They told me that their desire was to follow God's directive to be "salt" and "light" in the world (Matt. 5:13-14).

When someone we know is making a decision or change, it can be helpful to ask about his or her motives. But we can't fully know another's heart. We don't want to "bite and devour" our fellow Christians (Gal. 5:15), but instead to love them in a way that others will know we are Jesus' followers (John 13:35). The world is watching.  - Anne Cetas

We join our hearts and hands together,
Faithful to the Lord's command:
We hold each other to God's standards-
All that truth and love demand. -D. De Haan


Only God sees the heart.

The Main Pursuit

Ezekiel 33:30-32 provides some pretty direct and challenging words from God,

"As for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking about you beside the walls and in the doors of the houses; and they speak to one another, everyone saying to his brother, 'Please come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.'  So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.  Indeed you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not do them."

I think, for some people, church is almost like going to a concert, especially if the preacher is flashy and the music is great.  They are not listening with a view to imbibe God's truth and then put it into practice in their lives.

What is the reason for this disconnect?  People are pursuing something else in their hearts.  Sure, they are showing up at church, they are listening, they are even saying "amen" at the right time, but they are not applying God's truth to their lives.  Why?  Because they are pursuing something else in their heart.

This is the same thing that Paul talked to Timothy about in yesterday's devotional.  Remember?  Like Ezekiel, he said, Their hearts pursue their own gain.

It is very simple:  If your focus is on the pursuit of things, your focus will never be on the One who has created all things.  It really boils down to this one question:  What is the main pursuit of your life?

If it is not God, then your life is going in the wrong direction! 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!

Are You Becoming Secularized?
By Os Hillman

"Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen" (Rom 1:24-25).

There is a story told about a frog in a kettle. The frog is placed in a kettle of warm water. The frog does not notice that the water temperature is being turned up gradually until it is too late. He dies from the heat of the water not realizing the danger he was in.

Societies are suffering from the "frog in the kettle" analogy. They make decisions that seem innocent enough, only to realize later the impact these decisions bring to their society. Whether the issue is gay rights, abortion, euthanasia, or simply a lack of spiritual influence over society, the changes seem logical to the unregenerate mind but reveals the moral compass of the nation has been removed.

In 1945, a book was written about the spiritual condition of England. "We are convinced that England will never be converted until the laity use the opportunities daily afforded by their various professions, crafts and occupations."* During the time of this writing, 30% of England attended church. Today, less than 7% attend church in England. It has become a secularized nation.

During this same time more than 40% of America was attending church. Today, less than 30% attend church and it is rapidly declining. The reason is that more and more believers are seeing the local church as irrelevant to the world they live in. Surveys reveal that up to 90% of church members believe they are not being taught how to apply the Bible to the complex world of work where they spend 60-70% of their time. It is not a question of them being taught the Bible; it is a question of making it relevant to their world.

*"Towards the Conversion of England" (1945).

Contact Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.


TGIF Bible Study
TGIF Bible Study
The popular TGIF Today God Is First daily devotional is now available as a 12-week group Bible study book. It is based on 12 key devotionals pertaining to your spiritual calling in the workplace. The book is ideal for church groups, for workplace groups that are just getting started, or for facilitators who want to try something new in a group setting. Also for individual study.



'Love One Another'
. . . add to your . . . brotherly kindness love -2 Peter 1:5, 7
Love is an indefinite thing to most of us; we don't know what we mean when we talk about love. Love is the loftiest preference of one person for another, and spiritually Jesus demands that this sovereign preference be for Himself (see Luke 14:26 ). Initially, when "the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" ( Romans 5:5 ), it is easy to put Jesus first. But then we must practice the things mentioned in 2 Peter 1 to see them worked out in our lives.

The first thing God does is forcibly remove any insincerity, pride, and vanity from my life. And the Holy Spirit reveals to me that God loved me not because I was lovable, but because it was His nature to do so. Now He commands me to show the same love to others by saying, ". . . love one another as I have loved you" ( John 15:12 ). He is saying, "I will bring a number of people around you whom you cannot respect, but you must exhibit My love to them, just as I have exhibited it to you." This kind of love is not a patronizing love for the unlovable- it is His love, and it will not be evidenced in us overnight. Some of us may have tried to force it, but we were soon tired and frustrated.

"The Lord . . . is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish . . ." ( 2 Peter 3:9 ). I should look within and remember how wonderfully He has dealt with me. The knowledge that God has loved me beyond all limits will compel me to go into the world to love others in the same way. I may get irritated because I have to live with an unusually difficult person. But just think how disagreeable I have been with God! Am I prepared to be identified so closely with the Lord Jesus that His life and His sweetness will be continually poured out through Me? Neither natural love nor God's divine love will remain and grow in me unless it is nurtured. Love is spontaneous, but it has to be maintained through discipline.


PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 12, 2009


Getting Better
READ: Philippians 1:19-26
I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. -Philippians 1:23
A popular song from the 1960s was titled "Getting Better." In it, the singer considers his young life and happily declares that he sees things "getting better all the time." It is a song of optimism but, unfortunately, without any real basis for that hope.

By contrast, the Bible warns us that we live in a world that in many ways is actually getting worse (2 Tim. 3:13). Daily we're faced with increasing evidence to support that contention. So how do we respond to the realities of life in such a badly marred world? With empty optimism? With hopeless discouragement? The apostle Paul shows us how.

While imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote to the church at Philippi to offer them genuine hope in a broken world. He encouraged his readers by telling them that though life in this world is often hard and painful, for the Christian things will get better. He wrote, "I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better" (Phil. 1:23). It is a reminder to us that we can face the difficulties of living for Christ now because one day we will be with Him in an eternal home of splendor and fullness.

Life can be hard, but one day when we see Christ it will truly get better!  - Bill Crowder

To see His face, this is my goal,
The deepest longing of my soul;
Through storm and stress my path I'll trace
Till, satisfied, I see His face! -Chisholm


To be with Jesus forever is the sum of all happiness.


Sowing Righteousness

The Bible says in Galatians 6:7,

Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

And in Proverbs 11:18 it says,

The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.

The Bible teaches the law of the harvest, that what you sow, you will also reap.  If you treat others fairly and uprightly, it will come back to you.

We live in a world that doesn't put much stock in integrity, fairness, uprightness, and righteousness.  We must be careful to not give in to that influence.  We need to be different.

How?  By not cutting corners.  By putting in an honest day's work.  By giving people what they pay for and more.  If you will pursue righteousness, it will come back to you.

You may remember a story back in the eighties about an armored car that crashed in Columbus, Ohio.  Two million dollars in cash spilled out on the highway, and the motorists helped the armored car company gather all of its money.

But, when it was all said and done, only $400,000 of the $2 million made its way back to the armored car company.  $1.6 million ended up in the pockets of the people who stopped along the highway to "help."

I'm sure they had every excuse under the sun.  Some probably even said, "Well, I've been praying for God to meet my needs, and it was a miracle!"  No, it was not a miracle.  They were thieves!

You cannot make an excuse for that kind of thing.  And yet that is the way the world thinks.  There should be a difference between us and the world.  We need to pursue uprightness, integrity, honesty, and godly character.  They need to be hallmarks of our lives. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!


Two Grocers
By Os Hillman

"You must have accurate and honest weights and measures, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you" (Deut 25:15).

A few hundred years ago there were two Christian grocers in London. One of them said to the other, "You know, as Christians, we're supposed to have honest scales. It says so in the Bible. So how should we do that?" "Well, I'll tell you what, I'll come and check your scales on Wednesdays to make sure they're accurate and you come on Sundays and check mine. We'll make sure they're accurate." The two grocers developed a list of twelve principles that they felt should guide the way they were to do business.

People preferred to buy from them because they knew they would get a good product, at a fair price, with honest scales. Other grocers who were Christians decided to join in and they formed an association of Christian grocers. In those days it wasn't called exactly that, but was actually called the Most Worshipful Company of Livery Merchants. The name is very odd and peculiarly British.

This group led to other industries adopting a similar idealism known as Livery Companies in the City of London. There are now 300 companies in the City of London registered as Livery Companies. The latest one was the Most Worshipful Company of Information Technologists. Everybody that joins one of the companies in the City of London, even today, receives a list of the principles they have to agree to. The list contains 36 biblical principles to guide your life. And they call the book, Some Rules for the Conduct of Life to Which Are Added A Few Cautions.

The rulers of the nation in Britain began to see the affect of these companies and said 'What we need to do is make it a law for the whole nation. So instead of just these grocers having their honest scales, every scale in Britain needs to weigh accurately." The government Weights and Measures Department, which is in existence today, can trace its history back to the day when these two grocers decided to keep themselves accountable for biblical principles."*

Are you operating based on honest weights and measures?

*Article written by Mark Markiewicz provided to Os Hillman 2004

Contact Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.


TGIF Bible Study
TGIF Bible Study
The popular TGIF Today God Is First daily devotional is now available as a 12-week group Bible study book. It is based on 12 key devotionals pertaining to your spiritual calling in the workplace. The book is ideal for church groups, for workplace groups that are just getting started, or for facilitators who want to try something new in a group setting. Also for individual study.
Order 

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The Habit of Having No Habits
If these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful . . . -2 Peter 1:8
When we first begin to form a habit, we are fully aware of it. There are times when we are aware of becoming virtuous and godly, but this awareness should only be a stage we quickly pass through as we grow spiritually. If we stop at this stage, we will develop a sense of spiritual pride. The right thing to do with godly habits is to immerse them in the life of the Lord until they become such a spontaneous expression of our lives that we are no longer aware of them. Our spiritual life continually causes us to focus our attention inwardly for the determined purpose of self-examination, because each of us has some qualities we have not yet added to our lives.

Your god may be your little Christian habit- the habit of prayer or Bible reading at certain times of your day. Watch how your Father will upset your schedule if you begin to worship your habit instead of what the habit symbolizes. We say, "I can't do that right now; this is my time alone with God." No, this is your time alone with your habit. There is a quality that is still lacking in you. Identify your shortcoming and then look for opportunities to work into your life that missing quality.

Love means that there are no visible habits- that your habits are so immersed in the Lord that you practice them without realizing it. If you are consciously aware of your own holiness, you place limitations on yourself from doing certain things- things God is not restricting you from at all. This means there is a missing quality that needs to be added to your life. The only supernatural life is the life the Lord Jesus lived, and He was at home with God anywhere. Is there someplace where you are not at home with God? Then allow God to work through whatever that particular circumstance may be until you increase in Him, adding His qualities. Your life will then become the simple life of a child


PRAY PRAY PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 13, 2009



Godly Sorrow

READ: 2 Corinthians 7:5-10
I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner. -2 Corinthians 7:9

Thieves stole nearly $5,000 in sound and office equipment from a church in West Virginia, only to break in the following night to return the items they had taken. Apparently, the guilt of stealing from a church weighed so heavily on their conscience that they felt the need to correct their criminal behavior of breaking the commandment: "You shall not steal" (Ex. 20:15). Their actions make me think about the differences between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow.

Paul praised the Corinthians for understanding this difference. His first letter to them was biting, as he addressed issues of sin. His words caused sorrow among them, and because of this Paul rejoiced. Why? Their sorrow did not stop at just feeling sad about getting caught or suffering the unpleasant consequences of their sins. Their sorrow was godly sorrow, a genuine remorse for their sins. This led them to repentance-a change in their thinking that led to a renouncing of their sin and turning to God. Their repentance ultimately led to deliverance from their sinful habits.

Repentance is not something we can do unless we have the prompting of the Holy Spirit; it's a gift from God. Pray for repentance today (2 Tim. 2:24-26).  - Marvin Williams

O Wind of God, come bend us, break us,
Till humbly we confess our need;
Then in Thy tenderness remake us,
Revive, restore-for this we plead. -Head


Repentance means hating sin enough to turn from it.

The Reward of Godliness

In today's devotional, I want to draw your attention to the importance of the pursuit of godliness.  Let's look at 1 Timothy 6:6,

Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

What an incredible truth.  Godliness coupled with contentment is great gain.  Not just gain, GREAT gain!

Over and over in Scripture, God highlights the importance and reward of godliness.  For instance, it says in Psalm 4:3, That the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly.  2 Peter says the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.  Those are great rewards!

But there is more.  Look at 1 Timothy 4:7-8,

But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.  For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

It could not be more clear!  There is profit in godliness, and that profit is not only in this life, but in the life that is to come.  Godliness is going to pay off in both this life and into eternity! 

So it makes sense to make this pursuit of godliness a priority!  Even if people want to kick you every time you do something that is right, you need to stay with it. 

Determine today to make godliness an everyday pursuit.  If you do, you will reap the rewards of godliness, great gain and profit, not just in this life, but for eternity. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!




David Fulfilled His Purpose
By Os Hillman

"For David...served the purpose of God in his own generation" (Acts 13:36 NASB)

Imagine for a moment that you have just died and you are about to come before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Jesus is speaking to his angel about you. He then says these words: "Janice served the purpose of my Heavenly Father for her generation."

Will God be able to say you served your purpose in your generation? Imagine being able to say that. God was able to say this about the life of David, even though David made some incredibly bad choices in his life that led to long term consequences. However, because David repented each time he erred, his purpose was accomplished on earth as God had designed it.

One of the prayers I often pray for people whenever I'm asked to pray for them is this; "Lord, may you fulfill every purpose for which you made them. May there be no inheritance left on the table that he/she is entitled to."

That is really the definition of success. Success is fulfilling the complete purpose for which God made you. It has nothing to do with wealth, accomplishments, stature in life, or standard of living. It has to do with living a life of obedience to the Father. And when we live a life of obedience to the Father, we will fulfill the purposes that God had in mind when he made you and me.

In 1924, Eric Liddle, a Scottish Olympic runner who's life was chronicled in a movie entitled Chariots of Fire, was challenged by his missionary sister to forego running in the Olympics in lieu of going to China with her as a missionary. He responded by saying, "When I run I feel His (God's) pleasure. I was made to run and I was made to be a missionary too." Eric understood his complete purpose for his generation. As a result, he brought glory to the Father through his running and his missionary service.

Today, ask God to fulfill His purposes for your life in your generation.

Contact Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.


TGIF Bible Study
TGIF Bible Study
The popular TGIF Today God Is First daily devotional is now available as a 12-week group Bible study book. It is based on 12 key devotionals pertaining to your spiritual calling in the workplace. The book is ideal for church groups, for workplace groups that are just getting started, or for facilitators who want to try something new in a group setting. Also for individual study.
Order or Learn More 


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The Habit of Keeping a Clear Conscience
. . . strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men -Acts 24:16
God's commands to us are actually given to the life of His Son in us. Consequently, to our human nature in which God's Son has been formed (see Galatians 4:19  ), His commands are difficult. But they become divinely easy once we obey.

Conscience is that ability within me that attaches itself to the highest standard I know, and then continually reminds me of what that standard demands that I do. It is the eye of the soul which looks out either toward God or toward what we regard as the highest standard. This explains why conscience is different in different people. If I am in the habit of continually holding God's standard in front of me, my conscience will always direct me to God's perfect law and indicate what I should do. The question is, will I obey? I have to make an effort to keep my conscience so sensitive that I can live without any offense toward anyone. I should be living in such perfect harmony with God's Son that the spirit of my mind is being renewed through every circumstance of life, and that I may be able to quickly "prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God" ( Romans 12:2 ; also see Ephesians 4:23  ).

God always instructs us down to the last detail. Is my ear sensitive enough to hear even the softest whisper of the Spirit, so that I know what I should do? "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God . . ." ( Ephesians 4:30  ). He does not speak with a voice like thunder- His voice is so gentle that it is easy for us to ignore. And the only thing that keeps our conscience sensitive to Him is the habit of being open to God on the inside. When you begin to debate, stop immediately. Don't ask, "Why can't I do this?" You are on the wrong track. There is no debating possible once your conscience speaks. Whatever it is- drop it, and see that you keep your inner vision clear.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 14, 2009

Making The Cut
READ: Matthew 4:18-22
[Jesus] said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." -Matthew 4:19

Every year, high-school seniors apply to their favorite universities and then watch the mailbox for the letter announcing their acceptance.

It was different for teens in New Testament times. Jewish boys would often attend rabbinical schools until age 13. Then only the best and brightest would be chosen to "follow" the local rabbi. This small, select group of disciples would go where he went and eat what he ate-modeling their lives after the rabbi. Those who didn't make the cut would pick up a trade like carpentry, sheep-herding, or fishing.

Guys like Simon, Andrew, James, and John hadn't made the cut. So instead of following the local rabbi, they were down by the docks, knee-deep in the family business. It's interesting that Jesus sought out the men the local rabbi had rejected. Instead of targeting the best and brightest, Jesus offered His invitation, "Follow Me," to ordinary run-of-the-mill fishermen. What an honor! They would become followers of the ultimate Rabbi.

Jesus extends the same honor to you and me-not because we are the best or brightest, but because He needs ordinary people like us to model His life and to lovingly rescue people on His behalf. So, follow Him and let Him make something of your life!  - Joe Stowell

As followers of Jesus
Who love Him from the heart,
We may be ordinary,
But we've been set apart. -Sper


Even the ordinary and the outcast can make the cut to follow Jesus.


 

Strengthening Your Faith

Romans 10:17 is the verse I would like for you to read today.  It says,

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.   

To fully understand this verse, you need to know that if you are saved, faith has already been deposited in your heart.  It is part of your spiritual DNA.  Romans 12:3 says that, God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  Faith is something He has already given.

It is up to you to develop that faith.  It is up to you to do something with it.  How do you develop it?  You develop it first by hearing the Word of God.

The Bible-God's Word-is the food.  As you feed upon it, your faith will be strengthened.

You know those body builders, men and women who are constantly pumping weights?  Well, if you talk to any serious body builder, one of the first things they will refer to is diet.  You have to eat the right kind of diet if you are going to build muscle mass.  Usually, their diet is protein-rich.

They faithfully drink their protein shakes and eat their tuna fish sandwiches, which, when they are consumed and digested, become the raw materials that build muscle mass.

As you feed upon and digest God's Word, that truth becomes the raw material that will build faith.  It is faith food.

Most people who struggle with their faith are feeding on the wrong things.  Faith comes unconsciously when you feed upon God's Word. 

So today, if you feel like you are struggling in your faith, then change your diet.  Start feeding more on God's Word! 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!





Freedom and Boundaries
By Os Hillman

"And the LORD God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die'" (Gen 2:16-17).

Everyone needs the gift of freedom and boundaries in their work to succeed. God set up the ultimate work environment in the Garden of Eden. He gave Adam and Eve responsibility to manage the animals, the agriculture and every activity. He gave them specific instructions as to how things were to be done but gave liberty of expression for fulfilling their tasks.

He also told them what was off limits. They could not eat from the tree of good and evil because He knew it would be bad for them. He was not trying to withhold from them; He was trying to protect them.

If you are a manager it is your responsibility to clearly define the job responsibilities of those under your care. They should know clearly what the freedoms and the boundaries are in carrying out their duties. They should be given adequate freedoms with authority to enforce their decisions that will impact whether they can be successful or not.

Once freedoms and boundaries are established, this allows a healthy accountability to take place between management and worker. Both can have healthy expectations of each other.

Do you have a clearly defined job description with measurable goals outlined? Are your freedom and boundaries clearly defined so you know what you can and cannot do within the scope of your job? If not, you are setting yourself up for failure.

Today, evaluate your job function and make sure you have clearly defined expectations and the way in which you are expected to accomplish your tasks.

Contact Os Hillman at www.marketplaceleaders.org.


Business Unlimited
Remarkable Workplace Stories of Faith
Read an encouraging first-hand account by Gunnar Olson as he shares personal stories of God's activity in his business life, including actual miracles and other supernatural events that he has experienced. Also in each chapter are insightful spiritual truths relavant to workplace believers and practical "real-world" wisdom. This modern-day "book of Acts" will encourage your confidence in God and raise your faith to a whole new level!
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The Habit of Enjoying Adversity
. . . that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body -2 Corinthians 4:10
We have to develop godly habits to express what God's grace has done in us. It is not just a question of being saved from hell, but of being saved so that "the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body." And it is adversity that makes us exhibit His life in our mortal flesh. Is my life exhibiting the essence of the sweetness of the Son of God, or just the basic irritation of "myself" that I would have apart from Him? The only thing that will enable me to enjoy adversity is the acute sense of eagerness of allowing the life of the Son of God to evidence itself in me. No matter how difficult something may be, I must say, "Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this." Instantly, the Son of God will move to the forefront of my life, and will manifest in my body that which glorifies Him.

You must not debate. The moment you obey the light of God, His Son shines through you in that very adversity; but if you debate with God, you grieve His Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30 ). You must keep yourself in the proper condition to allow the life of the Son of God to be manifested in you, and you cannot keep yourself fit if you give way to self-pity. Our circumstances are the means God uses to exhibit just how wonderfully perfect and extraordinarily pure His Son is. Discovering a new way of manifesting the Son of God should make our heart beat with renewed excitement. It is one thing to choose adversity, and quite another to enter into adversity through the orchestrating of our circumstances by God's sovereignty. And if God puts you into adversity, He is adequately sufficient to "supply all your need" ( Philippians 4:19 ).

Keep your soul properly conditioned to manifest the life of the Son of God. Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotionals May 15, 2009


The Secret Is
READ: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages. -1 Corinthians 2:7

If you believe Rhonda Byrne, author of the bestselling book The Secret, "The shortcut to anything you want in your life is to be and feel happy now!" According to Byrne, this has to do with something called the law of attraction. If you think only about things that make you happy, she says, happy things will be attracted to you.

Sounds easy enough.

However, the Bible says that "the secret" to life is something very different. It has to do with "the law of the Spirit of life" that sets us free from "the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2), not with the "law of attraction."

According to the apostle Paul, the most important thing to know is "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). To those who are concerned with happiness now, this is indeed foolishness (v.14). They do not recognize the power of God in what appears to them as weakness.

The Lord created us with a desire to know what is secret. In His wisdom, He kept certain things hidden in mystery for a time (v.7). But now, through His Holy Spirit, He has made them known. And the secret He reveals has nothing to do with having happy thoughts in order to obtain happy things; it has to do with having the mind of Jesus Christ (v.16).  - Julie Ackerman Link

There is a law that made us free-
In Romans 8 this truth is heard;
The secret is to walk with God
And daily lean upon His Word. -Hess


To know lasting happiness, we must get to know Jesus.


Exercising the Muscle of Faith

Yesterday we looked at the importance of God's Word to strengthen our faith.  Yet there is something more we need to do to see our faith grow.  We must use it.

In 1 Timothy 6:12, Paul says this about faith,

Fight the good fight of faith.

Faith is made for conflict.  It does not grow without conflict.  It does not grow without pressure.  You need to use it.

Remember our illustration of the body builders and how a proper diet is essential to building muscle mass?  Well, they will also tell you that it is not enough to drink protein shakes and eat tuna fish, you have to work those muscles if they are going to grow.  They work those weights every day in order to build their muscles.

The same thing is true when it comes to faith.  Faith is a muscle that you have to use.  It is not enough just to listen to your Bible teaching CDs all day long.  Hearing alone is not enough to develop faith.  You must use your faith muscle.

That is what the fight of faith is all about.  You exercise your faith when you are standing in the midst of your storm, and you are assailed by temptations and every kind of trial that tells you you're not going to make it, that you are going down with the ship.

As you stand in the midst of your storm, and the wind is howling around you, and the lightning is flashing, and the waves are breaking over the bow of your little ship, stand up and say, "I believe God, that it is going to be just as it was told me."  That is where the fight of faith comes in.

No matter what you may be going through today, exercise that muscle of faith.  Trust God to do just as He has promised. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God
and
click here to listen to Bayless Conley at OnePlace.com.

FEATURED RESOURCE

Godly Wisdom for a Great Marriage

Although it's God's plan for husband and wife to flourish in their marriage, it won't happen by accident. A great marriage takes work. In this 4-part series, Bayless and Janet explore God's Word relating to marriage and share personal insight from over 25 years of experience. You will learn about the specific roles that God gives to both husbands and wives along with how God's commandments can be applied to strengthen and improve your marriage, and much more!



Read: 1 Peter 1:10-13
Even angels long to look into these things. - 1 Peter 1:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Betty Jane Narver Reading Room in Seattle's Central Library is named for a woman with a passion for education, reading, and civic service. She was known for working tirelessly and lobbying graciously to make the $165.5 million building an innovative place that informed, enlightened, and enriched the lives of the millions of people who would pass through its doors (and ride its shocking-yellow escalators). Unfortunately, Betty Jane Narver died three years before the completion of the library she so faithfully promoted.
When such people devote their lives to an objective that lies beyond their own death, the people who benefit from their work owe them a debt of honor. That is especially true when we consider the Old Testament prophets who foretold the coming Savior and longed to know more about Him. The source of their longing is one of two revelations you may find surprising in this passage. It is amazing to think that the Spirit of Christ Himself revealed His own sufferings to prophets who wouldn't even live to see His coming.

The second surprise is that yet another group cannot explore the mystery of salvation: angels. They couldn't appreciate the full weight of their message when they announced the conception (Matt. 1:20-21), the birth (Luke 2:11), and the resurrection (Matt. 28:6) of Jesus Christ! The purpose of these angels appears to have been centered on delivering the news about Jesus Christ, but like the prophets of the Old Testament their communication was not for their own understanding, but for ours.

Our privilege of knowing the mystery of salvation demands our humble obedience and gratitude. Great men of God and angels in heaven deeply desired to more fully understand the salvation about which we can study endlessly and experience personally. The most important mystery of all time has been revealed to us, which ought to compel us toward holiness and a greater understanding of the precious Word of God. Also note that the truth of salvation has always been a mystery to be revealed rather than an outcome yet to be decided. Our salvation is sure!



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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Peter stated the practical application of this passage directly in verse 13, but we can hope to follow his command to holiness only if we believe in the grace that awaits us in Jesus Christ. The comforts of our present life can lure our eyes away from the grace that has yet to come. Consider taking an extended break from all of the worldly distractions surrounding you and dedicate the time to prayer. Set your heart and mind on Christ and thank Him for disclosing His truth.


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Fixed Seasons by Mary Wilder Tileston

Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.
PSALMS 62:8
FROM tedious toil, from anxious care,
Dear Lord, I turn again to Thee;
Thy presence and Thy smile to share
Makes every burden light to me.
RAY PALMER

IT is a good thing to have fixed seasons for lifting up the heart to God, not merely the appointed hours of prayer, but a momentary act before and after meals, beginning any occupation, entering into society, leaving the house, etc. Especially it is a help to make such brief acts after having said or done anything either wrong or foolish, after any trifling vexation or disappointment, when the spirit feels, it may be, wounded and desolate, or when one's vanity is annoyed at having been guilty of some little folly or unseemliness. Sometimes we are more really troubled and sore at trifles of this sort than at far weightier things. But if all such things were met with a momentary uplifting of the heart to God, all these little frailties and worries would tend to mould the character more and more to God's pattern, and they would assuredly lose their sting; for he who thinks much of God will daily think less of himself.
H. L. SIDNEY LEAR

PRAY PRAY PRAY

GOD BLESS!