"Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come" (John 16:13).
If there is something you need to know, or don't understand, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the answer. He will reveal what you need to do to be successful and He will reveal to you what is ahead.
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19).
Don't hold grudges or try to avenge yourself; leave that to Hashem. He will make sure you are vindicated.
Dealing with Difficult Relatives
by Max Lucado
Does Jesus have anything to say about dealing with difficult relatives? Is there an example of Jesus bringing peace to a painful family? Yes, there is.
His own.
It may surprise you to know that Jesus had a difficult family. If your family doesnÂ’t appreciate you, take heart, neither did JesusÂ’.
“His family … went to get him because they thought he was out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).
Jesus’ siblings thought their brother was a lunatic. They weren’t proud—they were embarrassed!
ItÂ’s worth noting that he didnÂ’t try to control his familyÂ’s behavior, nor did he let their behavior control his. He didnÂ’t demand that they agree with him. He didnÂ’t sulk when they insulted him. He didnÂ’t make it his mission to try to please them.
Each of us has a fantasy that our family will be like the Waltons, an expectation that our dearest friends will be our next of kin. Jesus didn’t have that expectation. Look how he defined his family: “My true brother and sister and mother are those who do what God wants” (Mark 3:35).
When JesusÂ’ brothers didnÂ’t share his convictions, he didnÂ’t try to force them. He recognized that his spiritual family could provide what his physical family didnÂ’t. If Jesus himself couldnÂ’t force his family to share his convictions, what makes you think you can force yours?
Having your familyÂ’s approval is desirable but not necessary for happiness and not always possible. Jesus did not let the difficult dynamic of his family overshadow his call from God. And because he didnÂ’t, this chapter has a happy ending.
What happened to JesusÂ’ family?
Mine with me a golden nugget hidden in a vein of the Book of Acts. “Then [the disciples] went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.… They all continued praying together with some women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus’ brothers” (Acts 1:12, 14, emphasis added).
What a change! The ones who mocked him now worship him. The ones who pitied him now pray for him. What if Jesus had disowned them? Or worse still, what if heÂ’d suffocated his family with his demand for change?
He didnÂ’t. He instead gave them space, time, and grace. And because he did, they changed. How much did they change? One brother became an apostle (Gal. 1:19) and others became missionaries (1 Cor. 9:5).
So donÂ’t lose heart. God still changes families.
Psalm 37:7
Rest in the LORD, and wait
patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who
prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings
wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake
warth;
Do not fret -- it only causes harm.
Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: He is gracious, and merciful, and righteous.
—Psalm 112. 4.
Blessed to Be a Blessing
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden
…You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: “It is more blessed to give than receive.” Acts 20:35
I canÂ’t remember if it was the smell or the sight that first overwhelmed me. We were visiting a slum ministry in Chennai, India and never before had I been confronted with true poverty. The slum bordered the city dump and to be honest it was almost hard to tell where the dump ended and the slum began. We drove over a small bridge. Below it was a canal with stagnant water. Bumping along a dirt road, we parked beside a building that looked like it could topple at any moment. Outside of the car trash lined the road and men, women, children, dogs, chicken and goats meandered down a narrow pathway.
We met a woman whose fingers were taken by leprosy. We met a man who was blind. We met another woman who shuffled around the dirt on her hands and knees because she was paralyzed. All around us we saw and met people who were struggling each day to survive. We were taken into a building and to a room where we sat against the wall. Soon, about twenty-five men and women crammed into this small room.
Then the people began to sing, thanking the Lord for his mercy and grace. They lifted their hands and praised the Lord for the blessings they had been given. They wiped their eyes as they sang about His unfailing love. At the end of their time of worship, we prepared to serve food to our new friends. This was the one meal they would have that day. I hardly knew what to do when they offered us the first plate.
We are blessed to be a blessing to others, and that is what this group of people taught me that day. They appeared to have nothing, but as I sat there with them, I realized what they already knew. They had everything they needed. From the little they did have, they offered us everything. God has blessed each one of us. He has blessed you and He has blessed me. In the spirit of thanksgiving this holiday, take a look at your life, thank the Lord for all of the blessings he has given you. Then find a way to share them with others.
The Lord Who Heals
This devotional was written by Jim Burns
The Lord said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you. — Exodus 15:26
Our Lord has sometimes been called the "Great Physician." One of the names for God in the Old Testament is Rapha, meaning "the Lord who heals." Some of us in the Christian faith have misunderstood his job description as a healer. You and I are both aware of the fact that there are thousands of walking physical miracles where God has demonstrated his healing power. Cancer is healed, the lame walk and literally sometimes the blind have been given back their eyesight. The way I read the Bible, we are commanded by God to pray for the healing of the sick; sometimes, but not all the time, there is an instantaneous healing.
I see the "Great Physician" more like most modern-day doctors. They examine us, consult with us, work on us, and even oversee our rehabilitation. Rapha - God - has the same job description.
God examines us.... He watches over us and examines our every need.
God consults with us.... He guides our life and, often through circumstances, gives us direction. He listens to our requests and responds.
God works on us.... Sometimes we need to be cut and disciplined. He is constantly giving us help to become whole.
God oversees our rehabilitation.... Once we are on the way to wholeness and healing, he doesn't leave us but watches over us and protects our healing.
I don't know about you but I'm glad he is called Rapha: the Lord who heals
THE FULL ARMOR OF HASHEM
Ephesians 6:13
Therefore, take up the full armor of Hashem, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm
A primary element in our protection from ha sa tan and evil is the armor that Hashem has provided for us and instructed us to put on in Ephesians 6:13-17. When we put on the armor of Hashem, we are really putting on Yeshua (Romans 13:12-14). And when we put on Yeshua, we take ourselves out of the realm of the flesh, where we are vulnerable to attack, and we place ourselves within the dominion of Yeshua, where the evil one cannot touch us. Ha sa tan has nothing in Yeshua (John 14:30), and to the extent that we put on Yeshua, the evil one cannot touch us (1 John 5:18 ). He can only touch that which is on his own level. That's why we are commanded, "Make no provision for the flesh" (Romans 13:14), meaning "Don't live on Satan's level."
It would appear from the verb tenses in Ephesians 6;14, 15, that three of the pieces of armor--belt, breastplate and shoes--are already on you: "having girded . . ."; "having put on . . ."; having shod. . . ." These pieces of armor represent the elements of your protection made possible when you receive Yeshua and in which you are commanded to stand firm. The Greek tense of "having" signifies that the action it refers to was completed before we were commanded to stand firm. That's the logical way a soldier would prepare for action: He would put on his belt, breastplate and shoes before attempting to stand firm. Likewise, we are to put on the full armor of Hashem after having already put on Yeshua.
When you read through Ephesians 6:10-20, you will notice the emphasis on the active part we must play on behalf of our own spiritual defense: "be strong" (verse 10); "put on" and "stand firm" (verse 11); "take up," "be able," "resist," and "stand firm" (verse 13); "stand firm" (verse 14); "taking up" (verse 16); "take" (verse 17)' "pray at all times" and "be on the alert" (verse 18 ).
Over the next several days, we will consider each of the six pieces of armor from Ephesians 6:13-17.
Neil Anderson
THE BELT OF TRUTH
Ephesians 6:14
Having girded your loins with truth
The first piece of armor for the believer is the belt of truth . Jesus said, "I am . . . the truth" (John 14:6). And because Yeshua is in you, the truth is in you. However, continuing to choose truth is not always easy. Since Satan's primary weapon is the lie, your belt of truth (which holds the other pieces of body armor in place) is continually being attacked. If he can disable you in the area of truth, you become as easy target for his other attacks.
You stand firm in the truth by relating everything you do to the truth of YHVH's Word. If a thought comes to mind which is not in harmony with YHVH's truth, dismiss it. If an opportunity comes along to say or do something which compromises or conflicts with truth, avoid it. Adopt a simple rule of behavior: If it's the truth, I'm in; if it's not the truth, count me out.
When you learn to live in the truth on a daily basis, you will grow to love the truth because you have nothing to hide. You never have to cover up to YHVH or anyone else; everything you do is in the light. Furthermore, when you live in the truth you dislodge the lies of Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44). Remember that if ha sa tan can deceive you into believing a lie, he can control your life.
Yeshua prayed, "I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15). How? "Sanctify them in the truth; Thy Word is truth" (verse 17). You will only dislodge Satan's lies in the light of YHVH's revelation, and not by human reasoning or research.
The only thing a believer ever has to admit to is the truth. Walking in the light and speaking the truth in love may seem threatening to some. But in reality truth is a liberating friend and the only path to fellowship with YHVH.
Neil Anderson
THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Ephesians 6:14
Having put on the breastplate of righteousness . . .
The second piece of armor Hashem has provided for us is the breastplate of righteousness . When you put on Yeshua at salvation, you are justified before our holy Hashem. It's not your righteousness but Yeshua's (1 Corinthians 1:30; Philippians 3:8, 9). So when Satan aims an arrow at you by saying, "You're not good enough to be a Yeshuaian," you can respond with Paul, "Who will bring a charge against Hashem's elect? Hashem is the one who justifies" (Romans 8:33). Your righteousness in Yeshua is your protection against Satan's accusations.
Even though we rejoice in our position of righteousness in Yeshua, we are well aware of our deeds of unrighteousness when we think, say, or do something apart from Hashem. Standing firm in our righteousness requires us to live in continuous agreement with Hashem according to 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Confession is different from saying "I'm sorry" or asking forgiveness. To confess ( homologeo ) means to acknowledge or to agree. You confess your sin when you say what Hashem says about it: "I entertained a lustful thought and that's a sin"; "I treated my spouse unkindly this morning and that was wrong"; "Pride motivated me to seek that board position and pride doesn't belong in my life."
ha sa tan will make confession as difficult for you as he can. He will try to convince you that it's too late for confession, that Hashem has already erased your name out of the book of life. That's another one of his lies. You're in Yeshua; you're already forgiven. You are the righteousness of Hashem in Yeshua (2 Corinthians 5:21), and He will never leave you. Your confession of sin clears the way for the fruitful expression of righteousness in your daily life. We should be like Paul, who said, "I also do my best to maintain always a blameless
Neil Anderson
Forgiveness Ensures Freedom
Hebrews 12:15
See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
In business and life the opportunity to harbor bitterness for a wrong suffered is great. We are given plenty of opportunities to grow bitter from relationships that bring hurt and pain. The writer of the Hebrews passage above admonishes us not to miss the grace of God so that we won't take up bitterness as a response to life's pain. He cautions us against this because he knows that a bitter root grows and grows until it eventually defiles many others through a wake of bitterness. If bitterness is allowed to take root, we become imprisoned to it. God's grace will no longer have as great an effect in our lives. We become ineffective, insensitive, and spiritually dead. We can even become physically ill from it. God does not live in bitterness. He lives in grace. He has provided grace for every person to walk in.
One day I was challenged to deal with an individual who hurt me terribly. I was faced with a decision. Would I choose bitterness, or would I choose grace? Oh, how my natural tendency was to choose bitterness. But God provided the courage to choose grace. With that grace came freedom-a freedom to love and even accept the person who was the source of such pain.
This is the real place where Christ's power is most revealed. We cannot live without His supernatural grace. Are you in need of grace today? It is there for the receiving. It will take courage to accept it and walk in it. This will be your step to freedom.
Tapping Into Our Secret Weapon
Colossians 4:12
He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
"Good morning. Before we begin our staff business meeting I wish to ask John to give us the intercessors' report regarding the direction of our new business development program."
"Our intercessors have been prayerfully reviewing the action plan I gave them. We believe the Lord is directing us in this way. However, our intercessors believe we may need to adjust our direction on this."
Does this sound like a far-fetched illustration of a modern-day company? If we are truly going to remove the separation of what we perceive as holy versus unholy, then we must make some paradigm shifts in our thinking.
The Lord has called you and me to be ministers of the gospel in and through the workplace. This means we must fight our battles, grow our companies, and minister to our employees and vendors through the power of the Holy Spirit. Intercessory prayer is the secret weapon of Spirit-led activity. Imagine having intercessors who are part of your team, committed to helping you make decisions in your business life "that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured." It is a comforting feeling to know the decisions you and I make during the course of a business day are in the will of God.
Some time ago the Lord showed me that I needed to find intercessors for my business. I needed to use intercessors in the daily decision process for my business. This has transformed the way I conduct business. No major decisions are made without prayerful review with my intercessory team. Intercessors are the front-line warriors raised up to do battle for the saints. Ask God to raise up intercessors who can support you as you go forth in the battlefield of the marketplace.
Developing Our Heart for God
Zechariah 9:13
I will rouse your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and make you like a warrior's sword.
In the third and fourth centuries Socrates and other Greek scholars began to influence the Church in ways that were different from the Hebraic roots of the early Church. The Greek influence appeals more to the intellect, whereas the early-Church Hebraic model appealed to the heart. The Greek influence resulted in more emphasis on oratory skills and cognitive knowledge of God. Over the many centuries, this influence has shown itself in a more programmatic approach to the gospel rather than a process of living out our faith. So why is it important for us to understand this?
I realized in my own life that I was a product of this Greek system. My walk with Christ focused more on what I knew than on an intimate and powerful walk with God. Knowledge without power to express the life within is of little value. The more programmatic the focus, the less emphasis we place on building deep and caring relationships that result in changed lives. Our early Church fathers knew there was a cost to living out the Word of God, not simply giving mental assent to it.
Are you walking with God today in an intimate fellowship? Or, are you only involved in programs and activities designed to do good things? Reflect on Proverbs 23:12: "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge." We must listen and respond with the heart. Whatever service we give to God should be a result of our relationship with our heavenly Father, not an end unto itself.
Knowing Versus Doing
Philippians 3:10
I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection....
If I asked you the purpose for which God made you, what might you say? You might give a lot of answers that required some action on your part. However, the simplest answer to that question relates to one primary thing: fellowship. The most important thing God desires from us today is to have a deep and intimate fellowship with each of us.
The apostle Paul said he wanted to know Christ, and by knowing Christ he could experience the power of His resurrection. I find this to be the hardest thing for many of us businesspeople to do. So often it is much easier to be busy with the urgent (or even Christian) activity than spending quiet moments before the Lord. Before we realize it, days have passed since our last quiet time with Jesus.
Jesus understood how important quiet moments were with the Father. "After He had dismissed them, He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone" (Mt. 14:23). The more mature I become in my relationship with the Lord, the more precious this time becomes to me. It is a time I look forward to almost daily. It offers me a time to reflect, to share my concerns with my Lord, and to hear Him speak. In the last few years I have begun prayer walks, which accomplish three things: fellowship, prayer, and exercise. It has changed my prayer life. I have come to understand that Jesus views us as His friend and He wants to spend time with us. We are depriving Him of His time when we put Him aside for the urgent. An interesting thing happens when we make prayer a priority: Urgent things seems to wane as we focus on Him. He makes all these other things fall into place.
Are you taking the time to get to know Him today?
…God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
--Hebrews 13:5
Timothy Blackburn, author of The History of the Future: A Commentary on Revelation and Matthew 24, told the story of when he was a young child falling asleep in the car on the way home from church.
Blackburn said that he would sleep in the back of his familyÂ’s 1959 Chevrolet, as they traveled many miles from the church where his dad served as pastor. He remembers sometimes waking just enough to feel his dad gently pick him up and carry him to his bed. Other times, he would actually be awake, but would pretend to sleep so he could get a free lift. And occasionally, he wouldnÂ’t wake at all until the next day, discovering that heÂ’d been carefully tucked in his bed.
He said: “He cradled my head in his arm to support it. What a comforting feeling that was! I felt secure and protected; there were no worries. The problems of the day didn’t matter. I knew my dad was protecting me at that moment. I did not worry about school the next day—I was in my father’s arms.”
At any age, we want to feel safe. And thankfully, we have a heavenly Father to comfort us. Through each step we take in life, He gently guides and directs us, even carrying us along some of the way. We are safe and sound in His arms, and no one can snatch us out of His hands (John 10:27-30).
Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
--Matthew 5:23-24
On a television magazine show not too long ago, there was an incredible story of forgiveness. A family of six was camping out, sleeping in tents in a public park. In the middle of the night, a man cut a hole in the tent and carried away their 7-year-old daughter.
Immediately, the mother began to pray for the kidnapper and made a commitment to forgive. A year later he called and the family learned what the mother knew in her heart all along—the child was dead.
The mother said, “Forgiveness is hard work, but it is the only thing that will set you free.”
Unwillingness to forgive allows bitterness to creep in to our hearts and plant roots. Hebrews 12:15 says, “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”
Bitterness can spread to those around us, and if it is left to harden in the heart, it is almost seemingly impossible to remove. Scripture is clear about wiping away the offenses in our life, and doing it quickly.
If you feel like someone owes you something or if there is something standing in the way of you not thanking God every day for the blessings you have, bitterness can begin to set in. All you need is a few cleaning tools to scrub away the stains of bitterness—compassion and forgiveness.
If you harbor bitter feelings toward someone in your life—a family member, a church leader, or a friend—then immediately approach that person and learn to forgive them. Make a commitment, today, to begin the spring spiritual cleaning in your life.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
--1 John 4:4
There is a story of one Christian man, a deacon and very involved in his church, who was sitting in traffic and late for work. His car was plastered with bumper stickers that read, “Honk if you love Jesus!” and “Jesus is my hero!”
He had already sat through three red lights, and the lady in front of him was talking on her cell phone and trying to apply mascara all at the same time. When the light turned green, she wasnÂ’t paying attention, and continued to sit at a stand still, holding up traffic.
The man began honking, shouting from inside his car, and shaking his fists at the lady to move on. Finally, after traffic began to creep forward, the man noticed red and blue flashing lights behind him. As he pulled over and rolled down his window to greet the officer, he said, “What did I do wrong? I’m late for work, and you’re holding me up!”
The officer responded, “Sir, is this your car?”
The puzzled man growled back, “Yes! Who else do you think it belongs to?”
The policeman replied, “Well, when I saw the bumper stickers on the back of your car and the way you were acting back there, I thought the car must be stolen!”
ItÂ’s easy for us to become frustrated and impatient with the world. But, many of us often come too close to tarnishing our witness for Jesus because of our words and deeds. Decide to put on the full armor of God each morning in prayer and GodÂ’s Word, so others will see Jesus in you.
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
--James 5:16
Annette Cole, writer in residence at Western Baptist College, told of her daughter in a recent article. She bought a ring with a cross and rose on it over ten years ago to give to her daughter who had denounced her faith and rushed in to sin.
The Bible asks, “What fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
So, how do believing parents have healthy relationships with their unsaved family members? No parent can possibly blame themselves for the incredible hurt and pain a loved one must go through because of their sin.
Accepting the fact that your relationship will be shallow with someone you love who is lost is difficult. Our lives may be the only Bible they ever read. From our actions may come the only way people will ever see Jesus Christ. Finally, out of our mouths may come the only kind and loving words they will truly ever hear.
As Christians, we want to constantly quote Scripture or share godly wisdom with those who are lost, but theyÂ’ve probably heard it numerous times. The most you can do is to commit them to the Lord and pray daily for them. Do not let their sinful lifestyle invade your life and home, though. Instead, continue to love and pray for them, and offer a listening ear when needed.
A wrong word or action may seem like it can break a fragile relationship with one who does not want to associate with you and GodÂ’s way of living. But, do not cease communication. Be the example of GodÂ’s love and grace in their lives that will set the example.
"He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction" (Proverbs 13:3).
Your mouth is the vehicle that paves the way to your success or downfall. When you learn to control your tongue, you preserve your life.
"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).
It is important that your words line up with the Word of God. You will please God when they do and strengthen your spirit man as well.
"O my God, I trust, lean on, rely on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me" (Psalm 25:2, AMP).
When you put your confidence in God, victory is guaranteed. Trust Him!
"Â…And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not" (Isaiah 58:11).
No matter what you are going through, God is faithful. He promises to keep you filled, even when it looks like you're running out.
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him" (Hebrews 11:6).
"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost" (Romans 15:13).
"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit" (Romans 8:5).
When you keep your mind on the Word of God, you stay in the Spirit. Thinking carnally allows your flesh to rule your life.