“The earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains,
The world, and those who dwell in it.” Psalm 24:1
Have you ever been asked to watch over something valuable that belonged to a relative or close friend? Perhaps you kept your neighbors’ pet while they went on vacation, or your aunt and uncle asked you to baby-sit their newborn for an evening. Or perhaps your son brought you his car to drive while yours was in the shop.
Anytime we are asked to take care of something valuable that belongs to another, our sense of responsibility is heightened dramatically. We tend to keep a watchful eye on the pet. We park the car in the safest parking space, not the most convenient one. And if the baby experiences any signs of illness, we take prompt action. None of us want to let others down when they entrust us with their possessions. And those times when we do blunder, a pit can grow in our stomachs that seems unbearable.
Do you realize that all you have, including your money, is owned by God? Since God made the world and everything in it, all belongs to Him. He asks us to be diligent stewards of what He has given us. The next time you open your wallet or examine your checkbook, remember that God has said to you: “Dear friend, can you take care of this for Me?”
Monday, May 17, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Call Out to Him!
“Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.’ Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ And He said, ‘Come!’ And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, ‘You of little faith, why did you doubt?’ When they got into the boat, the wind stopped.” Matthew 14:22-32
Many remember watching the news coverage of a young Olympic runner who fell as he came out of the backstretch before the final curve. Wrenching in pain, he tried to stand but collapsed back on to the track’s surface. A hush enveloped the crowd as eyes turned from the race’s victor to the lone runner struggling to his feet at the far end of the stadium. Suddenly, he was joined by an older man who eluded Olympic guards and jumped onto the track. It was the runner’s father. Together, arm in arm, they pressed toward the finish line. He may have fallen, but he was not defeated.
When Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water to Jesus, his one goal was to reach the Savior. And through the darkened waters caused his heart to momentarily doubt, Peter would not settle for defeat and called out, “Lord, save me!” This is not an account of faithless peril. Had Peter truly doubted Jesus’ power He never would have gotten out of the boat.
Never allow the enemy to tell you that you are worthless and defeated because you stumbled in your race to the finish line. Just like the loving father who ran to his son’s side, Jesus runs to be near you and to carry you to victory. Call out to Him as Peter did, and He will save you.
Many remember watching the news coverage of a young Olympic runner who fell as he came out of the backstretch before the final curve. Wrenching in pain, he tried to stand but collapsed back on to the track’s surface. A hush enveloped the crowd as eyes turned from the race’s victor to the lone runner struggling to his feet at the far end of the stadium. Suddenly, he was joined by an older man who eluded Olympic guards and jumped onto the track. It was the runner’s father. Together, arm in arm, they pressed toward the finish line. He may have fallen, but he was not defeated.
When Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water to Jesus, his one goal was to reach the Savior. And through the darkened waters caused his heart to momentarily doubt, Peter would not settle for defeat and called out, “Lord, save me!” This is not an account of faithless peril. Had Peter truly doubted Jesus’ power He never would have gotten out of the boat.
Never allow the enemy to tell you that you are worthless and defeated because you stumbled in your race to the finish line. Just like the loving father who ran to his son’s side, Jesus runs to be near you and to carry you to victory. Call out to Him as Peter did, and He will save you.
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Risk of Obeying God
“Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.’ Simon answered and said, ‘Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.’ When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, ‘Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!’ For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.’ When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.” Luke 5:1-11
Once Jesus finished speaking to the crowd from the bow of Peter’s boat, He turned to the brawny fisherman and said: “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). Certainly, the idea seemed intriguing to Peter, but was it plausible? He was a leader - a man others turned to for wisdom concerning the sea. Jesus’ request appeared preposterous, if not crazy. No one fished in the Sea of Galilee during daytime. It was done at night and in shallow water.
Yet Peter obediently responded: “Master...I will do as You say and let down the nets.” Disregarding the questionable looks of his peers, Peter raised the ship’s sails and headed out into deep water. The result of his obedience was a great abundance of fish, so many that the nets began to break and the boat began to sink.
What has God placed His finger on in your life that requires you to launch out into the deep? Is it a new job, a relationship that needs healing, and unmet goal? Remember, Peter wasn’t alone in the boat and neither are you. Jesus sailed out there with him. So raise the sails of you life, put out into the deep, and prepare for a huge catch.
Once Jesus finished speaking to the crowd from the bow of Peter’s boat, He turned to the brawny fisherman and said: “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch” (Luke 5:4). Certainly, the idea seemed intriguing to Peter, but was it plausible? He was a leader - a man others turned to for wisdom concerning the sea. Jesus’ request appeared preposterous, if not crazy. No one fished in the Sea of Galilee during daytime. It was done at night and in shallow water.
Yet Peter obediently responded: “Master...I will do as You say and let down the nets.” Disregarding the questionable looks of his peers, Peter raised the ship’s sails and headed out into deep water. The result of his obedience was a great abundance of fish, so many that the nets began to break and the boat began to sink.
What has God placed His finger on in your life that requires you to launch out into the deep? Is it a new job, a relationship that needs healing, and unmet goal? Remember, Peter wasn’t alone in the boat and neither are you. Jesus sailed out there with him. So raise the sails of you life, put out into the deep, and prepare for a huge catch.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
When the Odds are Against You
“Then Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the people who were with him, rose early and camped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was on the north side of them by the hill of Moreh in the valley. The LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, “My own power has delivered me.” Now therefore come, proclaim in the hearing of the people, saying, “Whoever is afraid and trembling, let him return and depart from Mount Gilead.”’ So 22,000 people returned, but 10,000 remained.
Then the LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, “This one shall go with you,” he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, “This one shall not go with you,” he shall not go.’
So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, ‘You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.’ Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water.
The LORD said to Gideon, ‘I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.’ So the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.” Judges 7:1-8
“Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, ‘Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.’ His friend replied, ‘This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.’” Judges 7:12-14
“When they blew 300 trumpets, the LORD set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. The men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.” Judges 7:22-23
There are six biblical truths that can lead to victory in impossible situations...
1. God uses difficulties to build our faith. He wants to strip us of our dependence on anything other than Him. We are to fix our focus on Christ - the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
2. At times, God may require the unreasonable. Gideon was allowed to take only 300 men into battle with him - a fraction of the size of the enemy’s army.
3. The Lord always leads us to do what will bring Him glory. Had Israel won the battle in their own strength - the credit would have gone to them and not to God.
4. God sends encouragement when we need it the most. He is sensitive to our weaknesses and knows the proper time to send help and an encouraging word.
5. The Lord always works behind the scenes on our behalf. The night before Gideon marched into battle, God instilled confusion in the hearts of the enemy. The enemy fled in fear.
6. God provides specific instructions for victory. If we will rely on Him, He will lead us through every trial we face, step by step, according to His plan for our lives.
Bring your foe before God. There is no enemy too great for Him.
Then the LORD said to Gideon, ‘The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, “This one shall go with you,” he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, “This one shall not go with you,” he shall not go.’
So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, ‘You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink.’ Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water.
The LORD said to Gideon, ‘I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.’ So the 300 men took the people’s provisions and their trumpets into their hands. And Gideon sent all the other men of Israel, each to his tent, but retained the 300 men; and the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.” Judges 7:1-8
“Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. When Gideon came, behold, a man was relating a dream to his friend. And he said, ‘Behold, I had a dream; a loaf of barley bread was tumbling into the camp of Midian, and it came to the tent and struck it so that it fell, and turned it upside down so that the tent lay flat.’ His friend replied, ‘This is nothing less than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.’” Judges 7:12-14
“When they blew 300 trumpets, the LORD set the sword of one against another even throughout the whole army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the edge of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. The men of Israel were summoned from Naphtali and Asher and all Manasseh, and they pursued Midian.” Judges 7:22-23
There are six biblical truths that can lead to victory in impossible situations...
1. God uses difficulties to build our faith. He wants to strip us of our dependence on anything other than Him. We are to fix our focus on Christ - the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
2. At times, God may require the unreasonable. Gideon was allowed to take only 300 men into battle with him - a fraction of the size of the enemy’s army.
3. The Lord always leads us to do what will bring Him glory. Had Israel won the battle in their own strength - the credit would have gone to them and not to God.
4. God sends encouragement when we need it the most. He is sensitive to our weaknesses and knows the proper time to send help and an encouraging word.
5. The Lord always works behind the scenes on our behalf. The night before Gideon marched into battle, God instilled confusion in the hearts of the enemy. The enemy fled in fear.
6. God provides specific instructions for victory. If we will rely on Him, He will lead us through every trial we face, step by step, according to His plan for our lives.
Bring your foe before God. There is no enemy too great for Him.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Great is Thy Faithfulness
“The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘Therefore I have hope in Him.’
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:22-26
The question always comes up - is God’s love limited? Will there ever be a time when I can do something that will cause the Lord not to love me? The answer is absolutely not! There may be times when He is not pleased with what we do, but His love is unconditional. He cannot love you more than He loves you right now. Note our text - His lovingkindnesses never cease, and His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness! The question is not - is God faithful, but - are we? But I’m learning that the more I realize and rest in His love, the more I want to be faithful and follow after Him.
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,
‘Therefore I have hope in Him.’
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the LORD.” Lamentations 3:22-26
The question always comes up - is God’s love limited? Will there ever be a time when I can do something that will cause the Lord not to love me? The answer is absolutely not! There may be times when He is not pleased with what we do, but His love is unconditional. He cannot love you more than He loves you right now. Note our text - His lovingkindnesses never cease, and His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Thy faithfulness! The question is not - is God faithful, but - are we? But I’m learning that the more I realize and rest in His love, the more I want to be faithful and follow after Him.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Key to Blessings
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” John 15:7-11
A scene from a children’s musical depicts a group of angels discussing the believers on earth. One angel turns and asks the others, “Do they know how much the Father loves them? Do they realize how much He cares?”
God promises to eternally provide for you. Yet there is one condition He places before us: obedience. Every need Adam had was attended to, but he disobeyed God. All that Israel could ever dream of obtaining was theirs - yet they abandoned the ways of God, and disobedience ruled their hearts.
Throughout history, a discomforting glitch has remained in the heart of mankind. We have continued to seek the pleasures of other gods while pushing away what God offers so freely - His love and devotion. We have ignored the fact that we are His redeemed - purchased at Calvary’s cross.
The guarantee He offers us is the same one He gave to Abraham, Isaac, David, Mary, and the disciples: “Come unto Me...Drink My living water and find refreshment for your souls.” Trace His provision through the Bible. Start with Genesis and follow it through to Revelation. All that you need He will provide, if you will place your trust in Him.
A scene from a children’s musical depicts a group of angels discussing the believers on earth. One angel turns and asks the others, “Do they know how much the Father loves them? Do they realize how much He cares?”
God promises to eternally provide for you. Yet there is one condition He places before us: obedience. Every need Adam had was attended to, but he disobeyed God. All that Israel could ever dream of obtaining was theirs - yet they abandoned the ways of God, and disobedience ruled their hearts.
Throughout history, a discomforting glitch has remained in the heart of mankind. We have continued to seek the pleasures of other gods while pushing away what God offers so freely - His love and devotion. We have ignored the fact that we are His redeemed - purchased at Calvary’s cross.
The guarantee He offers us is the same one He gave to Abraham, Isaac, David, Mary, and the disciples: “Come unto Me...Drink My living water and find refreshment for your souls.” Trace His provision through the Bible. Start with Genesis and follow it through to Revelation. All that you need He will provide, if you will place your trust in Him.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Jesus Loves All of You!
“And a woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak, and immediately her hemorrhage stopped. And Jesus said, "Who is the one who touched Me?" And while they were all denying it, Peter said, ‘Master, the people are crowding and pressing in on You.’ But Jesus said, ‘Someone did touch Me, for I was aware that power had gone out of Me.’ When the woman saw that she had not escaped notice, she came trembling and fell down before Him, and declared in the presence of all the people the reason why she had touched Him, and how she had been immediately healed. And He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.’” Luke 8:43-48
Jesus is very holistic in His approach to mankind. A good example of this is found in Luke 8, when He heals a woman who was hemorrhaged for twelve years. It’s hard to imagine how she maintained her hope for healing, especially with the stigma that accompanied her illness. Unclean according to Jewish law, she probably was forced to live outside the city gates - away from family and friends.
Her need for love and acceptance was overshadowed by the cruelty of Jewish tradition. Anyone who touched her was in turn considered unclean. The portrait Christ gives us is one of abundant mercy and grace. Not only did He heal her physical disease, He healed her spiritually and emotionally as well. In no way was He repulsed by her sickness.
No matter how complex and disillusioning life may appear, Jesus refuses to turn His back on you. The woman in the above text believed if she could stretch out her hand far enough to touch the hem of His outer garment, she would be healed. What faith she had! In His compassion, Christ turned to her and said: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Jesus met her deepest need, and He will do the same for you.
God isn’t just interested in our salvation - He is interested in our wholeness.
Jesus is very holistic in His approach to mankind. A good example of this is found in Luke 8, when He heals a woman who was hemorrhaged for twelve years. It’s hard to imagine how she maintained her hope for healing, especially with the stigma that accompanied her illness. Unclean according to Jewish law, she probably was forced to live outside the city gates - away from family and friends.
Her need for love and acceptance was overshadowed by the cruelty of Jewish tradition. Anyone who touched her was in turn considered unclean. The portrait Christ gives us is one of abundant mercy and grace. Not only did He heal her physical disease, He healed her spiritually and emotionally as well. In no way was He repulsed by her sickness.
No matter how complex and disillusioning life may appear, Jesus refuses to turn His back on you. The woman in the above text believed if she could stretch out her hand far enough to touch the hem of His outer garment, she would be healed. What faith she had! In His compassion, Christ turned to her and said: “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” Jesus met her deepest need, and He will do the same for you.
God isn’t just interested in our salvation - He is interested in our wholeness.
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