September 4

Tell-Tale Signs That Bitterness Is Growing in Your Life

Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.
— Hebrews 12:15

When you find yourself constantly saying something derogatory about someone else, pay attention to what’s happening! What you’re saying about that person is a tell-tale sign that some bad seed is trying to take root in your heart.

Hebrews 12:15 tells us how to recognize bad seed when it begins to produce destructive fruit in our lives. It says, “…lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you….” The words “springing up” are from the Greek word phuoo. This word depicts a little plant that is just starting to sprout and grow. It isn’t a large plant yet; rather, it’s a small seedling that is just breaking through the soil and starting to peek out at the world. However, the very fact that it’s peeking through the soil means there is a seed hidden in the soil producing this new life.

This is a very significant picture. It tells us that bitterness doesn’t overwhelm us all at once. Instead, it grows a little here and a little there until it finally becomes a huge, ugly growth that defiles our entire lives. Bitterness usually starts peeking up out of the depths of our souls in the form of negative thoughts about another person or a sour, sharp, distrusting, cynical attitude toward someone who has offended us. If the root is not quickly uprooted and removed, that bitterness will eventually become a full-blown tree that produces bitter, wounding, hurtful, and scornful fruit for everyone who eats of it.

Hebrews 12:15 shouts its warning: If you don’t stop these attitudes, they will eventually “trouble you.” The words “trouble you” are from the Greek word enochleo, which means to trouble, to harass, or to annoy. It refers to something inside that bothers and upsets you so much, you are constantly pestered by thoughts about it. In fact, your whole life is stalked by these hassling, troubling thoughts. What you allowed to take root and to fester inside your soul has now become a major nuisance to your peace, keeping you upset and emotionally torn up all the time.

If you relate to the questions I just asked you, then watch out! It may mean that a root of bitterness is growing inside you and that bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness are starting to hound and stalk you wherever you go!

You need to get a grip on yourself and let the Holy Spirit help you permanently rid yourself of these feelings; otherwise, you’ll end up troubled, annoyed, and terribly upset. You’ll lose your peace, forfeit your joy, and toss aside your victory. Friend, you don’t want to take this path! It’s too painful, too hurtful, and costs you too much in your walk with God.

So if you find yourself constantly saying something derogatory about someone else, pay attention to what’s happening! That is a tell-tale sign that some bad seed is trying to take root in your heart that could potentially grow into a major issue that hassles your whole life. Don’t let it happen! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you jerk out those roots from the soil of your heart so you can stay free!

The Holy Spirit is willing, ready, and waiting to help you grab hold of those roots of bitterness and pull them clear out of your life. All He needs is your invitation, so why don’t you go ahead and ask Him to assist you right now?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to please forgive me for allowing negative thoughts about others to consume me. Even though I don’t like what they did to me, I have no right to be bitter and resentful. I realize now that I am acting just as ugly inwardly as they acted outwardly. In Your eyes, my sin is just as bad as theirs. I am truly sorry for allowing these attitudes to grow inside me, Lord. To the best of my ability, I turn right now from the wrong thoughts that have been consuming me, and I choose instead to speak well of those who have offended or hurt me. Holy Spirit, help me uproot those wrong feelings from my heart and replace them with love and forgiveness.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that my heart is free of bitterness, resentment, strife, and unforgiveness. God’s Spirit lives in me, and He doesn’t allow me to keep living with wrong attitudes in my life. He speaks to me when I begin to think poorly of others; He convicts me of every wrong attitude; and He helps me bring my thoughts under His control. Because my mind and emotions are controlled by the Spirit of God, I think only positive thoughts about those who are near or around me. If any negative thoughts about someone else try to enter my mind, the Holy Spirit quickly helps me recognize them and bring correction to the way I am thinking!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Is there one particular person or group of people you find yourself constantly speaking badly about? Why do you feel the need to speak so derogatorily about that person or group? What does this reveal about the condition of your own heart?

2. Has God been trying to deal with you about your attitude toward that person or group of people? Be honest!

3. Would you have to honestly admit this bitterness or unforgiveness has affected the level of joy you once experienced in the Lord? It’s difficult to be filled with joy when you are “eaten up” on the inside with negative thoughts about someone else. If you are being hounded by hassling thoughts, what do you plan to do about your condition?

September 4

But without faith it is impossible to please him….
— Hebrews 11:6

I am so glad Denise and I chose to obey God when He called our family to move from a comfortable life in the United States into the unknown challenges of ministering in the former Soviet Union. I vividly remember that difficult time when I struggled with the growing awareness of that divine call. However, I ultimately came to the place where I knew there was no way around it. If we were going to obey God and walk in divine alignment with His plan and purpose for our lives, we’d have to obey His leading and move halfway around the world to the former USSR.

A verse that really helped me back in those days — and that still helps me today — is Hebrews 11:6. It says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him [God]….” The word “without” is the Greek word choris, a word that means to be outside of something — like outside the city limits or outside the house, as opposed to inside the city or inside the house. It should actually be translated, “But outside of faith….”

This word describes faith as a location — a place where you can live “in” or live “out” of. The Greek literally means, “But outside of the place of faith, it is impossible to please Him….”

Furthermore, the word “please” is the Greek word euarestesai, a compound of the words eu and arestos. The word eu means well, as in something that is well — and the word arestos means enjoyable or pleasing. Together they describe the pleasure one feels from seeing something that is especially excellent or delightful.

So when you take all these different meanings into account, Hebrews 11:6 can be translated: “Outside of the realm of faith, it is impossible to bring delight and pleasure to God….” The flip side to this statement is that when you are living “in” a place of faith — that is, if you are where God has called you and doing what God has asked you to do — you bring pleasure to the Lord.

For Denise and I to live in a place of faith, it required us to be where God was calling us — and that was the former USSR. In the years that we have lived in this part of the world, God has asked us to do many things that required us to have “faith.” Each time, we had to decide to stay “in” the place of faith until the assignment was accomplished. Regardless of how difficult the task was or how long it took us to do it, we knew we had to be committed to stay “in” the place of faith until the job was done. According to Hebrews 11:6, God has been observing us — and as long as we’ve stayed “in faith,” it has brought delight and pleasure to His heart. That has been our great motivation to stay “in” faith!

If you want to fully follow God’s plan for your life, you must find out where God wants you to be. Then you must get in alignment with God’s call and stay there until the task is fulfilled. It is only from this position of solid, unequivocal alignment with God’s will that you can know you are pleasing God!

But you have to get started! So in today’s Sparkling Gem, I want to help you know how to start moving toward that all-important goal of being “in” faith with the tasks and assignments God gives to you. It may be that you don’t know where to begin your tasks of faith, so I want to help you learn how to get started and to discover where you’ll find God’s will for your life.

I want to offer six suggestions that can help you get moving in the right direction. If you don’t already have concrete direction, I’ve discovered that it’s best for you to first find a place to serve; then as you serve, God will start giving you a vision for your own life. So here are my simple six suggestions:

1. Decide to start.

Look around you and assess the various needs you see. Decide which needs you may be able to help meet. Prayerfully determine how your talents, gifts, and money can best reach souls and bring them into God’s Kingdom.

Then go for it “full throttle”! Actively set your faith on fulfilling the task. Believe for blessing to come upon it. Make it a priority in your prayer life, praying and serving as if the entire project depended on you.

2. Decide how you are going to start serving.

Seek guidance from the Lord regarding how you’re supposed to move forward. What is God specifically telling you to do? Is it something at church, with a ministry, or on your own? Are you supposed to start by giving financially to the work of the Lord? It takes fuel to run any ship, so your finances provide a powerful means of serving. Giving is one of the most effective ways to help promote and advance the cause of the Gospel.

3. Decide where you are going to serve.

Don’t take just any opportunity that comes along. Instead, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you are supposed to serve. Once the Lord shows you, go for it with all your heart. Don’t be a low-level performer at anything God calls you to do. Give your best to the assigned task and remember that there’s a reward awaiting you in the future.

4. Decide what level of commitment you are willing to make.

Don’t overcommit yourself by promising to do something that isn’t possible for you to do. Even if your heart wants to say, “Yes, yes, I’ll do that,” step back and ask, “Is this realistic? Will I be able to do what I’m committing to?”

Evaluate how this level of commitment fits in with all the other commitments you’ve already made. When you commit to do something, people think they can depend on you. So if you back out of your commitment later because it’s too much for you to handle, you mess up the plan for everyone else involved. It’s better to move slower in the beginning so you can make sure you’re making the right decision.

Before you make a financial commitment to a church or ministry, make sure it’s a commitment you can really keep. If your heart is crying out to give financially, act on that desire.

However, first analyze what amount you can actually give. If you have the ability to give large amounts, go for it! But if you need to start by giving smaller amounts because your financial resources are limited, that’s all right too. It’s better to commit to an amount that is actually achievable than to make a financial commitment that is larger than your current ability to fulfill.

5. Decide to make a habit of sowing seed — and start immediately.

Galatians 6:7 says, “…whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” This law of sowing and reaping works for everyone in the world. What you sow is exactly what you are going to reap. It may take awhile, but harvest day is coming if you’ve been planting seeds along the way. So decide to become a sower immediately — and start sowing those seeds today!

You also need to decide what you are going to sow. Since Galatians 6:7 says, “…whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap,” it’s very important to know what you want to reap. Determining what you want your harvest to be is the best way to determine what you should sow.

For instance, if you need time, you should sow time. If you need love, you should sow love. If you need friendship, you should sow friendship. If you need money, you should sow money. This is a law of God that always works. So look at what you need to reap, and then start sowing your seed accordingly.

You need to decide where you’re going to start sowing seed. As you make that decision, I urge you to make sure that you sow your seed into good ground. By that I mean you should sow seed into a church, ministry, or Christian organization that is truly accomplishing something profitable and good. Don’t throw your seed into ground that doesn’t produce excellent fruit. Look for fruit-producers. Once you find them, you’ll know where you should plant your seed.

I also strongly recommend that you sow your seed into what you want to become. I plant my seeds into ministries I believe in and into ministries from which I want a particular harvest. The Bible promises that we become “partakers of the grace” that rests on any ministry we sow into (see Philippians 1:7). Therefore, I carefully choose where I sow my seed. I sow into ministries that have something I desire for myself. In other words, the grace that is on that ministry is the grace that will flow back into my life.

6. Decide that you will not stop for any reason.

Galatians 6:9 continues, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Keep your eyes on the prize, and don’t allow weariness to knock you out of the game! The Bible promises that your due season is coming. Even if it looks like it’s taking too long for your harvest to come back to you, hang on tight and keep doing what you know God wants you to do. Your “due season” is on its way.

In the process of receiving that expected end, keep your level of expectancy high. God promises that your “due season” will come if you don’t faint and give up. So don’t let the devil or discouraging circumstances maneuver you out of the manifestation you’ve been waiting for. The moment you’re on the brink of your “due season” of God’s plan for your life, that’s usually the time the devil tries the hardest to get you to quit!

These six principles of God’s Word always work — in every country, in every culture, and for every person. If you will follow these principles, they will work for you to get you on the path that leads to your divine destination.

I urge you not to waste any time just sitting around and waiting for something to happen. It’s time for you to jump into action and expend whatever level of energy is necessary to move forward in fulfilling what God has put in your heart to do. And if you don’t know how to get your own dream moving yet, take this time to sow your time, talent, and money into someone else’s God-given dream. Remember, the law of sowing and reaping is always in operation. What you do for someone else is exactly what will come back to you!

So if you don’t know where to start in your own journey of faith, I pray that these six suggestions are helpful to you. Once you start moving, serving, and giving, I am sure that the Holy Spirit will begin talking to you about your own faith assignment — which may be entirely to help someone else. Whatever your divine assignment entails, God will make it very clear to you as He observes you staying faithful. These six suggestions are very simple, but if you put them into practice, it won’t be long until you begin to hear God speak some concrete direction to you. Then you’ll begin to understand where you need to be and what you should be doing to stay “in” the place of God that makes Him smile when He looks at you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I thank You for this practical help on knowing how to get started on finding my place of faith. I want to know Your will; I want to follow it; and I want to stay “in” that place of faith until I hear You tell me that I’ve faithfully finished the task You’ve assigned to me. Help me know where to start, where to serve, what to sow, and where to sow my seed. I know that the six suggestions outlined in today’s Sparkling Gem will help me get started, so Holy Spirit, let’s do it — I am ready to get started today!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I am not a person who just sits around, wondering about God’s will for my life. Until He speaks to me, I will implement these six suggestions in my life. I will start; I will know how and where to serve; I will determine the level of commitment I can make right now; I will sow my seed; and I will not stop. I fully expect to see harvests coming back to me from every direction. I refuse to sit idly and wonder what I should do. I will find a place to serve and sow, and I will get started. As I take these steps of faith, I’ll begin to hear God’s voice speak to me specifically about my own place of faith — and when I hear it, I’ll obey and stick with it until I hear the Lord say the job is done.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Do you know what God has told you to do with your life? If not, have you considered serving someone else or somewhere else until your vision becomes clear to you? Are you serving somewhere now? Where are you serving?
  2. Have you ever been “in” faith, and then slowly moved “out” of faith to the degree that you had to repent and get back in faith again? When was that experience? Is it something you are going through right now? How do you plan to get back “in” faith again?
  3. Of the six suggestions you read about today, which of them are you already doing? Which ones do you need to implement?

September 3

Here’s What To Do if the Devil Is Trying To Devour You!

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.
— 1 Peter 5:8

Has the devil ever tried to use your past against you? Maybe he’s told you, “You’re in this mess because of your own actions! Don’t even try to ask God to help you because you got into this mess by yourself, and now you’re going to have to get out of it by yourself! God won’t help you, because you’re reaping exactly what you’ve sown!”

If you’ve ever heard these kinds of accusations from the devil, then First Peter 5:8 is just for you! It says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

The word “vigilant” comes from the Greek word gregoreo, which means to be on your guard, to be watchful, or to be attentive. This word primarily denotes the watchful attitude of one who is on the lookout to make certain no enemy or aggressor can successfully gain entry into his life or place of residence.

This tells us that we must be on high alert against an enemy who is seeking to gain access to our lives. The Greek tense for the word “vigilant” means to be continually, perpetually vigilant. That means this is not a one-time act of vigilance, but the attitude of a person who is unwavering in his commitment. This person has resolved that he will never let up in his pledge to be watchful, wide awake, and on the lookout to make sure some sinister force doesn’t successfully sneak up to attack and overtake him.

The fact that Peter uses the word gregoreo lets us know that the devil can be pretty sneaky in the way he attacks. Therefore, we must be constantly observant to keep the devil out of our affairs.

Peter goes on to say, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary….” That word “adversary” is from the Greek word antidikos. This word was used in New Testament times for a lawyer who argued in a court of law. This was the picture of a prosecutor who brought offenders to court, argued vehemently against them, and then sent them off to prison. Now Peter uses this word to depict the way the devil may try to overtake us!

Peter is telling us that when the devil strikes, he often acts like a lawyer who tries to bring us down by prosecuting us with the facts of our past sins and mistakes. The enemy drags up facts from the past and reminds us of our former failures; then he vigorously tries to convince us that we deserve to be in the mess we are in. If the devil is successful in his prosecution, he will persuade us to believe that we are unrighteous and unworthy and that we deserve as just punishment whatever difficulties he is throwing our way.

It is unfortunate that many believers assist the devil in his efforts to prosecute them by being irresponsible or negligent in key areas of their lives. For instance, many people have money problems because they have spent too much money or used their credit cards way beyond the limit of what they could afford. Others get sick in the wintertime because they go outside without proper clothing. Marriages get into trouble because the spouses never spend time together or do anything to nurture their relationships. Christians like to blame the devil for everything that happens, but the truth is, people usually help out the enemy a little along the way!

Praise God, when we sin and do wrong, His grace is there to forgive and to restore us! But the devil is also there. The enemy remembers every innocent mistake made along the way, and like a prosecutor or “adversary” (the Greek word antidikos), he comes to accuse you. Like a lawyer, he argues his points in your mind, saying:

Sometimes the devil is accurate in what he tells you. It may be true that you created this mess! You really may have messed up your friendships by not being a faithful friend. You may have spent too much money, and the financial trouble you’re in now may very well be your own fault! All the devil’s accusations may be true. Believe me, he isn’t going to make up some absurd fantasy that won’t affect you. The devil is going to try to use facts and arguments that make sense to you so you’ll agree with him!

But you must never forget what David told us: The Lord is the One who redeems our lives from destruction (Psalm 103:4). He is a restoring, delivering, redeeming God! He wants to snatch you out of the power of darkness and get you over into His realm of life and light where past sin won’t continue to exert its influences upon you (Colossians 1:13)! You just need to genuinely repent of past mistakes, get your heart right with God, and then tell the devil to flee!

If you keep dwelling on the accusations that the enemy is speaking against you in your mind, you’ll find yourself in trouble pretty quickly. Peter goes on to tell you why this is so: “…The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Have you ever heard lions when they are hungry? They roar so loudly that the sound is nearly deafening. Peter says that this is what it’s like when the devil starts attacking your mind. Your mind is so filled with the roars of the enemy’s accusations that you can’t hear anything else but those lies. He tells you over and over, “You’re going to fail…fail…fail…fail…FAIL!!!” Even when people try to tell you the truth, it’s hard to hear what they’re saying because those lies are roaring so loudly in your mind and ears!

If you keep giving ear to the devil’s accusations, he will keep you all torn up inside and in a constant state of turmoil. In fact, Peter says he will “devour” you. The word “devour” is the Greek word pino, which means to drink, to lick, or to slurp up, as a lion might lick the blood of his prey off the ground. The devil wants to turn you into a mess of liquid emotions and then lick you up until there’s nothing left of your life. That’s what he wants to do with you — but you don’t have to let him do it!

When you put all these words together, First Peter 5:8 could be interpreted:

“You must be constantly alert and on your guard! The devil, like an accusing lawyer, will try to charge you with all kinds of arguments and accusations. You need to know that he is like a lion on the prowl — constantly walking around, roaring with a deafening sound, earnestly seeking the kind of person he can completely consume and slurp up!”

You don’t have to fall victim to the devil’s attacks! Peter tells us, “Whom resist stedfast in the faith…” (1 Peter 5:9). If you’ll resist the devil, you can run him clear out of your mind and your life. He doesn’t know how to deal with those who stand up to him, so he runs in fear when a believer challenges him! And if you feel too weak to resist the devil by yourself, I would advise you to find people who know how to pray and let them help you!

Has the devil been harassing you about anything in particular? Are you tired of this constant harassment? If so, it’s time for you to stand up, throw back your shoulders, and command him to leave in Jesus’ name! Then determine to stay alert and watchful, constantly on your guard. You can be sure that the enemy will try to come back to accuse you again — but next time, you’ll be ready for him!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am asking You to help me take authority over the accusations that the devil has been speaking in my mind. He’s been telling me all the reasons that I shouldn’t have any hope and that I deserve to be in this mess. But Your grace is greater than any mistake I’ve made or sin I’ve committed in the past! I know that You have forgiven me and redeemed me from any mess I’ve created by my own actions. I thank You now for Your forgiveness and mercy, and today I lay claim to the power of restoration! Devil, right now I command you to leave me in Jesus’ name! I refuse to listen to your accusations any longer!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I declare that I have confessed all my past sins and mistakes. Therefore, I am forgiven; I am clean; and I am free in the sight of the Lord. He does not hold my past against me. He is my Redeemer, my Restorer, my Deliverer, and my Salvation. His Spirit is operating in me right now to get me out of every mess I have created, both intentionally and unintentionally. My heart is repentant, and my desire is to do what is right. Therefore, God is helping me walk out of the problems that have tried to grip my mind and my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are there areas in your life in which the devil is trying to drag up the past so he can accuse you and convince you that you deserve the attacks that are coming against you right now?

2. Have you taken the time to sincerely repent for those past sins and mistakes before the Lord? Or did you just quickly admit you sinned, never allowing the Holy Spirit to deal with you deeply about these matters?

3. If the devil has been roaring in your mind, consider what steps you can take to stop those roaring accusations, such as listening to praise and worship music or teaching tapes, meditating on the Word, etc. What other steps can you take to silence the enemy’s accusations?

September 3

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
— Matthew 18:20

Denise and I fully believe in the promise of Jesus in Matthew 18:20. It says, “For where two or three of you are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” We have experienced the presence of Jesus for years as we and other believers have gathered in His name. What a sweet presence fills our hearts as we come together in His name and seek His face.

We’ve experienced the presence of Jesus at church, at conferences, in prayer meetings, even at work with other believers — and now we’re experiencing Him in a new fashion every Monday night as Denise and I, along with one or more of our sons, welcome people to our online “Home Group” that is broadcast by Internet across the face of the earth. We “gather together in Jesus’ name” — and Jesus is there in the midst of us all over the world.

Some years ago, the Holy Spirit dropped an idea into my heart to start an online Home Group every Monday night and to invite people from around the world to join us. In the years we have done this, we have seen God touch so many people’s lives. The Word has been taught; miracles have occurred; and God has supernaturally linked people together online from all over the earth. Jesus has been in the midst of us even as we all tune in from our various locations across the globe.

We actually webcast our online Home Group twice every Monday — once in English for the English-speaking world and once in Russian for the Russian-speaking world. People join us from all over the planet for this time when we teach the Word of God and share our life experiences from our hearts. This Home Group has truly become an online family and a time that our family and our Home Group members have come to cherish each week. In fact, one of our greatest personal joys is to have people come up to us when we are traveling and speaking in churches and conferences across the world and identify themselves as Home Group members. It’s like we have a brief, fabulous family reunion “on the spot” as we finally meet face to face!

On this very night as I write this Gem, we broadcasted one of our Home Group meetings. As soon as it was over, I immediately left the TV studio to put my thoughts on paper. The very air in our TV studio was electrified by the presence of Jesus as people tuned in from all over the earth to participate in an international online time together in Jesus’ name. I always begin by introducing ourselves, and then I remind our Internet family of the promise of Jesus in Matthew 18:20. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Jesus said nothing about being in the same room in order to experience His presence. He simply said we had to be gathered together in His name!

There are a handful of us who actually gather in the TV studio and produce the Internet broadcast for the Home Group. But in addition, there are very large numbers of faithful Home Group members who sit in front of their computers all over the world, joining with us as we all seek the truths of God’s Word together. Some view the webcast alone, and others watch with their spouses and families. There are even entire prayer groups who come together around a computer to join in!

Again, Jesus never said we all had to be gathered in one room. He simply promised that if we were “gathered together in His name,” He would be in the “midst” of us. Through the amazing development of the Internet, scores of us gather in Jesus’ name — and Jesus honors His Word by manifesting His sweet presence in the TV studio and in every home across the world where people are gathered online with us. It is a truly amazing experience!

Notice that Jesus said His presence would be in our “midst” anytime two or more are gathered together in His name. That means if you’re in the car with a Christian friend, Jesus is there with you. If you are at restaurant with several Christian brothers and sisters, Jesus is there with you. If you are at church, assembled with the entire congregation, Jesus is there with you. If you are on the telephone talking to a Christian friend and calling on Jesus to be the center of the conversation, Jesus is there with you!

The Greek word for “midst” is meso, which means right in the very center or right in the very midst. It is Jesus’ guarantee that we if are gathered together in His name, for His purposes — regardless of how we are gathered — He will be right there with us in the power of His mighty name!

Before the development of Internet, I had always limited this verse to church services, conferences, seminars, or prayer meetings, etc. But now the limit has been removed entirely. Anyone who deliberately gathers — in any shape or fashion — in the name of Jesus will experience the presence of Jesus in their midst. Believers on every continent of the world can gather simultaneously through the Internet in His wonderful name. And even though thousands of miles separate them, Jesus will manifest His presence in the heart of each person at the same time! What a miracle!

Today I want to encourage you to seek out fellowship with other believers through whatever means you can — over the phone, by Internet, by text or chat, at church, etc. — and ask Jesus to be there at the very center of your fellowship. Even if it’s only two or three of you, He will always be faithful to show up and manifest His goodness in your midst by His Spirit. It’s His promise to you and me, and there is nothing to be compared to the sweet presence of Jesus among believers who are gathered in His name. Do it today!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I thank You for the promise Jesus made in Matthew 18:20 — that if two or three gather together in His name, there He would be in the midst of them. There is nothing even remotely comparable to the sweet presence of Jesus in the midst of Christian fellowship. It makes me want to ask You to forgive me for the times that I haven’t made a better effort to gather with other believers. I really need that sweet presence of Jesus that is experienced in Christian fellowship — and I’m so thankful that Jesus manifests Himself to those who gather in His name. Help me to be more consistent about my commitment to gathering in Jesus’ name with other brothers and sisters. And thank You for revealing and manifesting Yourself to us in such a precious way!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I need the sweet presence of Jesus that is manifested specially as brothers and sisters gather together in the name of Jesus. The Lord Jesus promised that He would be there among us as we gather in His name — and I commit to gathering regularly with others who are also seeking His face. Thank You, Lord, that You did not say we had to all be in the same room at the same time. You said simply that we had to gather at the same time in Your name, and Your precious presence would be there with us. I declare that I need that “corporate” presence of Jesus and that I will therefore take advantage of every opportunity to gather with other believers in Jesus’ name!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. What did you learn from today’s Sparkling Gem? Had you ever considered the wide ramifications this promise from Matthew 18:20 held for you and me?
  2. In what ways do you sense the sweet presence of Jesus when you are gathered with other believers in His name?
  3. Have you ever experienced Jesus’ manifested presence in a setting other than a typical prayer meeting or church gathering? Where did that occur? How did that experience minister to you?

September 2

Are You Guilty of Exaggerating the Facts Or Embellishing the Truth?

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.
— Colossians 3:9

The Bible has much to say about liars. If you have a tendency to lie, it is essential that you bring correction to this part of your life as soon as possible. But you may ask, “How do we define a lie? What exactly does the Bible mean when it says we need to stop lying?”

In Colossians 3:9, the apostle Paul said, “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.” The word “lie” is the Greek word pseudomai, which carries the idea of any type of falsehood. It can picture a person who projects a false image of himself; someone who deliberately walks in a pretense that is untrue; or someone who intentionally misrepresents facts or truths.

In Greek, the word pseudomai is used in a variety of ways:

In every instance where the word pseudomai (“lying”) is used in the New Testament, it portrays someone who misrepresents who he is by what he does, by what he says, or by the fact or truth he purports to be true. It was in regard to this wrong behavior that Paul said, “Lie not one to another….” It is very important to point out that in Greek, the grammar conveys the idea of a strong prohibition, meaning this verse should be translated, “Stop lying to one another….” It implies that the believers to whom Paul was writing struggled with the issue of honesty in their lives.

Paul’s words to the Colossians could be interpreted like this:

“I command you to stop the practice of misrepresenting the truth, twisting the facts, projecting untrue images, or deliberately misleading others by giving them false information….”

Lying is a temptation that all of us have to deal with in our lives. Apparently even the Colossian church struggled so strongly with this problem two thousand years ago that Paul had to write and tell them to stop lying.

You may not deliberately set out to lie, but anytime you misrepresent the truth about your abilities; say something about another person that you don’t know to be true; slightly twist the facts to your advantage; or trump up a story about yourself or your past deeds to make yourself look better in the sight of others — you have fully entered into what the Bible views as “lies.”

All this behavior was forbidden by Paul when he wrote, “Lie not to one another….” Paul’s words cannot be misunderstood or misinterpreted. This is a clear mandate to stop the habit of lying and to no longer give your consent to participate in any type of falsehood, dishonesty, deceit, fabrication, or misrepresentation of the truth in your life or in your conversation.

If you are the head of your household, church, ministry, or business, you have every right to demand that people stop being untruthful with you and each other. Let it be known that truthfulness is important — so important, in fact, that it is the foundation of all successful relationships at home, at church, and at work. It is impossible to build trust in a relationship if you suspect that the other person is being dishonest with you.

If you are the one in charge, set the example by always being truthful with the people under you. When people know that you are being straight with them, at least they’ll know they can always depend on you to tell the truth, even if they don’t like what you’re telling them. In this way you can set the standard for integrity and truthfulness between all the members of your family, your church, or your business.

But what if you are the one who dresses up or slightly misconstrues the facts to your advantage or to the disadvantage of others? If that is the case, it’s time for you to get honest about this sin in your life! And that’s exactly what it is — sin! Quit telling yourself that you’re just exaggerating a little or being dramatic. Maybe that’s how you try to rationalize your behavior, but God views it as telling falsehoods and says it should not be tolerated in your life!

Are there any areas in your life where you have permitted a little exaggeration? Have you ever misrepresented the truth about who you are, what you can do, what you have done, or what you have heard or think of others? Can you honestly say that the words you speak are accurate, or would you have to admit that you have been a little dishonest in how you report certain matters? If you know in your heart that you haven’t been totally truthful, what are you going to do about it now?

Or perhaps you are a leader in your family, church, or business, and you know that people under your authority are regularly misrepresenting the truth to you. If so, will you continue to tolerate this seriously wrong behavior and thus allow a lack of confidence and suspicion to prevail? Or are you going to put an end to all lies and deception? What are you going to do about this situation?

The Holy Spirit is available to help both the liar and the one who must bring correction to the liar. So if you have misrepresented the facts in the past but are willing to repent and change, God’s Spirit will enable you to stop lying and to learn how to be more truthful. And if you are the one who must bring correction to the dishonest person, just turn to the Holy Spirit for help. He will show you exactly what to say and how to say it so truth can prevail in that particular situation.

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I admit that I’ve exaggerated the facts and embellished the truth on many occasions. I’m so sorry for doing this. I blamed it on my personality, but now I understand that You view this as dishonesty. I ask You to help me stop making excuses for this behavior and to accept responsibility for the words and messages I project to others. When I stand before You, I want a clear conscience that I have been honest, forthright, and balanced in the things I’ve said about myself or about others. Holy Spirit, I need Your help to bring correction to this part of my life, so today I yield myself to You.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I speak the truth and that I don’t exaggerate the facts or speak lies! When people talk to me, they can count on the fact that I don’t embellish the truth or twist the facts to my advantage. They can rest assured that I’m honest about myself and the situations in which I find myself. I keep my nose out of other people’s business and concern myself instead with those issues that have to do with me and my areas of responsibility. Because God is my Helper and His grace is working mightily in me, I am becoming more and more honest every day!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are there any areas in your life where you know you’ve been dishonest about who you are, what you’ve done, or what you can do? Or have you ever been dishonest in regard to what you’ve said about other people?

2. If your answer is yes to these questions, what steps are you going to take to bring correction to the times you have lied in the past? Are you going to let the lie continue to be repeated as though it were a fact, or will you go to those who heard your dishonest words and tell them the truth?

3. What do you think God is telling you to do about the falsehoods and dishonest issues you have allowed in your life?

September 2

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he [Jesus] went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there he prayed.
— Mark 1:35

Every day when I rise in the morning, I go to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, I grab my Bible, and I head to a hallowed place of prayer in our home. I shut the door to that room, which happens to be the TV room. There I have a leather chair that has become my daily meeting place with God each morning. Recently I looked at that chair, and it is practically ruined with “scratches” — crease marks — from the thousands of hours I have sat upon it as I’ve prayed. But those marks are precious to me because they represent countless hours I’ve spent sitting there, seeking the face of God and letting Him saturate my heart. Those scratches memorialize the place where I meet with God every morning unless I’m traveling abroad. (When Denise and I are traveling, we both rise early and seek out separate places where we each can pray privately just as we do when we are home.)

Denise kindly understands that as long as the door to our TV room is shut in the mornings, I am in fellowship with the Holy Spirit, reading my Bible, and allowing the Word of God to search my heart and soul to bring me into closer alignment with Jesus. Denise graciously never interrupts — unless it’s for some urgent reason — for she knows that this time alone with God will make me a better Christian, a better husband, and a more devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

On days when I must be at morning meetings at our Moscow Good News Church — or on days when we are filming TV programs — I arise even earlier, because I simply cannot forgo this time with the Lord. So even on those days, I can be found there in the TV room — the door closed — seeking God and studying His Word before any of these other events take place.

I have learned that I cannot have productive days without this time with the Lord. During those early morning times, I pray and I pour out my heart to God with thanksgiving for all He has done in my life. I pray fervently for partners and for others who are on my prayer list. I virtually never start a day at home without sitting in that beloved chair to seek the face of God and to allow God’s Spirit to search my heart and bring me to a more intimate experience with Jesus.

When I think of this “hallowed” place that I have set apart for seeking God, my mind always goes to Jesus and to the fact that He would rise early in the mornings to seek a solitary place where He could be alone with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We read of this in Mark 1:35, where the Bible tells us, “And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there he prayed.”

When the verse says that Jesus rose up “a great while before day,” the Greek actually says He arose while it was still dark. His disciples may have still been sleeping — but Jesus sought a secluded place where He could enter into fellowship with the Holy Spirit. He understood that the strength and anointing He needed depended on His fellowship with the Father and the Holy Spirit. So Jesus made it His highest priority to withdraw from the disciples and from the multitudes very early in the morning to spend time fellowshipping with the Father and the Holy Spirit without interruption. When everyone else was finally rising, He had already been touched and strengthened by God and was ready to emerge with a fresh touch of the Holy Spirit’s power on His life.

Because Jesus and the disciples were constantly on the move from one location to another location, He did not have the luxury of having the same leather chair to retreat to each day as I do. The place where He spent time in prayer was frequently different. But one thing that was true of each location is found in Mark 1:35, where it says that Jesus always sought a “solitary” place where He would not be disturbed.

Actually, Mark 1:35 says he “departed into a solitary place.” The word “departed” is a form of the Greek word aperchomai, which, in this case, means to seek distance away from other things. Jesus may have walked to the top of a mountain or into a ravine, but it was some place that was distant from His disciples and the multitudes. He deliberately sought “space” between Himself and others for this private time of prayer.

Mark went on to say that when Jesus arose, He went to a “solitary” place. The word “solitary” is the Greek word ermos, which describes a deserted place. To put it into today’s vernacular, we could say it was a remote spot, a place that was out of the way, somewhere off the beaten track, an obscure site, or an unfrequented location.

In other words, Jesus sought for a place where no one would accidentally find Him and disturb this solitary time in prayer. This demonstrates just how vitally important it was to Jesus to find time alone where the Father could speak to His heart and He could pour His heart out to the Father and fellowship with the Holy Spirit.

I don’t have a mountain to climb to find a remote location, and there are no ravines near my house. So I use what is next best — a room in my home that I have designated as “off-limits” during the time that door is closed. And during those “off-limit” times, I have deep and meaningful fellowship with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And just as Jesus emerged from His solitary times renewed in power, I come forth from my daily times refreshed, reinvigorated, filled with new ideas, and empowered for my day.

Such moments of solitude with God are critical to the daily victory of every believer!

I want to ask if you have a “solitary place” where you “depart” — that is, where you put distance between yourself and others so you can have isolated time with the Lord? He longs to have this time with you — and you must have it if you are to live as an overcoming, victorious, empowered child of God.

If you answered yes, where is your solitary place where you meet with God? If your answer is no, I urge you today to begin seeking a place where you can develop this meaningful time with God in prayer!

For me, it all happens in a scratched-up leather chair in my TV room — a chair that bears all the marks of the time I’ve spent alone with God. And I can tell you for sure that if you really want to have this type of solitary time with the Lord, He will show you where, when, and how to do it!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Heavenly Father, I make a fresh commitment to start each day by lifting my voice to You. Each morning, Lord, I will rise and present my life to You, waiting expectantly for what You will speak to my heart. I ask Your forgiveness for all the times I foolishly launched into my day without having read your Word, sought Your face, or consulted the Holy Spirit whom You sent to be my Counselor, Helper, and Guide. Father, how arrogant and misguided of me to believe I could walk effectively in wisdom and truth without having submitted myself to You first. Only through rich fellowship with You can I produce fruit that remains. Forgive me for mistaking busyness for fruitfulness. I abide in You and let Your words abide in me. I treasure the words of Your mouth more than my necessary food. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me order my day and to keep it set around giving my time with the Father first place from this day forward.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I do not neglect my time in a “solitary place” with God. I deliberately designate an off-limits time and place where I can have deep, meaningful, and uninterrupted fellowship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus arose a great while before day to meet with the Father and then emerged from His solitary times renewed in power, I come forth from my daily times refreshed, reinvigorated, filled with new ideas, and empowered for my day. These moments of solitude with the Father keep my heart sensitive and yielded to Him while equipping me to possess my daily victory in the power of His might!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Do you have a “solitary place” where you meet with God every day? What time of the day do you set aside for this special moment? Is it in the morning, at lunch, or in the evenings before you go to bed?
  2. It may be hard for you to rise early, but I strongly suggest that you develop a discipline of rising early before your day gets started so that you can be touched, refreshed, and empowered for whatever you will face each day. What earlier time could you start getting up to spend this time in prayer?
  3. Do you feel that you actually know how to fellowship with the Lord in prayer? If not, don’t be embarrassed. Get an online Bible-reading plan and start there, fellowshipping with the Lord as you read His Word. As the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart about certain verses, stop and reflect on them. Let His words sink deep into your heart. That is an excellent starting point!

The Holy Spirit Knows How To Get You There Faster and Safer!

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you….
— John 16:13

Occasionally when people visit Moscow, my wife and I give them a tour of the Kremlin. Because people usually want to see the Kremlin, we have been there hundreds of times, and we know all the routes and shortcuts. Often as we visit this historic complex of buildings with our guests, I am amazed to see people in other groups taking the longest, most difficult route on that extensive tour. I always think, They are taking the longest and hardest route possible! If I were leading them, I could save them a lot of time and energy. These people ultimately get the same tour as they keep exploring on their own, but the route they take requires twice the time and energy as the tour I could give them.

As I was pondering this one day, I started thinking of all the times each of us could have avoided wasting precious time and energy if we had only allowed the Holy Spirit to lead us. We may eventually get to the same point, but if we try to go it alone, that usually means we will take twice as long to get there and the journey will be much harder. The Holy Spirit sees everything. He knows every nook, corner, and bend on the road of life. If we reach out and take His hand, He will lead us on shortcuts that will save time, energy, and many tears.

The Holy Spirit wants to guide us through life. He wants to guide us as we walk into the future. In John 16:13, Jesus used this illustration of a guide to describe the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He said when the Spirit came, “…he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13).

The word “show” is the Greek word odegeo, and it is the word for a guide who shows a traveler the safest course through an unknown country. This means Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be our Guide! The Holy Spirit knows the way we should go. He knows how to avoid every trap and every attack; He knows the safest and fastest route for us to take. When we are stepping into territory that is new to us, it is imperative that we let the Holy Spirit lead us, for He wants to show us the precise route to take so we can successfully reach that place God has put in our hearts. This is part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry in our lives — to get us safely to our God-ordained point of destination.

In the life of Jesus, we see this guiding work of the Holy Spirit very clearly.

When you study the book of Acts, you will find that the Holy Spirit constantly guided people through hard and difficult territory. In each case, He would protect people from danger or from making mistakes; He would help them avoid those who wished to hurt them; or He would lead them away from a fruitless situation to a place of blessing. Here are some instances where the Holy Spirit warned the Early Church in advance about persecutions, famines, and other trials, guiding them safely through and around many treacherous moments.

Being led by the Spirit is one of the privileges we receive as children of God. Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” As noted earlier (see July 3), the word “led” is the Greek word ago, which is the picture of someone gently leading someone else. This means the Spirit will lead us, but we must extend our hearts and hands to Him first, for without our cooperation, He cannot guide us anywhere.

Without the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we are left to find our way on our own. This no doubt means we will waste valuable time, energy, and money, not to mention shed a lot of unnecessary tears along the way! The Holy Spirit sees what we can’t see; knows what we don’t know; and understands the best routes, the most efficient shortcuts, and the safest paths to take. Since this is the kind of Leader the Holy Spirit is, we would be wise to let Him lead us!

Oh, if you only knew how many times the Spirit of God has wanted to be your Leader in the situations of life! He knew exactly how to lead you past every attack. He knew how to avoid each strategy that the devil arrayed against you. But even if you didn’t accept His guidance in the past, you don’t have to continue making that same mistake, trying to forge your way through life by yourself. You can extend your heart to the Holy Spirit today. Let Him take you by the hand — and He will safely guide you to the place where God wants you to go!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for the leadership of the Holy Spirit. I am so sorry that I’ve wasted time, energy, and money trying to find my way on my own when You have already sent me the Holy Spirit to be my Guide. Holy Spirit, please step into my life and take Your place as my Teacher, my Leader, and my Guide. I extend my heart and my hand to You today so You can begin to guide me through life. I thank You, Father, for providing the most wonderful Guide in the whole universe to help me make it successfully through life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am led by the Spirit of God! Because I cooperate with Him, I don’t waste valuable time, energy, or money, and I don’t shed a lot of unnecessary tears. I gladly let the Holy Spirit lead me, since He sees what I can’t see; knows what I don’t know; and understands the best routes, the most efficient shortcuts, and the safest paths to take. As a result, He leads me past every attack; He helps me avoid each strategy of the devil; and He safely guides me to the place where God wants me to be!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of a time when the Holy Spirit stopped you from doing something that you thought was the correct thing to do? What was the result of following the Spirit’s leadership?

2. Has there ever been a moment when the Holy Spirit guided you to do something that made no sense to you naturally, but after you did exactly what He told you to do, you could see why He had led you in this way? If so, what was that occasion, and what was the fruit of your being guided by the Spirit to do things differently?

3. Is the Holy Spirit trying to lead you to do something right now that is different from what you had planned or thought? Have you been arguing with Him in your mind, thinking that His instructions make no sense? What are you going to do — stick with your original plan, or let the Holy Spirit be your Guide?

September 1

…If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
— Luke 17:3

I was once offended by a missionary who lied to me and led me into a web of deceit that hurt me deeply. What really hurt was that I had trusted this man and had such a high regard for him. But when I discovered what he had done — and that he had done it deliberately — it was like a knife had been plunged into the depth of my soul. Every time I saw that brother and how casually and unrepentantly he behaved about what he had done, the devil twisted that knife in my back another turn and caused that deeply intense pain to be inflicted all over again.

I really didn’t know what to do to resolve the situation. I felt the missionary should be held accountable for what he had done to Denise and me and to our ministry — but there was no way to hold him accountable that we could find. So he just drifted away freely, facing no consequences for the deep wound he had caused in my heart.

One day as I lay in my bed, pondering this situation, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, “Rick, your only option is to let it go. If you hold on to this pain and hurt, it will imprison you to your emotions and hinder you from making the forward progress I want you to make in life.”

Was the Holy Spirit really telling me to just let it go and act like what this minister had done never happened — while I continued to rub shoulders with him from time to time at meetings that we were both required to attend? This seemed like a most difficult thing that the Lord was asking me to do!

Meanwhile, the offender felt no guilt for what he’d done. He suffered no pain for the suffering he had inflicted on us. He was free in his mind from the entire matter! He didn’t wrestle with a single thought about his betrayal of a fellow minister and brother in the Lord. Instead, I was the one who was bound, consumed with negative thoughts and feelings of hurt, pain, and offense. It was like this man had no conscience — and that ate away at me too.

Have you ever held on to an inward offense instead of dealing with it quickly? If so, you know that it has a way of eating away at your soul — spoiling your outlook on life, adversely affecting your view of others, and, of course, negatively impacting your spiritual life. Furthermore, when you allow offense to fester in your soul, you become less and less guarded with your own words about your offender. It’s not long until you start talking about the other person who offended you rather than praying for him or her, because as the Bible teaches, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.

Have you ever been guilty of telling others about a negative thing that another person said or did to you? If you did, were you aware that you were defiling your listeners? You were staining their thoughts with a negative opinion that could change how they see and respond to the person who offended you. Every time those who heard your words encounter your offender in the future, they will likely remember that report you gave them.

This is precisely how gossip-fueled scandals are created, many of which cause irrevocable damage. No one wins when bitterness is allowed to take root and then spring up to defile many.

Instead of being free in my own situation, I found that my mouth had become a vehicle to say ugly things about this man every chance I got. Maybe my words were not so direct and caustic, but they left an impression for any listener to understand that I had serious doubts about the integrity of this leader. Without directly accusing him, I was purposefully casting a shadow on his integrity.

Finally, a day came when I sat down with this man — one of the most difficult things I had ever done — and expressed my feelings to him. To make sure there was a witness, I brought along another ministry leader to listen to both of us and judge the situation. After hours of conversation, rehashing the story over and over again, it was obvious that my offender was not repentant or even slightly sorry for what he had done. This led me to a choice: I could stay hurt and in bondage to my pain forever, or I could choose to let it go and walk away free. “Letting it go” is exactly what the Holy Spirit had already told me to do!

That night, I was reminded of Jesus’ words in both Luke 17:3 and in Mark 11:25. In Luke 17:3, He provided a solution: “…If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him, and if he repent, forgive him.” Then in Mark 11:25, Jesus gave the full solution: “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any….”

I had rebuked this missionary in the presence of another leader, yet it made no difference. But even though he had not repented, my options were still the same! I could remain in emotional bondage to the pain he had inflicted — or I could forgive him and walk away from that table free, even if he never, ever recognized the extent of the damage he had done to us.

Jesus expects us to take the mature role and to forgive others, regardless of how they behave. The word “forgive” is the Greek word aphiemi, which means in modern terms to let it go. Rather than be held hostage by what someone has done to you, or by what you may think that person has done to you, Jesus says, “Aphiemi — let it go.”

But often the only way you can truly dismiss, release, and let go of an offense is to get into the presence of the Lord and let Him help you. Just go to Him and say, “Father, I’m not willing to be bound by this offense. I refuse to be imprisoned by these feelings of hurt, rejection, or humiliation. Right now before You, I choose to let it go in the name of Jesus.”

You are the only one who has the authority to rip the root of bitterness and offense out of your own heart. If you’re ever going to be free, move forward, and live fully in the power of God, you’re going to have to release the offenses that you’ve allowed to build a stronghold in your heart.

Also, please be aware that bitterness doesn’t just hinder your walk with God. It will also impede your fellowship with others. The fact is, if you’re bound by offense against one person, that bondage will affect your other relationships as well, because the poisonous attitudes you carry in your heart against one person will affect how you respond to everyone else.

You may have suffered a hurt or offense in the past that harmed you terribly. In fact, it may have robbed you of something that can never be returned or restored. But if you refuse to forgive — to let go of anger, animosity, and bitterness — that offense will continue to work its destruction in your life. A past-tense problem will become a present-tense issue when you refuse to let go of your bitterness. If you don’t get over that past offense, you will give it the power to damage and even destroy your future as you drag it along like a bag of garbage or toxic waste. At some point, you have to just let it go and get over it for your own benefit and for the benefit of those around you.

I don’t know what may have happened to you in the past or what offense you may be holding against someone else right now. But I want you to know that you can walk free of those negative, unhealthy attitudes and emotions if you’ll make the decision to exercise your authority over your own heart and mind. Someone may commit an offense against you by speaking or acting inappropriately toward you without your provocation. But you cannot be offended unless you take the offense to yourself. You always have a choice.

It is a difficult lesson to learn, but learn it you must. There is no other way to move forward in God. When an offense is hurled at you, you are to deal with it scripturally the best way you can. But if you cannot bring it to a peaceful resolution, you are called to let it go. As you do, you will walk away free — free to be all God intended for you to be as you pursue the destiny He ordained for you.

So make the choice today regarding every past offense, hurt, or disappointment: “This day I let it go, and I walk away free!”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father God, I repent for the offense I have harbored in my heart toward people. I see now that offense has held me in a prison of my own making. I have been tormented by it, and it has kept me from making spiritual progress as I should. Rather than allow offense room to continue festering in my heart and soul, today I make the choice to let it go. I forgive my offenders, and I extend the same grace to them that I want others to give me. Right now I receive freedom as I choose to walk away from the offenses that have held me in bondage for so long!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I declare by faith that I am an offense-free person! Others’ actions, or lack of actions, do not have the power to put me into a state of bitterness and offense. To be offended requires my agreement, and I will no longer agree to stay in a state of unforgiveness and offense. I release those who have violated me in the past, and I will never bring it up again to them, to others, or to myself. I completely and freely forgive them. As a result, I am a free person with no oppressive, parasitic appendages hanging on me any longer!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Have you ever held on to an offense that sabotaged your present or future? How long did you allow that offense to adversely affect you before you finally decided to let it go and be free of it?
  2. Do you know any individuals right now who are held in a spiritual prison because they won’t forgive people that they perceive have done something wrong to them? After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, how should you minister to them to help set them on a path of freedom?
  3. Is it possible that those who have offended you didn’t even know they offended you? Has the devil perhaps conjured up a bogus issue in your mind to steal your peace and rob your joy? And even if the offense is real, don’t you think it’s time to obey Jesus and let it go?

From Glory to Glory Or From Mess to Mess?

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
— 2 Corinthians 3:18

Most believers quote the verse above when they are facing a difficult challenge. I did the same thing for many years. I often told myself, “Soon this mess will be over, and when it is, we’re headed to the next level of glory that God has for us! This won’t last long. We’re going from glory to glory!”

But one day I was pondering this verse and thinking deeply about what it meant to go from glory to glory. Suddenly it struck me that it doesn’t say we are going from a mess to glory. It says we are going from glory to glory — in other words, from a current glorious place to another higher glorious place.

This clearly means that you and I won’t be promoted to the next realm of glory until the realm where we presently live is glorious. So if we want to go upward into a greater glory, we have to first make glorious the place where we are living and functioning right now.

When I saw this, it made me want to take a good, hard look at my life and ministry. I asked myself: Am I living in a glorious stage, or am I stuck in an ugly, messy stage of my life? I realized that according to this verse, I wouldn’t be moving upward into the next great and glorious phase God had for me until the situation I currently found myself in became glorious! Only then would God promote me to the next level of glory He had planned for my life.

So I began to ask myself:

Second Corinthians 3:18 says, “But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” I find it very interesting that the first part of this verse talks about us having “open faces.” The word “open” is the Greek word anakalupto, which means to unveil, to uncover, or to disclose. However, the Greek tense doesn’t refer to a one-time unveiling, but to a veil that, once lifted, remains lifted forever.

When I saw this, I immediately understood another very vital truth: We must be willing to permanently remove the veil from our eyes and to take an honest look in the mirror in order to truthfully acknowledge the condition of our present stage. Only after we have truthfully seen and acknowledged what we are can we make a sincere decision to change. A truthful recognition of the facts is part of the process that removes the veil from our eyes so the Lord can correct us, change us, transform us, and prepare us to move upward into the next glorious phase for our lives. That is precisely why the apostle Paul went on to say that we are “changed” after the veil is removed from our eyes.

The word “changed” is the Greek word metamorpho. It is a compound of the words meta and morphoo. The word meta carries the idea of an exchange, while the word morphoo is the Greek word for a person’s outward form. Together, the compound word means to transfigure or transform one’s appearance. The word metamorphoo is never used in the Old Testament Septuagint, and it appears only four times in the New Testament. It is used in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2 to describe the transfiguration of Jesus. Paul also uses it in Romans 12:3 to tell us that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. And finally, Paul again uses the word metamorphoo here in Second Corinthians 3:18.

There is no doubt that the word “changed” speaks of an actual, real transformation of our minds and even our outward appearance. The Holy Spirit lets us know through Paul that we can actually exchange our present appearance, our current status, for one that is more glorious. If we sincerely desire it, we can move upward and into the glory that God has prepared for us!

Now, we can try to hide our heads in the sand and pretend that everything in our lives is glorious when it is not, but that does not make everything glorious. In fact, denial of the truth will just keep us stuck in the same hard place for a longer period of time. To move into the next phase of our life in God, we must be willing to lift the veil from our eyes and acknowledge that we need to be transformed!

It may be difficult on your flesh and pride, but eventually a time comes when you must look in the mirror to see what is really there! Self-deception is very costly. Telling yourself that everything is all right when it isn’t may temporarily relieve you from the pain of having to look at the facts head-on. But in the end, ignoring the facts will cost you so much more in terms of time, heartbreak, and defeat.

Truthfulness can be painful, but the pain is short-lived and in the end produces tremendous change. But the kind of change I am describing to you today is only initiated when you are willing to get honest with yourself and with God about your behavior, your attitudes, and the condition of every area of your life at this present moment. If you’re willing to remove the veil from your eyes and let the Holy Spirit really show you the areas where you need to be transformed, He will change you. And as this kind of transformation begins to work in you, you will become more and more prepared for upward movement and promotion in your life.

So establish this truth in your heart today: If the stage of life you are in right now is not glorious, you will be stuck in the current mess until you become willing to take off the veil, look honestly at your situation, and begin to make the changes that are required to make your present status more glorious! Once you’ve done that, God will be ready to move you upward and onward to the next more glorious place you are longing to experience!

Yes, it’s true that God wants to take you from glory to glory. However, He isn’t bothered if He has to wait until you correctly finish your current task. God has lots of time. But when you get serious about doing what is necessary to make your present situation glorious, you signal to the Holy Spirit that it’s time to open the way to the next glorious phase God has planned for your life!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to take the veil off my eyes and get honest about my situation. I can see that much of my present life is not glorious. I have wanted You to promote me from my mess to a new level of glory, but I see now that Your promotions always move from one level of glory to a higher level of glory. Show me every area in my life that needs to be changed, and help me give You complete liberty to transform those parts of my life. I want to go to a higher level of glory, Lord, so I am asking You to help me first make my present situation a glorious testimony of Your grace!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that by God’s grace, I am making my present situation more and more glorious! I have asked the Holy Spirit to open my eyes and to help me see those parts of my life that need to be transformed. As He shows me these areas, I will diligently pray about them and do everything I can to allow God to change me so this present season of my life can become glorious. Because the Holy Spirit sees my willingness to go through the necessary transformation process, He is preparing to move me upward into a more glorious phase in my life. I am going from glory to glory!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What are the areas of your life that are not glorious — the areas you most need to work on?

2. Now that you know God will not promote you higher until you have made your current status glorious, what changes do you need to make in your life right now to get ready for the next step upward?

3. Write down the steps you are going to take to turn your messes into shining examples that will open the way for God to start the promotion process in your life.

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works….
— Revelation 2:5

It’s not enough just to say you’re sorry. That is not genuine repentance. Real repentance, as described on March 18 and 19, describes an inward change that results in outward change. Real, inward repentance shows forth evidence that repentance has occurred. Jesus told the church at Ephesus that they needed to repent and “do the first works.” That word “do” refers to the outward actions I am describing — the outward proof of repentance.

The word “do” is the Greek word poieo, a word that is used 568 times in the New Testament; thus, its meaning is well established in New Testament writings. It literally means to do, but it actually conveys much more. This word poieo describes all types of activity, particularly the idea of creativity. For example, the Greek word poietes — a form of the word poieo — is the source of the word poet, which denotes one who has the extraordinary ability to write or create a certain literary form. Thus, this word describes doing that produces results.

Because the word poieo is connected to the creative activity of an author, poet, or painter, let’s pause to consider what is required for this type of creative person to produce excellent work. It takes concentration and commitment for a poet to write a poem or for an artist to paint a masterpiece. The person must free himself from all distractions so his mind, emotions, and talent can focus on the specific project before him. When an author or artist can concentrate exclusively on a creative assignment, he is able to put forth an all-out effort and release his full potential to produce a masterful work. Although it may be true that a great work can be produced with intermittent interruptions, the removal of distractions for the purpose of a more concentrated focus enables one to achieve the best results with greater speed.

This is significant in light of Revelation 2:5, where the tense of the word poieo calls for urgent and quick action. Anything less than a serious response would be found insufficient. Therefore, great effort, prayer, and concentration would be required if the Ephesian believers were to return to their first love and replicate the works that accompanied their early faith.

It is obvious that Christ expected the best from these believers — which would only be achieved if they responded to Him with their best effort. And because the Greek tense demands urgent and quick action, it is certain that Jesus wasn’t willing to wait endlessly for them to respond. If they didn’t heed His words, they would lose their position of spiritual leadership in Asia (see Revelation 2:5).

But what specifically was Jesus commanding this church to do? He told them in verse 5: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works….”

The phrase “first works” comes from the Greek words prota erga. The word prota means first or early, and the word erga means works, deeds, or activity, conveying the idea of work that is produced by consistent and tireless effort. Although the King James Version translates this Greek phrase as “first works,” it could actually be interpreted, “the actions that were indicative of you at the first” or “the things you did in the very beginning.”

Jesus commanded them to return to their “first works.” He was referring to the words, deeds, and activities that characterized the Ephesian congregation at the beginning of their spiritual journey when they first fell in love with Jesus Christ.

What were these “first works” that once distinguished the church of Ephesus? Scripture reveals several characteristics of this prominent church in its early beginnings:

All of the qualities listed above characterized this passionate, vibrant congregation in its early years. The fact that Christ called for them to return to doing these “first works” doesn’t necessarily mean they had become completely void of these attributes. However, it is evident that the intensity of their zeal had radically diminished. Thus, Christ urged them to remember, to repent, and to do the first works for these reasons:

In Revelation 2:5, Jesus continued with His message to the Ephesian believers: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly….”

The words “or else” would be better translated, “and if not.” The Ephesian church had a decision to make, and Christ anticipated that they would do what He asked of them. But if they did not, He warned them, “…I will come unto thee quickly.”

The phrase “I will come” is a translation of the Greek word erchomai, which describes an event that would indeed take place if the Ephesian believers didn’t meet Jesus’ requirements. If they failed to do what He asked of them, they could expect Him to come to them with judgment, for the issues at hand were far too serious to ignore. The choice had been set before the congregation at Ephesus: They must repent or Christ would remove them from their place of prominence among the other churches.

There is no Greek word in the original text for this word “quickly”; rather, it was added by the translators to help convey the urgency of the situation. Yet even as Jesus gave the Ephesian church this urgent warning, He also gave them the time frame they needed to respond to His request.

In the apostle John’s vision of the exalted Christ, he saw that Jesus’ feet were “like unto fine brass” (Revelation 1:15). Brass in Scripture represents judgment, which tells us that Christ was prepared to bring judgment if necessary. But brass or bronze is heavy; therefore, it is difficult to quickly move an object made of these metals. The fact that Jesus’ feet appeared as made of bronze clearly sent the message that when Christ moves to bring judgment, He does not rush. Rather, He moves slowly in that direction, providing ample time for the repentance that will prevent the impending judgment.

Nevertheless, Jesus made it clear to the Ephesian congregation that if they resisted His pleadings, He would have to come to them in judgment. Thus, He warned them, “I will come unto thee quickly.” The phrase “unto thee” (or “to you”) is the Greek word soi, which means directly to you. The use of this word soi made Christ’s warning to the Ephesians extremely direct and personal. The time allowed for repentance had already been set, and Jesus was walking toward them with His feet of bronze. If His voice was ignored, the outcome would be inevitable: Judgment would surely follow.

At the conclusion of Revelation 2:5, Jesus said, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”

The grammar used here implies again that Christ rebuked the Ephesian congregation with an expectation that they would repent; however, this outcome wasn’t certain. This tells us how far the church of Ephesus had regressed in its spiritual passion. Jesus’ warning to these believers was very direct, personal, and clear. Yet they had drifted so far from the fiery love for Him they had once known. The seeds of institutionalized religion seemed to have already begun to control them so much that Christ didn’t say with absolute certainty that they would pass this test.

What about you? Is Jesus speaking to you today, calling you to return to a simple, passionate love for Him? Will you respond and pass the test? These questions that I’ve asked you in the past few days of Sparkling Gems are very important. Christ is watching, and He is waiting to see how you will respond to the dealings of His Spirit. If you’ve become stagnant and cold, are you going to respond by returning to the fires of His Spirit that once burned brightly within your heart — or are you going to remain as you are? Only you can answer this question — but be assured, Jesus is awaiting your response today!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY


Father, I am deeply convicted by what I have read today. I recognize that You are calling me deeper and higher, and it is my responsibility to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and to respond to what I have read. I repent for backsliding — for letting my once passionately intimate relationship with you slip and be replaced by other worldly concerns. I admit that I’ve done this, and I confess my sins and repent according to First John 1:9 and I receive full forgiveness. Now that I am free, I reclaim what I have lost, and I move forward to obtain what You have for me in the future.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY


I confess that I repent for allowing worldliness and other things to take the place that belongs only to You. I lay hold of a new level of commitment that results in renewed love for You. You are watching and waiting to see how I will respond to the dealings of Your Spirit. I profess that I return to my first love.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

  1. Take an honest examination of your spiritual state: Do you possess a great hunger for the things of God? Do you cherish and prize God’s Word above all else? Are you eager to repent or turn away from wrongdoing so you can stay in proper alignment with God?
  2. Has the intensity of your spiritual zeal radically diminished? Are you in passionate pursuit of knowing the Lord intimately? If your fervor for the Lord has diminished, what caused that change? What must you do to return to your first love?
  3. A person who confesses his sin with no intention of changing is doing nothing more than admitting his guilt instead of exhibiting genuine repentance. What do you need to repent of? What corresponding actions must follow your decision?