As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
— 1 Peter 4:10

Every person has been bestowed with grace-given gifts that were not earned, but rather divinely imparted by God’s grace. This is a biblical truth, whether or not we realize it or even want to agree with it. These are not gifts bestowed for the purpose of boasting — they are given and released and activated to reveal God to man. And you have these powerful gifts inside you, just waiting for you to take ownership of them and use them!

In 1 Peter 4:10, Peter wrote, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Today I want to look at that word “stewards” as it pertains to the grace of God and these “grace gifts” that we have received from Him.

The word “stewards” in 1 Peter 4:10 is from the Greek word oikonomos, which is a compound of the words oikos and nomos. The word oikos is the Greek word for a house, and nomos refers to the rule of law. These two words used together literally mean the rule of the house. But in Greek culture, the word oikonomos was specifically used to describe the household manager of a wealthy, upper-class home. This oikonomos, or household manager, was responsible for keeping law and order in the house. The owners of the house had found this person faithful and therefore elevated him to the powerful ruling position of chief manager over their personal property and private affairs.

In Greek culture, this chief manager was accountable for overseeing the house itself, the gardens surrounding the house, the contents inside the home, and the assets and treasures of the family. He was also in charge of distributing wages faithfully and on time to the other servants and employees who worked in the house. For the master of the house to give this much responsibility to one person was a great trust, and the master demanded that his household manager faithfully perform according to his expectations.

By using the word oikonomos in this verse, Peter profoundly declared that when God placed His grace-given gifts inside each of us, He was making us the stewards of His own personal treasures. Because of this, He expects us to be faithful managers of the gifts He has entrusted to our care. We are to use our gifts as God intended when He bequeathed them to us. In other words, He expects us to use our gifts faithfully and on time to meet the needs of those around us and to do it in such a way that He receives all the glory.

Taking all the Greek words into consideration that are contained in this verse, 1 Peter 4:10 carries the idea that every single one of us, without exception, has received grace-given gifts from God. We must embrace what God has placed inside us, taking ownership of it and doing our best to use our gifts to meet the needs of others. God has entrusted us with great spiritual treasure by placing these special gifts in our lives, and He is depending on us to be faithful with this weighty responsibility.

If you’ve believed and acted like so many others, just sitting around waiting for the perfect moment when you could begin using your God-given talents — now you know that you’ve been using the wrong approach! It’s time for you to recognize what God has placed inside you and to begin using those gifts as God expects you to do. You’ve been waiting on God to do something special, but He already did it when He placed those gifts in your life. It’s up to you to start releasing them now for the benefit of those around you!

I can tell you this from my own personal experience and from my experience with others over the course of my ministry: Those who wait for some fantasy-like moment to occur so they can step out and use their gifts usually end up very frustrated. They wait and wait — seemingly endlessly — when God, who gave the gifts, has already given them permission to use those talents for Him. In fact, He has commanded them as stewards of His grace to get about the task of managing those grace gifts and using them to meet the needs of others.

So I encourage you, if you’ve been waiting on a special moment to step out and use your grace gifts for God — don’t waste any more time! The Holy Spirit within you has already enabled and empowered you, so start making the most of your divine equipment that’s just waiting to be released!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You have placed grace-given gifts inside of me. I understand that You have made me the steward of these divine treasures. You expect me to faithfully manage these gifts that You have entrusted to my care. Father, I ask You to teach me how to use these gifts as You intended so I can meet the needs of those around me and do it in a way that gives all the glory to Jesus. Give me a pure and understanding heart so I can exercise these gifts wisely and with great responsibility!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that God has given me gifts of His grace that are powerful and have the ability to make a difference in the lives of other people. God expects me to do something with these gifts, for He gave them to me for the purpose of building His Kingdom. I refuse to let another day pass without allowing these grace-given gifts to be expressed through me. This divine equipment has been given to me in order to help others, so I will not sit by idly while others are in need! God will move through me and use this supernatural equipment, not only to meet people’s needs, but also to help them come through their situations with victory.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Are you aware of the grace-given gifts God has placed in your life? If so, what are those gifts? Can you identify them? What are you doing to cultivate them?
2. How do you allow those gifts to operate? Can you give a personal testimony of what happens when this divine equipment operates in you and how it affects other people? How has God used these in your life to make a difference in someone else’s life?
3. Is it possible that there are grace gifts in you that you have never allowed to manifest because you’ve been afraid to step out in faith? What is stopping you from letting these marvelous treasures do what God intended for them to do?

Whatsoever a Man Soweth, That Shall He Also Reap!

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
— Galatians 6:7

It has been my pleasure to stand before my precious Russian congregation many thousands of times over the years and to boldly tell them, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

This principle is so true that Paul begins by telling us not to question its validity! He says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked….” The word “deceived” comes from the Greek word planao, which means to lead astray; to wander; to stagger; to be led off course; or to be affected by someone’s outside influence and led in a wrong direction. The word planao is usually used in the New Testament to depict the activity of false teachers who deliberately lead people from liberty into teaching that enslaves them in some kind of spiritual bondage.

When Paul wrote this verse, the language he used was a command coupled with a very strong prohibition. This means he was forbidding his readers from participating in something that seemed to have already been initiated. Because he spoke so prohibitively, it could correctly be translated, “Stop being deceived.” He was rebuking a weakness that was already developing among the Galatians and that he wanted to halt! Could it be that false teachers were trying to tell the Galatians that the law of sowing and reaping didn’t really work? It seems so.

We also live in a day and time when the law of sowing and reaping is challenged by those who do not embrace its truth. Many scoff at those who believe that God will multiply their financial seed back to them again; some even try to use their influence to persuade people to abandon their belief in such a doctrine.

Unfortunately, sometimes people who are young and unstable in the Word are caught in the middle of this war of words. A doubt sown here and there makes them question the validity of whether or not the law of sowing and reaping applies to finances. In the end, many of these new believers let go of their grip on this promise and walk away. But those deceivers who blatantly take a stand against the promise of God will one day answer for their actions.

Paul stands firm on the principle of sowing and reaping and lets his voice be heard as he states, “…God is not mocked….” The word “mocked” is the Greek word mukteridzo, and it means to turn up one’s nose at someone, as if mocking or laughing at the person. The idea is of someone who arrogantly says, “Come on, you surely don’t believe this stupid principle of sowing and reaping. How dumb can you be to believe that God will multiply what you sow!”

One noted scholar has commented that this type of attitude usually comes from a person who had a sour experience when he tried to apply the law of sowing and reaping to his finances. For some reason, he didn’t get the results he expected, so now he acts as though this principle isn’t true or applicable to anyone. Thus, he turns up his nose at the law of God, challenging the validity of it and asserting that whatsoever a man soweth is not always what he reaps.

Paul doesn’t want this negativism and unbelief to worm its way into the thinking of the Galatian church, so he speaks loudly, firmly, and prohibitively, commanding the Galatian believers to disassociate themselves with anyone who dares to turn up his nose at the law of sowing and reaping.

Then Paul boldly declares what he believes: “…Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” The word “soweth” is the word speiro, which refers to any seed that is sown. Notice the emphasis on any seed that is sown. This immediately alerts us to the fact that this law is not applicable only to finances, but to anything in life. It applies to love, to work, to time, to patience, to kindness, to forgiveness, to bitterness, to selfishness — and, of course, to money. All of these are potential “seeds” that we sow.

Making the definition of “soweth” even broader is the word “whatsoever,” which in Greek is the word ean. This word literally throws open the door, for it means whatever; whatever thing; or no matter what a man sows. Again, Paul lets us know that this is a law of God that applies to every sphere of life with no exceptions. It is simply a fact: Whatever you sow, regardless of what it is, you will reap it.

The Greek tense does not denote a single, one-time sowing; rather, it pictures a person who continually, habitually sows. Therefore, it could be translated, “…Whatsoever a man sows, sows, sows, and sows — and keeps on habitually sowing and sowing and sowing….” In other words, this describes a constant, steady, perpetual sowing of seed. And if you sow this seed steadily and faithfully, God’s promise is that you will reap a harvest. The word for “reap” is in the same Greek tense, meaning that it could be translated, “You will reap, reap, reap, and reap — and keep on habitually reaping and reaping and reaping.”

The reason most people walked away disgusted and scoffing at this promise is that they never really put it to the test! They sowed once and waited for a harvest. When nothing happened, they threw up their arms and said it didn’t work. But those who keep on habitually sowing and sowing and sowing as a manner of lifestyle are the ones who eventually reap and reap and reap as the manifold blessings of God come pouring back into their lives.

The level at which you sow determines the level you will reap. Sow a little, and you’ll reap a little. Sow a lot, and you’ll reap a lot. Sow inconsistently, and you’ll reap inconsistently. Sow regularly, and you will reap regularly.

Galatians 6:7 could be translated:

“Stop letting people lead you astray from the truth! You might try to turn up your nose at the law of God, but it won’t change the law! It remains true that whatever you regularly and habitually sow — regardless of what it is — that is exactly what you will regularly and habitually reap.”

Then in Galatians 6:9, Paul takes just a moment to encourage those of us who are waiting for our harvests. He says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

Notice that Paul mentions a “due season.” Even today, harvest times come at varying times for different areas, depending on the temperature, altitude, and climate of each region. For example, in one low-lying district of Israel, harvest may be in full swing while districts at higher altitudes are still weeks, or even a full month, away from their harvest time.

This principle holds true in every other realm as well. For instance, if the seed you are sowing is financial seed, remember to bathe it in prayer as it leaves your pocketbook and enters the Kingdom of God. Pray for the Holy Spirit to create a right atmosphere or climate for that seed to take root and grow. And if it takes awhile for the harvest to come back to you, remember that no farmer plants seed one day and expects to have a full wheat or corn field the next day! It takes time for seed to grow in the natural. In the same way, time may be required for the seed you have sown to spiritually mature so it can come back into your life as a multiplied blessing.

In the meantime, don’t be weary in “well doing.” That simply means keep it up; don’t stop what you are doing; be regular; be consistent; be faithful; or be “well doing” in the sowing of your seed! The last thing you should do is “faint”!

That word “faint” comes from the Greek word ekluo, which means to loosen up; to relax; to faint; and to lose altogether. The devil will say, “This doesn’t work. You’ve tried long enough. It won’t hurt if you cut back on your giving. Loosen up a little. Relax from giving so much!”

But according to Galatians 6:9 and the Greek word ekluo, if you loosen up and relax in your giving, you will eventually “faint” — in other words, you’ll stop giving completely. And if you do that, you will lose everything! So don’t ever let the devil or anyone else ever talk you into backing out of sowing financial seeds into the Kingdom of God.

As I said earlier, the sowing of seeds applies to every area of life. If you constantly and habitually:

• Sow love, you will reap love.
• Sow patience, you will reap patience.
• Sow kindness, you will reap kindness.
• Sow forgiveness, you will reap forgiveness.
• Sow money, you will reap money.
• Sow bitterness, you will reap bitterness.
• Sow strife, you will reap strife.

Friend, like it or not, this is just the way it is! It is the law of God, and there is not one thing you can do to change it. So rather than challenge the system and fail, don’t you think it’s time that you wise up and get with the program? If you’re going to reap what you sow, maybe you ought to figure out what you want to reap. Then you can start planting those same kinds of seeds to assure that you’ll get the harvest of your dreams!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to be a faithful, consistent giver! I don’t want to be on-again, off-again in the sowing of my financial seed. I know that this is a spiritual law that always works and will never change, so please help me renew my thinking to the truth of this law and come into a place of conformity with it. I want to habitually sow, and I want to habitually reap. Help me plant the right seeds into the right soil. Then I ask You to provide the right temperature, climate, and atmosphere to make my harvest grow!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am NOT a one-time sower. I continually, habitually sow my seed into the Kingdom of God. God’s Word promises that “whatsoever a man sows, sows, sows, and sows, and keeps on habitually sowing and sowing and sowing, that shall he also reap, reap, reap, and reap, and keep on habitually reaping and reaping and reaping.” Because I am a habitual sower, I will be a habitual reaper! The level at which I sow determines the level at which I will reap. If I sow a little, I will reap a little. If I sow a lot, I will reap a lot. If I sow inconsistently, I will reap inconsistently. If I sow regularly, I will reap regularly. Knowing this to be true, I choose to make my giving one of the most important and consistent things I do in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you been consistent with your giving, or have you been on-again, off-again in the way you give your tithes and offerings? If you are irregularly blessed, do you think the reason may be that you irregularly sow seed? At least it’s something for you to think about!

2. Do you faithfully give a full tithe to the work of the Lord? If yes, you can praise God for this victory in your life, for it will bless your future. If your answer is no, why are you being disobedient in this crucial area of your life?

3. In what other areas of your life are you reaping a harvest from seeds you wish you had never sown? 

Instant ‘in Season’ And ‘out of Season’!

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.…
— 2 Timothy 4:2

Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy during a very difficult season in Timothy’s ministry. A few years earlier, the picture had been radically different. At that time, the church of Ephesus was growing and thriving. Timothy was the new young pastor whom the church loved! Those earlier years were fun and eventful, and everything was moving. What an exciting time it had been to be a Christian leader!

But by the time Second Timothy was written, the situation had changed drastically for this pastor and the believers under his charge. Nero had become the Roman emperor, and his insanity was already wreaking havoc in the lives of countless believers, especially in Rome. As for Ephesus, it was one of the most pagan cities in Asia Minor, as well as the residence of the Roman proconsul. Christians who lived in Ephesus often endured bouts of intense persecution as the Roman government tried to scare them into abandoning their Christian faith and returning to the pagan temples.

As a result of these hard times, many believers died for their faith. Others defected from the church and returned to the old temples to save their lives. And as if all these hardships and disappointments were not mountainous enough to deal with, Timothy also had to deal with serious internal problems of rebellion among some of the members of his church leadership!

Timothy had written a letter to Paul explaining all his difficulties. Paul’s response to Timothy was the book of Second Timothy. In that book, he urged Timothy to remember that he was to “…be instant in season, out of season…” (2 Timothy 4:2).

The word “instant” is the Greek word ephistimi, which is a compound of the words epi and istimi. The word epi means upon, and the word istimi means to stand. Compounded into one word, the new word means to stand upon, as to take a firm stand or a hard position. Indeed, it was a term borrowed from the military that meant to stay at one’s post.

Timothy’s post was the pulpit of his church. From that pulpit, he maintained his leadership, imparted vision, issued rebukes, taught and preached the Word, and brought correction. It was his post. No one else could stand in that position, because it was the position that had been assigned to him by God. Even though times were very tough and he may have been tempted to shun his responsibilities, Paul urged him, “Stay at your post!”

Notice that Paul told him that he was to be faithful to his post “in season, out of season.” In Greek, this looks like a play on words, but it is a very powerful statement to those of us who are doing our best to serve God. The words “in season” come from the Greek word eukairos. The words “out of season” come from the Greek word akairos. Do you notice how similar these words are to each other?

The word kairos is the Greek word that means seasons or times. This word can be easily altered by adding different prefixes to it. For instance, if you add the word eu to the front of it, it becomes the word eukairos. The word eu means good, happy, pleasing, or pleasurable. This means that when you connect the word eu to kairos, it transforms the word to eukairos, which means good times, happy times, pleasing times, or pleasurable times.

But you can also change the word kairos by adding the prefix a, which turns it into the word akairos. That little a may look insignificant, but it radically changes the meaning of this word. The word akairos means bad times. So when Paul told him, “Be instant in season and out of season,” he was really telling him to be faithful, whether he was having happy times or bad times!

An interpretive translation of Second Timothy 4:2 could be the following:

“Take a firm stand and resolve to stay at your post! Regardless of whether times are good or bad, that is your post — your place of responsibility — so dig in, take a firm stand, and resolve that you are going to be faithful!”

This was just the word Timothy needed to encourage him to stand tall, be brave, and remain faithful to his assignment. His struggles passed, and he became the respected leader of the Christians in the region of Asia Minor. In the years that he served as the senior pastor of Ephesus, Timothy had many different kinds of seasons — some good, some not so good. But regardless, he stayed at his post until the very end.

What kind of season are you going through right now? Is it a happy season? Or are you experiencing hard times? Those happy seasons are such wonderful times, and you should do everything you can to enjoy them. But what are you going to do in the hard times? Are you going to be as faithful and steadfast when you face difficult challenges as you were when things seemed a little easier?

Take Paul’s words to Timothy, and apply them to yourself. This is not a time for you to run in fear or to look for someone else to take your place. If God called you to that post, it’s time for you to dig in, take a firm stand, and resolve that you are going to be faithful whether times are good or bad.

I assure you that the bad times will eventually pass. Dark clouds never last. Eventually the sun always comes out, and the birds start singing again. Wouldn’t it be a pity if you gave up and sacrificed everything you’ve worked so hard to gain because of a few dark clouds?

Jesus is with you, my friend. He will give you all the strength you need to stand tall and to remain faithful. He will do His part, but only you can do your part. What is your part? Making the choice to stay faithful to your post!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I receive this word today as strength for my life! You have called me to do something great for You, and I’m not going to let the devil or my circumstances chase me away from where I know I need to be. It’s been very difficult, but this season will pass — and when it does, I’ll be stronger, wiser, and more equipped for the future. I thank You for helping me to dig in, take a firm stand, and maintain the post You have assigned to me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am not moving from the place where Jesus called me! The devil and various circumstances have tried hard to move me, but I have made up my mind and have resolved in my heart that I am not flinching or moving from the place where Jesus called me to give my heart! This is my post; this is my ground; and I’m going to be around until I can say I’ve finished my part!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have the dark clouds been hovering over you for so long that it has made you wish you could give your assignment to someone else?

2. Have you considered how tragic it would be if you quit just before the sun started shining again? Is it possible that you are at the end of this turbulent season and that the best season of your life is just around the corner?

3. Can you think of times in your past when you thought it was all over for you, but then that difficult time passed and you came into a wonderful season of fruitfulness? Don’t you believe God is able to do that again for you?

…we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead.
— 2 Corinthians 1:8,9

Are you currently facing hard times in your life? Today I want to encourage you from the Word of God and show you how to tackle these difficult circumstances and emerge victorious. The devil will try to convince you that you’re a failure, that your life is over, and that nothing good lies ahead for you; however, this simply isn’t true. These emotions are temporary and fleeting, and the enemy is trying to use them to hold you back and keep you from experiencing the fulfilled life that God wants you to enjoy.

Although we don’t like to admit it, we all occasionally have times in our lives when we hit a brick wall, so to speak. We don’t know what to say, what to do, where to turn, or even how to pray. Sometimes it seems as if we’ve hit a dead end and everything is finished, over, and done with. If you’ve ever been in a place like that, you know what a hard place this can be! These feelings usually arise when we think that we’ve failed, that people have misunderstood us, or that we’ve been unfairly judged. However, even when we’ve made serious mistakes, these setbacks are rarely as irreparable as they seem.

I understand that these emotions feel very real in the moment. When others tell you that your situation is not as bad as you think or that you need to remember to be grateful for all the good in your life, it may even make you angry. Their comments may be right, but because you’re the one in the midst of the trial, you still feel hopeless. Somehow you’ve found yourself caught in a storm and you don’t know how to put one foot in front of the other to make your way out of it. You may feel like nothing you do pleases anyone, so you question why you should even try.

In truth, it doesn’t matter if the emotions you are experiencing stem from real personal failure or from circumstances outside of your control. It’s still your responsibility to get up, brush yourself off, and start moving forward again in your walk with God! Think about it — your entire faith is based on resurrection. The resurrection power of God is inside you, and it can lift you up above all the jumbled emotions and turmoil — into a better place than you’ve ever known in your life!

There have been many moments in my own life when I felt overwhelmed by circumstances and challenges. Usually those are the times when the devil seized the opportunity to whisper, There is no way out. You have no way to crawl out from where you are. You’re trapped with no escape. However, his words of discouragement and despair have never proven to be true! Although it may have taken longer than I anticipated to reach my goal and required me to grow to new levels of faith, there was always a way to do whatever Jesus had asked me to do, and I ultimately found victory in every challenge.

If we stick with our assigned tasks and keep moving forward — even if it’s one step at a time — we will always win! And after we’ve pressed beyond our struggles into victory, we’ll always be thankful we didn’t give up!

When I am facing challenges in my life, I always derive immense strength from Paul’s words in Second Corinthians 1:8 and 9, where he wrote, “…we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead.” Paul wrote these verses when he felt trapped by crushing ordeals in his ministry, and his words tell me that he didn’t know if he would survive. How thankful I am that God didn’t hide the apostle’s difficult moments from us!

Paul’s words in Second Corinthians 1:8 and 9 teach us what to do when we feel like we simply cannot make it any further in our own strength or that we’re no match for the challenges we’re facing. We simply must surrender to the resurrection power of God! That’s what the apostle Paul did when he found himself face to face with life-threatening situations. When Paul wrote, “…we had the sentence of death in ourselves,” he was at one of those dead-end places that I’m talking about today. In fact, the situation he faced was so acute that he compared it to a sentence of death. That’s dramatic language!

The word “sentence” is the Greek word krino — a word that usually referred to a jury who had just handed down their final sentence in a court of law. You could say that it denoted a verdict or a final sentence pronounced as the result of a court trial. After all the evidence had been presented and the judge had examined all the facts, a final verdict was issued by the court.

By using this word “sentence” or krino, Paul told us that so many problems were stacked against him and his companions that, by all appearances, it seemed like there was no way for them to escape or even to survive. It looked as if they’d hit a dead-end, as if everything was finished, over, and done with! Paul went on to say that it looked so insurmountable that, as far as he was concerned, it seemed there was only one possible outcome — death!

But in spite of how bad things appeared, Paul didn’t die, nor did he fail at fulfilling the job God had given him to do. It may have looked like it was the end of the road for Paul, but it was really the beginning of a new supernatural flow of divine power into his life. That’s why he went on to say that through it all, he learned not to trust in himself, but in God who raises the dead.

Paul had been under intense pressure, but right in the midst of this horrible situation, God’s resurrection power was released inside Paul and he was rescued! Paul said it was so dramatic that it was almost as if he and his companions had been raised from the dead.

When you don’t know what else to do but turn to God, that’s usually when His resurrection power can begin to operate in you in the greatest way. You see, in God there’s no such thing as a hopeless situation. That dead-end place you may be facing right now can become a place of new beginnings!

Let me tell you, people all around you are struggling right now. The devil is telling them that they won’t make it. But they will make it if they choose to turn their focused gaze to Jesus, and you will too! Your victory may not come as you thought, but God is with you, and He will get you through whatever it is you’re facing if you’ll surrender to the Holy Spirit’s resurrection power inside you.

This is not the end for you! God has a marvelous plan for your life, and the devil simply doesn’t have the power to hijack what He has planned. Remember — if the devil has tried to tell you that you’re a failure, that life is over, and that nothing good lies ahead of you in the future, it’s not true! What you’re feeling will pass, and better days are ahead. Just determine to lay hold of the resurrection power of Christ in you, and let it lift you up above the storm into a brighter and better place!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for Your marvelous plan for my life. I praise You because the devil is powerless to hijack it. I turn my attention from my failures and fix my gaze upon Jesus, who is the Author and Finisher of my faith! My victory might not be coming to me exactly as I expected — nonetheless, my victory is on the way. I surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to flow through me to bring me to a place of victory!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that when I don’t know what to do, I turn to God for direction and help, and He releases His wisdom in me. There is no such thing as a hopeless situation. When I feel that I am facing a dead-end, God’s power turns it into a place of a new beginning. What I am facing is not the end for me — it is, in fact, the starting point for a glorious new beginning. When the devil tries to tell me that nothing good lies ahead for me, I remind him of the future that is awaiting HIM! I confess that the resurrection power of Jesus Christ has already lifted me far above his attacks and that a brighter and better future awaits me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever felt that you came to a dead-end place in your life, only to find it was the beginning of an entirely new chapter, which turned out better than anything you had ever previously known?
2. How do you respond when the devil tries to attack your mind with thoughts of failure and defeat? Do you submit to his insinuations and fall into despair, or do you rise up in the power of the Spirit to take those thoughts captive?
3. How would you advise someone whose mind was under assault with thoughts of failure and defeat? How would you instruct them to take authority over those thoughts?

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
— Philippians 4:6

Over many years and through many experiences, I have learned that I have to be proactive to keep my spiritual life strong and healthy. We can’t ignore our spiritual life and expect it to remain strong. Just as our bodies need regular care and attention, our spiritual lives need a maintenance schedule in order to remain healthy.

I want to give you five principles that Denise and I have learned over the years to keep us strong and vibrant. These five principles have become essential elements in our daily lives — and they have resulted in our being continually strengthened to accomplish the tasks the Holy Spirit has entrusted to us. These five elements are very simple, but if you will do them faithfully, I am fully convinced that your life will be strengthened in every way.

1. Every day spend time with God in the morning.

In Psalm 5:3, David wrote of his commitment to spend time with God every morning. He said, “My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.”

I want you to particularly notice the italicized portion of this verse: “…and will look up.” I have learned that if we don’t begin our day by “looking up,” our natural tendency is to start by looking down. By the time we read our text messages on our mobile devices each morning, read our emails, answer a few phone calls, listen to the morning news, or simply contemplate everything that is on our “to do” list for that day — our emotions can pull us into a downward spiral before we ever even leave home!

David understood this. He was surrounded with enemies outside his home and even among his own family members. David knew that he needed to start each morning “looking up” before his flesh had an opportunity to take him down.

Similarly, you need to start every day with the Lord “looking up.” You accomplish this by focusing your attention on the Word each morning and by spending some concentrated time in prayer.

Making the Lord and His Word your first focus each day will be a lifeline for your spiritual strength. Ignore this element of your spiritual walk, and you’ll end up troubled, nervous, worried, and lacking spiritual power in your life. Make this a daily habit, and you’ll be at peace. You’ll be infused with confidence, and you’ll experience power to overcome the daily problems you face in life. Making a commitment to do this may require that you get up earlier or that you to go to bed earlier. But making the Lord your first focus every day will absolutely change your life.

I start every day of my life exactly as I am suggesting to you. When I wake up, I grab my cup of coffee, head to my chair in our TV room, sit down with my Bible, and immediately begin to put God’s Word into my heart and soul. It feeds me, keeps me on track, and helps my heart stay tender before the Lord.

One day without God’s Word is all it takes for the hardening process to begin in your heart. That’s why it’s so crucial that you hold yourself as an alert watchman on the walls of your heart, carefully guarding what comes in its “gates,” as well as your level of intake of the Word versus the level of outflow. Proverbs 4:20-23 states the divine warning concerning this: “My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

And while you’re already sitting there with your Bible, you should take time to pray! That’s a crucial part of “looking up” to get your heart set on the Lord at the beginning of the day. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” The word “everything” is from the Greek panti, and it embraces everything. It is an all-inclusive word — including the finest, most minute details.

My advice is that you:

• Pray before you read your Bible, and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
• Pray as you read your Bible, and ask the Holy Spirit to plant what you are reading deep into your heart and soul.
• Pray every day for a few minutes with your spouse.
• Pray with your children before they leave the house.
• Pray before you drive your car or travel on any other means of transportation.

I have implemented these simple guidelines in my own prayer life, and they have added great strength to my walk with God.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Paul tells us to “pray without ceasing.” The words “without ceasing” come from the Greek word adialeiptos, which means without interruption, without taking a break, or continuously. The only way you can do this is to develop a lifestyle of prayer. Starting early in the morning is the best way to get started — and then you can keep it up throughout the rest of the day.

2.  Every day spend time feeding your spirit on other godly sources.

When Paul was in prison writing the last letter he would write, he told Timothy, “When you come…bring my books…” (2 Timothy 4:13 NLT).

Paul asked for books — books he could read to strengthen his own spirit as he waited in prison for his execution. Paul was filled with revelation and knew the Lord better than any of us, yet he still longed to read and to grow as he waited to depart to be with the Lord. He could have said, “Forget it — I’ll be in Heaven soon anyway!” But Paul understood that as long as he was alive, he needed to feed his spirit.

Never forget that growing people are reading people. It’s usually true that people who are stagnant in life don’t spend much time reading what others have written.

It is simply a fact that reading is like fertilizer to a garden. The more you read good books, the more your mind and spirit expand and your inward capacity grows. And it doesn’t have to be hours upon hours of reading. It can be a chapter a day from a book that causes you to dig deeper or that challenges your mind and spirit to grow. The point is to make a deliberate effort to read on a regular basis in order to bring growth to your spirit and mind.

If you are an auditory learner more than a reader, you can do the same thing by taking a few minutes each day to listen to an audio series or audio books as you drive your car or work around your house. One of our sons showed me a group of teaching CDs he had been listening to as he drove his car all over Moscow. It impressed me. Why not use the valuable time you spend in your car to feed your spirit and produce strength in your life?

What you put into your mind will determine what you think, what you believe, and, ultimately, what will happen in your life. That principle can work both negatively or positively, so apply it to your advantage by regularly reading or listening to words that will lift your spirit and help change your circumstances to conform to God’s will. If you say you don’t have time to do that, I suggest that you log the time you spend watching television programs in a given week — programs that do nothing to nurture and grow your life spiritually. You’ll see that you really do have time to invest in your own spirit by feeding on other godly sources.

3.  Every day spend some time in quietness.

Proverbs 27:19 says, “As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.” Just as you see your reflection when you look into a pool of water, you can see and hear your own heart when you get quiet enough to listen.

I am convinced that the failure to do this is one reason people get confused in life. They get so busy that they no longer are in touch with themselves — what they believe, what they need, and what they feel. Instead, they just keep moving through life like robots.

But you need times of deep contemplation in order to stay in touch with your own heart. Perhaps journaling will help you process your thoughts, as it does for some people, and articulate your ongoing conversations with God.

In Psalm 37:4, David wrote, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” We all want the desires of our hearts — but if we are not in touch with our hearts, how can we even know what those desires are? The fact is that much activity with no pause leads to spiritual dullness and confusion. You need a few minutes of “quiet” every day.

Where can you find a time and place for quiet contemplation? If you don’t have a place to be quiet, consider these possibilities:

• Take a walk to let the quietness of the outdoors become a sanctuary for your spirit.
• Get up before other people in your house are awake and let that time of quietness fill your soul with peace.
• Go into the bathroom, if necessary, and shut the door!

Finding a few minutes of quietness has become a very integral part of my life. It is essential for me to stay in touch with my own heart and the deeply imbedded, God-given desires in my spirit. It helps to chase away inner turbulence and to bring the peace of God to the forefront of my mind.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” God commands us to be still because He knows how much we need this for the health of our spirits and souls.

To get started spending time in quietness each day as a habit, consider setting aside even as little as five minutes every day to be alone and allow God to minister strength to you through a concentrated time of quietness.

4.  Every day spend some time with those who strengthen you.

Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another….” People tend to think this verse refers to attending church, and that’s true. You need to be faithful to attend church; after all, you are a part of the Body! Your church family needs you, and you need what others have to give you. In the Body of Christ, there is a mutual exchange of strength that occurs in fellowshipping with other believers that you absolutely need.

However, for me personally, I need more than a weekly meeting with an auditorium full of people. That corporate worship time is essential, but I also need people who speak into my life — to encourage me, to check on me, and to hold me accountable in various areas of my life. These times of fellowship can be done by telephone, by email, by Skype, or by a number of means that are available today — or by the old-fashioned way of personally meeting together!

There are six people who speak deeply into my life — and I speak with at least one of them every day and nearly all of them at least once a week. With all that I am required to give of myself to others, I have found a great need to have people who impart spiritual wisdom and insight into my life. It helps keep me strong and healthy. The primary one who does this is Denise — but in addition to my precious wife, I have come to treasure five men who fill this vital role in my life.

These five men remind me of God’s faithfulness. They remind me to keep my eyes on Jesus, and they encourage me to keep marching forward in obedience to Jesus’ call on my life. Yes, I could probably do it without them, but I’m so thankful I don’t have to! I deliberately and purposefully stay in touch with these precious men. I don’t wait for them to call me. I actively pursue these relationships, because I know I need them and that God wants to strengthen me through them.

Who speaks into your life with this kind of authority? These types of relationships need to be identified, pursued, developed, and maintained, for they will serve to make you stronger in your walk with God.

5.  Every day take time to stop throughout the day to acknowledge God.

Psalm 119:164 says, “Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.” This is something you can stop and do several times a day that requires almost no effort. But I promise — doing so will radically change your life.

I personally take pauses throughout each day to recognize God’s presence in my life. I have a program on my mobile device that “chimes” like a church bell intermittently throughout the day — and regardless of where I am or what I am doing, when I hear that “chime,” I pause to recognize God’s presence in my life and to thank Him for being in control.

When so much seems to be going on beyond your control, it’s good to pause and acknowledge that God is on the throne and is righteous in all His judgments — regardless of what you see, what you feel, or what others are doing or are failing to do. Pausing to recognize this at various points throughout your day will energize your atmosphere and keep you “connected” in your soul to the Living One!

There is nothing more important than your relationship with God. Please prayerfully consider how you can implement these five life-changing elements in your life every day. Making these five principles a part of our daily lives has truly changed Denise and me — and we know they will add so much strength to your life as well.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for speaking to me today about areas where I need to be more proactive in guarding my spiritual life to make sure that I stay spiritually strong, healthy, and vibrant. I understand that to keep my spirit in strong condition will require time and energy and perhaps the sacrifice of other good pastimes. There is nothing more important than my relationship with You. How I walk with You affects every other area of my life. Help me take this seriously and apply these principles to my life. Show me how to get started, because I know that my spiritual condition is vital to the rest of my life and to the lives of those You have positioned me to influence for Your glory.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am proactive in keeping my spiritual condition strong, healthy, and vibrant. I do not ignore my spiritual life. Just as I feed my body every day and have certain regimens in place to care for my physical condition, I am careful to attend to the needs of my spirit and soul. As a result, I am spiritually strong; I am spiritually healthy; and my heart is vibrant. I am disciplined, committed, and careful to keep my spiritual condition in top-notch shape!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What did you honestly think when you read this Sparkling Gem today? Did you feel overwhelmed by the list of five things to do, or do you believe that these are elements you can apply to your life?
2. Perhaps you already do some of these things in your daily routine. Which ones are already essential elements in your life? Which one do you need to implement immediately?
3. To implement these suggestions, or even a partial list of them, what changes will you have to make in your daily schedule? I suggest that you look at the main points of this Sparkling Gem once again, and choose which elements you can most easily adapt to your life. The point is to get started.

Don’t Deliberately Invite a Typhoon Into Your Church, Ministry, or Business!

Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
— 1 Timothy 3:6

Maybe you’ve had an associate or a worker whom you once greatly trusted — until he or she deceived and betrayed you. If you’ve gone through that kind of difficult experience, you may not be too excited about trusting people again.

Every leader in the world has been through one of these experiences. Even Jesus had a thief on His team who stole money from the organization and who later betrayed Him and turned Him over to the religious authorities to be executed on a cross. If that can happen to Jesus, it’s possible for it to happen to anyone. But Jesus didn’t give up and quit just because there was one bad apple in His group. There were still eleven others who remained faithful. Although these eleven also made some mistakes along the way, they ultimately changed the course of human history as they carried the Gospel message to the ends of the earth.

Letting your emotions get the best of you by deciding to go on alone is not the right answer when you go through this type of experience. You need to get up, brush off the dirt, learn from your mistakes, and go for it again with all your heart. Rather than blame someone else for what has happened, just accept responsibility for where you may have failed. Stop moaning about the bump in the road you’ve hit, and allow that ordeal to become a learning experience. It’s time to quit thinking about what others did wrong to you. Instead, ask what you did wrong that permitted the situation to arise. Ask yourself:

• Did I give too much authority to this person too quickly?
• Did I trust someone I really didn’t know very well?
• Did I spend enough time with that person to really become his friend?
• Did I let that person know what I expected of him?
• Did I ignore signs that something was going amiss?
• Did my spouse tell me something was wrong, but I wouldn’t listen?
• What did I learn from this experience?

No school is more effective than the one you go through when someone you work with betrays or disappoints you. After that experience, you will better understand why Paul told Timothy not to choose unknown people for key leadership positions. In First Timothy 3:6, Paul wrote: “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

If I were to ask you, “What is a novice?” you might answer that a novice is a new Christian. That certainly can be true; however, the word “novice” is much broader than this narrow interpretation. It comes from the Greek word neophutos, which is a compound of the words neo and photos. The word neo means new, and photos is the Greek word for a plant. Compounded together, neophutos means a new plant. In this context, it is understood to mean a new convert or a new Christian. But this word can also refer to an old plant that is new in your garden. In other words, it can also refer to a transplant.

Few pastors make the mistake of choosing brand-new converts for key positions in the church or ministry. Few business leaders would put a young, inexperienced teenager in charge of their business. However, church leaders and business people do often make the mistake of promoting people too quickly when those people come to them from other churches, organizations, or businesses. Newcomers may look good and sound good, and their talents may be urgently needed. Thus, hasty decisions are often made, and people are promoted before they are really known.

People may have years of experience, but if they are new in your garden — your church, ministry, organization, or business — you need to take the time to know them before you give them vast amounts of authority and responsibility. Paul explains why, saying that if you promote a person too quickly, it puts him in a position for the devil to deceive him into thinking too highly of himself. This is what Paul means when he says, “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride….”

The phrase “lifted up with pride” comes from the Greek word tuphuo, and it means to be wrapped in smoke, such as a person whose vision is so blurred, he can’t see things properly. This is where we get the word typhoon, which refers to a destructive storm that causes great damage.

You see, when a person is elevated too quickly, the devil often whispers to that person, “Look how powerful you are! Even though you’re new here, you’ve already become so visible!” Why is this so extremely dangerous? Paul continues to explain by saying, “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

Do you see the words “he fall into”? These are from the Greek word empipto, which means to fall into some kind of controversy or to fall into some kind of encounter. Thus, Paul warns that when a person is promoted too high too quickly, he may become clouded by his own sense of self-importance, which causes him to stumble into an encounter with the devil that could have destructive, typhoon-like consequences not only for the person himself, but for the church, organization, or business.

Paul concludes by saying, “…lest he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” The word “condemnation” is the Greek word krima, which means judgment. It can describe an action that leads to one’s judgment. This being the case, this phrase could be translated, “…lest he fall under the same action and judgment of the devil.”

What was the action of the devil that led to his judgment? You can find his words in Isaiah 14:12-14, where five times he declared that he would ascend into the highest places of Heaven to disrupt the position of God and to seize God’s throne above the angels. Ezekiel 28:17 tells us the reason this deception filled Satan’s heart. It says, “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty….” You see, Lucifer became so impressed with his own beauty and radiance that he started thinking too highly of himself — and that is what led him to believe he could usurp the position of God!

This kind of situation is precisely what Paul is warning us to avoid when he urges us not to promote people to positions of authority too quickly. When this happens, Satan begins to go to work in these people’s minds, telling them that they are wonderful and more powerful, gifted, and capable than anyone else. If they allow the devil’s game to work in their minds, they will begin to think they should have authority that was never given to them. This is precisely the kind of wrong thinking that will release a spiritual typhoon in your church, organization, or ministry!

So if you’ve ever suffered after promoting someone before you really knew him — or if you’ve ever been hurt because you gave power to good people too quickly — you need to accept responsibility for where you may have failed. Learn from this experience, and then move on. You’ll be a much better leader because of what you have learned from this difficult “school of hard knocks”!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to please help me gauge how quickly others should be promoted in our church, organization, or business. I don’t want to make the mistake of throwing people into situations where the devil will test them because I promoted them too quickly. Also, Lord, I ask You to please help me have a new appreciation for those who are over me and who are taking some time before promoting me. I want to be a blessing, and I never want the devil to have an opportunity to blur my vision because I think too highly of myself. Thank You for loving me enough to promote me in just the right time and in just the right way.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I use wisdom in the way I choose and promote leaders in my area of responsibility. I am careful, cautious, and hesitant about promoting people to high positions too quickly. Just as God watches and tests me before giving me greater responsibility, I watch, test, and wait to see if others are really ready before I assign them new and important tasks. Because I rely on the Holy Spirit’s help in this matter, I am making fewer and fewer mistakes in choosing the right people to promote!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever seen someone promoted so quickly that it caused deep spiritual problems later on? If so, who was that person, and what did you learn by observing that heart-rending situation?

2. Have you ever watched someone whom a pastor loved, cared for, and promoted later become the chief critic of that same pastor? Was that person you? If yes, have you ever gone to your pastor to ask for his forgiveness?

3. If you’ve been feeling let down by someone you trusted, why don’t you take some time today to pray and ask the Lord to help you forgive that person? After all, the prison of bitterness you’ve been locked in because of that past offense hurts only you!

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering….
— Colossians 3:12

Let me challenge you today: Set aside some quality time to be alone with God and make this specific request of Him: “Father, I ask You to show me what areas of my life need to be adjusted so they more accurately represent the attitude of Jesus Christ.” And as you begin a search with that question in your heart, I suggest that you begin with Colossians 3:12, where Paul described the Christ-like attitudes we need to implement in our lives.

Paul wrote, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering.” Paul’s choice of wording for each character trait is very specific, so let’s take time today to deconstruct them to better discern his exact meaning of each one.

To begin, I want to focus on the phrase “bowels of mercies,” which sounds very strange in today’s vernacular but conveys a powerful message. It is a translation of two Greek words, splagnon and oiktirmos. The word splagnon refers to the inner organs of a human body, or more specifically, the bowels, and the word oiktirmos denotes compassion or a deeply felt urge to help relieve some kind of pain or sorrow.

Before I elaborate further on the Greek word splagnon (“bowels”), I must ask you to pardon me in advance for being so blunt with my explanation. However, it is important to consider the function of bowels in order to understand the reason why that word is used in connection with “mercy” and “compassion” in the New Testament.

Physically, when your bowels move, you feel it deeply. When the process is done, the bowels have made a physical deposit and rid the body of human waste. The purpose of these feelings, however, is not superficial — they are a sign that the intestines are working to push waste through the system and out of the body.

Thus, by using the word splagnon, Paul was saying that deep feelings of compassion should do more than merely provoke pity for a person’s situation; they should spur you to action. When these feelings begin to well up deep within your spirit, you must surrender to them and let them work through your inner man until they manifest through your words and actions. As you do this, God’s Spirit simultaneously works through you to reach out and make a spiritual deposit into those who are suffering, sorrowful, or going through a difficult time in their lives. To feel that inner pain without taking any action simply produces no benefit.

It’s interesting to note that “bowels of mercies” is the very first Christ-like attitude that Paul listed in Colossians 3:12. Throughout the four gospels, the Greek words splagnon and oiktirmos are frequently used together to describe moments when Jesus was “moved with compassion.” The Bible tells us that when Jesus experienced this feeling, compassion flowed from deep inside Him to help multitudes, heal the sick, or otherwise demonstrate God’s kindness to people who were in need (see Matthew 14:14-21; 15:32-38; 20:34; Mark 1:41,42; 6:34-44; 8:2-9; Luke 7:13-15). By listing this quality first, Paul was urging us not to focus on our own needs but rather to turn our attention outward to others who are in trouble and allow our hearts to feel their pain until we are inwardly touched!

Is there someone you know who needs a touch of God’s compassion? That divine compassion is deposited deep inside your spirit, and if you will yield to it, it will flow from the deepest part of your being to heal, change, deliver, and bring relief to that person in need. So I exhort you: Please don’t shut off your bowels of compassion! If you sense the urge growing and building inside your spirit to alleviate another person’s pain, let that compassion flow and bring him or her the delivering power of God.

The next attitude Paul told us to put on in Colossians 3:12 is “kindness.” This is a translation of the Greek word chrestotes, which means to show kindness or to be friendly to others. In Greek history, it often depicted rulers, governors, or others in positions of leadership and authority who were kind, mild, and benevolent to their subjects. Anyone who demonstrated this quality of chrestotes was considered to be compassionate, considerate, sympathetic, humane, kind, and gentle. Elsewhere in Scripture, the apostle Paul used this word chrestotes to depict God’s incomprehensible kindness for people who are unsaved (see Romans 11:22; Ephesians 2:7; Titus 3:4). One scholar has noted that when the word chrestotes is applied to interhuman relationships, it conveys the idea of being adaptable to others.

When chrestotes is working in a believer, that believer strives to become adaptable to the needs of those around him rather than harshly requiring everyone else to adapt to his own needs and desires. This is so contrary to the flesh, which says, “Excuse me, but if you don’t like me the way I am, that’s tough! This is the way I am, and if you don’t like it, you can just get out of here. I’m not changing for anyone!”

When the Holy Spirit produces “kindness” in you, your entire mode of thinking will change. You’ll begin to ask people, “How can I be different for you? Is there any way I can change that will help you? Is there anything I can do better for you? How can I serve you to meet your needs more effectively?”

When you become adaptable to meet the needs of other people, a supernatural work of God takes place in your heart, and you grow substantially in your spiritual walk as a result. If this kindness hasn’t started to work in you yet, today would be a great day for you to ask the Holy Spirit to start producing this Christ-like attitude in your life!

Paul continued in Colossians 3:12 by urging us to allow “humbleness of mind” to develop in our lives. The Greek word used here is tapeinophrosune, a compound of the words tapeinos and phronos. The word tapeinos is translated humility, and it depicts the attitude of one who is humble, lowly, and willing to stoop to any level that is needed. The word phronos simply means to think. When these two words are compounded, as in this verse, the new word portrays the attitude of someone who is unassuming and not self-promoting. It suggests a person who is modest and unpretentious.

Does “humbleness of mind” operate in your life? Jesus was known for stooping to the level of everyone around Him in order to minister life to them. Had He seen Himself as “better” or “more deserving” than others, He never would have died on the Cross for you and me. Kindness is also a Christ-like attitude that the Holy Spirit strongly desires to produce in all of our lives. Is it working in you right now, or is this an area in which you need to allow the Holy Spirit to work more deeply in your character?

In this remarkable list of Christ-like attitudes found in Colossians 3:12, Paul next mentioned “meekness.” Most people assume that if a person is meek, he must be weak. However, this is a grossly incorrect view of the word “meekness.” In reality, “meekness” is one of the strongest attributes a person can possess, because it refers to a unique strength that dramatically impacts everyone it touches. In fact, in the ancient world, meekness was considered to be a high and noble ideal that people aspired to attain in life!

The word “meekness” is the Greek word prautes, which describes a person who is forbearing, patient, and slow to respond in anger or a strong-willed person who has learned to submit his will to a higher authority. This isn’t a weak person; it’s a controlled person. A meek individual may possess a firm will and a powerful character, and he may have his own strong opinions. However, he has fundamentally learned how to bring his will under control. When confronted by an injurious situation, a meek person doesn’t react with a rash or angry outburst, flying into a rage and throwing a temper tantrum. Instead he responds with kindness, gentleness, mildness, or even friendliness.

In rare instances, the word prautes (“meekness”) was used in Classical Greek literature to describe wild animals that had become tame because the word correctly conveys the idea of a wild, fierce will being brought under control. Thus, the meaning of this word extends to the idea of an individual who remains in control of himself in the face of insults or injuries. In the Greek language, the word prautes also conveys the idea of a high and noble ideal to be aspired to in one’s life.

In addition, the word prautes was used in a medical sense to denote soothing medication to calm the angry mind. Thus, we see that a meek person doesn’t project the countenance of one who is offended, upset, angry, or reactive to insults or injuries. Instead, his response is so gentle and mild that it acts as a soothing medicine for an angry or upset soul in an unsettling situation.

The flesh loves to rage out of control, but “meekness” makes you careful and controlled even in difficult circumstances. Instead of flying into a rage and throwing a temper tantrum at every perceived slight, you’re able to remain silent and keep your emotions and temper in check. Your very presence will become God’s soothing medication for angry, upset people, and you will impart peace to situations that previously were unsettling and unstable. And if you find yourself in a situation that you fiercely believe is wrong, you’re still able to remain silent until the appropriate moment to speak or until you’ve been asked for your opinion. You know how to control yourself and your emotions.

Last in Paul’s list of Christ-like attitudes is the word “longsuffering.” This is a translation of the Greek word makrothumia, which is a compound of the words makros and thumos. The word makros indicates something that is long, distant, far, or remote. The word thumos is often translated anger, but it also embodies the idea of a strong and growing passion about something. When the two words are compounded, they form the word makrothumia, which refers to the patient restraint of anger, longsuffering, forbearance, or patience.

The idea of makrothumia, or “longsuffering,” can be compared to a candle with a very long wick that allows it to burn for a long time. In a similar way, a person who is longsuffering is ready to forbear and patiently wait for people to “come around,” listen to counsel, make progress, and ultimately implement change in their lives. Walking in makrothumia is a part of our Christian responsibility. We have an obligation before God not to be short-tempered with people who struggle or fail. Instead, we are to forbear with them and help them succeed!

Longsuffering is so different from the way the flesh wants to react. Flesh gets easily angered, blows up, loses its temper, says things it later regrets, and doesn’t want to give the same mercy it demands from others. That is the exact opposite of the response God wants us to have when facing difficult situations. In fact, He commands us to make longsuffering a key characteristic in our lives!

This one verse holds so much insight into the question that we need to answer before God: What areas of my life need to be adjusted so they more accurately represent the attitude of Jesus Christ? Any or all of these qualities we discussed above may represent some of those areas that need to be adjusted in our lives. The good news is that the Holy Spirit lives in us, and each character trait discussed today is a fruit He wants to produce in our lives. All He needs is our cooperation.

So I encourage you: Make the decision today to yield to the Holy Spirit on a continual basis, and allow Him to produce these Christ-like attitudes inside you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy Spirit, I am so thankful that You live inside of me to produce the attitudes of Jesus Christ in my life. Today I have been convicted regarding areas in my life where I need to grow and change. I ask You to release Your divine power inside me to produce the attitudes and the attributes of Jesus’ character in my life. Let Colossians 3:12 become a reality inside me as the very nature and life of Jesus becomes replicated in me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly confess that I am changing every day as I surrender to the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. He is convicting me of areas where I need to be more Christ-like, and I am responding to what He reveals to me about the areas I need to change so I can become more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. I am not powerless. I am not a victim to my ugly old nature. The Spirit of God indwells me, and He gives me the power to change in these areas where He is speaking to my heart!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when God’s compassion tried to flow through you, but you reasoned yourself out of yielding to that inner urge? Were you later sorry that you denied the love of God to be expressed through your life?
2. Take a moment to examine the way you respond to insults, injuries, or volatile situations. Do you find that you are often a contributor to a heated and potentially explosive atmosphere? Or does your presence bring peace into the midst of the conflict? When others say or do something that could offend you, do you quickly retort with a harsh answer, or are you able to control your emotions and temper, remaining silent until a more appropriate time to speak?
3. Do you “suffer long” with others who struggle in some area, or are you easily angered and irritated when people don’t “get it right the first time”? Have you ever said something rude to someone else who was genuinely trying his best to succeed at something yet had failed? Were you later convicted of your own failures and shortcomings? Do you remember others who practiced longsuffering toward you when you needed it? What about those who didn’t demonstrate longsuffering? How did their attitudes or behaviors help or hinder you?

The Devil Has a Plan for Your Life!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
— John 10:10

I realize that John 10:10 is a well-known verse to millions of believers around the world, but today I want to give you fresh insight into this powerful scripture. Rather than simply read it as you’ve read it a thousand times before, let’s dig a little deeper into the Greek words behind this verse to see what we can mine from the treasures of the Greek New Testament!

Jesus said, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). According to these words of Jesus, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy everything good in your life. He wants to destroy your job, your joy, your happiness, your health, your finances, your marriage, and your kids. The thief just wants to ruin anything he can get his hands on!

The word “thief” comes from the Greek word klepto, which means to steal. It gives a picture of a bandit, pickpocket, or thief who is so artful in the way he steals that his exploits of thievery are nearly undetectable. This reminds me of the pickpockets who work the streets in certain areas of Moscow. They can slip their hands into a person’s pockets, take what they want, and be long gone before that person discovers they were even there!

Jesus uses this word to let us know the devil is very cunning in the way he steals from people. He knows that if he does it outright, his actions will be recognized; therefore, he steals from people in such a deceptive way that he often accomplishes his evil goal before they even know he has stolen from them!

Often the devil injects thoughts into a person’s mind to steal his peace, his joy, and even his beliefs. The word klepto describes a thief’s uncontrollable urge to get his hands into someone’s pockets so he can take that which doesn’t rightfully belong to him. I find it very interesting that this is where we get the word kleptomaniac, which describes a person with a persistent, neurotic impulse to steal. Just as a kleptomaniac can’t help but steal, the devil can’t stop stealing because it is his impulse and his very nature to steal. This is precisely the nature and behavior of the thief Jesus told us about!

Not only does the thief come to steal, but Jesus said that he also comes “to kill.” At first glance, it appears that this means to kill, as to take someone’s life. But the Greek word is thuo, which means to sacrifice. It originally referred to the sacrificial giving of animals on the altar. It could mean to sacrifice; to surrender; or to give up something that is precious and dear. It was particularly used in a religious connotation to denote the sacrifice of animals, and it had nothing to do with killing in terms of murder.

Because Jesus uses this word to describe the work of the thief in John 10:10, He is telling us that if the thief hasn’t already walked away with everything we hold precious and dear, he will then try to convince us that we need to sacrifice or give up everything he hasn’t already taken from us.

The thief cannot bear the fact that you possess any kind of blessing. Therefore, if he is unsuccessful at stealing the good things from your life, he will try to cunningly convince you to give up everything you possess and love — simply because he doesn’t want you to have it. He may even try to create stressful situations that cause you to conclude that your only solution is to sacrifice the things you dearly love.

Then Jesus went on to say that the thief also comes “to destroy.” The word “destroy” is from the Greek word apollumi, meaning to destroy. It carries the idea of something that is ruined, wasted, trashed, devastated, and destroyed. By using this word, we discover that if the thief is unsuccessful in his attempts to steal from you or convince you to sacrifice what you hold dear, he will then try to ruin it!

An expanded interpretive translation of John 10:10 could read this way:

“The thief wants to get his hands into every good thing in your life. In fact, this pickpocket is looking for any opportunity to wiggle his way so deeply into your personal affairs that he can walk off with everything you hold precious and dear. And that’s not all — when he’s finished stealing all your goods and possessions, he’ll take his plan to rob you blind to the next level. He’ll create conditions and situations so horrible that you’ll see no way to solve the problem except to sacrifice everything that remains from his previous attacks. The goal of this thief is to totally waste and devastate your life. If nothing stops him, he’ll leave you insolvent, flat broke, and cleaned out in every area of your life. You’ll end up feeling as if you are finished and out of business! Make no mistake — the enemy’s ultimate aim is to obliterate you….”

But Jesus went on to say, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The words “they might have” are from the Greek tense that means to have and to continually possess. The “life” Jesus offers us is zoe, which suggests a life that is filled with vitality. The word “abundantly” is from the Greek word periossos, and it means to be above, beyond what is regular, extraordinary, or even exceeding. This is not just abundance; it is super-abundance.

What a comparison! The devil comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but Jesus comes to give life as we have never known it!

An expanded interpretive translation of this second part of John 10:10 could be as follows:

“…But I came that they might have, keep, and constantly retain a vitality, gusto, vigor, and zest for living that springs up from deep down inside. I came that they might embrace this unrivaled, unequaled, matchless, incomparable, richly loaded and overflowing life to the ultimate maximum!”

In your walk with the Lord, you will experience times when the devil pushes buttons in your emotions to keep you all bound up and depressed. Other times the enemy will disguise his voice to make you think God is talking to you in order to get you off track or cause you to cast off your deepest dreams as pure imagination. But whenever these attacks occur, just tell the devil to shut up and stop dropping those dimwitted thoughts of nonsense into your head. Tell him to hit the road! Let him know you’re not going to bite that bait any longer, so he might as well go fishing somewhere else. You’re not a sucker anymore! You know how he works now, and you’ve determined that he isn’t going to steal, kill, or destroy one more good thing in your life!

There’s no doubt about it!

• The devil wants you to be defeated.
• The devil wants you to struggle through your entire life.
• The devil wants you to be sick, depressed, down in the dumps, glum, and miserable.
• The devil wants you to feel like you will never hit the target with your life.
• But Jesus wants to give you a life that is unrivaled, unequaled, matchless, incomparable, richly loaded, and overflowing with life to the ultimate maximum!

So now that you know the devil wants to make your life a less-than-gratifying, unhappy, uneventful life — a life that no one will even notice is gone once it’s over — what are you going to do about it? I urge you to put on the brakes and stop Satan from wreaking havoc in your life. Jesus will give you the power to resist every attack and to overcome every strategy the devil ever tries to use against you!

 

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so thankful that You came to give me real life! You didn’t save me so I could live the rest of my life in defeat and poverty. You didn’t redeem me so I could be sick, depressed, and sad. You came to give me life, and I am determined to enter into the reality of that life You promised me. Forgive me for ever allowing the devil to talk me out of the blessings You have designed for my life and my family. I’m taking my eyes off the low road, and I’m headed for the high road of blessing You have planned for me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that Jesus Christ gives me a life that is filled with extraordinary abundance! He came that I might have, keep, and constantly retain a vitality, gusto, vigor, and zest for living that springs up from deep down inside me. He gives me a life that is not rattled or easily shaken by any outward event. I therefore embrace this unrivaled, unequaled, matchless, incomparable, richly loaded, and overflowing life that Jesus came to give me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. If an unbeliever looked at your life, would he say that you had an “abundant life” or that you lived a low-level, meager existence? What do you think “abundance” would mean to an unbeliever?

2. How do you gauge an “abundant life”? Do you measure abundance in terms of spirituality, finances, health, relationships, or employment? How many of these areas do you think Jesus was referring to when He spoke of living life “more abundantly”?

3. In what areas are you not experiencing abundant life? It would be very helpful for you to make a list of these areas so you can pray about them and begin to believe for God’s abundance to flow into these parts of your life.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
— Hebrews 4:16

I can’t begin to count the times that I’ve felt pressed into a hard place and didn’t know what to do. But in those moments, I’ve learned to lean upon the promises made to us in Hebrews 4:16. It says, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Today I want us to look at the words “boldly,” “obtain,” “find,” and the phrase “help in time of need.” I am sure that these words are packed with awesome insights that will absolutely thrill your heart and will give you such peace!

The verse begins by saying, “Let us therefore come boldly….” The word “boldly” comes from the word parresia, an often-used Greek word that was used in ancient times to refer to freedom of speech. It normally depicts a person who speaks his mind and who does it straightforwardly and with great confidence. In New Testament times, freedom of speech was restricted, and people who violated the rules were punished. The word parresia, used in this verse, depicts a frankness that was so bold, it was often met with resistance, hostility, and opposition. It just wasn’t acceptable to speak so candidly. Therefore, when someone freely spoke his mind and thoughts, such outspokenness was met time and again with scorn or rebuke.

Because the Holy Spirit uses the word parresia in Hebrews 4:16, it tells us several important things. First, we know that whenever we approach the Lord in prayer, we need never fear that we are too frank, too bold, too forthright, too honest, too outspoken, or even too blunt when we bare our hearts to Him or request His help. We should never be irreverent, but neither do we need to be ashamed to speak exactly what is on our hearts. When you go to the Lord, He wants to hear exactly what you have to say!

Second, the use of the word parresia — which was used to give us the encouragement to speak boldly to God in prayer — tells us that God will not rebuke us for telling Him exactly what we think. Even if we are wrong, it will not bother God when we’re honest with Him. He may correct us or take us to the Word to help fix our wrong thinking and believing, but He is always glad when we come to Him and speak freely from our hearts.

As the verse continues, it exhorts us to “…come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” We all need mercy, so now let’s look at the word “obtain” to see how we can obtain it!

The word “obtain” comes from the Greek word lambano. It can be translated a couple of ways, depending on how it is used in the text. For example, it can mean to seize or to lay hold of something in order to make it your very own, almost like a person who reaches out to grab, to capture, or to take possession of something. In some cases, it means to violently lay hold of something in order to seize and take it as one’s very own. At other times, it depicts a person who gently and graciously receives something that is freely and easily given.

How easily you receive from God may be determined by your own personal circumstances or inward struggles that affect the ease with which you receive God’s help. If your mind is tormented or you feel the world is pressing hard against you, it may be more difficult for you to receive — not because it’s difficult for Jesus to give, but because it’s difficult for you to focus on what He wants to give you. In that case, it may mean you have to reach out and forcibly lay hold of the help God offers.

The truth is, Jesus is willing to simply give you what you need, and all you have to do is open your heart and by faith receive it. But if exterior forces seem to be pulling you in countless different directions, it may take a deliberate act on your part to shove those external pulls out of the way and reach out by faith to lay hold of the mercy that Jesus offers you. Lay hold of it, take it, and make it your own so you can receive the mercy Jesus wants to give to help you in your situation.

But don’t stop with obtaining mercy, because the verse continues to say that you can also “find grace to help in time of need.”

The word “find” is a translation of the often-used Greek word eurisko. The word eurisko simply means to find. It expresses the idea of a discovery that is made by searching.

Usually the word eurisko points to a discovery made due to an intense investigation, scientific study, or scholarly research. There’s nothing of chance left to this kind of investigation. After working long hours and searching extensively, the time and effort finally pay off as the researcher finds what he has been seeking! In that ecstatic moment of euphoria, he shrieks, “Eureka!” — which means, “I found it!” In fact, the word “eureka” is derived from the word eurisko that is translated “find” in Hebrews 4:16, informing us of the joy experienced when a seeker finds what he has sought for so long.

Maybe you’ve sought God’s help for a long time. Perhaps you’ve prayed for it and searched for it. You’ve heeded Jesus’ word to ask, seek, and knock (see Matthew 7:8; Luke 11:10). And you’ve been persistent like the woman who knocked on the judge’s door and never gave up (see Luke 18:1-8). You have knocked and knocked and knocked — and you have sought and sought and sought. Finally, the door opens and you receive the help you needed. You have every right to shout, “Eureka! I’ve found it! I’ve received it! I have it!”

After you seek, God promises that you will capture exactly what you need from Him, so don’t stop seeking it until you have finally laid hold of it and have made it your very own!

But there is something else very important about the word eurisko that I must point out. This word doesn’t just describe a discovery made for yourself; it can also mean to acquire something for someone else. For example, do you know someone in need of some kind of help?

• Do you know someone who needs physical healing?
• Do you know someone who needs deliverance?
• Do you know someone who needs peace of mind?
• Do you know someone who needs a healing in his or her marriage or family?
• Do you know someone who needs a financial breakthrough?

Because the word eurisko also means to acquire something for someone else, it means you can go to Jesus, the Great High Priest, and seek Him for help on behalf of others. You can obtain help for those who are in need — those who need healing, those who need deliverance, those who need relief from mental torment, those who need wholeness in their marriages and families, and those who need a financial breakthrough. Not only can you take your own needs to the Lord, but you can also take their needs to Him to obtain the help they so desperately need. This means the Lord wants to hear about your needs and the needs of those you love and hold dear to your heart.

But now let’s look at the phrase “help in time of need.” The phrase is a translation of the Greek word boetheia, a word with a military connotation. The word boetheia can be translated to help, as to help a person with his or her needs, but the military connotation of this word adds much more meaning and makes it really powerful.

In the world of the early New Testament, it was a military word that beckoned soldiers to battle. That word was boetheia, which was first and foremost a military word that depicted the exact moment when a soldier heard that his fellow fighter was entrenched in battle, captured, or struggling. Once alerted to this situation, the soldier quickly went into battle to fight for the safety and well-being of his fellow fighter. For that soldier, just hearing of a fellow fighter in need was all that was necessary to beckon him into battle. He spared no effort to deliver his brother as he went into action to rescue him and bring him back into a place of safety, security, and protection.

The Holy Spirit uses this same word to tell us that when we get into trouble and we tell Jesus about it, He goes into battle like a Mighty Warrior to be our defense and to secure our deliverance!

When Jesus fights, He is always on the winning side. So the next time you’re struggling, don’t try to slug it out all by yourself. Instead, go to Jesus and tell Him your situation. He will go to battle for you and fight until you are delivered and free! This is the kind of “help” Jesus wants to provide if you will present your needs to Him in faith. Why fight alone when the greatest Warrior in the universe is willing to fight for you?

For the last 2,000-plus years, Jesus has been seated at the Father’s right hand, where He ever lives to make intercession for anyone who comes to Him by faith (see Hebrews 7:25). The Lord has been fighting for every believer who has come boldly and honestly to Him in prayer. If you are willing to seek His assistance and not stop until you get it, Jesus will step up to the plate and fight for you. More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus died for you, but today — and right at this very moment — He is living to fight for your every need!

Isn’t that some of the best news you’ve ever heard in your whole life? Jesus is just waiting for you to present your needs to Him and to ask for His help. So why don’t you take a few minutes right now to present your needs to Him? Don’t worry that He will rebuke you for being too honest. He is beckoning you to come boldly to His throne to obtain mercy and to find grace to help in your time of need!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord Jesus, I come to You boldly with the needs I am facing in my life. I have wrongly lacked confidence and failed to be straightforward about them with You, but now I understand that You want me to be frank, forthright, and direct with You about these challenges I am facing. Thank You that You don’t rebuke or scorn me for being bold — and thank You for stepping forward as a mighty Warrior to help fight my challenge with me. Today I am coming to You boldly, and I am expecting You to step forward to fight in my defense!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I obey the Lord’s charge to pray boldly and forthrightly when I come to the throne of God’s grace. He bids me to come, and today I accept His invitation to come boldly and to declare my each and every need. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will lay hold of the answers that I need and my exterior circumstances must change as a result of this time at the throne of God’s grace. Jesus will step forward as my Mighty Warrior to fight for me. He is just waiting for me to issue Him the invitation to step into the fray with me and to manifest His victory in this battle!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when you boldly approached the throne of God and received help in your time of need? When was that experience? What happened as a result of boldly asking for help?
2. Are there others you know who need you to do some asking for them today? Who are those individuals who really need you to bring their names before the throne of grace?
3. Is there a moment you recall when Jesus stepped forward like a Mighty Warrior and fought for you when you were in need? When was that moment? Wouldn’t it be good for you to meditate on His faithfulness to you today? It will help stir you up for the victory that you need right now.

Where Sin Abounds, Grace Much More Abounds!

…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
— Romans 5:20

I’ll never forget the time we were being attacked on every side by the enemy. It seemed like an all-out assault had been unleashed against us. At the same time we were experiencing this attack on our ministry, the city where we lived was in political upheaval. This chaotic situation was so terrible that a bomb was detonated just a two-minute walking distance from our apartment! We could feel our building shake as the bomb exploded. It seemed as if each day was bringing new problems to the nation and more threats to our ministry.

All of this was occurring at a time when the Spirit of God had told us to launch out and take a new step of faith. It seemed like such a wrong time to take such a step of faith. Logic said, “Pull back! Protect yourself! Stop everything until the heat is off!” But the Spirit of God kept telling us, “Dig in deeper! Keep pressing forward! Don’t let up for one minute! This is a perfect opportunity for the Gospel message to be spread even further!”

Right in the middle of all that chaos, we watched as God poured out His grace on us. Although it was a dangerous and difficult time, it was also a glorious moment to be serving in the Kingdom of God! God began to do marvelous new things in the nation where we lived. In that troublesome hour, people were open and hungry to know more about the things of God. They wanted answers and were willing to listen. As a result, people were saved; spiritual darkness was pushed back in people’s lives; and the Gospel was spread further than ever before! As God moved mightily in the nation, that very dark, precarious moment became a spiritually bright time as many were led into the Kingdom of God.

This simultaneous operation of darkness and grace made me think of Romans 5:20, which says, “…Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” The word “abounded” that Paul uses to describe this abundance of sin comes from the Greek word, pleonadzo, which simply means more. It denotes something that exists in abundance. The Greek tense describes an abundance that is growing larger and more expansive with the passing of time. The implication is that sin is never stagnant but continually grows, increases, and expands. This means Romans 5:20 could be translated, “Where sin exists in abundance and is multiplying and constantly expanding….” This describes the growing nature of unrestrained sin.

But Paul doesn’t stop there! He goes on to say, “…Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” The words “much more abound” are from the Greek word huperperisseo, which describes something that is growing out of measure, beyond proportion, and out of its banks to a far-stretched extreme. It is like a giant river that is being flooded with waters from upstream. Those waters are coming downstream so fast that the river can no longer hold the raging current in its banks. Its water rises, rises, and rises until it finally begins pouring out of its banks and begins to flood everything in sight. This is exactly the idea of the word Paul uses when he says, “…Grace did much more abound.”

This means Romans 5:20 could be interpreted:

“For wherever sin exists in abundance and is multiplying and constantly expanding, that is precisely the time and place where grace is poured out in a far greater, surpassing quantity.”

Regardless of where we live and what we are facing — regardless of how bad the situation around us looks to our natural eyes — the grace of God is flowing downstream, and God is lavishly pouring it forth in abundant measure! In fact, it is impossible for us to imagine, measure, or even dream of the amount of divine grace God is sending in our direction. No banks can hold the flood of grace He is sending our way! It isn’t just “a lot” of grace; it is more, more, more, and much more grace! The flood of grace will always far surpass the flood of sin and darkness!

Satan will try to stop you from doing the will of God, but never forget that the enemy cannot prevail against you if you will only yield to the Lord. You will find that God is supplying more than enough grace to match whatever the enemy is trying to do. If you will surrender to that divine grace, it will rise higher and higher until it eventually floods every area in your life. Instead of seeing the destruction of the enemy, you will see the awesome outpouring of the marvelous grace of God everywhere you look!

So when a situation looks bad, as it did so many years ago when we were living amid troublesome times in our part of the world, don’t be too surprised if you hear God’s Spirit say, “Pour it on! Keep it up! Don’t stop for a minute! Keep pressing ahead! It is in dark and difficult moments like these that I love to work the most! This is when My grace super-exceeds the darkness of the world. Wherever sin and darkness abound is where I really pour out My grace!”

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for pouring out Your grace in difficult, chaotic times. When sin abounds and darkness tries to reign, that is always when You reach out to seek and to save. Forgive me for giving way to fear and for thinking of retreating at this key moment when You are wanting to make a strategic advance. I choose to push away all my fears and to believe that You are going to do something miraculous to save the day! Let Your grace flow, Lord — pour it on! Please shine Your light in this hour of darkness!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s grace is poured out mightily to drive back the forces of darkness during times of difficulty and chaos. God uses these dark moments as opportunities to pour out His grace and to show others who He is! The world may reel in fear and uncertainty, but God is always near. I declare by faith that God will reveal His power and intervene with His grace to bring the solution for this difficult hour!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever had a dark moment in your life when God’s grace was abundantly poured out in a measure that was far greater than anything you had ever expected or dreamed in your life?

2. Do you have any areas in your life right now where you need a fresh outpouring of God’s grace to combat the darkness? If yes, what are those areas in which you need this supernatural touch?

3. Can you think of a time in history when God has sent a nation-shaping revival in the midst of troublesome times? What happened as a result of that revival?