I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
— Philippians 4:13

It seems we live in a world where negativism is the rule of society. Many people think the worst, believe the worst, and constantly talk about worst-case scenarios. But that shouldn’t be the case for believers. Those who bear the name of Christ should walk as He walked — full of faith and confidence in the Father.

The best example of this kind of overcoming attitude is found in Philippians 4:13, where the apostle Paul wrote, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

If anyone had a reason to be dominated by the flesh at that moment, it was Paul. Think of it — he was in a horrible prison and facing terrible circumstances. But rather than let his flesh dominate him with negativism, Paul used a number of powerful Greek words to declare that he had the upper hand over all the natural challenges that were around him — and that he could do anything through Christ who strengthened him.

Although Paul was in a horrible predicament at the time he wrote the book of Philippians, he declared, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!” I want us to look at this verse today, because it is loaded with insights about having an overcoming attitude.

When Paul said, “I can do,” the phrase is a translation of the Greek word ischuos. In Classical Greek, Old Testament Greek, and New Testament Greek, that word denotes the strength and power of gods. But when ischuos was noted to operate in individuals, it caused them to be superior to others, to be champions and victors. It gave the upper hand in every situation so that individuals operating in ischuos prevailed in every circumstance.

Furthermore, Paul adds, “I can do all things….” The phrase “all things” is from the Greek word panta, the word pan with ta attached. The word pan is an all-encompassing word that includes everything and excludes nothing. The little word ta denotes even the smallest of things. So when Paul uses the word panta, he is proclaiming that through Christ, he has the upper hand over everything with nothing excluded, including even the most minute details.

An interpretive translation would read:

“I have the ischuos power operating in me, and it causes me to be superior — a champion, a victor! This ischuos gives me the upper hand in every situation I face and causes me to prevail in every circumstance….”

But Paul went on to say, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” The word “strengtheneth” in Greek is a translation of the word endunamounti, a present active participle of endunamoo. The word endunamoo is a compound of en and dunamis. The word en means into, such as in placing water into a vessel, and dunamis means power. But more importantly is to note that dunamis depicted the forces of an entire army. In fact, the Old Testament Septuagint, the word dunamis was primarily used to picture the combined forces of a complete military.

So when these words en and dunamis are compounded, the new word endunamoo pictures the power of a whole army being deposited into a person. Making this even more significant is the fact that Paul used it in the present active participle, which means he was declaring this type of power was presently acting in him and would continue to express itself through him. He was telling us that deposited into his spirit, and at his disposal, was the equivalent of an entire fighting army.

So the full verse could be interpreted as follows:

“I have the ischuos power operating in me, and it causes me to be superior — a champion, a victor! This ischuos gives me the upper hand in every situation I face and causes me to prevail in every circumstance, And it is all through Christ, who has filled me and continuously infuses me with the strength of a whole army!”

If Paul could write this in the horrific situation he was in at that time and really mean it, there is absolutely nothing you face that you can’t overcome too. God’s ischuos power is available to you as well, to cause you to be superior, to be a champion — a victor — and to have the upper hand in every circumstance you face. When He filled you with the Holy Spirit, He infused you with the ability of a whole army (endunamoo) — and He continues to infuse with you with that strength at this very moment.

Your flesh may try to tell you that there’s no chance you’ll make it through what you’re facing. That flesh will try to tell you that you might as well give up and throw in the towel, because there’s no hope for you. But that’s your moment to take charge over your flesh, command it to get into subjection, and release the power of God that’s been mightily deposited inside you! Soon you’ll find a supernatural flow of divine power coming forth from your inner man that will give you the upper hand in whatever situation you find yourself.

Rather than being dominated by your mind, body, and negative emotions, you’ll find that you have become a mighty instrument in God’s hand through whom His power can and will operate! Regardless of what you face, you’ll have an overcoming attitude that prevails in every situation!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I submit my body, mind, and emotions to You as Your exclusive instruments to be filled with Your Word, Your Spirit, and Your mighty power for Your holy purposes. I yield to You, Holy Spirit, and I cease to be a slave to my body and emotions. I ask You to make me a mighty instrument in Your hand to achieve the divine destiny You have placed in my heart to be fulfilled for Your glory!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I have God’s mighty power operating in me, which makes me a superior victor and champion over every trick and attack of the enemy. I let the Word of Christ dwell in me richly, and I walk in submission to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The power of God at work within me gives me the upper hand in every situation I face and causes me to prevail in every circumstance through Christ, who fills and continuously infuses me with the strength of a whole army!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a time when the power of God rose up inside you and pushed all your negative thinking out of the way to give you the upper hand in your situation? When was that time in your life?
2. Did you realize that when you received the infilling of the Holy Spirit, the strength of an entire army came into you? Have you ever felt that strength before? When was that, and what did it feel like to you?
3. What do you need to do to take charge of your body, mind, and emotions so they stop taking charge over you?

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

When I was a young boy, I had a baseball coach who really disliked me. No matter how hard I tried to please him, he poked fun at me and tried to embarrass me in front of my teammates. His words and behavior would hurt me deeply, but I can remember my father telling me to forgive him. My dad would gently urge me to “grin and bear it” because these things happen in life. So when my coach insulted me, I’d do my best to forgive him and then muster the strength to wipe away my tears and walk back onto the ball field. It was wrong of that baseball coach to treat me in that way, but his negativity provided a good learning experience to help prepare me for life. I’m so thankful my father taught me to forgive, get back on the field, and not let the words of others affect me too much.

In life, we will experience many moments when we are tempted to leave the playing field because of the way others have treated us. But just like my father taught me, we have to forgive those who wrong us instead of letting a root of bitterness take root in our hearts. Sometimes the only course of action available to us is to “grin and bear it” and resolve not to throw in the towel on account of someone’s hurtful words or actions. Life is beckoning us to do great and adventurous things, and we can’t let the actions or words of a few people sidetrack us from what God has planned for our lives!

In Luke 17:3, Jesus gave instruction for how we are to respond when we perceive that someone has done something wrong to us. I emphasize the word perceive because our perception may be incorrect — but whether it is right or wrong, it is still our perception. So what are we to do in such moments? Should we ignore it? Should we let it continue to eat away at us? Or should we take some other route altogether?

Jesus began His instruction by saying, “Take heed to yourselves….” Jesus commanded us to deal with ourselves before we respond to anyone about a perceived wrong. Jesus then continued by telling us how to proceed once we have gotten a grip on our own emotions, saying, “…If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”

The word “trespass” means to violate or to cross a line. In the context of this verse, it refers to crossing a line with one’s words or actions in a way that leaves the other person feeling hurt and violated. When we perceive that someone has “trespassed” against us, we are to first take a moment and get a grip on our own emotions. However, if you still feel that someone has crossed a line with his words or behavior after you’ve taken the time to think over the situation and pray about it, the next course of action is to lovingly confront the behavior that you’ve found inappropriate.

Specifically, Jesus said we are to “rebuke” such a person. In English, this word sounds very strong and harsh; however, in the original Greek, the tone is much softer. The word “rebuke” is a translation of the Greek word epitimao, which describes a frank but gentle way of politely telling a person that he has done something that you perceive to be wrong.

You see, confrontation doesn’t have to be ugly. If you address your offender from a place of love, the conversation can actually be a healing experience. Simply say, “My feelings are hurt, but I recognize that I might have misconstrued your intentions. I need to tell you about it and ask you if this is really how you meant to make me feel.” When you go to someone in this way, the person will often express regret for his actions and ask for forgiveness.

Now, let me mention here that in Mark 11:25, Jesus came at the subject of forgiveness from a different angle and made it clear that God expects us to forgive others, no matter what, if we want our prayers to be answered. But today let’s focus on what He said in Luke 17:3 about how we should respond to our offender if he repents. Jesus continued, “…If he repent, forgive him.” This word “repent” is the Greek word metanoeo, a compound of the word meta, which denotes a change, and the word nous, meaning mind. When the two words are compounded, the new word depicts a person who changes his mind and, ultimately, his behavior.

Jesus was saying that if your offender apologizes for his actions and promises to try not to do it again, you are to “forgive” him. Jesus never said that the offender had to meet your requirement for repentance, so don’t require what Jesus didn’t require. If your offender expresses true sorrow for his words or actions and asks for forgiveness — if he exhibits a change of mind and heart about his actions — you are to forgive him and to let it go.

The truth is, God has already given you all the faith you need to forgive others when they offend or hurt you, whether or not they ever apologize or seek reconciliation themselves. But you still have to make the decision to use that faith to pull out every root of bitterness while it’s still a little seedling. Don’t wait to “lay the axe to the root” until you have a huge tree of anger and bitterness defiling your life!

That brings us to the word “forgive.” What does it really mean to forgive? The word “forgive” is the Greek word aphiemi — a simple, yet powerful word that means to dismiss, to release, or to let it go. In other words, if your offender offers you a sincere apology and asks for forgiveness, Jesus says you need to let it go! Rehashing the issue is not an option. Don’t waste your time and energy on something that has been dealt with according to the Word. Rather, put a smile back on your face, and get back on the playing field of life.

But what should you do if the same person offends you again in the same way? Jesus said, “And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.” Or to paraphrase this statement in modern English: “And if he violates and crosses a legitimate boundary seven times in a day, and seven times a day repents for his behavior, you are to let it go.”

If a person repeatedly hurts you after apologizing and asking for forgiveness, you might be tempted to judge his repentance as insincere. However, you must be careful not to put yourself in a position where you are judging the character of a person’s heart. That is only for God to decide. Perhaps God is dealing with a difficult aspect of his character or with his dealings with other people. Or maybe the person was truly sorry, but he just keeps stumbling again and again.

If the person is willing to acknowledge his error and ask for forgiveness, Jesus said we are obligated to forgive them every single time. We must dismiss it, release it, and let it go.

Jesus’ message may be a difficult pill to swallow in the heat of a conflict, but when you consider your options, it is the only path that makes sense and brings peace into your life. Would you rather be in strife constantly with a person who upsets you? Would you prefer to harbor unforgiveness and develop a hard heart? Of course not. Hardening your own heart will never change the heart of your offender; it will just produce problems in two people’s lives instead of one. It’s far better to let the offense go as many times as necessary and keep your own heart pure and free.

The devil wants to sidetrack you with little problems that will knock you out of the game of life, but you don’t have to let him do it. Follow Jesus’ instructions, and you will achieve victory in your relationships. If you perceive that someone has wronged you, pray about it, frankly and politely confront the situation, and then give that person the opportunity to repent and ask for forgiveness. Your job is to let the offense go and be free of it. And no matter how many times that person offends you, Jesus requires you to forgive him each and every time.

It’s time for you to shake it off and get back on the playing field of life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am not willing to be sidetracked by little problems that the devil has orchestrated to knock me out of the game of life. He has no new strategy. I recognize that his repeated ploy has been to insult, bully, and offend me in such a way to trigger and provoke my emotions to take over my thoughts about myself or others. The devil’s goal was for me to ensnare myself in the trap of bitterness, unforgiveness, and fear so I’d remove myself from the plan or assignment that You set before me. Father, I repent for the times I have let that happen. I was so focused on the hurt I felt from a perceived wrong, I forgot that the bigger picture was Your plan and my position in it. Holy Spirit, I receive Your help to follow Jesus’ instructions to forgive even when it seems to be for the same thing over and over again. When I’m confronted with a perceived wrong, help me do more than merely “grin and bear it.” I ask You to strengthen me to focus on the joy of victory as I refuse to cling to offenses!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I guard my heart. I do not allow it to become hardened through bitterness because of offenses. But I keep myself in the love of God so my faith will not fail. In that position, the enemy cannot provoke me to stumble or remove myself from the game of life by choosing to walk in the flesh rather than stay in the Spirit. I follow the example of my Lord Jesus who, when He was ridiculed, chose to forgive. I follow His example and obey His command to forgive so I can live in victory above all the schemes of the enemy.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Is there a specific person who continually hurts your feelings? How do you deal with it when that person has done something that has hurt you? Do you harbor bad feelings against him, or have you learned how to politely talk to him about his behavior?
2. If that person expresses regret and sorrow for hurting you, are you able to let it go and walk away from it? Does it upset you if he doesn’t meet your expectations according to what you believe repentance should look like? Are you able to accept the simplest apology and let it go?
3. Have you ever hurt someone and later found out about it, only to feel stunned to hear how that person perceived that you treated him? When you found out what this person felt, were you thankful he was honest with you so you could make the relationship right? When was that experience and what can you learn from it as you lovingly confront those you think have wronged you?

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
— Ephesians 4:16

When our television ministry first began in the former Soviet Union, Denise and I thought it was appropriate to encourage people who watched our TV programs to write to us and tell us about their prayer needs. And we promised that our team would personally read each letter and that we would personally write them back.

But we simply had no idea of the mountains of mail that would come so quickly into our office from every far-flung corner of the USSR. Before we could hardly catch our breath, we had 800,000 unread letters packed in boxes stacked on top of more boxes. An entire large room in our office was filled from floor to ceiling with boxes and boxes of unread mail that desperately needed to be read and answered, as promised. The fact is, we were overwhelmed by the response. Worse yet, our staff was so small that as hard as they worked to get through this mail, we simply had neither staff nor equipment to answer such huge numbers of letters in an expeditious manner. We only had a handful of computers for data entry, so these 800,000 letters would have to be answered by hand!

As noted above, I had made a promise on TV that if people wrote, we would read each letter and answer them. But how were we going to keep that promise with the mail growing by boxes each day? Then someone on staff suggested that we schedule a number of all-night weekend “mail parties” — working all night long and simultaneously celebrating this great breakthrough of reaching so many thousands of TV viewers.

It really was worth throwing a party because we were seeing a miracle before our eyes with each new huge box of mail that was carried into the office. People from all over that part of the world were responding to my invitation to write. So having a “party” to celebrate this miracle — and combining it with a team effort to catch up — seemed like a fun and great idea. We reasoned that if we put our whole effort into it, perhaps we could catch up on the mail!

A series of weekends were chosen, and everyone who served in any capacity on the team — workers in the mail department, TV producers, secretaries, guards, drivers — participated in multiple all-night mail-party events. One group of people would open the letters, put data into the computers, and pass the letters on to readers, who read and answered each letter by hand. Once the letters were answered, they were passed on to a group who stuffed envelopes, licked stamps, and sealed the letter. Finally, the last group organized the thousands of letters into batches addressed to each country of destination in order to fulfill the obligations of our local Soviet-style post office.

It took nearly one month to do it, but by being committed — and by every person doing his part joyfully — we were able to supernaturally answer all that mail and catch up with the new incoming mail. Not only that, but afterward God enabled us to purchase additional computers so we would never have to answer mail by hand again.

This series of mail parties was one of the biggest catch-up operations I’ve ever witnessed! And throughout each overnight marathon, I encouraged the team from Ephesians 4:16 — a very powerful verse about team participation and supernatural energy to get a job done. It says that “…the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

We can’t examine every part of this verse today, but I want you to especially notice the central section of this verse, where it talks about the whole body being “…fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part.…”

What a picture of teamwork! That’s why I chose to use it to encourage our team as we dove into that mountain of mail back in those early days.

The phrase “being fitly joined together” is a translation of the Greek word sunarmologeo, a word with three parts. The first part of the word is sun, which denotes cooperation and partnership. It pictures something that is done in conjunction with someone else.

The second part of the word, armos, is a medical term for a physical joint in the human body. The last part of the word is logos, which in this case means to frame or to specify. When compounded, the new word depicts a joint that works in conjunction with another specified joint. In other words, these two joints are made to function with each other — and when they do so correctly, the results are extraordinary.

The word “compacted” is sumbibadzo, a word that describes the sinews and ligaments that hold all the joints together and cause them to function as a single unit. These sinews and ligaments are essential to keep all the joints held securely in their places to do their proper job of providing motion and mobility.

The words “every joint” are a poor translation from the Greek word aphe. It should be translation “every part.” It describes every individual part of the body. This tells us that every part — that is, every member of the Body of Christ — has a specific place where he or she is to be joined and to work in cooperation with other parts of the Body. Every single member, every part, of the Body of Christ is to work in cooperation with its other parts. This describes a team experience.

Furthermore, when each part is in its proper place, functioning with the other parts it is called to work with, it begins to “supply.” The word “supply” is epichoregeo, a word that describes a lavish provision of what is needed. (For more on the origins of the word epichoregeo, see the January 2 Gem in Sparkling Gems 1.) The use of the word epichoregeo in this context tells us that when every member of the Body of Christ is properly connected to other members and working correctly, a supernatural, lavish supply of divine energy is activated to fully accomplish the purposes of God. That is why Paul went on to say, “according to the effectual working of every part.…”

The words “effectual working” of “every part” underscores everything we’ve already seen above. The words “effectual working” are a translation of the word energeia, where we get the word energy, and in this context, it refers to divine energy. It is the supernatural ability to get something done. The phrase “every part” is en metro, meaning in measure. This means that every person has his part, his measure, or his contribution. And when every part or every member is in his place, a release of divine energy takes place that results in a supernatural ability to get a job done!

It also tells us that no single member can do everything on his own. He can only do his part in measure alongside the other members to whom he is joined. But when every person is joined and doing the full measure of what he can do, it results in divine ability being released in the Body of Christ.

I used this verse to encourage our team because we all needed to get in our places, connected by sinews and ligaments — by commitment — and do the part that was assigned to us. If we would do this, I knew that it would cause a release of supernatural energy that would enable us to quickly do what normally would have taken many months to do. Because my team operated in full cooperation, we looked at those boxes and boxes and piles and piles of mail with joy. Team members got into their respective places and stayed there to do what they were assigned to do. As a result, the task was accomplished in minimal time, and we kept our promise to personally answer each letter!

Those letters from Soviet TV viewers were so precious to me that I never allowed them to be disposed of until recently — when I realized that we had a whole warehouse that was filled with tons of old mail from those earlier days. Each letter represented a precious soul, and it was so hard for me to let them go. When we finally did decide to dispose of them, after many years, it was altogether more than 100 tons of mail that we shredded and burned. And to be honest, I kept several boxes as precious memories of a notable moment in the history of our ministry.

What type of task do you have in front of you today that can only be accomplished if a team comes together to make it happen? Do you find yourself, as I did, with something that grew more quickly than you anticipated and has nearly overwhelmed you? Whom has God called to join with you through deep commitment? I assure you that if you find a team who will accept the challenge and who will cooperate together, it will release the divine energy of the Holy Spirit — and He will supernaturally supply whatever you need to get the job done!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You that You have placed me in my right place in the Body of Christ so every part can work effectually. I thank You, Father, that I am not alone to do the things You’ve asked me to do and that You have set each one of us in the Body as it pleases You for the fulfillment of Your plan and Your purposes. Although I may see certain projects that You have assigned me to fulfill, my primary function may be to join myself to another person’s assignment in order to see it achieved victoriously. Regardless of whether it is my assignment or a project someone else is called to lead by Your direction, I yield myself to You and ask You to reveal to me my function according to Your design and where I fit for the purpose of Your plan. I ask You to equip me by Your grace to maintain the commitment to stay there, to provide all the mobility and support I can to make the project move forward, and to see a supernatural release of the Holy Spirit’s energy to accomplish what I could never do on my own!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that the Holy Spirit is clearly and regularly speaking to my heart, showing me where I am to fit and how I am to function in the Body of Christ. Regardless of how much I may want to function on my own, I realize that God has not asked me to do it all by myself. I am equipped according to the measure that has been assigned to me. I declare that I know where I fit, that I know how to function there, that I am committed to the task, and that the Spirit of God supernaturally and lavishly releases His divine power to enable all involved with the assignment to each do their part in moving forward to accomplish His will together for His glory!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know where you are supposed to be connected in the Body of Christ and how you are to function in that place?
2. Have you ever experienced genuine, Spirit-led teamwork that draws its strength from the Holy Spirit and releases His divine energy to get things done in a supernatural manner?
3. When did you experience that? Are you working as part of such a team right now? Describe the qualities of the team you have worked with or are working with now that helped produce supernatural results.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
— Hebrews 13:8

Do you ever feel like the world is shifting and swirling so fast that it is different from one day to the next? It is simply a fact that we live in an age when everything seems to be changing before our eyes. In fact, technology develops so quickly that if I listed devices that represent the “new” technology of today, whatever I wrote down would be outdated before this book is printed!

Not only have we seen technologies change quickly, but we have also seen politics and political parties, national and international boundaries, and currencies change — and the list goes on and on. And in the midst of this climate of sweeping changes that the world is caught up in, scores of people have been swept into a seismic shift in core biblical values and morals, even concerning the most basic tenets of faith. These changes are occurring at an alarming rate, but we should not be surprised by it, because the Holy Spirit warned us 2,000 years in advance that this would occur in the very last part of the last days. Perhaps the shock we feel is that so many are abandoning former positions of faith to embrace new ones at what seems to be such lightning speed.

In the midst of this ever-changing environment, it is good to remember that there is one thing that never changes — and that is Jesus Christ! He was in the past exactly who He is in the present and precisely who He will be forever! That’s why Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Today I want us to focus on this verse, because it shows the immutability of Jesus Christ!

The Greek word for the “same” emphatically states that Jesus Christ is unchangeable! What good news this is in a world where things are changing at lightning speed! Jesus Christ is the one Person we can depend on to be the same, regardless of the time or the spirit of the age. We don’t need to refigure who Jesus is, what He thinks, or what His message is, because He is the same — and everything He represents is the same — yesterday, today, and forever!

The word “yesterday” is the Greek word exthes, and it depicts all time that ever was up until this present moment. It describes the past. The word “today” is the Greek word semeron, and it means today or at this very moment or this current age. It depicts the present. But in the Bible when the words “yesterday and today” are used in one phrase, as they are used here, it also portrays continuity.

The words “yesterday and today” are an Old Testament expression to denote continuity (see Exodus 5:14; 2 Samuel 15:20). So here we find that Jesus isn’t one way in the past and another way in the present. Whoever He was in the past is exactly who He is in the present. There is continuity in Jesus Christ! Therefore, if you discover Jesus of the past, you have also discovered Jesus of the present, and you have discovered Jesus of the future, because He is continuously the same. The word “forever” in Greek means into all the ages of the future. This phrase depicts all future time to come, including all ages that will ever be known. Hence, it describes the future.

Hebrews 13:8 carries this idea:

“Jesus Christ is exactly the same in the past, in the present, and in the future.”

I don’t know about you, but I am so thankful that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for all future ages! With all the sweeping changes happening in the world right now, I thank God that Jesus isn’t one of them! Whoever He was in the past is who He is in the present and who He will be forever!

So in light of this wonderful truth, I want to advise you to dig deep into your Bible — particularly into the four gospels where Jesus is so vividly portrayed. The Jesus you find in the four gospels will be the same forever. What Jesus said and did in those four gospels is exactly what He is saying and doing now. So if you come to know the Jesus of the gospels, you will come to know the Jesus of today, because He is exactly, identically, and precisely the same!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, in the midst of this ever-changing world environment, I am so thankful that Jesus Christ never changes! He was in the past exactly who He is in the present and precisely who He will be forever! Lord, I am in awe of Your unchanging love and Your unending mercy. In a society that is morally, politically, and economically shifting, I boldly proclaim: On Christ the solid Rock I take my firm stand! Truly all other ground is sinking sand. Help me, Holy Spirit, to stand strong for You, no matter who around me may abandon their position of faith.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess my agreement with what the Bible declares in Hebrews 13:8: Past, present, and future — Jesus is exactly the same! Today I receive the stabilizing victory and strength that His unchanging faithfulness brings to my life in every area. No matter who or what may change, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Since Jesus is exactly the same today as He was in the four gospels, what does that tell you about His will concerning healing the sick?
2. Since Jesus is exactly the same today as He was in the Old Testament, what does that mean about where He stands on issues of morality?
3. Since Jesus is exactly the same today as He will always be, how can you better predict His future actions, responses, and behavior?

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
— Ephesians 4:32

Today I’d like to begin by telling you about an amazing event that occurred when Denise and I were in Greece some years ago — an experience that taught me a lot about the impact kindness has on others.

While visiting the ancient city of Corinth, Denise and I decided to take the long walk up the rocky road that led to the acropolis where the Temple of Aphrodite once stood. Having taught on the book of Corinthians for many years and knowing the historical influence that this location once had on the people of Corinth, I wanted to ascend that arduous peak to see that ancient site with my own eyes. But as we walked higher and higher, we understood that this would take far more time than we had planned, so we turned around and headed back down the mountain, descending the same slippery slope we had climbed.

As we descended, I suddenly felt my foot slip out from under me. With lightning speed, I slammed onto the rocky surface of that ancient road. And the instant I hit the ground, I knew I had broken something in my left hand and wrist. In a matter of seconds, my left wrist had swollen to twice its normal size — and because I am left-handed and a writer, I understood that the consequences of this could be serious. Denise took me by the arm and slowly we descended that road until we arrived at the car. I could see the look of shock on the driver’s face, as he very carefully helped me into the car and then drove like a madman to get me to a hospital in Athens.

As the car sped down the highway toward the hospital, my hand and wrist continued to swell larger. Denise and I knew that I was in serious condition in a foreign country. About an hour later, the driver pulled up to the emergency entrance of a hospital and ran inside to get help. He soon reemerged with an English-speaking group of medical attendants, who took us into an emergency room filled with people who were also waiting for emergency care. When I saw the large number of people who were in line before us, I nearly despaired. As a writer, I didn’t want my ability to type to be affected by this incident, and I knew this could become a really serious injury if I didn’t get help fast.

Denise and I were instructed to “take a seat” in the long, noisy hallway, filled with other people also waiting to see a doctor. Then suddenly a nurse waved for us to quickly follow her, and she escorted us right past the registration desk, past scores of people, and into a small room, where she told us to sit and wait. In just a few minutes, a doctor appeared who spoke a little English. He summoned a team together, and they began to examine my hand and wrist so they could determine what to do with me. Although I was on foreign soil in a very crowded, noisy hospital, the kindness and care the medical staff showed me was amazing. They literally escorted us from the car, into the building, past long lines of people who were waiting, and into a private room, where doctors urgently treated me with compassionate care.

After X-rays, it was determined that I needed emergency surgery, so we made plans to fly to Tulsa, where our U.S. office is located and our extended family resides. There I could recuperate for several weeks. So with the Greek doctors’ permission and a lot of very serious instructions (they explicitly told me how to carry my hand in order to travel), the following day Denise and I boarded an airplane that took us to America, where the required surgery was performed. A medical team inserted a metal plate with seven screws into my wrist to put me back together again!

Although it has been years since that accident happened, every time I look at my hand and wrist, I see the large scar from the surgery that is still visible, and it causes me to remember the great kindness that was shown to me in that experience. If people had been unkind or uncaring, it would have made the situation much more difficult. But their kindness changed the atmosphere and the outcome of the entire predicament for me.

When I look at that scar on my left hand, I am reminded of that moment when tender care was provided to me, and I am thankful for it. But I am also convicted by it, for we as Christians should be known for this type of kindness. The apostle Paul commanded us to demonstrate kindness to one another. In Ephesians 4:32, Paul said, “And be ye kind one to another.…”

When Paul said, “Be ye…,” the Greek describes an ongoing process. The idea is to “start where you are and continuously work at it; be constantly becoming kind….” This tells us that this trait can be cultivated. If you’re not a naturally kind person, this doesn’t mean you can’t develop this trait. Kindness (gentleness) is a fruit of the Holy Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. If you will yield to the Holy Spirit and let Him do His work inside you, He will produce this valuable fruit through your life.

Oh, let us surrender to the indwelling Holy Spirit! As we yield to the Spirit of God’s work in our lives, He makes it easier for us to demonstrate the kindness of Jesus Christ toward others. It may take time, but if we start where we are and continuously work at it, we can begin to produce a great harvest of kindness in our lives!

But what do I mean by kindness?

In Ephesians 4:32, the Greek word for “kindness” is chrestos. This well-known word portrayed helpfulness, warm-heartedness, and a willingness to show goodness from the heart to others — a trait so admirable in the ancient world that it was viewed as a characteristic that everyone should seek to possess. You could say that chrestos pictures a person who is attentive to the needs of others, who is beneficial and helpful to others, or even who is considerate of other people and their needs and demonstrates this kindness in some way.

This word acutely describes the attitude Jesus wants to produce in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ wants us to be so conformed to His image that we will be moved with compassion when we see someone who is in need. We will no longer be able to stand idly by and watch a need go unmet but will treat it with the most urgent and loving care.

That is what I experienced the day I slipped on the acropolis above Corinth and broke my wrist — a great demonstration of compassionate kindness. I don’t know the spiritual status of those who helped me, but I know the attributes they demonstrated to me that day match the descriptions of what Paul commands us to cultivate in our lives.

As noted before, if you don’t think these qualities naturally flow from your life, that’s all right, because the Holy Spirit lives inside you! And if you will yield to Him, He will cause kindness to flow out of you in an ever-increasing demonstration of His unconditional, compassionate love!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I earnestly desire for the character of Christ to be fully formed in me. I ask that You help me cultivate the fruit of kindness Jesus displayed as He was moved by divine compassion as He went about doing good. Holy Spirit, teach me how to display the Father’s heart and character to those in need of Your kindness the most. Lord, it is Your lovingkindness that leads men to repentance and draws them to You. Today I commit to love others as You have loved me by the power of Your Holy Spirit within me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I let my roots grow down deep into Christ and that His life in me enables me to produce the fruits of righteousness that glorify His name. I choose to yield to the Holy Spirit and to let Him do His work inside me. As I surrender to the Holy Spirit’s work in my life, He helps me demonstrate kindness. I allow God to do His sanctifying and transforming work throughout all my personality. Day by day, I yield to the Holy Spirit’s presence to help me demonstrate the kindness of Jesus Christ in my life for the glory of God the Father!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you recall a moment when someone showed you special kindness at a difficult time? When was that moment? What kind of impression did that act of kindness make on your life? Have you ever thanked that person for the kindness he or she showed to you at that moment?
2. Are you known by others as a kind and compassionate person? Are these traits lacking in your life? Are these areas that the Holy Spirit wants to develop and cultivate inside you?
3. Has there ever been a moment when you were so inwardly moved by a person or need that you had to get up and do something about it? That is the movement of compassion. What were the circumstances leading up to that moment, and what was the harvest?

But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
— 1 Corinthians 2:10

For years I searched for a way to reach the very large elderly population in Moscow, Russia, where we live. They are a very specific generation, and I had never understood the key to touching them in large numbers. I knew there was a way to do it, but I didn’t know that way. To be honest, I had nearly bent my brain trying to think of how “I” could reach them! I didn’t realize it at that time, but I had worked so hard thinking on my own that I hadn’t involved the Holy Spirit very much in obtaining the answer!

I’ll never forget the day I looked out the living room window of our apartment in downtown Moscow — and there on the street that ran parallel to the Kremlin was a massive demonstration of pensioners, widows, and elderly, looking like they were having the greatest party of their lives! Some of them were carrying signs with Communist slogans like they did in the old Soviet Union. Some even carried huge photos of Lenin and Stalin, waving them over the heads of the crowd.

As I leaned out our window to get a better glimpse, I heard music from the Soviet era being played, and I saw that many of these pensioners were actually dancing in the streets to the music. Although most people in the West remember Communism as an evil entity, these elderly people grew up in the USSR and remembered it as the time of their youth. They were reveling in the memories of earlier times when they were younger and life seemed easier than it had become in their old age.

I told Denise, “I want to go downstairs, get out on the street, and experience those elderly people!” Within minutes, I had my winter coat on; I pressed the button on our elevator to take me down to the street; and I nearly flew out of the door of our building to quickly join that big demonstration. My eagerness to join the pensioners on the streets wasn’t because I agreed with Communist dogma; I just wanted to share the experience with these thousands of lively elderly people!

When I stepped into the huge throng of senior citizens, I suddenly found myself engulfed by elderly people who were behaving like teenagers. All around me was a mass of white-haired senior citizens who had seized the moment to step into earlier memories of life in the USSR. For several hours, they really “whooped it up” on the central street of downtown Moscow! It was so invigorating to see them enraptured in their memories that I lingered among them until several hours had passed and the crowd finally began to dwindle down. As I walked home toward our apartment, the streets were covered with confetti and large banners with Soviet slogans that lay scattered on the ground.

As I stood there pondering the whole experience, I cried out, “Holy Spirit, please show me how to reach this generation!” Before I got back to our apartment, God had marvelously opened my heart and mind to a new idea of how to reach this older generation, and before I stepped back into our elevator, God had given me a plan to reach them. He imparted to me a revelation that when later acted on, enabled us to build what is now one of the largest senior adult ministries in the world.

It all began with an idea from the Holy Spirit that was birthed in my heart when I was not expecting it. It had started out as just an ordinary day that then developed into an unusual set of circumstances that I shared with thousands of elderly people. And in the midst of that unexpected situation, suddenly the Spirit of God showed me something to do that I had never thought of before. It was like a supernatural beam penetrated my mind, and I could see what to do. Since that moment, years of fruit born from the implementation of that idea have proven that it truly was a revelation from the Lord.

I had always prayed for a way to reach the senior population in Moscow because they represented such a large part of the city. But I would have never been smart enough to dream up the idea that the Holy Spirit dropped into my heart that afternoon on the streets of Moscow. And not only did the Holy Spirit give me an inspired idea, but He also injected me with the courage I needed to obey it. In one split second, I had both the idea and the courage to do what the Holy Spirit had shown me. Insight for the plan and the faith to move forward on it came simultaneously, and the outcome in the years since that moment has been truly profound. Through this outreach that was birthed in my heart in that moment years ago, many thousands of senior citizens have gotten saved and experienced the love of God. The path to reaching them was so simple and so powerful, yet I had never seen it before that moment.

Very often we think so long and hard about how to do certain things that need to be done — when all along, the Holy Spirit knows exactly how to do it. The Holy Spirit sees and knows everything. He knows the key to every heart. He knows the secret to every success, whether in ministry, education, family, or anything else. If we will listen to Him, the Holy Spirit will reveal exactly what we need to know for every situation we face in life. The question is — are we listening?

In First Corinthians 2:9, Paul wrote of the restrictions normally placed on our minds, but in First Corinthians 2:10, He told us that part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry is to remove those restrictions so we can see what we normally could not see on our own. He says, “But God hath revealed them [hidden things] unto us by His Spirit.…”

The word “revealed” is the Greek word apokalupsis. The root word is kalupsis, which describes something that is veiled or hidden to the human eye and mind. It is there, but it isn’t seeable or knowable. It’s like an entire lawn that is beautiful, green, and landscaped, but because the curtains inside the house are closed, you are unaware of the beauty that is right outside for you to see.

But in First Corinthians 2:10, the word apo is added to the front of the word kalupsis, and that little addition of apo means the curtain that once hid our view has been removed. Suddenly what was unseen becomes visible, and what was hidden becomes revealed. This is the reason apokalupsis is translated as something revealed or as a revelation. And Paul stated that this was a strategic part of the Holy Spirit’s ministry — to take hidden things that we cannot know on our own and reveal them to us.

On that day when the Holy Spirit spoke to me on the streets of Moscow, it was as if He held the strings on an invisible curtain that had blocked my ability to see how to reach that older population. When I cried out to Him for answers, He lifted that curtain, and I instantly saw what I had never seen. In a split second, I had an answer to a question I had been asking for years. It wasn’t something I sat around and concocted on my own; it was something revealed to me as the Spirit removed the invisible veil that had separated me from the answer I had been seeking.

God has blessed our ministry enormously over the years, and I am the first to tell you it isn’t because we are so smart. If Denise and I have done anything right, we have listened. We discovered that if we’ll remember to ask the Holy Spirit for help, He will always be there to show us that which we’re not smart enough to figure out on our own.

I don’t know what answer you’ve been seeking, but I know who has the answer! The Holy Spirit sees everything and knows everything — including those things that your mind would never see or know on its own. Perhaps you’ve been seeking answers about your marriage, your business, your children, an important relationship — the list could go on and on. You may have been seeking answers for years, but you just couldn’t see what to do.

In my own case, all those years the Holy Spirit had the answer I had been seeking, but I was so busy trying to brainstorm ideas by myself that I hadn’t allowed the Holy Spirit to operate in His revealing ministry on my behalf.

Today I want to encourage you to open your heart to the Holy Spirit in a new way. He is present with you right now, holding the strings to the curtain that has blocked your view. This may be the very moment that He pulls those strings and you see what you’ve been searching for so long. Instead of brainstorming and trying to think it through on your own, look to Him — and get a revelation of what the Holy Spirit wants to happen next!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for revealing the hidden things to me by Your Spirit. I repent because I recognize that too many times, I have tried to think through what to do instead of relying on You for wisdom and divine insight. Holy Spirit, You see and know everything, and You know the key to every heart. You know the secret to every success, whether in ministry, education, family, or anything else. From this day forward, I make a decision to listen to You. I know You will reveal exactly what I need to know for every situation I face in life. And now, as never before, I am listening!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the Holy Spirit not only gives me inspired ideas, but He also injects me with the courage I need to obey Him and to act on those ideas. I receive insight for the plan of God for my life, and I release my faith to move forward on that plan by the strength of the Holy Spirit within me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What answer are you desperately seeking that you’ve never been able to discover on your own?
2. Have you been brainstorming so hard that you’ve forgotten to involve the Holy Spirit in your pursuit? Is it possible that He’s been speaking to you, but you haven’t been listening? Do you realize that today the Holy Spirit has the strings to that invisible curtain in His hands, and He’s just waiting for the opportunity to show you what you’ve been seeking?
3. Can you think of a moment when an idea supernaturally dropped into your mind — something you could have never thought of by yourself, but it was exactly the answer you were seeking?

But let patience have her perfect work….
— James 1:4

In the early days just after the collapse of the Soviet Union, our family settled in the nation of Latvia, where we first started our ministry in the former Soviet Union. At the time, the government of Latvia was especially fearful of spies and therefore paranoid about foreigners, so they did not like our being there. Because we had so much TV equipment, it was rumored that we were a CIA group sent to spy on the activities of the nation. Thus, we were very unwelcome by many influential people who occupied high positions of authority within the Latvian government. But we knew that this was the place where God had called us to start our work in the former USSR, and we were determined not to be moved by fear or to be bullied out of that nation.

As is often the case in a foreign country, living in Latvia required a visa. The man in charge of immigration at the time did not like us — so he would only issue us a visa that lasted one day, three days, five days, or maybe a week at a time! Then at the end of that very brief period, we had to start the entire visa process all over! It was like the devil was trying to wear us down and run us out of town. But we knew that we had been called to be there, and we would not give up.

Actually, there were several times when our visas expired, and we had to plead with officials to issue us another one. When they’d finally grant our request, the new visas would often be valid for a mere 24 hours! That meant we had only one legal day to “rest” and breathe a sigh of relief before we had to initiate the process all over again.

Denise and I still have our old passports from back in those days, and they are filled with pages and pages of Latvian visas. We had so many visas that we ran out of space in our passports several times, and the U.S. Embassy would sew in extra pages to make room for more visas!

It was just like we were living on borrowed time. Every night when we went to bed, and every morning when we woke up, we were talking and praying about visas so we could stay where we knew God had called us. It was undoubtedly one of the biggest fights we had ever faced — and this fight continued unabated for several years! Space prevents me from articulating how much pressure it put on us. While we were producing TV programs, starting a new church in Riga, and answering mountains of pieces of mail from TV viewers, this visa problem was constantly in the background hassling us. It literally affected every area of our lives.

But after years of being hassled, vexed, and beleaguered, an abrupt change suddenly came! For some reason, which we never discovered, someone in the very top echelon of the government said, “Enough is enough that we have done to this family.” To our surprise, we were granted a three–month visa; then a six-month visa; then a one-year visa; and, finally, our entire family was granted permanent residency! The battle was over — and that meant we could fully focus on the task of taking trusted Bible teaching across the entire former USSR. By God’s grace and the virtue of patience, we had endured and outlasted the enemy’s onslaught.

Many believers in the early centuries had a favorite character trait, which they called the “queen of all virtues.” It was the Greek word hupomeno, and it appears throughout the New Testament. One example is in James 1:4, which says, “But let patience have her perfect work….” The word “patience” in Greek is hupomeno.

The word hupomeno is a compound of two words, hupo and meno. The word hupo means under or by, and the word meno means to stay or to abide. When compounded, they form the word hupomeno, one of the strongest words in the New Testament. It depicts a person who knows he is in the right place — hence, regardless of the pressure, assaults, or restraints that are forced upon him, he has decided that he will not bend, bow, or break under that pressure. He has simply decided that this is his spot, and nothing is going to move him from it. It is an unrelenting decision to hold fast to that spot and not be moved for any reason.

Whether we’re talking about me and my family and the situation we faced in Latvia or something you may be facing in your ministry, business, or education right now — it is a fact that there are forces at work to try to move us out of our places. The devil does not want us to realize our long-sought victories. That is why we must have hupomeno — staying power — that comes with a firm decision that we will hang in there and never surrender, succumb, or quit.

This word is such a vital part of my life and my thinking that I actually wear a baseball cap with the word hupomeno monogrammed across the front panel. It is found throughout the New Testament, and as we have seen, the early saints esteemed it as the queen of all virtues. This tells me that we still need to possess this lasting power today! That’s why I focus on it so much in my own life.

You see, when hupomeno is working in your life, it’s not a question of if you will win; it’s just a matter of time until you win! Eventually, the enemy himself gets tired and surrenders. And when he flees, everything you’ve believed to see will begin to come together. So I encourage you to hang in there and refuse to give up! Let hupomeno be a central feature of your life. Eventually the pressures will let up and subside — and when they do, your answer will come. In that day and hour, you’ll be so glad you stood your ground and didn’t surrender to the pressures that were trying to wear you down and push you out of position in your pursuit of God’s plan for your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, when You gave me the assignment I’m working on, You supplied everything that I would ever need to fulfill it! I thank You for sufficient grace, wisdom, ability, provision, help from others, and Your very own stick-to-it power! Father, I come before You now and ask You to fill me full and afresh with Your Holy Spirit. I ask You to anoint me with fresh oil and to strengthen me with a fresh touch of Your power so I can allow patience to have its perfect work in me. I am not willing to let go, loosen my grip, or grow slack. I know that I am in the right place at the right time, and I refuse to budge for any reason! Holy Spirit, I receive Your help. And by the power of God’s grace undergirding me, I will hold fast and see this assignment through to the end.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly confess that staying power is at work in my life! It’s not a question of if I will win — it’s just a matter of time until I win! No matter how long I have to stand my ground, I will not give up and quit. I will not cringe in fear or bow out because of attempted bullying, intimidation, or harassment. The enemy is the one who will have to surrender in exhaustion. And when he flees, everything I have believed to see will come together before my eyes as everything that opposed and tried to withstand my efforts falls away before the invincible greatness of my God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever felt as though pressures were trying to bully you into giving up on your dream or whatever God has told you to do? How did it affect you, and how did you respond?
2. Have you ever been put in a position where you were hassled as you tried to do the will of God? Have the opposing opinions of family and friends ever threatened to pull you off course as you pressed forward to do what God called you to do? How did you handle it?
3. Did a breakthrough eventually come for you? What caused the breakthrough, and how were things different on the other side?

I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
— 1 Corinthians 3:6

I had worked laboriously for an “open door” to Channel One in the nation of Ukraine — the premier TV channel that broadcast into every home in the country. However, regardless of how hard I tried, it seemed that access to this massive station eluded me. But one day, I received a phone call from a man who said he had an “inside” contact at Channel One and that if I would meet him at a certain location in Kiev, he would accompany me to the station and introduce me to the top leadership of that channel. So at the appointed time, I met him — it was almost like a clandestine operation — and he did exactly as he promised. He walked me through the open door that I had been seeking for years.

I found myself standing in an executive TV office with the two men who had the final say-so about which programs would or would not be broadcast on Channel One. After a few minutes of talking, they said, “We’ve reviewed your programs, and we’re ready to accept them as part of our daily broadcast schedule.”

I almost lost my breath. Did they really say what I just heard? Were these men actually offering me the possibility of broadcasting our programs to the entire nation every day of the week? As far as I knew, this opportunity had never been given to anyone else. But now the door had flung wide open and was standing right in front of me as open and passable as it could be! This was a God-ordained moment. I knew that God was beckoning me to trust Him and to walk through this door.

When they told me the cost per broadcast, I didn’t have that kind of money or anything even close to it. But the door was open, and God was urging me to put my name on the “dotted line” of the contract. So I asked for a few minutes to be alone with my associate who was with me. Once we were alone, we bowed our heads, clasped hands, and prayed for the courage to accept this step of faith. I told my associate, “I don’t have the money to pay for this, but I know God has opened this door, and I am supposed to sign this contract. I don’t know where the money will come from, but I must sign this contract and trust that God will speak to someone somewhere to help pay for this huge opportunity.”

When we finishing praying, I had deep peace that despite the fact that I didn’t have the money to take this step, God wanted me to sign the contract. So when the men reentered the room and asked what we had decided, I boldly told them, “Of course, we are going to broadcast! So give me that contract, and I’ll sign it.”

After reviewing the contract, I took a pen in hand, gulped a deep breath, and signed that piece of paper. It was a huge leap of faith for me, but I had the awesome inward witness that we were about to experience the supernatural provision of God in a measure we had never seen before. God was going to show Himself strong to us and provide every cent that was needed to broadcast on this massive TV channel. As a result, every person in every home in that nation where there was a television would be able to hear rock-solid Bible teaching every day of the week!

But that’s just half the story. At the exact time I was signing that contract, a ministry partner — a widow who had faithfully given smaller offerings for many years — received surprise information that she had received a large inheritance. She had always told the Lord, “If You’ll trust me with money, I’ll use it to finance the preaching of the Gospel.” God heard her, knew she was serious, and did exactly what she prayed. He supernaturally put a large sum of money into her hands. When she received that inheritance, she said, “Lord, I’m going to help Rick Renner preach the Gospel to the former Soviet Union!”

When we later looked at the calendar and compared the times on both sides of the world — we discovered that at the exact moment I was signing that contract, this woman was receiving the news about her inheritance! I signed the contract, and literally simultaneously, God put the money into the hands of a widow who had made Him a promise.

Before the first payment was due for that massive TV outreach, we had all the finances we needed to pay the bill. God had entrusted that widow with the money necessary to cover the cost of those first broadcasts — and she kept her promise to steward her finances for the preaching of the Gospel.

Actually, this woman supported our TV outreach for many years. As a result, our Bible teaching programs went into every home in that nation every day. Over time, we received millions of letters from people who watched the programs, who gave their lives to Christ, and who began to regularly correspond with our ministry for help to further develop their lives in Christ.

As I think back on this experience, I see how every person played such a vital role for this miracle to be brought to pass. I signed the contract — but I didn’t have the money to pay for it. God gave finances to a faithful widow — and she supplied the money to pay. Each time I ponder this experience, I’m always reminded of what the apostle Paul wrote in First Corinthians 3:6: “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.”

Paul knew his role was that of a “planter,” which is the Greek word phuteuo and means to plant. Paul’s statement was a clear reference to his founding of the Corinthian church. He was anointed to forge into new territory and challenge the powers of darkness in order to plant. Paul was endowed with the anointing to push open doors and find opportunities — and to plant seeds for the Gospel that would grow into churches.

Apollos, on the other hand, was anointed differently for ministry. He was specially called to come behind Paul and to “water” and “nourish” what Paul had planted. The word “watered” is the Greek word potidzo, which means to give drink, to water, or even to imbibe. It portrays one who nourishes what has been planted, thus providing the sustenance it needs to grow.

Of course, we know that God ultimately gave the increase, bringing forth what Paul planted and Apollos watered — and causing growth to come in the Corinthian church.

As I look at First Corinthians 3:6, I see these three elements in the Channel One miracle: First, I was the planter who was anointed by God to sign the contract. That was an essential first step. Second, our blessed partner, a widow, was called and anointed to “water” the seed I’d planted (the signing of the contract) with her finances. She was assigned a very important portion of the process, and she willingly did her part.

Third — and most important — was God, the Partner who was ultimately responsible for all of it. Paul said, “…But God gave the increase.”

The word “increase” in First Corinthians 3:6 is a form of the Greek word auxano, which simply means to increase or to grow. The form of this word used in this instance indicates the continuous blessing of God upon the work of Paul and Apollos, with God as their chief Partner in the process.

One theologian has said, in effect, “We can till the ground, plant the seeds, pull the weeds, and lavishly water what has been planted, but only God can provide the blessing, sunshine, and environment to make it all grow.”

It simply takes every one of us doing his or her different job — with God’s blessing on it — for doors to open and harvests to be reaped. Divine connections are essential for completing a divine assignment. And respect for every person for the role he or she plays — including God and His role — is so important. Most of us realize that even if we all did our respective parts to make supernatural things come to pass, nothing of value would ever grow if God didn’t provide His continuous blessing. So all the glory goes to God for what is produced in our lives.

In the case of the contract with Channel One, after that man helped me make contact with the leaders of that TV station, God used my associate and me to negotiate the deal, my hands to sign the contract, and a widow to sow finances into the project. And, most importantly, God’s hand of blessing was on it throughout the entire journey. Those elements all working together produced a harvest of salvations from our TV programming that will last for all of eternity.

If you’re trying to complete a God-given project alone, I pray that today’s Sparkling Gem has spoken to your heart about the need for divine connections with other people — and the absolutely essential need for God to be your chief Partner in making everything you do grow and become prosperous. If you do not have those connections right now, I pray that God will divinely connect you to others who will join to help you complete the assignment He has called you to fulfill — in Jesus’ name!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I see that it takes divine connections to make a project of faith come to pass and bear fruit. Many times I have felt discouraged because it seemed I had to complete a God-project alone. Father, I ask You to connect me with others who will respond to Your voice and help cause Your supernatural plan to come to pass. I receive God-ordained help to complete the assignment You have given me. I ask You to strengthen me and those with whom You will connect me so that together we can do our respective parts under Your direction to fulfill what You want each one of us to do!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am obedient and faithful to the direction of the Lord when He gives me an assignment. And I declare that with each divine assignment He gives me, God also ordains obedient and faithful people who are positioned with me to see that assignment through to completion. Just as Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase, we each do our part by the direction of God as we give all glory to His name!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of a moment when you obeyed the Lord, but you didn’t know how God was going to do what He was instructing you to do? When was that and what happened?
2. Have you ever had an experience when you took a step of faith, and God used an unexpected person to supply the provision you needed to make your step of faith come to pass?
3. Were you filled with enthusiastic excitement at the moment you committed yourself to a huge project in faith — or did you feel a sense of hesitancy? What did you experience as you “signed your name on the dotted line” and made a commitment that would require the supernatural provision of God?

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour….
— 1 Timothy 2:1-3

Even if we don’t like the way things are going in our government, we must obey the apostle Paul’s exhortation in First Timothy 2:1-3 to pray for our governmental leaders. Before you dismiss Paul’s instructions to pray for those in authority as too simplistic, remember that he lived at a time of grossly immoral governmental leadership and that he ultimately was martyred by Nero — the very “king” he asked people to pray for! In First Timothy 2:1-3, Paul declared, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour….”

Paul gave us six prayer commands in these verses that God expects us to obey — regardless of who is calling the shots politically. In this passage of Scripture, he clearly defined guidelines for us to follow when we pray. Rather than rush to God with accusations, complaints, grumbling, protestations, and whining, we are to follow the positive approach in prayer Paul provided. He began by saying, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications….”

 1.  A Right Attitude

The word “supplications” is a translation of the Greek word deisis, which describes the attitude of one who beseeched a king. Access to a throne was a great privilege in the ancient world, so when an individual approached a king, he showed respect and gratitude for the privilege.

As Paul began to outline his instructions regarding how we should pray, he reminded us of the kind of attitude we ought to have when we draw near to God. Before we utter a single word in prayer, we must clearly understand in our hearts that we have been afforded a great privilege to access the throne room of God. Regardless of the thoughts swirling around in our minds or the complaints we may be harboring in our souls, we need to come into God’s presence with hearts of respect and gratitude. We certainly are not to enter His presence ready to unabashedly spew ugly, disrespectful, or slanderous words at Him as though it’s His fault that things aren’t going the way we wished they were going!

Therefore, the first thing we need to do when we prepare to pray for our government is get our attitudes right.

2.  A Prayer of Personal Consecration

As Paul continued, he wrote, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers.…” The word “prayers” — the Greek word proseuche — literally means an exchange or a surrender and pictures a person who comes into the intimate presence of God to consecrate himself as a first matter of priority.

So Paul affirmed that our first responsibility as believers before we ever utter a request or a complaint regarding others — before we utter anything else at all — is to enter the presence of God and get our own attitudes and thoughts right before Him. Then with clear hearts we can receive His thoughts and know His ways in the place of prayer. When our own attitudes are corrected and realigned, it usually changes the way we pray concerning others, because our words reflect the Father’s heart instead of our own personal preference or opinions.

Everything must be surrendered to God and the power of His Spirit before anything else is spoken to Him in prayer.

3.  A Prayer of Intercession for Others

Once a believer has dealt with his own wrong attitudes and his need of consecration, Paul wrote what to do next. He said, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions….”

The word “intercessions” is the Greek word huperentugchano, which means to appeal to God on behalf of someone else. Once you have dealt with your own attitude and consecrated yourself to the will of God, you are in a position to appeal to God about someone else.

Perhaps you sense the Holy Spirit’s leading to pray for someone who is unable to pray for himself, such as a novice believer who simply doesn’t know how to pray effectively, or for a government leader whose spiritual condition and unwise decisions are negatively affecting masses of people. In other words, you sense the Holy Spirit’s leading to assume an intercessory position and to focus your prayers toward a specific individual or situation. And if you have made sure your own heart is clear of clutter, you can pray for others in this way while remaining free from any selfish agenda or wrong attitude.

4.  A Prayer of Thankfulness

Paul continued in his list of prayer guidelines by saying, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks….” According to this verse, you are also to give “thanks” while you are in God’s presence. This phrase “giving of thanks,” which is a form of the Greek word eucharistos, depicts an overflowing, grateful heart.

Let’s be honest — it’s difficult to be grateful and thankful when you are harboring a complaining attitude at the same time! God knows this. So He instructs you to allow thankfulness to flow from your heart, which will literally shift your “inner atmosphere” during your time of prayer.

So before you start griping about a political leader — or anyone else for that matter! — first take time to think of reasons you can be thankful regarding that person. This will change your tone and make you more effective in prayer. And rest assured — God will appreciate your change of attitude!

5.  A Prayer for Everyone

Paul continued, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men….” The word “all” means we are not to show favoritism or to be picky about the people we pray for. Regardless of their spiritual status or political affiliation, we are to pray for “all men.” This is a good test, because if there is someone you think you can’t pray for, it probably indicates a problematic attitude inside you that needs to be consecrated to God. This is very important to understand, because your inability to pray for someone actually reveals a deep need for change in you.

6.  A Prayer for Governmental Officials

Next, Paul said that we must pray for “for kings.” If anyone needed prayer, it was the unsaved kings who possessed lofty positions of power and authority in the First Century AD! But Paul broadened the scope of this divine command by saying that we are to pray for all who are “in authority.” The word “authority” used here is huperarche and depicts prominent governmental officials. Ponder that for a moment. That means we are to pray for all prominent governmental officials — even those whom we don’t care for at all! Paul told us the reason for all this praying is “…that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior….”

Most believers in New Testament times had no option to vote, so they did what they could do and followed Paul’s six prayer commands. I’m sure if they had been given the right to vote, they would have rushed to the polling booths to cast their votes. But the only vote they could cast was in prayer — so they prayed! Since their governmental leaders were entrenched in power and there was nothing they could do to change it, these early believers took their role in prayer very seriously. And ultimately the power of those prayers brought about change far greater than any election day could ever produce!

Remember — our democratic system allows us to vote, and we must exercise this cherished right. But once the election is over, we have to face the fact that the men and women who have been placed in positions of power are there because of the democratic system that elected them. They represent the choice of the people who put them there. If we are unsatisfied with the outcome, our opportunity is coming again a few years down the road to change the situation. Yet even so, our greatest effectiveness will be found as we enter God’s presence in the authority of Jesus’ name and fulfill these six prayer commands given by the Holy Spirit to the Church through the apostle Paul!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I cherish the right to vote. It is a freedom that cost the lives of many. At the appointed time, I will exercise that privilege to make my voice heard via my voting ballot. However, I realize that I don’t have to wait for an upcoming election to cast my vote for righteousness. I take my place in prayer, in obedience to Your Word, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, and I pray with all manner of prayer and supplications. Seated together with Christ Jesus and by the authority of His name, I pray with confidence according to Your will, knowing that You hear me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I exercise my rights on earth and in Heaven. I pray for those in offices of governmental authority as I exercise my authority in Christ through prayer. I operate according to the divine law of love, and I refrain from criticism and negative speech. Instead, I speak words in agreement with the will of God and the establishment of righteousness in my land.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you have the right to vote? If so, do you appreciate it? Do you actually vote, or are you among the millions of people who no longer go to the polls and just trust that everyone else will do the voting?
2. How often do you pray for those who are in authority? Often people feel free to criticize leaders, but they fail to pray for them. Which category do you fit into? If you are one who criticizes only, how will you change after reading today’s Sparkling Gem? Will you begin to pray for those who are in authority?
3. Without looking back at what you read today, can you recall the six prayer commands that Paul gave to us? Since these are commands, it would be good for you to memorize them so you can make them a regular part of your prayer life.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
— James 1:27

Just to the west of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a city called Sand Springs — a small town that was constructed with the single wealth of a man named Charles Page. Page’s father died when he was young, and he saw the struggle that his widowed mother experienced as she cared for him and his siblings. As a young man, Page got a job working in the oil industry, but soon he went into the drilling business for himself. Page hit his first oil gusher in 1905 when he was 45 years old — one that began to quickly produce up to 2,000 barrels of oil per day. Soon he hit another gusher and then another — and it wasn’t long before he became immensely wealthy at a relatively young age.

Page remembered his mother’s financial struggles after his father died, so he chose to devote the bulk of his wealth to help orphans and widows. In 1908, he purchased land west of Tulsa and in the middle of that enormous territory, he began the construction of Sand Springs, Oklahoma — the town where I grew up. But Page’s purpose was not to build a city just for the sake of building a city. He dreamed that this city would become a hub for his real dream, which was Sand Springs Home — a well-financed orphanage that would care for orphans until adulthood. To assure that the orphans raised at Sand Springs Home would have jobs after they set off on their own, Page constructed the city of Sand Springs. He began to negotiate with steel, glass, and porcelain industries to move to his new city so that kids from his orphanage would have good employment opportunities when they became adults.

In addition to Sand Springs Home, Page also dreamed of constructing a widow’s colony to care for widowed women. So in 1912, Page began construction of Sand Springs Widows’ Colony, a large area that had 40 houses for widowed women with children who could live there freely at his expense. All of this was provided as benevolence because Charles Page remembered the burden of poverty that his own family experienced when his father died unexpectedly.

I am familiar with this story because I grew up in Sand Springs and also because my Grandfather Miller was personally hired by Charles Page to lead the orchestra and band for Sand Springs Home. Through my grandfather’s connection to Page, my mother as a small girl spent many days and weekends at Sand Springs Home, where she personally witnessed how generously this man treated these orphans and widows.

When I entered high school myself, I became keenly aware of how well the children from Sand Springs Home were treated. They were well-dressed and well-groomed, and at Christmas time they received what seemed like mountains of gifts that were provided by funds left after the death of Charles Page. If they did well in school, there were funds available to help them go to college or university. What Page did for these orphans and widows — the long-term planning that he prepared for them — was simply remarkable and has impacted thousands of people’s lives for the better since he first began to put his dream into action in 1908.

Today I want to talk to you about assisting needy widows. But first, let’s talk about what the Bible means when it refers to widows. The word “widows,” which James used in James 1:27, is chera, a word that uniquely describes widows in the traditional sense of the word. It is the same word used by Jesus in Matthew 23:14 and Luke 4:26, which both clearly describe women who were bereft of their spouses due to death. James used the word “affliction” to describe the condition of this category of widows.

As we saw yesterday, the word “affliction” is a translation of the Greek word thlipsis, which depicts pressures that make it difficult to cope with life. This hardship may include housing, food, medical needs, or other physical needs that leave a person struggling to get up and face each day. According to James 1:27, we as believers have a God-given responsibility to reach out and help widowed women who are struggling due to the loss of a spouse. It is good, clean, and acceptable before God for us to visit and assist widows in these circumstances.

I realize we live in a day and age when insurance pays death benefits, the government often assists women who have lost their spouses, and many widows today are not suffering financially. However, there are still many widowed women who suffer great financial and social need when their spouses die, and God commands us to do whatever we can to be a blessing to them in their times of suffering. Since this is the command of God, I want to ask you: What are you doing to help widows in need?

You don’t have to be rich and wealthy like Charles Page was in 1908. The truth is, there are many wealthy people who never help anyone. Page helped because he remembered his mother’s own difficulty and chose to make a difference with his resources. What he did took great passion and long-term planning — which tells us that his giving was not based on emotion or just a “fancy of the moment.” It was deeply felt compassion that was expressed in action that has continued to impact people’s lives ever since his charitable work first started. I don’t know the spiritual status of Charles Page’s soul, but I know that his works continue to speak long after his death. What Page did was “clean religion” — something that God both encourages and endorses!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am deeply stirred to begin formulating my long-term plan to bring real, measurable help to people in need through sincere acts of charity. You specified needy widows and orphans as people for whom I should take compassionate responsibility when their needs are brought to my attention. I ask You, Lord, to show me who and how to help. I commit to prove my faith by my works, as I live out the “clean religion” that honors You the most.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I actively pursue a life marked by the “clean religion” that God both encourages and endorses. I do not ignore the plight of orphans and widows in need. I deliberately take action in well-planned ways to provide help and to produce change that will make a positive difference in their lives for the glory of God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, what actions are you going to take to reach out to widows who are in need? Have you ever done anything special to help a woman who has lost her spouse?
2. Do you personally know a woman who has suffered financial and material loss as the result of her husband’s death? Who is that woman? Do you even know if she has financial need?
3. What would Jesus do if He knew of a widow in dire financial straits? Would He simply wave at her and wish her well, or would He do something to assist her?