Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
— 1 Thessalonians 2:6

Another pitfall that has short-circuited the call of God in lives of others is a desire for glory or fame. But neither money nor fame was Paul’s motive for pursuing ministry. Paul’s primary pursuit was to please God. He genuinely loved God and the people God had called him to reach.

In First Thessalonians 2:6, Paul said, “Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.” The Greek tense makes it clear that Paul was saying he didn’t habitually seek glory from men; it wasn’t his pattern of operation. Then Paul got more specific by using the phrase “neither of you, nor yet of others.” In a general sense, Paul wasn’t seeking glory from people. And in a specific sense, he wasn’t seeking glory from those he knew personally, including the church members in Thessalonica.

Paul’s statement in verse 6 was, what I call, a futuristic statement. Paul was saying, “I haven’t sought glory in the past; I’m not seeking glory from you now; and I’m not going to seek glory from anyone else in the future.” Paul simply wasn’t interested in the limelight — in receiving the glory of men.

This is a great test and temptation for anyone who becomes well known. It is a test that must be passed. If having the adulation of men is important to you, it will eventually become a noose that hangs you — as you’ll end up doing or saying anything to get attention and adulation.

Proverbs 29:25 (NKJV) holds a powerful warning to us along this line. It tells us that “the fear of man brings a snare…” Being overly concerned about what people think of us and fearing their possible rejection of us is actually a dangerous trap of the enemy that he uses to try to control us. It will either muzzle and silence us from speaking the truth when necessary or provoke us to say what people want to hear — instead of the word of the Lord they need to hear.

Either way, seeking adulation and praise from man is a deceptive trap, and the source is fear. And fear always works to nullify faith, which is essential for you to please God! So make sure your goal is always to stay pleasing to the Lord above all else and all others. It’s that pure desire of your heart to please Jesus that will keep you free every day from the trap of seeking praise from men!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I know what it’s like to live for the honor and adulation of men, and I do not want to live in that kind of slavery ever again. It’s a trap to fear man, to live constantly to please man, and to live for the praises of people. My utmost goal is to live to serve and please You. If I can live in the light of Your glory, I’ll be so thankful — and that will be a glory that never passes with time. That is the true limelight my heart cries out for!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I do NOT live for the glory and adulation of men. I appreciate being appreciated, and I am glad when people are thankful for what I do — but I live to please God. Daily I present myself before God as a living sacrifice to be acceptable unto Him, while I rely upon His grace to help me maintain a balance in my life of appreciating what others say and do while living exclusively for God and for His approval!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever lived with the adulation of men as a goal for your life? Do you know what it’s like to live in their pleasure or displeasure? I assure you, it is easier to live a life pleasing to God than to try to be pleasing to all the different kinds of people who are in your life!
2. The Bible says that the fear of man is a trap. Have you ever experienced that trap? Do you know what it’s like to live in the fear of man? Have you been delivered from it? If yes, how were you delivered?
3. If you’ve lived for the limelight of man and then experienced what it’s like to “fall out of the limelight,” how did it affect you? Did that experience give you a new perspective of what is and isn’t important?

For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness.
— 1 Thessalonians 2:5

As Paul shared his priorities and motives in ministry, he also talked about what didn’t motivate him in ministry — namely financial gain. In First Thessalonians 2:5, he wrote, “For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness.” In this verse, Paul specifically dealt with the issue of money in ministry, and he emphatically conveyed that his motives for ministry were not financial gain from those who followed his ministry. Instead, the apostle strove to keep his motives for ministry pure.

If Paul hadn’t made this his first motive — to please God and not man — he would have been vulnerable to becoming a man-pleaser and using “flattering words” to exact some kind of selfish gain from the people he ministered to. But Paul’s primary focus was on pleasing the One who called him and who sent him to the precious people in Thessalonica.

The same quality should be true of us. Our motives for serving God should be pure and unadulterated, rooted solely in a heart desire to please Him through the fruits of our labor as we do what He asks us to do.

Let’s study verse 5 more closely. What exactly does it mean for someone to use “flattering words”? This phrase comes from the Greek word kolakeia, which means to “butter up” someone by saying things he or she wants to hear. Usually, when someone “butters up” another person, he is putting himself in a position to take advantage of that individual. The word kolakeia — “flattering words” — also means to say things with an insincere motive.

In other words, when you’re using kolakeia, your words are just a vehicle to get you what you want. They hold no genuine meaning and are spoken for no other reason than that.

But in these two verses in First Thessalonians 2, Paul was saying he didn’t do that to the congregation in Thessalonica. He didn’t butter them up so he could get something out of them. He didn’t just say good things about them or tell them how wonderful they were to receive some kind of selfish gain. Paul wasn’t insincere in his dealings with the believers in the Thessalonian church; instead, he spoke truthfully to them as he interacted with them and ministered to them.

Now let’s look at the next phrase Paul used in this passage: “cloak of covetousness.” The word “cloak” is the Greek word prophasis, which can be translated as a pretense or something that is phony or not real. The whole idea behind this word prophasis is that a person will be whatever he needs to be to receive some kind of gain from others.

Prophasis describes a person who is constantly changing, not according to his conviction, but according to how he can gain something from someone else. This is why the Bible calls it a “cloak.” It is a covering or a pretense — something that isn’t real.

The Bible calls this cloak a “cloak of covetousness.” I believe that a better translation would be “a cloak for the sake of covetousness.” In this verse where Paul wrote, “For neither at any time used we flattering words…nor a cloak of covetousness,” he was actually referring to the exploitation of people for gain.

The word “covetousness” in First Thessalonians 2:5 is translated from the Greek word pleonexia, which is used in this scripture to describe monetary greed. The word pleonexia carries a few ideas that tend to build upon each other, as in a progression.

• First, it simply means to have more.
• Second, it portrays the concept of expanding — to have more and more and more.
• Third, it carries the idea of overreaching for more than you need.
• Fourth, it depicts control. In other words, at some point, you aren’t reaching out for the thing you want more of anymore — now that thing has reached out and grabbed you. Now it has gained control of you.

This word “covetousness” describes a man who has money in the heart. He “thinks” money. In fact, he thinks about money almost all the time. He eats, drinks, and sleeps money! Money becomes just about all he wants to talk about. When he goes to bed at night, he’s thinking about money — and when he gets out of bed in the morning, his first thoughts turn to money. When he talks to people, he sees currency on their foreheads! He’s constantly looking for more money, and he sees everything — every encounter, every relationship, and everything he does — as an opportunity to turn a buck.

It is this attitude of covetousness that Paul emphatically rejected. His motive for preaching was not to pretend to be something he wasn’t in order to make financial gain from the people God had given him to care for and minister to. And neither can it be our motivation for serving others! Furthermore, people are smart — and if they sense that you are after their money and not their hearts, it won’t be long until they will send you on your way!

So make the decision today that you will always be someone who speaks from an authentic, pure heart and seeks only to edify the listener and glorify God, never to receive monetary gain or advantage for yourself. As you make that your constant practice, people will come to know that they can trust the source! They’ll receive your words as genuine, and the power of love behind your words will minister to people’s hearts as God intends!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, everyone needs money, including me — but I ask You to keep my motivation for serving others free from the contamination of greed for money. Scripture is full of examples of people who were spoiled and suffered ruin because they let money become a motivator for ministry. I thank You for meeting my needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Keep my heart free from ever serving people with money as a motivator. For my own needs, I look to You, and I trust You to provide for me every step along the way!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly confess that money is not and will never be my motivation for ministry. If making money is what it’s all about, I need to go elsewhere and do something else. God has called me to serve people purely and to trust Him to meet my financial needs and obligations. I look to God, not people, as my Source to meet my needs!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever known someone whose motive for ministry was financial gain? What happened to that person in the end?
2. When you look at people whom God has brought across your path, do you see them as a financial opportunity or as a ministry opportunity? Your answer to this question is very important!
3. Have you been hurt by someone whose driving motivation was money? Have you forgiven them? If not, you need to forgive them and release that experience so you can move forward in your walk of faith!

For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.
— 1 Thessalonians 2:3,4 NIV

In First Thessalonians 2, Paul gives a detailed account of his personal motives in ministry. Although he wrote from the perspective of an apostle, his message pertains to all believers regardless of the specific calling on their lives. I believe that it would be good for every one of us if we stopped from time to time to take account of our own motives for why we do what we do in fulfilling the call of God on our lives. Filled with wonderful nuggets of truth, First Thessalonians 2 is a vast treasury of wisdom because it not only reflects on what Paul’s motives were, but also on what they were not. So for the next few days, I want us to examine what Paul wrote about right and wrong motives for being in the ministry.

Although Paul and his ministry team remained in Thessalonica for only a short time, Paul’s ministry greatly impacted the Thessalonian church. During this short, intense visit, a deep bond was forged between Paul and the church members in that city. In First Thessalonians 1:5 and 6, Paul wrote about that time with the Thessalonian believers: “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.”

Notice in the above passage, Paul ministered the Word of God in the power of the Holy Spirit and with much boldness. His ministry had such an impact on these people that they literally became “followers” of Paul and his ministry team. In the Greek, the word for “followers” is mimetes, which means imitators. Because Paul had made such a strong impact upon this church with both his message and personal life, the Thessalonians began to imitate Paul and became examples of his ministry to the believers in the surrounding areas.

But it was more than just words that Paul imparted — he imparted his very life to these people by building a relationship with them. Paul’s ministry to the Thessalonian church was powerful because of the relationship he had developed with them during the short time he was with this body of believers.

We see this truth illustrated in First Thessalonians 2:1, where Paul wrote, “For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain.” The word “entrance” in this verse is from the Greek work eisodon, which is a compound of two words, eis, which means into, and odon, from the word odos, which refers to a road. When Paul put these two words together, he was describing his entrance into the Thessalonian church in terms of relationship. In essence, he was saying that he had journeyed on a road that took him straight into their hearts.

By using this particular word “entrance,” Paul was describing the happy and successful ministry he enjoyed there in the church. In turn, the people in that church opened their hearts to Paul, and Paul experienced powerful ministry in that city.

After describing his “entrance” into the Thessalonian church, Paul goes on to define his personal motives for ministry. The first motive he mentioned was his desire, first and foremost, to please God. Paul’s first responsibility as a believer and as a minister was to live a life pleasing to the Lord. And this is no less true for us as believers and ministers today.

In First Thessalonians 2:4, Paul wrote, “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.” Notice the word “pleasing” in this verse. It’s the Greek word aresko. In early Greek history, this word was found very frequently on grave markers of civil servants. In his career, a civil servant’s mind was on serving others. When the word aresko was used on the grave marker of one of these servants, it meant the deceased person was a wonderful, pleasing civil servant.

This word aresko carries the connotation of virtue, joy, and delight. Basically, it portrays the idea of being a virtuous person who is exceedingly pleasing. Again, it was originally used to describe civil servants or individuals who loved serving people and who gave their entire lives to the service of others.

Paul used this word aresko to describe himself. In essence, he was saying, “I’m called to serve people. Although Paul had a desire to be pleasing to those he served and ministered to, his first and chiefest priority was to please God.

There’s a great lesson in that for us as ministers and as believers today. We’re called to serve people, but not necessarily to please them.

There can be a very thin line between pleasing man and pleasing God. As servants of the church, we naturally want to be pleasing to the church. We want to serve the church, and we want to make the Gospel palatable so people can receive it. Yet on the other hand, we can’t water down the Gospel to please some people — because, first and foremost, we’re to please God.

By using the word aresko, Paul was defining his primary motive in ministry. Although he was called to be a servant of the Church and to be pleasing to the Body of Christ, his chief responsibility was and always would be to be pleasing to God first. Paul had to be virtuous and delightful to Him before he could be truly pleasing to anyone else. So while Paul was called to serve the church, his eyes continually remained on the Lord.

This principle not only applies to anyone in the ministry, but also to every one of us as believers in every walk of life. We must make sure our first goal is to please God, even when it means that what we’re doing with our lives might not please everyone around us. Our highest aim should be to fulfill His purposes for our lives and to make as many inroads as possible into people’s hearts with the truth of the Gospel and the love of God as we go through each day. We are to give them not only the Word of God but also our own personal example of abundant life in Jesus, lived before them in a way that would make them want to imitate us. Oh, how I pray that God uses you and me in such a powerful way, each and every day!

As we continue this study over the next few days, take a little time to look at your own heart and examine the motives of why you do what you do. Although you want to be satisfactory to everyone you serve, your highest ambition should be to please the Lord.

Love the people and please the Lord — that has to be our goal!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, as I serve You and Your Church, help me to always keep the balanced perspective that I am to love the people — but I am to please the Lord! As a servant of the Church, I always want to serve in a high-level, satisfactory manner, but my highest aim must be to please You above all else. Help me to find inroads into people’s hearts, to give them Your Word, and to be a personal example that’s so godly that they would want to imitate it.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess by faith that I deeply love people, but I live to please the Lord. Satisfying Jesus with my love for His people and my service to others is my highest aim. I want to be a vessel that God works through to touch others and take them higher. As a result, God gives me inroads to people’s hearts and minds to pour the Word of God into them and live a godly example before them that they will want to imitate!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Who was the person who affected you immensely when you first came to Christ? What qualities in that person found an “inroad” to your heart and mind?
2. Who are you influencing right now? Have you been too busy to be involved in the development of another Christian? If so, what do you think the Holy Spirit would have you do about that?
3. Are you living the kind of Christian life that someone else would want to imitate?

speaking the truth in love.
— Ephesians 4:15

Being truthful with others is one of the most important qualities the Lord has taught me over the years. Ephesians 4:15 tells us we are to “speak the truth in love.”

As the leader of our ministry, I expect my team to be honest with me and to speak truthfully. Even if I don’t always like what they say, their honesty guarantees a clear and truthful relationship between us.

However, if someone on my staff were to tell me one thing and then tell a fellow employee something entirely different, it would create distrust between that staff member and me. If that happened, I wouldn’t know whether I could really count on that team member to be honest with me.

This is precisely what the Bible is talking about when it says that those chosen to be deacons cannot be “double tongued” (see 1 Timothy 3:8). The Greek word for “double-tongued” is dilogos, and it means, two-worded. It presents the picture of someone who says one thing to one person about a situation, but then says something altogether different about it to someone else. This “double tongued” individual is either inconsistent in what he tells people, or he is just simply dishonest.

Sometimes this characteristic of being “double tongued,” or two-worded, indicates that a person is a people pleaser. He wants everyone to like him, so he agrees with whomever he is with at the moment. This person may be concerned that if he takes an opinion contrary to his immediate audience, he will lose favor or influence with them. So instead of speaking his true convictions in an attitude of love, he finds himself violating his conscience. Beyond just remaining silent if he doesn’t agree with something that others say, he actually verbalizes agreement with those in his presence, knowing that what he says is not really what he believes.

This trait of being double tongued is a serious character flaw. And the Bible is very strong in telling us that a person who possesses this trait should not be used in leadership. A leader who tells the pastor, “I believe you’re right” and then tells the church members, “I believe the pastor is missing it this time” is not being a blessing to the pastor. In the end, he creates confusion and suspicion.

It’s a blessing to always know where I stand with a person and to never wonder if that individual really means what he or she says. When I can always count on a person to tell me exactly what he or she thinks, a foundation of trust can be established that is very important if we’re going to build a long-term relationship in the ministry.

My team is very honest with me. Because they are honest with me, I trust them incredibly. I know I can depend on their straightforward, truthful responses. Denise and I are visionaries — we are “idea people”! But we need the perspective of others to help us see all the details that must accompany a vision in order to bring it to pass. We need their honest input in our lives. That’s why God sent us our team.

Please remember on this subject of truthfulness that we are called to speak the truth in love — not to “bludgeon” each other in the way we communicate what’s on our minds! We must ask God to teach us how to present the truth in a manner that makes it easier to receive.

One reason that truth is rejected is the inappropriate way it is sometimes packaged. When truth comes bundled with harsh tones of judgment, criticism, and condemnation, it can cause the recipient to put up a wall of defense as a safeguard against the attack. But when truth comes wrapped in patience, tenderness, and love, it is much easier to receive.

This does not mean honesty is always easy. Taking the path of truthfulness can be very difficult. However, it is always the clearest and most noble path to take.

Sometimes the biggest challenge we face in this area isn’t speaking the truth; it is speaking the truth in love, as Ephesians 4:15 commands. So let’s look in greater detail at the manner in which we are to speak truthfully with each other.

In my own experience, I’ve learned that the truth in itself isn’t as hard to hear as the wrong way in which it is sometimes spoken. I think you know that cold water thrown in your face would not be a very enjoyable experience. In fact, it may be such a chilling encounter that you become tempted to respond in kind and throw water right back!

When you are required to confront someone and speak the truth, remember the principle of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you (see Matthew 7:12). In other words, be mindful to speak the truth in love to that other person as you would want to have truth spoken in love to you. Ask yourself this question: How would I want the truth spoken to me?

• Brutally?
• Harshly?
• Impatiently?
• Kindly?
• Gently?
• Humbly?

If you’re in a situation in which you must confront someone with the truth, imagine how you would respond to that same truth if it were being presented to you. Then try to picture what would help you receive it in the easiest way that would bring growth to your life and be a blessing. As you ponder these ideas, what you discover will create a path for you to follow to speak the truth in love into someone else’s life. As you follow that path, you will most likely end up treating that other person correctly — with dignity and respect — as you tell him or her what you perceive to be the truth.

If you are the one in charge in your family, ministry, or organization, you must set the example by being truthful with the people who live, serve, and work under you. When you are truthful, people will know you are being straight with them. Even if they don’t like everything you say, they will know they can always depend on you to tell the truth when they need to hear it and not “fudge” about it. If you are truthful, you will set the standard for integrity, truthfulness, and trust among all the members of your team.

Certainly, my own teams in Russia and the United States have many areas in which we can grow more. I’m not claiming that we carry out speaking the truth in love perfectly, but we sincerely attempt to walk honestly and openly with one another. I need what my team members have to impart to me — and they need what I have to impart to them! I personally count these people very valuable in my life and ministry. I want to do everything I can do to obey God in my attitude and conduct toward them — and that includes speaking the truth in love.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I find speaking the truth in love to be difficult. I don’t always know how to do that effectively, and at times I’m concerned that I might hurt someone’s feelings or that I may be rejected. To do what I’ve read today will require a higher level of spiritual maturity in my life. Holy Spirit, I am asking You to help me know when to speak, when to be silent, and how to speak the truth in a way that is truthful, loving, and a blessing to those who listen to me. And help me to be open and receptive when people express the truth in love to me too!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am honest with people about the things I express to them. I do not lie. I do not shade the truth, but I kindly and lovingly answer them in truth. Because they know I am truthful, they trust me and know that they can always depend on me to be truthful with them. Likewise, I confess that I am grateful when people speak the truth to me. God gives me the grace to listen, and He gives me the wisdom to discern what is true and what is just their opinion. I need truthfulness and honesty. Therefore, I choose to accept other people’s candid relationship with me as a blessing to my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Are you honest in your relationships or do you conceal what you really feel about things? Maybe you’re afraid to be honest. What is the root of that fear?
2. How do you feel when someone lovingly tells you the truth about something? Do you appreciate it or do you resent it?
3. When was the last time you really expressed truthfully what you felt about something, and what was the response to your truthfulness? Did you tell it in love or did you bludgeon the listener(s) with your words?

…he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
— Luke 5:8

As you live your life, it’s likely that you will come face to face with people at all kinds of different spiritual levels. You may find that you end up spending time with:

• People who are actively pursuing a closer relationship with Jesus.
• People who have recently recommitted their lives to Christ and are excited about living for Jesus.
• People who are nonchalant or noncommittal about their relationship with God.
• People who have gone astray from the walk they once had with Jesus.
• People who are religious or churchgoers but are still unsaved.
• People who are lost and don’t know the message of Christ.

I was really surprised by the number of times Simon Peter had to encounter Jesus before his life was changed. And if we include his encounter with Christ when he fell to his knees and recognized Jesus’ lordship, that means he had four different encounters with Christ before he was changed. I had never chronologically put it together until recently, so it struck me when I realized how many encounters it took to bring Simon Peter to a place of conversion, where he turned from his own ways and completely submitted his life to the Lord. We will look at each of those four encounters in this Sparkling Gem.

This tells me that sometimes people come to know the Lord one step at a time. Of course, we know that the act of receiving eternal salvation is a one-time event. When I talk about steps and stages, I’m referring to the various encounters people might have with God before they finally surrender their lives to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Let me show you that progression in Simon Peter’s life — how he moved from the moment he first heard about Jesus to an eventual encounter that totally changed his life. As you read this Sparkling Gem, think of people you know — especially those who may be in one of these various stages in their own encounter with Jesus Christ.

 1.  Simon Peter’s first encounter with Jesus.

The day after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus was walking nearby and John exclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (see John 1:36). Verses 37-40 relate that two men heard John and that one of them was Andrew, whose brother was Simon (later referred to as Simon Peter or Peter).

This passage goes on to say that Andrew and the other unnamed man followed Jesus to see where He was staying. Jesus could see them following, so He told them, “Come and see.” Verse 39 goes on to tell us that the two men spent the entire day with Jesus. Afterward, Andrew went to fetch his brother Simon in order to bring him to Jesus (v. 41).

Thus, Simon’s first encounter with Christ was this secondhand information that he heard from his brother Andrew. At this point, Simon had never personally met Jesus. All he knew of Him was what his brother had told him: “We have found the Messiah!” At long last the Savior had come, but Simon had only secondhand knowledge about Him.

This describes the spiritual state of many people in the world. These individuals may have heard about Christ from family and friends. They know of Jesus, and they know about Him; however, they’ve never personally met Him. That kind of secondhand knowledge is not enough to bring a person into the Kingdom of God.

That’s where our responsibility begins. Just like Andrew, you and I must take the initiative to make sure our friends and family members have more than secondhand knowledge about Jesus. A person must have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ in order to go to Heaven — not just “head knowledge” about Him or the ability to say, “I know who Jesus was historically.”

As Andrew did for Simon, so must we do everything we can to bring our friends and family to Jesus — which leads us to the next point.

2.  Simon Peter’s second encounter with Christ.

In John 1:42, we read about Simon Peter’s second encounter with Christ. Simon came to the place where Jesus could be found, and it seems that he lingered and listened to Him. We know that Jesus and Simon had a conversation; however, there is no record that a life-transforming conversion occurred in Simon’s life at that time.

Although Simon’s heartfelt conversion occurred some days later, as is recorded in Luke 5 (which we’ll discuss later), this second encounter was his first personal introduction to Jesus. During this encounter, Jesus even told Simon that his name would be changed to Peter, indicating that soon he would have a change of character. However, this change didn’t occur at that moment. This second encounter was merely Simon’s introduction to the Savior and His message. Again, we see that Simon was close to the Kingdom of God but not yet actually inside the Kingdom of God.

I urge you to do for your family and friends what Andrew did for his brother. Invite them to a place where they can hear the message and learn more about the Savior. They may have already heard the message from you, but now is the time to take them to church or to a smaller gathering where Christians celebrate Jesus. Taking someone to a place where the Gospel message is presented may seem like only a small step, but this step may be needed to bring about the change of heart that will make a difference for eternity.

Just as Jesus introduced the idea of a character change to Simon Peter in that first personal encounter, this may be a way to introduce your lost friends to the truth that Jesus can totally change their lives. Even if they don’t get saved during this first introduction to Jesus, remember, Simon’s real inward change also didn’t happen the first time he personally met Jesus.

I feel impressed by the Holy Spirit to say that there are many who take this particular step and get stuck there. In other words, they go to church or to a meeting searching for truth — and they come very close to the truth. In fact, they are in the very vicinity where a life change can occur. But because no one ever tells them about the need to repent of their sins and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ, they end up religious but unsaved. Unfortunately, churches are filled with people who have come close to the Kingdom of God but have never entered it.

These people go to church, know the words to the hymns and songs, and often even pay their tithes. But because they’ve never recognized their sinful state and repented of their sins, they live on the edge of God’s Kingdom without ever entering it. As a result, their character has never changed. They are simply religious, unsaved people.

You may discover people in your circle of family and friends who fit in this category. Ask God to give you an opportunity to bring them all the way to repentance and to a true saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

3.  Simon Peter’s third encounter with Jesus Christ.

Luke 4:38 tells us that after several days, Jesus went to Simon Peter’s house. This was a third step for Simon as he drew closer and closer to truly knowing Jesus Christ.

Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. But when Jesus arrived, verse 39 says that He “…stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her….” Instantly, this woman was healed. In fact, the verse goes on to say that “…immediately she arose and ministered unto them.” The phrase “ministered unto them” most likely means that after Jesus healed Simon’s mother-in-law, she felt so well, she immediately got up and cooked dinner for them!

That same night, word spread through the city that Jesus was spending the night at Simon Peter’s house, and people got excited. Luke 4:40 tells us what happened next: “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.”

Right in Simon Peter’s own home, he experienced God’s power. This was no longer secondhand information. Simon had not only witnessed the miraculous healing of his mother-in-law, but he’d also seen multitudes of sick people healed by Jesus’ touch that same night. This was the next step leading toward the transformation that would occur soon afterward in Simon’s life. God’s power was all around Simon, but the change he needed at his core had not yet occurred in him.

This makes me think of people I’ve seen through the years who have attended meetings where God has demonstrated His power right in front of them. These people have experienced answers to prayer and have tasted of God’s power — but they’ve never been changed at their core. I wonder how many people have grown up in church, where they saw and heard so much about God’s love and power, yet never allowed the truth they heard to sink into their hearts and bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus that changed their nature. People who fit that description are thus unsaved. In life, it’s reasonable to assume that you’ll come into contact with many people who are in this category of “churched but not really saved.”

Keep your heart sensitive to the Holy Spirit about this issue. He may use you to lead someone who fits this description into a saving knowledge of Christ. One thing is for sure: A change at the core is essential to enter the Kingdom of God. If no real change of character has occurred at a person’s core, it’s likely he or she has never been born again.

Luke 4:44 tells us that after this evening of miracles, Jesus left Simon Peter’s house and began to travel and preach in the synagogues of Galilee. It isn’t known how much time elapsed between the miracles that occurred at Simon’s house and his next experience with Jesus. However, Luke 5:1 tells us that some days later, Simon encountered Christ a fourth time.

4.  Simon Peter’s fourth life-transforming encounter with Christ.

First, Simon Peter obtained “secondhand” knowledge of Jesus. Second, he went to a specific place where he was introduced to Jesus. Third, he personally experienced the power of God. Then in Luke 5:1-11, we read the story of Simon’s fourth encounter with Christ — the encounter that reached so deep into his core that it transformed his life. The result of this fourth encounter was that Simon Peter totally committed his life to the cause of Christ.

The moment came when Jesus stepped into Simon Peter’s boat and used it as a pulpit to preach to a large crowd. Simon’s surrendering of his boat to Jesus was the first time he had ever given something to Jesus — and that’s when Jesus stepped deeper than ever into his life. When Simon surrendered the use of his boat to Jesus, he had no idea where that would take him. But after preaching to the multitude from Simon’s boat, Jesus told him: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught” (Luke 5:4).

Simon Peter was a professional fisherman and had just fished all night with no results. But he chose to obey Jesus, saying, “…at thy word I will let down the net” (v. 5). Verse 6 relates, “And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” In fact, the catch was so enormous that it “…filled both the ships, so that they began to sink” (v. 7).

Such an enormous catch couldn’t be attributed to coincidence or a freak accident. Simon Peter had been fishing all his life, but he had never seen anything like this — and neither had anyone else. This encounter with Christ pushed Simon into a rock-solid faith as “…he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8). Peter recognized his sinfulness and called Jesus “Lord.” This is the Greek word kurios. Peter’s use of this word lets us know that at this moment, he finally recognized Jesus as having supreme spiritual authority and surrendered his life to Christ.

It was this final experience that caused Simon Peter to see Christ’s holiness and his own sinfulness. When Peter saw this miraculous catch of fish, he really knew that God Himself was in the boat with him. In that moment of revelation, he called Jesus “Lord.” This fourth encounter totally changed Peter and reset his goals for life. However, this life-transforming experience happened:

• After Simon Peter had learned that Jesus was the Messiah.
• After Jesus had spent time in Peter’s home.
• After Peter had seen Jesus miraculously heal his mother-in-law.
• And after he had witnessed Jesus healing multitudes outside his own home.

One might think that these previous encounters would have been sufficient to bring Peter to the point of conversion. However, it took this final experience to cause him to drop to his knees and fully acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As a fisherman, Peter knew that the amazing size of this catch of fish was an unquestionable miracle. Consequently, this fourth encounter was so life-altering that he never returned to a life of fishing again. From that moment on, Peter followed Jesus.

As you come in contact with so many different people, it is likely that you will spend time with people who are like Simon Peter before that fourth encounter: They just need one final touch to bring them to a rock-solid faith in Christ.

Like Peter, these people may mentally know who Jesus is and may have seen demonstrations of His power; however, they have never actually recognized their need to repent of their sins and submit to the Lordship of Christ. Are you the person the Holy Spirit wants to use to reach out to the people in your life who need this encounter so you can bring them into the family of God?

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I see now that some people — including notable people like Simon Peter — come to know You one step at a time. Help me to recognize how I can be used to bring people closer to You. Show me what to do, what to say, and what steps to take to introduce people to a knowledge of Jesus Christ that will change them at their core. Give me wisdom to lead my friends and acquaintances to a knowledge of Jesus that will transform them from the inside out.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I acknowledge that many people come to the Lord one step at a time. While only one experience is needed to bring a person to true conversion, it often takes many experiences to bring a person to that one experience that changes them forever. I confess that I am an instrument that God uses to share Christ, to bring people to a knowledge of sin, and to bring them to a place of repentance that changes them at the very core of their being.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. As you read about Simon Peter and how he came to the Lord one step at a time, did you think about anyone you know who is coming closer and closer to the Lord, but still lacks that final experience of repentance that changes him at his core? Who is that person? What can you do to help bring that individual to that final place of genuine conversion?
2. What was your own experience of coming to the Lord? Did you instantly come the first time you heard about the need to repent, or did it take time and multiple experiences for you to come to a place of repentance and faith in Christ?
3. Is there any person whom you are actively introducing to the Lordship of Jesus Christ? Who is that person? How close is he or she to making that final commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ?

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
— Revelation 2:16

I have such a heart for spiritual leaders in the Body of Christ. As one who is called to stand in a leadership position myself, I have a burning desire to see men and women raised up who are leaders of integrity and who are taking a steadfast stance of faith on God’s Word. These are qualities that God requires in His leaders, and the world desperately needs leaders of a pure heart and strong faith. That’s why Jesus takes it very seriously when a spiritual leader falls into error and leads others into that same error.

In Revelation 2:16, Christ was speaking to erring leaders in the Early Church about the toxic influence they were having on those under their spiritual care. A group of spiritual leaders in a local body were leading others astray, teaching them that a little compromise with the world — worldliness — would not be detrimental to the spiritual life of the congregation. These leaders propagated among the people a belief that a lifestyle that could “bend” with the times might help them obtain a measure of peace with their pagan neighbors. In essence, this false teaching advocated that separation from the world was not required for the Christian community.

Jesus was firmly against what these errant leaders were teaching; His warning to them is clearly recorded in Revelation 2:16. And for nearly 2,000 years, Christ’s words have sounded a clear alarm for all spiritual leaders who, whether intentionally or unintentionally, lead the flock of God into a position of accommodating the world.

In today’s Sparkling Gem, we’ll look at the warning that Christ spoke to erring leaders nearly 2,000 years ago, and we’ll see that He is still issuing this same alarm to spiritual leaders who deviate from sound doctrine today.

In Revelation 2:16, Christ told these erring leaders, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

Knowing the tender graciousness of Jesus, I’m confident that before issuing such a stern admonition, He had spoken to these leaders previously about their wrong behavior. Surely He had warned them of the grave error of their ways and had given them many opportunities to change. But after they had ignored the pleadings of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s words became very serious as time began running out for these leaders to respond appropriately and repent.

As we see in Revelation 2:16, a time eventually came when Jesus’ tone of voice changed, and He called on that group of leaders to repent “or else.”

The word “repent” is the Greek word metanoeo, which is a compound of the words meta and nous. The word meta means to turn, and the word nous is the word for mind, intellect, will, frame of thinking, opinion, or one’s general view of life. When meta and nous are compounded, the new word depicts a decision to completely change the way one thinks, lives, or behaves. Thus, when Jesus used this word in Revelation 2:16, He was adamantly and forthrightly calling on those who were in error to change. He was commanding them to stop accommodating the unbelieving world and assimilating that mindset into their midst.

Today the voice of Jesus is still crying out for the Church to repent of worldliness and carnality. As is true in each generation, we have a choice today to harden our hearts and turn a deaf ear to the Holy Spirit — or to allow Him to deal deeply with us and produce true repentance in our hearts and souls. Although Christ is always ready to transform His Church, no true transformation can occur unless we are willing to hear what His Spirit is saying to us. And once we do hear that divine message, we must be willing to respond with humble obedience.

The vast majority of the early believers had repeatedly proven themselves faithful to Christ, even when faced with intense opposition from the pagan government and the unbelieving local community. Yet, in their midst were errant spiritual leaders who had become a polluting and adulterating influence on the entire congregation. In Revelation 2:16, Christ issued a stern warning to this latter group, declaring, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly…”

The phrase “I will come” in verse 16 signaled that Christ’s patience with those in error was rapidly reaching an end. This was His final warning — a final opportunity to repent — before He would begin moving in their direction, wielding “the sword of His mouth” — His sharp sword with two edges (see Revelation 1:16; 2:12,16). If those church leaders accepted Jesus’ call to repent and turn from their erroneous position, they would be spared. But if they refused to heed His call to repent, Jesus emphatically warned them: “I will come to you.”

The words “to you” come from the Greek word soi, which conveys a sense of strong exclamation. That phrase literally means, “I will come to YOU!”

There was no misunderstanding Christ’s warning to those erring leaders: If they refused to heed His words and abandon their doctrine of compromise, He would make a direct path to them and personally deal with their sin. The time for repeated warnings was coming to an end.

Jesus’ words were a solemn proclamation to those leaders that they should not misinterpret His past delays in judgment as His tolerance of their sin. For Christ to speak in such strong words reveals that He had already warned them and given them opportunities to respond. But because they had repeatedly ignored His pleas, the opportunity to avoid judgment was swiftly coming to a close. By lifting His voice loud and clear, Christ was providing one last chance to repent and thus avoid the repercussions of His discipline. This was an act of love — a merciful plea to those who were leading others astray to repent and change — before He would take a more severe course of action.

The word “quickly” in the phrase “I will come unto thee quickly” is from the Greek word tachus, which describes a swift, high-speed movement. This word emphatically denotes that the clock was ticking and time was running out. When the sword of justice would finally fall, Christ would not leisurely enact judgment; rather, Christ would come to them with sudden, unhesitating swiftness.

Christ continued his warning by saying, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them…”

The word “fight” comes from the Greek word polemos, which was a well-known word used throughout Greek literature to describe an organized and often prolonged military conflict designed to defeat an opponent. In other words, polemos was no mere skirmish — it was an all-out war ! By using this word, Jesus let these believers know that the situation in their church had grown so grievous that He was armed and ready to engage those individuals in battle.

The time for negotiating had come and gone. Just as a powerful nation sends a prewar declaration to its weaker enemies, calling for their surrender before they are crushed in battle, Christ was calling for the unconditional surrender of those errant leaders. If they chose to defy Him, they would suffer the consequences of a divine assault and experience the sword of His mouth. If these erring leaders finally refused to hear what the Holy Spirit was saying and repent, Jesus declared He would “fight against them.”

The word “against” is the Greek word kata, which describes something that is dominating or subjugating. In this instance, it depicts a full force that comes to completely subdue and conquer. Based on Jesus’ prior experience with these leaders — and the fact that they had not yet repented — we can conclude that Christ didn’t expect them to respond in obedience to His command. Thus, He warned them that He was going to exert His authority and retake the church for Himself, one way or another. They could repent and surrender or they could be crushed. Either way, Christ was going to have His way in His Church.

Revelation 1:16 and 2:12 both portray Christ as having a sharp sword with two edges. However, in Revelation 2:16, Jesus says, “Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.”

The word “sword” in all three of these verses is the Greek word rhomphaia, which is a very unusual word to be used in the context of the Roman world since the rhomphaia was not a Roman weapon. Rather, this sword originated in Thrace, a region near Asia Minor, and it was so horrible that it was feared above all others, even by Roman soldiers. This weapon was essentially a very sharp, often double-edged, sickle-shaped blade affixed to a long pole. The ruthless effectiveness of the rhomphaia against Roman armies was the result of the sword’s capability to cut through thick armor and its long reach. This allowed the soldier who wielded it — often in a back-and-forth, hacking motion similar to a farmer using a sickle — to penetrate even the tightly compacted formation of the Roman infantry.

Therefore, when Jesus used the word rhomphaia to describe His spiritual weaponry against those erring leaders, He was referring to one of the most feared weapons of the ancient world. This was no accident; rather, it was a clear declaration — and a serious warning — that if those in error chose not to repent, Christ would extend His mighty sword into their midst and remove them.

In light of the truths found in these verses, my thoughts go directly to Eli, Israel’s high priest, and the fact that God removed him and his two sons from the ministry in a single day because they wouldn’t repent of their evil ways (see 1 Samuel 2:12-4:18). They had been given ample opportunity to repent — but, ultimately, a time came when toleration was no longer acceptable. Although God’s mercy gave them a great amount of time to repent and change, they rejected each offer afforded them. Then time ran out. As a result, God’s sword of judgment swung into action, and they were each removed from their positions of spiritual authority.

This is a sobering account from Scripture with a very serious message. We must pray for our spiritual leaders — that they will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and respond to His leading and correction when it is needed. We are living in a day and hour when the Church is sadly compromising on many levels. This is a time — perhaps above all other times — when God’s spiritual leadership needs to stand up on the side of His unchanging truths. If there are spiritual leaders who will not respond to the repeated call and correction of God, Christ Himself will deal with them with the sword of His mouth to bring whatever level of correction is necessary.

So let’s commit to praying diligently for those who are in authority within the Church. Never has it been so crucial that our leaders hear clearly and heed the Holy Spirit as they lead God’s flock in the way that Jesus would have them lead.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I pray for the spiritual leaders over my life. I pray that they will be quick to hear and prompt to obey Your Voice. I ask You to strengthen them with might in their inner man, that they will remain unbending in their commitment to the unchanging truths of Your Word, even if it means they must take a stand that is different from the spirit of the age around us. In this day when morals and beliefs seem to be changing on every side, give my pastor and spiritual leaders the fortitude and courage to stand firm in their commitment to the unchangeable truths of Your Word.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that those who are spiritual leaders over my life, walk in divine wisdom, counsel, and might. They are marked by integrity and free from compromise, standing with unwavering commitment to God’s unchanging truths as revealed in the teaching of the Bible. Regardless of what society says, what the courts declare, or what the spirit of the age dictates, my leaders are led by the truth of the Bible and the Spirit of the Living God. I declare that they are sensitive to God’s voice; they are quick to be corrected when it is required, and they will stand the test of time. They are anointed to minister in these last, very critical days of this age!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of other examples from the Bible when God took action against erring spiritual leaders? Who are those examples?
2. In your life, have you seen a spiritual leader whom the Lord disciplined or removed because he was leading the flock into spiritual error and refused to repent?
3. If you see someone in leadership who is leading others in error, how do you think you should pray for him or her? How would you want someone to pray for you if you were in his or her place?

Redeeming the time…
— Ephesians 5:16

It has been eight months since families and friends around the world gathered to celebrate the New Year. Millions of people at that time were thinking about changes they needed to make in their lives as they began a brand-new calendar year. I think we all know that although this was a time when many people made commitments or resolutions to change, many of those commitments haven’t yet been acted on, even eight months later.

Maybe you’ve done better than others at keeping the commitments you made at the beginning of the year. But I’m sure you’d agree that you still have progress to make in order to fully walk out those commitments you made to move forward in various areas of your life.

Instead of living in regret about those commitments that remain completely or partially neglected, this is a good time to follow through on what you uttered before the Lord at the beginning of the year. Making excuses or throwing a pity party won’t help you. In fact, it will make things even worse, pulling you into a state of discouragement and self-condemnation. It’s so much better to just lift your hands and rejoice that you still have four more months in this year to keep your commitments with the strength and grace that God provides!

But to effectively make those changes, you’re going to have to get serious about doing what you said you’d do before the Lord. Four months is a significant amount of time, but it’s not a vast amount of time for you to make forward progress in those areas. Don’t let the devil lie to you and tell you that it’s too late. It’s not too late. You can do it!

To be forthright, I’ve got my own list of commitments I made to the Lord at the beginning of this year that I have yet to fulfill. I’ve made progress on some, and no progress on others. But I’ve determined that I’m going to follow my own good counsel! I have my eyes fixed on these four remaining months, and I intend to step up my focus on fulfilling the things I committed to do. It’s a good time to reset my commitment and get serious about doing what God has put on my heart to do!

The next four months represent time for a brand-new start — a new opportunity to attain new victories. This is a golden moment for you to begin reaching forth to the wonderful possibilities before you!

Let me encourage you with one of my favorite verses of Scripture. Ephesians 5:16 commands us to get in the habit of “redeeming the time.” Time can be lost or wasted, depending on what we did with it. But if we have wasted or lost time along the way, the end is not over! Ephesians 5:16 clearly says we can “redeem” time.

The word “redeeming” in this verse is the Greek word exagoridzo. The word agoridzo is the Greek word for a marketplace that’s cluttered with products and vast opportunities to spend more time and money shopping there than one ought to use. It was the same then as it is today. If a person isn’t careful, he can become lost roaming through the shops of the market, wasting precious time. But that word ex means “out” and is where we get the word exit. When ex is added to the word agoridzo to form exagoridzo, it paints the picture of finding what you need, purchasing it, and getting out of the marketplace quickly. In other words, do what you need to do, and then make an exit!

In this phrase “redeeming the time,” the word “time” is kairos. In this context, it refers to the brevity of time that we have available and our need to be time-conscious in the way we conduct our lives. It depicts someone who is learning to make full use of time because he is conscious that time is limited and he must use it wisely. Paul was saying that by implementing diligence and commitment, we can buy back time that we have frivolously lost along the way.

The good news is this: If we’ve became sidetracked in the fulfillment of promises that we made to ourselves or to the Lord — if our lives have become so cluttered that we have become lost in the maze of our objectives — we can still reverse this condition. Through our recommitment to ourselves and to the Lord, we can buy back time that has been lost, wasted, or forfeited this year thus far. And with the Holy Spirit’s supernatural help, we can accomplish in a short time what we did not accomplish in the first eight months of the year. We can redeem that time and get back on course!

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you win new victories in the remaining four months of this year! Reach forward to achieve those dreams and longings you’ve put off again and again. Throw open your arms and your heart, and welcome the wonderful future Jesus has waiting for you! Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He will help you shrug off wasted or lost time, redeem it — buy it back — and fulfill the commitments you made eight months ago. With God, all things are possible, so release your faith in the wonderworking power of God. Press forward toward the victories that are awaiting you!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Heavenly Father, I thank You for this needed encouragement in my life today. I was nearly discouraged because I hadn’t accomplished the things I promised myself at the first of the year that I would do. But I still have four months of this year left to attain some significant progress in various areas of my life. So I’m going to shake off all regret, yield to the workings of the Holy Spirit in my life, and go forward in Jesus’ name. With His help, I am determined to make progress in those areas in which I know the Lord wants me to experience growth and change!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I make a fresh commitment again to advance and make progress in my life and to achieve significant victories before the calendar hits December 31. The victories I long for are victories that the Lord desires for my life. He is with me. He is for me. He gives me overcoming power to accomplish these goals and dreams. I embrace His grace, and I repent for not making progress as I should have made. Today I turn my energies and my attention to the future. I plan to end this year with achievement and success!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you taken the time to make a list of the things you’d like to accomplish in the next four months? If not, I encourage you to set aside some time to pray and seek the Lord regarding what He wants you to achieve before the end of the year.
2. If you failed to accomplish important tasks or goals due to a lack of commitment so far this year, have you taken time to repent before the Lord? It’s important to do this so you can “clear the slate” and start the rest of the year with a right heart before God. Not only will He forgive you, but He will also give you the grace and strength to move forward and attain in Him what you never thought you could achieve on your own.
3. Are there any changes you need to make (e.g., in your environment or in your relationships) so you can start implementing these resolutions to finish this year right? Perhaps you need to clear an area of your home just for praying and studying God’s Word. Or maybe you need to gently withdraw yourself from friendships that are toxic and emotionally and spiritually unhealthy. Ask God, and the Holy Spirit will guide you and show you what to do.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
— 1 Corinthians 3:10

Have you ever struggled with the grace that God placed on your life? Have you ever wished you could be like someone else instead of the person God made you to be?

Many believers struggle with this issue. They aren’t satisfied with the grace on their own lives and they wish they could have the grace of another person.

For example, a pastor may grow tired of preaching to the same faces week after week as he leads his local congregation. Soon he begins to dream of being a traveling teacher or an evangelist who journeys across the world to proclaim the Gospel in new places. Or on the flip side, a traveling evangelist or teacher may grow tired of constantly moving around and wish that he could be given the pastoral grace that would allow him to settle down in one spot. However, as long as a person yearns to be someone other than who God made him to be, he will never feel satisfied or fulfilled in life.

Romans 12:6 tells us that we all have “…gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…” Therefore, it’s vital that we as believers endeavor to discover our own particular grace and then, once we have found it, to embrace it and pursue it with fervor!

In First Corinthians 3:10, Paul described the grace that was placed on his own life. He said, “According to the grace of God which is given unto me…” I want to draw your attention to the word “according” in this verse, which in Greek is the word kata. This Greek word always describes a downward force or something that is subjugating, dominating, or conquering. By using this word kata, Paul was literally saying, “I have been conquered by this particular grace that is on my life.”

Think of how difficult it must have been for Paul to accept his grace as an apostle to the heathen cities of the Roman Empire. Many of the cities to which he traveled were rife with immorality and demonic activity. The city of Corinth, for example, was one of the most wicked cities of that time, yet Paul still boldly entered that city to proclaim the light of truth in the face of unspeakable darkness. When he first traversed the long road that led into Corinth, he walked past intricately carved idols that lined the road on each side. These statues –– most of which were naked –– had been vividly painted, with great attention paid to even the smallest details to make them appear as vibrant and lifelike as possible. Thus, when Paul walked down on that street into the city of Corinth for the first time, flanked by brightly colored idols on all sides, it was as if he was walking through a corridor of living pornography.

However, despite the monumental challenges that lay ahead of him in Corinth, Paul didn’t back away from his divine calling or waste his time wishing he could borrow the grace of another man. Instead, he boldly marched into this wicked city, and with the grace that was on his life, Paul literally pushed the powers of hell out of the way. And as a result of his perseverance and determination, the apostle gave birth to the church of Corinth, which would grow to become one of the greatest churches of the First Century. It was in this city that he would also meet Aquila and Priscilla, who became the greatest partners in ministry he would ever have.

In city after city, the apostle Paul pushed the powers of hell out of the way –– confronting principalities and powers, demonic manifestations, and pagan temples –– in order to lay the foundations for new churches. He did this in Corinth, in Ephesus, in Thessalonica, and many other cities. This was his grace. And just as each church became established, the Holy Spirit would direct him to turn over the congregation to someone else and then move on to do it again.

The very fact that Paul used the word kata in First Corinthians 3:10 implies that he struggled with his grace –– just as many of us have struggled with ours. However, he finally came to a place where he quit struggling with the anointing God had placed on his life; in fact, he opened his heart and embraced it. Paul testified in his epistle to the Corinthians that this grace dominated his life.

In my own life, I have an anointing to minister to the people in the former Soviet Union. Time and time again, this grace on my life has enabled me to accomplish what other people could not, and since Denise and I first moved to the former USSR in 1991, we have repeatedly overcome obstacles that others have described as insurmountable. For instance, when Denise and I moved to Moscow to establish a church in that city, countless people warned us that we would fail. They’d exclaim, “Moscow was the center of world Communism. Demonic powers and principalities loom in that city! It is the graveyard of preachers!”

Everywhere we turned, we heard these kinds of reports, but I knew I had the grace to accomplish this work for the Lord. And because I embraced my grace and pursued the calling of God on my life, I have since reaped the abundant rewards of obedience. In fact, ministering in Moscow has been one of the most enjoyable endeavors I have ever undertaken in my life, and the church we started continues to grow by leaps and bounds.

It is such a joy when you finally know and accept your grace. When you reach this point, you no longer feel threatened by or envious of the grace of anyone else. You are able to confidently say, “This is my grace! Other people can’t do what I do, and I don’t have to do what they do because that is their grace.”

Thank God, we’re not all the same! Each one of us has been given equally unique and important gifts. Whether you are a pastor or an usher, a businessman or an artist, you are an essential member of the Body of Christ. Your grace defines your place. So discover your grace, embrace it, and then allow it to dominate your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the unique grace You have placed upon my life. I am gifted differently than others, and You have called me to do what You have not called others to do. To do this job effectively, you have anointed me and equipped me in a distinctive way for the job. Today I ask You to help me surrender to the grace that you’ve placed on my life and to quit struggling with who You have called me to be!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am content in the grace of God that is on my life. God has called me, anointed me, and graced me exactly for what I am doing. Who I am and what I am doing is no mistake. I have stepped into God’s glorious plan for my life, and His grace has equipped me uniquely and effectively for what I am doing. Day by day, I become more comfortable with the grace of God that dominates my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know what is the specific grace that God has placed upon your life? If yes, what is that grace? How would you describe it?
2. How is your grace different from the grace that is on other people’s lives?
3. Has it ever been a struggle to accept the place that God’s grace has defined for your life? If yes, why has it been a struggle?

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
— Acts 10:38

In today’s Sparkling Gem, I feel especially led to highlight a truth from Acts 10:38 that has deeply impacted my life. Although I had read this verse hundreds of times, I was amazed when I saw this truth because I’d never realized before what I’m about to tell you, nor had I ever heard anyone teach about it. Since then, this one revelation has had a huge effect on Denise and me and the way we conduct our ministry.

Acts 10:38 says, “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” What I want to share with you today concerns a very real aspect of Jesus’ ministry you may have never thought about before.

Most people focus on the part of this verse that describes the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus — both of which are, of course, so very important. But there’s something else in this verse that’s also very significant, and I overlooked it for many years. Then one day as I was studying my Greek New Testament, my eyes fell on a particular Greek word in this verse and I began to study it. What I learned completely opened up a part of Jesus’ ministry I had never considered. I’m talking about the phrase that says Jesus “went about doing good.”

I was truly taken aback when I saw the words “doing good” in the Greek language because I’d always thought the phrase in this context was just a descriptive summary of healing the sick and delivering those who were oppressed by the devil. But those words actually refer to a completely different aspect of Jesus’ ministry — and one of the largest and most profound parts of His ministry on the earth. I wondered how it was possible that I’d never heard anyone teach about something that provided such an eye-opening view right into the heart of Jesus!

The words “doing good” in Acts 10:38 are a translation of the Greek word euergeteo, an old word that denotes a benefactor; a philanthropist; one who financially supports charitable works; or a person who uses his financial resources to meet the needs of disadvantaged people. This word was used only to portray the provision of food, clothes, or some other commodity to meet a physical or material need. Thus, the use of this word in Acts 10:38 emphatically means that a part of Jesus’ ministry was comprised of meeting the physical and tangible needs of people who were disadvantaged in some way.

Of course, we know that Jesus performed supernatural miracles of provision — such as the time He multiplied five barley loaves and two fish to feed a large crowd of thousands of people (see John 6:1-13). However, the word euergeteo in Acts 10:38 tells us that His ministry also provided natural, material help to people who were in need.

By reading the four gospels, it becomes evident that Jesus’ ministry possessed enormous financial resources that came from various places. Besides offerings that were received, Luke 8:2 and 3 says there was a group of very wealthy women who supported Jesus’ work (see Sparkling Gems 1, November 18). Another indication of Jesus’ significant resources is the fact that He had a treasurer — His disciple, Judas Iscariot — who was responsible for handling the ministry finances.

In John 12:3, it is recorded that Mary used a pound of expensive spikenard — a rare scented oil — to anoint Jesus’ feet. Judas asked Jesus, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (v. 5). We can infer from Judas’ words that Jesus’ ministry had a philanthropic outreach to the poor over which Judas had been placed in charge as treasurer.

Acts 10:38 makes it even more clear that a significant outreach of Jesus’ ministry was to provide physical and material assistance to people in need. The use of the word euergeteo explicitly tells us that Jesus used His resources to do good works, such as caring for the poor and helping feed the needy. Thus, He set an example for us today to be involved in meeting people’s basic human needs as He enables us to do so.

Acting in “goodness” is a characteristic of God’s nature. In Acts 10:38, Luke mentioned this philanthropic aspect of Jesus’ ministry in connection with His healing ministry — in the very same sentence. The Holy Spirit was conveying the message that God is just as interested in helping the poor and needy with physical and material assistance as He is in supernaturally healing their bodies. Thus, we can know that helping meet the physical needs of others — performing similar acts of goodness — is just as much a part of Jesus’ ministry today as it was when He “went about doing good” in His earthly ministry almost 2,000 years ago.

Jesus longs to do it all — to physically heal sick bodies, to deliver those who are spiritually oppressed, and to help meet the meets of the poor. Jesus is still a Philanthropist!

I don’t know why this would ever be a surprise to us. Whether we fully realize it or not, we’ve all experienced God’s tender care in our lives. From the beginning of the Old Testament to this moment, He has cared for the needs of His people and has made provision for those who come to Him in faith — including you and me. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). So it makes perfect sense that He would demonstrate this same caring nature both through His earthly ministry then and through His Body, the Church, today.

Furthermore, Galatians 5:22 tells us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is “goodness.” This word is translated from the Greek word agathusune, which comes from the word agathos, meaning good. But when agathos becomes the word agathusune, it means goodness in the sense of being good to someone. This word portrays a person who is generous, big-hearted, liberal, and charitable. We would call this person a giver.

This means one of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit — and one of the fruits He longs to produce in our lives — is the demonstration of care for others in physical and tangible ways. When we exhibit this characteristic by demonstrating care to others, we are acting like God Himself!

By listing this word “goodness” as one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 and 23, God lets us know that He wants us to be selfless and use our resources to help change people’s lives. This is absolutely contrary to the flesh, which would consume every spare dollar on itself. But when the Holy Spirit is working mightily in us, He shifts our focus from ourselves to the needs of those around us. The fruit of the Spirit called “goodness” creates in us a supernatural urge to reach beyond ourselves to meet the natural needs of others.

The truth is, when a believer is walking in the Spirit, the Holy Spirit opens his eyes to see the needs of humanity, and that person’s heart is moved to meet those needs. This is why there’s no greater benefactors or philanthropists in the world than those who are filled with the Spirit of God.

There are so many human needs in this world, and no one person, ministry, or organization can meet them all. But we are each responsible to respond to the nudge of the Holy Spirit to help those He brings across our path. If we’ll each respond to the distinct nudges we feel from Him — one by one, many needs will be met. And through those acts of goodness, Jesus will touch hearts in a very tangible way.

Throughout the Scriptures, you can find that helping those in need is deeply significant in God’s eyes. My own heart has been gripped by the number of passages that promise His supernatural help and blessing to those who demonstrate care for the disadvantaged and the poor. For example, Psalm 41:1 and 2 says, “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.”

Since Acts 10:38 became such a revelation to me, Denise and I have been obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit when He quickens us to meet the needs of those in trouble. We call this aspect of our ministry our rescuing outreaches. Through this part of our work, we are reaching out to literally rescue the hurting and perishing with both the physical and spiritual help they need. As I already said, we know we can’t physically help everyone. But when it’s apparent that God has brought certain people across the path of our ministry for us to help them, we do our best to obey His Spirit’s promptings.

Since the time we first saw this profound truth in Acts 10:38 about ministering to the needs of others, Denise and I have accepted our responsibility to preach, teach, lay hands on the sick, and pray for spiritual needs to be met. But we have also embraced our role to help meet the physical needs of humanity and to be like Jesus, who was and still is the world’s greatest Philanthropist. We are so thankful for every opportunity to share God’s Word, but we also count it an honor that He would use us to extend a hand of mercy to people who are in need.

I encourage you to make the commitment today to be a prompt doer of the Word when the Holy Spirit nudges your heart to do something extra in this area of meeting the material needs of those less blessed than you. It’s another way you can be as Jesus is in this world — as you go about doing good, led each step of the way by the Spirit of God!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to help me become more like Jesus, who was the world’s greatest Philanthropist! Help me not just to say I love people, but rather to show them love by my actions and deeds. Open my eyes to see the needs of those around me — and even to see how I can give of my finances to help people in other parts of the world. Since this was the heart of Jesus, it should be my heart too. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me become like Jesus and do all that I can both spiritually and physically to meet the needs of those You bring across my path.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that God is using me to meet the physical and material needs of others. When God brings someone across my path who is hurting, I willingly respond to the Lord’s direction concerning how He wants to use me to help meet his or her need. I can’t help everyone, but I can and will help those He leads me to help. I obey the Holy Spirit’s promptings and do what He instructs me to do. I am an extended hand of mercy to people who are hurting and disadvantaged. When the Holy Spirit needs someone to make a difference in another person’s life, He knows He can count on me to be available!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What are you doing to help meet the physical and material needs of others? Does your church have an outreach to help the poor and needy? If not, could you respectfully ask your pastor why there is no philanthropic ministry to help the less fortunate? Jesus helped those in need, so shouldn’t we be doing it too?
2. What are some ways you can begin to practically give help to those who are hurting and in need? Do you have any clothes you could give to someone else? Could you prepare a meal for a family that might be struggling or disadvantaged?
3. Can you think of a time when someone helped you through a rough financial time? What kind of impact did it make on you? Have you considered that maybe it’s time for you to do the same thing for someone else?

By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That in Issac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up from the dead…
— Hebrews 11:17-19

I know from firsthand experience that when God asks you to sacrifice something precious, it can be very difficult to come into compliance with what He is asking you to do. The flesh rebels every step of the way, and the mind tries to argue, as if it knows better than the Lord. Therefore, when your will collides with God’s divine plan for your life, you must make a conscious decision to exercise obedience and follow His leading, no matter what.

There are critical moments when you must make the choice to do what God asks, whether or not you understand it. When you fully abandon your natural inclinations and defer to God’s will, you will be elevated to brand-new levels of success and victory that you have never before attained.

Let me share an example of this kind of deference and obedience from my own life. When God first asked my family to move to the USSR, I knew He had something truly wonderful in store for us. However, my flesh didn’t relish the idea one bit. Night after night, I lay in my bed and listened as my mind told me that this move was the stupidest notion I’d ever considered in my life and that if I really carried through with this absurd idea, I would lose everything. I was having an ongoing inner dialogue with God about the matter. I remember asking Him, Are You REALLY asking me to sacrifice everything that we’ve worked so hard to achieve?

At the time God called us to move overseas, our ministry in the United States was finally taking off after years of struggle and hard work. However, just as we were experiencing the first trappings of success, God asked us to lay aside our dream because He wanted to do something new through us. This was a pivotal moment in our lives! We didn’t understand the full scope of His divine plan, so we had to choose to defer to His voice and trust that He was leading us on the right path.

Have you experienced a similar moment in your own life? If not, I guarantee you that a time will come when you will be called on to step out and follow God’s leading, even though you don’t fully understand His design. However, it is important to remember that when God asks you to sacrifice something precious in your life, He always has your best interest at heart, and He is trying to use that experience to reveal something to you about your life so that you can go forth and do the will of God with confidence.

A clear example of this biblical truth is clearly seen in the Old Testament story of Abraham. After waiting approximately 25 years for God’s promise of a covenant child to come true, Abraham and Sarah finally became the proud parents of their son Isaac. When Isaac was born Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was 90 years old.

Everyone knew this baby was a miracle! How many 90-year-old women do you know that have given birth to a baby? It was so fantastic that even Sarah said, “God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.” And she said, “Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have born him a son in his old age” (Genesis 21:7).

Try to imagine for a moment the sight of a 90-year-old woman breastfeeding a baby. You can understand why Sarah said everyone who saw it would laugh — it was absurd to the natural mind! Yet everyone who saw this mother and child together was filled with joy because it was such a demonstration of God’s faithfulness to keep His Word. In fact, this blessing brought so many people joy that Abraham and Sarah named the baby Isaac, meaning laughter.

Abraham had personally given up a lot to accommodate the promise of God in his life. He knew that Isaac was the seed through whom God was going to bless the nations of the earth, as God had promised in Genesis 12:2,3 and Genesis 15:4,5. All of Abraham’s hopes and dreams rested in Isaac.

However, after Abraham had spent years watching his son grow into a God-fearing young man, the Bible says that God came to him and commanded him to offer up Isaac as a burnt sacrifice! Genesis 22:1 and 2 records: “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”

In Hebrews 11:17, the writer of Hebrews offers another account of these events, saying, “By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac…” This verse tells us that God “tried” Abraham that day on Mount Moriah when He commanded him to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering on the altar.

This word “tried” is from the Greek word peiradzo, which describes an intense examination that is done to prove the fitness of an object. For example, peiradzo was used to describe the fiery process of testing and removing impurities from metal in the ancient world. These tests ensured that the metal would be strong and durable, and that any object crafted from metal would hold up under pressure. In addition, peiradzo also described the process of testing coins to determine if they were authentic or counterfeit. In early New Testament times, counterfeits often looked so similar to the genuine article that only a test would reveal whether a coin was real or fake. Therefore, people regularly tested their money to see if it had worth.

The word peiradzo most often described the process of testing an object to reveal its true quality, and this is precisely how the word is used in Hebrews 11:17, where the verse says Abraham was “tried” by the Lord. The fact is, the Lord already knew that Abraham’s faith was sound and real. But when Abraham drew his knife to slay his son, Abraham himself learned something important about his own faith and level of consecration. He discovered that he was willing to do whatever the Lord asked him to do. There was nothing counterfeit or lacking about Abraham’s obedience to God; his commitment was real and authentic.

You see, God never tests you to learn new information about you. He doesn’t need to “test” to find out something new because He already knows it all. Rather, He is trying to show you something about you — to make you more self-assured and confident as you go forward to do His will. Every test you are going through is being done for your own self-discovery — lessons learned if you go through those tests correctly to give you confidence as you proceed to do the will of God for your life.

When God called my family to relocate to the former USSR back in 1991, my willingness to say yes to God revealed something to me about myself that I needed to see and know. It showed me that my commitment to God was real. This experience was a peiradzo — a test designed to reveal the imperfect areas of my life that required attention and to prove to me that I was the type of person God could depend on. He already knew this about me, but I personally needed to know it deep down in my spirit.

I am so glad my family said, “Yes!” when God beckoned us to leave the United States and move to the former Soviet Union. Even though it initially felt like we were sacrificing everything to do it, the truth is, we didn’t lose anything. What God has given us in our new home overseas is far greater than any home, possession, or dream that we thought we were relinquishing. From the very outset, God had a wonderful plan for the Renner family.

When God asks us to lay something on the altar of sacrifice, we can know there is something bigger and better He wants to put into our hands. But as long as we’re clutching what we have right now, we’re not free to receive the great things He wants to give us next.

Realize that whatever you’re doing today may simply be the training ground for your future. Don’t allow yourself to get so cemented in what you’re doing that you can’t move forward to the next step God has in store for you. And if it ever seems like God is asking you to make a huge sacrifice, just remember: This is just His way of freeing you so He can give you something better and greater and make you more productive for the Kingdom of God. You can trust Him! And as you keep your heart free and your emotions untangled, you’ll be able to move forward whenever His Spirit beckons you to take the next step in His good plan for your life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am thankful to know that You already know everything about me and that You don’t need to put me through a test to find out whether or not I’m genuine. Now I understand that You are trying to show me something about myself. Help me to embrace the tests that help me to learn what kind of person I am. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me cooperate with Your working in my life so that I will become the type of person You can use to expand and build Your Kingdom. That is my heartfelt prayer.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am alert to recognize when God is testing me to show me something I need to know about myself. He already knows all the answers about me and nothing takes Him by surprise. But I need to know about me. I need to know that I am willing to obey and do whatever He asks me to do. I need to know that I am authentic and genuine in my faith. What He is asking me to do is for me to gain revelation about myself. It is information I need to know so that I can proceed with confidence and boldness as I push forward toward God’s plan for my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, do you see that God tests you to reveal something to you about yourself? God already knows all the answers and doesn’t need a test to find out something about you. So what do the tests you’ve undergone reveal about you that you need to know?
2. How do you think Abraham felt after he passed his test on Mount Moriah? What did he discover about himself and his own willingness to obey God?
3. What test are you going through right now? Do you now understand that God already knows the answers and He’s trying to show something to you about you? What is He trying to show you?