September 22

Five Important Steps to Move From Fear to Faith, From Turmoil to Peace, And From Defeat to Victory!

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

I vividly remember a time in my life when I was very concerned about something that was about to occur. Although the challenge before me really wasn’t so life-shattering, at the moment it seemed huge and mountainous. Therefore, I was extremely concerned.

I’m sure you know what it’s like when worry tries to flood your mind. It has a way of magnifying issues to the point of being ridiculous, but when you’re in the midst of the situation, it seems so real. Only after the event has passed do you realize how silly it was to be so worried about something that was so non-eventful.

But at the time I’m telling you about right now, I was consumed with worry. I paced back and forth, fretting, thinking, and pondering, making myself even more nervous by my anxious behavior. I was nothing but a bag of nerves. Realizing how deeply I was sinking into worry, I reached for my Bible to try to find peace for my troubled soul. I opened it to Philippians 4:6, which says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

I tried to push everything else out of my mind so I could concentrate on God’s words in this verse. Through Philippians 4:6, I could see that God was calling out to me and urging me to lay down my worries and come boldly before Him to make my requests known. As I focused on this verse, I suddenly saw something I had never seen before. I realized that this verse showed me step by step how to lay down my worries and boldly make my requests known to God. If I followed the steps laid out in this verse exactly as I understood them, I would be set free from worry and fear! I promptly followed these steps, and in a matter of minutes my worry was replaced with a thankful, praising, and peaceful heart!

As the years have passed, I have had many occasions when worry and fear have tried to plague my mind. It would be impossible to exaggerate the challenges my wife and I have faced as we’ve fulfilled our apostolic ministry overseas. At times, these challenges have simply been enormous.

This is the reason I so entirely identify with the apostle Paul as he describes the difficulties he encountered in his ministry. Just as Satan regularly tried to disrupt Paul’s ministry, the enemy has also attempted on many occasions to hinder our work and thwart the advancement of the Gospel. However, none of his attacks have ever succeeded, and the Gospel has gone forth in mighty power!

In moments when worry or fear is trying to wrap its life-draining tentacles around me, I rush back to the truths found in Philippians 4:6. Just as I followed the steps found in this verse so many years ago, I still carefully follow them whenever I start getting anxious. Every time I do, these steps lead me from worry and fear to a thankful, praising, and peaceful heart. In fact, I have learned that if I faithfully follow these steps, fear will always be eradicated and replaced with the wonderful, dominating peace of God (see January 1).

So don’t let worry wrap its tentacles around you. Instead, listen to Paul’s advice about how to deal with the problems and concerns that try to assail your mind. Let’s look once again at what he says in Philippians 4:6: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

In this verse, Paul lays out five very important steps to move from fear to faith, from turmoil to peace, and from defeat to victory. We’ll look at five key words that tell us exactly what we must do when worry and concerns are trying to assail our minds: 1) prayer; 2) supplication; 3) thanksgiving; 4) requests; and 5) known.

When Paul uses the word “prayer” in this verse, it is the Greek word proseuche, which is the most commonly used word for prayer in the New Testament. This particular word and its various forms are used approximately 127 times in the New Testament. It is a compound of the words pros and euche. The word pros is a preposition that means toward, which can denote a sense of closeness. Nearly everywhere it is used in the New Testament, the word pros carries the meaning of close, up-front, intimate contact with someone else.

One scholar has noted that the word pros is used to portray the intimate relationship that exists between the members of the Godhead. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God….” The word “with” is taken from the word pros. By using this word to describe the relationship between the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is telling us that theirs is an intimate relationship. One expositor has translated the verse, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was face-to-face with God….”

The second part of the word proseuche is taken from the word euche. The word euche is an old Greek word that describes a wish, desire, prayer, or vow. It was originally used to depict a person who made some kind of vow to God because of a need or desire in his or her life. This individual would vow to give something of great value to God in exchange for a favorable answer to prayer. Thus, inherent in this word is the idea of an exchange — giving something to God in exchange for something wanted or desired.

So instead of carrying your worries and burdens, you are to take the first step Paul gives you in moving from a place of turmoil to peace: Come close to the Lord in prayer. Once you are in that intimate, face-to-face place with God, take that opportunity to give Him your worries, fears, and concerns. Then ask the Lord to give you something back in exchange for the worries you have given Him — ask Him for peace! You see, this is a part of the great exchange found in the Greek word proseuche. When you give God your problems, in return He gives you His peace.

Perhaps you’ve experienced this great exchange at some previous moment in your life. Can you think of a time when your mind was hassled with fears? Once you truly committed your problem to the Lord, did a supernatural peace flood your soul and relieve you from your anxieties? This is the first step that Paul urges you to take when worry, fear, and concerns are trying to take over your mind or emotions.

The second step Paul tells us to take is found in the word “supplication.” The word “supplication” in Greek is the word deisis, which depicts a person who has some type of lack in his life and therefore pleads strongly for his lack to be met. The word deisis is translated several ways in the King James Version, including to beseech, to beg, or to earnestly appeal. This word pictures a person in such great need that he feels compelled to push his pride out of the way so he can boldly, earnestly, strongly, and passionately cry out for someone to help or assist him.

One of the most powerful examples of the word deisis is found in James 5:16. In this famous verse of Scripture, the Bible says, “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Here the word deisis is translated as “fervent prayer.” You see, deisis is a passionate, earnest, heartfelt, sincere prayer. It comes to God on the most serious terms, strongly beseeching Him to move and to meet a specific need that the person praying is facing in his life.

So when you are facing a problem that deeply concerns you, don’t be afraid to go to the Lord and earnestly beseech Him to meet your need. Paul’s use of this word means you can get very bold when you ask God to move on your behalf. There is no reason for you to be timid or mealy-mouthed when you pray. You can tell God exactly what you feel, what you’re facing, and what you want Him to do for you. This is what “supplication” is all about!

After mentioning “supplication,” Paul then gives us the third important step to take when giving our worries and concerns to the Lord. Paul tells us to make our requests known to God “…by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving….”

God not only expects you to be bold; He also expects you to thank Him for being good to you! It simply isn’t right to ask boldly without expressing thanksgiving. If you’ve ever generously given to someone who never took the time to thank you for the sacrifice you made for him or her, you know how shocking ingratitude can be. In a similar way, you must be careful to thank God for being so good to you!

The word “thanksgiving” that Paul uses in this verse is the Greek word eucharistia, which is a compound of the words eu and charis. The word eu means good or well. It denotes a general good disposition or an overwhelmingly good feeling about something. The word charis is the Greek word for grace. When these two words are compounded into one, they form the word eucharistia. This compound word describes an outpouring of grace and of wonderful feelings that freely flow from the heart in response to someone or something.

By using this word, Paul teaches us that when we earnestly ask God to do something special for us, we must match it with an earnest outpouring of thanks. Although the request has only just been made and the manifestation isn’t evident yet, it is appropriate to thank God for doing what we have requested. Thanking Him in advance demonstrates faith.

So always make sure to follow up your earnest asking with earnest thanksgiving! Make it a goal to be just as passionate in your thanksgiving as you were when you made your request.

Paul then gives you the fourth step out of worry and anxiety when he tells you, “…Let your requests be made known unto God.” The word “requests” is the Greek word aitima, from the word aiteo. The Greek word “ask” destroys any religious suggestion that you are a lowly worm who has no right to come into the Presence of God. You see, the Greek word aiteo means to be adamant in requesting and demanding assistance to meet tangible needs, such as food, shelter, money, and so forth.

In fact, in the New Testament, the word aiteo is used to portray a person who insists or demands that a specific need be met after approaching and speaking to his superior with respect and honor. Additionally, it expresses the idea that one possesses a full expectation to receive what was firmly requested.

There is no doubt that this word describes someone who prays authoritatively, in a sense demanding something from God. This person knows what he needs and is so filled with faith that he isn’t afraid to boldly come into God’s Presence to ask and expect to receive what he has requested. (See March 23 for a fuller study of the Greek word aiteo.)

This means when you pray about a need that concerns you, it is right for you to pray authoritatively. As long as your prayer is based on the Word of God, you can have the assurance of God’s promise regarding the issue you are most concerned about. Furthermore, when you pray, it is spiritually appropriate for you to fully expect God to honor His Word and do what you have requested.

As a final, fifth point, Paul says “…let your requests be made known unto God.” The word “known” comes from the word gnoridzo, and it means to make a thing known; to declare something; to broadcast something; or to make something very evident. This plainly means that your asking can be extremely bold! Declare to God what you need; broadcast it so loudly that all of Heaven hears you when you pray. You can be exceptionally bold when you come before Jesus to make your requests known!

An expanded, interpretive translation of Philippians 4:6 could be rendered:

“Don’t worry about anything — and that means nothing at all! Instead, come before God and give Him the things that concern you so He can in exchange give you what you need or desire. Be bold to strongly, passionately, and fervently make your request known to God, making certain that an equal measure of thanksgiving goes along with your strong asking. You have every right to ask boldly, so go ahead and insist that God meet your need. When you pray, be so bold that there is no doubt your prayer was heard. Broadcast it! Declare it! Pray boldly until you have the assurance that God has heard your request!”

So in moments when worry or fear is trying to wrap its life-draining tentacles around you, rush to the truths found in Philippians 4:6. You don’t have to live subject to worry, concerns, and fears the rest of your life. If you follow these steps, worry and fear will always be replaced with a peaceful and praising heart!

Why don’t you take the time today to enter God’s Presence and walk through these five important steps? It’s time to move from fear to faith, from turmoil to peace, and from defeat to victory!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for allowing me to come boldly before You in prayer. I know that You love me and want to richly meet the needs I am facing in my life today. My temptation is to worry and fear, but I know that if I will trust You, everything I am concerned about will turn out all right. Right now I reject the temptation to worry, and I choose to come before You to boldly make my requests known. By faith I thank You in advance for acting to answer my requests!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am not ruled by worry, fear, or concerns. I go to God with those things that are on my heart, and I clearly articulate what I feel, what I need, and what I expect Heaven to do on my behalf. Because of the promises in God’s Word, I know exactly how to boldly make my requests. I always match my requests with thanksgiving, letting God know how grateful I am for everything He does in my life. Heaven is on my side; therefore, I know I will survive and victoriously overcome each and every attack that ever tries to come against my family, my relationships, my business, my finances, and my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When worry, fears, and concerns try to overwhelm you, what do you do in response? Do you give in and allow worry and fretfulness to fill your mind, or do you run to the Lord and commit your problems to Him?

2. Can you recall times in your life when you gave an all-consuming worry to the Lord? In return, did He fill you with supernatural peace, enabling you to overcome the worries that were trying to devour you?

3. What new truth did you learn from today’s Sparkling Gem? If these truths were helpful to you, can you think of someone else you know who needs this same encouragement? If so, why don’t you contact that friend today to encourage him or her from the Word of God?

September 21

Are Worry and Anxiety Trying To Seize or Control You?

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

Do you ever have moments when anxiety tries to creep up on you and seize your heart? I’m talking about those times when you are thrown into a state of panic about things that concern you — such as your family, your friendships, your business, or your finances. Very often this state of panic is caused by the mere thought of a problem that doesn’t even exist and is unlikely ever to come to pass. Nevertheless, the mere thought of this non-existent problem troubles you deeply. Soon you find yourself sinking into such a strong state of worry and anxiety that it literally takes you emotionally hostage!

An example would be a wife or mother who worries endlessly about the health of her husband or children. Although in reality they are as healthy as can be, the devil constantly pounds the woman’s mind with fear-filled thoughts about her loved ones getting sick or dying prematurely. This fear acts like a stranglehold that gradually chokes off her life, paralyzing her until she can no longer function normally in her daily responsibilities.

Or have you ever known a successful businessman who lives in constant terror that he is going to lose his money? I’ve known many such men. Their businesses were blessed, stable, and even expanding. But because the devil struck their minds with worry and anxiety about losing it all, they weren’t able to enjoy the success God had given them. Instead of enjoying God’s goodness and His many blessings in their lives, they often lived like beggars, afraid that if they used what they had, they might lose it. This is a strangling, choking fear that steals people’s ability to enjoy what they possess.

Some people are so controlled by fear that they pray fretful prayers instead of faith-filled prayers. I must admit that I’ve had moments in my own life when I’ve prayed more out of fretfulness than out of faith. Have you ever had one of those times? Praying fretful prayers doesn’t get you anything. It is non-productive praying. God does not respond to fretfulness; He responds to faith.

In Philippians 4:6, Paul says, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Do you see the word “careful” in this verse? It is the Greek word merimnao, which means to be troubled; to be anxious; to be fretful; or to be worried about something.

In New Testament times, this word was primarily used in connection with worry about finances, hunger, or some other basic provision of life. It pictured a person who is fretful about paying his bills; a person who is worried he won’t have the money to purchase food and clothes for his family’s needs or pay his house payment or apartment rent on time; or a person who is anxious about his ability to cope with the daily necessities of life.

This is the same word used in Matthew 6:25, when Jesus says, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink….” The word “thought” is also the Greek word merimnao. But in this particular verse, the Greek New Testament also has the word me, which is a strong prohibition to stop something that is already in progress.

This strongly suggests that Jesus was speaking to worriers who were already filled with fret and anxiety. He was urging these people to stop worrying. The verse could be translated, “Stop worrying about your life….” Then Jesus specifies that they were to stop worrying about “…what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink….” So again we see the word merimnao used to describe worry, fretfulness, and anxiety about obtaining the basic necessities of life.

We also find the word merimnao used in the parable of the sower and the seed. Matthew 13:22 says, “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” The word “care” is the Greek word merimnao, again connected to material worries and concerns.

Jesus says such worry “chokes” the Word. The word “choke” is the Greek word sumpnigo, which means to suffocate, to smother, to asphyxiate, to choke, or to throttle. You see, worry is so all-consuming in an individual’s mind that it literally chokes him. It is a suffocating, smothering force that throttles his whole life to a standstill.

In Luke 21:34, Jesus gives a special warning to people who live in the last days. He said, “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, so that day come upon you unawares.”

When Jesus mentions the “cares of this life,” the word “cares” is the Greek word merimna. This time, however, it is used in connection with the word “life,” which is the Greek word biotikos. This comes from the root word bios, the Greek word for life. It is where we get the word biology. But when it becomes the word biotikos, it describes the things of life — pertaining primarily to the events, incidents, and episodes that occur in one’s life.

Thus, this phrase could be understood to mean that we should not allow ourselves to worry and fret about the events, incidents, or episodes that occur in life. This is a particularly fitting message for people who live in the last days and who are confronted by the incidents and episodes that occur during this difficult time.

So when the apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing…,” he is pleading with us not to be worried about the basic needs and provisions required for life. Paul is also telling us not to let the events of life get to us and throw us into a state of anxiety or panic. To let us know how free of all worry we should be, Paul says we are to be “careful for nothing.” The word “nothing” is the Greek word meden, and it means absolutely nothing!

So this phrase in Philippians 4:6 could be translated:

“Don’t be worried about anything — and that means nothing at all!”

So what is bothering you today, friend? What is stealing your peace and joy? Is there one particular thing Satan keeps using to strike your mind with fear? Can you think of a single time when worry and fretfulness ever helped make a situation better? Doesn’t worry serve only to keep you emotionally torn up and in a state of panic?

I urge you to put an end to worry today, once and for all. If you let worry start operating in you even for a moment, it will try to become a habitual part of your thought life, turning you into a “worrier” who never knows a moment of peace.

Jesus is sitting at the right hand of the Father right now, interceding for you continually. Jesus understands every emotion, every frustration, and every temptation you could ever face (see Hebrews 2:18). So why not make a deliberate decision to turn over all your worries to Jesus today? Rather than try to manage those anxieties and needs all by yourself, go to Him and surrender everything into His loving, capable hands. Walk free of all those choking, paralyzing fears once and for all.

Jesus is waiting for you to cast all your cares upon Him, because He really does care for you (see 1 Peter 5:7). Then once you throw your worries and concerns on Him, He will help you experience the joy and peace He has designed for you to enjoy in life all along!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I admit that I’ve allowed fear, worry, fretfulness, and anxiety to play a role in my life. When these negative emotions operate in me, I lose my peace and my joy. I am tired of living in this continual state of worry and fear about bad things that might happen. Jesus, today I am making the choice to turn all these destructive thoughts over to You. I don’t want to live this way anymore. I know this isn’t Your plan for my life, so by faith, I cast all my concerns on You. I release them into Your hands, Lord, and ask You to take them right now!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am free from worry, fretfulness, and anxiety. These forces have no place in me. I have surrendered every care and concern to Jesus, and He has taken them from me. As a result, I am free of every burden, every weight, and every problem. Jesus is my great High Priest, and He is interceding for me right now. With God on my side, I can enjoy life as He intended for me to enjoy it. I boldly confess that I am fear-free and worry-free and that anxiety has no place in me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What is the one area in your life where Satan most often strikes your mind and emotions with fear, fretfulness, and anxiety? Do you know what triggers this attack of fear and worry?

2. For you to get out of fear and to walk in peace, what steps do you need to take in your life? In other words, what do you need to do differently than you are doing right now in order for you to move into a place of constant peace?

3. If you were going to counsel someone else who was being held hostage by worry, fretfulness, and anxiety, what would you tell that person to do to get free and to stay free?

September 20

Taken Captive by the Devil To Do the Devil’s Will!

And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
— 2 Timothy 2:26

Every once in a while in the local church, someone gets so bent out of shape and upset with the church leadership that he behaves in a way that is shocking to everyone. Often this person has served faithfully in the past; yet suddenly he becomes a raging torrent — accusing the pastor, getting upset with the pastoral staff, and trying to stir up as much trouble as possible. The amazing thing is that this person is usually blind to how ugly and ungodly his behavior really is. Often the person even thinks he’s doing the will of God by pointing out the flaws of the church leadership!

Timothy was having similar troubles with several people in his own congregation. Paul referred to this predicament when he wrote that some people in his church were “…taken captive by him [the devil] at his will” (2 Timothy 2:26).

The words “taken captive” are from the Greek word zoogreo, which means to take an animal alive. It is the picture of putting an animal in a cage or behind bars at the zoo. This means people who are behaving this way are themselves victims — somehow caught and trapped by the devil, caged in resentment or bitterness that drives them to act in a fashion that is inconsistent with who they really are!

When Paul says “taken captive by him [the devil] at his will,” it could be better rendered:

“…who are taken captive by him [the devil] to carry out the devil’s will.”

Here we see a picture of a believer whose emotions the devil has manipulated until the person himself becomes the source of strife, discord, and subversion in the church, all the while thinking that he is doing the will of God. This is a deceived believer, captured by the enemy and now working for the devil to disrupt the local church!

Offense is usually the entry point the devil uses to seduce a believer into this behavior. And it’s amazing just how quickly a dart of offense from the enemy can be thrown into a person’s heart. Equally amazing is the speed in which just one of his evil darts can change that person’s perspective of someone he used to honor and respect! In a matter of seconds, his entire view of that other person can become adversely affected.

Like the dripping of water, the devil begins to repeatedly strike a person’s mind with accusations against the one who was once so revered. Let’s say the one accused is the person’s pastor. The enemy might pound that person’s mind with false allegations such as these:

When the enemy is attacking the mind and emotions in this way, the victim often doesn’t realize that deception is trying to creep into his heart. He is falling into the devil’s trap and doesn’t even know it! At the moment it is happening, the person really believes that what he is thinking and doing is right. This is a classic example of a believer taken captive by the devil to do the devil’s will. This believer truthfully believes he is acting in a right spirit and executing the will of God as he rebels against his God-ordained authority.

Thankfully, God can deal with that person’s heart and reveal how wrong he is, and his relationship with his authority can be completely restored. However, restoration in these kinds of cases is a rare occurrence. The damage is usually so severe that people are left deeply wounded — which is precisely the objective the devil wants to accomplish!

Let me give you this advice to help you avoid ever being caught in this devilish deception. Whenever something becomes a major issue between you and someone else, you would be wise to back up and reexamine what you are upset about. So often the person you are upset with is someone you love and need in your life. Therefore, ask yourself these questions:

I have discovered from my own experience through the years that the devil is constantly seeking opportune moments to wedge bad feelings between people. He is a master at embellishing real or imagined offenses until they become inflated and larger than life. And he knows just when to “sock it to you”!

So slow down, calm down, and give yourself a little time to think and pray before you start accusing someone. It would be a good idea to find a friend who will be honest with you. Ask that friend to tell you the truth about what you are feeling and about how you are behaving. A good dose of honesty from a truthful friend might be exactly what you need to wake you up to what the devil is trying to do in you and through you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I never want the devil to take me captive to do his will in my church or place of employment. He is an accuser, so if I am tempted to accuse and slander, it means that the devil is trying to work through me. Give me the ability to recognize this strategy of the enemy as soon as it starts, and to put on the brakes before I get so embroiled in a conflict that I can’t see or think correctly. Holy Spirit, You are the Spirit of Truth, so please enable me to both see and to hear the truth about myself, because I want to stay free!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am free from the deception of the devil! My mind is renewed to the truth of God’s Word. My mind thinks straight and clearly, and I am sound and balanced in my perspective of the situations I face in life. I am teachable when my friends tell me the truth, helping me see when I am getting too upset about things that aren’t so important. Therefore, I’m able to walk free of the devil’s snare and stay balanced in my emotions because of the Word that works mightily in me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Has there ever been a moment in your life when the devil trapped you emotionally and used you to stir up trouble? Were you later very regretful for your negative role in that situation? Did you ever go back and apologize for what you did?

2. Have you ever seen someone else fall in this trap at your church or place of employment? At the time this incident occurred, did you recognize that the person acting so destructively was literally captured in his mind and emotions?

3. If the person being used by the devil won’t listen to those who are over him or her, what actions do you think his authorities should take in response to his or her behavior?

September 19

Location, Location, Location!

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
— Hebrews 11:6

All over the world, the golden rule of real estate is location, location, location. Property situated in the best areas is most desirable because it has the greatest value and demands the highest prices. Even though residences in other areas may be more beautiful and even have larger yards, they simply can’t demand the same high prices as residences situated in better locations.

My family and I live minutes from the Moscow Kremlin where the seat of government resides and where the beautiful Red Square and St. Basil’s Cathedral are located. Apartments here are older and smaller, but this area is in the very center of Moscow and is considered prestigious because it is so close to the seat of power. Therefore, property and rental values in this area are much higher.

I recently drove outside the city limits to see the fabulous new homes being built by Russia’s brand-new, emerging middle class. When I asked how much these homes could be purchased for, I was stunned to discover that their selling price is a fraction of what smaller apartments cost in the neighborhood where we live. However, if we lived outside the city, we would have to fight traffic for an hour and a half every morning on the way to the office; then we’d have to do it all over again every night on the way home! That’s another reason why the homes located outside the city are cheaper. Living near the center of the city is much easier, more convenient, and more productive.

As I drove back into the city after looking at these country homes, I started thinking about the contrast between living inside and outside of the city. As I pondered this subject, I found my mind going to Hebrews 11:6, which says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him….”

The word “without” comes from the Greek word choris, which means to be outside of something, such as someone who lives outside the perimeters of a city. It is a comparison between being outside or inside something — for example, in the house or out of the house; in the yard or out of the yard; or in the car or out of the car. The word choris depicts someone who is out of, not in, a specific location.

Because this word is used in connection with faith, the writer of Hebrews is letting us know that we can live in faith or out of faith. This means faith must be a real place that has borders, perimeters, and boundaries. Just as you can live in the city or out of the city, you can live in faith or outside of faith. The determining factor is your obedience to the assignment God has given you. God wants you to be located at the address of faith — for this is the location He deems the most valuable and profitable for your life.

Hebrews 11:6 could be accurately rendered:

“When you live outside of faith — living beyond its boundaries and perimeters — you make it impossible to please Him….”

To determine if you are in or out of faith, you must ask yourself these questions:

That place where God called you; that place requiring your obedience, faith, and patience; that place where you are confident God wants you to be working and functioning — that is the address of faith where God wants you to live. As long as you stay “in” that place where God told you to be, you are “in” faith and you therefore please God. But the day you give up and move “out” of that place of faith, you are moving to cheaper territory that God doesn’t value as highly — a location where you will experience the hardships and inconveniences of poor choices and defeat.

The entire eleventh chapter of Hebrews is about men and women who lived “in” faith. They each received a word from God for their lives or for their generation. Although it was difficult to do, they held tightly to their mandate from Heaven. As a result, they changed their generations and pleased God. Faith was the location where they lived — and because they stayed in that place where God had called them to be, they brought great pleasure to Him.

But the only way to stay “in” faith is to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus! The devil will try to discourage you from being steadfast and faithful. He’ll orchestrate situations to make you take your eyes off Jesus and to fill you with worry and fear. If you let the enemy’s plan work, it won’t be long before your bags will be packed and you’ll be changing locations — moving “out” of faith to low-level areas of defeat where you will not please God.

But you don’t have to let that plan work! You never have to leave the address of faith where God wants you to live! Just refuse to allow the devil to persuade you to fix your eyes on the circumstances. Don’t take the enemy’s path that leads straight “out” of faith.

For those who stay in faith, there is a reward. That is why Hebrews 11:6 says that God is a “rewarder.” For those who continually live at the address of faith — who refuse to be moved by circumstances; who adamantly reject any inclination to throw in the towel and to give up; who rebuff any temptation or pull to let go of the word God gave them — it is just a matter of time until their faith is rewarded. They will receive the full manifestation of what they believe!

Hebrews 11:6 goes on to say that God “…is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” You see, it takes diligence to stay in faith! It will require you to be focused, concentrated, and committed to the end. When circumstances try to knock you “out” of faith, you must have a fierce, unwavering commitment that you are not going to leave where God called you.

The reason most people fail is that they weren’t really committed from the very beginning. That’s why the devil eventually found a way to move them “out” of that place of faith. One great man of God said, “Anything that ends in a fizzle had a flaw in it from the beginning.” So make sure there are no fatal flaws in you that will knock you out down the road!

I assure you that if you see anyone consistently living at the address of faith, that person has persistently pursued that goal. You see, living “in” faith cannot be a sideline issue in your life. It must have your complete, undivided attention. For you to stay “in” faith, you must be constant. You definitely must be persistent. Your commitment to live and walk in faith must be unbending and immovable.

Make the decision that there is no turning back from where God has called you. God promises that if you stay “in” faith, there is a glorious reward awaiting you in the near future. It’s only a matter of time until the full manifestation of what you believe will come into view!

So make every effort to stay at your address of faith. You are living in the most valuable, beneficial place for your life. You are living where God can bless you!

Since location determines everything else, why don’t you take a few minutes today to assess your life? See if you are properly located “in” or “out” of faith. If you find that you are “out” of faith, make the goal of getting “in” faith your most important priority. The outcome of every other area of your life will be determined by this one decision!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me stick with the assignment You have given me for my life. I know that is where I am supposed to be — and I know that is what I am supposed to be doing. Forgive me for vacillating back and forth, in and out, backward and forward. I am asking You to help me become single-minded, concentrated, and focused in my determination never to move out of faith again. I want to live at the address of faith, for I know that is where I will please You the most. Holy Spirit, empower me to push aside every distraction of the devil and to remain fixed and focused on doing exactly what God has instructed me to do.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I live “in” faith. Although Satan tries to use situations to distract me and dissuade me from staying in faith, I have resolved that I am never moving from the place where God has called me to be. I will never relinquish the dream He has put in my heart. I will stay in this place; I will use my faith; I will be steadfast, unwavering, and committed to seeing His promises come to pass in my life. Because I have made this decision, I am a person who pleases God!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Are you living at the address of faith? Or have you moved out of faith and into the neighborhood of doubt and unbelief, where you know that you are no longer pleasing God?

2. How has the devil tried to distract and dissuade you from staying “in” faith? What people or situations has he used to try to pull you out of faith and into the territory of disobedience and unbelief?

3. What are you going to do to reinforce yourself spiritually so you can remain “in” faith until you see the full manifestation of what God has promised to you?

September 18

Never Forget How Good God Has Been to You!

When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
— Hebrews 3:9

What kind of impact do you think it would have on your life if you personally witnessed a continuous stream of nonstop miracles in your life? Would you like to have that kind of experience?

Well, that is exactly what happened to the children of Israel when they left Egypt and wandered in the wilderness for forty years. This is what Hebrews 3:9 is referring to when it says, “When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.”

Let’s see what the Bible means when it says the children of Israel “tempted” God. The word “tempted” comes from the Greek word peiradzo, an old Greek word that means to put to the test. It means to test an object to see if its quality is as good as others have claimed, boasted, or advertised. For instance, if you hear that a certain product is the finest of its kind in the world, it would be natural for you to want to check out and test the product to verify whether or not it really lives up to its claims. That is exactly the idea of the word peiradzo in Hebrews 3:9.

The children of Israel were in a situation that demanded miraculous intervention. If they hadn’t had the divine intervention of God, they would never have survived their flight from Egypt or their years in the wilderness. Their circumstances alone gave rise to a situation that allowed God to be tested — in other words, a situation that allowed God to demonstrate who He is and how faithful He is to His people. God had told the Israelites that He is good, so they “tested” Him, giving Him an opportunity to show that He is everything He declared Himself to be!

You can apply this same principle to your life. For instance, suppose you were in a tight financial jam. Although you didn’t intend to get into that financial mess, you found yourself in a situation where you needed to see the goodness of God! You had heard and believed that God is a supernatural Provider; therefore, in a certain sense, your situation created a moment when God’s goodness and delivering power could be tested. This situation would be the equivalent of you saying, “Lord, You say that You are a great Provider, so I need You to show me who You are! Please provide for me now in this situation!”

The many challenges the Israelites faced put them in a position in which they had to see the deliverance of God — and each situation put God in a position to prove who He was to them. That is why the verse goes on to say that the children of Israel “proved” God. The word “proved” is taken from the Greek word dokimadzo, which describes something that has been tested and found to be true and genuine. It can be also translated as something that is authentic, reliable, approved, trustworthy, and real.

Moses had declared the goodness of God to the children of Israel, but each challenge they faced gave God an opportunity to prove that He is exactly as Moses had declared Him to be. In each predicament, they found God to be faithful, true, and steadfast. Never once did God fail them or fail to live up to the reputation of His name. They personally witnessed His goodness and the undeniable fact that He is trustworthy, reliable, and true.

In fact, Hebrews 3:9 says the Israelites “saw” God’s works for forty years. The word “saw” is the Greek word horao, which means to see. But in a broader sense, horao carries the idea of seeing, perceiving, understanding, experiencing, and assimilating into one’s self. This tells us that the children of Israel saw and experienced enough of God’s power to fully understand and assimilate it into their consciousness. Furthermore, the Greek grammar describes a constant, continual, nonstop seeing and experiencing of God’s works during those forty years. They experienced this high-level power on a continuous basis — perhaps like no other generation before or after them.

We could discuss the supernatural provision and protection the Israelites experienced for many pages, but let’s just consider a sample of what they saw and experienced:

  1. The manna God provided to them for forty years.
  2. The quail that supernaturally came to them in the wilderness.
  3. The rock from which flowed enough water to nourish all of them.

Let’s assume that the Israelites numbered about 3,000,000 people, which is what many Bible scholars estimate. In that case, do you know how much manna was needed to feed the children of Israel in the wilderness? One scholar has estimated that they needed 4,500 tons of manna every day! If this is true, and if you take into account that God fed His people every day for 40 years, this means 65,700,000 tons of manna supernaturally appeared on the ground over a period of forty years!

This manna appeared so regularly, so faithfully, so “day in and day out,” that after a while, the children of Israel didn’t even think too much of it anymore. Supernatural provision became so commonplace among them that they forgot how supernatural it was and began to accept it as a normal, regular occurrence. During those forty years, young children were born and grew up thinking it was normal for 4,500 tons of manna to appear each morning out of thin air (see Exodus 16)!

What do you think would happen if your city woke up tomorrow to find 4,500 tons of beautiful, freshly baked, nourishing manna lying on the ground all over the city, free to anyone who wanted to go out, pick it up, and take it home? It would be huge news! Scientists would fly from around the world to see it, study it, and taste it. Journalists would write about it, and major news programs would cover the story. It would be a worldwide sensation. But for the children of Israel, this was an event that occurred every morning!

Do you remember when God sent the quail to feed the children of Israel? How many quail do you think it would take to feed that massive group of Israelites for thirty days a month? Let me tell you how many: It would take at least 90,000,000 quail. That’s right — if each Israelite ate only one quail a day, in one month it would amount to 90,000,000 quail. If they ate two quail a day, the total number needed to feed them all for thirty days would rise to 180,000,000 quail. That’s how many quail it took to feed that crowd of three million Israelites in a thirty-day period. Needless to say, this was an incredible supernatural provision of God!

Remember, the Israelites were in the middle of the wilderness. It was not a natural place for quail to show up! But suddenly, they heard a noise in the distance and looked up. There in the sky overhead they saw millions of quail flying in from out of nowhere and landing in their camp. What would be the odds of such a thing happening in the natural?

Try to imagine what that many millions of quail flying right over your head would look like. The thick clouds of quail must have been dense enough to nearly block the people’s view of the sun! Or try to imagine millions of quail flying right into the camp where you are living for thirty days, landing conveniently at your feet as if to say, “Please eat me!”

Where did all these quail come from? They certainly didn’t fly in from the wilderness. How far did these birds have to travel to reach the children of Israel? From what distance did God supernaturally call in the quail to feed the children of Israel?

This phenomenon simply could not be naturally explained. It was a supernatural provision. It was just as miraculous as the 4,500 tons of manna that miraculously appeared on the ground every morning for forty years.

How about the water that came out of the rock to meet the Israelites’ need for water in the wilderness? Do you have any idea how much water it would take to support three million Israelites in the blistering hot temperatures of the wilderness? You also have to take into account all the animals that needed to be nourished with water.

Keep in mind that God’s people were in a dry, arid wilderness. It was a barren place — a desert! The only available source of water was bitter and undrinkable; there was no natural source of water to nourish that huge crowd of people. And consider the amount of water it would have taken to adequately nourish 3,000,000 people and all the animals in the hot temperatures of the wilderness. It would have required up to 15,000,000 gallons of water every day just to meet their basic needs for existence!

Water was especially crucial in that extremely hot climate. Both people and animals needed much more water than they normally would. Without water, they would have dried up and died in the wilderness. But because there was no natural source of water, it had to be provided for them supernaturally.

So God told Moses to strike the rock (see Exodus 17). When Moses obeyed, water began to supernaturally flow from the midst of that rock. And once water started to flow, it continued to flow and flow and flow, providing all the water needed by the people of God. One week’s supply would equal approximately 100,000,000 gallons of water!

You would think that after living in this kind of supernatural provision day in and day out for more than forty years, the children of Israel would be alive to the things of God. After experiencing this kind of miraculous supply on such a continual basis, they should have trusted the Lord and found it easy to follow Him. Hadn’t He always proven Himself faithful to them? Hadn’t He always supernaturally provided what they needed when there was no natural provision to be found? What a privileged generation they were to see such marvelous acts of God!

But in spite of all the Israelites had seen, experienced, and assimilated about God’s goodness, they became hardhearted. Hebrews 3:8 therefore warns us not to be like them, saying, “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness.”

The word “harden” is the Greek word skleruno, a medical term that described something hard, such as a callus. It could also denote a limb that is so stiff, it is difficult to move. Thus, this word is often translated stiff-necked. It was also used to describe the hardened soil of the desert — soil that was so hardened that water was unable to penetrate it and instead rolled right off. As time progressed, the word skleruno came to depict a person who was thick-skinned, indifferent, or insensitive.

Could it be that after seeing God perform so many wonderful works, the people became numb to and unappreciative of demonstrations of His power? Is it possible that they became calloused to the goodness of God because He had showered them with so much goodness? Did the supernatural demonstrations that were once considered wonders become such common occurrences that such miracles didn’t even make an impression on God’s people anymore?

It seems that the Israelites became like spoiled children, not even acknowledging how gracious God was to them or how miraculous their supply had been. The word “harden” seems to imply they became so calloused that nothing impressed them anymore. They became so stiff that even God couldn’t move them to obedience. No matter how much of God’s Spirit was poured out on them, His Presence just rolled off them, unable to penetrate their hard hearts. They became indifferent, insensitive, and unthankful, constantly complaining and bickering among themselves and with Moses about God’s provision.

You may ask, “How could they become so hardhearted after all that God had done for them?” But take a moment to apply this same question to yourself. Let me tell you, it doesn’t take forty years for any of us to become hardhearted and ungrateful!

If you honestly evaluate your own life, you may find yourself in this same sad condition. Consider how God has blessed you. He changed you, healed you, delivered you, rescued your family, gave you a new job, answered your prayers, and provided for you financially time and time again, showering you with blessing upon blessing over the years. In fact, you have probably lived in God’s constant, nonstop, miraculous provision much of your life.

Hasn’t your life been miraculously marked with the supernatural goodness, mercy, and provision of God? Yet are you still tempted to worry, fret, and doubt His faithfulness? How could it be possible that you would ever doubt God after all He has already proven to you?

Just as the children of Israel faced situations that gave rise to moments when God was put to the test, so do you. And every time, God passed the test! He proved Himself again and again, repeatedly demonstrating that He is reliable, trustworthy, and true. You have seen demonstrations of God’s goodness throughout your entire life. So raise your arms toward Heaven, open your mouth, and begin to acknowledge that it’s true!

Don’t you think it would be good for you to stop what you are doing and recount the blessings of God and express your eternal gratefulness to Him today? As you continually remind yourself of God’s goodness and do whatever else is necessary to maintain a thankful heart, you will avoid falling into the trap of becoming hardhearted and stiff-necked like the children of Israel.

Don’t be classified with those who murmured, complained, and didn’t trust God. Be counted among those who are grateful and thankful, who trust God to be exactly who He has declared Himself to be. God is good to you — and don’t ever let yourself forget it!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am thankful for Your goodness in my life. You have saved me, delivered me, redeemed me, and changed me. My entire life is marked by Your supernatural goodness and mercy! It is true that You have showered me with nonstop blessings — and today I want to take this opportunity to thank You for every good thing You’ve done in my life. The situations I have faced in my life have put You to the test, and You have jumped at every chance to prove how good You are. In fact, Your goodness to me has been constant and never-ending. I praise You and thank You for loving me so much!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am grateful for and constantly aware of God’s goodness in my life. I have every reason to trust Him, for He has proven Himself to me again and again and I know He will never let me down. He has shown His goodness and mercy to me, and I am a recipient of His grace. I choose to lift up my hands, open my mouth, and declare the goodness of the Lord. The Bible says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,” so I am saying so right now! Jesus, You are good, and Your mercy endures forever! Thank You for showering me with Your mercy and Your might!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. As you read today’s Sparkling Gem, did you begin to think of all the times God has supernaturally provided for your own life? It would be very beneficial for you to take a few minutes to reflect on all the times God has miraculously supplied what you needed.

2. Are you facing a challenge right now in your life? If so, do you find yourself rushing forward to believe and trust the Lord, or do you have to fight off fearful thoughts that God might not prove Himself faithful to you?

3. Is it possible that you have fallen into the same trap the children of Israel fell into? Have you had so many miraculous provisions in your life that you’ve begun to lose your appreciation for all that God has done for you? If the answer is yes, I advise you to take some time today to get into the Presence of God and make your heart right with Him.

September 17

Do You Know People Who Talk Out of Both Sides of Their Mouths?

Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre.
— 1 Timothy 3:8

Have you ever known a person who agreed with whomever he was talking to at the moment? When he was with you, he agreed with you. But when he was with someone else who had a different opinion, he agreed with that person. Did that person’s opinion fluctuate so quickly that it nearly shocked you?

It is very difficult to build trust with a person like this because you never know if he is really with you, or if he’s just agreeing with you to your face until he can turn around and disagree with you behind your back. This type of person’s lack of integrity makes it difficult to build a significant relationship with him.

Even if I don’t always like what the members of my ministry team say or think, their honesty is very important to me, for it guarantees truthful relationships. The day a staff member tells me one thing but then turns around and tells a fellow employee something else is the day my trust in that person is disrupted. The apostle Paul called this kind of person “double-tongued” (1 Timothy 3:8).

The Greek word for “double-tongued” is the word dilogos, which is a compound of the words di and logos. The word di means two, and the word logos means words. When compounded together, these two words form the word dilogos, which could be literally translated two-worded. It is the picture of a man or woman who says one thing to one person but a different thing to the next. In other words, people like this are inconsistent in what they tell others. They are so wishy-washy that their opinion is constantly fluctuating, depending on whom they are speaking to at the moment.

This is usually an indication that this person is a people-pleaser. Because he wants everyone to like him, he agrees with whomever he is with at the moment. This is a serious character flaw. In fact, First Timothy 3:8 forbids us from giving this kind of person any prominent place of leadership in the ministry. It is also a principle that should be taken into consideration when looking for a prospective leader in any church, business, or organization.

Truthfulness is necessary so trust can be built between leaders and followers. It is compulsory in marriages, in friendships, and in relationships between employers and employees or between a pastor and his leaders. If a long-term relationship is to be built, trust is not optional — it is essential.

If there is a person in your church, business, or organization who is constantly changing what he says depending on who he is with at the moment, I urge you not to elevate this person into a leadership role. That person doesn’t demonstrate the character that is required in leaders.

Being honest isn’t always easy. Often it is very difficult. But truthfulness is the clearest and most noble path. The challenge we face is learning how to “speak the truth in love” as Ephesians 4:15 commands us.

I’ve learned that the truth isn’t so difficult to hear; it is the way truth is sometimes spoken that can be difficult to hear. It is much easier to hear the truth if it is mixed with love, patience, and understanding. I think you know that cold water thrown in your face is not very enjoyable. In fact, it can be such a chilling experience that you may be tempted to throw it right back! So when you are the one speaking the truth to someone else, ask the Holy Spirit to help you know how to speak your opinion in a non-threatening and respectful manner.

In Ephesians 4:25, the apostle Paul commanded us, “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour….” In Greek, the tense of the word “speak” points to habitual action. In other words, God wants you to develop the habit of always telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God! If you are guilty of agreeing with whomever you are talking to at the moment, it’s time for you to ask the Holy Spirit to help you overcome this weakness.

If your opinion is required, be sure to speak exactly what you think and believe. And before you speak, pray for grace to speak the truth kindly. Once you have said what you believe, stick to what you said. If you later decide you were wrong, go back to the person you talked to — your pastor, boss, friend, or so forth — and tell him that you’ve changed your position. That person will appreciate your honesty. On the other hand, if you tell one person one thing and then turn around and say something different to someone else, the first person you spoke with will not understand your behavior. He will view you as a hypocrite who cannot be trusted, as someone who is double-tongued.

But what if you are the leader, pastor, or employer, and you have someone working under your authority who is constantly switching what he says, depending on whom he is talking to? In that case, take Paul’s words to heart. Don’t promote that person to a higher level of responsibility until this habit has been broken. Don’t lay hands on a person who is double-tongued!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, please forgive me for the times I have been two-faced and double-tongued, speaking different things to different people. After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, I realize it is wrong to act this way with those who are over me in authority. They need to be able to rest assured that I am being truthful with them, and now I see that I have given them a cause to doubt my word. Forgive me, and please help me conquer this serious character flaw in my life. Holy Spirit, help me today to uproot this double-tongued tendency from my life. Teach me how to habitually speak the truth!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am not two-faced or double-tongued. When I speak, people know that my word is as good as gold. I do not change my opinion based on the person I am with or what others think of me. What I say I mean, and I am faithful to keep my word. Every day I am growing in grace — and God is making me stronger, better, more dependable, and more truthful every day. I am exactly the kind of person my authorities can rely on!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you know a person who is two-faced and double-tongued? Have you seen him sway back and forth in his opinions, depending on whom he is with at the time? How does this fluctuating behavior affect your opinion of that person?

2. Are you guilty of being double-tongued? Have you told your leader one thing and then said something different behind his back to people in the church, business, or organization? If your answer is yes, what does this reveal about your own character?

3. How should you help correct a person who is double-tongued? Do you think you should ignore that person’s dishonesty, or should you confront him in love and try to help him correct this character flaw in his life?

September 16

I Am in a Strait Betwixt Two

For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.
— Philippians 1:23-25

Have you ever been so exhausted from the never-ending problems of life that the thought of dying and going to Heaven sounded like a wonderful dream? Maybe you imagined what it would be like to close your eyes, fall asleep, and wake up in the Presence of the Lord, never to awake again in this world. Have you ever had a moment when such thoughts seemed so wonderful that you wished the Lord would immediately call you home to Heaven?

Judging from Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we can see that his heart was being heavily tugged toward Heaven while he was a prisoner in Rome. Paul was tired. He had already done more than anyone else could claim to have accomplished. He had suffered endlessly for his ministry. It would have been very easy for Paul to say, “Lord, I’m tired. I’ve done enough. I’m ready to go to Heaven. Please take me home!”

When Paul wrote to the Philippians, he made it very clear that the temptation to leave life and to join the Lord was before him. His choice of words in Philippians 1:23-25 make it very evident that a choice was before him: to continue in the flesh so he could completely fulfill his ministry to the saints, or to depart this life and to be with the Lord. After thinking through these options, Paul made the choice to abide in the flesh and to continue his ministry a little longer.

Paul tells us about the inward struggle he felt as he decided whether to keep living or to die and join the Lord in Philippians 1:23. He writes, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.”

When Paul writes that he is in a “strait betwixt two,” he uses the Greek word sunecho, which expresses the idea of a pressure being applied to a person from two different directions. This is a force that pulls a person first one way and then another, as if his arms are being pulled in two different directions by opponents in a fierce tug-of-war contest. However, the Greek word indicates that the person in the middle is the one who has the deciding vote as to who will win this tug-of-war.

Paul felt two different forces pulling at his heart. On the one side, he was pulled “…to depart, and to be with Christ….” On the other side, he was pulled “…to abide in the flesh…” a little longer in order to help other people and to totally fulfill the part of his calling that remained undone.

The strength of the pull toward Heaven is evident in Paul’s words in verse 23, where he writes that he has a “desire to depart.” The word “desire” is the Greek word epithumia, which is a compound of the words epi and thumos. The word epi means for or over, and thumos is the Greek word for a strong passion or urge. It usually denotes a swelling or growing emotion. But when the word thumos is compounded together with the word epi, forming the word epithumia, it depicts a person who is excited about something. This person is passionate about this idea; he is consumed with this thought! Because Paul uses this word, it emphatically lets us know that the prospect of departing from this world and going to Heaven to be with the Lord was a thrilling and exciting thought to Paul!

When Paul thought of death, he didn’t even think of dying as we think of it. Instead of thinking of the cessation of life, he looked upon death as nothing more than a departure that signaled the beginning of the next part of his journey in eternity. The word “depart” is the Greek word analusai, a Greek word which pictures a ship that is being loosed from its moorings so it can finally be free to sail.

No wonder Paul was excited! When he thought of death, to him it meant being set free from the human limitations and physical restrictions that had been imposed on him in this earthly life. The prospect of being set free was a glorious thought to Paul. Once liberated from this realm, he knew he would really be able to set sail in the Spirit and soar to spiritual heights he had never before attained. To Paul, death was not the end. It was an exciting beginning, the next leg of his journey — a phase of his walk with God that he was excited and enthusiastic to experience!

But wait — there’s more to this word analusai (“to depart”) that is very important to this text. The word analusai was also a military word, used when a decision was made that it was time for an army to break camp, pack up their tents, pick up their gear, gather up all their other belongings, and move onward to conquer new territory. This gives us another view of the way Paul viewed the prospect of death.

As a soldier who had fought many battles on earth, Paul was ready to break camp and to move upward into new spiritual territory. He had fought long and hard, and the expectation of moving onward to heavenly territory was a thought that captured his heart, his mind, and his imagination. Paul’s “desire to depart” and to be with Christ was so strong that he felt as if he were in a “strait betwixt two.” He was pulled on one side to depart from this earthly realm and to be with Christ. But he was also pulled from the other side to abide in the flesh a little longer.

You see, Paul knew that part of his ministry remained unfinished. If he left at this time, the entirety of his vision would not be fulfilled. So although he was “pulled” to set sail, to break camp, and to move onward to be with the Lord, he could not allow himself to do that yet, because he knew there was still work for him to do for the Kingdom. That is why he wrote in verse 24, “Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”

Although Paul would have loved to enter the heavenly realm, it wasn’t yet time, for he had more to accomplish before he finished his race. Therefore, he wrote that he had made a decision to continue a little longer in the flesh. Although it seems Paul actually could have chosen to let his life slip away, he chose instead to press onward to fulfill his call and to take others higher with him.

In Philippians 3:14, he wrote, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” The words “press toward” are from the Greek word epekteinomai, a word that pictures a foot racer. It is the image of a racer who is pressing forward so hard and is so stretched out that his entire body is arching forward as his arms reach ahead to grasp the goal before him.

The word “mark” is the Greek word skopos, which describes the finish line for a runner. Like a runner, Paul was straining toward the finish line. At that time in his life, he was on his last run around the track before the race concluded. Rather than slowing down, taking it easy, or resting, he had chosen to put forth all his efforts and push harder than ever before so he could finish first, knowing that he had given his very best to the very end of his life.

Paul then wrote that he was pressing toward the “prize.” The word “prize” is the Greek word brabeion, describing the rewards given to those who won their competitions in the public games. This means Paul had his reward on his mind. When it was finally time for him to depart to be with Christ, there would be a reward waiting for him. With this in mind, Paul chose to shove all obstacles and hindrances out of the way and to strain forward as he ran around the track for the final period of time in his life!

How does all of this apply to you today? When you are exhausted from the never-ending problems of life and the thought of dying or going to Heaven sounds like a welcome relief, stop to ask yourself:

If your answers to these questions reveal that your job is undone and that others are still depending on you, then it’s not time for you to go! One day you can set sail and soar out into eternity. There is a day coming in your life when you will break camp from this earthly realm and move onward to heavenly territory. But that day isn’t now. Instead, you need to grab hold of the power of God and run fiercely to finish the race that is still left undone and that is before you. Don’t stop running your race until you know you have done EVERYTHING Jesus has asked you to do.

So pull yourself together. Muster your strength. Draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit. Get ready, get set, and start running your race — and keep running until you can say without any doubt that you have finished your course! Until you can say that with confidence, you need to quit thinking about Heaven and start thinking about how to run your race to the end!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to run my race victoriously all the way to the finish line! I don’t want to quit, give up, or die until I can say I’ve finished everything You have ever assigned for me to do. Forgive me for allowing thoughts of death to dominate me. I have too much living left to do to dwell on these kinds of self-defeating thoughts. Please help me shove aside my exhaustion, grab hold of Your power, and press forward to do what You have called me to do with my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I have a lot of living left to do before I die and go to Heaven! God has given me a huge assignment for my life, and I’m only getting started in fulfilling what He has asked me to do. Death is not an option right now. Life is my only choice. I am needed and wanted, and God is not calling me home yet. Therefore, I will live a long and prosperous life — and I will run my race with all my might so I can finish my race with joy and victory!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Is it true that you’ve had moments when you wished you could pack it up and move on to Heaven? Did you feel that way at a time when you were exhausted and feeling worn out?

2. Once you were refreshed and feeling better again, weren’t you glad that you didn’t go to Heaven? Don’t you still have a great deal to accomplish for the Lord before you break camp, pack up your bags, and move onward to be with Christ?

3. How many people are depending on you and really need you? Since these people still need your personal presence in their lives, don’t you think you need to dwell on living a full life on this earth and finishing your spiritual race?

September 15

Love Never Fails!

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth….
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

In today’s Sparkling Gem, we come to the end of our study of First Corinthians 13:4-8, where Paul describes the behavior of the love of God. As Paul comes to the conclusion of his fabulous text about the agape love of God, he concludes powerfully in verse 8 by affirming that love “…never faileth….”

The word “faileth” is the Greek word pipto, a word that dates back to classical Greece and generally means to fall from a high position. It was also used on rare occasions to depict a warrior who fell in battle. In many places the word pipto is used to depict falling into ruin, into destruction, into some kind of misfortune, or into disappointment. In First Corinthians 13:8, Paul uses this word to affirm the eternal truth that love never disappoints or fails.

It is simply the truth that human beings often fail each other. I’m sure you have felt let down by someone else at some point along the way. And if you’re honest about your own dealings with others, you’ll have to admit that you have been guilty of letting others down as well. But agape love — God’s love — never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down. It is a love that can always be depended on and is always reliable.

People you know and respect may occasionally fall from the high position they hold in life — and that can be an emotionally difficult experience for you when you see it happen. Other times, fellow warriors may fall in battle or stumble into some kind of misfortune that disappoints you, and that is painful as well.

But you can be sure that the agape love of God will never fail you or let you down. This love is constant, unchanging, and unbendable. It is a love you will always find to be reliable and true — a love on which you can depend.

God wants you to learn to function in His high-level agape love, which is why the Holy Spirit so carefully inspired the apostle Paul to write these famous words in First Corinthians 13:4-8. This passage of Scripture is God’s mirror, designed for us to look into so we can see how well we fare at walking in the agape love of God.

I have compiled all the words, phrases, and translations we have been studying and placed them here as one complete text for you to read. Take a few minutes to read this text slowly; then ask yourself, Do I pass the love test? Or does this reveal that I need to mature more in this part of my life?

The following is an expanded interpretive translation of First Corinthians 13:4-8:

“Love patiently and passionately bears with others for as long as patience is needed; Love doesn’t demand others to be like itself; rather, it is so focused on the needs of others that it bends over backwards to become what others need it to be; Love is not ambitious, self-centered, or so consumed with itself that it never thinks of the needs or desires that others possess; Love doesn’t go around talking about itself all the time, constantly exaggerating and embellishing the facts to make it look more important in the sight of others; Love does not behave in a prideful, arrogant, haughty, superior, snooty, snobbish, or clannish manner; Love is not rude and discourteous — it is not careless or thoughtless, nor does it carry on in a fashion that would be considered insensitive to others; Love does not manipulate situations or scheme and devise methods that will twist situations to its own advantage; Love does not deliberately engage in actions or speak words that are so sharp, they cause an ugly or violent response; Love does not deliberately keep records of wrongs or past mistakes; Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else but is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth; Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure; Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation; Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others; Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up; Love never disappoints, never fails, and never lets anyone down.”

So after pondering these verses, what is your answer? Are you walking in this kind of love? Have you achieved the level of love that God wants you to have in your life? Do you manifest this type of love to others who are around you? Or do you now see that you still have areas in your life where you need to grow, develop, and change in regard to walking in love?

I plead with you to spend time in prayer about this issue of God’s love in your life. How you relate to others, love others, and impact others is the most important question in your life. Since this is such a vital issue, don’t you think it’s worth your time to get into the Presence of the Lord and ask Him to reveal those areas in your love walk that need to be improved?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to be the embodiment of Your love. I know that I fall very short of the agape love that You desire to see operating in my life. Therefore, I am asking You to help me move upward to the highest level of love so I can be a channel through which this love can be poured out to others whom I know and meet. Just as You have loved me, help me become a life-changing source of divine love to other people.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s love dwells in me. It flows from my heart to all those around me. People who are close to me are changed and transformed by this love that operates so mightily in me. When others see me, they think of the love of God, for it is demonstrated continually in my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. After studying First Corinthians 13:4-8, what have you learned about yourself and the areas where you need to improve in regard to walking in love?

2. Which characteristics of agape love do you feel you are growing in and gaining territory? What is the proof on which you base your belief that you have achieved maturity in these areas of your love walk?

3. If Jesus were standing before you right now to examine your life, what would He say about how you walk in love toward others? What would other people in your life say about how well you walk in love toward them?

September 14

Love Bears All Things, Believes All Things, Hopes All Things, Endures All Things

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

As Paul continues giving us the characteristics of agape love in First Corinthians 13, he moves to the next four points in his message. He explains to the Corinthians (and to us) that genuine agape love “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (v. 7).

The eleventh point that Paul makes in this wonderful text is that love “beareth all things….” The word “beareth” is the Greek word stego, which means to cover, as a roof covers a house. Built within the word stego is the concept of protection, exactly as a roof protects, shields, and guards the inhabitants of a house from exposure to the outside influences of weather. The roof of a house is designed to shield people from storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, rain, hail, snow, wind, blistering hot temperatures, and so on. This protection is vital for survival in most climates, preventing people from either freezing to death or burning as a result of continual exposure to sunlight.

By using this word stego (“bear”), the apostle Paul is giving us a powerful illustration. First, we must understand that there are many different seasons to life, and not all seasons are pleasurable. In fact, some seasons of life are very stormy and difficult. There are moments when external circumstances assail us from without. If we have no shield to guard us during these stormy times, it becomes much more difficult for us to survive spiritually.

Paul lets you know that agape serves like a protection for you. Like the roof of a house, a friend who moves in the agape love of God will stay near in times of trouble. That friend will hover over you to protect you from the storms of life. Rather than expose you and your flaws to the view of others, a person who operates in this kind of love will conceal, cover, and protect you, for real agape love is always there in times of trouble to lend support.

The phrase “beareth all things” could be translated:

“Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure….”

Paul goes on to mention the twelfth characteristic of agape love, saying that love “…believeth all things….” The word “believeth” is actually the word pisteuei, which is the Greek word meaning to put one’s faith or trust in something or someone. The tense used in the Greek text lets us know that this is a constant, continuous entrusting of one’s faith in something or someone — involving a “never-give-up” kind of belief that something will turn out the very best. In light of this, the Greek phrase could actually be taken to mean that love “believes the best in every situation.”

Don’t misunderstand; agape love isn’t stupid, nor is it blind. It sees everything — the good, the bad, and the ugly. But because agape is so filled with faith, it pushes the disconcerting, disturbing, negative realities out of the way. This doesn’t mean agape ignores problems or challenges. It just makes a choice to see beyond the problems and conflicts, to strain forward to see the highest potential that resides in every person.

Let’s apply this to your children. Perhaps it is true that they are having problems right now or that they have done some things in the past they shouldn’t have done. But there is still hope! Today is a new day, and agape simply cannot give up believing that they will turn around! Although the past may have been filled with troubled times, the future is bright for those who believe God! Therefore, agape continually presses ahead full of faith — reaching forward by faith to see the other person whole, sound, healed, saved, redeemed, and right in the middle of God’s will for his or her life.

You see, the agape love of God just doesn’t know how to quit! It hangs on even when the going gets tough! It just keeps believing the very best, no matter what.

So I urge you to take a good, honest look at yourself to see if you are operating in this kind of high-level love. Do you strain forward to believe the best, or do you pick people apart and point out all their flaws and weaknesses? Do you see their potential through the eyes of love, or do you look on them through eyes of criticism? Never forget that love believes the best!

The phrase “believeth all things” could be translated:

“…Love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation….”

Paul gives us his thirteenth point about love when he says that love “…hopeth all things….” The Greek word for “hopeth” is the word elpidzo, which depicts not only a hope, but an expectation of good things. This means that rather than assuming failure or a bad result in someone’s life, the agape love of God always expects the best in someone else. It not only expects it, but it is filled with an anticipation to see the manifestation of the thing hoped for.

The phrase “hopeth all things” could be taken to mean:

“…Love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others….”

Next, Paul mentions the fourteenth characteristic of agape love, telling us that love “…endureth all things.” The word “endureth” is the Greek word hupomeno, which we have discussed several times before. It is the word hupo, which means under, and the word meno, which means to stay or to abide. Compounded together, it depicts the attitude of a person who is under a heavy load but refuses to surrender to defeat because he knows he is in his place. Because this person knows he is where he’s supposed to be, he has therefore decided that regardless of what tries to come against him, he is going to stay put and refuse to move!

This means agape never quits or throws in the towel. It simply doesn’t know how to quit. Real agape says, “I’m committed to be here — to stay with you and to work it out, regardless of the cost or the time involved. I am not quitting. I am here to stay!”

You see, that is what the Bible means when it says love “…endureth all things.” This kind of love is completely contrary to the flesh, which says, “I’ve done all I’m going to do. I’m not wasting any more of my life. I’m finished, and I’m leaving!”

A contemporary translation of the phrase “endureth all things” could be the following:

“…Love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up.”

As you look into the mirror of God’s Word and examine the characteristics of agape love, can you say that this kind of love is operating in your life? Would others say that you have been a “roof” for them — protecting, covering, concealing, and guarding them during the hard and difficult seasons of life? Would others say you believe the best about people, or that you tend to be nit-picky and critical of others? Have you made the decision to “stick it out,” regardless of how long it takes?

When all of these Greek words and phrases are translated together, an expanded interpretive translation could read:

“Love protects, shields, guards, covers, conceals, and safeguards people from exposure; love strains forward with all its might to believe the very best in every situation; love always expects and anticipates the best in others and the best for others; love never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up.”

Today I want to encourage you to do the right thing by determining to learn to operate in this high-level agape love of God. This divine love is already shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit, so now it’s up to you to open up your heart and let this divine river of love flow forth from you to others.

Are you going to open your heart and let God’s love spill out to those around you? The choice is now before you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me learn to operate in this supernatural, life-changing, high-level love. Please help me to quit judging others for the problems in their lives and to start thinking about how I can protect and cover them in times of difficulty. Holy Spirit, please help me believe the best about them. I also ask You for the strength to remain committed — to stick by their side until the victory has been won and they have become everything You intended for them to be! I am anticipating a new surge of Your power and strength right now to help me get started on this path, and I’ll keep believing and confidently expecting until I see the results in my life that I know You want!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s love operates mightily in my life! Because I walk in agape love, I protect, shield, guard, cover, conceal, and safeguard people from exposure. The love of God in my heart compels me to strain forward with all my might to believe the very best in every situation and the best about every person. This love of God that has been shed abroad in my heart never quits, never surrenders, and never gives up on other people. I bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have others believed the best about you in the past, even though you didn’t give them much reason to hope for a turnaround in your life?

2. Has anyone ever been a “roof” to you — protecting, concealing, and covering you in a time of weakness? What did this mean to you? Have you ever gone to that person and thanked him or her for being such a help in your time of need?

3. Who is the one person in your life right now whom you are believing will make a big change in his or her life? How much time do you spend praying for this person every day?

September 13

Love Rejoices Not With Iniquity, But Rejoices With the Truth

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.
— 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Have you ever secretly rejoiced when you heard that someone you didn’t like or someone you disapproved of had gotten into some kind of trouble? Upon hearing of that person’s difficulty or hardship, perhaps you were tempted to think, Serves him right! He deserves what he’s getting! After what he did to me and to so many others, he deserves a little punishment! If this describes you, let me tell you — this is not the way God’s love reacts to such situations!

There was once a man who seriously wronged our organization. What he did was so wrong that if the events concerning him had occurred in a Western nation, he would have been judged in a court of law and sentenced to prison for his actions. But because it was not in a Western nation and many complications existed in this case, all my wife and I could do was let it go and pray for God to deal with this individual. We knew if he didn’t repent, he would come under severe judgment.

In the years since that event occurred, this man has come into many miserable hardships in his life. His children fell into terrible sin; he lost everything financially; and his reputation became stained because of the many things he had done to a whole host of people. When I first met this man, he went to church and had a ministry; the touch of God was on his life. But he became a mess of a man — one of the saddest stories I have ever personally known.

When this individual first began to fall into trouble, I found myself privately wanting to rejoice that judgment had finally come his way. Then the Holy Spirit convicted my heart, and I realized that rejoicing in this man’s trouble was not the way the love of God behaves. After allowing the Spirit of God to deal with my heart, I began to inwardly mourn over the condition of this man who had once been so mightily used by God.

In First Corinthians 13:6, Paul wrote that love “…rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.” The phrase “rejoiceth not” comes from the Greek phrase ou chairei. The word ou means no or not, and the word chairei is from the word chairo, which is the Greek word for joy. It carries the idea of being glad about something. It is the picture of a person who is euphoric over something that has happened. Other words to describe chairo would be overjoyed, elated, ecstatic, exhilarated, thrilled, jubilant, or even rapturous. The word “iniquity” is the Greek word adikos, which conveys the idea of an injustice or something that is wrong or bad.

The entire phrase ou chairei could be translated in the following way:

“Love does not feel overjoyed when it sees an injustice done to someone else….”

My secret desire to rejoice at this other individual’s hardships was completely contrary to the love nature of God. Even though this man had done wrong to me and to many others in the Christian community, the right response was to pray for his restoration. Real love simply doesn’t rejoice at someone else’s misfortunes.

Then Paul goes on to tell us that when someone else gains some kind of advantage in life that we have been desiring, love isn’t threatened by that person’s success but rather rejoices with his victory! The word “rejoice” is again the Greek word chairo, the same word used above.

This means the second part of this verse could be translated:

“…Love is elated, thrilled, ecstatic, and overjoyed with the truth.”

When you see other people blessed — perhaps receiving a blessing or special attention that you have longed to receive yourself — are you able to truly rejoice with them? Does it thrill you to know that other people are moving upward in life? Or does it threaten you and make you sad when you see someone else receiving a blessing you wished was yours?

How you respond to other people’s troubles and blessings reveals a great deal about your true level of spiritual maturity. So ask yourself:

It’s good to ask yourself these questions and to let the Holy Spirit deal with your heart about these issues. Why don’t you take a little time today to let God’s Spirit search your heart and show you if you can improve in these areas of love in your life?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me overcome those fleshy moments when I am tempted to rejoice at someone else’s hardships. I must admit that when I hear something has happened to a person who wronged me, something inside me secretly rejoices. I know that this is wrong and that it is not the way You behave. Please forgive me for responding in a way that is contrary to love. Help me to be concerned and prayerful for every person who is undergoing any kind of hardship in life — even those who have acted like they are my enemies.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am blessed when I see someone else receiving a blessing or special attention. It thrills me when I see other people moving upward in life. Even when someone steps into the blessing I’ve been believing for in my own life, I am elated for them!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. When you see other people receiving a blessing or special attention that you long for yourself, are you able to really rejoice with them? Does it thrill you to know that other people are moving upward in life?

2. Would you have to honestly say that it upsets you and makes you sad when you see someone else receiving a blessing that you wished was yours?

3. Do you rejoice when you hear bad news about someone who did you wrong in the past, or does it break your heart to hear about the problems he or she is facing?