Whatever Happens in a Person’s Private Life Affects His Public Life!

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
— 1 Corinthians 4:1

I want to devote today’s Sparkling Gem to the private lives of potential leaders. In particular, I want to talk about their marriages, their children, the physical condition of the houses where they live, and the manner in which they manage their personal finances. These four points are extremely important when you’re considering someone to be a leader.

What happens in a person’s private life affects his job or his public ministry. Someone may argue, “But my private life and my home life don’t have anything to do with my ministry at the church, my ability to serve, or how I perform at work. You have no right to dig into my personal life.”

This way of thinking is wrong. What happens in a person’s private life spills over into his public life. What goes on behind closed doors in a leader’s home will tell you exactly what kind of blessings or problems he will bring to his public ministry or job. This is precisely why the apostle Paul urged Timothy to take a deeper look at the personal life of a potential leader before inviting him to be a part of his leadership team (see 1 Timothy 3:4,5). You see, God designed the home as a honing instrument for many of the qualities required to be a leader in the Kingdom of God.

Paul told Timothy that a leader must be “one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” (1 Timothy 3:4,5).

The Greek word for “ruleth” is the word proistimi, a compound of pro and istimi. The word pro means before or in front of, and the word istimi means to stand. When compounded together, the new word depicts someone who is standing up front before others in order to lead, guide, direct, or manage a situation. It conveys the meaning of a leader who is responsibly giving oversight and direction to a group of people or to a project. Paul uses the word “well” to describe the way this person rules. It is the Greek word kalos, which means good, well, or skilled. Thus, it pictures an individual who has shown that he is able to successfully give oversight to a group of people or to a specific project.

Paul says it is required that a spiritual leader rule well his own “house.” The word “house” is the Greek word oikos, which is the word for a physical house. However, as it is used here, it includes the management of the house and everything that happens in that house. Thus, “ruling” one’s household would include how a leader manages his home life, his children, the upkeep of the physical house or apartment where he lives, and his personal finances. All of this would be part of his oikos — his house.

Important information about how well potential leaders will serve at church or at work can be ascertained by delving into these four points. So let’s briefly review these four critical areas of concern.

Their Home Life:

Paul said a leader must be “one that ruleth well his own house….” As noted, the word “house” is the word oikos and includes everything about a person’s home life. One of the most strategic factors to consider when selecting new married leaders is the condition of their marriage. What kind of relationship do they have with their spouse? Is it a supportive, healthy marriage, or one that is full of problems? Does the relationship reveal good communication between the husband and wife? If that potential leader cannot successfully communicate with the most important person in his life, how do you know he will be able to properly communicate with others at church or at work? These questions may give you great insight into the pluses and minuses that come with new potential leaders.

Their Children:

Paul said a leader must be one who has his “…children in subjection with all gravity.” If potential candidates have children, perhaps nothing gives you clearer insight into what kind of leaders they will be than the example of their own children. Although you can’t make this a hard and fast rule, most often the children of potential leaders are a reflection of the kind of leadership those candidates are currently exercising in their own home.

Since people can impart only what they have in their private lives, it is good to observe what potential leaders have imparted within their own homes. What is the visible fruit of their influence and leadership in their children’s lives?

The answers to these simple, basic questions are important indicators to let you know how potential candidates are leading their own homes. If they’re not leading their own homes with excellence, why would you imagine they could lead an entire division of the ministry with excellence? That’s why it’s important to never overlook a potential leader’s children. They will always be one of the clearest signals to alert you to the kind of leader this person will be.

Their House or Apartment:

Paul wrote that a leader must be one that “…ruleth well his own house….” As already stated above, the word “house” refers to everything connected to home life. Part of home life is the physical house where the family lives. Therefore, it’s valid to ask:

What exactly did Paul mean when he said leaders must rule well their own homes? One thing is for sure: If a potential leader can’t decently take care of his own domain, you don’t want to put him in charge of your domain. That’s why this is such a serious question to consider when selecting someone for a prominent place of leadership in your church, ministry, or organization.

Their Finances:

In regard to finances, the phrase “ruleth well his own house” leads me to ask, “How does this potential leader handle his money and the payment of monthly bills?”

How a person handles money is very revealing. It tells a lot about his personal integrity, his character, and how he respects the rights of others. When a person doesn’t regularly pay his bills on time, he inconveniences and upsets other people’s financial plans. This failure to keep financial commitments often reflects a lack of respect for others’ needs and rights.

It also may simply be a sign that this person is immature in his understanding of money management and responsibility. Or he may not do well at saying no to his fleshly lust for material things. A person’s financial problems may also be an indicator that he’s experiencing problems in his marriage as well. Or perhaps his life is unstable due to irregular work conditions.

No matter which of these factors may be the cause for a candidate’s financial problems, they are all serious enough to require thoughtful consideration on your part. Does this person have the time, energy, or maturity to handle a position of greater responsibility in your church, ministry, or organization?

Never forget that it is impossible to separate a person’s public life from his private life. What happens in one area spills over into the other. What is in a potential leader’s personal life is exactly what he will bring into his public life. If he has order and peace in his private life, it will give him a solid foundation for public ministry. But if he struggles with disorder, chaos, turmoil, confusion, upheaval, and anarchy in his private life, it will obviously affect his ability to carry on publicly as a leader.

What happens at home really does affect one’s ability to work, serve, and follow God’s will for his life. If this is the case, what do these things reveal about those people who are being considered for leadership in a church, business, or organization? Does their home life show that they are ready for larger areas of responsibility?

And by the way — while you’re thinking about the home life of these leadership candidates, it would be good for you to turn these questions around and apply them to yourself. What does your home life reveal about YOU?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me bring order into my own personal life! Since what is happening in my private life is exactly what I will bring into my public life, I want to bring more order into my own personal affairs. Help me take an honest look at my life so I can see those areas that desperately need my attention. Once I acknowledge the areas that need fixing, please give me the courage to delve into those areas and to get things right. I want every area of my life to glorify You, so if there is a secret part of my life that doesn’t bring honor to You, I’m looking to You to help me make the needed changes.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that with God’s help, I am putting my house in order! The way I handle my family life, my children, my physical home, and my finances brings glory to Jesus Christ. I am serious about my walk with God, and I therefore invite Him to invade every sphere of my life and to bring it under His Lordship. Jesus is Lord of my marriage, my children, my home, and my money. It all belongs to Him; therefore, I want to be a wise steward for His sake — and I will!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. If you are seeking new leadership for the church, business, or organization, have you considered these deeper issues? If you had considered this before selecting leaders in the past, do you think it would have helped you make better leadership choices?

2. Have you seen glaring problems in a potential leader’s home that you overlooked because his gifts and talents were needed? Did you later regret your choice because he brought many of those same problems to his job?

3. After reading today’s Sparkling Gem, do you see areas in your own life that need attention? If your answer is yes, what are you going to do to start bringing order into those areas of your home life?

You Can Beat Any Temptation!

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
— 1 Corinthians 10:13

Everyone has to deal with temptations at one time or another, so you don’t need to feel embarrassed if you’re facing a particular temptation right now. But at the same time, you don’t have to succumb to temptation, because it is something you can overcome! All temptations can be beaten! You just have to make up your mind that you’re going to be the conqueror and not the conquered!

You may not have thought of it before, but the devil tries to lure you into sin by using your mind and emotions. He injects thoughts into your mind and emotions that act as stimulants to get you all stirred up in a certain area of your life. At that moment, you are consciously aware that you can let the temptation pass you by — or you can allow those thoughts to fester in your mind and take root in your emotions until they become a major stronghold in your mind to battle and conquer. By refusing to accept the thoughts in the first place, you can avoid the whole struggle!

It’s similar to a sexual temptation. You can choose to turn and look the other way, or you can dwell on that temptation until it fills your mind and imagination. If you choose to meditate on the thought that the devil is trying to put into your head, it won’t be too long until the devil is waging a full-scale battle in your mind! If you don’t put on the brakes and stop those thoughts, the devil will conquer you. That’s why it’s so important that you learn how to control your thinking. If you can keep your mind under the control of the Holy Spirit, you will make it almost impossible for the devil to defeat you in any realm of your life.

The devil is a master when it comes to mind manipulation. He knows that if he can get you to spend a little time meditating on something wrong, he can eventually entice you to do it! If the devil was persuasive enough to deceive brilliant, mighty, powerful angels, how much more easily can he deceive people who live in a far-from-perfect environment and wrestle daily with their own imperfections! The emotional makeup of human beings makes them even more susceptible to the devil’s masterful skills of lying, deception, and manipulation.

Satan watches for the right timing. He comes along at an opportune moment. He waits until you’re tired, weary, or exasperated. Perhaps you woke up in a bad mood; someone gave you a “look” you didn’t like; or you just started off your day on the wrong foot. Then suddenly he strikes you with a thought — something that takes you totally by surprise when your guard is down!

When negative thoughts begin to deluge your mind, you need to know that it is Satan setting a trap in front of you. He is trying to ensnare you so he can cripple and devastate both you and the people you love. He’s trying to get you to bite the bait so he can set the hook! But you don’t have to fall into this trap anymore! If you really want out of this type of emotional quandary, there is a way out.

First Corinthians 10:13 promises, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”

The word “temptation” is the Greek word peirasmos, and it may refer to any outside source that appeals to a weakness in your flesh. That appeal pulls you like a magnet; it lures you mentally, emotionally, and sensually; it fascinates the imagination; it entices the flesh to take a closer peek. If you don’t stop this process, it will set its hook in your soul and haul you right smack dab into the middle of some kind of sin!

Because the word peirasmos (“temptation”) can describe any weakness of the flesh, this scripture could apply to any fleshly weakness you might struggle with — from being lazy or easily offended; to thinking too lowly or too highly of yourself; to having a problem with anger or sexual temptation. Whatever your flesh responds to is what this word peirasmos refers to!

But this verse promises that God will make a way for you to escape temptation — if you really want to escape it! The Greek word for “escape” is the word ekbasis. This word is a compound of the word ek, meaning out, and the word basin, meaning to walk. When they are compounded together, it means to walk out, as to walk out of a difficult place; to walk out of a trap; or to walk out of a place that isn’t good for you.

This makes me think of the time Joseph fled from Potiphar’s wife when she tried to seduce him. Rather than stay there and try to negotiate in the midst of the situation, Genesis 39:12 says Joseph “…fled, and got him out.” In other words, he got out of there as quickly as he could!

Negotiating with sin usually leads to falling into it rather than conquering it, so it’s better for a person to just get up and get away from the situation as quickly as he can! This is why Paul was constantly telling the early believers to “flee” evil influences (see 1 Corinthians 6:18; 1 Corinthians 10:14, 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22).

The word “flee” is the Greek word pheugo, which means to flee, to take flight, to run away, to run as fast as possible, or to escape. This means you don’t want to succumb to those temptations that are surrounding you. You just need to get up, put on your jacket, pick up your things, and get out of that place of temptation as fast as you can! Let your feet fly as you flee that situation! You’re not stuck there! You can get out! You can walk out of that place just as easily as you walked in there! Your feet work in both directions! God will make a way for you to escape those negative emotions if you really want to escape them. But you are the only one who can make the choice to jump through that escape hatch!

Millions of Christians are held captive because they will not take the leap through that escape hatch. As a result, they have no joy, no peace, and no victory in their lives. They may be Christians, but they’re miserable because they haven’t made the choice to jump through the escape hatch God has provided for them and leave all those negative temptations and garbage behind.

If you’ll say yes to the Lord, He will show you how to walk out of this mess! You can avoid, evade, dodge, elude, shake off, get out of, and break away from every temptation! You are the only one who can choose to walk out of those killer mental attacks or negative situations. The moment you make that decision, your journey to freedom has begun!

So today the Lord is asking you: “Are you going to stay the way you are right now, or are you willing to take the proper steps to escape from this emotional temptation and demonic trap?” What is your answer? What are you going to do? God is waiting for you to decide if you will receive the freedom He is offering you or remain a hostage for the rest of your life. The choice is yours to make.

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me find the strength to say no to my flesh and to flee from temptation when it tries to wrap its long tentacles around my soul and drag me into some kind of sin. I know what it’s like when sin calls out to my flesh, beckoning it to do something that is forbidden or wrong, but I don’t want to cooperate with it anymore. I want to walk free — to flee from sin and break free of its vicious grip. Help me bring my mind under the control of the Holy Spirit so I can think rationally when Satan tries to attack me through my mind, my emotions, or my senses.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God makes a way for me to escape temptation. I do not negotiate with sin! When it tries to call out to me, I get up and get out as quickly as I can. I flee, take flight, run away from, and escape as quickly as I can when I know the devil is attempting to lure me into his trap. That’s when I put on my jacket, pick up my things, and let my feet fly! God always makes a way for me to escape — and I always make the right choice to jump through that escape hatch!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of times when you were tempted to yield to sin? Knowing that you needed to get up and get out of that place of temptation, did you stay and fall into some kind of sin? Were you sorry later that you didn’t flee when you had the chance?

2. What is the chief area of temptation that you struggle with more than any other right now?

3. In order for you to walk free from the struggle of that temptation, what changes do you need to make in your life?

High-Class Service With Distinction and Style

And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
— Mark 10:44,45

In the city of Moscow, there is a restaurant that is indisputably one of the most elegant places of fine dining in the entire world. The setting of this magnificent restaurant is a fabulous old Moscow palace that was built in the year 1889 as the personal residence for the Count Altuphev, who was a general of the Russian army during the reign of the Russian Czar, Alexander III.

As one enters the Great Hall of the palace, he is instantly overwhelmed by the great vaulted ceiling, the massive hand-carved wooden staircase, the gorgeous stain-glassed windows, and the imposing and awe-inspiring chandelier that was bequeathed to this building many years later by the dictator Joseph Stalin. All of this adds to the opulence and magnificence of this historical place — which makes an evening spent in fine dining here nearly overwhelming.

When guests from the West come to visit, my wife and I enjoy taking them to this restaurant because it is such a unique experience to have dinner in an actual Russian palace. However, what makes the occasion even more impressive is the level of service provided to each customer. A client can hardly breathe before an attendant shows up to courteously ask how he can serve you better or provide anything that is needed.

When dinner finally arrives, it is carried to the table by servers dressed in tuxedos and white gloves. One by one, the servers set the plates on the table. Each plate is covered by a glistening, pure silver dome that conceals the entree until the appropriate moment. Once all the plates are set in place, the servers stand to the side of each person at the table. All at once, in perfect unison, they lift the pure silver domes from the plates to reveal food that has been meticulously prepared for each diner. By the time the dinner is finished, all those at the table feel like they have been treated as royalty.

Once when I was dining at this Russian palace, I carefully watched the attentiveness shown by the servers to each customer. As I watched how excellently they served, I thought of Jesus’ words, “And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:44).

The word “servant” in this verse comes from the Greek word diakonos, the Greek word for a servant whose primary responsibility was to serve food and to wait on tables. It presents a picture of a waiter or waitress who painstakingly attends to the needs, wishes, and wants of his or her client. Professionally pleasing clients was these servants’ supreme task, so they served honorably, pleasurably, and in a fashion that made every man feel as if he were nobility.

Restaurants in the First Century were very rare, so most servers worked in the very exclusive homes and palaces of the elite, rich, and famous. Hence, these were well-trained, highly refined, cultured, high-class servants who served with sophistication and finesse. Jesus used this word diakonos in a parable to describe exactly these kinds of servants assisting a wealthy king (Matthew 22:13).

This high standard and attitude of excellence is what God expects from every believer who “serves” in the Kingdom of God. Think about it — why would this level of excellence be expected in a high-class restaurant but not in God’s Kingdom?

As God’s servants, we should be well-trained, highly refined, cultured, and equipped to minister to any need with which we are confronted. Serving with an excellent standard should be our goal. There is nothing more important than what we do for the Lord, so God expects us to serve with the best attitude, the finest appearance, and the highest form of service and professionalism we can render in His name.

It must be distressing to God when He sees believers tolerate a standard in the Church that is lower than the one found in the world. Why should our standard be lower? Aren’t we serving the King of kings? Aren’t we working at His table? Therefore, shouldn’t our standard be the highest, the one by which all other standards are measured? When people come to the Kingdom of God for the first time, shouldn’t they be shocked to see a higher level of excellence than they have ever beheld before?

As God’s “servants,” we should set the example of excellence in every sphere. Here are just a few examples where the word diakonos in the New Testament lets us know that an excellent attitude and a high level of professionalism was expected by the Early Church leadership. If it was expected then, why would we settle for anything less now?

The Ministry of Tithes and Offerings:

In Acts 11:29, the word diakonos described the financial “relief” that was received and sent to believers in Judea. Because the word diakonos was used to describe the receiving and sending of this offering, it shows the professional manner in which the Early Church received and administrated these funds. They did it with excellence.

In Second Corinthians 8:4, Paul used diakonos to describe another special offering. The phrase “ministering to the saints” referred to the giving of that offering, but the word “ministering” is the word diakonos. This categorically makes us aware that these offerings were no sloppy event. It was a serious matter that was handled in the most professional and excellent manner.

The Ministry of Preaching the Gospel:

In Acts 20:24, Paul used the word diakonos to describe his “ministry.” Those who preach the Gospel literally “serve” the bread of life to hungry souls, so the word diakonos is well suited for picturing the proclamation of the truth. Paul saw the handling of God’s Word as such a high responsibility that he ministered the Word with the greatest seriousness and professionalism. When he stood to preach, it was no last-minute, thrown-together sermon. Paul prepared and served his messages with painstaking care.

The occurrences of the word diakonos depicting the ministry and the preaching of the Gospel are numerous throughout the New Testament. This suggests that our ministry should always be done with excellence.

The Ministry in General:

In Second Corinthians 6:3, Paul used the word diakonos to embrace all the wider aspects of “ministry.” Whether “ministry” is done publicly, as when preaching, or in a less visible area of the Church, it should be done with excellence. This is the reason Paul said, “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed.” Ministry demands excellence of testimony, conduct, and deed in the lives of those who are involved in it. We are never to forget that we are God’s servers!

In Colossians 4:17, Paul told Archippus to take heed to the “ministry” he had received from the Lord. This word “ministry” is the word diakonos. For Archippus, taking heed to his ministry meant being the best he could be, serving in the most professional manner possible, conscientiously fulfilling every wish God had made known to him, and doing his work with an excellence that would honor Jesus.

In Second Timothy 4:5, Paul tells Timothy to “…make full proof of thy ministry.” The word “ministry” is the word diakonos. Paul was urging Timothy to bring the level of his ministry to the highest level — to show commitment and excellence in everything he did in the name of ministry.

The Ministry of the Saints:

In First Corinthians 16:15, Paul uses the word diakonos when he refers to the household of Stephanas having “…addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” Although the word diakonos emphatically speaks of their servant attitude, it also shows us that they were addicted to serving others with the highest possible standard of excellence.

In Revelations 2:19, the word diakonos is used when Jesus speaks to the leadership of the church of Thyatira. Although this church had many problems, one of the things for which Jesus commended them was their “service.” This is the Greek word diakonos, letting us know that serving with a high standard is commendable in God’s sight.

The Ministry of Angels:

In Matthew 4:11, the word diakonos is used when the Bible says, “Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” These angels came to “minister” to Jesus and to meet His needs. They served Him like deacons, or like waiters whose supreme pleasure was knowing they had attended well to the needs of their Master. They “served” Jesus with the greatest attention, care, excellence, and professionalism.

In Hebrews 1:14, the word diakonos is used again to describe the ministry of angels. It says, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” When this verse says the angels are sent forth “to minister” for them who shall be heirs of salvation, the words “to minister” come from the word diakonos. This clearly means angels have a God-given assignment to “serve” believers with meticulous, detailed attention. Angels are God’s supernatural servers who have been dispatched to attend to the needs, wants, and wishes of the saints.

The Ministry of Jesus:

In Mark 10:45, the word diakonos is used to depict Jesus and His own ministry. The verse says, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” When this verse says Jesus came “to minister,” it is the word diakonos. Jesus was the supreme Example of serving the needs of people with excellence. He was so committed to fulfilling the assignment given to Him that He was even willing to “serve” to the point of sacrifice. His “service” would demand the highest level of commitment, dedication, attention, and excellence.

Think of it! Jesus is the Lord of all, the Creator of the universe, the only begotten Son of God. Yet when He came, His purpose was not “…to be ministered unto, but to minister….” Jesus’ entire purpose was to serve and to give His life away, not to be served or to demand the respect, approval, or adoration of men.

In all the above examples, the word diakonos describes those who are excellently serving someone and who are profoundly committed to fulfilling a specific task with the highest standard and level of professionalism. This is excellent, high-level servanthood, not sloppy service as is found in so many places today.

If you possess this right attitude about doing God’s work, it won’t be too long until Jesus promotes you to a higher position. However, don’t think that a higher position will alleviate your need to keep serving, for we’re all called to serve, regardless of our status, rank, or position.

So keep in mind that God is watching you today. Are you:

If these are the qualities that God sees in you, it probably won’t be long until He makes sure you are rewarded with a greater level of responsibility. Why? Because He’ll know you are trustworthy and ready to handle the promotion. In fact, the word diakonos later came to represent a person found so extremely trustworthy and reliable that he was placed in charge of managing a palace!

How about you, friend? Are you faithfully “serving” at God’s table? Does your service demonstrate the excellent standard that God expects in His Kingdom? Have you been satisfied with a low level of professionalism in your life? If you want God to entrust you with greater responsibility, you must start looking at your assignment and place of service as the most important job in the whole world. Fulfill your task with a high standard of excellence — and God will see to it that you are richly rewarded!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to serve You with the highest level of excellence! Forgive me for times when I have tolerated a low standard in my life, my business, my ethics, my church, or my ministry. Nothing in the world is more serious than the services I render in Your name, so help me do it in a way that glorifies You.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I have a high standard of excellence in my life and that I am growing daily in my level of professionalism. As I serve God at work and at church, I demonstrate the excellence of Jesus’ name! When people see me, they see the Kingdom of God. In fact, God is happy that I am His representative because my life shows forth an excellent image of who Jesus is and what He stands for in this world. I am His representative, and therefore I do everything with the highest level of excellence!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you honestly say that you are serving in your business or church with a high level of excellence, or have you permitted your performance to slip to a mediocre standard that is unacceptable for a child of God?

2. Would Jesus say your work and attitude glorifies Him? Does your work and attitude make Him glad that you are known as one of His servers?

3. If you were the boss, would you be pleased with someone who works like you do at your job — or would you expect your employees to give a much better effort?

When Mary Brought Jesus A Lavishly Expensive Gift

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
— John 12:3

How a person spends his money tells a lot about his priorities in life. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).

Jesus’ teaching is very clear: What a person does with his money reveals what is inside his heart. For example, someone may say he loves the local church. But if he never gives one cent to the church, the principle stated in Matthew 6:21 says his heart is not in the church, no matter what he says. Where is his treasure? If his treasure isn’t in the church, his heart isn’t in the church either.

I may say I love the Lord, but if I don’t tithe as the Lord commands, what does it say about me? I’m either ignorant about tithing, or my words are cheap. If I really loved the Lord, my money would reflect that I love Him. I would tithe.

Words are cheap and easily spoken. Anyone can say he loves his church. But when a person sacrifices and gives to the church, he is demonstrating that his words are real. His heart really is in the church.

If a person never gives to the church, it reveals that he either has no money or that he’s a liar. Of course, a person who has no money will find it difficult to give. But if he does have money and doesn’t give, his words and actions don’t match. When he spends his extra money on all kinds of material junk and then drops a few dollars into the offering, he’s telling the true story! He loves his junk more than he loves the church.

Or consider a man who says he loves his wife but never gives her any money or special gifts to demonstrate that love. Yet somehow that same man is able to find the money to go fishing, buy a fishing boat, go work out at the gym with the guys, and so on. What has he demonstrated? He loves himself more than he loves his wife. That’s why he’s spending his treasure on himself.

How many men have told their wives, “I love you, Sweetheart,” and then spent all their extra money on themselves? Then the wife is told that there just isn’t any money available to do what she wants to do. How does it make the wife feel when her husband does this to her time after time? He can say, “I love you,” all he wants, but she knows he really loves himself. What he does with his money tells the real story.

Jesus made it very clear that where a person’s treasure is — where his money is — that’s where his heart will be also. So if you really want to know where a person’s heart is, follow his money and you’ll find out. Again I say, money tells the truth!

In John 12, Jesus and His disciples were having dinner in the home of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. This family was very close to Jesus during His earthly ministry. At that dinner, Mary showed her love by bringing Jesus an extremely expensive gift. The Bible tells us that Mary brought Jesus a gift of ointment of spikenard — in fact, she brought Him an entire pound of it!

The word “spikenard” comes from the Greek word nardos, which describes one of the most expensive perfumes that existed at that time. Let me tell you a little about spikenard so you can appreciate what Mary did for Jesus that day.

Spikenard was an uncommon perfume extracted from grasses that grew in the country of India. Once the juices were squeezed out of the grass, they were dried into a hard, lardlike substance. Turning that lardlike substance into perfume was a very lengthy and costly process. If you add to this the cost of transporting spikenard from India to other parts of the world, you can see why this particular perfume cost so much money.

Spikenard was so expensive that few people could buy it; most had to buy one of the many cheap imitations available. But the word used in John 12:3 tells us that Mary didn’t bring Jesus a cheap imitation; she brought Jesus the real thing — an ointment so valuable that it was normally reserved and used only as gifts for kings and nobility. This was the gift Mary brought to Jesus.

We can learn more about the value of Mary’s gift in John 12:3, where it says the ointment was “very costly.” This phrase “very costly” is from the Greek word polutimos, a compound of the words polus and timios. The word polus means much or great. The word timios means to honor; to respect; or worth. Together these words describe something that is of great worth or something that is of considerable financial value.

We’d call this “top-of-the-line giving”! As remarkable as it is that Mary even possessed a gift this valuable, what she did with this perfume once she brought it is even more phenomenal! John 12:3 says, “Mary took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus….”

When Mary took the lid off that expensive bottle, tipped it downward, and began to pour that precious ointment onto Jesus’ feet, everyone in the room must have gasped! This kind of perfume was not normally used for feet! Rather, it was the kind of ointment used to anoint the heads of kings and dignitaries. Mary’s actions would have been considered a horrible waste in most people’s minds, but that wasn’t how she saw it. Mary loved, appreciated, and valued the feet of the Master!

Isaiah 52:7 describes why Mary felt this way: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”

You see, no other feet in the entire world were more beautiful to Mary than the feet of Jesus. Jesus had changed her life. Jesus had brought her brother back from the dead (see John 11:32-44). Jesus had brought new meaning into her family. To Mary, every step Jesus took was precious, honored, and greatly valued.

Remember, Jesus taught, “…Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21; Luke 12:34). Mary’s actions revealed her heart as she poured her most valuable treasure onto the feet of Jesus. She deeply loved Jesus, and she showed it with the gift that she brought to Him.

John 12:3 continues to tell us that she “…wiped his feet with her hair….” After she poured the spikenard onto Jesus’ feet, Mary reached up to her head and untied her long, beautiful hair, gathering it in her hands. Then she leaned down and began to wipe Jesus’ feet dry with her hair.

In the days of the New Testament, a woman’s hair represented her glory and honor. The apostle Paul referred to this in First Corinthians 11:15 when he wrote that a woman’s hair was a “glory” to her. For Mary to undo her hair and use it as a towel to wipe Jesus’ feet was probably the greatest act of humility she could have shown. She was demonstrating how deeply she loved and how greatly she valued Jesus. She didn’t throw a financial offering at His feet, but she possessed an attitude of worship as she gave Jesus the best gift she had to offer.

I can imagine the tears that streamed down Mary’s cheeks as she touched those precious feet. In total humility, she dried Jesus’ feet with the glory and honor of her hair. John 12:3 tells us that “…the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.” Certainly the house would be filled with the odor of spikenard once Mary poured an entire pound of that expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet!

Considering how much spikenard cost, this was an enormous amount for Mary to use to anoint Jesus’ feet. In fact, Judas Iscariot indignantly asked Jesus, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” (John 12:5). The Greek word for a “pence” is denarius. In that day, a Roman denarius was one day’s salary. So when Judas announced that the spikenard could have been sold for three hundred pence, he was saying that Mary’s perfume was worth three hundred days of salary. That is why I say it was an extremely expensive gift! It was worth almost an entire year’s income!

If it’s true that what a person does with his money tells a lot about his priorities in life, Mary’s gift that day revealed that Jesus was her highest priority. What does your giving reveal about how much you love Jesus?

You see, it may sound very simple, but it is a fact that if you follow a person’s money, you’ll discover what is or isn’t important to that person’s life. Look at a person’s finances, and in just a matter of minutes you can tell what he values most in life. The way he spends his money will tell the whole story of what he prizes, cherishes, loves, and adores.

Of course, everyone has basic needs of life that require money, such as food, electricity, gas for the car, and so on. But once these things are paid, what a person does with the money that’s left over will tell you what he esteems more highly than anything else. This may sound like a very narrow teaching about money, but this is exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Since this is the case, what does the way you spend your money reveal about you?

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me be honest about what my finances reveal about me. I don’t want anything else in my life to have a higher priority than You, so please teach me how to demonstrate my love for You with my finances. Help me to really worship You with my financial gifts and not to just casually throw them into an offering plate. Forgive me for the times I’ve said I didn’t have enough money to give to the church or to missions, yet somehow I found a way to spend money on all kinds of material things. My priorities have obviously been wrong, so today I repent. I have made up my mind that I am going to honor You with my finances as I ought to do.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am growing more and more faithful in the giving of my tithes and offerings. Jesus Christ and the preaching of the Gospel are the greatest priorities in my life. Therefore, when I get paid, the first thing I do is set aside my tithe for the church and my offering for world missions and other worthy ministries. As I learn to love Jesus even more, my financial gifts are increasing as well. My treasure is in Jesus and the Gospel, because that is exactly where my heart is fixed.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What does your monthly expenditure of money tell you about what you value most highly in life?

2. If Jesus looked at your finances to make an analysis of what you prized most highly, what would He find? You might as well be honest about it, because He already knows!

3. What changes do you need to make in your heart and expenditures to reflect that your heart is first and foremost in the Kingdom of God?

August 19

Recognize and Respect Your Limitations!

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
— Romans 12:3

Have you ever been so anxious to do something big and powerful that you rashly offered to do a job you later discovered was way above and beyond your abilities?

One summer when I was a university student, I was hired by a man who had a lot of confidence in my writing abilities. His firm was creating highly specialized computer programs for a steel corporation. They needed a good writer to document all the steps they were taking, so he hired me to write these reports. At that time I had never worked on a computer, nor did I know anything about computers. Therefore, I obviously didn’t have a clue about what I was getting into when I agreed to take that job!

Soon I found myself seated in an executive office filled with computer programmers who spoke computer jargon that I had never heard in my life! This was a long time before people owned personal computers. Most common people had never placed their fingers on a computer — including me! And here I was, assigned to write a lengthy report about these extremely specialized computer programs. It only took a couple of hours for me to figure out I was the wrong person in the wrong place!

Finally, I had to say, “Hey, could someone please help me? I don’t mind doing the job, but I can’t do it without help.” As it turned out, I asked them to reposition me in another job where I felt more qualified. I simply wasn’t able to do the job because I wasn’t equipped for the task. In the second position, I worked very well and was very successful. Had I refused to admit that the first assignment was too much for me, it would have been a very long summer of frustration for both me and my employers.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a similar place, you know it’s overwhelming to be in so far over your head. There is nothing worse than feeling like you’ve been put in a position you aren’t qualified to take. It can be so difficult for the flesh to admit that it can’t do a job. Yet there is such great wisdom and peace in learning to recognize and respect your limitations!

This is why the apostle Paul told the Romans, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” (Romans 12:3).

If anyone could have thought highly of himself, it would have been Paul, yet he admonishes believers that a person should not “…think of himself more highly than he ought to think….” This phrase comes from the Greek word huperphroneo, which is a compound of the words huper and phroneo. The word huper means above, beyond, or way over the top, and the word phroneo means to think or to consider.

When these two words are compounded into one word, it means that Paul is urging us not to over-think about ourselves, or not to think over-confidently about our abilities. Instead, he commands us to think “soberly.” The word “soberly” is the Greek word sophroneo, which means to think sensibly; to think reasonably; to think realistically; to think rationally; to think practically; to keep in proper measure; or not to think beyond the set boundaries.

One Greek expositor says this word means to recognize your limits and respect them. In other words, don’t pretend to be more than you are! Recognize your God-given abilities and use them. But when you come to the edge of your limitations, be willing to say, “This is too much for me.”

If you act like you can do everything, you’re going to find it quite humiliating when you fail miserably in front of everyone. So instead of thinking too highly of yourself and attempting to take on tasks and projects that are too daunting for you, realize that some jobs are meant to be assigned to someone else. You need to be very realistic about your limitations. If you have tackled a job that is too big for you, there is nothing wrong with admitting that someone else should take over the project.

If you refuse to admit you’re in over your head because you don’t want to be embarrassed, you’ll probably end up a whole lot more embarrassed later on when everyone else has to tell you that you can’t do the job! When you fail and fall flat on your face, you’ll regret that you didn’t say, “I think someone else can do this job better than I can. This is simply not where I’m most gifted. Does anyone else on this team want to help me out with this project?”

When Paul said we were “…to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith,” he was reminding us that there are other gifted members of the Body of Christ, and we must make room for their gifts as much as ours. God has gifted His entire Body with faith, spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities. Therefore, rather than try to do it all, which we can’t do anyway, we need to learn to think “soberly.” In other words, we’re to recognize our limitations and allow other people to be used by God too!

This principle applies to the church, to the workplace, to school, and to every other sphere of life. Yes, we should respect our own gifts, talents, and callings from God, but we should also respect the fact that it takes all of us to get a job done! So learn to recognize and respect your limitations — and learn to embrace others who are just as needed as you are!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me recognize and respect my gifts and limitations. Forgive me for the times I’ve been too prideful to admit I was in over my head and as a result did an inferior job. I’m so sorry I didn’t step out of the way so someone else who was gifted for the job could take my place. Help me specialize in those areas where I feel confident that I will be a blessing. Teach me to embrace and appreciate those who are more gifted than I am in other areas.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I think soberly about myself and about my gifts and abilities. I thank God for the gifts and talents He has placed in my life, but I also recognize and respect my limitations. Just as I appreciate my own gifts and abilities, I am also grateful for those who are more gifted than I am in other areas. I need them; I embrace them; and I appreciate what they have to contribute. I can’t achieve alone what can be accomplished in partnership with others. Therefore, I choose to partner my gifts and talents with the God-given gifts and talents in other people.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever found yourself in a job or position that was way over your head? Did you feel like you were drowning, desperate to find a way out of your commitment without being embarrassed? If your answer is yes, what did you do to remedy the situation?

2. Have you ever seen someone in leadership whom everyone else on the team knew was in a position that was way too high for him? Did that person struggle, make mistakes, or constantly try to cover up his lack of ability?

3. If the team members recognized the source of the problem with their struggling leader, how did that knowledge affect their attitude toward him?

August 18

Don’t Give Place to the Devil!

Neither give place to the devil.
— Ephesians 4:27

You and I never have to fall prey to the devil! If we can shut every door, close every window, and seal every place in our lives through which the enemy would try to access us, we can prevent him from getting into the middle of our affairs.

One of the “entry points” the devil tries to use to enter our lives is relationships. If there is an unresolved issue or an ugly conflict with a loved one or friend, these conflict points often become entry points through which the devil tries to get a foothold in our relationships with those we love. Once the enemy is able to slip in through one of these “cracks” and build an offended place in our minds, then a wall has already begun to be constructed that will eventually separate us from the people we need and love the most.

In Ephesians 4:27, the apostle Paul writes, “Neither give place to the devil.” The word “place” is the Greek word topos. It refers to a specific, marked-off, geographical location. It carries the idea of a territory, province, region, zone, or geographical position. It is from this word that we get the word for a topographical map. Because the word topos depicts a geographical location, this lets us know that the devil is after every region and zone of our lives — money, health, marriage, relationships, employment, business, and ministry. He is so territorial that he wants it all. But to start his campaign to conquer all those areas of our lives, he must first find an entry point from which he can begin his campaign of unleashing his devilish destruction in our lives.

We often throw open the door to the devil when we:

If you and I do any of these things, we leave a “marked-off place” through which the devil can enter to accuse others in our minds. But we don’t have to fall victim to the enemy’s tactics. We can say, “No, you’re not going to do this!”

We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ, so we don’t have to let the devil run all over us. The Bible boldly declares, “…Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

The apostle Paul told us, “Neither give place to the devil.” The Greek makes it clear that we must choose to give the devil no territory. You see, we have a choice: We can choose to “give the enemy place” in our minds and emotions, or we can choose to walk in the Spirit. If we choose the lower road, we will end up doing and saying things we later regret. Those regretful things are usually what opens the door for the devil to wreak havoc in our relationships.

I’m thinking specifically of a day I got very upset with one of our employees. I received information about one department of our ministry that really upset me. What upset me even more was that I believed one of our employees had known about this problem but hadn’t conveyed the full truth to me about it. I scheduled a meeting to talk to that person the next morning to discuss this situation. That night as I lay in bed, I began to think about the problem we were facing. The longer I thought about it, the more angry I became that I hadn’t been fully informed about the details as I should have been. I could feel a flash of heat pass through me as I kept pondering what to do next.

As I lay there in that bed, I began to take up an offense with this leader in our ministry. Once the devil got that foothold in my mind and emotions, it was as if a door had suddenly swung wide open for the devil to come in and begin accusing and slandering that precious employee to me. I tossed and turned all night long. I knew I could lay this issue down and walk in peace, or I could let it build in my mind until I became a walking time bomb. I chose to hold on to it and let it fester throughout the night.

The next morning when our meeting began, I exploded! My thinking was so distorted by the devil’s ravings in my mind all night that I couldn’t hear anything being said. I was livid with this employee. This employee couldn’t even say anything, as I never even gave her ten seconds to respond to my accusations.

Later when the whole ordeal was over, I discovered that every detail of the problem had already been fully communicated to me. But I had been so busy at the time that I didn’t even remember the conversation. Others on the staff remembered it very well. It was my fault that I didn’t know and not hers.

I was so embarrassed that I had lost my temper. I asked my staff members for forgiveness, and they were spiritual enough to forgive me and allow me to be a man with real human frailties. Thank God, our long-term relationship and commitment to work as a team overrides moments of human weakness that all of us display at one time or another.

But there are many people who don’t know how to recover from conflicts such as this one. Rather than face the situation head-on and either apologize or openly forgive, they hold their failure or their offense in their hearts, never forgetting it and never getting beyond it.

On the particular day that I exploded in anger, it was I who “gave place to the devil.” As I tossed and turned in that bed the night before, I knew I was making a choice. I pondered the problem so long that I let anger well up inside of me and make my decision for me.

What about you? Have you ever given place to the devil by allowing anger, resentment, bitterness, or unforgiveness to have a “place” in you?

But let’s look at the word “devil” for a moment. The word “devil” comes from the Greek word diabolos, an old compound word that is made from the words dia and ballo. This name is used sixty-one times in the New Testament. The first part of the word is the prefix dia, which means through and often carries the idea of penetration. Because dia is used at the first of this word, it tells us that the devil wants to make some kind of penetration.

We’ve already seen that the devil is looking for an entry point. Once a point has been located through which he can secretly slip into people’s lives, he begins penetrating the mind and emotions to drive a wedge between those individuals and the other people in their lives. The enemy’s objective is to separate them from each other with his railing, accusing, slanderous accusations.

You’ll know when the accuser has gone to work in your mind because your whole perspective about the person you are upset with suddenly changes. You become nit-picky, negative, and fault-finding. You used to have high regard for that person, but now you can’t see anything good about him at all. It’s as if you’ve put on a special set of eyeglasses that are specially designed to reveal all his wicked, ugly, horrid details. Even if you do see something good in him, all the bad you see outweighs the good.

This is clear evidence that the work of the “accuser” has found an entry point to penetrate your relationship with that other person. He is trying to disrupt what has been a pleasant and gratifying relationship in your life. Don’t allow that conflict, disagreement, or disappointment to cause you to pick up a wrong attitude that will ruin your relationship. That’s exactly what the devil wants you to do!

Rather than allow this to happen, stop and tell yourself, Okay, this isn’t as big of a deal as I’m making it out to be. The devil is trying to find a place in my mind to get me to start mentally accusing that person, and I’m not going to let him do it. 

Instead of meditating on all the bad points of that person, look in the mirror yourself! Consider how many times you’ve let down other people; how many mistakes you’ve made in your relationships; the times you should have been held accountable but instead were shown unbelievable mercy. Remembering these things has a way of making you look at an offensive situation a little more mercifully.

Ask the Holy Spirit to take the criticism out of your heart and to cause the love of God in you to flow toward that other person or group of people. Pray for an opportunity to strengthen that relationship so all the entry places to your life and to that relationship remain sealed. Stop the devil from worming his way into the middle of your relationships with people you need and love!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I ask You to help me keep the doors to my heart and soul closed to the devil! I know he would like to slip into my relationships and ruin them, so I am asking You to help me stay free of offense, free of unforgiveness, and free of bitterness. I realize these wrong attitudes create “entry points” through which the devil tries to gain territory in my relationships. I don’t want to give the devil a foothold in my affairs through a wrong attitude. So I’m asking You, Lord, to help me identify every wrong feeling or attitude in my life that the devil could use to ruin relationships with people I need and love.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I walk in forgiveness! Offense, bitterness, strife, and unforgiveness have no place in my life. The Spirit of God dwells in me, and He always convicts me of wrong attitudes that the devil could potentially use to bind me. I love Jesus, and I want to please Him; therefore, I refuse to allow these destructive attitudes to remain in me. I am full of mercy, longsuffering, and slow to anger. All of these qualities keep me safe and secure from the devil’s attempts to invade me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you recall a time when the devil got you all upset over something that wasn’t really such a big deal? Did he stir you up so much that you couldn’t sleep; you couldn’t think straight; and you said or did things that you later regretted?

2. What did you learn from that experience? Did you see how the devil operates to toss you into a tizzy, steal your peace, and harm your relationships? If yes, how have you learned to keep the door closed so he can’t access you this way again?

3. If you were counseling someone else who was struggling with a similar problem, how would you counsel that person to keep his heart free of bitterness, anger, or strife?

What Triggers a Demonic Attack?

Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things….
— 2 Timothy 1:11,12

What triggers demonic attacks against you, your dream, your vision, your calling, your business, your family, your church, or your ministry? What makes the devil so upset that he rises up to resist you and your efforts? If God chose you, why are you experiencing so many hassles and difficulties along the way to your goal of fulfilling all He has called you to do?

In Second Timothy 1:11 and 12, Paul gives us incredible insight into what triggers a demonic attack. He says, “Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For the which cause I also suffer these things….” In this verse, Paul writes about his specific calling in the Body of Christ. He affirms to us that he is called and appointed to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. Then notice that he immediately follows by saying, “For the which cause I also suffer these things…” (2 Timothy 1:12).

The word “suffer” is the Greek word pascho, and first and foremost it means to suffer as a result of outside forces or outside circumstances. It could include physical suffering due to persecution; mental suffering due to outside pressures; financial suffering due to monetary hardships; or any inconvenience that stems from something outside of oneself or outside of one’s control. Thus, the word pascho would depict any suffering or inconvenience due to forces beyond oneself.

When Paul wrote this verse, he used a tense in the Greek that lets us know he was experiencing these inconveniences at the very moment he was writing this epistle. At that time, Paul was in Rome, sitting in a prison cell, awaiting his own execution, and being accused of crimes that he had not committed. Because Satan couldn’t find a way to personally destroy Paul, the enemy was manipulating outside forces against Paul and his ministry. The apostle’s situation had been created by outside pressures that had nothing to do with himself but that the devil had orchestrated to use against him.

Satan was terrified of Paul’s calling! The reason Paul was recurrently attacked is that the devil was fearful of the enormous progress Paul would make if he didn’t face opposition. Paul let us know that his anointing, his calling, and his potential were the factors that triggered these demonic attacks. It’s almost as though Paul was saying, “Do you want to know why I’ve suffered so many crazy things during the course of my ministry? Because I am appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.”

You see, Satan was scared stiff of what would happen if Paul operated 100 percent in his call. How much would he be able to accomplish if he had no resistance? If Paul was able to do the incredible things he did for God’s Kingdom in the face of such opposition, what kind of Gospel advancements would he make if there was no opposition? This thought was so chilling to the devil that he threw every possible obstacle in Paul’s path to slow him down, to discredit him, to destroy his friendships, and, if possible, to even kill him. Satan hated the call on Paul’s life.

The reason Paul was never defeated by these attacks is that he had made a decision. He decided he would not stop or give up until he had apprehended that for which Christ Jesus had apprehended him (Philippians 3:12). Likewise, the only way you’ll be able to resist the devil’s attacks and successfully achieve all God has called you to do is by determining never to stop until you have accomplished your divine assignment. Jesus taught that those who “endure to the end” are the ones who will receive the prize (Matthew 24:13).

If you want to overcome all the attacks the devil tries to wage against you through outside forces, you will have to be determined to outlast every attack! Determination is a key factor in finishing one’s race of faith.

Of course, no one can successfully resist the devil’s attacks without the power of the Holy Spirit, but neither is the power of the Holy Spirit enough by itself. For that power to be effective, it must work in a committed person. God’s power works in people who have resolve. It works proficiently through people who have decided they will never turn back until the assignment is finished. God delights in using people who are steadfast and unmoving in their conviction, tenacious and diehard in their commitment. He takes pleasure in those who have stamina, spunk, and a dogged determination to hold on to the vision He put in their hearts.

The most common reason people don’t make it all the way to the end is that they weren’t totally committed to completing the task assigned to them. Maybe they tried it or gave it a shot, but their commitment wasn’t strong enough, and that’s why they didn’t make it.

There are many things Satan can do to try to elbow us out of the race, but the only one who can decide to quit is you or me. Satan can’t make us quit. That choice lies in our hands alone.

If you make the decision to stay in faith and “slug it out” with the power of God at your side, you can do exactly what God called you to do. But you must begin with a rock-solid, hard-core decision to do it, do it, and keep doing it until it’s done. Make any lesser choice, and you will never fulfill your God-given purpose.

My Prayer for Today

Lord, help me stay focused on my calling and remain determined to do what You’ve told me to do, even if I am assaulted by outside forces that seem to be beyond my control. I know the devil hopes to slow me down or even to stop me by orchestrating outside pressures to come against me. But I also know that Your Spirit works mightily in me, giving me all the power I need to resist every assault the devil tries to bring against me. Help me to be completely determined and committed to keep pushing ahead and to never let go until I’ve accomplished my God-given mission!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly confess that I will not stop or give up until I have apprehended that for which Christ Jesus apprehended me! I will resist the devil’s attacks and successfully achieve all God has called me to do, for I have determined that I will never stop until I have finished the task. I have the stamina, spunk, and doggedness it takes to get the job done. I have made the decision to stay in faith and slug it out with the power of God at my side. I can and will do exactly what God called me to do!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What are the outside forces that Satan has tried to use to hinder you? Has it been your health, your job, your children, your family, your finances? What is the one thing Satan seems to use repeatedly as he tries to resist you?

2. When you are aware that the devil is trying to use events, circumstances, or people to slow you down or to distract you from your calling, how do you respond to these attacks? What steps do you take to overcome them and to stay on track?

3. Do you seek the strength and counsel of other believers when these attacks occur, or do you usually slug it out silently on your own? Judging by the outcome when you go through these difficult times alone, do you think you need to seek the strength and counsel of others more often?

Look at What You’ve Been Given In Jesus Christ!

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
— John 1:12

You have been given so much in Jesus Christ! You have no legitimate reason for failing to be an awesome success in life, because you have so much going for you! In fact, you have much more going for you than you could possibly imagine. Today let me encourage you with just a few of the things you’ve been given in Jesus Christ!

John 1:12 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” This verse reveals that you received divine power the day you became a child of God. The word “power” is the Greek word exousia. It describes delegated authority or influence. The day you chose to make Jesus your Lord and Savior is the day He delegated to you the power and authority to become a child of God. Think of it — at that moment of decision, all the power, authority, and divine influence that is resident within the mighty name of Jesus Christ came to live on the inside of you!

So rather than complain that you’re weak and nothing special, it’s time to start laying claim to what is stored up inside you! The same explosive, dynamic, phenomenal authority and power that resides within Jesus has now been delegated to reside in you!

As if that wasn’t already enough, Second Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” This verse says you’re a brand-new creature if you are in Christ Jesus. The word “new” is from the Greek word kainos, and it describes something that is brand new or recently made. It also carries the idea of something that is superior. This means when Jesus Christ came into your life, you were made brand, spanking new! The new you is superior to the old you! In fact, you are so new that this verse calls you a new “creature.”

The word “creature” is the Greek word ktisis. It is the same word used to describe the creation of the world. When God created the universe, He used no existing materials or old elements to make it. Everything in creation was newly made. Now that same word is used to describe what happened to you the day you got saved. Everything about you is new! You’re not an amended, corrected, improved version of what you used to be. You are an absolutely brand-new creation! You are completely detached from the person you once were before Christ.

Psalm 103:12 tells you how far your old ways have been removed from you: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” When Jesus Christ came into your life, He created you to be free from the past, free from the negative effects of your family, and liberated from all former hang-ups — in short, a brand-new creature!

So stop laying claim to your family’s genetic problems, inheritable sicknesses, dysfunctional behavior, disorders, hang-ups, curses, or any other negative thing that was a part of your life before Christ. That old person no longer exists. He is dead. You are brand new.

But wait — there’s so much more that you’ve been given in Jesus Christ! For instance, Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

The first part of this verse says that you and I are God’s “workmanship.” This comes from the Greek word poiema. The word poiema carries the idea of something that is artfully created. The Greek word for a poet, poietes, comes from this same word. In reference to a poet, this Greek word would denote one who has the extraordinary ability to write or create a literary masterpiece.

Because Paul uses the word poiema to explain what happened when you became a child of God, it emphatically means that on the day you got saved, God put forth His most powerful and creative effort to make you new. Once God was finished making you new, you became a masterpiece, skillfully and artfully created in Christ Jesus. There’s nothing cheap about you at all! God’s creative, artistic, intelligent genius went into your making.

Look how much you’ve been given in Jesus Christ! Don’t you think it’s time to stop moaning about how dumb, stupid, ugly, or untalented you “feel” compared to others? Those “feelings” are all lies. Some of that may have been true before you were born again, but none of it is true of you now that you are in Christ. God turned you into something spectacular. That’s who you are now! So lay claim to your new identity. Adjust your thinking and talking to reflect who you really are!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, forgive me for being so negative and for talking so badly about myself after You have given me so much! I have no excuse for accepting defeat or low self-esteem as a way of life, because You have made me totally new! Help me renew my mind to the truth about who You have made me to be, and help me guard the words of my mouth so that instead of speaking evil of myself, I affirm the truth about who I am in Christ.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that the day I was born again, I received the dynamic, explosive power of God into my life. That power removed my old nature and made me a brand-new creature! Nothing from the old me continues to exist, for I am completely brand new. When God made me, He put forth His finest creative powers, and I now live on this earth as a masterpiece of His grace. God has made me into something quite spectacular!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. In what ways did you notice that you immediately changed after you invited Jesus Christ to be the Lord of your life?

2. Do you regularly meditate on who you now are in Jesus Christ, or do you still look at yourself through the eyes of the person you used to be? Do you affirm what Jesus has done in you, or do you “nit-pick” yourself to pieces?

3. How long has it been since you regularly confessed scriptures about your new nature? It’s always healthy to speak the truth to yourself, so why don’t you make the decision that for the next couple of weeks, you are going to confess the truth about who you are in Jesus Christ every morning before your day gets started?

Where Does the Bible Ever Say God Is Looking for Brains?

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen….
— 1 Corinthians 1:26-28

If you see yourself as weak, feeble, or unskilled, don’t let that bother you too much. God has been calling feeble and unskilled people from the beginning of time. Few of those whom God has called have been the “cream of the crop” according to the flesh. Again and again, God has chosen people who were ill-esteemed in the eyes of the world when He needed a candidate or a group of people to do a job.

God has always used common people to build His Kingdom. He doesn’t primarily choose famous movie stars or the royalty and nobility of the world to fulfill His plans and purposes on this earth. God’s criteria are different from the criteria of the world. As Isaiah 55:8 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.”

When God chose Samuel to lead the nation, Samuel was just a young boy. When God looked for someone to kill a giant, He chose a young shepherd boy named David. When the fullness of time came and it was time to send His Son to this earth, God chose a young girl named Mary to give birth to the Savior of the world.

When it was time for Jesus to choose disciples, He didn’t go to the theological institutes or seminaries of the day. Rather, Jesus chose disciples who knew more about fishing and tax-collecting than about the Scriptures. And when God searched for someone He could use to write the majority of the New Testament, He chose the apostle Paul, who was once one of the meanest Christian killers of all time!

God has always shown up in places where He wasn’t expected. Just consider the location where Jesus was born — in a lowly shepherd’s stall. This was certainly not the place anyone would have expected the King of kings to be born. Wouldn’t it have been better for the King of kings to be born in a gold-gilded hall with trumpets blasting to announce His birth?

So if you have ever thought you weren’t good enough for God to use, it’s time for you to renew your thinking! God is looking for people no one else wants or deems valuable. When great victories are won through ordinary folks, there’s no question as to who should receive the glory! As First Corinthians 1:29 says, “That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

The Old and New Testaments are filled with illustrations of people whom God wanted, but whom the world rejected. God’s choice is not based on beauty or ugliness, talent or lack of talent, education or lack of education, a diploma or lack of a diploma. If a person has a right heart toward God, he is qualified to be used by God.

In First Corinthians 1:26-28, Paul wrote, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen….”

As Paul writes his list of those whom God does and doesn’t call, he begins by stating that God doesn’t call many who are considered “wise” by the world. The word “wise” is from the Greek word sophos. It refers to a person who possesses special enlightenment or special insight.

The word sophos was usually used to portray highly educated people, such as scientists, philosophers, doctors, teachers, and others who were considered to be the super-intelligentsia of the world. These belong to a class of individuals whom the world would call clever, astute, smart, or intellectually brilliant. This term was reserved only for those considered to be super-impressive or a cut above the rest of society.

But Paul says, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh….” Paul informs us that most of the folks God calls don’t fit into this category of the super-intelligentsia. In other words, God doesn’t specialize in calling people who are especially bright, educated, astute, smart, or eminently enlightened.

I would be foolish to overlook the fact that over the years, many intelligent men and women who loved God have made a great impact on the world. Paul himself was a part of this elite group before he came to Christ. Apollos, Paul’s friend who later pastored the church of Corinth, also came from this intellectual “upper echelon” of society. But Paul and Apollos were not typical of the first-century Church.

It was the sophos who scorned and ridiculed Paul when he preached in Athens. The philosophers of Athens, the Epicureans, and the Stoics derided him and made him a laughingstock. Paul said that “not many” are called who fit into this sophos category. Of course, God’s call is to all men; nevertheless, “not many” from this category respond to God’s call.

Take a close look at the Early Church, and you’ll see that it was primarily composed of servants, slaves, and poorer people who heard the Good News of the Gospel and believed. It was an army of common people. Although there were a few elite in the Church, these were the exception rather than the rule. In fact, as you study Church history, you will see that God specializes in calling people from a much lower class. And if you take a close look at the Church today, you’ll see that God still specializes in calling common people.

Now, I’m not debasing education. People should get as much education as possible. But school-issued pieces of paper are not the criteria that impresses God and gets His attention. There have been many educated people whom God could not use. Even though they were brilliant according to the flesh, they were not worthy of being chosen because their hearts weren’t right.

Educational degrees may help you get a good job and positively sway the opinion of men in your favor, but Paul makes it very clear that God is not bent on using people who are especially bright according to the standards of the flesh.

In fact, the Bible shows that when God does call people who are intellectually impressive, such as Moses or the apostle Paul, He usually has to empty them of themselves before He can use them! When they lean on their own understanding, they are unable to accomplish what God wants. But when they lean wholly upon Him, He is able to perform miracles through their lives.

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Certainly natural knowledge and understanding are needful in the world we live in today. But if our natural understanding rather than our trust in God becomes the basis for our confidence, we put ourselves at a disadvantage. We have to learn to use what we know while leaning only on the Lord and His might.

David wrote, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7). The best technology of David’s time was used to develop chariots. Man’s greatest intellectual powers were employed to make chariots faster, stronger, and safer. In addition, horses represented natural power, strength, and might. Therefore, David was saying, “Some trust in man’s mind and his great achievements; others rely on their own natural power and might; but we will rely upon the name of the Lord.”

Perhaps you’re one of those people who says, “God can’t use me because I don’t have enough gifts or talents. I haven’t even been to college. I don’t even have a Bible school degree.” If you are, it’s time for you to change the way you’re thinking and talking. It’s time for you to start seeing yourself the way God does!

In fact, if you feel inferior to others, remember that God regularly calls unskilled and uneducated people. Just think of the majority of the apostles whom Jesus hand-picked to serve at His side and to lay the foundation of the Church. Those apostles were fishermen, tax collectors, common people — not theologians.

God is looking to build a strong, powerful army. The soldiers of an army are rarely composed of the intellectually astute. Flavius Vegetius Renatus, who lived around 380 AD, was the author of the most influential military book ever written for the Roman Empire. Look at the type of person  he says makes the best soldier: “Peasants are the most fit to carry arms…. They are simple, content with little, inured to fatigue, and prepared in some measure for military life by their continual employment in farm work, in handling the spade, digging trenches and carrying burdens.”

The truth is, God is looking for people who know how and are willing to pay a price — to undergo any hardship needed, to confront the power of hell, and to “dig trenches and carry burdens” until their assignment is completed just as God ordered it. God doesn’t necessarily need the super-intelligentsia of the world to get these jobs done. In fact, common people are often God’s first choice because they are already equipped to a certain degree to face the challenges and difficulties of life.

So if you want to be used by God and serve in His army, quit complaining that you’re not as smart or sharp as someone else. Where does the Bible ever say God is looking for brains? He’s looking for hearts that are willing to follow Him. If you have that kind of heart, you are exactly the kind of person God wants to use!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so glad You don’t choose only the intellectually brilliant. You are looking for anyone who has a heart to be used by You. Well, that’s me, Lord. I want You to use me. I offer You everything I have — my good points, my weak points, my gifts, my talents, and everything else that I am. I want You to use me for Your glory! I’ve told You before, but today I’m telling You again that I want You to take my life and do something wonderful with me!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am exactly the kind of person God can use! God is looking to carry out great victories through my life! His choice is not based on beauty or a lack of beauty, talent or lack of talent, education or lack of education, a diploma or lack of a diploma. No, God has chosen me because I have a heart that is right before Him!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you recall concrete examples of people in the Bible whom the world thought to be worth nothing — yet God called them, changed them, and then used them to change world history? Try to name five people who fit into this category.

2. Can you think of specific people outside the Bible whom the world thought to be worth nothing, yet God used them to change society? Try to name five people who fit into this category as well.

3. If God specializes in calling people who come from common backgrounds, what does this mean for you?

A Celebration Like No Other!

And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
— Colossians 2:15

Have you ever wondered what kind of celebration took place in Heaven after Jesus’ defeat of the devil? Well, it is possible for us to know exactly how Heaven celebrated because Paul gives us a glimpse into that heavenly gala event in Colossians 2:15. It says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

This is an extremely graphic verse! It is a picture painted for us by the Holy Spirit — a glorious, vivid illustration of what happened the day Jesus defeated death, hell, and the grave!

The word “spoiled” is the Greek word apekduomai, which means to strip off or to put off as one would put off his garments. This word could depict the disarming of an enemy — literally stripping his weaponry and artillery from him and leaving him without any weapons with which to respond. One scholar has noted that it refers to stripping one to the point of complete nakedness. By using this word, the Holy Spirit tells us that when Jesus arose from the dead, He thoroughly plundered the enemy!

Furthermore, when Jesus’ sacking and plundering of hell’s powers was complete and His mission was accomplished, Paul tells us that He rubbed this defeat in the devil’s face by throwing the biggest party the universe had ever seen! Colossians 2:15 says, “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

The word “shew” is taken from the word deigmatidzo, and it literally means to display or to expose something. It was used in classical Greek writing to denote the display of captives, weaponry, and trophies that were seized during war on foreign soil. Once the war was finished and the battle was won, the reigning emperor would return home and victoriously display and expose the treasures, trophies, weaponry, and captives that he had seized during his military conquest. This was a grand moment of celebration for the victor — but it was a humiliating experience for the defunct foe.

But wait — there is still more to Colossians 2:15 that you must understand. Paul goes on to tell us that “…he made a shew of them openly….” The word “openly” is taken from the Greek word parresia, which is used throughout the books of the New Testament to denote boldness, confidence, or something that is done blatantly or even publicly. By using the word parresia, Paul declares that when this heavenly party and celebration of Jesus’ victory commenced, it was no quiet affair! On the contrary — He boldly, confidently, loudly, blatantly, and publicly exposed and displayed this now-defunct foe to the heavenly hosts! It was the greatest celebration in history!

In fact, Paul goes on to say, “…he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” The phrase “triumphing over them in it” is a major key to this verse. This phrase comes from the Greek word triambeuo, which is a technical word used to describe the general or emperor who was returning home from a grand victory in the enemy’s territory. The word “triumph” (triambeuo) was a specific word used to describe a glorious triumphal parade!

When news reached the city that the enemy had been defeated, plans for a triumphal parade went into action. By the time the gates of the city were opened wide to receive this emperor who was now returning home in triumph, his people were ready to celebrate his victory! As the gates swung open and this mighty warrior rode through, the celebration began!

Sitting astride a large, beautiful, white stallion; draped in his kingly, regal garments; and wearing his bright, shining crown upon his head, the returning emperor would lead the entire city in a procession of celebration and victory. It was called his “triumphal parade.” As he rode down the main avenue of the city with his head held high and a look of elation on his face, the city would begin rejoicing. “He’s back! He’s back! Our king has won a massive victory!” the people would cry as they broke into jubilant dancing and singing, joyously twirling around in circles. This was indeed a time to rejoice!

In order to flaunt his great victory, the returning victor would parade behind him the foreign king — the defeated foe, taken in captivity and bound in heavy chains of bondage. Behind this now-defunct enemy would walk the defeated ruling men and leaders, bound and chained along with their ruined king. Further back in the procession were oxcarts loaded to overflowing with booty taken by force from the enemy’s homeland. Once these goods had belonged to the enemy, but now they belonged to the conquering king!

As the returning, victorious emperor rode down the avenue, he’d strut with pride, flaunting his defeated foes. In other words, he’d “make a shew of them openly.” He wanted everyone to see the fabulous goods he had stolen from his enemy’s hand — proof that the conquered foe had been completely “spoiled.”

But the most exciting moment of the entire celebration occurred when the emperor sang a song of victory. As he rode that horse through the gate, leading his triumphal parade, he would open his mouth and begin to sing as loudly as he could sing! With all his might, he would sing something like this: “The enemy is defeated; the foe is conquered; let it be known that I am still the king!” This song would throw the crowd into a frenzy. This was the voice and the song they had been waiting for! The king had returned, and he was still king!

Then, after riding down the main avenue, revealing his booty, and singing his song of victory, the victor would stop in front of a large set of stairs that led upward to a huge, ornate throne. His military conquest had proven that he was still the holder of authority. Therefore, he proudly walked up those steps, turned toward the great crowd who was watching, and lowered himself down to sit in his rightful place — the throne.

Since all this is the background to Colossians 2:15, the verse could be interpreted to read:

“He completely stripped principalities and powers and left them utterly naked; nothing was left at their disposal with which to retaliate. He boldly, confidently, loudly, blatantly, and publicly exposed and displayed this now-defunct foe, leading a gallant triumphal parade in celebration of the enemy’s defeat and His victory!”

Does all this mean that this actual type of celebration took place in Heaven after Jesus’ defeat of the devil? There is no explicit biblical account that records the type of celebration that occurred the day Jesus was raised from the dead, but Paul’s words in Colossians 2:15 certainly indicate that Heaven threw quite a party that day. Jesus’ victory over the devil was the greatest victory ever known! It would be entirely expected that Heaven would celebrate that victory with the Son of God.

So if you feel like shouting when you think about what Jesus did to the devil, go ahead and shout! If thinking of Jesus’ victory makes you want to jump up and down, dance, or twirl around in circles, then go for it! There’s nothing strange about this behavior at all — you have something to rejoice about! When you start rejoicing about Jesus’ victory over the devil, you join the throngs of Heaven who also wildly celebrate Jesus’ victory and Satan’s defeat!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am stopping everything I’m doing right now to praise You for Your victory over Satan! Thank You for stripping him bare and for leaving him with nothing in his hands with which to retaliate. Thinking of what You did makes me want to shout — so right now I’m going to shout! Realizing what You did makes me want to jump with joy — so right now I’m going to leap up and down in praise to You! I’m excited about what You did, and I’m not ashamed to show how I feel about it. I praise and worship You for the great victory You gained!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am free from Satan’s grip on my life because Jesus stripped him bare and left nothing in his hands that he could use against me! Jesus defeated and disarmed Satan; then He gave me authority over the devil and all his works. Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world. That means in Jesus Christ I am fully empowered to enforce Satan’s defeat!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. What did you learn from today’s Sparkling Gem that you never knew before?

2. How does this new insight into Jesus’ victory over the devil shape your view of your own ability to walk in victory through every situation of life?

3. How long has it been since you spent some time thanking Jesus for what He did for you through His death and resurrection? After reading this today, don’t you think you ought to take a few minutes to really praise Him for His glorious victory and Satan’s defeat?