Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
— 1 Corinthians 15:58

I know that you face many demands, but today I want to remind you that God has watched what you have done for His work, and He will reward you. All the time, effort, and finances you have sown into the advancement of the Gospel are before His face — and He is faithful to remember and to reward you for what you have done. In First Corinthians 15:58, Paul wrote, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

Notice especially the last part of the verse that declares your labor is not in vain in the Lord. The word “labor” is the Greek word kopos, which can refer to the most exhausting kind of work or effort. Because this word is used in this context, it tells us that sometimes it is not easy to obey what the Lord tells us to do; sometimes it is very difficult to obey Him. In fact, there are times when it requires great effort to walk in obedience. But this verse promises that our labor has not been in vain!

I think of all the times the Lord has asked me to do something that was very difficult. Yet because I have always wanted to obey the Lord, I have done my best to follow His instructions, regardless of how hard it was or how much it required of me or of my family. Building our work in Russia has not been an easy task. But God called us to do it, so Denise and I and our sons have given 100 percent of our lives to this divine mandate. Since that is what God has asked of us, that is what we decided we were going to do.

Regardless of where you live or what you believe God has asked you to do, it is important that you give your whole heart and soul to your divine assignment. Even if it is difficult sometimes, you must keep pressing forward toward your God-given goal in obedience to the Lord. And whenever the way of obedience seems difficult, you need to remind yourself once again of His promise that “your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

The word “vain” is the Greek word kenos, and it depicts something that is empty, void, or wasted. This is God’s promise that anything you do for Him is never a waste! When the devil tempts you to think that no one is noticing what you are doing or that no one appreciates what you do — that is the moment for you to remember that nothing done for the Lord is ever a waste! Every effort, every deed, everything you have ever done in obedience to Him will be credited to your heavenly record!

Don’t let the devil discourage you. Dig in your heels and remind him that you are standing in faith on God’s promises! Declare with confidence that God is going to be faithful to meet every need in your life because you have faithfully sown your time, effort, and finances. And never forget: Nothing you ever do for the Lord is a waste!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am grateful for this reminder that You pay attention to my response to Your assignment for my life. You are very aware of where I am in life, and You see what I do to express faithfulness to You. Thank You for strengthening me with Your might in those times when I felt discouraged and wondered if my labor was in vain. I rejoice in Your all-sufficient grace that never fails to cover me in the midst of the difficulties and hardships I may encounter while obeying You. Lord, I ask You to help me be conformed more fully to Your faithful ways, so when my heavenly record is read before You, I will receive a crown to place at Your feet on that day.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that I am steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, because I know that my labor in the Lord is not wasted. God is aware of all that I say and do for His glory. He openly sees my heart’s motivation for what I have said and done, and He will reward me accordingly. I do not live my life for the praises of man. The prize I seek is God’s approval. Therefore, I set my focus daily to live a life that will matter for eternity as I labor to see the will of God done on earth as it is in heaven.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of an area where you have labored especially hard for the Lord, and you’ve been tempted to think that it is all in vain? How did today’s Sparkling Gem encourage you to keep going?
2. Would you describe your position of faith as being immovable, or have you been up and down in your walk of faith? What changes do you think you need to implement in your spiritual life to become more stable and enduring?
3. Do you have anyone who can stand in faith with you and encourage you as you wait for God’s plan to come to pass in your life? Are they people who can pray with you and encourage you to dig your heels in deep until you see God’s reward?

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
— Romans 6:11

When I was first starting in the ministry, I served as an assistant pastor in a denominational church. Because I was in training for ministry, the senior pastor wanted to teach me how to conduct funerals. To instruct me, he took me to funeral after funeral so that I’d learn how handle myself in delicate and difficult situations.

One funeral in particular was an experience I shall never forget. In fact, even today I can still vividly picture it in my mind’s eye. It was a funeral conducted for an unsaved family whose son had tragically died in an accident. The sorrow and remorse in that room was so thick that it could nearly be cut with a knife. Perhaps there is nothing sadder than a funeral with a room full of unbelievers. They have no hope, and when they lose a loved one, it is truly a catastrophe because their lack of hope overwhelms them. But even worse than attending such a funeral is being called upon to conduct it!

As the mother approached the casket to tell her son goodbye one last time, I watched as she crawled into the casket with that dead body. She was so overwhelmed with grief that she clutched that dead body tightly, pleading, “Talk to me! Talk to me! Don’t leave me like this!” Funeral workers had to pull her out of the coffin and escort her to the limousine that waited to take her and the rest of the family to the cemetery for the burial.

That early experience is forever etched in my memory. I’ve never forgotten that pitiful sight when this mother gripped her son’s dead body in her arms and begged it to speak to her one last time. But that body was not going to talk to her. It was dead. The empty shell that lay in that casket was the deceased, expired, finished shadow of a man who had once lived but now was gone. There was no heartbeat, no breath in his lungs, and no pulse in his wrists to detect. The clock had quit running for that man’s life, and there was no turning the clock back to make it start ticking again. It was a “done deal.” This man’s life had expired. All the mother’s pounding on her son’s lifeless chest wasn’t going to wake him up!

As I drove off to the cemetery that day to conduct the gravesite rites, everything I had seen in the funeral home that morning rolled over and over in my mind. The permanence of death and the inability to produce a response from a dead body particularly stayed in my mind. I thought of how that sorrowing mother tried so hard to get that dead body to respond to her, but it simply could not respond because it was dead. As I meditated on this whole scenario, the Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart from Romans 6:11. It says, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

What a glorious thought that is! Our old man is “dead” to sin because of the work of Christ on the Cross!

As soon as I got home from the gravesite service, I reached for my Greek lexicon and looked up the word “dead.” As I expected, it was the Greek word nekros, which is the Greek word for a corpse — in other words, a dead body with no heartbeat, no breath in its lungs, and no pulse to feel in its wrists. It doesn’t matter how loud you scream at it, pull at it, or pound on its chest, it’s impossible to get a response or reaction because its life is expired. Its life has ceased. In God’s mind, that is how dead we are to our past and to the sinful impulses that once ruled our lives. In God’s mind, who we used to be is never to be revived.

According to the Greek text, that part of Romans 6:11 could be translated, “Continually consider yourselves to be dead to sin.” In other words, if sin tries to act up, we are to keep reminding sin that it has no power over us. The word “reckon” that is used in the King James Version is the Greek word logidzomai, which means to count, to deem, or to consider. Paul used it in the present imperative case. This means it is a command that must be acted upon continually. Putting all of this together means that we are commanded to continually deem our old selves — that is, the personality that existed before Christ — to be as lifeless as a corpse with no life left in it. It is as dead as dead can possibly be, which means you are not who you used to be. That person who once lived is dead, lifeless, gone, and buried forever in the mind of God. This means you are free of your former identity.

So if your old identity is dead, who are you now? Romans 6:11 says that you are “…alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The word “alive” is the Greek word zoontas, a present active participle of zao. When zao becomes zoontas, it doesn’t just refer to life, but to overflowing life, profuse life, life abundant! It is truly the picture of one who is living to the fullest. And because it is a participle, it means this is forever who you are in Christ!

This overflowing life is a permanent condition in Him! There’s no reversal to our old identity. When we died to sin, God quickened us alive with Christ for all of eternity. Therefore, we are forever alive unto God because of what Christ Jesus has done for us! We are new individuals with completely new identities. We are in Christ Jesus!

When I closed my Greek lexicon and paused from my studying, I thought, Wow — that was a lot to get out of an experience at a funeral! And to be honest, I’ve been getting something out of it all these decades since that funeral occurred! It is impossible to exhaust the revelation in Romans 6:11, which declares the old man is dead and an entirely newly created man has arrived in Christ. But that, my friend, is the case!

Who you once were is not who you are now. Today you are a new creature in Christ Jesus, and the person Jesus has made you has become your forever-new identity! It’s a good time to shout, “Amen!”

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the fresh breath of Your Spirit that has swept across my heart. I praise You for giving me new understanding of my identity in Christ. I am overflowing with gratitude to You as I realize that Your great plan of redemption truly caused old things to pass away and all things to become new for me in Him. Through Your great mercy, I was crucified with Christ. When I accepted that exchange, my spirit was recreated by the life of Christ that filled me and made me an entirely new creation in Him. Now with my life hidden in Christ, the old me no longer exists, and this body, once devoted to sin, is now the dwelling place of Your Spirit. My body has no right to dictate my attitudes, actions, or appetites because I am free to reckon it dead. I am forever new because of You. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me walk in the newness of this life so that I will be an instrument You can use to demonstrate the reality of Christ’s life in me, the Hope of Glory on the earth!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I joyfully confess that I am not who I once was. Today I am a new creature in Christ Jesus, and the person Christ has made me to be now is my new identity! I am forever alive unto God because of what Christ Jesus has done for me! I continually deem my old personality that existed before I was born into Christ to be as dead as a corpse with no life left in it. I am not the person I used to be. That person who once lived is dead, lifeless, gone, and buried away forever in the mind of God. I am free of my former identity forever!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you believe you’ve ever really had a revelation that your old man is dead and that you are a totally new individual because of what Christ has done for you?
2. Just think of it — nothing about who you were before your conversion really applies to you now. Do you see more clearly how radical salvation actually is after reading this Sparkling Gem?
3. How does it affect you to think that before God, you are a completely brand- new person and that you will never revert to the personality of your old nature again? How will this affect the way you choose to think and act from this day forward?

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

Have you ever felt like you were under spiritual attack or that the devil was trying to wage a vicious warfare against your very existence? Today I want to talk to you about doing all you can to keep every door shut to the enemy so he is unable to find easy access into your life.

I can personally testify to many attacks that have come against our ministry and family as we have pressed forward to take new territory for the Kingdom of God over the years. I have learned that the enemy is always looking for ways to sabotage anything that is of significance to the overall plan of God. Therefore, we have had to stand our ground and fight many times. Part of a long-term protection plan against the enemy’s attacks has been making sure that we left no open doors for the enemy to find easy access to us or our ministry. Believe me when I tell you that the devil is trying find a way to sabotage everything good — so we don’t need to help him by leaving a door open for him!

Even as I write this, I am thinking of Denise and her habit of locking the doors every night before we go to bed. Even when she is home during the day, she keeps the doors locked. No one enters our home who isn’t invited. When someone arrives, they must ring the doorbell to announce his or her arrival. After we invite the visitor in, the door is locked again. Denise’s safeguarding of our home once seemed over-protective to me, but then came the time when a stranger tried to enter our home, which made me very thankful that my wife was so careful about keeping the doors locked. I can assure you that it would be very difficult for someone to enter our house without permission.

The one time a stranger tried to find entry into our home, an employee escorted him off the property. Even so, the intruder lingered a long time behind our home, waiting for our attention to drop so he could try once again to get back onto the property. But we stayed alert and didn’t relax our guard until that intruder was long gone. Had we not been diligent to stay alert on that occasion, I’m sure it would have been only a short time before the person started trying to find entrance to our home again. But a locked door and an alert attitude kept our home from being penetrated by an unwanted guest.

It may seem like a simplistic example, but an “open door” is exactly what the devil is looking for in each of our lives. If we are diligent to keep the doors to our lives locked, it makes it much more difficult for the devil to find access to us. This is one reason the apostle Paul wrote, “Neither give place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27). This verse is full of insight about how the devil operates, and it explicitly tells us what our part is in keeping the devil from finding a way into our lives. Let’s look at this verse and see what it tells us.

First, when Paul wrote, “Neither give place to the devil,” it was not a suggestion; it was a command. If you’ve ever come under spiritual assault and found the devil in the middle of your affairs, you know that it’s much easier to stop the enemy at the doorway than to try to find a way to extract him once he has found an access point to worm his way into an area of your life.

That’s why Paul so urgently warned you to give the devil no “place.” In other words, keep on alert so the enemy can’t freely access your life. Believe me, just like the stranger who lingered in the back of our property, waiting for us to drop our guard and relax our level of alertness, the devil will linger a long time to see if you are truly serious about keeping him out of your life.

When Paul told us to give the devil no place, that word “place” is the Greek word topos. It describes a specific, marked-off location. But rather than a physical location that we use a map to identify, this “place” may refer to a rough spot in our relationships, our finances, our thoughts, or our personal habits or to lingering areas of disobedience. Whatever it is, it’s an identifiable location that the devil seeks to find and use as an open door into our lives.

If the door is closed, you’re already in good condition. If it’s locked because you are living a life of holiness and obedience, you are even in better condition. But if you are living loosely, you need to know that the door is not only unlocked — it is likely standing wide open, literally inviting the enemy to come in and wreak havoc in your life! This is why you must be so circumspect in answering the question: Are there any open doors I need to close that allow the enemy access to my life?

We need to be serious about our lives because the devil is always looking for a door, a window, or a crack — an entry point — through which he can access us. We must circumspectly look at our lives to see if there is any area we have left open or unguarded that has allowed the devil to find a way to attack us. These types of “places” are the open doors he seeks in our lives.

The word “devil” in Ephesians 4:27 leaves no question about the devil’s intention to attack us as believers. It is the Greek word diabolos, which is a compound of dia and ballo. The word dia means through, as in all the way through an object. This second part of the word “devil” is from the word ballo, which means to throw, to hurl, to inject, or even to beat. When these two words are compounded to form the word diabolos, the new word categorically means that the devil is one who strikes repetitiously — trying to find a way to break through into our worlds and mess up our lives.

This word diabolos vividly reveals the devil’s tenacity. He is so committed to our destruction that if he doesn’t easily find his way into our lives, he will linger and wait for us to drop our guard so he can try again, perhaps from another vantage point. The Greek emphatically means he’ll even try to beat his way inside if that is what is required of him.

The devil is more committed to attack than most of us are to withstand him. That’s why he is often so successful in the warfare he wages against us. And that is why the apostle Paul commands us to give him no “place.”

Since we know the devil is going to try to find a way to gain entry into our lives, we must use the weapons of warfare God has given us to resist him (see Ephesians 6:10-18). But it is likewise essential that we diligently and continually keep watch over our lives on a sustained and continual basis, looking for any open doors we may have left open that would make it easier for the enemy to find entrance.

One thing is certain: Living a life of obedience shuts every door and makes it very difficult for the devil to find entry into our lives. On the other hand, we must also acknowledge that if we are living in disobedience in any area of our lives, those areas may become the very entry points by which the devil gains access to try to disturb our peace and stop our forward momentum.

I realize that many attacks we experience can be attributed to the devil acting in accordance with his own evil nature. But the truth is, many times we have left a door open that allows the enemy to find his way into our lives and launch his fiery darts from an inside position. It’s up to us to do all we can to shut every door and to make sure they stay shut. And during those times we are under attack, it would behoove us to ask: “Holy Spirit, is there is any area in my life where I’ve left a door open and allowed this intruder to find his way in?” Before we take authority over the devil in the name of Jesus, let’s do all we can to find the access point and STOP him at the door!

If you are under attack, you can stand strong in the Lord, confident that the weapons of warfare given to you will enable you to successfully repel the enemy in the name of Jesus Christ. But if you have knowingly, negligently, or ignorantly left a door open that allows the enemy access, there is always the possibility of a successful attack against your life. So I urge you to follow Denise’s example. Spiritually close the door — and then keep it locked so no demonic attack will find its way into your affairs!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the spiritual weapons of warfare that You have given me to resist my enemy, the devil. I see that it is essential to diligently survey my life to see if I have left any open doors that would make it easier for him to find entrance into my life and circumstances. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me live a life of obedience so I can shut every door to deny him access. I ask You to open up my understanding as You shine the light of Your Word into my life. Help me identify and deal with areas of disobedience that may become the very entry points the devil seeks to penetrate to rob me in some way of the goodness of God manifested in my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that the weapons of my warfare are mighty to keep my mind protected and my life secure against the onslaughts of the wicked one. I am alert, and I keep a watchful eye on myself to guard my heart and the borders of my own life with the protective barrier of obedience to the Word and to the Spirit of God. I am not negligent but diligent to keep the doors to my life open only to God and completely closed to the devil.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of an area of your life that is currently under attack because you have left a door open? Is it possible that there is an area of disobedience the devil has been able to use to find easy entrance into your life?
2. If you can identify such an area, what will you do to close that door? What concrete steps will you take to safeguard yourself against future successful assaults?
3. Have you studied the weapons of God in Ephesians 6:10-18? Do you know what weapons God has given you to stand up and fight against the attacks of the devil? If not, I highly advise you to take time to study my book Dressed to Kill, as it explicitly describes how the devil attacks, what these spiritual weapons are, and how to use them!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

An interpretive translation would read:

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

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

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

So the full verse could be interpreted as follows:

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

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

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

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

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

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

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

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

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

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

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hebrews 13:8 carries this idea:

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

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

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

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

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

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But what do I mean by kindness?

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

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

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

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

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

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

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

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

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

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

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

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