FEBRUARY 2008 DEVOS
February 29, 2008
Square Peg in a Round Hole
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, February 29 2008
"Indeed, God has put the body together in such a way that he gives greater dignity to the parts that lack it, so that there will
be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others" (1 Cor 12:24-26).
"I feel like I've been attempting to fit a thousand pegs into the relationship hole but not one satisfies you with the words you
are looking for me to say." Those were the words I said to my wife in complete frustration.
We were at an impasse in our relationship for days--yes, days! No matter what I said or how I said it didn't seem to matter. She
was viewing the situation through her grid; I was viewing it through mine. It was like trying to fit a round peg into a square
hole that simply wouldn't work no matter how hard I tried.
Then I said these words: "I'm sorry I could not see your perspective and implied that you had a hurtful motive behind your
actions. I know you've never done that in the past." Bingo! Something happened! This peg actually fit! She jumped out of her
chair and rushed over to kiss me! Our relationship took a 180° turn in six seconds! "How did that happen!?" I pondered what
just took place, feeling totally perplexed, but relieved over the fact a resolution came forth.
I realized later I was viewing the situation through my left brain only, where logic and reasoning is processed, as most of us
men tend to do. She desired an emotional heart connection with me. She wanted me to identify and attempt to view the
situation through her lense and an emotional grid. Once I was able to do this her heart was reopened to me and to our
relationship.
Men and women often view situations from two differing vantage points. Men view things from facts. Women view them from
its impact on their heart and the relationship. Next time you find yourself at an impasse with your spouse, consider these
factors.
Unlike me, you might reduce your game time of "peg and hole".
February 28, 2008
Coming Out of Babylon
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Thursday, February 28 2008
..."Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her
sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes." Revelation 18:4
There is a day when God is going to judge the system of Babylon around the world. What is Babylon? Babylon is a system of
doing business. The stronghold of the workplace is mammon and pride. Dependence on money and misplaced trust are at the
core of a Babylonian philosophy of life. Revelation 18 describes a time when God will judge this Babylonian system. It is the
one place that we see a system destroyed in one day, even one hour. I do not believe Babylon is a particular city, but a world
system. "Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her" (Rev. 18:8a). "Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power!
In one hour your doom has come!" (Rev. 18:10b).
As Christian workplace believers we are called to acknowledge the signs of the times. When the Soviet Union fell, many knew
it was going to happen because they could recognize the signs of the times. God has a way of shaking things up. These
shakings force us to determine who and what we will place our trust in. God says that we are to "Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Mt. 22:37).
Are you still living in Babylon in the way you do business? If so, expect to share in the sins of Babylon when God decides to
judge her. Ask God to show you where you might be operating in a "Babylonian" system of work.
February 27, 2008
Knowing Versus Doing
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Wednesday, February 27 2008
"I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection...." - Philippians 3:10
If I asked you the purpose for which God made you, what might you say? You might give a lot of answers that required some
action on your part. However, the simplest answer to that question relates to one primary thing: fellowship. The most
important thing God desires from us today is to have a deep and intimate fellowship with each of us.
The apostle Paul said he wanted to know Christ, and by knowing Christ he could experience the power of His resurrection. I
find this to be the hardest thing for many of us workplace believers to do. So often it is much easier to be busy with the
urgent (or even Christian) activity than spending quiet moments before the Lord. Before we realize it, days have passed
since our last quiet time with Jesus.
Jesus understood how important quiet moments were with the Father. "After He had dismissed them, He went up on a
mountainside by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone" (Mt. 14:23). The more mature I become in my
relationship with the Lord, the more precious this time becomes to me. It is a time I look forward to almost daily. It offers me a
time to reflect, to share my concerns with my Lord, and to hear Him speak. In the last few years I have begun prayer walks,
which accomplish three things: fellowship, prayer, and exercise. It has changed my prayer life. I have come to understand that
Jesus views us as His friend and He wants to spend time with us. We are depriving Him of His time when we put Him aside for
the urgent. An interesting thing happens when we make prayer a priority: Urgent things seem to wane as we focus on Him. He
makes all these other things fall into place.
Are you taking the time to get to know Him today?
February 26, 2008
Spiritual Warfare
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Tuesday, February 26 2008
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood...." - Ephesians 6:12
Have you ever heard someone say, "I will never do business with another Christian"? I hear this comment quite often in my
dealings with Christian workplace believers. This comment represents the battle that rages against us by the enemy of our
soul to destroy the witness and effectiveness of Christian workplace believers. We must realize that we are in a war - a war
for the souls of men, a war to discredit all that a Christian stands for, a war that is designed to divide Christian against
Christian.
Satan's ploy in the life of Christian workplace believers is to do several things to make them ineffective as soldiers in the
workplace. First, he wants to discredit them by allowing them to fail other people in their professional services. This often
shows up in failing to perform what they committed to do or performing in an unsatisfactory way. Sometimes, this is a result of
a downright failure of the workplace believer to perform with excellence. In other cases, it may be a misunderstanding in the
midst of the service that causes strife and division instigated by the enemy.
The result in both cases is the same: a division among Christians and even non-Christians, further resulting in a damaged
witness for Christ. The apostle Peter admonishes us to "live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you
of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us" (1 Pet. 2:12).
There are times when each of us is thrust into situations out of our control. Sometimes this results in our inability to pay a bill
on time, or to deliver a service. Defeating satan in these battles requires extra communication with those with whom we are
dealing. If the motive of your heart is to do right, then God will give you favor in order to work through these difficult spots.
Ask God today to show you where the enemy is seeking to make you ineffective.
We wage a spiritual war that is not flesh and blood. We must fight this war with spiritual weapons applied to practical daily
living.
February 24, 2008
Godly Rewards
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Sunday, February 24 2008
"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out His requirements and going about like mourners
before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who
challenge God escape.'" - Malachi 3:14-15
Have you ever felt that serving God had little reward and the ungodly seemed actually to be more blessed than you? This is
what the people of God felt. God heard their cry and responded through the prophet Malachi to explain God's view on this
matter.
Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written
in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name. "They will be Mine," says the Lord Almighty, "in
the day when I take up My treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves
him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those
who do not" (Malachi 3:16-18).
Notice that after the people complained about this, they began to talk to each other, and the Lord listened and heard. God
had been taking note of those who were serving Him and honoring Him. There is a day coming in which God will honor His
"treasured possessions." We will see that there is a distinction between the righteous and the wicked on that day when "the
sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall" (Mal. 4:
2). What a beautiful picture of what we will feel like on that day.
God rewards faithful obedience. It often requires patience, suffering, and perseverance. Be of good cheer; He will reward
you if you faint not.
February 22, 2008
Paneled Houses
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, February 22 2008
"Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" - Haggai 1:4
There is a crisis of grand proportions in the spiritual house of God today. The moral fiber of our world has eroded. Greed,
idolatry, and pleasure are the gods of our day. And it is no different in the Body of Christ.
The prophet Haggai wrote about a people who had lost concern for the need to build God's house because they were so
focused on their own worldly needs. It is a dangerous place to get with God. When our world begins to focus around
increasing our pleasure, building bigger and better homes, and failing to make what is important to God important in our own
lives, this should be a warning to us.
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the
moneychangers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," He said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of
prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers' " (Matthew. 21:12-13).
Jesus came into Jerusalem and found the workplace believers buying and selling in the temple. As far as they knew, this was
an acceptable practice in their day. Their fathers did it, and now they were doing it. It was business as usual. Jesus got angry,
turned over the tables, and said that His house was a house of prayer. He found the workplace believers of the day seeing
His house as a place for profit, not prayer. They had stepped into a place of complacency that was not acceptable to the Lord.
When we begin to blend in with the moral condition of an ungodly world, we begin losing God's perspective on life.
It is easy to begin blending in with our culture and to accept what is being modeled by the ungodly. God called us to be salt in
a world that needs much salt. "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?
It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men" (Mt. 5:13). Each of us must ask ourselves if
we have lost our salt. Are we having an impact on our world? Or is our world having an impact on us? Ask God to give you a
vision for how you can be salt to your world today.
February 21, 2008
Loose Your Donkey
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Thursday, February 21 2008
..."Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring
them to Me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them...." - Matthew 21:2-3
A donkey was an animal of commerce in Jesus' day. It was used to carry great burdens of goods from place to place and it was
known as the "beast of the burden." The donkey in Matthew 21 was surely owned by a village workplace believer. But Jesus
told His disciples to fetch the donkey for "He had need of it." This donkey played an important part in Jesus' triumphal entry
into Jerusalem. It was a day that was the culmination of three years of ministry. Jesus chose to use a vehicle of commerce to
bring Him into His most important public display.
We are entering a time in our own history in which God is saying to workplace believers, "Loose your donkey for My
purposes. I have need of it." God is preparing His Church to be a vessel for ushering in a great harvest of souls. He is
preparing His remnant of workplace believers, who are like a tribe within the Church, to be a major force in this great harvest.
"He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood
of grapes. His eyes will be darker than wine, his teeth whiter than milk" (Gen. 49:11-12). Is your donkey tied to the living Vine,
the choicest branch of Jesus Himself? When we are tied to the living Vine, designed for His use, we will be useful in God's
Kingdom. Jesus wants to free us from the bondage of work slavery; He wants us to walk in freedom so that others may see
God's grace flowing through us and our place in the work world. Is your donkey available for His use?
Today, ask Jesus to allow the Vine to flow through you in every area of your life.
February 20, 2008
Seeing Through God's Eyes
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Wednesday, February 20 2008
"They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and the house of
Israel, because they had fallen by the sword." - 2 Samuel 1:12
How would you respond if you heard something bad happened to someone who had been trying to cut off your head for
several years? King Saul had been seeking to kill David for many years before Saul was thrust into battle against the
Amalekites. In this final battle, a sword killed Saul. When the news reached David, instead of rejoicing that his enemy was no
longer a problem for him, he responded in a totally different manner. He mourned. Imagine that; he mourned for the one who
sought to kill him.
This is a sign of one who can look past an individual who is the source of pain and consider how God views him. God looks on
that individual and sees his needs and knows why he responds the way he does. When we begin to see people as God does,
we'll no longer look at them as enemies, but as souls in need of grace. This is how Jesus could give of His life for us. He saw
our great need, not what we did to Him. When someone wrongs you, do you seek to retaliate, or do you pray to understand
the need behind the offender's actions? For several years a person was a source of constant pain and retaliation toward me.
There was nothing I could do to change it. God allowed me to go beyond the person's actions to understand what was the
source of his need. When I gained that understanding, God gave me a picture of this person inside a prison cell and in
bondage. This bondage made him respond to life in this way. I was able to pray for him and genuinely love him in spite of the
fact that he persecuted me. This is the kind of love Jesus wants us to have when He tells us to love our enemies and pray for
those who spitefully use us.
I believe God does a special work of grace in those who go beyond the realm of normal response to persecution. He brings
us to a level of grace we never thought possible. Describing how God worked in Joseph's life, Francis Frangipane reveals
what happens when we tap into this grace:
God made him fruitful in the very things that afflicted him. In the land of your affliction, in your battle, is the place where God
will make you fruitful. Consider, even now, the area of greatest affliction in your life. In that area, God will make you fruitful in
such a way that your heart will be fully satisfied, and God's heart fully glorified. God has not promised to keep us from valleys
and sufferings, but to make us fruitful in them. [Francis Frangipane, Place of Immunity (Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Arrow
Publications, 1996), 93
February 19, 2008
Saved From Such Men
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Tuesday, February 19 2008
"Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears." - Joel 3:10a
In this third chapter of Joel, we hear the prophet describe a time yet to come. It will be a time of great harvest on the earth,
and this verse describes the catalyst. A plowshare is an agricultural instrument used to till the soil. At this point in history, it
was a tool that spoke of one's vocation. However, the prophet was speaking of a time yet to come. The prophet described the
plowshare as an instrument that will be turned into a sword. The sword is often used in the Bible to describe God's Word. The
only way a plowshare can be turned into a sword is for it to go through extreme heat, and then the blacksmith must beat that
plowshare into shape. Heat and punishment of the metal turns that plowshare into an instrument of battle. God must do this in
each of our lives in order for us to be useble as a worthy sword. We are all in a battle - a spiritual battle. Paul describes our
battle as one against the principalities of the unseen world. I believe God is going to raise up many in the workplace to use
their plowshare as a weapon of righteousness in these last days. That weapon won't be used for destruction, but as a weapon
of love. That weapon of love will yield a great harvest in our lifetime. But this is only part of the story.
God is also going to turn our pruning hooks into spears. A pruning hook is used in two ways. First, it is used to prune a tree
for greater growth and productivity. It is also used to cut the fruit from taller trees in which one cannot reach the fruit. This
fruit from our vocation is going to be cast forth like a spear, but even more as seed planted to bring the harvest of which Joel
speaks. Fruit from our work life is often the financial rewards generated. God wants to use our finances and everything else
for His purposes. We must use our vocations and the fruit that comes from them as seed to bring the great harvest that God
is planning.
How are you using your plowshare and your pruning hook for God's glory today? Ask God to show you how He wants to use
your skills, resources, and relationships to prepare for the great harvest He has planned.
February 18, 2008
Unexplainable Power
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Sunday, February 17 2008
"I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our
testimony." - John 3:11
When is the last time God did something in your work life that can only be explained as God? Was it yesterday? Was it just last
week? A month ago? A year ago? The answer to this question may mean several things. If it has been some time since you
saw God's activity in such a way that you know it was His hand, you may not be trusting to a level that requires faith. You may
not be risking enough for God to show Himself. The converts in the early Church changed the world they lived in because of
what they saw and heard. It was the power of the gospel that changed lives, not what they learned from mere teaching. This
power drew people to Christ. Things happened that could not be explained as anything other than the activity of God. Is that
the kind of faith you are experiencing in your life? Many of us live a wholesome, moral life, but those we associate with do not
see this activity as anything that cannot also be achieved by themselves. That is why many are not drawn to our lives. God's
power is not evident. The Lord has been challenging me to trust Him at levels I have never trusted before. This level of trust
has placed me in a vulnerable position. However, the blessing of this relationship is that I see the activity of God as never
before, and those close to me see it as well. It builds their faith and draws others to investigate.
Sometimes the activity of God comes in unusual ways. God often sets up scenes that appear to be negative on the front end,
but God has orchestrated these events for His glory.
-Without Pharaoh's pursuit of Israel at the Red Sea, there is no miraculous deliverance.
-Without Lazarus's death, there is no rising to life.
-Without Goliath, there is no underdog story.
-Without Peter stepping out of the boat, there is no miracle on the water.
-Without Judas' betrayal, there is no resurrection. type
God wants to show Himself in ways you and I cannot imagine. Let God demonstrate His power in your workplace today. Then,
you will see "all men drawn unto Me."
February 17, 2008
Spiritual Strongholds
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Saturday, February 16 2008
"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish
strongholds." - 2 Corinthians 10:4
One of the great discoveries I made in later years in my walk with God has to do with living in victory over generational
strongholds. The Bible speaks of punishing the children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generations. (See
Exodus 20:5.) The only way out of living under the curses of generational strongholds is to acknowledge them before the
Father and repent of their reign in our lives. This breaks the curse's future effects.
A stronghold is a fortress of thoughts that controls and influences our attitudes. They color how we view certain situations,
circumstances, or people. When these thoughts and activities become habitual, we allow a spiritual fortress to be built
around us. We become so used to responding to the "voice" of that spirit, that its abode in us is secure. All of this happens
on a subconscious level.
As a businessman, I discovered that I had been influenced by a generational stronghold of insecurity and fear that was
manifested in control. This subconscious fear motivated me to become a workaholic, to seek recognition through activities,
to control others' behavior to avoid failure, and to have a relationship with God that was activity-based instead of relationally-
based. One day God brought about a number of catastrophic events that forced me to look at what was behind these events. I
found that the influence of these strongholds was at the core of these symptoms. The Bible speaks of this war on our souls.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. We demolish arguments and every pretension that
sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be
ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete (2 Corinthians 10:3,5-6).
The steps to freedom for me came when someone shared that these were sins that I was harboring, and in order to walk free
of their influence, I needed to repent of them. It was through the power of the cross that I no longer needed to be subjugated
by their presence. Once I took this step, I began to walk free of their influences. Besides salvation, this became the most
important discovery in my entire Christian walk. My relationship to Christ changed immediately. I began to hear God's voice. I
began to trust Christ in areas I never thought possible. I could truly experience the love of Christ for the first time.
This knowledge helped me in business as well. One day I was in the middle of a contract negotiation with another Christian
businessman. A lawyer had jumped in the middle of the negotiation. My friend began to surface many old feelings that were a
source of pain from his past. When I perceived that a stronghold of insecurity and fear was at the core of his response, I
interrupted his argumentative discussion with me and said with a very forceful tone, "I am no longer going to listen to the
spirit of insecurity that is speaking through you right now! If you don't refrain from this, I am going to leave!" My friend was
taken back. He looked at me quite startled. After a few moments, he agreed with my diagnosis. We talked through what he was
feeling and completed our negotiation without further incident.
What are the true motivations of your heart? Have you ever looked deeply at these motivations? You might find that these
subconscious motivations may be preventing you from experiencing the fullness of Christ in your life. Ask Him to reveal
these and then repent of their influences.
February 16, 2008
JESUS REPLIED, "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO HEAR THE
WORD AND OBEY IT!"
( LUKE 11:28 *NIV )
It is written; "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU; IT IS IN YOUR
MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART," THAT IS, THE WORD
OF FAITH WE ARE PROCLAIMING. ( ROMANS 10:8 )
FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE.
SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.
( HEBREWS 4:12 )
Therefore let us take a look at a message that I
received recently. It is a poem that I hope you will enjoy
called.......
The Holy Alphabet
A-lthough things are not perfect
B-ecause of trial or pain
C-ontinue in thanksgiving
D-o not begin to blame
E-ven when the times are hard
F-ierce winds are bound to blow
G-od is forever able
H-old on to what you know
I-magine life without His love
J-oy would cease to be
K-eep thanking Him for all the things
L-ove imparts to thee
M-ove out of "Camp Complaining"
N-o weapon that is known
O-n earth can yield the power
P-raise can do alone
Q-uit looking at the future
R-edeem the time at hand
S-tart every day with worship
T-o "thank" is a command
U-ntil we see Him coming
V-ictorious in the sky
W-e'll run the race with gratitude
X-alting God most high
Y-es, there'll be good times and yes some
will be bad, but...
Z-ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!
In closing, always remember, the shortest distance
between a problem and a solution is the distance between your
knees and the floor. For the one who kneels to the Lord can
stand up to anything! Amen.
February 15, 2008
A Joseph Calling
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, February 15 2008
"And he sent a man before them - Joseph, sold as a slave." - Psalm 105:17
God is doing a unique work around the world today. He is rising up Josephs throughout the world. Some are still in the "pit"
stage of their pilgrimage, while others are heading toward fruitfulness. What does it take for a man to become a true Joseph?
It takes years of preparation and testing to be a true Joseph. It takes what the psalmist says in Psalm 105:17. "He called down
famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them - Joseph, sold as a slave. They
bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the Lord proved
him true. The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free" (Psalm 105:16-20).
A true Joseph is one who is a provider both spiritually and materially for those in the Body of Christ. It is a person who
understands that he is simply a manager of all that God has entrusted to him. It is a person who has humility and a broken and
contrite heart before God. But how does God prepare modern-day Josephs?
Modern-day Josephs are prepared through their own versions of bruised feet, with shackles and necks put in irons. It is
often through the adversity of failed finances, failed marriages, failed relationships, and broken dreams. These are the things
that try men the most. These are the things God uses to allow the Josephs of our day to be proven by the Word of the Lord.
Once proven, God brings them out of their prisons and uses them mightily for His purposes. Joseph went through his own
trials - not because of any failure, but because of an incredible calling: to save and provide for an entire nation. God had to
prepare this man with 13 years of broken dreams and humble circumstances in order to break every ounce of pride and self-
will. God could not afford to have a 30-year-old steeped in arrogance and pride running an entire nation.
When I attended a world conference on global evangelization in South Africa, I was privileged to sit among 45 other men from
different parts of the world who had a Joseph calling on their lives. These men of means had humility of heart and a spirit
unlike any others I have met in my country. Each one had his own Joseph story. It was an incredible scene that changed my
life and my own view of business. This allowed me to see firsthand this phenomenon that is going on throughout the world.
Many believe God is rising up these servants to prepare for a worldwide economic earthquake and to fund a global harvest
of souls. Even since this conference, one nation is being dramatically affected because of a Joseph who has stepped forward
to fulfill his calling for that nation. It is an awesome demonstration of God's power working today.
Are you willing to allow God to do whatever it takes for you to become a true Joseph? Ask the Lord today to do whatever is
necessary to fully use your gifts and talents for His eternal Kingdom.
February 14, 2008
Having Eyes for One
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Thursday, February 14 2008
"Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading." -
John 6:21
The disciples were traveling across the lake to Capernaum when a strong wind arose and the waters grew rough. Suddenly
they saw a figure on the water, and they were terrified until Jesus called out to them and identified Himself.
Isn't that the first thing we do when unexpected calamities or even something that we have never experienced before comes
into our life? We panic until we can see that God is behind these events in our lives. In Romans, Paul tells us that, "from Him
and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen" (Rom. 11:36). God has an eternal filter in which
nothing can touch us unless He permits it. Even satan must have permission to touch us. And God may even use satan for His
own ends, as in the case of Job.
God shows us a second principle in this story. The Scriptures say when the disciples were willing to take Jesus into the boat,
they reached the shore where they were heading.
I was faced with some very difficult circumstances in my business. I had no income for some time, and I saw no immediate
remedy to the situation. The circumstances created fear in my heart. The anxiety began to grow until, one day after my
evening prayer walk, the Lord said, "How long do you want to keep your eyes on the circumstances instead of Me? Do you
think I have brought you this far to throw you into the water?" The truth was that I was halfway in already because my eyes
were looking at the "big waves" surrounding my boat. One night, in a support group for divorced men, the leader asked each
of us to keep our eyes on two men who were going to walk from the room. One man represented Jesus, the other, our
circumstances. "Now, I want you to keep your eyes on both people," he said. The men stood up and began walking across the
room in opposite directions. It was impossible to keep looking at each of them at the same time. So we had to choose which
we would focus on.
The lesson was clear. We could not keep our eyes on Jesus and our circumstance at the same time.
February 13, 2008
I PRAY THAT OUT OF HIS GLORIOUS RICHES HE MAY
STRENGTHEN YOU WITH POWER THROUGH HIS SPIRIT
IN YOUR INNER BEING, SO THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN
YOUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH. AND I PRAY THAT YOU,
BEING ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE, MAY HAVE
POWER, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS, TO GRASP
HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE
OF CHRIST.
( EPHESIANS 3:16-18 *NIV )
Our Heavenly Father's love for us is tremendous for it even
reaches out to the entire World! God's love is long for it covers
us for length of our lives, and it is high for it reaches to the
height of our celebrations. His love for us is deep for it reaches
to the depths of our despair and discouragements.
God's love for us is always with us throughout all of our
experiences in this life. The Apostle Paul wrote:
I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NOR
ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR
THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT
NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION,
WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF
GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
( ROMANS 8:38-39 )
So, when you are feeling left out or all alone,
remember that you are never without God's Love, and that
He is right there with you! For, THE LORD, HE IS THE ONE
WHO GOES BEFORE YOU, HE WILL BE WITH YOU, HE
WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU; DO NOT
FEAR NOR BE DISMAYED. ( DEUTERONOMY 31:8 )
Therefore have a Wonderful Week, and why not pray
tonight and thank God for His never ending love! Amen.
February 12, 2008
Worthless Idols
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Tuesday, February 12 2008
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." - Jonah 2:8
Have you ever exercised your will over the will of God? Have you ever been so willful that you were going to go your own way
no matter what God said? If so, you have been at the same place as the prophet Jonah. God called Jonah to deliver a
message to God's people as a warning. Jonah flatly refused. It was Jonah's will over God's. Guess who won?
Talk about willpower; Jonah had it! In fact, he was so rebellious toward God's will that he got on a ship to go the opposite
direction. But he couldn't go far enough. The omnipotence of God caught up with Jonah, and he was hurled overboard when
the seas became rough and the ship's crew figured Jonah was the source of their problems. Overboard he went and into the
belly of that big fish.
God has a way of getting us to rethink our decisions, to reconsider our position. In fact, we see the extent of Jonah's
willfulness by the amount of time he was willing to hang out in the belly of that fish - three full days. Then, Jonah decides
enough is enough! Obedience is better than this fish belly and seaweed.
From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.
He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You
listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all Your
waves and breakers swept over me. I said, 'I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy
temple.' The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots
of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my
God. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, Lord, and my prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple. Those who
cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. What I
have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto
dry land. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the
message I give you." Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh (Jonah 2:2-3:3a).
In the midst of realizing his own calamity, Jonah made a seemingly out-of-context statement: "Those who cling to worthless
idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah was thinking of the sailors who threw him overboard and how they prayed
to worthless idols. In the business world, we rub shoulders with those who cling to worthless idols every day. How tragic.
But this story's primary message is for every believer. And I can identify with Jonah. There's been many a man placed in the
"belly of the fish" to encourage him to fulfill the purposes of God for which He called him. Jonah's situation changed
immediately upon his obedience. Obedience is a mysterious thing. Jesus had to learn it through the things He suffered (see
Heb. 5:8). If Jesus had to learn obedience through suffering, what does that mean for you and me? Sometimes willing
obedience requires encouragement.
February 11, 2008
Becoming a Fool
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, February 11 2008
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." - Proverbs 1:7
Marvin Wilson, author of Our Father Abraham, has written incisively about the various meanings for our word "fool":
In Biblical wisdom literature, the pupils of the sages and mentors are the unwise, often termed "fools" (Prov. 1:7) or "simple
one" (1:22). In wisdom literature, the different levels of fools - both young and old - are the raw material on which the sages
had to work, and they represent the varying degrees of rawness. Perhaps as much as anything else, the term fool is
descriptive of an attitude, bent of mind, or direction in life, which needs correcting. The various Hebrew words for fool occur
more than a hundred times in the book of Proverbs. [Marvin Wilson, Our Father Abraham (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989), 284-286.]
The reference to someone being a fool was not necessarily a negative term. A simple fool, or peti, was a person who made
mistakes, but quickly righted them and was restored to fellowship with God and with others. King David was a simple fool, one
who made mistakes, but kept a repentant heart toward God. This is why God did not turn away from him for his many sins.
The hardened fool, kesil and ewil, makes mistakes, but never learns from them and will not listen to others. Such people can
expect God's reproof to continue and will eat the fruit of their own way (see Prov. 1:31-32). The hardened fool "returns to his
own vomit." King Saul was a hardened fool, one who made mistakes and continued in them even after realizing he was wrong.
We're going to err in our ways. The question is, once we know we have made a mistake before God, do we make the
necessary adjustments that will allow Him to intervene on our behalf? And will we avoid the same course of action in the
future? God says that if we do, He will pour out His Spirit on us (see Prov. 1:23). He will make known His words to us.
The third level of fool mentioned in Proverbs is the mocking fool or letz. The mocking fool mocks the things of God. This word
means "scoffer" or "scorner." When you encounter cynical people who disregard the things of God, you know these people
are "mocking fools."
The fourth level of fool is the God-denying fool or nabal. This term relates to the morally wicked person who ignores the
disgrace he brings on his family and who despises holiness (see Prov. 17:21). This person says, "There is no God." By failing
to acknowledge God for who He is, the nabal declares himself to be a "God-denying" fool.
I have found that it is helpful to try to understand if people are teachable. Are they simple fools, those who make mistakes but
seek to learn from them? I can work with those people. But if I sense I am working with a hardened fool, I know I should not
spend much time on that person. Jesus did not spend much time trying to convince the rich young ruler. He presented truth,
and let him make his decision. Some people must get broken before they can become simple fools. Sometimes it is simply
better to let satan chew on people until the ground is fertile enough to present truth to them.
February 10, 2008
Precious Deaths
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Sunday, February 10 2008
"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." - Psalm 116:15
The Bible often speaks of death as a requirement of living a life in Christ. This death is not a physical death, but a spiritual
death. It is a death of the old so the new can be raised. It is the life of Christ that is raised in us. However, this death can be
painful if we do not choose to willingly allow this "circumcision of heart" to have its way. If we are not circumcised of heart,
we do not enter into God's promises. Moses was called to deliver a people from slavery. But when he was about to return to
Egypt to begin what God called Him to do, God almost killed him. He had failed to take care of the details of obedience. In this
case, it was that all the males in his family were to be circumcised. This oversight on Moses' part almost cost him his life.
Imagine that - God prepared a man 40 years, and yet, he was almost disqualified because of an oversight. "At a lodging place
on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and
touched Moses' feet with it..." (Ex. 4:24).
None of us will ever enter the Promised Land of full blessing with God unless we have this same circumcision of heart. The
psalmist above accurately describes the process of circumcising the heart.
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your
maidservant; You have freed me from my chains (Psalm 116:15-16).
We cannot be free to be God's servant until this death takes place in each of us. When this death takes place, we become
free - free from the chains of sin that held us back from becoming completely His. Oh, what freedom there is when this death
takes place. No longer are we held to the sin of materialism, fear, self-effort, or anxiety, for we are dead to these things.
The Bible speaks of the seed that must die in order for it to spring up and give new life.
I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it
produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for
eternal life (John 12:24-25).
Each of us must ask the Lord if our seed has died. Is it in the ground now, yielding the fruit of brokenness before Him? This is
the great paradox of a life in Christ - the circumcision of heart and the death process. Ask God to free you to become all that
He wants you to be today.
February 9, 2008
Sowing In Tears
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Saturday, February 09 2008
"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy." - Psalm 126:5
Psalm 126 describes an interesting process that goes against our natural tendencies when we are taken into a difficult period
in our lives. Whenever we are hurled into a crisis that brings tears, our tendency is to retreat or recoil in fear and hurt.
However, there is a better way that God tells us to handle such times of travail.
Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. "He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of
joy, carrying sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:5-6). God is telling us that if we will do what is unnatural for us in these
circumstances, He will make sure that what we sow in tears will return in joy. This is one of the most important lessons I have
learned when faced with difficult circumstances. Rather than sit back and allow self-pity and discouragement to consume us,
we should plant seed during this time. Reach out to a person who needs a friend. Invest in the life of another. See where you
can be a blessing to someone. Give of yourself.
The psalmist acknowledges that we are doing this while we are in our pain. However, during this time we are to sow seed.
That seed will return to us in another form. Here is what will happen when we do this. "He who goes out weeping, carrying
seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." We will receive joy and fruit from the seed that we plant
during this time. Sheaves represent the fruit of a harvest. We will actually get a harvest from this seed.
"You must not let the circumstances destroy you! Too many in the Kingdom are counting on you to come through this
because of the calling on your life!" Those were the words spoken to me by a friend one time when I was in the midst of a
very difficult business and personal circumstance that was threatening to destroy me emotionally. This person saw what God
was doing and the fruit that God wanted to bring from these circumstances. Sometimes we need others around us to push us
through the difficult times. If you find yourself in a difficult place today, see where you can sow some seed. Soon you will be
reaping songs of joy.
February 8, 2008
You Want Me to Do What?
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, February 08 2008
..."Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some." - John 21:6a
The disciples were fishing. It was after Jesus had been crucified. Peter had gone through his most agonizing moment in
which he had denied Jesus three times. He had lost a friend. No doubt he probably wondered whether the last three years
were a dream. What now?
Peter had been prepared three years, but he was not going out to preach; he was going fishing. He had returned to his trade
of days gone by. He had a level of experience with Jesus that no other human on earth can boast. This was the third
encounter he was about to have with Jesus after His resurrection. Jesus looked to Peter and John in their boat and made a
suggestion.
"Friends, haven't you any fish?"
"No," they answered.
He said, "Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some" (Jn. 21:6a).
Now, if you are as seasoned in your fishing as these guys were, wouldn't you be a bit irritated if a stranger suggested that you
simply put your nets over the other side to catch some fish? Yet we find that they took this stranger's advice. Once they were
obedient, the Lord revealed Himself.
When they followed Jesus' advice, the catch was enormous - 153 fish in total. In most cases such a haul would have broken
the net. Jesus invited them to have breakfast with Him - fish and bread; He had already started the fire. I can only imagine that
this scene would resemble some buddies going out and camping together.
There is so much that we are to learn in this passage about God's ways. As a workplace believer, we must understand that
after we have spent years with Jesus, this does not always mean we must leave our professions in order to fully follow Jesus.
Peter went back to his profession - fishing. It was here that Jesus asked him a simple question: Do you love Me and will you
feed My sheep? He didn't say to Peter, "Fishing is a waste of time for you now, Peter." This recommissioning was in the area
of his original calling - his work. We need not feel that we must go to the "mission field" to please Jesus. Our work is our
mission field. We must, however, make a paradigm shift in our thinking about our place in the work world. We must have an
overriding sense of mission and ministry that comes out of that work. This is what is meant when we say that we must all be
circumcised before we can enter the Promised Land. When this happens, we can expect to see God fill the nets with His
blessings. He wants to do this because He now owns the net, and He can trust us to manage it.
February 7, 2008
THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JEW AND
GENTILE--THE SAME LORD IS LORD OF ALL AND
RICHLY BLESSES ALL WHO CALL ON HIM.
( ROMANS 10:12 *NIV )
When we are feeling low and depressed there is no better
way to cheer ourselves up, than to count our many blessings.
After all, KNOW THEREFORE THAT THE LORD YOUR
GOD IS GOD; HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD, KEEPING HIS
COVENANT OF LOVE TO A THOUSAND GENERATIONS
OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND KEEP HIS
COMMANDMENTS. ( DEUTERONOMY 7:9 ) Therefore, HE
WILL LOVE YOU AND BLESS YOU!
( DEUTERONOMY 7:13 )
So when you find yourself feeling blue, always
concentrate on your blessings and you will find yourself
thinking, "Your Blessings Are So Many, Lord," and that will
chase those blues away! For indeed.....
Your Blessings Are So Many, Lord,
To count them one-by-one
Would take much longer than the day
That has just now begun!
You fill each day with miracles
From dawn to setting sun.
Each night you hear a million prayers
When day's work is done.
You keep the old World spinning
As seasons come and go,
And each one is a masterpiece
That sets our hearts aglow.
You fill the Earth with beauty, Lord,
With flowers, shrubs and trees,
And butterflies and bees.
Your Words still give us comfort
For Your promises are true.
Your blessings are so many, Lord,
In everything we do!
Poet: Clay Harrison
Have a wonderful Day, and may GOD'S Grace
shine down on you! Amen!
February 6, 2008
The Black Hole
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Wednesday, February 06 2008
..."My grace is sufficient for you...." - 2 Corinthians 12:9
If you are older than 35, you may recall the early days of the space program. I remember the early spacecraft launch with John
Glenn. One of the most exciting and tense moments of his return to earth was his reentry to the earth's atmosphere. I recall
the diagram on television of the heat shield on the capsule that had to withstand incredible temperatures to avoid complete
destruction. There was a blackout period for several minutes in which mission control had no radio contact. He was in the
"black hole." It was a tense time. Either he would make it through, or the spacecraft would burn up in the atmosphere. There
were several minutes of silence that seemed like an eternity. Then, mission control shouted with joy when they reestablished
contact with the spacecraft. It was a time of rejoicing.
Have you ever had a time when you were in a spiritual black hole in your life? I have. The pressure was unbearable. No sense
of God's presence. No sense of anything going on around me. God was about as far away as the man in the moon - at least
from my perspective. I think every Christian who is called to make a significant difference in his world experiences times like
these. These are the times when we question the reality of God, the love of God, the personal care of God. And He
demonstrates to us that He was there all the time. These are "faith experiences" that God does in every person who is called
to a higher level of relationship with Him. These times are needful in order to know that we have the "heat shield" that can
withstand the incredible heat that comes when we follow Him with a whole heart - a heart that is radical in a commitment to
fully follow His ways. Elisha had that spirit. He slaughtered his 12 oxen and burned his plowing equipment so that he would
not have the opportunity to return to anything if God didn't come through (see 1 Kings 19:21).
The apostle Paul asked God to remove the heat from his own life one time. God's answer was not what he wanted to hear.
But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and
enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show
themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that
the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! (2 Corinthians 12:9
AMP)
How's your heat shield today? Can it withstand the heat that would want to burn up everything in your life not based in Him?
Christ said, "My grace is sufficient." Is that really true in your life? Let His grace be your shield today.
February 5, 2008
NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN.
FOR WE BROUGHT NOTHING INTO THIS WORLD, AND IT
IS CERTAIN WE CAN CARRY NOTHING OUT.
( 1 TIMOTHY 6:7 *NKJV )
In this World today it is so easy to get caught up trying to
make money, that it can become number one in our lives. We
may even forget at times how very short our human life is
compared to our Eternal life! FOR WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? IT
IS EVEN A VAPOR THAT APPEARS FOR A LITTLE TIME
AND THEN VANISHES AWAY. ( JAMES 4:14 )
We also may become easily distracted by those around
us, who are so consumed by the love of money that
they have lost sight of what is most important! If the truth
be known those people often have very unhappy lives, for it
is written: THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT OF ALL
KINDS OF EVIL, FOR WHICH SOME HAVE STRAYED
FROM THE FAITH IN THEIR GREEDINESS AND PIERCED
THEMSELVES THROUGH WITH MANY SORROWS.
( 1 TIMOTHY 6:10 )
Now that doesn't mean we should live a life of poverty
at all. For God wants His Children to prosper, after all
He said: BE STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS, THAT
YOU MAY OBSERVE TO DO ACCORDING TO ALL THE
LAW WHICH MOSES MY SERVANT COMMANDED
YOU; DO NOT TURN FROM IT TO THE RIGHT HAND OR
TO THE LEFT, THAT YOU MAY PROSPER WHEREVER
YOU MAY GO. ( JOSHUA 1:7 )
So when others distract you it is important to remember
that as a Child of God you have an even better life ahead of
you! A life without pain, sorrow, sickness or any other
adversity! One with the Angels, Arc-Angels and all the
Company of Heaven. An Eternal life with God and your
loved one's who have already passed before you. So
always: SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, NOT ON
THINGS ON THE EARTH. ( COLOSSIANS 3:2 ) For
then you will find true peace and happiness when you do!
Therefore Scott, I PRAY THAT YOU MAY PROSPER IN
ALL THINGS AND BE IN HEALTH, JUST AS YOUR SOUL
PROSPERS. Amen. ( 3 JOHN 2 )
February 4, 2008
Obedience With a Cost
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, February 04 2008
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued
Your people at all. - Exodus 5:23
Have you ever felt like you have been obedient to the Lord for something He called you to do and all you get are more
roadblocks? This is the way Moses felt. When Moses went to tell Pharaoh to release the people because God said so,
Pharaoh simply got angry and made the people make bricks without straw. Moses caught the blame for this from the people.
Moses was just learning what obedience really means in God's Kingdom. You see Moses had not even begun to release
plagues upon Egypt. He hadn't even gotten started yet in his calling, and he was complaining about his circumstances. There
were many more encounters with Pharaoh to come, and many more plagues with no deliverances in sight. Why would God tell
Moses that He is going to deliver them and not do it?
It was all in timing. God never said when He was going to deliver. He just said He would. In the next chapter, we find Moses
arguing with God about not being capable of the job God had called him to:
But Moses said to the Lord, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering
lips?" Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and He commanded them to
bring the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 6:12-13).
Do you get the feeling God was losing His patience?
God had a good reason for His delays. He said, "And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out My hand
against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it" (Ex. 7:5). God not only wanted the people of Israel but also the Egyptians to
know Him. It would be the greatest show of God's power on earth.
God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand. Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded.
Jesus said He learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). Imagine that - Jesus having to learn
obedience. What does that say for you and me? Sometimes God's delays are simply because He wants more glory in the
situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me through greater patience and obedience. Faint not, for the
promise may yet come.
February 3, 2008
Empty Mangers
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Sunday, February 03 2008
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox comes an abundant harvest. - Proverbs 14:4
When Jesus came into this world, He chose to be born in a most unusual place-a manger. It was no more than a livery stable
with goats, oxen, and other livestock animals. There is a distinctive characteristic about a place like this. It is filled with odors
and dung from the animals. God seems to work best among the unpleasantness of circumstances. In fact, "where there are
no oxen, the manger is empty." What is this really saying? I believe it is saying that in order for Jesus to be present, we must
invite those things that bring with them "messes to clean up." God works among the messy things in our lives. And from
these messes come an abundant harvest. This is what He did with all His highly used servants in the Bible. God is filled with
paradoxes. Why can't life be seamless and smooth? Because God likes to show Himself in the midst of the messes of life. This
is what brings us into the harvests. So often the bigger the mess, the bigger the harvest.
When a major road-construction project takes place in a crowded city street, it appears to be absolute chaos. It is
inconvenient, slow-moving and tends to get us irritated because it appears we are moving much slower than we would like. It
is ugly, and so much of what we see is torn up. But when we look at that same area a few months or years later, we see why
the construction was necessary. There was meaning to the mess. It actually made life so much better for those who would use
the road.
It has been through the messiest of times in my business and personal life that God has revealed His power and strength in
my life. It was when these "oxen" of hardship have walked into my manger that the greatest harvest was manifest. However,
when I have sought to remove the "oxen" and rid myself of the odor and the mess, I have fought the ultimate work of God.
February 2, 2008
Giving Him the Key
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Saturday, February 02 2008
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he
with Me. Revelation 3:20
A friend of mine tells the story of an encounter he had with a very important government official - the head of state for a
country. In the course of some meetings with my friend, the official came up to him and said, "I perceive that there is a
difference between you and me. Is it because I come from a different denomination?" My friend began to explain why there
was a difference.
"If you were to come to my home, I would invite you in as an honored guest. As my guest, you would enjoy everything I had in
my home. However, you would still be a guest. You would not have the keys to the home, and your authority in that home
would be merely as a guest. However, if I said to you that I am turning over my home to you and you now have the keys to my
home, I would be your servant." My friend continued, "This is the difference between you and me. You have merely invited
Jeus into your home as a guest. I have given Jesus the keys to my home [heart] and I am his servant."
"How can I do this too?" the man replied.
"All you have to do is invite Him in as the new owner."
The man did this and is now allowing Jesus to rule and reign in every detail of his life.
So often many of us enter a relationship with God that brings us salvation. This is the gospel of salvation. But what God really
desires for us is to experience the gospel of the Kingdom. He wants us to experience His power and presence every day of
our lives and to see His hand at work in us. This only happens when we give Him the key to our life; He must be more than an
honored guest.
Where are you today? Has your life with God been more like an honored-guest relationship, or does He have the key to your
life?
February 1, 2008
A Talking Donkey
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, February 01 2008
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day?" - Numbers 22:30
Most workplace believers I know tend to be task - oriented, motivated visionaries. And they will do just about anything to
make their projects successful. This great strength can, if not properly bridled by the Holy Spirit, be a great weakness in their
ability to fulfill God's will in their life.
Sometimes we want something to succeed so much that we fail to listen to that little voice inside trying to warn us by
directing us on a different path. Such was the case of Balaam. He started out as a man of God, but then took the path of a
"prophet-for-hire." God was not pleased with Balaam's decision to respond to a pagan king's request that he curse Israel. As
Balaam rode his donkey to keep his appointment with the king, God sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the way and oppose
Balaam. Although Balaam did not see the angel, his donkey did. Three times the donkey turned from the path and three times
Balaam beat the animal in anger. Finally, the donkey turned around, and to Balaam's shock and amazement, began to speak to
him, admonishing his master for beating him. Imagine a donkey talking to you! He warned Balaam of the angel of death who
was standing in the road with a sword drawn, ready to kill Balaam if he continued.
There are times when pushing harder, trying to manipulate the circumstance, or pressing those around you is not the
response to have to the roadblock. God may be trying to have you reconsider your ways. God may be doing one of four things
when you are faced with an obstacle: 1) He's blocking it to protect you. 2) His timing to complete this stage is not the same as
yours, and He may need you to go through a process of character refinement. 3) He may want other players to get in place,
and the circumstances are not yet ready for them to enter. 4) He may be using the process to develop patience in you.
Relying on the Holy Spirit to know which one applies to your situation is the key to moving in God's timing.