MAY DEVOS

MAY DEVOTIONALS

May 31, 2007

MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE, AND I KNOW THEM, AND THEY
FOLLOW ME. AND I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE, AND THEY
SHALL NEVER PERISH; NEITHER SHALL ANYONE SNATCH
THEM OUT OF MY HAND.
                          ( JOHN 10:27-28 *NKJV )

    Now just as a shepherd will protect his sheep, Jesus will
protect us from Eternal harm. Even though we may suffer here
on Earth from the devil's temptations, satan cannot harm our
souls or take away our Eternal Life with God in Heaven.

   While there are many reasons to be fearful here on this
Earth: BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL WALKS
ABOUT LIKE A ROARING LION, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY
DEVOUR. ( 1 PETER 5:8 )   It is through Jesus that we are
given Eternal safety. For: THIS IS THE TESTIMONY: THAT
GOD HAS GIVEN US ETERNAL LIFE, AND THIS LIFE IS IN
HIS SON. HE WHO HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; HE WHO
DOES NOT HAVE THE SON OF GOD DOES NOT HAVE
LIFE. ( 1 JOHN 5:11-12 )

  So my friend, always remember: THE LORD ALMIGHTY
IS WITH US; THE GOD OF JACOB IS OUR FORTRESS.
( PSALM 46:7 ) Therefore: WHY SHOULD I FEAR WHEN EVIL
DAYS COME, WHEN WICKED DECEIVERS SURROUND ME?
( PSALM 49:5 )   For: THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY
SALVATION--WHOM SHALL I FEAR? THE LORD IS THE
STRONGHOLD OF MY LIFE OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?
( PSALM 27:1 )

  Now, may: THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS
CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE COMMUNION
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BE WITH YOU.    AMEN.
( 2 CORINTHIANS 13:14 )

May 30, 2007

God's Motives
by Os Hillman, May 30, 2007

He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me. - 2 Samuel 22:20

Questioning someone's motives for their activities can become an overriding response to those to
whom we relate. Wrong motives can result in broken relationships, poor business decisions, and falling
out of God's will. Sometimes we do not know the motive of another person. It is wrong for us to assume
what their motive is until we have confidence that we know their intentions. When we respond or react
prematurely, we become judge and jury over them.

God has a motive for every one of His children. His desire is to bring us into a spacious place. He wants
us to go beyond our borders of safety and security so that we might experience life at a level that goes
beyond ourselves. What do you think of when you think of a "spacious place"? No limitations? A large,
grassy field? Open air? These are positive images. Sometimes these spacious places encourage us to
step out in faith into areas where we've never ventured. Sometimes we need to be rescued by the
Lord. When Peter walked on the water, God was inviting him to a spacious place. He went beyond the
borders of his boat and ventured into a whole new world. He didn't have complete success in his
venturing out, but it was a process that would lead him to the next victory in his faith walk with Jesus.
Sometimes failure is what is needed in order to move us to the next level of faith with God. However,
we must be willing to fail and let God rescue us.

The Lord delights in this process. His motive for His children is always love. It is always to bring us to a
new level of trust and dependence on Him.

May 29, 2007

JUDGE NOT, AND YOU SHALL NOT BE JUDGED. CONDEMN
NOT, AND YOU SHALL NOT BE CONDEMNED. FORGIVE,
AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN.
                         ( LUKE 6:37 *NKJV )

As Children of God we are not to judge each other, but to
love each other and forgive each other just as our Heavenly
Father has forgiven us. For it is written: LET ALL BITTERNESS,
WRATH, ANGER, CLAMOR, AND EVIL SPEAKING BE PUT
AWAY FROM YOU, WITH ALL MALICE. AND BE KIND TO
ONE ANOTHER, TENDER HEARTED, FORGIVING ONE
ANOTHER, EVEN AS GOD IN CHRIST FORGAVE YOU.
( EPHESIANS 4:31-32 ) Now this is Jesus Christ's law of
forgiveness as found in the Gospels
[ see MATTHEW 6:14-15; & 18:35 ]

Our Savior Jesus Christ also said: WHENEVER YOU
STAND PRAYING, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST
ANYONE, FORGIVE HIM, THAT YOUR FATHER IN
HEAVEN MAY ALSO FORGIVE YOU YOUR
TRESPASSES. BUT IF YOU DO NOT FORGIVE,
NEITHER WILL YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN FORGIVE
YOUR TRESPASSES. ( MARK 11:25-26 )

So, never let anger with another control your
thinking and dominate your mind. For anger often turns to
vengeance, and remember God said: VENGEANCE IS
MINE; I WILL REPAY, SAYS THE LORD. (ROMANS 12:19)
THEREFORE, AS THE ELECT OF GOD, HOLY AND
BELOVED, PUT ON TENDER MERCIES, KINDNESS,
HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, LONGSUFFERING; BEARING
WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND FORGIVING ONE ANOTHER,
IF ANYONE HAS A COMPLAINT AGAINST ANOTHER;
EVEN AS CHRIST FORGAVE YOU, SO YOU MUST DO.
BUT ABOVE ALL THINGS PUT ON LOVE, WHICH IS THE
BOND OF PERFECTION.    Amen.
( COLOSSIANS 3:12-14 )

May 28, 2007

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
by Os Hillman, May 28, 2007

Then Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you
up out of this land to the land He promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." - Genesis 50:24

I was boarding the airplane in Frankfurt, Germany, when a mentor of mine asked me this question,
"Would you consider why God referred to Himself as the 'God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob'? Why didn't
He simply say, 'the God of Jacob'?" What a strange question, I thought to myself.

For the next hour I racked my brain trying to discover the meaning to this question. I had never read it
in a commentary, and the Scriptures do not really say why this is so. It became a good exercise with the
Holy Spirit that led to some interesting observations - one from my mentor, one from my own insight.

First, could it be that the Lord has given us a "type of trinity" in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Abraham
was considered a father figure to the nation of Israel. Isaac was the son who had to be sacrificed on the
altar. Jacob was the man who had to learn to walk according to the Holy Spirit instead of his flesh. Each
of these patriarchs had a particular relationship with God to fulfill.

My friend asked about an hour into the flight, "So, what did you discover?"

I told him of my observation.

"Hmm...that is interesting. I believe that what we also see in the patriarchs are examples of three
distinct types of personalities. If the Lord had cited only one of the patriarchs, we would tend to seek to
model that leader. However, the Lord has given us three distinct personalities in whom He performed
His work. Abraham was the pioneer who ventured out into unknown territory and was considered
righteous for his faith. Isaac was faithful to follow in his inheritance with few ups and downs in his life.
He had the fewest calamities among the three. He was called simply to be faithful to what had been
already given. Jacob had extreme conflict in his life. He suffered more pit experiences than either of
his predecessors. He had much conflict in relationships that became the source of his inheritance.
Each of us can identify with one of these men in how God has related to them."

God works in each person's life uniquely, and He has provided examples of lives for us to identify with
from the Scriptures. Who do you identify with most in your Christian pilgrimage? Discover this for
yourself. You will find encouragement as you seek to learn from someone who has gone before you.

May 27, 2007

The Greatest Test
by Os Hillman, May 27, 2007

I know, my God, that You test the heart and are pleased with integrity. - 1 Chronicles 29:17a

God tests His children to know what is in their hearts. God's desire for each of His children is to walk in
relationship with Him, to uphold His righteousness and integrity. It is a high calling that we will fail to
achieve without complete dependence on Him.

The greatest tests come not in great adversities, but in great prosperity. For it is in prosperity that we
begin to lose the sensitivity to sin in our lives. Adversity motivates us to righteousness out of a desire
to see our adversity changed. Prosperity fails to provide this motivation for obedience. We fall into a
satisfaction and confidence in life that is based on our prosperity rather than on God.

Hezekiah was a great godly king. He was a faithful, God-honoring king most of his life, but toward the
end he became proud. God wanted to find out if he would still honor Him and recognize His blessings in
his life. He failed the test when God sent an envoy to his palace to inquire about a miracle that God
performed on behalf of Hezekiah. The test was designed to find out if Hezekiah would publicly
acknowledge the miracle performed on his behalf.

But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had
occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart (2 Chronicle
32:31).

Hezekiah's failure resulted in his children failing to carry on as rulers of Israel, and the nation would
eventually be taken over by Babylon.

The lesson of Hezekiah is clear. If we are to remain faithful to our Lord, we must remain steadfast in our
obedience to Him. Prosperity can be our greatest test. Ask the Lord to give you the grace to be a
faithful follower during times of prosperity.

May 26, 2007

WE LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.
                   ( 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7 *NIV )

When ever you have a problem place it in God's
capable hands by asking Him in prayer to handle it for
you! Then, whatever you do, try Not to hold on to a little
corner of it and pull it back again. For when you put your
trust in God, He will lead your way!

Remember that our Savior Jesus Christ said: "DO NOT
LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED. TRUST IN GOD;
TRUST ALSO IN ME." ( JOHN 14:1 )

Also it is written: TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES, O PEOPLE;
POOR OUT YOUR HEARTS TO HIM, FOR GOD IS OUR
REFUGE. ( PSALM 62:8 )   So Scott, always put
all your: TRUST IN HIM AT ALL TIMES, ( PSALM 62:8 ) for it is
written: BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO MAKES THE LORD HIS
TRUST.   ( PSALM 40:4 )

NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO DO IMMEASURABLY
MORE THAN WE ASK OR IMAGINE, ACCORDING TO THE
POWER THAT IS AT WORK WITHIN US, TO HIM BE GLORY
IN THE CHURCH AND IN JESUS CHRIST THROUGHOUT ALL
GENERATIONS, FOR EVER AND EVER!   AMEN.
( EPHESIANS 3:20-21 )

May 25, 2007

The Goal of the Christian Life
by Os Hillman, May 25, 2007

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. - John 12:24

The goal of the Christian life is death, not success. A popular teaching says that if we follow God, we
will prosper materially. God may, in fact, bless His people materially, but few can make this claim among
third-world countries. Wealth must never be the goal of a person's life, only a by-product.

A missionary to a Middle-Eastern country has shared a motto among their ministry team: "God does not
require success, but radical, immediate obedience." Jesus' obedience gained Him the cross. It did not
gain Him popularity among the heathen, the religious or financial success, or a life of pleasure. His
obedience resulted in His death on the cross. This is the same goal Christ has for each of us--death of
our old nature so that He might live through us. That may not sell well among outcome-based Christian
workplace believers, but it will result in an eternal reward that far exceeds any earthly reward. "Behold,
I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done"
(Rev. 22:12).

The Christian life is a paradox--the first will be last, death in return for life, and we are encouraged to
offer praise to God to overcome a spirit of heaviness. It requires faith in a God who operates from a
different set of values that are sometimes difficult to measure from human standards. Let death work in
you a life that only God can raise up.

May 24, 2007

Wrestling With God
by Os Hillman, May 23, 2007

So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. - Genesis 32:24

All that Jacob had lived for was coming down to one event - his reunion with Esau. More than 20 years
had passed since Jacob had manipulated his father's blessing away from his brother Esau. During
these years God had been changing Jacob from a controller and manipulator to a man who was learning
to trust God. He was now ready to meet Esau. However, he was fearful that Esau might take revenge on
him and his family for his past sin, so he sent a gift ahead, while he retreated and sought mercy from
God.

As an angel appeared to Jacob, he realized the only hope he had was in God. Only if God blessed him
would he survive this ordeal. In the past, Jacob would have sought to solve his problem his way. Now,
he wanted only God's way. He wanted Him so badly that he wouldn't let go of the angel. He was striving
with God, but it was the right kind of striving. Jacob was striving to have all God's blessing on his life.
He was seeking God with all that he had. "When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he
touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man" (Gen.
32:25). The only way to overcome the strong will of this man was to physically immobilize him. The angel
touched the socket of Jacob's hip. It was painful; it broke him. This was the final stage of removing the
old nature from Jacob. It was the place of complete brokenness and surrender. No longer would Jacob
walk in his own strength. He would now have to lean on a cane, symbolic of his leaning on God alone.

It was the final act from God in Jacob's life that was celebrated with a new name - Israel. No longer
would he strive with God or man. The process was now complete. God could now bless this man
abundantly. He gave him favor with Esau and restored their broken relationship.

What does God have to do in our lives to remove the controlling and manipulative nature that so often
is part of a workplace believer's life? Perhaps it will require a time of immobilizing, loss of a job, loss of
income, loss of health, loss of a close relationship. These are His methods of preparation. Your new
nature will not be complete until you've stopped striving with God through your own self-efforts. If God
is taking you through this process, be encouraged; it is because of the inheritance He has prepared for
you. However, the inheritance can only be received when God brings us to total dependence on Him.

May 23, 2007

YOU, DEAR CHILDREN, ARE FROM GOD AND HAVE
OVERCOME THEM, BECAUSE THE ONE WHO IS IN YOU
IS GREATER THAN THE ONE WHO IS IN THE WORLD.
                      ( 1 JOHN 4:4 *NIV )

Now when you are faced with a problem that seems to
overwhelm you, remember to ask for God's help.   After all
HE IS A SHIELD TO THOSE WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM.
( PROVERBS 30:5 )

Therefore do not let a person, place or thing trouble you.
For THE ETERNAL GOD IS YOUR REFUGE, AND
UNDERNEATH ARE THE EVERLASTING ARMS. HE WILL
DRIVE OUT YOUR ENEMY BEFORE YOU, SAYING
DESTROY HIM.   ( DEUTERONOMY 33:27 )

Now you may ask "what about satan bothering me." Well,
He further promises us: "I HAVE GIVEN YOU AUTHORITY
TO TRAMPLE ON [ SNAKES AND SCORPIONS* ] AND TO
OVERCOME ALL THE POWER OF THE ENEMY."
( LUKE 10:19 )
*"Snakes and Scorpions" is an ancient Hebrew Idiom meaning
evil spirits!

So, do not let others get you down! For you
have the awesome power of God with you!   Just remind
yourself that: HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE
WHO IS IN THE WORLD, as the first verse said. For then,
THE PEACE OF GOD WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL
UNDERSTANDING, will return to you once again!    Amen.
( Philippians 4:7 )

May 22, 2007

God's Preparation for Moving Out
by Os Hillman, May 22, 2007

In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and
menservants, and camels and donkeys. - Genesis 30:43

Jacob left his homeland after suffering a broken relationship with Esau for stealing the family blessing.
He went to work for his uncle Laban where he stayed for 20 years. It came time for him to leave, but he
had no physical assets to show for those years under Laban. Laban had taken advantage of his nephew
in every way. (In some ways, Jacob was reaping the seed he had sown his entire life as a manipulator
and controller.) Nevertheless, God's hand was on Jacob, and He had plans to prosper him. However,
Jacob had one problem - he had no resources of his own. For Jacob to launch out on his own, he would
need resources. In those days, resources often meant large flocks of animals. God gave Jacob a dream
that resulted in a strategy for creating wealth by multiplying his sheep. Even though Laban sought to
thwart Jacob's efforts, God overcame the evil in Laban to allow Jacob to prosper.

There are many important lessons for us in this story. First, when God decides it is time to move you
into a larger place of His calling, He has the ability to provide the resources you need to support the
call. God gave Jacob a dream that resulted in a strategy never used before to build wealth. It was totally
from God's hand. It was creative and new. God called Jacob to move out after he had demonstrated his
faithfulness in 20 years of serving Laban. He learned to live under authority and served Laban faithfully,
even though he knew he was being taken advantage of.

God will do the same for you and me. However, a word of caution: Be sure the strategy is born from
above, and not from self-effort. The difficulty for most of us workplace believers is to learn the
difference between the strategies born of God versus the strategy of self-effort.

May 21, 2007

Becoming a Mighty Man
by Os Hillman, May 20, 2007

All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their
leader. About four hundred men were with him. - 1 Samuel 22:2

Have you ever felt that you could accomplish a whole lot more if you had more talented people around
you? Perhaps you are in an office and think that some of your fellow workers don't quite measure up.
Imagine what David must have thought in the years following his anointing by the prophet Samuel as
the next king of Israel. He spent the next many years running from King Saul. Now God was beginning
to bring men to support David. But what kind of men? The down-and-out. God gave David not the elite
or the sophisticated; He gave him those who were in debt and discontented with life. David turned
those men into the best fighting men of their day. In fact, David never lost a battle during his entire
reign as king of Israel-quite a feat for a bunch of no-name, lowlifes! Some of those men became an elite
group known as David's Mighty Men. These were the elite of the elite, the Navy Seals, the Few Good
Men, the Green Berets. Whatever you call them, they were exceptional warriors.

Jesus took a few men who weren't exactly the cream of the crop either. He built His life into these men,
which resulted in 12 men who turned the world upside down. Are you one of God's mighty men or
women? Are you investing your life to build other mighty men or women? David and Jesus set the
example of what can be done when we invest in others. God does extraordinary things through men
who have an extraordinary God. Ask God to use your life to be a mighty man or woman for a cause
greater than yourself. He delights in such prayers.

May 20, 2007

Selling Your Birthright
by Os Hillman, May 19, 2007

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So
Esau despised his birthright. - Genesis 25:34

Esau was brother to Jacob. One day he came back from hunting in the fields. He was hungry and tired.
His brother Jacob was preparing some stew and Esau asked Jacob for a bowl. Jacob used this time to
negotiate for what seems unimaginable - the family birthright.

Why would Esau take his birthright so lightly? Because he did not understand its value. Every business
day countless men and women exchange their birthrights for worldly goods, because they see what the
world has to offer as more valuable than what God might offer.

This is not all their fault. Satan has blinded the minds and hearts of men and women for centuries. He
does not want them to know the tremendous gold mine that awaits the child of God. Their inheritance is
filled with meaning, purpose, and rewards that await them both here and in Heaven. Satan keeps men
and women from seeing the real value of their own godly inheritance.

Your role as a workplace Christian is to be the key that unlocks this prison that keeps so many in
captivity. You may be the one to reveal the truth that allows them to enter into the inheritance God
desires for them. Pray that God allows you to see each unsaved person you encounter as one who
needs the key you hold in your hand. Then you will add to your own inheritance laid up for you in
Heaven.

May 19, 2007

A WORD FITLY SPOKEN IS LIKE APPLES OF GOLD IN
SETTINGS OF SILVER.
              ( PROVERBS 25:11 *NKJV )

Now it is written: SO SHALL I HAVE AN ANSWER FOR HIM
WHO REPROACHES ME, FOR I TRUST IN YOUR WORD.
For YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE AND MY SHIELD; I HOPE
IN YOUR WORD.   ( PSALMS 119:42 ) & ( PSALMS 119:114 )

Therefore, today we will take a humorous look at a
message that I received this week from one of our Brother's
in Christ. I hope that it will bring a laugh or two to begin your
day.
                    _____________________

            Proof That Scripture Can Protect You

Now an elderly woman had just returned to her home from an
evening of Church services when an intruder startled her. She
caught the man in the act of robbing her home of its valuables
and yelled, "Stop! ACTS 2:38," she shouted. The burglar stopped
in his tracks. The woman calmly called the police and explained
what she had done.

As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the
burglar, "Why did you just stand there? All the old lady did
was yell a Scripture at you."

"Scripture?" replied the burglar. "I though she said she had
an Ax and Two 38's!"
__________________________________________

Incidentally ACTS 2:38 reads: "REPENT AND BE
BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST SO THAT
YOUR SINS MAY BE FORGIVEN."

May 18, 2007

Building a Solid Foundation
by Os Hillman, May 18, 2007

But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man
who built his house on sand. - Matthew 7:26

There were two kinds of people in the days of Jesus. Some heard the words that Jesus spoke and were
awed by His wisdom and understanding, but did nothing about what they heard. Others heard those
words and acted on them. Jesus said that those who heard the words but failed to put them into
practice were foolish and likened them to building a house on sand. How foolish, indeed, it would be to
build a house on sand.

The person who followed what Jesus taught was a person who would be sure to weather life's storms.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who
built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock (Matthew 7:24-25).

You never know how well your house is built until it is tested by the elements. Torrential rains reveal
the quality of your roof. Wind and cold reveal how well your home is insulated. Heat and sun reveal the
quality of your paint and siding. All these elements reveal whether a solid foundation has been laid to
make your home a secure and lasting place to live.

Many of us find that we have given only lip service to God's commands. We are faced with the reality
that our foundations are not strong enough to weather life's storms. How do we react when the trials
come? Do we fret and worry? Do we take life into our hands? Do we respond inappropriately when we
don't get what we want? The Lord uses these times to help us recognize whether our foundations are
sand or rock. Ask the Lord today if you have built on His rock. If so, you can be comforted to know that
you can weather any storm that may come your way.

May 17, 2007

Being a Person Under Authority
by Os Hillman, May 17, 2007

..."I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." - Matthew 8:10

The centurion came to Jesus and told Him of his servant who was paralyzed and in terrible suffering.
He came to Jesus because he believed He could heal him. He told Jesus of the matter, and Jesus was
willing to come with the centurion. But the centurion would not have it. He knew that Jesus, being
under the authority of Heaven itself, did not have to see the servant to help him. The centurion
understood authority. He understood that he himself had certain rights that his position granted him to
have power over situations and people. He also was a man under authority. The centurion understood
Jesus' position and what power that position held in Heaven - the power to heal his servant if He chose
to exercise that authority.

When Jesus saw that the centurion understood this principle of authority and that He did not have to
visit the servant to heal him, He acknowledged the centurion's faith. Jesus knew it took great faith to
understand authority and whether He had the authority to do what was being asked.

God has placed a system of authority in our world that requires faith to operate under its boundaries:
fathers over sons and daughters, employers over employees, government leaders over the people,
church leaders over church members. These are authority structures God has placed in our lives to
protect and guide us to His will. Some confuse position with worthiness or qualifications of that
position. It is the position that God works through. The fact that an authority may not be a Christian may
have no bearing on whether God can work through him as your authority. It is only when that authority
counsels against a biblical mandate that we should not follow that person's guidance. The hand of the
king is in the hand of God.

Today, we find few who understand this system of authority God has ordained. It requires great faith to
operate in this realm. Yet Jesus said that when we understand this, we demonstrate the kind of faith
that He rarely sees. Be a person of rare faith. See the authorities placed in your life as those God is
using to protect you.

May 16, 2007

Sowing in Tears
by Os Hillman, May 16, 2007

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. - Psalm 126:5

The most difficult place to keep moving in faith is the place of extreme pain. Extreme pain, especially
emotional pain, can become immobilizing to the human spirit if it is allowed to overcome us. The
psalmist tells us there is only one remedy for overcoming painful circumstances that will result in joy.
We are to sow in the midst of these times. You cannot do this if you live by feelings alone. It is an act of
the will. This act requires that we go outside ourselves in pure faith.

I learned this principle during one of the deepest periods of my life. I had lost much that was dear to
me. A mature man in the faith admonished me to reach out to others in spite of my own pain. "Invest in
someone else," he said. I did not realize what a place of healing and comfort that would become.

"He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with
him" (Ps. 126:6). Pain can become a source of joy if we take the first step by planting seed. There is a
harvest that will come if we sow in the midst of tears.

May 15, 2007

Overcoming Our Past
by Os Hillman, May 15, 2007

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. - Judges 11:29a

We've all heard stories of individuals who have overcome extreme hardship during their childhood
years. Children of alcoholics, orphans who never have parents, loss of parents to a fatal crash,
childhood disease - these are all difficult circumstances to overcome.

Jephthah was a man who overcame his obstacles and refused to allow his circumstances to prevent
him from becoming great in God's sight. He was born to Gilead, a result of his father's adulterous
encounter with a prostitute. Gilead's wife, who had bore more sons, decided to reject Jephthah, and
drove him away from their home saying, "You are not going to get any inheritance in our family because
you are the son of another woman." Imagine the rejection this young man felt as he was cast away from
his own family.

This experience taught Jephthah to become a hardened warrior. Today he probably would have been
part of a street gang. As he got older, his reputation as a warrior became known to those in his country,
so much so that when the Ammonites made war on Israel, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah and
asked him to be their commander. Jephthah had to fight off those feelings of rejection from previous
years.

"Didn't you hate me and drive me from my father's house?" he responded. He overcame his hurt and
pain, and responded to the call God had on his life.

It is said that if we were to help the butterfly remove itself from the cocoon, the butterfly would not be
strong enough to survive. It is the struggle that prepares the butterfly to become strong enough to fly.
Without the struggle in the cocoon, it could not survive as a butterfly.

The Lord prepares each of us in similar ways. Some of our childhoods seem to have been harsh and
born from a seemingly unloving God. However, the Lord knows our struggle and will make our life an
instrument in His hand if we will follow Him with an upright heart. He does make all things beautiful in
His time if we are willing to be patient.

May 14, 2007

A Two-way Relationship
by Os Hillman, May 14, 2007

He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. - Isaiah 50:4b

The prophet Isaiah describes his relationship to God as a relationship that has two-way communication.
Have you ever felt that your communication with God was only one way - you to Him only? Isaiah tells
us, "The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the
weary.... The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn
back" (Is. 50:4-5).

The key to Isaiah's relationship with God lies in four important principles:

1. He had an instructed tongue. Isaiah had given over rule of his life completely to God's purposes.

2. He knew the word of the Lord, which allowed him to sustain and encourage others.

3. He took time to listen.

4. He did not flee from the tough assignments. He didn't shrink back.

If we are to be able to listen to God, we must follow the same principles. Knowing and spending time
studying God's Word allows the Holy Spirit to bring to mind His instructions for what He wants for us.
Recently, I became very busy in my work and other activities. It wasn't long before I felt distance
between God and me. I had to make a conscious decision to carve out more time alone to listen, study,
and meditate on His Word. This is the lifeline for the follower of Jesus. When we begin to lose the
relationship, we are susceptible to becoming rebellious, going our own way. Invest your life in this
relationship so that you may continue to hear His voice and sustain the weary ones around you.

May 13, 2007

The Plans of Tomorrow
by Os Hillman, May 13, 2007

You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. - James 4:14b

A group of workplace believers meet at my office every week for fellowship, study, and prayer. One man
attended our group for several years. Jim was well liked and in good health. One Thursday he showed
up as usual. The next morning I received a call, "Jim is dead! He died in his easy chair last night!" Jim
had no prior problems and there was no indication he was about to go be with the Lord. Naturally, it
came as a shock to us all.

Whenever things like this happen close to home, it brings us face to face with our mortality. A friend of
mine said he was challenged by someone to do an experiment. He challenged him to live his life for
one year as if it were the last year he would live. He responded to the challenge and did as proposed. It
changed his life forever. He began to focus on different priorities and people when he viewed life in
these terms.

James gives us a perspective on viewing tomorrow.

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on
business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life?
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the
Lord's will, we will live and do this or that" (James 4:13-15).

Life is fragile. Consider where you are investing your time and energies. Someone once said they had
never heard anyone on his deathbed say that he wished he had made more money in his lifetime or he
wished he had made a certain deal. Usually it is something like, "I wish I had spent more time with my
kids." Ask the Lord to give you His priorities for your life.

May 12, 2007

LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME, AND DO NOT
HINDER THEM, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD BELONGS
TO SUCH AS THESE.
              ( MARK 10:14 *NIV )

Now in keeping with our Saturday tradition I will share a
laugh or two with you this morning. The following message
was sent to me by one of our subscriber's, and I hope that
you will enjoy the message as much as I do.
             _________________________

              "Why God Made Moms "
( The following answers were given by elementary school children
to the following questions )

Question----"Why Did God Make Mothers?""

The answers:
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.

2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

Q-----"How Did God Make Mothers?"

1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.

2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.

3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just
used bigger parts.

Q----"What Ingredients Are Mother's Made Of ?"

1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and
everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.

2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they
He mostly use string I think.

Q----"Why Did God Give You Your Mother And not Some Other
Mom?"

1. We're related.

2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's
moms like me.

Q----"What Kind Of Little Girl Was Your Mom?"

1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other
stuff...

2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be
pretty bossy.

3. They say she used to be nice.

Q----"What Did Mom Need To Know About Dad Before She
Married Him?"

1. His last name.

2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does
he get drunk on beer? Does he make at least $800 a year? Did
he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Q----"Why Did Your Mom Marry Your Dad ?"

1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom
eats a lot.

2. She got too old to do anything else with him.

3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Q----"Who's The Boss At Your House?"

1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's
such a goofball

2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff
under the bed.

3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do
than dad.

Q----"What's The Difference Between Moms And Dads?"

1. Moms work at work & work at home, & dads just go to work
at work.

2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.

3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power
'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at
your friend's.

Q----"What Does Your Mom Do In Her Spare Time?"

1. Mothers don't do spare time.

2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

Q----"What Would It Take To Make Your Mom Perfect?"

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some
kind of plastic surgery.

2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

Q----"If You Could Change One Thing About Your Mom What
Would It Be?"

1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean.
I'd get rid of that.

2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my
sister who did it and not me.

May 11, 2007

YOU, O LORD, ARE A SHIELD FOR ME. MY GLORY AND
  THE ONE WHO LIFTS UP MY HEAD.
             ( PSALM 3:3 *NKJV )

When your life becomes filled with anxiety and confusion,
and you become concerned about the events in your life, turn
to our Savior Jesus Christ! For He said: "THESE THINGS
I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT IN ME YOU MAY HAVE
PEACE, IN THE WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TRIBULATION;
BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER, I HAVE OVERCOME THE
WORLD." ( JOHN 16:33 )

After all Jesus' never abandons us, or leaves us to struggle
alone!   For He has promised us: "I WILL NEVER LEAVE
YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU." SO WE MAY BOLDLY SAY:
THE LORD IS MY HELPER; I WILL NOT FEAR. WHAT
CAN MAN DO TO ME? ( HEBREWS 13:5 ) Therefore we
can always call on Him in even the most troublesome times,
for He is always with us!

Thus, THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU ALWAYS; HE WILL
SATISFY YOUR NEEDS IN A SUN-SCORCHED LAND AND
WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR FRAME. YOU WILL BE LIKE A
WELL-WATERED GARDEN, LIKE A SPRING WHOSE
WATERS NEVER FAIL. Also remember that when
confusion, worry and fear enter your life, it is not from God
but from satan. For it is written that GOD IS NOT THE
AUTHOR OF CONFUSION BUT OF PEACE!
( ISAIAH 58:11 )    ( 1 CORINTHIANS 14:33 )

So, BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, BUT IN
EVERYTHING BY PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION, WITH
THANKSGIVING, LET YOUR REQUESTS BE KNOWN TO
GOD; ( PHILIPPIANS 4:6 ) and let Him comfort, guide and
direct you through the troubling times in your life!   Amen.

May 10, 2007

Entitlements
by Os Hillman, May 10, 2007

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death-even
death on a cross! - Philippians 2:8

Society today has duped many of us into believing that the world owes us. It owes us a good living, a
loving spouse, good health throughout our whole life, sexual pleasure when we want it, and paid
vacations the rest of our lives. The world has told us if we work hard and do right, we are entitled to
these things. This is the Esau perspective on life. For a mere meal, he sold his own birthright for a
simple pleasure to which he felt entitled.

Society, and even the Church, is more pleasure-focused than ever before. George Barna, the Christian
researcher, cites,

We are not a society that simply enjoys its time off. Our leisure appetites drive us. It is increasingly
common to hear people turning down job offers because the hours or other responsibilities would
interfere with their hobbies, fitness regimens and other free time activities. Even our spending habits
show that playing has become a major priority. The average household spends more money on
entertainment than it does clothing, health care, furniture or gasoline. Recreational activities have
jumped more than 10 percent in the amount of time given to them. [George Barna, Frog In The Kettle
(Ventura, California: Regal Books, 1990), 82.]

What are the motives for our work life? Is it only to gain increased pleasure and leisure time? Jesus
said He came only to do the work of the Father. I am sure that Jesus had times of refreshment in His life
that allowed Him to get recharged for the mission God called Him to. However, He understood the
balance of maintaining mission and play. When we view life with an attitude of entitlements, we are
susceptible to becoming disappointed, resentful, and even bitter when our expectations go unmet. Ask
the Lord if you need to relinquish any rights that may be hindering your freedom to experience His love
and grace.

May 9, 2007

HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER, SO THAT YOU
MAY LIVE LONG IN THE LAND THE LORD YOUR GOD IS
GIVING YOU.
         ( EXODUS 20:12 *NIV )

We began this message with the Fifth Commandment. Now
this Commandment is the first one with a promise attached to it!
Now as we honor our mother and father, let us not forget;
to honor our Heavenly Father as well. For, HAVE WE NOT ALL
ONE FATHER? DID HE NOT CREATE US? ( MALACHI 2:10 )

Therefore today I would like to share the following poem with
you. A poem dedicated to our Heavenly Father!

                Never Alone!

   He can calm the troubled waters
   When you walk in dark despair.
   There is hope when you feel helpless
   Knowing that the Lord is there...

   Sharing in your sunshine moments
   Or in valleys deep and wide,
   He is always by your side.

   There's no other friend so faithful
   Through the sunshine and rain,
   Through the teardrops and the laughter,
   In your joy and in your pain.

   We could never, ever thank Him
   For His love He gives so free,
   Never changing...never ending
   Throughout all eternity.

   Oh, the wonder of all wonders
   As we live from day to day,
   Knowing that we have a Father
   Who is with us all the way.
                 Poet, Gertrude B. McClain

So, on this and every day may: GRACE, MERCY,
AND PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU FROM GOD THE FATHER
AND FROM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF THE
FATHER, IN TRUTH AND LOVE. Amen.            ( 2 John 3 )

May 8, 2007

Being Choked by Wealth
by Os Hillman, May 8, 2007

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his
income.... - Ecclessiastes 5:10

Workplace believers are especially susceptible to a trap in their spiritual lives - one to which others
may not be so susceptible. That trap is wealth. Scripture tells us that if we are having our basic needs
met for food and clothing, we are considered to have riches. Jesus cautioned us against living a
lifestyle that required more than our basic necessities. However, it is clear that Jesus was not against
wealth, but against a dependence on wealth. Jesus continually taught that a dependence on anything
other than God was evil. Whenever Jesus determined that money was an issue for an individual, He
addressed it and found that the individual could not let go. This was true for the rich young ruler. When
talking about what he must do to inherit the Kingdom, Jesus told him to do the one thing that would be
the most difficult - to give away his wealth and follow Him. Jesus was not saying this was what every
person must do, only the rich young ruler, because Jesus knew this was his greatest stumbling block.
For others of us, it could be something else Jesus would ask us to give up (see Mt. 19:16-30).

In the parable of the sower in which He describes four types of people, Jesus also gave us another
example of the problem money creates for any follower of Jesus.

A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the
birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up
quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they
withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the
plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what
was sown (Matthew 13:3b-8).

The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the
worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful (Matthew 13:22).

Much like the frog in the boiling pot, if we are not careful we gradually begin to acquire and walk the
treadmill of material gain. Those around us begin to expect more and more. Soon we begin expanding
our lifestyle. Before we know it, we are worrying about how to take care of what we acquire. Our
emphasis becomes what we own versus our relationship with Jesus and His Kingdom. One day I woke
up and realized I had a cold heart toward God. Apathy toward the things of God became apparent. I was
still going through the motions of service toward God, but with no power. We wake up to realize Christ
is no longer Lord of our lives, much less of our money. The greater independence money gives us, the
less dependence on God we need. Christ talked much about money in the Kingdom because He knew
how much of a problem it was. This is why we have so few who are bearing 100, 60, or 30 times what is
sown.

Do you have the same hunger for God that you once had? Has financial blessing had an adverse effect
on your passion for Jesus Christ? Ask Him today if your heart has grown cold as a result of financial
blessing. Ask Him to keep you hungering for more of His presence in your life.

May 7, 2007

HE HAS GIVEN US THIS COMMAND: WHOEVER LOVES
GOD MUST ALSO LOVE HIS BROTHER.
       ( 1 JOHN 4:21 *NIV )

Our Savior Jesus Christ said: "A NEW COMMAND
I GIVE YOU: LOVE ONE ANOTHER. AS I HAVE LOVED
YOU, SO YOU MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER."
( JOHN 13:34 )

So, OFFER HOSPITALITY TO ONE ANOTHER
WITHOUT GRUMBLING. EACH ONE SHOULD USE
WHATEVER GIFT HE HAS RECEIVED TO SERVE
OTHERS, FAITHFULLY ADMINISTRATING GOD'S GRACE
IN ITS VARIOUS FORMS. (1 PETER 4:9-10 )

Thus, IF ANYONE HAS MATERIAL POSSESSIONS
AND SEES HIS BROTHER IN NEED BUT HAS NO PITY ON
HIM, HOW CAN THE LOVE OF GOD BE IN HIM? DEAR
CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE WITH WORDS OR
TONGUE BUT WITH ACTIONS AND IN TRUTH. Now just,
SUPPOSE A BROTHER OR SISTER IS WITHOUT
CLOTHES AND DAILY FOOD. IF ONE OF YOU SAYS TO
HIM, "GO, I WISH YOU WELL; KEEP WARM AND WELL
FED," BUT DOES NOTHING ABOUT HIS PHYSICAL
NEEDS, WHAT GOOD IS IT? After all Jesus also said: "I
TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONE
OF THE LEAST OF THESE BROTHERS OF MINE, YOU
DID FOR ME." ( 1 JOHN 3:17-18 )    ( JAMES 2:15-16 )
( MATTHEW 25:40 )

Therefore, LOVE MUST BE SINCERE. HATE WHAT IS
EVIL; CLING TO WHAT IS GOOD. BE DEVOTED TO ONE
ANOTHER IN BROTHERLY LOVE. HONOR ONE
ANOTHER ABOVE YOURSELVES. ( ROMANS 12:9-10 )
and God will Bless you for it!   Amen.

May 6, 2007

The Value of Words
by Os Hillman, May 6, 2007

And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your "Yes"
be "Yes," and your "No," "No"; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. - Matthew 5:36-37

Imagine for a moment that you are living in Jesus' time. It is before Jesus has begun His public ministry.
He is a carpenter in your local town of Nazareth. You have asked Jesus to make a table for you. You're
on a deadline and you must have it in a week. You agree on the price of $100 for the table and the date
of one week for completion. A week later you arrive to pick up the table. You lay your money down on
the table and Jesus says, "Mr. Johnson, I am sorry but the table is not ready. I ran into complications.
Also, I can no longer honor the price I gave you. It is now $150 instead of $100."

Two years later you hear about this same Jesus who is preaching to the local townspeople. How are you
going to view this Jesus? You probably won't give much credence to His message because of your
personal experience. Our lives have an ability to reinforce the message we stand for, or they can
violate it and make it totally ineffective. This literally happens all over the world in different settings
with Christian workplace believers. Our message becomes ineffective because we have not done what
we said.

I know people who, when they tell me they plan to do something, I can expect them to follow through
about 50 percent of the time. I am sure you have had the same experience. Words and commitments are
made with little meaning behind those words. However, I know others who will follow through almost
every time. The only time they don't is when something falls outside their control. I quickly learn whose
words have substance behind them.

There are times when we are unable to perform or deliver what we promised due to outside influences.
The key to turning these potentially negative circumstances into a witness for Christ is communication.
If we are unable to pay a bill on time, we must communicate with those we owe and make a good faith
effort to resolve it within our means. In these cases, God's purposes are being performed as well if we
seek to do the right thing.

Do your words mean anything to those who hear them? Do you make commitments and fail to follow
through on them? What would others say about how you follow through? Ask the Lord today to show
you how you are doing in this area. You might even want to ask three people who are the closest to you
how you fare in this area.

May 5, 2007

When God Seems Far Away
by Os Hillman, May 5, 2007

Why, O Lord, do You stand far off? Why do You hide Yourself in times of trouble? - Psalm 10:1

One of the great mysteries of God is His ways. Some of His ways almost appear to bring us into the most
difficult places, as if He were indifferent to our circumstances. It would appear that He is turning His
head from our sorrows. These events in our lives have a particular objective to perform for us. That
objective is to bring us to the end of ourselves that we might discover the treasure of darkness. "Yet
when I hoped for good, evil came; when I looked for light, then came darkness" (Job 30:26).

When we are taken into these dark periods, we begin to see light that we never knew existed. Our
sensitivities become heightened and our ability to see through spiritual eyes is illuminated. Unless we
are taken into these times, our souls never develop any depth of character. We do not gain wisdom,
only knowledge. Knowledge is gained through understanding; wisdom is gained through the
experience of darkness.

After we go through these periods, we discover that God was, in fact, with us throughout the entire
time. It does not feel or appear that He is there when we are in the midst of the dark periods. However,
He is there walking with us. He has told us countless times that He will never leave us. However, when
we are in those dark periods, it does not feel like He is there because He does not rescue us from the
circumstances. He does this for our benefit in order that we might become more like Jesus. Jesus
learned obedience from the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). What does that say about how you and I
will learn obedience? Embrace the dark times and gain the wisdom that God intends for you from these
times.

May 4, 2007

Our Labor in the Lord
by Os Hillman

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work
of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. - 1 Corinthians 15:58

There is a paradigm shift going on among a remnant of workplace believers today. That paradigm shift
is a focus on using our business and work life as a platform for ministry versus a platform solely for
material success. There is a remnant of workplace believers throughout the world today who
understand their birthright in the workplace is to reflect Christ fully in and through their work. It is
reflected by a commitment to use their resources and skills to provide a product of excellence with the
overall motive to affect people for Jesus Christ. The difference is that these individuals have an
overriding ministry objective to their work.

When the apostle Paul tells us to fully work unto the Lord, he does not mean we must be working as
missionaries in "full-time Christian effort." He understands that all of life is holy and sacred to God. If
our motive is to serve God where we are, then our labor "in the Lord is not in vain."

As you begin your work today, ask God if you are working with the primary motive of reflecting His life
and character through your work on this day. Let nothing move you from this motive being central to
your activity. The Lord will reflect His power and leading in and through your life when this becomes
your primary motive.

May 3, 2007

Ability Versus Availability
by Os Hillman
His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor His delight in the legs of a man; the Lord delights in
those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love. - Psalm 147:10-11

Do you ever feel so skilled in what you do that you require little help from others? Perhaps you may feel
that you are more skilled than any other in your field. Does God need your skills and abilities in order to
accomplish His purposes on this earth? The answer is NO.

One thing God does not need is our skills and abilities. However, He does give us the privilege to
exercise our gifts and abilities for His service. That service may be as a computer technician, a
secretary, an ironworker, or even a lawyer. God calls each of us to our vocations to work unto Him. To
believe that He needs our skills to accomplish His mission on earth would be to lower our
understanding of an all-encompassing and all-powerful God. The psalmist tells us that His pleasure is
not in our strength and ability, but His pleasure is in the attitude of the heart. It is what we find in the
heart that helps determine whether ability is translated into availability. You see God is looking to and
fro throughout the earth for a man or woman who is fully committed to Him. A man or woman who is
committed to fearing the Lord and placing his hope in His unfailing love is the person God seeks to
support. "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are
fully committed to Him" (2 Chron. 16:9a). When our agenda becomes His agenda, we can expect God to
fully support all that we do.

If we want to see our skills and abilities multiplied a hundredfold, then we must make them completely
available to His service. Where are the opportunities in which God is calling you to be available to Him?
Next time someone asks you to be involved in some activity, before you say yea or nay, make sure you
check in with the Master of our decisions to ensure that your gifts and talents are being used, as He
desires.

May 2, 2007

Jesus said "BEHOLD, I GIVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO TRAMPLE
ON SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS, AND OVER ALL THE POWER
OF THE ENEMY, AND NOTHING SHALL BY ANY MEANS HURT
YOU."                        ( LUKE 10:19 *NKJV )

Whenever you feel tempted by satan, remember those words
spoken by Jesus Christ to His followers, then and now. This
means that you have the power to order satan out of your life
when you feel tempted. THEREFORE SUBMIT TO GOD. RESIST
THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. However always,
BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY
THE DEVIL WALKS ABOUT LIKE A ROARING LION, SEEKING
WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.
( JAMES 4:7 )         &         ( 1 PETER 5:8 )

So always: PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, THAT
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF
THE DEVIL.     ( EPHESIANS 6:11 )

Now, please do not take the first verse to literally.
After all, if you come across a rattlesnake don't try to trample it.
I can promise you that rattlesnake hasn't read the Bible, so it
will bite you. The above Words "SERPENTS AND SCORPIONS"
are an ancient Hebrew Idiom meaning, To Overcome Enemies
and Opposition.

May 1, 2007

Being Given Over to Death
by Os Hillman, May 1, 2007

For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake.... So then, death is at work
in us, but life is at work in you. - 2 Corinthians 4:11-12

It is the great mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Death gives life. Jesus' death on the cross gave
life. The death of a vision brings new vision. The death of a seed gives new life. It is the central focus
of God's requirement for experiencing Him--death. When Jesus extended us an invitation to
experience salvation and a relationship with Him, it came with a great cost, our very lives. Yet what we
don't realize is that until we relinquish our total lives, we really aren't living at all. Without this death we
will continue to strive, manipulate, and fret over every detail of life. It is when we finally say, "Yes, Lord,
I am Yours completely," that we experience real freedom for the first time. This is the only time when
Christ is fully seen in and through our lives. Christ describes our lives as vessels--vessels for Him to
be revealed in and seen by others.

How is your vessel today? When people look inside, will they see a life that is dead to all things, save
the life of Christ revealed? In the workplace, we are faced with challenges each day that seek to instill
fear and control at every turn, but Christ says He wants to live through your life in the workplace. He
wants to reveal Himself to your fellow workers today. However, He can only do this if our vessel is free
of ourselves. Ask Jesus what things must die today in order for Him to live completely in and through
you.