Day Fourteen
“Buying Your Way to Heaven?”
Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is than sacrifice and to heed than the fat of rams.
I Samuel 15:2
Recently I was eating at a café when a man I don’t really know well offered to buy my lunch. Someone saw this act and commented that the man was simply trying to buy his way into heaven. Now, I cannot judge the motives of such actions but I am called to look into my own motives. Do we think we can give God a little money and bypass other areas of disobedience? Let us not foolishly think that God is ever impressed by our giving, regardless of the size or amount, as if we are doing Him a favor while at the same time disobeying Him in other ways. God cannot be bought off. He does not need your money or mine; he already owns everything.
God wants uncompromised obedience. We are now at the two-week mark of this challenge. It is getting tougher. The fasting is harder. The praying is more difficult. And now even the obedience is harder. God is calling us to things that are uncomfortable and He is challenging our faith in new ways.
Why do we want to compromise and throw money at God rather than surrendering our lives? Due to the fact that Jesus purchased our redemption on the cross, for every blood-bought saved child of His, He owns us! The truth is we often act like He is renting us and has to ask us permission to make needed changes in our lives. God owns us! “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. (I Corinthians 6:19-20.) “ For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” (II Corinthians 5:14-15)
God has the right to ask us to do anything, at any time, and anywhere He chooses, without asking our permission. This is a hard truth and many have rejected it over the years. What about you? As you continue in this forty day-challenge are you willing to obey God in what He is asking? You do not need to go into details about the possibilities of what that obedience might look like. God is sufficient to lead and reveal what He wants from each of us.
I am very passionate about this truth, a passion that began in late July of 2000. At that time I traveled and preached at camps, revivals, and retreats full-time. It had been a busy summer and I was winding down to the last few events. I had three events back to back to back which left me no time to go home to see my family. I missed one of my boys’ birthday and it pained me deeply. I lay in my little hotel room at the camp where I was preaching and cried my eyes out. God spoke a very firm word to me that day - He called me to follow Him no matter what. It was in that little hotel room that I really sought to surrender my life. Two verses gripped my soul that I will be sharing over the next two days.
For now, suffice it to say that God wants our full obedience. There is no way I can look through these pages into the recesses of your heart to know if you are holding back. If you are experiencing conviction it is from the Holy Spirit; he is calling you to the next level in your service to Him. It might feel very uncomfortable to surrender your life in obedience, but as Paul Harvey used to say, I want to tell you “the rest of the story.”
A couple of years ago I was back at that same camp where I surrendered my life and family to the Lord. I went back by the same hotel and stood on the same piece of dirt where I had surrendered my life to the Lord nine years ago. I was no longer traveling full-time; in fact, those same boys I had missed so badly during my traveling days were now attending the children’s camp that I was also enjoying as a sponsor and pastor from FBC Paradise. I realized right then that when I surrendered my life to the Lord in obedience, He gave me the desires of my heart. I am now a pastor in a great church and enjoying watching my boys grow and mature right before my very eyes.
Stop holding back. It is time to remove the “No Trespassing” sign on whatever area of your life that you don’t want the Lord to enter. It is time to surrender and to follow Him in complete obedience. I like the words to the old hymn “I Have Decided.” One line in particular really stirs my heart: “Though none go with me, I still will follow, though none go with me, I still will follow. No turning back, no turning back.”[1]
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Is there any area of your life where you have not given God control?
Is there something that He has called you to do that you have rejected, choosing to live in rebellion? If so, how has this choice affected your relationship with Him and those around you?
What is keeping you from obedience today? Would ask the Lord to remove those things and help you take the steps to follow Him?
Is He calling you to do something today? If so what is it and are you willing to be obedient?
[1] The Baptist Hymnal, “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”, St. 1,2, Garro Christians, Nashville, Convention Press, 1991, p. 305
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
40 Days - Day 13 (March 25 - May 3)
“Giving Everything”
And calling the His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
Mark 12:43-4
Most of think that real giving is for those who are financially blessed, and whose pocketbooks and bank accounts are adequately funded. We are tempted to make excuses for not giving more when we are living in lack ourselves. There are those individuals who can write a five-figure check and not blink an eye. There are those who have the ability to give six-figure donations, but on this occasion at least Jesus was not impressed with the large donors. His heart and attention were drawn to an obscure lady who had suffered a great deal.
We learn from the text that she was a widow and that she was poor. The implication of this woman being termed “poor” means that she was facing such lack in her own life that she was reduced to begging for alms to meet her most basic needs. She was needy in every respect of the imagination. But while living in extreme poverty and coping with the loss of her husband, this lady enters the temple and gives her gift. We would not know anything about her or her gift if Jesus had not used her as example in teaching the disciples. I am confident that many extravagant gifts were put into the temple treasury that day. Knowing human nature, I am also confident that there were those who wanted everyone to know that they were giving extravagant gifts. Jesus was not impressed.
Enter a poor widow who had been begging for alms in order to live out even the most meager existence. She walks up to the treasury to offer her gift of two small copper coins, which were the smallest of copper coins and worth very little. Her gift captured the heart and attention of Christ. Read with interest what Jesus said about her gift, “. . . she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
True, there were large gifts given that day, yet those who gave those gifts did not give sacrificially because they had plenty of reserves left. When Bill Gates gives a million dollars it does not hurt him financially as it would a widow on a fixed pension giving a thousand or even a hundred dollars. The widow lady we are talking about went beyond that - she gave EVERYTHING! She had no reserves. She had not tucked away investments. She gave every single thing she had to give. She held nothing back and it touched the heart of God.
As we have been going through this forty-day challenge to trust God and obey God, today we are faced with a whole other realm of faith. To this point most of our focus has been on asking God for something, trusting Him for something, but today our focus shifts from receiving to giving. What is He calling you to give to Him? It is a simple question. What amount, what possession, what gift, what sacrifice is He calling you to give or to make for the glory of His name and the advancement of His causes?
I recently met with a college student who feels called to serve in a summer missions program in a foreign country. He needs a good portion of money to make up what He is lacking to cover the cost of the trip. People are going to be asked to share in this opportunity to advance the cause of Chris, but the economic conditions are currently very tough. People have lost their jobs. Many are barely making ends meet as it is. How could I lead the church to give to this cause? Because Jesus said there is more joy in giving than receiving (Acts 20:35.)
Few of us in the United States know poverty like this widow lady was facing. We may not have everything we want but we have everything we need. I would still be so audacious as to ask you, what goes God want you to give? I have known those who have given away clothes, money, cars, computers, jewelry, books, and many other possessions.
In relocating my office recently I was led to give away hundreds of books. There was a time in my life when I would not have been open to doing such a thing, because I love my books with a passion. But God has slowly and gently pried my hands off the most precious possession I have; my library. My thousands of volumes of books are like treasured friends; some of them I have visited and revisited multiple times over the years. I cannot put into words how deeply I love my books. Yet as I was moving box after box I felt the Lord’s gentle prodding to begin weeding through those books to make them available to others on a first-come and first-serve basis. Even after shelving those boxes of books I perused my bookshelves four different times, culling other hardbacks and paperbacks alike to offer to takers. It brought me joy to give, and each time I give as the Lord prompts it blesses my heart.
Recently, my wife Brenda was working at a book fair at the elementary school and was speaking to a young lady from our church who is just starting out as a school teacher and could only afford to spend a certain amount of money to buy books for her classroom. She was disappointed to learn that she did not have enough money to buy one volume she really wanted. Brenda told me later that the Lord convicted her to buy the book for the young lady and to give it to her. What a blessing to be able to do such things! It was not a large gift but it flooded our hearts with joy to join God in giving. We have both been on the receiving end but we like it much better when we get to be on the giving end.
God is calling each of us to give. Some people will be led to give more than others. We are not to get hung up on equal gifts but to jointly share in equal sacrifice. You will be called to give much differently than I will.
It is a sweet joy to be freed from being possessed by our possessions and our money. It is joy beyond description to obey God in giving regardless of the sacrifice. Here is the very point where faith comes into play - when we are called to give or even contemplate giving, especially sacrificially, we have to face the fear that the money will run out and there will not be enough left over to meet our needs. Do we trust God to meet our needs regardless of whether we have stockpiles of cash or if He leads us to give the last dollar in our pocket?
How could this widow lady give EVERYTHING she had? How could she have parted ways with all the money she had on the earth with nothing set back for a rainy day? She had to trust God to meet her needs. We are so worried about our needs, sometimes days, weeks, months, and even years down the road. God promised to give us this day our daily bread. If I have a legitimate need, He has promised to meet that need, therefore I can be free from worry and give generously and sacrificially as God prompts me to give, just as you can.
We must sit before the Lord and ask Him what He wants us to give. He will show us the amounts, the possessions, and where those things should be directed. It is a liberating thing to be delivered from greed, materialism, and love of money. Few acts can help us defeat each of these things in our lives like obediently, sacrificially, and joyfully giving.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Spend some prolonged time surrendering your money and possessions to Him to be used as He desires.
Ask Him if there is something He is asking you to give sacrificially.
Ask the Lord for the ability to build wealth for the purpose of giving it away.
What is the Lord speaking to you? What are you supposed to do in response to what He is speaking to you?
And calling the His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
Mark 12:43-4
Most of think that real giving is for those who are financially blessed, and whose pocketbooks and bank accounts are adequately funded. We are tempted to make excuses for not giving more when we are living in lack ourselves. There are those individuals who can write a five-figure check and not blink an eye. There are those who have the ability to give six-figure donations, but on this occasion at least Jesus was not impressed with the large donors. His heart and attention were drawn to an obscure lady who had suffered a great deal.
We learn from the text that she was a widow and that she was poor. The implication of this woman being termed “poor” means that she was facing such lack in her own life that she was reduced to begging for alms to meet her most basic needs. She was needy in every respect of the imagination. But while living in extreme poverty and coping with the loss of her husband, this lady enters the temple and gives her gift. We would not know anything about her or her gift if Jesus had not used her as example in teaching the disciples. I am confident that many extravagant gifts were put into the temple treasury that day. Knowing human nature, I am also confident that there were those who wanted everyone to know that they were giving extravagant gifts. Jesus was not impressed.
Enter a poor widow who had been begging for alms in order to live out even the most meager existence. She walks up to the treasury to offer her gift of two small copper coins, which were the smallest of copper coins and worth very little. Her gift captured the heart and attention of Christ. Read with interest what Jesus said about her gift, “. . . she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
True, there were large gifts given that day, yet those who gave those gifts did not give sacrificially because they had plenty of reserves left. When Bill Gates gives a million dollars it does not hurt him financially as it would a widow on a fixed pension giving a thousand or even a hundred dollars. The widow lady we are talking about went beyond that - she gave EVERYTHING! She had no reserves. She had not tucked away investments. She gave every single thing she had to give. She held nothing back and it touched the heart of God.
As we have been going through this forty-day challenge to trust God and obey God, today we are faced with a whole other realm of faith. To this point most of our focus has been on asking God for something, trusting Him for something, but today our focus shifts from receiving to giving. What is He calling you to give to Him? It is a simple question. What amount, what possession, what gift, what sacrifice is He calling you to give or to make for the glory of His name and the advancement of His causes?
I recently met with a college student who feels called to serve in a summer missions program in a foreign country. He needs a good portion of money to make up what He is lacking to cover the cost of the trip. People are going to be asked to share in this opportunity to advance the cause of Chris, but the economic conditions are currently very tough. People have lost their jobs. Many are barely making ends meet as it is. How could I lead the church to give to this cause? Because Jesus said there is more joy in giving than receiving (Acts 20:35.)
Few of us in the United States know poverty like this widow lady was facing. We may not have everything we want but we have everything we need. I would still be so audacious as to ask you, what goes God want you to give? I have known those who have given away clothes, money, cars, computers, jewelry, books, and many other possessions.
In relocating my office recently I was led to give away hundreds of books. There was a time in my life when I would not have been open to doing such a thing, because I love my books with a passion. But God has slowly and gently pried my hands off the most precious possession I have; my library. My thousands of volumes of books are like treasured friends; some of them I have visited and revisited multiple times over the years. I cannot put into words how deeply I love my books. Yet as I was moving box after box I felt the Lord’s gentle prodding to begin weeding through those books to make them available to others on a first-come and first-serve basis. Even after shelving those boxes of books I perused my bookshelves four different times, culling other hardbacks and paperbacks alike to offer to takers. It brought me joy to give, and each time I give as the Lord prompts it blesses my heart.
Recently, my wife Brenda was working at a book fair at the elementary school and was speaking to a young lady from our church who is just starting out as a school teacher and could only afford to spend a certain amount of money to buy books for her classroom. She was disappointed to learn that she did not have enough money to buy one volume she really wanted. Brenda told me later that the Lord convicted her to buy the book for the young lady and to give it to her. What a blessing to be able to do such things! It was not a large gift but it flooded our hearts with joy to join God in giving. We have both been on the receiving end but we like it much better when we get to be on the giving end.
God is calling each of us to give. Some people will be led to give more than others. We are not to get hung up on equal gifts but to jointly share in equal sacrifice. You will be called to give much differently than I will.
It is a sweet joy to be freed from being possessed by our possessions and our money. It is joy beyond description to obey God in giving regardless of the sacrifice. Here is the very point where faith comes into play - when we are called to give or even contemplate giving, especially sacrificially, we have to face the fear that the money will run out and there will not be enough left over to meet our needs. Do we trust God to meet our needs regardless of whether we have stockpiles of cash or if He leads us to give the last dollar in our pocket?
How could this widow lady give EVERYTHING she had? How could she have parted ways with all the money she had on the earth with nothing set back for a rainy day? She had to trust God to meet her needs. We are so worried about our needs, sometimes days, weeks, months, and even years down the road. God promised to give us this day our daily bread. If I have a legitimate need, He has promised to meet that need, therefore I can be free from worry and give generously and sacrificially as God prompts me to give, just as you can.
We must sit before the Lord and ask Him what He wants us to give. He will show us the amounts, the possessions, and where those things should be directed. It is a liberating thing to be delivered from greed, materialism, and love of money. Few acts can help us defeat each of these things in our lives like obediently, sacrificially, and joyfully giving.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Spend some prolonged time surrendering your money and possessions to Him to be used as He desires.
Ask Him if there is something He is asking you to give sacrificially.
Ask the Lord for the ability to build wealth for the purpose of giving it away.
What is the Lord speaking to you? What are you supposed to do in response to what He is speaking to you?
Sunday, April 5, 2009
40 Days - Day 12 (March 25 - May 3)
“Led by the Desires of Your Heart”
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
What is it you most desire the Lord do for you? The answer to this question may be different than the answers you started out with nearly two weeks ago. Many of you may still be pounding the doors of Heaven asking the Lord for the same things you started out asking.
I have the same four things before me. They are big, but God is bigger. I believe they represent land that He has called me to possess by faith. I continue to ask for His mighty provision to help our church possess the nineteen acres He called us to believe Him for without going to a bank to borrow money. We believe that He is able to do this debt free. There are other personal things I keep desiring God to do. I know they will come in His time because He is teaching me to delight in Him.
What does delighting in the Lord mean? It means loving Him more and desiring him more than anything else on this earth. While writing this I am listening to a song by my friend John Rolf based on Psalm 73:25, written while praying about the woman he was dating who would become his wife. He believed that she was the woman for him and that she was the desire of his heart, but He wanted God more. John wanted to make sure that Jessica was the woman God had chosen for him. It is a beautiful song and brings back many precious memories. John delighted in God and God gave John the desire of his heart in a spouse. Several years ago, I had the privilege of being there to perform the ceremony when the two of them were united in marriage. Today John is a successful worship leader and he and Jessica have a beautiful child.
When we delight in God more than we delight in the desires of our heart, He can trust us with them. If we delight in our desires more than in Him, they become idols in our hearts that compete with our affections for Him. The things of this earth we spend so much time longing for, praying for, and agonizing for do not have the power to give us what we expect. Marriage partners can fail and disappoint. New jobs may bring with them the same old problems we faced on the last job. The grass is not always greener on the other side. The new car gets scratched, dented, and wears out with age. New clothing goes out of style and gets stuffed in the back of our closets. Books can go unread. Houses can be destroyed by hail, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
Still there are desires in our hearts for God to do something. Maybe it is to see a real revival in our churches and communities. Maybe it is too see God provide for some temporal need, or to see God bring about life change in someone we love and are burdened for. We all have desires, some of them secret and repressed. What do you long to see God do for you? Let me ask you now, do you desire God to give you that desire more than you crave God Himself?
As David stated in Psalm 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” Those are powerful words and a clear reminder that God must always be the chief, supreme, and ultimate desire of our hearts. There is nothing wrong with desiring things on this earth as long as those things are things God wants for us and if we do not let them become idols in our hearts. The children of Israel desired a king even though God was already their King. He warned them that earthly kings would lead them astray, but still they wanted a king so they could be more like other nations. Sure enough, those kings brought about unfathomable sin and ultimately the judgment of God for the whole nation.
We all need clothing, lodging, transportation, food, etc. What I have to continually remind myself is that in my relationship with God, I have all I need. There is not a need I have in my life that He has not met. What I should desire most is Him and not just the gifts that He gives. He is my ultimate desire and the filter through which I sift all other desires.
If you truly delight yourself in the Lord, He has promised you the desires of your heart. I find it interesting that the more I desire Him, the more I desire the things He desires. I desire a pastor for FBC Humboldt, Saskatchewan. I desire land for this church so God can build His church and enlarge His kingdom both in Paradise, TX and beyond. I desire His name to be glorified through our praying and living. Yes, I have some desires. For as long as my family has lived in Paradise, TX we have desired our own house but currently live in the parsonage provided by the church. We are content to wait on Him. We desire to be completely out of debt so we are financially free to do more for God, and we continue to pray toward this end. I pray for open doors to preach all over the nation and the world, but I am content with the wonderful flock God has entrusted to me. What a special church I am privileged to serve. I desire for God to write His story for our church in such ways that other churches and pastors are encouraged and inspired to trust Him more.
Let me ask you again: what do you desire? May the Lord increase our delight in Him and continually give us the wisdom to align our desires with His desires. Then we can be assured our prayers will be answered.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Write down the true gut level desires of your heart.
On your list, where does your desire for more of God fall?
In what ways have you delighted in the Lord? Where do you find yourself falling short?
Ask Him to grant the desires of your heart that will bring Him glory.
What is He saying to you and what is He calling you to do in obedience?
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
What is it you most desire the Lord do for you? The answer to this question may be different than the answers you started out with nearly two weeks ago. Many of you may still be pounding the doors of Heaven asking the Lord for the same things you started out asking.
I have the same four things before me. They are big, but God is bigger. I believe they represent land that He has called me to possess by faith. I continue to ask for His mighty provision to help our church possess the nineteen acres He called us to believe Him for without going to a bank to borrow money. We believe that He is able to do this debt free. There are other personal things I keep desiring God to do. I know they will come in His time because He is teaching me to delight in Him.
What does delighting in the Lord mean? It means loving Him more and desiring him more than anything else on this earth. While writing this I am listening to a song by my friend John Rolf based on Psalm 73:25, written while praying about the woman he was dating who would become his wife. He believed that she was the woman for him and that she was the desire of his heart, but He wanted God more. John wanted to make sure that Jessica was the woman God had chosen for him. It is a beautiful song and brings back many precious memories. John delighted in God and God gave John the desire of his heart in a spouse. Several years ago, I had the privilege of being there to perform the ceremony when the two of them were united in marriage. Today John is a successful worship leader and he and Jessica have a beautiful child.
When we delight in God more than we delight in the desires of our heart, He can trust us with them. If we delight in our desires more than in Him, they become idols in our hearts that compete with our affections for Him. The things of this earth we spend so much time longing for, praying for, and agonizing for do not have the power to give us what we expect. Marriage partners can fail and disappoint. New jobs may bring with them the same old problems we faced on the last job. The grass is not always greener on the other side. The new car gets scratched, dented, and wears out with age. New clothing goes out of style and gets stuffed in the back of our closets. Books can go unread. Houses can be destroyed by hail, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
Still there are desires in our hearts for God to do something. Maybe it is to see a real revival in our churches and communities. Maybe it is too see God provide for some temporal need, or to see God bring about life change in someone we love and are burdened for. We all have desires, some of them secret and repressed. What do you long to see God do for you? Let me ask you now, do you desire God to give you that desire more than you crave God Himself?
As David stated in Psalm 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth.” Those are powerful words and a clear reminder that God must always be the chief, supreme, and ultimate desire of our hearts. There is nothing wrong with desiring things on this earth as long as those things are things God wants for us and if we do not let them become idols in our hearts. The children of Israel desired a king even though God was already their King. He warned them that earthly kings would lead them astray, but still they wanted a king so they could be more like other nations. Sure enough, those kings brought about unfathomable sin and ultimately the judgment of God for the whole nation.
We all need clothing, lodging, transportation, food, etc. What I have to continually remind myself is that in my relationship with God, I have all I need. There is not a need I have in my life that He has not met. What I should desire most is Him and not just the gifts that He gives. He is my ultimate desire and the filter through which I sift all other desires.
If you truly delight yourself in the Lord, He has promised you the desires of your heart. I find it interesting that the more I desire Him, the more I desire the things He desires. I desire a pastor for FBC Humboldt, Saskatchewan. I desire land for this church so God can build His church and enlarge His kingdom both in Paradise, TX and beyond. I desire His name to be glorified through our praying and living. Yes, I have some desires. For as long as my family has lived in Paradise, TX we have desired our own house but currently live in the parsonage provided by the church. We are content to wait on Him. We desire to be completely out of debt so we are financially free to do more for God, and we continue to pray toward this end. I pray for open doors to preach all over the nation and the world, but I am content with the wonderful flock God has entrusted to me. What a special church I am privileged to serve. I desire for God to write His story for our church in such ways that other churches and pastors are encouraged and inspired to trust Him more.
Let me ask you again: what do you desire? May the Lord increase our delight in Him and continually give us the wisdom to align our desires with His desires. Then we can be assured our prayers will be answered.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Write down the true gut level desires of your heart.
On your list, where does your desire for more of God fall?
In what ways have you delighted in the Lord? Where do you find yourself falling short?
Ask Him to grant the desires of your heart that will bring Him glory.
What is He saying to you and what is He calling you to do in obedience?
Saturday, April 4, 2009
40 Days - Day 11 (March 25 - May 3)
“Triumphing Over Days of Trouble”
And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you and you will honor Me.
Psalm 50:15
Days of trouble come to all people. Sometimes they simply come in the form of car repairs, viruses, miscalculations in the check book, or a misunderstanding with a friend or co-worker. There are other times the days of trouble are more ominous and the waves are large enough to capsize our confidence in God. I am referring to problems like losing a job, losing your retirement in investments gone bad, the tyrant of cancer, surviving a loveless marriage, coping with a wayward child who has walked away from God in pursuit of the passing pleasures of sin, the tragic and unexpected death of family and friends, and grappling with the oppressive torment of depression.
In one way or another each of us has to face our own day of trouble. The word “trouble” in this verse can also be interpreted as adversity, anguish, or affliction. These things can deal death blows to our belief in God if we are not careful. One bad day can cause a great setback to the ground that has already been advanced in the possession of your destiny.
For a week and a half it is my prayer that you have been making steady progress in your relationship with God as well as with the unwavering strength of your trust in Him. We must expect that there will be some difficult days along the way. Our health may fail us, we may face financial hardships, we may even suffer the death of our dreams which will only serve as a doorway to open our hearts to the dreams God has for us.
What should we do in the day of our afflictions and adversity? We must cry out to God. We sometimes forget to cry out to God in lieu of crying out to family and friends. Though our most staunch supporters can offer consolation, they cannot change the circumstances in many of the days of trouble we face. We must cry out to God and ask Him to intervene. God is the God of possibilities. Nothing we face is too difficult for Him, (Jeremiah 32:17.) No affliction we are forced to endure is out of reach of His gracious touch. Our God is a very present help in the most difficult days, (Psalm 46:1.) Keep on crying out to Him. Why, you ask?
He has promised to rescue us during these difficult days. He pulls us out of the tumultuous waters of days of anguish. He removes the hardships and darkness so we can see the light of hope again. He invigorates our faith to help us keep believing and to keep crying out. I have often been inspired by reading the biographies and autobiographies of men and women who faced much adversity but never quit believing and saw God deliver them. The pages of scriptures are filled with such examples. The three Hebrew children thrown into the fiery furnace but who came out unscathed in Daniel 3:1-27. Then there was Daniel, thrown into the lion’s den but uneaten as God closed the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:1-28.) There is the example of Moses and the entire nation of Israel at the Red Sea in Exodus 14. The examples could go on and on. The whole book of Job is about God helping Job to endure the day of trouble and God’s ultimate rescue.
I cannot know all that you are facing this day as we continue our forty-day challenge. I know the enemy will oppose us every step of the way, and I know that regardless of how faithful we are, days of trouble are no respecter of persons. We all face them, but how we face them is the key.
We must face them with the same undaunted faith we had during the easy days of blessing and comfort, when the sun shines on us and everything in our world seems ordered and neatly in place. That same peace and serenity must be the filter in our hearts during the dark and stormy days, giving us serenity and peace of mind.
God is our rescuer. He promised to be there for us when we feel we cannot keep our heads above water another moment. He throws out the life preserver of hope and gives us strength in our weary bodies to hold on, to tread water, and to swim to safety. God is the mighty rescuer. How do I know? I have been rescued many times from the dungeons of darkness and the tempestuous trials that overwhelm and dishearten. I have cried to Him for help and He has been there for me time and time again, and that is why I delight in glorifying and honoring His name. He will do the same for you.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Keep in perspective that days of trouble come to everyone. Read about or talk with someone who has encountered such days and listen to their testimonies of God’s rescue.
By faith cry out to God and see Him rescuing you.
What is it that you most need for God to do for you in this very moment? Ask Him for that right now and share this with your prayer partners.
Stop and listen for His still, small voice. What is He saying to you and what is He leading you to do today?
And call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you and you will honor Me.
Psalm 50:15
Days of trouble come to all people. Sometimes they simply come in the form of car repairs, viruses, miscalculations in the check book, or a misunderstanding with a friend or co-worker. There are other times the days of trouble are more ominous and the waves are large enough to capsize our confidence in God. I am referring to problems like losing a job, losing your retirement in investments gone bad, the tyrant of cancer, surviving a loveless marriage, coping with a wayward child who has walked away from God in pursuit of the passing pleasures of sin, the tragic and unexpected death of family and friends, and grappling with the oppressive torment of depression.
In one way or another each of us has to face our own day of trouble. The word “trouble” in this verse can also be interpreted as adversity, anguish, or affliction. These things can deal death blows to our belief in God if we are not careful. One bad day can cause a great setback to the ground that has already been advanced in the possession of your destiny.
For a week and a half it is my prayer that you have been making steady progress in your relationship with God as well as with the unwavering strength of your trust in Him. We must expect that there will be some difficult days along the way. Our health may fail us, we may face financial hardships, we may even suffer the death of our dreams which will only serve as a doorway to open our hearts to the dreams God has for us.
What should we do in the day of our afflictions and adversity? We must cry out to God. We sometimes forget to cry out to God in lieu of crying out to family and friends. Though our most staunch supporters can offer consolation, they cannot change the circumstances in many of the days of trouble we face. We must cry out to God and ask Him to intervene. God is the God of possibilities. Nothing we face is too difficult for Him, (Jeremiah 32:17.) No affliction we are forced to endure is out of reach of His gracious touch. Our God is a very present help in the most difficult days, (Psalm 46:1.) Keep on crying out to Him. Why, you ask?
He has promised to rescue us during these difficult days. He pulls us out of the tumultuous waters of days of anguish. He removes the hardships and darkness so we can see the light of hope again. He invigorates our faith to help us keep believing and to keep crying out. I have often been inspired by reading the biographies and autobiographies of men and women who faced much adversity but never quit believing and saw God deliver them. The pages of scriptures are filled with such examples. The three Hebrew children thrown into the fiery furnace but who came out unscathed in Daniel 3:1-27. Then there was Daniel, thrown into the lion’s den but uneaten as God closed the mouths of the lions (Daniel 6:1-28.) There is the example of Moses and the entire nation of Israel at the Red Sea in Exodus 14. The examples could go on and on. The whole book of Job is about God helping Job to endure the day of trouble and God’s ultimate rescue.
I cannot know all that you are facing this day as we continue our forty-day challenge. I know the enemy will oppose us every step of the way, and I know that regardless of how faithful we are, days of trouble are no respecter of persons. We all face them, but how we face them is the key.
We must face them with the same undaunted faith we had during the easy days of blessing and comfort, when the sun shines on us and everything in our world seems ordered and neatly in place. That same peace and serenity must be the filter in our hearts during the dark and stormy days, giving us serenity and peace of mind.
God is our rescuer. He promised to be there for us when we feel we cannot keep our heads above water another moment. He throws out the life preserver of hope and gives us strength in our weary bodies to hold on, to tread water, and to swim to safety. God is the mighty rescuer. How do I know? I have been rescued many times from the dungeons of darkness and the tempestuous trials that overwhelm and dishearten. I have cried to Him for help and He has been there for me time and time again, and that is why I delight in glorifying and honoring His name. He will do the same for you.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Keep in perspective that days of trouble come to everyone. Read about or talk with someone who has encountered such days and listen to their testimonies of God’s rescue.
By faith cry out to God and see Him rescuing you.
What is it that you most need for God to do for you in this very moment? Ask Him for that right now and share this with your prayer partners.
Stop and listen for His still, small voice. What is He saying to you and what is He leading you to do today?
Friday, April 3, 2009
40 Days - Day 10 (March 25 - May 3)
“Don’t Give Up”
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14
Congratulations! You have made it one fourth of the way through this challenge. How are you doing in fasting? Are you making the time to devote yourself to prayer as you never have before? If you are just reading the material you are missing out on the most important part of this journey. This material has been written to be a road map to point you in the direction of powerful encounters with God. Those will happen in the secret place as you seek Him and listen to Him. Do not take the path of least resistance and miss out on all the important things He wants do in you and how He longs to work powerfully in conjunction with prayer.
We spent some time yesterday considering the challenge not to lose heart. This is easier said than done. One day we are charging full steam ahead in faith and assurance that God is at work and then suddenly one day we begin to entertain doubt and focus on our negative circumstances. One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know we have abandoned all hope and our faith begins to sink faster than the Titanic.
David found himself in such a position - in Psalm 27 he says that he was close to despair. That word means that he was near giving up and quitting. Quitting looks like a great outlet sometimes. People quit on their marriages, their children, their jobs, friendships, on churches, and on service to God. To be completely honest there are some who have given up on God all together. They quit. So what kept David going in those tough times?
It was the hope that God would step in and show His goodness in his lifetime. The word “goodness” means beauty, the best, welfare. That is very significant because most Christians believe that they will see the goodness of God in eternity, but what about the here and now? We need to see God at work in everyday circumstances. I just returned from eating lunch at one our favorite Mexican food places. Our waitress happened to be the mother of one of our boys’ classmates. Just before we left she asked us to pray because her husband has just lost his job along with many others in his industry. I know of several people who have lost their jobs all around where I sit writing this material.
There is much to be discouraged about if you listen to the doom and gloom on the news, but in the middle of dark times can you find the smallest glimmer of faith and hope that God will not abandon you and will come to your rescue. David believed this and encouraged his heart with this truth. Next, David counsels us to wait on the Lord. You could define “wait” as expect, patiently tarry, bind together.
I have waited on the Lord more days than I can count. Days can turn into weeks and weeks into months. Months can fade into years and before you know it years can become decades. Decades can come and go in rapidity, constituting an entire lifetime. The trick is not the waiting itself – most of have had to learn how to wait reluctantly. We wait in the lines at the drive-thru, we wait at the turn signals, we wait on our income tax returns, we wait for our meetings, on airplanes, in lines at amusement parks. We may not like it, but waiting is built into the fabric of life. Anybody can wait.
What God desires is that we learn to wait in hope and with expectation. God wants our faith to mature to such a level that we are able to wake up each day with expectation, thinking this might be day that we see our miracle. God yearns for us to maintain this hope all day long and then if the answer is delayed and we are forced to wait again, that we are able to rise from our slumber with expectation and hope again the next day and the next, and so forth. That takes courage, and ironically that is just what David calls us to do - we must take courage. The word “courage” here means to fortify, be obstinate, to conquer.
We must fortify our hearts with truth in the times of discouragement. We fortify our hearts with Bible promises and truth about the nature of God. We must also become obstinate. If there is a land God has called you to possess, you have to become obstinate in faith, refusing to entertain doubt or failure. When our hearts are fortified and obstinate, sooner or later we are going to conquer our circumstances and gain the victory.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
What is the greatest challenge you are facing which discourages you?
How can God use your times of waiting for something good? Are you waiting actively in faith and with expectation or are you waiting passively in doubt and discouragement?
What Bible promises do you need to be reminded of to fortify your heart and give you obstinate faith? Search for a few of them, making them part of your prayers today.
What is God speaking to you and what steps of obedience is He leading you to take?
I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14
Congratulations! You have made it one fourth of the way through this challenge. How are you doing in fasting? Are you making the time to devote yourself to prayer as you never have before? If you are just reading the material you are missing out on the most important part of this journey. This material has been written to be a road map to point you in the direction of powerful encounters with God. Those will happen in the secret place as you seek Him and listen to Him. Do not take the path of least resistance and miss out on all the important things He wants do in you and how He longs to work powerfully in conjunction with prayer.
We spent some time yesterday considering the challenge not to lose heart. This is easier said than done. One day we are charging full steam ahead in faith and assurance that God is at work and then suddenly one day we begin to entertain doubt and focus on our negative circumstances. One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know we have abandoned all hope and our faith begins to sink faster than the Titanic.
David found himself in such a position - in Psalm 27 he says that he was close to despair. That word means that he was near giving up and quitting. Quitting looks like a great outlet sometimes. People quit on their marriages, their children, their jobs, friendships, on churches, and on service to God. To be completely honest there are some who have given up on God all together. They quit. So what kept David going in those tough times?
It was the hope that God would step in and show His goodness in his lifetime. The word “goodness” means beauty, the best, welfare. That is very significant because most Christians believe that they will see the goodness of God in eternity, but what about the here and now? We need to see God at work in everyday circumstances. I just returned from eating lunch at one our favorite Mexican food places. Our waitress happened to be the mother of one of our boys’ classmates. Just before we left she asked us to pray because her husband has just lost his job along with many others in his industry. I know of several people who have lost their jobs all around where I sit writing this material.
There is much to be discouraged about if you listen to the doom and gloom on the news, but in the middle of dark times can you find the smallest glimmer of faith and hope that God will not abandon you and will come to your rescue. David believed this and encouraged his heart with this truth. Next, David counsels us to wait on the Lord. You could define “wait” as expect, patiently tarry, bind together.
I have waited on the Lord more days than I can count. Days can turn into weeks and weeks into months. Months can fade into years and before you know it years can become decades. Decades can come and go in rapidity, constituting an entire lifetime. The trick is not the waiting itself – most of have had to learn how to wait reluctantly. We wait in the lines at the drive-thru, we wait at the turn signals, we wait on our income tax returns, we wait for our meetings, on airplanes, in lines at amusement parks. We may not like it, but waiting is built into the fabric of life. Anybody can wait.
What God desires is that we learn to wait in hope and with expectation. God wants our faith to mature to such a level that we are able to wake up each day with expectation, thinking this might be day that we see our miracle. God yearns for us to maintain this hope all day long and then if the answer is delayed and we are forced to wait again, that we are able to rise from our slumber with expectation and hope again the next day and the next, and so forth. That takes courage, and ironically that is just what David calls us to do - we must take courage. The word “courage” here means to fortify, be obstinate, to conquer.
We must fortify our hearts with truth in the times of discouragement. We fortify our hearts with Bible promises and truth about the nature of God. We must also become obstinate. If there is a land God has called you to possess, you have to become obstinate in faith, refusing to entertain doubt or failure. When our hearts are fortified and obstinate, sooner or later we are going to conquer our circumstances and gain the victory.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
What is the greatest challenge you are facing which discourages you?
How can God use your times of waiting for something good? Are you waiting actively in faith and with expectation or are you waiting passively in doubt and discouragement?
What Bible promises do you need to be reminded of to fortify your heart and give you obstinate faith? Search for a few of them, making them part of your prayers today.
What is God speaking to you and what steps of obedience is He leading you to take?
Thursday, April 2, 2009
40 Days - Day 9 (March 25 - May 3)
“Do Not Lose Heart”
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart.
Luke 18:1
It is very possible that by this time, some of you have already seen God intervene in your life is powerful ways. You may have had the opportunity to testify about how good God is and tell others what He has done for you. It is also quite possible that some of you have heard these testimonies and feel like God has forgotten about you. Nothing has changed - you have prayed and you kept going through this challenge but for you, things are as bad as they have ever been. Things may have even gotten worse for you since this challenge began and you are thinking about giving up.
Perhaps you came today in a last desperate attempt to hear from God. You are at a critical point in this journey. If you are one of these people, what you choose to do and what you choose to believe will have huge implications. If you abandon ship now you will stay stuck where you are and perhaps never see the deliverance of the Lord. If you keep praying and keep asking, and keep believing to possess the land, your whole life could change. Which choice will you make? You have nothing to lose but everything to gain.
Notice what Jesus said before going into the parable about the widow woman and the wicked judge. He said two things that we must embrace, and for some of you, it must be embraced and received today. Jesus told His listeners that they should keep praying at all times and they should not lose heart.
Let’s get real – t here are times I do not feel like praying. There are days when things seem so bad it appears God is not even listening. There are days when the waves of life hit us so hard our knees buckle and we plunge beneath the surf of our circumstances gasping for breath. There are days when the darkness will not seem to lift and we can’t find a ray of hope even through prayer and scripture reading. What are we supposed to do in such times? Keep praying. Now, I am not talking about merely going through the motions of prayer. I am not referring to half-hearted and feeble attempts in prayer that we know we do not believe. At all times we are supposed to pray. Remember on Day One what we learned about prayer and faith according to Hebrews 11:1? This is the day when we need assurance, we need hope and expectation that God is listening and God will intervene. There are many delays for the child of God waiting for prayers to be answered. Expect them and prepare for them. Preach to your soul that God has not forgotten you and by all means do not become jealous if there are those around you who seeing their prayers answered. Pray at all times.
Instead of sinking into hopelessness, why not step of your prayer efforts? God may be using this time to strengthen you or to orchestrate your circumstances and His intervention in such a way that He will get the maximum amount of glory. I cannot tell you how many times the Lord has required me to wait until the last moment before He stepped in and saved the day. He is often the God of 11:59 – meaning that if you are facing a 12:00 deadline, God often waits until 11:59 to step in, to test your faith and bring more glory to Himself.
If you find yourself waiting on Him for something, determine that you are going to wait in faith. Determine that you will stay busy seeking Him and serving Him while you are waiting and do not become idle. When we become idle the Devil has ample opportunity to put his conniving and deceitful thoughts into our heads. He is the one who leads us to lose heart, or to put it another way, to become discouraged and to sink into despair. We must keep praying, keep trusting and keep being willing to obey even in these times.
One of the tactics of the enemy is to convince you that nobody else understands what you are going through and you therefore begin to isolate yourself. God knows and has counsel for you from His word. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by brethren who are in the world.” (I Peter 5:8-9) You are not in this alone. That is why at the very beginning of this challenge you were exhorted to join some type of prayer group so that when your strength wanes and you feel like giving up, you can be surrounded by friends who will be strong on your behalf and pray you through those tough times.
Even if you are one of those who are on top of the world, do not let your guard down. Keep praying. At all times, pray. In the good times, pray. In the bad times, pray. In the mundane times, pray. In the challenging times, pray. In any and every season of life, keep on praying and keep on asking for God’s help.
Do not lose heart. What is the opposite of losing heart? Take courage. Keep on trusting. Keep on being encouraged in the scriptures. Over and over again the pages of scripture shout to us on our lofty mountain peak experiences as well as when we are trudging through the valley of the shadow of death that our God is reliable, trustworthy, and faithful. Fill your heart and mind with those truths today.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
How is your prayer time going? Do you still pray with faith even when you do not feel like praying and do not feel like God is listening?
What season are you going through right now? Are you encouraged or discouraged? What is helping you gain and maintain the victory?
What truth about prayer can you learn from reading Luke 18:1-8?
Ask the Lord to help you not lose heart over the remainder of this challenge and to have the desire to even want to pray.
What is the Lord speaking to you and what steps of obedience is He calling you to take?
Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart.
Luke 18:1
It is very possible that by this time, some of you have already seen God intervene in your life is powerful ways. You may have had the opportunity to testify about how good God is and tell others what He has done for you. It is also quite possible that some of you have heard these testimonies and feel like God has forgotten about you. Nothing has changed - you have prayed and you kept going through this challenge but for you, things are as bad as they have ever been. Things may have even gotten worse for you since this challenge began and you are thinking about giving up.
Perhaps you came today in a last desperate attempt to hear from God. You are at a critical point in this journey. If you are one of these people, what you choose to do and what you choose to believe will have huge implications. If you abandon ship now you will stay stuck where you are and perhaps never see the deliverance of the Lord. If you keep praying and keep asking, and keep believing to possess the land, your whole life could change. Which choice will you make? You have nothing to lose but everything to gain.
Notice what Jesus said before going into the parable about the widow woman and the wicked judge. He said two things that we must embrace, and for some of you, it must be embraced and received today. Jesus told His listeners that they should keep praying at all times and they should not lose heart.
Let’s get real – t here are times I do not feel like praying. There are days when things seem so bad it appears God is not even listening. There are days when the waves of life hit us so hard our knees buckle and we plunge beneath the surf of our circumstances gasping for breath. There are days when the darkness will not seem to lift and we can’t find a ray of hope even through prayer and scripture reading. What are we supposed to do in such times? Keep praying. Now, I am not talking about merely going through the motions of prayer. I am not referring to half-hearted and feeble attempts in prayer that we know we do not believe. At all times we are supposed to pray. Remember on Day One what we learned about prayer and faith according to Hebrews 11:1? This is the day when we need assurance, we need hope and expectation that God is listening and God will intervene. There are many delays for the child of God waiting for prayers to be answered. Expect them and prepare for them. Preach to your soul that God has not forgotten you and by all means do not become jealous if there are those around you who seeing their prayers answered. Pray at all times.
Instead of sinking into hopelessness, why not step of your prayer efforts? God may be using this time to strengthen you or to orchestrate your circumstances and His intervention in such a way that He will get the maximum amount of glory. I cannot tell you how many times the Lord has required me to wait until the last moment before He stepped in and saved the day. He is often the God of 11:59 – meaning that if you are facing a 12:00 deadline, God often waits until 11:59 to step in, to test your faith and bring more glory to Himself.
If you find yourself waiting on Him for something, determine that you are going to wait in faith. Determine that you will stay busy seeking Him and serving Him while you are waiting and do not become idle. When we become idle the Devil has ample opportunity to put his conniving and deceitful thoughts into our heads. He is the one who leads us to lose heart, or to put it another way, to become discouraged and to sink into despair. We must keep praying, keep trusting and keep being willing to obey even in these times.
One of the tactics of the enemy is to convince you that nobody else understands what you are going through and you therefore begin to isolate yourself. God knows and has counsel for you from His word. “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by brethren who are in the world.” (I Peter 5:8-9) You are not in this alone. That is why at the very beginning of this challenge you were exhorted to join some type of prayer group so that when your strength wanes and you feel like giving up, you can be surrounded by friends who will be strong on your behalf and pray you through those tough times.
Even if you are one of those who are on top of the world, do not let your guard down. Keep praying. At all times, pray. In the good times, pray. In the bad times, pray. In the mundane times, pray. In the challenging times, pray. In any and every season of life, keep on praying and keep on asking for God’s help.
Do not lose heart. What is the opposite of losing heart? Take courage. Keep on trusting. Keep on being encouraged in the scriptures. Over and over again the pages of scripture shout to us on our lofty mountain peak experiences as well as when we are trudging through the valley of the shadow of death that our God is reliable, trustworthy, and faithful. Fill your heart and mind with those truths today.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
How is your prayer time going? Do you still pray with faith even when you do not feel like praying and do not feel like God is listening?
What season are you going through right now? Are you encouraged or discouraged? What is helping you gain and maintain the victory?
What truth about prayer can you learn from reading Luke 18:1-8?
Ask the Lord to help you not lose heart over the remainder of this challenge and to have the desire to even want to pray.
What is the Lord speaking to you and what steps of obedience is He calling you to take?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
40 Days - Day 8 (March 25 - May 3)
“Possess the Land”
See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 1:21
There are things that God is calling each of us to “possess” by faith. The word “possess” means occupy, drive out previous tenants, seize, or inherit. There is God-ordained destiny that must be possessed by faith. For Israel it was a promised land. For FBC Paradise it is nineteen acres, for you it could be something totally different.
I believe that there are many of you reading this who have dreams and promises from the Lord that have long gone unfulfilled. Some may have even given up on those dreams ever coming true or ever seeing those promises kept. Today is a day to shake off spiritual lethargy and weariness, for we must go to war. We must go to war in our minds, in the spiritual realm, with our attitudes, and with our circumstances.
Even though God has promised you things, it does not mean that your faith will not be tried and tested along the way. This forty-day challenge is meant to be a time of intense training and focus to overcome whatever stands in the way of you possessing your destiny.
Several years ago I was dragging around, as low as an alligator tail. It seemed that every ministry I was a part of fell apart, and I was convinced that I would never taste the sweet waters of God’s blessing and success. Then one morning as I was sitting with the Lord and reading His word I read today’s scripture passage. I meditated on this verse until it filtered into my mind and my soul and it changed my way of thinking. I knew that God had called me to preach and write, but did not understand why there was so much hardship. Through that time with the Lord I became convinced that God had a bigger destiny for me and for the rest of that year my theme was “possess the land.” It was just a simple reminder that through faith I was determined to possess or to seize everything that God had planned for me. Five months later I was interviewing with FBC Paradise to become their pastor. When I walked in the doors of the church, before I ever even met the committee, the Lord spoke in my spirit and told me to possess the land. That is exactly what I have been doing here for nearly four years now.
In order to possess the land God has set before you, you first must be able to see it. Can you see what God has destined for you to possess? If not, you need to spend more time asking Him to plant that dream in your heart. I have always been a dreamer but there were many times in the past when I dreamed my own dreams and then asked God to bless them. As I have grown, I have sought to be more disciplined in asking God to reveal His destiny, and that He would reveal His dreams for my life. This has made all the difference. Can you see what you are being called to possess? A better marriage? Godly children? Financial freedom? A new job? Healing? Renewed vision for work?
Once you can see the land you are being called to possess, the next step is to write it down and keep it before you spiritually. If God has truly placed it before you and called you to believe Him for it, then we know we are praying in accord with the will of God. We should then be praying with confidence and conviction that He will give us the inheritance of His destiny for us.
Here comes the tough part - you might be able to see the land, you might know God has called you to that land, but there is still a real enemy who wants to oppose you every step of the way. He wants you to cower under the impossible odds or the difficulty of the dream. Satan would have you shrink back in fear or to become discouraged at the long delay in the fulfillment of God’s promise. Those thoughts do not honor God. You must shake them off and go back and remember what God has spoken to you.
God promised Israel that land hundreds of years before they actually entered it, through the covenant He made with Abraham. It might not have appeared that they would ever possess the land, but in spite of the fact that Israel doubted and wandered for forty years before being able to enter the promised land, God’s promise never wavered. Today, what do you choose to believe?
Do you choose to believe that your best years are gone? Do you choose to believe that you are stuck in the quagmire of your circumstances? Have you lost sight of your God-ordained destiny and made excuses for a life of low living and high compromise? Get up this moment and cry out to God to restore your vision, your faith, and your expectation that will possess the land. You will be a man, woman, or student of God’s purpose. You will walk in your destiny by faith. What do you see and what do you believe? If God is restoring your vision and your faith, do not delay, pray for possession of the land He has purposed for you.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Spend some time getting a clear mental picture of what possessing the land means for you. What land is God calling you to possess?
Ask God for a strategy of how you are supposed to seize your intended land.
Has God given you any reassurances or promises along the way? If so, commit them to memory and pray through them.
What is God speaking to you? What steps of obedience is He calling you to take?
See, the Lord your God has placed the land before you; go up, take possession, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 1:21
There are things that God is calling each of us to “possess” by faith. The word “possess” means occupy, drive out previous tenants, seize, or inherit. There is God-ordained destiny that must be possessed by faith. For Israel it was a promised land. For FBC Paradise it is nineteen acres, for you it could be something totally different.
I believe that there are many of you reading this who have dreams and promises from the Lord that have long gone unfulfilled. Some may have even given up on those dreams ever coming true or ever seeing those promises kept. Today is a day to shake off spiritual lethargy and weariness, for we must go to war. We must go to war in our minds, in the spiritual realm, with our attitudes, and with our circumstances.
Even though God has promised you things, it does not mean that your faith will not be tried and tested along the way. This forty-day challenge is meant to be a time of intense training and focus to overcome whatever stands in the way of you possessing your destiny.
Several years ago I was dragging around, as low as an alligator tail. It seemed that every ministry I was a part of fell apart, and I was convinced that I would never taste the sweet waters of God’s blessing and success. Then one morning as I was sitting with the Lord and reading His word I read today’s scripture passage. I meditated on this verse until it filtered into my mind and my soul and it changed my way of thinking. I knew that God had called me to preach and write, but did not understand why there was so much hardship. Through that time with the Lord I became convinced that God had a bigger destiny for me and for the rest of that year my theme was “possess the land.” It was just a simple reminder that through faith I was determined to possess or to seize everything that God had planned for me. Five months later I was interviewing with FBC Paradise to become their pastor. When I walked in the doors of the church, before I ever even met the committee, the Lord spoke in my spirit and told me to possess the land. That is exactly what I have been doing here for nearly four years now.
In order to possess the land God has set before you, you first must be able to see it. Can you see what God has destined for you to possess? If not, you need to spend more time asking Him to plant that dream in your heart. I have always been a dreamer but there were many times in the past when I dreamed my own dreams and then asked God to bless them. As I have grown, I have sought to be more disciplined in asking God to reveal His destiny, and that He would reveal His dreams for my life. This has made all the difference. Can you see what you are being called to possess? A better marriage? Godly children? Financial freedom? A new job? Healing? Renewed vision for work?
Once you can see the land you are being called to possess, the next step is to write it down and keep it before you spiritually. If God has truly placed it before you and called you to believe Him for it, then we know we are praying in accord with the will of God. We should then be praying with confidence and conviction that He will give us the inheritance of His destiny for us.
Here comes the tough part - you might be able to see the land, you might know God has called you to that land, but there is still a real enemy who wants to oppose you every step of the way. He wants you to cower under the impossible odds or the difficulty of the dream. Satan would have you shrink back in fear or to become discouraged at the long delay in the fulfillment of God’s promise. Those thoughts do not honor God. You must shake them off and go back and remember what God has spoken to you.
God promised Israel that land hundreds of years before they actually entered it, through the covenant He made with Abraham. It might not have appeared that they would ever possess the land, but in spite of the fact that Israel doubted and wandered for forty years before being able to enter the promised land, God’s promise never wavered. Today, what do you choose to believe?
Do you choose to believe that your best years are gone? Do you choose to believe that you are stuck in the quagmire of your circumstances? Have you lost sight of your God-ordained destiny and made excuses for a life of low living and high compromise? Get up this moment and cry out to God to restore your vision, your faith, and your expectation that will possess the land. You will be a man, woman, or student of God’s purpose. You will walk in your destiny by faith. What do you see and what do you believe? If God is restoring your vision and your faith, do not delay, pray for possession of the land He has purposed for you.
Steps to Trust and Obey:
Spend some time getting a clear mental picture of what possessing the land means for you. What land is God calling you to possess?
Ask God for a strategy of how you are supposed to seize your intended land.
Has God given you any reassurances or promises along the way? If so, commit them to memory and pray through them.
What is God speaking to you? What steps of obedience is He calling you to take?
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