Thursday, May 31, 2007

Deep Roots

I was thinking about my desire for our body to be deep rooted (not shallow) in our faith. 1 Timothy 3: 9 speaks of keeping "hold of the deep truths of the faith".

When we are deep rooted:

... the winds and the rains won't destroy us:

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

... trouble and persecution won't overcome us:

18"Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. 22The 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. 23But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."

Matthew 13: 18-23

... we will stand firm:

11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Ephesians 6: 11-15

Do It Anyway

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 31

DO IT ANYWAY

While we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10).

After I had driven home the point that nobody or nothing can keep us from being what God wants us to be, one of my students gave me this nugget of truth from an unknown author.

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the
smallest people with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for the underdog anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help, but may attack you if you help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you've got and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

Lord, I purpose today not to listen to my detractors or look to the left or the right, but to stay on the clear, sure path You have set before me.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Wed Night Class

Last night we watched session 1 (lesson 2) of Blazing Center. The main thought of last night's lesson is that "God is passionate about His glory".

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 19:1

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse this week is Exodus 15:13 --

In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Designed to Display God's Glory

"... God made bodies and material things because when they are rightly seen and rightly used, God’s glory is more fully known and displayed. The heavens are telling the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). Consider the birds of the air and the lilies of the field and you will know more of God’s goodness and care (Matthew 6:26, 28). See in the things he has made his invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature (Romans 1:20). Look at marriage and see Christ and the church (Ephesians 5:23-25). As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you declare the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Corinthians 11:26). Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). The material world is not an end in itself; it is designed to display God’s glory and awaken our hearts to know him and value him more."

Excerpt, Marriage, Singleness and the Christian Virtue of Hospitality by John Piper

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Fall Short

"What does it mean to "fall short" of the glory of God? It does not mean we were supposed to be as glorious as God is and have fallen short. We ought to fall short in that sense! The best explanation of Romans 3:23 is Romans 1:23. It says that those who did not glorify or thank God "became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images." This is the way we "fall short" of the glory of God: we exchange it for something of lesser value. All sin comes from not putting supreme value on the glory of God -- this is the very essence of sin."

Desiring God by John Piper (p. 56-7)

12 Be appalled at this, O heavens,
and shudder with great horror,"
declares the LORD.

13 "My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Jeremiah 2


Sermon: Wartime Thinking

In thinking about Memorial Day Aaron challenged us to think about what it means to live at war in the spiritual realm against evil. We are the army of God and armies are made to advance forcefully. We're told that the "gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16). The commander of our Army has commissioned us to "go and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28). And our commander is great --

He is the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19).

So be prepared today: "put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." (Ephesians 6)

Monday, May 28, 2007

Choosing Truth

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 28

CHOOSING TRUTH

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth (Ephesians 6:14).

Persons in bondage are not liberated by what I do as the pastor/counselor, but what they do with my help. It's not what I believe that breaks the bonds; it's what they believe, confess, renounce and forgive. Notice the progressive logic of Scripture:

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).

I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth (John 16:13).

I do not ask Thee to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. . . . Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth (John 17:15, 17.

Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth (Ephesians 6:14).

Finally, brethren, whatever is true . . . let your mind dwell on these things (Philippians 4:8).

When Satan harasses you, you may be prone to languish in the shadows of your misery. You cry out for God to deliver you, like Jesus miraculously and instantaneously delivered the demonized people in the Gospels. But when you read through the Epistles, it is obvious that your deliverance has already been accomplished in Christ's work on the cross and His resurrection. Since you are with Christ in the light, you never again need to live in the shadows.

You must choose the truth and assume your responsibility to exercise your authority and resist the devil. From your position in Christ, you must resist the devil, renounce participation in his schemes, confess sin and forgive those who have offended you.

Lord, Your truth gives me life and leads me in the everlasting way. I embrace Your truth to direct my steps today.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

God's Love

"Both the Old and New Testament tell us that God's loving us is a means to our glorifying him. "Christ became a servant ... in order that the nations might glorify God for his mercy" (Romans 15:8-9). God has been merciful to us so that we would magnify him. We see it again in the words, "In love [God] destined us to adoption ... to the praise of the glory of His grace" (Ephesians 1:4-6). In other words, the goal of God's loving us is that we might praise him. One more illustration from Psalm 86:12-13: "I will glorify your name forever. For your lovingkindness toward me is great." God's love is the ground. His glory is the goal.

This is shocking. The love of God is not God's making much of us, but God's saving us from self-centeredness so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. And our love to others is not our making much of them, but helping them to find satisfaction in making much of God. True love aims at satisfying people in the glory of God. Any love that terminates on man is eventually destructive. It does not lead people to the only lasting joy, namely, God. Love must be God-centered, or it is not true love; it leaves people without their final hope of joy."

Excerpt, The Goal of God's Love May Not Be What You Think It Is, John Piper.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Christian Hedonism

Last night we started the DVD series The Blazing Center. As part of that introduction the concept of "Christian Hedonism" was discussed. The following excerpt is from John Piper's Desiring God (p. 23)

Christian Hedonism is a philosophy of life built on the following five convictions:
  1. The longing to be happy is a universal human experience, and it is good, not sinful.
  2. We should never try to deny or resist our longing to be happy, as though it were a bad impulse. Instead we should seek to intensify this longing and nourish it with whatever will provide the deepest and most enduring satisfaction.
  3. The deepest and most enduring happiness is found only in God. Not from God, but in God.
  4. The happiness we find in God reaches its consummation when it is shared with others in manifold ways of love.
  5. To the extent we try to abandon the pursuit of our own pleasure, we fail to honor God and love people. Or, to put it positively: the pursuit of pleasure is a necessary part of all worship and virtue. That is,
The chief end of man is to glorify God BY enjoying him forever.

Under the Same Yoke

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 24

UNDER THE SAME YOKE

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light (Matthew 11:28-30).

Matthew 11:28-30 contains a beautiful description of the purpose and pace of the Spirit-filled walk. Jesus invites you to a restful walk in tandem with Him, just as two oxen walk together under the same yoke. "How can a yoke be restful?" you ask. Because Jesus' yoke is an easy yoke. As the lead ox, Jesus walks at a steady pace. If you pace yourself with Him, your burden will be easy. But if you take a passive approach to the relationship, you'll be painfully dragged along in the yoke because Jesus keeps walking. Or if you try to race ahead or turn off in another direction, the yoke will chafe your neck and your life will be uncomfortable. The key to a restful yoke-relationship with Jesus is to learn from Him and open yourself to His gentleness and humility.

The picture of walking in the Spirit in tandem with Jesus also helps us understand our service to God. How much will you get done without Jesus pulling on His side of the yoke? Nothing. And how much will be accomplished without you on your side? Nothing. A yoke can only work if both are pulling together.

Paul said, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth" (1 Corinthians 3:6). You and I have the privilege to plant and water, but if God isn't in it, nothing will grow. However, if we don't plant and water, nothing will grow. God has chosen to work through the church, in partnership with you, to do His work in the world today. He's the lead ox. Let's learn from Him.

Dear Jesus, I want You to be my yoke-mate today. Keep me from going ahead or lagging behind. I want to walk step-by-step with You.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Do Not Fear

Isaiah 43: 1-7

1
But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the LORD, your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your stead.

4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give men in exchange for you,
and people in exchange for your life.

5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;
I will bring your children from the east
and gather you from the west.

6 I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.'
Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth-

7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."

"The main point of the passage is to encourage God's people not to fear what man or nature can do to them. This is the command repeated in verse 1 and verse 5. After each of these commands not to fear God gives his reasons why his people should not fear. In verses 1–4 God argues like this: You should not fear because what I did for you in the past proves my love to you and my care for you. "I redeemed you (from Egyptian bondage), I called you by name, you are mine!" (v. 1). So you can count on me to help you when deep waters and raging fire threaten to destroy you (v. 2). "I am the Lord your God, your Savior, you are precious to me." Look, have I not subjugated other peoples in order to save you (vv. 3, 4)? So don't be afraid of the trouble coming upon you. That is the first argument why God's people should not fear.

Then verse 5 repeats the command, "Don't fear," and gives a new argument in verses 5–7. "I am with you! The judgment of being dispersed into captivity away from your land—this is not my final word. I will gather you again. For you are called by my name, I created you for my glory."

What is it that at rock bottom moves God to help his people? Verse 4 says, "You are precious in my eyes . . . I love you." Is that the answer? In a sense, yes. When John said, "God is love," he no doubt meant that no matter how deep we probe into the motives of God, we will never arrive at a layer which is not love."

From John Piper, "God Created Us for His Glory"

Set Free From Fear

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - Set Free From Fear

Our most useless fear is the fear of trusting God. This is our greatest handicap, the thing that keeps us from knowing the life and power that God intends for us to have.

Like many other people, I spent many years "doing my own thing", as we say, not obedient to God's voice in my life. Though God in His graciousness has turned those ashes into beauty, how I wish I had not wasted those precious years. I now recognize that the underlying problem in those ten years was that I was afraid to trust God with control of my life. Actually fearful of allowing the God of the universe to run my show. I shake my head now and wonder how I could have been so stupid for so long.

My particular fear of trusting God began when, as a single adult, I decided that the only thing that could make me happy was to find the perfect man to marry, and that the worst thing in the world would be to remain single forever. That, of course, was my first mistake. The worst thing in the world for a Christian is to be out of fellowship with God and to live a life of disobedience.

So, for almost ten years I retained control of my life and all my decisions. Then, through various events that God caused or allowed in my life, I finally came to the end of my rope. I remember well the sleepless night when I finally said, "God, I'll do anything you ask of me, if only you will give me peace. I'll even be single forever." Hesitatingly I finally exercised a little bit of faith and told God I was willing to trust Him. It was obvious that He couldn't possibly do a worse job than I was doing!

That little bit of weak faith on my part was the beginning of overcoming my fear of trusting God. Through weeks and months of pain, as I watched my hopes and dreams die, He replaced those broken dreams with Himself. And in the intervening years, I have learned to trust Him more and more, and know the joy and peace of His fellowship. And I testify to you that God is trustworthy. Furthermore, He's infinitely better at running my life than I was!

Why are we afraid to trust God? Because we don’t know Him very well. We trust who we know. We trust who has proven trustworthy. We trust when we are willing to let someone get close enough to us that they can prove trustworthy.

How well do you know God? How much do you pursue a knowledge of God? Has He proven faithful to you in the past? Then why can’t you trust Him now?

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Delight

Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4, NIV

Righteous Judgment

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 22

RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil (1 John 3:7, 8).

God's Word is the basis for righteous judgment. Is the person proclaiming the Word of God? Is it biblically true? Accepting the fact that God's Word is both foundational and central, however, is not the only criterion. Satan will quote Scripture. He even had the audacity to quote it to Jesus. Any organization can make up a doctrinal statement. I have even encountered hard-core Satanists who have infiltrated the church and occupied leadership positions in evangelical ministries.

Paul warned, "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

I know of a false teacher who teaches the Bible. In fact, he teaches the Bible very well, but his moral life is decadent. Two of our seminary students were mesmerized by his intellectual brilliance. I personally wouldn't care to do intellectual battle with him, but I wouldn't want to battle Satan intellectually either. This man indulges the flesh in its corrupt desires and despises authority, which are traits identified in 2 Peter 2:10 as those of a false prophet.

I'm always amazed at how gullible some people are and how easily deceived. "He's such a wonderful speaker!" "What a charismatic person!" "I could feel the electricity in the air!" They're not judging righteously; they're judging by appearance (or worse, by how they feel). John wrote, "Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment" (John 7:24); and "Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil" (1 John 3:7, 8).

Dear Father, I desire the capacity for righteous judgment based on Your Word to deal effectively with the enemy's subtle schemes.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Set Free From Fear

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 - Set Free From Fear

When you become obsessed by a useless fear–like fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of being alone, to mention a few–then you develop behaviors that actually feed your fears, and the more you give in to your fears, the more they will grow. What are some ways we keep fears alive–we feed our fears?

  • We feed our fears by avoiding the object of our fear or running from it. Avoidance never lessens the fear, it feeds it. I think of a friend who is facing a useless fear in her life – the fear of being with people, which is really a fear of rejection or a fear of making a fool of yourself. She has been avoiding any social activities – even church meetings – in order to steer clear of groups. Now she is beginning to make herself take part in group activities, and discovering how unfounded her fears are. Avoiding it always makes it worse.
  • We feed our fears by negative talk. If you are a doomsayer and you talk about your fear in a negative way all the time, you simply feed your fear. For example, if you’re afraid of public speaking, you make it worse by telling everybody you’re afraid and how afraid you are and what happened to you once, etc., etc.
  • We feed our fears by deceiving ourselves and denying the fear. For example, if you’re afraid to try something new, you might mask that fear by claiming you intend to get to it later, or you just don’t have the money or the time–or some manufactured excuse to avoid what you fear.

What are you doing that is feeding your useless, out-of-control fear? I want to encourage you to pray about it–ask God to reveal any areas where you are contributing to the fear that has you in bondage.

We know from scripture that God is not the author of our useless fears. He does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love. So, any useless fear that keeps us from being all God intends for us to be is simply Satan’s tool, his flaming arrow that he uses to wound you and steal your peace, your joy, your productivity, and your reward.

Monday, May 21, 2007

Sermon: Grace

Yesterday our speaker talked about what grace means to him and used this acrostic.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8)

G = God's glory (Ephesians 1:14)
R = Responding to God in discipleship (Matthew 28: 18-20)
A = Acts of mercy -- being moved to help the hurting (Micah 6: 8)
C = Community -- we were made for each other and we need each other (1 Cor 12: 18)
E = Emerging Evangelism -- using all means possible to reach some (1 Cor 9: 22)

Our desire is that "all kingdoms on earth may know that you, O Lord, are God." Isa 37:20

Pray Hard

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (NIV)

In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (The Message)

Friday, May 18, 2007

God Pleaser

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional
May 18

ONE FEAR-OBJECT

It is the LORD of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And he shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread (Isaiah 8:13).

A severe storm hit the East Coast, and the Coast Guard was summoned to respond to a ship in crisis. A young sailor, new on board, was terrorized by the prospect and proclaimed, "We can't go out. We'll never come back!" The seasoned captain responded, "We must go out. We don't have to come back." Duty called and responsibility overcame fear.

If we're going to walk by faith, there can be only one fear-object in our life and that's God. We are responsible to Him. He is the ultimate fear-object because He is omnipotent and omnipresent. The fear of the Lord is healthy because it is the one fear that expels all other fears (Isaiah 8:11-14). All other fear-objects pale in comparison to our holy God. We need to be like David who proclaimed before Goliath, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?" (1 Samuel 17:26). The Hebrew army saw Goliath in relation to themselves and cowered in defeat. David saw Goliath in relation to God and conquered in His strength.

When the 12 spies checked out the Promised Land, 10 of them came back and responded, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us" (Numbers 13:31). They didn't see God in the land; they saw giants (verse 33). With that perspective, "all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night" (Number 14:1).

Joshua and Caleb responded, "Do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them" (Numbers 14:9). The people did rebel. They accepted the majority report instead of listening to Caleb and Joshua. By accepting the Canaanites' will over God's will, they elevated the power and eminence of the Canaanites over the omnipotence and omnipresence of God. To honor God as the ultimate fear-object is to worship Him. To be controlled by any other fear-object is to allow it to usurp God's place in our lives.

Lord, I want to be a God-pleaser in all I do today, not a man-pleaser or a coward.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in ChristAll Rights ReservedTaken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Unwasted Life

"What is the essence of the unwasted life? I just mentioned it: A life that puts the infinite value of Christ on display for the world to see. The passion of the unwasted life is to joyfully display the supreme excellence of Christ by the way we live. Life is given to us so that we can use it to make much of Christ. Possessions are given to us so that by the way we use them, we can show that they are not our treasure, but Christ is our treasure. Money is given to us so that we will use it in a way that shows money is not treasure, but Christ is our treasure.

The great passion of the unwasted life is to magnify Christ. Here is the text that, perhaps more than any other, governs what life is really about: Philippians 1:20-21. Paul says, “It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Paul’s all-consuming passion was that in his life and in his death Jesus Christ be honored, that is, that Jesus Christ be made to look like the infinite treasure that he is. The reason you have life is to make Jesus Christ look great. There is one central criterion that should govern all the decisions you make in life and in death: Will this help make Jesus Christ look like the treasure he is?"

Excerpt from Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

Leadership

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 17

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF LEADERSHIP

Shepherd the flock of God among you . . . not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God (1 Peter 5:2).

Our ability to speak with authority stems from the same source as was true of Jesus Himself. The authority Jesus possessed was not based on any earthly position, but in the quality, conduct and character of His life.

The true shepherd exercises spiritual leadership with the heart of a servant. As servants, we are subject to the needs of those we are called to lead. That's why Jesus said we will know His disciples by their love. The requirements to be a spiritual leader in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are all character requirements. All of this is made possible by the indwelling presence of God, the Holy Spirit. Peter writes, "Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:2, 3).

You never hear Jesus say, "You do this because I'm God." What happens to a marriage relationship when a husband authoritatively demands obedience because he is the head of the home? Nothing good, let me assure you. The spiritual head of a home, church, Sunday school class, Bible study group, etc. assumes his responsibility by meeting the needs of those under his care. Being a leader is an awesome responsibility, not a right to be demanded. A wise leader listens carefully to the counsel of his charges and depends on the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit's enablement, he can live a righteous life out of which he can lead with loving authority.

As spiritual leaders, we must be like Christ and base our leadership in the quality, conduct and character of our life. We may speak with authority if what we say is true according to God's Word and when our character is Christlike.

Lord, I desire greater humility so I can properly lead and teach in areas where You have given me responsibility.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Our Wonderful Counselor

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Thursday, May 17, 2007 - Our Wonderful Counselor

What's wrong with earthly counseling? There’s nothing inherently wrong. In fact we are urged to seek advice and counsel when making decisions, and all of us need trusted people in our lives to give us godly counsel. That's part of how the Body of Christ should work together. However, earthly counsel is subject to problems.

For example, earthly counselors can be wrong–dead wrong. They may be sincere and they may be truly trying to help us, but there is nothing to guarantee that they are right. Only your Wonderful Counselor, Jesus Christ, is one hundred percent right all the time.

Earthly counselors often lead people to be self-focused, and that is a sure road to depression! I've seen people who've gone through much earthly counseling and find themselves much the worse for it–depressed, bitter, hateful people, full of self-pity and hopelessness. That earthly counselor used techniques learned in books and school which teach a real focus on digging into your past, finding scapegoats for your problems, shifting blame to others, and dredging up things that often are harmful.

Counsel based on God's Word will lead you to acceptance, and away from self-centeredness and anger. The Wonderful Counselor will heal you of bitterness, instead of creating it. He'll teach you forgiveness, and this brings release and freedom from depression. He'll show you how your past, or your present circumstances, as bad as they seem, can be used as an instrument of good in your life if you will allow it.

Keep in mind I'm not talking about denial. Certain situations from our past need to be confronted, recognized, brought out into the open and dealt with. And when that is done biblically, the result is that the person is freed up to go forward and be used of God in his kingdom.

I think of a woman who had one of the most horrible childhood experiences anyone could endure. She talks about it and has written about it, but her whole message is that Jesus has healed her and has enabled her to live with the past. And in her lifetime God has used her mightily in the lives of others, because she has put behind her the pains of the past. And who has been her counselor? Who brought her to this stage? Jesus, the Word of God, prayer, family and friends - in that order.

We have a Wonderful Counselor, ready at all times. Go to Him when you need help.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Pursue More Satisfaction in Christ

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
Philippians 3:12

So my conclusion is that what Paul is pursuing in Philippians 3:12 is ultimately Christ himself. And the most essential practical strategy of this pursuit is to count Christ himself as supremely valuable (“because of the surpassing worth”) and to count everything but Christ as worthless by comparison.

This means that the way we confirm our eternal security is by daily pursuing more satisfaction in Christ. This is the link between “safe” and “satisfied.” We take steps to increase our treasuring of Christ’s superior worth. This is the most crucial evidence that we are eternally secure—that “Christ Jesus has made me his own.”

And what is the main practical strategy that Paul mentions in this pursuit? His answer is: Count all else as rubbish in comparison to Christ. This word count is a mental act that involves resolving, deciding, purposing, judging. (See its use in Philippians 2:3, 6, 25). So we look upon our money, our homes, our jobs, our families and friends, our plans for retirement or vacations, our health, and our lives, and we declare, “These things are as rubbish compared to the value of knowing Christ.”

Excerpt from John Piper, How Do You Press On to Make It Your Own

Our Wonderful Counselor

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Wednesday, May 16, 2007 - Our Wonderful Counselor

As Christians we have a Wonderful Counselor, Jesus Christ, who has invited us to come to Him and find rest for our souls. Many times we go to others for counseling when we should turn to Him. I really think we should learn to turn to our Wonderful Counselor when we need guidance.

While earthly counsel and advice can be helpful at times, I believe most of us run to an earthly counselor before we really seek the help of the Wonderful Counselor. Many people spend hours each week seeking earthly counsel. But how much time are we willing to devote to seeking God's guidance, asking our Wonderful Counselor to speak to us, through quietly sitting before him, meditating on his Word, praying, and being in an attitude that gives him an opportunity to give us inner guidance?

From time to time people will call or come to me for counsel. I've finally concluded that's not my gift, but whenever I can help someone, I'm glad to do so. However, one thing I often ask before offering any counsel is "Have you sought the counsel of Jesus and the Word of God before coming to me, and if so, how much time have you spent seeking counsel from the Lord?"

When the response is a shocked look or a stammering excuse, I know that they've made the mistake I have also made, and that is seeking answers from someone else before and instead of seeking answers from the Lord. And I know that it's not likely God's going to give them any good counsel through me until they've sought Him first.

Why are we so prone to seek earthly counsel instead of heavenly counsel? Well, because we can see and touch and hear an earthly person, and that feels good. Also, it's easier in a sense to seek earthly counsel than to seek heavenly counsel. And then, many times we don't want to hear what we know we'll hear when we go to the Lord. We look for some earthly counselor to validate our action or inactivity and make us feel better about what we know is wrong.

I remember counseling a woman once concerning a relationship with a man who was not a believer. She had come to me expecting sympathy and confirmation that this relationship was an exception to the rules, but I gave her strong biblical counsel to break the relationship before it went any further. She knew the Lord would give her that instruction; she was hoping I could interpret it otherwise and make her feel good about the wrong decision she had already made.

If you've been seeking earthly counsel, examine your heart and see if you've been doing it for the wrong reasons.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

His Grip on Us

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Philippians 3:12

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” In other words, the heart of the true Christian does not coast in a state of contented worldliness after conversion, as though the world were more precious to him than Christ is. The true Christian is safe, but his safety is confirmed in his pressing on to make his final inheritance his own. Our safety is seen in the words “because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” In other words, our security is not based finally on our grip on Christ, but his grip on us. The crucial thing to see is that the firmness of Christ’s grip on us produces our pursuit of him.“I press on . . . because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” Our security does not produce drifting or worldly indifference or spiritual disinterest.

John Piper, "How Do You Press On to Make It Your Own?"

Belief System

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 15

AN INTACT BELIEF SYSTEM

In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following (1 Timothy 4:6).

One problem with Christian maturity is trying to base spiritual growth on practical sections of the Scriptures and spending too little time internalizing the doctrinal sections. Each of Paul's letters tends to fall into two major parts. The first part is generally doctrinal, such as Romans 1-8, Ephesians 1-3, Colossians 1-2, etc. These sections reveal what we need to know about God, ourselves, sin and salvation. The second half of each letter is the practical section: Romans 12-15, Ephesians 4-6, Colossians 3-4, etc. These passages describe what we need to do to live out our faith in daily experience.

In our zeal to correct the problems in our lives — doubt, temptation, satanic attack, conflict in families, friendships and churches which are falling apart — we jump to the practical instructions of God's Word. We want a quick fix, a rule or instruction which we can apply like a Band-Aid to make things better.

Perhaps you have already discovered that a Band-Aid approach to daily living doesn't work. Why not? Because when you don't understand the truth pertaining to your position in Christ, you have no ground for success in the practical arena. How can you rejoice in hope and persevere in tribulation (Romans 12:12) without the confidence of knowing you have been justified by faith and have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1)?

When your basic belief system about God and yourself is shaky, your day-to-day behavior system will be shaky. But when your belief system is intact and your relationship with God is based on truth, you'll have very little trouble working out the practical aspects of daily Christianity. Show me someone who knows who they are in Christ and who is filled with the Holy Spirit, as taught in the first half of the Epistles, and I will show you someone who will instinctively live according to the second half of the Epistles. It will be the "natural" thing to do.

Loving Father, I desire to know what I need to know about You so I can live the way You desire for me to live.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Monday, May 14, 2007

Not Fazed

Think about this verse:

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.
(Romans 8:37, The Message)

Then look at what "none of this" includes:

There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

Romans 8 (The Message)


"Jesus loves us this I know"

Our Prayer Verse

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

The Message


Our Wonderful Counselor

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Monday, May 14, 2007 - Our Wonderful Counselor

Do you feel as though you need some good counseling? Have you been looking for someone to talk to who can really understand your problems and give you very helpful advice? I'm going to share with you a Wonderful Counselor that is available to you.

Who of us doesn't need a good shoulder to cry on sometimes, a good counselor to help us from time to time. But I've observed that many of us are addicted to counselors and counseling, whether it is a casual discussion with a good friend or a session with a professional. Too often our first knee-jerk reaction to any situation is to find someone who can help us. To get on the phone and talk to someone or make an appointment with a professional counselor. We've been led to believe that we can't solve anything without counsel.

I remember once when I was facing a personal problem that my first move was to call my best friend. Her counsel was good and she helped me gain perspective, which I badly needed. But as the days wore on, I found that I was calling her quite frequently–using her counsel like a painkiller or a quick fix to get me through the problem. Once when I dialed her number, there was no answer, and I felt panicky–almost irritated with her for not being there when I needed her.

And in the midst of this miniature panic scene, the Holy Spirit so faithfully spoke to me in words that could have been audible, they were so clear. He said to me: "You know, Mary, if you would spend as much time talking to the Lord about this problem as you do to your friend, you'd be a whole lot closer to finding the solution."

My heart was stricken, as I had to confess that I had talked with my friend longer about my problem than I had talked with God about it. A passage came to mind from Isaiah 9 which speaks of the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. Verse six says that one of his names will be Wonderful Counselor.

As I remembered that verse that day, I made a promise to God that never again would I seek earthly counsel before I sought His counsel, and never would I spend more time with earthly counselors than I did with Him. And once I went to my heavenly Counselor, the peace of God began to enter into my soul.

I want to encourage you to look to Jesus as your Wonderful Counselor. You'll discover that He truly is the most qualified and the most understanding Counselor you'll ever find. Before you pick up the phone and start dialing, before you spill your hurt to someone else, talk to Jesus. He is there for you, and He has solutions that work!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Drenched in Christ

Romans 16:1-7

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, 2 that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me.
In speaking on these verses in Commending and Welcoming Radical Risk-Takers for Christ John Piper says:

"Notice how Christ-saturated these relationships are. Verse 2: “Welcome her in the Lord.” Verse 3: “My fellow workers in Christ Jesus.” Verse 5: The “first convert to Christ.” Verse 7: “They were in Christ before me.” Verse 8: “My beloved in the Lord.” Verse 9: “My fellow worker in Christ.” Verse 10: “Apelles, who is approved in Christ.” Verse 11: “Greet those in the Lord.” Verse 12: “Greet those workers in the Lord.” Verse 13: “Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord.” Verse 14: “Rufus, chosen in the Lord.”

This is not a simple list of greetings. This is the way a person who is drenched in Christ talks about his friends. When you write your family or friends, or when you talk on the phone, or send an email, is Christ there like this? If you say, as I have heard some say, “I don’t wear my faith on my sleeve,” be careful. The issue isn’t what’s on your sleeve. The issue is what’s in your mouth, because Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). If Christ isn’t there in your talk and in your emails, it’s not a sleeve issue—it’s not merely a personality issue, it’s not merely an ethnic issue, it’s not merely a family-of-origin issue—it’s a heart issue. Let’s be a church drenched with Jesus like Paul in Romans 16."

Setting Biblical Priorities

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Friday, May 11, 2007 - Setting Biblical Principles

Our lives are full of choices, big ones and small ones. Which job will I take? What organizations should I join? Do I go shopping or clean the house? Is it more important to write this report or answer the mail? And the way we make these myriad of choices throughout our lives is determined by our priorities–what's important to us and what isn't so important.

Let me suggest that we take the time to write down the priorities by which we want our choices to be guided. If you have biblical priorities clearly established in your mind, then you'll be prepared to make good choices and thereby spend your time and energy in meaningful ways.

Here are some questions to ask yourself, as you start to define your lifetime priorities:

1. What are the biblical guidelines that must govern my priorities?

We've mentioned several already. Our priorities should be determined by what will bring the most glory and honor to Christ. We should seriously consider what has eternal value and what is simply temporal. The Word of God will abide forever. People will last forever. Faith, hope and love will abide forever, as we read in 1 Corinthians 13. Therefore, the highest priority should be given to activities which will elevate and enhance these things in our life.

2. What choices do I have?

List the areas where you have choices to make. For instance, you can to some degree choose the job you take, the organizations you belong to, the extra-curricular activities of your life. I remember choosing a job once that was attractive to me and advanced my career, but it took me away from my young daughter far too much. I had other options. I made a poor choice. My priorities were not in good shape.

3. Am I willing to give God control of my priorities and put necessary disciplines into my life?

So often we hand God our pre-planned agenda and ask Him to bless it. God is looking for people who give Him a blank piece of paper, and ask Him to write His agenda for them. Setting biblical priorities means we may have to cross some good things off our list for things that are better.

When we have a good understanding of what's important to God, then we'll be able to make the right choices as to our priorities.


Thursday, May 10, 2007

God Shaping Lives

God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son.

Romans 8:28 (The Message)

Surviving a Crisis

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 10

SURVIVING A CRISIS

A house divided against itself falls (Luke 11:17).

Satan's strategy is to use a problem situation to put you and your spouse at odds with each other. Jesus said, "A house divided against itself falls" (Luke 11:17). Many times I have said to parents, "Don't let this pull you apart." Inevitably they glance at each other, because that's precisely what's been going on.

"If you would have been more firm with our child, this wouldn't have happened," one blames.

"It's because you didn't set the standards by having family devotions every night," the other retorts.

Or if they did have devotions, "You just read to the children, you never communicate with them!"

"If you were home more often, I'd have more time to communicate with them!"

There may be a grain of truth in every statement above. But it's history, and tearing each other down will only make the problem worse. You must be united in order to survive the crisis. Character-bashing is from the pit.

Many parents are intimidated by a child's threats or find it easier to give in to a temper tantrum than not to. But you cannot let a rebellious child rule the home. It takes an iron will and the grace of God to stand your ground and not let your child control you. Sad are the children whose parents let them rule the roost. Even sadder are the children whose parents rule without love. If you manage to control through loveless intimidation and force, your child will be emotionally crippled. Rules without a relationship lead to rebellion.

Any crisis in the home can make or break you. You can choose to grow through the crisis and become a better person than you were before. Romans 5:3, 4, encourages, "We also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope."

Lord, I refuse Satan's strategy to divide our home by quenching our love or overemphasizing rules. Help me do my part to keep our home united in You.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Setting Biblical Priorities

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Thursday, May 10, 2007 - Setting Biblical Principles

You may think that setting biblical priorities is hard to do when so much of what you do has no spiritual content and yet, you seem to have no choice. Going to work, household duties, mundane tasks and errands–they take up so much time. How can you find time for biblical priorities when you must do so many other things?

Well, a wonderful truth in Scripture is that even mundane things have significance when we have the right attitude toward them. Earlier we discussed about setting priorities which have eternal significance, such as investing time in God's Word, which will last forever. What else will last forever? People will last forever.

Therefore, investing time and energy in people should have a high priority. Now, these mundane things you have to do–aren't there usually some people around when you're doing them? Sure, we're interacting with people all the time, and if we start to see those people as eternally significant, we will discover little and big ways to invest our time and energy in people, even while we're doing other things.

As you drive along with your children, going here and there, you have valuable time to communicate with them, to share your values with them, to play Bible games with them, to talk about what's important and what isn't. While you work with people on your job, the concern and care you show for them makes that secular activity very sacred. When people become a high priority in our lives, we will discover endless ways to reach out to them, even in the midst of other activities.

A young man in our church left a budding career with an accounting firm to go back to school and get his teacher's certificate. He wants to teach high school. He will probably never earn the kind of money that was available to him in an accounting profession, but he feels his life can have a great impact on young people as a teacher. And knowing him, he'll be one of those teachers you never forget. I have repeatedly encouraged him and told him how pleased I am to see that he has set his priorities by eternal principles.

Now, please don't misunderstand me. You can certainly work for an accounting firm and care about people. We need godly caring people in every kind of position, but God has led him in this direction and he hasn't allowed money considerations to determine his priorities.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

God Who Justifies

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:33

"That’s the same way Paul is thinking here in verse 33: "Who will bring a charge against God's elect?" Answer: Nobody. Well, yes, the devil accuses us in our own conscience, and even at times in heaven (Job 1:9; Revelation 12:10). Jesus promised us that people would speak evil against us falsely, and that we should rejoice when they do (Matthew 5:11). It was false witnesses and accusers who brought about the death of Stephen (Acts 6:13; 7:57-60). So what does Paul mean?

He means nobody can make any charge stick against God’s elect in the court of heaven. The chapter began with the words, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." And it is coming to an end with the words, "For God’s elect no charge against them can stand."

...

So hear this, all who will believe on Jesus, and become united to Christ, and show yourself among the elect – hear this: God is the one who justifies you. Not a human judge. Not a great prophet. Not an archangel from heaven. But God, the Creator of the world and Owner of all things and Ruler of the universe and every molecule and person in it, God is the one who justifies you.

The point: unshakable security in the face of tremendous suffering (vv. 17, 18, 35-36). If God is for us, no one can successfully be against us. If God gave his Son for us, he will give us everything that is good for us. If God is the one who justifies us, no charge against us can stand."

John Piper, It is God Who Justifies!

No Pecking Orders

Max Lucado, Upwords

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:8 NIV


Jesus blasts the top birds of the church, those who roost at the top of the spiritual ladder and spread their plumes of robes, titles, jewelry, and choice seats. Jesus won’t stand for it. It’s easy to see why. How can I love others if my eyes are only on me? How can I point to God if I’m pointing at me? And, worse still, how can someone see God if I keep fanning my own tail feathers?

Jesus has no room for pecking orders. “Love does not boast, it is not proud” (I Cor. 13:4 NIV).

His solution to man-made caste systems? A change of direction. In a world of upward mobility, choose downward servility. Go down, not up. “Regard one another as more important than yourselves” (Phil. 2:3 NASB). That’s what Jesus did.

He flip-flopped the pecking order. While others were going up, he was going down. “He humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in A Love Worth Giving

Setting Biblical Priorities

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 - Setting Biblical Principles

In addition, another clear guideline that I frequently consider is the eternal value of what I'm doing. Our priorities should be determined by what will last for eternity. Not much of what we actually see and touch and feel here on earth is going to make it to the forever category. How much of your life is spent on very temporary things?

I remember when our church had a disastrous fire some years ago, and our lovely Steinway grand piano was destroyed, along with a magnificent pipe organ. I stood in the church sanctuary and cried as I saw the ashes and ruins. But quietly the Spirit of God said to me, "They were going to burn up anyway, Mary." It was one of those reminders that you never forget: All these material things that seem so valuable now and to which we give so much of our time and energy–they aren't going to make it to forever.

What will last forever? God's Word, we're told, endures forever. How much of your time is devoted to God's Word? Do you read it more than any other book? Do you read it regularly? I was having dinner with a neighbor who said, "You know, Mary, I'm so glad you introduced me to the joy of reading the Bible. I never used to read it much. Now I read it everyday–I wouldn't miss it." She's changed some priorities and put the Word of God at the top of her list. Smart lady.

Are you teaching a Sunday School class? That's an eternal investment. Are you involved in a Bible study group? Spending time in God's Word shows you've got your priorities in pretty good shape. I used to hesitate to challenge people to spend an hour a day getting to know God because I was afraid it would seem overwhelming, but I don't anymore. Anything I can do to help you establish God's Word as the central focus of your life, I will do without embarrassment, because I know I'll be helping you establish the most important priority in your life.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Mercy

"So when you go home each week from these messages, be stunned that you are a beneficiary of mercy – be reminded and stunned that you and I deserve nothing but wrath from God, and in Christ receive nothing but mercy from him. Be stunned. And then pray that God would make you merciful to the undeserving. Oh, how sweet marriages would be if we stopped thinking about what we deserve and thought more about how to show more mercy – how to do more undeserved good to each other. Oh, how sweet would be the fellowship of the church if we all really felt undeserving of any good and lavished with God’s mercy. And, oh, how bright the gospel would shine if we touched the poor with Christ-exalting mercy. May God raise up many who will build, with joy, ministries of mercy to the city and the nations."

"How Great Is the Honor of Israel?" by John Piper

Men to Fight for Freedom

Shelly has recently left the business and turned to God to fulfill her broken soul. She writes, "The real truth is we porn actresses want to end the shame and trauma of our lives, but we can't do it alone. We need you men to fight for our freedom and give us back our honor. We want you to throw out our movies and help piece together the shattered fragments of our lives. We need you to pray for us the next fifteen years so God will hear and repair our ruined lives."

Shelly said she felt more comforted by the message "Jesus Loves Porn Stars" than any judgments or calls for atonement for her life choices.

Every single porn star we've talked to has said that. They're just looking for love.

Christians forget that these are the people Jesus preferred to spend time with.

From The Dirty Little Secret: Uncovering the Truth
Behind Porn

by Craig Gross


Affections of our Hearts

From Bryan Chapel in Holiness by Grace from The Purple Cellar:
While we can will a change in behavior, we do not by an act of will change what we find attractive, appealing, and lovely. The Spirit accomplishes what willpower cannot in reconstructing the affections of our hearts. . . . Spiritual change is more a consequence of what our hearts love than what our hands do.



Setting Biblical Priorities

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Tuesday, May 08, 2007 - Setting Biblical Principles

Do you often feel like you are always busy but nothing really important seems to get done? I think it's very possible and easy to find ourselves in that kind of predicament. There are many tugs and pulls on our time and energy, and sometimes we lose sight of what's important and what isn't.

How can we set priorities for our lives that keep us from wasting our time and spinning our wheels? Well, first of all, you have to really want to, because it takes discipline, which quite frankly is not always fun! The very process of setting priorities means that you make decisions to do some things and not do others. And priorities that are set by biblical principles are not based on what we want, but rather what God wants. Therefore, we have to be committed and disciplined in order to have good priorities in our lives. That's our starting point.

If you've got the desire, then how do you make those determinations? Well, let's think of God's guiding principles for setting priorities. Colossians 3:17 is a good place to start:

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Biblical priorities are determined by what brings honor to the name of Christ. You have to ask yourself, "Can I do this and ask Christ to bless it? Would I be ashamed to have Him find me involved in this activity?" And then, you need to determine what activities honor Christ more than others.

That certainly does not mean that non-Christian activities cannot be done to the honor of Christ. One of the great things about serving Christ is that even mundane, everyday things can have significance because we do them to honor His name. But specific answers concerning specific activities many times won't be the same for everyone.

I remember someone telling me that they were exhausted because they'd spent the entire day shopping for prizes for a golf tournament. My first thought was, "What a waste of time. I'd go crazy if I had to spend a day shopping for golf prizes." But, you see, it may be that what looks like a waste of time to me could be a ministry for her. Perhaps she uses these associations and occasions for eternal and good purposes. It's not my job to judge others. I just need to be certain that my energy and time are spent where Christ can receive the greatest honor.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Undistracted Attention

My dear friends, this is now the second time I've written to you, both letters reminders to hold your minds in a state of undistracted attention.

2 Peter 3:1 (The Message)

What God Wants Done

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 7

WHAT GOD WANTS DONE

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God (Philippians 4:6).

When you feel anxious in a task or a relationship, your anxiety may be signaling the uncertainty of a goal you have chosen. You are hoping something will happen, but you have no guarantee that it will. You can control some of the factors, but not all of them.

For example, a teenager may believe that her happiness at school depends on her parents allowing her to attend a school dance. Not knowing how they will respond, she is anxious. If they say no, she will be angry because her goal is blocked. But if she knows all along that there is no possible chance of them saying yes, she will be depressed because her goal will not be achieved.

When you base your future success on something that can never happen, you have an impossible, hopeless goal. Your depression is a signal that your goal, no matter how spiritual or noble, may never be reached. Some forms of depression can be caused by chemical imbalances. But if there is no physical cause for the depression, then that depression is the expression of hopelessness.

No God-given goal can be blocked, uncertain or impossible. With God all things are possible. If God issued a command that could not be obeyed, it would undermine His authority. If God wants it done, it can be done.

The real question is: What does God want done? The answer? He wants us to be what He has called us to be. And if that's what God wants done, no situations or circumstances of life can keep you from being the engineer, homemaker, parent, or leader God has called you to be.

Lord, help me keep my eyes on what You want done in my life, not on the seemingly impossible hindrances that keep me from growing in You.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved


Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Setting Biblical Priorities

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Monday, May 07, 2007 - Setting Biblical Principles

Do you feel as though your life is flying by very fast, out of control, and you aren't doing anything really worthwhile with your time and energy? This seems to be one of the more common problems with which we working people all struggle. Someone has said that there's always time to do God's will, yet if we get our priorities confused, we may run out of time before we do the really important things. I want to look at the problem of conflicting priorities.

I believe we all need to define some long-term lifetime goals and priorities which set our daily sails so that on a daily basis we are guided by these higher priorities as we decide how to invest our time and energy.

How do we set these lifetime priorities? I remember speaking on priorities at a women's conference, and afterwards someone said to me, "I thought you'd give us a list of priorities, black and white, that would apply to us all. But you didn't do that. You made us think." Well, I couldn't do that, because the Bible doesn't do that.

There is no list that dictates exact priorities for each of us as Christians. God has made us unique, and within biblical guidelines, He directs us in various ways, custom designed for each person. Aren't you glad? God is very creative and He has made us all differently, and He is quite capable of guiding us individually for His good pleasure.

However, the Bible certainly does give us very clear principles to show us how to determine the priorities of our lives, and these definitely need to be understood and obeyed if we're to set the priorities for our lives as God would have us to. If we don't follow biblical guidelines, I can assure you that we'll get things mixed up and find ourselves chasing some rainbows, spinning our wheels, confusing our priorities, and losing control of our lives–missing the best that God has for us.

So, what we want to carefully consider this week are God's guidelines for setting priorities. Then, with that under our belt, we should be able to make some clear determinations about what should be on our to do lists and what should not.

Christians should not feel as though their lives are out of control. When our priorities are biblically based and our walk with God is consistent, we may be very busy at times, but we will have that quiet confidence that our sails are set appropriately and our priorities are in line.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Strengthened by Gospel

God Strengthens Us by the Gospel by John Piper

An excerpt from this writing about Romans 16:25-27:


"If any king ever had the right to display all his glory by stepping on the backs of a rebellious people, it is God. But what does he do? He displays his glory by making his people strong. “Now unto him who is able to strengthen you . . . be glory forevermore . . . .” God magnifies his glory by making you strong with his gospel. God feels no threat from your strength at all. In fact, the stronger you are in faith and hope and love through the gospel of Jesus Christ, the greater he appears. God does not secure his strength by keeping his people weak. He magnifies the glory of his strength by making his people strong. “Now unto him who is able to strengthen you . . . be glory.”

Therefore, when Paul makes the glory of God the ultimate goal of the gospel—when he closes his greatest of all letters by drawing attention to the supreme worth of the glory of God—this is not bad news for us. Unless we want to have that glory for ourselves. Why is this not bad news for us? Because our God draws attention to his glory by making his undeserving people strong. The greater the glory of God, the more resources for our strength. The more manifold and wonderful the glory of God, the more manifold and wonderful the source of our strength. “Now to him who is able to strengthen you . . . be glory for evermore.”

What kind of strength does Paul mean that God is able to give? Well, God can give whatever kind of strength he wants—“By my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). But here he means the same kind of strength that he referred to in Romans 1:11-12, “I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen (stÄ“rikthÄ“nai, the same word as in 16:25) you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine.” The substance of this strength is faith in Jesus Christ. "

Made to Love

I like the lyrics to Toby Mac's "Made to Love" .. here is a sampling:

I was made to love you
I was made to find you
I was made just for you
Made to adore you
I was made to love
And be loved by you
You were here before me
You were waiting on me
And you said you'd keep me
Never would you leave me I was made to love
and be loved by you

Thursday, May 03, 2007

No Unwholesome Word

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

May 3

THE PROPER USE OF WORDS

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29).

How do we express our perceptions of people? Primarily by what we say to them. Studies have shown that in the average home, for every positive statement, a child receives 10 negative statements. The school environment is only slightly better; students hear seven negative statements from their teachers for every one positive statement. No wonder so many children are growing up feeling they are losers. Parents and teachers are conveying that perception every day in how they talk to their children.

These studies go on to point out that it takes four positive statements to negate the effect of one negative statement. You probably verify that finding every time you wear a new suit or dress. A number of your friends may say, "Oh, what a good-looking outfit." But it only takes one comment like "It's really not you" to send you scurrying back to the store for a refund. We affect others significantly by what we say about them, and what we say is significantly determined by how we perceive them.

If we could memorize just one verse from the New Testament, put it into practice and never violate it, I believe we would resolve half to three-fourths of the problems in our homes and churches. The verse is Ephesians 4:29. Isn't it amazing that you and I have the power to give grace to others through the proper use of our words? If we said nothing to put others down, and only built up others as Ephesians 4:29 commands, we would be part of God's construction crew in the church instead of members of Satan's wrecking crew.

Father, I know my tongue is capable of blessing or cursing others. Guard my words today so I may edify others through what I say.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ
All Rights Reserved

Women Who Broke the Mold: Deborah

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Thursday, May 03, 2007 - Women Who Broke the Mold

There is a woman in the Old Testament whose leadership and accomplishments would be outstanding today. In her day they had to be incredible.

Deborah was one of the judges of Israel, the top authority in the country. She had men working for her; she even led the army into a battle and won it. That certainly was not a customary role for women in her time.

She must have felt like a fifth wheel at times. She was different from all the other women in her day! It must have been a lonely spot. Undoubtedly there were times when she grew weary of the responsibilities and pressures on her. But she was a woman of great faith in God, and her dedication to her calling was unwavering, whatever personal desires she may have had to forego.

We know that she was married; we don't know if she had any children. But this was a woman in a traditional role, yet called by God to a job that was very untraditional. She had a position of higher authority than her husband–than any other man in the country.

Why do you think Deborah accepted the job of judge? I don't think she was trying to prove anything. There was no election campaign, where she stumped the trail proclaiming that women had a right to be a judge. Her career ambition was not to be the first woman judge in Israel. That was never an issue with Deborah. Deborah was a judge because God called her to be one.

Why do you think God asked Deborah to be a judge for those many years? Because He had gifted her for the job and that was His plan for her. Why would He ask her to do something so different from a traditional woman's role? Because God is sovereign and He uses many different kinds of people in different situations as He sees fit.

Today God still calls some women to break old molds and do things not often done by women. He has a right to do so now, just as He did with Deborah. But the women God calls are not marching for women's rights. They are marching in the Lord's army, followers of Jesus Christ, committed to His service, regardless of the role they are asked to fill.

If God has called you to be a mold-breaker, count it a privilege. Keep in mind, I'm not talking about departing from biblical principles or standards, but rather about man-made traditions and roles. Sometimes God uses mold-breakers in very effective ways.

Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer

2007 Prayer for Our Nation

Almighty God, we pause to reflect on Your character as we seek wisdom for such a time as this.

In these unsafe days,
You remain all-powerful and able to protect;

In these uncertain times,
You remain all-knowing, leading us aright;

In the unprecedented events we're facing,
You remain absolutely sovereign.
Our times are in Your hands.

Therefore, our dependence on You, is total, not partial
. . . our need for Your forgiveness is constant

. . . our gratitude for Your grace is profound

. . . our love for You is deep.


We ask that You guard and guide our President
and all who serve the people of these United States.
May uncompromising integrity mark their lives.

We also ask that You unite us as truly "one nation,
under God." May genuine humility return to our ranks.

And may that blend of integrity and humility
heal our land.

In our Lord's name we pray,

Amen.


Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Faith: A Respone to the Revelation of God's Glory

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 8:28-30


Excerpts from Glorification: Conformed to Christ for the Supremacy of Christ by John Piper

" "Why does Paul buttress Romans 8:28 with an argument in verses 29-30?" Why not just tell us what God promises to do for us and count on faith to be strong in holding to the promise?

The answer — at least a very important part of the answer — is that faith is not a leap in the dark, but a response to the revelation of light. If faith were grounded on nothing more than raw authority, then the Bible would not have been written the way it is, and the history of redemption would not have been planned the way it was. Faith is not based merely on raw authority (like: "God said verse 28 so believe it. Period! No basis needed! No arguments required!"). Faith is not a response to raw authority; faith is a response to the revelation of light. Not physical light, but spiritual light.

...

Now here's the connection with Romans 8:29. Paul wants us to have faith in the promise of Romans 8:28 — that God will work all things for your good — so that we will be radical, risk-taking, loving, sacrificial, Christians with a wartime mentality. But he knows that faith is based not on raw authority of mere statements. It rises in response to the revelation of God's glory. This is why he does what he does in verses 29-30, he shows us some of the ways of God. He gives us a spectacular glimpse into the sovereign, saving work of God from eternity to eternity — from the foreknowing-foreloving-forechoosing of eternity past, to the final glorifying of his people in eternity future. Seeing the glorious work of God in Christ in verses 29 is not just incidental information; it is the revelation of who God is, how God acts, how God loves and saves and keeps. The point of it is to display the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ. And to make our faith in the promise of Romans 8:28 something it could never be without it."

Women Who Broke the Mold

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Wednesday, May 02, 2007 - Women Who Broke the Mold

We see in Luke 8 that Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna and many other women broke the molds of their day in order to follow Jesus Christ, support Him and testify to His power in their lives.

Yes, these women pushed the limits, they exceeded the boundaries, they ignored tradition. Undoubtedly they must have gotten lots of funny looks and perhaps some strong lectures from other people who thought they had overstepped their boundaries as they traveled all over following Jesus and supporting His ministry. But I don't think they cared what people thought.

You see, they were breaking the mold, but not for the sake of saying they had broken the mold. They weren't trying to blaze new paths for women, nor were they rebelling against unfair treatment.

They were women who were driven–but not by a desire to show people what women could do. They were driven by a fierce love and commitment to the Man who had changed their lives–the Messiah who had come to deliver them from their bondage. And they just couldn't let traditional molds keep them from sharing that truth.

I believe this example left to us by these most unusual women gives us a guideline to follow as women in today's world. Can we–should we–be mold-breakers? The guiding principle is that when a tradition or a mold inhibits our ability to share Jesus Christ–to follow Him in new and effective ways, then breaking the mold is the right thing to do.

Now, understand that I'm not talking about breaking scriptural principles, but I am talking about the boxes that people sometimes would put us into because we're women, the limitations we place on ourselves because of traditional female roles.

We sometimes use our female roles as an excuse for not going into our worlds with the Gospel. They become the skirts we hide behind, our rationalizations for not sticking our necks out to serve the Lord in new and meaningful ways.

How about you? Ready to break some molds. Look at these women in Luke 8, and ask God to give you the wisdom and courage to know when to break away from what is "acceptable behavior" into new territory, in order to follow Him more perfectly.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Singing: The Way to Heaven's Door

New Wineskins has an excerpt chapter from Pilgrim Heart: The Way of Jesus in Everyday Life by Darryl Tippens. Here's are a few snippets:

"Through the centuries, music has been a primary means of conversion and spiritual formation, and it is happening today in a surprising way.4 For most believers, music is not a frill or an ornament, not some illustration of a theological truth; much more, music is the good news in word and sound, the purest and most potent expression of God's presence and transcendence, and the best way to engage our hearts and imaginations, our bodies and souls."

"
People are influenced by music because it has the power to transport them into God's presence. It can awaken them to dimensions beyond their ordinary experience and kindle in them a love for God's majesty, power, and splendor. Though this can also happen in prayer, Scripture reading, or a sermon, for most people it happens in music. It leads us into sacred space, sacred time."

"
The very fact that the Bible contains hundreds of song texts, many highly emotional in nature, tells us something important. Consider Mary's song of praise (Luke 1:46-55). It expresses more than doctrinal truths (though it does that). The song overflows in ecstasy as the Virgin realizes she is to bear the Christ child. If we do not feel Mary's transport, if we do not sense the sheer surprise and wonder pulsating in her words of praise, then we are deaf to the glorious music in the text."

Sunday Evening Devotional

On Sunday Evening David talked about King Josiah (2 Kings 22) and how he was different even from the other kings that God said "did right in the eyes of the Lord". For example, King Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:41-44) "did right" but the Bible goes on to say that the "high places were not removed." Many kings did right but didn't remove the high places. However, King Josiah "desecrated the high places" (2 Kings 23:8). David challenged us to think about our high places -- places of secret sins (relationships kept from God, grudges, hate in my heart, and so forth) and to desecrate them.