God Uses Ordinary People

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Wednesday, February 21, 2007 - Ask God for a Vision

Many times we fail to soar like an eagle because we’re afraid to take any risks. Here’s another excuse we use to stay mired in mediocrity:

I don’t have the talent or abilities or experience that it takes to be a visionary.

“People who take risks and get out front and make things happen are especially gifted in some way or another. I don’t have any special gifts – I’m just an ordinary person, who can do ordinary things in an ordinary way.”

If this is your excuse, you are without excuse, because listen to what Paul wrote to the Corinthians:

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:26–29).

How many examples do you want of how God uses ordinary people? Start with Peter, James and John–uneducated fishermen. Consider Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba–all great-grandmothers in the lineage of Jesus Christ–and all totally unqualified for the job. The Bible and church history are replete with examples of people who were used mightily by God in small and large ways, even though they didn’t have the right credentials, the right education, the right skills and abilities. That way, God gets the glory.

I’m too old to ask for a vision.

“If I were in my twenties, well, then, I could do something great for the Lord. But it’s too late now.”

Consider Caleb, one of the two spies who came back from looking over the Promised Land and said, "Let’s go; we can take this land that God has given us." After 40 years of wandering in the desert, he is allowed to go into the Promised Land. And after they were in the land, Caleb goes to Joshua and says:

I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. . . Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. (Joshua 14:7–12).

Age is never an issue with God. We are the ones who put age limits on our abilities and opportunities. If you’ve been using age or some disability as your excuse for not asking God for a vision or setting out by faith to be all God meant you to be, pray that God will give you Caleb’s attitude. Pray "God, give me this hill–give me a vision of what you want to do with me now at this age in this time."

Discontent

Joni and Friends Daily Devotional

Today's Devotional

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." — Philippians 4:12

"The winter of our discontent" is a line from Shakespeare, but it's also a line people tend to mumble this time of year. In February, many grow discontent; people are restless with the long winter. We are tired of trees that look stark. The landscape is barren, the ground, hard like iron.

But look deeper into February. There's beauty in the barren landscape. Earth is stripped of its foliage, and we see the uncluttered foundation of ground and sky. It's as though nature wears no makeup. Earth's face is unadorned and plain, like the scrubbed face of a woman whose wrinkles add to her elegance. February is not pretty; it is handsome in an unembellished manner. For those who take time to look, they will discover a deeper beauty.

Something else is hidden from view, and there's no better time than February to uncover it. Now is the time to learn the secret of contentment Paul talks about in Philippians. To live "hungry" or "in want," as Paul puts it, is a little like looking for beauty in a stark landscape. Life, stripped of its trappings and reduced to its bare essentials, shows us how lean and in need of God we really are. Embrace spiritual poverty as you would embrace the strange beauty of February. When you do, you’ll find the grace of God.

If your life feels as cold and barren as the hard ground, take this month to learn the secret. God's grace will furrow the ground of your cold heart and turn its sod to the sunshine of hope. God's grace will warm and revive you, like the early breezes of spring reviving the earth.

* * * * *

Father God, I confess a restless spirit and a roving eye. Teach me to sit contentedly in the warm embrace of your grace this cold day.

From More Precious Than Silver, April 6, by Joni Eareckson Tada, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1998.

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse this week from 1 Peter 1: 13-16:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

This morning I'm thinking about hope as in "set your hope fully on the grace to be given you". The lyrics "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness" come to mind. Also, from Romans 5 "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." (v. 2b) and "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (v. 5) We have been given God's grace already (for example, Ephesians 4:7 "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.", but the really neat thing here is that this hope is going to be reality when Jesus returns. So I think the encouragement here is to live with the end in mind.

Gospel Should Have Observable Effect

Excerpt from C.J. Mahaney at Session From the Resolved Conference (live blogging by Challies Dot Com)

"And this brings us to the final day of the Resolved Conference. For his text he took 1 Corinthians 4:6-13 with the title "Deflating the Puffed Up Church."

After reading the text he said that it is possible that the Corinthians did not understand Paul's intent in these verses. This was a proud church and their pride was pronounced and not at all subtle. They were proud of their spirituality and their gifting but they also had a pride in their leaders, dividing into camps around Paul and Peter and Apollos. There was some level of pride in the identification with a particular leader in exclusion to the other legitimate leaders. Paul describes people in this church as being puffed up. In these verses he confronts their arrogance directly and passionately. His words were designed to have a soul deflating effect on their puffed up hearts. As we look at this, we may be surprised to see how much we look like these Corinthians. As we read what Paul wrote to them we'll realize that God is speaking to us.

The Corinthians were largely converted but the gospel was no longer central in their lives. They were attracted to human wisdom and desired the approval and applause of the culture. Their lives contradicted the gospel so in this passage Paul informs them that the gospel should and must have a discernible and observable effect on their lives. Paul reveals two effects of grace:

First, grace produces humility (verses 6,7). Human wisdom was taking these people beyond what was written and Paul expects them to stay within the limits prescribed in Scripture. He wanted this so none of them would be puffed up in favor of one against the other.

....

Running out of time, C.J. went into warp speed for the second point of this message. Grace, he said, prepares us for suffering (verses 8-13). The Corinthians were not prepared for this paradox. They considered themselves as already having arrived spiritually (see the two repetitions of "already"). Paul was going to introduce them to a new category: the "not yet." The nature of the Christian life takes into account "the already" but also the "not yet." Already there is regeneration, forgiveness and so on, but there is also the category of the "not yet" for the reality of sin and suffering and death remains. The Corinthians only had one category: "the already." They felt they already had what they needed and all they would have. Paul, though, redefines spirituality for them. He informs them of the harsh reality of suffering. Paul intentionally draws their attention to his suffering as a more reliable measure of true spirituality. He insists that hardship and suffering cannot be avoided and thus contrasts their suffering with his hardships for their spirituality did not include these things. The Corinthians would have despised his description of himself and his view of the Christian life. All the things he identifies with are things they despise but things they should aspire to, for if we identify with the gospel we will appear weak and stupid to the world and will suffer before the world. We will all suffer as part of God's plan and purpose for our lives. People who are genuinely humble are not surprised when they suffer but are surprised that they do not suffer more. They have an understanding of the genuine purpose of suffering. Paul could have shared "I have been caught up into the third heaven." He could have talked experience and spirituality. Instead he restrains himself and redefines spirituality. Grace prepares us for suffering so we are not caught off guard by hardship."

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-- go to link to read more ---

Walk Across the Pipe

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Tuesday, February 20, 2007 - Ask God for a Vision

Have you ever asked God to give you a vision of what He wants you to do? Living without God’s vision for our lives is missing the abundant life that Jesus came to give us. It is living in mediocrity. It is settling for so much less than God intends for us.

Ephesians 2:10 says we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. God has a vision for each of us who are born from above and have been made a part of His family. He has prepared this vision for us–these good works He wants us to do. That’s the vision we want and need–the vision of seeing the good works God prepared for us to do.

WHY DO WE LACK A VISION?

Here is one of the most common excuses we give for not seeking God’s vision for our lives:

I’m not willing to take a risk.

“Visionaries are people who take risks, and that’s not me. I believe in being conservative and not taking risks. I don’t take risks in other areas of my life – like with my job or my money or my talents. So, I’m not likely to take a risk by asking God for a vision.”

Ron Hutchcraft told the story of being invited to go hiking with some friends to see a breathtaking waterfall. They had talked about this beautiful waterfall, and Ron was determined to see it. So, as they hiked up the mountain, they came to a large stream that had to be crossed in order to get to the waterfall. Ron started searching for a bridge, but there was none. He said to his companions, "How do we get across here?"

"Oh," they said, "you have to walk across the pipe there." Ron took a look at the pipe which bridged the stream. It was small; it was wet; it was dangerous. And his first reaction was, "Thanks but no thanks. I'll stay here." But his friends urged him, "Come on. You can't stay here. The view is on the other side. Wait ‘til you see the view and the waterfall. Come on; walk across the pipe."

Ron had a decision to make. Either stay where he was and miss the view, or walk across the pipe. He decided to take the risky way, and he walked across. He said, "I wouldn't have missed that view for anything. It was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. But I had to walk the pipe to get there."

You see, many of us are very willing to serve Jesus as long as it's not terribly demanding. Yes, we love Jesus, but after all, we're not all called to be risk-takers are we? So, we get to the edge of the stream, and we see some people there who seem to really be soaring on the other side. But we keep looking at that pipe; it's risky; it takes faith. And we decide to stay where the ground is firm.

Psalm 18:36 says: You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn. When we start across the pipe that looks risky, as soon as we set foot on it, the pipe becomes a broad path and your ankles don't turn!

Walk across the pipe today. Don't miss what Jesus wants to do in you and through you. Ask God for a vision, and when He gives you one that looks risky, go by faith and prove that He can do more than you can ask or think.

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse this week is from 1 Peter 1: 13-16:

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

I'm thinking this morning about the instruction at the beginning of the passage: prepare your minds for action. Prepare ("to put in proper condition or readiness"). Do the things that will get your mind ready for action. This is telling me that there is going to be action and that it will start in the mind and we'd better be prepared. Several verses come to mind.

Colossians 1:21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

2 Corinthians 10: 3-6 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

So as you face this day get your mind ready for action. There is a battle. Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

Sermon: Remember the Stories

Aaron spoke yesterday from Exodus 4-14. This is the story of a people being born. God tells Moses what Moses is to do and also that it will not work (Ex 4:21). But Moses maybe doesn't grasp this at first.

Here was Moses getting his "marching orders" directly from God, doing exactly what God told him to do, and there were problems. We cannot predict outcomes and what God is doing based on our current circumstances. (Think about Joseph in prison.)

Moses might have thought (and maybe sometimes we think): "God, what are you doing? Why drag out this process of redemption?" But God "just fixing" the problem doesn't show His glory. And remember that is God's ultimate aim: His glory.

---
Recall the lyrics from Matt Redman's Blessed Be Your Name:

Blessed be Your name when the sun’s shining
down on me
When the world’s “all as it should be”
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked
with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Not Sinless Saints -- Saints Who Sin

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

February 19

KEEPING AN HONEST ACCOUNT

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).

We deceive ourselves when we say we have no sin. The Scripture doesn't say that we are sin; it says that it is possible for us to sin and for sin to reside in our mortal bodies (Romans 6:12). We are not sinless saints; we are saints who sin. It's important to keep honest account of our failures and pick up our cross daily. When we become aware of a discrepancy between our identity and our behavior, we must confess it and deal with it. The person who deceives himself by ignoring these sinful discrepancies and allowing them to build up is headed for a great fall.

Those of us who live in earthquake-prone Southern California keep hearing about "the big one," which is thought by many to be inevitable along the San Andreas fault. Whenever we experience minor earthquakes (up to about 4.0 on the Richter scale), we may be frightened by them a bit, but we also see them as a good sign. These little tremors mean that the plates in the earth's crust beneath us are shifting. As long as the crust is adjusting this way, it's unlikely that "the big one" will hit. It's when we don't get any minor earthquakes for several months or years that the danger of a major, devastating quake increases.

Similarly, living in the light, holding ourselves accountable to God, and confessing and dealing with sin on a daily basis prevents the major spiritual crises from building up in our lives. If we keep saying, "I don't have any sin," or if we fail to acknowledge our shortcomings and settle our differences with people as God convicts us of them, we're in for "the big one." We will eventually lose our health, our family, our job, or our friendships. Unacknowledged sin is like a cancer which will grow to consume us.

Lord, I know Your guidance is for my benefit. I refuse to allow stubbornness and pride to render me insensitive to Your nudges and warnings in my life today.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ All Rights Reserved Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Vision

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Monday, February 19, 2007 - Ask God for a Vision

I’d like you to imagine this scene. It’s time for your annual evaluation by your boss, and you’re confident it will be a good result because you’ve met all the requirements of your job description. In addition, you’ve only had two sick days and you’re almost always on time. So you’re expecting a good evaluation and hopefully a good raise.

Your boss agrees that you’ve done an adequate job this year, that you’ve met all the minimum requirements of your job description. And after that brief comment, he asks if you have any questions. You’re puzzled; is that all he’s going to say? You expected some credit for meeting the requirements. So you ask if you are going to get a raise.

Your boss then explains that raises are given for people who do more than the job description requires, and since you’ve only met the requirements, you are not qualified to receive a raise. Would you be shocked at that evaluation? Well, basically that’s what Jesus was teaching His disciples in this parable, as found in Luke 17:

Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'

(Luke 17:7-10)

Does it seem harsh to you? Well, Jesus was trying to teach His disciples that just getting by doing what you’re supposed to do is not enough for commendation. He wants His disciples to have a passion for doing more than their mere duty. He wants His disciples to have a vision for all they could do and be because of Jesus.

The Bible says that without a vision, people perish. What kind of vision are we talking about? Some miraculous sign we receive, an out-of-body experience or a dream? No, the vision I’m talking about is being able to anticipate and see what God wants to do in and through us. It is the kind of vision that successful people have in any endeavor.

We need visionaries–not mindless, impractical, fanciful dreamers– but people of God who are willing to ask God for a vision of what He wants to do in and through them. Yet we don’t see too many people like that in our Christian circles. Lots of us are doing what we’re supposed to do. But too many of us never push the envelope, we never dream a dream, we never imagine anything more than just doing what we’re supposed to do.

I want to encourage you to ask God to give you a vision, so that you aren’t just doing the bare minimum, but you’re soaring like an eagle, way above the ordinary. That’s the abundant life Jesus came to give us.

Inmost Being

Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Psalm 103: 1

That's what I want.

Concept of God

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

February 16

YOUR CONCEPT OF GOD

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him! (Matthew 7:11).

Most people in spiritual conflict have a distorted concept of God. Mentally they may have embraced correct theology, but emotionally they feel something different. True concepts of God are filtered through a grid of negative experiences to produce false concepts of God. These false concepts must be replaced by truth in order for freedom to be realized.

A pastor's wife who came to me for counseling told me about her rigidly moral home which was dominated by her demanding mother. The father was a wimp who knew better than to interrupt the mother's tirades against their daughter

"You really love Jesus, don't you?" I asked the pastor's wife.

"Oh, yes," she responded.

"And you really love the Holy Spirit?"

"Yes, I do."

"But you don't even like God the Father, do you?"

She could only respond with tears. Her concept of the heavenly Father was distorted by the image of her earthly father. She perceived Jesus and the Holy Spirit as actively involved with her, but in her mind God the Father, like her earthly father, just sat around passive and uncaring while she went through torture in her life.

I often ask, "If you performed better, would God love you more?" Most people know the right answer: no. But when I ask if they feel loved by God, most express that they show more love and concern for their own children than they expect God to show for them (see Luke 11:9-13). This is all part of Satan's strategy to raise up thoughts against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). If the enemy can keep people from a true concept of God, he can destroy their hope in God.

Dear Father, I don't want any distorted concepts of You to come between us. Correct me where my concepts are wrong so I can know You in complete truth.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ All Rights Reserved Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Words

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Friday, February 16, 2007 - Our Lethal Weapon – Words

The Bible says words aptly spoken are like apples of gold in settings of silver. If I had a silver bowl full of gold apples, not only would it be a thing of great beauty, but obviously one of very great value, too. I want to point out the great power we have in our tongues to do wonderful, beautiful things. And one way is through timely words–aptly spoken words. They are delightful.

What is a timely word? That's when you say something to someone at just the right moment. How often people have done this for me. I'll be having some discouragement or doubts, and someone will call or say to me a word that simply delights my heart and picks me right out of the dumps. You've had that happen to you. Just when you feel like you look terrible, someone says, "Wow, you really look nice today." Just when you feel like a failure, you hear, "That was a terrific job you did." And just those few words can turn you completely around.

One principle I teach managers is, "Try to catch your employees doing something right–and the minute you do, tell them." That's a timely word, and it can do more for morale and productivity than any other management technique you can learn. Try it on someone today. Catch them at doing something right, and tell them immediately.

Words of encouragement are beautiful as well. Can you think of someone who needs encouragement today? Take the time to give them that aptly spoken word of encouragement

When someone is suffering, you may not have any great words of wisdom, but you can always say, "I'm so sorry. I know how it hurts." Frequently, a sympathetic word–simply hurting with those who are hurting–is just what that person needs.

The Bible sure has a lot to say about the words we speak. And there's no question that we have the power of life and death in our tongues. I want to challenge you t­o join me in determining, by God's grace, to use your tongue to bring life and not death, to yourself and to others. What a testimony that would be! Why should we settle for anything less? Let's go for it.

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse for this week from Colossians 3: 1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.


"For you died .. your life is now .. Christ .. is your life". One of the most significant understandings in my life was when I came to understand that eternal life is now. It wasn't something that was just going to happen after I physically died. Romans 6:8 tells us "Now if we died with Christ, we believe we will also live with him." And then John 17:3 tells us "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

Encouraged

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan

When we fail it is pretty easy to get discouraged. I think discouragement is one of the primary tools of the evil one. I believe one of our primary "jobs" in the body is to be an encourager. Failure will happen. Bad things will happen. We will be disappointed. But I'm not thinking about encouragement in the sense of reminding a person about how capable they are -- I'm thinking about reminding a person about how capable God is. That is, encouraging one another in what we believe about God and who He is. God is the basis of true encouragement. I want our desire for one another in our body to be the same as Paul for the church at Rome:

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. (Romans 1: 11-12)

Love

A portion of the lyrics from "All About Love" by Steven Curtis Chapman

This is the reason we were made
To know the love of our Creator
And to give the love He's given us away
Yeah, the Maker, and the Father, and the God of everything
He says to love, love, love
He says love, love, love
Love, love, love
'Cause after all, it's all about love

Gods says love, love, love, love, love, yea yea
It's all about love, love, love, love, love (love love love)
Everything else comes down to this
Nothing any higher on the list than love
'Cause after all, it's all about love

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse for this week is from Colossians 3: 1-4:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.


We are told to "set your heart on things above" and also to "set your minds on things above". So what are "things above"? I think they could include what Paul mentions in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Everlasting Love

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

February 14

AN EVERLASTING LOVE

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness (Jeremiah 31:3).

One night I came home from work and my wife Joanne met me at the door. "You better go talk to Karl," she said solemnly. "I think Karl threw his hamster, Johnny, this afternoon."

I went to Karl and asked him point blank, "Did you throw Johnny this afternoon?" He denied it firmly. Unfortunately for poor Karl, there was an eyewitness that afternoon. Again I confronted Karl, this time with one of those oversized plastic whiffle bats which make a lot of noise on a child's behind without inflicting too much damage. "Karl, tell me the truth. Did you throw Johnny?"

"No." Whack! No matter how much I threatened, Karl wouldn't confess. I was frustrated. Finally I gave up.

A couple of days later Joanne met me at the door again. "You better go talk to Karl. Johnny died."

I found Karl in the backyard mourning over his little hamster. Karl and I talked about death and dying, then we buried Johnny. "Karl, I think you need to pray now," I said.

"No, Dad. You pray."

"Karl, Johnny was your hamster. I think you need to pray."

Finally he agreed. This was his prayer: "Dear Jesus, help me not to throw my new hamster." What I couldn't coax out of him with a plastic bat, God worked out in his heart.

Why did Karl lie to me? He thought if he admitted to throwing his pet, I wouldn't love him. He was willing to lie in order to hold onto my love and respect which he feared he would lose if he admitted his misbehavior. I reached down and wrapped my arms around my little son. "Karl, I may not approve of everything you do, but I'm always going to love you."

Thank You, Father God, for Your unconditional love for me. You are such a wonderful parent.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ All Rights Reserved Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Words

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - Our Lethal Weapon – Words

Have you ever thought about the damage that you do yourself by speaking inappropriately? You may be surprised to see just how your life has been affected by your own words.

I have noticed that I can make myself truly exhausted by saying out loud, "Wow, I'm really tired." So often I hear people talk themselves out of doing something good by citing all the reasons it can't be done, instead of finding ways to make it happen. Many of us limit our potential and ourselves by saying "I can't" instead of "I'll try." We talk ourselves into emotional depression by talking about our troubles instead of reciting all we have to be thankful for.

We're frequently victims of our own words. We speak words of doom and they become self-fulfilling prophecies. My friend, I want to tell you something–the words you are saying are having a great influence on your attitude, your productivity, your motivation, your self-respect.

I was talking with someone who said she was due to have a review by her boss the next week, and he had promised her a raise, but she didn't think she'd get it. He wouldn't come through, she was sure.

I wanted to say to her, "Don't even say that!" Why? Because she's wounding herself with her own words. If she keeps saying that, she'll believe that her boss is not going to fulfill his promise to her. Do you think that might affect her performance? Good chance. Do you think her boss might pick up on that attitude? Good chance. Her words of fear and doubt could very well trigger the results she fears. Then if she doesn't get the raise, she'll say, "See, I knew it." And then there'll be more negative words to feed back into her mental computer and the problem will compound itself.

Are you speaking words of doom to yourself? Words like "I can't do it," or "I'm really afraid," or "I know something bad is going to happen"? Do you frequently say "I'm so tired," or "I just don't feel good today," or "I'm getting a headache again"? It could be that you are doing great damage to yourself by filling your mind with your own negative, harmful words of doom.

Listen to yourself talk and stop wounding yourself with words of death.

Act Like It

Our prayer verse is from Colossians 3:1-4:

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.


I like the way The Message expresses this first sentence: So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it.

Prayer

Excerpt from Ambushing Satan with Song by John Piper based on 2 Chronicles 20: 1-25

Jehoshaphat Seeks the Lord in Prayer

What should we do when God releases our enemies against us?

We should do what Jehoshaphat did. Verse 3: "Then Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord." When our lives are threatened—when our faith is threatened or our marriage or the morality of our children or the orthodoxy of our seminary or the fire of our worship—when we are threatened by any of Satan's devices, we should seek the Lord and fast in earnest prayer.

O, that we would learn to pray the way Jehoshaphat prays here in verses 6–12! He begins by ascribing sovereign power to God: "O Lord, God of our fathers, art thou not God in heaven? Dost thou not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In thy hand are power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee."

O, let's pray like that ... ! Even when we are most desperate, and fear is making our insides melt, let's ascribe sovereign power to God—"In thy hand are power and might so that none is able to withstand thee!" When you begin your prayer by ascribing all power and glory to God, a strength and hope and confidence come into your prayer and you feel yourself in touch with Ruler of the universe.

Fear

Often, it's our fear that keeps us where we are and prevents us from getting close to God and to others.

It's important to acknowledge and confront our fears so we can move past them.

If you don't face your fear head-on, it will never go away.

Breaking free from fear is one of the most liberating feelings in the world.

By liberating yourself from fear, you open the door of your mind,

allowing the room once occupied by fear to be filled with creativity and passion.

And when creativity and passion come in and clean things out,

you are able to care about more than yourself.

From Be the Change: Your Guide to Freeing Slaves and Changing the World
in Other Ways by Zach Hunter

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse this week is from Colossians 3: 1-4

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

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We have been (past tense; completed action) raised with Christ.

Ephesians 2: 4-7 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

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The Message

So if you're serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don't shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective.

Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you'll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

Amplified

IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth.

For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, Who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in [the splendor of His] glory.

NLT

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Sermon: Talking Bush

Yesterday Aaron preached from Exodus 3 and the account of Moses and the burning bush. In these verses Moses argues for his brokenness. And he was right. When we say "I'm no ___ (fill in the blank)", God says "I AM".

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I think God is not ready to do what we cannot do until we confess our helplessness and total dependence on Him. I'm reminded of the words of Paul from 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Stand Upon the Mountain

Mountain of God: Third Day Lyrics

Even though the journey’s long
And I know the road is hard
Well, the One who’s gone before me
He will help me carry on
After all that I’ve been through
Now I realize the truth
That I must go through the valley
To stand upon the mountain of God

Words

Christian Working Woman Transcript

Monday, February 12, 2007 - Our Lethal Weapon – Words

You've heard the jingle that says, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Well, don't believe it–not for a minute. Words can do more damage than sticks and stones could ever inflict.

We all carry a loaded weapon with us everyday - an instrument that can be used to destroy and injure others as well as ourselves, and that is our tongues. In James we read that the tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. I'm sure all of us can remember words spoken to us years ago that hurt us deeply, so deeply that the memory brings the pain back as though the words were just spoken.

The Bible has a lot to say about how our words can deliver deathblows to other people. Here are some examples.

Harsh words–Proverbs 15:1 says harsh words stir up anger. Harsh words may simply be the tone of voice we use, more than the actual words we say, and they can hurt very much.

Gossip–Proverbs 17:9 says gossip separates intimate friends. We may try to camouflage gossip or justify it, but words of gossip carry enormous potential for harm and damage.

Here's another bit of ammunition that comes from our mouths, Quarrelling–Proverbs 20:3 says that any fool will quarrel, but we're told to abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. Ever notice how people say such hateful things when they're angry, things they don't even mean, but once those words are said, the damage is done!

Hasty words–Proverbs 29:20 says that a person who speaks in haste has less hope than a fool does. Words spoken in haste are very frequently the wrong words. We need to think before we speak.

Lying is another way to injure with words. Today lying is quite acceptable–indeed a skill to be admired in many environments. The Bible, however, gives strong condemnation to liars. And there's no such thing as a white lie. When we lie, we speak words that harm.

Oh, there's no question about it. We all have the ability to inflict great amounts of pain and suffering by using inappropriate words. We truly need to seriously consider the impact of our words on others.

Love God with a Passion

Joni and Friends Devotional

"Do you want more and more of God's kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better. For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life: he even shares his own glory and his own goodness with us! And by that same mighty power he has given us all the other rich and wonderful blessings he promised... But to obtain these gifts, you need more than faith; you must also work hard to be good, and even that is not enough. For then you must learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do." — 2 Peter 1:2-5, TLB

If you're like me, you're looking for ways to love God more. Not just to obey him, (although that's what proves we love him), but to love God with a passion. With spirited affection. Intense desire. I'm talking about longing to know God better and better with fire in your eyes and a furnace in your heart. The passage for today explains exactly how.

If you want to increase your desire for God, then get to know him in a deeper way. And there is no better way to know him than through his Word. Get into God's Word, and you will get a heart for Jesus. Get passionate about Scripture, and your passion for him will increase. Feelings follow faith…and faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Take a look back over the past week. How much time did you spend in the Word? What does that say about the direction your relationship with Him is going? Mark down specific times in your calendar to be in the Word this upcoming week. Be realistic but stretch yourself a bit. After all, you want to know God better, don’t you?

* * * * * * *

Lord God, help me to remember how amazing it is that You have revealed Yourself through the Word. Teach me to treasure Scripture more and to love You more through it.

From More Precious Than Silver, April 6, by Joni Eareckson Tada, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1998.

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse for this week from Colossians 3: 15-16

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.


The indwelling Word works in our spiritual encouragement to one another in two aspects: teaching/admonishing and also singing. The end of the verse "with gratitude in your hearts to God" brings us back to what it's all about: God! It is God in everything. His peace. His body. Thankful to Him. His Word. His wisdom. Gratitude to Him.

A parallel verse is found in Ephesians 5:18-20 "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Spiritual Birthline

Excerpt from interview with Stephen Smallman from Between Two Worlds

At the heart of the book is your "spiritual birthline" diagram, which compares spiritual birth to physical birth in order to help people understand what it means to experience the new birth.

How and when did you develop this concept? Can you walk us through it?

The first time I drew out the birthline was for a group of inmates who were brought to Washington by Prison Fellowship, the ministry of Charles Colson. The day before I had preached a sermon on John 3, suggesting that a way to understand spiritual birth was to reflect on our physical birth--which is certainly what Jesus caused Nicodemus to do. If physical birth is really a process, marked by an event when the unborn baby goes public, doesn't that help us understand the process of spiritual birth? After the sermon some of the Prison Fellowship staff told me that was the first time anyone had ever explained "God's part of salvation" (their words) to them. They asked me to tell the same thing to a group of inmates. When I drew out the birth process on a timeline I had no idea it would become a basic paradigm of how I do ministry from that time forward.

Briefly, the parallel of physical and spiritual birth makes it clear that they both should be thought of in terms of process rather than event. I present this by first walking through the familiar experience of physical birth. If there is a key moment, it has to be the point of conception, which is private and virtually invisible. Over time that new life grows until it inevitably "goes public." We don't speak of life as beginning at the time of delivery, but now the child begins a new phase of growth--through infancy, childhood, and adulthood. I suggest that helps to explain the process of spiritual birth: it begins when God sovereignly begins a new life in our dead souls. Jesus made it clear (John 3) this was a work of the Holy Spirit, and in fact "born again" can be properly translated "begotten again," or "begotten from above." But rather than instantly appearing, the new life grows like a spiritual pregnancy until we are compelled, in one form or another, to "go public," and we "call on the name of the Lord." This is the experience we commonly label as conversion--it is our response to the inward calling/convicting work of the Spirit when the truth of the gospel burns itself more and more into our consciousness. Reformed theologians typically speak of this season of spiritual pilgrimage as "effectual calling," and Paul frequently reminds believers in the beginning of his epistles of their calling to Christ (Rom. 1:6; 1 Cor. 1:2, 9). The Westminster Shorter Catechism (#31) explains that the work of effectual calling by the Spirit brings us to the point where we "embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel." I represent that "embrace" or conversion with a dotted X. At first I simply drew it as an X on the timeline, but as that helped people to think through their actual experience of conversion I began to appreciate the remarkable variety of ways people came to the place of actually expressing faith. In the end we can only say that when the Spirit calls us it will bring us to surrender to Jesus, but the form or time that takes cannot be confined to a moment or a formula.

Finally, what the birthline makes clear is that the process begun by the Spirit will continue into what we typically define as sanctification. There tends to be so much focus on the conversion experience in our evangelical culture that spiritual growth is viewed as a good thing, but not necessarily present with all converts. But a biblical understanding of salvation assumes that those whom the Lord calls to himself will continue in that calling, and I try to reflect this in the idea of the birthline.

Limiting Anxious Feelings

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional February 9 LIMITING ANXIOUS FEELINGS Cast all your anxiety on Him [God] because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7 NIV). Let's assume you have sought God's will for a certain direction, and you believe that He has led you to make specific plans. The problem is you are still worried about whether your plans will come about as you have hoped. When I'm facing such situations, I try to follow the six steps described below to limit my anxious feelings. First, state the problem. A problem well stated is half solved. In anxious states of mind, people can't see the forest for the trees. Put the problem in perspective. Will it matter for eternity? The danger at this juncture is to seek ungodly counsel. The world is glutted with magicians and sorcerers who will promise incredible results. Their appearance may be striking. Their personality may be charming. But they are bankrupt of character. Avoid them (Psalm 1:1). Second, separate the facts from the assumptions. Since we don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, we make assumptions, and we usually assume the worst. If the assumption is accepted as truth, it will drive your mind to its anxiety limits. Therefore, you must separate assumptions from facts. Third, determine what you have the right or ability to control. You are responsible for that which you can control, and you are not responsible for that which you can't. Don't try to cast your responsibility onto Christ; He will throw it back. Fourth, list everything you can do which is related to the situation that is under your responsibility. When people don't assume their responsibility, they turn to temporary cures for their anxiety, like eating, TV, sex or drugs. Fifth, once you are sure you have fulfilled your responsibility, see if there is any way you can help others. Turning your attention away from your own self-absorption and onto helping people around you is not only the loving thing to do, but it also brings a special inner peace. Sixth, the rest is God's responsibility, except for your prayer, according to Philippians 4:6-8. So assume your responsibility, but cast your anxiety on Christ. Lord, help me recognize the difference between today's responsibilities and anxieties, then put them in their proper places. Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ All Rights Reserved Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse this week from Colossians 3: 15-16:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.


We were called to peace. What gets in the way of peace? "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips." (Col 3:8). or "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? (James 4:1). Instead "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." (Romans 14:19). After all, we are new creations "... being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." (Col. 3:10).

New Wine

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

February 8

NEW WINE

New wine must be put into fresh wineskins (Luke 5:38).

Jesus taught that the forms of our Christian practice must change. In His parable of the garment and the wineskin in Luke 5:36-39, the garment and the wineskin are the external dress and the container, not the substance of our faith. They represent the religious customs, practices and traditions in which the substance of our faith is packaged. Jesus is stating a fact — the garment needs mending and the old wineskin is old! What worked before isn't working anymore. Times change, cultures change, and what worked 20 years ago may not work today. But what doesn't change is the object of our faith.

"Time-honored faith" and "long-established practice" blend together and become indistinguishable to the status quo. When someone advocates another form of practice, it becomes apparent that the security of the old wineskins rests in the long-established practice instead of the time-honored faith.

The reasoning behind the resistance is logical: "I came to Christ singing that song," or "It worked for me. I don't see why it won't work for my children." We have to ask, "Is it relevant? Does it relate?"

The older generation is the stable force in our churches. They are faithful and mature, and they represent the financial stability that every church needs. They also make up the boards and committees that determine the style of ministry, but they have a tendency to perpetuate long-established practices that are meaningful to them.

This problem is more sociological than spiritual. Why is it that a good, Bible-believing church which faithfully carries out its ministry struggles to hold onto its young people, when down the street a contemporary ministry rents a store building and has four times more young people in a matter of months? Because the contemporary ministry relates to the young and their style of music. It caters to their desire for expression and participation.

If we fail to provide new wineskins, we will be ill-equipped to serve the "new wine" — the next generation of believers.

Lord, help me never to cling to the old ways just because they make me feel comfortable.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ All Rights Reserved Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Merely Fantastic

A Slice of Infinity
by Alison Thomas

Merely Fantastic

Spectators stood in sheer amazement as they watched the enigmatic figure fulfill a mesmerizing challenge. Demonstrating an extreme exercise in physical deprivation and isolation, a magician emerged alive after weeks without any food or human contact, living in a transparent box suspended from a crane above the River Thames. He has carried out several headline-making feats, including spending hours balancing atop a sky-high pillar and entombing himself inside a giant block of ice. Why would someone delight in such bizarre exploits? The magician explains: "Magic is an incredible art that in one mysterious moment can make you question everything. Magic strips away logic, it confronts fears and brings us to a place of constant wonder and enchantment."(1)

Babies do not require magic to be dazzled because their world is overflowing with constant amazement and wonder. As Ravi Zacharias has said, the older we get, the more we need something bigger to restore that presence of perpetual awe. Adults often deliberately choose to be captivated by fraudulent fantasy in order to escape the agony of monotony. Ravi reminds us, "The world of a child may delight in the fantastic, but the world of an adult must move from what is merely fantastic to that which is fantastically true."(2) Wonder by itself, unanchored in truth, cannot be distinguished from farce. The Christian knows that truth is embodied in the person of Christ, whose face unmasks all counterfeits. Truth requires such personhood--someone because of whom truth is possible.

The magicians of Egypt tried to reproduce Moses's works by means of illusions, but when God brought forth gnats from the dust, the sorcerers failed and exclaimed, "This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:19). While magic is human manipulation, miracles are God-ordained supernatural interventions. When Jesus's opponents tested his authority by demanding a sign, Jesus replied, "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah" (Matthew 16:4). Biblical miracles were never performed for entertainment, but have the distinct purpose of glorifying God, confirming his message, and directing us to Him. While illusionists claim that we can achieve a state of transcendent awe in this life through our own painstaking efforts, Scripture teaches us to turn in complete dependence to the one who suffered in our place.

I must admit, I was utterly captivated when I caught a glimpse of the professional magician in the midst of his extraordinary test. Magic allures us by supplying a momentary surge of wonder. The magician's feats baffle and amaze us by giving the impression that something impossible has been achieved.

In staggering contrast, when we revel in the miracle of salvation provided to us through the Cross of Christ, an ultimate wonder persists that can never be exhausted. It is only on the Cross where the realities of suffering and love infinitely coalesce. When this understanding pierces your heart, you can be freed from the endless cycle of redundancy and live out the extraordinary purpose for which God has created you. Probe the depths of his mercies and take delight in his gift to you. As you reflect on Christ's magnificent triumph over suffering and death, allow your doubts to disappear.


(1) David Blaine, Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic (New York: Villard Books, 2002), 7.

(2) Ravi Zacharias, Recapture the Wonder (Nashville: Integrity, 2003), 96.

© 2006 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. All Rights Reserved.

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse for this week is Colossians 3: 15-16

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

We are to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, but I notice that this is happening with the word of Christ dwelling in us richly. So if we are going to be what we need to be for the body we need to be in the Word -- but not a quick "in and out", but a "dwelling" (think "soak time") that is rich (think "depth").

Christ and the Church

Excerpt from Staying Married Is Not About Staying in Love by John Piper

"So consider a second possibility for why they are naked and not ashamed. My suggestion is that the emphasis falls not on their freedom from physical imperfection, but on their fullness of covenant love. In other words, I can be free from shame for two reasons: One is that I am perfect and have nothing to be ashamed of; the other is that I am imperfect but I have no fear of being disapproved by my spouse. The first way to be shame-free is to be perfect; the second way to be shame free is based on the gracious nature of covenant love. In the first case, there is no shame because we’re flawless. In the second case, there is no shame because covenant love covers a multitude of flaws (1 Peter 4:8; 1 Corinthians 13:5).

I know that in Genesis 2:25 the fall into sin has not yet happened. So there are no flaws to be covered. But my point is that verse 25 flows out of verse 24 because the covenant relationship established by marriage is designed from the beginning to be the main foundation of freedom from shame. Admittedly, until sin came into the world and all kinds of physical flaws came with it, Adam and Eve did not have to exercise their covenant love to cover any sins and flaws in each other. But that was God’s design. Marriage was designed from the beginning to display Christ and the church, and the very essence of the new covenant is that Christ passes over sins in his bride. His bride is free from shame not because she is perfect, but because she has no fear that her lover will condemn her or shame her with her sin. This is why the doctrine of justification is at the very heart of what makes marriage work. It creates peace with God vertically, in spite of our sin. And when experienced horizontally, it creates shame-free peace between an imperfect man and an imperfect woman. I hope to look more fully at this next week."

Key Thought: "Marriage was designed from the beginning to display Christ and the church, and the very essence of the new covenant is that Christ passes over sins in his bride. His bride is free from shame not because she is perfect, but because she has no fear that her lover will condemn her or shame her with her sin."

Not One of Us

Excerpt from "Loving the Person Who Isn't One of Us" by Rubel Shelly

"Christ's church is supposed to be the place where the disenfranchised and rejected find acceptance. It was created to be the place where Jew or Gentile, slave or free, and male or female would all stand on equal footing. It is supposed to be a unified group in our fragmented world that models oneness among black and white, have and have-not, educated and illiterate, Democrat and Republican, American capitalist and Chinese communist. Is that how the world sees the church? Does the church bridge those great divides in human experience? Why, we can't even model unity among those of us who confess Christ as the Son of God and try to follow him!"

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse for this week from Colossians 3: 15-16

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

And be thankful. I think there is a connection between peace and thankfulness. In Philippians 4:6-7 it says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Unwasted Life

Excerpt from "Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper

"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?"

Celebration of Hope

In what might prove to be the crowning achievement of an illustrious career in ministry, the 85-year-old evangelist, Billy Graham shocked the 16,300 in attendance at the Celebration of Hope crusade in New Orleans Arena on Sunday Night. Touted in advance as possibly his last evangelistic crusade, Graham invited the packed house of evangelical Christians and the hundreds of new converts to join him on the one mile walk from the arena to New Orleans' infamous Bourbon Street.

"While we have seen God do tremendous things here the past couple of evenings. Yes, it is true that a great healing and a great many salvations have occurred within the confines of this auditorium. Still yet, there lies a great mountain in this city which needs to be conquered."

Then taking from the Biblical Book of Joshua Chapter 14 he read, "I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this Day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day," his voice suddenly sounding more forceful than during his 22 minute sermon.

"I last preached in the City of New Orleans in 1954 and I felt then that there was some unfinished business. Tonight, in what very well might be my last evangelistic service, I aim to finish that business and lead as many of you that would follow me to the multitude of lost souls that fill Bourbon Street tonight. That is my mountain!

That is where we shall see the harvest!" said Graham as the stadium erupted in cheers that lasted the next several minutes. Utilizing a waiting mobility scooter, the elder Graham joined his son and heir to the ministry, Franklin across the Arena floor and through the opened doors leading towards the French Quarter. In a show of solidarity and determination reminiscent of civil rights marches of the 1960's, nearly the entire capacity crowd joined in the 20 minute trek while singing, "When the Saints Go Marching In."

As the march crossed Canal Street and headed northward towards Bourbon Street, many onlookers stood in stunned silence as the massive crowd of people began singing in unison the Christian hymn, Amazing Grace. Upon entering the west end of Bourbon Street, Billy Graham was soon recognized by partiers.

Soon those joining in the march began to approach those partying on Bourbon Street with the Gospel message that they had heard preached just a half hour before. Graham himself joined with a group of local street evangelist in ministering to a man who had survived Hurricane Katrina in the lower 9th Ward.

Within 30 minutes the entirety of Bourbon Street was packed with Christians and the once blaring music of nightclubs and strip joints had been replaced by weeping and worship as people poured out their drinks and sought prayer from the Christians who were now reaching out to them. "I have never seen anything like this in my life," said 20 years New Orleans Police Department veteran, Tom Phillips. "This is unbelievable! We thought a riot was going to break out, but this looks more like a revival than a riot!"

Two hours later, a glowing Graham sat back down on his scooter and smiled. "Now I know how the Apostle Paul must have felt at the end of his ministry. Do the work of an evangelist; make full proof of thy ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

Hours later hundreds of Christians remained on the street ministering to the many people eagerly waiting to receive prayer and ministry. New Orleans will never be the same. And the press remained mute on this "news item?"

Did anyone see it on TV/hear it on radio/read it in the paper? Why are we not surprised? Can't have THAT just prior to a major election, now, can we? Well, just on a whim, spread the news, anyway. It cost our elder brother, Billy Graham, more than any of us know to make that effort. The least we can do it publicize it.

-- Jimmy Turner

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse this week is from Colossians 3: 15-16:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

I like the way the Message renders the first thought from these verses. "Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing." That is maybe a struggle we have sometimes -- going off and doing our own thing -- the "consumerism" concept. But I notice that it is the peace of Christ, if we let it, that keeps us in tune with each other. Again I'm reminded that it is always always always all about Him and what He can do and will do if we will only allow it.

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Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! (The Message)

And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds, in that peaceful state] to which as [members of Christ's] one body you were also called [to live]. And be thankful (appreciative), [giving praise to God always]. Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts. (Amplified)

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. (NLT)

Sermon: Living in the Gaps

Yesterday Aaron preached on "living in the gaps" based on the first few chapters of Exodus. For example, as chapter 3 starts with "now" there was a forty year gap between chapter three verse one and the end of chapter two. We live in the gaps. God responds (see chapter 2: 24-25, "God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them." ), but in His timing. As we live in the gaps we have lots of questions but we hang on to the promises because we are His children.


Gal 3: 26-29

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

How We Perceive Ourselves

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

February 5

HOW WE PERCEIVE OURSELVES

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16, 17).

Lydia is a middle-aged woman who was dealt a bad hand in life right from the beginning. Memories of ritual and sexual abuse that she suffered as a young child have haunted her continually throughout her Christian life. When she came to see me, her damaged self-image seemed beyond repair. As she told me her story, Lydia displayed little emotion, but her words reflected total despair.

When she concluded, I asked, "Who are you, Lydia? How do you perceive yourself?"

"I'm evil," she answered stoically. "I'm just no good for anybody. People tell me I'm evil and all I do is bring trouble."

"You're not evil," I argued. "How can a child of God be evil? Is that how you perceive yourself?" Lydia nodded.

It is never pleasant to see the evil one express his ugly personality through a victim like Lydia. But realizing that she is primarily the product of the work of Christ on the cross instead of the victim of her past, she was able to throw off the chains of spiritual bondage and begin living according to her true identity as a child of God.

Nothing is more foundational to your freedom from Satan's bondage than understanding and affirming what God has done for you in Christ and who you are as a result. We all live in accordance with our perceived identity. In fact, we cannot consistently behave in a way that is inconsistent with how we perceive ourselves. Your attitudes, actions, responses and reactions to life's circumstances are often determined by your conscious and subconscious self-perception. If you see yourself as the helpless victim of Satan and his schemes, you will live like his victim and be in bondage to his lies. But if you see yourself as the dearly loved and accepted child of God that you really are, you will more likely live like a child of God.

Thank You, Jesus, that You have made me more than a conqueror. Because of Your love and power, I can live as a victor instead of a victim today.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ All Rights Reserved Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Inner Transformation

Neil Anderson's Daily in Christ Devotional

February 2

A RADICAL, INNER TRANSFORMATION

By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain (1 Corinthians 15:10).

If you believe that you are part light and part darkness, part saint and part sinner, you will live in a very mediocre manner with little to distinguish you from the non-Christian. You may confess your proneness to sin and strive to do better, but you will live a continually defeated life because you perceive yourself to be only a sinner saved by grace who is hanging on until the rapture. Satan knows he can do nothing about who you really are, but if he can get you to believe you are no different from the natural person, then you will behave no differently from the natural person.

Why does this profile describe so many Christians? Because we are ignorant of our true identity in Christ. God's work of atonement in changing sinners to saints is His greatest accomplishment on earth. The inner change, justification, is effected at the moment of salvation. The outer change in the believer's daily walk, sanctification, continues throughout life. But the progressive work of sanctification is only fully effective when the radical, inner transformation of justification is realized and appropriated by faith.

"But didn't I read somewhere that Paul referred to himself as the chief of sinners?" you may wonder. Yes, but he was referring to his nature before his conversion to Christ (1 Timothy 1:12-16). He made a similar statement of self-depreciation in 1 Corinthians 15:9, but continued by saying: "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain" (verse 10). Paul knew that who he was before Christ and who he became in Christ were two separate identities.

If you claim to be just a sinner, what will you do? You will sin! You are professing that sin is at the core of your identity. That's not what the Bible teaches. Why don't we just believe God that Jesus is at the core of our being and then begin to live like it by His Spirit?

Thank You, Father, that I am complete in Your Son Jesus and that my identity is rooted in Him and not in my sin.

Copyright © 2006 Freedom in Christ All Rights Reserved Taken from Daily in Christ by Neil T. Anderson and Joanne Anderson

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse this week has been Colossians 3:12-13:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

I'm thinking today about the word "whatever". As in "forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another". We use that word in everyday conversations in ways such as "what do you want to do?" and someone might say .. "whatever". In that context there are not any stated boundaries or conditions. No limits. I don't see any limits here either. Forgive whatever grievances. There are not certain grievances that you should choose to not forgive. We don't want to give the evil one even the smallest foothold in our lives. (Ephesians 4:26b-27 "... Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.")

Prayer Verse

Our prayer verse for this week is Colossians 3: 12-13:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

I notice this morning that we are to both "bear with" and "forgive". Sometimes it is easier to do one or the other but not both.

King Eternal

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1: 17