“God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians
1:9).
One of the foes to our faithfulness to God is indifference to His Word. We
lose a capacity for faithfulness when we lose our zeal, our ardor, our
“first love,” our deep desire to stand up for the Truth and to
witness to the lost. Those who are authentically filled with God’s Spirit are
excited about the things of God. They rejoice at the salvation of lost souls.
They delight in seeing God at work. They are enthusiastically eager to worship
God and serve Him.
If you are genuinely faithful, you will find yourself actively pursuing a
relationship with God. Are you spending time praising and thanking Him,
confessing your sins to Him, and listening to what He speaks to you from His
Word? Faithfulness also involves a desire to know God’s Truth. Are you seeking
to grow in your understanding of God’s principles, purposes, and promises? Do
you read and study the Bible on a daily basis?
Faithfulness not only demands a growing relationship with God but also
growing relationships with believers. It means going to church even when you
don’t feel like it and developing friendships with our brothers and sisters in
Christ. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and
good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,
but encouraging one another” (Hebrews
10:24-25).
Faithfulness produces a deep assurance that we are connected to God with a
bond that cannot be broken, that extends into eternity. God’s faithfulness to
us leads to our faithfulness to Him and to other people.
Prayer: God, thank You for being faithful to me even when I have been
unfaithful. I pray that You would reveal to me specific ways in which I can be
more faithful to You and to others. Help me to stay zealous for You and Your
Word. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“A good man brings good things out of
the good stored up in his heart” (Luke 6:45).
The goodness of God within our lives is often revealed
through our actions. When we accept Christ as our Savior, we gain the ability
to be good people—but only as we live our lives for Jesus Christ. Apart from
Him we can do nothing!
The Lord told His disciples, “There is only
One who is good,” and that, of course, is God, the Holy One of Israel (Matthew 19:17). With the fall of man, we were separated from God, unable
to be wholly good (see Isaiah 59:2). But in Christ we
are made new, and by His Spirit we are able to “clothe [ourselves] with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). This is the goodness that comes from the heart of God.
It is planted within us when the Holy Spirit dwells in us and we lay our
selfish desires aside.
The Good Samaritan sacrificed financial gain and personal reputation in
order to help someone he did not even know. Take a moment to read this story in
Luke
10:30-37. This act of goodness can only be born from the heart of God.
Throughout life, we will meet people who are careless
with their words and actions. Everything within us will want to fight back, but
we must come to a point where we level our eyes at the deepest intent of our
hearts and ask, “Am I demonstrating God’s goodness or my
self-righteousness?”
The Holy Spirit who lives within us is our guide
to godliness, which will be reflected in the love and mercy we extend to even
the most unlovely person. The next time you face a difficult situation, take
time to pray and ask God to live His life through you.
Prayer: Father, it is not humanly possible for
me to be good on my own, but I know that You can show me how to be both kind
and good. I submit to You; lead me in Your ways. Mold me so that I can become
more like You, reflecting Your character. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one
another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).
We often believe that perception is reality, but many times it is not.
The enemy is swift to tempt us to believe something about another person
that may not be true. Remember, God created us for fellowship—first with
Himself and then with others.
Once we have accepted Christ as our Savior, the enemy knows that he can no
longer capture our souls. We are saved by the grace of God.
However, he never backs away from a challenge and sets new goals to disrupt
and, if possible, to destroy our fellowship with God and with those we love.
When conflict arises, it is extremely important for us to listen only to the
voice of God. While there is benefit to the counsel of godly friends, there is
also the danger of missing what God wants us to see and learn on our own.
Therefore, before you react to a situation, ask the Lord to make His Truth
apparent to your heart. Wrong perceptions have been the cause of many
misunderstandings. Set a goal to set aside pride to understand the true motives
of the other person. Then, be meek and forgiving as necessary through the power
of the Holy Spirit.
Oftentimes, we view meekness as a weakness. In actuality, a meek person is
not weak or timid. In fact, Biblical meekness or gentleness is courage,
confidence, and strength under control.
God wants us to enjoy meekness as a fruit of the Spirit. When we learn how
to rest in Him and allow Him to work through us, His meekness will rise to the
surface of our lives—helping us to walk in fellowship with others as He
intends.
Prayer: Lord, help me to reflect on hurtful situations before I react to
them. Show me my wrongs so that I may ask for forgiveness. Grant me insight
into the hearts of those with whom I have a dispute so that I might have
compassion. May I extend forgiveness just as I have been forgiven. Thank You
for the fruit of Your meekness and courage. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“[M]ake every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to
goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control” (2 Peter
1:5-6).
A father asked his daughter, who spent too much time watching television, to
begin memorizing Scripture. He chose the verses in Galatians concerning the
fruit of the Spirit as a place for her to begin.
When she was sure she had reached her goal, she began to list the fruit of
the Spirit to her Dad, “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and remote control!”
When it comes to the subject of self-control, many of us would like to dodge
the issue. Maybe we would like to think there is a way to put our minds, wills,
and emotions under God’s “remote control.” Instead of having to take
responsibility for our actions and decisions, we think it would be easier for
God simply to control us.
However, God has a more creative plan in mind, and in Christ, He has given
us the ability to choose right over wrong and self-control over emotional
impulse.
Paul warns:
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise
but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. . . . be
filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs
from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving
thanks to God the Father for everything, . . . (Ephesians
5:15-20)
Don’t set your heart on having a “remote control” attitude. Dig
deep into God’s Word. Learn what it means to be self-controlled. Pray that you
will reflect His love and self-control to others whose lives are spinning out
of control to encourage and strengthen them in difficult times.
Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You are a gentle God, not a controlling
God. Show me how to live by the Spirit You have so graciously given me. Help me
take responsibility for my actions and live in the fullness of Christ so that
You may be glorified. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“All these people were still living by faith when they died.
They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them
from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on
earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
Are you feeling that you just don’t belong in our culture or
that you’re a foreigner in your own land? As Christians we are set apart from
the world. So when you feel as though you’re living in a strange land, rejoice
in knowing that you are part of God’s Kingdom, not the kingdom of this world:
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s
special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out
of darkness into his wonderful light. . . . Dear friends, I urge you, as
foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against
your soul” (1 Peter 2:9, 11).
When you feel overwhelmed by the shadow of the world and alone in your stand
for the Truth, look toward Daniel’s example. No matter what temptation or
pressure was set before him, Daniel always remembered that he was set apart
from this world. Knowing that he was part of God’s Kingdom and that God was on
his side gave Daniel the strength to face the world.
God calls us to His own set of standards and morals—not those of the people
around us. And as we follow what is righteous, we must also stand up for
righteousness. When we are ridiculed for our beliefs, we must hold on to our
identity in Christ. Challenging the status quo will not be easy, but we must
stand firm in our beliefs, or we will be swept up in the current of this world.
Prayer: God, sometimes I feel I just don’t belong in this world. Help me
to remember that I belong to Your Kingdom. Help me to follow Daniel’s example
and to stand up for what is right. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).
James 5:17 tells us that “Elijah was a human being, even as we are,” yet he played a role in some of the most amazing demonstrations of God’s power in Biblical history (see James 5:16-18; 1 Kings 17:17-24, 18:16-46).
What made Elijah so effective in dealing with unbelievers, enemies, and political leaders? What kind of man can God use as He did Elijah? Six principles allowed Elijah to experience tremendous personal power and intimacy with God. Today, we will look at three.
First, Elijah’s response to the Phoenician widow can serve as a study in setting self aside and letting God take over. When the widow verbally assaults him, Elijah does not defend himself or give her a Bible lesson. He simply takes her son in his arms and tries to help her. He knows she is speaking from the pain of her son’s death and the guilt she bears from her pagan beliefs. He does not need to point out her wrong thinking; he allows God to work.
Second, Elijah questioned God only in the privacy of his prayer closet. Elijah walked with God in intimacy. He knew God welcomed him to talk through his disappointments such as the young man’s death; however, Elijah saved his questioning until he was alone with God. He did not further weaken the developing faith of the already struggling widow with his own questions.
Third, Elijah persisted in fervent prayer. Elijah prayed over the son three times. Elijah had no guideline for dealing with this situation, so he just kept pressing in with prayer.
Prayer: God, thank You for the example of Elijah. Help me to apply these prayer principles to my daily prayer life. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
Elijah turned the tide in his nation though he was only one person with limited resources. The widow made a difference by making her last cake for God’s man and not for herself. God puts unique service on the hearts of His people and blesses that obedience as they submit to His sovereign will.
Often, God’s strategies make no sense to us because, unlike Him, we have limited vision. When God took Elijah into the heart of enemy territory, God knew that was the last place King Ahab’s soldiers would look for him. God also knew that going to Zarephath would save Elijah from starvation though common sense said there was famine. More importantly, God showed Elijah that He cared about the Baal-worshiping widow and her family.
God often has multiple objectives as He operates on many fronts simultaneously. If we follow His lead, we will be blessed and may become instruments of blessing for others.
Has God ever prompted you to do something that made no sense at the time but that was His sovereign will? Is God asking you now to move out of your comfort zone with people, your career, or your finances? Is He moving your heart to explore new territory in ministry or in your relationship with Him?
Prayer: God, Your strategies often make me uncomfortable and confused, but I will obey Your calling because I know that You can see what I can’t. I trust that You will bless me and use me to bless others as I obey You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
In 1 Kings 18, we see that Israel was at a crossroads. They had lost their awe of God. To them, He was a million miles away. They still claimed to follow Jehovah, but He was no longer a part of their daily lives. God knew that only a vivid reminder of His power would awaken these people from their spiritual sleep. So God used Elijah to bring about a turning point in their lives. With the odds stacked against him—one man standing against hundreds of pagan leaders—Elijah showed the strength of God.
In 1 Kings 18:22-39, the people watched a strange competition. Two bull sacrifices on two separate piles of firewood. Who would be able to supernaturally light the fire—Baal or God? Elijah, in full confidence of God’s faithfulness, watched as the 850 pagan prophets tried to arouse their false god from his slumber. For hours and hours, the pagans danced around the altar, cried out to Baal, and even cut themselves with swords.
Then Elijah stepped forward. Elijah looked at God’s altar, which had been neglected by the people, and carefully repaired it with 12 stones, representing the 12 tribes of Israel. Then he drenched the firewood with water to show that what was about to happen would be a miracle from God and not a trick on his part. As God set that wood ablaze, the people of Israel finally came to their senses. “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!'” (1 Kings 18:39).
We have the resurrection power of Jesus Christ to build a fire within us, to cleanse and purify us. When we face a crossroads in our spiritual walk, we can always turn to God for the right direction.
Prayer: Father, thank You for Elijah’s courage to stand up against the pagan leaders. I pray that You would help me to make the right choice when faced with a crossroads. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (Psalm 5:12).
There is a cycle often seen in the lives of God’s people. Just as the brook dried up at the Kerith Ravine and ended that tranquil time, the season of plenty at Zarephath came to an abrupt end for Elijah. Tragically, the widow’s son died, provoking her anger toward God and Elijah (see 1 Kings 17:17-24).
The cycle of blessing followed by a blasting is not unusual for God’s people. Often a great triumph is accompanied by a great trial. I experienced this in 1987 when we established our church. God blessed us in every way a church can be blessed. Twenty-eight people attended the first meeting in a hotel room; the number increased to sixty the next week, and devoted believers continued to pour in. I was meeting with people morning, noon, and night, running to keep up with the phenomenal growth.
But in 1989, I became seriously ill with double pneumonia. All I could do was lie on my back. God was hiding me as He did Elijah and putting me in a place to be quiet and listen. He taught me I could only minister to others if I would first minister to Him. He taught me I could do nothing in my own strength but everything in His.
God will bring blessings out of the blastings every time if we will listen to His voice.
Prayer: God, thank You for the reminder today that You have blessings for me even during difficult times. Help me to look for the blessings today. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.