Overemotional Leaders

(Prov 16:14 GNB) A wise person will try to keep the king happy; if the king becomes angry, someone may die.

In our last verse Solomon taught us that kings (or leaders) like it when you tell them the truth. Now, I believe that he meant righteous kings (or leaders). In this verse he reminds us that not everyone will receive the truth and some leaders fly off the handle when a confronting word is presented.

Have you ever worked for someone who was way too emotional? I mean someone who allowed their emotions to rule them, to the point where they would get angry at the drop of a hat. I believe that most of us – if we have not worked for someone like that – at least know a leader that is overly emotional and quick to anger.

James said: “Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls” (1:19-21).

That sounds good, but the problem is that James was writing to believers. Solomon is pointing out the fact that NOT every leader is going to be humble, loving, caring, compassionate, and peaceful. We are going to encounter some leaders who are irritable, short-tempered, and moody. While dealing with leaders like this is bad enough, in and of itself, in Solomon’s time it was even a bigger issue, because a king, back then, could have you killed on a whim.

It’s dangerous to deal with someone who is yielding exceptional power without constraint and control. The sad reality, however, is that we may have to deal with leaders like this. So, since that is the case, Solomon gives us wise counsel on how to deal with them.

Solomon tells us to keep these types of leaders happy. Unlike the previous leader he described, who welcomed honest feedback, insight, and input; this leader does not welcome it at all. So if that is the case, then we do well in making every effort to keep their anger from boiling over; especially towards us.

The New International Reader’s Version of this verse reads: “An angry king can order your death. But a wise man will try to calm him down.” But how do you calm him down, you might ask? Solomon gives us an answer in the book of Ecclesiastes. In the 10th chapter of Ecclesiastes Solomon said,

“If a ruler loses his temper against you, don't panic; A calm disposition quiets intemperate rage” (10:4).

So what does this mean to you A few things:

1. If you work for an irritable, short-tempered, and moody leader, then do all that you can to keep them from getting upset with you. Disregard yesterday’s counsel and be cautious as you deal with them.

2. If your moody leader does get upset with you, then remain calm as they fly off the handle. If you lose control, just like they are losing control, then the situation will get out of hand. Maintain a calm and positive disposition, even while they don’t. Before you know it, they will calm down.

3. Thank God that we don’t live in a time where a moody leader can have someone killed. We ought to be thankful for the government we have and the freedoms it affords us.

Father, I thank You for giving me wisdom and discernment concerning my leaders. I know how to deal with them and they receive me well. I avoid offence at all costs. I go in and out before them with liberty and grace. If they ever do get irritated of upset with me, I thank You for giving me the grace and peace to maintain a calm and positive disposition. Father, Your Word is making a difference in every area of my life! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Being Honest with your Leaders

(Prov 16:13 NLT) The king is pleased with words from righteous lips; he loves those who speak honestly.

In our last verse Solomon taught us that kings would be wise to acknowledge the righteousness of the God that placed them on the throne in the first place. I like how Solomon is teaching us about kings, because he was a sitting king when he wrote this

It would be different if Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, or any one of the other prophets attempted teach us about kings. If a prophet gave us the Word of God about what a king should do and how he should operate his throne, it would come from a prophetic perspective, but not a practical one. Solomon could give other kings (and all leaders for that matter) practical and sound divine counsel, because He had years of experience as a national leader. Furthermore, the Bible calls him the wisest man of his time. So, not only did he have the practical experience of leading on the national level, but he also had the divine insight of God, which was supernaturally imparted into him. This was a powerful combination.

So that’s the backdrop for our text for this morning. After understanding that we are learning from an exceptional leader and a divinely appointed author, we find out that kings are pleased with the words that come from righteous lips. In other words, kings enjoy those who speak the truth to them. It is unfortunate, but many of our leaders today are surrounded by “yes men” and “yes women.” These are people that only speak the things that they know their leaders want to hear. But good leaders foster an environment where honesty is encouraged.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth.” I have had many such leaders in my life group. I often have to point out flaws in some of my leader’s plans. Of course, I do it in a tactful way, but my leaders have always appreciated the fact that I cared enough about them, to speak the truth and to help bring a course correction, if I saw that they were about to make a mistake. I believe it is part of my job to keep my leaders on track, but I could not be able to do that if I were not willing or able to speak with candor or if they were not willing to receive.

No one likes the person who always speaks flattering/empty words. Good leaders surround themselves with good people that provide the right counsel, at the right time, in the right way, for the right decisions to be made.

None of us is as smart as all of us and when we surround ourselves with confident, competent, and capable people, we will receive the information we need, in order to make informed decisions.

So what does this mean to you today? It means different things to different people:

1. To the leader it means that you should surround yourself with the right people and then welcome honest feedback, insight, and input.

2. To the led is means that you should have the courage, candor, and tact to tell your leader what you know they need to hear, not just what you think they want to hear.

Father, I thank You for making me a Godly leader. I welcome honest feedback, and even correction. I know that I am not perfect and I don’t know it all. Therefore, I surround myself with bright, confident, courageous, and tactful leaders, that will tell me what I need to hear, when I need to hear it; so that I can make informed decisions daily. I love the truth and I welcome it with all my heart. I maximize my purpose and potential by giving, receiving, and responding to honest feedback. At the end of the day I just want to grow into the person You desire for me to be! Help me to receive what I need to hear, with an open heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Protecting Your Anointing

(Prov 16:12 NASB) It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, For a throne is established on righteousness.

In the last verse Solomon urged us to maintain our integrity in business (using the proper scales). In this verse he acknowledges the fact that he is not exonerated from the same requirement. Although he was a sitting king and he theoretically did not have to report to anyone (kings had no checks or balances), he openly recognized a higher power and a higher authority. This flows in the same vein of what Solomon said two verses ago when he acknowledged the fact that while he was in authority (as the supreme ruler of the land), he was also under the authority of the God that placed him on the throne.

Since God gave him the ability to lead, then it would stand to reason that he needed to maintain God’s standards as he led.

Solomon does not only write this as an acknowledgement of his own standards, as a king, but also as instructions for all kings and leaders. We should all learn to love what God loves and hate what God hates; and Jehovah hates sin.

David, Solomon’s father and predecessor as king, shared similar views and values. David said, “I will be careful to live a blameless life… I will lead a life of integrity in my own home. I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them. I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil” (Psalm 101:2-4).

Not only did David and Solomon seek to abstain from evil themselves, but they took the additional step of ensuring that all those around them abstained from it as well. Both David and Solomon understood the fact that they could lose their position of leadership, if they chose to disregard and disrespect God and His standards. They sought, with all their might, to maintain the high moral standards of righteousness. The last thing Solomon wanted was to be dethroned. He went on to write more about this. In the 20th chapter Solomon said,

“Love and faithfulness keep a king safe; through love his throne is made secure” (20:28). In the 25th chapter he said, “Remove the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness” (25:5). And finally, in the 29th chapter he said, “If a king judges poor people fairly, his throne will always be secure” (29:14).

So what does this mean to you It means that you protect God’s anointing on your life when you earnestly seek to maintain His standards. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation.” This does not just apply to kings. The Father has given you a level of influence over others and you run the risk of losing it if you choose to misrepresent God and disrespect His law. Paul told us to “Avoid every kind of evil” (1st Thes 5:22). There is a level of safety and peace that you enjoy when you know that your standards are inline with God’s standards. The songwriter said, “The safest place in the whole wide world is in the will of God.”

Do you want to be safe? Then live life the way that the Father wants you to live it. Believe me, you don’t want to be on the “other side” of God.

Father, I thank You for calling us to righteousness and I declare, by faith, that I heed the call. I abstain for even the appearance of evil. I walk circumspectly before you, making every effort to do only those things that are pleasing in your sight. By carefully and cautiously considering all that I do, I protect the position You have blessed me with and Your blessing upon my life. Your blessing on my life is too precious to me, for me to carelessly and foolishly dibble and dabble in sin. Not only does my commitment to Your ways protect what You are doing in my life, but it also protects my legacy. I declare that the blessing on my life WILL pass on to my children and my children’s children! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Integrity

(Prov 16:11 NLT) The LORD demands accurate scales and balances; He sets the standards for fairness.

In this verse Solomon talks to us about accurate scales and balances. This is not the first time he has broached the subject. Back in chapter 11 he said, “The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight” (v.1).

So, from these two verses we know that God demands accurate scales and He abhors (that is a very strong word, by the way) dishonest ones. But what does this mean? To understand this verse we must understand the setting.

Solomon is writing at a time where scales were very important. In Biblical times the two main sources of income were flocks and fields. Most men were either farmers (raising crops) or herdsmen (raising animals); some did both. Scales were used – and are still used today – in the marketplace. Customers paid for items based upon their weight.

So in this type of business, the scale is a key factor. The scale is what determines how much customers will pay. It was a common practice for unscrupulous vendors to altar their scales, so that the customer would pay more for an item than they should. This dubious practice gave the vendor an unfair advantage and it provided for ill-gotten profit.

In Deuteronomy the Lord told the Israelites to avoid this practice, saying: “Don't try to cheat people by having two sets of weights or measures, one to get more when you are buying, and the other to give less when you are selling” (25:13,14).

The Lord’s point was that the Israelites – and we, as believers – should not participate in the unrighteous practices of the world. There should be something different about us. People should know us as honest, industrious, and hard-working men and women of integrity. Once your integrity is in question, most people of integrity will make every attempt to avoid doing business with you.

It was the government’s job to maintain a Bureau of Standards. Solomon had people in place to go out and check the scales used in business. But here Solomon tells us about a higher Bureau of Standards. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “GOD cares about honesty in the workplace; your business is his business.” God Himself monitors our business practices and He documents any and all crooked activity.

Listen, I know the economy has not been booming lately and the pressure to make ends meet is pushing many to be dishonest in their pursuit of survival, but never compromise your integrity for a dollar. No matter how much pressure, the Father expects you to maintain His standard. There is no middle ground: God demands honesty in every business transaction. No amount of rationalizing can justify dishonesty in the marketplace.

So what does this mean to you? It means that the Father is interested in ALL that you do. Jehovah doesn’t care how much you praise Him in church is you are going to discredit him at work. He wants you to represent Him every day and in every way! Seek to be His ambassador by doing this HIS WAY and don’t buckle to the pressure to compromise!

Father, I thank You for laying out Your standard! Your standard is righteous, virtuous, and true. I seek to uphold your standard daily, in business and in all my dealings. I resist every temptation to do wrong. I resist the pressures of this world that attempt to get me to violate my integrity. I trust You as my source and I know that I will always be taken care of. I walk upright before You and man daily. I deal honestly and fairly. I am Your ambassador and I represent You well in all that I do! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

INUNDER Authority

INUNDER Authority

(Prov 16:10 NIrV) A king might speak as if his words come from God. But what he says should not turn right into wrong.

In this verse Solomon shares something that exposes his acknowledgement of Jehovah’s Lordship over his life. Solomon was a sitting king without any checks or balances. Unlike modern democratic forms of government, where there are different branches with decentralized authority, Solomon’s word was the final word. If he sentenced someone to death, they would be killed. If he pardoned a murderer on the verge of execution, their life would be spared. If he decided to give someone a plot of land that was owned by the kingdom, no one could question his decision.

As a king, in his time, he was supreme ruler.

However, this ruler acknowledged the fact that he was IN authority, but also UNDER authority. Under authority of whom you may ask? Of the God who placed him on the throne. Solomon was anointed to be king and he understood that he was only there because of Jehovah, his LORD!

It is with this in mind that Solomon penned these words. Solomon knew that whatever he said could and would become law in his land, but he sought to never establish a law that was contrary to God’s. Solomon sought to ensure that he aligned his decisions with God’s decisions, his right with God’s right, and his wrong with God’s wrong. This way he knew that Jehovah would continue to bless the work of his hands. The alternative was not attractive. Solomon was only two kings removed from a ruler (Saul) who chose to go astray and who lost God’s blessing on his kingdom. I am sure that Solomon was fully aware of the fact that the same could happen to him.

I believe Solomon shares this with us to teach us that a king – and leaders for that matter – should acknowledge the fact that their position of authority has been given to them by God’s providence (Rom 13:1).

Therefore, they must never use the position in ways that would be misrepresentative of the God that blessed them to have it.
The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “A good leader motivates, doesn't mislead, doesn't exploit.” In other words, a good leader uses his position to be a blessing, not a curse; for God’s glory, not just for their own benefit.

Paul understood authority (both spiritual and secular) very well. That is why he told Timothy (and us) to pray for those in authority, saying:

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” (1st Tim 2:1,2).

So what does this mean to you? A few things:

1. If you are a leader, then acknowledge the fact that you are IN authority, but also UNDER authority. Never misrepresent the God that blessed you to have the position.

2. Use every position the Father blesses you to have for His glory. Remember, you are blessed TO BE a blessing. Leadership is about development, not dictatorship. Leadership is a servant relationship that should facilitate human development. Seek to develop your subordinates and bring out the best in them.

3. Pray for all leaders. Leaders all over the world, in various positions, can positively or negatively affect the lives of others. Pray for all leaders, so that we can live quiet and peaceful lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Father, I thank you for blessing me to have the influence that I do. I declare, by faith, that I will influence others in ways that are pleasing to You. I will use my position for Your Glory! I am blessed TO BE a blessing and I will never forget it. I lead with care and compassion. I lead with dignity and respect. I lead with integrity and courage. I am the leader that You have destined, designed, and desire for me to be. Use me for Your glory – today and every day! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Our Plans – God’s Purposes!

(Prov 16:9 NASB) The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

I will be honest with you, when I first read this verse from the New International Version (NIV) I was a bit troubled by it. The NIV reads: “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” It sounded like Solomon is saying that we can make our own plans, but God is going to make us do whatever He wants us to do. But I know, and I hope that you know, that that is not true.

We can fight against God, ignore Him, or simply disregard Him altogether if we want to; albeit at our own peril. So that can’t be what Solomon is saying. This caused me to look a little deeper. The Hebrew word used as “determines” in the NIV and “directs” in the NASB is the Hebrew word kun. This is the same word Solomon’s father David used in the 51st Psalm when he wrote, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” The Hebrew word kun is the English word “right” in Psalm 51. This word means to be firm, stable, steadfast, and established.

In this light we get a better understanding. Solomon is saying that we can make our own plans, but only God can help those plans come to pass. The Message Bible paraphrase of this really brings this out; it reads: “We plan the way we want to live, but only GOD makes us able to live it.”

It was this realization that caused Jeremiah to say, “I know, LORD, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course” (10:23). Jeremiah went on to tell us that Jehovah Himself has made plans for us (29:11), so our job is to find out what those plans are and to align ourselves with them.

Wonderful things happen when there is an alignment with our Godly assignment.

Frustration sets in, however, when we expect God to bless what we want to do, when what we want to do does not align with what He wants us to do. Instead of stubbornly asking God to bless what we are doing, why not do what He is already blessing? And what He is already blessing is His plan for our lives.

James addresses this issue of our plans vs. God’s plans for us in his letter. James said: “Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.”

James warns us against making our plans, without God’s input, and then thinking that God is supposed to make sure they come to pass. James even tells us that boasting in our own plans is evil. Why is it evil? It’s evil because it leaves God out of the equation.

Remember what Jeremiah said, our life is NOT our own. We have been bought with a price. This is not to say that we are merely puppets, but it does mean that we ought to honor God enough—the God that saved us from eternal damnation and made plans to bless us—to align with His plans for our lives. Now, this presupposes that we know what those plans are. This is why we must spend the time with God that we need for Him to reveal His plans purposes for our lives. James goes on to say, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (see 4:13-17). James expected us know God’s plans for our lives and then to DO IT, to put action to our faith!

So what does this mean to you? It simply means that if you want things to go well with you, you ought to align yourself with what you have been assigned by God to do!

Father, I am preparing for 2010 to be the best year of my life. I have made and continue to make plans. However, I don’t want those plans to be JUST my plans. I value and seek Your input. You promised to lead me and I declare, by faith, that you are and that you will. You lead me as I layout the plans for the year so that they will NOT be merely something I concocted in my mind. And then, when it comes time to bring them to pass, I have faith that the execution phase will be a joint venture between You and I. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Maintaining Integrity

(Prov 16:8 NIrV) It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained.

Here Solomon goes back to a comfort zone for him: money management. Remember, Solomon was the richest man of his time and he ran a nation with an overwhelming surplus. Solomon was not against you having money and neither is God. The warning here is against money have you.

At the end of the day this boils down to values. The bottom-line question is: do you value your relationship with God more than you value money? Money makes and excellent servant, but a very poor master. If you violate God’s standards of conduct for the pursuit of money, then you have made your choice and it will cost you. Is money really worth it if it costs you your relationship with God? In the New Testament Jesus asked the question: “What good is it if someone gains the whole world but loses his soul? Or what can anyone trade for his soul?”

Is money really worth your integrity? Or your good name? I am sure you are saying to yourself, “Not it isn’t,” but make no mistake, there are countless people in this world that have compromised their relationship with God in their pursuit of riches.

One of the major problems with the strategy of pursuing money above God is that the pursuit can be both illusive and deceitful. For the majority it is illusive and they never attain it. They are left at the bottom of the barrel – without God or money.

Don’t allow the enemy to take you down this road. And then for those that do attain the riches, for most it becomes deceitful. In Jesus’ parable of all parables – the parable of the Sower and the Seed – He explained how “The cares of this world… the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things” (Mark 4:19) can choke the Word right out of the heart of those that hear it, making it unfruitful. So let’s think about what He said.

The cares of this world (money management being a big one), the deceitfulness of riches (I will elaborate on this in a minute), and the lusts (illicit desires for) other things, can literally choke the Word that is sown in the hearts of people. If you allow the Word to be choked right out of your heart, then the Word that you heard will not profit you at all. Without the Word you can’t grow and without growth/development you cannot be pleasing to God. Make no mistake, satan does all that he can to get us to focus on everything but God; and the allure of money is his most successful tactics.

But let me get back to the word “deceitfulness.” Why did Jesus call riches deceitful? I believe it is because many compromise to so much to get it, only to find out that it was not what they expected. There are countless testimonies of people that said, “If only I had money I would be happy,” only to get the money and still be miserable.

This all takes us back to Solomon’s words for us this morning. It is clear now why he said, “It is better to have a little, honestly earned, than to have a large income, dishonestly gained.” Anything you have to violate God’s law to achieve is NOT worth it.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you should never exchange your Godly integrity for anything. Don’t be deceived by the enemy and the allure of his temptations.

Maintain your Godly integrity, work hard, give, save, and spend (in that order), and you will have both God and financial stability.

Father, I thank You for helping me to resist every temptation and every tactic of the enemy. I will not be fooled into taking anything over You. I put You, Your Word, and Your ways above everything else in my life. I maintain my Godly integrity and character. As I do, I know that the work of my hands will be blessed. I am on Your desired path for my life and I will not be derailed or distracted as I pursue the manifestation of Your glory – in, with, and through me! Money is my servant, You are my Master! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

“Stretcher Bearers"

Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one can be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. EC 4:9-12

I have often heard the above scripture in reference to a married couple or to a couple that is getting married. If we have God in our marriages we are like a cord of three strands.....strong and not easily broken.

I have often wondered why Solomon added the idea of a third cord (person) after spending four verses talking about the power of two. Was this simply an "oh by the way, three is better than two". Is that as deep as the philosophical reasoning needs to go or can we extrapolate a little more than that. After all, Solomon was a man endowed with an abundance of wisdom. He made the point of calling it a cord. A cord is something woven together, not just independent strands. While three strands are stronger than two, three woven strands are three times stronger than just three independent strands.

Is it a stretch to say that this third strand is Christ? Can it mean that a marriage (or any relationship) that is woven together with Christ will result in a stronger relationship? This reminds me of 2Cor 12:9 tells us that the power of Christ is made perfect in our weakness. Our admission that we are weak and need to be intertwined with Jesus makes his power "perfect".


I have been thinking this week that this also applies to the gift of friendship. God blesses us with great friendships with all different types of people. The more I think about that the more I think I understand it's purpose.

I have many different types of friends. Some are the serious intellectual type, some are shy, some are the life of any party, some are funny, and some are a mixture of all of that. I think the purpose is this. We have different types of friends to deal with or share different areas of our lives. Our lives are complex. We deal with different issues every single day. Some are joyous wonderful things and some are hard painful overwhelming things. That is just a fact of daily life. Sometimes the situation we are in determines which friend we go to to share that issue. The greatest blessing is having many friends to share our lives with.

We are never defenseless because we always have someone to share whatever is going on in our lives at the moment. Because we are blessed with more than one friend...we have many to share with and no one friend gets overwhelmed. Isn't that a great gift from God....a friend to go to in each situation and a God to bind us together as one?

This past weekend I went on a trip with 7 women from my church. It was a perfect example of the friendships God give us. There were 8 women with all different personalities and yet bound together in friendship and Christ's love. Throughout the weekend we were able to do things together and to do things separately. We all took time to laugh, and share, and be together. Every night you could see groups of sisters sitting around sharing their hearts and their lives. It was a time of seeing God's blessings and feeling the love and support that true friendship brings.

God continues to bless me and grow me by the wonderful people he adds to my life. I love all of you and I am so thankful to have you. I am reminded of a reference in the bible about the four men that carried their friend on a stretcher (a mat) and lowered him down to Jesus....because the man could not walk on his own. These men were “Stretcher Bearers" and that was what I call my friends and that is the way I see my friends. You are my stretcher bearers...you lift me up when I can not walk on my own....and you take me to Jesus

As we partner together to accomplish God's work on this earth, let us be ever cognizant of our need to be woven together with Jesus Christ

Maintaining Your Focus on God

(Prov 16:7 NIrV) When the way you live pleases the LORD, he makes even your enemies live at peace with you.
Here Solomon gives us an oft-quoted proverb. This verse is a strong reminder for the person who is dealing with constant enemies. The reminder is that we must maintain our Godly disposition, even when under attack. If we do – remembering that their poison can’t stop our purpose anyway – we open ourselves up the possibility of winning a new friend.

A good example of this is the tension that existed between lawyer/politician Edwin Stanton and ‘then’ presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln. Stanton treated Lincoln with utter contempt, publically calling him a “low cunning clown” and “the original gorilla.” Stanton said that there was no need to go to Africa to capture a gorilla when one was available in Springfield, Illinois.

Lincoln however, never retaliated. Lincoln was a strong believer and he kept his emotions in check. After Lincoln was elected President and he was making cabinet appointments, he selected Stanton to be his War Minister, stating that Stanton was the best qualified for the office. Years later, when Lincoln was killed by the assassin's bullet, Stanton looked over the dead President and said tearfully, “There lies the greatest ruler of men the world has ever seen.”

I could share similar stories about Abimelech and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, king Nebuchadnezzer and the three Hebrew boys, and countless other Biblical characters. Not to mention the fact that I have my fair share of stories of situations where I maintained my Christian conduct, while under attack, only to see my attackers turn out to be my supporters.

Now, don’t get me or Solomon wrong. This verse DOES NOT mean that if our ways please God that we will not have ANY enemies. You and I know that that is not true. We will have enemies. There is no question about that, especially when we walk with God. But the message here is that if we maintain our Christian character and conduct, our enemies, when the chips are down, will admit that God is using us and that we are good people. Whether they personally like us or not, they will see the God in us and that’s what the Father calls us to do.

Jehovah wants us to be light and love. Eventually, once our enemies soften their hearts towards God, they won’t be able to resist the charm that rests upon those that walk in God’s favor. It is at this point that your foe becomes your friend. But even while they heart is hard towards God and you, your righteous character will force them to rethink their conduct towards you.

So what does this mean to you? It means that your energy should be put towards pleasing God. Its natural to want others to like you, and this desire leads many to do almost anything to win their approval, but Solomon reminds us to that we should simply seek the approval of God. When your walk is pleasing to God you will experience favor with Him and with man. But even if you do encounter human resistance, hold on.

Maintain your Christian character and conduct and you will see that the very same people who are against you might wind up being your strongest supporters. I will close with the Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “When GOD approves of your life, even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.”

Father, thank You for reminding me this morning to keep my focus on You. I seek to please You in all my ways. I am not moved by the attacks of my enemies. I know their poison can’t stop my purpose. As a matter of fact, I pray for them. I know that they don’t know whom they are attacking. I will maintain a disposition of light and love so that You can use me to reach them, for Your glory. I refuse to allow myself to be ruled by my emotions and I resists every urge to repay evil with evil. I walk in one-sided love today. Use me Father as a conduit of Your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Atonement

(Prov 16:6 NIV) Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

I trust you enjoyed the long weekend and I pray that you are enjoying this New Year. Today, we get something from Solomon that is a bit weightier than his normal writings.

The very first class entitled Blood Covenanted that was taught to us in Bible Collage by Pastor Dick Bernal. This was the class that made a huge impact in my life. So I will try to recap part of Pastor Dick teaching in this lesson.

Solomon here—in addition to giving us a proverb (the latter part of the verse)—gives us some theological meat to chew on this morning. When I first read this verse I was unsure who the “love and faithfulness” in the text was attributed to. I was not sure if it meant that we, as humans, through love and faithfulness, could receive the atonement of sin or that He (Jehovah), through His love and faithfulness, provides us atonement.

However, the original Hebrew is not ambiguous. The literal translation is: “By mercy and truth he shall atone for iniquity;” the “he” being God. So He (God), by His love and faithfulness, found a way to provide atonement for the sins of His followers in the Old Testament. This atonement was provided for by the blood of a lamb on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement); once a year. Solomon, a devout Jew, understood (and I am sure he was thankful for) the substitutionary death the Lord provided through the annual lamb.

The doctrine of this verse must be understood in the light of the timeframe in which it was written. The original sin that Adam and Eve committed in the Garden of Eden opened the door to satan’s dynamic duo: sin and death. The atonement lamb was a sacrifice for sin and there was another lamb, the PASSOVER lamb, that was the sacrifice for death.

The problem is that these were just temporary solutions. The atonement lamb could only provide a “covering” for sin, and even then the covering only lasted a year. The PASSOVER lamb was symbolic of avoiding death, but death still reigned.

It was not until the arrival of God’s Son, Jesus the Christ, that satan’s dynamic duo would be truly dealt with.

Jesus became the Lamb of God, the ultimate sacrifice. His blood did what the blood of lambs, bullocks, and turtledoves could not. His blood paid the ultimate price. His blood became the payment for what Adam did in the Garden. His blood delivered us from satan’s dynamic duo. Jesus became the atonement lamb and the PASSOVER lamb in one fell swoop; but His blood did not just cover sin, it delivered us from its power. In the New Testament John says this of Jesus:

“And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for [the sins of] the whole world” (1st John 2:2 AMP).

Jesus put down His righteousness and clothed Himself in our sin, so that we could put down our sin and clothe ourselves in His righteousness; which takes us to the latter portion of Solomon’s text for us this morning. Solomon says, “through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.”

Walking with God is awesome and walking without Him is definitely dangerous. This is not to say that believers won’t endure challenges, but there have been countless times where, to my knowledge, the Father has delivered me from trouble; not to mention all the times that I don’t even know of.

So what does this mean to you ? It boils down to two things:
1. God loved you enough to provide a way for your sin to be dealt with and that way is His Son, Jesus.
2. One of the blessed benefits of walking with God is enjoying His protection. Expect it and enjoy it today!

Father, I thank You for providing Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice. My sins are not merely covered; they have been paid for in full by the blood of Jesus. I am forgiven and I seek to live a life that is pleasing in Your sight today and every day. You loved me enough to save me from eternal death and I love you enough to honor You in all my ways. Additionally, as I walk with You I am able to avoid evil. You lead me, guide me, and direct me in the ways that I should go. Your guidance keeps me from harm and Your angels protect me from every attack. I enter this day with Your presence, protection, and peace! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

The Proud

The Proud

(Prov 16:5 NIV) The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

Here Solomon tells us that the Lord detests the proud of heart. Now, let’s be clear on how strong of a word Solomon used to describe the Lord’s feelings here. The Hebrew word used for “detests” is a word that means: something that is disgusting; an abomination; an abhorrence.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “GOD can't stomach arrogance or pretense; believe me, he'll put those upstarts in their place.” The sense is that God is literally moved negatively when He deals with individuals who operate in pride. Why? Because the prideful person has taken God’s place in their lives.

When I first gave my life to Christ I was told that I needed to fill two positions every day: the cross and the throne. If I put myself on the throne, then that means that I am in control of my own life, making my own decisions, my own way, and living my life without God. If I am on the throne, then Jesus is still on the cross and dead to me. However, if God is on the throne in my life, then it means that I acknowledge His Lordship.

It’s not that I am a puppet and He makes all the decisions, but I do involve Him in what I do and I recognize my need of Him. The person with God on the throne in their lives says, “I need God and without Him and I am nothing.” Since God is on the throne, then it means that we have chosen the cross. We take up our cross daily to follow Him.

Taking up our cross means that there will be times that we have to change our plans, because of God’s. There will be times when our agenda will need to be rearranged, because God’s agenda will take priority.

That’s OK, because we have chosen to live under His Lordship and Leadership! When we live this way the Father is well pleased with us, unlike the person described in our text.

Pride is what got satan kicked out of heaven. Isaiah tells us what happened, saying, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, which did destroy nations! For you have said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isaiah 14:12-14). What do you see in those verses? Not only did satan have an excessively high opinion of himself – which we all need to be careful of – but satan also sought to place himself on the throne of his life. He did not want to worship the Lord, he wanted to be the Lord of his own life.

Remember, you can’t make God the Lord of only one portion of your life. Either Jehovah is Lord of all or He is not Lord at all! Satan was evicted from heaven and he now uses this same pride to infest the minds of people all over the world. Pride is one of satan’s three primary tactics. Satan’s “big three” are: 1) the lust of the flesh, 2) the lust of the eyes, and 3) the pride of life (1st John 2:16); don’t allow yourself to be ensnared by them.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you need to be careful to fill those positions (the cross and the throne) correctly daily. The Father wants you to be confident, but not arrogant.

There is a thin line between confidence and arrogance and even the best of us cross that line from time to time.

The Godly confident person says, “I can do all things through Christ” (Phil 4:13), but the arrogant/prideful person says, “I can do all things on my own. I don’t need God.” Later in this chapter Solomon says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (v.18). Don’t allow pride to cause you to be on the wrong side of God.

Father, I acknowledge the fact that I need You daily. You alone are the Lord of my life. You alone rule and reign over me. You alone sit on the throne in my life. It is in You that I live and move and have my being. I operate in, with, and through You and without You I am nothing. I depend on You and I know that You depend on me. You fill the throne position and I fill the cross position. I die to self daily and I put Your will, Your Word, and Your ways above my own. I can do all things with Your help and I enter this day with You in me, on me, with me, and for me. You are on my side and I am glad about it! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Partnering with God!

Partnering with God!

(Prov 16:3 NIrV) Commit to the LORD everything you do. Then your plans will succeed.

A couple of verses ago Solomon told us that “We may make our plans, but God has the last word.” In answering the question of what the message meant to you, I said: “It means that you owe it to yourself, your family, and your future to seek God—in His sovereign wisdom and eternal love—for guidance for this year and beyond.

Once you have what you believe is His direction, then it will be up to you to make plans and to seek to fulfill them; with the assurance and confidence of knowing that where He leads, He feeds and where He guides, He provides!”

Two verses later Solomon tells us very clearly that our plans can succeed, but the caveat is that we must commit everything we do to the Lord.

The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “Put GOD in charge of your work, then what you've planned will take place.” But if I am committing “my” plans completely to the Lord, are they really “my” plans? If I am putting God in charge of “my” plans, then whose plans do they become? Herein lies the dual aspect—God and man, man and God—of our walk with God.

I will further elaborate by using myself as an example. My mother raised me like most parents – UP and OUT. As soon I grew UP I was able to get OUT on my own. Life happened and as a result made many foolish choices However when I gave my life to Christ. I was then taught to be totally dependent on God.

I was not to make any plans or do anything without Him. I was supposed to pray about everything and change my thinking to line up with the Word of God. It was all new to me, but I made every attempt to be totally dependent on God. And then, I am not sure when it happened, I got to the point where I realized that God trusted me to make my own decisions.

I had enough Word in me and I was sensitive enough to the leading of the Holy Spirit that my ways were now aligned with His ways, my thoughts were peppered with His thoughts, and my nature was shaped after His. At this point I was still relying on God (and still am), but I also realized that He was relying on me. I was dependent on Him and He was dependent on me. I needed Him and He needed me. He wanted to operate in my sphere of influence and He needed me to cooperate with Him. It was then that I realized that we were a team. Me and God, God and me; together making a difference!

Paul said something similar in 1st Corinthians 15:10. Paul said, “But because of God's grace I am what I am.” If he stopped there you would think that it was all God and none of Paul. If that were the case then other believers would take issue with God and say, “Why didn’t you use me like you used Paul?” But Paul went on to say: “And his grace was not wasted on me. No, I have worked harder than all the other apostles.” Oh, I see! So it was NOT all God. Paul did have something to do with it. But if Paul stopped there it would sound a little like pride. So Paul continued, “But I didn't do the work. God's grace was with me.” So was it God? Yes. But was it Paul? Yes. It was both: God and Paul, together, partnering to make a difference.

So what does this mean to you ? It means that the Father wants to partner with you today. When you commit to the Lord everything you do, You allow Him to get involved in your plans, and your plans then become joint ventures with God. If you really want to enjoy Godly success in 2010, get God involved in all that you do.

Once Jehovah is partnered with you and you with Him, your life will never be the same!

Father, I am preparing the plans for 2010 and I don’t want them to be just MY plans. Not only do I ask You to lead, guide, and direct me as I prepare them, but I also ask You to get involved in every aspect of the execution of them. I am no longer my own. I depend on You and I know that You depend on me. You want to operate in my life and in my sphere of influence and I want to cooperate with the process. I will partner with You and I trust that You will partner with me to make the impact that You desire to make in the lives of others this year and beyond. Together Father, let’s go make a difference! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Your True Self

Your True Self

(Prov 16:2 NIV) All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

This morning we continue our current series, In this verse Solomon tells us something that we should all be reminded of from time to time and that is that we are NOT always right. We are all apt to be partial in judging of ourselves and it is often hard for us to acknowledge the error of our ways.

Have you ever attempted to show someone where he or she was wrong or in what ways he or she needed to make a course correction? You probably just cringed at the thought of it. We live in a time where corrections seldom occur because people are so indisposed to being corrected that they often overreact when a correction is made. Not to mention the fact that our society promotes the idea that everyone can walk their own walk, their own way, living their own lives, and that everything is seemingly OK. When you add all of this to the fact that we are always partial in judging ourselves, you can see how, if we are not careful, we can raise up an entire generation of people who will always see themselves as right, innocent, and righteous (albeit self-righteous).

As I thought about this text I thought of the Johari window. The Johari window is a cognitive psychological tool created by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1955. It’s basically a tool used to help people better understand themselves. Imagine a window with four panes.

The first pane is called “the arena.” This is the part of you that is known to both you and others. This is where you are most comfortable. You don’t feel like you need to hide anything about this part of your life.

However, the second pane is called “the façade.” This is the part of you that you know about, but that you fail to expose to others. You put up a façade in hopes that others will not be able to see what you think is the ‘real you.’

The third pane is called “the blind spot.” This is the part of you that is known to others, but is blind to you. We are often blind to our own faults and what may be obvious to others can be painfully incomprehensible to us.

The last pane is called, “the unknown.” This is the part of you that is both blind to others and yourself. There are parts of you that are still undiscovered. As you journey through life and evolve/develop both you and others will discover things about you that you never knew before.

This takes us back to our text. Since there are parts of you that you don’t see (but others see) and parts of you that you don’t even know about yet, wouldn’t it stand to reason that the only person that you truly knows you (inside and out) is God? In the 19th psalm Solomon’s father David acknowledged the fact that we have erroneous ways that often fail to acknowledge or even see, saying:

“Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults” (v.12).

So what does this mean to you ? It means that God looks at your heart. He sees your inner motives. He looks past your façade and even past your limited understanding. If you truly want to be right, seek to be right with God. Ask Him to expose to you your inner faults and the error of your ways. When God does, ask Him to help you to make the corrections you need to make in order to become the person that He desires for you to be. There is an overwhelming peace that overtakes you when know that you are right with God. That peace will help you be at peace with yourself and with others.

Seek that peace today.

Father, You know me, inside and out. You know the error of my ways. You know my deep motives. You know things about me that I don’t even know about myself. I ask You to reveal all the things to me that I need to correct. I want to be the very best person that I can be, for You and for others. Lead me, guide me, direct me, and expose me to my true self. I want to be naked, open, and unashamed before You. I want the peace that comes from knowing that I am right with You and right with others. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

God’s Plans

Our Plans and God’s Plans

(Prov 16:1 GNB) We may make our plans, but God has the last word.

This morning we continue our current series, The name Jehovah (LORD) occurs nine times in the first eleven verses of chapter 16 and the emphasis is on His sovereignty. The Message Bible paraphrase of this verse reads: “Mortals make elaborate plans, but GOD has the last word;” which lines up with the human proverb that says, “Man proposes, but God disposes.”
This verse is definitely apropos for us at this time. I never read ahead to see what verse is going to come when, but God always seems to make sure that the right message comes at the right time. I just spent an entire week dealing with receiving and documenting divine vision for the year and then preparing corresponding plans (with measureable goals) that will enable me to embark on an orderly journey throughout 2010.

The center focus of our plans must be God’s vision (or His direction). The purpose of last week was not to simply help us to prepare our own plans for the year, but rather to allow God to influence, lead, guide, and direct us as we seek to cooperate with Him; with the end goal of maximizing our purpose and potential while we are in the earth.

It is our focus on this dual aspect—God and man/woman, man/woman and God—that has truly prepared us for this chapter. If you read this verse without understanding that you have a part you would simply say, “Well, if the final outcome is in God’s hands anyway, then why plan? Why pray if God is going to do what He wants to do in the end? Why seek His direction if we are puppets and He is the puppeteer?” Now you know (from the Word, life, and experience) that that is not true. God has a part and we have a part.

Solomon speaks to God’s sovereignty, but he also spends a great deal of time speaking to our responsibility. God’s sovereignty does not alleviate us of the weight of our decisions, but rather adds on us the additional task of seeking God’s will and of aligning our decisions with it.
Jehovah’s sovereignty is tied to His foreknowledge. Of course, God does not have to wait until Friday to know what you are going to do on Friday, but don’t mistake foreknowledge with complete predestination. You and I are free morale agents and Jehovah, in all His sovereignty, will let us fail, if we choose to. He will watch on the sidelines as we go astray, if that is our choice.

As a loving Father and reigning Lord He will send people our way to help get us back on track, and He will make every attempt to speak to us directly by His Spirit, but if at the end of the day we stubbornly choose to walk in disobedience, He will allow us, albeit painfully, to reap what we sow. So herein lies the partnership Jehovah seeks. He wants to reveal His plans and purposes to us, SO THAT we could align our decisions and actions accordingly.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you owe it to yourself, your family, and your future to seek God—in His sovereign wisdom and eternal love—for guidance for this year and beyond.

Once you have what you believe is His direction, then it will be up to you to make plans and to seek to fulfill them; with the assurance and confidence of knowing that where He leads, He feeds and where He guides, He provides!

Father, I know that ultimately You will have the last Word. You rule and reign forever. You sit on the circle of the earth. You are infinite, eternal, and completely sovereign. It is Your sovereign wisdom that I seek. I know that You will allow me to reap whatever I sow, so therefore I want to make sound decisions; decisions that line up with Your will for my life. As You speak to me this January, and reveal to me how You desire to operate in my life this year, I declare, by faith, that I will make plans that support that vision and that I will cooperate with You in all my ways. I know that life is much easier, and more enjoyable, when I cooperate with You and Your plan for my life. With that in mind, I will make sure that my plans support Your plans! 2010 will be the best year I have ever experienced! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Vision/purpose for 2010

(1st Cor 6:12 MSG) Just because something is technically legal doesn't mean that it's spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I'd be a slave to my whims.

This morning we will close out on vision/purpose for 2010. My goal this week was to give you a few things to think and pray about as you prepare for the New Year. My prayer for you is that you are able to spend the time needed to receive direction (or vision) from God and to document it (on paper), so that you and your family can use it as a guide as you seek to maximize your efforts in 2010.

Purpose-driven and vision-focused people are individuals who know where they are going and who go to great lengths to get there. In our focus text Paul tells us that just because we can do something, it does not mean that we should. What is beneficial for one person can be detrimental to another. That is why we must all understand our individual assignments and why we should have a clear God-given vision.

What does a written Vision provide?
• A ruler by which to judge decisions.
• A guide for your family to follow.
• A basis for prayer.
• Focus to your prayer life and your study time.
• Clarity and it helps bring unity of purpose to your family on what you should be (collectively) praying for. Amazing things happen when your entire family operates in faith for God to open doors and to bring to pass what you are believing Him for!

Once you receive the vision, translate it into a plan. That vision should give birth to a plan and your plan must have quantifying goals. Goals are steps toward a desired end. A goal is a measurable objective, not a wishful thought. Also, as you seek God for vision for 2010 and He begins to speak to you, let me give you a word of warning.

Be careful not to avoid something that God shows you, just because you don’t know how He will bring it to pass! Remember, if it’s His will, then it’s His bill!

For me He asked me to do something that in the natural seems imposable but I will be obedient and see how He moves. I know what he says in his word that His plan that we should all i prosper.

Some keys to remember about vision:
1. God’s vision will always extend you beyond your ability and your comfort zone.
2. God’s vision will always require His provision.
3. Never worry about how. If God gives you the vision, He will release provision. If it’s a God-given dream, then He will intervene!
4. Your job is to:
a. Believe it – this opens the door to the possibility of it in your life.
b. Receive it in your heart – this is where you settle the issue in internally and you close the door to worry.
c. Declare it with your mouth – this will help you release your faith; speak faith-filled words and NEVER speak against the vision!
d. Step out in faith for it with your actions – faith without works is dead!

I will close with the words of Dr. Myles Munroe: “The primary value of purpose is the translation of vision derived from purpose into a plan of action. Purpose maximizes energy and gives time meaning. Purpose protects you from being busy, but not effective… Purpose that is translated into a vision causes things to happen and people to act. This is true because purpose creates vision, vision produces goals, goals permit the development of a plan and a plan allows for an orderly journey.”

Father, I thank you for an orderly, but exciting, journey in 2010. As I prepare for this year I declare, by faith, that I will receive clear vision from You and that the vision will guide me and my family as we seek to maximize all that You would have us to do this year. As you give me vision I will believe it, receive it in my heart, declare it with my mouth, and step out in faith towards it! This year shall be the BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Celebrating Your Uniqueness

(1st Cor 12:20-22 NLT) Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you." In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary.

This morning we continue to discuss vision/purpose for 2010. I have taught on this before and I hope that this week is merely a refresher/reminder for you of the importance of understanding and walking in your tailor-made assignment.

It is this understanding of purpose that gives birth to vision, vision gives clarity and Godly focus to life, and this Godly focus enables you to maximize your time and potential while you are in the earth. We will focus more on that tomorrow, when we will discuss how purpose maximizes energy and gives time meaning. Today I want to discuss a different benefit, and that is: when we understand our purpose it frees us to celebrate the diversities of callings/gifts without jealousy.

This point reminds me of a powerful lesson I learned early on in my walk with God. It was 1995 and I had just been walking with God for a few months. I was in my room watching a DVD of Bishop T. D. Jakes. Bishop Jakes was still in West Virginia and the tape was from one of his “Back to the Bible” conferences. I was a new believer and I borrowed as many tapes from the other believers there that I could. I was enamored by Bishop Jakes’ preaching style and his story telling ability. I stood in front of the television, watching Jakes, and said to God, “God, I want to preach like T. D. Jakes.” And almost immediately God responded (I don’t mean with an audible voice, but rather with an inner witness), “I did not give you what I have T. D. Jakes. But a few moments later He continued and said, “But I did not give T. D. Jakes what I gave you!”

Wow, what a difference that statement made in my life. I started to point at the television screen and say, “You don’t have what I have! You don’t have what I have!” Now, I will admit that that was not the most humble thing to do, but I did get the message and it was that I am uniquely gifted and there is no need for me to be jealous anyone. Just like no one else has my fingerprint, voiceprint, or eye composition, no one else has my story or my assignment. No one that has come before me has ever lived my life and no one that will come after me will either. My life and my assignment are absolutely ‘one of a kind,’ and so is yours!

So what does this mean to you? Several things:
1. Understanding your uniqueness is a liberating experience. It frees you to be YOU!
2. No one can be a better YOU than YOU!
3. You don’t have to ever be jealous of what others have, because their assignment is tailor-made for them, just like yours is for you.
4. The Father needs us all to do our individual part so that the Body of Christ can function as it was designed.
5. Instead of focusing on the fact that you are not called to do what someone else is celebrate the fact that God saw to it that someone in the Body of Christ was gifted to do it and that you are gifted to do what you are assigned to! This will help you focus on your assignment, while supporting the assignments of others.

Father, thank You once again for giving me a unique calling and gifting. I know that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am unique throughout all of history and I am very thankful for who You have made me to be. My understanding of my uniqueness and of the specificity of my assignment frees me to be ME! I don’t have to be jealous of anyone else. I understand that I need others and others need me. I don’t have what they have and they don’t have what I have. I declare, by faith, that in 2010 I will focus on being the best ME that I can be, so that I can fulfill my role in the Body of Christ. I will also support others as they seek to fulfill theirs. Together we can all make a difference. In Jesus’ name. Amen!

What’s Your Story?

(Jer 29:11 NLT) For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

This morning we continue to discuss vision/purpose for 2010. For the last couple of days we have been dealing with this and I believe it is a critical topic, at a critical time (the beginning of the year), which can help us shape the outcome for this year.

Oftentimes the best thing we can do to prepare for what’s ahead of us is to study what’s already behind us. Our life is not a series of random events, but rather our life’s story. In “To Be Told” Dan Allender asks the question, “What’s your story?” and he says the following about it:

Everyone has a story. Put another way, everyone’s life is a story. But most people don’t know how to read their life in a way that is a story. They miss the deeper meaning in their life and they have little sense of how God has written their story to reveal Himself and His own story… If you don’t think such things are important, consider a conversation I had recently with a friend who was weighing a career move. He showed me a list of prose and cons. There were an equal number of problems and benefits no matter what he decided—whether he changed jobs or stayed where he was. “If the list is weighted according to my values and dreams,” he observed, “it’s a dead heat. I might as well flip a coin.” But my friend was overlooking his own story, the one thing that would give him direction in making this decision. He had not considered God’s authorship of his life. “Which choice will allow you to live most consistently with how God has been writing your life’s story?” I asked… “Why would I study my life?” he asked… Most of us have spent more time studying a map to avoid getting lost on a trip than we have studying our life so that we would know how to proceed in the future… Why will we read various op-ed pieces to help clarify our views on a controversial topic, but ignore our own past, which helped form our most important views? …seldom do we approach our own life with the mindset of a student, eager to learn, gain insight, and find direction for the future.”

God is not merely the creator of your life. He is the also the author of your life and He writes each person’s life to reveal His divine story… neither your life nor mine is a series of random scenes that pile up like shoes in a closet. We don’t have to clear out old stories to make room for new ones… With core issue, things start to get exiting. When I study and understand my life story, I can then join God as a coauthor. I don’t have to settle for merely being a reader of my life; God calls me to be a writer of my future…, there is a necessity and blessing in telling your story to others. To the degree that we know God and join Him in writing our story, we are honored to join others in the calling of storytelling.”

As you prepare for this year, I am led of the Father to ask you to look back so that you will be better equipped to look forward.

You have a story, but you may not have taken the time lately to read it, or more importantly, to realize that you are also helping write it.

So what does this mean to you? It means that you owe it to yourself, your God, your family, and all those that you have the ability to influence, to read and to actively help write your story.

Father, thank You for being the Author and Finisher of my life. I also thank You for blessing me to be a co-author with You. You have given me the right and ability to make decisions and since I want to arrive at Your ultimate destination for my life, I declare, by faith, that I will make decisions that are in alignment with Your plan for me. But to make the right decisions I must study my story. As I prepare for 2010, I will take the time to study my story, to comb over what You have been doing in my life, and to make informed decisions as You and I co-author this year to be the best year I have ever lived! This chapter is going to be AWESOME! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

A Tailor-Made Assignment

(Prov 29:18 NIV) Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.

This morning we continue to discuss vision/purpose for 2010. I told you yesterday that we were going to take a closer look at our focus text (Prov 29:18) today, so let’s do just that.

The word translated as revelation can also be translated as vision. The word translated as perish means: to loosely stumble. The word translated as keeps means: to guard, protect, and take heed to. The word translated as law means: instruction, direction, and teaching of God. The word translated as blessed means: empowered to prosper. When I put this all together I get:

“Those who do not hear from God and receive His revelation loosely stumble through life, but those who take heed to and protect His instruction, direction and teaching are be blessed and empowered to prosper.”

Yes, there are definitely many ways to live your life. Many have chosen to live without God, becoming the god of their own lives. But then again, even amongst those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and who have entered into a relationship with Jehovah, many find themselves loosely stumbling through life without any true sense of purpose, vision, destiny, or focus.

Jehovah told Jeremiah, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as My prophet to the nations” (Jer 1:5).
Did you get that? Jeremiah had a specific assignment BEFORE he was ever born. Furthermore, it would be unrighteous of a Father to expect a son to do something that he could not do. So, if Jehovah expected Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations, then that means that He equipped Jeremiah with the ability and grace to complete the assignment.

Whatever God equips you to do, He expects you to do; and whatever He expects you to do, He equips you to do.

The key is finding out what that is. If Jeremiah had spent his life attempting to be a carpenter, baker, lawyer, etc., he would have been a man most miserable. There is a certain level of ease and peace that you receive when you know you are walking in your purpose.

Later in Jeremiah Jehovah said, “For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). This doesn’t just apply to Jeremiah. The Father has plans and thoughts for us; and not just any plans. These are good plans, plans to give us a future and a hope. Our job, then, is to find out what those plans are and to align our lives – in thought and in deed – with them.

So what does this mean to you? The message this morning is that God’s instruction is always equal to His Injection. I know that many people are wary of seeking God’s purpose for their lives, because they feel that they will not be up to the task. But remember, God will never instruct you to do something that He has not ALREADY injected you with.

Paul said, “By the Grace of God, I am what I am…” (1 Cor 15:10). God’s grace (empowerment and favor) is injected into you according to God’s instructions for your life. Jehovah has impregnated you with everything you will need to succeed in your assignment. Frustration sets in when you try to do something that He never intended for you to do. Paul did not have Jeremiah’s assignment. Jeremiah had to deal with the Kings, Paul had to deal with governors. Neither one of them had Nehemiah’s assignment. Nehemiah had to rebuild the wall. Neither Paul nor Jeremiah had to know anything about wall building to make their lives a success. But that’s the beauty of it.

We all have a tailor-made assignment and part of my prayer for you this month is that you align yourself with yours!

Father, I thank You for thinking enough about me to make a tailor-made assignment for my life. Before I was born You designed a plan for my life and You prepared everything I will ever need to bring it to pass. I declare, by faith, that I align myself with Your assignment and I seek to live it out with complete confidence. I know that I can do it, because You will never expect me to do something that You have not equipped me to do! I enter this day, this month, and this year with great expectations. Speak Lord, Your servant heareth! In Jesus’ name. Amen!

Vision for the New Year

(Prov 29:18 NIV) Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I pray you enjoyed your celebration experience as you crossed over from 2009 into 2010. I will take a break from our current series, for a few days, to share messages about preparing for the New Year.

In January of every year I spend time with God, seeking His vision and purpose for the year. We then lay out (on paper) what I believe we have received and we allow that vision to be the ruler by which we judge our decisions during the year.

This is how I believe I will get incrementally closer, every year, to God’s expected end for my life (i.e., my purpose and destiny). Dr. Myles Munroe says this about vision/purpose: “If you pursue the wrong assignment, you’re going to need things you can’t get, because the provision isn’t there unless the vision is yours. It’s someone else’s assignment, and he has his own warehouse. Sometimes, people make demands on God that He can’t supply because He can’t give us what doesn’t belong to us. Again, knowing God’s will for your life is the key to your prosperity.”

Receiving tailor-made vision is absolutely critical and with that in mind, we will investigate a few scriptures relating to vision and purpose this week.

What is Vision? Most people simply connect vision to sight and even then, many do not understand sight. We don’t see with our eyes, we see through them. We actually process what our eyes see in our mind. Our mind sees. That is why when someone takes the time to relay a difficult concept to you and you finally understand it, you say, “I see.” What do you mean? You mean you see it, but not with your eyes, you see it with your mind. Your mind has grasped the concept, idea, thought, etc. But then again, vision is more than mere sight or even comprehension.

VISION is seeing beyond where you eyes or your mind can look. Sight is common, vision is rare! Vision shapes purpose. Purpose gives birth to plans. Plans help us layout goals. Goals become incremental steps that take us towards an expected end. And all of this starts with vision.

Are you ready to be a Visionary for God?

Let me tell you a short story about Mr. Walt Disney that deals with vision. Mr. Disney sat in an open field many years ago, just shortly after opening Disney World. At the time, the park only had a few rides. He sat and looked out into an open field for a long time and he seemed very preoccupied. A worker, who was cleaning nearby, came and asked Mr. Disney what he was doing. Disney said, “I am looking at my mountain.” This seemed very strange to the worker and he simply walked away. Many years later, at the opening of Space Mountain, a young man introduced Mrs. Disney to the platform. He said that it was great to have her there, but it was a sad that Mr. Disney died without ever seeing his mountain. Mrs. Disney took the microphone and corrected the young man. She told the crowd that they were just seeing the mountain, but her husband had seen it many years before.

Walt Disney saw it well before it ever came to pass and that is how the Father desires for us to live. He wants to reveal His plans and purposes for our lives to us, so that we could operate with vision, well before the manifestation of His promises. Like Mr. Disney, vision can help us develop a plan that can quite possibly outlive and outlast us.

Why? Because God is too big a God and our lifespan is too short of a time for God to JUST be concerned with us. When God looks at you He sees your legacy, but He needs you to see it as well, so that you will cooperate with Him as He seeks to bring to pass His best for your life! We will discuss our focus text more tomorrow.

So what does this mean to you today? It simply means that you have a great deal to do with what happens in your life in 2010. Don’t think that things will “just happen.” Prepare to spend time with the Father to receive and respond to His vision for your life for this year!


Father, I receive Your Vision for my life in general. I also receive Your vision for me and my family for this year. I know that I have a part and You have a part. I declare, by faith, that I will do my part in 2010 I am Your sheep and I hear Your voice. I receive Your Vision by revelation. I have the discipline to develop measurable goals that support the accomplishment of your plan. I complete those goals. The completion of every goal takes me incrementally closer to Your overall vision for my life. Thank you for helping me to receive it, believe it, document it, and follow it – in 2010 and beyond! I speak this by faith! In Jesus’ name. Amen!