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Growing Through Life’s Tests
‘So that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.’ James 1:4 CEV
James writes: ‘Be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. You know that you learn to endure by having your faith tested. But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything. If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given you… But when you ask…you must have faith… Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. If you are that kind of person, you can’t make up your mind, and you surely can’t be trusted. So don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.’ (James 1:2–8 CEV)
Note three things in this Scripture:
(1) Your faith grows when it’s tested.You’ll never know the strength of your anchor until you feel the blast of the storm.
(2) God will give you wisdom to handle the test. Now, He won’t answer all your ‘whys’. So instead of questioning Him, you need to pray, ‘Lord, how do You want to use this trial to develop me spiritually? How can I co-operate with You to reap the maximum benefit? What changes do You desire to bring about in my life?’ Those are questions God will answer.
(3) You must be willing to obey. It’s possible to ask God for wisdom, then debate, stall, or mess around trying to decide whether or not to obey Him. ‘If you’re that kind of person… don’t expect the Lord to give you anything at all.’ When God gives you His wisdom, your first response should be: ‘Speak, for Your servant is listening.’ (1 Samuel 3:10 NIV)
The Bible Formula For Happiness
“Time and chance happen to them all.”
Ecc 9:11 NIV
Are you the kind of person who needs clear answers to everything and can’t tolerate shades of gray? Well, the truth is we don’t have answers for much of what happens in the world. God stamps many of the issues we struggle with: “Will explain later!” Modern science would have us believe that given enough time, everything is concrete, exact, measurable, and provable. But we’ve discovered this isn’t so. For example, why does one family experience tragedy and another doesn’t? Why do the “haves” throw more food into the garbage every night than what it would take to feed the “have-nots?” Why do the young and innocent die? You could drive yourself crazy with these questions and still not find the answers. So what should you do? The Bible says: “Eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do…Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love…Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Moreover, no man knows when his hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them” (Ecc 9:7-12 NIV). Bottom line: Learn to live with unanswered questions, trust God with all your heart, and wring the most out of each day. That’s the Bible formula for happiness.
Try To Make Amends
“I will pay back four times the amount.”
Lk 19:8 NIV
Zacchaeus had a bad reputation; as a tax collector he got rich by bilking people. And the fact that Jesus spent the night at his house shocked the religious community. We’re not privy to what Jesus told Zacchaeus that night, but it caused him to respond, “Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus answered, “Today salvation has come to this house” (v. 9 NIV). There’s an important lesson here about becoming whole. The basis of true emotional healing rests on your willingness to forgive, and when possible, make amends to those you’ve hurt. If you owe someone a debt, you must try to pay it. If you’ve wounded them, you must apologize and try to restore the relationship. Jesus said: “This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. Or say you’re out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don’t lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him” (Mt 5:23-25 TM). So, who do you need to make things right with today? Pray for grace—then go take care of it. When you do God will bless you, and you’ll feel better about yourself too!
Let It Go
“Set your heart on God and reach out to him.”
Job 11:13 TM
Jesus, “the Great Physician,” never covers up an infected sore. He insists it be lanced, drained, cleansed, and given time to heal. Maybe you’ve given birth to a child out of wedlock, or had an abortion, or been in prison, or walked through a bitter divorce. Don’t be discouraged. Jesus is not impressed by our virtues, He’s touched with “the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb 4:15). He understands your struggle. “He himself has…been through suffering and temptation, he knows what it is like…and…is wonderfully able to help us” (Heb 2:18 TLB). Maybe you’re wondering if someone with your past problems can be blessed and used by God. Absolutely! The hymn by William Cowper puts it like this: “There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins; and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.” The rewards of repentance are awesome! Zophar replies to Job: “Prepare your heart and lift up your hands to him in prayer! Get rid of your sins, and leave all iniquity behind you. Then your face will brighten with innocence. You will be strong and free of fear. You will forget your misery; it will be like water flowing away…Having hope will give you courage. You will be protected and…rest in safety. You will lie down unafraid, and many will look to you for help” (Job 11:13-19 NLT). Whether it’s guilt over something you’ve done, or the pain of something that was done to you—let it go! Today, step into the river of God’s grace and let it flow over you, setting you free.
Personal Growth (3)
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
Pr 27:17 NLT
When you stop growing, you stop enjoying your coworkers and associates. In most cases it’s another symptom of lack of growth, and it’s directly linked to your lack of influence. When you’re the “go-to” person, everyone seeks you out. They want your advice and expertise on a myriad of issues and concerns. But once you stop growing, the focus shifts to someone else. Personal growth keeps you focused on people, and keeps them focused on you. So what can you do to stay fresh? Start cross-pollinating. Bees spend their lives moving from flower to flower, carrying pollen from one source to another. And what’s the result? Growth! Because bees continually spread pollen around the garden, more flowers start growing and it becomes a more beautiful environment. In life, cross-pollinating means identifying valuable information from multiple sources and spreading it in various ways to different people. So start looking for answers in unexpected places. Paul writes, “Stir up the gift…which is in you” (2Ti 1:6 NKJV), otherwise it’ll lie dormant and you’ll become bored. Dedicate some time every day to personal growth. Discover where you do your best thinking, and go there regularly. Get up earlier, use your lunch break, turn off the TV in the evening. The time and place don’t matter—the important thing is that you stick to it. Eugene S. Wilson said, “Only the curious will learn, and only the resolute overcome the obstacles to learning. The Quest Quotient has always interested me more than the Intelligence Quotient.” Often innate curiosity will tell you more than intelligence. The point is, you must be committed to personal growth in order to succeed.
Personal Growth (1)
“Wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.”
Pr 2:10 NIV
Personal growth leads to promotion. Stop and look at the people in your church, your company, or your circle of friends. Management consultant W. Edwards Deming said, “Learning isn’t compulsory…neither is survival.” In corporate culture, the higher your position, the less “doing” is involved, and the more “critical thinking” comes into play. Consider a corporate conference room during an important meeting. Typically, a cadre of foot soldiers sits around the table with laptops, briefcases, and boxes of files, while the president enters the room carrying very little. That’s because he or she wasn’t hired to run computers, maintain schedules, and manage files. They were hired for their expertise and the power of their ideas. Organizations want people with the best ideas to be in leadership; consequently, promotions generally go to the self-starters—men and women who exhibit initiative and growth. So start generating some new ideas and see how quickly you get noticed! Daniel began as a slave in Babylon, on the bottom rung of the ladder. But he was soon promoted to a position in Nebuchadnezzar’s cabinet. That’s because the king was looking for people with the following qualifications: “Showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve” (Da 1:4 NIV). Talk about job security! And what’s more, “Daniel remained there” (v. 21 NIV). So dedicate yourself to personal growth.
He’s Saying The Same To You
“Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’”
Jn 20:19 NIV
One of the first things Jesus did after His resurrection was to go looking for the disciples who’d failed Him so badly. “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you’” (vv. 19-21 NIV). Among the group was Peter, who’d walked on water, whose hands had distributed miracle food to five thousand hungry people, who’d witnessed Moses and Elijah standing next to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Big, bold, brave Peter who said, “Even if I have to die with you…I will never deny you!” (Mt 26:35 NLT). And he wasn’t the only one. “All the other disciples vowed the same” (v. 35 NLT). Yet the record reads, “All his disciples deserted him and ran away” (Mk 14:50 NLT). Saint John, Saint Andrew, and Saint James—all guys depicted on the stained glass windows of churches worldwide—abandoned Jesus when He needed them most. Yet when He rose from the dead, He never once brought it up. Instead: “He showed them His [wounded] hands” (Jn 20:20 NKJV). Why? To let them know He loved them in spite of their failure. Instead of disowning them, He said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (v. 21 NKJV). And today He’s saying the same to you!
Don’t Waste Your Life In Regret!
“His mercies begin afresh each morning.”
La 3:23 NLT
Are you living with regret over the time you’ve wasted, the opportunities you’ve squandered, the sins you’ve committed, and the relationships you’ve destroyed? Regret is a waste of time, unless it teaches you wisdom and fuels your resolve to do better next time. And as long as you’re breathing, there will be a “next time.” The Bible describes God this way: “Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” So how should you handle regret? By doing three things: (1) Recall. Stop and consider the actions, thoughts, and emotions that drove you to do what you did. Take an honest inventory of your mistakes. Own them! There’s no solution in excuses. When Adam was confronted with his sin, he hid in the bushes. When David was confronted with his, he said, “I’m guilty before God.” Follow David’s example. (2) Repent. The Bible says, “Godly sorrow worketh repentance” (2Co 7:10). When you’re caught in a cycle of repeated sin, a glib “Now I lay me down to sleep” kind of prayer won’t help you. Sin hurts God, hurts you, and hurts others. The idea behind repentance is to get you to where you loathe sin, and decide to renounce and forsake it. (3) Refocus. One of the Bible’s central themes is “resurrection.” That means you can rise again. God said in His Word, “Forget…what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new” (Isa 43:17-18 TM). It’s a new day with a new opportunity to get your life together and move on to greater things. Don’t waste it looking back in regret!
Start With What You’ve Got
“What good is that…?” Jn 6:9 NLT Observe what the disciples said to Jesus just before He fed five thousand hungry people: “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?” End of story? No, “Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people…And they all ate as much as they wanted…So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves” (Jn 6:11-13 NLT). God always gives you something to start with. But you have to look for it, recognize it, and put it into His hands. The miracle of multiplication happened when a boy took what he had, and made it available to Jesus. The Bible says, “Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin” (Zec 4:10 TLB). Don’t be afraid to take small steps, just make sure they’re steps of faith and God will work through you. Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Mt 16:18). And what did He build it with? Twelve flawed people just like us! But when He poured Himself into them, the mix was so concentrated that when two of them got together they could turn whole towns upside down (See Ac 17:6). You say, “But I’ve so many shortcomings.” We all come to the Lord damaged and in need of repair. But the good news is, you can be strong in some areas and struggling in others and God can still use you—as long as you’re willing to start with what you’ve got.
Start Praying For God’s Favour
‘I entreated Your favour.’ Psalm 119:58 NKJV
One moment of God’s favour will do more for you than a lifetime of striving. Through the favour of God, Ruth went from being a penniless widow to becoming the wife of Boaz, a wealthy man. It’s what made Esther a queen and positioned her to save the Jewish nation. As you begin to walk in God’s favour, doors of opportunity open, the right people are drawn to you, and you discover ideas, strategies and resources in the most unexpected places. Does that mean you won’t experience opposition? No; when you’re doing anything worthwhile you must expect flak from those who aren’t privy to God’s plan for your life. It goes with the turf. But the Bible says even ‘the king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; He guides it wherever He pleases.’ (Proverbs 21:1 NLT) Like changing the direction of a moving stream, God can change people’s hearts and give you favour with those who might otherwise reject or overlook you.
Solomon writes, ‘When a person’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.’ (Proverbs 16:7 GWT) So, when people oppose or disagree with you, just concentrate on pleasing God and let Him deal with the fallout. Remember, God takes up where you leave off. He can give you blessings that, humanly speaking, you don’t deserve and qualify for. Just as the Holy Spirit enabled Jesus to fulfil His life’s mission, He will equip and enable you to fulfil His plan for your life (see Luke 4:18–19). So, stop trying so hard to make things happen on your own terms, and start praying for God’s favour. He has promised it to you and He keeps His promises.
Do You Love God’s Word?
‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.’ Matthew 24:35 NIV
One of the first books to come off the printing press when it was invented was the Bible. And it’s still the world’s best-selling book. An anonymous author has written: ‘It contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the fate of sinners, and the happiness of believers. It is a light to direct you, food to nourish you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller’s road map, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s weapon, and the player’s game plan. It’s a mine of incredible wealth, and a river of genuine joy. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Christ is its grand subject, your good its design, and the glory of God its end. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practise it to be spiritually healthy. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. Let it fill your memory, rule your heart, and guide your steps. It is given to you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and judge those who trifle with its sacred contents.’
The Bible is ‘the word of our God [which] endures forever.’ (Isaiah 40:8 NIV) Most of us respect the Bible; the trouble is we don’t read it daily and put it into practice. After hearing a discussion on various translations of the Bible, one man said: ‘I prefer my mother’s translation, because she translated it into everyday life.’
Is your belief translated into action? ‘You believe…? Good! Even the demons believe that―and shudder.’(James 2:19 NIV) Godly belief requires action, not just mental assent.
Science and the Bible (5)
‘The earth will grow old like a garment.’ Isaiah 51:6 NKJV
The Bible addresses the first law of thermodynamics (known as the Law of Conservation of Energy), which states that, while energy can be changed from one form to another, it can’t be created or destroyed. This law disproves Sir Fred Hoyle’s ‘steady state’ or ‘continuous creation’ theory, which has been discarded by scientists. Hoyle theorised that at points in the universe called ‘Irtrons’, matter (or energy) was constantly being created. But the first law of thermodynamics states the opposite: there is no ‘creation’ ongoing today. The Bible says, ‘Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.’ (Genesis 2:1 KJV) The word finished in the original Hebrew indicates an action completed in the past, never to occur again. The second law of thermodynamics says that in all physical processes, every ordered system over time tends to become more disordered. In other words, everything is running down and wearing out as energy is becoming less and less available for use. The psalmist wrote: ‘You laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure… they will all grow old like a garment… But You are the same, and Your years will have no end.’ (Psalm 102:25–27 NKJV) The more scientists learn about life on earth, the more they discover the truth of what the Bible has clearly taught for centuries. No matter how sincere you may be or how hard you try, in order to open a locked door, you must use the right key. Your Bible is the key that unlocks the door to understanding all of life, and God’s plan for you.
Science and the Bible (2)
‘He… sits above the circle of the earth.’ Isaiah 40:22 NKJV
The Bible tells us the earth is round. ‘It is He who sits above the circle of the earth.’ The word circle comes from a Hebrew word which can also be translated as ‘circuit’. The book of Isaiah was written about seven hundred years before the birth of Christ. That’s at least three hundred years before Aristotle suggested in his book On the Heavensthat the earth might be a sphere. Another two thousand years later, at a time when ordinary people believed the earth was flat, Christopher Columbus was inspired by Scripture sail around the world. He wrote: ‘It was the Lord who put it into my mind… I could feel His hand upon me… There is no question the inspiration came from the Holy Spirit because He comforted me with rays of marvellous illumination from the Holy Scriptures’ (from the diary of Christopher Columbus, in reference to his discovery of the New World).
The Bible teaches oceanography. In the nineteenth century, Matthew Fontaine Maury, who is called the ‘Father of Modern Oceanography and Naval Meteorology’, read the words of David describing ‘paths of the sea’ (Psalm 8:8). He said, ‘If God said there are paths in the sea, I am going to find them.’ Today we’re indebted to his discovery of the warm and cold ocean currents. His book on oceanography remains a basic text on the subject and is still used in universities. So next time you meet someone who questions the accuracy of the Scriptures, smile graciously and tell them how the Bible has been the basis of historical exploration and scientific discovery.
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*God’s Remedy for Stress*
‘Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.’ 1 Peter 5:7 NIV
Are you feeling stressed? Is your mind besieged with worries? If so, God wants to relieve your stress. Read the following Scriptures slowly and prayerfully: ‘I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until the disaster has passed.’ (Psalm 57:1 NIV) ‘You have been a refuge for the poor… for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm.’ (Isaiah 25:4 NIV) ‘I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go… I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ (Genesis 28:15 NIV) ‘The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.’ (Deuteronomy 33:27 NIV) ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ (Isaiah 41:10 NIV) ‘Even to your old age… I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.’ (Isaiah 46:4 NIV)
So here’s God’s prescription for stress relief:
(1) Believe God truly ‘cares for you’.
(2) Make a conscious decision to ‘cast all your anxiety on Him’.
If you’re on overload, ask God for wisdom to change your schedule. When the problem you’re facing is too big for you to handle, give it to Him—and don’t take it back. Let Him think His thoughts through you, and allow His peace, power and patience to take charge of your mind. Practise doing this at the beginning of each day, and as often as you need to throughout the day. It’s God’s remedy for stress!
Be Careful What You Watch
“Make a parapet around your roof to make it safe.”
Dt 22:8 TM
Hundreds of pornography sites are being introduced to the Internet. The idea is to have you accidentally exposed to them through clever marketing. This helps explain how children as young as eight become addicted to pornography, and to the websites that feed it in the middle of the night when parents are sleeping. But these websites are also visited by teenagers and adults. So protection isn’t just called for on the part of parents, but by all those on the front line in the battle for moral purity. In his book Getting Through the Tough Stuff, Chuck Swindoll writes: “One in every two churchgoers is actively involved with Internet porn. (Are you shocked?) Nine out of ten children have been exposed to it—most of them accidentally while doing homework online. Thirty-seven percent of pastors say Internet porn is a current struggle in their lives. Most are exposed to it through…computer screen pop-ups, unsolicited email, and links to websites with innocent-sounding names. When an enticing image flashes, temptation is hard to overcome, especially for males. The Internet has become an integral part of our lives. There’s much that’s good, but there’s just as much that’s deadly. It is therefore our responsibility as Christians to protect ourselves from the dangers that are part of Internet usage!” God commanded the Israelites: “Make a parapet around your roof to make it safe so…someone doesn’t fall off.” Even the apostle Paul recognized that he was capable of being “disqualified” as a leader in God’s work (See 1Co 9:27). So the word for you today is: Be careful what you watch.
A Joyful Outlook
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Ne 8:10
You get to choose your outlook each day, so choose wisely and well. Observe: (1) A joyful outlook gives you the winning edge. When world heavyweight champion Joe Louis got knocked down by Tony “Two Ton” Galento in Yankee Stadium, he immediately jumped up and went after his opponent. When his trainer protested, “Why didn’t you stay down for nine like I’ve always taught you?” “What?” growled Louis. “And give him all that time to rest?” He then went out and won the fight. (2) A joyful outlook determines how others respond to you. When you smile, people tend to smile back. But if you come across as hardnosed, they’re likely to respond in kind. If you want to enjoy people as you go through your day, think well of them. This isn’t rocket science, but it’s easily forgotten. (3) A joyful outlook brings happiness. English literary figure Samuel Johnson said: “He who has so little knowledge of human nature as to seek happiness by changing anything but his own disposition will waste his life in fruitless efforts, and multiply the grief…he proposes to remove.” (4) A joyful outlook always brings the best result. Successful people embrace this truth, whether it’s a surgeon going into the operating room, a pastor preparing a sermon, or an executive launching a new business venture. Confidence increases your chance of success every time. So when you approach a task, especially one you don’t relish, fix your mind on God’s promises and not your feelings. It’ll get you back on track every time—guaranteed!
Praying According To God’s Will
“The Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”
Ro 8:27 NLT
Since we sometimes pray outside of God’s will, part of the Holy Spirit’s job is to change our minds—not convince God to give us what we want. That’s why the Spirit “searches our hearts” in prayer. Sometimes words are inadequate; you don’t always know what someone’s really thinking or wants based on what they say. But if you could see inside their heart you’d know exactly how to interpret their words. That’s what the Spirit does when He searches our hearts and interprets our requests to the Father. But if the Holy Spirit is going to intercede for us (appeal to God on our behalf) we’d better learn what God’s will is. And where do we learn that? In His Word. Before we can pray in the will of God two things have to happen. First, we must have a regular intake of Scripture. God’s mind is revealed in His Word, so when you read the Bible you learn how to pray the way you should. Second, if our prayers are going to hit the mark we need to practice meditating on the Scriptures. Just as a good cook allows a stew to simmer in order to bring out all the flavors, we need to “marinate” our minds in Scripture and allow it to become part of us. When that happens, we’ll start to see things change in our prayer lives because the Spirit’s intercession is tied to God’s will, which is tied to His Word. In the final analysis you may think you know what you want, but God knows what you need!
Take The Risk!
“Give it to the one who risked the most.”
Mt 25:28 TM
Remember the three stewards who were each given a sum of money to invest? The first two doubled theirs; the third buried his in the ground. The first two were promoted; the third was fired. “Get rid of this ‘play-it-safe’…won’t go out on a limb” (v. 30 TM). Could there be a more powerful incentive to taking a risk of faith based on what God promised you? You say, “But what if I fail?” Failure trains you for success! It can show you what you need to change in order to move forward. Think of it this way: As a redeemed child of God you have a security net that allows you to fail safely. But if your reputation and self-worth are all tied up in knots over some failed enterprise, you’ll not be motivated to try again. It’s human nature to want to feel good, to succeed, to win the prize, to move forward. But just like a world-class athlete backs up to gain the momentum to run faster, sometimes a few steps backward now will fuel your progress later. And here’s something else to keep in mind: God assesses our accomplishments differently than people. A failure in the eyes of men is often a success in the eyes of God. Remember Noah? Before the flood he looked like a loser; afterward he became the most successful man on earth. Your most fulfilling reward isn’t human approval—it’s God’s “Well done…good and faithful servant!” (Mt 25:21 NIV). So take the risk!
Personal Growth (2)
“A wise man has great power.”
Pr 24:5 NIV
Another indicator of your need for personal growth is—losing interest in your career. Many people think this comes from staying in one job too long, or experiencing a midlife crisis. The truth is, most of us lose interest in our job because we lose interest in growing. Consider those who experience the highest levels of intensity and creativity. Generally speaking, they’re passionate about their job and they’re not nearly as concerned about specifics as they are about “the big picture.” While those around them get bogged down in the minutiae of daily routine, growth-oriented people are busy swinging the bat and trying to hit the ball out of the park. These are people who are growing, learning, and expanding their experience—people who never lose interest in their work—or in life. Growing peanuts sounds pretty boring, right? Not to George Washington Carver! He studied them, developed them, discovered hundreds of different uses for them, and became so famous he was invited to Washington, D.C. to explain the secret of his success to a congressional committee. Here’s what he told them: “God created the peanut. So I just asked Him to tell me what could be done with it, and He showed me!” It’s that simple. Spend as much time expanding your knowledge and experience as you spend on the mundane, and see if your interest levels and excitement don’t change for the better. The Bible says, “A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength.”
Holy! Holy! Holy!
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty.”
Isa 6:3 NIV
When Isaiah saw God he wrote: “I saw the Master sitting on a throne—high, exalted!—and the train of his robes filled the Temple. Angel-seraphs hovered above him, each with six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two their feet, and with two they flew. And they called back and forth one to the other, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is God-of-the-Angel-Armies. His bright glory fills the whole earth.’ The foundations trembled at the sound of the angel voices, and then the whole house filled with smoke. I said, ‘Doom! It’s Doomsday! I’m as good as dead! Every word I’ve ever spoken is tainted—blasphemous even! And the people I live with talk the same way, using words that corrupt and desecrate. And here I’ve looked God in the face! The King! God-of-the-Angel-Armies!’ Then one of the angel-seraphs flew to me. He held a live coal…taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with the coal and said, ‘Look. This coal has touched your lips. Gone your guilt, your sins wiped out.’ And then I heard the voice of the Master: ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’ I spoke up, ‘I’ll go. Send me!’ He said, ‘Go and tell this people’” (Isa 6:1-8 TM). Now, this portion of Scripture wasn’t intended to make you indulge in morbid introspection, or doubt your righteous standing before God as His redeemed child. Isaiah was the nation’s leading prophet, and God had an assignment for him. But before he could undertake it, he needed to acknowledge his heart’s condition and let God change him. And today you need to do that too!
His Timetable
“Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph’s character.”
Ps 105:19 NLT
God works according to His own timetable. And when you accept that, you’ll be able to enjoy where you are right now, and get to where He wants you to be. Furthermore, God may not answer all your questions; at least not in the way you’d like Him to. But be assured He is working. And since what He’s working on is often bigger than you can comprehend, He won’t bother you with details you can’t handle. Think—if God had told you all the things you’d have to go through to get to where you are right now, could you have handled it? He knows how long it’ll take and how hard it’ll be—that’s why He’s silent. If He showed you your whole life in advance you’d faint. Joseph discovered during his time in prison that when God gives you a vision and you commit yourself to it, there’s no “opt-out clause.” So stop projecting into the future. When you live in yesterday you end up with a case of the “if onlys,” and when you try to live in tomorrow you get a case of the “what ifs.” Remember the popular hit song: “One day at a time, sweet Jesus, that’s all I’m asking of you. Just give me the strength to do every day what I have to do. Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus, and tomorrow may never be mine. Lord help me today, show me the way, one day at a time.” What should you do? Trust God to work things out for you according to His timetable.
A Prayer For Integrity
“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the [law] of the Lord.”
Ps 119:1 NLT
If you’d told David that a day was coming when he’d commit adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, and then have him murdered to cover it up, he’d probably have said, “No way!” Nevertheless it happened. Forgiven, restored, and looking back on it, he wrote this prayer: “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the [law] of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths. You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous [laws], I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me! How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have tried hard to find you—don’t let me wander from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. I praise you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. I have recited aloud all the [laws] you have given us. I have rejoiced in your laws as much as in riches. I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey your word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your [law]” (Ps 119:1-18 NLT). Today, make that your prayer.
Working With Difficult People
“There are…vessels of…honour, and…dishonour.”
2Ti 2:20
God used a raven, a bird considered “unclean” in Jewish culture, to feed the prophet Elijah during a famine. Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem with funds provided by a heathen king. The point is: Don’t limit God. Sometimes the people we’d normally shun are the very ones He uses to provide what we need, and by shutting them out we forfeit a blessing He has in mind for us. Be careful; your tendency to be “picky” can end up hurting you! The truth is, you can’t avoid working with difficult people. God planned it that way. Why? Because He wants you to grow in the midst of negativity without getting sucked into it. David developed the ability to work with people who were hard to get along with. It doesn’t get much harder than working for a boss with an evil spirit! At first David enjoyed King Saul’s favor, but after he killed Goliath, Saul sought to kill him. Yet David never changed his strategy. He stayed in Saul’s house because he knew his destiny was there. And because of the wisdom he exhibited, he ended up owning the place! God’s principles are timeless. David didn’t limit himself, and he didn’t limit God. He understood that people fall into two categories: “Vessels of honor and vessels of dishonor.” And God uses both. Getting his eyes off people, and being neither impressed nor depressed by them, afforded David great opportunities because he freed others up to be used by God. So learn to get along with difficult people; your greatest challenge today may be the person who assists and blesses you tomorrow.
God Still Has A Plan For You
‘I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord.’ Jeremiah 29:11 NLT
The people of Israel ended up living as slaves in Babylon because they disobeyed God and decided to do their own thing. And they paid a high price for it. They lost their homes, their jobs, their freedom and their self-respect. Has that happened to you? Well, there’s good news. God says: ‘The plans I have for you… are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me… I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes.’ (Jeremiah 29:11–14 NLT) That means God still has a plan for your life and your family. And if you seek Him ‘wholeheartedly’, He will reveal it to you. You ask, ‘How do you know God still has a plan for me?’ Because you’re still breathing! He has a plan for every single person He ever created, and it never goes out of date. Unlike the milk in your supermarket that has an expiration date after which it can’t be used, God’s plans don’t have expiration dates. Even if you’ve gone astray and missed His plan for years, that plan can still swing into operation the moment you turn your life over to Him and fall into line with His will. Now the plan may be somewhat modified from what it would have been twenty years ago if you’d paid attention, but that doesn’t stop God. He can adapt to fit anything that comes up in any life that’s ever lived, including yours.
Science and the Bible (6)
‘Build a large boat…450 feet [140 m] long, 75 feet [23 m] wide, and 45 feet [14 m] high.’ Genesis 6:14–15 NLT
The Bible detailed the original blueprint for shipbuilding. In Genesis, God told Noah to build a 42000-cubic-metre ship and fill it with enough people and animals to repopulate the earth. And the specific dimensions God gave Noah turned out to be significant. In 1609 in Hoorn, Holland, a ship was built in the same proportions and it revolutionised shipbuilding. According to Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (see The World Almanac), by 1900 every large ship on the high seas was inclined towards the proportions of Noah’s Ark. And, by the way, if you think it’s not sophisticated or educated to believe that the world was once destroyed by a universal flood, think again. About 85 per cent of the rock surfaces around the world are composed of sedimentary rock, indicating that at some time in the past the world was covered by water.
Consider also the Bible and meteorology. Solomon wrote, ‘The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.’(Ecclesiastes 1:6 NIV) The air around the earth turns in huge circles, anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere. As a result, your local meteorologist can tell you with a high degree of accuracy what the weather will be like so you can dress accordingly. The Bible―there’s simply no other book like it! When you believe its central message of salvation through Christ you have peace and joy now, plus you get to live in Heaven with God for eternity when you die. It doesn’t get better than that!
Science and the Bible (4)
‘To the place from which the rivers come, there they return again.’ Ecclesiastes 1:7 NKJV
The Bible talks about the water cycle. ‘All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again.’ Every second the Mississippi River dumps approximately 18.5 million litres of water into the Gulf of Mexico. And when you think about the Thames, the Nile and the Amazon, every day the same thing is happening in rivers all around the world. So, where does all that water go? The answer lies in the hydrologic cycle, which the Bible introduced almost three millennia ago. The wise King Solomon wrote, ‘If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth.’ (Ecclesiastes 11:3 KJV) Amos the prophet said, ‘He… calls the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth.’ (Amos 9:6 NKJV) And Job’s friend Elihu said, ‘Behold, God is great… He draws up drops of water, which distil as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man.’(Job 36:26–28 NKJV) The idea of a complete water cycle was not fully understood by science until the seventeenth century. Yet more than two thousand years prior to the discoveries of brilliant minds like Pierre Perrault, Edme Mariotte, Edmond Halley and others, the Bible clearly explained the water cycle. The truth is, your Bible is inspired, inerrant, reliable and more up-to-date than tomorrow morning’s newspaper. Every newspaper has a correction column acknowledging its printed errors. Not the Bible! You can trust it to guide you right in every area of your life.
Science and the Bible (3)
‘Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, “Here we are!”?’ Job 38:35 NKJV
The Bible predicted modern telecommunications. Does that sound incredible to you? If so, consider this verse: ‘Can you send out lightnings, that they may go, and say to you, “Here we are!”?’ Fifteen hundred years before Christ, in the book of Job, God said light could be sent, and manifest itself in speech. And along those same lines, did you know that all electromagnetic radiation—from radio waves to X-rays―travels at the speed of light (about 300,000 km per second)? That’s what gives us instant wireless communication with someone on the other side of the world. The fact that light can be sent and translated into speech wasn’t discovered by science until 1864—nearly 3,300 years later—when British scientist James Clerk Maxwell suggested that electricity and light waves were two forms of the same thing. Samuel Morse, who invented the first telegraph and forever changed the world of communication, was a Bible-believing Christian. A few years before he died, he said, ‘The nearer I approach the end of my pilgrimage, the clearer is the evidence of the divine origin of the Bible. The grandeur and sublimity of God’s remedy for fallen man are more appreciated, and the future is illuminated with hope and joy.’ In life you’ll meet ‘doubting Thomases’, and God loves them. In fact, Jesus made a special appearance after His resurrection just to resolve Thomas’s doubts. And He still does that today! So, get acquainted with your Bible, then let every sincere, questioning heart know that true science never disproves the Bible.
Science and the Bible (1)
‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’ Genesis 1:1 NKJV
To say that true science and the Bible are contradictory is simply not so. If there’s even one chance in a million that God, Heaven and hell are true, wouldn’t you want to know? After all, one day you’re going to die. What then? And furthermore, since our children and grandchildren are increasingly exposed to secular teaching, don’t you want to be able to answer their questions when they come home from school or college, and steer them in the right direction? Well, guess what? The more science advances, the more it’s evident the Bible has been true all along! For the next few days let’s talk about it:
(1) The Bible tells us the earth floats in space. There was a time when people believed it sat on a large animal or giant. Seriously! But fifteen hundred years before Christ, the patriarch Job said, ‘He… hangs the earth on nothing.’ (Job 26:7 ESV) Think about that: you can’t even hang your hat on nothing! The fact is, science didn’t discover that the earth hangs upon nothing until AD 1650.
(2) The Bible tells us the earth is composed of atoms. ‘By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen are not made of things which are visible.’(Hebrews 11:3 NKJV) Only in recent years has science discovered that everything we see is composed of things we can’t see—namely, invisible atoms. Yet the Bible, written more than two thousand years ago, said it was so. Now, the Bible doesn’t need science to prove that it’s true—it just so happens that it does.
Be Careful Whom You Confide In
‘Those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.’ Proverbs 11:13 NLT
If you need help with a problem in your personal life, your family, or your career, keep the following things in mind:
(1) Bad news is often remembered longer than good news. Long after you have resolved the issue and moved on with your life, the wrong people will continue to focus on it and talk about it. That’s why God’s Word says, ‘Those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence.’
(2) Be careful who advises you. ‘The thoughts of the righteous are right, but the counsels of the wicked are deceitful.’ (Proverbs 12:5 NKJV) Be sure you reach for the right person. There are many sources of wisdom in this world, ‘but the wisdom that is from above is…pure… peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and… hypocrisy.’ (James 3:17 NKJV) Note the words, ‘the wisdom that is from above’. Confide only in a counsellor who walks according to the principles of God’s Word.
(3) Make sure the person you trust isn’t confiding in others you wouldn’t trust. They say you can tell a man by the company he keeps. And it’s true! The Bible says, ‘Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly.’(Psalm 1:1 NKJV)
(4) ‘Problem talk’ can portray you as a victim instead of an overcomer. Nobody wants to back a loser. When Job lost everything, almost everybody avoided him. It was only after God doubled Job’s blessings that they returned to participate in his life and bring him gifts. It’s always wise to control your mouth, your thoughts, and your focus. Remember, silence can never be misquoted.