“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Cor. 10:12)

Ain’t that the truth? How many times have I thought, “Ya, I’m good” only to find that I was about to fall? When Satan lulls us into a false sense of security, he wins. Today’s passage from Corinthians is given in the context of the ancient Israelites who experienced the incredible presence of God one day, and fell into blatant idolatry the next. We can easily do the same.

All disciples of Christ experience His power to some extent. And yet, we are prone to forget His presence with us. We can start to exhibit behaviour that looks more like this:

• A tower of pride covers the humility we once walked in.
• The divinity that once shined through our eyes becomes dulled by our humanity.
• Waiting upon the Lord gets replaced by independent striving.
• Talking to God devolves into recycled, self-regulating thoughts.

When we find ourselves here, there’s hope. This chapter of Corinthians goes on to explain that Israel’s example does not have to be our reality. Temptation is a very human thing experience.  It’s normal and should be expected. But here is the key: God is faithful. His promise to us is that we will not “be tempted beyond what we can bear.” Not only will we be able to stand under the pressure (by the strength of God) but when we are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that we can endure. (1 Cor. 10:13)

If you are feeling beaten up by sin and exhausted by the battle, God’s promise of victory for you is true today.
If this talk of battles, tension, sin, and temptation sounds foreign to you: be careful lest you fall.

This is the tension we hold our lives in. Be confident, but make sure that confidence is rooted in who God is, not who you are.  Stand strong in Him and you can stand strong forever.

God, I want to know You and the power of the resurrection. Help me to understand truly and deeply, what it is You’ve done for me. Help me to live like I believe it.  Amen.

Question: How do you hold this tension in your own life? What do you do when it gets out of balance?

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)

Humility isn’t always giving up and backing down. Humility involves using power and position to serve others. Look at what Jesus says:

1) There is solidarity of purpose in the life of Jesus.  He never backed down from his original calling. He stayed the course and completed the task in spite of being despised and rejected by men. Rock solid!

2) He used his power and position to die a death on the cross, doing what no one else could do while making the greatest sacrifice possible. Complete authority!

3) He confronted demons with extreme power and banished them with a word. Humility utilizes power for the good of others. Compassion in power!

So, when Ephesians 4:2 urges you to be humble, don’t think “cower and crawl into the corner.” Instead, seek to serve others with the gifts you have been given. You’re a man. You’re a leader. In your leading, serve others.

Humility seen the right way is common sense. Competence extrapolation says, “I’m good at one thing which means I know everything about everything.” Humility says, “I’m really good at this but I don’t know much about this other thing so I’m going to let someone else lead me, and teach me.”

You can’t bring humility into your life without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in your life. True humility is a byproduct of God living in your heart. Acknowledge His presence and ask Him to move mightily in you today.

God, thank You for promising that if I love and obey You, You will come and make Your home in me. I am amazed that You do this. Holy Spirit, help me move from a selfish and proud mindset to a selfless one. Help me use my power and position to lead others in righteousness by serving them. Make me a spokesperson and a laborer for the Kingdom. Give me simple and creative ideas of how to do this, in Jesus’ powerful name I pray, Amen.

Question: Where and how can you give up your power and position or use it to serve others?

“He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; and he sent a man before them— Joseph, sold as a slave.” (Psalm 105:16-17)

Famines come in many forms. We hear of the starving children in Africa, read about drought stricken areas where there is not enough water for crops, and see the ravages of natural disasters on the news.  But there is another famine spreading here in this abundant and plentiful land in North America. It is a famine of faith.

So many people have lost faith. They have lost faith in their employer, lost faith in the government to rule prudently. Women and men lose faith in their relationships, parents lose faith in children who didn’t turn out the way they envisioned. All too often those around us see this chaotic world and ask, “Where is God? Does He exist? I thought He was supposed to be in control?”

The answer is – He does. He never left. He is right here. Even when the world is crumbling around you, He has a plan. He has a Joseph whom He has sent ahead. We just need to seek him out.

Joseph, sold into slavery by his brothers, was sent to Egypt. There he interpreted the Pharaoh’s dream and told him after years of abundance there would be years of lack so it would be wise to store up. Because of his smarts, charisma and God’s grace, he ended up being Pharaoh’s right hand man. When famine hit Israel, his father Jacob sent his brothers to Egypt to beg for grain. Guess who they were supposed to see?

If you are in a place and you feel God has blessed you abundantly- store up. Continue in prayer, Bible study and serving. Don’t take God for granted. Then, when bad times hit, your faith will be stronger. You will have the resources to see you through, as Joseph did. He never lost faith.

If you are in a bad time and your faith feels starved, look for the Joseph in your life. God is preparing someone or something as your relief. The thing is, you may have to humble yourself to receive it, just as Joseph’s brothers did.

It just may be that God will call you to be someone else’s Joseph – to be His messenger to them and to provide them with some of your faith to feed their hunger for truth. Even if they wronged you as Joseph’s brothers did, will you react in love?

We have what the world is starving to have – faith. Share the Bread of Life today and feed some souls. Give a smile to the down in the mouth and frazzled clerk behind the cash register. Open the door for someone who is laden down with bundles in their arms. Do a little something special for someone just because you love them. And above all else, pray.

Father, Help me to see your hand at work both in times of plenty and times of need. If I can help someone else, move my hands to do it. And if I need to accept your provision through the generosity of another, give me the strength to do that too. Amen.

Questions: Are you feeding on God’s Word, or are you starving for it? Will you ask God to reveal your Joseph, or how you can be a Joseph to someone else?

How can we pray for you today?

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)

Not long ago I spent a lovely weekend in the magnificent beauty of the Alaskan mountains. I was privileged to be the guest speaker of a women’s retreat there. Precious women extracted themselves from their busy lives from Friday evening to Sunday noon. They took time they didn’t really have to come away…to let their hearts drink in rest and refreshment.

Life noisily demands our attention. It clamors, persistently moving us in many directions. It’s easy to forget that Jesus Himself has invited us to come and find rest for our souls.

Are you expecting His rest to refresh you today? Are you expecting to encounter His strength holding you today? Are you expecting His peace to sustain your heart even in what can sometimes be chaotic days? Are you expecting Him to meet your heart even as you read these words?

Let this invitation, to you from Jesus, steep into your soul like a pot of tea steeps to full flavor. You can expect God to deposit something into your heart even in this moment. Now read it again this way.

“Come unto me today, _____________ (Put in your name), with all the things that weary your body and burden your mind and heart and I will give you rest … for your soul.”

Today you can have the confident expectation that God will hold you as you COME to Him. You are invited. Come and receive:

1. C – CAST your concerns on Him: 

1 Peter 5:7  “Casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you.”

Lord God, today I bring you the questions on my heart about ______, I bring you my disappointment in _________ and I look, with expectation to You to help me because You care. Thank you!

2. O- OPEN your heart:

Philippians 4:6-7 “Don’t worry about anything but pray about everything. Tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers.”

Lord God, Today I need  __________. I ask You for it. I trust in Your strength to hold me and I thank You that You will guide me and direct my path. I wait in expectation.

3. M-MAKE requests:

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Lord God, Your grace is enough for all I am dealing with today. You have promised that even in my weakness Your strength is made perfect. Today I feel weak in ___________. I trust You to strengthen me. 

4. E-EXPECT: 

Romans 15:13 “May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Lord God, I receive Your joy and peace in my heart right now as I fully trust You to be the Manager of my day today. In the strong name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Question: How do you COME to Jesus today?

“In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’”
(Luke 2:18-20)

Imagine the shepherds from the first Christmas night going home and trying to get some sleep after having a visitation from angels. They had just witnessed a message from God after the 400 “silent years” without a divine announcement. There is a beautiful pattern to everything that the heavenly Father does. He gave His Christmas message about the Great Shepherd to a group of shepherds. And He sent the Lamb of God to be born amongst lambs in a manger.

Likewise Jesus talked with His disciples about joy before His crucifixion. It was important that His followers hear the key to joy that night, because the next day would be the unhappiest of their lives. Joy and happiness are not the same. Happiness depends on outward circumstances, but joy comes from within, it is unrelated to our circumstances. In John 15:11, the Lord said to His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” Because of Jesus’ relationship with the Father, He had pure and complete joy in spite of what was to come.

Nehemiah 8:10 tells us, “The joy of the LORD is your strength.” Since it is a permanent gift from God, we cannot lose it, but we can choose to give it up by disobeying His commands. Sin squeezes the power and joy of the Holy Spirit from our life. Repentance will reopen the floodgate. Our Father created the perfect way for us to experience joy in relationship to Him. It is an offer that He makes to each one of us.

Are you feeling ready to walk away from a relationship – are you possibly even considering divorce? We want to pray for you.

“I needed to hear that”, Kelly said with a catch in her voice. The layoff notice had come as a complete surprise. Anger and panic had welled up within her.
Sue had listened to her vent. Then she had spoken quietly and gently reminded Kelly that God knew of this turn of events. He would direct her through the unknown path. He could be counted on to guide her. He would give her wisdom. Kelly’s heart was comforted and strengthened. She was encouraged to go on and her heart softened at the reminder of God’s care.

God’s Word alerts us that in difficult times our hearts can go astray. They can become hardened and turn away from God.

We all know that wondering of “Where is God?” when something significant does not go as we had hoped or planned and life seems to tumble around us.

We live in a world that acknowledges God less and less. Often the choices of others affect us in hard ways. Politics at work, relationships with those we care about, finances, even health issues. We can feel alone and our faith can feel slippery as we walk.

When clouds gather in our lives we can begin to allow unbelief into our hearts. It’s very subtle and slips in. We pray less and our Bible sits unopened more. When we don’t understand God, unbelief creeps in. It can harden our hearts to the point where we tune out God even when He speaks to us. We can find rebellion creeping up on us if we are not monitoring our hearts. Listen to God’s words to us…

“See to it brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13).

God knows the tendency of our hearts toward unbelief. That’s why He counsels us in these matters. We need to be aware of keeping our hearts soft. God’s call to “Encourage one another daily…” helps build a reservoir within our own hearts … it helps keep our hearts soft.

It is easy to be deceived into thinking God doesn’t have our best interest at heart, especially when things don’t go well. We need to guard our hearts against unbelief and rebellion and know that, in those tough places, He is there to guide us through and teach us.

When you feel unbelief slipping into your soul and find rebellion nibbling around the edges of your heart, seek out spiritual encouragement. Walk and talk with a friend and be honest in sharing your need of prayer. Do a Bible study on a topic that grabs at your heart. Choose to spend some time with God and cry out to him from the depths of your soul telling Him all the things in your heart. Choose to turn toward Him. God will encourage you even when people aren’t there to. Choose to draw near to Him and ask Him to help your unbelief.

When we receive encouragement in our soul from God, we are then in a position to give encouragement. You cannot offer something you don’t possess.

Then, when you hear despair in the lives of those around you or in the emails of those writing to you, you will be equipped to encourage them with words from Scripture, or a gentle reminder of God’s everlasting love even when the road ahead is obscured.

It’s an amazing circle. Daily speaking of God’s care will not only encourage others and bring comfort, strength and hope…it will also encourage you and help keep your own heart soft and your faith strong.

It’s an amazing circle…”He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” ( Proverbs 11:25).

Pay attention to God’s warning against unbelief. Our faith in Jesus is our most valued treasure. If you loose it there is nothing of true value left. Guard against an unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. Turn to Him and ask Him to speak to you. Watch for those whose hearts are turning away and ask God to give you encouragement to share. It will build you up as you do.

Father God, I know the tendency of my own heart to grow hard around the edges with unbelief and even rebellion at times. I choose to draw near to You and ask that You would encourage my heart and help my unbelief. I need You to refresh my inner being and give me strength.

Encourage me through Your Word. Give me a greater desire to read it and to pour my heart out to you. Give me people in my life who will share with me the encouragement they receive from You. Help me to encourage others whose hearts are growing hard in difficult times. Daily be my source in everything I pray, in the name of Jesus, amen.

Questions: How does unbelief and rebellion start to take root in ones life?  How can you be ever ready to help those that are in despair around you?

Please open your Bible and read Mark 4:35-41.

When we read the story of Jesus calming the waves, there are a lot of things we could focus on, but I’d like to focus on how the disciples responded. After “the wind died down and it was completely calm,” Jesus asks the disciples “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples’ recorded response tells us something about them: “They were terrified.”

These disciples were not supermen. Simon Peter and his brother Andrew were fishermen, while Matthew was a hated tax collector. They were regular people, selected not for their great knowledge of the scriptures, nor for their political acumen or even for their exuberant faith … mostly because they possessed none of these qualities.

Imagine a company conducting interviews to hire someone for an important job position. Then imagine the company selecting a woefully underqualified person instead of a someone who’s much more experienced. Unlike the other applicants, the chosen person didn’t have a resume full of impressive achievements. Would you wonder what the HR department was up to?

When we read the gospels, we don’t discover disciples who are described in piously unbelievable tones; they are described as authentic (and authentically flawed) human beings. If they were at a job interview, they wouldn’t have much previous experience. But Paul notes that “God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) And God, able to know the depths of your heart, is more concerned about you than your resume.

God is patient, and God is kind, because God is love. (1 Corinthians 13:4, 1 John 4:16) Whenever you feel inadequate, like you want to ask “Who am I, Lord, to be chosen for this task?” just remember the disciples, terrified on a boat in the middle of the lake. In reality they were always secure because they were with their Lord. Embrace your role as an everyday disciple in your daily journey with Jesus, who is with you always!

Question: How can you be an “everyday disciple” today through your daily activities?

“My grace is sufficient for you” 2 Corinthians 12:9

We live in the fitness age. For the body, we have gyms and diets. For the mind, we can choose from myriad how-to books as well as seminars about thinking positively and ridding ourselves of bad habits. The truth is we all have one, two, or more weaknesses to confront. In the Bible, we find wise counsel for how to handle these areas of our life.

If you look honestly at yourself, you can identify what you think is your weakness. It could be physical disability you were born with or developed, or it could be emotional, mental, or spiritual. Whatever it is, Paul’s words apply to you. The first thing to do is acknowledge the presence of the weakness. Secondly, it is important that you recognize the purpose of frailty. Paul says his thorn in the flesh was given to keep him from exalting himself. His weakness was preventive maintenance on the part of God, who knew that dependence kept Paul’s pride in check.

We should consider what our weakness says about us. For example, if a person struggles with dishonesty, a close analysis of his thinking might reveal that the real problem is a fear of rejection. To protect himself, he will lie his way out of threatening situations. But by giving in to his weakness, the dishonest man reacts improperly. Other wrong responses to weakness are ignoring it, denying it, or excusing it. The only right response is to remember the promise of God, “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). His words to the apostle Paul are meant as an encouragement for every believer.

Question: What is one of your weaknesses that God may actually use for His own great purposes?

How do I live in God’s presence? How do I detect his unseen hand on my shoulder and his inaudible voice in my ear? A sheep grows familiar with the voice of the shepherd. How can you and I grow familiar with the voice of God? Here are a few ideas:

Give God your waking thoughts. Before you face the day, face the Father. Before you step out of bed, step into his presence. I have a friend who makes it a habit to roll out of his bed onto his knees and begin his day in prayer. Personally, I don’t get that far. With my head still on the pillow and my eyes still closed, I offer God the first seconds of my day. The prayer is not lengthy and far from formal. Depending on how much sleep I got, it may not even be intelligible. Often it’s nothing more than “Thank you for a night’s rest. I belong to you today.”

Give God your waiting thoughts. Spend time with him in silence. The mature married couple has learned the treasure of shared silence; they don’t need to fill the air with constant chatter. Just being together is sufficient. Try being silent with God. “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Awareness of God is a fruit of stillness before God.

Give God your whispering thoughts. Through the centuries Christians have learned the value of brief sentence prayers, prayers that can be whispered anywhere, in any setting.

Imagine considering every moment as a potential time of communion with God. By giving God your whispering thoughts, the common becomes uncommon. Simple phrases such as “Thank you, Father,” “Be sovereign in this hour, O Lord,” “You are my resting place, Jesus” can turn a commute into a pilgrimage. You needn’t leave your office or kneel in your kitchen. Just pray where you are. Let the kitchen become a cathedral or the classroom a chapel. Give God your whispering thoughts.

And last, give God your waning thoughts. At the end of the day, let your mind settle on him. Conclude the day as you began it: talking to God. Thank him for the good parts. Question him about the hard parts. Seek his mercy. Seek his strength. And as you close your eyes, take assurance in the promise: “He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). If you fall asleep as you pray, don’t worry. What better place to doze off than in the arms of your Father.

From Just Like Jesus
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 1998, 2001) Max Lucado
Used by permission

Questions: Have you given all you have over to God lately? What have you been holding back?

The Royal Gorge Bridge in Cañon City, Colorado was completed in 1929 at a cost of $350,000. (The relative cost today would be approximately $15 million dollars.) The bridge spans 1,260 feet and stands 150 feet above the ground below.

As the bridge approaches its 100 year anniversary, it seems to be holding up quite well: There are no signs of it collapsing. The bridge is held together by 2,100 strands of galvanized wire. Individually, each wire could easily be snapped. But working together in tandem, they are able to support the entire weight of the bridge, plus much more. This allows the bridge to remain a significant tourist attraction for hundreds of tourists every year, even though it is nearly a century old.

By working together, we can achieve much more than we can on our own. The author of Hebrews exhorts us to “not give up meeting together … but let us encourage one another” (Hebrews 10:25). In Acts we read about the early church, and how they would meet together in order to encourage each other (ex. Acts 2:42-48).

This often will be difficult, since our churches are sadly sometimes filled with strife and argument instead of encouragement and fellowship. This is why Paul teaches us to “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13)

Our work with our fellow Christians is too important to ignore. We as frail individuals are like thin strands of wire: Weak individually, but when mutually supporting one another, enabled to do so and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are strong.

Question: Do you sometimes find it uncomfortable when meeting with other believers? Why or why not?