And Jesus Said "Yes" Mary Southerland

Today's TruthPsalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge."

Friend to FriendAn article in National Geographic several years ago provided an interesting picture of God's wings. After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park, forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage. At the base of a tree, one ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes. Dismayed by the strange sight, the ranger knocked the bird over with a stick. To his amazement, three tiny chicks scurried from under their dead mother's wings. The loving mother, sensing the impending disaster, had carried her chicks to the base of the tree and gathered them under her wings. She could have flown to safety but had refused to abandon her babies. The blaze had descended upon her, scorching her small body, but the mother remained steadfast, willing to die so those under the cover of her wings would live. 

God's love is like that. God defined His unconditional and relentless love for us when He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to earth as a baby. And Jesus said, "Yes!"  What an amazing gift! The love of God for you and for me compelled Jesus Christ to willingly exchange a throne for a manger, divinity for humanity and Heaven for Earth. 

God's love changes everything and everyone it touches. It protects and breathes life and purpose into every minute of every day. God's love is a gift beyond measure that surrounds us and covers us when the fire of life rains down. It is God's love and the very reason for the season we call Christmas - or it should be.

I know many of you are experiencing those "fires" of life this year. No job and no prospect of one. Someone you love is very ill or maybe you are the one battling to survive each day. A rebellious child has broken your heart. A secret addiction is slowly destroying your life. Your spouse packed his bags and walked out the front door because he no longer wants to be married. It is hard to celebrate anything in the midst of such darkness.

I have great news for you, girlfriend.

You can celebrate Jesus. Do not believe the lies of the enemy when he tells you that your God has forsaken you. God is with you - Emmanuel. God understands your fear and loneliness. He endured the cross, completely and absolutely alone because He loves you and because no one can take your place in the Father's heart. No matter where this Christmas Eve finds you - you can celebrate Jesus.

Let's Pray Father, I celebrate You and the love You so freely offer. I may not understand some of the things happening in my life right now but I choose to trust You with each one. My faith is small, Lord. Give me Your strength for each step and help me to remember that You are with me. Lord, today I celebrate Your birth. Thank You for the gift of life and love I find in knowing You. My Christmas gift to You is everything I am, everything I have, everything I hope to be.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now it's Your Turn Find some time today to spend alone with God. Praise and worship Him for who He is, Lord, King, Father and Shepherd. Celebrate the perfect plan and design of God for your life.

Ready for Christmas?

Ready for Christmas? 

Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth 

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:2 NIV).

Friend to FriendIt seems like everywhere you go during the month of December people ask the same question.  At the grocery checkout counter - "Are you ready for Christmas?"  At the bank drive through window - "Are you ready for Christmas?"  At the doctor's office - "Are you ready for Christmas?"

I think the answer to that question depends on how you define "ready." Let me ask you this question:  "Are you ready for Jesus?"  Now that puts the idea of being ready in a completely different Christmas light, doesn't it?

John the Baptist was sent by God to get the people ready to meet Jesus. Here's what Matthew had to say about him:

In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."  This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

"A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for him.'"..."People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan.  Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River" (Matthew 3:1-3, 5-6).

We don't like the words "repent" or "repentance" very much.  They mean "to make a radical change in one's life, to turn and go in the opposite direction from sin (another word we're not too fond of today) to God".  Repentance involves an element of grief over the way we have lived apart from God and a decision to run toward the Father. That was God's idea of the way to prepare for Christ's arrival in the book of Matthew, and it is still God's idea of preparing to worship Him today. Now that's what I call getting ready for Christmas!

Let's reflect for a moment on the words to this poem and then answer the question, "Are you ready for Christmas?"

"Ready for Christmas," she said with a sigh
As she gave a last touch to the gifts piled high...
Then wearily sat for a moment AND READ
Til soon, very soon, she was nodding her head.
Then quietly spoke a voice in her dream,
"Ready for Christmas, what do you mean?"
She woke with a start and a cry of despair.
"There's so little time and I've still to prepare.
Oh, Father!  Forgive me, I see what You mean!
Yes, more than the giving of gifts and a tree.
It's the heart swept clean that He wanted to see,
A heart that is free from bitterness and sin.
So be ready for Christmas - and ready for Him. 

Let's Pray 

Dear Lord, I want to be ready for Jesus today and every day.  I come to You now in repentance for my sins: my sin of selfishness, stubbornness, and rebellion.  I turn from my self-centeredness today and commit to keep my focus on You.  God, I cannot do this on my own.  I am not able.  So I ask that You fill me with the power of Your Holy Spirit.  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 

In Jesus' Name,

Amen

Eating Crow

Eating Crow 

Sharon Jaynes 

Today's Truth "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing "(Philippians 2:14-16 NIV).

Friend to Friend Sometimes we like what life serves up to us, and sometimes we don't, but most of the time it simply depends on the attitude of the person holding the spoon. Such was the case one evening when I went out to dinner with friends to the Sanitary Fish Market. I know that is a strange name for a seafood restaurant, but it was a great place that everyone frequented in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. Since the food was good, I guess it was a nice plus to know that it was sanitary as well.

One evening, when I was eighteen-years-old, I went out to dinner with three friends.  Three of us were Christians and the fourth was not. Larry was very macho and preferred the, "I'm in control of my destiny" approach to life. But we loved him anyway.

The three of us Christians usually took a moment to ask a blessing before we had a meal, but we had not eaten in a restaurant with Larry before. He was surprised and embarrassed when we bowed our heads to pray. Larry held his head high and proud as if to say, "I might be at the same table with these people, but I'm not one of them."

All four of us ordered clam chowder as an appetizer. We had the same waitress and same chowder, from the same pot. We three "holy rollers" (we acquired this name because of a 10-second prayer) dipped our spoons into our bowls and tasted chowder full of tender clams and steamy potatoes.

Then proud Larry dipped in his spoon to retrieve only broth. "Why is your chowder full of clams and potatoes," he demanded, "and all I've got is broth?"

Larry was about to call the waitress over and complain when I looked up and said, "Well, maybe it's because we asked God to bless ours and you didn't."

Larry didn't complain to the fine people at the Sanitary, but ate "crow" instead. It is amazing how God takes a grateful heart and fills it even more! Feeling empty today? Stop and praise God for His goodness. Feeling lonely today? Stop and thank God for His presence. Feeling anxious today? Stop and thank God for His provision. 

Let's Pray 

Dear Lord, so many times I am quick to complain when I haven't even asked You to bless my day. Help me to have an attitude of gratitude and become a woman who talks to You regularly, thanks You consistently, and praises You throughout the day.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

A Father Who Loves Me

A Father Who Loves Me 

 Sharon Jaynes 

Today's Truth"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  This then is how you should pray:  'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...'" (Matthew 6:6-9NIV).

Friend to Friend One thing that makes the New Testament distinctively different from the Old Testament is that Jehovah God, the creator of the Universe and all it contains, invites us to call Him daddy.  It is the name of God that Jesus referred to more than any other. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He said:

"But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.  Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.  This then is how you should pray:  'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...' (Matthew 6:6-9).

If you are a parent, you can imagine how discouraging it would be if your children only talked to you when they wanted something.  Quite the contrary, we talk to our children to discipline, instruct, nurture, train, comfort, encourage, guide, and teach.  Our relationship with our Heavenly Father is much the same.  We are called children of God and He longs to gather us under His wing like a mother hen and speak to us in the quietness of prayer.  Our heavenly Father is always available and attentive, compassionate and caring, and interested and involved.

Sometimes, God wants to speak to us in our times of prayer simply to tell us how deeply He loves us.  I will never forget a time of prayer I spent with a group of women just before I was to speak at an event.  I had flown to Tennessee and moments before I went out to minister to the women who had gathered at the church, the leadership team held hands and prayed together.  As one woman prayed, she said, "Sharon, God showed me today, just how precious you are to Him."

God's love washed over me and tears began to spill down my face.  God loved me!  He loved me!  See, that's the message that I was going to share with the women at the conference, but in the hustle and bustle of preparation, God wanted to remind me that He loved me, too.

Today, how about talking to your heavenly daddy - not because you need anything - but just because you love Him.

Let's Pray Father, I come to You today as a little child.  I love You so much.  Thank You for loving me and accepting me just the way I am.  Thank You for being my heavenly Father Who loves me, cares for me, protects me, takes an interest in me, has dreams for me, watches over me, and provides for me.  How blessed I am to have a daddy like You! 

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

"Soul-Blinders" by Gwen Smith

"Soul-Blinders" 

Gwen Smith

 

Today's Truth "So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left" (Deuteronomy 5:32, NIV).

Friend to Friend
When I was a young girl, I rode horses with my cousin, Beth. When she was prepping her horse for shows, Beth would often add blinders to the bridle of her horse. Horse trainers believe these blinders, also called blinkers or winkers, keep the horse focused on what is in front of him, and encourage him to pay attention to the race rather than other distractions, such as crowds. Now, I'm not a horse, but at times my heart sure does wander and get distracted from what really matters. It makes me think that I could really benefit from some "soul-blinders."

You see, I have this distraction problem. At times I look around at what others are doing, being, and accomplishing and feel ineffective, unproductive, and unnecessary. There. I said it. It's not pretty, but it's true.
When do I have this problem? When I look around instead of looking to God. (How bizarre! I even know the answer to my problem ... and I still struggle with it!) Do you ever do that? Do you compare yourself to others and, as a result, determine that there are great deficiencies in your life? Do you ever feel like you don't measure up to those around you? Join the club. I bet we all struggle with this at times.
The good news is that God doesn't leave us without direction or help. He gave us His Word, the Bible, to direct our thoughts, behaviors, hearts, minds and souls - to be our soul-blinders! Scripture reminds us of this in Deuteronomy 5:32-33: "So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess."
Ahhh ... and the light bulbs turn on! When we look to the LORD - to His plan for us - to the one that is unique to each of us, we will prosper. And when we look to the right and to the left, we lose our focus, we worry about comparison, and we become distracted. So, like Paul, let's press on. Forward. With a gaze committed to the path ahead - not to the path that is behind us or on either side. Sisters, like the apostle Paul says, "...I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I d Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14).
Today, I pray that you will join me in asking God to give us soul-blinders. Because when we turn our eyes upon Jesus and look full in His wonderful face, the things of earth ... the distractions, the comparisons, and stuff that causes us to lose our focus ... will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. 

Let's Pray Dear God, Thanks for giving us the Bible to direct us in life. I ask that You would put blinders on my heart so that I will be solely focused on living for You. I pray as the psalmist does: "I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws." (Psalm 119:104-106) Please help me to follow Your ways.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Remodeling 101 by: Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Colossians 3:13 "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Friend to Friend I promised myself that I would never buy a house that could be described as a "fixer-upper." I don't like fixing things. I want everything to be fixed before I move in. But there I was, buying a town house that needed so much work even the realtor couldn't believe my husband and I wanted to buy it. Why didn't someone stop me? No one did, so the sale was made and we went to work. Actually, my son and husband went to work while I went crazy.

I had no idea how horrible the process of remodeling could be. Layer after layer of dirt, grime, stains and ugliness was stripped away. Rotten kitchen cabinets were torn from the walls and rusty appliances were replaced. We basically gutted the whole place and rebuilt it - while living in it. I was not happy!

I will never forget the day I woke up to see a toilet sitting at the foot of our bed. It was at that moment I resolved to never set foot in another house that required so much work. I am so thankful God does not feel that way about me. 

Honestly, I used to wonder why God didn't just demolish the old me and build a new one. Then He did just that - through a two-year battle with clinical depression. While sitting at the bottom of that deep, dark and slimy pit, the Father lovingly stripped away old fears and insecurities. From the walls of my heart, He tore the rotten attitudes, undisciplined thoughts and unholy desires that had walked me to the edge of my pit; then pushed me in. He replaced rusty old dreams with new ones and basically, gutted my life to build a new one, a better one, and a stronger one. Part of that new life was forgiveness. God taught me how to forgive myself so I could then forgive others.

Because forgiveness is so important, it only stands to reason that there are roadblocks that can hinder our willingness to forgive. We must make the commitment to identify and remove each one.

Selfishness Selfishness shouts, "I have been hurt! It is so unfair. I have rights!" What I am really saying is that how I feel about the hurt is more important than forgiving the hurt.

Pride Pride cries, "Look at what they have done to me. Don't they realize who I am?" To receive or give forgiveness requires humility.

Low self-esteem Some of us have built an entire identity around a hurt. The attention we gain from the wrong we have suffered defines who we are. It is something we cherish and refuse to relinquish for the sake of forgiveness.

Blindness We may be blind to the fact that we have not forgiven a hurt. We have convinced ourselves that we really have forgiven the one who hurt us by going through the motions and saying the right words without really dealing with the pain. In reality, all we have done is dig a hole and bury the pain. As long as hurt is buried alive, it will keep resurrecting itself in our life, but when the hurt is dealt with and forgiveness is given, the pain is buried dead - and it stays dead.

Pain Forgiveness is spiritual surgery. It exposes old hurts that have never completely healed. We can move, change jobs, change churches, change friends or even change families, but until we yank up the root of bitterness and cover it with forgiveness, we will live with unresolved pain.

Ignorance Maybe we don't know how to forgive someone because are under the impression that forgiveness is an emotion or feeling. True forgiveness is a choice - a deliberate choice to release the person who has hurt us from the pain they have caused. We can stop forgiving others when God stops forgiving us.   

We need to identify and eliminate the roadblocks to forgiveness so God can set us free, heal our pain and make us more like Him. Now that is a remodeling job I would welcome.

Let's Pray Father, I praise You for the changes You have made in my life through the power of Your forgiveness. Please help me forgive the people who have hurt me just as You have forgiven me.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now it's Your Turn The holiday season seems to highlight certain emotions - one of which is emotional pain. A family member has wounded you and shows no sign of remorse. Maybe a friend has betrayed you and refuses to apologize. Or you may be struggling to forgive yourself because you don't think you deserve to be forgiven. None of us deserves forgiveness. Forgiveness is a gift from God. Today is the day to make the choice to forgive. Beside each statement below, write the name of someone in your life who needs your forgiveness.

Forgiveness is not limited to those who deserve it. ______________________________

Forgiveness is not limited to those who apologize. ______________________________

Forgiveness is not limited to those who change. ________________________________

Read and memorize 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."

The Fallacy of Full-Time Christian Work By Os Hillman

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:16,17). 

Jonathon was a twenty-five year old son of a pastor who was working in his local Christian bookstore. He started seminary but was unable to finish because of a lack of finances. He was OK with working in the store, but felt it was second-best. In fact, sometimes he felt he had "missed his calling."

Then one day a young woman wondered into the store. She was distressed. She was not a believer. Her husband had just left her and she did not know where to turn. She was walking through the mall when she noticed the store. She decided to walk in, not knowing why.

"Hello, may I help you?" said Jonathon. "Well... I don't know. I saw your sign and just came in." Right then, she began to cry. She told Jonathon about her plight, not knowing why she would do such a thing with a perfect stranger. Jonathon listened and began to talk with her. Before the conversation was over, Jonathon had prayed with the woman and led her to faith in Christ.

That night Jonathon pondered what had happened that day. He realized he had personally led a woman into eternity by being available in his workplace. He felt a new sense of purpose behind what he thought was simply a job to put food on the table until he could get to his real ministry. He confessed to the Lord his wrong view of his work. For the first time, he realized it was ministry too.

We have incorrectly elevated the roll of the vocational Christian worker to be more holy and committed than the person who is serving in other arenas. Yet the call to any workplace is as important as any other calling. God has to have His people in every sphere of life. Otherwise, many would never come to know Him because they would be separated from society.

Wherever you are called, serve the Lord in that place. Let Him demonstrate His power through your life so that others might experience Him through you today.

Source:  The Fallacy of Full-Time Christian Work

Simply Obey By Os Hillman

"But Naaman went away angry and said, 'I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy'" (2 Kings 5:11-12).
 
Naaman was an army general who needed healing from Leprosy. A young servant girl of the king's house suggested that the prophet Elisha could heal him. He followed her advice and Elisha sent a message to him to do the following: "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed" (2 Kings 5:10). However, when the instruction came as to what he was to do, it seemed ridiculous to him.

Like many of us, Naaman expected God to perform his miracle through Elisha in a dramatic and "religious" way. Sometimes we fail to recognize that God can work through a simple act of obedience that seems unrelated to the problem. God told Joshua to walk around Jericho seven times to win the battle. He told a man to put mud on his eyes to be healed. He told Peter to catch a fish to get a coin to pay his taxes.

There are other times God calls us to use the natural to receive a breakthrough. Sometimes we simply need to change our diet or go see a doctor to see a breakthrough in our health. Sometimes we need to change the way we are doing our work to get a breakthrough in our careers.

Samuel the prophet told King Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice. Learning to listen to the Lord and following His instruction is the key to success in God. Sometimes God chooses the dramatic and sometimes He chooses the ordinary. In either case, both are miracles because God is the God over all creation.
Ask Him what steps you are to take for your breakthrough.

Source:  Simply Obey

Workplace Minister By Os Hillman

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Col 3:17).

Over 70 percent of our time is spent in the workplace, yet our training and teaching in local churches focuses on areas where we spend much less time. The workplace is the greatest mission field of our day and represents the greatest opportunity for societal transformation, yet we do not train workplace believers how to effectively integrate their faith life into their work life. The wall between Sunday and Monday still exists and most workplace believers do not understand that all of life is spiritual, not just life on Sunday.

Our studies show an alarming 90 percent of Christians do not feel they've been adequately trained to apply biblical faith in their work life. We have focused on the fringes rather than the center where most people spend most of their time.

God is removing the wall of separation by speaking to pastors and workplace believers all over the world. A pastor recently shared how his church ordains their workplace believers for their calling to the workplace. Another pastor described their church's commitment to integrating training for their workplace believers on the theology of work. Another told how they began a workplace ministry within their church for their workplace believers, and even integrated Sunday school programs specifically geared to help workplace believers understand their calling in the workplace.

We are entering a new era in the Church when workplace believers are seen as a remnant of the Body of Christ who need to be mobilized and trained for the work of the ministry to their own mission field - the workplace. We are changing the 80/20 rule in the 9 to 5 window from 20% of the people doing ministry to 80%.

Are you one of the men and women God is raising up for this task? Pray that God will help local church leaders understand and affirm this calling, and that they will respond by training their people for their own ministry in their workplaces. 

Source:  Workplace Minister By Os Hillman

Taming the Tongue by Mary Southerland

Today's TruthProverbs 15:1 (NLT) "A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare."
 
Friend To Friend

It had been one of "those" mornings and I was behind schedule in preparing to teach the women's Tuesday morning Bible study at our church. I am fairly certain I did not exude peace and joy as I rushed around - as my Mama would say - like a chicken with its head cut off. The auditorium was set up correctly. The sound man had my power point ready to go and was waiting to do a sound check. The coffee pot was plugged in and doing its thing. Smiling ladies gathered to greet the Bible study members as they arrived. I paused and breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like everything was ready - everything except my heart. 

I knew I needed to spend some time alone with God before standing to teach His Word, so I found a quiet room where I could escape for a few minutes of solitude. As I began to pray, the door flew open and crashed against the wall behind it as the husband of one of our group leaders burst into the room. I could tell by the look on his face that he was not happy and that whatever was wrong was definitely my fault. In a very loud and very angry voice, the man began to explain the problem, ending his tirade with the question, "And just what are you going to do about it?"  

Sidebar: Guess what lesson I was teaching that particular morning. Remember, God definitely has a sense of humor. The lesson title was "How to Tame Your Tongue."
I knew what I wanted to say to the man. I also knew God didn't want me to say it. In a rare moment of wisdom, I faced my accuser with a smile and whispered, "I'll tell you exactly what I am going to do. I am going to do whatever it takes to make you happy."  

I was completely unprepared for the man's reaction. His mouth fell open, his eyes widened in surprise - no, make that shock - and he stumbled backwards as if I had hit him. The silence was deafening. We stared at each other for what seemed like an hour before he finally whispered back, "Thank you!" Without another word, the man turned and literally ran out of the room. The most amazing part of this story is that from that day on, he has been one of my strongest encouragers.  

The Bible works, girlfriend! When God says that a gentle answer "deflects" anger, He really means it. The word "deflect" means "to change course" or "to force the alteration of plans." When anger is met with love, it is forced to change its destructive course. The plans of the enemy are altered when they are forced to comply with God's truth. A sweet response yanks the fuse right out of an emotional time bomb that is set and ready to explode. We need to choose our responses instead of allowing our reactions to dictate the words we speak. 

Godly responses begin in the mind. I believe that our thought life is the front line of battle for the control of our entire life. Proverbs 34:13 warns, "Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies." The word "keep" indicates action on our part. We decide. We choose what is allowed to take up room in our mind. It is literally the idea of a guard standing at the gate of the city, stationed there to keep watch. He is there by invitation only. If we want to live right and speak right - we must think right. 

Godly responses come from the heart. If there is something wrong with our words, then there is something wrong with our heart. The truth of Proverbs 16:23 is profound in its simplicity, "A wise man's heart guides his mouth." 

A judge utters a few words and a guilty man is taken to death row.
A friend speaks a word of encouragement and a desperate heart finds hope.
A mother lashes out with angry words and the light in her child's eyes is gone.
A wife offers a word of forgiveness and a marriage is restored.
A gossip makes a phone call and a reputation is destroyed.
A teenager says "no" and changes the course of her life.
Words are powerful. Words can destroy or build. We need to make the choice today - to respond in the right way to those angry words that are surely headed our way tomorrow. 

Let's PrayFather, I want to please You and encourage others with the words I speak. Clean my heart, God. Transform my mind and fill my mouth with words that honor and please You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen. 

Now It's Your TurnExamine the words you have spoken today in light of the following verses:
Psalm 141:3 "LORD, help me control my tongue; help me be careful about what I say."
Psalm 20:14. "May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer."
How did you do? I encourage you to memorize these two verses. Ask God to let each verse take root in your heart and work its way out in the words you speak. 

Seeing Backward By Os Hillman

"O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed" (Ps 30:7). 
 
It is often difficult to recognize the hand of God when we are in the midst of adversity. We often feel God has hidden His face from us. When the Lord takes us through deep valleys, there will be fruit from the deep valley that we cannot see. You must press into Him with all you have during this time.

God uses the deep valley to frame our lives to create a change in our nature, not just a change in habits. The depth and width of our valley is often an indicator of the level of calling and influence we will have on others in the future. Our adversity is not just for us, but others who will be in our future path of influence. This is not very comforting when you are in the middle of the valley, but know this is a truth in the Kingdom.

It is often years later when we discover the wisdom of God and why He intentionally led us through the dark valley. Life is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back at through valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life while we were there. "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light" (Job 12:22). When you begin to realize this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn't seem like it at the time, but He was.

Do you find yourself in the valley? Now is the time to fully trust Him to guide you to higher ground.

Source:  Seeing Backward

Prayer at Work By Os Hillman

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jer 33:3-4). 

Julian Watts and Warren Sinclair, who operate an international company called Markets Unlocked in Guildford, England have learned how important intimacy and the presence of God is to fulfilling His purposes for their business.


In 1999, the Lord asked Julian if he would be willing to resign his partnership in a multi-national company, leave the company and walk out into the unknown. Now without a job, he spent the next few months attempting to discover what the Lord wanted him to do. Eventually, he founded an internet company that specialized in connecting businesses that wanted to buy and sell to each other. He set about building the new company, focusing on all the commercial fundamentals and occasionally praying for God's help to get the task done.

The business grew very quickly, riding on the crest of the Internet wave. But the dotcom crash that swiftly followed in the year 2000 was brutal, and the company was all but wiped out. The Christian directors started praying together - monthly at first, then, as things continued to worsen, weekly, and finally, as desperation set in, daily!

The directors' daily routines soon began to change. At first, Julian started having his own personal time with the Lord from 5:00 A.M. to 7:00 A.M. each day. Then, from 8:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M., all the company directors would meet to worship and pray. From 9:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. every weekday, one director would worship and intercede for the company; and every Tuesday from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M., everyone in the company would meet, along with local pastors and intercessors, to worship and intercede.

By late 2001, the company had passed through the wilderness of the dotcom crash. In the process, all the commercial aspects of the company had been completely transformed - including its business strategy, organization structure, people, operational processes, location and everything else.

Today, the directors see that the Lord is increasingly establishing their company's corporate identity and defining characteristic as their corporate intimacy with Him. Markets Unlocked is now expanding rapidly around the world, with customers in over 80 countries.

Source:  Prayer at Work

Transforming a Workplace By Os Hillman

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Rom 12:1-2). 

A cab driver in the Philippines became radically saved. He was taught that he now had the power of God in his life to transform his community. Because he had not had any prior religious training to the contrary, he took a literal approach to believing what the Bible says about prayer and miracles.

He decided that the best mission field for him was the local bar in his neighborhood. So he began to visit this bar to find the most qualified sinner he could find in order to minister to him. He met the bartender and determined that he was a great prospect because he was also a gay drug addict and a pimp to 65 prostitutes. The cab driver visited the bar regularly and got to know the bartender while drinking his "usual" Coke. Eventually, the Lord used the cab driver to bring this man to Christ.

The power of God moved greatly in the bartender, and he was delivered from his homosexual lifestyle. He began to change his life and share Jesus with the prostitutes. All 65 of them became Christians, and they began meeting in the bar for Bible study.

Soon, the owner of the bar began to notice the change in these people, and he also was saved. The bar became a church, and the group started 10 cell group churches in the neighborhood. Now that is a miraculous transformation!

No matter what situation we find ourselves in, we should always remain aware that God wants to intervene. He desires a moment-by-moment relationship with us, and He wants to demonstrate His loving power to others through us. We can approach God about any situation, for there is nothing that is too small or too great for Him.*

Ask God to be a transformer in your workplace and city.

Source:  Transforming a Workplace

I Can Sleep When the Wind Blows

I Can Sleep When the Wind Blows 

Part 2 

Mary Southerland

Today's TruthPsalm 23:1 (NIV) "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."

Friend To FriendStorms are a reality of life. That's the bad news. The good news is that God is bigger than any storm we will ever face. When our daughter, Danna, was a toddler, she and her daddy had a favorite game. Dan would place her in some high spot then stand back, hold up his arms and say, "Jump to Daddy!" I hated that game but Danna loved it. She would always jump into his arms, laughing and giggling. One day, however, Dan picked a spot that seemed to be just a little too high for Danna's taste. She did what I do when I get scared. She closed her eyes. When her dad said, "Jump!" she said, "I can't! I can't see you, Daddy!" Dan said, "It doesn't matter, baby. I can see you!" With a smile on her scrunched up face my daughter bailed off into the strong arms of her Father, secure in the knowledge that he would catch her just as he always had. Talk about a major stress buster! Knowing that we belong to God is the foundation for a life of peace. Today, let's look at four more ways to deal with stress.

Recognize your source.
I believe that a large part of stress is the result of misplaced expectations, requiring the people and circumstances in our lives to meet needs that only God can meet. Most people who know me well would tell you that I'm a very strong woman. It took a complete physical, emotional and spiritual breakdown for me to realize I was only as strong as my human personality and abilities would allow me to be.  I was, in short, looking in all the wrong places for the deepest needs of my heart to be met. When all was stripped away by a two-year battle with clinical depression, I was left with nothing but broken dreams and unanswered questions. There, in that dark pit, surrounded by the meager remains of a shattered life, I discovered that God is enough. "The Lord is my Shepherd.  I shall not want." Just as the shepherd meets every need of his sheep, God meets our every need. Just as the sheep totally depend upon their shepherd's care, we must depend totally upon God. He is our Source and in light of that reality, stress flees, leaving only peace.

Learn to rest.I am terrible at this "rest" thing, forever walking the thin line between being productive and my life spiraling out of control. I have repeatedly tried to defy my God-given need for rest, thinking that I'm somehow "above" both the occurrence and consequences of exhaustion. Stress shouts, "Get busy! There's so much to do!" Stress applauds and dances with delight as I keep on "doing" instead of "being." I've discovered that when I'm tired, it's much harder to handle stress. Just as ninety percent of income goes farther when we tithe ten percent of it, so does our energy when we tithe it in rest. 

Manage your fears.It's not God's plan for us to dwell in fear or for fear to rule our lives. He has already set in motion the fall of every giant we will ever face. Our responsibility is to step through our fear, confronting those giants in God's power instead of our own, while counting on the promise that God really is the same yesterday, today and forever. We have nothing to fear, not because we are clever or self-sufficient, but because we are his sheep. We can learn to manage fear and stress instead of allowing fear and stress to manage us. 

Take the long look.We must be very careful to choose the right backdrop against which we live. Our backdrop is eternity - not the daily tyranny of urgent demands. Our backdrop is an old rugged cross - not the condemnation of our own heart or the judgments of others. Our backdrop is an empty tomb - not the stress filled prison of despair. When stress threatens and it seems like you can't go on, rest in God's truth. Take the long look at life, knowing that He will provide your every need and fill your heart with peace. 

Stress is tenacious in its quest to derail and destroy us. Marriages and homes teeter on the brink of disaster because we're too busy. Personal and family needs are consigned to the bottom of our priority list. Distractions are rampant because our lives are not rightly focused - and the enemy laughs in the shadows, applauding our foolishness. Stop. Get off of the merry-go-round. Come into God's presence and rest there until stress has gone and peace has come.

Let's PrayFather, I refuse to surrender my peace to the stress of life. Help me learn how to truly rest in You, knowing that You will never leave me or forsake me. Today, I submit my will to Your plan for my life. You are my Shepherd and my God. I put my trust in You and praise You for Your perfect provision in my life.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

I Can Sleep When the Wind Blows

I Can Sleep When the Wind Blows 

Part 1 

Mary Southerland

Today's TruthPsalm 23:1 (NIV) "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want."
 
Friend To FriendStress is a familiar and faithful companion. It doesn't matter where life takes us, we will encounter stress. Unless we learn to manage and deal with that stress - God's way - we will find ourselves trapped, an easy target for the enemy. 

A friend recently told me the story of a farmer who, as the owner of a large piece of land along the Atlantic seacoast, constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic because of terrible storms known to plague the area. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals. Finally, a short, thin middle-aged man applied for the job. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.  Although puzzled by this answer, the desperate farmer hired him. 

The slight man worked hard, to the delight of the farmer. Then one night, the howling wind blew in from offshore, signaling the approach of a monstrous storm. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. "Get up! A storm is coming!" he yelled.  The man rolled over in bed and firmly responded, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Furious, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm only to discover that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarps. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in their coops, the doors were barred and the shutters were tightly secured. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand had meant. He, too, returned to his bed to "sleep while the wind blew".
Stress management is a spiritual discipline that begins with diligent preparation in every area of life - mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. We must be ready to deal with stress before we have to deal with stress.

Know whose you are. I grew up in a Christian home, attending church every time the doors were open.  I sang all of the right songs, spoke all of the right words and did all of the right things in front of all the right people. I fervently prayed that my works would validate my faith and desperately hoped that by following the rules, I would please the Ruler. It wasn't until middle school that the authentic life of a dynamic youth pastor made me hunger and thirst for something more. I wanted to know God intimately. During an evening church service, I sat in my usual spot, clutching the back of the pew in front of me while wrestling with God over the condition of my soul and my eternal security. I argued that I knew all about God - and then the deeper truth of that argument hit me. Yes, I knew about Him but I didn't know Him. That night we met. While the course of my life was changed forever, I quickly discovered that stress was not going to disappear from my life.
I still have to face and deal with stressful circumstances every day. The difference is that I don't have to face and deal with those tough situations alone. God is with me. His power strengthens me and His love surrounds me, saturating even the most desperate circumstances with hope. Knowing that we belong to God is the very foundation for a life of peace and the first step in dealing with stress. Join me tomorrow as we examine four more ways to deal with stress.  

Let's PrayFather, I praise You for being my Peace in the midst of a stressful day. I can't always see Your hand at work or even understand Your process. But I do know that I can fully trust Your heart of love for me, Lord. When the storms of life come and I am tempted to worry, help me to trust You instead. When it seems like my life is spinning out of control, give me Your strength to stop and remember that You are God and that heaven is not in a panic! Right now, I choose against the tyranny of stress in my life and I choose to trust You instead. Thank You for Your faithfulness to me.
In Jesus' name,
Amen. 

Now It's Your TurnGo back to the time when you first met God and surrendered your life to Him.
What changes has that decision made in your life?
How did you feel when you first realized that you belong to God?
What did you do?
Who did you tell?
Now think about your relationship with God today and compare your circumstances, attitudes and habits with those first days of knowing Him.
Read and memorize Jeremiah 29:11. Celebrate God's perfect and unique plan for your life. And when stress shows up in your life today, remember whose you are.

Is there Hierarchy in Calling? By Os Hillman

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it (1 Cor 12:27)." 

All legitimate work matters to God. God Himself described himself as a worker. In fact, human occupations find their origin in His work to create the world. Work is a gift from Him to meet the needs of people and the creation. "You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas" (Ps 8:6-8).

However, there is often an unspoken hierarchy that positions clergy (missionaries and evangelists, pastors and clergy) at the top, and occupations such as of the "helping professions" (doctors and nurses, teachers and educators, social workers) next, and "secular" workers (business executives, salespeople, factory laborers, and farmers) at the bottom.

So what determines the spiritual value of a job? How does God assign significance? The hierarchy assumes sacred and secular distinctions, and assigns priority to the sacred. But does God view vocations that way? No, He does not.

God creates people to carry out specific kinds of work in order to meet human needs. God uniquely designs each of us, fitting us for certain kinds of tasks. He distributes skills, abilities, interests, and personalities among us so that we can carry out His work in the world. That work includes "spiritual" tasks, but also extends to health, education, agriculture, business, law, communication, the arts, and so on.

Paul was a tentmaker by occupation, along with his friends, Aquila and Priscilla. Other church leaders practiced a wide variety of professions and trades. There's no indication that God looks at vocations in the form of spiritual hierarchy.*

The next time you consider your vocation a second-class spiritual calling, consider what God says. Your work matters to God and is valued by God equally to other forms of work.

*Adapted from Study notes from the Word In Life Study Bible, copyright 1993,1996, by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Adapted from Ministry in Daily Life study notes page for WIL bible.

Studying to Give Versus Studying to Know By Os Hillman

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life" (John 5:38-40).
Sometimes you would think the trinity is Father, Son and Holy Scriptures instead of the Holy Spirit. There can be a tendency in Christianity to give so much focus upon the Holy Scriptures that we fail to acknowledge the role of the Holy Spirit in our daily activity.
There is also a second danger. We must be careful in studying the scriptures for the sake of giving to others instead of desiring more of God for ourselves. This is particularly dangerous for the professional Christian worker who is under continued pressure to feed and teach His people. If we are not careful, this process becomes a religious exercise of production, instead of a time of seeking, learning and experiencing His presence.
Jesus told His disciples that when He left He would be leaving the Holy Spirit which would help them live victoriously for Him. "All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you" (John 14:25-27).
"For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5). No longer would converts be baptized just with water, but now they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Baptism means we are immersed with water. Now we will be immersed in the Holy Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit that draws us into intimacy with the Father. He prompts us with a scripture verse to share with a friend or co-worker. He endues us with the power to live for Him and not in our own strength. Truly the Holy Spirit is the third person in the trinity that must be acknowledged and obeyed as we seek to live for Christ. He is also our teacher and guide.
Today, why not ask the Holy Spirit to baptize you afresh with the power to know Him, not just know about Him.

Source:  Studying to Give Versus Studying to Know By Os Hillman

Deliverance from the Black Hole By Os Hillman

"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5b). 

A black hole is a place of total nothingness. It's a time in our life when God removes the resources and supports that we normally rely on to feel secure - our careers, finances, friends, family, health and so forth. It is a preparation time.

When you find yourself in a black hole experience, don't just sit and brood. Take stock of your life. Take a look at your relationship with God.

First, ask God if there are any sins, habits, or attitudes that He might be judging in your life. It's important to discern whether the trial we face is the result of God's discipline for our sin?or if it is preparing us for a future leadership role.

Second, when you enter a black hole, don't trust your feelings. Trust God. Your feelings will tell you, "God has rejected you. Abandon hope. He has left you utterly alone." Feelings change; God never changes. Feelings come and go; God is always with us.

Third, remember that your black hole experience is not only intended to refine and define you; it's also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but others in our sphere of influence.

Fourth, don't try to hurry the black hole process along. Remember, when Joseph was in the depths of the pit, there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't climb out, jump out, levitate out, or talk his way out. All he could do was pray and wait upon the Lord.

Fifth, lean on God. Even when you don't feel like praying, pray. Even when you don't feel like reading His Word, read. Even when you don't feel like singing songs of faith, sing. When you pray, don't just talk; listen. Be silent before Him and listen for His still, quiet voice.

Sixth, be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During a black hole experience, God often leads us to amazing new discoveries. A black hole can be a storehouse of unexpected riches for the soul.

Source:   Deliverance from the Black Hole

Self-Deliverance By Os Hillman

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil" (Proverbs 3:5-7). 
Oswald Chambers advises, "Whenever God gives a vision to a saint, he puts the saint in the shadow of His hand, as it were, and the saint's duty is to be still and listen... When God gives a vision and darkness follows, waiting on God will bring you into accordance with the vision He has given if you await His timing. Otherwise, you try to do away with the supernatural in God's undertakings. Never try to help God fulfill His word."*
In the book of Proverbs, Solomon warns us not to rely on our own fallible wisdom while trying to do God's perfect will. God wants us to wait for His deliverance. His means of bringing us to spiritual maturity requires us to wait on His deliverance through adversity so that we will be able to discern the difference between our own self-deliverance and God's authentic deliverance in our lives.

It's a paradox but it's true: God often calls us to a ministry - then He deliberately thwarts our efforts to achieve our goals! We see it in the life of Moses. In obedience to God, Moses told Pharaoh, "Let my people go!" How did Pharaoh respond? He said, "Who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go." Again and again, Moses returned and demanded freedom for his people. Again and again, Pharaoh refused.

God sent plague after plague upon the Egyptians. In response, Pharaoh hardened his heart and persecuted Moses and the people of Israel. So Moses complained to God, "You called me to go to Pharaoh, but You are not freeing the people!" Moses grew discouraged because God had called him to fulfill a vision - a dream of liberation for his people - and the vision seemed to die.

But God was teaching Moses and the people of Israel to persevere, to obey, and to wait upon the Lord in patient trust for God's perfect time for deliverance.

 *Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest: An Updated Edition in Today's Language, ed. by James Reimann (Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers, 1992), entry for January 19.

Source:  Self-Deliverance By Os Hillman

Come Often, Drink Deeply Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink" (John 7:38 NIV).

Friend to Friend

We all come into the world thirsty. From the time my son made his first cry in the delivery room, he began rooting around for something to drink. God planned it that way. Our bodies are 50 to 60 percent water and must be replenished continuously. When we go without water, our skin grows clammy, our eyes become scratchy and our head starts to pound. We need water to keep our mouths moist enough to swallow, our vital organs plump enough to function, and our joints lubricated enough to flex. One week without water and we simply dry up and die.

We also come into the world spiritually thirsty. From the time we are cut loose from our mother's nourishing umbilical cord, we begin our journey to discovering the living water to satisfy the soul.  Oh, we don't know it yet. But God has placed this desire in each and every one of his image bearers. Until we meet Jesus at the well, we fumble about trying to quench the God-given thirst with anything and anyone who offers temporary relief. But it is just that...temporary.

It is only in a relationship with Jesus that we discover what Peter Kreft in Three Philosophies of Life called, "the ultimate purpose for which we were created, the meeting and marriage between ourselves and God...the highest and holiest and happiest hope of the human heart, the thing we were all born hungering (and thirsting) for, hunting for, longing for."

The Samaritan woman at the well we read about in John chapter 4 had tried drinking from many shallow streams. She had been married five times and the man she was living with when she encountered Jesus was not her husband. But they had all left her thirsty for more - or at least for something different. Jesus offered her freely flowing, resplendently refreshing water; water that bubbles up from the indwelling Holy Spirit and quenches every thirst, washes away every sin, and flows into every nook and cranny of our beings. He invites us to come often and drink deeply.

I live on a beautiful lake. I can look at the lake, swim in the lake and even stand in the lake...and still die of thirst. The only way for the water to enter my system is to scoop it up and drink.

Likewise, we can read about Jesus, listen to sermons about Jesus, and even believe that He was a good man. But until we actually believe that Jesus is God's Son, the Messiah, who died for our sins and rose again...until we partake of Jesus and make Him Lord of our lives, we will remain thirsty.

And our woman at the well? She accepted the invitation. She believed! She left the water jug right at Jesus' feet. She didn't need it anymore. After all, she found what she had been looking for her entire life.

Let's Pray

Dear LORD, Oh how I praise You for Your living water. I come to You thirsty and I will drink deeply from Your Word. Thank You for giving me Your Word that I can read every day.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Run With Your Vision and Invest Yourself in Eternal Treasures

Our lives are filled with opportunities every day to sow into eternal reward. All of us want to enter into that day with joy to hear Jesus say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" When we get to Heaven we want to see the eternal treasures that we have been storing up. We don't want to see our heavenly vault empty. The Spirit Inspires 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. The law kills but the Spirit gives life or inspires us. Many people try to accomplish God's desires through keeping the law, creating new laws or just trying to keep a list of "to dos" to please God. This never works. Others are so afraid of missing God that they never do anything at all. Their perception of God is that He will punish them if they miss it on anything. Most people in "church circles" have heard it said, "Brother, you better make sure that is God before you do anything. You don't want to do anything in your flesh." Maybe you just had an inspired idea or finally got motivated to do something in the Kingdom and then someone decides to give you their most holy opinion. Instead of being blessed by what God is showing you to do there is an attempt to shut it down. Our Perception of God Matthew 25:24-26 Then he who had received the one talent came and said, "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours." But his lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed." Our perception of God will make us or break us. If we don't see God for who He really is then everything that we do or don't do in life will be the result of our view of Him. One view that religion can hold of God is that He is a "hard man." If we believe that God is "hard" on us and others, we will be the same. This view of God brings an expectation of "punishment" if we miss it with God. This is what has happened with many Christians. Because of this, they end up doing nothing at all; they become lazy, self-consumed and cannot see any bigger than themselves. They cannot take on a "Kingdom Mindset" because they are so worried they will blow it, miss it and God will punish them for it. Notice that "the Lord of this servant," who is a picture of God, did not excuse his fear but called him a "wicked and lazy servant." Fear produces laziness because it just makes you want to hide away somewhere. God is good. Don't Bury What God Has Given You Matthew 7:11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him! God has given all of us "talents," whether they be spiritual, natural or all of the above. God has given us the gift of life. Don't waste it! Don't bury it. Seek the Lord. Get a vision from God and step out to do something with it. Don't be like the wicked and lazy servant who can't see beyond himself – and how God is going to punish him for missing it. We must get a vision for things that are bigger than ourselves and require God to accomplish them. If you can do it yourself you don't need the Lord to help. We want Him involved. That is why we should always dream big beyond our natural abilities. Sow to the Spirit There are no limitations to us in God's Kingdom. He has put an unlimited potential within us by His Spirit. Don't think about what you can't do. Think about what you can do through Christ. Every day there are multiplied opportunities to "sow to the Spirit." In your actions, your words, your creativity, your worship, your meditation, your prayers, your decrees, your communion, you can sow to the Spirit and experience a place in God of absolutely no limitations. They key is in continually sowing to the Spirit and reaping the life of the Spirit. Get your vision and run! John Belt

Empowering Others By Os Hillman

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" (John 14:12). 

The CEO was excited that he'd found the right man to be general manager of his growing enterprise. He had all the training, the right skill set, and great people skills. The CEO gave him all authority to fulfill his role. However, after six months the CEO had to fire him. It seems the general manager refused to use the empowerment given him to accomplish his tasks.

Great leaders, mentors, and managers must empower others to fulfill the mission of any organization. Jesus invested time and energy developing leaders. Only at the point at which they could properly manage the resource did Jesus empower them. The teacher who offers empowerment too early sets up followers for failure. On the other hand, the leader who fails to empower capable people creates frustration.
Part two of good empowerment is engaging your follower to use his/her authority entrusted to them to fulfill their mission.

Jesus imparted to his followers a balance of both of these concepts. Peter was not ready for leadership before the crucifixion. He failed to use the empowerment given to him by Jesus. It required a failure in Peter's life before he matured in his leadership. However, once Peter began to appropriate from Jesus what He had imparted to him he became a powerful and effective leader. Jesus told his disciples they would be able to not only do what He had done, but they would do even greater things than He did.

This is a key attribute of a leader who wants to empower others to advance their mission.

Source:  Empowering Others By Os Hillman