Tag Archives: trust

A Turning

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All that is required, at its most basic, is a turning to the Lord. Whether I am a mass murderer or am disconnected from God because I’ve been so busy, all that is required is a turning to the Lord. This turning is a heart shift towards God. It includes a vulnerability, a need of help, a contrite heart, a humility and a trust that God can do for us, that Jesus has already done for us, what we cannot do for ourselves.

It assumes a letting go of our own effort, with an intention of dependancy on the Lord, a reckoning of our humanity and our own best efforts as loss. Namely, we turn to God to save us and to lift the burden of our sin, dismay, fear, and to restore us, heal us, and enter us into himself. We long for righteousness and holiness, knowing that only in God are these things found. We are sick of sin and loss, sick of worry and dread, sick of doubling-down on effort, sick of religion, sick of evil, sick of our own goodness (that is no goodness at all).

It is God that is our answer. The oil of the Lord is flowing from the throne-room of God. Enter in. Dare to come, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Chapter 4 of Hebrews speaks of entering into the rest of the Lord. Of ceasing from our labours (some of which is our self-effort to save ourselves, to manage our lives, to make things right) and trusting in the work of God that was accomplished at the creation of the world. vs.3.

I recall being a young mom with many littles, and this injunction to partake of a sabbath day, a physical day of rest from the concerns and needs, the unending demands of life, took some intention and courage. Taking a sabbath day was an act of trust for me. It was possible only as I entrusted my next week to God. The challenge required me to understand that the work would never end, but that I could set the demands aside for a day and rest.

This rest of God comes as a physical, in-time, practical, ceasing from the hustle. In my heart it is the same but more. My soul can find it’s peace and joy and rest in the presence and companionship of God. While the world has its trouble I can be quiet, without rushing, in the Lord. As we practice this week by week we find that the world or our own circumstances have no hold on us. God has the last say regarding our lives and in God we trust.

And so, we turn to God. We set down fretting and we settle our gaze on the Lord. We bring our illness and look to the one who heals. We bring our family along with us into the throne-room of God. We put our sin at the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. We take pause to give thanks, to allow gratitude to flood our being, to say a simple Amen to all that is beautiful around us. We welcome Holy Spirit.

Are you afraid, turn to God. Are you convicted of sin, turn to God. Are you ashamed and embarrassed, turn to God. Are you unsure of your future, turn to God. Are you worried, turn to God. Are you unclear of what to do next, turn to God.

Pause, and turn to the one who created you, sustains you, loves you.

A turning is all it takes. Turn to God and find life.

Chapter 26: A Glad Heart

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Chapter 26: A Glad Heart

2 Corinthians 9:7 reads, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” ESV

It is the cheerful heart that intrigues me.

While this verse speaks about money and our tithes and offerings, I wonder how might the ‘glad heart’ principle apply to the rest of our life?

It occurs to me that there are three things that the principle of a glad heart guide us in:

1.  It Challenges us to Check our Hearts

What are we believing and feeling about any given situation, and how might we adjust our attitude in order to find and express a gladness of heart?

It takes maturity to overlook the assumptions, expectations, and ignorance of others. 

But in order to give with a glad heart this is often what we must do.  It is, after all, what 

God has done with us.

Despite our offensiveness and sin God rose above all that to give to us with a glad heart.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17 ESV

And while we are not God we can have the Lord’s help with our hearts at any time.  The Psalmist cried out, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Psalm 51:10 NIV

While we cannot change the core of our hearts we can come in honesty before the Lord.  It is honesty before the Lord that purifies and refines us.

While we cannot mandate another’s heart, we are to be responsible for our own.  In this we find God working on our behalf.

“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:12b-13 ESV 

The principle of a glad heart is highly personal.  It is something for each of us to work through with the Lord for ourselves.

2.  It Guides our Giving

For many of us, generosity is a way of life.  Yet, because of this there may be many who simply come to expect, and take for granted, this in us.

When expectation, without respect, is placed on us by another, our hearts alert us to this difficulty – our hearts are not able to be glad.

When we are unable to give gladly it is time to step back from giving.  Perhaps we are burnt out. Perhaps we have been taken advantage of.  Perhaps we feel compelled and manipulated.  Perhaps we intuit that our giving would end up with regret.

Here we are warned away from a generosity that would suck our life-force from us.  If we cannot give gladly, it is better to not give at all.

In some instances gladness will return, other times not.  What is inferred in “each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV is honesty and integrity in our inner core.

Our decisions and our actions must clearly align with our hearts, otherwise we are living falsely. This doesn’t bless the Lord.  And it doesn’t ultimately bless others.

We refuse to give under compulsion, or guilt, manipulation, not grudgingly or with regret.

We put boundaries against those who would dishonour us.  We do not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of.  We ensure an honesty in our giving.  For we understand that it is our job to ensure we can remain in a gladness of heart.

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life”  Proverbs 4:23 ESV

“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;”  Hebrews 12:15 ESV

Do what you are glad to be doing.  Allow your heart to lead you in the activities and service you are to be about.  There are many good things to do in this world, but which good thing makes you glad?

Go after that.  Invest in that.  For therein lies your passion and the calling of your life.  Here is where there is honest living for you, and true blessing towards those you serve.

“For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”  2 Corinthians 8:12 ESV

Keeping in mind that we do this to the extent of what we have.  While many may demand and expect of us much, we must always remember to give of what we have.

Do you have wisdom, perhaps money, expertise in crops, business savvy – a heart for school children, for other leaders, for women, for education, for trades and technical skills… what is your heart for?  Work from there.

3.  It Reminds us to not become a Weight on Others

When others cannot engage with us gladly, then we know something is off.  The lack of gladness in others reminds us to back off, to fix our approach, to reckon what might be wrong, and to give full respect for the generosity of others towards us.

We can watch for this gladness in others in a variety of situations.

While applying to our financial giving, it also applies to any situation, from the gifts we give, to help with chores around the house, and even to sexual intimacy in marriage.

I once heard it taught to men how to recognize the willingness of their woman in regards to sexual intimacy – it was this: Look for enthusiasm.  When a woman responds with enthusiasm, know that she wants sex as much as you.  Without enthusiasm, you are bordering on rape at worst, and blatant disregard at best.

Gladness of heart in the bedroom reveals the core of a marital relationship.  Gladness of heart in the bedroom indicates the level of honour and respect in the relationship.

In addition to this example from marriage, consider how this applies to leadership.  There are a number of verses throughout the Bible admonishing us to work in cooperation with our leaders, and I am convinced that gladness of heart is at the core of these requests.

“Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.  Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”  Hebrews 13:17 NIV

As a leader, a teacher, a mentor, when is it most amazing to lead?

When we can do so from a glad heart.

As people, we want to increase other’s gladness.  Leading is hard enough, there is no need to make it any harder.  Take care not to erode the gift of gladness to those who are spending their lives on our behalf.

For as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, the point is so that mutual give and take, blessing and being blessed, can flow back and forth within the Christian community.

We give with a glad heart out of what we have, knowing that God is taking care of us just the same.

“Your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.”  

2 Corinthians 8:14 ESV

We cannot ever force another to have a glad heart. In fact, remaining in someone’s face demanding their gifts in a gladness of heart, ensures a less glad heart.

In every area of life, pushing for what we want, means we get less of what we want. 

While perseverance is good it is always to be worked out in the context of relationship with each other.  It does us no good to get what we want but to break fellowship along the way.

Gladness of heart ensures a right attitude as we give, and as we receive, and as we work and live and love alongside others.

When we invest in our own glad heart, respect the glad hearts of others around us, and when we refuse to diminish the glad hearts of others, we find a deep gladness for life itself.

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.   And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Colossians 3:15-17 ESV

Application

The biggest violation of this glad heart principle is found in churches and their demands for a tithe from every member each and every time they enter the door of a church. 

Tithing was never meant to be a burden or to be used to manipulate and wrestle money from people.  God makes it very clear that it does not matter what we give, but it does matter if we can give it with a glad heart. 

God does not need anything. God does not need your money.  God loves a cheerful giver because he knows that giving enters us into the same work as he himself is in – but not even God forces anyone to give. 

Seek the Lord about the tithing practices in your church and ask God if you are forcing people to tithe.  Also, if you are afraid of what might happen if people didn’t give, then take these fears to the Lord and ask for healing.  Begin to trust God in a new way for your provision as pastor.  Do not use your position to violate the principle of a glad heart for your people. 

Summary – a glad heart 

Honesty with our hearts is first and foremost.  2 Corinthians 9:7

Secondly, we allow God to change our hearts.  Philippians 2:12-13

Third, we make space for other’s hearts and what they can or cannot do at any time. 2 Corinthians 9:7 

Next, we trust God to change all our hearts.  Psalm 51:10

We do not force others.  2 Corinthians 8:12

We give and we receive as The Spirit leads, without compulsion on ourselves or others. 2 Corinthians 8:14

Chapter 22: Servants

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Chapter 22: Servants

About 700 years before Jesus was born, an amazing prophet named Isaiah lived in Israel.  God gave Isaiah many prophecies about Jesus.

One of the titles for Jesus appears in Isaiah 42.  God said, “Look at my servant – He is my chosen one.” (42:1)

So Jesus is the “chosen servant”. We know Jesus is God, yet the Father chose him to be a servant. What can be more amazing? If God is willing to serve so should we.

It is an honour to be a servant alongside Jesus.  Just as a farmer uses a yoke to harness two oxen or buffalo together, Jesus invites us to get into a yoke with him.  When you have accepted Jesus, he does not ask you to serve alone.

Hear Jesus’ words on the next page: 

“Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden you share with me is light.  Matthew 11:29-30 NLT

Isaiah learns more about Jesus. “I have put my Spirit upon him,” God says. 

Isaiah 42:1b NLT

The Holy Spirit walking with Jesus strengthened his desire to serve.  When we accept Jesus, we naturally find we have a desire to serve.

We ask, “How do I find where I should serve?”  We are all surrounded with needs.  Many we cannot afford but there are many that cost us nothing other than time.

Let’s just open our eyes and ask the Holy Spirit to guide us.  As Christians, serving others brings us great joy and satisfaction.  This pleases God which only adds to our joy.

In God’s kingdom, the way up is down.  If you are embarrassed to serve in some simple way, God will not lift you up to do greater tasks.

So imitate Jesus: he did the job of a slave by washing his disciples feet.  He then said,

“You call me Teacher and Lord.  You are right, for that is what I am.  If I, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet.” John 13:13-14 ESV

We have made feet washing into a ceremony, but Jesus had in mind a lot more than that.

Jesus simply did the normal job of a slave: to wash the guests feet when they came in from the dirty village streets.  In the upper room with his disciples there were no slaves.

Jesus took on the task of washing the disciples.  He modelled that there is not any of us too high or mighty to do the ordinary tasks that are a part of every day.  Jesus Christ led the way, showing us how to serve.

How might we serve today?  Who might we serve today? 

In the words of the writer of Hebrews,  “Now may the God of peace… may He equip you with all you need for doing his will.  May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him.  All glory to him forever and ever!  Amen.”  Hebrews 13:20a -21 NLT

Application

Those who study and teach leadership have found that leading is much more than having a role and a title or position, true leadership is the influence created when we serve others and build others into the people they can become. 

In fact, we find this guideline for the work of leadership: 

    • 40% of the job is building TRUST  
    • 30% is paying attention to the NEEDS of the people
    • 20% is the IDEAS 
    • 10%  is next STEPS

This means that 70% of the job of leaders is building relationships and attending to people.  Then, and only then, are our ideas and the steps required to implement those ideas able to be accomplished. 

The people we work with and those we serve must know that we are FOR them.  If we are not for others, then people will sense that we are using them for our own purposes and they will reject our leadership, this is only normal and right. 

Yet often we take the easy way out.  We take on a position and then order people to do this or that, we come into a role and then begin telling people how to live their lives. If the people don’t know any better, this will work for a time.  Yet it will ultimately fail. 

For, when we do not pay attention to the very people we are to be in service to, we destroy any trust that might be there and without trust we are not leaders.  All leadership is built on trust. This cannot be stated too strongly. 

As leaders we are stewards of people.  We are called to build them. 

When Jesus said to build his church, he was not talking about a building or programs, he was talking about building people.  And this requires that we hold our stewardship responsibility with great care and respect.  We are called to serve, to lift up, to encourage, to build the people entrusted to us. 

This week pay attention to the people in your life and ministry and discern if they trust you or not.  For each person, your spouse, your children, your colleagues, your congregation, determine their level of trust in you.

For instance, we can use a continuum to see this clearly, with a low 1. of trust on the left hand side, and a high 10. of trust on the right hand side (on the next page):

Use a simple line to show a continuum of trust, from a low 1. on the left side, to a high 10. on the right side, mark on the line each person that you are in relationship with.  Begin with your family and those closest to you, then consider each person in your congregation, next think about those in your community and neighbourhood. 

  • Where is each person in relationship to you in terms of trust? 
  • Do people trust you? 

This is a critical survey to take.  It is important to know if others trust you or not.  For if there is a deficit in trust then all your other plans and the things you undertake will not bear fruit.  Trust is the basis for all things and this is particularly true of ministry.  You cannot afford to ignore the levels of trust between yourself and others.  

trust no trust picture

1.  For this application, simply take the time to think through all of your relationships and to mark for yourself where you think each is in terms of trust; use a continuum to plot each relationship on the line between a low 1. and a high 10. 

2.  If your trust level with people is very low, then go to the Lord in prayer and confess that you have been violating people’s trust.  Take responsibility for this and ask the Lord to help you rebuild trust. 

NOTE:  We will talk more about building trust, and I will give practical guidelines for doing this as this course progresses.  But first, for today, just take a good look at your relationships and see where you truly stand in your family, in ministry, and in your community. 

Summary – servants

We serve out of the strength of being yoked with Christ.  Matthew 11:29-30

‘How can we serve others?’ is a question to ask at all times.  John 13: 13-14

God will strengthen us as we serve others.  Hebrews 13:20-21

Chapter 14: Our Journey

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Chapter 14: Our Journey

This journey of walking with God is not always smooth.  We experience a lot of hurdles and bumps in the road.  There are times of confusion and disappointment.  There are times of frustration and upset.

These are really normal.  They are part of our experience as human beings.

Sometimes, especially when we are young in the Lord, we expect God to make everything great.

We think that if we walk with God then everything will go how we want it to go.

But this is rarely the case.  Using God in this way simply reveals us as children and God as something we would like to use.

God does not fix everything for us.  And the path he has us walk is not always smooth.  It is how we learn after all and how we come to rely on him.

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.  Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”  Psalm 23:4  NLT 

As we walk with God there are a few things we can do to come to greater understanding of God’s leading and guiding of us.

1.  One is to have a bigger perspective than normal.  With God we are able to step back from our own experience and lives and look at things from God’s angle.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts”, says the Lord, “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.”  Isaiah 55:8 NLT

How does he see this situation? How might God be leading me through this difficulty?  What might I learn from this?

“Joyful are those your discipline, Lord, those you teach with your instructions.” Psalm 94:12  NLT

There is not one wasted experience or situation in the Kingdom of God.

Everything is for our benefit and for our development. God is continually growing us and shaping us so that we can reflect Him more accurately and come to understand how much we are loved.

2.  The second thing is to allow options in our thinking.  We need bigger thinking.  Life is not all one way or another.  Often the Lord leads us in one way of thinking simply to get us to another spot.

God meets us where we are at and leads us from there.  He knows that we cannot make leaps in growth or understanding.

“Have you never heard?  Have you never understood?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of all the earth.  He never grows weak or weary.  No one can measure the depths of his understanding”  Isaiah 40:28 NLT

And so while we may think that ‘A’ is the answer, he knows that ‘F’ is really the solution. 

He takes us on journey’s of thought and practice to get us from ‘A’ (our thinking) to ‘F’ (his best solution).

This can be a disheartening journey.  Often we don’t really understand where he is taking us. But that is okay.

“Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser.  Teach the righteous and they will learn even more.”  Proverbs 9:9  NLT

While his leading is not a guarantee of our best wishes, he knows better than us what we need and is intent on getting us there.

God has our best interest at heart.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

3.  In this process he tests us again and again by having us lay down our desires.  Just like Abraham laying down his son’s life on the altar, we are tested the same.

Though we have good desires and pray for outcomes that will bring glory to God he sets up situations where time after time our motives are tested.

“Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.  Test my motives and my heart.” Psalm 26:2 NLT

Do we really want prayers answered for Him or for us?  Are we looking to the best interest of others, or of ourselves?

God brings hurdles and roadblocks to our lives to test us this way.  For he knows that with the wrong motives everything will come to an end.

“Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, to find out whether or not you would obey his commands.”  Deuteronomy 8:2 NLT 

Our reasons for praying for this or for going after that must be refined and proven solid. 

Only then is He glorified and do our lives have real satisfaction.

Through all  of these things, 1) Learning to have bigger perspective, 2) Bigger thinking, and 3) Testing of our Motives, we mature and grow up.

Rather than little children who demand this or that, who cry out ‘But you said!’ we enter into a true partnership with the Lord.

“God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:9 NLT

We are wiser, we think differently, we pray differently, and we act differently.

God is in the people development business.  God is intent on growing us up into spiritual adults.

We welcome your growth in us Lord.  Thank-You.

Application

Take some time to think about your life and ask the Lord to show you how he has led you to where you are today. 

Each of our lives have undergone big changes from time to time.  We have transitioned into who we are today, and many of these transitions have been marked by what we call life-markers.  Life-markers are times in our history that we do not notice when we are in them, but looking back we can see them. 

Not everything that occurs in our lives are markers of transition. We cannot count everything in this way. Yet, it is a good exercise to look back on our lives and see and make note of how our life has progressed. 

Take some time before the Lord and with pen and paper.  If you are 30 years old or younger, identify 5 life-markers. If you are 30 years or older, identify 8 life-markers. 

A Life-Marker could be any of the following: 

  • an event in your life where you became a different person because of that time
  • a time where you had to grow and learn at a fast pace for the circumstances
  • a time when you had a thought or new understanding that changed the direction of your life
  • a crisis that changed your life in some way
  • a realization about yourself or about God that changed you as a person

You may have to begin by naming more life-markers than just five or eight, but narrow down your list to either five or eight life-markers, depending on your age. 

As an example, here are my life-markers: 

      1. accepted Christ at 6 years of age
      2. received the Holy Spirit and wisdom at 16 years old
      3. got married at 20 years and began having babies
      4. life fell apart from 30-35 years old
      5. began my inner healing journey in 2000
      6. hit by a car in 2005
      7. became single in 2009
      8. international launch of CCIM in 2011

Once you have your list of life-markers, look at each one and note 1-3 things that led up to that life-marker, and then note 1-3 effects of that time or event. 

For example – For my 6th life-marker:   ‘hit by a car in 2005’

leading up to this: 1. ignored a warning from God 

ongoing effects since then: 1. my career changed because of my physical limitations 2. my kids lives and family life became different because of my accident 3. I began seriously writing 4. today I write for many around the world 

As you can see in my own example, that getting hit by a car dramatically changed my life.  While that event was traumatic at the time, it was definitely not all bad.  In fact, that life-marker was a very important event in getting my life headed in the specific way that God wanted and with my becoming a more serious writer.  The impact is continuing to this day with this course and other materials used by pastors and leaders in many places. 

Now it is your turn: 

  • Make Your List of Life-Markers
  • Note 1-3 things that led up to that life-marker
  • Note 1-3 effects from that time or event

Questions to ask yourself: 

  • As you look at your list of life-markers what do you notice about your life? 
  • As you make note of the continuing effects from that time or event what comes to mind? 
  • As you look at your life-markers are you noticing anything new that you never thought about before? 
  • How has God worked through these things in your life?

Give Thanks to the Lord: 

Even though our lives contain both good and bad it is a valuable skill to be able to give thanks to the Lord in all things.  It is not easy to come through hard times and it is not easy to see God’s hand in our hard times.  I pray that through this exercise that you have been able to recognize where God has been in your life.  He is with us at all times even when it does not seem this way in the moments. 

Take some time before the Lord to thank him for your unique life-markers.  Thank him for where these things have brought you.  Thank him for what he has taught you through them.  Thank him for the continuing effects and the good that you can see from these things. 

Finally, claim your life and all of its parts for the glory of God.  Give praise to God for your life and dedicate it and yourself to him anew from this day on. 

Prayer

“God, I come before you today in thankfulness for my life and for your hand upon me.  I see that you have been with me even more than I realized.  Thank you.   Today I claim my life for the glory of God and in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ.  Thank you Lord for the path you have had me on.  Although it has not always been easy I give it to you and I ask that you would use my entire life for your glory and honour and for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God.  Thank you for giving me a part in your big plan for this earth and my communities and I give my life to your service in this.  Amen” 

Summary – our journey 

We can ask God for bigger understanding of our lives.  Isaiah 55:8

We take our thoughts captive to the purposes of the Lord.  Romans 12:2

We accept the testing of the Lord (it proves we are his child).  Psalm 26:2

We trust him for all we do not understand and cannot see.  1 Corinthians 1:9

We dedicate our lives to the glory of God.  Romans 12:1

Chapter 13: Prophetic Lives

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Chapter 13: Prophetic Lives

In Job 9:33 we read, “If only there were a mediator between us, someone who could bring us together.” NLT

Job had been talking about the utter lost-ness of his position.  That no matter how much he tried, no matter how well he kept the law, no matter how perfect he could manage to live (and he did live an innocent life before God), it didn’t bridge that gap between him and God.  We find Job’s heart crying out for a mediator between himself and God.

Read all of Job 9.

What is so amazing is that Job had lost everything a person could possibly lose.  His family was completely gone, his business and all of his finances had been completely destroyed and then, finally, he lost his health as well.

And in the midst of this he desired to draw near to God.  He wasn’t rejecting God or angry with God.  Rather, he looked to see how he might draw near to God in the very midst of his pain and sorrow.

We see in Job’s life a type of prophetic authority that embodied in his life a specific message of God.  In his pain he speaks prophetically about a Saviour to come.  Many, many years later Christ would indeed be that mediator that Job so longed for. 

In Job’s struggle despite doing everything right, we are privileged to see a message and prophetic work that is stronger than words.  This message of our desperate need for a Saviour is poured through the very life of Job and was in fact proven-up in his responses in the midst.

Our own lives can also carry prophetic messages, that something of God that shows through and speaks loud and clear of God in some way.

This was the way with many of the prophets of the Old Testament.  In Hosea we find Hosea instructed by the Lord to carry out a message of God through his very life.

Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover.  This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.”  Hosea 3:1 NLT

Ezekiel also acted out a message of God.  This was his prophetic assignment:

“Now lie on your left side and place the sins of Israel on yourself.  You are to bear their sins for the number of days you lie there on your side.  I am requiring you to bear Israel’s sin for 390 days – one day for each year of their sin.  After that, turn over and lie on your right side for 40 days – one day for each year of Judah’s sin.”  Ezekiel 4:4-6 NLT

These are strange assignments.  They don’t really make sense and they go against our better judgements.  The lesson of Job’s life is the same.

Job revealed a hearts automatic response to God in the hardest of times. Even though life became inconceivably broken and devastated he responded authentically and genuinely toward God.  And in this he carried a prophetic message.  He revealed a part of God that was given to him to reveal.

This is the same of others throughout scripture.  Read about:

• Daniel – Daniel chapters 1-9

• Esther – the book of Esther

• Noah – Genesis 6

They lived lives in the day to day, the experience of such, that would seem confusing and certainly not of God.

Our lives are often the same.  It takes faith to look to God in the difficulties and the unexpected. It takes faith to open up the camera lens on our lives so that we can see the big picture.

“And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”  Romans 5:4-6 NLT 

It takes living a life that doesn’t always make sense and a courage to find and have this kind of life that carries a unique expression of God.

Walking with the Spirit means that we are open to things beyond ourselves.  That we exhibit wisdom in the face of the unaccountable.  And that we do not ascribe to Satan what is of God.

“but anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven.  This is a sin with eternal consequences.”   Mark 3:29 NLT

When we walk our days in genuine affection for the Lord, when we walk in obedience to the leading of the Spirit and when we worship the Lord regardless of our days, we have a recipe for carrying out that unique prophetic message that is ours to bear.

Thing is, walking with God in an intuitive fashion is a life lived beyond our understanding and beyond what we can make happen.

The prophetic messages of our lives happen when we simply give over our life to him. 

Total and complete surrender has the Lord’s finger in the mix of our days, taking what feels so very ordinary into what is completely extraordinary.

Praise be to our Lord and King.

“Praise the LORD! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp!”  Psalm 150:1-3 NLT

Prayer

“God we ask today for eyes that see your mix in our days.  We ask for understanding and wisdom from you.  Most of all we ask for courage to walk as you would have us walk, and for patience and understanding and a vision that sees beyond our own experiences.  We invite you Jesus into our very lives. We invite you Holy Spirit to refresh us and guide us.  Thank-You God.”

Application

We want to be quick to be obedient to the voice of the Lord.  Is there anything that the Lord has instructed you in, which you have not done? 

If so, speak this out to a trusted person, and then make a plan to take step/s of obedience to the instruction of the Lord. 

Sometimes, our hard times are because we are in direct disobedience to what God has been telling us. So, take some time to inquire of the Lord if there is anything in which you have not been obedient.  Then, become obedient.  Do the thing that God is telling you. 

Summary – prophetic lives

God directs our lives.  Psalm 23:4

God’s ways don’t always make sense to us.  Isaiah 55:8

We are called to be obedient to the voice of the Lord.  1 Corinthians 1:9 

We trust God with our lives.  Jeremiah 29:11

Chapter 12: Trusting with Little

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12.  Trusting with Little

Capturing God’s Heart Volume #13 

The journey with our God is an interesting one.

We quickly learn that God’s timing is not our timing, and that God’s ways are not our ways.  In fact, there are many times when God simply says ‘No’ or ‘Not this way’.  It is at times like this that our motives and heart are tested and tried.

We tend to make Plan A with God.  We come up with our best scenario, and then we invite God into it.  But Plan A is usually not the best plan.  For the first plan we think of is usually the easiest and with the least amount of risk.

Much like Gideon in the Old Testament, we want surety and guaranteed success.

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel?  My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!”  Judges 6:15 NLT 

But much like the story of Gideon, God comes along and says, “No you can do with less. For I will be with you.”

The Lord said to him, “I will be with you.  And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.”  Judges 6:16 NLT 

And in the process God tests our resolve and our faith.

Do we really believe in him? Do we really trust him? Are we able to walk his way?

Do we really get it that ‘God With Us’ is all that is needed?

The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many warriors with you.  If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength.  Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.”   Judges 7:2-3 NLT

Or do we insist on our own way, demanding from God our plan and our way?

Fact is, God’s ways are better than our ways.  And Plan B is always a better plan.  For Plan B comes with much risk, and demands more from us internally.

“But the Lord told Gideon, “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.”  When Gideon took his warriors down to the water, the Lord told him, “Divide the men into two groups. In one group put all those who cup water in their hands and lap it up with their tongues like dogs.  In the other group put all those who kneel down and drink with their mouths in the stream.”  Only 300 of the men drank from their hands.  All the others got down on their knees and drank with their mouths in the stream.”   Judges 7:4-6 NLT

Our hearts must engage in greater measure with the real plans of God.

Our faith is exercises beyond the normal and beyond what our minds can comprehend and what makes sense to us.

“The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites.  Send all the others home.” So Gideon collected the provisions and rams’ horns of the other warriors and sent them home.  But he kept the 300 men with him.” Judges 7:7-8a NLT

God will always decrease our provision until we get it that with him we have everything, that with him we have all we need, and that with him all things are possible.

It is a tricky balance to be sure.  Too easily we begin to trust in the ‘greatness’ of numbers or of those around us, when really, all we are to get is the ability to really trust God himself, and no other.

God will come through for us, but not how we are expecting, and usually not how we would like. But like Gideon we can make a shift in our being, and allow the living God to show up on His terms and in his way.

Then, and only then, will we experience and witness the glory of God.

“That is the story of how the people of Israel defeated Midian, which never recovered. Throughout the rest of Gideon’s lifetime—about forty years—there was peace in the land.”  Judges 8:28 NLT

What are you wrestling through today?  Where are you needing a miracle of the Lord?

Perhaps while you are thinking, “We need more.” He is saying, “No, you actually need less.”

And like the Lord told Gideon right at the beginning, “Go with the strength you have.”

“Then the Lord turned to him and said,  ‘Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!’”  Judges 6:14 NLT

God shows up through our present circumstances and strength.  Our strengths and circumstances are sufficient for the task, because of who God is, not because of who we are. 

Will you trust him?

Application

There is a common belief the world over that more is better.  And in this belief we are often over-reaching beyond how the Lord is directing us.  We can test this by the plans we have made in the past – are they still in place, are they standing strong, are they established?  If not, we were probably overreaching beyond what we could build and sustain. 

We are to be faithful with the little that God entrusts to us.  It is evident that one of the strongholds of poverty is the violation of this principle.  Often we despise the simple beginnings and the small things, but in God we are called to steward the little because only when we have proven ourselves faithful with a little, will we be given more. 

1.  Take some time to think through the things that you are responsible for and that God has entrusted to you.  Are you taking care of these things? 

Are you being a good steward? 

Your focus is to be on the things God has already entrusted to you.  Doing this, becoming faithful to care for your family and things, will prove that you can be trusted with more.  Not right away of course, but over time God will give you more things to be responsible for and to steward. 

2.  Make a list of all the things that you are responsible for. 

3.  Next, give yourself a grade for faithful stewardship of each thing. 

4.  Then, make a note for each thing about how you might improve in your care of the things under your responsibility. 

5.  Do these things on your list, one by one, bit by bit. 

Summary – trusting with little

We must be faithful with the little.  Luke 16:10

We trust God and follow Him.  Proverbs 3:5

When we are weak God is strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10

God knows the whole plan, we see only a part of it.  Romans 8:28

Chapter 10. Difficulty

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Chapter 10.  Difficulty

per — Capturing God’s Heart Volume #10

Today I am sharing about Difficulty, and some of what I have come to find about the Lord through the hard things of our lives.

We all have trouble in this life. Each of us experience things that are simply difficult. In fact the Bible speaks quite a bit to difficulty. Jesus said this:

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.  But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33 NLT 

I used to think that God was going to fix all my difficulty and that the overcoming that Christ spoke of was to do with the stuff of this world.  That perhaps God was simply magic applied to my life and that I could pray and all of a sudden the hard stuff would go away.

I have found that this is not so.  I have learned that God does not fix our lives so much as He wants to walk alongside us in our lives.

The overcoming of the world that Christ speaks of is the process of finding God in the midst of the worst things, and in turn finding our strength from the inside out.

“The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.” Psalm 9:9 NLT

Will our lives get better and better with God in the mix, for sure.

Will all our troubles go away? No, they won’t.

Difficulties are the refining fire that proves our love for God, proves our walk alongside Him, and establishes us as trustworthy in His kingdom.

The pressures of life test and prove what we have inside us.

“He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.” Malachi 3:3 NLT 

Are we interested in God because he is going to help us, or are we interested in God because we love him and want to be in his company and to serve in His kingdom?

The Levites were the priests of the Lord. Chosen by Him to serve Him in the temple. 

Today we are all priests. Chosen by God, cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and it is the difficulties that purify us.

Difficulty purifies our motives.

Difficulty also strengthens us.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”  Romans 5:3-5 NLT

Like carrying a load of wood or jugs of water, we start off with our small muscles and can only carry so much.

But then we are able to carry more.  Our muscles are stronger.  Our strength is increased.

This is what difficulties do for us.  They grow our inner muscles.  Difficulties grow our character and our wisdom and our resilience.

Difficulties are not something that happens to us, but rather they are for us.

“Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.” Ecclesiastes 7:3 NLT 

God uses difficulties to prepare you and I for the assignments in His kingdom.

There is no way around difficulty.

Each of us must travel through the various difficulties that have come to us.

Certainly, many of our troubles are our own doing, but many of them are not.  And it doesn’t even matter as much as we think, for God will use the difficulties to do a work in our life.

“You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.” Psalm 71:20 NLT 

Once we have faced difficulties we are stronger.  Once we have faced the worst things and found God in the midst of it all, we are not so afraid of difficulties anymore.

The thing is, difficulties never go away.  Even when we reach success, success brings its own set of difficulty.

There will always be hard things.  And we have a choice to either fight God in the midst of our trouble or to grow and mature under the hard things.

“In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God.  We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind.” 2 Corinthians 6:4 NLT 

Unfortunately some of us take our difficulties to others.  We want someone to save us and to make it better.

Or we take our frustration and anger out on those closest to us, hurting others as a result.

None of this grows the fruit that we want.  We want inner strength, not destroyed relationships. We want maturity and integrity, not child-like frustrations thrown on other people.

Each of us are responsible for our own lives and this starts in the inner place between ourselves and God, that place where we take the difficulties and we work them through with God.

We find His strength in the midst of our weakness.

“So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you.” 1 Peter 4:19 NLT 

Once we stop fighting difficulty, we become better equipped to deal with them well, to grow in wisdom and knowledge, to add to our faith with understanding and a bigger perspective.

Most important we find God in new and fresh ways when in the midst of difficulty.

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”  Isaiah 43:2 NLT

Will life get better and better as we walk with Him? Yes it will.

But not because life changes necessarily (although it will by and by), but more importantly because we change.  And when we change, everything changes.

Thanking God for our difficulties is the starting place.  Where we give a sacrifice of praise even in the difficulty, we are most blessed.

“Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him.  Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”  Colossians 2:7 NLT 

God responds to this kind of faith and heart.  Our lives will not be the same.

Prayer

“Thank-you God for our troubles.  Thank-you for bringing us difficulty that refines us and purifies our hearts before you.  We are glad that you have trusted us with hard things, knowing that we are equipped and strengthened in this.  We trust you with the hardships of our lives.  We invite your hand into our troubles, but just as much we ask that you would teach us everything we need to know as we face our difficulties.  May we see the hard stuff as opportunities to come to know you more.  Thank-you Father that you walk alongside us through the middle of all our trouble. We bless your name today.  Amen”

Troubles in one shape or another will always be with us.  Today let us dedicate our lives to God regardless of our circumstances and difficulty. Regardless of the trouble we praise you Lord!

Application

As a prayer minister and as I work with my clients toward inner healing I have found it very powerful for us to take our difficulties and troubles and claim them for the glory of God. 

For instance, “God I take this accident I was involved in and I declare it for your glory and honour. 

I remove from it any authority of the enemy and I state in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ that even this circumstance can be used by God for his glory and for my future.” 

When we claim every part of our lives for the glory of God we declare in the spirit realm that God is Lord over our life, and that even though the enemy might be sending trouble our way we will not be overcome by it, but rather we will overcome it by the power of the cross. 

And in this, our hearts and minds are changed as well.  We move from blaming and accusation (even against the enemy) and we begin to hold a space that declares that God can use everything in our lives and we are glad to have him do so.  We do not need to be angry with the enemy for we are confident that God can use our current circumstances for his glory and for our future. 

When we change our hearts and minds in this way we remove from that trouble its authority or ‘say’ to upset our lives.  We firmly declare that God is in control of everything and we begin to give thanks for each thing in our lives whether they are good or bad. 

As we give God the glory for everything in our lives the grip of the enemy loosens for he simply cannot stay where God is glorified.  And in it’s place we see the powerful outworking of the Lord beginning to inhabit and move through the very things we think are the worst. 

Our faith is built.  Our trust is established.  Our perspective is broadened.  We are made more glad in all things.  Our Joy increases. 

1.  Today, make a list of all the circumstances of your life that you would consider to be trouble and great difficulty.  Write each thing down.  Leave nothing out. 

2.  Gather with another person (or the entire group) that is taking this course with you. 

3.  Then, each person, one by one, declare each thing for God’s glory. 

4.  Then, stand in agreement with each other.  Pray and declare that the trouble of the person beside you, is also for the glory of the Lord. 

5.  Use a prayer like this: 

“God I come before you today in the name and the blood of my Lord Jesus Christ. God I have a lot of trouble and many difficulties but today Lord I claim each of these difficulties and trouble for your glory. 

My (speak out your first trouble) I declare for the glory and honour of my Lord and God. My (second trouble) I declare for the glory and honour of my Lord and God. My (third trouble) I declare for the glory and honour of my Lord and God. (Continue in this same way until you have read through your entire list). Every single part of my life I claim 100% for the glory of the one true God.”

Summary – difficulty 

We can have peace in Christ.  John 16:33

Difficulty purifies our motives and heart.  Romans 5:3-5

God is with us in our difficulty.  Isaiah 43:2 

Leadership Lesson One – TRUST

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The first leadership lesson that I give is this:

LESSON ONE – Leadership is about Trust – 1 Corinthians 4:2

When we first come into leadership we may think it is about:

  • Status
  • Power
  • Position
  • Authority

But these things are the lowest forms of leadership.

A true leader does not worry about status because status is about self, and a leader is for others. Matthew 23:12

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