Gratitude And Trust

From: In Touch Ministries

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding. In all things be mindful of Him and He will direct your paths."

We often find it easy to trust the Lord when circumstances are pleasant. In difficult times, though, resting in Him can be challenging. Yet that is precisely what God told David to "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall deliver you" (Ps. 50:15).

Trusting the Lord is possible because of His love for us. In the Bible, we see this divine love clearly demonstrated through the Father's character, the Savior's atoning death, and the believer's adoption as a child of God.

Another reason we can rely upon our heavenly Father is His infinite wisdom (Rom. 11:33). He always knows what is best for us, and His judgments are perfect. We don't understand all that goes into God's plan—compared to the full, clear view He has of our lives, we see just a limited picture of reality. Therefore, what He chooses for us may not make sense at the time.

We can also depend upon the Lord because He is sovereign. In other words, whatever He—in His wisdom and love—chooses to do, He is able to accomplish. Nothing stands in the way of our God. He is in complete control of all things; even Satan must obtain His permission before taking action (Job 1:9-12).

We understandably dislike adversity intensely and may feel tempted to ask, "Why, Lord?" Yet by recognizing that God acts in love, wisdom, and sovereignty, we can know that He's allowed the situation and has our long-term best in mind. So we can replace "why?" with gratitude and trust.

Workplace Ministry

From: Today God Is First - Os Hillman

Colossians 3:17 "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."

Over 70 percent of our time is spent in the workplace, the greatest mission field of our day and represents the greatest opportunity for societal transformation. 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.

God is removing the wall of separation by speaking to pastors and workplace believers all over the world. We are entering a new era in the Church when workplace believers are seen as members 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. You don't have to be a trained preacher to be an ambassador for Christ! St. Francis of Assisi said, "Always preach the Gospel...and sometimes use words."

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. And also pray that Corporate leaders will recognize the need, and benefit of Corporate Chaplaincy. In fact, both Houses of Congress have enjoyed the use of appointed Chaplains since the founding of our Nation. Very good idea!

Peace And Trust

From: Boyd Bailey Ministries

Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…"

Your thoughts, perceptions, emotions, will, memory and imagination are all wrapped up in your human consciousness called the mind. This is why your mind is like the rudder of your life. Wherever your mind takes you, your behavior will follow. If thoughts take you toward the rocks of fear, you will act fearful. If they take you toward the shore of peace, you will act calm.

But, a mind, latched onto the Lord, trusts Him when circumstances beg for you to cower in fear. Thus, keep your perspective on the horizon of heaven. Like a ship cascading through the open sea, you have the wind of the Holy Spirit moving you forward, with the compass of truth leading you toward the ultimate destination of God’s will.

Make peace and trust a staple of your spiritual diet, as they nourish your soul like food and water invigorates your body. Like a security detail, they will escort you through good and bad times. They will protect you from lashing out in anger when you have been deeply hurt. A steadfast mind is one that stays focused on Jesus and His expectations.

Your mind is a school for study, so make sure your faculty members flow from the character of God. Cultivate your brain for more creative ways to apply His peace and trust. Do not analyze God out of the equation. Rather, draw Him into your conclusions. A peaceful trust comes from our perfect God!

Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Maybe You Should Trade Places

From: Powerpoint Ministries

Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths."

Trust can be difficult, can't it? There have been times in my life when I put my trust in someone and was completely let down. And every time that happens, it makes it that much harder to trust them again. But while people will fail you, God will never let you down.

God has a master plan for every Christian… a blueprint for every believer… a wonderful will for your life as well as mine. And whether you are a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker, God has a purpose for your life. We can know for certain that God is in control, that we're not just aimlessly wandering and meandering through life, because the Scripture affirms that over and over again.

The Lord only asks that you trust in Him to know what's best for you… to not lean on your own understanding of how things should be. It's like that bumper sticker I see all the time that says, "If God is your copilot, then you better trade places!"

When you begin to trust in God for everything, He will do amazing things in your life for his glory!

Faithful Stewardship

From: The Purpose Driven Life Ministries

Matthew 25:21 "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness."

We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. God just loans it to us while we're here. It was God's property before we arrived, and God will loan it to someone else after we die. We just get to enjoy it for a while.

The first job God gave humans was to manage and take care of God's "stuff" on earth. This role has never been rescinded. It is a part of our purpose today. Everything we enjoy is to be treated as a trust that God has placed in our hands.

Jesus often referred to life as a trust and told many stories to illustrate our responsibility toward God. In the story of the talents, a businessman entrusts his wealth to the care of his servants while he's away. When he returns, he evaluates each servant's responsibility and rewards them accordingly. The owner says, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness."

At the end of our life on earth we will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well we handled what God entrusted to us.

Testing Your Heart

From: The Purpose Driven Life Ministries

2 Chronicles 32:31 "God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart."

Character is both developed and revealed by tests, and all of life is a test. You are always being tested. God constantly watches your response to people, problems, success, conflict, illness, disappointment, and even the weather! He even watches the simplest actions such as when you open a door for others, when you pick up a piece of trash, or when you're polite toward a clerk or waitress.

Words like trials, temptations, refining, and testing occur more than 200 times in Scripture. God tested Abraham by asking him to offer his son Isaac. God tested Jacob when he had to work extra years to earn Rachel as his wife. Adam and Eve failed their test in the Garden of Eden, and David failed a test from God on several occasions. But the Bible also gives us many examples of people who passed great tests, such as Job, Joseph, Ruth, Esther, and Daniel.

We don't know all the tests God will give you, but we can predict some of them, based on the Bible. You will be tested by major changes, by delayed promises, by impossible problems, by unanswered prayers, undeserved criticism, and even senseless tragedies. In my own life I have noticed that God tests my faith through problems, tests my hope by how I handle possessions, and tests my love through people.

A very important test is how you act when you can't feel God's presence in your life. Sometimes God intentionally draws back, and we don't sense His closeness. A king named Hezekiah experienced this test. The Bible says, "God withdrew from Hezekiah in order to test him and to see what was really in his heart." Hezekiah had enjoyed a close fellowship with God, but at a crucial point in his life God left him alone to test his character, to reveal a weakness, and to prepare him for more responsibility.

When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life. Even the smallest incident has significance for your character development. Every day is an important day, and every second is a growth opportunity to deepen your character, to demonstrate love, or to depend on God. The good news is that God wants you to pass the tests of life, so He never allows them to be greater than the grace He gives you to handle them (1 Corinthians 10:13).

"I Got The Part"

From: The Word For Today - Bob Gass Ministries

Matthew 23:12 "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, but whoever humbles himself shall be exalted."

Have you ever asked, 'How could God use someone like me?' The Psalmist answers, "For His name's sake!" (Psalm 23:3) Only one name counts - and it's not yours! With the same intensity that God hates pride, He loves humility. His Word says, "...God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6)

So here are a few tips on staying humble. First, evaluate yourself honestly. Don't be like the beaver who told the rabbit as they stared up at the immense wall of Hoover Dam in USA, "No, I didn't actually build it myself. But it was based on an idea of mine." The Bible says, "Don't cherish exaggerated ideas of yourself... but try to have a sane estimate of your capabilities." (Romans 12:3-4)

Second, learn to celebrate others. Paul writes, "...don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves." (Philippians 2:3) Every goal scored in life is usually a team effort. Be like the little boy who came home from the auditions for the school play and announced, "Mommy, I got the part. I've been chosen to sit in the audience and cheer." When you can do that, your head finally fits your hat size.

Learn, Follow And Trust

From: Powerpoint Daily Ministries

John 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice; I know them, and they follow Me."

Remember when you were little and you would just play outside for hours and hours? Then dinnertime would roll around and there was always that famous call from home, "Dinner!"

Now, no one ever had to look at you and say, "Your parents are calling you." No, you knew your mom or dad's voice because you heard it all the time. And because you knew that, you also knew when it was someone else's mom calling and you still had more time to play!

In the same way, a true follower of Jesus hears His voice. But he doesn't just hear His voice, he follows His voice. It's so important to understand that being one of Christ's sheep means you truly follow Him!

It's one thing to call yourself a Christian, go to church, volunteer for a ministry, and read your Bible. It's another thing entirely to be a Christ-follower… to learn from His teachings and love Him with all your heart.

So don't just learn about Christ, follow Him. Trust in Him with all of your heart. Read your Bible daily and apply it to your life. As a follower of Jesus, you'll be used in amazing ways!

Changing Our Nature

From: Today God Is First - Os Hillman

Job 12:22 "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light."

God will sometimes use a deep valley to frame our lives to create a change in our nature, not just a change in our 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 the 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.

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 a valley? Now is the time to fully trust Him to guide you to higher ground.

"Let Not Your Hearts Be Troubled"

From: Neil Anderson Ministries

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled."

The peace of God is something you need to appropriate daily in your inner world in the midst of the storms which rage in the external world. There are a lot of things that can disrupt your external world because you can't control all your circumstances and relationships. But you can control the inner world of your thoughts by allowing the peace of Christ to rule in your heart on a daily basis.

There may be chaos all around you, but God is bigger than any storm. I keep a little plaque on my desk which reminds me: "Nothing will happen to me today that God and I cannot resolve."

The peace of Christ will rule in your heart when you "let the word of Christ richly dwell within you" (Colossians 3:16). And when you turn to Him in prayer, "the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

Growing And Changing

From: The Purpose Driven Life Ministries

Philippians 1:6 "I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it through to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

We humans are great starters but often bad finishers. We leave unfinished symphonies, unfinished buildings, unfinished books, unfinished projects. We may not always finish what we start but God always finishes what He starts.

God doesn't create a bird and give him half a wing. He doesn't create an unfinished flower or an unfinished star. He puts the finishing touches on everything He does and then He says, "It is good."

The Bible says, when Jesus Christ starts working in your life, He will complete what He started, in spite of the hang-ups, faults, bad decisions, sins, and circumstances that we face. That's a very comforting thought! One day when we get to heaven we're going to become just, "like Jesus because we will see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2) And that's the goal.

In the meantime, if we want to enjoy the people in our lives, we need to be patient with their progress. We must allow for their growth and development. Paul could say, "I'm not the man I used to be, thank God. But also, thank God, I'm not the person I'm going to be. I'm growing and changing."

Shining Light

From: Greg Laurie Ministries

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."

Light reveals things. Light not only exposes what is hidden in the darkness, but light shows the way out. In the same way, the light that shines from Christians shows people not only their shortcomings and their sins, but it shows them the way out, the way to Jesus Christ.

What kind of general opinion do you think people would have of Christianity if you were its sole representative? What if every Christian lived exactly like you? How many would be attracted to or turned off by the gospel?

Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." You may be the only representative of Jesus Christ that your friends, your family, your coworkers, and your neighbors may ever meet. And they will evaluate the whole idea of Christianity on the basis of what they see in you. They will form an opinion about what they think about God based on you. So let your light shine.

God's Spiritual Influence

From: Bayless Conley Ministries

Isaiah 55:3,10-11 "Come to Me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

In the same way rain brings blessing when it waters the earth (causing it to bring a bountiful harvest and fruitfulness into the lives of the people), so God's spiritual influence brings refreshment and fruitfulness to our lives.

What is God's spiritual influence? It is the impact of His Word and His Spirit upon the hearts of His children.

When you come to God, when you respond to His call to seek Him and incline your ear, He will speak to you. And the effect His Word has when He speaks it into your life, into your heart, is the same effect that rain has on the earth.

His Word, as it penetrates your heart, will bring refreshment, enlightenment, and ultimately, fruitfulness. It will bring revival into your heart causing spiritual growth and progress.

You Need To Know The Why

From: The Purpose Driven Life Ministries

Habakkuk 2:2-3 "Then the Lord answered me and said: 'Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint. If it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late.'"

The next ten years can be the greatest of your life. They can become a Decade of Destiny, where your life is focused and, as a result, you're able to make an impact in all you do.

To get where you believe God wants you to go and be what you know God wants you to be, there are several steps you need to take that will get you focused --

Step #1 - Determine your present position. You've got to know where you are before you can know where you are going.

To do that, ask yourself two questions:

Where am I now? Where are you spiritually, financially, emotionally, relationally, physically, and occupationally?

What would I like to change? In all of those areas you identified, what would you like to be different?

An important principle here is that it is never too late for you to make a change in your life, even though making the change may take longer than you think. This is why you can't procrastinate. You can either drift through the next ten years or you can have direction over the next ten years. God wants you to have direction.

Step #2 - Be specific about what you want. In order to get to where you want to be, you need to describe exactly what you want. You will never reach a vague goal. The more general it is, the less power it has. But the more specific it is, the more power it has in your life.

Ask yourself these four questions:

What do I want to be?
What do I want to do?
What do I want to have?
Why do I want it?

You can't just know the what, you need to know the why - that's your motivation. If you don't know why, you will give up when it gets tough. You don't need to focus on the how for now because, once you figure out the why, God will show you how. He will help you solve the problems that stand in the way of your goal.

True Character

From: In Touch Ministries

1 Peter 1:6-7 "You may for a time have to suffer the distress of many trials; but this is so that your faith, which is more precious than the passing splendor of fire-tried gold, may by its genuineness lead to praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ appears."

How a person responds to hardship reveals his or her true character. Hard times are when God's people most need to match actions to words. It's easy to say, "I trust God" or "My Lord is faithful," particularly when life is good. But unless we recognize that He is sovereign even in adversity, the same lips will complain and seek pity. Believers who trust in the Lord's faithfulness and supremacy will steadfastly focus on Him and thereby keep their anxiety and doubt subdued.

In order to conquer adversity, we must begin moving through it. It is essential for a suffering believer to surrender to God's will. We may not know what His purpose is. We certainly won't like the pain, and we'll definitely want the situation to change—fast. But giving the Lord free rein allows Him to mature our faith, conform us to the likeness of His Son, and fulfill His unique plan for our lives.

Surrendering does not seem like a way to advance anywhere. But in reality, we're just handing over the controls to God and saying, "You guide me where You want me to go." Doing so requires a lot of trust. We serve a Lord who is worthy of our faith and confidence

The Real Thing

From Boyd Bailey Ministries

Psalm 32:2 "Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit."

Authentic living is real living. You are a bona fide believer in Christ. You are a genuine follower of Jesus Christ. Your faith commitment is unquestioned. You are the real deal. In your life what you see is what you get. Pretense and guile are a distant memory for you. There is nothing counterfeit about your character. This is authenticity.

Authentic people know how to laugh at themselves. As they get older, they take themselves less seriously and they take God more seriously. When you admit to your blind spots, people understand better how to support you in your weakness. Instead of people thinking less of you for your admission of weakness, they believe in you even more. Authenticity feeds respect, while deceit harvests disrespect.

Authenticity begins with God. Because God is 100% authentic, He expects the same from His children. There is nothing at all deceitful about God. His Word is His Word, true and everlasting. You can trust His promises. There is no need to try to hide from God. Your authenticity with the Almighty tells Him what He already knows.

Authentic believers are blessing receivers because they are truth givers. Yes, it is wise to be discreet in your transparency with others. A good start is to say here are my weaknesses, what others do you see? This authenticity will free you and free others to be the Body of Christ—supporting, encouraging and holding each other accountable. Be authentic as He is authentic and, as a result, we will all experience the real thing!

You Will Never Walk Alone

From: Our Daily Bread Ministries

Isaiah 41:13 "I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'" 

Sometimes life can be scary: Loss of loved ones. Financial woes. Health problems. As we carry these heavy burdens and cares, we long for a strong hand to hold ours to keep us steady and secure.

When Joshua took over the leadership of Israel, Moses reminded him of God’s help in tough times. In the difficult days to come, Joshua would need to remember to trust God and His promises. Moses said, "The Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

Isaiah encourages us with these words from God: "I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'" When life gets scary, God is with us, we can hold His strong hand.

This song by Lowell Alexander reminds us of God’s presence: "You will face mountains so steep, deserts so long, and valleys so deep. Sometimes the journey’s gentle, sometimes the cold winds blow. But I want you to remember, I want you to know you will never walk alone. . . . Jesus will be right beside you all the way." He’ll walk alongside us and hold our hand at the "scary" parts.

Even When You Goof Up

From: Bayless Conley Ministries

Psalm 37:23-24 "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand."

When you first read these verses, it is easy to focus on the truth that God orders the steps of a good man, someone who is following God. That is certainly a comforting, motivating, and powerful truth. But I want to point you to the second sentence, "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand."

What an amazing statement! Even when your steps are being ordered by the Lord, you can still goof up! God affirms that you may be seeking to walk with Him and you can still mess up, there is always that human factor. Our flesh gets in the way. Sometimes we make wrong decisions. Sometimes we can be a bit stubborn. And sometimes we blow it, even when that is the last thing we want to do!

Here is what I want you to grasp today: Even if you mess things up, even if you stumble and fall, God will not utterly abandon you. He will support you, and He will lift you up with His hand.

Our True Calling

From: Bryant Wright Ministries

2 Thessalonians 1:11 "With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith."

We can all think of a bad day at work, but can you think of any time when you were "in the zone" - a moment where you enjoyed your task - you were caught up in your work and lost track of time? What were you doing at that moment? What skills were you using? What was it that caused you to be passionate about the work? Understanding the answers to these questions will often help you better understand how to best use your time and talents - a calling.

A calling is when we are passionately using our God-given gifts in a way that pleases Him. We are not talking about your personality profile, but about those God-given gifts listed in the Bible like teaching, counseling, generosity, administration, and prayer, among many others. Kirk Livingston, CEO of a communications company, sums it up, "When we find ourselves involved with God at work, we also begin to find the work we were meant to do." And that's how we discover our true calling from God.

Have you discovered your calling? If not, pray and search for God's will. Over time, He'll reveal it to you.

When You're Disappointed

From: The Word For Today - Bob Gass Ministries

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 "We are afflicted in every way possible, but we are not crushed; full of doubts, but we never despair; persecuted, but never abandoned; struck down, but never destoyed."

Max Lucado says, 'When God doesn't do what we want it's not easy. Never has been. Never will be. Faith is the conviction that God knows more than us... and He'll get us through. Disappointment is caused by unmet expectations... and is cured by revamped expectations... Don't panic... don't give up... be patient... God's in control. It ain't over till it's over.'

So, when you're disappointed:

(1) Look inward. David asked, 'Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?...' (Psalm 42:5) Admit how you feel. You can't deal with what you don't acknowledge. Ask God to show you the root of the problem. Is it pent-up anger? Envy? Unforgiveness? Pride? Lust? Physical and mental fatigue? Be open to what He reveals

(2) Look upward. David said, '...I will... hope in God! I will praise Him...' Instead of focusing on your discouragement, focus on the One who knows the way out

(3) Remember God's past faithfulness. David said, 'I am... discouraged, but I will remember You.' Through every trial Joseph clung to the assurance that God still controlled his destiny. Recalling God's faithfulness builds your confidence that He'll continue to provide

(4) Remember, you don't have to understand. Just because you can't figure out what God's doing right now, doesn't mean it won't make sense later. He '...causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him...' (Romans 8:28)

(5) Don't give in to bitterness. When your hopes are dashed, resentment can set in. '...If God is for us, who can be against us?' (Romans 8:31)

Regardless of how deep the pit may seem, God is on your side!

A Better Idea

From: The Purpose Driven Life Ministries

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

Have you noticed that things don't always turn out the way you want them to? That sometimes God has a better idea?

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:1, "Don't boast about tomorrow. You don't know what tomorrow's going to bring." It's okay to make your plans, but remember that life is unpredictable and God says we shouldn't presume on it. On the other hand, we shouldn't worry about it because God is in control.

The right attitude is to always keep your plans submitted to God. Make your plans but say, "God, if this is what You want, this is the direction I'm going to go. I'm doing this with flexible faith."

Proverbs 16:9 says, "We should make our plans counting on God to direct us." How do you do that? By praying. When you get up in the morning and have your quiet time, say, "God, what do You want to do with me this day?"

Then when interruptions come, you'll remember God is in control. It will dramatically lower the frustration level in your life as you remember it is not all up to you.