Take Your Foot Off The Brakes

By: Bishop Vashti McKenzie

Published: August 01, 2010

How much of what you do everyday is by your own inclination, or by the power of the Holy Spirit? Everyday we make direction and destination decisions. We make them based on our own knowledge, learning and understanding, or we make them based upon the truth of God’s Word.

E. Stanley Jones writes that most people plot and plan themselves into mediocrity. The Holy Spirit will tell the believer, however, when to speak up, when to be quiet, what to say, where to go, when to leave, and will give direction to our daily movements.

It’s like the bitter cold winter race, the Iditarod. Dogsled teams race between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska. It is a brutal test of the skill and endurance of both humans and dogs.

There is an often-told story about a novice in the race excited to be apart of a race that could cost you your life. Excitement didn’t last long against the elements and he came in last. He asked an experienced racer to critique his efforts. The experienced racer responded that the dogs know where to go. You kept trying to tell the dogs where to go and you kept your foot on the break.

We are limiting our direction and destination efforts of this Christian race when we are led by our own inclination instead of being led by the Holy Spirit.

In the epistle to the Roman Christians, Paul, the attributed author, makes a masterful argument that three walls surround all of humanity. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. This is the wall of universal guilt. The good we try to do, we don’t; and the sin we don’t want to do, we do. This is the wall of sinful nature. Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved represents the wall of sovereign election.
Paul references the Holy Spirit many times in this chapter. The Holy Spirit breaks through the walls of sin, guilt and shame because there is now no condemnation. The Holy Spirit elevates our view off of earthly things and onto the things of God, spiritual things that are eternal. The Holy Spirit assures us of this new relationship as inheritors or heirs with Christ to both his suffering and glory.

The text states those who are led by the Spirit (NIV) and the English translation Bible states we are moved by the Spirit; James Peterson’s interpretation states with His Spirit living in you, your body will be alive as Christ’s! So don’t you see that we do not owe this old do it yourself life, one red cent. There is nothing in it for us. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons; there are things to do and places to go!

Being led by the Spirit is taking your foot off of the brakes. It is allowing yourself to be led because the Holy Spirit knows the way just like the Huskies know the way to Nome.

Jesus promised us another comforter and the day of Pentecost has fully come. The Holy Spirit was given to us. He is fruit to conform us to the character of Christ and gifts that transform and empower to edify the body of Christ.

Scripture Of The Day: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." - Romans 8:14

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Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie is the presiding bishop of the 13th Episcopal District of the AME, and serves as a guiding example for women and church leaders throughout the country. For more on Bishop McKenzie, visit http://www.13thame.com or hear her messages daily at http://www.thisisyourwakeupcallonline.com.…

It’s Not the Title, It’s the Testimony

By: Pastor Marvin Moss

Published: July 22, 2010

The time has come for the church, church folk, the children of God, Christians to realize that it’s not the title, it’s the testimony. It’s the story that we tell with the way we live our lives. It’s the story that we tell by the way we execute the word of God. It’s in the execution that one recognizes another as a child of God or a child of the devil.

It’s what people see you do that makes all of the difference in the world. When you’re trying to get a job, it’s good to have the degree relative to the position you’re applying for, but you still have to undergo a battery of tests. Then there are interviews, more tests, and more interviews. That degree, diploma, and certificate are good but you still have to prove that what you’re saying is true.

They may call you Doctor, but are you board certified?
They may call you Attorney, but have you passed the bar?
They may call you Reverend, but is there anything about your life that would testify to the fact that you’re anything other than a Reverend?

It’s not the title, it’s the testimony.

How are you living? What kind of report would your family give about you? Is there a good report on you outside of the church as well as in the church?
It’s not the title, it’s the testimony.

Peter. Bold, big mouthed, boisterous Peter, has just allowed himself to be used by God to perform a miracle. You know the story, Peter and john were heading to the temple one afternoon to take part in the afternoon prayer. As they approached the temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the temple gate so he could beg from the people going into the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

Peter looked at the man intently and said, “Look at us! I don’t have any money for you. But I’ll give you what I do have, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!” Up until this point, Peter and John were just like everybody else. They were two people who could meet the beggar’s need or what the beggar thought his need was. All too often, we think that it’s us meeting the needs of those whom God has trusted us with. This is where the ego comes into play; where we begin to wear our feelings on our sleeves. This is where we want to take credit for everything that only God can do.

God uses us as instruments to fulfill His purpose. We are called and the call has more to do with God’s divine purpose. It’s not about you! We’ve all been called to be leaders. We’re to lead the lost to the lamb. We’re to lead the left out to the One who can let them in.

God calls us to lead not by title but by testimony. How can you tell somebody else about the goodness of God if you’ve never experienced it for yourself? You might be able to tell them what you’ve seen happen to somebody else. You might be to tell them what somebody else has told you. But oh, there’s nothing like a firsthand account. Isaiah said in the year king Uzziah died, “I saw the lord.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, walked through the fiery furnace with an angel of the Lord. Somebody has been walking with Him all week. Somebody called on Him the midnight hour. And when they called on the name of Jesus, He answered them.

He turned their midnight into morning.
He turned their sorrow into a shout,
He turned their problem into praise.
He turned their worry into worship.
He gave them a testimony.

It’s not your title, but it’s your testimony.

Scripture Of The Day: " ...And why look at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power and godliness? For it is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this..." - Acts 3:12-13v (NLT)

Pastor Marvin Moss is senior pastor of Cascade United Methodist Church, located in Atlanta, Georgia. Pastor Moss is extremely active within the Atlanta community, and serves on the Board of Trustees at Gammon Theological Seminary.

For more information about Pastor Moss, log onto http://www.cascadeumc.org.

The Power of Your Testimony

In our justice system, one of the most powerful pieces of evidence is eyewitness testimony. In the days before DNA and other scientific and forensic advances, the testimony of an eyewitness could make or break a case. An eyewitness could identify the guilty party or solidify an alibi and free an innocent person. The assignment for an eyewitness is to tell the truth about what they saw, heard, and experienced.

When Jesus ended his earthly ministry and gave us the Great Commission, he declared, "You will be my witnesses." We are called - commanded, even - to be eyewitnesses to the saving, healing grace of Jesus. In the Bible, there is a wonderful story of someone who did just that. The story in found in the 9th chapter of John. The story begins with a theological discussion, continues with a miracle, and ends with a powerful testimony.

As Jesus and His disciples were traveling, they saw a man who had been blind since birth. The Disciples (sadly like many of us sometimes) were more interested in the theological ramifications of the man's situation than they were in the man himself. "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?" they asked Jesus. Jesus replied, "It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins. This happened so the power of God could be seen in him."

Jesus then told His disciples, "We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over." For many years, I didn't understand why He said this - it didn't seem to fit with the rest of the story. But I believe what Jesus was saying to the disciples was you are wasting precious time trying to find someone to blame for this man's blindness when you should be ministering to him. (There's a sermon unto itself there, but that is a devotional for another day...)

Immediately after saying this, Jesus made mud, put it on the man's eyes and told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam, which ironically means "sent." As soon as the man obeyed, he was able to see for the first time in his life! The town, which had known him all his life as a blind beggar, was buzzing with the news that he could now see. There was such a change in him that people who had known him all his life didn't think it was the same person.

There was a problem, though. The man had been healed on the Sabbath, and that was, according to Pharisaic Law, not legal. So they marched this man to the Pharisees to see what they thought. When they heard the story, there was a deep division among the Pharisees. Some of them were still spiritually minded enough to realize this was of God. Others, sadly were so mired in their self-imposed legalism that they refused to believe this was of God or that Jesus might be a prophet, much less the messiah.

They called the formerly blind man to appear before them to hear his story.

Some of the Pharisees thought they were being tricked, so they hauled the man's parents in front of them to identify him. The parents, who were deathly afraid of the Jewish leaders, acknowledged this man was their son and that he used to be blind, but said they had no idea what had happened to him. "He is of age, ask him yourself" they said.

The Pharisees would love to have discredited this man and thereby discredited Jesus. One thing stood in their way: his simple yet powerful personal eyewitness testimony.

"All I know is this: Once I was blind, and now I can see!"

You and I are often given the opportunity to use the power of our eyewitness testimony to persuade others of God's grace, love and mercy and to encourage our brothers and sisters. Let's be alert for opportunities that the Holy Spirit will give us today to tell our story of His working in our lives!

Scripture Of The Day: "Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying, "Salvation and power are established! Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah! The Accuser of our brothers and sisters is thrown out, who accused them day and night before God. They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the bold word of their witness." - Revelation 12:10-11 (The Message)

A Prayer From Sister Helen

God of Compassion

You let your rain fall on the just and the unjust.

Expand and deepen our hearts

so that we may love as You love,

even those among us

who have caused the greatest pain by taking life.

For there is in our land a great cry for vengeance

as we fill up death row and kill the killers

in the name of justice, in the name of peace.

Jesus, our brother,

you suffered execution at the hands of the state

but you did not let hatred overcome you

Help us to reach out to victims of violence

so that our enduring love may help them heal.

Holy Spirit of God,

You strengthen us in the struggle for justice,

Help us to work tirelessly

for the abolition of state-sanctioned death

and to renew our society in its very heart

so that violence will be no more.

Amen.

I Am The Good Shepherd

By: Bishop Keith Butler

Published: June 04, 2010

The day is coming when you're going to either follow the Shepherd or go your own way. But I'm here to tell you, your way will lead you to trouble. As sheep, our goal should be to follow the shepherd.

There is only one Shepherd, and his name is Jesus. The Bible says He is the good Shepherd. The word 'good' is a descriptive word. That tells us then that there can be bad shepherds, right? Well the good Shepherd has certain attributes: He gives His life for the sheep, He knows His sheep, and His sheep know Him.

The word 'shepherd' means one who tends to or one who looks after. Now the word 'pastor' is translated the same word 'shepherd' throughout the Scripture; however, Jesus is the Chief Pastor.

In Jeremiah 3:15, God said, "And I will give you pas tors according to my heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding and it shall come to pass when you be multiplied and increased in the land..." In other words, you will multiply and increased because of knowledge and understanding coming from your Chief Shepherd/Pastor.

A good Shepherd also provides knowledge and understanding. He provides the sheep with information. That is what's available to us when we spend time with Him.

Now, in order for the sheep to have the protection and receive the knowledge and understanding of a Shepherd, he must follow the Shepherd---that is the key ingredient.

Jesus is the door of the sheep; the sheepfold is the population of the earth. Well, He breaks down the sheepfold into those who follow him. The Shepherd is coming back to take over all things and to set up His kingdom. There is only going to be one sheepfold and one Shepherd.

And I'm telling you today that there is only one Shepherd who is comi ng back for His sheepfold; it's not going to be Buddha, Rev. Sun Young Moon, Hare Hare Krishna or anyone else. It is going to be Jesus. So make a choice to follow Him.

For He is the Shepherd of your soul (mind, will, and emotions). He does the rewarding, and He will lead and guide you to still waters and green pastures. For he declares of Himself, " I am the good Shepherd."

Scripture Of The Day: "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep." - John 10:11 (NKJV)

Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. For more information about Bishop Butler, visit http://www.woficc.com.

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Do You Lack Wisdom?

By: Alan Riley


Of all the things that we might desire, the Bible clearly recommends one thing highly: wisdom.

An attempt to gain wisdom through a "short cut" was part of the reason for the original sin in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:6 says, "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."

The book of Proverbs was written by King Solomon, a man who God blessed with such wisdom that the whole world sought an audience with him to hear the wisdom that God put in his heart. (1 Kings 10:24). Virtually the entire book of Proverbs is a plea for us to embrace, to seek, and to ask God for wisdom.

Near the beginning of His earthly ministry, Jesus went to his hometown, and the people there were amazed at his miracles, yes, but also by the wisdom that God had given to Him. "Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" (Matthew 13:54, NIV)

It's not that Jesus didn't have this wisdom as He was growing up - we know that even as a young boy, His wisdom and insight confounded the learned scholars in the Temple. I suspect that prior to the beginning of His ministry, Jesus quietly went about His work as a carpenter with His father, waiting for the time when all would know Who He was.

What is it about wisdom that makes it more desirable than silver or gold, more precious than any earthly possession? It is because with wisdom is the key to properly leveraging knowledge and experiences. During our lifetimes, we all have many experiences and we all learn things. Whether or not you apply those academic and life lessons to your present circumstances shows whether or not you possess wisdom.

Ever had someone about whom you said, "He's got a lot of book learning, but no common sense whatsoever"? That person lacked wisdom. They may have boundless amounts of knowledge stored in their brains, but without wisdom, they don't know how to apply that knowledge in a practical way to their daily lives.

A nutritionist who has a degree in knowing what they should eat, but who pigs out on junk food and weighs 400 pounds lacks wisdom. An oncologist who daily sees cancer ravage his patients yet smokes two packs of cigarettes a day lacks wisdom. A counselor who has versed in the principles of relationships, understands the importance of the family, and can give advice to others about their marriage, yet leaves his wife and kids for another woman lacks wisdom.

A person who is aware of their sinful condition, and understands the message of the Gospel, yet fails to give his or her life to Jesus Christ clearly lacks wisdom. Wisdom is that precious gift of insight and understanding from God that leads us to make wise choices in our lives. Samuel Taylor Coleridge said, "Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom."

Has your life been marked by poor choices?
Have you demonstrated time and time again that you do not have wisdom?

I have really good news for you. God is a God of second chances. Not to mention third and fourth and fifth...

If the Bible is true - and it is - and the words contained within it are reliable - and they are - then the beginning of wisdom for you is just a prayer away. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." It is never too late to begin walking in wisdom.

Scripture Of The Day: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." - James 1:5 (NKJV)

His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Civilia Martin

1. Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
* Refrain:
I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
2. “Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
3. Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Time To Meet Your Maker!

Ben Komanapalli Jr.


Another year has come to an end, and here we are starting a new one. For almost everyone reading this, we have been at this place at least a dozen times. Looking back at our lives, some of those moments were great but some were pretty bad. In fact they were so bad that we wanted to forget all about it when we entered the New Year.

As this new year begins, most of us close certain chapters of our lives and open new ones; we also plan on changing things. All of us have want to become better than we were in the past year.

As we come to that time of the year again, I have a simple question to ask: Who is making you?

Let me explain. In Acts 26:13-18, we see Paul recounting his conversion story to King Agrippa. In verse 16, it is important to see what Jesus says to Paul during the encounter. Jesus says, "I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness...."I want you to focus on the words 'to make you.'
My question to you as a leader is more specifically this: Are you letting Jesus make you?

All of us live in a very fast paced world. There are many responsibilities that we as leaders have in the world today. There are things that need to be accomplished, vision to be cast, money to be raised, conflicts that need to be resolved etc. We need to do all of these things as good leaders.

However, the most important thing is to let Jesus make you the man or women He has called you to be. We can only lead other people as well as we can lead ourselves; the most important thing in leading ourselves is to let Jesus make us the people He has called us to be.

There is always the temptation for us to do the work of God more than we let God work in us. Bill Hybels once said, "The way I was doing the work of God was destroying the work of God in me." I heard that statement about two years ago and it has stuck with me. I believe it is a dangerous place for us to be when we are more excited about a book, album, project, program or an event than about spending time with Jesus and letting Him work on us.

As we plan, strategize, evaluate, set goals and recharge our batteries to make ourselves better leaders for next year, make it a priority to make this year the year where you let Jesus make you the person He has called you to be. Planning and setting goals are very good things but letting Jesus make you is the God thing. He desires to make each one of us. He sees much more in us than we can see for ourselves. We must stop resisting the things God wants to do in our lives. No matter where you live or what kind of organization or ministry you might be leading, if there is one thing we are to do as Christian leaders it is to let Jesus make us.

We might not have had an encounter with Jesus in the way Paul did on his journey to Damascus, but we can all remember the time when we received Jesus as the Lord and Savior of our lives or the time when the call of God became very real. This is a good time to go back and remember the purpose for which Jesus saved you and to let Him make you.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Take some time to think about the moment when the purpose of God became clear to you. What is it that He has purposed for you?

2. Become very intentional to let Jesus make you into the person He has called you to be during the next year. Write down some of the areas that He really needs to work on.

3. Thank God for the opportunity He has given you to serve people for His kingdom and Glory.

School of Hard Knocks

by
Aqualyn Toi Jones

I have a list of pet peeves that seems to grow as I grow older. Number seven on that list is speaking to a customer service rep who cannot answer my question. It’s kind of like an oxymoron. The whole point of asking a question is to receive a response. It’s impolite to not answer. And when a request seems unheard, it’s easy to feel ignored or insignificant.

When we go to God in prayer, we go expecting an answer. We desperately want to know that He hears us and that He cares. When we inquire about the deepest issues of our hearts, we need to know that there is an answer and that we will receive it.

Jesus promises that if you ask, you will receive. If you seek, you will find and if you knock, the door will be opened for you (Matthew 7:7). We have a promise that our prayers will be heard AND answered.

But what happens when the answers aren’t so clear? What do you do when what you’ve been fervently praying for doesn’t happen? This is what I call the “School of the Hard Knocks.” Typically that phrase refers to the knowledge you gain from life’s negative experiences. Here, it is the lessons we learn as we persistently ask, seek, and knock. It is the growth we experience as we wait for our prayers to be answered.

Waiting. There’s another item on my list of pet peeves. Possibly, number one. But it goes hand-in-hand with prayer.

We live in an “instant” society. I can send a message in an instant. I can prepare a meal in an instant (thanks to the handy dandy microwave). I can download music in an instant. No wonder we’re so accustomed to instant gratification. So accustomed, in fact, that we expect instant answers from God.

Let’s be clear. He can answer in an instant. He can answer before you even ask the question. But often there will be a delay between the time you ask and the time you receive. This is the time when our faith is tested and strengthened.

Sometimes before prayer can be answered, we have to be changed. Perhaps when we are our changed the nature of our prayer request will also change.

God is working while we wait. Don’t stop asking or seeking. Keep knocking.

Remember, patience is made perfect in the School of the Hard Knocks.

Toi Jones is a writer and an advocate for youth, underdogs, and all things (and people) that are broken and overlooked. Compassionate at her core, Toi is also an educator, a mentor, and a supporter of multiple initiatives for South Africa.

For more information about Toi, log onto

www.bewrite-livewrite.typepad.com.

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Jesus, Our Friend

Jack Zavada

"A rule I have had for years is: to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have." -Dwight L. Moody

When Jesus came into the world in human form, he changed our relationship with God forever. He made it possible for us to become adopted sons and daughters in God's family, co-heirs with him to the gift of eternal life with the Father.

But he gave us another Christmas gift few of us ever open: his friendship. He experienced firsthand the loneliness of being human, and he saw that as much as we need a savior, we also need a friend.

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 (NIV)

What better friend could you have? Jesus is steadfastly loyal. He forgives your every fault. He supports and encourages you when you need it most, and he listens whenever you want to talk. He is a tireless listener. Jesus loves you as a friend who wants to see you grow to your full potential. There is no jealousy in him. He wants only the best for you.

Enter more deeply into friendship with Jesus this Christmas season. You can trust him. If you reach out and accept the friendship he offers, your life will never be the same.

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Christ In You

Bishop E. Earl Jenkins

"Christ in you, the Hope of Glory." Colossians 1:27 NIV

The Virgin Birth is more than just another Christmas story; it illustrates just how close God wants to get to you. In fact, He's asking you the same question He asked Mary, "Are you willing to let Me move in?" Throughout scripture it's always been His desire to get close to His people. Jesus told the disciples, "I am in you" (Jn 14:20 NCV).

Paul prayed, "That Christ may dwell in your hearts" (Eph. 3:17 NIV). John says, "Those who obey...live in him, and he in them" (1 Jn 3:24 NIV). Paul wrote, "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col 1:27 NIV), then he added: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20 NAS). And Jesus said, "If anyone...opens the door, I will come in" (Rev. 3:20 NIV).

In the Old Testament God was with Adam and Eve in the Garden...He was with Abraham, and even called him His friend...He was with Moses and the Israelites. But as a believer He's in you - and He'll keep growing in you until He comes out in what you say, how you act and the decisions you make. Do you struggle with bitterness, worry, habits and fear?

Not Jesus! And because He lives in you, you have access 24/7 to His unlimited power! That's why Paul writes about "striving according to His power, which mightily works within [us]" (Col 1:29 NAS). What's in you? "His power!" What more do you need? Remember when the Lord appeared to Mary and she said, "Let it be...according to your word." (Lk 1:38 NKJV)

Make that your prayer this Christmas!

Win the Entire Race

Shaun King

I realize it's been over a year now, but do any of you remember watching Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt demolish three Olympic records last summer?

The guy was so doggone fast that he started celebrating before he crossed the finish line and still left everyone else in the dust! He was widely criticized for being so boisterous, but something was lost amidst all of the criticism of his swagger.

Usain Bolt trained like a madman to lead the pack in the start of the race, the middle of the race, and in the end as he crossed the finish line.

He knew that if he was going to break "unbreakable" records and win gold medals, being a great starter was not enough. Getting a quick start and pushing hard through the middle wouldn't be enough either.

Usain knew that he was going to have to use all that God gave him from the starting block to the yellow ribbon, if victory was really going to be his!

Hear my heart - in this season the Lord wants you to get a fast wind behind you so that you'll get a quick start, but far too many of our dreams, our ministries, our business, and even our marriages, launch with the loud, flashy boom of July fireworks, but fizzle out at the first sign of bad weather.

This isn't good enough. God did not just call you to get married; He called you to stay married. The Lord didn't just plant a vision in your heart to start a ministry or business in your community; He called you to start a ministry of business that would endure the challenges of our time and still be alive and kicking to tell the story on the other side!

While staring into the face of his young son Solomon, David said in 1 Chronicles 28:20: "Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work or the service of the house of the LORD is finished."

In his prayer for the Philippians, the Apostle Paul said it this way, "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6)

Overnight wonders and fast starters are a dime a dozen. The true test that you and I must pass is whether or not we have prepared to win the entire race. My prayer for you today is that you will allow the Spirit of God to give you the endurance that you'll need.

The Attitude of Gratitude

Cover of Attitude of Gratitude

Alan Riley
There were ten of them in all. They were friends who were bound together by a shared tragedy: they all had leprosy--a horrible, disfiguring disease. There's really no way to explain the horror of watching your body slowly rot away. But that was only half of the heartache. Because it was thought that leprosy was contagious, those who suffered from it had to not only endure the ravages of disease, but also to face scorn, disgrace and loss of all dignity. They were made to live apart from the rest of society, apart from their family and friends with only fellow lepers to lean on for support and encouragement.

Lepers in Jesus' day were not only forced to live in colonies, they also had to yell out "Unclean!" whenever they approached anyone. Sometimes they were made to wear bells on their clothing to warn others of their approach.

At the leper colony, they heard stories of this man named Jesus who not only spoke of God's love for everyone, but He healed all those who came to Him. I can imagine the stories of miraculous healings came in one after the other... Jesus opened the eyes of a man blind since birth; He told a lame man to rise up and walk; He even stopped a funeral procession and gave a woman her child back. I can imagine them hearing the story of the centurion's servant who was healed. They must have thought if Jesus healed a Roman centurion's servant, certainly He would heal us, after all, we are children of Abraham!

At some point the ten came up with a plan. They would travel in a group to find Jesus. Together they would ask Him to heal them.

Finally, the moment came when they stood before Jesus. They asked Him to make them whole. "Go and show yourselves to the priests," Jesus told them. As they turned to go, they realized for the first time that their dream had just come true. They stared at their hands in disbelief. Where a moment ago there was decay and stubs, there now were fingers and hands free from leprosy. They walked their first couple of steps, then they began leaping in the air, shouting praises to God! They ran off quickly to establish their healing with the priests so they could return to their homes and families.

But one of the ten stopped in his tracks and realized he'd forgotten something very important. While his nine friends ran down the road, he turned and ran back to Jesus, falling on his face in front of the Lord. Sobbing and laughing at the same time, he kept saying it again and again... Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

"Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?" Jesus asked. The man didn't know what to say. He couldn't answer for them. He just knew the immense sense of gratitude that was swelling up inside him. This man has just given him his life back.

Then Jesus told him, "Go your way, your faith has made you whole."

Far too often, you and I are like the nine who ran down the road leaping and praising. We receive God's grace and mercy, we experience His healing touch on our lives. He restores what the devil has caused to decay. And off we run, leaping, shouting and praising, but forgetting to simply say "Thank you."

I want to be like the one who turned and ran back to Jesus, falling on his face and saying thanks. Lord, give me the attitude of gratitude!

Access to Victory

Bishop Keith Butler

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:1,2 (KJV)

Faith in the blood of Jesus will cause you to win over anything intended to harm you. The protection of the blood covers all of you. God has given us an open door to all the weaponry we need to overcome those obstacles. Because we have access, we have hope for deliverance. The word "access" means entrance. It is through God's grace, which was freely given to us that we received the power of the blood of Jesus. His grace extended to us was evident in the shedding of that blood to give us victory. It is through that grace that we can rejoice because we have an entrance to victory.

Now the Lord will prepare you ahead of time for what He kn ows is coming in the future. The Lord started preparing my church a year ago to overcome fear of recession. I didn't know then what was coming down, but a year ago the Lord had me lead my congregation in saying that there is no recession here. We have been speaking that for a year, and there is no recession at Word of Faith. It is because of our entrance by faith into the grace of God. And it is by His grace that we are still expanding.

It can be the same for you, if you can believe. Say that there will be no recession here (in your house, in your business). But you may say, "I'm experiencing hard times already." Well, you are not without help. Notice what Romans 5:3 says, "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience."

This is a time of tribulations, tests, and trials. But we don't cry in them. We glory in them. We rejoice in them because we have hope of seeing God bring us out on top. So while others ar e worrying in it, we can glory in it because if we glory instead of worry, we will receive the blessing. You may not feel like rejoicing, but do it anyway. It is your key to victory.

You can rejoice knowing that tribulation works patience. Patience is steadfast, not to be moved, constant praise to God—not praising God for the problem, but praising Him for bringing you out. You must do step one before you get to step two. Patience then brings about experience. And that is the experience of victory.

Having experienced one victory, gives you hope for the future. Should hard times ever hit you again, you can confidently say, "God brought me through years ago, and He is doing it right now. So, I'm not even worried about the future. I know He is taking care of me now, and He will take care of me for the next hundred years."

Scripture References: 2 Corinthians 12:9; Mark 5:36

Grace is Always the First Word

Cover of John Newton (Men of Faith)

Pastor Marvin Williams

The film Amazing Grace chronicles William Wilberforce as he endeavors to end the British transatlantic slave trade in the nineteenth century.

Wilberforce had made an earlier visit to his old pastor and friend John Newton. Newton was a former captain of a slave ship prior to his conversion to Christ, and Wilberforce was hopeful that Newton would give an account of his slave-ship days. Newton, however, refused to do so, because the experience and the "20,000 ghosts" haunted him too greatly.

Now, near success in ending the slave trade, Wilberforce visited Newton and discovered that he had recorded his account. His eyesight now gone, Newton said to Wilberforce, "You must use it. Names, records, ship records, ports, people — everything I remember is in here. Although my memory is fading, I remember two things very clearly: I'm a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior." It was apparent that John Newton had recognized the depth of his sin and opened the door to experience God’s amazing grace in his life.

When we look at John Newton’s life and confession (the composer of the song Amazing Grace), we can easily start patting ourselves on the back. I mean, we have never committed the kinds of atrocities as Newton - kidnapped or raped, sold and separated entire families, committed murder (at least with a gun or a knife), or grand larceny of the human kind. Yet when I think about what we were, we were just as far from God as Newton was before he became a follower of Jesus.

According Romans 5:12-21, we were natural born sinners. We were born in Adam, born in sin, and born condemned. We came out of the womb saying no to God and his purposes for our lives. We were dead in our sins and trespasses. We lived according to the passions of our sinful nature. We were, by nature, children of wrath.

We were liars
We were thieves
We were cheaters
We were swindlers
We were adulterers
We were idolaters
We were greedy
We were disrespectful
We thought we were God.
We lived like practical atheists
We were angry.
We were jealous and envious
We were drunkards
We were ungrateful
We were enemies of God
We were rotten to the core

There was nothing grimmer than our Pre-Christ hopelessness. But God.

In Ephesians 2:4, however, Paul uttered the greatest phrase of hope and grace in human speech: "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, But God, . . .made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved"

God showered his grace on us, and this grace flowed from his loving heart, not based on anything we did to deserve it. When we believed in and embraced Jesus as our Savior and Lord (which was an act of grace) – God gave us new spiritual life within. Praise God!

Therefore, our response to this amazing grace is another word that is built on the word grace, “thank you.” God gives us something that we don’t deserve, so he can get the desired responses, which are praise and thanksgiving. Grace is always the first word and “thank you” should always be the second.

Today, spend some time thinking about God’s amazing and saving grace and thanking him for it.

Amazing, Truly Amazing Grace!

Bishop E. Earl Jenkins

"By Grace you have been saved" Ephesians 2:5 NAS

Have you any idea of the mess you were in, or moving toward, when God reached down and saved you? Perhaps an illustration may help you get the picture. If you took your children to a petting zoo and a little lamb came running towards you, you probably wouldn't be afraid at all because lambs are harmless. You might even reach out your hand and let the lamb lick it.

But let's say you're at the zoo and the alarm goes out that a lion has escaped from its cage. If you're standing there and that lion comes running towards you, you'll be terrified and start to run because you know what lions can do. But just suppose that the runaway lion corners you in one part of the zoo and comes up to you - but instead of attacking you it gently licks your hand the way the lamb did. If that happened whose gentleness would you appreciate more, the lamb's or the lion's? You'd appreciate the lion's gentleness more because you know that he could just as easily have destroyed you without violating his nature as a lion.

Well, grace is God's kindness and gentleness to us when He could have backed us into a corner as guilty sinners and destroyed us without violating His holy character. But God wanted to make us His children, so instead of expressing His wrath against us, He poured it out upon His own sinless Son on the cross. Jesus took our punishment so God could embrace us. Hence, we have a brand-new relationship with God through grace. Isn't that amazing!

The Believing Business

Bishop Keith Butler

Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Mark 9:23 (KJV)

Get into the believing business. You have to get over into the believing business. When you get over into the believing business, then you will start having the manifestation of God's healing power.

In Luke, chapter 4, the people went by what they thought they knew. And by what they thought they saw to determine whether the power was present. Jesus was requiring them to believe that the power was present without the aid of a miracle.

The healing power of God does not show up because of certain people (personalities). Jesus was requiring them to believe what He said before anything else. They said, show us a miracle and we will believe you. He wouldn't do it. He is still that way today. He has not changed. Somebody says, well, you know, if I ever saw a blind eye opened then I would have great faith.

Faith does not come by seeing. Faith comes by hearing. When I was overseas, I saw whole lines of blind eyes opened. Some of the people were blind from birth. But there were still blind people in the same line doubting. Faith does not come by seeing. Faith comes by hearing. The children of Israel saw the miracles and still doubted God in the desert. So you need to hear the Word.

I want you to take some time to lift your hands to the Lord. Lift your voice up to the Lord and say, thank you Lord the healing power of God is available wherever I go. It is available for me. And in Jesus' name I tap into it, anytime I want to. By faith I know Jesus is my Healer. I know healing is provided for me. And I know it's mine, right now, from the crown of my head to the very soles of my feet, in Jesus' name. Now, thank Him for it in faith.

Scripture References: Luke 4, Mark 9:17-27; Romans 10:17

Time For a Check Up?

Time For a Check Up?
Alan Riley

Can you believe it? This year has gone by in a blur! It seems like just yesterday we were ringing in 2009, and now there are just nine weeks left in the year!

Our awareness of the passing of time provides us with an strong incentive to look back and evaluate where we are. Have I reached my personal, professional and spiritual goals for the year? Where am I in my development in those areas? What do I need to do differently to see more progress in these areas between now and the end of the year?

A few weeks ago I had my annual medical checkup. It's not a pleasant experience, especially for someone who just plain doesn't like going to the doctor. But I have seen the sometimes tragic results of NOT catching a medical problem early, so I choose to subject myself to the inconvenience and the discomfort of a medical examination because it is ultimately very important to my health.

Likewise, it is often not a pleasant experience to go through a spiritual checkup, either. None of us likes to take a critical look at ourselves, much less to ask trusted friends or accountability partners to tell us what they see. But I have seen far too many times the tragic results of NOT catching a spiritual problem early, so I choose to subject myself to the inconvenience and the discomfort of a "spiritual examination" because it is ultimately very important to my spiritual health and to my effectiveness as a leader.

In both of Paul's letters to the church at Corinth - a church that had its share of problems and challenges - he stresses the need for an honest self examination. In 1 Corinthians 11:28, the Apostle says that we should carefully examine our lives before we partake of the Lord's supper to be sure that we do not sin against the body and the blood of Christ and bring condemnation upon ourselves.

Then in 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul says: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." (NIV)

Have you had a spiritual check up lately?

To Gossip Or Not To Gossip

Image via Wikipedia

Cindy Beall

Gossip.
I imagine we've all done it at some point in our lives.

The word gossip as a noun means a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others; a rumor or report of an intimate nature. As a verb it means to relate gossip.

Not the most positive of definitions, I'd say.

And we can't forget what Paul says in Ephesians 4:29, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

I can't tell you how many times I have revealed personal facts about others all in the name of "praying for them". And sometimes? Sometimes I just wanna share some juicy stuff about people, especially if I don't really care for them.

So, how do we do this? Especially us women who tend to be far more relational and sharing.
I think it comes down to motive.

My husband’s and my story has been shared not only by our senior pastor nearly eight years ago, but also by my husband in his messages and by me on my blog. Since that time, many others have shared our story with people they know. I even heard a girl say one time about us, "I feel like I'm gossiping." And to her I replied, "Well, don't. We have this story on the worldwide web so I think you're good." :)

However, sharing personal information about someone who has placed his or her confidence in you would be crossing the line. Disclosing negative things about someone just for spite is highly inappropriate as well.
So, what do you do when you want to share some personal and intimate stuff about others for reasons of genuine prayer?

Ask the person. See if they are comfortable with you sharing the information about them. Let them tell you what they want you to share. You'll find that many are open books and don't care what you tell others. Still others will be more private and ask that you share that "they need prayer." If they don't want you to share their lives with others just say, "I really am not at liberty to say anything out of respect for my friend."

People might get offended and the situation may become a bit awkward because of your honesty but really, that is their problem. Don't make it yours.

Whatever the situation, use your discretion and consider how you would feel if the following information was shared about you. That sure might make you adjust what you are about to say.

Is gossip your struggle?
What other suggestions might you share with others about overcoming a desire to gossip?

Answering the Call to Holiness

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Dr. Betty R. Price

Many Christians do not take holiness seriously. They do not realize that to be holy is a commandment from God. Since God has called us to holiness, we have to will ourselves to live the holy life. In 1 Peter 1:13 -16, we see God's call to holiness: "Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.'"

We also find in II Timothy 1:8-9, "...share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began."

Everything that refers to God is holy. Holiness is the very essence of who He is. Our lives should always exemplify what Jesus' life was like when He lived on earth, because He exemplified what God's life is-a life of holiness. This was evident when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. No matter what Satan tempted Jesus with, or how often Satan tempted Him, Jesus never yielded to him.

Holiness is the quality of life. It should not be confused with two similar terms such as sanctification, which means to be set apart, and righteousness, which means right standing with God. When you were born again, you were made the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ.

Paul tells us this in II Corinthians 5:21, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." He also writes in 1 Corinthians 1:2, "... to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints..."

God makes us righteous and sanctifies us through Jesus Christ; those are things that He does. But it is up to us to be obedient to His call to holiness. We do not have to do anything to be sanctified, other than to live a sanctified life. Living the sanctified life is called holiness. This is how our character gets established. So Christians can't do anything to be righteous or sanctified, but everything to be holy.

It may seem difficult, but you can be holy, just as God the Father and Jesus are holy. It will take effort because it does not come overnight. You have to train yourself and remove yourself from unholy people, places, things and actions. You have to will yourself to do it. You have to go in the opposite direction of where your flesh or your mind may want to take you. You must remember that God cannot be involved in any kind of sin or immorality. When you get into sin or immorality, you park His power at the door and enter at your own risk.

Christians should desire to be pleasing to God instead of compromising their standards to please others. They must tell themselves, "I can abstain from fornication; I will not commit adultery; I will not worry; I will not overeat; I will not be jealous; I will not be envious; I will not be full of strife; I will not lie; I will not do anything that Jesus wouldn't do because I am holy."

To be victorious in living a life of holiness, you need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. You need the Holy Spirit, the power of God, to help you because Satan will oppose you when you commit to obeying the Word of God. You need the supernatural power of God because Satan is a supernatural enemy. It is a supernatural life that God has called you to. It is a life of joy, peace and fulfillment.

The act of holiness is not an impossible task. God would never tell us to do something or be something that is impossible to accomplish. You can be holy; you can count yourself as dead to sin; you can overcome those temptations just as Jesus did because God has already made a way of escape.

Paul tells us this in 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."

So, whatever challenge you're faced with, don't give up. It's a fight all your life. It doesn't matter how many times you fall; get up because one of these times, you're going to get the victory over that temptation so you can be right for God and live the life of holiness as you were called to do.

This devotional was excerpted from Dr. Betty's audio series, "The Character of Christ: Holiness." Please call us at (800) 927-3436 for a complete list of her products.