Coveting, Comparing, & Contentment

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” —God’s words to Moses in Exodus 20:17. It’s the 10th Commandment, and God gave it to us for our own good.
What does coveting look like in today's world or do we still covet? Do these words apply to us now that Jesus has come? Are you a human being? If you answered yes to that last question, you have coveted. Honestly, we all covet at one time or another even though we know we are commanded to not do so. We may even catch ourselves in a full-on covet and scold ourselves saying, "Stop it! Snap out of it! Be grateful for what you have!" We may even not recognize our own coveting. The words from God to Moses are still applicable to us today. Coveting takes us down the road to comparison and comparison will never allow Jesus to take complete control of our lives. Let's talk about what coveting may look like in our modern day work place.


We see that a coworker has been assigned a project or assignment for which we feel particularly suited. We wish we had the opportunity. We may ask ourselves, "Why didn't I get asked to do that?"

• We see the results a coworker gets...it may be sales; it may be student achievement; it may be a closing on a house; it may be gaining new customers; it may even be the pricing you are able to quote, etc. We think, "Man, how does he or she do that? I want that! Why can't I do that?"
• We look at the team our coworker works with and/or the relationships he or she has. We think, "Man, I could do great things if I worked with them too! They are the dream team! Why couldn't I be on their team?"
• We look at the appearance of others. We think, "How do they have it all together? He or she dresses so nicely and always looks calm, cool, and collected. Everything he or she touches turns to gold. Nothing phases him or her. How does he or she do it?"
  

Did you see yourself in any of the above situations? Most of us can relate to one or more of the aforementioned scenarios. We may not be proud of it, but yet there it is. As followers of Christ, what are we to do when we catch ourselves in this sin?




We need to recognize that the opposite of covetousness is contentment.  Contentment is what we must seek. Contentment defined is “what I have now is enough.” Quite simply, contentment means satisfaction without any manipulation. We might define it as “being comfortable in one’s own skin.” The bible tells us in 1 Timothy 6:6, "A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that’s enough."


We need to realize that comparison is a joy thief. We should not compare ourselves to anyone but Christ. For comparison to Christ will bring humility, and humility keeps pride and covetousness at bay. In Philippians 4: 10 - 14 NIV, Paul says, "I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am." So, the next time you are tempted to compare yourself to another, stop yourself in your tracks and take stock....compare yourself to Jesus.


Here is a quote from Lysa TerKeurst of Proverbs 31 Ministries, "When comparison sneaks in, it can be hard. Worse than hard. It can quite simply make me forget all the strengths I do have. And when we forget, our hearts shift. We stop being thankful and instead become consumed by that little thing we don't have. That's a dangerous place to be."


Dear Heavenly Father,


We admit that our nature is to covet; our nature is to compare. Lord, please help us to stop. Help us to find comfort in You and who we are in You. We have all we need in You and all that You have provided to us. Help us to embrace the gifts, talents, and situations that we have been given and have been put in. Help us to recognize that each and every situation is for our learning and benefit if we view it with Your eyes and mind. We realize that you often use the average person for Your purpose for big impact. Let us be worthy of Your use, and let us rest in who you have made us. It is in Jesus strong name we pray... Amen.

Never Alone: Learning to Sense God's Presence

Have you ever felt lonely even when you are standing among many people...maybe even among friends or family? To be lonely is an internal feeling of being misunderstood or disconnected from others. We can even experience loneliness when surrounded by others in a crowd, at work, or at a family party.

How do you feel when you are physically alone...when you go home to an empty house or are the last person at work? To be alone is a physical thing...to have no one with you...to be by oneself. Do you view it as boring or scary? Do you jump at the chance to go somewhere to avoid "alone time"? The good news is that we are told that we are never alone. In Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV, we are told, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Why do we still feel a sense of loneliness whether it be that we are actually physically alone or we feel alone while in a crowd of people? How can we learn to sense the presence of God under any circumstance? While intellectually, we know God is omnipresent, and His presence is always with us, we long to experience Him. When we talk about experiencing the presence of the Lord, we are talking about perceiving His presence and being conscious of Him at all times. God has promised that as we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us and we will experience His presence in ever increasing measures. We stop confining God to some activities, such as going to church, reading the Bible, and praying, and begin to sense God’s presence in all we do and everywhere we go. What are some ways that we do this when the feeling of loneliness creeps in whether we are actually alone or not?

Simply look to Jesus. Seek Him. Jesus is chosen by God to make the His presence real to you. We all live in His presence all the time, but not many people are aware of it. Acts 17:24-29 MSG tells us, "The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it?" God is here for us always, we just have to look for Him intentionally.

Say His name. Scripture says there is power in the name of Jesus. Acts 4:12 NIV says, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." When we say His name out loud...looking to Him as our Lord and Savior to calm our souls, recognizing Him as the One whose presence we long for, we will sense the power of His presence...and His peace will surround us.

Read or say scripture out loud. When we audibly speak God's inspired Word, we will sense its power and His presence. Hebrews 4:12 NIV tell us "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." There is nothing more powerful than the Word of God, so why not employ its power?

Say a whisper prayer. There are times we know we need Him but we just don't know what to say or where to start. He hears our inner most groanings even when we have no words to express them. Start by saying His name and then say whatever comes from your heart. Romans 8: 26-27 says, "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good." Even a simple "Jesus, I need You" or "Jesus, help me" is translated and heard perfectly by the Holy Spirit who speaks to the Father on our behalf.

Be still. Sometimes we can't sense God's presence because there's too much of everything else going on. Too much noise... the TV, the radio, people talking. Too much confusion...too many pressures, to-do lists, even our own thoughts filling our minds can steal our quiet time. Focus your mind on Jesus and start to breathe deeply. In with the good air and out with the bad, distracting thoughts. Breathe in that desire to feel His presence. Exhale all your worries, busyness, and your pre-occupation with self. Psalm 46:10 NIV says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” In the Message translation of the same verse we are told “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” In our world, it is difficult at times to just be still and set all other thoughts and actions aside. However, the practice of this technique could become one of our greatest assets when it comes to really sensing God beside us every minute of every day.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please fill us. Help us to slow down to decompress. Help us to remove all the clutter from our minds and know that with You, we are never alone. Help us to view alone time as a precious time we can spend with You. Let us remember that even in a loud crowd, You are there. In You, we have all we need. Let us draw near to you to experience your presence, your peace, and your comfort. Remind us that you are in the simple things and that we simply need to call on You. You are always with us. Thank you God for caring about us even through our bouts of selfish-focus and self-pity. Remind us that when we seek You, You are there waiting on us. We love You and thank You for sending Jesus to save us and the Holy Spirit to help us. It is in the strong name of Jesus we pray...Amen.

The Joy Factor

Have you ever met someone who is always positive... Who always seems to have "it" together? It seems that nothing gets him or her down even when circumstances would seemingly justify a bad mood. Maybe you know someone who is always calm and level-headed and you wonder, "How does he or she do it...is there no sense of urgency?" Some situations call for a bit of emotion - don't they?

On the other hand, maybe you know someone who always has something to complain about... who always seems to look for a reason to be upset. It seems that nothing makes him or her happy. It seems he or she is always under attack by someone or something. How does he or she always seem to read negatively into every situation? How does one person have so many things going wrong at one time? Something has to be positive somewhere, right?



Always is an extreme term and we all know that no human being truly experiences any emotion of circumstance all the time. So how is it that he or she has the appearance of being so?

Honestly, as we approach each day, we make a choice as to how we will carry ourselves and how we will view what happens around us and to us. You maybe asking, "So, you are saying a person chooses to be grumpy and negative....or happy and joyful?" The answer is a resounding, "YES."

Fred Bittner in his blog titled, Bible Verses About Joy: 25 Scriptures, says, "Joy is not an emotion that can be forced, fabricated, or faked. There are times when joy eludes us. This is normal and we need to understand that there are times when we will not feel joyful."

Yet, it is important to recognize that our ability to experience joy is not at the mercy of our circumstances. We can experience joy in all situations.  In James 1:2-3 NIV, we are told, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." So, how do we choose to be joyful over choosing to be grumpy, mean-spirited, or just plain negative? Is it possible to emulate a joyful spirit at all times? If so, what steps do we take?

We can experience joy when...

We are secure in our relationship with Jesus. When others allow their emotions to be determined based upon what they see, hear, or experience that day, we can consciously  choose to be like David in Psalm 4:6-8 MSG when he says, "Why is everyone hungry for more? “More, more,” they say. “More, more.” I have God’s more-than-enough, more joy in one ordinary day than they get in all their shopping sprees. At day’s end I’m ready for sound sleep, for you, God, have put my life back together." If we place our trust in Jesus alone, no matter what situation we find ourselves in, we are safe in Him. We can rest in the assurance that the Holy Spirit is with us every minute of every day and that alone can give us joy in the bleakest of circumstances.

The Apostle Paul supports this in Romans 8:18 ESV when he says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." When we know what is to come, there is no losing, not even in death. What a great realization.

We have a certainty of purpose for our life. We view our lives and our work to be that of a mission and not of a series of happenstance incidents.  Psalm 16:11 NIV says, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." When we look at our lives and jobs as mission fields, we will find joy knowing that He is allowing us to use our God-given gifts and talents. We will see the opportunities that He has placed before us and know that He has equipped us with the tools necessary to complete the mission successfully.

We spend our life praising God for who He is and what He has already done. When we praise God, we place our focus on something that is far bigger than what is happening at the present moment. With the focus taken away from ourselves or our current circumstances, we are able to share King David's mindset as he says in Psalm 21:5-7 NIV, "Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High, he will not be shaken." Here David compares the victories and personal glory the Lord had given him to the joy he experiences in God's presence. His focus was on God alone and he was able to experience pure joy as a result. Likewise, when our focus is heavenward, our eyes are opened to the work that God is doing around us. In a way, we are able to see a bigger picture and appreciate the beauty in the way that everything works for the glory of His kingdom. Psalm 92:4-5 MSG says, "You made me so happy, God, I saw your work and I shouted for joy. How magnificent your work, God! How profound your thoughts! Dullards never notice what you do; fools never do get it." Imagine how much joy we will experience when we can clearly see the work that is being done around us daily even when the situation or circumstance is not necessarily pleasant.

Though joy is not a switch that can be flipped on and off, we, as Christians, can focus our thought-life on heavenly things. We learn to experience joy despite our circumstances as we rest in the Way, The Truth, and The Life, Jesus Christ, instead of ourselves. By doing so, we stand apart as calm, confident, peaceful, and joyful. What choice are you going to make today?


Almighty Father,


We pray for our relationship with you to grow and mature. Help us to slow down and spend time studying Your Word, worshiping You, and reflecting Your character instead of focusing on the minutia of daily living. Let us understand that the more we know You, and sense Your presence, the more confident and secure we become. Help us accept challenges and hiccups that come our way as part of our work in fulfilling our Godly purpose. When we do so, we will embrace every step with a peace and joy that will surpass understanding. Turn our eyes toward Your true magnificence and the amazing works You have done. Help us to see You in everyday things, so that our joy can be contagious and others will be curious about You. It is in the strong name of Jesus we pray...Amen.

What's Your Message?

Every action, word, and gesture we make sends a message. When going about your daily work how do you respond? What is your general approach? What is your "go to" stance? What is the message you are sending?

Most, if not all of us, who have a personal relationship with Jesus want to believe our witness is a good one. We want it to be the type that points others to Jesus and lights up the darkness of our daily human relationships, tasks, and struggles. Yet, some of us, if we are really honest with ourselves, may actually turn others away from Jesus by our message when we are faced with challenges and trials.

Ask yourself the following questions:
What is my initial response to change?
What is my response to disappointment or loss?
What is my response when I do not get my way?
What is my response when something goes wrong?
What is my response to bad news?

We get the opportunity many times a day to represent Jesus by our responses to these questions and many more.

1 Peter 2:12 NLT says, "Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world."

But what does it mean to "live properly" and to act with "honorable behavior"?

The Message version of the same verse says this, "Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives."

By comparing the two translations, we are clearly told to live and respond differently than those living "in the world". We should not be comfortable giving a typically accepted worldly response. With that said, let's name some typical responses, according to the world, to the aforementioned questions.

...Becoming angry, blaming others, judging others, demeaning others, panicking, worrying, resisting, pouting, starting rumors or gossiping, or maybe, just maybe, you even respond with the silent treatment...

More than likely we have all responded with one of the above worldly responses in a weak and vulnerable moment. As representatives of Jesus, when our responses are worldly, we can and must make it right by choosing to recognize those responses, adjust, and even apologize when necessary. Our aim should be to hold our responses captive until we can be sure they are pure, right, and true. So how can we do this? What steps can we take to avoid giving a hypocritical message to those around us, especially those who know we have a relationship with Jesus Christ?



First, we are to remain calm as we rest in God's promises. We are not to rely on ourselves for anything. God promises us that the Holy Spirit will always help us. We are assured of this in John 14:16-17 NIV as we are told, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." So, we must trust that we will be given the right words via the Holy Spirit. In Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG we are told, "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track." As well, Proverbs 19:11 MSG states that, "Smart people know how to hold their tongue; their grandeur is to forgive and forget." Take a minute or two for the Holy Spirit to work in you in those situations when you might be tempted to respond quickly with actions or words that would hinder your witness.

Second, we are to embrace an attitude of serving others instead of ourselves. We are to humble ourselves and put others before us at all times. Matthew 25:40 CEV tells us, "The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.” As well, Proverbs 11: 24-25 MSG says, "The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped." Philippians 2:2-5 NIV says, "then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus." This might not come easy to all of us, but as Christians we are called to put it into practice daily. If we can turn that practice into a natural response, we are promised joy in return.

Lastly, we are to do everything under the umbrella of love. As followers of Christ, we are commanded to love one another. In John 13:34-35 we are told, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” We are warned of the message we send if we act in selfish ways in 1 John 4:19-21. It says, "We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother." To further reinforce this message we are told of the healing power of love and prayer and how it leads others to Jesus, Himself in 1 Peter 4:7-11 MSG. It says, "Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!" It is ultimately through our love of others, that they will see Christ in us. Even when it isn't easy, remember to take up your cross, follow Christ, and above all the things of this world (being right; having material things; getting your way; or earning credit), love those that surround you each day.

Almighty Father in Heaven,

Oh, how we need you. We are so weak and wrong when we rely on ourselves. Even if we can do what is right for a while, if we continue on our own, our human nature will eventually show through in a poor response. Help us to die to ourselves each day. Help us to choose to rest in You and give over all control to You. Please have your Son, Jesus, grow in each of us until we are perfected in Him. Fill us with the strong power of the Holy Spirit so that our actions, words, and gestures lead others to see Jesus Christ in us. Make our message an amazing witness for your truth. It is in the strong name of Jesus we pray...Amen.

Discipline Part II: When Discipline Gets Up Close and Personal

Have you ever been shocked to find yourself on the receiving end of some discipline or correction? Maybe the following thoughts have crossed your mind, "Whoa! What happened? How did I get here? This is not the normal me. How embarrassing!" Or maybe you even saw it coming and were waiting for the consequences that were sure to follow. Either way, receiving discipline or correction is not typically something we look forward to.

Unfortunately, we can surprise ourselves at times with our own behavior. It can be all too easy to get caught up in the ways of the world and allow ourselves to become entwined with the bad thoughts Satan puts in our minds. We then can find ourselves perpetuating negative thinking or contributing in negative ways to our environment. We must remember that we are all sinners by nature and can easily give in to the temptation of sin if we are not fortifying ourselves many times a day. God expects us to obey the authorities in our lives...our bosses, parents, supervisors, coaches, teachers, our government, etc. Proverbs 1:2-3 NLT tells us, "Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise. Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair." The most important thing we have to remember is that we should not dwell on the slip or focus on the discipline itself, but we should instead respond in an appropriate way that is honoring to God. Our response should represent our Christian walk to those around us. The message we send by our response can either help others to gain a better understanding of what a Christian is or it can turn them away with the idea that Christians are hypocrites. So how do we do this? How do we accept discipline in such a way that Christ can be seen and honored in the midst?



First, we should graciously acknowledge our mistake. Proverbs 10:17 says, "People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray." We are encouraged to embrace each experience as a learning opportunity. Proverbs 12:1 NLT says, "To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction." Proverbs 13:1 tells us, "A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction." When we openly admit that we were in the wrong, we are giving God an opportunity to demonstrate His power of forgiveness and grace. We are also laying our pride aside and humbling ourselves as we are called to do in James 4:10 NIV, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”


Next, we need seek to understanding, figuring out where and when our thinking went wrong. Hebrews 12: 11 NLT says, "No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way." We know that God lovingly disciplines His children as evidenced by Hebrews 12:6-10 MSG that says, "Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children." Once we understand our mistake, we can work on correcting the issue and not falling into the same trap when temptation appears again.

Lastly, we should use our experience to teach others. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 MSG encourages us to do just that by saying, "All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too." For if we can help others through our mistakes, we become purposeful in our learning and make the error a valuable experience.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help us to receive discipline, coaching, and training as it is intended. Help us to not personalize our mistakes and take correction as an affront, but to accept it as meaningful feedback. Guide us as we experience this uncomfortable training so that we can graciously and humbly use it to point others to You with our response. It is in Jesus' all powerful name we pray...Amen.

Discipline Part I: When Love Gets Tough

Leading others is difficult. Whether it be your family, a group of friends, a team at work, a classroom of students, or any other committee of people you have the good fortune to guide. Leading has highs and lows, rewards and heartbreaks, times of celebration and times of work...hard work...even times of providing discipline.

There it is. Yes, providing discipline is a part of leading. It is a very unpleasant part of leadership but, it is necessary and a vital part of the learning process for those we lead. Some say that to discipline those who deviate from the path of the team, family, or organization contradicts God's nature or Christ's nature. But the opposite is true. Christ is love; but Christ is also righteous. He acts not only with love, but also with integrity and justice. As Christians, we are called to discipline.

Hebrews 12:5-11 MSG advises us about our acceptance of God's discipline, "So don’t feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as his children? My dear child, don’t shrug off God’s discipline, but don’t be crushed by it either. It’s the child he loves that he disciplines; the child he embraces, he also corrects. God is educating you; that’s why you must never drop out. He’s treating you as dear children. This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it’s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God’s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God’s holy best. At the time, discipline isn’t much fun. It always feels like it’s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God."



In Proverbs 3:11 MSG, "But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this."

So, why must we provide discipline? What is its purpose?

To motivate individuals within our team to change their behavior. In Leviticus 26:14-16 God, through his guidance of the Israelites, warns us what would happen if we refuse to obey Him, "But if you refuse to obey me and won’t observe my commandments, despising my decrees and holding my laws in contempt by your disobedience, making a shambles of my covenant, I’ll step in and pour on the trouble: debilitating disease, high fevers, blindness, your life leaking out bit by bit." While we do not have the authority to administer diseases and physical ailments, we can administer progressive consequences that range from verbal and written warnings, docking pay, removing privileges, limiting playing time, assigning additional work, all the way to suspensions and eventual termination of employment or removal from the team or group.

To make others within the team aware of poor choices, deter them from making or repeating those choices, or to eliminate the harmful influence that might lead others to poor decision-making. Deuteronomy 13:11 says, "Every man, woman, and child in Israel will hear what’s been done and be in awe. No one will dare to do an evil thing like this again." While we do not get pleasure from disciplining, there is value in others within the group learning from the mistakes being made. Disciplining warns others that such conduct is unacceptable and has serious consequences. Negative consequences certainly deter most from partaking in the bad behavior of others.

To preserve the integrity, honor, and respect of the organization among those who belong to it and those who view it from the outside. Exodus 32:25 NIV demonstrates that this is not a new challenge, as when Moses returned from conversing with God on Mt. Sinai, he found the Israelites had defied God. It says, "Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies." No one wants their organization or family to become a joke and not be taken seriously. Instead, we want there to be no question when it comes to what we stand for and what it is that is our purpose.

Dear Father,

Not a one of us enjoys disciplining others, but we accept it as part of leadership. We pray that all of us could join in common beliefs and purpose and obey the laws, rules, policies, and regulations of our organizations. Please help us to not only follow the rules, but to communicate them clearly to those among us. We pray that when we have to discipline our friends, coworkers, children, students, and teammates, that we do so with the right heart. Help us to convey the purpose of the discipline so that optimum learning takes place. Please help us to be strong and not become weak and begin to tolerate bad behavior that hurts our organization or its purpose. It is in the strong name of Jesus we pray... Amen.

Grace Part III: From Salvation to Daily Living - Now What and How?

Have you ever said to yourself, "Have I actually been saved? I said the prayer of invitation, but I don't feel different yet." Have you thought to yourself, "Why do I not feel the presence of God?" Whether we are new followers of Christ or those who have been raised in the church, we all face the daily challenge of building, nurturing, and maturing in our relationship with Christ.



We must remember that by His grace, God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit as soon as we became believers. Ephesians 1:13-14 NLT says, "And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him." Why does this gift of the Holy Spirit matter? Simply put, our human minds are not capable of understanding all heavenly things. Many of us struggle to believe without physical proof - seeing is believing, right? The Holy Spirit functions as the interpreter for our minds and souls by helping us to understand, to see, to communicate to, and to sense the very presence of God around us, and it gives us the courage to share what we learn and know to be true.

There are several steps we can take to grow our relationship with Christ that allow us to experience God's presence each day and confidently know we are one of His children for eternity.

First, we must take full advantage of the power that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Luke 11:11-13 NIV tell us, “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” In the Promise Bible, Dr. Douglas J. Rumford explains this verse by stating, "Though the Holy Spirit lives within us after we ask and believe, we pray expectantly that God will release more and more of the Spirit's power in our lives. In a way, the Holy Spirit is like the potential power of a dammed up reservoir of water - only when it flows through the turbines will it generate the power we need."

1 Corinthians 2:9-13 NIV, says, “What no eye has seen,what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him— these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. We can call upon the Spirit to help us understand the truth of God." Not only can we understand the truth of God but we can also rely on the Spirit to broaden our intellect and the wisdom that we gain will not be from our own human understanding but from a deeper spiritual understanding that can only come from the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:26-27 NLT, explains that the Holy Spirit communicates to God on our behalf when we do not have the words on our own. It says, "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will."

Second, we must spend time in a meaningful relationship with Christ each day in order to experience God's presence. This can be done through prayer, journaling, song, actual conversation, daily bible reading, or any combination of the aforementioned methods of worship. God patiently waits for us and desires a personal relationship with each of us. Ephesians NLT 3:12 tells us,"Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come fearlessly into God's presence, assured of his glad welcome." Moreover, in Colossians 1:21-23 MSG, the apostle Paul tells us, "You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don’t walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message." Any relationship requires nurturing in order to strengthen the bond that exists. A friendship has a deeper bond than that of an acquaintance and an acquaintance has a deeper bond than that of a stranger. Our relationship with God is no different. The more time we spend building the relationship, the deeper the bond will be.

Finally, in combination with our quality time spent with Christ we must work to strengthen our faith in Christ by listening to the message of the Good News. We do this by reading the word, attending corporate church services, and spending time with other believers in dialogue surrounding the study of His word. Hebrews 10:22-25 MSG says, “So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.” Romans 10:17 NIV says, "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." We as Christians need one another as we journey together in communion with Christ. Our faith can only grow when we not only challenge ourselves by maintaining a heart of worship but equally challenge one another to stay grounded and accountable for the God we represent. Rumford adds, "Faith is grounded in God's word. It is not simple a matter of positive thinking or the creation of human effort. Faith is divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit working through the word of God. Our faith grows as we read the stories of God's work across the centuries and we received the truth of his instruction."

Our Father in Heaven,

We so desire to experience your presence each day, to confidently know we are saved and counted among your children. We pray that we learn to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our learning and to translate for us as we read, study and hear the word of God. Help us to trust in the Holy Spirit to intervene on our behalf, when we have no words and don't know what to say or pray. Help us to grow closer to you in a meaningful, personal relationship and increase our faith so that we might know you better. It is in the amazing name of Jesus, we pray...Amen.

Grace Part II: Who Needs a Savior Anyway?

Justification (as Google defines it):

1.the action of showing something to be right or reasonable.

good reason for something that exists or has been done.plural noun: justifications "there is no justification for an increase in charges" synonyms: grounds, reason, basis, rationale, premise, rationalization,vindication,explanation; More defense, argument, apologia, apology, case "there's no justification for their rudeness"

2.Theology the action of declaring or making righteous in the sight of God.

Isn't it odd that justification is both the one thing that keeps us from a meaningful relationship with God AND the one thing that makes us right with God?

We've all had conversations with someone or even ourselves where we rationalize or justify an action, comment, thought, attitude, or habit that we know is not right. We have talked ourselves into believing that our sin is justified. Could it be possible we may even know someone who truly believes he or she has never sinned? With the ways of the world so focused on satisfying self and immediate gratification, it is not surprising that one could think this way.

Romans 3:10 NLT states,“No one is righteous—not even one. So, how do we open the door to this conversation without it turning into an awkward condemnation? How do we help them and ourselves to see that we are all in need of a savior over and over again?

First, name the problem by sharing personal stories of your own struggles with sin and what you are doing about it. Help them to see that even followers of Jesus fall victim to sin and continually need a Savior. Sin is not just the bad things we do, but it is an inherent part of who we are. We should paint the picture that any person in the middle of difficult circumstances, when left to his or her own devices, is likely to sin. We can't help it. But, we as Christians know better and have tools and options to assist us when we find ourselves in the midst of those circumstances. We can use things such as prayer, other Christians, and more, but sometimes we choose not to use them and instead choose to take the path of least resistance - sin. By our own admittance of personal sin, we put a face and a reality to sin which allows those who don't know Jesus recognize it.

Jeremiah 17:9 MSG says, “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out."

Second, name the solution by sharing how we are made right in God's sight as we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. Jesus justified us to God. Emphasize that we are all saved in the same way no matter who we are or what we have done. Romans 3:21-24 MSG tells us that God has set things right. It says, "But in our time something new has been added. What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ." It is by grace that we are made clean.

Finally, share how to accept God's offer for justification through Jesus Christ. Acts 3:19 NLV says, "Now turn from your sins and turn to God, so you can be cleansed of your sins." To know Jesus Christ personally and to have our sins forgiven, we must first admit that we are sinners who are separated from God. We must believe that we cannot save ourselves and there is no rationalizing our sin. Our only hope is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to earth to die for our sins. But, we cannot stop there. We also need to confess our sins and turn away from them. We must ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior. He will then help us to change, over time, from the inside out.

For some, maybe even many, having the courage to share these three points will be a scary endeavor. Push yourself to follow up with a note or an email to ask if he or she wants to hear more. We may even have the opportunity to pray with our friend. Listen to God's leading and be sensitive to their body language keeping in mind that some people will need more time than others to see the truth.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for being a forgiving God. Thank you for loving us enough to send your Son to die for our sins. Thank you for this gift, the grace, You show in the person of Jesus. Help us to seek you every day at every turn instead of "trying" to lean on our own thinking. We recognize that our nature is to take the easy way out and let our emotions run our decision making. We know in our hearts and minds that Jesus is the only way to righteousness. Give us the courage to share the truth with our friends who don't know you in a way that it will be received. It is in the strong name of Jesus our Lord and Savior, we pray...Amen.

Grace Part I: Witnessing to Spock or Sheldon

Do you know a co-worker or family member who has a hard time accepting the good news of salvation by faith? Have you tried to subtly share your story only to find yourself seemingly speaking a foreign language? Our hearts ache when those who we care about and work with struggle to find peace. They ache even more so when they question us as we try to help them find the answers they seek. Many of our logical friends who share qualities with the character Spock from "Star Trek" or are similar to Sheldon of the "Big Bang Theory", have "tried" to make sense of religion, only to become more frustrated and more confident that religion is all a hoax. It's only purpose to keep society in line and to help those who need it to feel good about themselves. Some have even called the bible a nice little story. Interestingly enough, they still know that something is missing. What is it that is being missed in how we share the good news? How can the powerful,living Word of God be silent to some, yet it is a comfort and guide for others? We can continue to question, but the real message we have to convince them of is that "it" is about a relationship and not about religion. It is about a friendship with a person unseen.



Even Jesus himself faced this same challenge as he spoke to Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader, in John 3:10-12 MSG, Jesus said, “You’re a respected teacher of Israel and you don’t know these basics? Listen carefully. I’m speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay. Yet instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you procrastinate with questions. If I tell you things that are plain as the hand before your face and you don’t believe me, what use is there in telling you of things you can’t see, the things of God?"

So how do we simplify and bring to life the amazing relationship available to others through Jesus Christ? One of the keys to helping our logical friends make sense of it all lies in getting them to first believe that they, alone, cannot satisfy the feeling of need or the longing for something more, indefinitely. Self-sufficiency will do them no good in this arena. They must comprehend the concept of grace. Our practical friends want to know how to apply our words in their lives. It needs to make sense to them. Many of them are used to having achieved success by following a series of steps, being dedicated, and working very hard. Grace is a foreign concept for them.

Google defines grace, in Christian belief, as the free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings. What does this mean? How can we translate this into everyday words for our friends and relate it to something they can understand right now?

First, they have to know that there is nothing they can do to "get" grace. It is simply God’s favor that is unearned, undeserved and not repayable. They need to stop trying, stop the madness of working hard to earn it; and just stop. Ephesians 2:7-10 MSG, states, "Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all his idea, and all his work. All we do is trust him enough to let him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing." God's grace is a special gift. The fact that we can do nothing of our own effort to earn grace or lose grace is a source of comfort and hope. It is a gift that God gave us through His son, Jesus.

Second, they have to understand that every strategy they have ever used before to complete something well, frankly, will not work for filling this particular void. Practical people can be hard-headed, creatures of habit. Taking this leap of faith by accepting God's grace is unnatural, scary, and feels totally out of control. It's like jumping out of an airplane and enjoying the freefall portion of the jump. Titus 3:4-7 CEV says, "God our Savior showed us how good and kind he is. He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done. God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning. God sent Jesus Christ our Savior to give us his Spirit. Jesus treated us much better than we deserve. He made us acceptable to God and gave us the hope of eternal life."

Third, they must know that the rules of religion are man's and not God's. Many who were not raised in the church do not have a true understanding of the purpose of the Old Testament laws. Their purpose was to show us how totally incapable we are, as humans, to keep them. They were supposed to point us to the person of Jesus Christ as our Savior. Unfortunately many of today's churches still perpetuate this thinking by placing emphasis on rules and guidelines or do's and don'ts. Instead of planting seeds and harvesting them for the Kingdom, they drive people away by making themselves and others look like hypocrites. No one can perfectly keep the laws of the Old Testament except Jesus, himself. So, incredulously, even many churches and congregations miss the point and therefore miss the mark! Romans 3:20-24 NLT tells us that Christ took our punishment. It says, "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins."

Finally, God does not expect perfection. In fact, he expects us to fall short. Often, we have trouble accepting this because we operate under a system of conditions in most of our interactions with others, i.e. if he does this...I will do this....If she does that....I will not do this.  God expects that we admit our shortcomings and attempt to do something about it by asking for forgiveness and legitimately striving to not make the same mistake again. But, once forgiveness is accepted the slate is wiped clean in His eyes. Psalm 32:5 says, Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. He already knows the sins of our past and future. There is nothing we can do that will surprise God. Yet, he still loves and accepts us with all our imperfections. There is no sin so great that we cannot come back to God.

Dear Almighty Father,

The four points above are crosswise with our current world culture and are hard for us to accept as reality. Help us to take the leap of faith by accepting your grace and go one step further by putting grace into words for all to understand. Help us take the "religion" out of it for those we work with and put the focus on the real relationship with your Son, Jesus Christ. It is in the Holy Name of Jesus, we pray...Amen.

Dodging Bullets Sent by the Enemy

Have you ever experienced a period of time at work where everything seemed to be going well? The ideas were flowing, our ability to influence others seemed vast, conflicts were resolved fairly simply, and wow, we were making a real difference! Sometimes this season can last for weeks or months, but inevitably Satan notices the impact we are having and sets his mind to derailing our efforts. The next thing we know, the tide has turned. One by one, Satan's fiery darts fly our way in multiple forms challenging us to give up for one reason or another. Perhaps, you get a physical ailment...a migraine, a simple cold, or worse; you receive anonymous negative feedback from a client or customer full of untruths about your work and attacks on your character; or maybe even an incident requires you to make a tough decision that you know will be unpopular. At that point, many of us are left asking ourselves, "What happened? Who ripped the rug out from under me?"

Satan specializes in sending specific barriers and trials our way that will take our breath away and are intended to stop our forward progress for God's Kingdom. How are we as Christians to respond when Satan's darts make direct contact? What can we do to keep proper perspective, pick ourselves up, and keep working to share what is good, right, and true?

First, turn your persecutors over to God. This is easier said than done, yet it is what we must do. Whether we know the identity of our attacker or not, we are to let God take care of him or her in His way. In Psalm 64, King David says, 1-2 "Lord, listen to my complaint: Oh, preserve my life from the conspiracy of these wicked men, these gangs of criminals. 3 They cut me down with sharpened tongues; they aim their bitter words like arrows straight at my heart. 4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent. Suddenly the deed is done, yet they are not afraid. 5 They encourage each other to do evil. They meet in secret to set their traps. “He will never notice them here,” they say. 6 They keep a sharp lookout for opportunities of crime. They spend long hours with all their endless evil thoughts and plans.[a]7 But God himself will shoot them down. Suddenly his arrow will pierce them. 8 They will stagger backward, destroyed by those they spoke against. All who see it happening will scoff at them. 9 Then everyone shall stand in awe and confess the greatness of the miracles of God; at last they will realize what amazing things he does. 10 And the godly shall rejoice in the Lord, and trust and praise him."


Second, stay prayerfully focused on doing God's will. In Romans 15:14-16, Paul emphasizes how important our work in sharing the gospel and connecting others to God is. He says, "Personally, I’ve been completely satisfied with who you are and what you are doing. You seem to me to be well-motivated and well-instructed, quite capable of guiding and advising one another. So, my dear friends, don’t take my rather bold and blunt language as criticism. It’s not criticism. I’m simply underlining how very much I need your help in carrying out this highly focused assignment God gave me, this priestly and gospel work of serving the spiritual needs of the non-Jewish outsiders so they can be presented as an acceptable offering to God, made whole and holy by God’s Holy Spirit."

There will always be people who say and do things that hurt. They may not even know at the time that they are in fact are the very vehicle that Satan is using to discourage us. Our best course of action is to be prayerful. Psalm 37:7 Quiet down before God, be prayerful before him. Don’t bother with those who climb the ladder, who elbow their way to the top.



Psalm 46 TLB, we are reminded that...God is our refuge and strength, a tested help in times of trouble. 2 And so we need not fear even if the world blows up and the mountains crumble into the sea. 3 Let the oceans roar and foam; let the mountains tremble! Nothing in our world is stable or inherently safe. We can find shelter and rest in the Lord. Even when everything else is wobbly and unclear, our faith in God will never be.

The third action we should take is to be boldly confident in God's promises. Psalm 91:9-16 NIV states, "If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he[a] loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.” God gives us absolute assurance that He will rescue those who love Him. This gives us the promise that when people and circumstances turn against us, God is for us.

Furthermore, in Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV we are reminded to take full advantage of The Armor of God. Verse 10 says, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Whether you are comforted by singing your favorite Christian songs or by quietly reading passages that encourage you, run to God and fellow Christians for proper perspective.

Dear Almighty Father,

We place our lives and work before you. We pray that you bless our words, decisions, actions and use them to connect others to You. Protect us from the devil's darts. Help us to view setbacks and barriers properly knowing that trials often come in response to the good work we have done. Help us to pray for those who grieve us and give them over to You. Teach us to rely on your promises and stand fortified by You and Your word as we push forward. It is in the Powerful Name of Jesus Christ we pray....Amen.

Fishing for Men, Women, and Children at Work

How do you win others over for God's Kingdom at work? Most of us generally try to be a good example of grace, forgiveness, patience, humbleness, and other positive character traits in order for our co-workers to possibly notice God's Spirit within us. We may even verbally thank God or tell a co-worker that we are praying for him or her. Who is going to get upset with us when we offer to pray for them? We might talk about the sermon we heard at church and how it affected our thinking. Is that enough? Is that what God had in mind for us when he said “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matt 28:19)?

Have you allowed yourself to think deeply about the message you send in your words and actions each day? Most of us have not, because we get caught up in "doing" the daily responsibilities of the jobs, and when we do take a moment, fear can often take hold and paralyze us into inaction.

We, as believers, are called to take some risks so that God’s Kingdom may grow! Do you ever have a great idea only to talk yourself out of it? Maybe it will fail; maybe people will laugh at me; what will everyone think? Often our fear gets in the way of doing our best work. But God wants us to go forth boldly, sometimes taking a risk, so that we may accomplish great things for Him. Yes, sometimes we’ll get it wrong and there may be a hard lesson to learn. But we will learn– and eventually great things will happen as result of our courage and persistence!

In Psalm 31:24 MSG, we are called to...Be brave. Be strong. Don’t give up. Expect God to get here soon. So, what can we do about it? Matthew 13:23 MSG says, The seed cast on good earth is the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams. We cannot afford to wait quietly in the wings to let others do the work. God’s Kingdom won’t grow unless we start taking some risks! We are "good earth". How do we do that successfully?

Be alert and aware of your word choice and tone of voice. In Colossians 4:5-6 MSG we are called to ... Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

Be sensitive to God's leading and bold in carrying it out even when it involves risk. Psalm 119:41-48, says Let your love, God, shape my life with salvation, exactly as you promised; Then I’ll be able to stand up to mockery because I trusted your Word. Don’t ever deprive me of truth, not ever— your commandments are what I depend on. Oh, I’ll guard with my life what you’ve revealed to me, guard it now, guard it ever; And I’ll stride freely through wide open spaces as I look for your truth and your wisdom; Then I’ll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed. I cherish your commandments—oh, how I love them!— relishing every fragment of your counsel.

Being bold does not mean being reckless. It means trusting in God's strength to express our effort in the manner it will be received best. Psalm 21:13 emphasizes, Show your strength, God, so no one can miss it. We are out singing the good news!

Matthew 5:10 says, You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.

Be humble in your deeds giving credit to God and not yourself. In Matthew 6:1-4 MSG we are advised, Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘play actors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that’s all they get. When you help someone out, don’t think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.

Dear Almighty Father,

Fill us with your strength and confidence to win others over for the Kingdom. Give us the words and direct our actions to help others be convinced of your love, grace, and life giving ways. Let us be tools you use to share the good news of salvation and grace through Jesus Christ. We love you and thank you for the sacrifice of your Son. It is in the powerful name of Jesus we pray...Amen.

Opportunities in Disguise: Interruption, Disagreement, & Contention

What do you say? Is it "It's Monday!" or "It's Monday...meh." The week starts afresh and new and we have a choice as to which attitude we take with us. For some, a quick look at the calendar and the appointments, meetings, and tasks within in it will direct our feelings and attitude toward the week ahead. Do you have a meeting with an unhappy parent or client? Do you have an important presentation to make? Do you have a low key week with nothing too exciting planned?

Regardless of what the calendar reads, we never know exactly what is coming around the corner for us at work. In fact, on days where very little is planned out of the ordinary, the personal to-do list usually goes out the window with unplanned, unforeseen challenges. Do you get grumpy when pulled away from the plan? Maybe you sigh with frustration at the interruption. Our outward responses send clear messages about us. What do your responses say about you?

Quite honestly for many, the natural response to unknown and possibly unpleasant challenges at work is to be angry, frustrated, and short; to anticipate the week or the next moment with dread, fear, and pessimism. The truth is that we have to discipline ourselves to develop habits to express what God has done in us as Christians. Remember who you represent at work, Team Jesus, Team-Me, or Team No One (See 10/27's blog). Our words and actions not only show who we represent but also act as an expression of our new selves and our relationship with Jesus. So, how can we express what God has done in us as we face contention, disagreements, and disagreeable people and situations? Below are three ways we can find joy in the disagreeable.

Enthusiastically allow the life of Jesus to manifest itself in you. No matter how disagreeable a situation or person may be, say – “Lord, I am delighted to obey You in this matter,” and invite Jesus to provide the words, thoughts, direction, and possibly even a new outlook. Galatians 5:22-24 MSG says, But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

Look forward to challenges and accept them joyfully. James 1:2-4 MSG states, Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. Firmly believe that it is one thing to choose the disagreeable, and another thing to go into the disagreeable by God’s engineering. If God puts you there, He is amply sufficient.

View challenges as opportunities to show your faith under pressure. In times of blessing it is easy to demonstrate love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control all on our own, apart from Jesus. But in times of sorrow, challenge, and trial, folks expect anger, bitterness, and strife. Express Christ by responding differently with the fruits of the spirit. 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 MSG says, If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!


Dear Heavenly Father,

We thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. We thank you that we can express His life through us. We thank you for the opportunities to show others what You have done in transforming us to be more like You. Help us to see interruptions, disagreement, and contention as opportunities to express what Jesus has done in our lives. In Jesus's Holy Name we pray....Amen.

Reasoning or Arguing: What’s better?

Do you have a difference of opinion with a co-worker or a reoccurring challenge with another department at work? Maybe it is a difference in how to approach or solve a problem. Maybe it is how to address a client or a student. Whether you are in the role of leader or teammate, soft skills are extremely important to your ability to communicate your thought process effectively, even when we might be angry, and have a positive outcome. Below are some wise words written by George Whitten that give credence to using your emotional intelligence to manage workplace minefields.

Softer is better!

Thursday, March 22, 2012 (10:13 am) by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions

Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

People who fight fire with fire usually end up with ashes.

How often, in all the issues we have to deal with talking with people, we know or we feel we are right; our idea, our position, our interpretation is it, and we're ready to fight for it. Forget the fact that we may not be, or that there might be something we're completely ignorant of. The truth is that sometimes we know better, and sometimes we don't. But the scripture teaches us, and I've learned from experience (most of the time), that arguing, forcefulness, and violence in my own voice are almost guaranteed to start a futile and ugly war of words. People are naturally defensive, and often, naturally offensive.

But I can be the one to break the pattern…with a gentle answer. If my heart attitude is “Come, let us reason together, hear each other out, respect each other, speak softly, and trust the Lord for the outcome", and my tone of voice carries that spirit, I can actually help the other person to calm down and prevent a war. The fruit of the spirit is…..self control. What a blessing!

Do you want to start a fight…..or finish one? Give a gentle answer today and see what the Lord does!

How can we apply the lesson in Proverbs 15:1 and implement Mr. Whitten's words at work? So often we tell ourselves that if we can just get "it" out, our emotion, that we will feel better even if it comes at the expense of a relationship or trust of a coworker. But if we are honest with ourselves, hurting a working relationship with an emotional, harsh or angry outburst, can be of very little benefit to us. But, sometimes the outburst just creeps up on us and flies out of our mouths before we know it. The key is to prepare your mind and heart before you get to work each day. Below are three actions you can take to help you in working through a difficult conversation.



Praying for the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and minds even when we don't know what we need specifically. Romans 8:26-28 MSG says, Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. We can never truly know the thoughts of others, but God does. He will help us form value added words and thoughts if we let Him.

Ask Jesus to give you the ability to hold your responses captive before letting them out. Give yourself time to wisely consider your words and run them through your filter before speaking. 1 Peter 3:8-12 MSG says, Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

Whoever wants to embrace life
and see the day fill up with good,
Here’s what you do:
Say nothing evil or hurtful;
Snub evil and cultivate good;
run after peace for all you’re worth.
God looks on all this with approval,
listening and responding well to what he’s asked;
But he turns his back
on those who do evil things.

Trust Jesus to provide you with His words and not your own. Expect His response and provision. Matthew 10:19-20 says, And don’t worry about what you’ll say or how you’ll say it. The right words will be there; the Spirit of your Father will supply the words.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We pray for you to help us choose to reason rather than fight if at all possible. We pray for the ability to be soft even when we don't feel like it. Help us to hold our fleshly thoughts and attitude captive and allow your attitude and words to take over when we are weak and tired. Fortify our faith in You that You will provide all that we need when we need it. It's in Jesus's all powerful name we pray...Amen.

Who Do You Represent at Work... Team Jesus... Team You....Team No One?

Are we glorifying God at work every day? Most of us go to work each day and are not fortunate enough to work for a company, outside of a religious organization, whose number one core value is to honor God in all we do. There are a few companies out there who live out this value, but they seem few and far between. Just because we may not work in one of those places doesn't mean that we can't work for Team Jesus in our own workplace. Unfortunately, most of us feel the restriction of workplace etiquette, policy, peer pressure, or the even the law that requires us to keep any overt conversations or demonstrations of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ hidden. Regrettably, sin can and does occur inside the workplaces of the nation and the world every day, yet it still doesn’t mean you have to leave God at home. God is allowed at work. But, the only way He can be there is if you take Him there inside of you—allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you in all you think, say, and do.

We can be the workers Matthew spoke of in Matthew 9:37-38(NLT)He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” How do we walk the line confidently representing Team Jesus with a clear conscience that we are not breaking any rules of authority?

In a survey given to those attending training sessions for a Billy Graham crusade in Detroit, attendees were asked to answer this question by checking one of the following answers. "What is your greatest hindrance in witnessing?" 0% said they don't care. 9% said they were too busy to remember to do it. 12% said their own lives were not speaking as they should. 28% felt the lack of real information to share and 51% feared the reactions of those with whom they might share. What would we check?



There are real, practical, subtle and not so subtle ways to work for Jesus in the field, our work place, and in every aspect of our lives. The hard part of witnessing is that we have to choose to do it not letting any of our fears or hindrances get in the way. Below are three ways that you can represent Team Jesus in your everyday life, especially in the workplace. In doing so you will show others what God is like.

Loving others unconditionally. In Romans 13:8-10 MSG, Paul says, "Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other. When you love others, you complete what the law has been after all along. The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others. When you add up everything in the law code, the sum total is love. Translating scripture into workplace terms...don't be a taker; give more than you take; don't be a credit stealer; be a teammate giving credit where it is due; don't want something you haven't worked for; instead inquire, learn, study, model, do, and then good will come to you. To sum it up, demonstrate good character by putting others in front of yourself.

Acting intentionally. Romans 13:11-14 MSG says, "But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can’t afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don’t loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!" Translation...Wake up each morning asking God to fill you, to choose your words, your tone, your to-do items. Give up control of your calendar by intentionally giving God control.

Being a light to others. Proverbs 4:18-19 MSG says The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker— travelers can’t see a thing; they fall flat on their faces.

Likewise, Matthew 5:14-16 MSG says “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.


Finally, 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 MSG says Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. Translation...We make several choices daily, so what would happen if we choose to be a light? Think about it. Have you ever known someone whose work seems golden? His or her witness is so bright. Others are drawn to him or her. No matter what he or she takes on, it turns out beautifully every time. His or her attitude is always positive, even when a mistake is made. What do you think causes all this? It happens because he or she chooses the attitude with which he or she approaches everything. He or she chooses to be a light in every situation and interaction that comes his or her way. We can each make that choice and brighten our workplace with Jesus's light within us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we wake up each morning help us to understand that we represent Jesus to the world no matter where we are. Fill us with the Holy Spirit to remove any fear or doubt in our role. Let each one of us confidently represent Team Jesus in our workplace. Help us to take Jesus to work with us every day on the inside letting Him be in control of our every action. May the light of Jesus's grace and love show through us to our colleagues, bosses, friends, customers, or students through our words, work, and interactions. It is in Jesus's Holy Name we pray...Amen.

Turn Your Fear Into Faith

Do you ever look at the week ahead and just want to say, "No thank you. I'm good. I'll pass."? Is your calendar or to do list filled with appointments, important meetings, sensitive conversations, emotionally charged decisions, or commitments that you just rather not have? Just thinking about all that has to be done makes us tired. Sometimes our natural response is to avoid, but why do we avoid? Other times we become paralyzed with inaction.

If we look deeply within and are honest with ourselves, we see we often avoid situations or tasks because we fear something. Many of us fear failure, rejection, being misunderstood, or maligned especially when it is our job or lifework that calls us to be put in such situations. We often associate our job performance with our personal value and measure our self-worth by how others view our ability to do our jobs which makes our busy calendars that much more weighty.

So, how do we overcome the natural urge to hide and avoid the trials we face?



Turn fear into faith. God calls us to pull from His strength and not rely on our own in 2 Timothy 1:7...God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Debilitating fear is not from the Lord. We can call upon the Holy Spirit to give us the power to face our fears, overcome our foes, the love to overcome evil with good, and the discipline to persevere through the challenges we face. We have been given the power to turn fear into faith. We have to choose to do it.


Find courage in God by immersing in the Word. We learn in Romans 10:17, Faith comes from listening to the message of good news - the Good News about Christ. When we fill our minds with the promises of God, God fills our lives with the provisions we need. Doubt erodes our confidence, but God's promises inspire faith and hope. When we proceed with faith and hope, each task on our to do list is made lighter. Whether we quietly quote meaningful scripture in our own heads or take a moment to pray with fellow co-worker, we will be filled with God's confidence. In Isaiah 41:10 we are directed...Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. Courage comes from trusting in the presence of God. Fear comes from feeling alone against a threat. God promises us that we are never alone. Meditate on His presence and not the problem.

Keep integrity in tact through honesty. When we worry about what others will think, we become ineffective. Many may choose to bend instead of standing strong when facing pressure. In 1 Peter 2:12 we are told ...Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world. Integrity keeps us from the trap of dishonesty and all the destruction that can result from taking an easier path. God has given us the ability to lead lives that honor Him. His word gives us understanding, discernment, and the motivation to choose the way of integrity. Choosing to act with integrity is not easy, and it may not bring immediate rewards, but we can be certain that it will one day be recognized. So, even when our decisions or actions are not popular or immediately understood, we can be confident that we have done what is pleasing to God.

Rest in God's strength and not on your own strength. King David says in 1 Chronicles 28:20, Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Challenges that threaten us are the tools God uses to strengthen and mature us. As we endure, we gain greater wisdom, integrity, and the courage to face whatever comes our way. So, instead of being discouraged by the size of the task, we should be encouraged by the immense power of God. Nothing is too small for God. In Psalm 37:5 we are told... Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and he will help you. When we bring Him in the loop of our concerns and confide in Him, He commits infinite resources to us.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please helps us as we face work weeks that are full of weighty issues and important interactions. Help us to rely not on ourselves, but to fully place our burdens on You. Fortify us to stay strong and stand firm in doing what is good, right, and true even when it is not popular or understood. Guide our service and our work to bravely face each challenge with a joy and anticipation of your power and strength. Let us not have a fearful spirit. Instead fill us with a God Confidence to have each conversation or make each decision with courage. Make our work light as we share it with you. It is in your most awesome name we pray...Amen.