Discipleship Network Forum

Over the last year or so I have been reading some books that have had a huge impact on my walk with Christ. They have caused me to rethink my commitment to Jesus, what it means to be a Christian, how to live out the Christian faith…what a life totally surrendered to Jesus might look like, and a host of other questions.

Some of these books have been: “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan; “Radical” by David Platt; “Not A Fan” by Kyle Idleman. Most recently I have just finished the novel, “Courageous” by Randy Alcorn.

This is based on the screenplay of the upcoming movie by the same name. As a pastor, I have been able to see an advance screening of the movie, and as great as the movie is, the book is even better, and has had an even bigger impact on my life than the movie.

All of these books, and the movie, have one theme in common…how can you stay the same after you have encountered Jesus. They may not seem as if they are addressing this issue, but at the core, that is exactly what they are saying.

How can you stay the same after you have encountered the “crazy love” of Jesus? How can you stay the same if you have come into a relationship with this “radical” Jesus? How could you ever be just a “fan” and not a totally committed follower of Jesus after you realize what He has done for you? And how could you not be changed into a “courageous” follower after you have been loved to the cross by this man, who is God in the flesh, Jesus?

Reading John chapter 8 today, these thoughts and more came to my mind, especially when I got down to verse 11.

In John chapter 8 a woman was caught in adultery and brought to Jesus. Now, the first thing that comes to my mind is where was the man? As my Dad used to tell me, “It takes two to tango.” Maybe the man was a Pharisee or a scribe and so they were protecting one of their own. Maybe this woman was a prostitute, so they were trying to get rid of an unwanted person in their society. Whatever the reason, they were one sided in their presentation of their religious beliefs.

Jesus would have none of that.

After he wrote something in the dirt…(ever wonder what He was writing? Maybe it was the name of the scribe or Pharisee that was with the woman)…He answered them with this in verse 7: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Well, that ended that. One by one they left. Until only the woman and Jesus remained. It was after this that He said these words to her in verse 11: “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”

If I had a nickel for every person who quoted the first part of that statement from Jesus to me, well, I’d be a rich man for sure. Everyone wants the "no condemnation" Jesus, but not to many are ready to embrace the same Jesus that says, "Go, and sin no more."

But it is the second part of the statement that is essential and vital to this dialogue.

“Go and sin no more.”

In essence He was saying, “Go, and leave your old life behind. Go, and walk in a different direction than what you were heading. Go, and follow Me.”

And how could she not do so? After being forgiven by Jesus, how could her life not be changed? How could she continue in the life she once had? After this day, after this encounter, after being saved by Jesus, how could she not now live for Him?

And yet, many professing believers in Jesus seem to do just that.

Far too often, I have found myself doing just that.

No more.

Please don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying that I can be sinless…but I am saying that I can sin less. I am saying that I can follower Jesus closer. I am saying that I can love Him more.

And after all, isn’t that what it is all about.

Having this crazy love, this radical love, this courageous love, this love that causes me to be a follower and not a fan, of the one who gave His life for me…Jesus.

Will you join me?

Let’s go.

Pastor Dave

I am speaking tomorrow at a chapel service in a senior adult community in Atlanta. I get to do that three or four times a year. 

I love doing it and I never turn down the opportunity. The seniors there are so sweet. Several I know from our church and others I've gotten to know over the months when I can be there. Some show up in walkers or wheelchairs; others are brought with their caretakers; still others come in slowly under their own, if diminishing, steam. What always amazes me is that they continue to come––consistently, week by week, to participate in this chapel service.

As much as I love the opportunity, I also struggle to know what to say. I've realized over the past months that what these seniors want, more than anything else, is to hear a word of hope! As I've thought about their need and prayed for guidance, God reminded me of a Bible study I led recently about God's call upon Ezekiel to speak His message to His people (Eze. 2-3). The message God gave Ezekiel wasn't that hopeful on the short-term: He commanded Ezekiel to share with the people of Judah that their disobedience was going to bring them God's judgment and punishment. On the surface, that's not really a hopeful word! 

But to that instruction, God provided His servant Ezekiel with the following information:

First, God described those Ezekiel would face as "briers" and "thorns" and "scorpions." I can't imagine Ezekiel being thrilled with the opportunity. Yet, even though the people wouldn't be receptive to His message, God reminded Ezekiel that he only had to obediently repeat the message to them (Eze. 2:6-7).

Second, God showed Ezekiel a scroll that was written on both sides (Eze. 2:9-10). If you've ever seen a scroll in person, you know it's constantly unrolled and rolled to reveal God's scripture. It's impossible to read both sides. Some scholars believe the two-sided scroll symbolized the completeness of God's word, while others suggest that the scroll showed Ezekiel that there was only room in his ministry for God's words, not his own.

Third, God commanded Ezekiel to eat the scroll, the entire scroll, before he went to speak God's message (Eze. 3:1-4). God's instructions were for Ezekiel to consume the scroll, to take God's word internally so that it became a part of his being, to absorb the word completely.

God's message, to me, was clear. Obediently teach His word and keep myself out of His way!

Many of our senior adults are struggling with loneliness, with financial difficulties, with memory loss, with distant children . . . the list goes on and on. One senior adult who was a part of my weekly Bible study struggled with knowing what would happen when he died and went to be with Jesus. He said he was sure of where he was going, but wished he understood what would happen there. His need to know became clear as he struggled with a second round with cancer and passed away a few months later.

Our senior adults desire and need a word of hope that comes from God. I'm going to be speaking tomorrow about Daniel at the age of 80, when he continued to faithfully worship His God. It's a word of hope.

What passages would you or have you used to bring hope to our senior adults? Please share the words that God has pointed out to you and pray for our senior adults that they may cling to God's grace and hope during these years.

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

In the midst of chaos, let there be light!

Is there any lesson in Scripture about a great economic crisis that afflicted the known world in biblical times? Yes there is. And the LORD has several lessons for us. There is no problem that man has experienced that has not been known before. GOD always provides a solution but it is up to man to implement it.

Let me remind you of the story of Joseph (Genesis chapters 37,39-45) who was sold as a slave by his own brothers to Ismaelite traders, who in turn sold Joseph to Potiphar, head of Pharaoh's bodyguards in Egypt. But let's fast forward when Joseph, as a slave and prisoner, was already 30 years old.

Pharaoh had two terrible dreams that put him in deep depression and none of all his magicians or wise men could interpret his dreams. Suddenly, the cupbearer remembered Joseph in prison and told Pharaoh about how the young Hebrew interpreted his dream accurately. Joseph was removed from prison hurriedly and presented before Pharaoh. Joseph glorified YHWH by referring to Him as the revealer of dreams. As Pharaoh recounted his dreams, Joseph interpreted them as one dream.

The gist of the two dreams were that Egypt was going to experience seven years of abundant harvest and afterwards, seven years of famine. The famine would be so severe that the seven years of abundance would be forgotten. Joseph even gave Pharaoh a proposal that would solve the impending disaster and ensure the food security of Egypt. As GOD purposed it, Pharaoh appointed Joseph as ruler of all Egypt second only to him, to administer the whole land and implement his proposal.

What does this mean to us today? A major economic crisis is not new. In fact, there have been a lot of major economic crisis all throughout history. And you know what? Many of them were caused by over-spending by governments to finance war. Does that sound familiar? Kublai Khan left the gold standard and printed paper money. Rome did the same thing and both their empires went down. They had the same problem. They spent more than they were earning. It is said that the family is a microcosm of the whole society. If a family spends more than it is earning, it's obviously going to get into a lot of trouble. This may sound simplistic to many but you just try doing this yourself and you'll soon find out when the creditors run after you.

Today, we have a famine of good godly leadership. Many are very much like Pharaoh. They are deeply disturbed and depressed, mostly because they don't know what to do. Some would like to bury their head in the sand like an ostrich. Some wished they were on a long vacation; but I know of someone whose actually going on a vacation in the midst of a major crisis! Some also wished they had men around them who know what they are doing - men who know the market and are wise.

Have you heard what some of these leaders are saying? Some espouse the idea that the only way to get out of a deficit is not to cut the deficit but to spend more. Just print more money. That is how to pay your debt. If you and I would do that, we would immediately be arrested for counterfeiting. Some say the government needs to bail out the major corporations, especially the banks in distress because they're too big to fail. Really? You and I should go into banking because it's very lucrative. You get to charge customers for 'investing' in imaginary negotiable instruments. You get to monetize debts even if its not worth anything because you're the third in the collection line on the mortgage. Unfortunately, you and I are not in that league. We're simply not connected to any of these fat cats. This has been going on since the beginning of time. Only the powerful and the rich has a say in the destiny of the nation; even in the leading democracy in the world.

The question is, does the rich and powerful know the solution to the world crisis? Only the future will tell. We will know because if the solution is real, then we would all have better lives. But if only the rich will benefit, then we know, we've been had!

What would Joseph do if he was here today?

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   1. Get rid of all the frills. Let's get down to brass tacks. I have no doubt, Joseph would have been shocked and speechless after looking at the balance sheet of the US of A, EU Countries, Japan, China, etc. No one should spend what he does not have. No one should promise what he can't deliver. No one should print fiat money when he knows that he does not have the funds to back it up. This is actually fraud – simply a Ponzi scheme! Debt did not happen overnight so the solution is not overnight but will take time through decisive action. When Joseph assumed leadership, he did not make a speech but he went out among the people in each city and began to implement GOD's plan (Gen 41:46-49). People won't care what you say until they see it put into action. Joseph was a hands on person and saw to it that all the plans that GOD gave him was implemented.

2. This is not about the survival of only a few, but the survival of a nation. The solution should not be tailored for only a few (like bailing out major banks) but ensuring that opportunity is given to all citizens to develop and improve their lot. In every country, the citizens would rather have dignity by working in a job they can be proud of. In Joseph's time, they gave seed to the people (Gen 47:23). A seed is a foundation by which something may grow and bear fruit. Hand outs have been proven to fail because it does not incentivize people to work more but only make them feel useless and unable to provide for their family.

3. The priority is food security. And I mean real food – whole raw food. A citizenry that is malnourished is weak and in the long run, will mean more expenses in health upkeep for the government. There are many kinds of foods that can be eaten but only food that is truly nutritious and unprocessed will give good health and help in the proper function of our bodies.

4. Implement taxation. Yes, Joseph espoused the implementation of taxes because the people were consuming everything, even the seeds, and selling their livestock. The people did not know how to manage their lives. Without livestock, how could they till their land? Without seed, what will they plant? Joseph imposed a twenty percent tax on all the produce of the land. He gathered the twenty percent tax proceeds in each city and stored it in granaries there for the duration of the seven years of abundance. Joseph sold the same produce to all Egyptians and other buyers at a fair price. When the people used up all their resources, Joseph bought all of them and provided seed for planting. The agreement was, the people were to give twenty percent of their produce to Pharaoh and retain eighty percent for themselves as food and seed for planting. Joseph knew that he must give people 'seed' so they can invest in their future. Food security was the goal, not just for Pharaoh, but for all Egypt. They did not think of conquering other nations weaker than them but even sold them food also. Pharaoh became rich during the tenure of Joseph because GOD was with him. It was a benevolent reign. What lessons for government does this story teach us?

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               nations with their gold and silver and other commercial goods. Joseph knew that trading would

               strengthen their alliance with other nations and not only enrich Egypt but also enrich their

               partners. A relationship is strengthened when a symbiotic interchange is established to

               the benefit of both parties to their mutual satisfaction. Greed is definitely not good.

               Fifthly, instead of taking advantage of other nations, Joseph would rather trade with other

            Firstly, the people should have a part in building their nation. The citizens contribute in the

            prosperity of their nation through obedience to the law and financial contribution.

            Secondly, taxation should never be too much of a burden for the citizens to bear. Only do unto

            others what you would have them do unto you. Joseph, through benevolent rule, allowed the

            people to recover economically.

            Thirdly, it is not the government's job to micro-manage each family but every family is expected

            to take care of themselves from the proceeds of whatever earnings they have. The livelihood,

            health and psychological needs of the family falls on the shoulders of the family themselves, not

            the state. There is a great difference between those who cannot work and those who refuse to

            work. Those who can work but refuse to work, do not eat.

            Fourthly, government leaders should have both a short term plan and a long term plan. These

            plans are action plans that are easy to understand and which subordinates can easily implement.

            The government provides direction and guidance and executes sound plans for the food security,

            dispensing justice, maintaining order and protection of the people. They leave business to the

            businessmen because they are experts at it. They leave fighting to the military but in this case,

            Pharaoh is a warrior and he leads the army in war. Planning is bringing tomorrow to the present

            so we can understand and do what is necessary to ensure prosperity now and in the future.

Sixth, the medium of exchange is denominated in gold, silver or barter with products that have a

definite value, not 'fiat' money. The value of gold and silver are according to weigh and products

are exchanged with other products, the value of which are agreed upon, depending on the

demand and supply. This may sound archaic to us but it prevented individuals and nations from

over-spending. If you don't have any more resources, then you are bankrupt! The world prides

itself with being civilized and yet every other nation commits fraud in one way or another by

printing paper money without real resources backing it up. I think this is the very reason why the

IMF now demands nations who pay their debts to them in gold.

What leadership lessons could we gather from this story?

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   1. Leadership is nothing without divine revelation. In the world, leaders pride themselves for

      possessing vision but as elaborate and colorful they may be, they are just the tarnished dreams of a

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            architect of order. So if you want expert guidance, be like Joseph. Get close to GOD and let Him

            teach you Himself because He will, if you ask. Have you ever wondered how Joseph was able to

            preserve the grain in different cities for more than seven years? Could the present technology even

            preserve grain for more than two years? Who do you think gave Joseph the technology so that

            even after seven years, their grain were just as fresh as the day of harvest?

            proud man. The truth is, GOD is the original designer and He is the origin of creativity and the

2. Leaders know how to follow. Joseph's life was characterized by obedience to YHWH. He

   treasured his relationship with his GOD; and as a result, he obeyed those who were above him,

   even if they were pagans. One cannot be a leader who does not know how to follow first. Nobody

   is born a leader. A person becomes a leader through a process of life-tests in humility, very much

   like what Joseph had. Unfortunately, the world abhors this kind of testing but even the world

   hates a coward. Joseph was unjustly enslaved and put in prison for 17 years before GOD

   promoted him but he took all the pain and triumph.

3. Real leaders are always willing to make the difficult decisions that are right. The true leader

   always knows that there is only one way – the right way according to GOD. An alternative way

   may sound more attractive and full of promise but it only ends in disaster and sure failure.

4. Real leaders are planners and they know how to implement their blueprint into concrete action.

   He takes the lead through good example. They just don't make speeches but they get their hands

   dirty.

5. Real leaders inspire people to do their best. They don't drive people, they motivate and provide

   them with a picture of a finished product. Joseph gave the people seed for planting and food for

   their little ones. He inspired them to plant even in the midst of a famine, so their family will live.

   He didn't strangle them with the debt they owe Pharaoh but only required twenty percent share so

   they have a chance to recover. Joseph knew that the whip does not produce willing and motivated

   workers but slaves. Although the people sold themselves to Pharaoh, Joseph did not treat them as

   slaves.

6. Real leaders see the ultimate goal – destiny with YHWH. He told his brothers, “..it was GOD who

   sent me ahead of you to preserve life. GOD sent me ahead of you to ensure that you will have

   descendants on earth and to save your lives in a great deliverance. So it was not you who sent me

   here, but GOD; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household and ruler over

   the whole land of Egypt” (Gen 45:5, 7,8).

I leave you with the words of the Psalmist...

Unless ADONAI builds the house,

its builders work in vain.

Unless ADONAI guards the city,

the guard keeps watch in vain.

In vain do you get up early

and put off going to bed,

working hard to earn a living;

for He provides for His beloved

even when they sleep.

• Psalm 127:1,2

   

  
  ἀγγελος

  “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son. God had told him, "Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,"and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead...” (Heb 11:17-19)

Some people would ask, “How great is your faith?” But the question should be, “How great is your GOD?” At the time of Abraham, nobody has ever heard of anyone being raised from the dead, or any of the gods of the nations raising up the dead. The idea of a resurrection has not even entered their minds. But to Abraham, nothing was impossible for YHWH! After all, if YHWH caused all things to be, why would it be impossible for Him to bring the dead back to life? Abraham has heard YHWH promised him that through Isaac he shall bear many nations after him and he believed GOD (Gen 15:6; 17:16). This is the first time in Scripture that a man 'believed' GOD. Abraham believed GOD so much he was committed to that trust even beyond what he could see or even imagined.

We are talking here of boundaries. In the natural world, we are limited by our senses and by what we have experienced. Scientists propose theories and perform experiments to empirically prove their theories but they are limited to what their hands can handle, what their eyes can witness and what their other senses can experience with all the machines at their disposal. Man is limited by the three dimensions he lives in. However, when a man believes YHWH and His Word, the SPIRIT breathes into him life that breaks the physical boundary and transports him to a new level, a new dimension – eternity with YHWH.

In the spiritual realm, the usual boundaries do not apply. The man who is born from above learns a new language – a language of the spirit that connects him directly with the Almighty. His mind is constantly being transformed into the mindset of YESHUA. Like his FATHER, he becomes more and more creative and wiser as he walks in the SPIRIT. He is taught of GOD and the Torah is imbeded in his heart. He speaks and prophesies with the Word of GOD. He walks the talk.

The natural laws only has meaning to him as a pilgrim in this world but in no way bars him from transcending it. Israel crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Moses called on fire to rain on Egypt; frogs to flood Egypt; turned the Nile into blood and many more miracles. Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still and it did for almost 24 hours until they conquered the Amorites at Gibeon. YESHUA walked on water (Mk 6:48-50). Shadrach, Mishach and Abednego were not burned in a fiery inferno (Dan 3:19-27). Lions could not eat Daniel! (Dan 6:22) Joseph interpreted dreams and so did Daniel. A jail could not hold Peter (Acts 12:6-12). Shackles could not hold Paul and Silas (Acts 16:26-29). The Romans tried to boil St. John but they could not harm him so they exiled him instead at the island of Patmos where he wrote the Revelation of YESHUA. They simply could not stop him from fulfilling GOD's purpose in his life. Today, the SPIRIT of GOD is still working with the same resurrection power that He used to raise the LORD YESHUA from the dead on all who would perform exploits for the glory of the FATHER.

If you are led by the HOLY SPIRIT then you are a son of GOD (Rom 8:14) and nothing is impossible for those who believe, as Abraham believed in the GOD who makes all things possible, who believe in things that are not as if they were. It is not a question of how great is your faith, for you only need a mustard seed size faith to move mountains. It is not about you or I. It is all about GOD, and we do things for His glory.

ἀγγελος

"HUT, TWO. THREE, FOUR..."

The Apostle Peter uses this same imagery of building in his explanation of the church body. In discussing the theological foundation of the church, he stated, “Coming to Him, a living stone—rejected by men but chosen and valuable to God— you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” ( 1 Peter 2:4-5, HCSB) This theological statement is referred to as the “priesthood of believers,” which means that Christians have access to God through Jesus Christ. On three occasions in the Bible (Revelation 1:6, 5:10, and 1 Peter 2:5,9), the word priest is used “for Christians who have been set apart by God for service to God.” (William Mounce, Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words) The phrase “priesthood of believers” means that Christians have a duty and a responsibility. Believers are a volunteer army that has been deployed for duty.

Question for Today: Why do some people choose to come to church, occupy a seat, and refuse to serve? I would love to get your comments.

Check out my site at www.SpiritLedConnecting.com. 

Objects that are misplaced can create a frustrating situation. I should know. My Mom was not kidding when she said, "You'd loose your head if it were not attached." However, in the church, people that are misplaced constitute a tragedy. Every believer has the greatest power force in the world and has been gifted for a ministry that will be life-changing for all who are involved. Yet, a careless (or prayerless) decision by a church leader can limit (at best) the potential for a Christian to grow and experience the joy of ministry service. This is like the All Star football quarterback being assigned midseason to the duties of simply holding the ball for the kicker. You would empathize with his frustration.

When believers are haphazardly placed in church ministry, leaders are not following the lead of the Holy Spirit. When a leader chooses not to connect with a believer, but randomly asks the person to serve in a position, a recipe for disaster could be waiting. The effects of this laziness will go beyond the believer who has been misplaced. The church body will suffer, too. A local church that implores this method long enough will likely regress, stunting the spiritual growth of the believers therein.

I am absolutely convinced that God has provide for us a better way. This is too important to neglect. God's Word gives us guidance on leading His people and equipping them to serve Him with joy and effectiveness. Every believer in our churches should have the opportunity to be a part of a vital ministry and experience the exhilaration of seeing the lives of others changed by the hand of God. God often uses leaders to facilitate this connection. It is a part of our calling!

In the next post, I will begin to explore the biblical basis for volunteer ministry. 

You can also visit www.SpiritLedConnecting.com for more insight.

What is the value of a brother or sister, mom or dad? What is the value of a faithful friend? Our society has a habit of placing value on that which is self-serving (cars, phones, houses, etc.) and downplaying relationships. Last night I was challenged with a thought, "How much value does our church leadership place on volunteers?" The measuring stick for this proposition is found in our attitude toward those we work with directly in ministry.

Allen Newell, author of a training ministry called "High Impact Volunteers," suggests that too many church leaders see volunteers as second class ministers. We either look at others as "spectators" of our show or assistants that should serve us and help us reach our goals. Newell even coins a term, "the priesthood of SOME believers."

This is a dangerous mentality for church leadership. First, it devalues the work of God within a believer. Second, it exalts oneself at the expense of others (people don't typically like being "used" for someone else's glory). Third, this method fails to make disciples. For a brief time, it may produce some workers, but people are less likely to excel when they fail to see the positive results of their labor.

Newell is right when he uses the word "partnerships" as a description of the relationship between  believers. The work of God's Kingdom is assigned to all who have trusted in Jesus for salvation. Each has a part to play. We are called to serve one another, not to enlist people to serve us.

Give me your thoughts and be sure to check out www.SpiritLedConnecting.com.

Music is beautiful when there is the perfect balance of a strong melody and a complementing harmony. For two accomplished piano players, whose love for music was stifled by debilitating strokes, this ability to enjoy the eighty-eight keys was severely diminished. Margret was impaired on the left side and Ruth on the right. Yet, the lives of both these women changed when the director of their convalescent center placed them side-by-side on the piano bench. What came from that moment was a life-changing partnership.

Christian leadership involves a unique cooperation. The effective leader recognizes the melodic guidance of the Holy Spirit. The leader follows the Holy Spirit in perfect harmony toward the glorification of the Lord and acts as the “conductor” for a “choir” of followers. Leadership is Christ-honoring and productive when the leader relies fully upon the guidance of the Holy Spirit to direct followers into a deeper relationship with the Lord Jesus.

The purpose of this blog is simple: To explore the work of the Holy Spirit as He empowers Christ's church to enjoy the task of ministry. I want to dialog with people who serve the Lord in a variety of settings and ministry areas. As I discover the truth of God's Word on this topic, I will share my thoughts and invite your responses, stories, and even rebukes.

You can read much more content on my website www.SpiritLedConnecting.com.

It is the priviledge of each beliver in Jesus Christ, even to the humblest, to be taught of God (John 6:45).

“Prepare your work outside

And make it ready for yourself in the field;

Afterwards, then, build your house.”

• Proverbs 24:27

Recently, after meditating on the words of the Preacher, I was struck by the wisdom of his simple words. The SPIRIT of GOD impressed on me to read and ponder about it again and again. The words carried a very practical approach to a life that would be fruitful in GOD's way. Here is how the SPIRIT impressed the meaning of this proverb:

1.  Prepare...everything in life needs preparation. Whether it is a simple task or a complex project, we need to prepare every step towards completion. I need to ask myself, am I prepared to do the project from start to finish? Do I have what it takes now or do I have to equip myself with the knowledge and skill to accomplish the job excellently? Do I have the necessary resources to complete the project?GOD prepared Joseph for 30 years to become governor of Egypt. It took 40 humbling years for Moses to be ready. Even YESHUA prepared Himself for the ultimate mission for 30 years.

2. Work...am I working the work that GOD has assigned me to? If so, then I am a perfect fit for what I am doing because GOD has equipped me and is equipping me along the way. GOD has a specific work for each one of us and He has tailored it beforehand for us as part of our destiny. No one can do it better than I because I have been commanded to “make it ready”!

3. Outside...the field is our workplace. Do not restrict yourself merely on your immediate surrounding but explore and expand your territory as the LORD leads you. The limit only exists on your mind. It used to be that business is only conducted among people buying and selling personally but since the world wide web opened all borders, we buy and sell any and all kinds of goods in cyberspace. But it all starts in the field of my heart. Unless I am totally sold out and persuaded about my work, about my goals, with integrity, I could not succeed. Unless it was the LORD who placed my work in my heart, whatever I do would not prosper.

4. Now...I have to prepare and do my work now! I may plan my work for tomorrow but I have to translate that tomorrow in my mind and do it now so I can bring it forward and progress. I have to bear fruit now so I have something to provide my family because it is useless to build a house if I have nothing to feed my family at the present. There is a progression in every project and I must follow the proper timeline to accomplish bite-size goals to achieve my ultimate goal. Bearing fruit in the business or work that GOD has given me is the foundation of my prosperity. Work is good and work done excellently is an honor to our great GOD.

5. If I lay the proper foundation of diligent preparation and excellent work, then I am assured that GOD will give me success and I can surely build my house, both on the inside and on the outside. Persistence and diligence are two indispensable ingredients to success.

LORD, help me to make You proud of me in my work!

ἀγγελος

GOD has no money!

“For every beast of the forest is Mine,

The cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird of the mountains,

And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

If I were hungry I would not tell you,

For the world is Mine, and all it contains.”

• YHWH (Psalm 50:10-12)

GOD has no money. But He owns everything and everyone. EL ELYON is the possessor of heaven and earth (Gen 14:19). What GOD has are concrete, tangible assets that have real value. He created all that we see and cannot see by His Word and He sustains all these by the power of His Word (Heb 1:3). Since the beginning of time, all the gold, silver and all other precious metals and gemstones in all the earth, wherever they may be found, whether in the vaults of men or the vault of the earth, belongs to GOD and carry the same value as it was in the beginning. Their value has not waned nor have their worth been subject to the manipulation of clever, greedy men. Although one might argue that their equivalent value in different currencies vary.

The money that we know today is actually fiat money, printed at will by governments without the corresponding solid foundation of valuable assets such as gold or silver. If you and I would print a US dollar bill, we would be arrested for counterfeiting. But the government prints money at the pleasure of politicians and call it legal tender. They fund all these “legal tenders” by collecting taxes from citizens. But if their tax collection fall short of government spending it results in a deficit. To fund the deficit, the government issues Treasury Bills and Bonds and sells it to the market at interest for redemption at a later date. Since many (if not most) governments practice deficit spending, the debt of a nation is always increasing. So to cover the annual deficit, politicians enact new tax laws to collect more from its citizens. This is a vicious cycle and the losers are the citizens. Who says the government is of the people, by the people and for the people? This is good rhetoric but painful to our pockets. Mr. Madoff did this (did not call it taxation but investment) and went to jail because what he did was a Ponzi scheme to defraud people out of their hard-earned money. The government freely prints money out of nothing and declares it legal tender, supposedly backed-up by the Treasury and nobody goes to jail. Today, in the US, Microsoft has more money in its coffers than the US Treasury!

GOD did create out of nothing by His Word. He did not create money. He created real valuable assets that you can take to the bank. He formed man wonderfully and fearfully writing his destiny on his DNA. He embued man with real tangible assets through his numerous skills and talents. These skills and talents are the seed by which a man may prosper. If man will give back his life to GOD and surrender it by choice, the HOLY SPIRIT energizes those skills and talents so that it may be used to its full potential. To what purpose? To get money? Of course not! Fiat money is actually worthless because the one who is backing it up is unable to deliver. Man was created to rule and subdue the earth in behalf of GOD to expand His Kingdom with the ultimate goal - to glorify His Maker and FATHER.

Undeniably, we live in the world and operate with man's laws; however, as children of the Most High GOD, we do not have to conform to their beliefs and standards. We realize that we are subject to the supernatural laws of GOD written in Scriptures and we implement those laws wherever and whenever. We realize that even in the midst of a global crisis, we will perform exploits and GOD will establish the work of our hands. We are not shaken by the upward and downward or erratic movements of Wall Street or any major market because our very lives do not depend on world circumstances but on the circumstances especially created by our GOD in our favor. We know that GOD causes all things to turn out for the good of those who love Him and who are created for His purpose (Rom 8:28).

I bless the GOD and FATHER of our LORD YESHUA the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in CHRIST (Eph 1:3), and who raised Him up from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come; who has also raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places (Eph 1:20,21; 2:6). If we truly appreciate the words of Scripture and believe the FATHER's will in these words, nothing can shake us!

I leave you with the words of the LORD YESHUA in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your FATHER who is in heaven.”

ἀγγελος

August 8, 2011

“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac. He had received the promises, yet he was ready to offer up his only son. God had told him, "Through Isaac descendants will carry on your name,"and he reasoned that God could even raise him from the dead...” (Heb 11:17-19)

Some people would ask, “How great is your faith?” But the question should be, “How great is your GOD?” At the time of Abraham, nobody has ever heard of anyone being raised from the dead, or any of the gods of the nations raising up the dead. The idea of a resurrection has not even entered their minds. But to Abraham, nothing was impossible for YHWH! After all, if YHWH caused all things to be, why would it be impossible for Him to bring the dead back to life? Abraham has heard YHWH promised him that through Isaac he shall bear many nations after him and he believed GOD (Gen 15:6; 17:16). This is the first time in Scripture that a man 'believed' GOD. Abraham believed GOD so much he was committed to that trust even beyond what he could see or even imagined.

We are talking here of boundaries. In the natural world, we are limited by our senses and by what we have experienced. Scientists propose theories and perform experiments to empirically prove their theories but they are limited to what their hands can handle, what their eyes can witness and what their other senses can experience with all the machines at their disposal. Man is limited by the three dimensions he lives in. However, when a man believes YHWH and His Word, the SPIRIT breathes into him life that breaks the physical boundary and transports him to a new level, a new dimension – eternity with YHWH.

In the spiritual realm, the usual boundaries do not apply. The man who is born from above learns a new language – a language of the spirit that connects him directly with the Almighty. His mind is constantly being transformed into the mindset of YESHUA. Like his FATHER, he becomes more and more creative and wiser as he walks in the SPIRIT. He is taught of GOD and the Torah is imbeded in his heart. He speaks and prophesies with the Word of GOD. He walks the talk.

The natural laws only has meaning to him as a pilgrim in this world but in no way bars him from transcending it. Israel crossed the Red Sea on dry land. Moses called on fire to rain on Egypt; frogs to flood Egypt; turned the Nile into blood and many more miracles. Joshua prayed that the sun would stand still and it did for almost 24 hours until they conquered the Amorites at Gibeon. YESHUA walked on water (Mk 6:48-50). Shadrach, Mishach and Abednego were not burned in a fiery inferno (Dan 3:19-27). Lions could not eat Daniel! (Dan 6:22) Joseph interpreted dreams and so did Daniel. A jail could not hold Peter (Acts 12:6-12). Shackles could not hold Paul and Silas (Acts 16:26-29). The Romans tried to boil St. John but they could not harm him so they exiled him instead at the island of Patmos where he wrote the Revelation of YESHUA. They simply could not stop him from fulfilling GOD's purpose in his life. Today, the SPIRIT of GOD is still working with the same resurrection power that He used to raise the LORD YESHUA from the dead on all who would perform exploits for the glory of the FATHER.

If you are led by the HOLY SPIRIT then you are a son of GOD (Rom 8:14) and nothing is impossible for those who believe, as Abraham believed in the GOD who makes all things possible. It is not a question of how great is your faith, for you only need a mustard seed size faith to move mountains. It is not about you or I. It is all about GOD, and we do things for His glory.

ἀγγελος

It's been awhile since I've posted . . . life has gotten in my way. I spent last week in New Orleans with my daughter and son-in-law, so I didn't teach my Bible study class last Sunday. When I returned this week, the large marker board in the classroom was covered with notes and a second marker board was beside it with one statement: "And Margie's answer is . . . " I wasn't even sure what the question was until class members began to arrive. The question was about how we see God in control.

The class I teach is made up mostly of people in the 50s and early 60s (my age group). We have couples and singles, and we share the struggles of being a part of the sandwich generation.

Most of us are parents. Some have teenagers still at home; others have kids in college, starting careers and/or marriages, and starting families. We have some whose kids have gone through divorces, marital separations, job losses, bankruptcy, home foreclosures . . .  The hardest thing a parent ever figures out how to do (at least in my opinion) is to parent adult children!

Then, many of us are dealing with aging parents. We've faced catastrophic illnesses, deaths, finding in-home care, the loss of memories, and dealing with hospice or long-term hospitalization. We've struggled with the emotional baggage that comes from trying to take care of those who spent so much of their lives taking care of us.

And finally, most of us are in positions at work in which we are covered up with responsibilities and high expectations. We work more hours than we should, use weekends to catch up, and feel guilty that we're so stretched that we don't feel we're doing anything well.

Sound familiar? It's a constant theme with our class members in prayer requests as we all try to handle this stage of our lives. In the midst of all that, when our lives feel so out of control, the class members were challenged to recognize how God is in control of their lives. I guess it's no wonder that they tried to pass the buck and let me answer the question.

As one wise person told me recently, "I see how God is in control of my life most clearly when I look at my past. It's there that I can see how God has orchestrated my path in a way that makes sense now, even if it didn't make sense at the time!"

That's a good reminder of how God is at work in our lives, even when we're too overwhelmed to recognize how He's at work in our lives. For, "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Heb. 11:1).

Blessings.

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

It seems to me that prayer is an essential element of discipleship; maybe the core component. Without the ability to converse with God, how can any of the other responsibilities of being a disciple have life? Is it possible that so many church-discipled Christians are experts on studying, memorizing, learning, singing, giving but inexperienced in authentic, proactive, world changing praying?

Phil

www.PhilsBlog.net

Erik Erikson, Developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst, theorized that the foundational stage of hope is basic trust versus basic mistrust. When a person looks at the world through eyes of trust versus mistrust, the world appears different and causes that person to interact in and with the world accordingly. When a person looks at the world with trust, he feels hopeful; but if the person looks at it with mistrust, he feels hopeless.

Presently, many people view the world with mistrust. Everytime you open the news channel, you see and hear the tragedies happening all around us. Since 2008, the world economy has experienced the worst crisis ever to hit the markets, and it is happening everywhere. You hear of revolutions in the Middle East, suicide bombings, war in Afghanistan and Iraq, bombing and massacre in Oslo, Norway and in the US and many other horrendous crimes.

The leaders we elected, not just in the US but almost in every other country, are not working for the people but for themselves. The citizens have become hostage to the greed of government officials and big bankers and they have collaborated to tax the people out of their hard earned money and home by printing more fiat money out of nothing while they preach a cure by spending more of the citizen's money to 'get out' of the problems they have created and we have help them create.

If we look to our leaders and put our trust in them, we will feel hopeless, because we know they are but men; subject to the vagaries and temptations of their position. If we expect them to have the wisdom to solve our problems, we would only be fooling ourselves. They all have their limits.

Does it really matter who is the President? Have they really delivered their citizens from real bondage? Or have they instead contributed to their downfall (whether wittingly or unwittingly)?

Erik Erikson was right that hope is seen through the eyes of basic trust or basic mistrust. The question is, what is the basis of trust or mistrust? We usually trust because of past experience/s with the object of trust that resulted to our benefit. Out of that initial encounter, a relationship blossomed that is either mutually beneficial or beneficial to one of the parties. As humans, we are extremely personal and we desire interaction with those we relate with.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.”

-Heb 11:1

Faith is too much a religious word for most people, so let me, instead, use the word 'trust'. A person does not hope for something that he has not seen or experienced. The object of hope has to have substance; or as the Scriptures says, “evidence of things not seen.” Is there any one leader among those serving the public worthy of our trust? Most of them, if not all, has disappointed us. We cannot take their word to the bank. To be fair, there is no one presently leading that can possibly not disappoint us. Why? Because they are all mere mortals and imperfect beings. Besides, we ourselves tend to look at them with biased eyes and impossible expectations.

There is only One who can qualify man's expectations – YESHUA the Messiah. He rises out of human history as one who never sinned, who never had any taint of cruelty or injustice, or pride, or even an iota of inordinate desire. YESHUA literally changed the course of history and in fact, we base time with respect to His entrance to our world. Those who wanted to arrest Him even said, “We have never heard any man speak like Him!”(John 7:46) Those who got to know Him never came back the same – the sick were healed, the demonized got delivered, the dead were raised, the lame walked, the blind saw, the dumb spoke and the deaf heared. But the most important gift YESHUA gave to people was the complete deliverance from the corruption of sin. And this is the very reason why YESHUA is the only person we can fully trust. His gift of salvation is total – spirit, soul and body. And you can take that to the bank!

The Son (YESHUA) is the radiance of the Father's glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word (Heb 1:3). All the fulness of GOD's deity dwells in Him. I got to know Him in August, 1972, and my life has never been the same. He turned my world right-side up. I have been walking with Him everyday; and I will walk with Him til eternity.

I have come to understand that everything that is happening around us are passing. Many leaders have come and gone and have barely left a lasting mark, except those whom GOD sent. Every civilization that had risen have fallen because as they ascended, every form of perversion also ascended with them. How the mighty have fallen! The greatest and brilliant of men have come and gone; but for all their 'genius', they have left the world lacking and empty. When you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind!

“So says YHWH, the King of Israel, and His redeemer YHWH of Hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and besides Me there is no God.(iSAIAH 44:6) I am YHWH your God who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go.”(Isaiah 48:17)

The world has seen all types and system of government but not one system has offered a viable solution to man's aspirations. We seek perfection but there is no perfection among mortals. Only YESHUA can give us the perfect solution and mankind will experience that during the Millenium. As of now, we can only work with GOD to fulfill His word upon the earth. Yes, for our destiny has already been written. Each of us who are children of light have a destiny in YESHUA and it is all written in the Lamb's Book of Life.

The question is, is your name entered in the Book of Life? Only YESHUA's hand can write your name upon your surrender and pledge of allegiance. And you can take that to the bank...in heaven!

ἀγγελος

What did God say to you today? It depends on what you were waiting for God to say. I have a friend who is so intent on seeing - I know, hearing? seeing? which is it? Just bear with me a minute, after all they're both senses we don't often get right - anyway, my friend is so intent on seeing a pileated woodpecker that after a day of birding he, "hasn't seen anything!" But meanwhile my lifelist has gotten longer with warblers, orioles, etc.

My friend wants to "get on" through the forest and "find his" bird. I like to take the sit awhile and wait approach, see what reveals itself to me. When I ask myself, "What has God said to me today?" I realize I'm better at birding than waiting on the Lord. What has God said to you today?

At the end of the Apostle Paul’s third missionary journey in Acts 21-23, Paul faces a very strange and difficult time. He had been told over and over “Do not go to Jerusalem” and since the moment he arrived, it has been a total train wreck. Paul first gave the Jerusalem church a large offering, but instead of appreciation they immediately started accusing him of wrong-doing. So Paul tries to make peace by joining a Jewish ritual, but a mob tries to kill him in the process, and the Roman soldiers have to save him from his own people. He then asks to speak to them one last time, which goes terribly bad, and the Roman Commander has to save him again. Then the Roman Commander himself decides to have Paul tortured, from which he barely escapes. Next, he is put in front of the Jewish ruling council, which goes so bad that the Roman Commander throws him in prison just to keep him safe.

Paul’s time in Jerusalem has been a total train wreck of a ministry operation. But there is a critical message in these difficult chapters for us; In the midst of failure after failure, with everything going as wrong as it possibly can, even then, God is at work behind the scenes. If you have given your life to God today, then he is at work behind the scenes, whether it looks like it or not.

After Paul’s string of failures, he is finally carried away by the Roman soldiers and thrown into prison. Alone and in the dark, Paul is physically, emotionally, and spiritually - spent, finished, done. Paul’s love for the Jewish people and his love for Jerusalem, lay in ashes at his feet. Right now Paul needs some serious encouragement. So the Lord himself, who has been at work behind the scenes the entire time, personally delivers the encouragement Paul needs. Acts 23:11 says; “The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “take courage . . . (esv).” The Lord Jesus stood by Paul’s side. That alone makes all the difference in the world. Paul was in the fire, and Jesus was there with him. just like the 3 Hebrew boys thrown into the fiery furnace in Daniel Ch 3. The king saw a fourth, divine figure, in the fire with them and the boys walked out not even smelling like smoke. This is the same Lord, in a similar fire with Paul, and the first thing Jesus says is; “Take courage.” I am with you, take courage.

Then Jesus tells Paul; Your ministry is not finished yet. Continuing in Acts 23:11, the Lord says; “ . . . for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” Jesus is confirming Paul’s ministry efforts here in Jerusalem. He is letting Paul know; This has all been part of the plan. It doesn’t seem like a very good part, but it has been part of God’s plan. And God is not finished with Paul yet. God is sending Paul to Rome. At this point Paul knows - the Lord is with him and he is at work behind the scenes, right in the midst of all these difficulties. This confidence absolutely carried Paul on a very long and difficult journey to Rome. Through it all Paul knew he was going to make it there, because the Lord was with him, and Paul was headed right where God wanted him to go.

Isaiah 43:1–3 says; ". . . Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior . . . (esv).”

If you have given your life to Jesus Christ today, then he has redeemed you and called you by name. He is with you, and he is at work, maybe behind the scenes. But he has promised to finish the good work that he has started in you (Phil 1:6). Trust him. Meet him, right in the middle of the flood, right in the fire, right in the midst of uncertainty . . . he is there - look for him! All of Paul’s efforts in Jerusalem had failed miserably, but in Acts 23:11 the Lord confirms that he was still right in the middle of God’s will for his life. God was still at work, right on schedule, right in the midst of all those train wreck failures. Isn’t that good news for those of us who are following the Lord in the midst of our own failures? Take courage. God is at work, behind the scenes. The only question is: Will we trust him, and follow him, no matter what? If we will, then we will find that God was at work all along, behind the scenes.

If you like the way Pastor Dave writes, you can get his weekly sermons on CD mailed to you FREE. Simply request them at www.wordbymail.com

I recommend  Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Gregory Boyle (New York: Simon & Schuster [Free Press], 2010). It's the story of a ministry with street gangs in LA. It is very well-written and moving. Here's a quote: "Here is what we seek: a compassion that can stand in awe at what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment at how they carry it."

One day a former parishioner returns to visit the church on a weekday:

"Then he takes in the scene all around him. Gang members gathered by the bell tower, homeless men and women being fed in great numbers in the parking lot. Folks arriving for the AA and NA meetings and the ESL classes. It's a Who's Who of Everybody Who Was Nobody. Gang member, drug addict, homeless, undocumented. This man sees all this and shakes his head, determined and disgusted, as if to say 'tsk, tsk.'

'You know, ' he says, 'This used to be a church.'

I mount my high horse and say, 'You know, most people around here think it's finally a church.'"

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” (Gen 1:11,12)

GOD created each blade of grass, each herb and each fruit bearing tree from the ground with the spoken word. Each division of the plant kingdom were made to grow out of the ground by divine power without dew, rain or any horticultural process, sprouting and growing in a single day. Each grass, each herb and each tree produced seed of their kind. Each seed would fall to the ground and die and be energized by GOD again to sprout another of its kind.

In the case of sea creatures, flying animals and land animals, GOD also created each according to their kind, to multiply after each of their own kind. This is the natural cycle that GOD ordained from the days of Creation.

Since the fall of Adam, all of creation has been placed in the bondage of corruption, not of its own will but by the sinful act of man (Rom 8:20). Thus, paradise was lost and the rule of the Adversary devastated much of planet Earth.

Adam, himself, created in the image and likeness of GOD, bore a child in his own human image (Gen 5:3). Since the fall, Adam lost his consciousness of GOD and failed to produce offspring and disciple them in the ways of YHWH. As men multiplied, the corruption became greater until the thoughts and deeds of men were continously evil.

The Physical Dimension. The seed is a picture of each plant that grows outside your window. Everything that you see, comes from a seed, whether plant or animal. The seed holds the secret of all natural life. To produce a plant yielding fruit by artificial means is unnatural and therefore, corrupted. Today, you can see so many fruits and vegetables sold in supermarkets that are seedless and which are genetically altered. Scientists have found that genetically altered fruits and vegetables may be bigger and immune to diseases but can cause cancer. Cancer in itself is a corrupted cell that multiplies within the body. While profits grow from producing genetically altered fruits and vegetables, the end-result in human health may be irreparable. The same is true with sin. The acts of sin may provide instant gratification for a time but the sinner soon bears its dire consequences.

The Spiritual Dimension. After Cain killed his brother Abel, he went out from the presence of the LORD and wandered and he settled in the land of Nod and began to multiply his evil seed. We can read the tale of his long line of descendants and see how totally evil they became in Genesis 4:16-24. They were driven to succeed in the physical realm but were totally bankrupt in the ways of the LORD. It came about that when the descendants of Cain multiplied, their beautiful daughters were taken as wives by the faith line of Seth and the result was a mutation manifested not only in the physical but more devastatingly in the spiritual realm (Gen 6:1-5). I believe the sons of God in this passage were not angels but simply men who worshipped the one true GOD since angels are spirits and have no gender and neither can they perform sex. Eating the fruit of the knowledge of the good and evil corrupted Adam and all his descendants after him. Thus, a corrupted seed will always bring forth corrupted seeds.

The corrupt seed must die so that GOD can resurrect him to new life in union with YESHUA. This is the essence of the Gospel – we die with YESHUA on the cross and we bury the old self so that GOD can raise us up in resurrection power with the LORD YESHUA. We know that YESHUA cannot die again so death no longer is master over him; and so it is with us who believe (Rom 6:8-9). Since the firstfruit is holy, all the brothers in CHRIST are holy. If the root is holy, the branches are too. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. The body that was sown was but a bare grain, but GOD gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish (1 Cor 15:37-39).

Men have borne the image of the earthy, but men will have to choose to unite with the LORD YESHUA, to bear the image of the heavenly. A caterpillar is a very unlikely candidate to flight. All the more when it hides itself inside a cocoon, seemingly to die from its original form so that it can be transformed into a beautiful butterfly, able to fly, no longer earth-bound but suddenly expands its horizon through flight.

What type of seed are you of? Are you a man's man, or are you GOD's man? The FATHER has written a destiny in your DNA from the time you were formed in your mother's womb. The question is, are you going to fulfill that destiny?

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,

and which have not entered the heart of man,

all that GOD has prepared for those who love Him.”

• 1 Cor 2:9

The FATHER has stretched out His arms of love to you but you must accept and submit to His lordship. Would you eat from the Tree of Life?

Godliness is a tree of life but the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil is death.

ἀγγελος

Yesterday I taught a Bible study on one of my favorite passages, Acts 16:6-9. I love this passage so much, because God uses it every time I study it to remind me of a couple of things. This is the story of Paul and his companions trying to take the gospel into western Asia, but the Holy Spirit kept putting obstacles in the way. I wonder about those obstacles . . . it's not like they were going through border checkpoints, but they KNEW that those obstacles came from God.

They finally went to Troas, an artificial harbor, to figure out where to go next. In a vision, Paul was asked by a Macedonian man to come there to "help" him. The word for "help" there was more like an SOS. It was an urgent plea for help. Paul and his companions were "convinced" this was God's leading and they "immediately" left for Macedonia (northeastern Greece today). I love that feeling of urgency and response and obedience and of not looking back, but of only going forward––even into the unknown.

When they arrived in Macedonia, landing in Neopolis, they walked the 10 miles to Philippi because that was the major city in the area. If it had been me, I would have been looking for the "Macedonian Man" who had called us there.

In Philippi, Paul and his companions went to the river outside of town for worship since there was no synagogue in the city. There they met a group of women and sat down to preach. In time, Lydia, already a worshipper of God, accepted Christ and asked to be baptized. 

So why does this passage resonate with me so completely?

Because I've run into so many obstacles in my life when I thought I was doing what God wanted me to do. And yet, each time He has redirected me, he has led me into something I could never have imagined for myself.

Because I tend to see things literally. If I had been with Paul, I would have been tempted to pass over seeing the women as part of what God was calling us to do . . . I would still have been looking for that "Macedonian Man." It's a good reminder to me that my expectations of what God is doing are often wrong.

Lydia not only took Paul and his companions into her home, but her home became the gathering place for believers in Philippi (see Acts 16:40). And it's obvious from Paul's letter to the Philippians that the church there was loving and generous and open to those in the community.

So God's reminder to me, again, is to look at the obstacles in my life to see how He is redirecting me, and to not get so literal in my expectations that I miss what God is leading me to do, to see, to meet.

Have you seen obstacles that were God's way of redirecting you? What have you learned through the process?

Margie Williamson

Community Manager