B2B Concert of Prayer – Double-minded #975

Posted on January 24, 2016 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 975

James-1-8-A-Double-Minded-Man-Is-Unstable-blue-copy“Double Minded”

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:8)

Imagine that you are at a public gathering and the featured speaker steps up to the podium and announces that there is a bomb planted in the podium that is set to go off in 60 seconds. Following the announcement the speaker remains standing at the podium preparing to give their speech.

Do you believe that the speaker was telling the truth about the bomb? Do you remain where you are as precious seconds tick away because there is no action by the speaker that correlates with their statement?

If the speaker had immediately instructed everyone to leave the building and quickly moved for the exit door, all would have believed that there was imminent danger and acted in like manner.

Every day the professing Christian is like a guest speaker in a public gathering. Do our actions follow our stated convictions or do we appear to be double-minded? Do we quote Scripture and give counsel to others who then observe our personal lifestyle of indulging our sinful nature? For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer… this person’s religion is worthless. (James 1:23-26)

We cannot lift the banner of God’s Word high for others to see when we refuse to let the whole counsel of God’s Word direct our own personal life. We cannot pick and choose which Scripture we will obey and expect to be effective in personal evangelism.

The Greek word translated as ‘double-minded’ from our reference Scripture literally means to be ‘two-spirited’, i.e. vacillating in opinion or purpose. The sad truth is that many professed Christians are convinced about the truth of God’s Word but lack the heart commitment to fulfill their purpose as followers of Jesus Christ. This double-minded lifestyle produces spiritually sounding intellectualism that fails to bear good fruit. Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. James 3:12

We cannot have it both ways, vacillating between a Carnal life and a Christian life. We may talk a good talk about God and salvation through Jesus; however our words will fall on deaf ears when our actions ‘speak’ an entirely different message.

May the Lord give you unity of mind, heart, and soul and a heart commitment to act in accordance with the infallible truth of God’s Word.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Overcomer #974

Posted on January 17, 2016 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 974

thrive“Overcomer”

But I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. (Psalm 52:8 (NLT))

Are you a survivor? In a time of catastrophe would you be the ‘last man standing’ – the only one not ‘voted off of the island’? Survival is good; Overcoming is better. A survivor just gets by. They make it through alive where others perish. In contrast an overcomer goes beyond survival and thrives in the midst of the difficult circumstances. An overcomer flourishes and bears fruit that nourish others as well.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. (1 John 5:4)

The Bible tells of Daniel and Joseph who were both displaced from their homes and taken to foreign lands as slaves. Daniel refused to compromise on his relationship with God and he thrived. Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian. (Daniel 6:28)

Similarly we see Joseph tenaciously holding onto his relationship with God as he rose from a pit through slavery and imprisonment to ultimately ruling Egypt second only to Pharaoh. He later tells his brothers: “…you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20)

Daniel and Joseph were more than survivors, they were overcomers. They thrived despite their circumstances. They grew where they were planted and bore fruit to the benefit of others. Paul writes about learning the secret of thriving in his letter to the Philippians. I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:11)

You may be experiencing numerous difficult trials. Perhaps you feel that you can scarcely take a breath between hits. Paul wrote about similar circumstances: We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Paul was an overcomer and he thrived in spite of the trials.

No matter how adverse your present circumstances are, know that God has not abandoned you. Plants thrive in the harshest of environments by sending their roots deep in search of water. Likewise, we need to go deeper in our relationship with Jesus to draw upon His living water which we need to thrive and also to be a source of nourishment to others. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law  of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1)

May you dive deep into the Living Water that is found in Jesus Christ. May your soul be saturated with His presence and love. May you know His perfect peace in the midst of your trials and may you overcome your trials in the power of His Name. May you go beyond surviving and thrive.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Come to Me #973

Posted on January 10, 2016 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 973

ComeToMe1“Come to Me”

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30 (NIV)

I remember playing a game with my Dad on cool summer evenings after he had mowed my Grandfather’s lawn. I would approach him slowly and come close to him only to run away quickly, narrowly avoiding his grasp when he reached out to me. “Come to me”, he would say and I would approach him again only to once more escape his grasp.

While this child’s tag-like game may have been fun, it is a sad truth that many of us continue to play this game with God the Father. ‘Come to Me’, Jesus says and we attend church services only to be there physically while our minds and thoughts are elsewhere. We came close but remained out of the Lord’s reach and avoided His loving embrace. Is it any wonder we make comments like, ‘I didn’t get anything out of the church service’?

When we are tempted, God says, ‘Come to Me’ and we hear Him but we also hear the call of the passions and lust of our flesh. Sadly, many of us escape the Father’s embrace of love and choose instead the bondage and chains of sin. Once again we avoided His loving arms of protection from the evil of this world.

When we are weary and burdened with significant trials, Jesus says, ‘Come to Me’ and yet we avoid Him once more, refusing to let go of our stubborn pridefulness. We choose instead to struggle on in our own strength and refuse to make a priority of prayer.

We may be visibly moved and touched by God’s Holy Spirit during a worship service and the preaching of the Word of God. Yet when given the opportunity to step out of the anonymity and comfort zone of our seat and come forward to the altar of God to be ministered to and receive from God we refuse to get close. Our pridefulness becomes a stumbling block and a barrier. The passions and desires of our sinful nature resist the change that is sure to come from the touch of God and once again we came close only to escape the Father’s loving embrace.

How many people do we know that are in need of salvation through Jesus Christ – people who hear the Gospel and who hear God’s call of ‘Come to Me’ and yet choose to remain distant, just out of reach of God’s forgiving and sanctifying embrace?

Why do we play this ‘game’ with God? What does this temporal world have to offer that can even begin to compare to the eternal relationship we can have with God Almighty?

You are not a valueless pawn in a game. The stakes are real and eternal. This ‘game’ of life is for keeps. Stop toying with God and when Jesus says ‘Come to Me’ … run to Him… do not walk… do not hesitate … run headlong into His embrace and never let go.

Come near to God and he will come near to you. James 4:8 (NIV)

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Immersed #972

Posted on January 3, 2016 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 972

walking_in_footsteps_of_christ-520x245“Immersed”

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love… (John 15:9-11)

I love walking along the beach at the edge of the water. Sometimes along a rocky patch I will carefully select a smooth shaped stone and skip it across the water. As I reflected on this the Lord reminded me that we are like skipping stones: shaped, chosen, launched and immersed. As you come to him, a living stone …in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (1Peter 2:4,5)

SHAPED: Like good skipping stones we are uniquely shaped and gifted by God to fulfill His purpose. Our life experiences, both good and bad, have shaped our attitudes and character. God has allowed the joys and sorrows of life to shape us and prepare us for His purpose. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

CHOSEN: In a memorable quotation from the movie Fiddler on The Roof, Tevye speaking to God says: “I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can’t You choose someone else?” Being chosen can sometimes be a scary thing. God is continually working to prepare and equip you for what He has chosen you to do. He is looking for a yielded heart that He can anoint with the power and strength of His Holy Spirit. It is not about choosing the capable; God chooses the willing to abide in His presence and to serve Him. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (1 Corinthians 1:27)

LAUNCHED: Do you find yourself in a place that you really don’t want to be? Perhaps life circumstances have dictated a change. It may have been a job change, a loss, demotion, or perhaps even a promotion that has placed you in an unfamiliar environment. You may find yourself in another home, city, state, or perhaps another country far from home. Like a skipping stone you touch your new environment lightly and attempt to keep going. By faith we overcome the fear of being launched and become immersed in the Living Water of His Presence.

IMMERSED: In obedience to God’s call on our life, we learn to be content in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. (Phil 4:11) Through abiding in His presence the Holy Spirit empowers and equips us to serve and make an impact for His Kingdom. Through immersion we ‘grow where we are planted’ and carry the light of His presence into our new environment.

May this New Year be a year of immersion and continual abiding in the presence and power of God. May God equip you with the courage to step out in faith, being totally abandoned to His shaping, choosing, and launching. May you not touch your new environment lightly but rather being totally immersed in His presence and power may you be a blessing to everyone around you to the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Born to Die #971

Posted on December 21, 2015 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 971

Born to Die “Born to Die”

…I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out …So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me…waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:18-25 NIV)

Jesus was born to die.

Jesus’ birth was for a specific purpose: He was born to die in our place for our sins.

He was born to die so that we may be born again and have eternal life with our Father in heaven.

During the Christmas season people shop for gifts and take advantage of sale prices. The world hustles about to prepare for parties and other festivities. Songs are sung with lyrics about a Holy Night, Joy to the World, Emmanuel, God with us and many others that have become merely traditional background noise – a sort of seasonal lip service. Do you hear the message in the songs?

What is our reason to rejoice? Is it because we got that flat screen TV at a ridiculously low bargain price?

Perhaps during the Christmas season we should reflect upon our sin nature and how utterly impossible it was for sinful mankind to be reconciled and have fellowship with a Holy God apart from Jesus Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection.

During this season reflect on God’s Word and allow the oil of the Holy Spirit to soften our materialistically calloused hearts so that we can acknowledge the depth of the real reason for the season. With a tender heart toward God you will relate with Paul’s exclamation: ‘What a wretched person I am! Who will rescue me? This is when the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus calls the Comforter will come along side of you and fill your heart with the reason to rejoice.

Jesus came to die for all the sins of mankind, past, present and future until the end of time. He was born to bear the punishment for your sins and for mine once for all on the cross. God offers each of us the gift of salvation and justification through His Son, Jesus. In His grace and mercy God offers us the free gift of eternal life if we will but repent and turn from our sin and accept Jesus’ sacrifice and declare Him as our Lord and Savior.

May the songs of the season be more than seasonal lip service. Jesus was born to die for our sins. Now that is the reason for the season. Now that is truly reason to rejoice.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

 Merry Christmas!

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Learning Love #970

Posted on December 14, 2015 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 970

regift “Learning Love”

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Have you ever received a gift that you later gave to someone else? Perhaps it was a gift that you neither wanted nor needed. You graciously accepted it feigning joy and then regifted it to someone else later. For some, this regifting practice is considered to be in poor taste. However, there is a gift that God gave us that He expects us to regift. God expects us to regift the gift of His love that He has given us through Jesus Christ, His Son.

An acrostic for ‘LOVE’, Listen, Overlook, Value, and Express has been used to describe it in practical terms. These are learned behaviors that develop as we grow in our relationship to God.

Learn to Listen sacrificially – Most of us, if we do listen at all, listen selfishly. Our minds remain preoccupied elsewhere. With God’s help we can learn to actively listen to others, seeking discernment to hear what is not being said but to hear what lies at the heart and root of their spoken words. Sometimes it is not for us to speak at all – only to listen to their heart and to be a comfort to them by our caring presence. The gift of listening tells your spouse, child, friend, stranger or co-worker that they are more important to you at that moment than your personal agenda and that they are loved.

Learn to Overlook – God loved us when were unlovable and steeped in sin. How many of us harbor bitterness for an offense from years past? How many of us remain estranged from family and friends because we refuse to forgive and overlook an offense? It is not enough to say that we will forgive them if they reach out to us. In order to regift the gift of God’s love, we must reach out to them first as He did when He gave His Son, Jesus to die for our sins on the cross. Remember, He will forgive us as we forgive others.

Learn to Value – All human life is sacred. Our world society has sought to indoctrinate us in the lie that we are merely an evolved animal and that our unborn children are an expendable choice. The selfish desire for the good life and the material things of this world are at the root of the argument for choice. Our value system has been corrupted so that it is inwardly and selfishly focused. We value ourselves before we value others, even to the point of euthanizing the elderly and murdering the unborn. In a more subtle fashion, Jesus taught that if we harbored hate in our heart for another human being that we are just as guilty as the one who murders another. In order to regift the gift of God’s love we must get rid of our prejudices based upon social class, religion, nationality or skin color. We must become socially active in our elections and vote based upon Biblical moral values, not the values of economic gain. We cannot justify the trade off of valuing economic growth and prosperity over the value of human life.

Learn to Express Love – Love is expressed in action as well as words. We can tell our spouse or children that we love them repeatedly but if our actions do not demonstrate it then our words are empty and hollow. Love expressed is that ‘cup of water’ given to a thirsty stranger that Jesus talked about. Can we love as Jesus loves? Can we sacrifice our selfish desires, even for a moment and put a priority on meeting the needs of others over our own?

Receive the gift of God’s Love and continually regift it to others as He continually pours out His grace and love through Jesus into your life.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – They Listened #969

Posted on December 4, 2015 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 969

acts16_25“They Listened”

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them… (Acts 16:25)

Paul and Silas had been falsely accused, beaten with rods many times, and thrown into prison with their feet fastened in stocks. Although innocent, they found themselves in the same situation and environment with all the other prisoners.

It would have been easy for Paul and Silas to be angry and embittered about their situation. It would have been easy for them to curse their jailers and to speak out vulgarities against them. In doing so they would have blended in with their environment. They would have been no different than all the other prisoners.

But instead Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God – and the other prisoners listened to them.

What separates Christians is how we act and behave in the same life situation as non-Christians. We can quote the entire Bible from memory and it will not speak as loudly to the unsaved as do our responses to life’s circumstances – both positive and negative. The prosperous and the impoverished Christian alike are watched and their life responses are ‘listened’ to. The worldly listen to see if the Truth of God’s Word is alive and active in their hearts. They listen to determine if the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus is real.

For many people, you are the only ‘bible’ they will ever ‘read’ and your actions will speak more to them than the words of your personal testimony about Jesus.

Not many of us have experienced what Paul and Silas experienced – the false accusation, severe beating and imprisonment. Yet they sang hymns and prayed to God. What do the prisoners ‘hear’ from you when things don’t go quite right at the office or at home? Do you push people away from Jesus or are they drawn to Him through the ‘message of your life’?

Are you a different person in the Sunday church context than you are at home or at work? Are you a different person when you have traveled far from the context or accountability of your home base? Is the character of Jesus Christ consistently evident in your character, no matter where you are?

How do you respond to life’s challenges and difficult situations? Is your response consistent with Biblical values and Christian ethics? Do you respond as one who moves in the strength, peace, love and power of God’s Holy Spirit? Does your response lift high the banner of the Lord so that all who see and watch and listen may be drawn to Him and set free from the bondage and death of sin?

Pray for integrity and consistency in your daily walk with Jesus. Seek to live and move and have your being in Him. Seek His continual abiding presence. May all who ‘listen’ to your life be drawn to Jesus.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Eye Candy #968

Posted on October 26, 2015 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 968

Eye-candy “Eye Candy”

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15)

A modern dictionary defines “Eye Candy” as an object with considerable visual appeal. Our reference Scripture calls it ‘the desires of the eyes’ and further qualifies it as ‘not from the Father’. Our bodies’ senses are truly a marvelous creation of God. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 119:14) However, due to Adam’s sin our bodies are corruptible in this life and Satan has exploited that by tempting us to sin through our physical senses. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:14) Some common eye candy is:

FOOD – We see or smell certain foods and we salivate in anticipation. We may not even be hungry having just finished a good meal, yet we will indulge in that special dessert. Enjoying food is a gift of God. The problem arises when we indulge our senses to the point that our physical health suffers due to obesity and the associated ailments that come from it. We are to be good stewards of our bodies, the temple of the Holy Spirit. The body we have on this earth is the body that is to be the hands and feet of Jesus – it is the body that is to be used in His service. When we abuse food to the detriment of our health and in search of comfort then that food has become an idol that we placed before God.

BLING – This term came into being to define the showy jewelry of the Hip-Hop culture but has evolved into meaning fancy cars, clothing, homes and accessories. It categorizes what our reference Scriptures terms the ‘pride in possessions’. God desires us to prosper and have all of our needs met in abundance. We miss the mark however when our hearts’ desire tends toward covetousness and the accumulation of wealth in this world with little thought of storing up wealth in the eternal kingdom to come. Beware of the trap of that ‘new car smell’ – Do you really need a new car? Is it good stewardship to go into debt for it? The same questions apply to jewelry, shoes, and electronics of all kinds. Is it a need or a ‘pride in possession’?

SEX – Sex appeal. It is used to sell everything from cars to beverages, burgers and web hosting services. Sex sells using eye candy. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. (James 1:15) Far too many men and women have been lured into sexual immorality by the enemy’s appeal to our natural sexual desires. The ripple effect of this sin is like a rock thrown into a pond except that it is tsunamic in proportion. Families are broken. Marriages end in divorce. Souls are tattered and many die spiritually. Continual indulgence to this temptation brings an addiction and a callousness that requires ever increasing perversion to be satisfied.

We cannot muster up enough willpower or strength to overcome the lure of eye candy. It is only through the abiding presence of our Lord, Jesus Christ and His indwelling Holy Spirit that we can overcome. When the enemy knocks at the door, ask Jesus to kindly get the door. Take every thought captive as unto the Lord. Choose today to desire purity and His abiding presence more than the eye candy of this world.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Our Father #967

Posted on October 19, 2015 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 967

the-lords-prayer-2-638 “Our Father”

Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. –  (Matthew 6:9-13)

I have been impressed by the Lord of late to ‘be still’ and to ‘wait on Him’. Sometimes, the Lord compels us to just rest in Him – getting back to the fundamentals of our faith and the simplicity of prayer conversations with Him.

I was brought back to the Lord’s prayer that we were taught from childhood. Many of us can recite it from rote memory. However, that reduces it to a mere parroting of words instead of a prayer. In meditating upon the Lord’s prayer I did not make it much past the first few words as the Holy Spirit showed me a depth of meaning and application.

Jesus began the prayer with the words: ‘Our Father’. Jesus did not say to pray ‘My Father’ or ‘Your Father’, but rather He taught us to say ‘Our Father’. Jesus taught us to pray using the possessive, plural pronoun ‘Our’. The Body of Christ – the Christian Church – is comprised of many believers called saints and children of God. He is our Father.

To all those … who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – (Romans 1:7)

We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are family. God is our Father. We are to be united by the love of Jesus and not allow the enemy to sow seeds of discord that would divide us.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body so it is with Christ … For the body does not consist of one member but of many… But God has so composed the body. that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another… – (1 Corinthians 10:12-26)

How do we eliminate division and live as children of God, our Father? Paul explained it best in his letter to the Romans. I encourage you to prayerfully meditate upon each exhortation.

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. – (Romans 12:9-18)

May the words ‘Our Father’ quicken and empower your spirit to overcome the worldly aspects of the flesh and to live out your faith as a child of God and follower of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

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B2B Concert of Prayer – Perspective #966

Posted on October 4, 2015 by ron021950

CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 966

Gods hands earth globe web“Perspective”

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. Riches and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and it is at your discretion that people are made great and given strength. ( 1 Chronicles 29:11, NLT)

An article in the ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2009) dealt with power and the illusion of control.  A university study of international scope was done which showed that power can literally “go to one’s head,” causing people in a position of power to think that they have more control over outcomes than they actually do.  Throughout history and to the present day, we see world leaders, CEO’s, elected officials, pastors, teachers, supervisors, and managers in power positions fall because of poor choices made as a result of their illusion of control and invincibility.

The antidote for the illusion of control is a proper biblical perspective.  This perspective is summarized by King David in our reference Scripture from First Chronicles.

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty… We adore you as the one who is over all things. Perspective begins with worship and acknowledgement that all honor and glory belongs to God.  If we receive accolades and recognition for our accomplishments we must guard against letting it go to our head.  We must always give God the glory and praise.

Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom… Riches and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything.  Perspective is shored up with the acknowledgement that we are His stewards.  We are servants in His kingdom.  We own nothing. Let me say it again: we own nothing.  As God entrusts us with greater stewardship responsibility over people, property, businesses, and the like, we must guard our hearts from becoming possessive over what is rightfully His.

 …if riches increase, set not your heart on them.  (Psalm 62:10)

We must guard against the pridefulness of heart that says ‘I accomplished this!’  Greater power and responsibility equates to a call to greater and more humble service in God’s economy. Note the example set by Jesus.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper…and began to wash the disciples’ feet… (John 13:3)

Power and might are in your hand, and it is at your discretion that people are made great and given strength. Perspective is underscored with the acknowledgement that it is God who placed us in a position of power and it is He who can remove us from it as He deems necessary.

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)

A proper perspective brings peace and joy.  A proper perspective allows rest and comfort in the ‘shadow of His wings’.  May you guard your heart against the illusion of control such that power does not ‘go to your head’.  May you obtain and nurture a proper biblical perspective as you seek first His kingdom and righteousness each day.  May you have a joyful servant’s heart as you serve God and serve others in His Name.

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