Sometimes disasters can turn out to be great opportunities for God to work in your life ~ Greg Laurie

Chuck Swindoll tells a story about a man who was shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. Seeing that rescue might be a long time in coming, he painstakingly built a little hut to provide himself protection from the elements, and a place to store the few items he had managed to salvage from the wreck.

For weeks, this man lived in this little hut, with only the hot sun and the cold nights to keep him company. But each and every day, he would prayerfully scan the horizon, hoping for the approach of a ship.

But there was nothing.

One evening, after he had been searching for food on the island, he came back to see that his little hut was in flames. He tried to put the fire out, but it was too late. Everything he had in this world had gone up in smoke.

He went to sleep that night, listening to the pounding of the surf, stunned by his own misfortune.

The next morning, he awoke to find a ship anchored off the island—the first ship he had seen since he had been marooned. Still trying to believe his eyes, he heard footsteps and then a human voice, saying, “We saw your smoke signal and we came to rescue you.”

That’s how it happens sometimes. In sovereignty and grace, the worst case scenario somehow becomes the best case scenario.

Sometimes disasters can turn out to be great opportunities for God to work in your life. The Lord is always present with us, always intimately acquainted with our circumstances, and He can take impossible situations and turn them around.

Delight yourself also in the LORD, ~ Bob Hoekstra

David Urging Others to Trust in the Lord

Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feedon His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.(Psalm 37:3-5)

Those who live by grace trust in God to work in their lives. We can see David's heart to live this way, as he urges others to trust in the Lord."Trust in the LORD… feed on His faithfulness…. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him."

God wants His people to be characterized by goodness. "Trust in theLORD, and do good." Yet, David understood that no one does good on their own. "There is none who does good, No, not one" (Psalm 14:3). So, for anyone to do good, the Lord must do a good work in and through their lives. Those who trust in the Lord find the will and the strength to do that which is good in the sight of God. To be faithful in doing good, God's people must be nurtured in God's faithfulness. "Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness." Those who place their trustin a faithful God become faithful servants of God.

Of course, the work of God in lives is centered in the heart of man. David prayed for an undivided heart of reverential trust toward the Lord. "Unite my heart to fear Your name" (Psalm 86:11). All who let the Lord become the fundamental joy of their lives will find that God Himself plants godly desires within their heart. "Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart." These implanted desires are then worked outward unto godly living.

As godly living develops, we experience a growing interest in walking in the ways of the Lord. David had such a yearning in his heart toward the Lord. "Show me Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Leadme in Your truth and teach me" (Psalm 25:4-5). The Lord unfolds His will to those who entrust their lives to Him. "Commit your way to theLORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass." Those who do place their lives under the sovereign care of God enjoy the great privilege of having the Lord God Almighty governing the very steps that they take day by day.

Heavenly Father, I want to trust in You so that Your goodness will develop in my life. I want to embrace You as the ultimate joy of my heart so that You may plant Your desires deep within me. I entrust my life into Your hands so that You may control my daily path, through Jesus Christ, my Lord, Amen.

First time that we see the emotion of shame expressed in the Bible. ~ Bob Coy

Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." -Genesis 3:9-10 (NKJV)

This is the first time that we see the emotion of shame expressed in the Bible. It comes immediately after Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. Through sin, their innocence was lost, and they were instantly aware that they were naked. Shame works the same way in our lives. As sinners, we know we're flawed and imperfect. We run and hide from God because deep down we know we're just not right. Just like our forefather Adam, we play the shame game with God.

Shame is healthy to a certain degree because it shows us that we are sinners, but its benefit ends there. God does not want us to stay ashamed before Him, and He proves this in His response to Adam and Eve's shame:

Also for Adam and his wife the LORD God made tunics of skin, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21 NKJV)

God graciously covered Adam and Eve's nakedness, which was the cause of their shame. Did you know that He has done the same for you and me? The Bible teaches that all of our sins, our spiritual nakedness, if you will, have been covered up by the righteousness of Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:5; 19:8). If you're a Christian, you have no grounds for feeling ashamed before God because He sees you perfect and complete "in Christ."

. . . to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. . . . to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight . . . . (Colossians 1:20-22 NKJV)

Shame is not to be trusted because it tells us God doesn't want us-when in reality, He does! In fact, He has graciously gone out of His way to remove our shame by giving us His Son. Be secure in the knowledge that you are covered in Jesus' righteousness.

He who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame. (1 Peter 2:6 NKJV)

Discuss, Dig, Decide

Discuss with your group the relationship that you see between shame and sin. How have these two things hindered your growth as a Christian?

Dig into Genesis 3:9–10 and 1 Peter 2:6. What was the true source of Adam’s shame? How did he respond? How has your faith helped you deal with shame in your own life?

Decide with your group to lift the spirit of someone who is downtrodden with shame. Offer them a tangible expression of God’s love, and encourage them in Christ! Let God use you to remind this person of how precious they are in God’s sight.

The value we place on something determines how we treat it. ~ Charles Stanley

Psalm 1:1-3

The value we place on something determines how we treat it. For instance, you probably wouldn't give much thought to caring for an old shoebox. Yet if someone placed $10,000 inside before handing you that same cardboard container, you'd likely rearrange your day to make sure it was properly protected against damage or theft.

Similarly, once we realize the worth of Scripture, we no longer read merely out of obligation. Instead, we hunger for its revelation and life-changing power.

Here's how God instructs us to read His "instruction manual for life." First, turn to it daily with eager expectation for what the Lord will reveal. Second, meditate upon the Word by thinking about what you've read and absorbing its meaning and implications. Third, study God's truth. There are a variety of ways to do this. For example, follow a specific word through the Old and New Testaments by using a concordance or search engine. Or study an entire book by dissecting one chapter at a time. Fourth, believe what the Lord says. Fifth, obey. In other words, apply what you read to your life situation. This often requires courage and discipline. Sixth, share what you've learned. This will encourage others while strengthening you and sinking the lesson deep in your heart.

The Bible may look like just another book. But it is living truth that can protect and guide, pierce and encourage. Nowhere else do we learn how to be saved so we can eventually dwell with the Lord in heaven. When we grasp Scripture's value, our interaction with God's Word will reflect its worth

Leadership: Does integrity permeate every area of your life? (84-4) ~ Barry Werner

Does integrity permeate every area of your life? (84-4)

August 27th, 2009 in 1 Samuel, Accountability, Integrity, Leadership Principles, Old Testament | leave a response

In virtually every survey ever taken, integrity is consistently identified as the most desired trait of a leader. Every team member wants assurance that their leader can be trusted to follow through on their promises and commitments. Read 1 Samuel 12:1-4.

Israel’s high regard for Samuel comes as no surprise. During his farewell speech, after having led Israel for decades, Samuel promised to repay anything he had unjustly taken from anyone. What a promise! Even more impressive was the people’s response: Not one person rose up to make a claim against Samuel.

Samuel’s honesty and personal integrity permeated every area of his life. These two characteristics directed how he regarded his possessions, his business dealings and his treatment of those who were weaker than himself. Samuel held himself accountable to the people he led. He opened himself up to the scrutiny of everyone with whom he had ever had dealings. Samuel’s leadership has become legendary as this story has been told and retold throughout the centuries.

Samuel’s example calls each of us to hold to this same standard of integrity. Whatever your leadership responsibilities, whether you’re in charge of a major business or a two-year-old, manage your affairs with honesty. Let your personal commitment to integrity show in what you do during the day, every day. As you do so, you’ll become a leader whom others will eagerly follow.

James 2:18 “Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”

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Tags: Honesty

« Are you afraid of confrontation? (84-3)

Does your leadership spread courage? (84-5

To make love a habit ~ Joyce Meyer

And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities.
—Hebrews 10:24

If we intend to make love a habit, then we must develop the habit of loving people with our words. The fleshly (lower, sensual) nature points out flaws, weaknesses, and failures. It seems to feed on the negatives in life. It sees and magnifies all that is wrong with people and things. But the Bible says in Romans 12:21 that we are to overcome evil with good.

Walking in the Spirit (continually following the prompting or leading, guiding, and working of the Holy Spirit through our own spirit instead of being led by our emotions) requires being positive. God is positive, and in order to walk with Him we must agree with Him (See Amos 3:3).

It is easy to find something wrong with everyone, but love covers a multitude of sins: "Above all things have intense and unfailing love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins [forgives and disregards the offenses of others]." (1 Peter 4:8) Love does not expose faults; it covers them.

God will supply all of our needs ~ Jon Courson

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
	Philippians 4:19
A favorite of ‘Precious Promise’ collections, this verse is indeed a powerful promise. But notice to whom it’s given. Taken in context, Paul is saying, ‘Know this, you who are faithful in giving: God will supply all of your need.’ ‘Can I borrow your boat?’ Jesus asked. ‘Sure,’ said the fishermen. So Jesus pushed out a little ways into the Sea of Galilee, and, using the water as a natural amphitheater, He preached to the multitude gathered on the shore. ‘Thanks for letting Me use your boat,’ He said to the fishermen when He was finished. ‘Go ahead and take it out now.’ They did — and when they cast their nets into the water, so great was the haul that it almost sunk their boat (Luke 5:3-6). If we give, God will supply all of our needs because we just can’t out-give Him. Develop a life of tithing — and you’ll be just as amazed as were those fishermen by the Lord’s provision in your life.

The LORD seeth not as man seeth ~ Daily Light

Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

The LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him, actions are weighed. - That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. - The LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. - Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.

What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? - What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts. - Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing.

DAN. 5:27. I Sam. 2:3. -Luke 16:15. -I Sam. 16:7. -Gal. 6:7,8. Matt. 16:26. -Phi. 3:7. Psa. 51:6. -Psa. 17:3.

EVENING

Christ the firstfruits.

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. - If the firstfruit be holy the lump is also holy : and if the root be holy, so are the branches. - Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. - If we have been planted together in the likeness of his death we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. - The Lord Jesus Christ ... shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The firstborn from the dead. - If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

I COR. 15:23. John 12:24. -Rom. 11:16. I Cor. 15:20. Rom. 6:5. Phi. 3:20,21. Col. 1:18. -Rom. 8:11. John 11:25.

Isaiah 1:1-2:22 ~ 2 Corinthians 10:1-18 ~ Psalm 52:1-9 ~ Proverbs 22:26-27 ~ One Year Bible Blog

Isaiah 1:1-2:22 ~ 2 Corinthians 10:1-18 ~ Psalm 52:1-9 ~ Proverbs 22:26-27
~ Click here to read today's Scripture on BibleGateway.com ~
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Old Testament - Today we begin the book of the prophet Isaiah! A powerful quote from Bible.org at this link about this book is: "The Book of Isaiah is one of the most important books of the Old Testament. While little is known of the personal life of the prophet, he is considered to be one of the greatest of them all. The book is a collection of oracles, prophecies, and reports; but the common theme is the message of salvation. There was, according to these writings, no hope in anything that was made by people... There would be a purging of the nation because God is holy. Before the nation could inherit the promises made to the fathers, it would have to be made holy." Below is a painting of Isaiah located in the Sistine Chapel by the Italian Renassaince painter Michelangelo from the year 1509:

~ Isaiah ~
Author: Isaiah
Date: Eighth century B.C.
Content: Isaiah’s long ministry lasted almost sixty years and covered the reigns of four kings, the last one being Hezekiah, the reformer. Isaiah was sent primarily to Judah, although his message concerns the northern kingdom of Israel as well. He lived through the awful days of the civil war between Israel and Judah in 734-732 B.C. and saw the destruction of Israel by Assyria in 722 B.C. the grim lesson taught by Israel’s fall was not lost on Isaiah, and he used it to encourage Hezekiah to trust in the Lord. The Lord delivered Judah from the mighty Assyrian army by sending a plague to destroy the camp. Isaiah also looked beyond his own time to the coming exile of Judah and the deliverance that God would provide.
Theme: Isaiah was one of Jesus’ favorite books and he quoted it frequently, because the central them is salvation. God is seen as the Savior of his people, who redeemed them from Egypt, who will redeem them from their coming captivity, and who will send his beloved Servant to bear the sins of us all (Isaiah 53:6). God freely offers to pardon all who will turn to him in repentance and faith. The future kingdom of God on earth is also described in exquisite detail as a time when men will lay down their swords and, in peace, sing praises to God their King. (Above commentary is from Tyndale Publishers “The One Year Bible Companion” p. 11) More great commentary on the book of Isaiah is at this link. Below is a portrait of the prophet Isaiah by artist Guy Rowe:

Today in Isaiah chapter 1 verses 2 and 3 we read these words of the prophet Isaiah: “Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: "I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand." These words were spoken to the Israelites in the 8th century B.C., but do you suppose they can apply to our modern world today as well? Do we know God? Do we truly understand God? I do think that sometimes we can forget that God is our Father. We are his children. He has brought us up. And we have rebelled. Is an ox at times smarter than us in terms of knowing who its master is? Do we truly know who our master is? I’m afraid sometimes I live my life as if I am my own master. I am “master of my own destiny!” Well. . . am I really? What about you. Who is your master day in and day out? Do you know your Master? Do you understand? Below is a great image for Isaiah 1:18 from today's readings:

New Testament - Wow... I love Paul's words to the church in Second Corinthians chapter 10 verses 3 through 5: "We are human, but we don't wage war with human plans and methods. We use God's mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil's strongholds. With these weapons we break down every proud argument that keeps people from knowing God. With these weapons we conquer their rebellious ideas, and we teach them to obey Christ." This is incredibly powerful for us to realize. We are human. God is God. We are not God. But, good news is that we have access to God's "weapons" through our relationship with his son Jesus. And trust me. In this fallen world, we need God's weapons. We need his strength. We need his grace. We need his forgiveness. We need his miracles. We need his Son. These are the only ways that we will knock down the Devil's strongholds in our lives and in others lives. How do we access God's mighty weapons? My personal opinion is that prayer is one of the best things we can do in this regards. I don't know about you, but I do not pray enough. However, just lately I've been praying a bit more, and I'll tell you, God has moved! Prayer is such a beautiful mystery. We need it like the air we breathe. Please pray. Other ways to access God's mighty weapons are certainly reading and studying God's Word daily, investing in a church community at least weekly (even more is better via small groups, etc.), and confessing and repenting and fleeing from sin. Then, with God's weapons we are called to introduce others to who God is and teach them to obey Christ. How are you accessing God's mighty weapons these days? Are you praying? Are you reading and studying the Bible daily? Are you investing in a church community weekly? Are you confessing and repenting and fleeing from sin? Or are you relying on your human plans and methods to make it through the day? Are you relying on worldly weapons? Will you seek instead God's mighty weapons?

Bible.org's commentary on today's readings in Second Corinthians titled "Contrasting Christian Leaders With the Cultists" is at this link.

Psalms - Verse 9 in Psalm 52 stood out to me today - ""I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will wait for your mercies in the presence of your people." Are you looking forward to praising God forever? Are you willing to wait for God? If things don't seem to be moving as quickly as you would like them to in your spiritual life, will you still wait for God? And will you do so in the presence of God's people? Do you believe that being part of a church community can help you during a time of waiting for the Lord? And do you believe that you can help others in your church to wait as well? Then, together you can look forward to praising God forever for what he has done and will do!

Proverbs - We read an interesting Proverb today in chapter 22 verses 26 & 27: "Do not co-sign another person's note or put up a guarantee for someone else's loan. If you can't pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you." I've always been intrigued by these types of Proverbs / verses in the Bible. Verses that basically say don't co-sign or guarantee anybody else's debt - unless of course we're talking about your kid! :) I do see the wisdom in this. If you co-sign / guarantee for somebody else, then be prepared to have to pay back that debt in full... Wow. This is pretty heavy to think about. We hear so much about staying out of debt - and typically think about our own personal debt. That's obviously wise. And well, this Proverb today is saying don't take on other people's debt! That is very wise! Stay out of debt! Your own and particularly your friends'!

Worship God: Somehow our readings today in Isaiah, 2nd Corinthians, and Psalm 52 all coalesced into me thinking about the wonderful Casting Crowns song "Who Am I?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk3FAyXcC40

"Who Am I?" Who are you? Not sure? Find out at this link!

Please join us in memorizing and meditating on a verse of Scripture this week: "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 (NIV)

Comments from You: What verses or insights stand out to you in today's readings? Please post up by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

God bless,
Mike

Twitter Proverbs from Rick Warren

1. @ErinMMoore 95% of media reports are error filled & biased. Never rely on a secondary source for accuracy. It was untrue.about 7 hours ago from web
2. http://twitpic.com/gyr7y - Next Gen is hungry 4 PURPOSE!Seeing huge crowds @ universities like Harvard &Cambridge.Oxford gave me this:about 7 hours ago from TwitPic
3. Warren's Law: A celebrity's insecurity is measured by the length of their limo. Service,not status,creates self-worth.about 10 hours ago from web
4. Never let ego slights,petty jealousy,or prideful bickering,keep u from the great work God gives u.Its not about u.Ph3:13-15about 11 hours ago from web
5. What u LOVE MOST is seen in your schedule& bank statement. How u use your time & money shows what matters most to u.Mt.6:24about 21 hours ago from web
6. Dr. Greg Koukl NOW LIVE, “Defending Your Faith” Saddleback’s Ahmanson Lectures on Apologetics-6 http://bit.ly/38sfdi7:46 PM Sep 6th from web
7. Marriage doesn't create problems;it reveals them Nothing exposes our inate self-centeredness faster. Pr.18:10, James4:15:38 PM Sep 6th from web
8. Dr. Dinesh D'Souza NOW LIVE, “How Do I Know God Exists?” Saddleback’s Ahmanson Lectures on Apologetics-5http://bit.ly/38sfdi5:06 PM Sep 6th from web
9. Dr. William Lane Craig, NOW LIVE, “How Did the Universe Begin?” Saddleback’s Ahmanson Lectures on Apologetics-4http://bit.ly/38sfdi11:38 AM Sep 6th from web
10. Dr. Norman Geisler, NOW LIVE, “If God exists, Why is there evil?” Saddleback’s Ahmanson Lectures on Apologetics-3http://bit.ly/38sfdi9:18 AM Sep 6th from TweetDeck
11. Dr. J.P Moreland NOW LIVE, “Has Science Made Belief in God Obsolete?” Saddleback’s Ahmanson Lectures on Apologetics-2http://bit.ly/38sfdi6:49 PM Sep 5th from TweetDeck
12. Dr Darrell Bock, teaching right now on "Jesus from the Earth Up" Saddleback's Ahmanson Lectures on Apologeticshttp://bit.ly/38sfdi4:56 PM Sep 5th from web
13. @UYWILarry Rick,thx for being a Kingdom revolutionary! LARRY,the Church was global centuries before globalization! Jn17:183:40 PM Sep 4th from web
14. "Come&see"(attraction) &"Go&tell"(proclaimation) are both biblical evangelism.To all, Jesus says"COME!" To believers,"GO!"3:23 PM Sep 4th from web
15. God loves ALL styles as long as worship is "in spirit & truth"(Jn 4:24) It must be Authentic&Accurate.Devotional&Doctrinal.3:16 PM Sep 4th from web
16. No music is "sacred",just the lyrics.Music preference shows ur background,not theology. FACT:God likes some music u dont!3:06 PM Sep 4th from web
17. 30 yrs ago I cut "impossible" out of my dictionary because its not in God's vocab."With God all things are possible"Mt19:262:51 PM Sep 4th from web
18. When Kennedy said "We're going to the moon" it was still impossible.Never confuse decisionmaking & problemsolving.2:46 PM Sep 4th from web
19. Make the decision THEN solve the problems."if you wait 4 perfect conditions you'll never get anything done."Eccl 11:4(NLT)2:44 PM Sep 4th from web
20. Your LifePurpose comes in 3 stages:1WHATGod wants u to do. 2 HOW& WHERE 3WHEN(timing) Delays between stages test ur faith.10:38 AM Sep 4th from web