Own Up

Own Up

by | Jan 20, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship | 0 comments

Own Up

“Achan replied, ‘It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done.” (Joshua 7:20)

Guilt is a terrible burden.

Fear of consequences can be all consuming.

There is something cleansing, right, and proper about owning up and facing the consequences of receiving forgiveness.

God will always forgive even when we can’t forgive ourselves. His forgiveness knows no bounds.

There is nothing you have done, are doing, or will do that is beyond the forgiveness of God. He has already provided for all the forgiveness you will need.

While men may not forgive, God will always, always forgive.

Put your confidence in Him, and let Him deal with the consequences.

Your conscience will be clean, and God will deal with what happens. You may well pay a human price, but your heart will be free.

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Deceit

Deceit

by | Jan 13, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship | 0 comments

Deceit

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” (Jer 17:9)

We are very complex beings.

Ask anyone who is married. Often we can’t understand even the one we live with and have lived with for many years. It’s true that often we don’t even understand ourselves.

The complexity of experience, upbringing, motivators, pressures, and stress—even what we eat or how we sleep—creates a volatile and somewhat unpredictable cocktail.

Our very hearts can be deceitful and fool even ourselves.

So what can we do?

We can trust the God who created us, who understands us completely, who sees us completely, and who loves us completely.

Quick Prayer: Keep me from deceiving myself. Amen.

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Priorities

Priorities

by | Jan 6, 2020 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship | 0 comments

Priorities

What are our priorities? In Haggai 1:9, it says, “‘You expected much to see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord, O God Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house.'” We kind of don’t expect God to oppose us. He’s for us, not against us. However, what the scripture demonstrates is a priority. How engaged are we in the local church? The reality is that funding from God’s provision to us should also help build His house. Discipline and putting aside a fixed amount each week that meets the kingdom of God, whether or not that’s His house or other things that He is doing, is one well worth having. We’re called to serve not only in the marketplace, but also in the local community. While sharing the financial burden using our prosperity to meet the needs of others and financing the kingdom of God, we also need to be generous with our time and build the local house of God. Then, we can be rest assured that He will provide for us.
Quick Prayer: Show me my path in building Your house. Amen.

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Tough Choice

Tough Choice

by | Dec 20, 2019 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship

Tough Choice

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” (Deu 30:19)

Every day we face choices. They may be small, seemingly insignificant, tiny choices. Do we do the right thing or the wrong thing? No one will notice, we tell ourselves. No one will ever know. It seems like such a small thing. Everyone else is doing it. How wrong can it really be? Is it really that important to make a stand? What will people think?

Small choices lead to big choices. Small variations end up being big deviations, and the whole world will witness our choices. Our lives are just a sum of the choices we make. What will you choose?

Quick Prayer: I choose life. Amen.

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The Wisdom of Age

The Wisdom of Age

by | Dec 14, 2019 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship

The Wisdom of Age

“But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.” (1 Kin 12:8)

Grey hair is a sign of wisdom, or so the Scriptures tell us. More often than not we take it as a sign of irrelevance or not being in touch. I am all in agreement with this the greyer I become myself.

That aside, there is wisdom that comes with age. It is experience that cannot be taught. Youth and enthusiasm are great things. I love the energy around people who are fully engaged, passionate, and youthful. But I have learned over the years that there is a need to balance youthful enthusiasm with the measured contemplation that comes with those who have some years of experience. We should honor the elders in our midst, even if society and in particular commerce does not.

Quick Prayer: Father, I honor the wisdom of age. Amen.

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Wise Company

Wise Company

by | Dec 14, 2019 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship

Wise Company

“Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Pro 13:20)

The people we spend time with will impact our lives. They will either be impacted for good, or they’ll be impacted the bad. How would you rate the people you mix with? That sounds like a very harsh judgment or question. And yes, we are called to mix with those who need to know Jesus. There is nothing wrong with this; in fact, there is a lot of good in mixing with those who have yet to come to know Him.

Yet those who are close to us and those we choose to seek advice from will impact our lives. If we want to be wise, it would be prudent to walk with the wise. Be careful to choose the company you keep wisely. This principle is true in our work life as well as our social life.

Quick Prayer: Open my eyes to the wise around me. Amen.

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The Gift of Wisdom – 2 Chr 9:23

The Gift of Wisdom – 2 Chr 9:23

by | Dec 6, 2019 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship

The Gift of Wisdom – 2 Chr 9:23

“All the kings of the earth sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart.” (2 Chr 9:23)

We sometimes see wisdom as an elusive trait. It is merely the practical application of godly insight. The origin of true wisdom is in God. He’s the Author and Finisher of our faith. In Him is all wisdom and all insight.

God can grant us wisdom for a particular situation. He can grow wisdom in us through experience, and by learning from Him, we can impart wisdom. Wisdom is a gifting where we intuitively see the practical solutions in the situations that confront us. Whatever way you look at wisdom, it is a good thing, so why not ask God for some today?

Quick Prayer: Father, grant me wisdom for my situation. Amen.

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Wise Words – Psalm 119:24

by | Dec 3, 2019 | Create, Grow, Provide, Serve, Witness, Work, Worship

“Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.” (Psalm 119:24)

When we are in the workplace, we’ll sometimes be tempted to believe that God is not interested in our workplace. This is just not the case. The words God has written down in the Bible when read by us and imparted to us by the Holy Spirit are life giving.

The scriptural principles laid out by God in the Bible should be our delight. They bring wisdom and understanding and are very much our counselor. When we receive this wisdom, it has no effect if we just understand and acknowledge it. It only has an effect when we act on it and make it a demonstrable part of our lives.

Quick Prayer: Help me not to just listen but to put in place Your statutes. Amen.