In biblical times offering wine to your guests at a wedding was an expected courtesy. It was also a sign of respect, so running out of it would have been considered a social disaster. But observe how Mary handled it. Instead of looking for someone to blame, or making excuses, she took her problem to Jesus. That’s always your best move. “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer. Jesus told the servants to fill the jars with water and give some to the headwaiter. When he tasted it, the Bible says: “The water had become wine” (Jn 2:9 NCV). But notice, it happened after they had obeyed Jesus, not before. At a particularly contentious church board meeting when one member suggested they pray about the problem, another responded, “Has it come to that?” There are basically two reasons we make prayer our last resort instead of our first: (1) We like to think we’re able to solve our own problems. (2) We feel insignificant and think, “It’s okay for Mary to ask Jesus; she’s His mother, but He’s got bigger problems to solve than mine.” No, your problems are important to God—all of them! He delights in you (see Ps 18:19). He rejoices over you as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride (see Isa 62:5). You’re never too big or too small to ask your heavenly Father for help. Just take your cue from Mary: identify the problem, bring it to Jesus, do what He tells you, and watch Him work it out.
From
Newlifeoakwood.org
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Held In High Honor
In places of distinction and high esteem, there is a mandated and expected standard of behavior, dress, and decorum. Some restaurants require a dress code. Some offices, ceremonial or not, require specific salutations. For example, although an individual may no longer be the current United States President, they will always be referred to as Mr. President. That’s holding them in high esteem.
This idea of high esteem even makes its way into homes. Were you privileged to either live in a home or have family members that required you to remove your shoes before you entered their home? Or even some rooms that were considered off limits during every day activity? These rooms, homes, carpets, and furniture pieces were held in high esteem.
To hold in high esteem is to give something its reasonable honor, to regard it with respect and dignity. It means literally to have a high opinion of something. God understood this reality so well that He required His chosen people to understand it as a law. In Exodus 20: 7 (Message), God speaks saying, “No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won't put up with the irreverent use of his name.”
I want to be very honest with you. There have been times that out of habit, I have used God’s name in silly banter. In my every day conversation I have invoked God’s name without holding it in high honor and esteem. There have been times that I have respected a person with a title or a room with white carpet or even a physical possession like a car, clothes, or shoes more than I have esteemed God for who He is.
It is not until you have an opportunity to let the truth of these scriptures sink in that the Holy Spirit has opportunity to convict you of this truth: We must set the standard for holding God in high honor.
When God’s real power is revealed, even unbelievers will pause to reverence His power and glory. In Acts 19: 11-20, the power of God was revealed so powerfully that, “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly” (NIV). This is the truth of what happens when, not unbelievers, but those that have become ambassadors of God hold Him in high esteem.
We understand the notion of rolling out the red carpet, reserving the best seats for VIPs, making sure that the facilities, vehicles, and staff are all primed and ready to receive special guests when they arrive. We painstakingly go through every fine detail to make sure that it’s a high standard for these very important people. This sort of consideration MUST be extended to our Creator, Sustainer, Provider, Banner, Healer, and Shepherd. He’s literally the “I Am,” who has no beginning nor ending. It will take some thinking before we speak and act, but if we don’t hold him in high honor, there is no one else who will. Watch your silly banter or irreverent use of God, His name, or even His work. He’s so much more than what we’ve reduced Him to. In truth, He’s the greatest VIP.
By
Overseer Christopher J. Harris
This idea of high esteem even makes its way into homes. Were you privileged to either live in a home or have family members that required you to remove your shoes before you entered their home? Or even some rooms that were considered off limits during every day activity? These rooms, homes, carpets, and furniture pieces were held in high esteem.
To hold in high esteem is to give something its reasonable honor, to regard it with respect and dignity. It means literally to have a high opinion of something. God understood this reality so well that He required His chosen people to understand it as a law. In Exodus 20: 7 (Message), God speaks saying, “No using the name of God, your God, in curses or silly banter; God won't put up with the irreverent use of his name.”
I want to be very honest with you. There have been times that out of habit, I have used God’s name in silly banter. In my every day conversation I have invoked God’s name without holding it in high honor and esteem. There have been times that I have respected a person with a title or a room with white carpet or even a physical possession like a car, clothes, or shoes more than I have esteemed God for who He is.
It is not until you have an opportunity to let the truth of these scriptures sink in that the Holy Spirit has opportunity to convict you of this truth: We must set the standard for holding God in high honor.
When God’s real power is revealed, even unbelievers will pause to reverence His power and glory. In Acts 19: 11-20, the power of God was revealed so powerfully that, “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly” (NIV). This is the truth of what happens when, not unbelievers, but those that have become ambassadors of God hold Him in high esteem.
We understand the notion of rolling out the red carpet, reserving the best seats for VIPs, making sure that the facilities, vehicles, and staff are all primed and ready to receive special guests when they arrive. We painstakingly go through every fine detail to make sure that it’s a high standard for these very important people. This sort of consideration MUST be extended to our Creator, Sustainer, Provider, Banner, Healer, and Shepherd. He’s literally the “I Am,” who has no beginning nor ending. It will take some thinking before we speak and act, but if we don’t hold him in high honor, there is no one else who will. Watch your silly banter or irreverent use of God, His name, or even His work. He’s so much more than what we’ve reduced Him to. In truth, He’s the greatest VIP.
By
Overseer Christopher J. Harris
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Put Your Fear In God
A fistfight broke out in church during choir rehearsal. I can’t remember what caused the argument that led to the nasty brawl. Two girls in the youth choir just went at it like a couple of mad alley cats. I was shocked that anyone would be bold enough to fight in church!
My youthful mind saw church as a holy, sacred place. It’s where the sovereign God lived; where we went to confess our sins, not commit them.
The fisticuff grieved my spirit and left me in tears. If I took such offense, I wondered how it must have hurt God. What had possessed His daughters to have such utter disregard for Him that they felt ok fighting in His sanctuary? Did they not fear the Lord?
That was more than 30 years ago. Since then, it seems man’s fear of God has deteriorated even more. Perhaps it’s because we don’t know what it really means to fear the Lord. Or perhaps we really don’t know God. For to fear God is to Know God.
Proverbs 1:7 tells us: “The fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
Christianity today defines godly fear as holy reverence and respect. But that seems inadequate. The Supreme, Majestic Lord who governs the universe deserves much more. You can give holy reverence to a minister or someone who wears a priestly color. You can respect, even venerate the Queen of England. But our noblest and best attempt to define reverence relative to the Almighty God falls woefully short. That fear entails true worship, adoration, honor and obedience. Godly fear is clearly captured in the biblical account of Joseph.
During his captivity in ancient Egypt, Joseph had to fight off his master’s lustful wife. Several times she tried to seduce the Hebrew house servant. But Joseph vigorously rejected her advances and fled. He knew to refuse her would cost him his job and likely send him to prison. But Joseph’s love and reverence for the Almighty God was stronger than any temptation. To injure God and violate His sovereign law was unthinkable.
In Genesis 39:9 Joseph said: “How could I do such evil and sin against God?”
Joseph put his fear in God. So, he was not afraid of what man or woman could do to him. He stood firm on his moral convictions because he knew God. And to know God is to esteem Him highly. It’s to respect Him as the Creator who has no equal, and rules with unparalleled power and glory.
The prophet Isaiah got weak-kneed and fell limp in God’s presence. His brief vision of The Almighty made him realize just how unclean humans are. He said, “I saw the Lord, high, exalted and seated on a thrown.”
All Isaiah could do was cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy.” He later hollered: “Woe to me! “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6:5
In this dispensation of grace in which we live, Christians are privileged to have God living in us. But don’t let “familiarity breed contempt.” We run the risk of making the Sovereign, Mighty God “common” in our eyes. That suggests a lack of fear, and a lack of knowledge of who God really is. Those who know God won’t be found handling Him casually. Neither will they handle His commandments with callous disregard.
When you put your fear in God, you put your faith in Him too.
In doing so, you won’t have to be afraid of man. Neither will you feel compelled to fight your own battle, in or out of church.
By
Sharon Frame
My youthful mind saw church as a holy, sacred place. It’s where the sovereign God lived; where we went to confess our sins, not commit them.
The fisticuff grieved my spirit and left me in tears. If I took such offense, I wondered how it must have hurt God. What had possessed His daughters to have such utter disregard for Him that they felt ok fighting in His sanctuary? Did they not fear the Lord?
That was more than 30 years ago. Since then, it seems man’s fear of God has deteriorated even more. Perhaps it’s because we don’t know what it really means to fear the Lord. Or perhaps we really don’t know God. For to fear God is to Know God.
Proverbs 1:7 tells us: “The fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
Christianity today defines godly fear as holy reverence and respect. But that seems inadequate. The Supreme, Majestic Lord who governs the universe deserves much more. You can give holy reverence to a minister or someone who wears a priestly color. You can respect, even venerate the Queen of England. But our noblest and best attempt to define reverence relative to the Almighty God falls woefully short. That fear entails true worship, adoration, honor and obedience. Godly fear is clearly captured in the biblical account of Joseph.
During his captivity in ancient Egypt, Joseph had to fight off his master’s lustful wife. Several times she tried to seduce the Hebrew house servant. But Joseph vigorously rejected her advances and fled. He knew to refuse her would cost him his job and likely send him to prison. But Joseph’s love and reverence for the Almighty God was stronger than any temptation. To injure God and violate His sovereign law was unthinkable.
In Genesis 39:9 Joseph said: “How could I do such evil and sin against God?”
Joseph put his fear in God. So, he was not afraid of what man or woman could do to him. He stood firm on his moral convictions because he knew God. And to know God is to esteem Him highly. It’s to respect Him as the Creator who has no equal, and rules with unparalleled power and glory.
The prophet Isaiah got weak-kneed and fell limp in God’s presence. His brief vision of The Almighty made him realize just how unclean humans are. He said, “I saw the Lord, high, exalted and seated on a thrown.”
All Isaiah could do was cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy.” He later hollered: “Woe to me! “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6:5
In this dispensation of grace in which we live, Christians are privileged to have God living in us. But don’t let “familiarity breed contempt.” We run the risk of making the Sovereign, Mighty God “common” in our eyes. That suggests a lack of fear, and a lack of knowledge of who God really is. Those who know God won’t be found handling Him casually. Neither will they handle His commandments with callous disregard.
When you put your fear in God, you put your faith in Him too.
In doing so, you won’t have to be afraid of man. Neither will you feel compelled to fight your own battle, in or out of church.
By
Sharon Frame
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Get A Mentor
"That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children” (Titus 2:4). This is something the business world has been successful at for decades.
They groom people to move up the corporate ladder, executives scour new employees to see who will be next in line for his/her place in the company. Those who have mentors have a greater (and faster) climb to the top -- it is because they have someone to whom they can go to, ask and observe. Get a mentor.
If you have never been a wife or mother before, or if you do not believe you have been the kind of wife/mother you should be (that virtuous woman) why not get some help. Having a mentor, one who has been successful at what you are doing is a great and biblical way to achieve success.
How do I choose? Examine the life of the person from afar. Look at the interaction between the woman and her husband and children. If it looks like what you desire, pray for an opportunity and move closer, work alongside them in ministry, speak frequently, and ultimately start asking questions (don’t get too deep at first, give some time for the relationship to develop). Don’t be a stalker, but watch, and keep watching.
Is there someone in your life to whom you can obtain godly counsel in the raising of your family? Do you believe there is more for your marriage than you have, but you do not know how to make it happen? Create a list of people whose marriages/families you admire. Pray about the people on that list and let God lead you to your mentor.
By
Bishop Donald Hilliard
They groom people to move up the corporate ladder, executives scour new employees to see who will be next in line for his/her place in the company. Those who have mentors have a greater (and faster) climb to the top -- it is because they have someone to whom they can go to, ask and observe. Get a mentor.
If you have never been a wife or mother before, or if you do not believe you have been the kind of wife/mother you should be (that virtuous woman) why not get some help. Having a mentor, one who has been successful at what you are doing is a great and biblical way to achieve success.
How do I choose? Examine the life of the person from afar. Look at the interaction between the woman and her husband and children. If it looks like what you desire, pray for an opportunity and move closer, work alongside them in ministry, speak frequently, and ultimately start asking questions (don’t get too deep at first, give some time for the relationship to develop). Don’t be a stalker, but watch, and keep watching.
Is there someone in your life to whom you can obtain godly counsel in the raising of your family? Do you believe there is more for your marriage than you have, but you do not know how to make it happen? Create a list of people whose marriages/families you admire. Pray about the people on that list and let God lead you to your mentor.
By
Bishop Donald Hilliard
Following God's Schedule
Waiting on God so we can discover His will is an essential discipline of the Christian life. Once we learn His plan, we must be careful to implement it in His time frame.
Following the Lord's schedule is always to our benefit because of His . . .
• All-encompassing knowledge. Unlike us, the Father has complete awareness about our world and the details of every individual life—past, present, and future. (Acts 17:26).
• Complete wisdom. The Lord understands man's every motive (1 Chron. 28:9) and acts accordingly. Our decision making is flawed since we cannot clearly discern people's intentions. We make choices based on partial information, but God has the wisdom to properly interpret the facts and then take action based on truth (Rom. 11:33). He never makes a mistake.
• Unending love. Through His Son, the Father offers us unconditional love. By sending Jesus to die in our place, God proved the depth of His everlasting love (1 John 4:10). He always has our best interest at heart.
• Perfect sufficiency. The Lord offers us all the resources we need to carry out His plan—wisdom, strength, and skill (2 Peter 1:3).
Adhering to God's timetable requires both faith and courage. We must believe that He knows how we should live, trust that His plan is right, and have the determination to wait until He gives a signal to proceed. Those who follow the Lord's schedule will experience the blessing of watching Him work things together for their gain and His glory.
By
Dr. Charles F. Stanley
Following the Lord's schedule is always to our benefit because of His . . .
• All-encompassing knowledge. Unlike us, the Father has complete awareness about our world and the details of every individual life—past, present, and future. (Acts 17:26).
• Complete wisdom. The Lord understands man's every motive (1 Chron. 28:9) and acts accordingly. Our decision making is flawed since we cannot clearly discern people's intentions. We make choices based on partial information, but God has the wisdom to properly interpret the facts and then take action based on truth (Rom. 11:33). He never makes a mistake.
• Unending love. Through His Son, the Father offers us unconditional love. By sending Jesus to die in our place, God proved the depth of His everlasting love (1 John 4:10). He always has our best interest at heart.
• Perfect sufficiency. The Lord offers us all the resources we need to carry out His plan—wisdom, strength, and skill (2 Peter 1:3).
Adhering to God's timetable requires both faith and courage. We must believe that He knows how we should live, trust that His plan is right, and have the determination to wait until He gives a signal to proceed. Those who follow the Lord's schedule will experience the blessing of watching Him work things together for their gain and His glory.
By
Dr. Charles F. Stanley
Are You Taking God For Granted?
"Then the Lord’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God." 2 Samuel 6:7
My wife and I have been married for sixteen years. But, to my own embarrassment, there have been times when I have taken her for granted. There have been times when I have become so familiar with her that I have been insensitive to her needs and wants. Just as it is not healthy to take our spouses for granted, David would say, it is not healthy to take God for granted.
In 2 Samuel 6:1-15 David desired to unite the nation spiritually, so he went to retrieve the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim, where it had been for over twenty-five years. They transported the ark on a new cart. It was classy and convenient. As they transported the ark, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah, reached out, with good intentions, to stabilize the ark. When he touched it, God’s judgment broke out against him and he died. So, David became angry at and afraid of God, and he decided to abandon the mission. Could it be that God responded with such drastic measures because David took Him for granted by either ignoring God’s standards or failing to inquire of God as to how he should transport the ark (Exodus 25:14). He assumed he knew and that God would approve. With this failure, David had begun to trifle with God’s holiness.
This dramatic episode reminds us of several truths.
1) We must do God’s work God's way to secure God’s blessings. This narrative reveals how God feels about us placing our preferences ahead of his purposes.
2) Obedience to God’s specific will is more important than good intentions. Coming close to doing God’s will is not enough.
Let’s pay close attention to our relationship with God, lest privilege become presumption. May we approach him with awe and according to his revealed will!
Read Isaiah 6:1-8; Exodus 3:1-6 and meditate and answer the following questions.
1. In what ways have you trifled with God’s holiness?
2. What do you need to change in order to approach God with a greater sense of awe and reverence?
3. How have you seen your obedience lead to blessings and freedom?
By
Pastor Marvin Williams
My wife and I have been married for sixteen years. But, to my own embarrassment, there have been times when I have taken her for granted. There have been times when I have become so familiar with her that I have been insensitive to her needs and wants. Just as it is not healthy to take our spouses for granted, David would say, it is not healthy to take God for granted.
In 2 Samuel 6:1-15 David desired to unite the nation spiritually, so he went to retrieve the ark of God from Kiriath Jearim, where it had been for over twenty-five years. They transported the ark on a new cart. It was classy and convenient. As they transported the ark, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah, reached out, with good intentions, to stabilize the ark. When he touched it, God’s judgment broke out against him and he died. So, David became angry at and afraid of God, and he decided to abandon the mission. Could it be that God responded with such drastic measures because David took Him for granted by either ignoring God’s standards or failing to inquire of God as to how he should transport the ark (Exodus 25:14). He assumed he knew and that God would approve. With this failure, David had begun to trifle with God’s holiness.
This dramatic episode reminds us of several truths.
1) We must do God’s work God's way to secure God’s blessings. This narrative reveals how God feels about us placing our preferences ahead of his purposes.
2) Obedience to God’s specific will is more important than good intentions. Coming close to doing God’s will is not enough.
Let’s pay close attention to our relationship with God, lest privilege become presumption. May we approach him with awe and according to his revealed will!
Read Isaiah 6:1-8; Exodus 3:1-6 and meditate and answer the following questions.
1. In what ways have you trifled with God’s holiness?
2. What do you need to change in order to approach God with a greater sense of awe and reverence?
3. How have you seen your obedience lead to blessings and freedom?
By
Pastor Marvin Williams
Eliminate The Fear Factor
Are you afraid of heights? Or do you become hysterical at the mere sight of spiders? Perhaps you live in constant fear that you will never get ahead in life. Whether you are afraid of heights, spiders or failure, let's be clear on one thing; it is not good to have any amount of fear in your life.
I have heard people say, "A little fear is good for you." I disagree. Fear is not good at all. It is a trap used by the enemy to keep you from operating in the will of God. The opposite of fear is faith, and Hebrews 11:6 says, "...without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is..."
Satan knows that you must have faith to believe that God's promises will come to pass. If he can get you to doubt God's promises, he will accomplish his goal of taking you out of the will of God, thereby keeping you from receiving your blessing.
Ask yourself these three questions to find out whether you are believing God's Word or walking in fear:
1) Whose word is getting into my heart?
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, but fear comes by hearing the words of Satan. Negative words can get into your heart by entering through your eyes (what you watch) and your ears (what you listen to). Eventually those things will enter your mouth (what you say), and once you begin to speak negative words, those things will ultimately become a part of your life. Be sure to put God's Word into your heart to increase your faith.
2) Who's side am I on?
The world system operates by fear. The kingdom of God system operates by faith. The world system says that you have to be educated, have a certain degree, be the right color, come from the right neighborhood, say the right things or wear the right clothes. If you contradict this system, you may be challenged by feelings of inadequacy, which comes from fear. But in the kingdom of God system, God is not a respecter of persons; He is a respecter of faith. It's up to you to decide which system you will follow.
3) What am I connected to?
Fear is a spiritual connector and so is faith. Faith will connect you with the Word of God. Fear will connect you with the very thing you fear. For example, fear of death will connect you to the death that you fear. Fear of lack will connect you to the lack that you fear. Fear of cancer will connect you with cancer. Don't allow fear to connect you to negative circumstances. Instead, use your faith to release the blessings of God into your life.
By
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
I have heard people say, "A little fear is good for you." I disagree. Fear is not good at all. It is a trap used by the enemy to keep you from operating in the will of God. The opposite of fear is faith, and Hebrews 11:6 says, "...without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is..."
Satan knows that you must have faith to believe that God's promises will come to pass. If he can get you to doubt God's promises, he will accomplish his goal of taking you out of the will of God, thereby keeping you from receiving your blessing.
Ask yourself these three questions to find out whether you are believing God's Word or walking in fear:
1) Whose word is getting into my heart?
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, but fear comes by hearing the words of Satan. Negative words can get into your heart by entering through your eyes (what you watch) and your ears (what you listen to). Eventually those things will enter your mouth (what you say), and once you begin to speak negative words, those things will ultimately become a part of your life. Be sure to put God's Word into your heart to increase your faith.
2) Who's side am I on?
The world system operates by fear. The kingdom of God system operates by faith. The world system says that you have to be educated, have a certain degree, be the right color, come from the right neighborhood, say the right things or wear the right clothes. If you contradict this system, you may be challenged by feelings of inadequacy, which comes from fear. But in the kingdom of God system, God is not a respecter of persons; He is a respecter of faith. It's up to you to decide which system you will follow.
3) What am I connected to?
Fear is a spiritual connector and so is faith. Faith will connect you with the Word of God. Fear will connect you with the very thing you fear. For example, fear of death will connect you to the death that you fear. Fear of lack will connect you to the lack that you fear. Fear of cancer will connect you with cancer. Don't allow fear to connect you to negative circumstances. Instead, use your faith to release the blessings of God into your life.
By
Dr. Creflo A. Dollar
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