Friday, February 1
The Lord…redeems your life from destruction. Psalm 103:2-4 NKJV

Redeemed!

On a winter afternoon Harry de Leyer returned from an auction with a big gray horse that his children promptly named Snowman. He was a good riding horse, but when a neighbor offered Harry twice what he’d paid for him, he agreed. Right away he regretted his decision; so apparently did Snowman. And that’s when his hidden talent showed up – along with the horse himself! The neighbor’s fences were high, but Snowman repeatedly scaled them to be with the master and family he loved. One day Harry made the reunion permanent by buying the horse back – and the rest is history. Snowman kept winning championships and shows until the ultimate dream, The National at Madison Square Garden, where he was named “Horse of the Year” two years running. But not because he ran; Snowman was a jumper. And nobody would ever have known had it not been for the fences that separated the grateful animal from his loving master. And the horse had every reason to be grateful, because Harry had arrived late at the auction that day after the best horses were sold. The big gray gelding that became the indomitable Snowman was rescued from the only other bidder…a man who intended him for the glue factory! The Psalmist said, “The Lord…redeems your life from destruction.” When others write you off, He sees what you can become. Andrew Bonar said: “Kept by the mighty power of God…every day we escape dangers we’re not aware of…If we…saw the snares Satan lays for us…how we’d adore the Lord who enables us to escape them all!” Take a moment today and thank the One who has redeemed your life from destruction.

Saturday, February 2
He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant. Matthew 23:11 NKJV

Willing to be a servant

What do you think of when you hear the word servant? Someone who’s pathetic, without will or purpose? Our false definition of the word servant is expressed in The Sarcastic Beatitudes by J.B. Phillips, who also wrote a paraphrase of the New Testament: “Blessed are the pushers, for they get their way. Blessed are the hard-boiled, for they never get hurt. Blessed are those who complain, for they get all the attention. Blessed are the blasé, for they never worry about sin. Blessed are the slave-drivers, for they get results. Blessed are the greedy, for they get what they want.” How did Jesus introduce himself? “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life” (Mk 10:45 NIV). And He practiced what He preached. Listen to the sound of water splashing in a basin as God incarnate sponges the grime from the feet of His undeserving disciples, then says, “He who is the greatest among you shall be your servant.” Some of us wish we could echo His humility. Ruth Calkin, author and poet, expressed that wish in her poem “I Wonder”: “You know, Lord, how I serve you with great emotional fervor in the limelight, how eagerly I speak for you at the Women’s Club, how I radiate what I promote at a fellowship group. But how would I react, I wonder, if you pointed to a basin of water and asked me to wash the calloused feet of a bent and wrinkled old woman, day after day and month after month, in a room where nobody saw and nobody knew. I wonder? Do you also wonder?!”

Sunday, February 3
Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. Mark 9:30-31 NIV

Noticing and nurturing others

Some of us are like the woman who bragged, “My husband and I have a great marriage. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him and nothing he wouldn’t do for me. And that’s the way we go through life – doing nothing for each other!” Self-centered, profit-driven leaders often overlook the needs of the very people who can help them reach their goals. They fail to take the time to invest in those they work with. And when a person feels like they’re not noticed or nurtured, they get restless and start looking for greener pastures. This is particularly true when a leader is so overwhelmed by the tasks at hand that they fail to appreciate and invest in their people – which includes noticing skill sets which are right under their nose. J.C. Penney started out as a stock-room worker. King David started out as a harp-strumming shepherd.
Jesus took uninterrupted time with His disciples, explaining to them things that the crowd wasn’t privy to. He knew if you want a return, you’ve got to invest! Smart leaders put the interests of their team members ahead of their own. C. Gene Wilkes observed: “Team leaders genuinely believe that they do not have all the answers – so they do not insist on providing them. They believe they do not need to make all key decisions – so they do not do so. They believe they cannot succeed without the combined contributions of all the other members of the team to a common end – so they avoid any action that might constrain inputs or intimidate anyone on the team. Ego is not their predominant concern.”

Monday, February 4
Husbands, love your wives. Ephesians 5:25 NIV

“Bob’s last letter”

The following hilarious letter illustrates what Paul didn’t mean by “Husbands, love your wives.” Dear friends: Men must remember that as women grow older it’s harder for them to maintain the same quality of housekeeping. When men notice this, they should try not to yell. Let me relate how I handle the situation. When I took early retirement, it became necessary for Nancy to get a full time job. Shortly after she started working I noticed she was beginning to show her age. I usually get home from fishing about the same time she gets home from work. Although she knows how hungry I am, she almost always has to rest before she starts supper. I try not to yell, instead I tell her to take her time and just wake me up when she does get supper on the table. She used to do the dishes as soon as we finished eating. Now they sit several hours after supper. I do what I can by reminding her each evening that they aren’t cleaning themselves. I know she appreciates this, as it does seem to help her get them done before she goes to bed. It also gives her more time to do things like shampooing the dog, vacuuming and dusting. And if I have had a good day fishing, it allows her to gut and scale the fish at a more leisurely pace. Now I know that I probably look like a saint in the way I support Nancy. However, guys, if you just yell at your wife a little less often because of this letter, writing it was worthwhile. Signed, Bob. P.S. Bob’s funeral was on Saturday. P.P.S. Nancy was acquitted on Monday.

Tuesday, February 5
He alone decides which gift each person should have. 1 Corinthians 12:11 NLT

Find your strength zone

We all have equal value in God’s eyes, but we don’t have equal giftedness. In their book Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton state that every person is capable of doing something better than the next 10,000 people. And they support that with research. They call this area your strength zone, and they encourage you to find it and make the most of it. It doesn’t matter how aware you are of your abilities, how you feel about yourself, or whether you have previously achieved success. You have talent, and God requires you to develop it! But you can only develop the talent you have, not the one you want. When it comes to your character, you must never stop working on your areas of weakness. But when it comes to fulfilling your God-given assignment, you must recognize your strength zone and give yourself to it. Dr. John Maxwell writes: “It’s been my observation that people can increase their ability in an area by only 2 points on a scale of 1-10. For example, if your natural talent in an area is 4, with hard work you may raise it to a 6. In other words, you can go from a little below average to a little above average. But let’s say you find a place where you are a 7; you have the potential to become a 9, maybe even a 10, if it’s your strength zone and you work hard! That helps you advance from 1 in 10,000 talent to 1 in 100,000 talent – but only if you do the other things needed to maximize your talent.” So, find your strength zone!

Wednesday, February 6
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. 1 Samuel 3:9 NIV

Recognizing God’s voice

Learning to recognize God’s voice is not a skill that’s acquired overnight because He speaks to us at different times, in different settings and in different ways. (1) It requires you to mature spiritually. Jesus said His sheep follow Him because they know His voice (See Jn 10:4 NIV). Notice, Jesus said that His “sheep,” not His lambs, know His voice. Baby sheep just follow adult sheep until their senses are trained. Thank God there’s grace for the immature. If your spiritual ears are not yet developed, God will work with you until you learn to recognize His voice. (2) It requires guidance and confirmation from godly leadership. “Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls” (Heb 13:17 NLT). Who’s your spiritual upline? (3) It must not be limited to your previous experiences. God spoke to Moses on a mountain that shook, and to Elijah through a still small voice. Don’t limit God; He will speak to you through the Scriptures, through those qualified to teach you His Word, through a song, through a painful situation, and even your own thoughts and desires when you’re submitted to Him. The key is to stay close to God and keep your receiver on. (4) Above all else, it requires obedience. The Psalmist said, “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said…Thy face, Lord, will I seek” (Ps 27:8). When it comes to hearing from God, how’s your response time? “When I get around to it?…I’ll see if I can fit you in!…I’ll think about it!” Wrong! God speaks, and continues to speak, to those who obey, and continue to obey.

Thursday, February 7
Much is required from those to whom much is given. Luke 12:48 TLB

Taking responsibility (1)

Responsibility is a two-sided coin. On one side is responsibility, on the other side is rewards. Too many of us are focused on one side of the coin only – reward. Taking responsibility means three things: (1) Acknowledging what you are responsible for. (2) Acknowledging who you are responsible to. (3) Acting responsibly at all times. All the excuses you give yourself, and others, won’t let you off the hook. Jesus said, “Much is required from those to whom much is given.” At their annual conference the manager of a dog food company asked his sales team how they liked the company’s new advertising program. “Great!” they replied, “the best in the business.” “What do you think of the product?” he asked. “Fantastic” they replied. “How about the sales force?” he asked. They were the sales force, so of course they responded positively saying they were the best. “Okay then,” the manager said, “so if we have the best brand, the best packaging, the best advertising program and the best sales force, why are we in seventeenth place in our industry?” After an awkward silence one of the salesmen shouted, “It’s those dogs – they just won’t eat the stuff!”
Guess what? Your problem is not the dogs, or your job, or your spouse, or society at large, or whatever. Be honest, your biggest challenge in life is you. If your life’s not going the way you want it to, you are responsible for changing it. And God will help you if you turn to Him. But you must want to change, decide to change, and work each day toward that end.

Friday, February 8
A man reaps what he sows. Galatians 6:7 NIV

Taking responsibility (2)

Our values today are badly messed up. We overlook the poor grades and irresponsible acts of high school and college athletes. Why? Because they win tournaments and make us look good! And how about ‘celebrity justice?’ Someone famous gets a free pass, while the less fortunate do the time because they did the crime? Wrong! We need to teach our children that unless they accept responsibility, life won’t be good to them: “A man reaps what he sows.” Parent, taking personal responsibility means holding your child accountable when they violate the rules, mix with the wrong crowd; try “cool” stuff like drinking, drugs and premarital sex; cheat on a test; or stay out beyond curfew. Sound straight laced? So is gravity. So is the harvest law. Your sincere but naïve sentiment, “I want them to have all the things I didn’t have growing up,” will turn spoiled children into spoiled adults. Practice prevention: build a fence at the top of the cliff, not a hospital at the bottom! You say, “By the time I get home at night I’m too tired to discipline them.” Wake up: when they get arrested for DUI the judge won’t cut them any slack. Nor will the banker when he repossesses their car and their house because they didn’t pay the note. Kindness is cruelty in disguise when it’s not accompanied by responsibility.
Eli the High Priest rose to the top of his profession. Only one problem, he didn’t take responsibility for his family. As a result, he and his sons died prematurely. God said, “I told him that I would judge his family…because…he failed to restrain them” (1Sa 3:13 NIV). So, take responsibility!

Saturday, February 9
Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.
1 Corinthians 4:2 NLT

Taking responsibility (3)

In any great endeavor you’ll face: (a) nay-sayers who think it can’t be done; (b) road-blockers who place obstacles in your way; (c) a high probability you’ll fail before you succeed. Who wants to endure such things? Winners! It takes courage to leave Egypt, walk through the wilderness wondering, “Am I making any progress at all?” and stand at the Red Sea knowing that without a miracle you’ll drown, thinking “Nobody’s ever been in this situation before, what if it doesn’t work?” Taking responsibility means stepping out in faith when there’s no precedent to go by, no logic to stand on, and your friends are questioning your sanity.
The one quality all successful people have is the ability to accept ultimate responsibility. General Eisenhower was given responsibility for planning the D-Day invasion. Giving the okay was a painful decision, one he knew would lead to many deaths. Yet if it was successful, it would guarantee victory over the Nazis. In the hours prior to the assault Eisenhower wrote a press release that he would use in the event of the invasion’s failure. It read: “Our landings have failed…and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and this place was based on the best information available. The troops, the Air Force and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to this attempt, it is mine alone.” If you want others to trust you, to give you greater opportunities and resources, to partner with you – then embrace responsibility and practice it faithfully in every area of your life!

Sunday, February 10
Each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:12 NIV

Taking responsibility (4)

The Bible says, “Each of us will give an account of himself to God.” You say, “Account for what?” The assignment God gave you in life. The editor of the Bellefontaine Examiner newspaper in Ohio, Gene Marine, sent a new sports reporter to cover a big game. He returned to the paper with no report. “What’s the story?” asked Marine. “There is none,” replied the reporter. “What?” growled Marine, “and why not?” “Because there was no game,” replied the reporter. “No game? What happened?” quizzed the editor. “The stadium collapsed.” Unable to believe what he was hearing the editor asked, “Then where’s the report on its collapse?” After an awkward silence the reporter replied, “That wasn’t my assignment, sir.” Needless to say, that was the end of his career.
Jesus shared some attention-getting insights on taking your assignment seriously; He points out that in the final analysis our responsibility is to God, and the rewards that will really matter and last, come from God. Eugene Petersen paraphrases it this way in The Message: “Who is the dependable manager, full of common sense, that the master puts in charge of his staff to feed them well and on time? He is a blessed man if when the master shows up he’s doing his job. But if he says to himself, ‘The master is certainly taking his time,’ begins maltreating the servants and maids, throws parties for his friends, and gets drunk, the master will walk in when he least expects it, give him the thrashing of his life, and put him back in the kitchen peeling potatoes…Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!” (Lk 12:42-48 TM).

Monday, February 11
I have a great sense of obligation. Romans 1:14 NLT

Taking responsibility (5)

Taking responsibility means giving back what was given to you. Paul focused on: (a) making Christ known; (b) building a church that would continue to make Christ known. And he took his responsibility seriously: “I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world…to preach the Good News” (Ro 1:14-15 NLT). That’s called “living beyond yourself!” Self-serving people regard their talents and resources as something they own. Serving people see themselves as executors of God’s estate; they know they don’t own it, they just administer it for Him.
After his time in Nazi concentration camps, Elie Wiesel lived for one thing – to give back to others. He taught as a professor at Boston University, and traveled extensively, sharing the wisdom gained from his life experiences. A question he often asked young people was, “How will you cope with the privileges and obligations society will feel entitled to place on you?” As he tried to guide them he shared his sense of responsibility: “What I receive I must pass on to others. The knowledge that I have must not remain imprisoned in my brain. I owe it to many men and women to do something with it. I feel the need to pay back what was given to me. Call it gratitude…To learn means to accept that life did not begin at my birth. Others have been there before me, and I walk in their footsteps.”
Your life is a story. Each day you get to write a new page. So fill those pages with responsibility to God, to others, and to yourself. If you do, in the end you will not be disappointed.

Tuesday February 12
Walk…With all lowliness and meekness. Ephesians 4:1-2

Walking in humility

Think carefully about the words “walking with God.” Whose company are you in? God’s! Can you think of a higher calling? Yet, the higher your calling, the lower you must become in your own eyes. Paul had one of the greatest callings the world has ever known. Can you imagine the world without his Epistles? We would know far less about how the church is to function, or how to walk out our faith each day. Yet Paul said of himself, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief” (1Ti 1:15). If you believe God has called you to greatness, your response to that call should be to fall on your face before Him. That’s how every great man and woman of God in Scripture responded. When an angel of the Lord appeared to Zacharias telling him he would have a son named John, Zacharias hit the floor and didn’t move, to the point that people wondered if he was dead. The prophet Ezekiel said that in the presence of the Lord and at the vision God gave him, he collapsed on the floor. God had to tell him to get up saying, “Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee” (Eze 2:1). When John the Revelator saw Jesus standing in the midst of the seven churches, he wrote, “And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead” (Rev 1:17). Those who exalt themselves are humbled by the Lord. Those who humble themselves before the Lord are those whom the Lord raises up. Humility doesn’t mean thinking less of yourself, it just means thinking of yourself less.

Wednesday, February 13
My servant Caleb has a different spirit. Numbers 14:24 NIV

The spirit of Caleb

Caleb wasn’t into “safe living.” As a young man he came back from the Promised Land, stood with the minority and announced, “With God on our side we’ll take it!” At 85, he was still slaying giants and claiming mountains. That’s because he had “a different spirit.” He wasn’t a “go with the flow and expect the status quo” guy. Richard Edler writes: “Safe living generally makes for regrets later on. We are all given talents and dreams. Sometimes the two don’t seem to match. But usually we compromise both before ever finding out. Later on, we find ourselves looking back longingly to that time when we should have chased our true dreams and our true talents for all they were worth. Don’t let yourself be pressured into thinking that your dreams or your talents aren’t prudent. They were never meant to be prudent. They were meant to bring joy and fulfillment into your life.” If a caterpillar refuses to get into its cocoon it’ll never transform and will be forever relegated to crawling on the ground, even though it had the potential to fly.
What do you believe God’s called you to do? Do it! God’s not limited by your IQ, He’s limited by your “I will.” The poet said: “If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win but you think you can’t, it’s almost certain you won’t. Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man, but sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who believes he can.” The spirit of Caleb is the “can do” spirit! Have you got it?

Thursday, February 14
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Matthew 8:23 NIV

Don’t miss the boat!

There are “destiny moments” when you have to make life-changing choices. One day Jesus invited two people to join His team, but they both had their reasons for putting it off. One had a funeral to attend, another wanted to go home to explain his decision. That’s the last we hear of them. Matthew records, “Then [Jesus] got into the boat and his disciples followed him.” And they missed the boat!
You’ll never be successful if you’re forever putting things off. If you take too long to make up your mind about an opportunity, you’ll miss out on seizing it. One of the best illustrations of this is the story about the patent of the telephone. In the 1870’s two men worked extensively on modifying and improving telegraphy, which was the current technology. Both had ideas for transmitting sound by wire, and both explored the transmission of the human voice electronically. What’s remarkable is that both men – Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray – filed their idea at the patent office on the same day, February 14, 1876. Bell was the fifth person that day who filed for a patent. Gray, on the other hand, got busy with other things so he sent his attorney. Unfortunately the attorney arrived more than an hour after Bell, to apply for a caveat, a kind of declaration of intention to file for a patent. Those minutes cost Gray a fortune. Bell’s claim was upheld in court, even though Gray complained that he had come up with the idea first. So it’s not enough to see your God-given opportunities, you have to seize them. In other words – don’t miss the boat!

Friday, February 15
I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 NIV

Don’t settle for a “B”

Harvey MacKay tells the story of a professor who stood before his class of 30 senior molecular biology students. Before passing out the final exam he said, “I have been privileged to be your instructor this semester, and I know how hard you have worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or graduate school next Fall. I am well aware of how much pressure you are under to keep your grade point averages up. Because I am confident that you know this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic B to anyone who opts to skip taking the final exam.” The relief was audible. A number of students jumped up from their desks, thanking the professor for the lifeline he had thrown them. “Any other takers?” he asked. “This is your last opportunity.” One more student decided to go. The instructor then handed out the final exam, which consisted of two sentences. It read: “Congratulations, you have just received an A in this class. Keep believing in yourself.” It was a just reward for the students who had worked hard and believed in themselves.
The Apostle Paul experienced more headaches and heartaches in a month than most of us will see in a lifetime. Yet he wrote, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Come on, start believing in yourself, in the Christ who lives within you, in the gifts He’s placed at your disposal, and the destiny to which He’s called you. Refuse to settle for a B when God has promised and called you to an A.

 

Saturday February 16
Honor one another above yourselves. Romans 12:10 NIV

Sometimes it’s wise to compromise

Compromise is not always bad. Obviously there are moral and ethical standards taught in Scripture that leave no room whatsoever for compromise. But compromise is much broader than that. Sometimes it’s wise to compromise. Without compromise disagreements cannot be settled, so negotiations grind to a halt. A good marriage is maintained and strengthened by compromise. Moms and dads who give their children no wiggle room, are asking for trouble when teenage years surface. Siblings who do not compromise, fight. Nations with differing ideologies that refuse to listen to each other and won’t compromise at various points, go to war.
Are we saying this is easy? Or free from risk? Or that it comes naturally? No. It’s much easier (and safer) to stand your ground, to keep on believing that your way is the only way to go and that your plan is the only plan to follow. One major problem, however, is that you wind up narrow-minded and alone, or surrounded by a few non-thinkers. That may be safe, but it isn’t very satisfying.
While pursuing true character, don’t miss wise compromise. Give your heart permission to flex! Be tolerant of those who don’t think like you, don’t dress like you, don’t care about the things you care about, and don’t vote like you. Be tolerant of those whose fine points of theology differ from yours, whose worship style is different. Be tolerant of the young if you are older, and tolerant of the older if you are young. Jesus wanted His followers to be people of simple faith, modeled in grace, based on truth. It’s what Paul meant when he wrote, “Honor one another above yourselves.”

Sunday, February 17
This is the day the Lord has made. Psalm 118:24 NIV

Three big mistakes

Three of the biggest mistakes you can make are: (1) Longing for yesterday. A lady wrote to a newspaper editor, “Your paper is not as good as it used to be.” He replied, “It never has been!” Learn from the past, but don’t put a halo on it. The Bible says: (a) “Do not say, ‘Why were the old days better than these?’ For it is not wise” (Ecc 7:10 NIV). (b) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (Isa 43:18-19 NIV). (2) Longing for the right somebody. It’s better to want what you don’t have than have what you don’t want. The ‘somebody blues’ can cause you to finish up like the lady who said, “I never knew what real happiness was until I married my husband; now it’s too late!” Two dysfunctional people usually don’t make one happy couple. When you’re by yourself, at least you know who you’re dealing with. God knows what you need better than you do, and “No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly” (Ps 84:11). Instead of finding the right person, strive to become the right person! (3) Longing for some future destination. It’s a mistake to believe that when you arrive at a certain point you’ll be happy; when you retire, take that trip or reach that goal. No, your happiest moments are along the way, not at the end of the trip. When it comes to living you can’t improve on the Scripture “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Monday, February 18
Turn to me and be gracious…for I am lonely. Psalm 25:16 NIV

The cure for loneliness

Loneliness can make you do things you wouldn’t ordinarily consider. And if you travel for a living you’re particularly vulnerable. For example, a motel room far from home can become the breeding ground for affairs, pornography, drugs and alcohol. God said, “It is not good that man should be alone” (Ge 2:18 NKJV). Being in the wrong place at the wrong time has caused many a man and woman to fall. David prayed, “Turn to me and be gracious…for I am lonely.” You can live beyond Satan’s reach by: (1) Staying close to God. When you’re lonely, distancing from Him doesn’t make sense. Jesus said: “I am the vine…you are the branches…you cannot do anything without me” (Jn 15:5 CEV). Jesus is your source of strength and wisdom; He’s the One who can meet all your needs. (2) Coming out of hiding. Get involved in some aspect of ministry. Be willing to be more transparent by getting to know others and letting them get to know you. When you spend time around people who care about you, loneliness ceases to be an issue. (3) Reaching out. Focusing on yourself is a guaranteed way to feel isolated. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Instead of throwing a pity-party for yourself, reach out to those in need by giving of yourself, praying for them and loving them unconditionally. (4) Forgiving those who’ve hurt you. Feeling sorry for yourself and harboring grudges leads to bitterness. Forgive, turn it over to God, let Him deal with the offender and get on with your life!

Tuesday, February 19
Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. 2 Samuel 5:7 NKJV

“Nevertheless…”

When David spied out Jerusalem in 1000 BC, it was a forbidding fortress inhabited by an old enemy who declared, “You’ll never get in here…Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” (2Sa 5:6 NLT). End of story? No, just the beginning! The walls were high, the enemy daunting and the voices intimidating, “Nevertheless David took the stronghold…dwelt in [it]…and called it the City of David.” Now that’s what you call turning the tables!
What’s your stronghold, the one area where Satan’s strong enough to hold you? A sharp tongue? A judgmental attitude? Low self-esteem? A losing battle with a stubborn habit? When the enemy says, “You’re stuck, you’ll never get out,” God says, Nevertheless [even so…despite how it looks on the surface]. Strongholds mean nothing to God, His “mighty weapons…knock down the devil’s strongholds” (2Co 10:4 TLB). And He will do for you what He did for David once you understand two important principles: (1) There are two voices continually competing for your attention; one says, “You can do it; don’t give up!” The other says, “It’s hopeless; you’ll never make it!” Follow David and practice selective hearing. Tune out the voices that taunt you from your stronghold. Instead of dialoging with the devil, say what Jesus said: “Get thee behind me, Satan” (Mt 16:23). (2) Look through eyes of faith. Where others saw walls, David saw tunnels; they focused on the problems while he looked for the possibilities. And because he did what nobody expected, he accomplished what nobody envisioned – and with God’s help you can too.

Wednesday, February 20
Rooted deep…and founded securely on [God’s] love. Ephesians 3:17 AMP

Roots of rejection

Are you struggling with rejection? When your roots spring from the soil of rejection it’s like living in a house with a faulty foundation; every storm brings new problems. You can employ all kinds of tricks from people-pleasing to workaholism to make yourself feel better, but without a healthy root system nothing works. Flawed roots always produce flawed fruit. And your roots were diseased long before you started producing such fruit. What’s the answer? Being “Rooted deep…and founded securely on [God’s] love.” God wants to pick you up, shake off the old soil and replant you securely in His love and acceptance. And He doesn’t just replant you, He
‘re-parents’ you. That means you no longer draw your self-worth from your family of origin. “Now are we the sons of God” (1Jn 3:2). But remember, it’s a process. Strong roots require three things: (1) Time to develop. Becoming confident in your identity as God’s child is like breaking in new shoes. You must walk in them till they become comfortable. (2) Protection from predators and harsh elements that can kill. You need to surround yourself with people who “have obtained like precious faith” (2Pe 1:1). Christian fellowship is your protective shield! (3) Being fed and watered regularly. Once-a-week in church won’t cut it, you must learn to feed yourself regularly on God’s Word!
The cure for rejection is – being able to see yourself as God sees you. It means announcing, “I am what God says I am, I have what God says I have, therefore I can do what God says I can do.” So even if you didn’t get off to a great start, you can still have a great finish!

Thursday, February 21
Let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Hebrews 4:16 TM

You have access to God

If you’ve been to an amusement park you know that it’s designed to transport you to another world. The goal of the entire experience is to help you lose yourself in its joy and excitement. In prayer, we’re transported to another world. Now a theme park is all make-believe; you have to leave it and come back to the real world. But there is no make-believe with prayer. It takes us into the heavenly realm where Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God. It positions us to hear from God. Hear what? Hear God’s voice applying His Word to our specific needs and circumstances. But let’s admit it, prayer can be hard work; it requires discipline. It’s not as easy as running around having fun at an amusement park. All of us know what it’s like to get down on our knees with the best of intentions, and either fall asleep, run out of things to say, or find our minds wandering after just a few minutes.
“Prayer changes things,” as the old saying goes, but it first has to change us: to turn us from a self focus to a God focus so we can understand and do His will. The writer to the Hebrews puts it this way: “We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all – all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help” (Heb 4:14-16 TM). Today you have access to God through prayer. Use it!

Friday, February 22
It begins and ends with faith…those who are right with God…live by faith. Romans 1:17 NCV

Stop worrying!

A man who maintained he’d swallowed a horse was referred to a psychiatrist who recommended surgery. The surgeon agreed to bring a horse into the operating room so that when the man woke up he’d know the operation was a success. But after regaining consciousness the man opened his eyes and announced, “That’s the wrong horse. It’s white. The one I swallowed was black!” Too much anxiety and not enough reality – it’s why Christ talks to us so much about worry (which means to be divided or distracted). Understand this. Worry:
(a) Wastes your time and energy. Jesus said, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Mt 6:27 NIV). It’s a medically proven fact that worry won’t lengthen or enrich your life, but it can shorten it. (b) Stops you from enjoying what you have. How? By creating burdens God never intended you to carry – because they’re His. (c) Makes you feel less-than. Jesus pointed out that you’re worth much more than the birds of the air, and they don’t worry or die from hunger; they simply enjoy life. Come on, if God takes care of them, don’t you think He’ll take care of you too? (d) Makes you overlook God’s promises. “If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line…by sending his…Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t…do for us?” (Ro 8:32 TM). Note the word “anything.” That covers whatever you’re going through right now, plus whatever comes up in the future. So stop worrying.

Saturday, February 23
Remember…the Lord…gives you power to become rich. Deuteronomy 8:18 TLB

Financial amnesia

Can God trust you with money? Do you have the courage to thank Him publicly for what He’s given you? Ever noticed how some of us who praised Him when we had very little, suddenly become ‘image conscious’ when we start to prosper? We call on God when we’re in trouble, but when we get back on our feet we stop counting our blessings and start counting our money. What’s happened? We’ve become so self-sufficient that we’re reluctant to mention the name of Jesus when we talk about our blessings! Israel’s financial amnesia was nothing new; it happens once you start believing “it was [my] own power and might that made [me] wealthy” (Dt 8:17 TLB).
Never get so dazzled by success that you forget the source of everything you have, or become so caught up in your blessings that you fail to acknowledge the One who blessed you. God told the Israelites, “When you have become…prosperous…built fine homes…and your silver and gold have multiplied…don’t become proud and forget the Lord…who brought you out of…slavery” (Dt 8:11-14 TLB). God doesn’t condemn success, He condemns arrogance! When you’ve had very little and suddenly enter the ‘Promised Land,’ it’s easy to forget where you came from. A few gourmet meals, a designer suit and a house in ‘the right neighborhood’ can make you forget about yesterday’s hand-me-downs! God constantly had to remind His people not to overlook His goodness to them. And the same applies to us. “Remember…the Lord…gives you power to become rich, and…just as [He]…caused other nations in the past to perish…That will be your fate…if you don’t obey…God” (Dt 8:18-20 TLB). Bottom line – you don’t have anything God didn’t give you!

Sunday, February 24
The burden is too heavy for me. Numbers 11:14 NIV

Learn to work with others (1)

You can only ‘do it all yourself’ until you reach a certain size, then you need others. That’s a decisive moment; it’s also a test many of us fail, so we stop growing. Listen to Moses: “The burden is too heavy for me.” So God says, “Bring me seventy…who are known to you as leaders…and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden” (Nu 11:16-17 NIV). It takes maturity to enlist the help of people who can do certain things better than you, to allow them to excel and get the credit while you rejoice in the knowledge that the job got done well. Bottom line, you have to be clear in your objectives and secure in your own identity to succeed – and keep on succeeding.
In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins points out that the leaders of the best organizations have a tendency to avoid the spotlight. Ray Gilmartin of Merck: “If I were to put someone on the front cover of Business Week it would be…our team.” Lou Gerstner of IBM: “I haven’t created the company’s turn-around. It’s been 280,000 people who have done it. We took a change in focus, and a talented group of people…and changed the company.” Dan Tully of Merrill Lynch: “It’s amazing what you can do when you don’t seek all the credit. I find nothing is really one person’s idea.” Here’s the score: If you’d rather be a big fish in a little pond, that’s your choice. But if you want to be blessed and live in the ocean – learn to work with others!

Monday, February 25
We rebuilt the wall. Nehemiah 4:6 NIV

Learn to work with others (2)

When Nehemiah talks about himself, he talks openly and honestly about crying over the ruins of Jerusalem, praying for guidance, and the days when he wondered how he’d survive. But when it came to the amazing feat of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem in a record 52 days, he gives the credit to others. “We rebuilt the wall…for the people worked with all their heart.” There’s no limit to what can be done – when nobody cares who gets the credit.
In recent years Bono has expanded his efforts beyond the world of music and has become a passionate advocate for the helpless and downtrodden. Interestingly, he’s a Bible reader, and he’s learned to partner with others to further his cause. He has met with heads of state, economists, industry leaders, celebrities – anyone who has the potential to help the people he’s trying to reach. Where did Bono learn to rely on others, to be part of a team and enlist the aid of others? Rock stars are usually seen as self-absorbed, isolated, and indifferent to others. It’s the reason many music groups don’t stay together. Bono comments: “There are moments when people are so lost in themselves and the demands of their own life, that it’s very hard to be in a band…people want to be lords of their own domain. I mean, everybody, as they get older…rids the room of argument. You see it in your family, you see it with your friends. They get a smaller and smaller circle of people around them who agree with them. And life ends up with a dull sweetness.” Bottom line: if you want to succeed, learn to work with others.

Tuesday, February 26
My co-workers in the ministry. Romans 16:3 NLT

Learn to work with others (3)

God works with people – who know how to work with people! Not ‘users’ who burn through them and discard them. Not ‘prima donnas’ who manipulate them for their own purposes. Not ‘ranch bosses’ who herd them around like cattle. No, God works with people who honor people; who recognize and develop the talent in them, honor and reward them appropriately, encourage them to rise to their full potential, and when the day comes, send them off blessed and better prepared for their next assignment.
It’s healthy to stop and reflect with gratitude on those who got you to where you are today; to remind yourself you’re not a sole trader; that you’ll need people to help you fulfill God’s purpose for your life and get you to where you need to go next. Paul dedicates an entire chapter to such people: “Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry…In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches…Greet my dear friend Epenetus. He was the first person from the province of Asia to become a follower of Christ. Give my greetings to Mary, who has worked so hard for your benefit. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews, who were in prison with me. They are highly respected among the apostles and became followers of Christ before I did. Greet Ampliatus, my dear friend in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. Greet Apellas, a good man whom Christ approves…and all the believers who meet with them” (Ro 16:3-15 NLT). Bottom line – open up, reach out, sharpen your people skills!

Wednesday, February 27
Thus far has the Lord helped us. 1 Samuel 7:12 NIV

Learn to work with others (4)

It was a dream come true. The Ark of the Covenant, the ultimate symbol of God working among His people, had been brought back from captivity, and the Philistines who took it, defeated in battle. It was a time to celebrate. So Samuel erected a monument called Ebenezer, meaning “The Lord helped us.” Note the word “us.” Samuel recognized that to fulfill a dream you need a team!
In his book Jesus on Leadership, C. Gene Wilkes describes why teamwork is superior to individual effort: (a) Teams involve more people, thus affording more resources, ideas and energy than any one individual possesses. (b) Teams maximize a leader’s potential and minimize his or her weaknesses. Strengths and weaknesses are more exposed in individuals. (c) Teams provide multiple perspectives on how to meet a need or reach a goal, thus devising several alternatives to each situation. Individual insight is seldom as broad and deep as a group’s when it takes on a problem. (d) Teams share the credit for victories and the blame for losses. This fosters genuine humility and strong bonds. When individuals take the credit or the blame alone, it tends to foster pride, and sometimes a sense of failure. (e) Teams keep leaders accountable. Individuals connected to no one can jeopardize or change the goal without accountability. So why are we reluctant to engage in teamwork? Because team-building is tough, and the more talented the team members, the tougher it is. The true measure of a leader is not getting people to work; neither is it getting them to work hard. The true measure of a leader is getting people to work hard together!

Thursday, February 28
Those…in Christ…are not judged guilty. Romans 8:1 NCV

Get off the guilt train!

The Bible says, “We all fall short of God’s…standard” (Ro 3:23 NLT). The strongest among us struggle with areas of weakness. But by continually wallowing in guilt you’re not only punishing yourself, you’re allowing others to punish you too because you think you deserve it. Surrendering your life to Jesus doesn’t mean you become sinless. Even Paul, who had “the desire to do…good,” admits that sometimes he couldn’t “carry it out” (Ro 7:18 NIV). The good news of the Gospel is whenever you’re “in Christ…[you’re] not judged guilty,” and when you repent and seek forgiveness, God’s bound to honor His Word. Nothing you do surprises Him. He knows “We carry this…Message around in the…clay pots of…ordinary lives…to prevent anyone from confusing God’s…power with us” (2Co 4:7 TM). In Disciplines of the Hungry Heart Pastor R. Paul Stevens writes: “While our church was worshipping…as I looked at the people I’ve come to love, I saw that each was an earthen vessel…I looked into each mud pot and…saw exquisite molten gold. Each person frail, vulnerable, and half-fashioned had treasure inside…each pot was cracked…and the…gold was oozing through the cracks. That’s how ministry comes into the world, not poured out of expensive vases, but through…the faults and weaknesses of real people who are being transfigured by Christ.” Now Satan, “the accuser of our brethren” (Rev 12:10) will try to make you feel bad about yourself. That’s his specialty! But you can defeat him by reminding him that Jesus paid the price for your sins – past, present and future. So get off the guilt train today and begin to “serve the Lord with gladness” (Ps 100:2).

Friday, February 29
Jacob was left alone. Genesis 32:24

Depend on God

Like Jacob, many of us know how it feels to be “left alone.” When a loved one dies or a friend leaves, or you walk through the fire of separation and divorce, no matter how ‘spiritual’ you are it still hurts! Emotional pain is to the soul what physical pain is to the body; it tells you something’s wrong; that you need God to guide you through the challenges and upheavals of realigning your life to cope with what has happened. And the struggle doesn’t begin in earnest while you’re surrounded by people, it starts when you’ve been left alone. The fact is you can survive without others, but you can’t survive without God. That’s why He sometimes strips away everything that makes us dependent on people. He sends certain individuals into your life to help build your faith and develop your character, and when they’re gone, to leave you with the assurance that God’s in control. The loss of loved ones (a) develops our spiritual muscle; (b) tests our resilience; (c) shows us the scope of God’s power. When Moses died and Joshua was left in charge, God told him, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee” (Jos 1:5). That’s something Joshua could never have learned while Moses was in the picture. And it’s a lesson you can’t learn while you’re looking to other human beings for all your answers.
In Mark 4:39 when Jesus “ordered the wind and waves to be quiet” the Bible says “everything was calm” (CEV). In the midst of the storm, ask Him to come and stand in the bow of your boat, and to speak peace to the thing that’s upsetting you. He’ll do it!