Have you been in the wilderness long enough?

Friday 4/27/2007

The Lord our God said to us in Horeb, You have dwelt long enough on this mountain. Turn and take up your journey....
—Deuteronomy 1:6,7


As long as we have wilderness attitudes, we will continue living in the wilderness. Jesus died so we could live in the Promised Land the land of abundance.

It was only an eleven-day journey to the Promised Land, yet the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years murmuring, grumbling, complaining, and blaming Moses and God for their troubles. (Deuteronomy 1:1-7). Their lack of progress was due to their attitude.

Having a good attitude in a trying situation is at least 90 percent of the battle. We can win over anything as long as we have a godly attitude. There will always be trials in life, but as we trust God and continue doing what He shows us to do, we always come out victorious.

Don't be afraid to walk in the light. As God brings your faults into the light to expose and remove them, it may be uncomfortable. This kind of discomfort, however, is temporary.

God loves you very much, and He has an excellent plan for your life. Follow the Holy Spirit, and He will lead you swiftly through the wilderness into the Promised Land.

Take the shortcut through the wilderness don't go the long way around!

Do This:

Ask the Holy Spirit to start convicting you of any wrong attitudes that are not pleasing to God so that with His help you can change them immediately.

Think of Home

Think of Home
Friday, April 27, 2007

“When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience.”
James 1:2

God didn’t say, “If you have many kinds of troubles”...he said “When you have many kinds of troubles…” Troubles are part of the package. Betrayals are part of our troubles. Don’t be surprised when betrayals come. Don’t look for fairness here—look instead where Jesus looked.

While going through hell, Jesus kept his eyes on heaven. While surrounded by enemies he kept his mind on his father. While abandoned on earth, he kept his heart on home. “In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, the Powerful One, and coming on clouds in the sky.” (Matt. 26:64)

When all of earth turns against you, all of heaven turns toward you. To keep your balance in a crooked world... think of home.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in And the Angels Were Silent

The Little things... #4

The Little Things

Colossians 1:28-29

“We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labour, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.”

The relationships you have with the people around you are a huge part of God’s plan for your life. God has placed you among the people around you so that He can work through you in their lives!

Sometimes we treat our relationships lightly, as though they were a “little thing”, but we should be constantly giving every relationship we have to God and inviting Him to work through us in those people’s lives. Don’t think that God only wants to work through you in your pleasant relationships; He also wants to work through you in those relationships that are tough.

Like the Apostle Paul in the passage above, work hard to impact every life you touch for God. When you encounter a person, always think, “How can I encourage this person spiritually? How can I turn their thoughts to the Lord? How can I pray for them?” Trust God to guide you as you speak with them.

Treat no conversation lightly, but look for ways to be used by God. How might God be able to use you today if you approach your relationships like this? The little word, the little time you give can have eternal impact.

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

The Wandering, Wondering Mind

Wednesday 4/25/2007

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.
—2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV


Do you ever have any difficulty with wandering thoughts? The harnessing of the human mind is often like trying to train a wild animal. Don't be discouraged. With enough diligence and lots of grace from God, you can win control of your mind.

The key to casting down thoughts and not allowing them to return is to replace wrong thinking with right thinking. Fix your mind on good things. (Philippians 4:8.) Start to think good thoughts on purpose, and you will train yourself to think God-like thoughts.

Wondering about things by turning them over and over in our minds without being able to arrive at a solution leads us into confusion. The Holy Spirit quickened to me that I cannot get confused unless I am trying to figure out something that I need to leave in God's capable hands.

Negative thinking leads to trouble. Proverbs 23:7 says that as a person thinks in his heart, so is he. I believe our thoughts draw a border for our life, and we must live within that border.

Do This:

Choose your thoughts carefully. Meditate only on good (positive) things. Don't allow your mind to become preoccupied with wandering, wondering thoughts, or being negative.

The Little things... #3

The Little Things

Luke 16:10-11

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true [spiritual] riches to you?"

In God's eyes, the way you spend your money is a "little thing" that reveals very important things about your spiritual life!

The reality is that everything we have is God's, and that includes all of our money. God, living in us, wants to spend His money, which He has entrusted to us, in His way, for His purposes. When we move with Him, using His money for His purposes, then God knows that He can trust us with bigger things.

Have you been holding back from giving generously to the work of God in this world, waiting for your business to get bigger and more successful so that you can give more later? In truth, if you do not give generously when your business is small, neither will you when your business is bigger.

How you use the Lord's money has a huge impact on your spiritual life. Jesus is inviting you to make Him the leader of your whole life, even your finances. If you do, you will find that God's blessings in your life far outweigh your giving.

You'll experience His "true riches".

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

The Little things...

The Little Things

Psalm 134

"Behold, bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord, who serve by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the sanctuary, and bless the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth."

This is the last in a group of psalms called Psalms of Ascents. These psalms were used in the daily ceremonies of the Temple in Jerusalem. As the final psalm in the group, this would have been sung to the "night shift" Levites, who were coming on duty as the temple was closing down.

God challenges them not to waste their idle moments during the night shift, but to use that time to "bless the Lord!"

What idle moments are there in your life? Those are the times that often lead to real spiritual struggles. Idle moments are when anxiety can fill our minds, when lustful thoughts can invade, when bitterness and anger can rise to the surface, when fear can paralyse us.

Those very moments that lead to the greatest struggles in our spiritual lives can be turned into one of the greatest sources of spiritual growth as we begin to give those idle moments to God.

The time in the car, or lying awake in bed, or in between classes, or waiting in the doctor's office, or watching TV.

Ask yourself, "How could I bless God with these spare moments?"

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

We Are Family

We Are Family
Monday, April 23, 2007

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.
Romans 12:10 NIV

Common belief identifies members of God’s family. And common affection unites them. Paul gives this relationship rule for the church: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.” The apostle plays the wordsmith here, bookending the verse with fraternal-twin terms. He begins with philostorgos (philos means friendly; storgos mean family love) and concludes with philadelphia (phileo means tender affection; adelphia means brethren). An awkward but accurate translation of the verse might be “Have a friend/family devotion to each other in a friend/family sort of way.” If Paul doesn’t get us with the first adjective, he catches us with the second. In both he reminds us: the church is God’s family.

You didn’t pick me. I didn’t pick you. You may not like me. I may not like you. But since God picked and likes us both, we are family.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in Cure for the Common Life

Its the Little Things...

The Little Things

Luke 16:10

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much."

It is the little things that make any relationship extra good, extra meaningful!

The little love note you find tucked into your clothes when you are away on a trip, put there by your spouse. The little words spoken in kindness.

And also, when you find that a person is honest about little things that don't matter very much, you trust their honesty when a big thing comes up.

We sometimes say to our children, "If we find that we can trust you in this, then maybe we will talk about letting you do that."

It is a principle of life, isn't it? The way you handle the little things says a lot about how you handle the big things. Because this is true, we need to pay much closer attention to the "little things" in life. In reality, they are not little things at all.

I remember a man from India saying to me once, "Little tigers grow into big tigers, and big tigers kill." Sometimes we find it easier to commit the big things of our life to God than the little things. Our sin nature wants to hang on to those little things. What little things are holding you back? It's time to give them to God.

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

Time Management & Priorities

Thursday 4/19/2007

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately,...as wise (sensible, intelligent people), making the very most of the time....
—Ephesians 5:15,16


We are the generation God has set apart to participate in the end-time harvest that is prophesied in His Word. God is searching for people He can trust to be accountable for the anointing, power, and authority that will be evident in these last days.

Learning to walk in obedience where we are prepares us for the next level into which God wants to take us. Obedience prepares us for promotion. We cannot wait until the "glory days" hit and then get prepared. Preparation precedes promotion.

God is speaking to His people today saying, "Get your house in order." What does this mean in a practical way? I believe it means that we are not to live fragmented, useless lives with no purpose and direction. We must be accountable and responsible for the abilities God has given each of us. We must make a firm decision to stop wasting our time, because time is a gift from God.

Time management is vital to preparation and equipping. Funnel your time into your purpose. Don't look at your time as your own, but see it as God's something He has entrusted to you to use wisely.

Say This:

"I will no longer procrastinate or be slow of heart to believe. I will move when the Lord says, 'Move!'"

A Clear Vision of the Cross

A Clear Vision of the Cross
Friday, April 06, 2007

Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.
I Peter 3:18 NIV

One of the reference points of London is the Charing Cross. It is near the geographical center of the city and serves as a navigational tool for those confused by the streets.

A little girl was lost in the great city. A policeman found her. Between sobs and tears, she explained she didn’t know her way home. He asked her if she knew her address. She didn’t. He asked her phone number; she didn’t know that either. But when he asked her what she knew, suddenly her face lit up.

“I know the Cross,” she said. “Show me the Cross and I can find my way home from there.”

So can you. Keep a clear vision of the cross on your horizon and you can find your way home.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in And the Angels Were Silent

He died on our behalf...

Easter

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

"For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

The reason Jesus died and rose again for you, was so that your life-focus would shift from yourself to His purposes in this world!

You were created for His purposes (see Ephesians 2:10), but your fallen, sinful, self-focused life was preventing you from living out your reason for existing. So Jesus "died.on [your] behalf". He died in your place, taking the sin and guilt you had built up, and experiencing God's judgment for you.

And He also "rose again on [your] behalf". His resurrection life in you enables you to live in a way that brings God glory.

Do you see what the Lord is saying to you today? You do not "live for [yourself]" anymore. Now you live for Him! Your life purpose is no longer to get as much, do as much, travel as much for yourself as you can. Now your purpose is to honour Him, love Him, and point people to Him as much as you can.

Replace "all" with your name: "He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

Love is...

Wednesday 4/4/2007

"A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
—John 13:34 NIV


Love is the new commandment Jesus gave under the New Covenant. The love walk is a liberating lifestyle because it sets us free from self.

Love is a sacrifice—it costs. Every time we love someone, it costs us something. Time, talent, money, or pride may be the cost.

Forgiveness is love; it costs pride to forgive. The flesh is basically lazy and passive; it always wants effortless benefits. Love is effort.

There seems to be a lack of joy among God's people; one of the major reasons is that we often become passive, looking for an effortless lifestyle.

Love is involvement. It is impossible to have true relationship without involvement. Involvement requires commitment; commitment requires work; work is effort.

Love is an effort; it is an effort to walk in love.

Love is involvement, not isolation. Love requires reaching out. Love says, "I'm sorry," first and initiates the move that can bring restoration and understanding.

Love involves sacrificial giving. Love doesn't do the right thing to get something; love does the right thing because it is right. Love is healing; love restores.

Say This:

"Love is the new commandment Jesus gave. I walk in love, and it sets me free from self. Forgiveness is love, so I forgive."

Easter...

Easter

Hebrews 2:9-11

“But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren”

Jesus’ suffering and death on our behalf only increased His resurrection glory in heaven!

Jesus was always perfect. He existed forever as God the Son, in perfect fellowship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. All the attributes of God were His in perfection. When He became a man, He lived without any sin. So how was He “perfected…through sufferings”?

His perfections became even greater! It is one thing to have a nature that would sacrifice out of love for others. But that aspect of a person becomes even more glorious when they are put in a situation where they actually have to make an inconceivable sacrifice to save others.

Today God the Father wants you to see the glory of the resurrected Jesus Christ. Get on your knees before the cross and glorify Him who suffered for you.

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

God's Name

God’s Name
Monday, April 02, 2007

“The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need." Psalm 23:1

“You want to know who God really is?” David asks. “Then read this.” And he writes the name Yahweh. “Yahweh is my shepherd.”

Though foreign to us, the name was rich to David. So rich, in fact, that David chose Yahweh over El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Elyon (God Most High), and El Olam (God the Everlasting). These and many other titles for God were at David’s disposal. But when he considered all the options, David chose Yahweh.

Why Yahweh? Because Yahweh is God’s name. You can call me preacher or writer or half-baked golfer- these are accurate descriptions, but these aren’t my names. I might call you dad, mom, doctor, or student, and those terms may describe you, but they aren’t your name. If you want to call me by my name, say Max. If I call you by your name, I say it. And if you want to call God by his name, say Yahweh.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2
Originally printed in Traveling Light

Countdown to Easter Celebrations!

Easter

Romans 5:10

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

Jesus’ resurrection means that He’s alive here today to live through you!

Usually when we talk about the life of Jesus, we mean His life on earth, which revealed to us what God was like in all His purity, power, grace and love. And we think of His teaching, which amazed the crowds with its simple, clear, unavoidable truth. Or we talk about the death of Christ, by which “we were reconciled to God”.

But what God’s saying to us here is that the resurrection life of Jesus will revolutionise our lives. Our soul is saved by Jesus’ death, but our life is saved by His life! That is, Jesus is ready, willing and able to live through you today.

Are you frustrated by your inability to live the way you ought to, need to, and want to? Don’t you know that it is impossible for us to live the victorious Christian life in our own strength? Only Jesus Christ has ever been able to live God’s way in total victory. Today Jesus wants to live that victorious life in you. Think about what you’ve been struggling with, and say to the Lord, “I can’t, but You can, and You are in me. I invite You to live Your life through me today.”

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.