Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. Daniel 6:3 NKJV
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were Hebrews, who were first appointed to serve king Nebuchadnezzar after they were exiled from Israel to the Babylonian kingdom. Daniel served under four kings over the span of his lifetime. He, as well as the other three Israelites, distinguished themselves above all the other leaders. It was said of Daniel twice that he had an excellent spirit within him. The Hebrew word for excellent in this setting is ya-teer. It means preeminent and very or exceedingly excellent. The word for spirit in this context is roo-akh, which means mind, spirit, and wind.
I believe the Lord calls us all to excellence in whatever we set our hand to. We are to work hard to do our very best, and we are to ask God for wisdom while we apply ourselves to what He has called us to do. We are to allow the Lord to renew our minds with His word. We are also called to live from our spirit or from our hearts. We do this by allowing the Lord to fill us with His Spirit (wind is a symbol of the Holy Spirit) and to allow the Holy Spirit to inspire us and give us sound direction. This is what I believe it means to have an excellent spirit.
As we live like this, God will promote us in His time and in His way so we can have greater influence in His kingdom. Let us ask God to give us an excellent spirit.
Dear Father God,
I desire to please you in all I do. Help me Lord to follow You with all my heart and from my heart. Help me to grow in excellence as I apply myself to all that you put before me. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and guide my steps. May You look upon me and say, “My child, thank you for letting Me build in you an excellent spirit.” In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Risen Lord
You surf on stormy clouds
You stand and all creation kneels before You
You rule in righteousness and justice
You are God
The oceans and all that live within them
Were created by You
The majestic mountains, the sun in all its glory
Were fashioned by Your hand
You created man in Your image
But man fell
You provided a path of redemption
Crimson blood paid the way
Jesus, our sinless Savior
Dying You gave mankind life
Willingly You offered Yourself as a sacrifice
Three days passed
Then victoriously You rose from the dead
The devil and all his armies were defeated
Those that call upon the name of Jesus in sincerity
Will be saved
All glory to You, our RISEN LORD!
You stand and all creation kneels before You
You rule in righteousness and justice
You are God
The oceans and all that live within them
Were created by You
The majestic mountains, the sun in all its glory
Were fashioned by Your hand
You created man in Your image
But man fell
You provided a path of redemption
Crimson blood paid the way
Jesus, our sinless Savior
Dying You gave mankind life
Willingly You offered Yourself as a sacrifice
Three days passed
Then victoriously You rose from the dead
The devil and all his armies were defeated
Those that call upon the name of Jesus in sincerity
Will be saved
All glory to You, our RISEN LORD!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Understanding Persecution
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 NKJV
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 NIV
Christians are lights in a dark world. We carry within us the very life of God; we are to display His glory to a world living beneath the shadows. Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples. He called us to share His story. There is no greater joy to be found than to live out this mission, but along with the adventure comes danger. Ministry invites persecution. Paul's life was riddled with opposition. This was not because he was a poor example of a Christian, but because he was wholeheartedly obedient to the Master. Paul counted the cost and chose to follow Jesus no matter what. He was willing to face martyrdom if necessary. It is believed that Paul was beheaded in Rome for his faith in Christ.
In America, we seldom suffer severe persecution, however, we will face opposition at times when we testify for the Lord. The Bible calls Satan the accuser of the brethren. He is the force behind persecution. Persecution can come in many forms. When people oppose us, we must remember that our real enemy is the devil. In fact we are called to love our human enemies. We should remember that God only allows into our lives what we can handle, and part of the way we handle this kind of trouble is to use our authority in Christ. The name of Jesus is greater than any other name. We are to submit to God and resist the devil when we are being attacked. The Bible says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. We have the victory in Christ.
The question we must ask ourselves is, “Are we willing to undergo persecution for the sake of the gospel?” It will mean that we will face difficulty and pain at times. But if we really want to walk in the light as He is in the light, if we really want to please Jesus, we will say, "Yes." Will you obey the Master and tell others His story? Will you reach the ones living in darkness? If you will, God will make sure that you will never be alone. He will be with you always, and He will help you through every difficult situation. Be assured that with His help you will see many rescued from the clutches of the evil one, and on that day, when you meet the Lord, you will hear the Savior say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 NIV
Christians are lights in a dark world. We carry within us the very life of God; we are to display His glory to a world living beneath the shadows. Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples. He called us to share His story. There is no greater joy to be found than to live out this mission, but along with the adventure comes danger. Ministry invites persecution. Paul's life was riddled with opposition. This was not because he was a poor example of a Christian, but because he was wholeheartedly obedient to the Master. Paul counted the cost and chose to follow Jesus no matter what. He was willing to face martyrdom if necessary. It is believed that Paul was beheaded in Rome for his faith in Christ.
In America, we seldom suffer severe persecution, however, we will face opposition at times when we testify for the Lord. The Bible calls Satan the accuser of the brethren. He is the force behind persecution. Persecution can come in many forms. When people oppose us, we must remember that our real enemy is the devil. In fact we are called to love our human enemies. We should remember that God only allows into our lives what we can handle, and part of the way we handle this kind of trouble is to use our authority in Christ. The name of Jesus is greater than any other name. We are to submit to God and resist the devil when we are being attacked. The Bible says that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. We have the victory in Christ.
The question we must ask ourselves is, “Are we willing to undergo persecution for the sake of the gospel?” It will mean that we will face difficulty and pain at times. But if we really want to walk in the light as He is in the light, if we really want to please Jesus, we will say, "Yes." Will you obey the Master and tell others His story? Will you reach the ones living in darkness? If you will, God will make sure that you will never be alone. He will be with you always, and He will help you through every difficult situation. Be assured that with His help you will see many rescued from the clutches of the evil one, and on that day, when you meet the Lord, you will hear the Savior say, “Well done my good and faithful servant.”
Friday, March 25, 2011
Born Again
When I was Your enemy
You chose me
But I ran far away
My blinded eyes could not see Your glory
My deaf ears could not hear Your call
I loved the false
Your relentless love was foreign to me
I clung to a religious substitute
It had no power to change me
Then I heard Your truth proclaimed
Heaven opened over me
I saw the wonder of Your love
I received Your pardon
Now free
Born again into Your family
You chose me
But I ran far away
My blinded eyes could not see Your glory
My deaf ears could not hear Your call
I loved the false
Your relentless love was foreign to me
I clung to a religious substitute
It had no power to change me
Then I heard Your truth proclaimed
Heaven opened over me
I saw the wonder of Your love
I received Your pardon
Now free
Born again into Your family
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Love God
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Like the flower longs for sunlight, we are to long after God. He is our source of strength, fulfillment, peace, joy, and contentment. He fills us with His Spirit; He causes us to thrive. But we can only find these benefits when we place knowing and serving the Lord as our first priority. When loving Him is first in our hearts, our lives will flow with divine order.
Our love for God must be stronger than our love for people, even those closest to us. Yes we are to love people, but our love for God must pale in comparison to our love for others. This means we choose to obey God's word over the word of a friend. It's not that we are to be cold and indifferent, no Jesus will lead us towards compassion, but His love is always married to the truth of God's word. Consequently, we are not walking in love when we try to steer another away from a scriptural truth.
Where our love is that is where our focus will be. Let's set our hearts on God. Let's allow Him to set us ablaze in passionate love for Him and for His word. God the Father will bless the soul whose heart is set on Him. He will fill such a one with His love and will use him or her for His glory. Beloved let's love God. As the deer pants for the water, so may all that is within us thirst for Him.
Dear Father God,
Forgive me for allowing my life to be filled with everything but You. Help me to set my affections on things above. Fill me with a passion for the pursuit of You. I choose to hide your word in my heart so I will not sin against you. I choose to spend time with you every day so that my heart's desire is to know You and to serve You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Like the flower longs for sunlight, we are to long after God. He is our source of strength, fulfillment, peace, joy, and contentment. He fills us with His Spirit; He causes us to thrive. But we can only find these benefits when we place knowing and serving the Lord as our first priority. When loving Him is first in our hearts, our lives will flow with divine order.
Our love for God must be stronger than our love for people, even those closest to us. Yes we are to love people, but our love for God must pale in comparison to our love for others. This means we choose to obey God's word over the word of a friend. It's not that we are to be cold and indifferent, no Jesus will lead us towards compassion, but His love is always married to the truth of God's word. Consequently, we are not walking in love when we try to steer another away from a scriptural truth.
Where our love is that is where our focus will be. Let's set our hearts on God. Let's allow Him to set us ablaze in passionate love for Him and for His word. God the Father will bless the soul whose heart is set on Him. He will fill such a one with His love and will use him or her for His glory. Beloved let's love God. As the deer pants for the water, so may all that is within us thirst for Him.
Dear Father God,
Forgive me for allowing my life to be filled with everything but You. Help me to set my affections on things above. Fill me with a passion for the pursuit of You. I choose to hide your word in my heart so I will not sin against you. I choose to spend time with you every day so that my heart's desire is to know You and to serve You. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Friday, March 11, 2011
When the Earth Shakes
The desperate cries
Are heard by God our Father
When the earth quakes
When great waves wreak havoc
And disaster ravages our communities
God is still on the throne
On this earth we do not have all the answers
But I know without a shadow of doubt
That God is good
We now live in the age of His grace
He is not the initiator of destruction
Lord, let your children spring to action
Let us pray and do what we can
To assist those in need
Let us lift our hearts and voices to Him
That He would heal
That He would save
And that He would help those suffering
To rebuild their lives
Are heard by God our Father
When the earth quakes
When great waves wreak havoc
And disaster ravages our communities
God is still on the throne
On this earth we do not have all the answers
But I know without a shadow of doubt
That God is good
We now live in the age of His grace
He is not the initiator of destruction
Lord, let your children spring to action
Let us pray and do what we can
To assist those in need
Let us lift our hearts and voices to Him
That He would heal
That He would save
And that He would help those suffering
To rebuild their lives
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Anointed to Serve
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah. 1 Samuel 16:13
Every member in the body of Christ is anointed to serve the Lord in some capacity. Some are called to minister in song or instrumentally. David's first assignment after he was anointed by Samuel the prophet was to play his harp before king Saul. The Holy Spirit so inspired his playing that when King Saul felt depressed, David would play his harp and the spirit causing the king's depression would leave. Later it became evident that David was anointed for leadership. Although he had many flaws, David became the greatest king that Israel ever had.
Romans 12:6-8 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-11 list the different gifts that believers can have and Ephesians 4:11 highlights different types of leadership gifts for those called to full-time ministry. I encourage you to prayerfully read over these scriptures and ask the Lord to show you where He's gifted you to serve. None of us flow in all the gifts, but all of us have at least one. We are called to serve the Lord with the gift(s) He has given us.
Jesus told a parable that outlined the importance of developing and using our gifts for the Master's service (See Matthew 25:14-30). He told of a man who went on a journey and entrusted his property to three servants. To one he gave five talents (worth more than five thousand dollars), to another two talents, and to the last he gave one talent each according to their ability.
Both the servant he gave five talents to and the one he gave two talents to worked diligently and doubled the amount they had. When the master returned he commended these two and said to each, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master's happiness!”
The third servant hid his money in the ground. He said he was afraid that his master was a hard man. He feared that if he would invest the talent, he might lose what he was given. The master was appalled at this servant's efforts. He gave the command to “throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
This parable speaks of how we handle our finances, but it also shows the importance that Jesus placed on being good stewards of the gifts or abilities God has given us. The Lord wants us to develop our gifts and use them for His glory. There are two primary places where I believe the Lord wants us to use our gifts. These are in the church and in the world. As we are faithful with the talents God gives us, the Lord will increase what we have to give. He will add more to us and cause us to have an abundance.
Let's allow the Lord to use us to be a blessing within the context of our own giftedness. We will find that this is the most natural place for us to shine. This also is the place of the greatest joy and blessing. Jesus will help us to do our part to build the church and bring the lost into his kingdom by using our gifts in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. He will cause us to be effective and bear much fruit for His glory. Let me encourage you to discover your giftedness and determine to grow in that gift and serve with it. You will make a greater impact for the kingdom, and you'll be glad you did!
Every member in the body of Christ is anointed to serve the Lord in some capacity. Some are called to minister in song or instrumentally. David's first assignment after he was anointed by Samuel the prophet was to play his harp before king Saul. The Holy Spirit so inspired his playing that when King Saul felt depressed, David would play his harp and the spirit causing the king's depression would leave. Later it became evident that David was anointed for leadership. Although he had many flaws, David became the greatest king that Israel ever had.
Romans 12:6-8 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-11 list the different gifts that believers can have and Ephesians 4:11 highlights different types of leadership gifts for those called to full-time ministry. I encourage you to prayerfully read over these scriptures and ask the Lord to show you where He's gifted you to serve. None of us flow in all the gifts, but all of us have at least one. We are called to serve the Lord with the gift(s) He has given us.
Jesus told a parable that outlined the importance of developing and using our gifts for the Master's service (See Matthew 25:14-30). He told of a man who went on a journey and entrusted his property to three servants. To one he gave five talents (worth more than five thousand dollars), to another two talents, and to the last he gave one talent each according to their ability.
Both the servant he gave five talents to and the one he gave two talents to worked diligently and doubled the amount they had. When the master returned he commended these two and said to each, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master's happiness!”
The third servant hid his money in the ground. He said he was afraid that his master was a hard man. He feared that if he would invest the talent, he might lose what he was given. The master was appalled at this servant's efforts. He gave the command to “throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
This parable speaks of how we handle our finances, but it also shows the importance that Jesus placed on being good stewards of the gifts or abilities God has given us. The Lord wants us to develop our gifts and use them for His glory. There are two primary places where I believe the Lord wants us to use our gifts. These are in the church and in the world. As we are faithful with the talents God gives us, the Lord will increase what we have to give. He will add more to us and cause us to have an abundance.
Let's allow the Lord to use us to be a blessing within the context of our own giftedness. We will find that this is the most natural place for us to shine. This also is the place of the greatest joy and blessing. Jesus will help us to do our part to build the church and bring the lost into his kingdom by using our gifts in dependence upon the Holy Spirit. He will cause us to be effective and bear much fruit for His glory. Let me encourage you to discover your giftedness and determine to grow in that gift and serve with it. You will make a greater impact for the kingdom, and you'll be glad you did!
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