30th June 2006- Taming the Tongue

Keep Quiet
By Kenneth Copeland

One of the things that you and I as believers must learn if we want to be faithful servants in the kingdom of God is how to keep our mouths shut. We need to master that skill.

When we get our backs up about something, we think we have to let everybody know about it. "I'm just going to give them a piece of my mind," we say.

Don't make that mistake. Nobody wants or needs a piece of your mind-- and if you give it to them, you'll only end up alienating people and bringing harm to yourself. Instead, learn to keep quiet.

This especially applies in the area of spiritual insight. When the Holy Spirit gives you discernment about a situation, don't go spreading it all over town. If you do, you'll come to the place where the Lord can't trust you with revelation and insight into things and situations.

I've seen that happen. I've known intercessors who have received revelations about someone's weaknesses or needs. They have been given insight into the problem in someone's life, so they could pray for that person. But, instead of keeping that information between themselves and God in prayer, they told others about it. As a result, they lost their effectiveness as an intercessor.

• Point to Ponder: If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. But no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.

• Scripture Reading: James 3:1-13 (See bottom)

• Verse: My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:12)

• What you can do about it: Develop the quiet art of the wise man, and the devil will find it increasingly difficult to harm your prayer life and ministry to others.
  

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Scripture Reading:
From James 3:1-13

3:1
Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
3:2
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3:3
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
3:4
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
3:5
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
3:6
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
3:7
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
3:8
but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
3:9
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.
3:10
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
3:11
Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
3:12
My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
3:13
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
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29th June 2006- Obeying willingly

Be Willing!
By Gloria Copeland

A healthy body. Enough money to pay all your bills and extra to invest in the work of the gospel. A godly marriage and happy, healthy children. Peace of mind. God has prepared a banquet full of blessings for you.

But those blessings are not just going to fall in your lap. You must be willing as well as obedient if you're going to eat the best from God's table.

So, be willing!

Don't be willing for Satan to put sickness on your body. Be willing, instead, to be well! In honor of Jesus' sacrifice at Calvary, refuse to accept anything less than divine health.

Don't be willing to live in lack, but be willing instead to live in divine prosperity and abundance. Refuse to allow Satan to stop the flow of God's financial blessings to you.

Be willing to receive God's best plan for your marriage and your children. Don't settle for the "norm" in the world. Live above it in a home full of love and harmony, a home that is what God meant it to be.

Don't allow Satan to substitute anxiety and ulcers for the peace and undisturbedness that Jesus bought for you. Be willing and obedient to cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you.

• Point to Ponder: The choice of whether we are willing to accept God's blessings is in our hands. Be both willing and obedient.

• Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 8:5-20

• Verse: If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. (Isaiah 1:19)

• What you can do about it: Refuse to be robbed of the banquet of blessings that have belonged to you since you became a believer. Be willing to eat the good of the land!

28th June 2006- Unity is Strength!

Viva la Difference
By Kenneth Copeland

There's power in unity. The devil knows that. That's why he's continually fighting it. He takes the differences between us, differences God put there to make us stronger, and tries to use them as a wedge to drive us apart.

Take men and women, for example. He's deceived us into fighting about which one is superior over the other. But I can settle that argument right now. Women are superior to men. If you don't believe that, you boys try having a baby. But then, men are superior to women. If you don't believe that, you women try having one without us.

It's the differences combined that make us strong!

People have even argued about whether God is male or female. But the Bible itself tells us that. He's both! That's right. In the Hebrew language, all words have gender. They're either male or female. But the Hebrew word "Jehovah" is both masculine and feminine. He's as much female as He is male and as much male as He is female.

Originally, mankind was that way too. When God first made "man," he was as much female as he was male. Then God separated the female part out and made "woman" or, "the man with the womb." After that, man and woman had to come together to be perfectly whole.

That's still true today. For example, when He puts together husband and wife teams, He often puts people together who have major personality differences. Where one is weak, the other is strong, and vice versa. So, when they become one, they're more powerful than they ever were apart.

There was a time when I didn't understand that. I got aggravated with God for calling me a wife who didn't care for so many things that I liked. But I finally realized God knew what He was doing. If He'd given me a woman who was as nuts about flying as I am, we would have spent the rest of our lives in the clouds. We wouldn't be preaching the Word. We'd be in some silly airshow flying upside down. "The Copeland Team!" or something.

• Point to Ponder: There's power in unity. Synergize the differences God put in us to make ourselves, as a body of God, stronger.

• Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

• Verse: If one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

• What you can do about it: Do you have people in your life who are irritatingly different from you? Don't let the devil use those differences to drive you apart. Thank God for them! Let Him teach you how to appreciate them. Let Him show you just how powerful you can be... together!

27th June 2006- God's Medicine

God's Medicine
by Gloria Copeland

We've seen some tremendous medical breakthroughs in our generation. We've seen "miracle drugs" developed that can conquer many kinds of sickness and disease.

But, you know, in the 20-plus years I've been a believer, I've discovered another, much more effective kind of medicine: the Word of God. There's never been a miracle drug that could equal it. God's medicine is the answer to every need. It is life. It is health. It is the power of God. And if you put it in your heart and act on it, you will be healed.

Sometimes people ask, "If God's medicine works every time, why are there so many believers who are still sick?" There are two reasons. Number one, because they don't take the time to plant the Word concerning healing deeply into their heart. And number two, because they don't do what that Word tells them to do.

Think of it like this: If a doctor prescribes medicine for you to swallow daily and you decide to rub it on your chest instead, that medicine isn't going to work for you. You have to follow the instructions and use it properly if you expect to get well, don't you? In the same way, if you read God's prescription for health and don't act on it, you won't reap any of its benefits.

Proverbs 4:22 says God's Words are life and health to you. So don't wait until you get sick to start using them. Start now. Begin to put God's Word in your heart in abundance and it will be hard for you to get sick. That Word within you will constantly be keeping God's healing power at work in you.

And don't worry. There's no limit to the amount of God's medicine you can take. You can't get an overdose. The more you take, the stronger you get.

Start growing strong today.

• Point to Ponder: God's medicine is the answer to every need. And if you put it in your heart and act on it, you will be healed.

• Scripture Reading: Proverbs 4:20-27

• Verse: The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)

• What you can do about it: Don't wait until you get sick to start using God's words. Start now. Begin to put God's Word in your heart in abundance and it will be hard for you to get sick.

26th June 2006- Overcoming Strife

Take a Stand Against Strife
Gloria Copeland

Throughout the Scriptures, God warns us about the danger of strife. Yet, it's still one of the most common problems among believers. We let it get into our homes, our work places, our churches...everywhere!

Of course, we don't purposely let it in. We don't wake up in the morning and say, "I think I'm going to stir up some major strife today." We just inadvertently let it slip up on us one minor irritation at a time.

So, I urge you today to take a big stand against those little opportunities for strife. If you have a tendency to let things irritate you, decide to overcome that tendency. Arm yourself against them with the knowledge that this world isn't perfect, that there are people in it that aren't going to be nice to you. There are people who are going to stir you up and annoy you on purpose or by accident.

Make up your mind that, by the power of God, you're not going to let them get your peace. That peace is so important to your well-being. It will keep your body healthy. It will keep your relationships healthy. It will put you in a place where God can guide your steps and save you from some very grave mistakes.

If you've spent a lifetime getting your feathers ruffled over every little thing, it may take a while for you to break that habit. You may have to work at it a moment at a time. But you can do it.

I know. I had to do that where worrying is concerned. I'd worried for so many years and had come from such a family of worriers that I did it almost without thinking. When I learned worrying went contrary to the Word of God, I had to give it up one minute at a time. With the help of the Holy Spirit, every time a worried thought would come to me, I would overcome it with the Word of God. And I did that until I broke that worrying habit for good.

You can do the same thing with strife. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you start to notice and overcome it one moment at a time. Then, every time you start to get upset about something, rebuke that strife in the Name of Jesus and resist it. Say right out loud, "I am walking in the peace of God today."

You'll be surprised how much more wonderful living can be.

• Point to Ponder: Peace is important to your spiritual well-being. Use God's power to overcome strife.

• Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:21-26,43-48"

• Verse: The beginning of strife is as when water first trickles [from a crack in a dam]; therefore stop contention before it becomes worse and quarreling breaks out. (Proverbs 17:14)

• What you can do about it/ Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to help you start to notice and overcome it one moment at a time. Then, every time you start to get upset about something, rebuke that strife in the Name of Jesus and resist it. Say right out loud, "I am walking in the peace of God today."

25th June 2006- Fighting Satan with God's Grace

Grace is Enough
By Gloria Copeland

The devil has used the traditional teaching of Paul's thorn in the flesh to talk believers out of the blessings of God for years, to try to convince us to settle for everything from sickness to sin--and to do it of our own free will.

It is perhaps the most destructive and the most widely accepted misinterpretation of Scripture that exists in the Body of Christ today. I've gone into countries to preach to people who hardly had any knowledge of the Word at all and still I have found that somehow they'd been taught about Paul's thorn.

And most of them have been taught wrongly.

Tradition says that God gave Paul the thorn in the flesh. What's more, tradition makes the thorn into some great mystery. But the Scripture doesn't say that at all! It says that the thorn in the flesh was a messenger of Satan. Not God-- Satan! The thorn was quite literally just what Paul says it was--a "messenger sent from Satan."

You see, everywhere Paul went, he preached the gospel and every time he preached, he destroyed a little more of Satan's kingdom. So, Satan sent a messenger, an evil spirit, to stop him.

When Paul sought the Lord concerning this thorn (look at 2 Corinthians 12:8-10), God didn't answer Paul in the negative. God said, "My grace (or, My favor) is enough. It is sufficient for you. For My strength is made perfect in your weakness (inability to produce results)" (W.E. Vine's Expository Dictionary).

In other words, when Paul didn't have enough human strength to overcome, God's miracle-working power was sufficient for him. It enabled him to be an overcomer in spite of his weakness.

• Point to Ponder: When satan's kingdom is plundered he will seek to stop us, but God's grace is all we need in times of weakness.

• Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

• Verse: And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me. (2 Corinthians 12:7)

• What we can do about it: Don't allow the devil to talk you out of your victory. Throw tradition aside and dare to believe the Word of God. Fight the fight of faith, and just like the Apostle Paul, you will see the salvation of the Lord!

24th June 2006- Speaking in Faith

Don't Tell It Like It Is
Kenneth Copeland

Words are serious business. And, as believers, we need to get serious about learning how to use them. We need to begin to put them to work for us like God Himself does. The Bible tells us that He uses words to "call those things which be not as though they were" (Rom. 4:17).

Most of us don't have the faintest idea how to do that. We've spent our lives "telling it like it is." We've constantly used our mouths to report on the sorry state of affairs around us. Thus, the very thought of calling "things which be not as though they were" seems a little crazy.

"You mean I'm supposed to say, 'I'm healed' when I'm feeling sick? I'm supposed to say, 'I'm prosperous' when I'm penniless?" we say. "That sounds like lying to me."

No, no. There's a vast difference between lying and speaking by faith. A lie is meant to deceive someone. It's designed to make someone believe something that's not true. But to speak by faith is simply to speak words that agree with the Word of God instead of the circumstances around you. It's speaking from your spirit instead of from your mind.

As the Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:13, "We have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, I have believed, and therefore have I spoken. We too believe, and therefore we speak" (The Amplified Bible).

Now that's important. Read that verse again. "I have believed, and therefore have I spoken."

There are some folks who speak the words, but they don't have the faith to back it up, and as a result, they fall flat on their spiritual faces. They didn't actually "call things that be not as though they were." They called things that be not the way they wished they were.

Those are two very different things. The words may be the same. But just wishing and hoping won't get the job done. You've got to "believe."

• Point to Ponder: Wishing and hoping won't get the job done. You've got to "believe."

• Scripture Reading: Proverbs 15

• Verse: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Proverbs 18:21)

• What you will do about it: Begin today bringing both your tongue and your heart in line with the Word. Stop "telling it like it is" and start speaking and believing the promises of God. Put the power of words to work for you.

23th June 2006- Overcoming Temptations

Play to Win
Kenneth Copeland

I've often heard people say, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." That's nonsense. If you play the game right, you'll win!

Any coach will tell you that part of playing the game right is having a winning attitude. That's what God wants us, as believers, to have. He wants us to have so much faith in Him that we expect to whip any obstacle the devil brings our way. He wants us to expect to win at the game of life.

We don't always come by that attitude easily. We're so accustomed to losing that we have to totally change our way of thinking if we want to have a winning mind-set. In Ephesians, the Apostle Paul told the Church to renew their minds. They needed to change their attitudes, to renew their minds to the fact that Jesus has overcome the world.

If you haven't already, you need to do that too! You need to develop a glorious sense of confidence that says, "Hey, devil, I'm going to be victorious and there's not a thing you can do to stop me!"

"But, Brother Copeland, you don't know the kinds of problems I'm facing."

I know I don't, but Jesus does and He said you should "cheer up" because He can give you peace in the midst of tribulation. He said that when Satan comes against you with everything he has, you should take heart because He's already beaten it-- Jesus has already overcome it and so can you!

First John 5:5 puts it this way, "Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" Do you know what that scripture means? It means that if you are a born-again believer, you have an absolute right to be a winner, to overcome every aspect of this evil world. Think about that. Meditate on it. Start developing a winning attitude today!

• Point to Ponder: If you are a born-again believer, you have an absolute right to be a winner, to overcome every aspect of this evil world.

• Scripture Reading: Romans 8:29-39

• Verse: Who is he that over cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:5)

• What you will do about it: Change our attitudes, to renew our minds to the fact that Jesus has overcome the world. Develop a winning attitude!

22nd June 2006

Expect a Harvest
Kenneth Copeland

Give and it shall be given unto you. That statement came straight from the mouth of Jesus. Yet there are a great many believers who flatly refuse to believe it. In fact, they actually have the mistaken idea that it's wrong to expect to receive when they give.

The truth is--it's wrong not to!

What would you think about a farmer who planted seeds, then let his crop rot in the field? You'd think he was a fool, wouldn't you? And if he did it when others were starving, you'd think he was criminally irresponsible. Well, it's just as irresponsible to give financial seeds and ignore the harvest God promised. Especially when that harvest could help send the gospel to people who are starving to hear it. It's just as wrong to ignore the key to prosperity that Jesus Himself gave us as it is to let a wheat crop rot in the field.

God wants us to receive from the financial seeds that we plant. He wants us to be prepared to require no aid ourselves and to be "furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation" (2 Cor. 9:8, The Amplified Bible). He wants us to have plenty--not so we can hoard it selfishly--but so we can give generously. Next time you give, don't be afraid to expect a harvest! Release your faith for the financial rewards Jesus promised. Then, when they come, turn right around and plant them again. Keep the flow of giving and receiving going so the Lord can bless the world through you!

• Point to Ponder: Give and it shall be given unto you.

• Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

• Verse: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38)

21th June 2006

Open Their Eyes to the Light
Kenneth Copeland

Since God doesn't save anyone against their will, does it really do any good to pray for people who consciously refuse to receive Jesus as Lord?

Yes. Yes! YES! IT DOES!

You see, in spite of the fact that most all unbelievers who have purposely refused to receive Jesus as Lord think they've made that decision of their own free will, the truth is, they haven't. The Word of God says they've been blinded by Satan. He's blocking their perception of the truth. So their decision hasn't been freely made at all.

That's important for you to grasp. Because through the prayer of intercession, you can interfere with the satanic forces and help take those blinders off! You can also change circumstances with your prayers and help create situations that will bring them in contact with the Lord. You're well within your spiritual rights when you do that.

I prayed with a friend of mine once who'd been praying for his lost brother for years. Jesus said in Matthew 12:29 to first bind the strong man and then enter his house and spoil his goods. So we said, "You spirit blinding the eyes of ______________, you stop what you are doing to keep him out of the kingdom of God. In Jesus' Name, you stop NOW!"

Jesus also said in Matthew 9:38, "Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." So we prayed, "Lord, send someone to ____________ with the Word of God. You know who he will listen to. We claim _____________ for the kingdom of God. We believe we receive his salvation and deliverance. In faith we praise You for it."

In almost no time at all his brother called him. "What have you been doing up there?" he asked. "In the past few days, everybody I've come across has started preaching to me!" Our prayers had interfered with the forces Satan had been using to blind this man to Jesus and created the circumstances to bring him into the kingdom. Sure enough, within a few days, he was born again.

Use this same prayer for your loved ones and believe when you pray and you'll see the same results. Don't sit by and let the devil take your friends and loved ones without a fight.

• Point to Ponder: Unbelievers who have purposely refused to receive Jesus as Lord are binded by Satan.

• Scripture Study: 2 Corinthians 4:1-7

• Verse: "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)

• What will you do about it/ Prayer: Pray. Pray! PRAY! Come against the "god of this world." Take off the blinders and open eyes to the glorious gospel of God.
  

20th June 2006

Never Fall
By Kenneth Copeland

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed." (2 Timothy 2:15)

Dear brothers, sisters-in Christ, A lot of people have been playing games when it comes to the Word. They claim to be faith people in public. But, in private, they never open the Bible at all. Then, when a time of trouble comes and they try to stand on the Word, they fall flat on their spiritual faces.

Well, the time for playing games is over. It's time for us to realize that real faith involves action. James 2:20 says faith without works [or corresponding action] is dead.

If you want the kind of faith that will keep you on your feet when others are falling around you, you need to take some action where the Word is concerned.

First, you need to study. You can study the Word in many ways. You can not only read it, you can dig deeply into it with concordances, Greek/Hebrew dictionaries and other study guides. What's more, if you have a cassette player, you can walk around half the day listening to teaching tapes. It's only one way of study, but it is a powerful one.

The second thing you need to do is go where the Word is being preached. When Romans 10:17 says "faith comes by hearing," it's talking about the preached Word. Whenever I start feeling surrounded by problems and I'm having trouble hearing from God, I drop everything and find some place where I can hear the Word preached. I've received more answers from God that way than I can count. Even though the preacher may not have been preaching about anything even remotely connected with the issue I was struggling with, some Word of Scripture would suddenly start my thoughts in a certain direction. I'd realize, "That's the answer to that problem I've been dealing with for the past six weeks!"

Third, you need to start confessing the Word you've heard. Find the promise of God that covers your situation and then declare it out loud as if it had already come to pass in your life. Become such a diligent workman that the devil himself will look at you with fear and say, "There's one believer who's not playing games anymore."

• Point to Ponder: Get serious about the Word of God. Study it. Go hear it preached. Confess it.

• Scripture Study: 2 Peter 1:3-10

19th June 2006

Using what God gave you
By Rick Warren

Since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be.” (Romans 12:4, Msg)

God deserves your best. He shaped you for a purpose, and he expects you to make the most of what you have been given.

Don’t let another day go by. Start finding out and clarifying what God intends for you to be and do.

Begin by assessing your gifts and abilities
The best way to discover your gifts and abilities is to experiment with different areas of service.

I could have taken a hundred gifts and ability tests as a young man and would have never discovered that I was gifted at teaching because I had never done it! It was only after I began accepting opportunities to speak that I saw the results, received confirmation from others, and realized, “God has gifted me to do this!”

Consider your heart and your personality
This is simple. Paul advised, “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that.” (Galatians 6:4, Msg)

Examine your experiences and extract the lessons you have learned
Review your life and think about how it has shaped you.
Moses told the Israelites, “Remember today what you have learned about the Lord through your experiences with him.” (Deut. 11:2, TEV)
Forgotten experiences are worthless; that’s a good reason to keep a spiritual journal.

In heaven we are going to serve God forever. Right now, we can prepare for that eternal service by practicing on earth.

Like athletes preparing for the Olympic, we keep training for that big day: “They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally.” (1 Cor. 9:25, Msg)

In conclusion, we’re getting ready for eternal responsibilities and rewards.

• Point to ponder: The time we’ve been given here on earth is best used to serve God.

• Verse: “Since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be.” (Romans 12:4, Msg)

• What will you do about it: Try serving in a new way. Get involved in a ministry you’ve never been involved with before and see if you’re gifted to serve there.

• Prayer: Ask God to show you where to serve, when to serve and how best to serve. Ask him to open up the right doors and give you clear direction about your unique area of ministry.

10th June 2006

The Work of Peace
By John Fischer

Blessed are those who work for peace, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)

I must admit, “working for peace” is a new concept for me when applied to my closest relationships. Being a child of the sixties, working for peace has strong connotations of political and social action. After all, we’re the generation who made the peace sign universal. But peace on a more human relationship level is another thing. I wouldn’t think of that as work; I would think of that more as avoidance. For me, peace in a relationship is achieved by avoiding anything and everything uncomfortable.

That’s because I’m dysfunctional when it comes to this. I will opt for peace at any price, which usually means, if I know a conflict exists in a particular area, I will avoid the subject altogether. Or if I am in conflict with a certain person, I will avoid them altogether. This is not being a peacemaker. It’s being a coward. A peacemaker works for peace and by avoiding conflict I am saying I am not willing to put forth the effort necessary to face into a problem, I am too afraid to face into it or I don’t care enough for the other person to want to seek peace. Do I care enough for myself to want to live in peace instead of conflict and denial?

Peace is never found in walking away from our fears, but in walking into them. Like the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz, courage comes when you care enough for someone that you will face into your fears on their behalf. It takes this kind of work to be a peacemaker.

Think about where there is conflict in your life and ask God to show you how you can make peace. It’s true that a relationship is made up of two people, and if there is a conflict, both have to want to make peace in order to achieve it. We can’t change the other person, but we can do our part to create the environment for reconciliation.

If there is a chasm in a relationship, you may have to reach all the way across to establish peace, but won’t it be worth it? God didn’t stay on His throne of righteousness, but reached all the way through the cross to bridge the chasm to us. Halfway is probably not far enough.

9th June 2006

Loving the Other
By John Fischer

There is one thing, among many, that we share as human beings. We are all selfish. It’s built into our DNA. Not that this is all bad. In fact the one commandment that Jesus said that summed up everything God expects of us relies on our being this way. Jesus said we were to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. So self-love is assumed. It’s interesting to me that Jesus doesn’t tell us to stop being selfish; he tells us how to turn our preoccupation with self into something that will take us beyond ourselves.

We all care for ourselves and look after our own needs. We’re all number one in our own book. Jesus was counting on this when he told us how to love. He said to love others the way you love yourself. Look after someone else’s needs the way you look after your own. If you want to find out how to love someone, observe how you treat yourself, and then do that for someone else.

This shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. If you want people to listen to you, listen to them. If you want people to applaud you, applaud them. If you want to be recognized, recognize someone. If you want people to take you seriously, take them seriously. If you’re getting hungry, then you can assume that others around you are probably hungry too. How else did Jesus know to take care of feeding the crowd he had been speaking to all day except that he was hungry himself? You could go as far as to say that this is precisely why we have needs, so we can understand and deal with the needs of those around us.

Noticing others by all the attention we pay ourselves, is a way of using our natural born instincts for something better. This is one of the great things about fellowship. If everyone is concerned about everyone else, everyone gets taken care of without having to focus on ourselves. We all take care of each other taking extra care to make sure no one is left out.

Think about this as you go through this day—that your own needs are more than likely an indication of the needs of those around you, and try satisfying your need by meeting theirs.

8th June 2006

In the marketplace
By John Fischer

I recently heard from a member of a large church in Canton, Ohio, whose pastor had preached on “What would Jesus say to Howard Stern?”

Apparently someone took a picture of the sermon title on the marquee and sent it to Mr. Stern. The short of it is that her pastor, Greg Nettle, ended up on Howard Stern's show with the message of God's love. Even Howard Stern couldn't argue with the power of love that came through Greg's kind words and even demeanor and ended the show remarking that the pastor had given him something to think about.

When you enter the marketplace, you share the platform with all kinds of messages, religions, and points of view. At that point, trust has to be placed in the power of the truth, not in proper or familiar associations. Being on a Starbucks cup does not make Rick Warren a supporter of gay liberation, since a quote from that point of view appeared in the same place a few months ago, or because Starbucks helped support a gay parade somewhere. It doesn't even make him a supporter of Starbucks any more than it makes Starbucks a supporter of the Gospel. What it means is the truth about God from a trusted source got a chance to be considered in the marketplace of ideas.

Paul, missionary and builder of the early church, once entered the marketplace of ideas in the ancient city of Athens, and in the course of his address to Stoic and Epicurean philosophers, he quoted a popular poet, made reference to an idol to an “unknown God,” and gave a message that showed his knowledge of the prevailing worldview of his audience (Acts 17:16-34). He did all this from a place called the Areopagus – a sort of open forum where the latest ideas were discussed. We know from history that many of those ideas would have been in direct opposition to the truth of his message. That didn't seem to stop him.

Throughout the course of his 60-year reign as the leading evangelical in the world, Billy Graham has always stuck to a simple premise: that he would mount any stage and speak from any platform that would give him an opportunity to share his message. He never once concerned himself with who owned that stage, who was on it last, or who would follow him. He merely saw every opportunity to speak as an opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.

It all comes down to trust – trust in the power of truth, the power of God, and the presence of the Holy Spirit to interpret that truth into the hearts and minds of those who encounter it.

Do you have a “marketplace” platform within the influence of your circle of friends and associates? Don't hesitate to use it to share what you know about God. Good things always happen when you do because God's always in charge of his truth.

7th June 2006

'OK God, I'll serve you; just don't make me a servant!
By John Fischer

Sure God, I'll serve (as long as I get a little glory in the process).

So goes a story Julie sent me about her experience volunteering at a local church. It strikes a familiar chord, doesn't it?

As she tells it, an opportunity arose for a group of workers from her church to help a sister church build its place of worship. Being pretty handy herself at staining, painting, and wallpapering, Julie was looking forward to utilizing her skills to help build a house where God would be honored in a special way. She saw it as a way of sanctifying her abilities. She had done all these things in her own home; now she could contribute them to God and his work.

Julie writes: I had such glorious visions of helping, but when I arrived, none of this was a part of what was to be done. Instead, I was assigned the job of cleaning the floors, going behind and sweeping up the sawdust, being sure nothing dangerous was left, putting the garbage out, and generally making sure everyone had what they needed; all the while the men were plastering the walls, wiring, and putting in the baptismal tub in the floor - all the important stuff I wanted to do!

What a difference from what I thought this would be! I finally figured out that God really wanted me to accept whatever he gave me to do with the right attitude. Learning this lesson of humility has served me well so many times since then. If I forget, he is absolutely certain to remind me - and not always in the easiest way either! A humble spirit truly serves our Lord.
How familiar is this? I think we all have had to learn this lesson over and over again. It's almost as if we are saying, “OK God, I'll serve you; just don't make me a servant!” Surprise! God's always got another thing coming!

Something else came to me as I read Julie's story. It might seem that doing this stuff in a house of worship was more sacred than in her own home, but that is not the case. Providing a pleasant environment for people to live, eat, sleep, and relate to each other is no less sacred than building a church. In a sense, our house is a church since it is where people gather for fellowship, prayer, teaching, and worship.

This immediately lends a lot more credibility to the list my wife left me of maintenance things around our house to finish this week while she is off on a business trip. All of this is a part of being a servant and a part of building God's house as well. And besides, I get to do the work and the clean-up. How glamorous is that, Julie! Too bad there's no one to notice (except God).

3th June 2006

Christians Behaving Badly
By John Fischer

Today’s devotional may hurt a bit, but sometimes we need that.

I received an email from a reader who has followed my references to fellowship at a local Starbucks or other such establishment with a kind of insider curiosity because she has worked in two different Starbucks stores for 12 years. Unfortunately her report on Christian behavior in these stores was less than favorable. “Both stores brought the same scenario: Christians behaving badly. Having lived in the same area for 35 years and 28 of those years very involved with Christian work and fellowship, I know a lot of people who are Christians, including pastors and other leaders. It has been my observance that the majority of these people do not display their Christian kindness.” She goes on to note that she has seen people who were not Christians be kinder to the less fortunate, while observing Christians being rude, crowding in line, and being demanding and arrogant to such an extent that she has been ashamed of being associated with them.

I wouldn’t bring this up if I didn’t have a similar report from Christians who work in restaurants observing how poorly Christians tip. An article I published about this a few years back generated a large response from Christian restaurant workers around the country confirming this observation. Many of them have an extremely hard time trying to share Christ with their co-workers as a result of bad behavior by other Christians.

Folks, we’re not doing very well here. If we have a mission in the world (and we do) this is a poor way to go about it. Our behavior is our first line of witness. You can’t behave badly and then turn around and offer Jesus to people. It’s like leaving a fake dollar bill with the gospel printed on the other side as a reward for serving up a $60.00 table!

Listen to what Peter says: “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God…” (1 Peter 2:12).

Let’s go out of our way today to be kind to those who serve us in public places. And for heaven’s sake, if you’re going to have church at St. Arbucks, stuff that tipping jar full, especially if you’re going to take up a couple of tables for an hour. Make those employees glad to see you come. And take some coffee to the homeless people outside as you leave.

Wouldn’t it be great if waiters and waitresses were clamoring to get the table where Christians are gathering because they know they will be generous, kind, courteous and fun to be around? And while you’re at it, ask how your server is doing. You may end up with a relationship that could change their life… and yours.

2nd June 2006

Finding Good
By John Fischer

If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you! - Proverbs 11:27

Why is it that we are often more fascinated by evil than by good? At least, according to this proverb, it appears that evil is easier to come by. Look for it and it will find you. It will be everywhere. Evil does appear to be a hot topic. It shows up in our movies and films. It dominates our intrigue in apocalyptic material. It permeates our science fiction. News about calamity is much more sensational than news about some good service that has been performed by someone.

In contrast finding good takes a little work. It’s harder to create and harder to portray. It’s as if our default setting is for evil but good has to be searched out. Yet the fact that it can be found and enjoyed makes the search worthwhile.

I’ve always seen this concept as a part of what daily worship is—worship that is not dependent on a religious context. The proverb says that if I look for good I will be rewarded, but it’s not going to come get me. Evil will come get me, but good won’t. Good, I have to wake up and find. It’s all about being alert to it. It’s about looking for God and truth in the daily activities of our lives.

This may sound like a task, and I suppose it is, but it is not cumbersome. It’s a challenge and one with a great deal of joy attached, for the rewards are great. One big reward is discovering that I don’t have to wait for church to worship. I learn that I can worship anywhere to the extent that I have trained myself to seek out that which is good. Finding good is the same thing as finding God, because God is glorified in all that is good.

A car hit a pedestrian last night three blocks from my house. It was serious because it required a helicopter to airlift the person out. From the tape cordoning off the accident scene and the amount of time it took police to conduct their investigation; it was clear that this accident was potentially fatal. As I watched the helicopter lift off our neighborhood street I prayed for good to come out of this—for the person hit to know eternal life, for that person’s loved ones to find comfort in God, for the workers to know respect for life and the Giver of life, and for the crowd of people who formed on the sidewalk to consider seriously their purpose in life while there is still time. And then I thanked God for my safety and especially the safety of my children who run on these same streets. Even in this tragic scene, good was to be found.

1st June 2006

Seven o'clock prayer
A waitress finds God at work in the most unusual places
by Kay Meyers

The date was Sept. 12, 2001. The young people at the restaurant where I work as a waitress hadn't experienced anything close to 9/ll. They didn't have assassinations, cities burning, and devastating pictures of Vietnam to cloud their heads as I did. The evening was crystal clear, but the air felt thick with loss and sorrow.

The local paper had suggested business groups pray publicly. Someone in our group had said, "No matter what, we'll put down trays and bus tubs, step out to the sidewalk, and pray at seven." Knowing my co-workers, I expected silent prayer. When we stepped outside, Michelle said, "Are you gonna do this, Kay?" I wondered if I could, and looking on their faces, I was suddenly drawn back to the years and tears that had made them a part of my life.

The early years of my walk with Christ were padded with safety and beauty. I was home with my children and I was milk fed spiritually, as they were physically. God was very good to give me an easy path as a baby Christian.
In church, my sympathy used to go out to those who testified with heavy hearts of suffering in "the world of the workplace." They spoke of their difficult week, working with sinners they had no connection to. I thought I was God's favored child, being spared such hardship. They had a cross I didn't have to bear.

Then my easy life came crashing down into separation and divorce, and with a heavy heart I had to return to the work arena. Like a gladiator entering the Coliseum, I figured I'd be devoured within minutes. Sure enough, the language was shocking to my virgin ears, and the stories from my new companions amounted to culture shock. I knew the love of Christ, but my abilities to communicate with those who did not know him as I did were poor. I was uncomfortable and defensive. Strange, how quickly we can forget the pit from which we came! My co-workers didn't understand me, and I didn't understand them. What's more, I didn't even want to understand!

I can't pinpoint the moment of change, but God started working on me. I slowly began to listen and care. Friendships evolved as my vulnerable side was revealed. When they realized I wasn't the perfect little church wife, they liked me better. We grew comfortable with one another, and I became more sensitive to their stories, even their complaints about other Christians. I often fail at work, but God moves and repairs - often using my mistakes to draw me closer to those around me.

One afternoon, before another waitress arrived, I filled her table-for-12 with my own customers. She confronted me on what I had done, and after defending myself, I stewed all evening. Later that night, while cleaning our sections, my behavior toward her was so heavy on me that I took her aside. I told her I was wrong and apologized. My eyes filled with tears. That Christmas, knowing my struggles as a single parent, she and another waitress gave me $50. God had built a bridge!

God's fingerprints are all over people. When I slow down and take the time to look into their eyes, I discover they are all wonderful, eternal beings. This is when finding God at work is like winning an Easter egg hunt. You know he is there, but discovering him is like the last egg - a beautiful surprise.

One young man I worked with was heading for college. Jeremy had a background in church, but that summer his parents were in the process of a divorce. We would often eat together and bounce our thoughts back and forth. He spoke of his disillusion with church and family; I would affirm my belief in both. He was experiencing rejection and fear; I was modeling hope, love, and stability in Christ to a lunch buddy. We were never angry or defensive with one another, but enjoyed our summer "sport." The last day he worked, Jeremy took the trouble to come back to the kitchen and say goodbye. I grinned and asked if he wanted me to pray with him. Expecting a final negative joke, I did a double take when he said yes. So I took him back to the storage room, where we prayed, surrounded by cans of tomato paste.

Do I have bad moments at work? Oh my! In a typical 40-hour week, the uglies have time to surface in all of us. I have simultaneously wanted to slap someone, while remembering Christ's mandate to love. So I take a deep breath and go the extra mile - until the next time. I think God loves to be in the midst of our struggles.

Mostly I have seen the dividends of long-term investments -- investments in conversations, in bringing co-workers home for dinner, in baby showers (not preceded by weddings), in karaoke night at the bar (yes, they asked me and, yes, I went), in offering rides home, and in apologizing. Love and faith are open to the motion of God. We do not program the moments anymore than we can program love and faith. They are his doing and are set in motion before we arrive on the scene.

Christ has given me moments of immense joy in the workplace, where I often find him more visible than I do at church. His love has been evidenced in my life on sidewalks, and next to tomato paste cans. Having my way, or proving I am right is not the issue. God is visible when I participate in lives. I have seen hearts turn, but mine has too. I fly higher and the vision is broader from here.

So it was with a profound sense of what I had learned from these friends that I attempted to lead this bewildered group in that seven o'clock prayer - like the rest of the nation, still in shock from the events of the day before.
All I could think of was to start with words from a hymn, "Oh God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come." I went on praying for our nation, other nations, and those damaged by the tragedy. One of the many reasons I love sinners is the freedom I have with them (because I am one too). They most certainly won't critique my prayers. And as I prayed, I realized anew how much they meant to me, so I ended by saying, "Thank you, thank you, for these dear young people who mean so much to me. They have taught me more about you, Jesus, than I have ever taught them. Amen."

With tears on all our faces they thanked me, hugged me, and said, "That was awesome." I wondered if they had ever heard anyone give thanks for them before.