The Narrow Path -My Daily Devotionals

an update to my year.. so far

2008-02-08T23:31:00.000+08:00

To everyone out there who is still faithfully coming back to my blog now and then, and repetitively disappointed, here's a short post to show that the blogged is not abandoned, and has definitely not become a piece of "netsam" (if u get what I mean).

I know its only the start, but the year of 2008 is indeed an eventful one. Many unexpected events have taken place. More responsibilities and commitments. More opportunities for showing the love and compassion God has shown me to others, and more chances to grow in wisdom and knowledge!

I guess I asked for it. He was just answering my prayers of wanting to love and serve others more, as well as to grow in wisdom. Thats how God works I guess. He the potter and not Santa Claus. You get what you want through a painful process and not instantly, like "BAM" and you become like Mother Teresa or Albert Einstein.

Wow this is gonna be a real busy year for me. But no matter how difficult things will be, I thank God for everything because I know that at the end of it, I'll surely grow into a stronger person for his kingdom! And the best thing is that his love never fails and he is faithful forever and ever (no matter how undeserving you may be). He will guide you all the way as long as you allow Him to! Praise the Lord!

To Him be All Glory Now and Forever.

Clinical Chemistry Attachment Stint @ *GH

2007-07-10T21:43:00.001+08:00

Hi guys!

IN case you STILL don't know, I'm currently working in the groundbreaking biomedical industry! Its like a dream come true for me since I have aspired to be a medical technologist since sec 4. And it has finally happened! A 20 week attachment stint with the biggest hospital in Singapore (I'm not mentioning names here for confidentiality issues), which seems to be providing me a guaranteed opening for a biomedical career!

Working in the clinical lab is really exciting because it is the busiest place around! (especially in a 24h routine lab where I work in.) Here, we do, general tests like basic chemistry tests (Na, K, Cl) and renal, liver, and thyroid function tests, as well as more specialized ones like tumor markers, hormones and even haemotological tests like ferritin and serum folate/ B12.

In the clinical lab, machines are man's best friends. All we have to do is sort out the samples, label and send them to their respective stations, and the people there will load the samples, press some buttons and unload after the machine has finished with the sample processing. In my workplace, patient blood specimens are stored for 3 days, after which they are discarded under strict ISO14k EMS guidlines (read up LMQA ISO14k notes). Sounds simple but thats just a brief overview of the workflow.

Immunoassays are used as the diagnostic method in most, if not all, clinical lab machines. Thus it is fundamental to understand this important principle.

Immunoassay Formats

Assays can be either heterogenous or homogenous.

Heterogenous assays require separation from a bound and unbound label and use chemoluminescence (measured by a photomultiplier in the analyzer) as the measurement method.

Homogenous assays, on the other hand, does not require separation (washing step), and uses photometry (measured by a spectrophotometer) as a common measurement method. Homogeneous assay requires the light-producing reaction to be affected in some way by binding of the ligand to its receptor. Antibody binding leads to a change in the signal measurable from a label or matter in competition for binding first the substance being measured.

So.. Which is better??

Homogeneous assays are desirable because of their simple mix-and-measure nature. This can be achieved when the key binding event (mix) modulates signal generation (measure) without the need for separating bound and unbound ligands.

However, it is far simpler to design heterogeneous assays in which labeled binding pair complexes are separated from unbound labeled reactants. Most chemiluminescent reactions can be adapted to this assay format, by labeling either with a chemiluminescent compound or with an enzyme and using a chemiluminescent substrate. Most commercially developed immunoassays are of this type.

Diagrams (click to enlarge)
Homogenous Assay of Thyroxine

Heterogenous Immunoassay of Prolactin

(University of Glasgow, 1996)

Thats all folks! Have an exciting 17 weeks ahead!

27th January 2007- Tribute to Ps Aaron

2007-01-27T22:30:00.000+08:00

From Pastor to friend to brother- The closest Pastor one can ever have

It was a day to be remembered for all. The day where no one expected to come- at least not so soon. One of his last sentences was, "I missed my mark."

Much preparation has been made for this day. I guess I missed the pre-parade segment. But at least I didn't miss the excitement of the actual party.

6.30pm, I arrived in CCR. I was half-an hour late, even though my father "chauffered" me due to the light rain. On retrospect, the rain seemed like drops of tears from heaven, as if God was also weeping with all of us..

As I entered the 3rd floor, I found that all the food was ready, the people hungry but just something or somebody was missing. Who else but the one this whole event was planned for? It was a thanksgiving dinner for our beloved youth pastor- Pastor Aaron.

I began catching up with my fellow brothers-in-christ and suddenly, a wave of restlessness spread among the people. Before I could say anything, I heard someone whispering, "Shh! He'll be here any moment!" I looked at the doorway and saw the doorway blocked by a huge sheet of paper with a nicely-drawn picture of a ferocious tiger displaying its array of razor-sharp teeth.

After what seemed like hours, but actually minutes, of waiting, we finally saw the shadow of a pair of legs behind the sheet of paper. A curious pair of eyes peeped through the tiny slit in the middle of the canine's snaring mouth. Before we knew it, "SPLAAAAT" and the man of the night has broken his way through our "solid" defence of a piece of paper. It was too fast even for the camera-men to jam the shuttlers. The man was poised for danger.. but nothing came. And as the sound of cheering, laughing and clapping filled the air, a smile which grew wider and wider through time flashed across his face. It was certainly a hilarious yet unique way to kick-start the party.

An opening prayer was said before we started feasting. And after that we had a great choir performance by some youth members, who formed the choir group in January... 2007. Meaningful lyrics. Forgot the actual words but it said that no matter how the paths of fellow christians may diverge on Earth, someday they will still converge up in Heaven. A video presentation with most members sharing about their experiences and thanksgiving speeches to Bro Aaron was then screened. Some were funny, some creative and some outright serious. My belonged to the last group. Doesn't matter I guess.. As long as it came from the heart.

Finally, an open time of sharing preceeded, where the time was opened to anybody who wanted to share an testimonies of the things he has.. or rather God has done through him. Many heartwarming things were said. And some sharings almost moved me to tears. To my surprise, I found that Aaron wasn't just a brother to me, but to all alike. He was always there for everyone, instinctively and proactively. If everyone were to give an account of what he has done for them, I guess we can start with the next day's youth service in no time. He was an example of well-formed love. Love that is patient, kind, not easily angered, not self-seeking, not boastful and love that keeps no record of wrongs. And no one could deny that they couldn't see Jesus in him. I thought: If this is just a fraction of God's love, then how amazing His love actually is! And how much thankful should we be for his love, which is higher than the highest mountains and deeper the the deepest seas!

Just when I thought the party was over, the climax of the event came. Aaron was invited onto the stage to say "a few" words. Some of us, especially the sisters were already tearing or with eyes swollen. An emotional Aaron began to speak. He began by recounting his NS days were he would look at his watch after his 2.4km run, with disappointment.. because he missed his mark.

And that, he said, was what he was feeling at that very moment.

He continued on to explain how hopeless the ministry was when he first stepped in. A desert of spiritual dryness among the people.. A dying ministry.. A great deception.. by none other than the Prince of Hades himself. Satan has sowed the greatest lie of all time in most of the older youths, that Hearts on Fire will never make it big. It will forever be that "insignificant youth ministry" opposite a grand mega church. It suddenly dawned upon me that this was so true! As I searched through the archives of the things I had said about my church, I realize that I always used words like "a very small church" or "you won't know one la, even if I tell you" or "that one lo, opposite lighthouse church". I never or rarely said "Chapel of Christ the Redeemer" with pride. Looks like its a subtle attitude that indirectly but potently suppresses our morales and spiritual motivation. And it has to, and will go.

Aaron went on to share how he struggled with this issues, including the really emotional parts which left him immobilized in speech. The humility he demonstrated far-surpasses any other I've ever seen. He never hides his emotions and is frank with us even to specific issues he is struggling with. Yup, even though he is our Pastor. Right at that moment, he was struggling to open his mouth, but the words just won't come out. Tears streamed from his eyes instead. Soon he was sobbing like I've never seen before. I dare not and couldn't bear to look furthur. I turned away and found many others whipping out tissues or rubbing their eyes. But I couldn't stop the sounds of my dear weeping brother from entering my ears. I felt the tears welling and cilliary muscles twitching... And before long, thankfully, he moved on to a more light-hearted issue and everybody began to cheer up. "Phew.." I heaved a sigh of relief. I didn't mind crying, just that there must at least be some people crying with me! =P

After the whole event, I personally thanked Aaron for his love and concern for me, his prayers and his encouragements. If not for his prayers, my wounds may not have healed so quickly. Yep.. the ones caused by the lovebite from an exceptionally passionate Siberian Husky, that landed me in CGH with 4 nice stitches for Christmas.

As I walked home, I thanked God for such a blessing in my life. No doubt an angel in disguise. I reflected and asked God how I could be used like him, to show care and concern, so as to bless those around me. God revealed to me that I should reach out to those closest to me first- my family! He directed me to hold regular bible study together as a family so we can grow in Christ together, keep each other accountable and bridge better relationships! Praise the Lord for a christian family! Not forgetting my granny, whom I really should cherish and talk to more often. Hopefully I can persuade her to find some christian friends to minister to her. His grace is sufficient for me!

The most important lesson through this is to never take people for granted. I must admit that it is only recently that I started cherishing Aaron. Then I realise that I had been taking my parents, as well as many important people around me for granted too. Only when they are gone will I see their importance. And like in this case, it is a little too late. It is, however, comforting to know that God has a plan for him, in his best interests. Also, its not his obituary so he's still always a call, email or sms away. Just that we won't get to see each other so often anymore. Hopefully Disciple Group wil resume. Or will the responnsibilty be handed over to us instead? That will be another story for another day..

Brother Aaron, just want you to know that u didn't miss the mark. You've done God proud by reaching out to almost each one of us (a great feat indeed!), strengthening the very foundations of Hearts on Fire. This will certainly have far-reaching effects on a ministry which was once dry, but now with renewed hope and vigour in Christ our Saviour.

Praise the Lord, you are such a blessing to all of us at Hearts on Fire!

2nd October 2006- Confessing our Sins

2006-10-02T22:54:00.000+08:00

Run to God
By Kenneth Copeland

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
–(1 John 1:9)

It's wonderful to know you've been set free from the law of sin and death. It's glorious to know you never again have to submit to the slavery of sin. But what do you do when, in spite of those wonderful, glorious truths, you still miss the mark? What do you do when you stumble and fall into sin?

Run to your Father and repent!

That sounds simple. But oddly enough we often do just the opposite. Instead of running to God, we let fear and guilt drive us further and further from Him. We start thinking things like, "Well, I've missed it now. I might as well forget the rest of it and live like the devil."

Don't make that mistake. Don't let Satan talk you into sinning in one area of your life just because you missed it in another. When you get off track with God, just confess it and get right back on.

"But, Brother Copeland, I feel so guilty when I tell God what I've done that it's hard for me to make myself do it." I know. I used to feel that way too. Then, one day, God said to me, "Kenneth, when you confessed that sin wasn't when I found out about it. I knew about it all the time! When you confessed it is when you got rid of it, when you were cleansed of its effects in your life."

When you make a mistake, when you miss the mark, remember, you have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous (1 John 2:1). Run to Him! He knows what you are going through. You don't need to be afraid. He didn't tear you apart for the sins you committed before you made Him Lord of your life, did He? Then how much more merciful and loving do you think He'll be now that you're His own? Now that you're reaching out for Him and have a heart for Him?

Don't run from God. Run to Him. Receive His forgiveness. Receive His cleansing. No matter how badly you've sinned, He's eager to forgive and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness.

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Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 11:1-5, 2 Samuel 12:1-13"

1. 2 Samuel 11:1-5

11:1
In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.
11:2
One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,
11:3
and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "Isn't this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite?"
11:4
Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (She had purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she went back home.
11:5
The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant."

2. 2 Samuel 12:1-13

12:1
The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
12:2
The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,
12:3
but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
12:4
"Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."
12:5
David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!
12:6
He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."
12:7
Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
12:8
I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more.
12:9
Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.
12:10
Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'
12:11
"This is what the Lord says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.
12:12
You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'"
12:13
Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.
New International Version

Why worry when you can Meditate?

2006-09-10T17:41:00.000+08:00

Why worry when you can meditate?
by John Fischer

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)

I’m a chronic worrier. I come from a long line of worriers. A good deal of my conscious time is taken up with the act of worrying. According to Rick Warren, this means I would be good at meditation.

Meditation is focused thinking. It is not just for monks and clerics. David said that he loved to meditate day and night on the Word of God. Now this was also while he was running a kingdom, fighting a perpetual enemy on the battlefield, and at times, running for his life. He didn’t have a lot of time to sit with his legs crossed and go “Ommmmmm.” That kind of meditation is meant to clear the mind of all thoughts. Biblical meditation is thinking focused on a particular aspect of God, a part of God’s Word, or a reminder of what he has done for you.

Worry is focused thinking as well. It’s focused on what I can’t answer or solve about my situation. Worry, at least for me, is returning over and over again to a place where I am stuck. I must somehow negatively feed on that little flutter of panic each time I follow a path of worry to the same hopeless conclusion. These are thoughts that accompany me throughout the day. I don’t sit down to worry. Worry is nagging negativity.

It would stand to reason that if I can do this kind of professional worrying while I go about my tasks for the day, then I could choose to meditate on God’s Word instead. Worry is usually all about what you can’t do anything about anyway. It’s never productive. Imagine all that attention turned to God and his truth.

I have the feeling that if I learned to turn my chronic worrying into meditation, when I did actually sit down to do something about those things I’m tempted to worry about, I might be in a much better frame of mind to find a solution.

Try it today. If you catch yourself worrying, turn your thoughts instead to God and his Word. Take a portion of Scripture and turn it over and over in your mind. Remember what God has done for you. Be thankful.

Why worry when you can meditate?

23th August 2006- Patience to "Want nothing".

2006-08-23T17:41:00.000+08:00

No Consolation Prize
By Kenneth Copeland

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4

I talk a lot about faith. But there's another force that goes along with it that's just as important. It's patience, the ability to stand fast on the Word of God even when your victory seems slow in coming.

Patience is not automatic. It won't go to work unless you let it go to work. So many people don't understand that. They somehow think faith and patience will go to work for them without their help. They just let the devil tear their lives apart and then they say silly things like, "Well, I guess God sent that trial to strengthen my faith."

Don't you ever get caught saying that!

In the first place, James says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God" (James 1:13). And in the second place, that trial isn't going to make your faith stronger. In fact, it'll destroy it if you'll let it.

If I were to give you a set of weights, would that set of weights make you any stronger? No. As a matter of fact, if you dropped one of them on your foot, you could end up painfully weaker. It's what you do with them that counts, right?

Well, the same thing is true when you run into some kind of trying circumstance the devil's brought your way. If you just lay down and let it run over you, it will damage you. But if you'll let patience have her perfect work, if you'll remain consistently constant, trusting in and relying confidently on the Word of God, you'll end up perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

"Wanting nothing." That phrase alone should convince you that patience is no consolation prize. It's a first-rate power that will put the promises of God within your reach. It's a force that will make a winner out of you.

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Scripture Reading (Genesis 26:15-22):

26:15
So all the wells that his father's servants had dug in the time of his father Abraham, the Philistines stopped up, filling them with earth.
26:16
Then Abimelech said to Isaac, "Move away from us; you have become too powerful for us."
26:17
So Isaac moved away from there and encamped in the Valley of Gerar and settled there.
26:18
Isaac reopened the wells that had been dug in the time of his father Abraham, which the Philistines had stopped up after Abraham died, and he gave them the same names his father had given them.
26:19
Isaac's servants dug in the valley and discovered a well of fresh water there.
26:20
But the herdsmen of Gerar quarreled with Isaac's herdsmen and said, "The water is ours!" So he named the well Esek, because they disputed with him.
26:21
Then they dug another well, but they quarreled over that one also; so he named it Sitnah.
26:22
He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, "Now the Lord has given us room and we will flourish in the land."
New International Version

13th August 2006- One Heart, one spirit, one mind!

2006-08-13T22:33:00.000+08:00

Heart to Heart
By Gloria Copeland

Isn't it exciting to realize that you can hold the thoughts and feelings and purposes of God's very own heart in your heart? Isn't it thrilling to know the Creator of heaven and earth wants to be one spirit with you and transmit His thoughts to your mind?

First Corinthians 6:17 says that when you were joined to the Lord you became one spirit with Him. He came into union with you so that He can talk to you heart to heart. God wants you in this harmony with Him so that His thoughts can become your actions. He wants you to walk so closely with Him that you never lack power to overcome the evil of this world. He wants you to be so in tune with His Spirit that you are able to feel His heart of compassion toward those around you who are hurting or bowed down with sickness and pain. He wants to be one with you, so He can reach out through your hands and fulfill His purposes in the earth.

Make a fresh commitment today to walk in union with your God. Give your attention to His Spirit in your inner man. Determine to yield to His voice and not to the voices of the world or the flesh!

Allow the mind of Christ to flow through you!
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Scripture Reading (1 Corinthians 2):

1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.
6 We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"-- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" 16 But we have the mind of Christ.
New International Version
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3th August 2006- Let the Spring of living water spring from your heart

2006-08-03T18:10:00.000+08:00

Let It Flow
By Gloria Copeland

John 4:14
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Gentleness. Goodness. Faith. Meekness. Temperance. Powerful forces the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit. They're the character traits of God Himself and when the Holy Spirit came to dwell in you, He brought them with Him, so they could become your character traits too.

They're designed to bubble up inside you, to gush forth like a powerful stream constantly protecting and cleansing you from the inside out.

Have you ever noticed that you can't put any trash in the mouth of a flowing fountain? When it's shooting that water up, the force of its own outflow protects it and keeps it clear of any impurities from the outside. Well, the spiritual fountain within you works the same way. When you're allowing the forces of love and joy and peace and gentleness and all the others to flow out, the devil can't get any of his junk in.

How do you keep the Spirit flowing? You pump your heart so full of the Word of God that the forces of eternal life start bubbling out. Just a little at first...and then stronger and higher.

Choose to keep those forces streaming out of the fountain of your heart. Refuse to let selfishness and sin stop the flow. You have a fountain filled with unbeatable LIFE forces inside you and it's ready to come forth. Let it flow!

Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 17:7-13
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17:7
"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
17:8
He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
17:10
"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve."
17:11
Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the man who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is half gone, they will desert him, and in the end he will prove to be a fool.
17:12
A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.
17:13
O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water.
New International Version
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31th July 2006- Don't Serve the Problem

2006-07-31T20:19:00.000+08:00

Don't Serve the Problem
By Kenneth Copeland

You can't win a victory as long as the problem is the biggest thing in your life!

The Lord woke me up to that fact a few years ago. At that time I was facing some difficulties in my ministry that seemed so big to me, I thought about them from morning till night. Even though I was standing against them, I was thinking more about those problems than about the scripture promises I was standing on.

Then I saw something in Matthew 6:24-25:

"Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life."

I'd read that scripture hundreds of times, but that day I saw something I'd never noticed before. I saw that immediately after Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters," He said, "Take no thought." Suddenly it hit me: We serve our thoughts!

That's why Isaiah 55 says for us to forsake our thoughts, and by the Word, take God's thoughts. That's why 2 Corinthians 10:5 says to cast out thoughts that challenge the Word and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Do you want deliverance from your problems today?

Then quit serving them! Quit allowing them to consume your thought life. And don't wait until circumstances change to do it. Instead, realize that circumstances won't ever change until you switch from wrong to right thinking.

I know that's not easy to do, especially in the midst of heavy darkness and trial. But you can do it if you'll do these three things:

First, remember you aren't alone. You have the Word (God's thoughts). You have the Holy Spirit to strengthen you and you have the mind of Christ.

Second, get around people who are full of faith. Instead of rehearsing your problem, let them do the talking. Make yourself listen. Join in with their faith and resist darkness.

Third, praise God. Do whatever it takes to make yourself praise. When you begin to praise, God's presence will turn back those worried thoughts and make them fall!

Your problems are not the biggest thing in your life. Jesus is. Serve Him with your thoughts and He will set you free!

Point to Ponder: It all begins with the thought. Circumstances won't change until you switch from the wrong to right thoughts.

Verse: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him. (Isaiah 55:7)

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55

What we can do about it: The 3 steps above! Also, pray constantly of the renewing of your mind, for God to guard our thoughts and to deliver us from temptations.

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Scripture Reading (Isaiah 55):

1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. 2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. 3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David. 4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples. 5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."
6 Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. 13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
New International Version

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30th July 2006- True Compassion

2006-07-30T18:30:00.000+08:00

True Compassion

What is true Compassion? Are we loving each other correctly and genuinely?

From 1st Corinthians 13,
Love is
1. Patient
2. Kind
3. Humble
4. Without envy
5. Non self-seeking
6. Slow to anger
7. Non-calculative
8. Forgiving
9. Trusting
10. Persevering (esp. to those non-christians we need to reach out to)

1st Corinthians 13:4-12
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
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Therefore, lets show the grace and compassion of the Lord to those around us, by using the above conditions as a benchmark to check ourselves regularly!

29th July 2006- Step into the Light. A Prayer.

2006-07-29T13:06:00.000+08:00

Step Into the Light
By Kenneth Copeland

As long as you live by the Word of God, you never have to be in the dark again. You never have to remain in confusion about which path to take. You never have to grope blindly along, struggling to find your own way.

Isn't that great? Isn't it exciting to know that the Word of God will give you all the light you need every day of your life if you'll allow it to?

Build your faith in that Word and renew your commitment to it as you make this confession today:

"Father, in the Name of Jesus, I commit myself to walk in Your Word. I recognize that Your Word is integrity itself-- steadfast, sure, eternal--and I trust my life to its provisions.

"You have sent Your Word forth into my heart. I let it dwell in me richly in all wisdom. It does not depart out of my mouth; I meditate in it day and night so that I may diligently act on it. Your Word is an incorruptible seed, abiding in my spirit, and it's growing mightily in me now, producing Your nature, Your life.

"I thank You, Father, that Your Word is my counsel, my shield, my buckler, my powerful weapon in battle. It is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. It makes my way straight before me, and I never stumble or fall for my steps are ordered by Your Word.

"I recognize the strategies and deceits of Satan and I put a stop to them by speaking Your Word out of my mouth in faith.

"I am confident, Father, that You are at work in me both to will and to do Your good pleasure. I exalt Your Word. I hold it in high esteem and give it first place in my life. I boldly and confidently say that my heart is fixed and established on the solid foundation--the living Word of God. Amen!"

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Scripture Reading (Psalm 119:89-105):

119:89
Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.
119:90
Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures.
119:91
Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.
119:92
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. 119:93
I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.
119:94
Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts.
119:95
The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes.
119:96
To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.
119:97
Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.
119:98
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.
119:99
I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.
119:100
I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.
119:101
I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.
119:102
I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.
119:103
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
119:104
I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.
New International Version
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24th July 2006- Don't Let Your Faith Slip

2006-07-25T17:44:00.000+08:00

Don't Let Your Faith Slip
By Kenneth Copeland

Something very serious has been happening to the Body of Christ. We've often let the things which we have heard, the message of faith and righteousness, slip.

I'm not just talking about those believers who've been so surrounded by religion that they've never heard about the power that's theirs in Christ Jesus. I'm talking about those of us who have heard the Word and have known the thrill of living by faith.

In my own life, for example, there were times when I'd pray for healing. I'd say all the right words, "Thank God, I believe I receive..." and all that. But inside I'd be thinking, "I wonder why God isn't healing me?"

You see, even though I'd said that I believed I was healed, I hadn't really. I'd staggered at the promise of God, believing what my body told me instead of the Word of God.

I don't care how long you've been a believer or how long you've been practicing the principles of faith. You can easily slip into unbelief about the promises of God. And, when you do, it will cost you dearly.

"But if slipping into unbelief is so easy," you may say, "how can we avoid it?"

Hebrews 4:11 tells us: "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

We must labor! Not by working with our hands and feet or struggling to get God to do something, but by spending time in God's Word--hanging onto the promises of God by faith day after day. We must labor by hearkening to the Word and refusing to let it slip.

Don't get casual about the Word. Don't make the mistake of thinking, "Oh I know all that faith stuff. I know how to receive my healing." Don't slack off or one of these days the devil will catch you unprepared and steal you blind.

Instead, dig more deeply in the Word than ever. Labor! Be diligent to keep your faith from slipping--and you won't have to fall!

Point to Ponder: We've often let the things which we have heard, the message of faith and righteousness slip, falling into disbelief. This will cost us dearly.

Verse: We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. (Hebrews 2:1)

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 10:23-39

What you can do about it: We must spend time in God's Word--hanging onto the promises of God by faith day after day.

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Scripture Reading (Hebrews 10:23-39):

10:23
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
10:24
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
10:25
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
10:26
If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,
10:27
but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.
10:28
Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
10:29
How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?
10:30
For we know him who said, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," and again, "The Lord will judge his people."
10:31
It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
10:32
Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering.
10:33
Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.
10:34
You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
10:35
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
10:36
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
10:37
For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay.
10:38
But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."
10:39
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.
New International Version

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20th July 2006- Let Your Life Shout!

2006-07-20T18:13:00.000+08:00

Let Your Life Shout!
By Kenneth Copeland

"The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good." Psalms 14:1

Most of us would never dream this verse could apply to us. After all, we're believers! We'd never say that there is no God.

But maybe we should think again. It's true that with our mouths we would never say something like that...but what about with our actions?

Do we say it by sinning just a little here and there and thinking it won't matter? Do we go to an immoral movie or have a gossip session about the pastor, ignoring God's command to the contrary?

With our actions are we saying, "There is no God?"

Psalm 14:1 connects that kind of thing to corruption. Whether he realizes it or not, the more a person acts that way, the more corrupt he's going to become.

Don't make the foolish mistake of publicly proclaiming Jesus as your Lord, and then privately denying Him with one little action at a time. Use wisdom in everything you do so that both your heart and your life shout loudly, "My God reigns!"

Point to Ponder: If we want to say that there's a God, ew must do so with our words and actions.

Verse: The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalms 14:1

Scripture Reading: Psalm 14:1-7, 15:1-5"

What we can do about it: Let our life be a living testimony for God, being careful not to sin a little here and there, denying him in the process. Pray for God to empower us with the strength and wisdom to shine for his glory through both our words and actions.

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Scripture Reading (Psalm 14:1-7, 15:1-5)
a. Psalms 14:1-7

14:1
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.
14:2
The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
14:3
All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
14:4
Will evildoers never learn-- those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the Lord?
14:5
There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.
14:6
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the Lord is their refuge.
14:7
Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!

b. Psalms 15:1-5

15:1
Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?
15:2
He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart
15:3
and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
15:4
who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
15:5
who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
New International Version
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19th July 2006- No Hard Hearts

2006-07-19T14:14:00.000+08:00

No Hard Hearts
By Kenneth Copeland

The Pharisees had a heart condition that grieved Jesus. Their hearts were hard and insensitive. If you'll look in Mark 3, you'll see what I'm talking about.

God was right there in their midst and they, of all people, should have realized it. They knew the Scriptures backward and forward, and Jesus fit every messianic prophecy written there. But the insensitivity of their hearts literally blinded them to who He was.

The hearts of the Pharisees were also hardened to the needs of the people around them.

That very same thing is still happening today. Just think again about what those Pharisees were doing. They were:

1. Criticizing the minister of God.
2. Protecting their religious traditions instead of obeying the Word of God.
3. Worrying about their own welfare rather than that of those around them.

Have you ever known any believers who fit that description? Sure you have! In fact, every one of us has done those things at some time in our lives. Every one of us, to one degree or another, has fallen prey to the same mistake the Pharisees did. We've gotten so caught up in doing and saying all the "right" things that we've let the tender warmth of God's love inside us grow cold.

I know that's true because if it weren't, we'd be seeing tremendous moves of God among us. We'd be seeing revival on every corner.

That's what God longs to do. God longs to pour out His Spirit in supernatural power and abundance through His Church. But we've developed a heart condition that's holding Him back.

Today if you are desiring an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in your life and the manifestation of His power in your church, check the condition of your heart.

Point to Ponder: We've gotten so caught up in doing and saying all the "right" things that we've let the tender warmth of God's love inside us grow cold.

Verse: For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Scripture Reading: Mark 3:1-6

What you can do about it: Check the condition of your heart. If you find any hardness there, repent and ask God to change you. Ask Him to give you the kind of heart that will allow Him to show Himself strong on your behalf.

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Scripture Reading (Mark 3:1-6):

3:1
Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there.
3:2
Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.
3:3
Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone."
3:4
Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent.
3:5
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.
3:6
Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
New International Version

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18th July 2006- Pride Kills

2006-07-18T21:56:00.000+08:00

A Legend in Your Own Mind
By Gloria Copeland

Do you want to know one of the secrets of staying in the will of God, of keeping yourself from getting off track?

Don't overestimate yourself!

Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." How many times have we seen that borne out! How many times do we see believers get into trouble because they get an overblown idea of themselves. They begin to think they're so smart that they have it all figured out.

Then, the next thing you know, they're thinking they have to straighten everyone else out. Instead of just letting Jesus be Head of the Church, they feel like they have to step in and do the job.

Once that happens, it's just a matter of time before they're flat on their faces in failure. Why? Because the Bible says God resists the proud! (1 Pet. 5:5).

Don't put yourself in a position where God has to resist you. Rate your own abilities soberly. Adopt an attitude of humility. Keep a watch on yourself, and when you catch yourself getting puffed up with your own greatness, repent and remember that every good thing you enjoy and every bit of success you've had has come by the grace of God and by His power.

Look back on your life and see how many times you could have lost what God had given you. See how many times, when you were floundering around making every mistake imaginable, His tender and precious mercy pulled you through.

Point to Ponder: Pride goes before a fall.

Verse: Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." (1 Peter 5:5)

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 5:5-7; James 4:6-17

What you can do about it: Don't become a legend in your own mind. Instead, humble yourself beneath the mighty hand of God, and let God do the exalting--that prevents some very painful falls. Meditate on how the Lord has saved you and carried you through your darkest times.

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Scripture Reading (1 Peter 5:5-7; James 4:6-17):

a. 1 Peter 5:5-7
5:5
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
5:7
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
New International Version

b. James 4:6 - 17
4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
4:8
Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
4:9
Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom.
4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
4:11
Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
4:12
There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?
4:13
Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."
4:14
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
4:15
Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."
4:16
As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
4:17
Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
New International Version
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17th July 2006- Make Hell Tremble

2006-07-17T22:49:00.000+08:00

Make Hell Tremble
By Gloria Copeland

Is the devil giving you fits today? Is he causing trouble for you at every turn? If so, turn the table on him. Start making him miserable for a change. You have the power to do it, you know. You have the power residing in you to destroy his works, to heal, to deliver, to set the captives free. You have so much power in you that every time your alarm clock goes off, the devil should wail, "Oh no! That troublemaker is up again!"

A few years ago, I got a letter from a little girl who had attended one of my healing services in Los Angeles. Although she was far too young to understand theology or anything like that, the Lord gave her a very simple and profound revelation as she watched people being healed.

She said that as she looked up at the platform, she couldn't see me at all. She just saw Jesus. And she also saw a devil. Do you know what the devil was doing? He was lying on the floor crying, "This can't be! This can't be! This can't be!"

Right now, at this very moment, the power of the Lord Jesus Christ is at work within you. And it's not just there to get you to heaven someday. It's there so you can give the devil a fit right here on earth. It's there so you can build the kingdom of God now-- while there's still time.

Line up with God's Word and will for your life. Let the anointing of Jesus go forth from within you. All of hell will tremble. And you will never be quite the same again.

Verse: We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. (1 John 5:18)
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Scripture Reading (1 John 5:4-20):
5:4
for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
5:5
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
5:6
This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
5:7
For there are three that testify:
5:8
the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
5:9
We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
5:10
Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
5:11
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
5:13
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
5:15
And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.
5:16
If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that.
5:17
All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.
5:18
We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.
5:19
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.
5:20
We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
New International Version
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15th July 2006- Obedience: No Small Thing

2006-07-15T20:49:00.000+08:00

Obedience: No Small Thing
By Kenneth Copeland

Do you ever have seasons in your life when it seems like every time you go to church and every time you spend time in prayer and every time you open the Bible, you receive a revelation from God? I do. Spiritually, everything will be going great. I'll be higher than a Georgia pine. Then, suddenly, something starts to happen. I start drying up in spiritual things.

It seems like it doesn't make any difference what I pray or how much I read the Word, I can't get anywhere spiritually. I'm so dry my spirit's creaking!

That used to baffle me. I didn't know what the cause was. I didn't have any sin in my life. I'd taken care of that. I was still praying. Still meditating. Still acting on and confessing the Word. But instead of getting results, I was getting nowhere. I'd stand in front of my mirror and confess faith over and over again and the only thing that happened was that my voice got tired!

If that's ever happened to you, may I make a suggestion? Backtrack and find the last thing God told you to do that you didn't do--and do it! It's probably nothing big. Just a seemingly small thing. But, believe me, those minor disobediences will dry up the flow of the Spirit just like the major ones will.

Most of us don't realize that. We'll get on our knees and say, "Oh Lord, I want to go to China for You. I'll go to Africa. I'll go to Russia." But when God says, "Go next door," we just shrug it off.

"I can't do that," we'll say. "That guy next door doesn't like me. Besides, I want to be like Brother Schambach and get a big tent."

If you've done something like that, repent. Then pick up where you left off and do what God directed. And from now on, remember, no matter how insignificant God's instructions may seem, obeying them is no small thing! It's those simple acts of obedience that will make your spiritual house stand...or fall. All the small things combined become the direction of our lives.

Point to Ponder: No matter how insignificant God's instructions may seem, obeying them is no small thing.

Scripture Reading: Luke 16:1-10

Verse: But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6:49)

What you can do about it: If you're living by the spirit and yet getting no results, backtrack and find the last thing God told you to do that you didn't do--and do it!

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Scripture Reading (Luke 16:1-10)

16:1
Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.
16:2
So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'
16:3
"The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg--
16:4
I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'
16:5
"So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'
16:6
"'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.'
16:7
"Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' "'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'
16:8
"The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.
16:9
I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
16:10
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
New International Version

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14th July 2006- Your Deadly Enemy

2006-07-15T00:24:00.000+08:00

Your Deadly Enemy
By Kenneth Copeland

Many of us, even though we're believers, have seen grief and sorrow as such a natural part of life that we haven't even questioned them. In fact, if we're honest, we'd have to admit there are times when we actually want to feel sad and sorry for ourselves.

Why would we choose to feel sorrow? Because sorrow has an emotional kick to it. It offers a surge of feeling that, in the beginning stages, is almost intoxicating.

But grief and sorrow are dangerous things. Several years ago God showed me that they're not the innocent emotions we've thought they were. The force behind these emotions are actually spirit beings sent by the devil himself to kill, steal and destroy.

They are a part of the devastating, satanic barrage Jesus took on Himself when He died on the Cross (Is. 53). He bore grief and sorrow, so we wouldn't have to. If they come knocking on your door, remember, they are not innocent emotions. They are deadly enemies that Jesus already carried away at Calvary.

Don't live as those who have no hope. You're a believer. You know that Jesus Christ died for you and rose again. That not only gives you hope where physical death is concerned, it gives you hope in every situation. Sorrow not!

Point to Ponder: The force behind grief and sorrow are actually spirit beings sent by the devil himself to kill, steal and destroy. They are not innocent emotions.

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 51:11-16

Verse: Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13)

What we can do about it: Don't live as those who have no hope. You're a believer. You know that Jesus Christ died for you and rose again. Hence, we should not be feeling grief and sorrow, but a life of hope and joy!

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Scripture Reading (Isaiah 51:11-16):

51:11
The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.
51:12
"I, even I, am he who comforts you. Who are you that you fear mortal men, the sons of men, who are but grass,
51:13
that you forget the Lord your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, that you live in constant terror every day because of the wrath of the oppressor, who is bent on destruction? For where is the wrath of the oppressor?
51:14
The cowering prisoners will soon be set free; they will not die in their dungeon, nor will they lack bread.
51:15
For I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves roar-- the Lord Almighty is his name.
51:16
I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand-- I who set the heavens in place, who laid the foundations of the earth, and who say to Zion, 'You are my people.'"
New International Version

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13th July 2006- Rejoicing in times of Suffering

2006-07-13T20:30:00.000+08:00

Don't Overlook the Blessings
By Kenneth Copeland

It's easy to get your spiritual eyes fixed so firmly on the problems in your life, you overlook the blessings completely! As a result, you end up suffering through situations that should have you rejoicing.

Let me show you what I mean. Not long ago, this ministry was facing some terrific financial pressures. I stood in faith against them. I battled against them with the Word and in prayer. What I didn't realize was this: During that time when the problems seemed so great--the blessings were even greater. This ministry was growing faster, ministering to more people, writing more letters, printing more publications, sending out more teaching tapes than ever before! It was a breakthrough time...a time for rejoicing. But I didn't know it because I was too busy thinking about the problems.

I was so tunnel visioned, all I could see was the pressure, and I suffered through some hard times when I should have been shouting the victory.

But thank God, He woke me up before it was over. He woke me up to the blessings and reminded me that the problems are temporary, or subject to change, but God and His Word of victory are never subject to change!

Point to Ponder: We often get our spiritual eyes fixed so firmly on the problems in your life that we overlook God's blessings completely.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 13

Verse: For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:17)

What you can do about this: If you've been suffering through some hard times lately, wake up to the blessings around you. You'll be much more effective in battling the problems if you're giving God the glory for the solutions He's already provided. Take your eyes off the trouble and look around you.

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Scripture Reading (Psalm 13):

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? 3 Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death; 4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall. 5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.

12th July 2006- Reaping all we need from God's Grace and Promises

2006-07-12T16:27:00.000+08:00

Be Skillful
By Kenneth Copeland

Did you know that, according to the Word of God, there is no lack in the Body of Christ? Everything we could ever need, every problem we could ever face has been covered by the blood of Jesus. His exceeding grace and precious promises have supplied it all.

Why then do many of us keep on suffering lack? Because we haven't, as Hebrews 5:13 says, become skillful in the Word of righteousness.

It takes skill to apply the Word of God. Sometimes we just sling the Word around and try to use it any old way. We pray some ignorant prayer and then say, "Oh well, God knows what I mean" and expect it to be answered.

It's funny though. We'd never stand for that kind of carelessness in the natural realm. If our doctor came in and just threw a bottle of pills at us and said, "Here, take that," without even trying to find out what's wrong with us, we'd leave his office and never come back. Yet, we're shocked when that same careless attitude in the spiritual realm keeps our prayers from being effective.

We live in an "instant" society where everything is quick and easy. And too many of us are letting that instant mentality leak over into our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. When someone needs healing, we bust through the hospital door, dab a little oil between their eyes and say, "Glory to God!" and out the door we go. Sometimes it doesn't take any longer than "In the Name of Jesus be healed!" But sometimes there is something else that must be done.

The time has come for us to shake off that "instant" mentality and realize that there are situations where we're going to have to take some time and pray in the Holy Ghost. Times when we're going to have to sit there and listen for God's instructions.

If you've come up short in any area of life--whether it be healing or finances or anything else--determine to develop your Word skills where that area is concerned. Get out your Bible. Read through all the healing scriptures. Read through all the miracle scriptures. Read through all the promises of God. Read through all the blessings of Abraham.

Meditate on them. Ask God to speak to you through them and to enlighten you about the situation you're facing. Don't just sling the Word around. Dig into it. Fellowship with your Father over it. Let Him show you how to apply it skillfully, and eventually, you'll lack no good thing.

Point to Ponder: According to the Word of God, there is no lack in the Body of Christ. Everything we could ever need, every problem we could ever face has been covered by the blood of Jesus. However, it takes skill to apply the Word of God.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

Verse: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. (Psalms 23:1)

What you can do about it: When you are lacking in an area of your life, take out your Bible and read through the promises God has made pertaining to that topic. Meditate on them. Ask God to speak to you through them and to enlighten you about the situation you're facing. Finally, apply the Word faithfully. Sometimes, we must pray patiently in the Holy Ghost, waiting for God's instructions.

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Scripture Reading (Psalms 23):

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
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11th July 2006- Expect Results

2006-07-11T21:28:00.000+08:00

Expect Results
By Kenneth Copeland

Are all your needs met today? If not, why not?

According to the Word of God, it's either because you're not praying about them at all or because when you do pray, you're praying wrong.

What does it mean to pray wrong? In many cases it simply means to pray without expecting results. Many believers do that, you know. They use prayer as a kind of spiritual wishbone. They just play around with it. "This probably won't do much good," they think, "but who knows? It won't hurt to give it a try."

If that's been your attitude, then change it! Start getting serious about prayer. Stop praying just because it's proper. Stop praying just because you always pray at this point in the church service. And start praying to get results.

Start praying in the Name of Jesus, according to the Word of God, and expecting to receive what you ask for every single time. Isn't that a little presumptuous? No, but it is bold, and you have a scriptural right to be bold.

According to the Word of God, you have a standing invitation from your heavenly Father to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that [you] may obtain" (Heb. 4:16). That word obtain is a word of certainty. The dictionary says it means "to get possession of."

So pray, expecting to get possession of what you need, not just once in a while, but every time! When prayers do go unanswered, don't just wander away saying, "I guess you never know what God's going to do." Tackle the problem with both hands! Go to God in prayer and in the Word and find out where you missed it and get the problem corrected.

When you go to God in accurate, Word of God based, Spirit inspired prayer, you do know what He's going to do. He's going to answer you. He's going to meet your need exactly as you asked Him. Start expecting Him to do it today.

Point to Ponder: When you go to God in accurate, Word of God based, Spirit inspired prayer, you do know what He's going to do. He's going to answer you.

Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:4-15

Verse: This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14)

What you can do about it: When prayers do go unanswered, tackle the problem with both hands! Go to God in prayer and in the Word and find out where you missed it and get the problem corrected.

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Scripture Reading (1 John 5:4-15):

5:4
for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
5:5
Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
5:6
This is the one who came by water and blood--Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
5:7
For there are three that testify:
5:8
the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
5:9
We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
5:10
Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
5:11
And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
5:12
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
5:13
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
5:14
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
5:15
And if we know that he hears us--whatever we ask--we know that we have what we asked of him.
New International Version

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10th July 2006- Hoping in the Lord

2006-07-10T20:32:00.000+08:00

Turn Up Your Hope
By Kenneth Copeland

You know, that's what I want to be...running over with hope! I want to dare to throw my whole life and everything I have into building a dream that comes from the heart of God. I want to get out there so far that without God's help, I can't get back.

Many people don't think that way though because they're afraid to fail. Fear of failure is dangerous. If you let it dominate you, it will cause you to do the one thing that inevitably guarantees failure and that's not attempting at all.

How do you counteract the fear of failure?

You turn up your hope. You get alone with God and listen to Him. You meditate on His promises until the picture is so clear on the inside of you that nothing can jar it out of you.

If you're lying on a sickbed and the doctor has told you you'll never walk again, instead of wallowing around in that bad report, you start dreaming. You start building a dream of climbing mountains and witnessing to people in the backwoods. Go to the Word that promises that those who wait upon the Lord shall run and walk and not faint or be weary. Look at it until you see nothing else. Picture yourself walking for miles and running from one place to the next, telling everyone that Jesus has raised you up and made you whole.

That's what hope is all about. It's a divine dream. It's an inner image that's bigger than you are because it's built on the promises of God. If you're a Christian, you ought to be a dreamer. Take the Word of God and build some dreams today.

Point to Ponder: Hope ia a divine dream that is built on the promises of God.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 33:18-22

Verse: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

What you can do about it: Get alone with God and listen to Him. Meditate on His promises until the picture is so clear on the inside of you that nothing can jar it out of you.

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Scripture Reading (Psalms 33:18-22):

33:18
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
33:19
to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
33:20
We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
33:21
In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
33:22
May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
New International Version

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8th July 2006- The Power of Love

2006-07-08T22:59:00.000+08:00

Protected by Love
By Kenneth Copeland

Love your enemies...turn the other cheek...to most people that sounds like a pretty weak way to handle somebody who's causing them trouble. But, the truth is, it's the most powerful way there is. It's the way Jesus did it-- and His way never fails.

Do you remember when Jesus went back to Nazareth and the religious folks were angry with Him and wanted to push Him off a cliff? What happened? He just walked right past them, and no one could lay a finger on Him. Another time they decided to stone Him, and He didn't retaliate that time either. He just walked off. No one could touch Him.

When Jesus walked through that crowd, He wasn't afraid. He knew they couldn't hurt Him because He was walking in the love of God.

When Jesus said to turn the other cheek, He didn't mean for you to stand there and have your brains beaten out. He meant for you to stand there in love and in faith believing that the protecting power of God that accompanies that love would keep you safe. He meant for a man to swing at you and not be able to hit you!

The story of Nicky Cruz as recorded in David Wilkerson's book, The Cross and the Switchblade, is a perfect example of that. Nicky was reputed to be the most ruthless gang leader of his time. Yet, when David Wilkerson stood in front of him, telling him about Jesus, Nicky was totally unable to hurt him. He thrust his knife at David several times. But every time he did, David just said, "Nicky, you can cut me into a thousand pieces and every piece will still say, 'I love you and God loves you." Because of love, Nicky couldn't get his knife close enough to David to hurt him. A supernatural force always stopped it short.

"But I don't have that kind of love!"

Yes, you do. Romans 5:5 tells us that the love of God is shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit. All you have to do is make the decision to be motivated by that love rather than your own human feelings.

My friend, love never fails! You don't have to be afraid of failure anymore. In fact, you don't have to be afraid of anything. If you're walking in the love of God, you're living the most powerful kind of life there is.

Point to Ponder: Love your enemies, and the protecting power of God that accompanies that love would keep you safe.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:38-48

Verse: But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Mat 5:39)

What you can do about it: Make the decision of loving your enemies, to be motivated by the love of God, rather than your own human feelings.

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Scripture Reading (Matthew 5:38-48):
5:38
"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'
5:39
But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
5:40
And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
5:41
If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
5:42
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
5:43
"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
5:44
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
5:45
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
5:46
If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
5:47
And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
5:48
Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

New International Version

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7th July 2006- Trust & Obey

2006-07-07T14:55:00.000+08:00

Free From Debt!
By Kenneth Copeland

If you're up to your neck in debt today, I have good news for you. God wants to set you free from those debts and He has the power to do it.

I know. He did it for me.

I'll never forget it. I had $22,000 worth of bad debts at the time. I'd committed to God to pay them off and never borrow another dime--but it looked to me like I'd never be able to do it.

We didn't see how, but we believed that "God is able." Day by day we looked to God for our deliverance from debt. Not asking Him every day, but thanking Him because we believed we received when we prayed. Eleven months later, we were out of debt. As we looked back, nothing spectacular had happened, but God worked in our finances continuously. As we were faithful, He was faithful.

God can do the same thing for you if you'll dare to believe His Word. If you'll make a commitment before Him to get out from under those debts and then obey Him every step of the way.

As you look at your situation right now, you may not be able to see how you could ever get out of debt, much less stay that way. I felt that way too, at first. I just didn't see how I'd ever be able to do much of anything without borrowing money.

But He showed me how--and He'll do the same thing for you.

There's no debt too big and no business too complicated for Him to handle. If you'll trust Him to manage yours, He will bring you out on top...and you'll never have to be a slave to debt again.

Point to Ponder: God wants to set you free from those debts and He has the power to do it.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 37:21-40

Verse: The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. (Psalms 37:39)

What you can do about it: Dare to believe His Word, make a commitment before Him to get out from under those debts and then obey Him every step of the way.

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Scripture Reading (Psalms 37:21-40):
37:21
The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;
37:22
those the Lord blesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be cut off.
37:23
If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm;
37:24
though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
37:25
I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread.
37:26
They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.
37:27
Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever.
37:28
For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones.
37:29
the righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever.
37:30
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.
37:31
The law of his God is in his heart; his feet do not slip.
37:32
The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, seeking their very lives;
37:33
but the Lord will not leave them in their power or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
37:34
Wait for the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.
37:35
I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,
37:36
but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found.
37:37
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace.
37:38
But all sinners will be destroyed; the future of the wicked will be cut off.
37:39
The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
37:40
The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

New International Version

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6th July 2006- Breaking out of the cycle of Weariness

2006-07-06T21:15:00.000+08:00

Look Up!
By Kenneth Copeland

Look up...because in times like these, your very life may depend on it.

Some time ago, the Lord showed me that a spirit of weariness is trying to work its way into our lives these days through all the pressure and bad news that surrounds us. It's working to get our eyes off the Word of God by bombarding us with negative forces. It's trying to get us to look down at defeat instead of up at Jesus.

If you let that happen, your spirit man will begin to lose his dominion. And the Word tells us what the results of that is. It says you will "be wearied and faint in your minds."

Jesus put it this way in Mark 4. He said that when the cares of this world enter into your heart and mind, they'll choke the Word and cause it to become unfruitful. And since your faith is the product of the Word, that means your faith will wither. Once that happens, you're headed for disaster.

What can you do to stop this chain reaction of weariness?

Look up! Get your eyes back on Jesus. I remember on the field of athletic competition that when an opponent allowed himself to drop his head, he was no longer dangerous. He could be very easily defeated. So keep your head up. Keep considering Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. Consider Him instead of the cares of this world. Consider what God says in His Word. Be moved by the thoughts of God. Let His thoughts become your thoughts.

Look up! Get your eyes off the circumstances around you and onto your heavenly source. Don't be afraid you're going to lose everything. God is your Source, not the world. He can take care of you regardless of what happens around you.

If you've gotten weary lately, begin to lift your eyes. Raise your head up instead of looking down. God is up. Jesus is up. The devil is down--under your feet. Look up!

Point to Ponder: If you look down at defeat instead of up at Jesus, your spirit man will begin to lose his dominion and you will "be wearied and faint in your minds."

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:21-31

Verse: Consider [Jesus] that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:3)

What you can do about this: Consider Him instead of the cares of this world. Consider what God says in His Word. Be moved by the thoughts of God. Let His thoughts become your thoughts.

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Scripture Reading ( Isaiah 40:21-31):

40:21
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
40:22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
40:23
He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
40:24
No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
40:25
"To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
40:26
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
40:27
Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"?
40:28
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
40:30
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
40:31
but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

New International Version

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5th July 2006- Restrain your Thoughts

2006-07-05T21:26:00.000+08:00

Don't Think Like the World
By Kenneth Copeland

If you think like the world thinks, eventually you will act like the world acts. Unrestrained thoughts produce unrestrained actions. So control your thoughts by bringing them into obedience to the Scriptures.

Program your mind with the Word of God. The Word is spirit and it is life. When your mind is totally saturated with the Word of God, your will becomes strong to exercise authority to overcome every ungodly thought and evil habit.

Don't let Satan deceive you into sacrificing the glory of God in your life for a few moments of self-indulgence and sin. Restrain your thought life. Meditate the Word instead of selfish, carnal thoughts. Keep your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith.

Point to Ponder: If you think like the world thinks, eventually you will act like the world acts.

Scripture Reading: Psalm 119:11-18

Verse: For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; 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 10:4-5)

What you can do about it: Restrain your thought life. Meditate the Word instead of selfish, carnal thoughts.

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Scripture Reading (Psalm 119:11-18):

119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
119:12
Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees.
119:13
With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
119:14
I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
119:15
I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
119:16
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
119:17
Do good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word.
119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

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2nd July- God's Discipline

2006-07-03T20:47:00.000+08:00

God's Discipline
By Kenneth Copeland

There's a terrible misunderstanding among believers today about God's method of disciplining His children. They'll point to some kind of disaster-- a tornado or a car accident-- and say, "I guess God sent that catastrophe to teach us something."

No, He didn't! A loving God doesn't send death and destruction on His children to instruct them. He doesn't unleash His bad dog to bite us on the leg, so we'll learn to wear our boots!

How does He chastise His own? With His Word.

Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, "Every Scripture is God-breathed--given by His inspiration--and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, and for training in righteousness, So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work" (The Amplified Bible).

If you'll look in 2 Corinthians 7, you'll see an example of this. There the Apostle Paul talks about a situation in the Corinthian church that needed correction. That church had gotten out of line and had to be disciplined.

How did Paul do it? Not by asking God to send an earthquake to shake them up! He did it by writing them a letter. He wrote them a word of reproof that hurt so badly they would have preferred being beaten with a stick. It cut deep into their spirits and brought them to repentance.

Your heavenly Father loves you and because He does, He will chasten you. But He'll do it with spiritual, not fleshly tools. He'll use the spirit power in His Word to chasten unbelief and purify your spirit in such a way that you'll come out strong, not weak and condemned.

So quit bowing down to disasters and start subjecting yourself instead to the Word of God. Yield to the Word. Let it correct you and trim away the flesh and the lusts that lead you astray. Remember, the Sword of the Spirit is two-edged--one side is for Satan and the other side is for you. Let God use it to keep you in line!

Point to Ponder: God will use the spirit power in His Word, not earthly forces, to chasten unbelief and purify your spirit in such a way that you'll come out strong.

Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 7

Verse: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? (Hebrews 12:6-7)

What we can do about it: Yield to the Word. Meditate on it night and day and be transformed by the renewing of mind.

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Scripture Reading (2 Corinthians 7):

1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. 4 I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.
5 For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn--conflicts on the outside, fears within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. 8 Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it--I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while-- 9 yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.
12 So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. 13 By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. 14 I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. 15 And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. 16 I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.
New International Version

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2nd July- How to get Wisdom

2006-07-02T19:59:00.000+08:00

Be Unreasonably Committed
By Kenneth Copeland

If you really want to get the wisdom of God, you'll have to do more than casually read the Scriptures a few minutes a day. You'll have to feed on them night and day. You'll have to get rid of the rubbish you've been feeding into your consciousness by reprogramming your mind with the Word of God.

"Oh, Brother Copeland," you may say, "that's unreasonable!"

Yes it is. But consider this: A music major in college practices for hours every day. Olympic skaters spend six to eight hours a day training for their routines. They do it because they're unreasonably committed to their goals.

The same is true for you. If you're going to achieve the kind of spiritual excellence you're hungry for, you're going to have to be unreasonably committed to the Word of God.

That may well mean that you'll have to carry a tape player around with you everywhere you go. It may mean that you'll have your razor in one hand and your tape player in the other or a tape player in one hand and a fork in the other.

Do whatever it takes to totally saturate yourself with the Word of God. I would speak to you no differently if I were your commanding officer about to send you into combat against the best trained elite troops of a savage enemy.

You are God's frontline assault force. You have an enemy who is doing his dead level best to destroy you. In this crucial, all-out, no-holds-barred offensive, Satan will dispatch hell's choicest personnel to bring you down. If you're going to make it through in victory, you're going to have to put yourself in training.

Point to Ponder: If you really want to get the wisdom of God, you'll have to do more than casually read the Scriptures a few minutes a day. You'll have to feed on them night and day.

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 1:7-33

Verse: Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. (Proverbs 4:7-9)

What you can do about it: Be unreasonably committed. Get wisdom. Meditate on God's word night and day.

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Scripture Reading (Proverbs 1:7-33):

1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
1:8
Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
1:9
They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck.
1:10
My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.
1:11
If they say, "Come along with us; let's lie in wait for someone's blood, let's waylay some harmless soul;
1:12
let's swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit;
1:13
we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder;
1:14
throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse"--
1:15
my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths;
1:16
for their feet rush into sin, they are swift to shed blood.
1:17
How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!
1:18
These men lie in wait for their own blood; they waylay only themselves!
1:19
Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it.
1:20
Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares;
1:21
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech:
1:22
"How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
1:23
If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you.
1:24
But since you rejected me when I called and no one gave heed when I stretched out my hand,
1:25
since you ignored all my advice and would not accept my rebuke,
1:26
I in turn will laugh at your disaster; I will mock when calamity overtakes you--
1:27
when calamity overtakes you like a storm, when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind, when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
1:28
"Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me.
1:29
Since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the Lord,
1:30
since they would not accept my advice and spurned my rebuke,
1:31
they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
1:32
For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
1:33
but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm."
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1st July 2006- Unloading our Burdens

2006-07-01T13:29:00.000+08:00

Put the Glass Down
Courtesy of Patrick Lieow

A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?" The students' answers ranged from 20g to 500g.

"It does not matter on the absolute weight. It depends on how long you hold. If I hold it for a minute, it is OK. If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance."

It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier. What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again. Alternatively, pass the glass to a friend to help you carry it.

"We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on." However, there's someone who is more than willing to carry it for us. He is no other than the King of the universe, Jesus Himself! The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:7 "Cast your cares upon Him, for he cares for you." We are also called to carry each other's burdens. Galatians 6:2 says "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. "

So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Pray and seek God's help. Or share it with a friend. Don't carry it back home. Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, cast it upon God our Father, who cares for us.

Point to Ponder: If we carry our burdens all the time, they will get increasingly heavier until ultimately, we break down.

Verse: Cast your cares upon Jesus, for he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

What you can do about it: Unload your burdens daily. Share it with a friend or cast it to Jesus through prayer!

30th June 2006- Taming the Tongue

2006-06-30T09:27:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-29T18:03:00.000+08:00

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!

2006-06-28T22:39:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-27T21:09:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-26T22:14:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-25T16:00:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-24T22:05:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-23T09:48:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-22T20:42:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-21T11:28:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-20T11:24:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-19T21:46:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-10T22:29:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-09T20:59:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-09T00:26:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-07T22:39:00.000+08:00

'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

2006-06-03T21:44:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-02T23:28:00.000+08:00

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

2006-06-01T22:11:00.000+08:00

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.

31th May 2006

2006-05-31T17:55:00.000+08:00

What God thinks of The Da Vinci Code
By John Fischer

With The Da Vinci Code enjoying another weekend at the box office, the debate about the story's outrageous claims continues. What makes them outrageous is not that they haven't been presented before, but that they are presented with such convincing aplomb and supported by “mountains” of documentation. Of course the whole story is a fast fiction ride, documents included, but people who aren't careful about their history may not know that. Herein lies the concern of many Christians: How will people find out these claims are lies, and who will tell them?

The answer to that question lies more in the way God has set up the universe than anything. It's not an unusual question, nor is it new on the scene. It has actually been a valid question for as long as we have recorded history.

According to the Bible, God created this planet, put human beings on it, and let evil loose in the place as well as good (at least this is the shortened version of the story). Why he did this is only up to speculation as far as we are concerned, but it means that, from the beginning, we have existed surrounded by truth and error and with limited ability to tell one from the other. One could easily panic over this, but it appears that God hasn't. He seems to have a way of knowing that those who truly seek him will reach their destination, and he not only knows this, he guarantees it.

For this reason he is not too concerned about all the lies floating around. Nor does he seem to be running around nervously trying to correct every new falsehood that surfaces. In fact, some of these falsehoods appear to be getting along quite well in the world. God trusts an innate ability to recognize truth that he has placed in people, and the drama of finding that out seems to be part of the unfolding story.

Yes, people are going to be led astray by The Da Vinci Code just as they have been led astray by countless other fictions and fabrications of the truth throughout history, but the people who are led astray are the ones who are going to be fooled anyway, if not by this, then by the next thing to come along. These are people, in fact, who move from one thing to another and never alight on the truth precisely because they are not seeking the truth while those who truly are seeking are given the ability to see.

This does not mean that we don't make intelligent attempts to uphold the truth and discredit falsehood. But these will do more to confirm those who are honestly looking than to get anyone to radically change his or her mind about things. There are other factors at work here beyond our control.

To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them. (Matthew 13:12 NLT)

30th May 2006

2006-05-30T17:12:00.000+08:00

Two Travelling Angels
Contributed by Angeline Kwee

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family.

The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement.

As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.
When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

However, when the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel," How could you have let this happen?"

"The first man had everything, yet you helped him," he accused.

"On the other hand, the second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let their cow die."

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied.

"When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed that there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. "

Things aren't always what they seem. Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't turn out the way they should. If you have faith, you just need to trust that every outcome is always to your advantage. You just might not know it until some time later...

29th May 2006

2006-05-29T17:46:00.000+08:00

That first Easter morning
By John Fischer
(Part III of a three-part series of historical fiction around the events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.)

The sun rose that first Easter morning on an entirely different world than the one that had existed hours earlier. For most people, to be sure, it was the same. Birds twittered as they usually did in their pre-dawn revelry. Lazy dogs barked at the sound of the first early risers. In his penthouse in downtown Jerusalem, Pilate rolled over in bed and moaned at the mockingbird making a racket on his veranda. He could feel his wife’s stiffness next to him. He didn’t even have to look to see her wide, sleepless eyes locked on a crack in the ceiling for fear of the dreams that might come back if she closed them.

In the nearby barracks, a soldier snored on in thick oblivion. Soon his comrades would wake up to wicked hangovers, a usual Sunday morning experience. Things were always quiet on the Jewish Sabbath, so Saturdays became party time for the Roman soldiers.

Out in the courtyard, roosters crowed, and Peter, curled up next to a stone wall, was sure he heard every last one of them. He hadn’t been sleeping, either. All those great plans and dreams for himself and his nation had vanished with three denials and two rooster crows. Roosters had been rattling and cackling in his brain for two nights. They wouldn’t let him sleep, and they wouldn’t let him forget that look on the Savior’s face that left him frozen in his betrayal.

On the edge of town, three women made their way quietly through abandoned narrow streets, clutching vials of sweet-smelling perfume. In the hazy light of early morning, they were headed for Joseph’s garden, where the remains of the man they pinned their hopes on as the Son of God laid without proper respect. There had been no time on Friday to anoint the funeral wrappings, and such activity was forbidden on the Sabbath. Nicodemus and Joseph had done a credible job with limited time and little preparation, but it fell to the women to complete the burial requirements – as much for their own sake as for the sake of the custom.

Just when they started to wonder who might help them move the huge stone over the face of the tomb, they found, lo and behold, that the stone had already been moved away. The soldiers guarding it shifted on the ground in a deep sleep; the wrappings that should have been around the body lay limply on the rocky shelf inside. And an angelic being, bright and glorious, asked a question that would change them and the world forever: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

May Easter celebrations be filled with the same joy and wonder these women experienced on that first Easter morning!

28th May 2006

2006-05-28T17:25:00.000+08:00

What Nicodemus saw
By John Fischer
(Part II of a three-part series of historical fiction around the events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.)

Better late than never, Nicodemus thought as he waited for Joseph of Arimathea to return from his meeting with Pilate. The sky was black with night, and the torches around the crosses cast long flickering shadows over the hillside. Only the shadows danced. The bodies were still, none stiller than the one in the middle.

They had found each other, Joseph and Nicodemus: two wealthy Jews. Too well-connected to risk following Jesus in life, they had finally risen to the occasion now in his death and were prepared to ensure proper care and burial for the body.

Nicodemus had watched the crucifixion the way he followed Jesus for the last three years – from a distance. Now in the darkness, he ventured closer. Suddenly, a tear-stained face filled his vision as if out of nowhere.

“Aren’t you … ?”

“Nicodemus.” He finished it for the man. “I have followed from afar. I wanted to come closer, but I’ve been foolish and afraid. Now I am too late.”

“No, you aren’t. You are here,” said John, newly named son of Mary.

“Come.”

John gently took Nicodemus’ arm and guided him closer to the women who were still huddled near the cross. They were in shock, out of touch with everything, even grief. Nicodemus had first resisted John, but once he was in the light and the company of the others, he broke into a thousand pieces inside and started to cry uncontrollably. Suddenly he was touched and held and surrounded by people he did not even know, and they all seemed thankful for a fresh supply of tears.

Nicodemus looked into the faces of people he would have judged hours earlier and wondered at what he saw in their eyes. These were unlearned peasants, but they seemed so much wiser than he.

Then he looked at the body of Jesus, and in the lifeless form on the cross he saw himself – a tired old self-righteous man, weary of justifications and the foolish arrogance that kept him from people. He saw the ugliness of his pride and the lies by which he tried to maintain his superiority. He saw it all and hated himself in that moment, and he wept bitterly, alternately abhorring and longing for the touch he was receiving from those around him.

“He spoke of you often,” said John with his arm on Nicodemus’ shoulder.

“He said you were one of the few in your position who could see.”

“He did?” Nicodemus raised his wet eyes and wiped them with the sleeve of his robe. “I didn’t know myself ... until just now.”

Up until now, Nicodemus had been dealing with Jesus and the prophets and the nation of Israel and the Gentiles in his mind – each part fitting like clues to a mystery that drew him closer and closer to the cross as if he were following a long shadow toward its source. But now that he was there, right to it, standing right in front of God’s intervention in human history, with all his knowledge and the new revelations he had gained, all he could see was Nicodemus and the sin of Nicodemus. And all he could do was weep, but not the bitter tears of self-pity and remorse he was used to. This was a longed-for release – strangely sweet, cleansing tears, the first blush of forgiveness, in the process of being won by the man on the cross.

27th May 2006

2006-05-27T20:56:00.000+08:00

The most precious drops in the world
By John Fischer
(Part I of a three-part series of historical fiction around the events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.)

The wounds on his hands bled slowly. Pressure from the weight of his body held back the flow. If there had been no other sounds that afternoon, it probably would have sounded like the slow, steady drip off the eaves of a mountain cabin on a damp, foggy night.

But there were many sounds. Taunts from the soldiers, weeping and wailing from the women near the feet of Jesus, even careless laughter from children playing haphazardly around the perimeter of the crucifixion hill, oblivious to the significance of this particular execution. Small dark puddles would gather briefly under the top beam of the cross, only to be covered by the shuffle of a guard’s feet. And then it would start in again: drip … drip … drip – little droplets seen but not heard.

Mary saw them. She stared at the puddle through her bloodshot eyes while his life flashed before her, and it seemed to her that the earth swallowed his blood as if it had been created for this. As if it were drinking its fill and would thirst no more.

Then she slowly turned her eyes up to his face, and her breath failed her. He already had her in the grasp of his eyes. It was the first time he had looked at her from the cross, and suddenly it seemed as if she were falling into a bottomless abyss. She looked until she could bear it no more and turned her eyes away so she could catch her breath again. Once more her gaze went to the small puddle in the dirt, and it seemed now that she, and only she, could hear the droplets landing, loud enough to shut out all other sounds.

Then she heard his words spoken to her: “Dear woman, here is your son.” And to the disciple he loved, “Here is your mother.”

Soon after that, the dripping stopped, right after the earth shook and Jesus cried out with a voice that nearly shut down Mary’s heart for good. And all was still except for the sucking, sporadic breathing coming from the other two criminals.

“This one’s already dead,” said one of the guards. “Can you believe that?”

“No need to break his legs, I guess,” said another.

“Well, just to make sure …” One of them approached the dead body of Jesus with his spear, and before Mary could scream out, “No!” he thrust its tip up into the torso of the Son of God just under the ribs. Her scream and the sudden flow of blood and water came out at the same time.

Disgusted, the guard wiped a few drops from his face and walked away, oblivious to the fact that these were drops of blood that could set him free forever.

26th May 2006

2006-05-26T22:51:00.000+08:00

Finding God at your j-o-b
Turning your workplace into a place to worship God
by Katie Brazelton and Kathryn McColskey

You wonder, "Doesn't God have more planned for me than this job?" as day after hopeless day drags by and you return to a career or household duty that is difficult and unsatisfying. The answer to that question is definitely yes. Scripture records Jesus as saying, "I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance." (John 10:10b hcsb) So how do you find God's abundance - his best for you - in your workplace (whether that is an office or your home) when you have negative feelings about the situation?
College students were asked, "How can you find God in a workplace?" One student laughingly reported, "Oh, I guess you have to work in a church!" Another sighed and shook his head saying, "Only by rejoicing that the job is temporary and that one day you'll be in a better place." The final reply was classic: "That's easy. Just enjoy God's sense of humor in the personalities and noses he created."

Sure, there are numerous creative ways to notice God while we work especially by listening for the testimonies of changed lives in co-workers or watching for actions that demonstrate Christian behavior, such as a bowed head before a meal. But how do you come face-to-face with God in the privacy of your own heart, when you are not able to "whistle while you work"? How can you experience an on-the-job God, who can transport you to a life of abundance, even if you never leave your current job site? There are several practical things you can do starting today.

By the way, both of us have lived and breathed every word we are putting forth as advice to you. Collectively, we've either scrubbed toilets and marble floors for rich women, waited tables for rude customers, cringed at the verbal abuse of arrogant bosses, packed/shipped snowboard hats for struggling entrepreneurs, made cold calls for small business owners, or nursed children with chicken pox back to health. These examples are just to give you a glimpse of some of our own fun moments in our workplaces.

We have survived at times with only a smidgen of holiness left, and we have done these assignments without any gracefulness whatsoever. But for whatever it's worth, here are a few things we've learned along the way:

Acknowledge
Acknowledge that God is in control of the universe. "The Lord Almighty has sworn this oath: 'It will all happen as I have planned. It will come about according to my purposes.'" (Isaiah 14:24 nlt) And, remember that, not only does God have a plan for the world, but he also has a plan for your life. As Jeremiah 29:11 tells us: "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (MSG) You may not like your current job, but if you can acknowledge that our sovereign God is at work in the world and in you, then you will realize that he can use your current experience to help you grow spiritually. He may be trying to teach you patience, humility, perseverance, empathy, generosity, honesty, or obedience. Acknowledge that God can also use this time to reveal progressively to you what more engaging purpose he has for you in his good timing - when the people he is sending you to serve are ready for you! As you do your job today without giving up your hopes and dreams for the future, you will begin to experience a peace that is beyond understanding. Peace is a distinctive gift of the abundant life Jesus came to offer you.

Dedicate
Dedicate each day of work to God. When you change a dirty diaper, get the millionth cup of coffee for an unappreciative boss, clean up a co-workers' chaos, or appease a difficult customer, do it as an act of worship to God. Your present job may be for a short time or for what seems like an eternity, but live each day dedicated to the King of the Universe, your ultimate boss. Christians are instructed in I Peter 4:11: "If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." (NIV) By dedicating everything you do to God's glory, you will begin to develop a sense of gratitude for all he has done for you. And that's one of the great blessings of the abundant life that Jesus offers you.

Trust
Trust your daily schedule to God and allow him to prioritize your to-do list. In a day that has too much to accomplish and too many stressors, you must decide which task needs to be accomplished first. Because you do not know the future, rank ordering your to-do list is an educated guess at best, but for God who does know the future, it's an easy task. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, "Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track." (MSG) Spend time with God each day and claim his promise to direct your path. Ask him to show you his way. God promised us, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" (Isaiah 30:21 niv) God will direct your path, specifying which task you are to do next, through quiet whispers that leave strong impressions on your heart. Trust his way and you will begin to develop assurance and confidence. Both are characteristics of the abundant life Jesus promised you.

Serve
Serve God daily by being a servant to those around you in the workplace. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and then told them, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." (John 13:15 niv) He even promises, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." (John 13:17 niv) Ask God to create within you a heart to serve others in his name, and then look for opportunities to serve others lovingly without their asking. Acts of service can be as simple as sorting the mail, holding open a door, carrying a package, or picking up a dropped object. An act of service could be acknowledging a job well done, e-mailing a note of encouragement, or listening to someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. With service comes joy, a significant quality of the abundant life Jesus desires for you.

When asked, "How was your day?" how will you respond? Rather than testifying to your miseries, testify to the abundant blessings of God in your life. Remember to acknowledge that he is sovereign, dedicate each day to him, trust your schedule to him, and look for opportunities to serve. God is faithfully assisting you to live each day well. He wants to fill your life with peace, gratitude, assurance, confidence, joy, and hope for the future.

Psalms 150:6 states: "Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!)" (AMP) As you share how God is working in your life to bless you and faithfully direct you, you will be testifying to the abundant life found only in Jesus and that is somethin' to shout about - even at a ho-hum j-o-b!

25th May 2006

2006-05-25T22:00:00.000+08:00

In the service of the King
by John Fischer

Heaven just picked up one great piano player. My friend, Clark Gassman, lost his fight with cancer last Sunday night and gained Heaven instead. God got the better deal.

While he was here with us, Clark Gassman was the epitome of a servant who was content to work behind the scenes while others got the glory and the attention. He made so many people look and sound so good that you could call him the wind beneath a hundred wings. It didn’t matter to him; he was never after attention. He was all about doing what he loved to do – what he was gifted to do. I can’t imagine that it’s any different now.

I was listening to one of my first albums that Clark arranged and remembered a part where he directed a studio string section through a legato portion of one of the songs (a section of the song that was totally unrelated to any time sequence). My part had already been recorded, so he had to get eight string players to play along with what was already on the tape. To do this, Clark put my legato part into multiple time changes so he could count it out for the string section, because that is the only way they could play it. He had to re-interpret it to them, and he could do that because he understood both their form and my free form. The end result was flawless and full of the kind of feeling the song required, yet no one would ever know what that took. It’s those kinds of things multiplied many times over that explains something of Clark’s contribution to the music of so many people.

Many of you have the gift of service and you work painstakingly hard behind the scenes to make things happen, and other people end up doing what they do better, because of you. As for you, your name ends up buried in the credits, if at all, but that doesn’t matter, because that’s not why you do it. You do it because it’s your gift and it’s what you love to do. Time for credit will come, just as Clark is enjoying his now.

Today, we are missing Clark, but I don’t think he is missing us. He’s probably jammin’ right now with a bunch of his buddies with names like Bach and Handel.

When you know Christ and you are filled with the hope and knowledge of eternal life, the worst part about death is that it is not your own. You have to stay behind in the void while someone you love moves on to a greater joy. But when you know the secret of your purpose in life, it doesn’t matter. You just keep on serving the King wherever you are.

24th May 2006

2006-05-24T21:45:00.000+08:00

High school reunion
By John Fischer

I attended my high school reunion last weekend. I'm not going to tell you which one, but I will tell you that everyone there had aged significantly. I wouldn't have recognized one of them had I met them on the street. Of course they all recognized me right away. (The fact that we wore our senior pictures on our nametags might have had something to do with that.)

This is the first one of these things I have ever attended, including college reunions, so I didn't know what to expect. I felt a little dumb walking in with my 9 x 11-inch framed drum major picture, but the brochure asked us to bring memorabilia. I felt even dumber when I realized I was the only one who brought anything. So I snuck into the banquet room early and set it up right next to the SGHS cheerleading megaphone. I was glad I decided not to wear my JV letterman's sweater.

I was pretty much of a nobody in high school. Most of my social life at the time revolved around the church youth group. Even though I was on the student council as drum major my senior year, I rarely attended social events, especially the sock hops and proms, because dancing was forbidden in my fundamentalist upbringing. As one of my friends put it this weekend when the subject came up, “John was restricted.”

As we reminisced around my table, I realized everyone else knew more stories about my past than I did. It became increasingly evident to me that these people cared more about me than I cared about them back then. I felt left out in high school but I realize now it wasn't because anyone left me out. They would have let me in, in a second, but I stayed away. They let me in last Saturday, and I was grateful for it ... and humbled.

One guy in particular had tracked with me from first grade on. He had clearly made it his point to know just about everyone in the room. As we were saying our goodbyes, I told him. “Owen, I wish I had gotten to know you better back then, because you are a really great guy.”

Of course that doesn't mean I can't get to know him now, and it also doesn't mean I can't appreciate more the people in my life today with whom I might share a reunion of sorts down the road from here.

I used to make fun of these reunions. I will never do that anymore. These are great people, and I have much to learn from them. Isn't life all about relationships anyway? If no one is an accident, then we are all far more significant than we realize.

23th May 2006

2006-05-22T20:27:00.000+08:00

God's view of work
What it means to be purpose driven at work
by Rick Warren

Everybody works. It doesn't matter if you are a student, you still have to work. If you're at home, you still have to work. If you're retired, you still have to work!

Since work is such a major part of our lives, it's important to know what the Bible teaches about work. Let me share four thoughts:
God intends for work to be meaningful, beneficial, and fulfilling. A lot of people think work is just a way to put food on the table - a necessary evil. Their goal in life is to eventually have enough money so they can do nothing. But the word 'retirement' is not in the Bible. Do you know so many people retire and then die six months later? It's because we were made to work. You were made for meaningful, purposeful, fulfilling work. It's part of God's plan for your life.

God designed you with talents, gifts, and interests that he wants used for his glory. You are custom made. There's nobody like you in the whole world. And the gifts you have, your abilities, talents, even your interests were encoded into you by God. You didn't have a say in what you were going to be interested in, what you are naturally good at. God custom-made you - and he wants you to express those gifts through work. The Bible says, "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10 NIV) The Bible says you are God's workmanship. That is a translation of a Greek word, poiema, from which we get the word 'poem.' You are God's poem. You are God's work of art - his masterpiece! He made you to express certain gifts, talents, abilities, and interests in work. That's what work is for. Work is never just a job; it's part of God's plan for your life.

To fulfill God's will for your life, you need work that expresses what God made you to be. If you are in a mismatched job - one that is not using your talents, gifts, abilities, and interests - that is a serious problem. It is a spiritual issue that is far more important than you think. One day, God is going to ask, "What did you do with them?" Do you want to have to tell him, "Well, I spent my life at a job that didn't use them"? "Each one of us should live his life with the gifts the Lord has given him." (1 Corinthians 7:17)

If you're not a Christian at work, you're not a Christian in your life. Many Christians don't make the connection between Sunday and Monday. They put their "spiritual life" - reading the Bible, praying, going to church, and doing nice things - in one compartment. Then they put their "secular life" - work, job, career, business decisions, finances, pension plan, all these things - in another compartment. But the word 'secular' isn't in the Bible. The fact is, your relationship to Christ is like marriage. Marriage is a full-time relationship, and so is your relationship with Christ. If I said to my wife, "Honey, I'm only going to act married when I'm at home," I would be in front of a congressional committee before I knew it. God is as interested in your work as he is in your prayers - maybe more interested because you spend more time working than you do praying. The fact is, all of life is important to God - and if you're not a Christian at work, you're not a Christian in your life.

22th May 2006

2006-05-22T20:22:00.000+08:00

Location, location, location!
By John Fischer

I saw a documentary last night about how our view of our own planet and its place in the universe has changed over time. Before Copernicus shocked the world with his announcement that we had been revolving around the sun all along, people thought our little planet was the center of the universe. In other words, we were of great importance in the grand scheme of things – everything revolved around us.

What followed after Copernicus was a wide-scale denigration of our place in the universe. We became a tiny, infinitesimal dot in a vast array of galaxies by the millions and stars by the billions. We were the center of nothing – not even our own tiny solar system – greatly diminishing our place and any particular purpose we might have in the grand scheme of things. Along with this was the growing assumption, with so many more stars and solar systems out there, that we are not alone. There must be other solar systems and other planets out there that can support life – and most likely other intelligent beings too. We're not so special after all.

So we went from being somebody to nobody, and the point of the documentary was to show that relatively new discoveries in the last 50 years are once again altering our perception of our place in the universe. According to scientists and astronomers, things may be looking up for the human race on earth. This time our importance is measured not by being in the center of the universe, but by being in a remarkable place not only in the solar system, but also in our galaxy – a place that can support life and a place uniquely situated for us to observe and discover the universe around us. Or as they say in real estate: “Location, location, location!”

No, we are not the center of a solar system that revolves around us as the ancients believed, but neither are we a tiny blue dot lost in a cosmic sea. Instead, we are in a specific place suited perfectly for life and discovery. And as complicated as the universe is, its operation comes down to a few simple principles. In other words, we can understand our universe. As Albert Einstein concluded, “The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible.”

If we aren't in the center of the universe, we are in the center of an intelligent mind that put us in this optimal place with minds to figure out how our universe works – and hearts to seek out why.

No wonder we wonder about our purpose… we were made to wonder.

21th May 2006

2006-05-21T15:58:00.000+08:00

All in the family
By John Fischer

Everyone wants to be on the inside. The existence of clubs, secret societies, memberships, and associations indicates there is something in all of us that seeks a special identity apart from everyone else. No one wants to be lost in a crowd.

In the following story, Christ’s immediate family tried to pull rank on the larger group Jesus was addressing.

As Jesus was speaking to the crowd ... someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you.

Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “These are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!” (Matthew 12:46-50 NLT)

The implication in their request is that his immediate family expected Jesus to give them priority over the crowd; they wanted him to stop what he was doing and pay attention to them. We have no idea what the urgency was, it may have even been some important family matter they felt was worthy of an interruption, but Jesus used the opportunity to teach everyone something: He has a much bigger family than his nuclear family, and in that family, everyone has priority.

How does it feel to be a part of Christ’s immediate family? We have priority. Even if Mary, his mother, showed up, Jesus would say, “Just a minute. I know you’re my mother, but I’m talking to my mother, Sarah, over here.” Our requests receive the same significance as those from Mary, the mother of Jesus, and Christ’s earthly brothers. We have this privilege by walking in God’s will.

It’s a testimony to his humility that one of those brothers waiting to talk to Jesus that day was James, who went on to become one of the most important leaders of the early church, respected by Jews and Gentiles alike, and the author of the New Testament book by his name. When he introduces himself at the beginning of that book, he calls himself: “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (James 1:1) Nothing else. You would think he would have thrown in “and brother of Jesus,” just for extra measure (I would have), but he did not. He didn’t want his place to be seen as any different than anyone else’s.

James knew that we could all say we are “the brother/sister of Jesus” by rebirth. He was in a special position by a new birth into God’s family by faith. The same can be said of you and me.

20th May 2006

2006-05-20T21:56:00.000+08:00

From Here to Eternity
By John Fischer

Where can a dead man go?
The question with an answer only dead men know.
But I'm going to bet they never really feel at home.
If they spent a lifetime learning how to live in Rome.
- Nickel Creek (popular Blue Grass group)

Christians spend a lifetime learning how to live somewhere else. It's true. We may not always be conscious of it, but our destination is somewhere else. We were made for eternity. We were made to dwell with God, making this life but a shadow of the one to come.

At the same time, we don't just unplug here and sit around waiting for the Holy Helicopter to take us there. God has uniquely connected this life to that one. Our lives here, and in eternity, are related. What we do here matters there.

Jesus once said that those who are faithful in a few things here will be put in charge of many things there (Matthew 25:23). Paul said that when we pass from here to there, some things will stay with us -- those things that were done here by faith -- and the rest will burn up (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Paul also said that our bodies go into the ground as a seed here and spring up new there (1 Corinthians 15:37). The key is to learn what translates from here to eternity and concentrate on those things. What's important both here and there?
Be careful. This is not as easy as it might seem at first. That's because most of what we do here is tangled up in eternity and hard to unravel. For instance: Money won't matter there, but what we do with it here will. Job position won't matter there, but being responsible here will. Material possessions won't matter there, but what we do with them here will. Winning won't matter there, but playing hard and working at the top of our abilities while we are here will. Like a gold thread running through it, we will pull eternity out of our present experiences.

Not to leave out the stark contrasts. If you lived in prison here, you will live free there. If you were sick here, you will be well there. If you were abused here, you will be cherished there. If you were deformed here, you will be whole there. If you were poor here, you will be rich there. If you were outcast here, you will belong there. If you were nobody here, you will be somebody there. If you mourned here, you will dance there. If you struggled with depression here, there, you will leap for joy.

Remember, we spend a lifetime learning to live somewhere else.

19th May 2006

2006-05-19T21:57:00.000+08:00

Born again is one thing, just being born is pretty great too!
By John Fischer

My birthday flew by this week and I think I've finally figured out what to celebrate about birthdays, and the less numbers have to do with it, the better. Your actual age on your birthday is only an issue when you can name it in single digits. After that, with the exception of passing certain ages that qualify you for driving, voting, drinking, and fighting in wars, the numbers just don't matter. What should matter is not how many years it has been since you were born, but the fact that you were born, period. Yes, that's a pretty big deal. Your birth was meant to happen. Regardless of what your life has been like up until now, you were meant to be, and your existence is something to celebrate, on any day for that matter, but especially on birthdays. Your birthday is the day it all started for you.

I remember well the moment this insight came home to me. I was a grown man with a wife and kids and a mortgage, but I rushed out of a psychologist's office and picked up the first phone I could find to call my wife and announce to her the good news - that God wanted me to be born, and that was a big deal! You would think I could have waited until I was home to tell her such obvious news, but I couldn't. You see, I had heard so much, from my childhood on, about being born again that I never truly realized how important it was to be born the first time. I also noticed right away how this new understanding changed how I saw everyone else. It was everything I could do, coming out of counseling that day, to keep from rushing up and hugging the first person I saw. Up until then, I had taken on the somewhat cultish belief that you had to have had a second birth in order to count as a human being. That's what made this news so earth-shattering to me. One birth is good enough to mark. Are you breathing? Let's celebrate! God wanted you to be born! He wanted me alive; that must mean he wants you alive too!

Jesus wants us to be alive with him in Heaven for eternity, as well, and that's where the second birth comes in. But the first one is no less significant. The first one is why he went to all the trouble he went through to save us in the first place and to make the second one possible. And that's no accident.

18th May 2006

2006-05-18T17:42:00.000+08:00

What God Does
By John Fischer

Jump in the mess of human lives undressed
And sin unconfessed . . . and see beauty.
Look at the sea of misfits and misery
And cry ‘til you bleed . . . and see beauty.
That's what God does!
That's what God does!
That's what God does, why can't we?
- The rock group, Skypark

God is crazy about you. He’s all over you like a glove. God waits for you, hanging on your every word. He loves to hear you call to him. He has been relentlessly pursuing you since before you were born; he sacrificed his Son to remove the barriers to his love for you; and he has plans for you that go way beyond anything you can imagine. How do I know all this? I’ve been reading about it in the Bible for most of my life, and I know it in my heart, and I’m telling you about it because I figure if I keep on like this, I’ll eventually begin to believe it for myself.

Appropriating God’s unconditional love is not as given as it might seem. Jesus said we were to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, but what if I have a problem loving myself? Then the reverse is most likely true; I won’t love anyone else either.

The only way you disqualify yourself from experiencing the unconditional love of God is to think of yourself as better than most everybody (my particular version of it) or to think of yourself as worse than most everybody (I’ve got a little of this, too). How tragic to be measuring and comparing ourselves — trying to qualify for a love we’re already qualified for just by being alive!

Here’s how to end all this nonsense. Accept God’s love as totally undeserved. I’m just as much a scoundrel as the next guy, but here’s the amazing thing, God’s crazy about both of us! He looks at us and sees beauty. Don’t ask why or how; just believe it. Believe it and you’ll start to see yourself that way too. Then loving others will be a lot easier because you have accepted yourself as you are, through God’s love for you. No reason to think of yourself as better or worse than anyone else; we are simply all recipients of the amazing grace of God when none of us deserve it.

Since when do you love people just because they exist? Since you found out that’s what God does! So when it comes to loving yourself, do what God does: Look at yourself and see something beautiful. Soon you’ll see everyone else that way, too.

17th May 2006 ***

2006-05-17T12:20:00.000+08:00

'Seek the truth'
By John Fischer

The last time I mentioned The Da Vinci Code, I was on page 234. Well I have finished the book now, and as an author of three novels, I think I understand what is happening here. Let me explain.

I set my first novel, Saint Ben, in the late 1950s in Pasadena, Calif. For fun, I looked up events in the local newspaper, The Pasadena Star-News, and wrote them into the final week of my story. I found some very interesting connections that helped me create the story's conclusion and tie it to actual events from the front page of the paper. I also staged a real event, the Tournament of Roses parade on New Year's Day, only I had the mayor of Pasadena riding in a 1958 Edsel in the 1959 parade. This was a clear break with tradition (and with fact), but it served my story well.

Now if you read Saint Ben, you won't know for sure what piece of the story is fact and what is fiction unless you go to the Pasadena Library, like I did, and search through the microfilm versions of the front pages of the Star-News, and check the Tournament of Roses archives for what car the mayor drove in 1959. You probably won't bother doing that because you really don't care, and hopefully, you are just enjoying the story for what it is: a piece of fiction.

Dan Brown, the writer of The Da Vinci Code, has done the same thing with his story, only with much more significant events and with potentially damaging results if people don't take the time and effort to find out what is fact and what is fiction. What car the mayor drove in a rose parade is one thing; the origin of how we know who Jesus Christ is and what he did on earth is quite another, yet Mr. Brown has treated his story much the same way. He has concerned himself more with building an entertaining story than with the truth, and he has done that by creating his own unique blend of fact, legend, and his imagination, bending them all to serve the story he created. That his story pretends to be a legitimate conspiracy is more of a brilliant marketing scheme than a significant attack on history. You have to remind people where they found this book: in the fiction section.

It's a good lesson for all of us about telling the truth all the time because if you blend any part of the truth with a story, it all becomes fiction, and no one knows how to separate the truth from the lie.

Ironically, the tag line for the upcoming movie is exactly right: “Seek the truth.” Anyone who seeks the truth in regard to this story will find out pretty quick that this isn't it.

17th May 2006

2006-05-16T21:13:00.000+08:00

What Dads Can't Do
By John Fischer

For Father's Day a few years ago, my kids got me a book, What Dads Can't Do by Douglas Wood. It's a children's book about dads and kids, illustrated in charming renditions of cute, huggable dragons. Here's a little sampling:

“There are lots of things that regular people can do but dads can't.
Dads can't cross the street without holding hands.
They can push, but they can't swing.
When dads play hide and seek they always get found, but they have a hard time finding you.
Dads really need to be kissed goodnight at bedtime.
It's a wonder they make it through life at all!”

I especially like the hide and seek part because of how God reveals himself to us. On one hand, he hides from us; on the other, he makes himself very obvious to those who are truly seeking him. If you seek the Lord with all your heart, finding him will be a little like finding a big dinosaur-sized dragon hiding behind a palm tree. This is one of the reasons why people who see the reality of God in their lives and in their world can't understand why everyone can't see what they see. To them it is so entirely obvious, but to those who are not “in the game,” God and truth remain shrouded.

Now I know it's heresy to imply that there is something God (as Dad) can't do, but in one case I suggest this is true. He can't let everyone know who he is in order to uphold the integrity of the human beings he has created in his image who choose not to have him in their life. In a sense, you could say God has upheld the dignity of those who won't believe. If God were like a dinosaur-sized dragon hiding behind a palm tree for everyone, you would be a fool for not believing. As it is, you are a fool for believing because something not obvious to most people is obvious to you. The faith that God gives believers, through their ability to see and hear him, is strong enough to counter looking like a fool.

I think the lesson here is to make sure we give people the dignity God gives them. That is, the freedom to choose not to believe.

Jesus spoke in parables to hide the truth, and then said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The implication being: Some people have other things to do with their ears than listen for God. Jesus never berated people for not believing, he just kept encouraging those who did.

15th May 2006

2006-05-15T21:58:00.000+08:00

No leftovers
by John Fischer

Recently, an Iranian woman was asked what the most difficult part in her adjustment to living in the United States was. She didn't say anything about the different environment for women as might have been expected. Instead, she said the most difficult adjustment was the fact that she found it hard to cook for only her family of four. She was used to feeding, at any time of the day, meals for various extended family members and friends. Serving in that way is a natural part of her culture.

Her solution to this problem is simple. Besides providing an elderly woman across the street with dinner delivered each night to her door, she goes out and invites people to join her family — sitting at the table and eating what would have been leftovers. Now there’s an easy solution to leftovers — ring up the neighborhood.

Reading this story in the newspaper reminded me of a parable Jesus told of a man who prepared a great feast and invited many guests, but when those guests made excuses about other things they had to do, he sent his servant into the streets and alleys of the town to invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. “After the servant had done this, he reported, ‘There is still room for more.’ So his master said, ‘Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full’” (Luke 14:22-23). There won’t be any leftovers at this feast!

God has a sharing heart. He doesn’t want any leftovers, and he doesn’t want anyone left over except the ones who don’t want to come. He’s rung up the whole town. If you didn’t get an invitation, that’s okay, you have one now. No need to go out and get a fancy outfit (how could you possibly dress up for this dinner, anyway?), just come as you are. God is just this way. He has a huge heart and he wants you in it.

God doesn’t want to be alone. He wants lots of people to share his love with. The best thing to do is not ask a lot of why questions. Just accept the invitation, drop whatever you’re holding onto, and go with the messenger that invited you. I’m still not sure how I got invited; I’m just glad I’m here.

How could anyone turn down an invitation like this?

Don’t have to dress up; there’s no place to go.
Don’t need no lessons; this ain’t no show.
This is life! This is what it’s supposed to be.
This is God loving you and me!
So come on and dance!
Let the Spirit set you free.
Dance! To the Lord of life.
Dance!Sanctify the circumstance.
Come on and dance!To the Lord of life.

- from the song Dance! by John Fischer

14th May 2006 ***

2006-05-14T17:15:00.000+08:00

Da Vinci decoded
By John Fischer

Well, I’m on page 243 of The Da Vinci Code and it certainly is a page-turner. I’m reading it because I want to be able to speak intelligently to the interest that will surely be on the rise as this blockbuster novel becomes a major motion picture with a high-profile team of actors including Tom Hanks in the leading role. More than 40 million copies of the novel have been sold, and the movie will most certainly drive that number higher.

The controversial nature of its theme recalls the movie The Last Temptation of Christ taken from the book by Nikos Kazantzakis that presents a confused Christ and an offensive dream sequence from the cross involving his relationship with Mary Magdalene. The intense reaction of the religious community against that movie amounted to a call to arms. Theaters were picketed and boycotted, and a march was organized on Universal Studios. (I still wonder why Christians would expect unbelievers to get the story right in the first place.)

It is my understanding that The Da Vinci Code has similar controversial interpretations of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Christ, and the Catholic Church. Still, it would be better if cooler heads prevailed if only for the opportunity to present another more accurate version of the biblical account as over and against becoming entangled in yet another culture war.

Though the story is clearly fiction, it will raise questions in people’s minds about the validity of the sources through which the story of Christ and his disciples has come down to us. In other words: We have homework to do. I suggest we turn this cultural event into an opportunity for dialogue, not a call to battle. Here are some things I think would be appropriate.

1) Let’s not try and be experts about something we haven’t read or seen. If we’re going to have an opinion, make sure it’s an informed one.

2) Bone up on the origin of our information about the Scriptures and why we can trust them as reliable historical documents and as God’s Word. [See below for some recommended material to help you do this.]

3) Use this information to bolster our own faith, not fight a battle of wits with unbelievers we are eager to disprove.

4) Use the information gained to address the doubts of those who are genuinely seeking the truth.

5) Above all, let’s use this interest in the historicity of religion as an opportunity to get people thinking about the possibility of a real relationship with Christ – something we have found to be our own personal validation of the truth.

We don’t have to defend God or win a culture war. God is perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Dan Brown, and our culture in response, has brought up the subject of Christ and the early days of church history. By making our conversation positive and seasoned with grace, we can point people toward the truth instead of driving them away from us.

“But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18 NIV)

13th May 2006

2006-05-13T10:10:00.000+08:00

Ears are for iPods
By John Fischer

Do you ever wonder how much God knew about what would become of what he made when he first made us? I mean, did he know that little dip in the bottom of my ears would work perfectly with my iPod earphones so they would stay put while I jog? What about drinking Starbucks latte on the go? Do you suppose he knew my lips would wrap nicely around that little hole in the lid and my tongue would allow me to let through a sip at a time so as not to burn my whole mouth?

I know this sounds a bit silly, but I actually find it easier to believe this and a whole bunch of other unbelievable stuff about God and myself than to do the heavy lifting of leaving God out of the equation. God had to know about stuff like this when he made us if he is God.

Which means he had to know about war, disease, calamity, terror, abuse, and all manner of evil, too. And how do you reconcile any of this with the idea of a kind, loving, and compassionate God? Not very easily. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say not at all. I can’t reconcile stuff like this. But just because I can’t make sense of the world doesn’t mean he can’t either. You see, God is not bound by my judgments. He never asked for my counsel. He didn’t check in with me before he made the world the way it is, and a big part of believing in God is accepting the fact that he is God and I am not.

Now don’t get me wrong. This doesn’t at all mean I don’t still try and get answers to questions like this, nor does it mean I just blindly accept what happens as God’s will and blow off my own human reactions. In fact, if God is God, then he made me with a questioning mind, and why did he do that if he wanted me to just blindly trust him? No, he must have wanted to interact with the process in some way. He must have wanted the give and take, push and pull of a relationship, or else, why did he do this?

Here is my conclusion, at least so far. More than he wants us to follow him, he wants us to have a relationship with him. More than blind obedience, he wants conversation. He’ll even get down on the mat and wrestle with us if that’s what we need. God made us for himself and none of us will rest until we are one with him. That is where we belong, and pretty much whatever it takes to get there is worth it.

12th May 2006

2006-05-13T09:53:00.000+08:00

Broad shoulders and few Surprises by John Fischer

I spent the weekend recently at a men's conference and came to appreciate the host of the event. At 6 foot 7 inches, he is the equivalent of a big teddy bear - make that a teddy grizzly. In an exchange of e-mails following the conference, we both admitted to a lack of deep friendships - mostly the result of our own admitted tendency to not want any.

In one of our exchanges he wrote, “In any event, if you ever get discouraged or need a sounding board, please don't hesitate to contact me. My brow may be thick, but my shoulders are broad, and candidly, not too much surprises me anymore.”

I love that. You don't hear this kind of thing from just anybody. In fact if you hear it at all, you are a fortunate person. His statement contains two elements necessary before a relationship can grow: a willingness to bear another's burden and a commitment to total acceptance.

Though they are sufficiently broad, the shoulders he's offering are not physical; they are emotional. We are all called to “bear one another's burdens and thereby fulfill the law of Christ,” and later “for each one will bear his own load.” (Galatians 6:2, 5) That is to say: There are burdens and then there are burdens. There are certain weights of responsibility we are all expected to carry, but there will always be heavy loads too big for one set of shoulders. This is when we need someone to help shoulder our burden.

Keeping in mind that shouldering a burden doesn't mean solving it; it means simply to help carry it. Men usually have more trouble with this than women, because we naturally want to fix things. But this, of course, is impossible. It's a burden precisely because we can't fix it. No one can except God, and he for some reason unknown to us has chosen not to.

Then there's the second part: If I'm going to bear up under someone else's burden, I've got to be willing to take whatever they've got. Sometimes the very nature of a burden is that it is something we don't want anyone to know - a dark secret that does not want to be told. This is exactly why we bear too much alone; we have too much to hide and too much at stake.

My new friend's invitation cut through all of this self-protection. “Not too much surprises me anymore,” he said. In essence, he was leaving an open door on telling him anything. If our relationships are shallow, it is because they are defined by what is comfortable. We live by unwritten laws not to rock the boat while we drift by each other, waving casually from our respective sinking ships. "

The reality of a relationship is measured by the level of truth about yourself you are willing to impart to another person. And if you have someone who does not require you to measure everything before you say it, you have a real friend.

May we all have broader shoulders for our friends and not too much that surprises us.

11th May 2006

2006-05-13T09:44:00.002+08:00

Of Spiritual Reflection and Coffee by John Fischer

Spiritual reflection and the coffee experience have always gone hand in hand. Coffee is that dark, mysterious brew that holds secrets only more reflection, time, and conversation can unlock. It's that coffee experience that pulls us together or keeps us company alone, both of which can be good for understanding God better. Admittedly, the health benefits of coffee may be dubious at best, but let's face it, life isn't too kind overall. That's why we need a little help from faith, friends, and good coffee.

And we must call it an experience because that's what it is – far more than just a cup of coffee. You can go to 7-eleven for coffee, but you go to Starbucks to experience the aroma, the pleasant atmosphere, the stuffed chair (even if you don't have time to sit in it), and the company of others seeking the same thing, for we are all seekers.

In this case, we're seeking a real relationship with God, and as senior writer for PurposeDrivenLife.com, I invite you on a daily spiritual journey of discovering, connecting, growing, sharing, and serving that will help to define that relationship and make it real. Even those who have found a relationship with God are still seeking to find out what that relationship means on a daily basis. We are never done with the process of seeking and finding.

“Ask and it will be given to you,” Jesus said, “seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) This is the expression of a way of life. These are not one-time occurrences. They are the description of one living with an open hand, an open mind, and an open heart to God. It's also the portrayal of someone who wants something in the worst way - for God desires a relationship with someone who truly wants one with him.

So here's to faith and coffee, and I'm not so sure it matters a lot where one stops and the other begins, as long as they're both strong. And here's to the discovery of what it means to live your life on purpose on a daily basis.

10th May 2006

2006-05-10T12:23:00.000+08:00

A War Hero without a Gun by John Fischer

He didn’t carry a gun, but he received the Medal of Honor for his action in World War II. He never pulled a trigger or threw a grenade, but he received the Bronze Star for his valor in the midst of heavy enemy fire. He personally objected to killing, but he was willing to serve the greater war effort, and he did so by saving lives instead of taking them. His name is Desmond T. Doss and he was recently celebrated, in his passing, by stories about his unique service in the United States Army.

Desmond was a devout believer who refused to carry a gun because of his personal conviction not to kill anyone for any reason. (The closest he got to a gun was an M-1 rifle stock he used to splint his own shattered arm while he tended to the wounded.) He served as a medic and once rescued 75 men in one operation amidst heavy enemy fire. He endured ridicule from fellow soldiers until, in the heat of battle, they saw what he was made of. And when his entire company fought in extraordinarily close quarters with the enemy and not one of them was killed, they, to a man, credited their success and safety to Desmond’s prayers. Here was a man who found a way to serve a war effort dedicated to killing while serving his own convictions not to kill at the same time.

Often we find ourselves in situations that are less than morally pristine. And yet we are called to serve the Kingdom of God. How do we do that? Desmond T. Doss found a way to do both. He even made up a term for himself: conscientious cooperator.

Believers serving in political office have to deal with the slippery slope of compromise all the time. Believers in the entertainment industry have to use their talents for less than ideal stories, or portray moral ambiguity in their acting. And believers often work for employers with questionable ethics. The lines are not always drawn in the sand. There are times when the right thing is to conscientiously object. But there are also times when the right thing is to conscientiously cooperate by finding that which we can accomplish for the Kingdom of God in the midst of lesser things.

This is not a perfect world. Everything you do, buy, or earn has been touched with impure hands somewhere along the line of getting to you. Like Desmond, we have to find out what we can do to serve God here.

One picture that should work for all of us is to see ourselves ducking under enemy fire to rescue the wounded and bring them to Christ for healing. Whatever else we are doing, that’s our real job.

[Thanks to John Beisner for sending me the story of Desmond Doss.]

9th May 2006

2006-05-09T17:39:00.000+08:00

Eyes by John Fischer

I'm thinking about eyes today. Not physical eyes, necessarily, as much as the concept of seeing. I'm thinking about the kind of eyes a blind person has. Eyes are all about seeing and being seen, and a person whose eyes don't work can still see and be seen � sometimes better than those with good eyes. Eyes are so much more than the function they perform.

Eyes are like the tide; they go out, and they come in. Eyes can focus on a pinpoint and open to the world. Or they can close to both.

The Psalmist says the eyes of God are everywhere, looking for those who do his will (Psalm 34:15). In this way, eyes can be selective. You can train your eyes to find certain things. One of the best ways to worship God, for instance, is to train your eyes to find him. Just as the best way to have friends is to train your eyes to find the good in people. Eyes are capable of seeing selectively. Two people can look at the same thing and see something entirely different. It depends on what you are looking for.

�He who seeks good finds goodwill, but evil comes to him who searches for it.� (Proverbs 11:27) What you see, in other words, is largely under your control. �Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.� (Matthew 5:8) They see God because they know what he looks like. When your heart is pure, you see purely.

Eyes look out, but they also open in. Eyes are the windows to the soul. This is the �being seen� part, and it's a little more scary, because you cannot always control what someone else sees in you. It is what makes us vulnerable. How do I know that someone will like what he or she sees? I don't. This is why we close ourselves off to relationships because we don't want to be seen. We don't want to run the risk. Lying eyes ... shifty eyes ... angry eyes ... wandering eyes � are all ways of keeping the window closed.

Because of what he has demonstrated throughout history, and especially by sending his Son for us, God can be trusted to look into your soul. He has seen it all, so nothing can shock him. All the sins of the whole world were laid on Jesus on the cross, so yours are no big deal. But no one knows that until they open the window and find out through personal experience what it truly means to be loved by God. And once you've opened your eyes to God, and found love and acceptance from him, you can pretty much leave the window open for everyone else.

Open my eyes, Lord, and let me see Jesus.
Open my eyes, Lord, and let me be seen.

8th May 2006

2006-05-08T23:21:00.000+08:00

'It's nice to see you around' by John Fischer

I am just back from my two-mile jog, pacing in front of my house to cool down when I notice my neighbor from across the street is headed to work. I wave at her and she waves back as she opens the car door, gets in, and starts the engine. With my headphones in and knit cap over them, I feel like a turtle in his shell. Bonnie Raitt is in the middle of Come to me, and I have been imagining God singing it to the human race (I do things like this just as a way of worship).

Suddenly, I act on the impulse to say something to Doris. She travels a lot working for an international company and I realize I haven't seen her in a while. Turning the music off and taking off my hat, I stick my neck out of my shell as I walk over to her car. She sees me coming and reaches for the keys to turn the engine off. I don't want her to do that, because this is not the time to talk. I know what it's like being on your way to work. So I hold up my hands to indicate I didn't want to slow her down, and without any thought it just comes out: “It's nice to see you around!”

A huge smile lights up her face as she calls back, “I'm around for a couple weeks.”

That was it. No major life-changing moment, no conversation, just an acknowledgment that someone's existence was appreciated.

Turning back to my house, I feel like a million bucks. That was just an unplanned, unrehearsed little affirmation of someone's personhood. Such a little thing to take any credit for and that is not my intention here, merely to point out that it takes so little to give someone a reason for being alive. I actually kind of shocked myself with the simple statement. It was exactly what I would want to say in that situation, and, by golly, I said it! (Usually comments like this come in hindsight, like the Terry Taylor line, I knocked them dead with what I could have said.)

Think about what you can do to affirm someone's existence today. We all need attention at the most basic level, and don't take the obvious for granted. It doesn't take much, but it can mean a lot to the other person and to you!

(And for those of you who are turtles like me, don't be afraid to pop your head out. It will be worth it.)

7th May 2006

2006-05-07T22:23:00.000+08:00

All of my best friends are sinners by John Fischer

All of my best friends are sinners. I don't mean that I hang out with really bad people. I mean this as a way of looking at everybody, starting with myself.

When Jesus told us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, it was a way of making us ultimately face into the reality of our own need. How we love others is dependent on how we love ourselves, and self-love has to take into account failure and sin, because we know ourselves better than anybody. We can try to cover up the bad stuff about ourselves, but that only disconnects us from the truth and makes us hypocrites, unable to love because we cannot love ourselves as we truly are.

The only kind of love hypocrites can have is a prejudiced love. Like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day who loved other Pharisees and condemned everyone else, when we are being hypocritical, we can't help but love those who are like us and abhor everyone who is not.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst.” (1 Timothy 1:15) When Paul says this, he puts himself in a position to get next to anyone. You can greet all of humanity with open arms from the perspective of knowing intimately your own sin and failure. “Over there are the sinners of the world for whom Christ died … hey, that's my group!”

A recovering alcoholic is still an alcoholic; he's just recovering from alcohol's influence over him in the company of others willing to do the same thing, so they can all be an encouragement to each other and accountable for their actions. That's the thing that's always been appealing to me about recovery groups. They are all about love and acceptance at the lowest level, and that is what we all need. These people are admitting that they have ruined their lives and are ruining the lives of their loved ones, and they are suddenly among friends who understand everything about that.

When you are trying to believe a lie about yourself, you can only accept those who have committed themselves to perpetuating the lie along with you and are sworn to secrecy about their own hidden sin as a form of mutual self-preservation. But it's all a game and we know it. How refreshing it is to come clean – to bring your life out into the open and be forgiven by God and join the rest of the human race for which Christ died.

Everything and everyone looks different once you have done this. And it doesn't matter if someone else is a Christian or not. Either way that person is still someone for whom Christ died, and therefore someone you can embrace. And why not, since all your best friends are sinners anyway!

6th May 2006

2006-05-06T13:50:00.000+08:00

Bring On the Questions by John Fischer

I was reunited with an old college classmate this weekend. We were both in the 1969 graduating class at Wheaton College, a Christian college in Illinois founded in 1860. He shared a humorous story with me about how a number of years ago, he got a chance to visit with Hudson T. Armerding – the man we lovingly referred to as “Hud,” who was the president of the college when we were students. Dr. Armerding confided in him that of the seventeen years that marked his presidency, we were definitely the worst class.

I have to admit; it is a distinction of which I am quite proud, because I am pretty sure what he meant by “worst.” He meant we had a high concentration of rowdy, non-conforming, troublemakers among us. In other words, we gave the administration a hard time. And though I’m sure some of it was unnecessary and non-productive, at its core there was an underlying hunger for truth among my peers at that time. We wanted to know what was really going on in the upper echelons of power. We did not accept easy answers. We did not come to college to fill up blank notebooks with knowledge. We came with lots of questions. I can see where we would have caused administrators lots of grief, but I know a different story from some of the professors during that time. A number of them have told me they found our class to be among the best.

When students ask questions, it generally means they are hungry for answers, and that is a very good thing. It also means they might be thinking for themselves which will inevitably make for a much deeper ownership of the values and truths they are learning. Most teachers will tell you it is actually the troublemakers who will go on to make a significant impact on their culture.

Oswald Chambers has said that we don’t truly own our faith unless we have struggled over it in some form. Belief is not pure acceptance. God desires interaction and He revels in our working through the process of believing Him. He wrestled with Jacob and even let him win.

So don’t be afraid to question. Even doubt is a legitimate step in the process of faith. God welcomes the serious questioner. It means we care enough to persist in finding the answers we need. The person who is threatened by questions has much too small of an understanding of God.

Is it any surprise that the year of the “worst” class at Wheaton College was also the beginning of the greatest spiritual revival of our generation in this country? Nor has it escaped at least my notice that the latest crop of college freshmen doesn’t seem to be completely satisfied with the status quo.

5th May 2006

2006-05-05T14:05:00.000+08:00

'The Great Coffee Scandal'by John Fischer

I'm sitting here this morning drinking my Starbucks French Roast and thinking about what seems so remarkable and complicated about how coffee came to be. I can just see some South American farmer sitting next to a coffea plant one day and suddenly seeing visions of shelling its red berries to get to the little bean inside. And once he saw that little bean, he would immediately know to dry it, roast it, grind it up, and pour hot water over it through a filter in order to get one of the most popular beverages in the world. I'm sure that's how it happened!

Don't you ever wonder about stuff like this or am I the only one? And doesn't it make you wonder how many other drinks or potions are still out there undiscovered? Why did we find the ones we found? Were we wired a certain way? Is it just random that we landed on coffee? Could it just as easily have gone another way and suddenly we are all drinking hot baba from the babao plant? (Don't go looking; I just made those up.)

All this tells me that we are not alone in not being an accident. That little bean inside the coffea berry is no accident either. God has built all sorts of beneficial secrets into his creation and then left us to discover them and use them. And this comes with responsibility as well because some of these secrets are harmful. That's all a part of the good and evil around us that makes life such a challenge.

All of this makes me stop dead in my tracks and go, “God, you are so awesome! To have plants, animals, natural resources, and an environment in which they can all thrive together is one thing. The brains to make something out of all these resources, and the potential to use what we make for good or for evil are even more incredible gifts you have given your creatures. Who could have thought up a God like you? Certainly none of us.”

So enjoying my coffee today has turned into an unplanned act of worship. It's amazing how you can access thoughts of God through the simplest channels. It\'s really not that hard once you start thinking down this road. That we can go about our work and never give a thought to what's behind the world we deal with every day is the real scandal.

4th May 2006

2006-05-04T20:03:00.000+08:00

Accidental poet by John Fischer

Down the street from a Starbucks in downtown Denver is a group of kids whose situation would present an apparent contradiction to the words of Rick Warren on the cups of coffee drinks they are bound to hold at some point during this campaign. The irony, I’m sure, will not go unnoticed. Some of them would say “accident” was inadequate to describe their lives. “Train wreck” might come closer.

These are teenagers who have run away from home or in some instances, been kicked out. For the most part, they are not prodigal children running away from loving parents; they are desperate children running away from prodigal parents, and they are going to put the “not an accident” theory to its severest test.

Robbie Goldman works among these kids, and he knows they are no accident even though their lives might look like one right now. Sometimes it takes someone else to believe it for you if you can’t believe it yourself. The salvation of each one of them will come when they realize that in spite of their situation, God wanted them alive and created them for a purpose. That’s the amazing thing about his purposes: They can prevail over any situation.

In his last communiqué, Robbie tells of a personal revelation he had reading the poetry of one of these kids:

“It is hard to imagine the ferocity with which my friend was writing lyrics down in her spiral notebook. She had been writing 10 to 12 of these poems a day. Some must have taken her over an hour.

What was the point? Who would want the horror punk lyrics of a street kid? Although she had a dream of some famous lead singer requesting her material, I wondered what would actually become of this notebook of words.

I sat and read the words carefully, giving my full attention to the admiration of her diligent work. She was amazed and said, ‘You must like them; you are reading each word.’

That is when it hit me. These crazy horror punk lyrics at that moment where meant for me! Most of the words were words I would never use. Most of the ideas I did not agree with. But the time and attention I gave to her work was what I needed to do. I am not a famous lead singer or record producer of horror punk, but I am her friend. That is enough.

The one thing all of us can do is be a friend. Let your heart love today, even if it exposes you to words you would not use and ideas with which you do not agree.”

It’s amazing what you can do for someone who thinks their life is an accident when you treat them as if it were not.

3rd May 2006

2006-05-04T09:59:00.000+08:00

‘I just wanted to tell you I've been faithful’by John Fischer

I spent this weekend with a fine group of men from a Presbyterian church in Wichita, Kan. At our first gathering, I was met enthusiastically by one of the pastors who had been instrumental in supporting my coming as a speaker for their annual men's retreat. He immediately began rolling off a list of people and places from my past where his life and mine had intersected. In his words, I had been his spiritual mentor without my knowing it. As he told me his story, I came to find out that one of my earliest performances as a singer/songwriter had been instrumental in starting him out on his journey of faith.

On Sunday morning as he introduced me to the rest of the congregation, he embarrassed me with four of my early LPs (youthful pictures and very dated apparel) and commented on how it had been no small task to rescue them from the stash of memories in his basement. I was amazed that the albums he found had managed to survive all the garage sales his family had surely had over the last 30 years. He related that while he was searching for the albums the day before, his 11-year-old son had wanted to know what Dad was doing in the basement, to which his wife had replied: “Oh, your father is just finding himself down there.”

Apparently part of finding himself was in finding me, and though my ego wanted to bask in the attention, I couldn't. In fact, he said something so profound that I didn't know how to respond. I still don't, except to marvel at how right it is. He said it repeatedly during our conversations that weekend. “I couldn't wait for you to get here,” he said, with eyes as wide as a child's on Christmas morning, “because I wanted to personally tell you that I've been faithful all these years.”

It left me speechless every time. I couldn't even say, “Thank you,” because it wasn't about me; it was about him, and how important it was for me to be a witness to his faithfulness. And the more I heard it, the more something far greater than pride or accomplishment was welling up inside of me. It was a sense of gratefulness to God that he allowed me to be a part of this man's life.

Think about someone God used to start you down your own path of faith. Make it your goal to be able to get to that person and tell them you've been faithful - you haven't quit on your faith. It will be great for you, but take my word for it: It will be life-fulfilling for them.
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N.B. Recently I've been inspired to restart the journey of faith for the last time (I hope) by 2 music artiste namely KJ-52 and Seven places.

Their songs have really encouraged me to live for God (KJ-52's Are you Real?), overcome temptations (KJ-52's Life After Death) and love God so that I dedicate part of my time to Him everyday (Seven Places' Even When).

Their songs are available in the disc X 2005- 17 Christian Rock Hits available in all good christian stores.

Though I think I will never see them to tell them how I've kept my faith, at least on Earth, I'll certainly meet them in heaven and I know I'll be able to say to them, "I just wanted to tell you that I've been faithful!

They also inspired me to start this devotional blog on the 30th April 2006. This will certainly keep me accountable in my spiritual walk!

Praise be to God!!

2nd May 2006

2006-05-03T09:27:00.000+08:00

What’s so special about ‘special needs’?by John Fischer

I often like to include stories that come from our readers as inspiration. Sometimes I retell them in my own words, but this one I’m passing on pretty much as it came to me. Thanks to Kim for sharing some valuable lessons with us.

I learned something new about myself this week from a new friend named Thomas who is 12 years old, incredibly handsome, friendly, and autistic. He sat behind me in a restaurant, close enough to touch. He was enamored with my 5-year-old who was not feeling well and not giving him any attention. I felt compelled to do so myself. Throughout the evening, Thomas and I became buddies – talking about everything from basketball to Nike shoes.

The most fascinating part of this new acquaintance was Thomas’ mother – an elegant, well-kept, very dignified, and composed woman. Her name is Debbie and in my eyes she is amazing. She is a single mom, a partner in a business, and manages to raise her son with "special needs." When she and her husband found out about Thomas’ autism at the age of 2, her husband got scared and left them. He has never been back.

Earlier in the evening, I was frustrated with my children for being difficult. They didn't want to get dressed to go the restaurant, they weren't happy about the jackets I chose, the baby was feeling bad, they didn't like each other, and were bickering. I was extremely exhausted and feeling terribly sorry for myself, because my husband was working late and I had no help with the children. I was driving them and my mother-in-law to the restaurant thinking, "How am I ever going to keep up with this? If I could just get enough rest to regain my composure, blah, blah, blah ..."

During dinner, the waves of guilt came over me as I began to think about how long and difficult Debbie's days must be, and yet she looked so much like she belonged exactly where she was in her life at that moment. I don't know how it will change my outlook on things long term, but it was definitely an eye opener for me today.

Debbie was truly a motivation. And then, irony of ironies, she came over to me as they got up to leave and hugged me with tears in her eyes – thanking me for being good to her son. Apparently their typical experience in public is to have people shy away from them out of fear of what to say. She has no idea that I owe her and Thomas the thanks. I will always be grateful that he reached out to my son and me that night.

1st May 2006

2006-05-03T09:25:00.000+08:00

Restroom ministryby John Fischer

Don’t look now, but one of our readers is closing in on a new ministry. Ben is loose in the restroom! He writes:

When I was leaving work yesterday, I saw this guy in the restroom that I knew had been going through some grief, having lost both of his parents over the past year. My father just passed away on Feb. 27. I told him that I had a book on grieving the loss of a parent that might be useful to him. He said he didn't like to read a lot of books. I said, “Yeah, I can't really endorse it either. I haven't read it myself.” (Good one, Ben!)

I told him that I had the pleasure of leading my father to Christ back in November of 2004. I also let him know that I prefer to limit my reading to recommended books and was currently reading through Randy Alcorn's Heaven. I was able to share with him some of the fantastic things I have learned about Heaven and how it seems to have taken my grief away quickly.

We walked out together, down the elevator, and to the parking garage. During that time, I was able to talk with him more about his own certainty of eternal life. He has trusted in Christ but said that he "drifts" sometimes. I got to tell him that when he received Christ, he became a new creature and that he was going to go to Heaven. But between receiving Christ and dying, he was going to go through a process of being made more like Christ that wouldn't be complete until he died. I told him that God will speak to him through the Bible, prayer, and through meeting together with other believers like we were doing right then.

When we finished talking, I could tell that God had done something in him right then. He straightened up real tall and shook my hand firmly. "I want to thank you for taking the time to talk to me. This has meant a lot."
Now here’s the clincher …

I don't think I mentioned it, but I really don't like to talk to people in the bathroom more than just, "Hi, how are you ..."

Oh, sure Ben. We almost believe that!

You know, Ben’s story just confirms that most people want to talk if you show even the slightest interest in them. In this case, it was this gentleman’s loss that Ben was able to identify with.

I like this story because Ben is clearly not the professional Christian or the expert witness. He’s just … well … Ben – a guy who doesn’t like to talk to anybody in the restroom, but who did anyway because God moved him to. It’s pretty amazing what you can accomplish from the restroom to the parking lot when you follow his lead.

30th April 2006

2006-05-03T09:16:00.000+08:00

'Trauma, drama princess' by John Fischer

I have a daughter who fights with life. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. She was born eight weeks early and had to fight to get to where everyone else usually starts. Nothing's really changed since then. In school, she always insisted on going way beyond what was required, not because she had anything to prove, but because she couldn’t help it. She performs best in the most challenging of circumstances.

Her only flaw in this is that she always has to complain about the process all the time. Of course it doesn't hurt that she is also quite dramatic. There always seems to be some trauma that forces her to overcome a new difficulty, and while she is in the process of overcoming it, we have to continually hear how much better it would have been for her had the trauma not occurred. To which I always have to say, (or bite my tongue, waiting for the right opportunity to say) “but Anne, you wouldn't want it any other way.”

And she wouldn't. That's why I call her my “trauma, drama princess.” Any other way and she'd be bored to death. In school, the only classes she did not excel in were the easy ones that posed no challenge to her. This is also why she loves extreme sports: I am beginning to think she has to be in a near-death situation in order to induce normal blood flow to her brain.

Now why am I telling you this? Well, besides the joy of writing about my one-of-a-kind daughter, whom I delight in, there is a message here we all need to get. We cannot always control what happens to us, but we can control how we respond to what does. My dear daughter has a tendency to burn a lot of energy turning the situation over and over in her mind. If such and such hadn't happened, then I wouldn't be here or there having to go through this or that. Life for her is pretty much variations on this theme - fill in the blanks. Sometimes I honestly think she is still trying to get those eight weeks back she lost in the womb. But there's no point in going over what we can't do anything about.

Focus on what we can control - our attitude as we live out our faith. As believers, we know that God has a purpose for our lives and for everything that happens to us. We're never going to change the past, but we can live in the knowledge that what was lost and found in the process of getting to where we are now has become a unique part of who we are and of what God has given us to do.