“Jairus” (Part #4)

 

“Jabez” (Part #3)

03, May 2018

‘So God granted him what he requested’ (1 Chronicles 4:10 NKJV)When Jabez prayed, ‘Enlarge my territory,’ he was saying, ‘Lord, I want more than I’ve got, and I’m asking You for it’! This man had great ambitions, and God blessed them.

There are three common misconceptions that can keep us from having great ambitions:

(1) We confuse fear with humility. We say, ‘Oh, I could never do that,’ and think we’re being humble. But that’s not humility. That’s fear; that’s lack of faith. A truly humble person would say, ‘With God’s help I can do it. With God’s blessing I will do it. I may not be able to do it on my own, but with God’s help I can’. That’s real humility.

(2) We tend to confuse laziness with contentment. We quote Paul: ‘I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances’ (Philippians 4:11 NIV) … But this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t set goals. Paul wasn’t saying, ‘I don’t have any ambitions or future plans’ … Just the opposite, in fact! He spoke of ‘reaching forward to what lies ahead’ (Philippians 3:13 NAS). If you don’t have a dream or a goal, ask God for one.

(3) We confuse small thinking with spirituality. Some people say, ‘I serve God in my little way’. Why don’t you start serving Him in a bigger way? Why not let Him use you more? Other people say, ‘Well, I’m just fine the way I am. That’s the way God made me’. It’s wrong to blame God for your lack of growth, because He has provided all the tools and ideas you need in order to grow. Bottom line: think big or you’ll get in God’s way!

 

“What Are Your Strengths”?

14, February 2018

“What Are Your Strengths”?

‘God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.’ (Romans 12:6 TLB)

Paul writes: ‘Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function … We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well’ (Romans 12:4–6 NLT). Dr John Maxwell recommends that you work where you’re strongest 80 per cent of the time, where you’re learning 15 per cent of the time, and where you’re weakest 5 per cent of the time.

So, what are your strengths? To find the answer to that question, you must:

(1) Be secure. If you allow your insecurities to get the better of you, you’ll become inflexible and resistant to change … And if you don’t change you won’t grow.

(2) Get to know yourself. Spend time exploring your gifts, ask for feedback and receive it, and be honest about your blind spots.

(3) Trust your leader. If you can’t trust the person you’re following, you should look for someone you can trust, or get on another team.

(4) See the big picture. Your place on any team only makes sense in the context of the big picture. If your sole reason for finding your niche is personal gain, your wrong motives will rob you of the very joy, fulfilment, and success you desire.

(5) Rely on your experience. The only way to know you’ve discovered your niche is to try things, take risks, learn from your failures and successes, and discover what God has gifted you to do.

 

“Sound Financial Advice” (Part #3)

13, February 2018

“Sound Financial Advice” (Part #3)

‘The godly love to give!’ (Proverbs 21:26 NLT)

The level of financial blessing God will entrust to you depends on three questions:

(1) Are you mature enough to handle it?

(2) Are you hoping to reap but unwilling to sow?

(3) Are you a hoarder or a giver?

God knows we can’t all give the same amount. Jesus honored a widow for giving her last two coins, saying: ‘they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on’ (Mark 12:44 NLT). On the other hand, businessman Barnabas ‘sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet’ (Acts 4:37 NIV). The more God blesses you with, the more He holds you accountable for. Jesus said, ‘Much is required from those to whom much is given’ (Luke 12:48 TLB).

At offering time, a pastor told his congregation to reach out and grab the wallet or purse of the person sitting in front of them. ‘Now,’ he said, ‘open it up and give as much as you’ve always wanted to give but felt you couldn’t afford’! The truth is, we’re not all called to give equally but we’re all called to sacrifice equally. That levels the playing field. Isn’t it interesting how you can go to dinner at the home of somebody who doesn’t have a lot, and leave feeling like royalty because of their hospitality? That’s because the essence of generosity is self-sacrifice. God entrusts financial blessing to people who aren’t controlled by the love of money. How can you tell when you’re controlled by the love of money? Because instead of giving when God tells you to, you withhold. Understand this: when God impresses on you to sow a seed, there’s a harvest coming your way.

 

“Sound Financial Advice” (Part#1)

11, February 2018

“Sound Financial Advice” (Part#1)

‘The wise have wealth … but fools spend whatever they get.’ (Proverbs 21:20 NLT)

It’s foolish to buy things you don’t need and can’t afford, especially when your bills are overdue and you’ve nothing set aside for the future. Your financial security is determined by what you owe, not by what you earn! Having to work for years to repay debt severely limits your options.

So, determine your lifestyle by your actual income, not by what you wish it was or hope it will be … And when you get a raise, don’t automatically spend more. The Bible says, ‘There is precious treasure … in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it’ (Proverbs 21:20 NKJV). One of the wisest things you can do today is to start saving for the future, and sowing a portion of your income into God’s Kingdom (see 2 Corinthians 9:6).

Author John Kennedy writes: ‘Peddling biblically-based financial advice has become a cottage industry. It’s not that the counsel is new, or that people haven’t heard it enough. The fact remains … Christians have racked up debt with no plan for financial accountability … they’re tapped out keeping up with interest payments’. Is your philosophy in life, ‘Why wait and save, when a credit card will let me have what I want right now?’

If you’re buying things you don’t need with money you don’t have, stop it! Before you purchase anything else, ask yourself if you really need it … And even if you think you do, ask yourself if you can live without it for a while; otherwise you’ll become a slave to credit card debt. Here’s some sound financial advice: pray for God’s guidance before you make any nonessential purchases.

 

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #4)

04, February 2018

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #4)

‘The wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:33 NLT)

Paul writes, ‘The wife must respect her husband’. Pay close attention to the word ‘must’. This is a command from the Lord, not a suggestion or a topic that’s open to debate (see Ephesians 5:33). Notice, the Bible doesn’t say a woman must ‘love’ her husband, but it does say that she must ‘respect’ him.

And guys, before you take the throne and start handing out decrees, that means you must prove yourself worthy of respect! To respect your husband is to hold him in esteem and honor. What a woman needs from a man is located in her heart, and what a man needs from a woman is located in his head. It’s called his ego.

You say, ‘I’m not going to feed his ego’! That would be like your husband saying, ‘I’m not going to feed your heart’. Men long to have their egos fed. When you fail to feed your husband’s ego, he may end up vulnerable to somebody else who feeds it for him! As a wife, you were created by God with the ability to feed your husband’s ego in a healthy manner, by respecting and honoring him. There’s nothing more dangerous in a marriage relationship than disrespect. When a man doesn’t feel respected, he will either rebel against you, remove himself, or become passive. God has given two simple rules for building a successful marriage. The first is for husbands to love their wives, and the second is for wives to respect their husbands … And when you operate by God’s rules you get God’s results. So, if you want God’s best, and His blessing at home, start doing things His way.

 

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #3)

03, February 2018

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #3)

‘Being heirs together of the grace of life’ (1 Peter 3:7 NKJV)

A good marriage is built on mutual sacrifice. Adam had to sacrifice something near and dear to him in order to get Eve—a rib. And your wife will know you love her when you’re willing to give up things that are important to you in order to meet her needs and promote her well-being. Too many men want to be married but still function as singles. They don’t want to sacrifice any time, attention, or resources for the benefit of their wives. They don’t want a wife; they want a maid. They want to marry someone so they can be served. No—it’s the opposite! The Bible says you and your wife are ‘heirs together’. That means she is an equal partner. So, her opinions, thoughts, and perspectives matter. Yes, as the leader of your home you may make the final decision, but when you don’t get your wife’s input and consider her viewpoint, holy wedlock can turn into unholy deadlock.

Your wife will respond to you when she feels cherished and valued (see Ephesians 5:29). You say, ‘But my wife’s as cold as ice’. How did she get that way? Ice only stays icy in a cold environment. So instead of complaining, work at changing your environment. Husbands are thermostats and wives are thermometers. Husbands determine the climate and wives thrive or shrivel accordingly. There’s a reason your wife is ‘cold’. And there’s a solution: warm her up and watch her melt! When you begin to love, nurture, cherish, and protect her as Christ did the church, you’ll have a whole new woman in your arms. Try it and see

 

“How Much Do You Love Jesus”?

31, January 2018

“How Much Do You Love Jesus”?

‘When he had found one pearl of great price … [he] sold all that he had and bought it’ (Matthew 13:46 NKJV)

In one of the most unique corporate take-overs ever, Stanley Tam legally transferred 51 per cent of the shares of his company to God. He started United States Plastic Corporation with thirty-seven dollars in capital. When he gave his business back to God, annual revenues were less than two hundred thousand dollars. But Stanley believed God would bless his business, and he wanted to honor God from the get-go.

At that point, most of us would have been patting ourselves on the back. Not Stanley. He felt convicted for keeping 49 per cent to himself. After reading the parable of the merchant who sold everything to obtain the pearl of great price, he made a decision to divest himself of all his shares. He said, ‘A man can eat only one meal at a time, wear only one suit of clothes at a time, drive only one car at a time. All this I have. Isn’t that enough’? So on 15 January 1955, every share of stock was transferred to God, and Stanley became a salaried employee of the company he started. Before he was through, Stanley gave away more than 120 million dollars to the cause of Christ. If you want to measure the depth of your love for Christ, look at your calendar and your credit card statement. They don’t lie. How you spend your time and money are the two best barometers of your true priorities. Is Christ your pearl of great price? He wants to be. He deserves to be.

 

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #2)

02, February 2018

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #2)

‘Husbands, love your wives’ (Ephesians 5:25 ESV)

We sometimes throw the word ‘love’ around loosely, leaving it to be defined in many different ways. People say things like, ‘I love chocolate cake,’ or ‘I love football,’ or ‘I love that television show’. What they really mean is they ‘like’ and ‘enjoy’ these things.

The Bible’s definition of love goes much deeper than what entertains and excites us, or even what makes us feel emotionally attached to one another. To love someone is to pursue their well-being and make it a priority. Love’s first concern is always: ‘How does this action contribute to my partner’s well-being’? The Bible says, ‘Husbands … love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. Christ gave up his life for her … In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it’ (Ephesians 5:25–29 NLT). As a husband, you can learn two things from these Scriptures:

(1) We are all innately selfish. So, your greatest challenge will always be to put your wife’s interests ahead of your own, and be willing to sacrifice your own agenda to do it.

(2) We must practice being sensitive. Think how sensitive you are to the aches and needs of your own body, and apply that same principle to caring for your wife. You say, ‘That’s a tall order’! Yes, and the God who commands you to do it will give you the grace to do it day by day. So, draw on His grace!

 

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #2)

02, February 2018

“The Marriage Covenant” (Part #2)

‘Husbands, love your wives’ (Ephesians 5:25 ESV)

We sometimes throw the word ‘love’ around loosely, leaving it to be defined in many different ways. People say things like, ‘I love chocolate cake,’ or ‘I love football,’ or ‘I love that television show’. What they really mean is they ‘like’ and ‘enjoy’ these things.

The Bible’s definition of love goes much deeper than what entertains and excites us, or even what makes us feel emotionally attached to one another. To love someone is to pursue their well-being and make it a priority. Love’s first concern is always: ‘How does this action contribute to my partner’s well-being’? The Bible says, ‘Husbands … love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. Christ gave up his life for her … In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it’ (Ephesians 5:25–29 NLT). As a husband, you can learn two things from these Scriptures:

(1) We are all innately selfish. So, your greatest challenge will always be to put your wife’s interests ahead of your own, and be willing to sacrifice your own agenda to do it.

(2) We must practice being sensitive. Think how sensitive you are to the aches and needs of your own body, and apply that same principle to caring for your wife. You say, ‘That’s a tall order’! Yes, and the God who commands you to do it will give you the grace to do it day by day. So, draw on His grace!