There are few times when you are “offered” a promotion that you do not take it. Of course there are the rare occasions when you wouldn’t… and the less rare occasions when you wish you hadn’t… but for the most part, when you get offered a promotion you accept it.
At least in the physical.
But what about the spiritual?
We are reminded in Colossians 3 that when we work we are to do everything we do as unto the Lord. And He watches us. He sees everything we do. And that which we do in secret He… HE… rewards. (Matt 6:4)
Our God is the God Who promotes. While the one whom God has set in authority over us (our pastor, our boss, etc..) may communicate the promotion… it is God who gives/provides the promotion.
“For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” Psalm 75:6-7
I want to remind you today that God has promoted you… and He wants you to accept it.
His declaration over your life is that you are more than a conqueror, that you are His child.
He has declared you righteous through the cross.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
When leaders throw in the towel...
I wonder what Saul’s motivation was for letting David face Goliath? Think about it for a minute. There was a lot… I mean A LOT riding on this little one-on-one showdown.
If Goliath won, Israel would lose its freedom. They would enter slavery once again. And Saul’s legacy would be that he was the first… and last king.
Maybe that was what it was.
Saul’s motivation revealed his heart. He had gone from being the anointed king of Israel to being the annoyed king of Israel. Samuel had already told him that he had lost the kingdom, maybe he was just cutting his losses… pulling the Band-Aid off quickly.
Maybe he figured that if the only person in all of Israel that was willing to fight was a little shepherd boy… being the king of Israel wasn’t such a good gig after all.
So, what the heck… let the little shepherd fight and lose… get it over with. Throw him under the bus. Let him take the fall.
But if he was going to send him to his death, at least let him go in some armor.
Have you ever been “under” a Saul?
One who has assumed defeat and throws you “token armor”… that little bit they felt necessary to walk away with a clear conscience and say, “Well, I tried… gave it my best shot… sometimes things just don’t work out.”
What Saul thought was the end… was just the beginning.
If Goliath won, Israel would lose its freedom. They would enter slavery once again. And Saul’s legacy would be that he was the first… and last king.
Maybe that was what it was.
Saul’s motivation revealed his heart. He had gone from being the anointed king of Israel to being the annoyed king of Israel. Samuel had already told him that he had lost the kingdom, maybe he was just cutting his losses… pulling the Band-Aid off quickly.
Maybe he figured that if the only person in all of Israel that was willing to fight was a little shepherd boy… being the king of Israel wasn’t such a good gig after all.
So, what the heck… let the little shepherd fight and lose… get it over with. Throw him under the bus. Let him take the fall.
But if he was going to send him to his death, at least let him go in some armor.
Have you ever been “under” a Saul?
One who has assumed defeat and throws you “token armor”… that little bit they felt necessary to walk away with a clear conscience and say, “Well, I tried… gave it my best shot… sometimes things just don’t work out.”
What Saul thought was the end… was just the beginning.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Under New Management
It happens quite often… the proverbial promise of higher quality, better service, friendlier atmosphere… a change… for the better.
I have seen it most often hanging in the windows of restaurants or diners… banners that beg for you to come in and give it a try.
And with the sign comes the implied confession…
“The old management just wasn’t cutting it.”
But don’t worry, we are assured… the establishment is now “under new management.” You will no doubt gladly pay the bill and tip the server handsomely after such a pleasant and fulfilling experience.
Or will you?
Are these just words… an empty promise to play on our appetite, or generosity… or has there really been a change?
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
When we are in Christ, having accepted Him as our Personal Savior… for He takes it personally when we accept Him… we are new.
But “under new management” means nothing if “being managed differently” is not part of the deal.
I have seen it most often hanging in the windows of restaurants or diners… banners that beg for you to come in and give it a try.
And with the sign comes the implied confession…
“The old management just wasn’t cutting it.”
But don’t worry, we are assured… the establishment is now “under new management.” You will no doubt gladly pay the bill and tip the server handsomely after such a pleasant and fulfilling experience.
Or will you?
Are these just words… an empty promise to play on our appetite, or generosity… or has there really been a change?
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
When we are in Christ, having accepted Him as our Personal Savior… for He takes it personally when we accept Him… we are new.
But “under new management” means nothing if “being managed differently” is not part of the deal.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
A Fatal Attraction
Of all the terms or phrases that have been used to describe God’s love for us… I wonder how many have chosen “A Fatal Attraction.”
But that is exactly what it proved to be.
Even though we ran… He pursued us.
Even though we just kept taking… He never stopped giving.
Even to the point of giving His life.
His attraction… His desire… His love for us has never failed and never will.
It never decreases. It can’t be measured.
He knew from the beginning what it would take to demonstrate how much He loves us.
He knew that it would become fatal…
That it would require His life.
At He chose to give it.
On any given day, at any given moment… the lie of the enemy that would say you aren’t worthy is easily rebuked with the declaration,…
But that is exactly what it proved to be.
Even though we ran… He pursued us.
Even though we just kept taking… He never stopped giving.
Even to the point of giving His life.
His attraction… His desire… His love for us has never failed and never will.
It never decreases. It can’t be measured.
He knew from the beginning what it would take to demonstrate how much He loves us.
He knew that it would become fatal…
That it would require His life.
At He chose to give it.
On any given day, at any given moment… the lie of the enemy that would say you aren’t worthy is easily rebuked with the declaration,…
Monday, October 14, 2013
"Mike, you have a big head!"
“Mike, you have a big head!”
This was what our daughter-in-law said to me when she and our son were home visiting. They live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our son began laughing and leaned into his wife to explain that something was lost in translation.
“When you tell someone they ‘have a big head’ it means that are prideful or arrogant.”
Of course, I have to admit that sometimes I can be prideful or arrogant (If I fail to admit that it’s sometimes true, it would always be true!)
We all got a good laugh as she explained that the Brazilian “saying” she translated literally was a compliment that meant “you are very smart.”
We could laugh because I never thought she was trying to insult me. I know her well enough. And the comment didn’t come out of nowhere. It came as we were all discussing an assignment I needed to complete for school with seemingly little time to do it. It was obvious that she was trying to compliment and encourage me.
But I could have chosen to take it a different way. I could have chosen to believe that she wanted to insult me, that she was that cruel of a person. That I deserved it.
I wonder how many of us choose to look at our lives and the situations we go through and think, “God is mad at me. He’s punishing me. He is trying to insult me.”?
This was what our daughter-in-law said to me when she and our son were home visiting. They live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Our son began laughing and leaned into his wife to explain that something was lost in translation.
“When you tell someone they ‘have a big head’ it means that are prideful or arrogant.”
Of course, I have to admit that sometimes I can be prideful or arrogant (If I fail to admit that it’s sometimes true, it would always be true!)
We all got a good laugh as she explained that the Brazilian “saying” she translated literally was a compliment that meant “you are very smart.”
We could laugh because I never thought she was trying to insult me. I know her well enough. And the comment didn’t come out of nowhere. It came as we were all discussing an assignment I needed to complete for school with seemingly little time to do it. It was obvious that she was trying to compliment and encourage me.
But I could have chosen to take it a different way. I could have chosen to believe that she wanted to insult me, that she was that cruel of a person. That I deserved it.
I wonder how many of us choose to look at our lives and the situations we go through and think, “God is mad at me. He’s punishing me. He is trying to insult me.”?
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
The butterfly effect
I looked it up on Wikipedia. The “butterfly effect” is the “sensitive dependency on initial conditions in which a small change at one place in a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.”
It is a mouth full.
It basically says that something small can have a big effect. The term comes from the concept that butterflies flapping their wings in one area can have a dramatic effect on the weather conditions across the globe.
Unlike the domino effect or the ripple effect… which are seemingly more predictable in pattern… the butterfly effect is much more unpredictable and exponential.
As Christians we are meant to be the butterfly effect in the world.
While we may seem like just one person… or small group… or church…
But we have a power behind us that cannot be measured.
One prayer… one declaration… one step of faith…
A kind word… a hand offered… a listening ear…
Can change everything.
He did it. With one act.
It is a mouth full.
It basically says that something small can have a big effect. The term comes from the concept that butterflies flapping their wings in one area can have a dramatic effect on the weather conditions across the globe.
Unlike the domino effect or the ripple effect… which are seemingly more predictable in pattern… the butterfly effect is much more unpredictable and exponential.
As Christians we are meant to be the butterfly effect in the world.
While we may seem like just one person… or small group… or church…
But we have a power behind us that cannot be measured.
One prayer… one declaration… one step of faith…
A kind word… a hand offered… a listening ear…
Can change everything.
He did it. With one act.
Friday, October 4, 2013
What's the point?
Beep… Beep… Beep
Snooze.
Beep… Beep… Beep
Coffee on. Shower. Coffee down.
You are up.
And the day starts… again.
If you ever feel like your life just seems to be one day repeated over… and over… and over again…
If you ever wonder what lasting impact you may have in the kingdom of God…
If you ever think that there could be more you are doing… something bigger… something better…
Remember…
The only difference between a rut and a groove is who you are when you are in it.
Snooze.
Beep… Beep… Beep
Coffee on. Shower. Coffee down.
You are up.
And the day starts… again.
If you ever feel like your life just seems to be one day repeated over… and over… and over again…
If you ever wonder what lasting impact you may have in the kingdom of God…
If you ever think that there could be more you are doing… something bigger… something better…
Remember…
The only difference between a rut and a groove is who you are when you are in it.
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