When the Nation of Israel began to occupy the Promised Land, the first thing they faced was giants. You generally run into a "giant" prior to possessing your promise. Giants are representative of obstacles that stand between your and your destiny. Giant problems are the test in life that you must overcome or pass in order for you to receive your promotion. Giant problems are a last desperate effort by the enemy to turn you around before you occupy the place God has called you too. These problems can take the form of health issues, financial difficulties, legal, personal, spiritual, job change or loss, cars breaking down, family and/or marital difficulties, and the list goes on.
Did you ever try to imagine what David must have felt the moment he actually faced the giant? It had to be easier standing with the troops and watching the giant at a distance. I simply have to believe, because after all David was human, that there was a moment, at least, when he faced the giant that it seemed to have grown, doubled or tripled in size. All our giants, whatever they are, seem intimidating and appear impossible to defeat and so we must have God’s help to take them out.
How you handle your giant problems will determine whether you settle for less or experience what God has for you. Fortunately, there was at least one person in nation of Israel that believed God instead of being intimidated by what they saw. The rest of the army, even its general, saw a giant so big they couldn’t defeat it. David saw a giant so big he couldn’t possibly miss the target.
What are the giants in your way, keeping you from being everything that God wants you to be and having what He wants you to have? Is it your past? Is it some fear? We’ve talked about both of those over the past two weekends in the Facing Your Giants series. Is it some life controlling habit? That’s what we’ll talk about this weekend, but life controlling habits are more than drugs and alcohol. You’ll be surprised the addictions that control our lives. Don’t miss it. Next week will be “The Money Pit.” It is a giant that keeps us from accomplishing what God wants us to do. Then we close the series with “Beating Bitterness” maybe the biggest giant of all. Let’s face those giants! Let’s take them down! Let’s cut off their heads and claim what God has for us!
The Israeli army saw the size of the giant. David saw the size of his God. Fear magnifies the giant. Faith magnifies our God. May I tell you, “Your God (if He is the same God I serve) is big enough to take out any giant in your life.” The promise is on the other side. The healing is just on the other side of the giant. The new job, the help for your marriage, the freedom from the power of addiction is all just beyond the giant that blocks your view of everything else. Face it. Take it out. Possess the promise.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, give me the ability to see beyond the moment of fearful encounter with the giant in my life to the promise I have of your great power and love and forgiveness. Give me the courage to face my giants and conquer them to possess what You have already prepared for me and given to me. Help me by faith to see the giants conquered and laying helpless on the ground instead of looming over me, leering at me, and filling me with fear. Today I face my giants to possess my promises. AMEN.
Blessings!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
I Am Amazed
There are some Scriptures in the Bible that absolutely amaze me.
Matthew 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” (NIV) A sparrow worth ½ cent, but God is so aware and cares so much not one of them dies without God giving the okay! How many sparrows die in a year? I don’t know for sure. I heard that there are 6000 species of sparrows. 15 million sparrows invaded Sweden one year. It’s the first bird to chirp in the Spring. In the state of Iowa sparrows eat up 800 tons of grain a year. Those farmers won’t pay tithes, don’t want the church to have it so God feeds His birds with it. But I don’t know how many die in a year. Let’s assume something really reasonable. If 15 million invaded just Sweden one year I can’t imagine how many must be in the world. So it is probably very conservative to assume that one million die in a year. That means that every 32 seconds a sparrow somewhere in the world dies and the Bible says not one of them falls from the sky (dies) “apart from the will of God.” Not just that God knows about it, but He give consent to it!
Another amazing Scripture. 1 Praise the LORD... He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Psalms 147:1-4 (NIV) Some days it is a challenge for me to remember my own name, and God knows the name of every star! On a clear night you can see 6000 stars without the help of telescope or other instruments. God knows all their names! Scientists estimate that there are 100 billion stars in our galaxy alone. Multiply that by 10 to the power of 12 to estimate the number of stars in the universe. God knows their names!
You think... maybe... if God controls the life span of insignificant, even annoying sparrows... if not one of them falls to the ground without His permission... if God determines how many stars are in the universe, names them, and REMEMBERS their names... just maybe He is aware of what is going on in our lives (His prize creation) and cares deeply about what is happening to us... you think... maybe... just maybe?
I think, YES! He cares, He knows, nothing about us escapes His attention and care. We can trust Him, but trust Him we must. We can’t control Him, question Him, doubt Him, get angry at Him, throws things at Him (I guess we can, but we shouldn’t). We just need to TRUST Him.
Here’s another Scripture that amazes me. I was amazed to find out that anything could cause God to be amazed. God, who knows everything, controls everything, created it all is amazed! Listen, “And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought Him victory, and His own righteousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him. Isaiah 59:16 (AMP)
God, knowing that He stands ready to hear and answer the prayers and intercession of His people is amazed when we go through life struggling, battling the elements of life and fail to pray, to intercede. We should be amazed that we are so slow to ask of Him. He did tell that if we’d ask we’d receive. James tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. Let’s get busy doing what is most effective, most important. PRAY.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for thinking you have forgotten us when You care so much about a little sparrow, but consider us much more valuable. Forgive me for questioning Your care and concern when you even remember the names of stars. Surely you have not forgotten mine and where I am. Forgive me for worrying and not praying, for waiting until the moment of desperation to pray. Today I am thanking you for the comfort I have in knowing that You know and care, and the confidence I have that I can pray and be heard in heaven. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Matthew 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.” (NIV) A sparrow worth ½ cent, but God is so aware and cares so much not one of them dies without God giving the okay! How many sparrows die in a year? I don’t know for sure. I heard that there are 6000 species of sparrows. 15 million sparrows invaded Sweden one year. It’s the first bird to chirp in the Spring. In the state of Iowa sparrows eat up 800 tons of grain a year. Those farmers won’t pay tithes, don’t want the church to have it so God feeds His birds with it. But I don’t know how many die in a year. Let’s assume something really reasonable. If 15 million invaded just Sweden one year I can’t imagine how many must be in the world. So it is probably very conservative to assume that one million die in a year. That means that every 32 seconds a sparrow somewhere in the world dies and the Bible says not one of them falls from the sky (dies) “apart from the will of God.” Not just that God knows about it, but He give consent to it!
Another amazing Scripture. 1 Praise the LORD... He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Psalms 147:1-4 (NIV) Some days it is a challenge for me to remember my own name, and God knows the name of every star! On a clear night you can see 6000 stars without the help of telescope or other instruments. God knows all their names! Scientists estimate that there are 100 billion stars in our galaxy alone. Multiply that by 10 to the power of 12 to estimate the number of stars in the universe. God knows their names!
You think... maybe... if God controls the life span of insignificant, even annoying sparrows... if not one of them falls to the ground without His permission... if God determines how many stars are in the universe, names them, and REMEMBERS their names... just maybe He is aware of what is going on in our lives (His prize creation) and cares deeply about what is happening to us... you think... maybe... just maybe?
I think, YES! He cares, He knows, nothing about us escapes His attention and care. We can trust Him, but trust Him we must. We can’t control Him, question Him, doubt Him, get angry at Him, throws things at Him (I guess we can, but we shouldn’t). We just need to TRUST Him.
Here’s another Scripture that amazes me. I was amazed to find out that anything could cause God to be amazed. God, who knows everything, controls everything, created it all is amazed! Listen, “And He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no intercessor [no one to intervene on behalf of truth and right]; therefore His own arm brought Him victory, and His own righteousness [having the Spirit without measure] sustained Him. Isaiah 59:16 (AMP)
God, knowing that He stands ready to hear and answer the prayers and intercession of His people is amazed when we go through life struggling, battling the elements of life and fail to pray, to intercede. We should be amazed that we are so slow to ask of Him. He did tell that if we’d ask we’d receive. James tells us that we do not have because we do not ask. Let’s get busy doing what is most effective, most important. PRAY.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for thinking you have forgotten us when You care so much about a little sparrow, but consider us much more valuable. Forgive me for questioning Your care and concern when you even remember the names of stars. Surely you have not forgotten mine and where I am. Forgive me for worrying and not praying, for waiting until the moment of desperation to pray. Today I am thanking you for the comfort I have in knowing that You know and care, and the confidence I have that I can pray and be heard in heaven. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Time
“Something will master and something will serve. Either you run the day or the day runs you; either you run the business or the business runs you.” – Jim Rohn
Either you conquer your fears or your fears will conquer you. Either you overcome worry or worry will drain you of energy you need to live and serve. Either you will be in control of life or life will run you ragged. I see it often and you do too. People have that “opportunity of a lifetime.” This is their chance to make in life, to accomplish their dreams, to make their million, the chance to be in control of their life. Only to watch them become consumed by the new business venture or opportunity and see their “life” fade away into the oblivion of activity.
I often hear people say (and I have said as well), “I know I need to ______________ but I just don’t have the time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (NIV) So the real answer is not that we “don’t have time” for whatever. It is simply a matter of having spent the time on something else. If I do not have time to do something that I should be doing then I am spending my time on something I should not be doing. Let’s face it, we cannot do everything so we must determine what we SHOULD be doing and do it. Someone said, “Time is our most valuable asset, yet we tend to waste it, kill it, and spend it rather than invest it.”
Time is like money in this sense. When you spend it, it’s gone. You only have what it may have purchased and that will either wear our or lose our interest. If you invest it you have the money invested plus what it will produce.
Time is however different than money in this sense. You can get more money, but you can’t get more time. When it is passed it is gone and can never be retrieved or replaced. As we begin this day we all have the same time to use, waste, or invest.
I find that it helps me immensely in the use of my time if I begin the day (the investment of my time) by giving the first part of the day to prayer and meditation on the things of God. Prayer, just spending time with God and listening to Him as He speaks by impressions to my heart or speaks to me through the Word, the Bible, or through others.
The way that I begin the day sets the tone and even the course for the rest of the day. So, those first few minutes are key to the rest of the day. How I invest them determines how productive I will be.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to be a wise investor of time. Help me balance my life in work and worship, rest and play. I want the way I spend my time, my life to honor You and please You. Give me clear vision today to know what You want me to do. Give me great courage to do just that and avoid, say “NO,” to the time robbers. I have limited time and do not have time to mourn over lost time. Help me move on from here turning failures into lessons and do the very best that I can with Your divine help everyday. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Either you conquer your fears or your fears will conquer you. Either you overcome worry or worry will drain you of energy you need to live and serve. Either you will be in control of life or life will run you ragged. I see it often and you do too. People have that “opportunity of a lifetime.” This is their chance to make in life, to accomplish their dreams, to make their million, the chance to be in control of their life. Only to watch them become consumed by the new business venture or opportunity and see their “life” fade away into the oblivion of activity.
I often hear people say (and I have said as well), “I know I need to ______________ but I just don’t have the time. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (NIV) So the real answer is not that we “don’t have time” for whatever. It is simply a matter of having spent the time on something else. If I do not have time to do something that I should be doing then I am spending my time on something I should not be doing. Let’s face it, we cannot do everything so we must determine what we SHOULD be doing and do it. Someone said, “Time is our most valuable asset, yet we tend to waste it, kill it, and spend it rather than invest it.”
Time is like money in this sense. When you spend it, it’s gone. You only have what it may have purchased and that will either wear our or lose our interest. If you invest it you have the money invested plus what it will produce.
Time is however different than money in this sense. You can get more money, but you can’t get more time. When it is passed it is gone and can never be retrieved or replaced. As we begin this day we all have the same time to use, waste, or invest.
I find that it helps me immensely in the use of my time if I begin the day (the investment of my time) by giving the first part of the day to prayer and meditation on the things of God. Prayer, just spending time with God and listening to Him as He speaks by impressions to my heart or speaks to me through the Word, the Bible, or through others.
The way that I begin the day sets the tone and even the course for the rest of the day. So, those first few minutes are key to the rest of the day. How I invest them determines how productive I will be.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to be a wise investor of time. Help me balance my life in work and worship, rest and play. I want the way I spend my time, my life to honor You and please You. Give me clear vision today to know what You want me to do. Give me great courage to do just that and avoid, say “NO,” to the time robbers. I have limited time and do not have time to mourn over lost time. Help me move on from here turning failures into lessons and do the very best that I can with Your divine help everyday. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
Monday, March 5, 2007
Life and Risks
The message I shared at LIFEchurch yesterday was about Facing Your Fears. Then this morning I picked up my devotional by Max Lucado read the following:
“Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them.” Luke 17:33
“There is a rawness and wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it. Don’t listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second-rate life and want you to do the same so they won’t feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long; it’s to live.
“Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe...
“Or you can hear the voice of adventure–God’s adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn’t safe, but what it?” — Max Lucado in “He Still Moves Stones”
I don’t believe in “coincidence.” Thanks, Max, for the confirmation of the message. Life is about risks. The level of risk changes from day to day, decision to decision, but they are all about taking risks. To do that you have to stare down your fears.
Remember, “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
What is God challenging you to do? Go for it! You can trust Him!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to live my life to the fullest in You. Help me today to conquer the fear that keeps me from taking the steps necessary to experience that full life. I give up my fears for Your dreams, Your plans, Your opportunities for my life today. Thank You for giving Your life so I can have this life. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
“Those who try to keep their lives will lose them. But those who give up their lives will save them.” Luke 17:33
“There is a rawness and wonder to life. Pursue it. Hunt for it. Sell out to get it. Don’t listen to the whines of those who have settled for a second-rate life and want you to do the same so they won’t feel guilty. Your goal is not to live long; it’s to live.
“Jesus says the options are clear. On one side there is the voice of safety. You can build a fire in the hearth, stay inside, and stay warm and dry and safe...
“Or you can hear the voice of adventure–God’s adventure. Instead of building a fire in your hearth, build a fire in your heart. Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Run for office. Make a difference. Sure it isn’t safe, but what it?” — Max Lucado in “He Still Moves Stones”
I don’t believe in “coincidence.” Thanks, Max, for the confirmation of the message. Life is about risks. The level of risk changes from day to day, decision to decision, but they are all about taking risks. To do that you have to stare down your fears.
Remember, “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
What is God challenging you to do? Go for it! You can trust Him!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I want to live my life to the fullest in You. Help me today to conquer the fear that keeps me from taking the steps necessary to experience that full life. I give up my fears for Your dreams, Your plans, Your opportunities for my life today. Thank You for giving Your life so I can have this life. AMEN.
Blessings!
Pastor Roger
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