Going Too Fast For Conditions

"I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.  Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land."
Exodus 23:29, 30 (NKJV)

I was born and raised in Wisconsin and Wisconsin gets a lot of snow in the wintertime. When it snows you have to change how you drive, the roads become slippery and caution is necessary. But sometimes people do not pay attention to the road conditions; they drive too fast and have problems.  This is what is called driving too fast for conditions, someone was going too fast for the conditions they were driving in and that is why they had a problem.  What is true naturally is also true spiritually; natural and spiritual development take time, getting in a hurry can lead to problems.

If we are going too fast, naturally or spiritually, we may miss some things along the way because we pass by them too quickly.  Going too fast could mean that we find ourselves in a situation that we are not ready for or we might not take the time necessary to do something the way it really should be done.  This is the same thing God was talking about in Exodus 23, there is only so much we can handle at a time and if we get going too fast we can end up with problems.  God has a plan and purpose for our life but everything won't come to pass tomorrow.

Some people get in a rush in their relationship with God thinking that they start their life with God one day and become a spiritual giant the next day.  Sometimes we try to move forward too fast and we do not take advantage of everything we are involved in at the moment and we miss an opportunity now we won't have later or we run into problems trying to deal with things we really aren't ready for.  We need to realize that God knows what is best for us and allow Him to work with us and develop us at His pace, that way we will do everything the right way at the right time going exactly the right speed for the condition we are in.

A New Start In A New Year

"Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."
Isaiah 42:9 (NKJV)

People like things that are new.  When someone buys a car they talk about the "new car smell" that their vehicle has.  Even if someone has just bought a car that is not actually new, if it is new to them that new car can bring a sense of excitement that comes with something new, it gives a sense of a new beginning, a fresh start.  The same thing is true when someone moves into a new house or apartment and even when a new phone, computer, or some other electronic device is purchased.  There is something special that people generally feel when a new thing comes into their life.

Today is January 1 and it is a day that brings a sense of hope for a fresh start to people.  Even though today is just another day on the calendar and it is really no different than February 1 or March 1, January 1 can still have a different feel to it for many people.  Some people look back at the previous year with some regrets about things they did not do or things that they may have done and wished that they hadn't.  The idea that we can have a new start or even a second chance for something is what often motivates people when a new year begins. 

In Isaiah 42:9 it talks about things that have come to pass and a new thing being declared.  Everything that happened last year is in the past and we can't change that.  But, we can leave our past behind and God can give us a new start this year.  We all have goals and dreams and no matter which of them did or did not come to pass last year we can have an expectation for a new and better year ahead.  Begin this year with anticipation for a new start in a new year.  Expect that this year will be your best year ever and that God will help you to declare a new beginning!

The Real Story Of Christmas

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)

Christmas is a wonderful time of year.  There are many things that make Christmas special, like spending time with family and friends, people giving to one another and showing love, and of course the celebration of Jesus birth.  All of these things are great and worth focusing on.  But it would be nice if people spent more time with family and friends during the whole year.  It would also be nice if people were more loving and giving during the whole year.  And it would be wonderful if people recognized all year long, and not just in December, that Jesus came to the earth to save mankind.

People tend to go to one of two extremes about Christmas.  Some people see it as just a gift giving holiday while others tend to over spiritualize everything about Christmas.  This second group of people will not have a Christmas tree; they dislike anything that is secular and in their eyes takes away from the emphasis being on Jesus.  But is it possible to find a balance between all of the things the world focuses on and the spiritual truth we find in Christmas?  I believe we can enjoy the celebration time with family and friends, and the giving and outpouring of love while still keeping our focus on Jesus. 

The real story of Christmas is that while Jesus came to us as a baby He was and is the Son of God.  All year long it is good to remember that Jesus was more than a baby born in a manger; Jesus is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace.  Whatever we need, all year long, Jesus made it available for us!  The real story of Christmas is more than just a story about a baby born sometime in history; the real story of Christmas is that it is a never ending story, a story of good news for all people all year long.

Who Do You Promote?

"Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips."
Proverbs 27:2 (NKJV)

Some people are very impressed with themselves, you can tell that by the way they talk.  It seems like some people are they own best publicists and they are intent on making a great name for themselves.  But if we are the only one singing our praises, so to speak, then maybe that is a song we should consider not singing.  While we do not seek praise from other people or live by the things other people say about us, we should leave compliments about ourselves to others.  With the things we say and how we act, do we promote ourselves and our agenda or are we promoting others?

It is easy for us to talk about how wonderful we are as a spouse, a friend, or an employer or employee but the question is how others see us.  In this type of situation, what we say about ourselves is not really as important as what others say about us.  If we really are so wonderful then that is something we should be hearing from others and not from ourselves.  Instead of spending time trying to promote and build up ourselves we should be promoting and building up others for the good things that they are doing. 

It is easy to fall into pride and get puffed up with our accomplishments, if we do that then we are focusing too much on ourselves.  We need to be the kind of people who are ready to cheer on, encourage, and promote those around us for what they do.  Certainly no one is perfect and we are all growing and developing but if we are quick to promote and praise others, like our spouse, our children, our friends, our coworkers, our boss, and our pastor, then we will be doing things the right way because we will be promoting and helping others instead of ourselves.

What Reward Are You Looking For?

"By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward."
Hebrews 11:24-26 (NKJV)

Everyone knows that while both gold and silver are valuable, gold is more valuable than silver.  Economy class, business class, and first class seats may all be available on an airplane, but given the choice people would fly in first class instead of either economy or business class.  These are some natural examples of things we deal with in life; there are some things that are good but there are other things that are even better.  Sometimes we have to let go of one thing to be able to get another, sometimes we have to leave the good behind to have the best.

Hebrews 11 tells us that Moses rejected the treasures of Egypt but looked to the reward, which seems like a contradiction.  The treasures of Egypt were a reward but it was not the only kind of reward that was available.  Moses perused one reward while forsaking another.  Moses could have taken the treasures of Egypt and avoided some suffering, but Moses understood that there was a greater reward available to him.  We too have choices about what we will pursue.  What kind of reward are we looking for?  The best things to have may not always be the easiest things to get.

There are times when we will face choices about what we pursue and often the choice comes down to a quicker but not so valuable reward as opposed to a better reward that we will not receive as soon.  This could be compared to someone putting aside immediate gratification to reach a long term goal.  There are some things that may look like a treasure to us, and it may even be a good thing, but is it the best thing?  Is what we are pursuing a truly godly goal that will bring us a true reward?  Keep God's plans and purposes for your life in first place and even if like Moses you leave behind some "treasure" you can be sure you will still reap real rewards, now and in eternity.

What Should You Say?

"Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true, and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him."
John 8:25, 26 (NKJV)

Every day we face situations that are less than perfect.  From the everyday circumstances of life to things happening in our family, with our friends, or something we have to deal with on our job it seems that there is always something going on.  What we say in these situations is vitally important.  What we say will help us succeed in life or bring us down to defeat.  We could think of it this way, in every situation we find ourselves in we have a choice about what to say; there are some things we might like to say but there are some things we should say, things we really need to say.

In John 8 we read about the Pharisees asking Jesus to explain to them who He was.  The response that Jesus gives is a great example for us.  Jesus tells the Pharisees two different things.  First, Jesus says that He is exactly who He has always said He was.  Jesus was continually speaking about His identity in relationship to God.  Second, Jesus told the Pharisees that there were many things He had to say but what He would say were the things He heard from God.  In other words, Jesus said He only spoke what God directed Him to speak.

When we find ourselves in a difficult situation the words we have been speaking about ourselves all along will help us or harm us.   When we find ourselves in a difficult situation we need to listen to the direction God will give us by the Holy Spirit and say the things that God guides us to say.  We may be reminded about a verse from the Bible, God may give us a question we can ask to clarify things, or we might have some direction from the Holy Spirit about how to speak positive words into a potentially negative situation.  No matter what you may be dealing with, don't just say anything that comes to mind, say the words that God directs you to say and allow Him to help you win every time!

Enter In With Thanksgiving

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.  Be thankful to Him and bless His name."
Psalm 100:4 (NKJV)

There are many different methods that can used to access various places.  Some places require you to buy a ticket before you enter.  Some places require you to show a certain form of identification before you can enter.  Some places require you to enter an access code on a security panel before you can get in.  Some places require a special key to enter in.  While there may be different methods that are used to enter a place, the point is that something is necessary before one can enter and the same thing is true with the things of God.

We have access to God today through the blood of Jesus and by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:13, 18), this is the basis for our relationship with God.  But what about our every day fellowship with God and walking in the blessings of God, is there something we can do to make sure we have clear access to all that God has provided for us through Jesus?  By looking at what Psalm 100:4 tells us I believe we have an answer: thanksgiving gives us access.  Being thankful and praising God for who He is and what He has done will keep doors of opportunity and blessing open in our life.

When we are thankful we are focused on the right things.  If we consider all of the good things that God has done for us and how much God loves us it is easy to be thankful and also easy for us to walk by faith.  If we think about what we may not have or what might not be exactly right in our life it means we are more focused on natural things and it is easy to complain and harder to live a life of faith.  By maintaining a lifestyle of thanksgiving we keep ourselves in the place where God can work in our life; let's all make it our goal to be thankful and enter into God's best.

A Firm Foundation To Stand On

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong."
1 Corinthians 16:13 (NKJV)

Standing is a fairly simple thing for most people to do.  Unless a person has some medical condition that prevents them from doing so, people learn to stand at a very early age.  But, it is not just standing up on your feet that matters it is also what you are standing on.  If you are standing on a flat, stable surface then standing is easy.  However, if you are on a boat that is being tossed around by waves, or if you are trying to take a stand on some ice or an unstable surface then the simple act of standing becomes a challenge.

The Bible says several things about standing.  We are told we stand by grace (Romans 5:2), we stand against the enemy (Ephesians 6:11), and that we stand by faith (2 Corinthians 1:24).  But the question is, just exactly how do we do this?  If we are to stand by faith in the grace of God against our enemy then we need to be sure that what we are standing on is stable and secure.  Our position of standing is only as good as what we are standing on.  A firm foundation to stand on is built on the Word of God through what we hear and by the words we speak.

By hearing God's Word we build our faith to stand and we strengthen our foundation by a continual process of speaking God's Word.  Then when we face the enemy, when we deal with difficult situations, when we need to appropriate the blessings of God in our life we have a firm foundation to stand on in faith.  Many believers struggle because their foundation is not entirely built from God's Word and when they need to stand strong their foundation is not secure.  Build a firm foundation in your life by filling yourself with the Word of God and speaking His Word every day, in every situation of life.

One Step Leads To Another

"And He sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.  So they said to Him, Where do You want us to prepare?  And He said to them, Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters.  Then you will say to the master of the house, "The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"  Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready."
Luke 22:8-12 (NKJV)

When you are traveling somewhere or you have a goal to reach the main thing is to get to the destination and reach that goal.  All of the steps between where you start and where you end are not as important as the final objective, but those steps are still important.  Without taking the necessary steps to move forward you would never get to where you need to go.  This is a problem area for some people in following God's direction, they want the end result without having to take the steps in between the start and the finish.

In Luke 22 we see Jesus sending Peter and John to a city to find the place to prepare the Passover.  The goal was the place where they could meet, going to the city was a step in the right direction but it was not the only step.  Jesus told them to locate a certain man, but that was not the final step.  The man with the pitcher was only leading Peter and John to the place where they would meet another man who would then take them to their final goal.  But what if Peter and John had skipped a step or two, would they still have gotten the same result?

We will often find that God directs us into one thing that brings us into something else; God gives us one step that leads to another.  This is not to say that we view the things we do or the people we meet as just stepping stones we use to achieve a goal, that is not right at all.  But as God brings us opportunities to take steps in our walk with Him we must realize that God has a plan and He is working to develop us, prepare us, and to direct us into what we need to do and where we need to go.  Follow the steps God gives you, take advantage of the opportunities He brings you to do things, and build relationships with other believers.  Doing these things will benefit us today and help us reach our future goals.

Just Read It

"Your words were found, and I ate them, and your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts."
Jeremiah 15:16 (NKJV)

The Bible is an awesome, wonderful book.  Knowing and practicing the truth found in the Bible can change your life!  But, some people see the Bible as a book of secrets and there is one certain key that unlocks the mysteries so they spend time searching for that one key.  Other people find something specific in the Bible that fascinates them and they spend a lot of time just focusing on that one thing.  But, if we really want to have a complete understand of the Bible we need to just read it and get to know all of it.

There are 66 "books" within this one great book of the Bible and these 66 books are divided into the Old Testament and the New Testament.  While the Old Testament is important, today we live in the New Testament and that is the part of the Bible we should focus on the most. You can get a Bible in print or electronic form, you can read the Bible yourself or have an audio version of the Bible that you can listen to.  Multiple translations of the Bible can be found on the Internet and you can even have the Bible on your smart phone. But having a Bible is one thing and getting the Bible into you is another.

What some people fail to understand is just how simple the Bible really is.  Certainly there are some things in the Bible that are easier to understand than others but if we make it our goal to read and know the whole Bible we will find that the individual parts of the Bible become easier to understand.   When we spend time with the Bible we are really spending time with God because He is the true Author of the Bible and by the Holy Spirit God guided men to write the words we find in the Bible.  We should be like Jeremiah and make God's Word the joy and rejoicing of our heart; we do this as we read it, and read it, and read it.

Small Beginnings Lead To Big Things

"Though your beginning was small, yet your latter end would increase abundantly."
Job 8:7 (NKJV)

It was several years ago, but I remember it like it just happened yesterday.  It was Friday October 30, 1998 and I had just arrived at the Frankfurt Germany airport.  This was the start of my ministry work in Germany and Europe.  My arrival that day was just the first step in a much longer journey.  Looking back now I really had no idea about all of the wonderful things that God was going to have me involved in.  It is nice to look back on how things started and to see how they have developed.  But, to be able to look back we first have to start somewhere, even a long journey starts with one step.

To have grand finale you first have to begin something, to accomplish great things you will have to start by doing the little things.  Doing those little things leads you to bigger and better things.  We all like the part of seeing the big development and the work that is accomplished over time but those big things always start small.  It is a rare thing to be what is called an overnight success and in most cases that is really not even true.  What often appears to be an overnight, or instant, success is most of the time the result of a lot of long hours of hard work that most people don't even see.

It is good to dream big dreams for God, but then we have to put our dreams into action.  We need to first of all know that what we are doing is what we should be doing and we need to have the mentality that what we start is only the beginning; no matter how small something may look at the start it is only the beginning.  Too often people just want to jump into something big not realizing that every great thing starts somewhere and often that start is a small one.  We may not see the end result after a few steps in our journey or even after a few years but we need to keep on going.  No matter where you are in life or what you are doing remember that with God our small beginning can become something big!

Say What You Mean And Mean What You Say

"The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips."
Proverbs 16:23 (NKJV)

It has been said that talk is cheap.  People use this expression because it is very easy to just say something.  But, while it is easy to just speak it can be more difficult and it is more important to have something to say that is worth saying.  Jesus set the standard for us and if we look at His life we don't see Him just carelessly throwing words around or continually having to apologize for saying the wrong thing.  Jesus chose His words wisely and we should do the same.  Jesus said that He only spoke words that His Father taught Him (John 8:28); that is something that would be good for us to imitate.

Sometimes people say things that are not very kind and not very good.  These same people might try to justify what they have said by making the comment, "Well, I didn't really mean that" or "OK, I know what I said was not really right but you know what I mean".  Saying things that can hurt or cause a problem for other people is never a good thing.  We need to say what we mean and mean what we say.  We should have a good basis for what we say; we cannot allow ourselves to just say anything at anytime.  The Bible should always be our standard for how to live our life and for the words we speak.

We need to be wise with our words and choose our words carefully.  This is something that all of us can work on for as long as we live.  But it is not an impossible task and Proverbs 16 gives us a key about how we can say the right words, we teach / train our mouths what to say by what we have in our heart.  If we fill ourselves with God's Word then it is easier to be able to find the right words to speak.  Jesus said that it was out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).  Fill yourself with the Word of God and don't just say anything that comes to mind, teach your mouth what to say about yourself, others, and your life.

Do Good Works Always Equal Good Fruit?

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;"
Colossians 1:9, 10 (NKJV)

Everyone likes to get maximum results; everyone likes to see that what they do is successful and accomplishes something.  No one wants to spend time doing something that is nothing but a waste of time and energy.  Wouldn't it be sad to spend hours and hours working on some project that you later find out to be unimportant and not even necessary?  We all want to be sure that the things we are doing really matter.  How can we be certain that we are making the best use of our time and not just wasting time?  The answer is in knowing the plan and purpose God has for our life.

God has a plan for everyone, not just for pastors, missionaries, or other ministers.  We must know and understand God's plan for our life or we will spend our time doing things that we were never meant to do.  There are many, many good things we can find to do in life but just because something is good to do does not mean we should automatically do it or that it is the right thing to do.  This is what I believe Colossians 1:9, 10 is talking about.  We want to be fruitful in every good work but to do so we need to be doing the right good works.

God has called us to do good works, this is something we see throughout the New Testament.  But, God has a specific plan for each person's life and while there are some general good works that everyone can do, like walking in love, there are some specific things that God has planned for us to do.  The key is being filled with the knowledge of God's will and having the wisdom and understanding necessary to fulfill that will.  We find God's will in God's Word, the Bible.  Start by doing the things you know are good to do and allow God to move you on from there to the specific plan He has for your life.

Working With God Or Working For God?

"We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain."
2 Corinthians 6:1 (NKJV)

There is a big difference between working with someone and working for someone.  Working with someone implies shared effort and responsibility, what is being done is a collaboration of abilities and resources.  Working with someone means that a person is not alone and has someone else helping them get things done.  When you are working for someone that carries with it the thought of one person giving direction and another person carrying out the plan that was given to them.  Usually when you work for someone the main effort comes from one person and responsibility is given from one person to another.

In both letters to the Corinthians Paul talked about being a worker together with God.  Paul realized that what he was doing was in partnership with God.  Paul was not trying to figure out everything on his own and just relying on his own ability.  Paul knew that it was God that had called him and it was God that would help him.  Paul understood, just as we should, that the only way to really fulfill God's plan is with God's help.  Yes, Paul did talk about being a bondservant of God in many of his letters but Paul also knew that whatever He did for God he was doing with God.

We can be sure that no matter what God might call us to do He will be there to help us. We never want to fall into the trap of thinking that what we do depends solely on our ability and our coming up with the best plan on our own; we need to develop a trust and reliance on God.  This is the difference in Christianity, we do serve our God but He works with us as well. Other religions focus on man working for and serving some god but there is no cooperation with a distant and often harsh deity.  But we are children of God who can always rely on our heavenly Father to be there and work with us in anything and everything that needs to be done.  We are workers together with God!

People Must Be Stirred And Willing

"Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the Lord's offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments."
Exodus 35:21 (NKJV)

In the Old Testament we read about Israel traveling from Egypt to the Promised Land.  As Israel traveled through the wilderness God spoke to Moses about building the tabernacle.  We can read many details about how the tabernacle was built, but to build it some materials were necessary.  God told Moses to receive an offering from the people to get the things that they needed for the tabernacle and the clothing that the priests would wear, this is what we see in Exodus 35.  What happened when the people brought the offering is a very interesting part of the story.

Once Moses told the people what was needed, all of the people who were stirred and willing came and brought an offering.  In the next chapter (Exodus 36:7) we read that they finally had to stop the people from giving because there was too much!  That is obviously not a normal type of offering.  A key point is that people were stirred to do something and they were also willing, so they actually did something.  Often when people hear about a need it stirs them up and makes them want to get involved.  But unless those people are willing and then do something not much is really going to happen.

What is needed in any project is people who are not only stirred up but people who are willing to do what it takes to get things done.  We see from the story in Exodus that when the stirred and willing people did something it more than met the need.  Often needs go unmet and work goes undone because people may be stirred but they are not willing to do what is necessary.  People may be stirred about something, they may even believe that doing something is good, but unless people willingly get involved not much will happen.  Are you simply stirred or are you also willing to get involved?  People who possess both of these traits are necessary to do what needs to be done.