Success

On September 19, 2016   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Genesis 39: 2

The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered.

People constantly run around trying to figure out the secret to success. There are seminars, books and tapes, even classes trying to teach success. Well, here is the shortcut for those of you who don’t want to work quite so hard. Joseph dedicated himself to the Lord. Joseph’s story is a great one. There was no way to keep that boy down. No matter what the devil did to him, he kept his faith in God. And God overcame ever obstacle, even the impossible ones. There is no way a Hebrew can go from a pit, to being a slave, to prison, to the right hand man of Pharaoh. Joseph had almost as much power as Pharaoh himself. He wore the King’s ring. This rise to success is impossible, isn’t it? Well, it is also history, meaning it has already happened. God specializes in the impossible. He expects you to do the possible. You don’t need Him in order to do the possible. But together He expects you two to do the impossible. That is what He does. Do you want to be successful in every area of your life? Is it impossible for you to have Joseph’s kind of financial success? Can God do in your family what He did in Joseph’s? Of course He can. That is what He does. He can even make your unruly, disobedient, murderous brothers love you and honor you. That’s big! And that is what God wants to do in your life. Be like Joseph. That is all you have to do. Put your mind, heart and energy into studying Joseph’s life and his dedication to the Lord. Learn to have faith in God and trust Him like Joseph did. Serve in honesty and faithfulness. The rest is up to God.

The Lord be with you.

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Three Times Impossible

On April 8, 2015   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment


Luke 1: 36 – 37

And behold, even your relative, Elizabeth has conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.

These were the angel Gabriel’s words to the virgin Mary when he appeared to her to inform her that she would become pregnant with the Holy child. Mary knew her Jewish history. Gabriel’s statement would have immediately put her in remembrance of Abraham and Sarah. Although they were old and Sarah barren they had the word of God, His promise that they would have a child and they clung to that word and gave birth to the nation of Israel.

Mary thus understood that the seemingly impossible becomes possible when we believe God. She accepted that a virgin can have a child because God said it and she conceived and bore Jesus, the son of the Almighty.

I wonder what impossibilities you are facing today. Perhaps you would be encouraged to think of Sarah, Elizabeth, and Mary. They learned how to believe God for what appeared to them impossible. Consider this though; do you think there is any such word as “impossible” in heaven? Why would there be? To God all things are possible so He and all the heavenly beings only think in terms of possibility. So when Sarah was told she would have a child, it seemed impossible to the human mind but clearly it was not. Nor was it impossible for the aged, barren Elizabeth to conceive or the virgin Mary. Some say it is impossible for a person to walk on water too. Well, someone forgot to tell Jesus and Peter.

If we can but believe God then there is nothing which really is impossible. Can you stretch yourself just a little farther today and believe with your heart? What would you have, what would you do if you could reach just a bit further? What is that thing which seems just beyond your reach? If we will partner with God in these impossible projects then all things really do become possible.

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Impossibly Victorious

On May 28, 2014   /   Word of the Day   /   Leave a comment

Mark 10: 27

Looking at them Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.”

Let’s face it; when God calls you to do something it is often impossible in your own strength. And it is often humbling. We hear God or feel Him pulling us in a certain direction and then the next thing we do is look at ourselves. Immediately we know that the job is bigger than we are.

I confess that I know this feeling all too well. As God has ministered dreams, visions and plans to me I take inventory of myself and find that I am not enough. It is a very threatening feeling and can even be overwhelming. Recently, though, I have discovered something that is helping me. Taking a personal inventory as a result of something God has called you to do is actually self-centered egotism. Now don’t take that as bad news because you will find it is very liberating. Discovering the truth is freeing. Jesus told us that knowing the truth would set us free (John 8: 32). If we will take our eyes off of ourselves; our strengths, weaknesses and gross inadequacies and instead put them on Jesus then the pressure and stress immediately leave. Now, between you and me, I didn’t like God having to tell me that I was being self-absorbed but the trade-off was well worth it. Now I know that the impossible is His responsibility. I know that I am not capable of doing some of the things He requires. I do not feel personally up to the task sometimes but I am discovering that the anointing of God is well able to carry the day.  

If you are feeling stressed because of your responsibilities and heavy load, then look to Jesus and put the burden on him. Be yoked with him and let him do the heavy pulling. As soon as you are able to take your eyes off of yourself you will experience great relief. If God has called you to some office or position that you know is beyond you, fear not. You are in the best possible place. If it is too big for you, if the task is impossible for you then it will necessarily have to rest on Jesus’ shoulders. If you can’t do it anyway, then what is there for you to worry about? Just call on your big brother who is well able to do all things for nothing is impossible for him.

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Possible

On February 28, 2014   /   Word of the Day  

Mark 9: 23 -24 NIV

“Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

So how is your belief level today? We all have trouble from time to time with our belief level but as we continue on this journey with Jesus our ability to believe grows. That is part of our renewal. As we renew our mind with the word of God our heart develops the capacity to hope, believe and trust.

There is nothing impossible to you if you believe. So here is the first hurdle? Do you believe that statement? You must recognize the speaker here. Jesus is the one who said, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Now, if we are truly Christians, as we claim to be, then would you accept that one of the first requirements of Christianity is believing Christ? For us to blow by this sentence or erase it with our doubt is to call Jesus a liar. None of us wants to do that so we must reconcile ourselves to belief and faith. We must have a heart to heart talk with ourselves and determine what we choose to believe. Are we going to accept Jesus’ words as absolute truth or are we going to wrestle and argue with them.

The father in today’s verse had a son who was possessed by an evil spirit and he wanted Jesus to cast out the demon but the man had little faith. His approach showed Jesus that the man’s belief level was low. So Jesus addressed the first problem which was the father’s lack of belief. Notice that Jesus did not immediately pray for the boy. The father’s unbelief stood in the way of him receiving that for which he prayed. So Jesus first directs his attention to the father’s unbelief. We know that this father was not a man of no faith because as soon as Jesus told him that all things are possible he exclaimed, “I do believe.” But there is another key phrase in the father’s response. He asked Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief.

Remember that Jesus is with us at all times to help us in all things. He can, therefore, even help us to increase in faith. He can deal with our unbelief. We are called to be believers and everything we are called to do the trinity helps us to do. There is nothing that you must do on your own. You do not have to work up faith or develop belief. The father has already provided the means for you to be a faith giant. The answer is Jesus. He is the truth and the way and the life. He has given you his words in order to encourage you and to transform you into the image of himself. “Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10: 17).

If you are having trouble believing that God can or will give you the desires of your heart then ask Jesus to help you overcome your unbelief. It works. We know it works because the father received what he asked for, the demon fled from his son and the boy was completely restored. God will restore you too.

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