Hijacking the American Dream

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8

Do you know that you can have more than one father?

Let's start with the obvious-you've got an earthly father. You can trace your ancestry all the way back to Adam if you got real serious about it. Hopefully, you have had the opportunity, and taken it, to build on the relationship you have with your earthly father, to deepen it and make it truly significant in your life.

But not only do you have a father in the flesh, I also hope today that you have a father of the faith-someone who led you to Christ or discipled you in your faith. You could trace this lineage, if you wanted, all the way back to Abraham.

Here's kind of the odd thing about that, though: Abraham was not only the father of the Judeo-Christian faith, but also the Islamic faith finds its father in Abraham. That's kind of confusing.

This is why Peter, in our verses today, would want for you to add to that faith. Okay? Add to your faith some virtue. Add to your faith some knowledge. Just don't say, Well, I'm one of the faith. Which faith?

Because now you have another father today who wants to be your Father of forgiveness. And that's what we all need is a relationship with God that allows for Him to not just be our Father of faith, but our Father of forgiveness.

For all of us, this takes us to a whole new level. But many of us limit our identity. Some of us are still limiting our identity to that fleshly father that we have, saying I'm the way that I am because of him, the genes that I was born with and the temper that came with it, or whatever the case may be.

We'll limit our identity, if we're not careful, to this fleshly father that we were born from here on Earth. Or, from a faith standpoint, we'll kind of cap it out there and say, Well, yeah, I have faith.

Everyone has faith. The question is whether your faith has now changed your identity. Have you made God your Father of forgiveness, confessing the guilt of your sin and allowing Him to wash you clean of it and come live inside of you?

Prayer Father God,

Thank You that You are so far beyond the example of earthly fathers that I have seen! You really are the perfect Father, and I need You today to become my Father of forgiveness. Take my sin away and live in me from this day on!

Amen

Better Jobs

Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. Daniel 6:3

What motivates you in the workplace? Is it your paycheck? Your work ethic? Your fear of losing your job?

We all know that it is good to be motivated at work. Whatever motivates you, I am glad for it, but I want to share with you the best motivator we can have.

All of the things I listed above can motivate us to produce good work, but they do not have the ability to set us apart from anyone else in the world. We can have these motivations, yet be no different than the non-Christian in the cubical or office next to ours.

The only motivator that can set us apart from the world is our relationship with God. This is what we can learn from our verses today, as they show us what distinguished Daniel above his peers in the kingdoms of Babylon and Persian-the excellent spirit in him.

We have an excellent Spirit in us, and by His work in us and through us we can be distinguished above all those who work around us on a daily basis.

How did Daniel set himself up for being distinguished because of his excellent spirit? He did three things:

First, he looked to God for answers whenever he faced a difficult situation. When his boss, the king, was in a tight place, he prayed to God for answers and then delivered a word of the Lord to the king that exactly fit the need.

Second, he refused to compromise his faith. His faithfulness to the Lord forged a deep relationship with Him on which He could rely in good times and bad. Also, because he was faithful to God, God multiplied what He had given Daniel.

Third, he worked his tail off. In the book of Daniel, we only read the exclamation points of his life, but this short book spans several decades. His faithfulness, hard work, and integrity sustained him in the right place in between the exclamation points so that he would always be in the right places at the right times.

It is also worth noting that Daniel served at least three kings in two different empires, which means that his employment endured drastic transitions. His faithfulness and integrity kept his job safe even during corporate buy-outs, mergers, and transitions of power.

Daniel was set apart because of his excellent spirit, found in his relationship with God. Can you say the same?

Prayer Holy Spirit,

Thank You that You set me apart! Please help me to be like Daniel in my workplace, so that I can glorify You and advance Your kingdom.

Amen

Overcoming Overwhelming Obstacles

And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses' hands became heavy; so...Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Exodus 17:11-12

The people of Israel were stuck. They had just marched from Egypt into the Wilderness. They were thirsty. They were tired. They had just contended with God and complained against Moses, even wanting to stone him. Finally, God rescued them by causing a river to pour out from a previously dry wall of rock.

Just when they thought things were turning around for them, the Amalekites came and surrounded them. The whole company of Israel-men, women, and children-was in deep trouble.

That's when Moses took action. He said, Joshua, you go fight. I'm taking God's staff up the hill and I'll watch.

Despite how it might sound, Moses knew what he was doing-he was putting his faith in God. He went up the hill and Aaron and Hur went with him. As long as Moses kept his hands raised, Israel won, but as soon as they fell, the battle turned against them. Because Moses couldn't keep his hands up forever, Aaron and Hur helped him, completing the picture for us of how we, too, can find victory in all the battles that the enemy brings our way.

Let me spell it out more clearly. Moses, here, points us to praise. The people want to stone him, so he runs to God. An army shows up to kill the people, so he runs to God. And there, in a position of praise, God brings deliverance.

Aaron, the high priest, represents prayer. This attitude of prayer keeps us close to the Lord, recognizing both our need of Him and His desire to deliver us.

Hur, we don't know who he is really, but his name in Hebrew means White. This means purity. If you want to see overwhelming victory over the obstacles in your life, then fight for greater praise, fervent prayer, and purity in your thoughts, actions, and life.

There's one other guy in this picture-Joshua, wielding a sword, which for us is a picture of the power of God.

Put these four things together-praise, prayer, purity, and trust in the power of Godand be victorious over the obstacles in your life.

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You that You help me overcome every battle that I face! As anything comes up to oppose me as I live for You, show me how to praise, pray, remain pure, and trust in You to be powerful on my behalf.

Amen

Driving in the HOV Lane

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all...But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:7,11

What is the greatest gift you have ever received? Really think about it. Think back to all the Christmases and all the birthdays and all the other times in which you have received gifts.

When I think back, I remember times when I've received gifts-and I've done this with my kids, too-where there was one big gift, but several other gifts that went along with the big gift. And whether you know it or not, you have received this kind of gift, too, at least if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior.

When you receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you receive the biggest gift possible. You receive a new life, forgiveness of sins, and everlasting life in Heaven. You also receive the Holy Spirit. All of this comes from the single gift of Jesus Christ!

However, when the Holy Spirit comes into your life and the presence of God enters your heart, He brings other gifts with Him. These gifts are never on the same level as the original, big gift-the gift of salvation-but they are very significant gifts nonetheless.

These gifts show us that God is a good God who desires to bless us. They tell us that salvation is not just a ticket to Heaven and life will be the same as before, but rather that salvation is the beginning of something new. It is the beginning of life in the HOV lane-the Heavenly Occupied Vehicle lane.

This is the life that is set free from the gridlock of the world, the breakdowns and frustrations and striving that we suffer when we try to do life on our own. It is the gift of going beyond our natural abilities, moving into dependence upon God.

And that is really where we can begin to use these gifts, in that place where we start putting more trust in the Holy Spirit's role in our life than in our own abilities, asking for His help instead of striving on our own.

Try asking for His help today. You might be surprised at what He does.

Prayer Holy Spirit,

Thank You for the supreme gift of salvation in Christ Jesus, and thank You for the many other gifts that You bring into my life to set me free! I submit my life to You today and let You have Your way. Please teach me to live life with the gifts that You give.

Amen

Living in the Strength of the Spirit-Filled Life

O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? This only I want to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Galatians 3:1-3

Stop. Go back. Read the verses for today. What you're reading is some of the harshest language in the New Testament.

Paul is making the point that it was our faith, not our works, that brought salvation and the Holy Spirit into our lives, so it is ridiculous to think that works, and not faith, will finish the work that God began.

If we want to live in the strength of a Spirit-filled life, then we should understand what the priorities of the Holy Spirit are. Here are His top five priorities, in order:

Number one-the finished work of Jesus Christ. The Galatians were beginning to add all sorts of requirements to the work Jesus had already done. Adding works puts the spotlight on us and takes both the Holy Spirit and Jesus out of the picture.

Number two-the truth of God's Word. If you put an overemphasis on either your pastor or the Holy Spirit as your only teacher so that you don't need the Word of God in your own life, then you have gone too far. The Holy Spirit doesn't contradict His Word.

Number three-to provide direction. If Jesus is your Lord, then you do what He says. All our decisions need to be biblically based, but the Bible doesn't say who to marry or whether to take a certain job. It gives principles to point you in the right direction, but not specifics on that kind of thing, so God gave us the Holy Spirit to lead us in His way.

Number four-unity. This only comes as we all recognize that we have died with Christ and it is now His life alive in and through us. Our pursuit of Christ in the truth of His Word by the power of the Holy Spirit is the only way we get to unity.

Number five-providing power. God has a standard for our lives, but we'll never reach it in our own power. We need the Holy Spirit to help us live in the reality that we were crucified with Christ and raised with Him through baptism. Our life is now His life in us, but only the Holy Spirit can make this reality an active truth in our lives.

Don't be like the Galatians today, trying to do life on your own. Instead, live in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Holy Spirit,

I confess that I cannot do life on my own. I know that I died with Jesus, but I need your help to live out that reality. Come and help me! Make me into everything You want me to be!

Amen

Miracle of All Miracles

And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.' They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Matthew 4:18-20

I just love hearing those stories-the stories of how couples first fell in love. I like to know how the man, despite all his manly awkwardness, managed to somehow catch his amazing bride. How did he first catch her eye? And, more importantly, how did he eventually catch her heart?

Have you been caught? I don't mean by a husband or a wife, either. I mean, have you been caught by Jesus?

We see in our verses today a story of the first time Jesus went fishing. But, oddly enough,

He didn't fish for fish. He fished for men. And as He was walking by the sea, He called Peter and Andrew to follow Him. Boy, they were caught fast! They immediately left their real fishing nets to become Jesus' disciples.

Do you know how I know they were really caught? It's because they left their old life behind. They left their nets as litter on the shoreline to follow Jesus. They became fully dependent on Him. They followed Him because He so caught them that they now joined their lives completely to His.

Something amazing happened to them when they let Jesus catch them so completely they became qualified to catch others. You see, when God catches us, He transforms us. He doesn't leave us where we are, but He makes us His disciples, His sons and daughters.

Then, as disciples, we do what our teacher taught us. As sons and daughters, we want to be just like our Daddy. And so we do for others what someone once did for us-we love. We cast God's nets of love and freedom out to the world around us and see who we can catch.

The most wonderful part of all this to me is that, no matter how much we grow, no matter how many new fishermen we catch who then catch others, Jesus stays with us the whole time, showing us just how much love and freedom there is in the nets that first caught us.

Look at your life today. Look deep into your heart. Have you been caught by Jesus?

Prayer Lord Jesus,

I desperately need Your love and freedom in my life! Thank You for casting Your nets to catch me. I let You catch me today!

Amen

God's Calling

Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel! Samuel!' And Samuel answered, Speak, for Your servant hears.' 1 Samuel 3:8-10

Do you need to hear from God? Maybe you need to hear from Him about a job, or maybe about getting married. Maybe you need to hear from Him about a relocation or about kids who aren't walking with the Lord right now.

Whatever it is, are you ready for Him to call you? The truth is that God has put a calling on all of our lives and we need to be able to hear His voice in order to fulfill what He has for us. There are a few components that every call needs. The first is that every call needs a Caller. What I think is very cool is that God is calling you. God is the caller, and He is trying to call every single one of us. We have a Caller.

Second, we need a Carrier. Just because you have a phone does not mean you have ser-

vice. You have to have a carrier to have service, but the problem is that there are lots of carriers out there. We have so many calls coming in, which one is the Lord? We have to know that there is only one Carrier that can connect us with the heart of God for our lives, and His name is Jesus Christ.

The third component we need is a Connection. We can have someone trying to call us and a carrier to provide us service, yet still not hear their call if we do not have signal. The Holy Spirit is our Covering-our Coverage-the point of connection between us and God.

Fourth, we need a Call. God picks up His phone, provides us service through Jesus, and connects with us through the Holy Spirit. Now what? He is calling! Now what do you do?

You pick up. Answer Him by simply saying, Speak, for Your servant hears. Then listen, because He has a special calling just for you.

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You for giving me a special calling! Speak to me about Your dreams for my life. I am Your servant and I look forward to hearing Your voice.

Amen