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“For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there.” Isaiah 28:10
Nobody likes rules. When we are young we yearn to be free of rules and then we get older and find ourselves making more and more rules! Rules tend to confine and control us. Rules take away our freedom. Yet, in our more mature moments we have to admit that the world would be in big trouble if it weren’t for rules. Although rules control us, they can also guide us and protect us from…well, rule breakers!
When the Prophet Isaiah was ministering to the Israelites one of the complaints he and the other prophets heard was that they said the same things over and over again. The Prophets constantly stressed the basics. Later, in Jesus day, the Pharisees took rulemaking to new heights by burdening the people with rules to help them obey the rules. The problem was, those rules eventually, and I think unintentionally, replaced the real rules!
One of the reasons the Prophet Isaiah and his cohorts continued to stress the basics of the Godly life and didn’t move on to deeper things is that the people weren’t following the things God had already required of them.
The same is true today. We have conferences on seeing God’s power. We have books about seeing God’s power. There are some who make money off the ministry of telling people how to see God’s power. But nothing seems to help. For many of us we go through life hearing about God working in magnificent ways overseas or in the lives of others, but fail to see his power evident in our own life?
The thing each of us needs to realize is that our Heavenly Father is desperate to do things in our lives, but he can’t give us the deep things he has for us until we get the basics down. Other religions say you have to follow a multitude of rules to gain ‘divine power’. Not so with as Christ-followers. From the moment you accept Jesus you have all the power of God at your fingertips. His rules are simple. Get into a love relationship that holds him as number on and you will see mighty things.
So why don’t we see mighty God-power in our lives? God doesn’t expect big things from us until we master the little things in life. What are those ‘little things’? It starts with getting rid of all the stuff that keeps you from God. Anything that keeps you from holding God as number one in your life hinders your love relationship with him.
A love relationship with God means we take time out of our busy schedules to pray, read his word and fellowship with him. Those seem like little things but those little things are all God expects from us in order to show his power. It’s not about all sorts of rules like religion will tell you. Following God’s rules is all about freedom to be you.
PRAYER: Father God. I want to be desperate for you. There are so many things that keep me from seeing your power in my life. Empower me with your spirit to focus on the simple things of prayer, Bible reading and fellowship. Let your life shine powerfully through me to others, in Jesus name, Amen.
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4
It was the stuff TV dramas are made of except it was happening to me! I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard that my life was being threatened. My emotions when from shock mixed with humor to fear. What if he made good on his threat?
The more I thought about it, the less I was afraid. Sound odd? Perhaps. But my contentment came from the realization that death for me isn’t defeat. It’s victory. My assailant would still be here to suffer the consequences of his crime. In the meantime I’d be resting comfortably in the arms of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The same scenario plays itself out in Satan’s life. Our attitude towards Satan is one of extremes. In some ways we don’t take the idea of ‘Satan’ seriously enough. He’s real. He’s very powerful. He has a very large army of demons who have but one plan…to destroy you. He’s also very cunning and deceptive. He won’t attack you in the areas of your strength. He’ll always attack in your weak spot.
On the other hand, in some ways we take Satan far too seriously. Sound like I’m writing in circles? Consider this. Satan is very strong. He wants to destroy you. He knows his time is short. But there’s something else you need to realize about Satan. You scare the hell out of Satan, or should I say you scare the hell INTO him?
From the beginning Satan has tried to defeat God’s plan for relationship with you. He wants to be number one and you are standing in his way. If he can keep you defeated; if he can keep you wallowing in a pool of self-pity, guilt and fear he knows he can win.
But if you decide to stand up to him. If you act on the power you have through Jesus Christ the Bible says he will ‘flee from you!’ Not stand and fight. Not beg for mercy. RUN! Satan is terrified of Christ-followers who live in the power of the Spirit and act like they are God’s children.
Don’t let Satan defeat you. He’s a loser. He knows it, but he doesn’t want you to live out the power you have in Jesus. Live in the promises of grace, forgiveness and mercy. Even if you lose your life you win.
PRAYER: Father God, from this day forward I’m not letting Satan control how I feel about me. He’s kept me in prison for far too long. By the power I have through Jesus’ forgiveness I demand he leave me alone. I rest in the freedom I have in you. By the name and blood of Jesus I pray, Amen.
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” Matthew 14:28
We as Christ-followers profess an undying allegiance to Jesus Christ. Many have been put to death for proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. But are we really ready to take the next step in complete faith in Christ?
The story of Peter walking on the water is much more than a Bible story about some guy trying to walk on water to Jesus. It’s a story of one man’s desperation to save himself. Peter wasn’t trying to show himself to be some bigger than life super hero. It wasn’t an attempt on his part to play the one-upsmanship game with the rest of the disciples. Fact of the matter is, Peter was scared!
Never mind the fact that Jesus had just fed over 5,000 men, women and children or that Peter had personally witnessed Jesus power over demons, sickness, hunger and death. That was then, this was now. A storm had come up as the disciples were trying to cross the lake. The boat was full of experienced fishermen, yet they were afraid.
That’s when Jesus showed up. Did Peter ‘know’ the ship was going down? We don’t know the answer to that. What we do know is that these men were tired from trying to row the boat against the wind and afraid. When Peter recognized that the mysterious form walking towards them was Jesus he was faced with a dilemma. In his heart he knew that Jesus was the safe haven he sought after, but was he willing to step out? The boat was going down, in Jesus there was safety, but it was getting to Jesus that would be tough. It meant getting out of a situation that was familiar, but doomed and stepping into the wave-filled sea.
Each of us is faced with decisions like Peter had. We are ‘comfortable’ in the situation we are in. Even if it’s a bad or dangerous situation it offers the comfort of familiarity. The question then is this. Do we stay or jump? Are we desperate enough for Jesus enough to get out of the boat? Are we willing to leave what we know and step into the waves of uncertainty and the unknown with only our view of Jesus as our guide?
Some malign Peter because he took his eyes off Jesus and turned his attention to the troubles that surrounded him. But give him credit. He got out of the boat. He was desperate enough to leave what he knew to get to Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I’m in a situation that seems headed towards destruction. I’ve known you for a while but have come to realize that my knowledge hasn’t taken me to the next step of being desperate for you. I’m content with the familiar even though I know it’s not what is best for me. I want to step out of the boat Jesus. With you as my guide and your Spirit as my power I want to leave what I know and receive for myself what is unknown but so much better than what I have. I hear you calling me and from this point forward I choose to be desperate for you. In your name, Amen.
So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord! Psalm 31:24 (NLT)
Fear is an amazing thing. Its power over us can cripple us or it can motivate us. It can drive us to new heights of accomplishment or destroy our potential and perspective. The difference between success and failure is often dependent on what we do with fear.
One time I was going through a very difficult and devastating period in my life. I was unemployed, staring bankruptcy in the face and really saw no way out. All my dreams had vanished in a period of six months. I wasn’t ‘suicidal’ but I was close.
I remember walking with a friend of mine one day. She told me she’d heard a radio show that day. The commentator on the show was talking about what one quality we see in other people’s lives that draws us to them. She then told me that when she thought about me, the one enduring quality she saw was courage.
I was shocked. I asked her how on earth she could say that courage was a quality I had. I reminded her of all the bad stuff that had happened. I recounted how my future looked bleak on the good days. Bad days were another story. I felt anything but brave and courageous that day.
Her response stuck with me though. She said “I don’t think I could go through all you are going through without going crazy or blaming God or something. I draw a huge amount of faith and strength by the way you handle the stuff you are going through.”
I’ve thought about that walk many times in the past few years and I’ve come to a couple of conclusions. First, the only way we can learn to be ‘strong and courageous’ is to test our strength. God isn’t in the business of making milk-toast followers. He’s in the business of making warriors and warriors don’t grow strong in times of peace. They get their strength from warfare. Why else would Alexander the Great cry when he realized there were no more worlds to conquer. He had run out of battle.
The second thing I realized is that often times the way we handle battles speaks much more loudly to those around us than our words. Warriors are admired simply because they know how to handle the battles before them.
When we go to battle in our own strength we have reason to fear. We are fallible and weak mortals. When we go to battle in the strength of our God we go knowing that even though we may lose a battle along the way, eventually we will become victorious. Strong courageous people are those whose strength comes from enduring the very hardship that they’d rather avoid but makes them stronger. Strong and courageous people gain strength from faith in the God of Genesis. The mighty warrior.
PRAYER: Father, as I look at my life I realize that many of the things I fear are really there to make me stronger. Empower me with your Spirit to fight the battles I face in your strength. Allow me to show your strength by going through life leaning on your grace. In Jesus name, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 