DAY FORTY THREE | Learning To Profit

June 12, 2009

DAY FORTY THREE | LEARNING TO PROFIT

ISAIAH 48:17 – Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: I am the LORD your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.

Learning to profit in life is not as easy as it sounds. If it was, we would all be living very profitable and prosperous lives. However, God is very keen for His people to prosper. In verse 15 He declares of Israel, “Yes! I have called him. I have brought him, and his way will prosper.”

Learning to profit in life is all about knowing who sent you and who sustains you. To be called of God into His great cause for creation, is the most wonderful, the most noble, and the most rewarding vocation on planet earth. Once you have settled the issue that you are called by God to fulfil His cause, then whatever you put your hand to in life will prosper. Whether you are a housewife or a politician, a truck-driver or a teacher, a servant or a great leader, you will prosper when you fulfil your role as unto the Lord.

Learning to profit and to prosper begins by knowing you belong to the elite band of creations “rich and famous.” You joined when you received Christ into your life. You became a child of the most High God. You were granted a place at the right hand of God in heavenly places to rule and reign with Him over all creation.

Your role is to learn “heavenly places” living. You can learn how to sit with Christ in royal places and be taught from the Most High how to profit in all you do. He is the Lord your God and He will teach you how to profit. Spending time in His presence and in His word is the only way to learn from Him. Verse 18 declares, “Oh, that you had heeded my commandments.”

There is only one manual on earth that teaches us how to live in royal places, and it is available to all. Today get your Bible and learn how to profit in all you do.

DAY FORTY TWO | Why The Tears

June 11, 2009

DAY FORTY TWO | WHY THE TEARS?

PSALM 84:6 – As they pass through the Valley of Baca (tears), they make it a spring: the rain also covers it with pools.”

Custom has it that when ancient pilgrims had to camp in a dry and desolate valley, they would dig a small well, so that others coming after them would find waters to refresh them. Understand this! Tough times come to all who journey by faith. There will be some dry desolate valleys where no water can be found. Read more

DAY FORTY ONE | Moving On

June 10, 2009

DAY FORTY ONE | MOVING ON

PSALM 84 : 5 – Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

When did you last do something out of your normal routine? Blessed is the man who sets his heart, and makes himself ready to move on. I don’t mean packing your bags and running every time there is a problem in your world. I do mean preparing yourself for new adventures in your walk of faith. To prepare you heart for journeying does not mean you have a restless spirit; rather you are ready to rise to new challenges when they are presented to you. Read more

DAY FORTY | Wise People Win Souls

June 9, 2009

DAY FORTY | WISE PEOPLE WIN SOULS

DANIEL 12 : 3 – Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.”

He that wins souls is wise. God has given us such a wonderful life full of blessing and hope for eternity. How unbelievably selfish it would be to keep such a blessed hope to ourselves. Why then do we find it so difficult to share our faith, and to speak of the love of God shed abroad in our hearts. God’s light has come and we are the carriers.

I think possibly because we have been trained to share steps or formulas to salvation, rather than simply live the delights of our Christian faith. Light does not need to be advertised. Wherever light shines in darkness it can and will be seen. Light has a way of making itself known. Light is associated with wisdom, whereas darkness is associated with foolishness.

I love the fact that the Bible declares that we are to turn people to righteousness, not just add a “decision” notch to our belt. We are to help people make wise decisions and to show them how to live righteous lives. Righteousness must be outlived through us for others to follow.

To turn people to righteousness requires that you are living a righteous life.

A life full of faith and faithfulness!
A life full of fellowship with Godly people!
A life full of endeavour for the cause of Christ!
A life full of commitment for the local church!
A life full of love; for God, others and life!

Your righteousness will shine when you make wise decisions in your Christian walk. Sadly many so called Christians make repeated dumb decisions and wonder then why no-one follows the Christ they talk about. Those who are wise shall shine!

DAY THIRTY NINE | God Has A Plan For You

June 8, 2009

DAY THIRTY NINE | GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU

JEREMIAH 29 : 11 – For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

This is another one of my many favourite scriptures. Let me share what I get from this verse. Read more

DAY THIRTY EIGHT | Boasting In The Lord

June 7, 2009

DAY THIRTY EIGHT | BOASTING IN THE LORD

1 CORINTHIANS 10 : 17 – “But he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”

In Jeremiah 10:23&24 we read two powerful scriptures on how to boast in life.

Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, hat he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD. Read more

DAY THIRTY SEVEN | Boasting In Your Ability

June 6, 2009

DAY THIRTY SEVEN | BOASTING IN YOUR ABILITY

2 CORINTHIANS 10 : 13 – “We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us.”

The Apostle Paul shows us a very valuable lesson. We are not to boast in our own abilities, but we are definitely called to boast in the Lord. We are to declare His calling for our lives, and to confess His promises to us. We are to establish His authority in a region by declaring His purposes for us in that sphere. Read more

DAY THIRTY SIX | Knowing Your Limits

June 5, 2009

DAY THIRTY SX | KNOWING YOUR LIMITS

2 CORINTHIANS 10 : 13 –

DAY THIRTY FIVE | Stand Out From The Crowd

June 4, 2009

WELCOME TO DAY THIRTY FIVE | STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD

1Chr. 4:9 – Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

1Chr. 4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested. Now Jabez was more honourable than his brethren.”

Jabez chose to live in a manner that exceeded the behaviour of those around him. He chose to ignore the peer pressure and the crowd dynamics imposed upon him.

There are certain crowd dynamics, that we should be aware of, and guard against, if we are to succeed in life.

1. Crowds always follow. We are called to be leaders who lead in life.
2. Crowds need the spectacular. We are called to be faithful in the little things.
3. Crowds turn away quickly. We are called to stay until the job is done.
4. Crowds create heroes. We are to honour those who show the fruits of righteousness and faithfulness
5. Crowds desert you when trouble comes. We are called to stand in the day of trouble and fight the good fight of faith together.
6. Crowds want to be entertained. We are called to love the meat of God’s word and consume it.
7. Crowds want it for free. We are called to pay the price to serve the cause of Christ.
8. Crowds always forget. We are called to remember Him and not to forget all His benefits.
9. Crowds run on enthusiasm. We run on momentum that comes from consistent action.
10. Crowds live by convenience. We live by convictions.

Don’t be content to run with the crowd. Follow Christ as an individual and you will find crowds coming to watch you shine.

PRACTICAL

1. Identify the ways in which you act to hide in the crowd.

2. Plan ways to change your “crowd” behavior to “leader” behavior.

3. identify friendships that keep you back with the crowd and decide to change them.

DAY THIRTY FOUR | Clear the Room

June 3, 2009

WELCOME TO DAY THIRTY FOUR | CLEAR THE ROOM

ACTS 9 : 40 – But Peter PUT THEM ALL OUT, and knelt down and prayed.”

Feel like you are living in a crowded house? Are you under siege with a thousand different problems, ideas, opinions, or solutions? Do you feel like you just need time out to breathe?

Sometimes you have to get a bit ruthless and command the crowd to leave. Just usher them out the door and close it for a while. Then do what Peter did. He knelt down and prayed to the Lord. Nothing can equal a “time-out” with the Lord. You will get your sanity back. You eyes will lose their cloudiness. The ringing in your ears will stop and your breathing will return to normal. Take regular “time-outs” with the Lord.

Do not wait until you have a life or death situation but learn to “sit at His feet” and listen.

Prayer is not always about storming heaven. Sometimes prayer is the stillness of the garden at evening when he comes to meet with you alone.

The crowd will always be there waiting outside the door. Learn some crowd control in your life and you will be a lot better for it.

Don’t live life waiting for phones calls to determine what you do next. Plan your time and make it count.

Your friends will understand and your enemies will still be the same, so why not take control today and let Jesus into your important moments and decisions.

Learn to take “time-outs” with Christ and you will be amazed how many times He will show Himself powerful on your behalf.

PRACTICAL

1. Plan a “time out” with God asap.

2. Look through your diary and see what is crowding you in so that you time with God is limited.

3. Now ruthlessly eliminate the “crowds” from your life.

4. Get your friends to help you get alone with God. ask them to hold you accountable to get away for “time outs.’

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