DAY FIFTY SEVEN | The Great Commission

June 26, 2009

DAY FIFTY SEVEN | THE GREAT COMMISSION

Matthew 28 and Mark 16

GO INTO ALL WORLD MAKE DISCIPLES

The great commission of Jesus to His church is captured in the above six words. All the other work we do, and all the words we say should be distilled down into these six words. We are called to make disciples of all nations. It is our mandate. Successful Christians live these six words daily. Read more

DAY FIFTY SIX | The Cause Of The Poor

June 25, 2009

DAY FIFTY SIX | THE CAUSE OF THE POOR

Proverbs 29:7 – The righteous considers the cause of the poor, but the wicked does not understand such knowledge.”

It is very easy in life to discount the poor and oppressed as having no right or voice in the matters of life and to believe that only the learned, wealthy and successful should get to voice their opinions and stake their claims. The Bible seems to disagree. It declares that the poor have a cause and a case to put, and that righteous people should give the poor room to make their case and stake their claim. The righteous are commanded to consider the cause of the poor.

Where would we be without the Wilberforce’s, Mandela’s and Mother Teresa’s of this world? People who considered the cause of the poor and then did something about it! Those who consider the cause of the poor are close to God’s heart.

Caring for the broken, defending the unprotected, carrying the wounded, and delivering the oppressed, are all actions motivated by the love of God for mankind. The wicked cannot understand such things, as wickedness is borne out of a love for self, and such selfless actions are incomprehensible to the wicked person.

Jesus said, “the poor you will always have with you.” We are surrounded by “poor people” who do not have the capacity to help themselves, and it is these people who need a saviour with skin on who looks like you.

Hey before you run out and grab anyone who looks like they need some help here are a few helpful hints.

• Take time to listen to their cause
• Then consider if their cause is genuine.
• Work out a self-help solution with them
• Give them what is required to get them started.
• Walk with them until they see good success.

DAY FIFTY FIVE | The Crown Of The Wise

June 24, 2009

DAY FIFTY FIVE | THE CROWN OF THE WISE

PROVERBS 14 : 24. – The crown of the wise is their riches, but the foolishness of fools is their folly.

Wise people use riches in such a way they become a crown of honour on their lives, whereas a foolish person uses riches in such a way it become a clown’s hat of folly. Read more

DAY FORTY NINE | Buffer Zones

June 18, 2009

THE POWER OF BUFFER ZONES

So many people extend themselves to such a degree that they have no safety margins in the lives.

It is possible to live close to the edge for a while, but sooner or later a situation will arise that demands more of you than you can currently give.

People without margins or buffer zones are then overextended, and often lose everything through the time of stretching.

This applies to our emotional lives, as much as in any other area of life.

Often the flashpoints of relational breakdown are actually not that big a deal, but because the people involved have no emotional reserves, every little thing can push them over the edge.

It is therefore extremely important to build buffer zones into your lifestyle.

You must plan for them. You must make time for them, and see them as absolutely essential.

A day off every week is not a luxury. It is a necessity to keep emotionally strong.

Regular church is not a religious activity it is a time of spiritual renewal.

If you stay strong on the inside it is amazing what you can handle from outside.

Time with your family and friends is not an afterthought but should be a priority in your program.

All of these things we often take for granted, can actually be the difference between a life enjoyed and a life endured.

Make sure you build buffer zones into your life so that when the tough times come, as they will, you have an inner reserve to get through them and keep on going.

STEVE PENNY

DAY FORTY NINE | One Language & One Speach

June 18, 2009

DAY FORTY NINE | ONE LANGUAGE AND ONE SPEECH

Genesis 11:1, ” The whole earth had one language and one speech.”

To me there is a difference between our common language and the speech we use in a certain area or culture. It is very clear that Britian, Australia and America all use the one common language called the English language. However, there is a huge difference in the speech we commonly use in these different nations. Read more

DAY FORTY EIGHT | Ruling And Reigning

June 17, 2009

DAY FORTY EIGHT | RULING AND REIGNING

PSALM 110:2 The Lord said to my Lord. Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies.

Being seated with Christ in Heavenly or High places is both “positional” and “practical.” In other words you must understand the “authority that comes with the position” and the “power that comes with the practise.” Being seated in “High Places” does not exempt you from the challenges of life, nor from stirring up a few enemies. However God has two roles for any person wanting to exert influence on planet earth. You must learn both the “Rule & Reign” of Christ. Read more

DAY FORTY SEVEN | Comfortable In High Places

June 16, 2009

DAY FORTY SEVEN | COMFORTABLE IN HIGH PLACES

PSALM 110 : 1 – The Lord said to my Lord. “Sit at My right hand, till I make your enemies your footstool.

There is no getting around the fact that we were created to “Rule & Reign” with Christ from an exalted position. Heavenly places are not just spiritual. God has exalted Him – Christ – far above all, and we are raised up together with Him. Heavenly places are both the realms of the heavens at the right hand of our God, and also the high places on planet earth. Places of leadership and influence. These positions are occupied by people who have seen their role on the planet, as more than instinctive and basic.

We have been created by God to be His Kings and Priests on the earth to “Rule and Reign” over creation for our Heavenly Father. God has given us the wonderful privilege of being His custodians of creation and we must rise up to accept such a wonderful role on planet earth. To “miss the mark” is one of the terms for sin in the Bible. It also implies, “to miss your position” and is also considered sin. Do not miss out on your position in life through such personal sins as inferiority, or false humility or fear etc.

God has given you an invitation to sit at His right hand in life. WOW! It is an amazing offer and one that leads to victory and blessing in all areas of your life. But you must learn to be comfortable in “high places.” Read the word to see what is promised for you and begin to believe you are “born again” for such things. Take some courses and learn how to live and work at another level in life.Study people who have succeeded in their lives and learn how they think and act.

Be comfortable hanging out with people in high places, and learn how to dress and act in their presence. But most of all, spend much time, and be comfortable in the presence of your Lord, who teaches you how to prosper in life.

DAY FORTY FIVE | Loose & Walking

June 14, 2009

DAY FORTY FIVE | LOOSE AND WALKING

Dan. 3:25 – “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

What a contrast to verse 23 when we see our three heroes, bound, falling down and burning. It would appear as though everything they had lived for was wasted. They were losers. Their cause was noble but ineffective. The huge world system was about to swallow them up. But wait! There is a fourth shadow in the fires and it looks like the Son of God. Amazing how three young men can actually find deliverance whilst still in the fiery trial. We so often wait for some miraculous deliverance to get us out of our trials, rather than getting Christ into the furnace with us.

Here they are now; Loose and walking and unhurt. Try it, get up in your fiery trial and start walking with Christ. The only thing the fire will touch are the ropes and things that shackle you in your flesh. The consuming fire of God on the inside of you is now your protection against the fiery attacks of the enemy. The fiery trials of life will never destroy the person on fire for God. The fires of passion raging within your heart will bring you through any fiery trial. Unhurt, unscathed and without even the smell of smoke!

Consider verse 27. On whose bodies the fire had no power; the hair of their head was not singed, nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. Don’t be one of those people who has survived a fiery trial, but smell badly of smoke. All they talk about is the ordeal they went through and how they somehow survived. Get up now! In the fire, and start walking around with Christ. What a buzz it is to know that the fire has no power over you. You are consumed with a fire far greater than any opposition contrived by man or devil.

The fire of the Holy Spirit within burns with an intensity not seen or understood by the human mind, but it will deliver you from all the works of the evil one. Get up and start walking around in the fire, and the Son of the Living God will walk with you.

DAY FORTY FOUR | Let it Be Known

June 13, 2009

DAY FORTY FOUR | LET IT BE KNOWN

Dan. 3:18 – But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

There are times when one must stand up and declare their faith. In those times when the pressure of circumstances and opposition, is demanding of you some form of surrender. The Hebrew boys were facing a fiery furnace for taking a stand concerning their allegiance to the God of Israel. They did not have to renounce Him, only acknowledge the sovereignty of the God-person who ruled their lives on planet earth.

There are many times when the Gods of this world will demand we give them their rightful due. Sure be a Christian but be real about everyday life. It is in these times that you need to “let it be known” that your allegiance and service is to the Living God. To “let it be known” is to choose the way of the Lord over the way of this world. To choose the delights of heaven over the fleeting fantasies of earth! To choose to walk in the way of the Lord rather than stand in the way of sinners! To choose to obey His word rather than the dictates of men! To choose to build His kingdom and serve His cause above all others! To choose to honour your commitments over your emotional feelings! It is often when things are extremely hot that you will have to make a choice.

Either decide to accommodate the ways of the world and conveniently avoid a confrontation, or take a stand for righteousness and pay the price for what you know to be “His way.” Know this! You may well end up in a fiery trial for your righteous convictions, but there will be one standing with you who will lead you through the fires and bring you out stronger and greater than when you went in.

Today! Let it be known to those around you what you really believe. Stop accommodating things that can destroy your soul and “let it be known” you live for His cause, and Him alone.

DAY FOURTY THREE AND COUNTING

June 12, 2009

The response to the “70 days to excel” campaign has been amazing. People from all over the world and from all walks of life have felt challenged to join our season of improvement. Because we are over half way through our allocated time, I felt it would be good to revisit our basic commitments made when starting.

The 70 days to excel came about because we wanted to prepare for a greater season of effectiveness in the future.

The 70 days came about because it was exactly ten weeks from our initial commitment to the end of the Hillsong Conference in Sydney, and we would celebrate our achievements together.

The five areas of improvement were identified as; Physical, Spiritual, Relational, Vocational and Financial.

We did not set rules or regimes as we felt this was to be a personal commitment to improve in whatever area challenged you the most.

We have had many wonderful responses from people of all ages who have felt challenged to address areas that have needed improvement, or to excel-erate an area being developed.

Some of the most wonderful testimonies have come from mature age people who had decided to accept their lot in life, but were now challenged to believe God for improvement and growth.

The last three weeks of our 70 days have great potential if you will continue to fight a good fight. Don’t give up even if you have not seen the success you were looking for. Start from today if you have stopped. Give yourself another chance to improve and go forward. And most of all continue to believe that with God’s grace anything is possible.

Keep believing – keep achieving – keep pressing forward and most of all keep looking for God to show up and do amazing things in and through your life.

Steve Penny

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