Leading Hands

Regardless of what you have seen, you still need people in whom you can trust.

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Acts 22:11 – And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

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Have you ever been in a place where you could not see?  Regardless of the reason for it, if you’re in a place where you cannot see, you need someone to take you by the hand and lead you.  Whether it is loss of natural sight, or emotional or spiritual sight, this same principle is applicable.  The major issue with which you must deal is that of trust.  When you cannot see where you are going, can you trust the person who is leading you?

The point made in today’s Second Miler is not that Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the church, or that his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus led to his salvation, but is rather focused on a sound leadership principle he understood in his life.  Always endeavor to have people you can trust around you.  We can see this principle clearly demonstrated in Saul’s encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus leading to his conversion.

You can be sure that when Saul was traveling to Damascus to persecute the church, he had people with him who were sympathetic to his cause.  He was, after all, traveling with documents that would lead to the arrest and persecution of Christians, and such documents would need some sort of enforcement.  Some of those who were traveling with him were likely engaged as some sort of enforcement service that traveled with Saul in his work.  Saul trusted them.

Then when Jesus confronted Saul on the road to Damascus, while Saul recognized fully what was taking place, those traveling with him did not.  Saul clearly recognized the Lord, Jesus in that encounter.  But once again, those traveling with him did not.  They saw the light, but recognized no person in that light, and they did not hear the voice of the Lord that spoke to Saul.  Jesus knew what He was doing.  He was confronting Saul, and wanted him in Damascus, so He kept His confrontation with Saul a very personal thing.  And so, it was, when the Lord had spoken to Saul what he was to do and where he was to go, Saul leaned on those he trusted to get him where he needed to go.

So, I ask you to consider the path you are traveling in life.  Do you have people traveling with you whom you can trust?  Do you have people around you who will help you on your way, even when they have not recognized your marching orders?  Do you have people who will, if need be, take you by the hand and lead you to where you need to go?  Saul needed such people in his walk.  And as a believer, you certainly do.  Who walks with you to help you reach your goals when you cannot see the way?

Manna for Today – Acts 22:1-21; 1 Thessalonians 5:12; Amos 3:3; Matthew 18:19-20

Where Is Your Damascus?

Where does God give you your personal assignments?

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Acts 22:10 – And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

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Let’s begin with a very clear understanding.  The Scriptures speak to every believer about his general life and service as a believer.  The truth of the Word of God is universal.  However, there are elements of the life of a believer that are not directly addressed in the Scriptures.  The Scriptures set forth the five-fold ministry.  But the Scriptures do not set forth who they will be.  The Scriptures set forth the laws of reciprocity.  But the Scriptures do not set forth how much each person is to give according to the Mark 10 passage; that must be dictated by Holy Spirit.  The Scriptures set forth the call for praise and worship.  But the Scriptures do not tell us what songs to sing, the instrumentation for them, and now long we are to sing them.

Concerning those things set forth in the Scriptures, obeying them should be easily done.  But it is more difficult, requiring time, investment of self, growth, and learning to determine one’s Damascus.  Your Damascus is that place where you need to go in order to hear from the Lord His plan for you, your life, and your ministry, as well as being in the right place to hear from the man of God whom the Lord may choose to send into your life.  Just as the Lord told Paul to Damascus, for it was there he would hear all he needed to hear about his calling to ministry, so you and I are required by the Lord to be where He wants us so we can hear about our calling to the work we have been assigned.

So, I ask you this question.  Where is your Damascus?  Where do you need to be to clearly hear from the Lord, and through the servant He has for you about your life’s work in the kingdom of God.  You have the general information you need in the Scriptures, and it is an absolutely firm foundation upon which to rest.  But what are the details of the Lord to which the Lord desires to lead you.  What are the works He has ordained for you to do?  Where must you be to hear from the Lord about where to walk to fulfill them?  I’m not necessarily speaking about a geographic location, but a spiritual place where you get your eyes off everything around you and listen for the voice of the Lord through any vessel He chooses to speak to you, clearly defining your role and purpose in this life.  It’s time to seek Him and His kingdom first.

Manna for Today – Acts 22:1-21; Mark 16:15-20; Exodus 33:21; Ephesians 2:10; Matthew 6:33

It’s Still Personal – Part Two

If you attack those I love, you attack me.  It’s that simple.  That’s life.

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Acts 22:8 – And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

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Once again today, I address you concerning personal matters; that is, matters that should be personal to you.  Take a moment and read our Text for Today once more.  Consider the words of Jesus, and the first-person-singular in which He spoke them.  Again, I call your attention to the very personal attitude He takes concerning the persecution of His church, His body.

I am a husband, a father, and a grandfather.  I have many people in my life whom I dearly love and deeply appreciate.  Having said that, allow me to reveal something here that is in no way intended to be hostile or threatening, but is simple truth.  I will not stand by and allow anyone to harm my bride, my sons, my grandsons, or my loved ones if it is within my power to stop it.  I will deal with it in any way I can to spare those I love, family or friends, from injury.  That, my dear friend, is a simple statement of truth that I pray no one ever challenges.  I will defend those I love.  That is not a threat to be kept against an attacker, but a promise to be kept to those I love.  And I believe it is a Biblical position.

I likewise believe it is the position taken by our Lord relating to His church; the body of Christ.  Paul’s (Saul) persecution of the church was taken personally by the Lord.  He did not ask Paul why he was persecuting the church, but said it was Himself Who was being persecuted.  I write about this again today to say to you, don’t get in God’s way in this arena.  This is why forgiveness is so keenly important in the life of every believer.  When I forgive, I am releasing myself from the struggle of strive, bitterness, and unforgiveness.  When I fail to forgive, I keep myself bound up by and entangled in the same elements.  If you have been offended, or wronged by someone, forgive, and do it now.  Release it by faith.  Loose yourself from the bonds of that conflict, enabling the Lord to step in with His full force and weight of heaven.

I said earlier that I would defend those I love, but I can only do so to the degree that they are not in the way and run the risk of being injured further.  If Jesus steps in on your behalf to deal with someone injuring you, but you have not released yourself from that by forgiving them, your unforgiveness, being sin, places you in the place of being dealt with by the Lord.  Forgive.  Free yourself first.  Don’t stand in God’s way.

Manna for Today – Acts 22:1-21; John 1:1; John 10:30; John 17:22; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 12:2; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

It’ Still Personal

Jesus still takes personally anything that happens to you.  Rejoice in that, my friend.

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Acts 22:8 – And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

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Every time I read this passage, my heart rejoices.  Paul (Saul) was a major source of persecution to the church, and each time he stepped out to do so, it was the individual people in the church who personally suffered at his hands.  And though it was individuals who suffered, and the church at large that was persecuted, look at the words of Jesus in our Text for Today.  Jesus said of that persecution, “I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou persecutest.”  There it is, once again clearly stated.  Jesus took the persecution of the church, and its individual members, as a personal affront against Himself.  I cannot speak for everyone, but I can tell you for myself, that is a wonderfully comforting thought.

Now add to the line of thinking the following truth.  Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.  He never changes.  If Jesus considered any attack on His church and the individual members of His church as a personal attack on Himself in the early days of the church, then He still considers any attack on His church and the individual members of His church a personal attack on Himself today.  Think on that for a moment.

That is an absolute Biblical truth that we need to embrace fully today.  Sadly, we do not.  We view the personal status as just being about us, and so often fail to recognize that the real attackers are not those through whom the attacks come.  When we can realize and embrace that great truth that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against” spiritual forces, and apply the attitude of taking attacks on us personally from that perspective, I am convinced we will see greater victories in our lives, families, and churches.  The reason is that when we take all attacks on us personally, realizing the true source of the attacks, then we can apply the weapons of our warfare in their full force, not violating the love walk towards anyone, and thereby have the full force and weight of heaven behind us.  And when we have the full weight and force of heaven behind us, we can stand invincible, as overcomers, living life as more than conquerors through Jesus.  And the world will see it, recognize it as a true testimony in life, and our witness for Christ will be so much more effective.  Jesus’s love for you is personal.  His defense of you is personal.  Believe it.  Accept it.  Walk in it.  Enjoy its blessings.

Manna for Today – Acts 22:1-21; John 1:1; John 10:30; John 17:22; Romans 12:5; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 1 Corinthians 12:2; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; Ephesians 6:10-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

 

 

It’s Personal – Part Two

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I’ll tell you once again.  If it attacks you in any way, it’s personal. 

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It’s Personal – Part Two

 

Acts 22:7 – And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

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Take a moment and read our Text for Today once again, very closely.  Now, in the light of that reading, allow me to ask a few simple questions.  Who was Saul (Paul) attempting to have imprisoned?  Who was Saul trying to have brought to trial?  Who was Saul seeking to persecute to death?  If you were to ask Saul that question, he would tell you it was those who were believers in Jesus, believers in the Way, those who would become known as Christian.

But it seems that Jesus had a different perspective.  Though Saul was targeting flesh and blood, Jesus saw it as being personally targeted by Saul.  Do you see that?  Jesus did not ask Saul why he was perse-cuting the church.  He did not ask Saul why he was persecuting believers.  He asked Saul, “Why persecutest thou me?”  You see, Jesus took it personally.  Why?  Because Jesus and His church are One.  And Jesus takes that personally.  You should, too.

And your scope of taking it personally needs to be broadened much more than you likely realize.  What about all your brothers and sisters in Christ?  Jesus considers all who believe in Him as being a very personal part of Himself.  That is true for each and every Christian on the planet.  And in His position on the right hand of Father, He ever lives to make intercession for the saints according to Father’s will.  If He takes any attack on any member of His body personally, should we not take any attack on any believer just as personally?  Are we not commanded to be imitators of Him?

As the Scriptures would say, I call heaven and earth to record concerning you today, you are one with Jesus.  That makes you one with every other believer in the body of Christ.  And because we are not only one with Him, but with one another, it becomes our responsibility to be prayerfully engaged in the life of the whole body.  I am not saying that you would pray for every other member of the body, but if we are connected, then we are likewise connected to Holy Spirit.  And if we are connected to Holy Spirit, then each of us is in position to be led by Him at any moment to intercede for any other member of the body of Christ to whom He draws our attention to apply our faith.  Do you know of believers who are victims of Satan’s devices?  If you do, it’s personal.  Do you know a Christian struggling with sickness, poverty, or deception?  If you do, it’s personal.  No, it’s not your responsibility to meet their need.  That belongs to the Lord.  But it is your responsibility to speak up for them in prayer, to put your faith on the line to defend them.

Manna for Today – Acts 22:1-21; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Hebrews 7:25; Ephesians 5:1; Philippians 4:19

It’s Personal

Many times we are advised to not take something personal.  Until you do, you aren’t serious.

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Acts 22:7 – And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

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Often in life, when something happens to impact us in a negative way, people who are generally insensitive, and truly non-discerning, will say to you, “Don’t take it personally.”  Dear friend, unless you did it to yourself, take it personally; not against other people, for our war is not in the flesh, but against spiritual forces that are used by the enemy as weapons against you.  The devil is very real, and he is very intent on carrying out his agenda in the earth, especially that agenda he has against any child of God.  Are you familiar with John 10:10?  His entire agenda is laid out there.  Satan has come for one purpose broken into three components; to steal, to kill, and to destroy.

Anything that arises against you in life should be taken personally.  And there are things that can arise against you simply because you made a wrong choice, or failed to take care of yourself properly.  While Satan did not initiate it, he can, and if at all possible, use it against you to steal, to kill, and to destroy.  I once heard someone say that Satan would use a hangnail to kill you, if you let him.  That is a true statement.  Consider this; a small cut, improper care, infection, gangrene that spreads, and unless adequate care is given, death results; all from a small cut. Unlikely?  Yes.  Possible?  Yes.  Will Satan use it?  Absolutely.  So, anything that rises against you to steal from you, kill you, or destroy your influence and life, take it personal, no matter how small.  And once again, don’t take it personal towards flesh and blood, but against your real enemy, Satan and the forces of hell.

And once again, it’s personal.  Think of this.  Have you ever known a teenager who tore up the picture of a former girlfriend because she was angry at him?  It is likely that if it were not illegal, she would have tried to do the same to the boy.  Satan can’t get to Jesus, so he goes after His image.  That’s you.  You had better learn it, and learn it fast.  Satan is after you, to steal, to kill, and to destroy.  And if he can in the process, he will use you to devastate as many lives as possible.  You had better take it personal.   This is in no way an attempt to cause you to be fearful, but rather to be alerted.  If you are well-prepared, well-equipped, and alert, knowing the devices of the enemy, you can live in victory.  Take it personal, and live victoriously.

Manna for Today – Acts 22:1-21; John 3:16-17; Romans 10:6-13; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; John 10:10; Ephesians 6:10-18

Is NOW the Time? – Part Two

Timing on our part is critical.  We simply need to recognize when now is.

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Acts 21:4 – And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

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I cannot begin to recall how many times in my half-century of ministry I have heard people say they must do something now, only to come back later remorseful over their errors, the people they hurt, and even the loss of their ministry.  In some of those cases, what they said God told them to do was completely off base; total error.  And often, the Scriptures pointed to that, but they would not listen.  Drive and passion are powerful agents.  But in many of those cases, it was not that they should not do what they did, but they simply were not ready to make that move, nor were those to whom that move was made ready to receive or act upon it.  It was a matter of timing, not on God’s part, but on the person’s part.  The Scriptures offer a number of examples of this kind of thing happening.  Here are some for your consideration.

• Consider Paul the Apostle.  He was warned not to go to Jerusalem.  He was warned by Holy Spirit, by words from the four daughters of Philip, and by a word from the prophet Agabus.  If he had but waited, things would have been different, and he would not have spent many years of limited ministry in the custody of Rome.  What do you suppose Paul could have accomplished had all his final years in ministry been free to go anywhere the Lord led him?
• No one has ever walked on this earth with more passion and drive than Jesus.  It should also be noted that Jesus NEVER missed the mark in following Father’s plan.  There were, however, people, including Jesus’s mother, Mary, who attempted to entice Him to do certain things.  Mary knew who He was.  And at the wedding feast of Cana, she called on Him when they ran out of wine.  Consider His response.  In John 2:4, He told Mary, “My hour is not yet come.”  This was not His wedding, so it was not time for Him to be the supplier of wine.  Yet her faith in Him moved Him to help her.  Oh, what a great lesson to learn here.  Faith moves God on behalf of the person of faith, even though He would not personally do a thing on His own.
• Pressure was applied to Jesus to go ahead and set up His kingdom while He was in His earthly ministry.  But Jesus, knowing the stage was not properly set for such a work, refused.  It would certainly have been a good thing for Jesus to be in control, but at that time, it was not the right thing.  A good thing at the wrong time is not the right thing.

Manna for Today – Acts 21:1-16; John 14:15-17; 1 John 5:3; Romans 5:5

Is NOW the Time?

 

Even at our best, we sometimes struggle to be fully compliant with Holy Ghost.

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Acts 21:4 – And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

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It is my heart’s desire to be pleasing to my Father.  And in my heart, I believe that statement is true for every Christian who truly loves the Lord.  This obedience of which I write is, in truth, the very love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts by Holy Spirit.  I realize the things I am about to write is treading on dangerous ground in the minds of many who will read this, but please, hear what the Scriptures are saying.  It is easy for us to place people like Peter, James, John, and Paul on such high pedestals, almost to the point of deifying them, because of their high place in the history and heritage of the church.  But one, and ONLY ONE, was perfect, and His Name is Jesus.

Read our Text for Today closely.  Paul was told “through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.”  Later in this same chapter in verses 8-13 that he was again warned to NOT go to Jerusalem, and this warning came from the daughters of Philip, as well as from a prophet named Agabus.  Paul was warned by at least six witness to not go to Jerusalem, and it appears the other members of his party agreed with the warnings.  Yet Paul went ahead, saying he was ready to be bound, and even die for the Name of Jesus.  Well, we see clearly it was not God’s will for him to die at this time.  And while I will not say it was not God’s will for Paul to go to Jerusalem, I will say it was not God’s will for him to go to Jerusalem at that time.

My friend, Father has a divine will for each of us, and when we follow that will precisely, the end will always bring honor and glory to the Kingdom of God.  However, the truth is and all of us, at some time, regardless of how much we desire to please Father, choose to do things our way and a point in time of our choosing, and too often, in the manner we choose to do it.  I fully understand desire, will, drive, passion, and the elements of life that can drive a man.  I also know that many times these things drive us to do something now that Father intended us to grow and develop our skills and capacities to perform them at a later time.  There are times in our life when we fail to recognize the proper and timely use of a tool or device God provides for ministry.  It is well to use what Father has given, and it is well to obey what Father commands.  Just take the time to assure it is for NOW!

Manna for Today – Acts 21:1-16; John 14:15-17; 1 John 5:3; Romans 5:5

Your Cargo Destination

Where will you deliver that which Father has placed in you for His kingdom?

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Acts 21:3 – Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand, and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to unlade her burden.

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Please take a moment to read the passages from our Manna for Today.  As you do, you will find that Father has ordained good works for your accomplishment.  Each accomplishment has a place for its unveiling.  The places of unveiling for the kingdom of God are not points of geography, a named city, or some landmark location.  The places for the unveiling of God are people.  Jesus suffered, died, and was raised from the dead once, for all.  Whosoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.  The church is not a building, but the people of God.

All that being truly stated, the question arises, to whom have you been sent?  It’s not so important that one be sent to multitudes, but that one discovers the one, the few, or the multitude to which one is sent.  Some of the greatest ministers ever known were sent to multitudes; potentially millions.  But who was the person who led that great minister to the Lord?  Who led Charles Finney to Christ?  Or D.L. Moody?  Or Oral Roberts?  Or Kenneth Hagin?  Or T.L. Osborne?  Or Reinhardt Bonnke?  Once again, it’s not how many places at which you can unload your spiritual giftings, your anointings, or your abilities, but whether or not you unload them at places designated by the Lord; places designated as the good works in which you have been ordained to walk.

In leadership training, I often make the following challenge, especially if I’m speaking to some kind of athletic team.  I tell them that if every player on the team does precisely what he is supposed to do, when he is supposed to do it, that such a team of players would never be defeated.  The closer each team member comes to meeting that objective, the closer that team will come to being undefeated.  We really need to understand that our work for the kingdom of God in pleasing the Lord is in NO WAY a competition among ourselves.  It’s not about you being better than me, or me being better than someone else.  It’s all about each of us living to the fullest, a life of faith, walking in the love of God, all the while abiding in the calling to which we have been called.  So, allow me to ask.  Do you know your port(s) of call for which you have been tasked by the Lord to offload?  If you do, stay on course.  If not, study the Scriptures, follow those who through faith and patience have obtained the promises, and honor the Lord in all you do.

Manna for Today – Acts 21:1-16; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Ephesians 2:10; John 3:16-17; Hebrews 10:10; Romans 10:13

See the Front End

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The entire kingdom of God, in fact, all of life, operates on the seed principle.  Understand the beginning.

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Acts 20:35 – I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

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If I say to you that I have received a great harvest, what are some facts that you can automatically know about how that harvest came into being?  I believe there are six facts you can automatically know.

1. If I received (reaped), I planted (sowed)
2. I sowed before I received
3. I received more than I sowed
4. I used my faith in sowing, expecting to receive
5. I watered what I sowed
6. I protected what I sowed

Now take another look at our Text for Today, in which Paul quotes the words of Jesus; “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  Don’t you find it interesting that these words spoken by Jesus are not recorded in any of the four Gospels?  That alone should speak volumes to us, especially that Jesus did indeed say some things that were not recorded in the Gospels, and that is why we have the New Testament recorded from Acts through Revelation so that the will of Father could be fully declared.  Still, let us look more closely at these nine words of Jesus. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

I know of no one in their right mind who does not enjoy receiving a blessing.  I certainly do.  I likewise enjoy being a blessing, and being able to give to be that reason.  I believe that any reasonable person also understands that if one does not receive a blessing, one cannot be a blessing.  That is simple reasoning.  So why would Jesus say it was more blessed to give than to receive?  Let’s consider the outcome.  The Scriptures teach us that God give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.  While bread is obviously provision, seed is what one sows, not what one eats.  Sadly, many people eat their seed.

There is a reason that when Father gives bread, He has preceded it with seed.  You need the bread to survive for the short-term, but you need seed to survive for the long-term.  How does that work?  Bread feeds you today.  The seed you sow today feeds you tomorrow.  But the seed you sow does more than feed you tomorrow.  In the seed you sow today is also the seed you will need to sow tomorrow to feed you each day that follows.  If I am hungry, the bread I receive today is a blessing.  But the seed I sow today provides bread for tomorrow and the seed that will produce bread for all of my tomorrows.  So, which is greater?  A loaf of bread for today, or loaves of bread that will feed me and many others all my tomorrows and beyond?  The answer is clear.

Manna for Today – Acts 20:17-38; Proverbs 19:17; Malachi 3:10-12; Mark 10:17-31; Luke 6:38