“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9 (NIV) Failure is never final. You’re never a failure until you quit, and it’s always too soon to quit! You don’t determine a person’s greatness by their talent, wealth, or education. You determine a person’s greatness by what it takes to discourage them. So what does it take to discourage you from going after your dream? It may be as simple as a friend or family member telling you, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” The Bible says in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (NIV). God works in your life according to your faith. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV) and “Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin” (Romans 14:23 GNV) and “According to your faith . . . it will be done to you” (Matthew 9:29 AMP). So what are you doing in faith? You need to ask every day when you get up, “God, what can I do today that will require faith?” Spending your day listening for and obeying God’s answer to that question, and your life will be pleasing to him. There are a lot of things in your life you don’t have control over. You can’t control who your parents are, when you were born, or what your race or nationality is. You can’t control what gifts and talents you were given. But you do have complete control over how much you choose to believe God. God uses people who expect him to act, who never give up, who take risks in faith—who get his dream and go after it. It’s your choice whether you want to be the kind of person God uses to accomplish his purpose.
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“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”
Romans 8:34 (NIV) God knows everything that’s going to happen. He is omniscient. That means he knows the past, the present, and the future all at once. He already knows what’s going to happen in your life this afternoon. He knows what’s going to happen in your life next week, next month, next year, and the rest of your days. This also means he can pray about it before it happens to you. Wait a minute. God prays? You mean God talks to himself? You talk to yourself all the time. When God talks to himself, it’s prayer. And God talks to himself about you all the time. The night before Jesus went to the cross, he was with his disciples. Peter was boasting and saying, “Lord, I would die for you!” Jesus loved Peter, but he knew Peter was a little impulsive. He also knew Peter was going to deny him three times before the next morning. Jesus said in Luke 22:32, “I have prayed that you will not lose your faith! Help your brothers be stronger when you come back to me” (NCV). Jesus had already prayed for Peter in the storm he was about to go through. In the same way, Jesus has already prayed you through what you’re going to go through this year. In fact, right now Jesus is in heaven, praying for his children. He is interceding for you—he is talking to God on your behalf. Romans 8:34 says, “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (NIV). Jesus is praying for you to make it through your storms. It’s one thing to have people pray for you—but how would you like to have the Son of God praying for you? The Bible says no matter what you go through today, next week, or next year, Jesus is praying for you. He’s on your side. If you’ve trusted him as your Savior, he’s interceding for you. “When they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Mark 6:49-50 (NIV) It’s only in the storms of life that you learn what Jesus is really like. You see that he’s not a mere man. He’s not just a nice teacher or an ethical leader. He is God, the Creator of the universe. In Mark 6, Jesus noticed the disciples were in distress. They were in the middle of a lake, where the wind and waves were pounding their boat and keeping them from making any progress. And so Jesus walked out to them on the water. “When they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid’” (Mark 6:49-50 NIV). The disciples still had some nagging doubts—maybe Jesus was just a nice prophet who could do some miracles. But by walking on water, Jesus revealed he was far more than just a man. He showed them he was God. He also gave them a challenge: “Don’t be afraid.” And he reassured them: “It is I.” In Greek, the language this part of the Bible was originally written in, the phrase “It is I” is actually two words: ego ima. Ego ima simply means “I Am.” Why is that important? The name of God is “I Am”—not “I was” or “I will be” or “I hope to be.” When Jesus says, “I Am,” he is saying that you don’t need to be afraid. You don’t need to sweat it. He is God. And that is enough. If you’re going through a storm, you don’t need a job—you need Jesus. You don’t need a plan—you need a person. You don’t need a system—you need a Savior. You don’t need a new goal—you need God. When you’re going through a storm, remember that God is not distant, apathetic, or uninvolved. He is “I Am.” And he will get you through the storm. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
Matthew 6:33 (NLT) If you want your life to turn from emptiness to overflowing, then give Jesus complete control of your life, including your career. An example of this is when Simon Peter let Jesus get into his boat so he could teach some people standing on the shore. The Bible says, “When [Jesus] had finished speaking, he said to Simon [Peter], ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets’” (Luke 5:4-5 NIV). Then the Bible says, “When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink” (Luke 5:6-7 NIV). If you want your life to turn from emptiness to overflowing, you’ve got to get Jesus in your boat. What’s your boat? It’s how you make a living. Simon’s business was his boat because he was a fisherman. The boat represents your career, your profession, your job, just like it represented Simon Peter’s entire livelihood. What does it mean to have Jesus in your boat? It means you dedicate your career to God. I’m not talking about salvation here. You may have Jesus in your life, but have you given him control of your career? You’ve trusted him for salvation and serve faithfully in your church. But when you go back to work during the week, is Jesus who you trust in your job? Or do you put Jesus on the shelf? When Simon Peter gave his job to Jesus, he was blessed with incredible results. But don’t miss the sequence. We sometimes think, “God, make me really successful in business, and then I’ll serve you with the success.” Wrong! It’s the exact opposite. Peter first gave Jesus control of his job. Then Jesus blessed Peter’s job with enormous success. That’s the order. The Bible says in Matthew 6:33, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need” (NLT). When you want God to bless something, put him first in that area. You want God to bless your time? You give him the first part of every day. You want God to bless your money? You give him the first 10 percent of your income, no matter how small it is. You want God to bless your job? Give him control, no matter how successful you are. Get Jesus in your boat, and you’ll see your life turn from empty to overflowing. “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
Mark 6:34 (NIV) How do you know if you’re looking at life from God’s viewpoint? Think about the way you see other people. This is a great test of your spiritual maturity—better than asking how much of the Bible you know, how often you go to church, or whether you serve, tithe, or pray. Life is all about love and relationships. So if you want to gauge your spiritual maturity, think about how you see other people. Maye consider some pointed questions. How does God see your spouse? Valuable. Acceptable. Lovable. Forgivable. Is that the way you see your spouse? How about the stranger at the grocery store? The person who cut you off in traffic? The beggar on the street? What do you see when you look at other people? Do you see them as irritations or burdens? What about the people you work with? Do you see them as enemies? Competition? Or do you see them the way God sees them? All people matter to God. It doesn’t matter who they are, what they’ve done, or even what they believe. Christ died for them. Jesus loves them. God has a plan for every person, and he wants them to have a relationship with him. The Bible says in Mark 6:34, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (NIV). That’s the way Jesus sees people. And that’s the way you can grow to see people too. You can learn to have compassion for your own family as well as for your neighbors, your community, your country, and the rest of the world. Let your spiritual vision get stronger as you learn to see people the way Jesus does. “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.”
Ephesians 4:15 (NLT) Christians often use the truth as a weapon. But the Bible never says God wants you to use the truth as a club. He doesn’t want you to beat people up theologically, politically, or personally. You must use the truth tactfully—in other words, use truth in love. “Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church” (Ephesians 4:15 NLT). Think of somebody that you would like to help make a change. You need to realize people change faster and more easily when the truth is wrapped in love. Without love, truth is always seen as an attack. If you say something offensively, guess what? It’s going to be received defensively. You’re never going to get anywhere! Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (NIV). If it’s not helpful, don’t say it. If it’s only for your benefit, don’t say it. If you want to just get something off your chest, don’t say that you’re speaking the truth in love. If you want to put somebody down and club somebody with the truth, don’t say that you’re speaking the truth in love. Speak only what is helpful for building people up according to their needs, so that it benefits them. Those are the qualifications of speaking the truth in love. Now, just because you’re ready to share the truth doesn’t mean the other person is ready to hear it. Ask yourself if someone is ready to receive a truth; that’s part of loving them. The Bible says, “Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal” (Proverbs 12:18 GNT). Do you want to heal, or do you want to wound? Do you want to help, or do you want to hurt? When you’re in a conflict, the solution is not deception but tact. You have a choice to either hurt or heal, to either make a point or make an enemy. How do you know when you’re speaking the truth in love? It’s pretty simple: Just ask yourself for whose benefit are saying something. If you’re speaking the truth for someone else’s benefit, then God will honor your words and use them for good. “We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you.”
2 Corinthians 6:11 (NLT) Paul, who wrote about half of the New Testament, was one of the greatest leaders who ever lived. He is also a great example of vulnerability. In one of his letters, Paul said, “We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you” (2 Corinthians 6:11 NLT). Having an “open heart” means being vulnerable—in the way you talk, act, share, and feel. To be an effective leader like Paul was, you need to learn to be vulnerable. Here are some practical steps you can take as a leader to become more vulnerable and authentic. A true leader admits their frustrations. When Paul was at one of his lowest moments, he didn’t bottle it up and buck up. Instead, he spoke up about the hard time he was having, using words like “crushed,” “overwhelmed,” and even “doomed.” “We . . . saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God” (2 Corinthians 1:9 TLB). In being honest about his frustration, Paul emphasized God’s power in his life. A true leader admits their faults and failures. “There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work. The capacity we have comes from God” (2 Corinthians 3:5 GNT). Someone may be well-known, but if they can’t admit their faults, then they’re not really a leader. Everybody makes mistakes. Even Paul could admit that he was “the worst of all sinners.” You might not her today's so-called leaders say that, but a great leader is transparent about their shortcomings. A true leader admits their fears and feelings. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling . . . so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5 NIV). Many people have a hard time sharing their feelings, especially their fears. If that’s you, then you’ve got to move past it! You cannot be an authentic, spiritually mature leader when you’re not open about your feelings. It’s hard to find leaders today who are willing to be authentic and admit their frustrations, faults, and feelings. But will you choose to be a leader who opens your heart and becomes more vulnerable? When you do, you’ll find yourself leading more effectively as you lead from God’s power. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:6 (NLT) Your vulnerability is not a weakness. In fact, vulnerability is a strength! God can take your vulnerabilities and make you spiritually empowered, emotionally healed, relationally attractive, and formed for leadership. Here’s how. First, being open and honest with other people about your weaknesses is spiritually empowering because it opens the door to God’s grace: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 NLT). Grace is the power you need to change and break through your bad habits and weaknesses. Vulnerability is also emotionally healing. James 5:16 says, “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (TLB). If you want to just be forgiven, you don’t need to confess your sin to anyone other than God. But if you want to be healed, you’ve got to share your weaknesses with somebody else. God has wired you in such a way that revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. Next, vulnerability is relationally attractive. The Bible says, “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2 NIV). James even included himself in that statement. When someone tells you that they mess up too, they become more relatable. Nobody wants to be married to or friends with a narcissist. But when you’re vulnerable—when you admit your weaknesses and maybe even laugh at yourself—you draw people in. Being vulnerable doesn’t just give you spiritual power, help you heal, and make you more attractive. It’s also a requirement for leadership. If you can’t be vulnerable, you’re not a leader; you’re just a boss. “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13 NLT). As you gain God’s wisdom, you also become humbler. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10 NIV). God honors your humility and vulnerability and uses them to form you into a leader. The Bible can really be countercultural, can’t it? The world tells you to keep your guard up and not appear weak. But God says to boast in your weaknesses—because they reveal his power and make you more dependent on him. Will you let your guard down so that your weaknesses can point others to Jesus Christ? “[God] will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:9-10, 13 (NLT) The Bible says there is no condemnation for our sin once we place our faith in Jesus. But it does not say there are no consequences. Every time you disobey God, you hurt yourself and you hurt other people. You lose your fellowship with Christ. You lose your effectiveness and joy here on earth. You lose rewards in heaven. But you do not lose your salvation. Why is that? Why doesn’t God just kick you out when you blow it? Why doesn’t God reject believers when we sin? The first thing to understand is that God’s love is unconditional. He doesn’t say, “I love you if” or “I love you because”—just “I love you. Period.” God will never stop loving you, because you are a recipient of his grace. Lamentations 3:22 says, “[God’s] compassion never ends. It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction” (TLB). Your salvation isn’t based on your performance. The Bible says, “He saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy” (Titus 3:5 NLT). You can’t earn your way into heaven, buy your way into heaven, work your way to heaven, or bluff your way to heaven. The only way you ever have any hope of getting into heaven is by the grace of God. Jesus has already taken your punishment. The law of double jeopardy in the United States criminal justice system says you cannot be tried for the same crime twice. That’s true in God’s book, too. People are not punished for the same sin twice. Over two thousand years ago, Jesus stretched his arms out on the cross and took the punishment for your sin. He served your term. The price is paid in full—all you have to do is accept the gift of forgiveness and salvation that he offers! Jesus understands your human weaknesses. God is sympathetic and understanding. He knows your frailties, your faults, and how you’re wired. And he is patient with you. “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15 NLT). Jesus lived in human flesh for 33 years, so he understands your weaknesses. God doesn’t keep grudges! The Bible says, “[God] will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. He does not punish us for all our sins; he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him” (Psalm 103:9-10, 13 NLT). If you are a believer, God is not angry with you. Why? Because all of the punishment was taken on the cross. You may be thinking, “You don’t know how far I’ve fallen. You don’t know what I’ve done.” Maybe not, but God does. If you think you’ve strayed too far from God, this is what God says to you: “Come back to me, you unfaithful children, and I will forgive you for being unfaithful” (Jeremiah 3:22 NCV). “My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.”
1 Peter 5:12 (NLT) You’ll face many pitfalls in the marathon of life. But regardless of what you go through, you can count on God’s sustaining grace. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:12, “My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God’s grace for you. Stand firm in this grace” (NLT). There are three times in life when it will be easy for you to stumble, to get cast off to the side of the race, and to not finish well. But in each of these situations, God’s sustaining grace will get you through it. God’s sustaining grace helps you keep standing when you’re tempted. Temptation is the first thing that can cause you to stumble. The Bible says, “God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). God says, “I will provide the sustaining grace to always give you a way of escape.” That way of escape may mean turning the television channel. It may mean running out the door. It may mean changing the way you’re thinking. But God will provide a way to escape temptation. God’s sustaining grace helps you keep standing when you’re tired. Sometimes you’re not tempted. Sometimes you’re just tired! Life is often exhausting. It requires a lot of energy, especially when you’re trying to do the right thing rather than the easy thing. But where do you get the power to do the right thing when you’re dead tired? “It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NLT). Having the Holy Spirit in your heart gives you the energy to do the things you can’t do in your own power. God’s sustaining grace gives you the power to keep going when you’re troubled. There are some hurts that all the wishing in the world won’t make go away. Some things in life are unplanned, unrelenting, and undeserved—and they hurt the most. What do you do in those situations? You first stop doing the “if only” game and instead focus on Christ and his sustaining power. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Don’t worry, because I am with you. Don’t be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you” (NCV). Remember that you’re never alone in life and never without hope. Whether you’re tempted, tired, or troubled, you can count on God’s sustaining grace to uphold you. |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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