“If you cannot be trusted with this wicked wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? And if you cannot be trusted with what belongs to someone else, who will give you something that will be your own? You cannot be the slave of two masters. You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than to the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Luke 16:11-13 (CEV) Faithful people are generous, even when they don’t have anything to give. Anybody can be generous when they have a surplus. You can be generous with your time when you’ve got a lot of extra time. You can be generous with your money when you’ve got a lot of extra money. You can be generous with your energy when you’ve got extra energy to spend. It’s when you don’t have enough time for yourself, you don’t have enough energy for yourself, you don’t have enough money for yourself, you don’t have enough talent for yourself that God says, “This is a test. I’m watching you to see if you are generous. Will you be faithful, and will you trust me?” Here are five principles in which God will test you and then bless you: 1. God gives to generous people. God wants you to be generous, because he wants you to be like him. And obeying him will bring his blessing. 2. Obeying God’s vision will bring God’s provision. If you do what God tells you to do, then God will bring along the resources you need at the right time. What he’s given you the vision for he will give you the provision for. 3. When you do all that God tells you to do, he does what you can’t do. God often asks you to do the impossible to stretch your faith. When you give what little you have, God multiples it and makes up for it. 4. When you have a need, you sow a seed. Whatever you need in your life, sow that as a seed, and it will come back to you. 5. There’s always a delay between sowing and reaping. There is a season between planting and harvesting. What’s going on in the delay? It’s a test of your faith. Will you be faithful to give when you have little? Will you keep on doing the right thing? Will you do what God wants you to do, no matter the cost? When you are faithful in this, you will be amazed at how God will provide for you and work in you.
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“Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones.”
Luke 16:10 (GNT) God uses little things to test your integrity. It’s not just the big things that count—even though that’s what the world wants you to focus on. But the Bible tells us that God is looking at the smallest details of our lives to see if we are faithful to him. This is true in every area of life, including leadership. We often think it’s the big things in life that create a leader. No! The big crises in life reveal leadership, but leadership is not built in the big things of life. It’s built in the details of life. That’s where integrity shows up—in the stuff that nobody sees, in the stuff behind the scenes, in the small, unseen, unspectacular choices of life where you do the right thing, even though nobody’s ever going to see it. Faithfulness requires integrity, and God tests your integrity in the little things. Jesus said, “Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones” (Luke 16:10 GNT). He’s saying your public blessing is determined by your private integrity. Every time a politician has a scandal, you can always count on that person’s defenders to come out and say, “It really shouldn’t matter what their private life is like.” Have you ever heard that one? “It really shouldn’t matter what a person does in their private life. It doesn’t have anything to do with them as leaders.” It has everything to do with them as leaders! Why? Because if a man lies to his wife, he’ll lie to his constituents. If a woman lies to her best friend, to whom she said, “Till death do us part,” she will cheat on you, voter! Count on it! My public blessing as a leader comes because of private integrity that nobody ever sees. Your public blessing as a person comes from your private integrity that nobody will ever see. God uses little things to test our integrity. And faithfulness in the small things will lead to blessings in ways only God can provide. “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.”
Ephesians 4:23-25 (NLT) To change the defects in your life, you’ve got to have people in your life who tell you the truth. You’re not going to get well on your own. You’re going to need support. You’re going to need a small group. Change requires honest community. The things in your life you’re never going to be able to change on your own are typically the things that are the most difficult in your life. They’re also often the things you don’t want anybody else to know about. You’re never going to get over those things until you share them with someone. You don’t have to tell everybody. You just need to find at least one person who will trust you and whom you trust—someone who will be confidential, love you unconditionally, not be judgmental, and pray for you. You’ll find that revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing. This does not mean a small group where you get together on a superficial level and everyone is “fine” or “doing great.” You have to get to the level of maturity in your small group where you can say, “I had a tough week. Life is really hard right now. Here’s what happened.” Ephesians 4:25 says, “So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body” (NLT). If you’re a believer, you’re also a belonger. You belong in God’s family, and every other believer belongs to you. You cannot become until you belong. You can’t become what God wants you to be until you belong in a group that’s going to have gut-level, honest community. So put away falsehood. Talk to your neighbor. Tell your friend the truth, because we belong to each other. If you are serious about changing the deepest hang-ups and defects in your life, you’re going to have to face the fear of being honest. You’ve got to stop faking it. You’ve got to be real. You can go through life one of two ways: pretending like you’ve got it all together or getting it all together. But you’ll never get it all together as long as you pretend you’ve got it all together. In God’s family, we belong to each other. Let’s be honest with each other so we can help each other make the changes that bring health and healing. “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
Philippians 2:5 (NLT) Changing your life requires new thinking. The battle to change the defects in your life is always a mental battle. It starts in the mind—and that’s where the battle is won or lost. Ephesians 4:23 says, “Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes” (NLT). You’re not going to change until your thoughts and attitude change. This is why a daily quiet time is important. The time you spend intentionally studying God’s Word and in conversation with him through prayer is the spiritual renewal in your mind. Even with the Holy Spirit, it takes spiritual discipline to have the power to change. You have to get to know God so you know what he expects from you and desires for you. Do you know what the theological term for “change of mind” is? It is the word “repentance.” To repent literally means to change your mind. The word “repent” is actually a Greek word: metanoia. Metanoia means to change your mind—to turn from death to life, sin to forgiveness, guilt to peace of mind, hell to heaven. You turn from “my way” to God’s way. The most positive change in your life will be when you repent of your sin and turn from regret to forgiveness and peace of mind. You have to learn to think in new ways about your defects. Defects are often strengths being misused. That’s a new way of thinking. You probably never thought of that, but that’s repentance! That’s a change of mind. Your defects are often the strengths God gave you that are being misused. You have to change the way you think so you can make the most of your strengths instead. To do that, you “must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had” (Philippians 2:5 NLT). God wants you to learn to think like Jesus. How do you do that? Again, it’s a choice. You’ve got to make a choice and say, “Lord, how would Jesus think about this?” The more you fill your mind with God’s Word, the easier that’s going to be. “Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and we will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him; for if we share Christ’s suffering, we will also share his glory. I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.”
Romans 8:17-18 (GNT) A famous Harvard study once showed a direct connection between long-term thinking and success. It revealed that the more people focus on short-term gain, the more likely they are to fail. Those who focus on what “feels good” right now are doomed to be unsuccessful. For Christians, this should be obvious. When we talk of long-term thinking, we call it eternity. We’re not thinking 40 or 50 years into the future. We’re thinking trillions and trillions of years into the future. Living with eternity in mind will make you the most successful person possible. When you think long-term—when you consider what God has in store for you in eternity—you can handle the momentary problems that come your way. Romans 8:17-18 says, “Since we are his children, we will possess the blessings he keeps for his people, and we will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him; for if we share Christ’s suffering, we will also share his glory. I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory that is going to be revealed to us” (GNT). If you’re a follower of Christ, one day you’ll be rewarded for what you’ve done with what you’ve been given. Use your talents, time, treasure, and influence for God’s purposes, and you’ll be rewarded for those choices. The verses above also say we’ll be rewarded in heaven for what Jesus did: “We will also possess with Christ what God has kept for him.” You’ve got a lot to look forward to in heaven. Your current pain and problems may hurt for a while—but it’s just a little while compared to eternity. It’s not easy to be a believer. It’s not easy to do what’s right. Sometimes it’s not easy to tell others about Jesus. It’s not easy to tithe. But the benefits of following Jesus and obeying what he teaches will far outlast the pain and discomfort. Don’t focus only on instant results and your present troubles. You’ve got too much to look forward to in eternity to settle for short-term thinking. “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 1:8 (NIV) We lie to ourselves all the time: “I haven’t gained any weight.” “I’m not hurting anyone.” “No one even noticed.” But one lie is more dangerous than most: “It’s not really a problem.” We tell ourselves that our finances aren’t a problem, our marriage isn’t in trouble, and our temper isn’t out of control. Lying to ourselves is the number one way we mess up our lives. The Bible says, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8 NIV). Sin causes us to deceive ourselves, and deception causes us to sin. Behind every self-defeating act in our lives is a lie we’ve believed. Either we’ve lied to ourselves or we’ve believed one of Satan’s lies. The Bible says our heart is “deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9 NIV). You and I have an amazing ability to lie to ourselves. It’s time to stop. Stop rationalizing. Stop minimizing your behavior. Stop excusing. Stop tolerating. To stop defeating yourself—doing all of those self-defeating behaviors that cripple your ability to follow Jesus faithfully—you have to stop deceiving yourself. Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32 NIV). But first, the truth will make you miserable! You can’t break free from these self-defeating behaviors if you won’t admit they exist. You can’t beat the problem if you’re lying to yourself about it. Victory starts with telling the truth about yourself and being willing to do something about it. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) You may not realize it, but you’re in a battle. You may not wear a military uniform, and you may not dodge physical bullets. But you’re in a battle—an invisible one. It’s called spiritual warfare. You’ll be in the battle from the moment you’re born until the moment you die. The Bible tells us that you have three mortal enemies out to destroy your life and everything God wants to do through it:
The victory for the battle you’re in won’t come through bullets or tactics. The Bible teaches us that, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12 NIV). In this battle, all that matters is Jesus. He has to be the general of your life, the one in charge of the battle plan. You may be a believer, but that’s not enough for this war within you. Jesus has to be your Lord, too. Many people believe in Jesus. But to find victory over the world, the flesh, and the Devil, Jesus has to be more than just someone you believe in. Romans 7:24-25 says, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (NIV) The answer to the all-consuming battle you’re in isn’t a self-help seminar, a new book, or a conference. It’s Jesus. Make him your boss. Paul, who wrote the book of Romans, makes it clear he can’t win the battle on his own. His only hope is “Jesus Christ our Lord.” And that’s your only hope, too. Jesus, the Lord, who will deliver you. “God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.”
2 Corinthians 1:4-5 (NLT) When you’re going through pain, you can choose to focus on yourself or on other people. When you choose to focus on serving other hurting people, that’s called redemptive suffering. It is the highest and best use of your pain. No matter what pain you’ve gone through, Jesus wants to redeem your suffering. He doesn’t want it to be wasted! He wants to use it to help other people when they are in pain. “[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:4-5 NLT). Who’s better qualified to help a struggling veteran than somebody who’s been a struggling veteran? Who’s better qualified to help someone recovering from a prescription drug addiction than somebody who has recovered from a prescription drug addiction? Who could better help someone who is suffering from a chronic illness than someone who has also suffered in the same way? Your greatest ministry will come out of your deepest pain. If you’ll be honest with God, others, and yourself about whatever struggle you’ve faced, then that struggle will become your ministry. Sharing your strengths doesn’t make you feel any closer to someone. But when you share the experiences that have led you to surrender to God and rely on his strength, then you’ll be connected to others more deeply than you can imagine. Why? Because when you—as a broken person—share with other broken people how God has restored you, you’re not just sharing something you have in common. You’re sharing hope that other people can also experience redemption through Jesus Christ. Sharing your pain helps you and the people around you to grow in Christ. Using your pain to serve others is a form of ministry. Don’t waste your pain. Let God use it for your greatest ministry. “We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us.”
2 Corinthians 4:7 (NCV) You’re always going to get discouraged when you try to be a superhero and do more than is humanly possible. You need a more realistic view of yourself: You can’t fix everybody’s problems. You can’t be in more than one place at one time. You can’t do everything you want to do. You can’t spend money you don’t have. You need to learn to relax in your limitations. Anytime you live outside of the limitations of your life, you’re going to get discouraged. It’s easier to fill your schedule than it is to fulfill your schedule. It’s always easier to get in than it is to get out. It’s easier to make a promise than to keep a promise. It’s always easier to get into debt than it is to get out of debt. Often the first signs of overextending show up in your body. The apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us” (NCV). In other words, you need to know your limits. You need to recognize your warning signs when you’re overextended and realize you’re just the vessel and God is the power. Our bodies are like clay jars—we’re all a little cracked because we’ve all been dropped here and there. But God often puts his greatest gifts in the weakest people, and that gives us the opportunity to point back to him and say, “That’s got to be God. That could have only happened through God’s power.” Throughout history, God has used flawed instruments to put his glory on display. Nothing would get done if God only used perfect people—because there aren’t any! You may think it’s best to hide your weaknesses, but God wants to use them in your life. But first, you’ve got to recognize and respect your limitations. Then, you trust in God’s power and not your own to accomplish his purpose for you. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”
Hebrews 4:16 (NLT) Being on a broken planet means you will never outgrow temptation. But it’s important to remember that it’s not a sin to be tempted. It’s a sin to give in to temptations. You’re not a bad Christian because you have persistent temptations in your life. You’re human! You’re not responsible for the thoughts Satan puts in your mind from a thousand different stimuli. But you are responsible for what you do with them. You can choose not to dwell on a thought. You change your mind! You choose to think of something different. Then, you have not sinned because you didn’t act on your temptation. Martin Luther said, “You can’t keep the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from making a nest in your hair.” If you have a bad thought, don’t be intimidated by it. Don’t beat yourself up. That’s what Satan wants you to do, because the more you get down on yourself, the more he can manipulate those negative emotions and lead you to sin. A thought is only a temptation. It’s your choice whether it turns into a sin. You’re going to be tempted the rest of your life. Even the oldest, most mature Christian in the world is still tempted. The mature Christian knows that the closer you get to God, the more Satan will throw at you, hoping something will stick. But the closer you get to God, the better prepared you are to face whatever Satan throws at you and to resist him. Don’t be intimidated by Satan. As a Christian, you’ve got the Holy Spirit’s power in you. You’ve got God’s Word to give you truth. You’ve got Jesus to cry out to. You’ve got everything you need to overcome your temptations! |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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