“I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:6 (NIV) Of all the benefits of God’s goodness, only one lasts beyond your life on earth. The final verse of Psalm 23 expresses the ultimate example of God’s goodness: “I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6 NIV). That means you don’t have to fear death—because death is not the end. God saves the best for last. Even if you have a tough life here on earth, if you have asked Jesus Christ to save you, you will dwell forever in the house of the Lord, where there’s no more sorrow, no more suffering, no more sin, no more sickness, no more sadness, no more problems, no more pain, and no more pressure. Heaven is unbelievable. God’s glory is waiting there for you. The Bible teaches, “It is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:5-7). Everything you’ve seen in movies about heaven is probably wrong. First, heaven is not nirvana, a dream, or a metaphorical attitude. Heaven is a physical place, not a state of being. It’s a permanent place that will last forever. And it is reserved only for God’s family. Heaven is also not boring! We see a glimpse of heaven in Revelation 21, where we learn that we won’t just kick back and do nothing for eternity. A lot of the stuff you do here on earth is what you’ll be able to do in heaven. You’ll be able to eat in heaven, you’ll be able to sleep in heaven, you’ll party in heaven, talk, fellowship, pray, and sing—just to name a few. Heaven was created for you. There are only two things that you do on earth that you won’t do in heaven. First, in heaven you can’t sin; second, you can’t witness to a nonbeliever about Christ’s love and forgiveness because only God’s children are there. That’s why, once you become a believer, God does not take you instantly to heaven. He wants you to pass on the Good News of salvation and grace. The only reason you’re going to heaven is because somebody told you about the Gospel. Now it’s your turn to tell others. There is so much to look forward to in heaven. We will worship God forever. We will be reunited with those who love Jesus. We will be rewarded for our faith, hope, and love. We will be assigned work that we enjoy doing. What an awesome promise. What a good God!
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“So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!”
Genesis 39:6 (NLT) The greatest compliment a boss can pay you is, “I’m not worried,” because it says that you are reliable, trustworthy, and steady. They can count on you. Genesis 39:6 says, “So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat!” (NLT). How would you like to have the kind of job where all you had to worry about was what to eat? Potiphar trusted Joseph and gave the former slave complete decision-making power because he knew he could rely on him. That’s why Joseph kept getting promoted—because all of his bosses could say, “I trust this guy with my life.” When he was in prison, Joseph had favor with the warden, who put the entire prison under Joseph’s care. That’s how much the warden trusted Joseph. Joseph was reliable—so the warden didn’t have to worry about anything with Joseph in charge. Reliability is earning the trust of others by always keeping your promises and fulfilling your responsibilities, even if it requires sacrifice. Joseph knew how to be reliable. He got promoted because he fulfilled his responsibilities. He kept his word even if it meant personal hurt, loss, and sacrifice. Can the same be said of you? “Potiphar . . . made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the LORD began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake.”
Genesis 39:4-5 (NLT) What is your potential for growth? Are you going to read any books in the next year? Are you going to take any seminars? Are you going to grow? Are you going to develop any skills? Are you going to learn any relationship skills? Or are you just going to be the same 10 years from today as you are right now? Capacity is your potential for growth. It’s important because people who increase in competence are given greater responsibility in their work. All leaders are learners. The moment you stop learning, you stop leading. Growing businesses requires growing people. The moment the people stop growing, the business can’t grow. I remember having staff members at Saddleback Church whose number-one characteristic was the ability to keep growing and learning. They didn’t insist on doing the same thing they had always done but instead tried new methods and came up with new ideas. This is what happened with Joseph. He grew in capacity by stretching himself and learning and growing. Genesis 39:4-5 says, “Potiphar . . . made Joseph his personal attendant. He put him in charge of his entire household and everything he owned. From the day Joseph was put in charge of his master’s household and property, the LORD began to bless Potiphar’s household for Joseph’s sake” (NLT). Is God blessing the business you work for? Is that church, that business, that organization prospering because you’re there? Do you have that kind of capacity? When Joseph was put in charge, the Lord began to bless Potiphar for Joseph’s sake: “All his household affairs ran smoothly, and his crops and livestock flourished” (Genesis 39:5 NLT). Why? Because Joseph had capacity. When Joseph was first taken to Egypt as a slave, he wasn’t able to handle all that stuff. He had to learn how to manage livestock and a household. He had to learn and grow as he was given more responsibility. If you stop learning new skills and say, “That’s all I need to know,” you’re limiting your capacity. But if you keep learning, you’ll keep growing, and God will keep blessing. “Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.”
Galatians 6:9 (TLB) If things don’t happen right away or when you think they should, that doesn’t mean you should quit. You need to be diligent and develop endurance. The Bible says, “Let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up” (Galatians 6:9 TLB). Is there something you feel like giving up on? Maybe it’s your marriage; it seems like it’s dead and going nowhere. Maybe it’s your career; you’ve tried and tried and tried to make a difference, and it just isn’t happening. Maybe you feel like giving up on a dream or a goal—or even yourself. Here’s an important thing to know. A thousand years before you were born, God knew that you would be reading this today, so God could have me say this to you as a friend: Don’t give up. The tunnel may seem extremely dark right now, but there is always a light at the end. It may be just around the corner! You are known by God, loved by God—and you have a purpose that God designed you uniquely to fulfill. Don’t think what you’re doing doesn’t matter. Don’t give up on doing the right thing. Don’t think anyone would be better off without you. Those are lies from the mouth of the Devil himself. Remember what God has said about you. Remember that he wants to bless you. Don’t give up. Look up to God. Find a spiritual family—a church and a small group—to help you through the tough times. Meditate on God’s Word for encouragement. Most of all, don’t give up on God. He will never give up on you! “Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NCV) The root of all indecision is fear. We all struggle with different kinds of fears. We’re afraid we’ll make mistakes and embarrass ourselves. We’re afraid we won’t be able to finish what we’ve started. We’re afraid we’re not good enough. One of the fears that keeps us from making decisions is the fear of disapproval. Proverbs 29:25 says, “Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety” (TLB). The moment you start worrying about what other people think, it’s over, because fear of disapproval is always worse than disapproval. So how do you get rid of a particular fear? There’s only one way: Face it, and move against it. You do the thing you fear the most! But how do you make that move? In faith. The only antidote to fear is faith. You have to step out in faith. You’ve got to trust God and start moving. In every major decision we had to make as Saddleback Church grew, I was scared. But I moved forward anyway. Courage is not the absence of fear; courage is moving ahead in spite of your fear. If you’re not afraid, you don’t need courage. Courage comes because you’re scared to death but you also are sure of what God wants you to do, so you do it anyway. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust the LORD with all your heart, and don’t depend on your own understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success” (NCV). God supports those who move in faith. So here’s the question you need to ask: Where do you need to trust God? You haven’t truly trusted him until you’ve attempted something you can’t do on your own power. Whatever decision you need to make, you need to prepare for it and then step out in faith. Why? Because your choices determine your character and your destiny. Commit yourself to the Lord, and he will give you the wisdom and courage to make the decision that will bring you closer to who he made you to be. “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”
Mark 12:30 (NLT) One way to look at today’s verse is to focus on loving God with all your talk, all your feelings, all your thinking, and all your behavior. God shaped you to be primarily a talker, a feeler, a thinker, or a doer. In Mark 12:30, the Bible says, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength” (NLT). Talkers love God with their hearts. Feelers love God with their souls. Doers love God with their strength—their bodies. Did you know you can also love God with your intellect? Thinkers love God with their minds. When you’re developing and strengthening your mind, it is an act of worship. Thinkers love Bible study. Psalm 119:97 says, “How I love your instruction! It is my meditation all day long” (CSB). People who are thinkers fall in love with the Bible when they become believers. There is no other book in the world like it! It has the answers to life’s questions, including: Why am I here? Where am I going? What is the purpose of life? Does my life matter? What’s the past? What’s the future? Where did I come from? We need thinkers because the world needs consideration. Somebody has to be thinking through complex issues and the implications of what the rest of us are doing. We need people who think through tough problems and then bring solutions to the table. That’s why we need scientists, writers, philosophers, and innovators. But thinkers have to be careful to practice humility. The Bible says, “Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom” (Proverbs 3:7 NLT). Why? Because God is God, and you are not. Humility is a choice. Not once in the Bible are you told to pray for God to humble you. Instead, you’re told to “humble yourself before the Lord” (James 4:10 ICB). It’s a choice. Humility is something you do to yourself. Nobody else can do it to you. Other people can humiliate you, but they can’t make you humble. In essence, humility is total dependence on God. It’s not denying your strengths; instead, it’s being honest about your weaknesses. Thinkers also need to be careful to practice what they know. If you know it, then do it! James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (NIV). Whether God has made you to be a talker, a feeler, a thinker, or a doer, you can rely on his Word as your manual for life. He created you, and he knows the best way for you to live. That’s why he wants you to do things his way! You can trust him! “Look, I’m standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I’ll come in and we’ll eat together.”
Revelation 3:20 (GW) God gave you a heart, and in your heart he placed passions, desires, and dreams. But unless they are under his control, they will be misused, they will be abused, they will be misapplied, they will be misdirected, and they will be wasted in your life. All around the world, millions of passionate people have interests, dreams, and ambitions that are being misused and abused. And it breaks God’s heart. In spite of their talent and their passion, these people are unhappy—because when your passions are misused, it makes you miserable. Some of you might be thinking, “I’m not really passionate about anything right now.” You know what that means, right? It means you are disconnected from God. You cannot be connected to God and dispassionate. When you are plugged into God, it’s like plugging into 220 volts. You get passionate! God is a passionate God. The only reason you have emotions is because you’re made in his image. God is emotional. God gets jealous when he sees you ignoring him for something else. God has loved you with an everlasting love; no matter what you’ve done, he will always love you. That’s passion! When you spend time with God daily and you get plugged into him, you can’t help but be passionate. You start to develop God’s heart for the world. You start to feel the way he does. Who you hang out with really does make a difference. Take a look at any teenager. Put a teenage kid with a group of dispassionate kids who are apathetic about everything, and that kid will become apathetic within a matter of weeks. Why? It matters who you spend your time with. Would you like to have more energy in life? More enthusiasm? More get-up-and-go? Let me tell you where to get it. The word “enthusiasm” comes from the Greek words en theos--en meaning “in” and theos meaning “God.” When you get en theos—“in God”—you’re going to be enthusiastic. The closer you get to God, the more energy, vitality, and passion you will have in life. The further away you get, the more bored and apathetic you’ll become. You’ve got to open your heart to Jesus. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, “Look, I’m standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I’ll come in and we’ll eat together” (GW). If you’re not a believer—or if you’re a Christian who’s wandered away from God—Jesus Christ is standing and knocking at the door of your life. But he’s a gentleman. He’s not going to bust the door down. You’ve got to open it up. “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much . . . If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?”
Luke 16:10-12 (NIV) The book of Genesis tells the story of a man named Joseph. God gave Joseph a vision of becoming a great leader, but for 40 years he lived and worked as a slave, and for much of that time he was imprisoned. Those decades were the testing ground of Joseph’s character. When the day came and the time was just right, God pulled Joseph out of that setting and placed him in a position of power in Egypt—where he had always planned for Joseph to be. During all the difficult years of toil, God had been growing Joseph’s character and preparing him for his leadership role. Whatever your work is—whether you’re working hard in obscurity or enjoying a position of power—God is developing your character too. In fact, God is far more concerned about who you are than what you do; he is much more interested in your character than he is in your career. Your workplace is a life course in character development. Do you have a boss who drives you nuts? Think about this: God can use a boss who tests your patience—or a workplace that you’re unhappy in—to develop and grow your character. He plants seeds of love, joy, peace, and patience in your heart, and then he fertilizes those seeds while you work. You may be at work and wonder, “How come this is going on? Why is this such a tough place? Why are these people picking on me? Why can’t I be happier at my workplace?” You’re basically asking the same question that Solomon asked in Ecclesiastes 1:3: “You spend your life working, laboring, and what do you have to show for it?” (GNT). The answer is this: character. Life is preparation for eternity. You’re not going to take your career with you to heaven, but you are going to take your character. And while you are here on earth, God is developing your character and testing your faithfulness. Will you be faithful to do the right thing, even when you don’t feel like it? He’s watching to determine what kind of job he is going to give you in eternity. Jesus said in Luke 16:10-12, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much . . . If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?” (NIV). Whatever work God has given you, be faithful to do it will. Remember, it’s more about your character than it is about your career! “Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest.”
Ephesians 6:14 (HCSB) We don’t have to do anything wrong for Satan to attack us. It’s what he does. It’s who he is. The Bible calls him “the accuser of our brothers and sisters” (Revelation 12:10 NLT). And he wants nothing more than to attack those who love Jesus. Yet often, our own impure lifestyles make us vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. He knows that if he can slip his foot into the door of our hearts through impurity, we’re goners. He’ll trip us up with all sorts of temptations, from pornography to movies to books to advertising—whatever it takes to make us ineffective as representatives of God’s kingdom. That’s why Paul’s breastplate of righteousness is so important as we battle against whatever Satan throws at us. In Ephesians 6:14, Paul urges believers to stand, “with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest” (HCSB). A Roman soldier going to war would always put on a breastplate to protect his heart. No soldier would dare go to battle without this piece of armor. Neither should we. Paul tells us that righteousness, or purity of motives, is our breastplate. When we ask God to give us a pure heart and pure motives, we’re putting on that breastplate of righteousness. Satan fears the person with a pure heart—not the perfect person, but the person who wants to do the right thing and keeps their motives pure. People who pursue purity don’t have to be afraid of him. Satan is afraid of them! Purity doesn’t mean perfection, though. None of us fit that description. God expects purity of motives, not perfection of action. It means when you do something wrong, you want to make it right. You can’t have God’s blessing on your family, your business, or any other area of your life unless you seriously pursue that kind of purity. For example, open up your heart to greed, and Satan can get you to cheat on your taxes or make a shady business deal. Leave the door to your heart ajar through pride, and you’ll chase the applause and praise of others rather than the approval of God. That leads nowhere. Without a pure heart, you’re a pushover for Satan. You don’t have to be strong to stand against Satan’s attacks, but you do need to protect yourself with God’s armor of righteousness. “Let us examine our ways and turn back to the LORD.”
Lamentations 3:40 (GNT) When your life feels like it’s falling apart, knowing what you can change—and what you can’t change—can make all the difference. You can’t change your past. You can’t change your parents. You can’t change the gifts and talents God has or hasn’t given you. You can’t change a handicap you’ve been given. You can’t bring back a loved one who has died. You might as well accept all of those things. You’ll start to find peace in the midst of troubles when you accept what you can’t change. Otherwise, you’ll make yourself and the people you love miserable. There’s much you can’t change, but there’s something important you can change: you can change you. When Jeremiah’s world was falling apart, he wrote in Lamentations 3:40, “Let us examine our ways and turn back to the LORD” (GNT). What’s going on in your life that doesn’t line up with what God wants? Depending on how we react, crises can help us as we learn to focus our eyes on what matters: Jesus. To re-order your life God’s way, it’ll take some gut-level self-evaluation. You’ll need to do an inventory of every area of your life. You’ll need to take a look at your relationship with God, your spouse, your kids, your friends, and your co-workers. You’ll need to look at hurts and hang-ups that may be bringing you down. You have to assess what habits are leading you closer to Christ-likeness and which ones are pulling you away. You need to be honest about your flaws—not someone else’s—that got you where you are. Nothing can be off limits. It’s not easy. It can get messy. It’s always tough to turn from sin, even when it’s tearing us down. But you can’t find healing without telling yourself the truth about yourself. Healing apart from repentance can’t last. When your world is falling apart, you’ll be tempted to bemoan every area of your life. That’s a waste of time. You can’t change everything—but, remember, you can change you. And when your world is falling apart, that can mean everything. |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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