“Remember today what you have learned about the LORD through your experiences with him.”
Deuteronomy 11:2 (GNT) Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and across the wilderness to the Promised Land. It should have only taken them a few weeks, even with a large crowd. But it took them 40 years. What in the world were they doing? For 40 years, they were walking around in a circle. God was giving them one test after another and saying, “Will you trust me?” There were seven tests. Every time they failed the test, he sent them on another lap around the wilderness. But even in that wilderness, they were not there by accident. Some of you are in the wilderness right now. Remember this: The way to the Promised Land is through the wilderness. You’ve got to go through that waiting period. You’ve got to go through that desert. You’ve got to go through that dry spell. You are waiting in the wilderness for a purpose. And while you’re waiting, you need to keep a record of the lessons you’re learning. Numbers 33:2 says, “At the LORD’s direction, Moses kept a written record of their progress” (NLT). The Bible also says, “Remember today what you have learned about the LORD through your experiences with him” (Deuteronomy 11:2 GNT). Are you keeping a written record of your progress in the Christian life? Are you writing anything down? You need to start keeping a journal when you’re waiting. A journal is different than a diary. A diary is for events; a journal is for lessons. In the waiting periods of life, little lessons lead to big successes. Some of the tiniest lessons you’ll learn in dry periods, in depressing periods, in discouraging periods will be the keys to big successes in your life. Little lessons lead to big successes. So you need to write them down! Psalm 119:33 is a good prayer to pray when you’re in the wilderness and waiting for God to deliver you: “GOD, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course” (MSG). Say to him, “God, I don’t want to wander around. Teach me how to live so I can get through this with the minimum amount of time. I don’t want to be here for 40 years. I don’t want to go in circles. Teach me the lessons for life so I can stay on track and grow in spiritual maturity.”
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“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. “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”
John 12:24 (NIV) What does a farmer do when he has a barren field that’s producing no income? He doesn’t complain about it. He doesn’t even have to pray about it! He just goes out and starts planting some seed—because nothing is going to happen until he plants the seed. He can pray all he wants, but it’s not going to produce a crop. Maybe you think you’re waiting on God. You think you’re waiting on God for that job. You think you’re waiting on God for a spouse. You think you’re waiting on God for the windfall. But God says, “You think you’re waiting on me? I’m waiting on you! I’m waiting for you to plant a seed.” Everything in life starts as a seed: a relationship, a marriage, a business, a church. And nothing happens until the seed is planted. Why does God require you to plant a seed? Because planting is an act of faith. You take what you’ve got, and you give it away. That takes faith, and it brings glory to God. Jesus described this principle of sowing and reaping when he was trying to explain why he came to Earth to die on the cross. In John 12:24 Jesus said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (NIV). Jesus was saying, “People will be saved and go to heaven because of my death and Resurrection. I’m going to plant a seed, and the seed is going to be my life.” Here’s the principle of sowing and reaping: Whenever you have a need, plant a seed. Whatever you need—more time, more energy, more money, more support, more relationships, more wisdom—just plant a seed. If you need more time, give more time to your kids. If you need more money, give it away to someone who needs it. If you need more wisdom, share what wisdom you have with others. Give yourself away! It may not make sense to you to give away something that you need more of, but that is exactly the kind of attitude that God wants to bless and that will produce fruit in your life. “Happy is the person whom God corrects! Do not resent it when he rebukes you."
Job 5:17 (GNT) If you’re running from what God has called you to do, there is something you should know: God is calling you back to him. He knows that the longer you run, the worse life will get for you. And he wants to get your attention before it’s too late. Even though God is patient, he won’t let you ignore his call forever. God loves you just the way you are, but he loves you far too much to let you stay that way. One day he’s going to get your attention. The prophet Jonah found this out the hard way as he was running from God: “The storm was getting worse all the time” (Jonah 1:11 GNT). The more Jonah ran, the worse the storm got. Jonah’s running had consequences. It’s the same way for you. When you run from God, eventually you’ll find yourself surrounded by storms. Sometimes those are the storms of God’s correction. But when God corrects you, it’s not negative. It’s because he loves you! Loving parents discipline their children because they love them and want to see them change their behavior for their own good. God is the same way. The Bible says: “Happy is the person whom God corrects! Do not resent it when he rebukes you” (Job 5:17 GNT). As the storm got more intense, Jonah’s shipmates asked a question many people ask when troubles build: “What should we do . . . to stop the storm?” (Jonah 1:11 GNT) The answer is always the same. You must completely surrender your life to God. When you surrender, peace comes. Jonah did this. He responded, “Throw me into the sea, and it will calm down. I know it is my fault that you are caught in this violent storm” (Jonah 1:12 GNT). It was Jonah’s first unselfish act—and his first step toward a fresh start. He admitted he was the cause of the storm, and he surrendered to God’s will. If you’ve been running from God’s plan for your life and now you’re facing a storm, surrender to God. You can do this with confidence because God is for you, and he’s calling you back to him. “When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31 (CEV) It’s important to set goals. But not every goal you set is a goal that God’s going to bless. So, how do you know the difference? Ask yourself these questions: Will my goal honor God? What kind of goal brings glory to God? Any goal that causes you to trust him more, to depend on him more, to love him more, to love other people more, to serve him, or to serve others. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “When you eat or drink or do anything else, always do it to honor God” (CEV). Even everyday tasks can be done to honor God. You can honor God by taking out the trash. You can honor God by washing the dishes. You can honor God by doing that mundane task at work: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people” (Colossians 3:23 GNB). If you want your life to bring honor to God, set goals that help you be the best you can be for God’s glory. Is my goal motivated by love? God is not going to bless a goal motivated by greed, envy, guilt, fear, or pride. But he does honor a goal that is motivated by a desire to demonstrate love to him and to others. Life is all about learning how to love. Why is it important to have goals based on love? If you set loveless goals, you’re going to treat people as projects. You’ll run all over them to reach your goal, whether they’re a family member, friend, or coworker. God says, “No, you’ve got it all wrong. It’s not about accomplishments. It’s about relationships. It’s about learning how to love.” The Bible says, “Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14 NIV). Your number one goal in life should be to learn how to really love your family, your neighbors, and even those who are hard to love. That makes you more like God, because God is love. “Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other.”
Romans 12:5 (GW) The church not only helps you center your life on God, but it also helps you connect with other believers. God did not put you here to live an isolated life. While you’re on Earth, God wants you to learn to love other people, and he wants you to practice loving others in his family. The Bible says, “Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other” (Romans 12:5 GW). When you become a child of God, you’re connected to other believers as their brother or sister. The Bible says you’re part of a body. What is this body? Romans 12:5 says, “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” (ESV). Your spiritual life does not amount to anything if it’s disconnected from the family of God. If I cut off my finger, it’s not just going to stop growing, it’s also going to die. For my finger to live, it has to be connected to my body. In the same way, you need to be connected to other people in the body of Christ if you want to grow spiritually and fulfill God’s purpose for your life. A study on mental health revealed that if you isolate yourself from others and don’t develop close friendships, like those in a small group, you are three times more likely to die an early death. You’re four times more likely to suffer emotional burnout. You’re five times more likely to be clinically depressed. And you’re 10 times more likely to be hospitalized for an emotional or mental disorder. During the last couple of years, when it’s sometimes been necessary to isolate physically, people have learned to connect in all sorts of creative ways. Whatever situation you’re in today, find ways to connect to other believers. Become part of the family of God. Join a small group. Get connected. As Ephesians 2:19 says, “You are members of God’s very own family . . . and you belong in God’s household with every other Christian” (TLB). “From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son.”
Romans 8:29 (TLB) God’s goal has always been to make you like himself. He wants you to become like his Son. In other words, he wants you to grow up spiritually. The Bible says, “From the very beginning God decided that those who came to him—and all along he knew who would—should become like his Son” (Romans 8:29 TLB). Sometimes we might ask: “Why is this happening to me?” Here's one reason why: It’s to help you grow. In fact, everything in life can help you grow up spiritually—the good, the bad, the ugly, the things you bring on yourself, and the things that other people do to you. God is not the author of evil. But God can bring good out of bad things. Every situation in life will either make you bitter or make you better. It’s your choice how you choose to respond. Instead of asking, “God, why is this happening to me?” ask, “God, what do you want me to learn from this?” Every problem has a purpose: to help you grow up spiritually and be more like Jesus Christ. So, if one of the purposes of your life is to grow up spiritually and to become like Jesus, what is Jesus like? Just look at the fruit of the Spirit. The Bible says, “He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 TLB). These are the qualities God wants to develop in you. How does God produce those qualities and help you grow up spiritually? He teaches you these qualities by putting you in the exact opposite situations. He teaches you love by putting you around unlovely people. He teaches you joy in the middle of grief. God teaches you peace when you’re surrounded by chaos. He teaches you patience when it seems like the line you’re standing in goes on forever. God will teach you these qualities throughout your life—and the process will take the rest of your life. But you can trust that, whatever you face today, he will use it to help you develop spiritual depth and become more like Christ. “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God."
Psalm 14:2 (NIV) Millions of Christians spend all their time seeking what God has to give them and no time seeking God himself. When you’re praying for healing and restoration, it’s okay to want a miracle. But, ultimately, it should be God himself you seek—not a miracle, a sign, prosperity, or a thousand other gifts of God. Your prayer should be: “God, I want you. I want to know you.” When you seek God, you get everything else. God gives many promises in the Bible about those who seek him: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face . . . then I will hear from heaven” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV). “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8:17 NIV). “Anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV). “If from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul . . . For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you” (Deuteronomy 4:29-31 NIV). Seek God, not just his blessing. That means that, whether or not you get the answer you want, you’ll find joy in knowing God better. Whether or not you get what you think is best for you, you’ll be satisfied with what God thinks is best for you. When you’re going through a divorce or a miscarriage or a layoff, seek God—even more than your deliverance from your pain. This is not a casual pastime. Don’t seek God in your spare moments, after you’re done with work or as you’re scrolling social media. Make getting to know God better the primary focus of your life. “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God” (Psalm 14:2 NIV). It’s rare to find someone who’s earnest about seeking God. Most of us want just enough of God to bless us, but not to change us. You don’t become an Olympic athlete in your spare time. In the same way, you don’t become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ by giving him your leftovers. Give him your first and best, and he will keep every promise. “He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him."
Psalm 103:13 (TLB) God loves for you to talk to him about anything. Whatever you’re interested in, God is interested in it too. He wants you to talk to him about your interests for three reasons. God loves you. You exist because God wants to love you. It’s the reason you’re alive! When you love someone, you’re interested in what they’re interested in. There are many things you’ve become interested in because your spouse is interested in them—because you love them. God feels the same way about you, but a thousand times more. God gave you those interests. You know all those hobbies and sports and all the things you like to do? You got those desires from your Creator. He wired you with them, which means he actually knows what you’re interested in more than you do. He loves you, and he delights to see you enjoy the things he made you to love. God enjoys talking with his children. He is your Father. Parents are interested in what their kids are interested in. Are you ever bored while you’re praying? If you are, that’s because you’re talking about stuff that you think you should talk about, not what you’re actually interested in. God is a good Father, and he’s interested in what you are interested in. The Bible says it like this: “He is like a father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him” (Psalm 103:13 TLB). If you’re a parent, did you wait until your kids could talk in order to start loving them? Of course not. You loved them deeply, even before they were born or said a word. Whether you ever talk to God in prayer or not, he loves you deeply, just like a parent loves a child before they can communicate. But as children begin to grow, parents desire to have a conversation with them. You want to know what they’re thinking and feeling and share their burdens and joys. You want to delight in their interests and hear their perspective. That’s the kind of relationship God wants to have with you. He loves you, whether or not you communicate with him. But he longs for the day that you grow up and talk to him about the stuff that’s important to you. “I waited patiently for the LORD's help; then he listened to me and heard my cry."
Psalm 40:1 (GNT) God isn’t in a hurry with your spiritual growth. You may think he’s in a hurry, but he’s not. He’s using your current circumstances to develop your character and make you stronger. He’s patient. Most people, on the other hand, are impatient. Many of our problems are caused by our inability to wait. We get into debt because we don’t know how to delay gratification, buying things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t even like. Some people even get into relationships they shouldn’t get into because they don’t know how to delay gratification. They say, “I want sex now; I don’t want to wait” or “I want companionship now, even if it’s with the wrong person.” And their impatience leads to problems. The good news is that, with prayer, you can recover from problems caused by your impatience. The Bible says, “I waited patiently for the LORD‘s help; then he listened to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1 GNT). Remember: God is never in a hurry. Did you know there isn’t an example of Jesus running anywhere in the Bible? In fact, it took him three days to go a mile and a half to get to his friend, Lazarus, who was very sick. And by the time Jesus got to him, it was too late—Lazarus had already died. But Jesus had a bigger plan in mind. He didn’t want to heal Lazarus—he wanted to raise him from the dead. He wanted to do a miracle. And that’s exactly what happened. Jesus walked up to Lazarus’ tomb, told them to roll the stone away, and said, “Lazarus, come forth.” And Lazarus did! Sometimes a situation can get so bad that it makes you want to take matters into your own hands. But don’t take shortcuts. Instead, trust in God’s perfect timing and expect a miracle! The Bible says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12 NIV). God already knows what he’s going to do in your life next month, next year, and in the next decade. His timing is perfect, and his plan for your life is good and worth waiting for. |
AuthorTaken from Daily Hope by Rick Warren. Categories
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