Life Journal

Scripture

For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.
John 3:34

Observation

This is such a great promise that speaks of the unlimited nature of our God. He isn't sitting in His counting house, measuring how much of His Spirit, or standing before scales calibrating the percentage of what He will pour out upon His people. He gives without measure.

So, then, if He gives so freely, why is it that we can't seem to sense His presence in our lives? The answer lies not in doubting His desire to give, but in our willingness to receive. Like the desperate widow in 2 Kings 4 who was instructed by Elisha to bring "empty vessels" before him, which he continued to fill, so too must we bring ourselves empty each day to be filled by His Holy Spirit.

Application

Here, then, is a question we must ask ourselves, daily, "What am I willing to bring before the Father - vessels that are 1/2 empty, 3/4 empty, or ones that are completely empty to be filled?"

Too often, we have a tendency of bringing ourselves filled with our own desires, our own agendas, our understanding of how life should be; we bring ourselves filled with matters of the flesh, and we ask God to fill the rest with His Spirit. We bring ourselves filled with selfishness and expect God to fill the rest with Himself. It happens whenever we attempt to make deals with God to "meet Him half-way." We pray, "Lord, if I go to church, I expect You to bless me." "If I pay my tithes, I expect You to increase my wealth." They amount to nothing more than religious gestures with selfish motivations. We become so full of ourselves, we leave no room for God.

Prayer

Instead, to receive fully what He desires to give so freely, shouldn't our prayer be -

Lord, I empty myself before You today of my agendas, my selfish motivations, and my desires to glorify anyone, but You. I come hungry and with a sincere desire to be filled with Your Holy Spirit who will lead me to do Your will in all that I do today. May Your Holy Spirit intercede in every area of my life and fill me afresh with Your presence. May Your presence increase, as I decrease.

May this be my prayer today...In Jesus Name.

© 2007 Pastor Elwin Ahu at New Hope Christian Fellowship O'ahu

Original found here.

Scripture

See how each of you is following the stubbornness of his evil heart instead of obeying me.
Jeremiah 16:12

Observation

We still have a choice, don't we?

Entering the Kingdom of God is not the last choice we will make. It is like entering a football stadium. You get in, but now you still have to choose where you want to sit...head for the grandstands or to the playing field.

Entering the Kingdom still leaves us with choices.

We can enter the Kingdom of God and be called "Christians" but still follow self-made rules. We can attend church but function according to our own perspective rather than God's. We still must choose by what rules we will govern our lives.

James reminds us that there is a wisdom from above and a wisdom from below. Both are called "wisdom," but they are worlds apart. You choose which one.

Application

We can even be pastors and yet lead our churches according to the wisdom of the world rather than the principles of God. The distinctions do not show up at first, but eventually, they will...and when they do, the remedies are long and costly.

Individuals must choose. Families must choose. Churches must choose.

How often we determine the value of what we do by how we feel about it. But no longer! I cannot fall prey to that. I must choose according to obedience, not according to how I feel about obedience. Regardless of how I feel, I will plan to live God's way and stick with it until He tells me differently. I must submit to His cause and His ways even if it means that I do not advance according to men's standards. Even if it means that no one notices and I have to live in the shadows, I will be fine with that.

1 Timothy 2:2 reminds me of this, "[Pray] for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."

I am willing to lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. I will obey His commands and live according to His standards, and one day, I will see how crucial that was and how it was the best choice I could have made with my life.

Prayer

Dear Father, thank you for Your commands. They are like gold to me. May I ever treasure your statues and Your ordinances. They are like water to a thirsty soul.

I choose to not just enter the Kingdom, but take hold of it and live it with all my heart. I will not head for the grandstands. I will instead make my life available for your exclusive use until you reward me with eternity.

© 2007 Pastor Wayne Cordeiro at New Hope Christian Fellowship O'ahu

Original found here.

Scripture

But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them - I place no other burden on you...He who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS...as I also have received authority from my Father; and I will give him the morning star.
Revelation 2:24-28

Observation

We love those who have gnarly testimonies. They make our services exciting. These are the ones under the spotlights. They headline our crusades. They become the special speakers, the evangelists, the ones magazines and books are written about. These become the Christian celebrities who have television specials made from their lives of past crime and sin.

But their testimonies all start to sound the same after a while.

I injected peanut butter into every vein I could reach with a dull or dirty needle; I snorted powder, murdered people, lived in gangs, and spent half my life in a federal maximum security cell. And when I turned 8 years old, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Praise God.

These seem to be the only credible ones. You see, we think that only those who really have a testimony of coming out of hell itself will be the ones that God uses. Then we compare ourselves with those who have "testimonies." If you have been raised by godly parents, or if you were involved in church youth groups since your first post natal checkup, or if you have been one who chose to stay away from drugs and illicit sex, gangs and rebellion...compared to the others, you can feel just about absolutely useless to the Gospel. You don't have any "testimony"...nothing to speak of, anyway. It's almost as if you need to just go out and sin for awhile so you can have a testimony that others will want to hear!

However, here we have a precious reward, a commendation to those whose testimonies have been birthed out of wisdom rather than out of foolishness. These are the ones who, the Bible defines as, those who have not known the "deep things of Satan." They refused to get involved in the kinky activities of this age, the underworld of sexual sin and refused to fall into the deep valley of addictions. there are those who stayed true to the King when it wasn't popular to do so. These are the ones to whom God gives the highest award of all...The Morning Star!

These are the ones that will be given "authority over the nations." This is the greatest testimony of all. No award is higher.

Not many get to be recipients of the Morning Star. Of course, all who have opened their hearts to Christ receive mercy and redemption, but very few will wear that medal when we stand before His throne.

Application

This is what I pray for with my children, for those in New Hope, for my grand kids...that they will be recipients of the Morning Star. There is no greater testimony known to the angels. We as pastors and leaders must promote those whose testimonies come not from foolish pain of past mistakes, but those whose testimonies have been forged out of faithfulness and love.

Prayer

Father, help me to encourage our young leaders to be recipients of the Morning Star. And help those who have lived for You from their youth to realize that there is no greater testimony than a lifetime of following You. Raise up more who are Recipients of the Morning Star. Our pulpits cry out for these leaders whose lives are sculpted out of obedience rather than error. We need both, but we need a larger measure in these last days of the ones heaven calls Recipients of the Morning Star.

© 2007 Pastor Wayne Cordeiro at New Hope Christian Fellowship O'ahu

Original found here.