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God Has Given You Seed To Sow
Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31-32).
A mustard seed is only 2 millimetres in diameter and comes in 3 primary varieties: yellow, black, and white. Within that seed is a remarkable nutritional profile, including vitamin A, B6, B12, C, E, and K. It’s also a source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Jesus pointed out that when it’s planted, it can grow up and become one of the largest trees in the garden, blessing the birds of the air by providing them with a home. Paul wrote: “Now may He who supplies seed to the sower multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Corinthians 9:10). Who does God give “seed” to? Sowers, not hoarders! What does God do with your seed when you sow it? He multiplies it! The seed you sow can be in the form of time, service, wisdom, money, compassion, etc. And God promises that when you sow, you will reap His blessing. “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). God has given you seed—sow it!
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Tell The Truth
Rosalie Elliot made it to the 4th round of a national spelling contest in Washington, DC. The 11-year-old from South Carolina was asked to spell the word avowal. In her soft southern accent, she spelled the word, but the judges were unable to determine if she had used an a or an e as the next-to-last letter. They debated among themselves for several minutes as they listened to the recording, but it was too accent-blurred to decipher.
Finally, the chief judge put the question to the only person who knew the answer. “Was the letter an a, or was it an e?” he asked Rosalie. By this time, being surrounded by whispering young spellers, Rosalie knew the correct spelling of the word. Still, without hesitation, she replied that she had misspelled the word, and she walked from the stage. The entire audience stood and applauded, including some 50 newspaper reporters. The moment was a proud one for her parents. Even in defeat, she was a victor. Indeed, more has been written about Rosalie Elliot over the years than about the “unknown” winner of the event. As a redeemed child of God, your heavenly Father requires honesty in word and deed. “The truthful lip shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment” (Proverbs 12:19). “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9). “Therefore, put away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbour,’ for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25).
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How To Make Anger Work For You (2)
Anger scares many of us because we’ve been harmed by it. But anger can be evidence that a person cares about someone or something. Nothing wrong is ever made right without someone becoming angry about it. If you shut down all anger, you eliminate passion, intimacy, and love. Here are 2 ways to make anger work for you:
(1) Direct your anger at the right target. Your spouse is not the enemy; Satan is. He comes to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). He’s the one trying to drive a wedge between you. Consciously move your focus from your spouse to the problem. For example, get angry at your lack of finances, not your spouse’s spending. Get angry at demands pulling you in different directions, not your spouse staying late at work. Get angry at the limitations on intimacy, not your spouse saying no to s*x. Put the problem “out there,” separate from you and your spouse. See yourselves as fighting the problem together. Attack the problem, not each other.
(2) Look for the pain. Find the pain that triggered the anger; it’s almost always there. Look for it in your spouse and in your own heart. What need isn’t being met? What wound has been exposed? What shame or fear is aroused? When you identify the pain, you’ll be miles closer to the solution. But beware! By being vulnerable, you may end up wounding each other sometimes; acknowledge it and forgive quickly. Staying engaged while risking vulnerability will increase intimacy more than anything else. So embrace anger as God’s gift, and learn how to make it work for you.
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How To Make Anger Work For You (1)
You can use anger to actually deepen the bond and intimacy between you and your spouse. Here’s how:
(1) Acknowledge the place of anger. A person ruled by anger is not safe, healthy, or wise. “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls” (Proverbs 25:28). But if you and your spouse can learn to rule anger instead of letting it rule you, it can be invaluable. Think of the emotion as a flare sent up by your brain telling you there’s something you need to deal with. Find your own way to acknowledge your feelings. If you struggle to control your anger, take a walk and let the temperature decrease. Then come back, re-engage, and deal with the issue.
(2) Don’t run away. If you’re truly in danger, you need to get somewhere safe as quickly as possible. But if not, staying engaged with your spouse validates the feelings of both of you. It’s the only way to get a solution. If either of you is angry, agree to deal with it. You may need to plan a time to do so, but don’t wait long. If nothing else, determine to deal with it before going to sleep that night. You may not find a solution to the whole problem, but make a pact to defuse the situation before the day ends. “Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil” (Ephesians 4:26-27). If necessary, schedule a time to address the issue. You both deserve it, and your marriage is worth it.
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The Quickening Of The HolySpirit
The Bible was meant to be prayed through, meditated on, and lived out. The key is the quickening of the Holy Spirit. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit” (Romans 8:11). In this instance, “quickening” refers to our bodily resurrection from the dead. But the Holy Spirit quickens us in more ways than one.
Sometimes it’s a God-given idea that fires across our synapses. Sometimes it’s a prompting to step up, step in, or step out in faith. Sometimes it’s a word of wisdom in a difficult situation. When the Holy Spirit quickens you in that way, don’t hesitate. Act on the idea, seize the opportunity, and speak the Word. This word quicken has several meanings. Let’s look at 3 of them:
(1) To quicken means to catalyse. Think chemistry. Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word is living and active. The same Spirit that inspired the writers in Scripture also inspires you as you read it. And when the Living Word is catalysed by faith, a supernatural reaction takes place that forgives sin, relieves fear, heals sickness, inspires ideas, and births dreams.
(2) To quicken means to transfer possession. Think of real estate. You just can’t put a contract on a home; you have to go to settlement. By faith, we take ownership of the Word, and the Word takes ownership of us. When the Word is quickened, it seals the deal.
(3) To quicken also means to conceive. When the Word is conceived, it impregnates you with possibilities, changes your desires, eradicates your fears, and forms the mind of Christ in you.
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You Are Not Alone, God Is With You!
When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, ‘What message does my Lord have for his servant?’ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.’ And Joshua did so (Joshua 5:13-15).
The message here is unmistakeable: Jericho may have its walls, but, Joshua, you have more. You have God. He is with you. Isn’t that the word Joshua needed—a reminder of God’s almighty presence? Isn’t that what you need—to know that God is near, that you are never alone, and that in your darkest hour, in your deepest questions, the Lord will never leave you. David said: “Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. I will bless the Lord who guides me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice” (Psalm 16:5-9). Are you facing a Jericho-level challenge? Do what Joshua did: “He lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him” (Joshua 5:13). You’ve looked at the problem long enough. Lift your eyes to the problem solver—Jesus!
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Learn To Be Led By God's Spirit
If you are a redeemed child of God, then the Holy Spirit lives within you. And He will guide you toward God’s blessings for your own life and toward opportunities to bless others. In some cases, your ability and willingness to overrule reason, tune out the well-meaning advice of others, and be led by God’s Spirit can make a world of difference for someone in need.
Admiral Sir Thomas Williams was in command of a ship that routinely crossed the Atlantic. His course brought him in sight of Ascension Island, which was uninhabited most of the time. It was barely visible on the horizon during the crossing when Sir Thomas felt a great urge to steer his vessel toward it. The closer he came to the island, the greater the urgency he felt. When he gave the order to head for the island, his lieutenant officer respectfully pointed out that such a course change would greatly delay them. Even so, the admiral remained intent. The inner urging, which he had come to recognise as God guiding him, was very strong. As the ship neared the island, his crew spotted a white flag. “It must be a signal!” Williams concluded. Sure enough, on the beach were 16 men who’d been shipwrecked many days before. They were starving and had nearly given up hope. 16 lives were saved that day because a man had learned to listen to and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit within him. And you can too. “The true children of God are those who let God’s Spirit lead them.” (Romans 8:14)
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What You Have Is Good
Let’s look at 4 liberating truths in this Scripture Proverbs 31:18;
(1) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” She is not looking for validation or approval of her merchandise. When you’re insecure and don’t value what you have, others may be able to minimise it and convince you that it’s not worth much. This woman, like all of us, desires acceptance and validation, but she will not seek it or find herself debilitated if she doesn’t get it.
(2) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” To perceive is to sense and know inwardly. She understands what she brings to the table and inwardly values it. She will not doubt the value of its worth; neither will she find it necessary to brag about the quality of her merchandise. She will not have her nose turned up in pride, but neither will she have her eyes cast down with false humility. She simply has a balanced and healthy view of her wares.
(3) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” Here is someone who’s not intimidated by or unduly concerned about the goods of other merchants. Consequently, she doesn’t spend her energies comparing and competing.
(4) “She perceives that her merchandise is good.” She’s not stuck in the past, thinking about the good merchandise she used to have. Neither is she postponing the pursuit of her goals until her merchandise is perfect. She simply steps out in faith, having done the best she could. Her merchandise is good today; tomorrow is in God’s hands. Anxiety has no place in her life. So the word for you today is—what you’ve got is good!
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Experiencing God's Presence Each Day
Nicholas Herman was a cook in a monastery. He worried about whether or not he was truly saved. One day while looking at a tree, he realized the truth of the Psalmist’s words—that it had to be rooted in something other and deeper than itself (Psalm 1:1-3). That day, he decided to make his life an experiment in what he called a “habitual, silent, secret conversation of the soul with God.”
He’s known today by the new name given to him by his friends: Brother Lawrence. He remained obscure throughout his life and spent the rest of his days in the monastery kitchen. But the people around him found that rivers of living water flowed out of him that made them want to know God the way he did. “The good brother found God everywhere,” one of them wrote, “as much while he was repairing shoes as while he was praying with the community.” After Brother Lawrence died, his friends put together a book of his letters and conversations. It is called The Practice of the Presence of God, and it is thought to be one of the most widely read books of the last 4 centuries. This short-order cook has outsold many popular contemporary novelists, and his book is still on best-seller lists. Brother Lawrence said: “The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with Him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.”
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What, Whose, Why, When?
When it comes to Christ’s return, 5 questions arise:
(1) What is the Lord’s coming? It’s the fulfillment of His promise: “In My Father’s house are many mansions, I go to prepare a place for you. And I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
(2) Whose coming is it? Christ’s! When He ascended back to heaven, an angel announced: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
(3) Why is Jesus coming back? His first coming was as the suffering servant who died on the cross for our sins. His second coming is to usher in a time of peace on earth and an eternity in His presence. His first coming, He dwelt with us for a while. At His second coming, He will take us to dwell with Him forever.
(4) Where is His coming? “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
(5) When is He coming? Jesus said, “Of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). If you’re wise, you’ll live each day as if Christ could return at any moment—because He could!
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