The story in 2 Kings 4 revolves around a destitute widow with two sons. She was not unlike homeless women on the streets today who have no place to turn. She was penniless because her husband died leaving her no means of support, and there was famine in the land further exacerbating the circumstances. Her situation was made even more desperate by the practice in those days of taking children as payment for debt. She epitomized a person with a huge problem, wrapped in an extra layer of dilemma. However, her story teaches us that God is the Source of miracles. We are merely His currency; He uses our resourcefulness. As Romans 11:36 reminds us, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

Everything needed for us to successfully reach our goals and see our dreams realized (as it relates to our families, churches, and communities) is presented in the Word of God. Great works do not just happened; there is always a catalyst. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: . . . .” Conversely, I am convinced that where there are no people the vision perishes. This woman learned what we each should remember: the miracle we look for just might be in our own house.

Our forefathers never believed in a separation of God and government. More than national security, an improved health care system, revived patriotism, media honesty, lower fuel and food prices, growing churches, a balanced budget, or a better image abroad, America needs a Spirit-led revival. Psalm 80:1-3, and 7 says, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth. ² Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. ³ Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.” We need to pray like the Psalmist that God’s face would “shine forth,” that His strength would be stirred, and that He would turn us again.

I believe that America is a God-planted, God-blessed, God-ordained nation. God planted the American dream in the hearts and minds of our founding fathers. So, when critics tell believers to go back under a rock, we need to shout it: “we stand on the Rock of Ages.” Some typically attack that position and say, “Sounds like you’re trying to mix religion and politics.” Remember this: the church is not the master of the state, nor is the church the servant of the state. The church is the conscience of the state. Knowing the God of our forefathers, remembering the criteria for His favor, and knowing our purpose as His church will not only invigorate the church but also stir hope for the spiritual health of America.

]]> http://blog.pbfirst.com/?feed=rss2&p=60 http://blog.pbfirst.com/?p=58 http://blog.pbfirst.com/?p=58#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 14:06:11 +0000 pastorbell http://blog.pbfirst.com/?p=58

His body is buried at Westminster Abbey, but his heart (literally) remains in Africa. When Robert Livingston, the missionary doctor, died, the Africans removed his heart and buried it in the land he loved. Just prior to his death, he had obviously been in prayer with his Bible opened to Matthew 28. Beside verse 20 he had made a notation, “The Word of a Gentleman.”

Certainly Livingston could easily have lived comfortably in his native Scotland. What then had kept him in Africa? His arm was paralyzed from a lion’s attack, he’d suffered 27 bouts with jungle fever, and he was exhausted from battling slave traders. Earlier, while addressing the University of Glasgow, Livingston had said, “What sustained me amidst the trials, hardships and loneliness of my exiled life, was the promise of a gentleman of the most sacred honor: it was this promise, ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ People talk about the sacrifice I’ve made. But can it be called a sacrifice when it’s simply paying back a small part of the great debt I owe to God? A payment, that brings peace of mind and the hope of a glorious destiny? It is emphatically no sacrifice, it is a privelege!”

As a man wept openly at his funeral, a friend asked if he’d known Livingston personally. He replied, “I weep not for Livingston, but for myself. He lived and died for something, I have lived for nothing.” Livingston’s motto was, “I place no value on anything I have, except in its relationship to the Kingdom of God.” Can we say that?

In this story, God had already promised Abraham that he would be the father of nations and that an everlasting covenant would be established through Isaac, Abraham’s promised son. Logically, Abraham was very concerned about the choice of Isaac’s bride. Therefore, he sent his most trusted servant, Eleazar, on a mission to find a suitable bride. We know the amazing circumstances that led to Eleazar’s return with Rebekah. God blessed Eleazar with a “successful” mission. (God will also help us finish our course or mission.)

Eleazar had a “driving” cause. Truthfully, we must also have something to motivate us and bring focus to our lives as well. However, we not only need to determine if we have such a cause but also whether the cause is the right kind.

a. We need to be aware of unclear goals.

If we do not know where we are going, then it does not matter if the alarm clock goes off on time or not. Without a definite cause, we are like a ship without a rudder or a compass on a dark night. (We should ask ourselves, “Do I have goals that are specific enough to write down? What am I trying to accomplish?”)

b. We need to be aware of unworthy goals.

We can be rich, famous, and notorious . . . and still not be successful. We can have power . . . and still not be successful. In fact, one definition of failure is “succeeding at the wrong things.” When we try to be successful without God in our life, we will fail miserably or “succeed more miserably.” (We should also ask ourselves, “Do I have any worthy, God-given goals? Do the things that move me also move God and create enough motivation for me to say with Paul, “This one thing I do”? Can I honestly ask God to bless my causes and give me success?)

c. We need to be aware of unbalanced goals.

Just as our two legs aid our balance, we also need to have specific goals for every area of life that reflect a commitment to God-honoring balance. (Questions worth asking include: “If I accomplish my goals, where will I be, and what will I have? Are the things for which I am living worth the high price of the death of Jesus?”)

You see, no amount of smooth talk could camouflage the reality of the bloody battle in which this fighter was engaged. Nothing the trainer said could mask the pain the boxer was suffering. In the same way, you and I are engaged in a real battle, one of cosmic proportions. We know the battle is real and the opponent ferocious because this world bears the bloody, painful scars of this conflict: wars among nations, shattered lives, broken homes, suicide, and immorality of every imaginable kind. Nevertheless, we must remember that everything visible and physical is the result of something invisible and spiritual. Therefore, only by addressing the invisible, spiritual cause can we fix what is wrong with our visible, physical lives.

Here’s the key to effective spiritual warfare: (Ephesians 6:10-11) “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” It is when God fights the battle for you that you win against the evil one. Victory in spiritual warfare is found in dependence on God. We are at war, but it’s not like other wars. Christ has already won this war. All we have to do is enlist, put on our fatigues and our boots, and pick up our weapons . . . because it’s time to march.

Stepping through the door into a New Year should be an exciting experience. Yet for millions of people, the adventure of entering the New Year is overshadowed by fear. The cold breath of fear blows on all ages and seeps into every walk of life. Some people are afraid to go to the supermarket in broad daylight. Others are afraid they might not find a job or might lose the one they have. Parents are afraid the next ring of the phone might bring bad news about their children. Sick people are afraid the doctor might share a negative report the next day they visit his office, and thousands are afraid of the future. Fear, without a doubt, is one of the greatest enemies of successful living. Like a drop of ink in a glass of water, fear is permeating enough to color everything in our lives and future. It can tie us in knots. It can paralyze our thinking and our actions. It can make our lives a living hell.

Despite what we might believe, the opposite of fear is not courage; it is not trust. The opposite of fear is love. (Remember that “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:” - 1 John 4:18.) God has a rich territory, a promised land, with your name on it, and He wants you to charge toward it with a cry of victory, not a wail of fear. I have never seen a timid, cowering prince. Stop living as a helpless street orphan when you bear the credentials of the royal palace. God’s plan for your future is waiting for you.

(Psalm 46:1) “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. ² Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;”

Sometimes the only people who seem to matter to us are those who further our goals. That’s not ambition; it’s selfishness. Jesus had many opportunities to ingratiate Himself with the rich and powerful, and He certainly did have friends among the elite, but He mostly gave Himself to common folks. He was so secure in His identity and clear in His purpose that He spent time lifting “losers” like Mary Magdalene, Saul of Tarsus, and the woman at the well in Sychar out of the mire of their circumstances.

The Law of Kindness governed His words, and He taught this law to His disciples: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). That law is still applicable today. In a world filled with negative speech and cutting criticism, prefer the way of wisdom and look for opportunities to speak gracious words of life.

Some battles are not ours – they’re God’s! The declaration in 2 Chronicles 20:17 makes that promise clear: “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord.”

Scripture, in fact, goes even further and actually addresses the attitude that we might call a “fighting spirit.” When Paul listed the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:20, he included the word ereis in the list, which is translated as “variance, rivalries, contentions, or altercations.” This word speaks of those who are quick to quarrel, who fight and seem to enjoy the effort. Paul said this posture and behavior is sinful and should be avoided. Therefore, it is important to remember that we should be careful when we choose the hills we are willing to die on. Some conflicts are not worth the energy required to take up the cause, and some conflicts are not a worthy cause.

When we think of it, if “the battle is the Lord’s,” He is the one choosing the weaponry, the battlefield, the strategy, and the timing. Decisions concerning battles should, therefore, be determined by Him. That doesn’t mean we don’t have anything to do. God’s people were told to “stand still” and trust in His unfailing faithfulness. We should also remember to avoid discussing problems with people who are incapable of solving them. Instead, we should give them completely to the Lord and then begin to praise Him for victory.

Remember that God told Jehoshaphat and His people to put the choir in front of the army and have them march out to the enemy praising God. It is hard to imagine the reaction that strategy received! But praise moves God! It brings Him into our circumstances. While the choir sang, God moved among the enemy, and they began to fight each other. Israel never used a weapon, they never sustained a casualty, and the victory they won was so great that it took three days to pick up the spoils of battle. Be encouraged, “The battle is not yours, but the Lord’s.”

Blessings,
Pastor Gary Bell