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John 9:1-5 – And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
When the disciples saw the blind man, they asked Jesus who sinned, the man or his parents that he was born blind. Though neither sinned, his blindness was purposed to manifest the works of God (via Jesus healing him). Jesus said that He MUST work the works of Him that sent Him. He said these must be done while it is day, for when the night comes, no man can work.
Now, as Jesus declared, He is the light of the world. The life that is in Him is the light of men (John 1:4-9) and all that follows Him will not walk in darkness (evil, sin), but will have the light of life – righteousness, salvation, eternal life (John 8:12).
There will come a time when the night will come and no man can work. This refers to a future period in history, and for our own lives, it will come upon our death or the Lord’s return. Therefore, we must redeem our time by making the most of each moment we have:
1 Timothy 4:16 – Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Paul was instructing Timothy as he was to remain in Ephesus to charge the churches concerning doctrine (1 Timothy 1:3). In this first letter, Paul tells him to: take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
As a pastor and leader, the way for him to save his hearers is to first save himself.
1. Be available. Windows of opportunity come unexpectedly.
2. If the opportunity to counsel came upon you suddenly, say a short prayer. Your prayer should focus on the Lord assisting the person; receiving an answer from the Lord; and the root issue is revealed.
3. They should speak more than you. Keep your comments short, simple, and to the point.
4. Allow the other person to tell their story – to share their heart.
Proverbs 5:3-20– For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them. Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house: Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel: Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger; And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me! I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly. Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets. Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee. Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love. And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Solomon is giving a stern warning to his son about other women. A ‘strange’ woman is one that is a stranger, another, prostitute, harlot – SOMEONE THAT IS NOT YOUR WIFE! Solomon is warning his son to stay away from such women.
Though the lips of strange women seem like honeycomb (sweet) and has a mouth smoother than oil (soft, comforting words), her end is bitter, sharp as a two-edged sword and her path leads to death and hell. Some married men (even those that are not), look at the strange woman as something to be desired. They look better than your wife; always there to comfort you with soft words; and make you feel young and ‘fancy free.’ But as Solomon says, we do not know her ways as they are moveable and hidden…and unless we ponder the path of life (and our own), we would be subject to follow her down to death and hell.
After a season of ministry, there can be times of silence in your transition. You may be doing things for God, but it still seems like you’re neither here or there. You feel settled, but not settled…almost…lost. You miss the previous season of ministry, but you know you can’t go back – only forward. Even if you tried, it wouldn’t be the same.
But where do I begin? I don’t have the same ‘title’ or position I once had and nobody knows who I am.
Sometimes we need a reset. We’re tired, frustrated, and angry. Nothing is seems to be going right. Discouragement sets in and we get in a cycle of dispair, worry, and drowning sadness.
1. Stop what you are doing. When we’re going through difficult situations, one of the things we don’t do is stop. We continue along the same path until something negative happens to us. We need to stop making bad decisions, stop working, and stop thinking. We need to take time to quiet our minds, hearts, and lives to hear the Lord clearly. Maybe we need to go on long walk or drive, sit quietly, or take a longer lunch break. Maybe we just need to be alone.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 – Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Many of us do not overcome in certain areas because we lack self-discipline. We may gain some ground and get things accomplished, but there seems to be ONE thing (or a few) that keep us from growing. Even as you read these two sentences, that thing (or things) have already come to your mind. That ONE thing stands in your way of greater discipline in the Lord.
1. We have our good days where we’re focused on and point. However, it’s not sustained for a long period of time. We hold up for a day or two, then we slowly slide back into our old habits, traits, and even sins. It is our lack of discipline that keeps us from staying at a consistent level of purpose and focus.
2. The Spirit is always willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41). Even as Jesus spoke to Peter before His betrayal concerning the temptation to await him, there are many that await us as well. Our flesh is weak against the onslaught of temptation. It wants to give into every delicacy to please itself. That’s all it wants – to be pleased and satified. The flesh doesn’t care who it hurts or what it has to do to get it – it just wants what it wants.
But isn’t God suppose to help me?!
3. God will help you, but God will not make you. Many people believe that God will make them live right and put the responsibility on Him. It is His desire that none would be lost (2 Peter 3:9), but many will choose to live outside of His will. Holiness is a choice that we must choose to make, and God will help us make that decision if we choose. For example, read the book of Jonah. God told Jonah to go to a Ninevah to speak to the people and Jonah went the opposite direction. God did many things to get Jonah’s attention, but He did not make him go to Nineveh.
4. Where we are weak, we can call out to the Lord to help us. Paul illustrated this in his second letter to the church in Corinth:
2 Corinthians 12:6-10 – For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
God’s grace is sufficient for us, but many will not want it or call upon Him in the day of temptation/testing. They will give into the temptation as they ‘feel’ or led to believe it is their only course of action, but giving in is not the only choice. We can live for God!
Now, going back to 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul speaks about those that run in a race. The people that run, do so to win the prize that only one of them can receive. In order for them to win the prize, they discipline themselves (and train) so that they have the best opportunity to win. Paul tells the people of Corinth that those people run for an corruptible crown and they should run (their lives of faith) for the incorruptible one.
5. We should not run aimlessly, but keep our bodies under subjection. If we fight aimlessly, we may hit a lot of things, but we will not hit the things we need to with purpose. Our focus is not centered, but scattered, and our chances at winning are lessened. Paul says that he keeps his body under subjection for fear that when he preaches to others, he himself would not be a castaway (from receiving the eternal prize). We must keep our bodies in subjection as well. The flesh does not want to do ‘right,’ and the second you give it an opportunity to stretch, it’s going to run too.
6. Live a disciplined life each day. Many people are not taught to live with discipline. We’re not shown how to live with purpose and on purpose – how to live a disciplined life everyday (or each moment). However, you don’t have to live in the moment with your flesh in charge. Put it back into submission and live in righteousness before God. That ‘thing’ you need to do, you CAN do it!
Make the choice.
Make the decision.
Call on God for help.
Take back your time.
Take back your life.
You only have one to live.
It’s time to work and win the prize. Go get it!
Photo courtesy of CreationSwap/paulcarlson
One of the reasons we’re unsuccessful against temptation and sin is we don’t take an active stance against it.
1 Peter 5:8-10 – Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
If you’ve ever watched a nature show with lions, you would witness how they select their prey. The female lions wait in a distance to select the weakest, youngest, animal that has strayed from the pack. They do not select the strongest, fastest, or one among the group. They choose the one they would have the most success in overtaking. Our adversary is the same.
He will wait for moments of weakness in our heart, mind, or lives to attack us and tempt us into sin. Honestly, you may notice that he uses the same tactics/things to get you over and over…and over again. Therefore, it is important that we understand what we must do to combat the attacks of the enemy.
Many people are talking about reaching new levels or being elevated in the Lord. They’re waiting for their season of blessing, joy, peace, overflow, and abundance. Little thought goes into their current season – besides wanting out of it. However, the Lord uses seasons of trials and tribulations to mold us into mature disciples that resemble His Son (Romans 8:29).
Many people will find that when they complete one ‘test’ of life, another is right around the corner. Then, when they finish that one, another one awaits (but maybe not right away). Our lives are filled with various situations and circumstances that challenge the comfortable ground we’re on, want to remain on, and desire to be.
Psalm 37:8 – Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
There comes a time when you’re so mad that the the scripture above doesn’t come to mind. In fact, the only thing that comes to mind when you’re mad is revenge; giving into temptation/sin; and going O-F-F on someone! Peace, love, calmness are no where near your mind.
Anger is a dangerous emotion. Anger desires a response. It doesn’t consider the consequences. It only considers itself – at all costs. It’s a highway to other emotions and actions:
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