Are you a good or bad example? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 1, 2023

What name comes to mind when you think of a Biblical person whose behavior you don't want to replicate? Is it the Pharaoh who refused to free the Israelites? Is it Haman, who sought to murder every Jew in the Persian Kingdom? How about the Sons of Sceva? They went around declaring the name of Jesus but didn't walk in the power of that responsibility. The result was a great embarrassment for them.

Think of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5. They sold some land and pretended to give the entire proceeds to the church for the welfare of their fellow believers. At that time in church history, it was common practice for those who had more to sell their belongings and raise cash used to provide for others. In reality, however, the husband and wife had held some money back for themselves. That in itself was not a problem. The issue was that they acted pious in public, seeking to deceive Apostle Peter and their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Holy Spirit revealed their duplicity to Peter and Ananias died instantly for his attempt to deceive. When asked if the money presented was the exact amount received for the land sale, his wife lied, saying it was. She also dropped dead.

Through the experience of Ananias and Sapphira, the Lord taught the early Christians that nothing is hidden from the Holy Spirit. He also used the couple as an example of why all should obey His instruction to never deceive or lie (Leviticus 19:11). These lessons spread past the early believers according to Acts 5:11 - Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. The fear in question here was the fear of the Lord and it spurred people to keep His commandments much more faithfully.

The list of individuals and groups we shouldn't imitate in the Bible is very long. We must remember that just as God used them to teach us what not to do, He can equally use any of us for the same purpose if we aren't careful. Studying and obeying the Word will help us avoid this predicament because it teaches us what to do and what not to do.

Even in this day and age, there are people whose experiences serve as cautionary tales of what not to do. God doesn't do this to be wicked or unkind. Remember, He has given everyone a choice to be either godly or ungodly in this story we call life.

What will you choose? To be an example of what to do or what not to do? My prayer is that nobody reading this message will make the sort of choices that open the door to becoming the sort of person whose behavior should not be emulated.

And if for any reason, you feel you could have become an example of what not to do, know that God is merciful. His mercies endure forever (Psalm 136:1, KJV). There is grace from the Lord to turn your life around so that you become an example of what it means to please Him. Simply repent for your sins and commit to obey the Lord. He will bless you, help you, and change your entire story. He will do these and more so that you won't be the poster child of what not to do. Instead, your life will be an example that is emulated to the glory of God.

Holy Spirit is the Secret Sauce - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 28, 2023

Have you ever heard of Stephen? He was a member of the early church in Jerusalem. Stephen was selected to help with food distribution to other believers. It seems like a simple and straightforward job, right? However, the apostles determined that the chief qualification required for this position was that the selected candidates be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3). Why was the Holy Spirit important for the mere handing out food to people? We'll understand that a little later.

Now back to Stephen. In Acts 6, he is one of seven men chosen to distribute food because they met the stated requirement. Upon their selection, the apostles prayed and laid hands upon them (Acts 6:6). From there, Stephen is next described in Acts 6:8 - Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. How did he go from serving food to doing signs and wonders? The answer is the Holy Spirit.

Remember that the chief qualification for the position was that the candidates be filled with the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Holy Spirit in Stephen's life enabled him to quickly rise from the food service department to operating in the miraculous powers of the Lord.

In every area of our life, the Holy Spirit is the 'secret sauce' we need to be elevated from a nobody to somebody great. Godly promotion leaves an enduring mark not just on earth but in God's kingdom. This applies to believers no matter what their field of occupation/service is. There is no task, big or small, that does not require the acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit to be successful.

Such promotion can never be compared to the fame and attention the world gives. Therefore, don't look at the people of the world and think their kind of success is the ultimate goal. There are multi-billionaires who despite their fame and wealth could not find healing for diseases God has the instant cure for. They departed from this earth leaving behind all the money they had accrued. None of it helped them when it mattered the most.

Now, that same Stephen who did mighty works in God's name eventually died. He was martyred by men who didn't believe in Jesus and who were jealous and prideful. However, the story of his elevation through the Holy Spirit as well as his impact on Christianity and the world has spanned thousands of years. And to imagine, he started off as a simple food server.

What more you, who might be feeling insignificant? What could having the Holy Spirit as your guide do for you? How would your acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit - sent from Jesus to those who believe in Him - make a difference? There's only one way to find out and that is to do what qualifies an individual to receive the Holy Spirit: genuinely repent for your sins, submit to Christ and His instructions, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(Please be sure to see the Altar Call in the next post).

To learn more, please read:

1. P&P 200: The Ticket to Heaven

Hidden Identity - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) November 24, 2023

"The Lord works in mysterious ways." Most of us have heard that saying at some point or another and we think we understand what it means. We actually have little idea. Thankfully, the longer we walk with Him, the more we can testify that indeed His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts.

One way God moved mysteriously was to hide the identities of His servants until the time was right. In the Bible, God used people who didn't look like a big deal to others. And yet, when the Lord was ready, He revealed His children for who they truly were and used them to do miraculous things.

Consider Joseph. A dream of his coming greatness contributed to his brothers' jealousy and hatred. This led to slavery, an accusation of attempted rape, and jail time. The grace on his life was recognized by a few people, and that led him from slavery to becoming the Vice President of Egypt. And when his brothers came to buy grain during a famine, they didn't recognize him. The calling on Joseph's life to save his family and future generations from famine and death wasn't fully recognized then.

Then there was Moses. When he ran from Egypt, he ended up in Midian. There, he met Jethro's daughters. After protecting them from some men, the women invited him home and described him to their father as "an Egyptian" (Exodus 2:19). However, Moses had always been an Israelite. His true nationality and indeed the great call upon His life would only be revealed 40 years later in a great way - it was intrinsically tied to the freedom of his people from slavery.

Finally, look at Queen Esther. She was a Jew married to the king of Persia. Alas, her true identity was known only to her uncle, Mordechai, and he leveraged that knowledge when it became clear that every Jew would die because of one man's murderous hate for them. But when the time came, God allowed her true identity to be revealed and it averted the genocide of her people. It also brought down their enemy and anyone who might have later tried to get revenge.

Now, why did God hide the identities of these His servants from others? He was protecting what was precious from the enemy. He was ensuring that the earthly tools for His victory wouldn't be found out and destroyed before their appointed time.

God did the same thing with Jesus Christ, hiding Him in Egypt as a baby and allowing Him to walk the earth for 30 years before He entered ministry and endured constant attacks from satan and those used by the enemy.

If you love God and wonder why nobody is recognizing your service, don't worry, and don't give up. You're in good company. God may have hidden your true identity until a time of His choosing. Take a breath, don't compare your journey to others, and praise Him for what He's building in you. At the right time, you'll be called for duty and if it's His will, others will see the hand of God on you.

Please remember that Joseph, Moses, and Esther were focused on obeying and honoring God. As you patiently wait, have the same attitude. It's not about others seeing the anointing upon your life, it's about God shining through your life and getting the glory (John 3:30). Just walk in the fear of the Lord and He will help you bear good fruit that will speak louder than anything else.

May the Lord help each of us to not look down on the days of small beginnings. May we focus on pleasing God and not the accolades of men. May we be content with being hidden and be ready when the Lord's call arrives. IJMN Amen.

See you at Noon EST!