The Empowered Disciple

When the Moabites, Ammonites, and the Meunites (Mount Seir) gathered themselves together to fight against King Jehoshaphat, he was afraid. (I would too)

His response? Seek the LORD and proclaim a fast.

If this happened today, some might question the wisdom behind this decision. Shouldn't he be preparing the army? Shouldn't he be acquiring the latest technology? The strongest machinery? The most powerful weapons money can buy? Should he be making alliances with other powerful nations?

See, Jehoshaphat knew something then that many still do not know now-- that if the Lord is not with you, it doesn't matter who's with you or what you have. You will not win in the fight. The enemies of this life are much stronger than you. But when God is on your side, it doesn't matter who or what is against you. You will prevail!

Then Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation in the house of the Lord and prayed one of the most beautiful prayers recorded in the Bible. (2 Chronicles 20:6-12) At the end of his supplication to God he said,

"...we have no might against this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, BUT OUR EYES ARE ON YOU." (v.12)

I'm thankful that we serve a God who answers prayer. Look at the LORD's response to the king's prayer...

"Thus says the LORD to you, 'Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's. (v.16)

You need not fight in this battle, set yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf... Tomorrow go out and face them for the LORD is with you." (v.17)

We may ask why the Bible dedicated many chapters to recording fights and battles while other important things could have been said in its precious pages.

I believe the LORD wanted us to see what happened then and how He saved those who called upon Him and have put their trust in Him because He wants to do it again and again. He wants us to know that if He did it for them, He will do it for you. He is giving us a pattern to follow on how He wants to move on our behalf.

Friend, whatever battle you are facing today, you might feel overwhelmed like Jehoshaphat did. The enemies before you seem insurmountable but can I tell you, you need not fight this battle. The LORD will fight for you. Set your eyes on Him, stand still, and see His salvation.

For the battle is not yours but God's.

At first, it was Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:30; 12:25; 13:2;7)

And then, it was Paul and Barnabas. (Acts 13:43-Acts 15)

Barnabas meant, "the son of consolation." Barnabas was an encourager, equipper, teacher, and a disciple-maker.

In a world where most people want to get ahead and be first, we need the ministry of Barnabas who is willing to step back and encourage others to go farther, soar higher, grow greater, and lead better.

I don't need to be ahead of you because when you win, we all do.

“King David wrote in Psalm 92:2, “To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and your faithfulness by night” (NASB).

Why does he write this?

He knew that when we have God’s lovingkindness, His love is like light. Everything is shining and happy. Everything is great. We declare love in the morning, but why do we declare His faithfulness at night?

Because it’s when we are hurt that we often can’t see God’s hand due to the darkness surrounding us. Therefore, even when we can’t see God’s loving hand, we declare that He is faithful. Even when we can’t see the hand of God, we have to trust the heart of God by proclaiming the promises and faithfulness of God. At those moments, we say, “Lord, even when I can’t see your hand, I am going to declare the heart of God and Your promises for my life.”

Breakthrough: Living a Life That Overflows
Rabbi Jason Sobel

“We live in a world where people focus too much on image and reputation. Individuals and organizations work hard to build brands. People present carefully curated versions of themselves on social media to garner likes and gain followers. But reputation has no substance, and images are often inauthentic. What really matters is character because that determines who you are, how you interact with people, and what you’re capable of accomplishing. When your character exceeds your reputation, you can travel the high road even when it’s difficult because your values and internal fortitude support you.”

“If my reputation exceeds my character, I’m in trouble!”

Excerpt From
High Road Leadership
John C. Maxwell

The Responsibility Ripple

When someone steps up to change things, others step up and find courage they had not previously found.

The responsibility ripple is an important principle because the moment we choose to act, the potential for a viral response is always there. Often, however, there is a need for one person, or a few, to be the catalyst that encourages others to step up.

John Izzo, Stepping Up

Successful People Are Good Forgetters
by Elbert Hubbard

Retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is a true token of greatness. Successful people forget. They know the past is irrevocable. They’re running a race. They can’t afford to look behind. Their eye is on the finish line.

Magnanimous people forget. They’re too big to let little things disturb them. They forget easily. If anyone does them wrong, they consider the source and keep cool. It’s only the small people who cherish revenge. Be a good forgetter. Life dictates it, and success demand it. 

(As quoted in High Road Leadership, John Maxwell)

PLOD ON

There is a phrase called "plodding on" first mentioned in the biography of William Carey (1761-1834). Carey was a British minister considered to be the founder of modern missions. Carey was intimately familiar with loss. Within his first year in India, his son died of illness and his wife. Dorothy, experienced a breakdown from which she never recovered. He would eventually bury two wives in his adopted land.

Carey did not witness a decision to follow Christ among those he served until his seventh year in the country. In addition to establishing a college and organizing the Agricultural Society of India, Carey, translated the New Testament into Bengali, published a New Testament in Sanskrit, wrote grammars in Bengali, Sanskrit, and Marathi, translated Indian literature into English, taught as a professor on the subjects of divinity, botany and zoology, and helped establish India's first printing press.

Clearly, Carey spent his day surrounded by a lot of paper -- paper that represented his life‘s blood, work, and tears. Then in March of 1812, much of Carey's labor of love went up in flames when a room at the printing press -- filled with 12,000 reams of stored paper-- caught on fire. Irreplaceable works, including grammars, presses, manuscript, dictionary, and 10 translations of the Bible typeset for printing in 14 languages, were turned to ash. As Carey would write to a friend, "The loss is heavy."

That evening, Carey came to survey the incalculable damage. And then he picked up a pen, and started again.

Imagine.

Later on, Carey said the following: "If after my removal, anyone should think it worth his while to write my life, I will give you a criterion by which you may judge of its correctness. If he gives me credit for being a plodder, he will describe me justly . Anything beyond this will be too much. I can plod. I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything."

The call to "plod" sounds less than inspiring. It means "to work steadily and laboriously, or in a stolid, or monotonous fashion, to dredge or toil."

But if we were to peel back history, and examine the origin stories of some of its greatest inventions, accomplishments, and contributions, we might have more appreciation for this unglamorous gift of plod. We would see Thomas Edison plodding through his oft-quoted "10,000 ways that will not work" on his road to innovation. We would see Nelson Mandela plodding through 27 years in prison before becoming the first black president of South Africa. But above all we would see Jesus was the messiah, plodding his way past, misunderstanding and rejection to and through the cross.

Spiritually, plodding is about moving forward, not by leaps and bounds over tall buildings, but by choices and tears through pain-filled nights.

Plodding is about leaning on God, even when we feel like we’re standing still or falling backward.

In other words, plodding is simply walking.

(As told in “The Night is Normal” - Alicia Britt-Chole)

Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that “the LORD Himself will descend from heaven.” He’s not sending a search party to look for His children. He’s not sending an ambassador to take care of His business. No one else is cut out for the job. Jesus came personally the first time, and He’s coming back personally the next time.

Ken Gurley, The Wonders of the Snow

Are You Bitter Towards the Father?

It's amazing how life can throw us a curve ball when we least expect it. Life is tough. It is not for the faint of heart.

The Bible declares that in this world we will have tribulations. There will be suffering and persecution for the name of Jesus’ sake.

However, suffering trouble and persecution from without is one thing. After all, we expect that. But it hits different when we suffer trouble and persecution from within.

- From within the church, from within our own family, from within our own hearts.

- Spaces where we expected to be safe. The last places we expected to be hurt.

- That's why these are the wounds that hurt the most. In fact, it is almost always true that the very people we love the most will hurt us the most.

This is critical to understand because if you live long enough someone is going to break your heart. Someone is going to

- abandon you
- leave you
- say something hurtful to you
- disappoint you
- let you down, lie to you, stab you in the back
- reject you

Chances are someone already has.

Bitterness is today’s silent killer. Too many have succumbed to its clutches.

The backsliders that walked out of the church is heartbreaking but what’s even more tragic are the backsliders that stayed in the church!

- They’ve been offended and talked about so now they’re not loving and trusting like they used to

- They’ve prayed and didn't get the answer they wanted so they're not praying as fervently

- They failed before so now they’re not as bold and courageous and they’ve become too cautious

One of the things that we must guard ourselves against is the spirit of the elder brother.

- We saw his resentment toward his prodigal younger brother

- But his bitterness toward him is eclipsed by his resentment and bitterness toward his father!

- Yes, he didn't leave home but didn't have the joy of serving either

- Yes, he didn't leave the house but felt overlooked and unappreciated

- Yes, he didn't leave home but was self-righteous and judgmental because he believes he didn't get the recognition for his obedience that he deserved

- As a result, he couldn't share the happiness of his brother's return

- The father said, you could've thrown a party for your friends anytime you wished. All I have is yours. But all the elder brother could see are the things that he thought he had been deprived of, not the things that he had all along.

That is what bitterness will do to us! It will blind us to the blessings of the house and the love and affection that our heavenly Father always has towards us.

God does not merely possess or have goodness.

GOD IS GOOD.

That means His goodness is founded in His being not just His doing.

Goodness is who He is not just what He does.

That makes Him good regardless of happenings, circumstances and seasons.

Goodness is according to His definition of it, not mine. He is good not just because He is good to me but simply because He is.

He is the Great I AM not the great-I-was or the great-I-will-be.

I AM your goodness.
I AM your happiness.
I AM sufficient.
I AM good.
I AM God.

Trust Him and let Him lead you

You are the apple of His eye. Psalm 17:8

It's easy to tell others but it's hard when it happens to us. You might as well let go and forgive.

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Be not weary in well doing, for in due season you shall reap if you do not faint. Galatians 6:9

I will give you all
If all is what you ask of me
I will not withhold.

Lift people up instead of looking down on them.

God is good all the time!

And yet when you say, "Jesus!" you have said it all. Philippians 2:9-11

Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22