A Word for Christian Leaders

"Ministry is tough and the devil hates the church and hates Christians. It is no different than with Jesus, now the devil persecuted the church, His body. The devil's tactic is the same; strike the shepherd and scatter the sheep."

I wrote these words after hearing the testimony of a very famous Christian leader. They had been in a ministry family and were well known world wide. At one point they were very successful and everything was going good. Through a series of events they lost their ministry assets and even the ministry itself. The pressure was so great it even threatened to end their marriage. Thankfully God is faithful and they are together today and still have a ministry and are moving forward together. 

It is a sobering reality when you hear these types of testimonies from successful and influential people. Success and influence come with a fight. I believe the more significant of a work we do the greater the battle gets. I realize in many ways my ministry is built on the victories others won. I am very blessed to start my ministry where others have done so much. Having said that I can tell you that as I have risen in the ranks of church leadership that it isn't easier but harder. The struggles are greater and the challenges are more numerous. 

The comfort I find in all this is that as I have progressed in life and ministry so has my faith. The Bible tells us that we go from faith to faith, strength to strength, glory to glory. Any time there is a repeat of a statement in the Bible it is for emphasis. The beginning of our faith is great. In fact we get saved through it. As we grow in our knowledge and experience with God we get stronger and stronger. 

Be encouraged that God is growing you up. You are not where you used to be. The battles you face today are preparing you for greater things in the future. As you grow stronger you will be able to handle more. Jesus said that if we are faithful in the little things we will be put over much. We all want that growth but don't want the discipline and the fight to get there. Stay faithful and fight the good fight of faith and you will see the faithfulness of God and have a testimony to tell. 

Day 321 - And the award goes to...

"We explained that they couldn't give everyone an award every time."

My kids play soccer, go to school and take music lessons. They also like to draw and build amazing things with Lego's. I personally would put every drawing they have ever produced in a museum of refrigerators. 

As much as I love my children and think that they are amazing I am glad that they have had to go through painful situations. It seems contradictory but it is the best thing for them. Just like it was the best thing for me. 

I remember there was a time when I was getting prideful and ended up losing big time. As I was belly-aching to my dad he gave me some sobering news. He told me that there would always be someone who is bigger, faster and better at something than me. He also told me that is okay. I needed that reality check to work harder and to move forward from failure.

In the same vein that failure is good success is good too. I don't think my kids need an award every time awards are handed out just to feel good about themselves but if they excel and get an award it validates their efforts. When their rewards come from hard work and careful study it will be a positive reinforcement that they enjoy. 

Our motivations are important. When we get something for nothing it produces an entitlement mentality. But when we get something for our labors it produces internal motivation that propels us to work hard. Pain and hard work produce character and strength. 

I know for my kids the struggle will make them better. They will rise to every challenge and when they get an award it will be well deserved. 

How have the struggles you have been though helped you? How can we navigate the feeling our children go through when they don't get an award? 

Day 306 - A Tough Year

"He said after church that he has been going through a tough year. May the Lord grant him strength to endure."

We have all had tough days. Most have had tough weeks and some have had tough months. What is hard is when you have a tough year. 

There are times and seasons that we go through in life. Years teach us lessons that the days can not. Anyone who has been around for a while has something they can teach us because they have weathered storms and learned by experience. 

I am not that old (today I turn 36 in case you were wondering) but I can say from the tough times I have been through that God is faithful. As I look over my journal entries from 2014 it was a tough year. That doesn't mean it was a bad year. It was tough in the sense that we had some hard times, conflicts internally and externally and were challenged to grow and stretch past what we thought we could. But again, God is faithful. 

My prayer for the man I was talking to applies for all who are going through a tough season. No matter if it lasts a few months or few years it is God who can give us the strength to endure. Like Joseph who went through the seven years of drought God will sustain us through the tough times in life. We just need to focus our gaze and draw our strength from Him. Cling to Him in prayer and stay in His presence throughout your days. 

As you receive the strength you need to go through the tough times you will find joy and the beauty of God's goodness. Like I said, last year wasn't a bad year for me. It was tough but there were joys and gladness that I wouldn't trade for an easy year. 

Have you had a tough year? How did you get through it?

Day 127 - Capacity

“God has always given us more than we can handle but never more than we can bear.”

Eleven men were not able to handle the gospel and the church. Neither were the 120 able to handle the outpouring of the Spirit that was about to take place on the day of Pentecost. The Apostle Paul couldn't handle being the Apostle to the Gentiles and what he would suffer because of his calling. The great men and women we have as heroes of faith throughout the ages couldn't handle their God assignments and neither can you and neither can I. 

But we can bear it. 

What is the difference? God knows our capacity. He gives us more than we can handle because His plan is much larger than our capacity. We wouldn't go as far, see as much, dream as big or ask large enough for His plan. So He gives us greater amounts than we can handle. 

But we can bear it. 

How? By His grace (His sovereign divine ability to get the job done on our behalf when we can't do it). He gives us strength to succeed. We can do all things through Christ. Even if it is more than I can handle I know I can bear it because God will make up the difference. When I am weak He is strong. 

We can bear it. 

Have you seen God give you greater capacity? What does the phrase from the Bible "When I am weak He is strong" mean to you? 

Day 50 - True Strength

"I had the privilege to preach the Word tonight. It was a good night. I counted eleven hands and more than that showed up at the altar. I ministered on God our strength."

The world is looking for strength in various forms. Strength in numbers. Strength in money. Strength in fame. Lately they are looking for strength in a serum or a mutation. 

The truth is that we have no strength outside of God. we can build the biggest, richest, strongest empire and still we would be a speck in the universal scale. When you think of a God who speaks and planets exist and who destroys his enemies with the breath of His mouth you realize where true strength lies. 

Jesus said that apart from Him we can do nothing. Never was a truer word spoken. His advice for us is to remain in Him. It is like a lamp that stays plugged into the wall. As long as it stays plugged in it gives light. If we will stay connected to Jesus we will have the power available to us. 

Have you felt weak and yet God moved on your behalf? What ways has God given you strength? 

Day 45 - Downward Spiral

"Continued thoughts from David's life: David went to the land of the Philistines. He sought refuge for his life from the enemy rather than from God who had delivered him. How many more stories of David sparing Saul's life would there be had David stayed in the land? Eventually at the height of David's trek down into the enemies camp we find him ready to ride into battle against his own people. Praise God he saves us from greater shame than we can bear. God is faithful and provides a way of escape, sometimes contrary to our will and fallen nature's desires. David is rejected from battle by the lords of the Philistines lest he deflect. Maybe he would have in the midst of battle seeing the slaughter of his people. We can only speculate. After leaving the battle formation we find David returning to his camp where the Amelekites have raided. What he has sown he has now reaped. Again, thank God for mercy and grace. David now seeks The Lord and finds strength to pursue the enemy. He overcomes them and is delivered from the hand of his men who would have killed him for their loss."

One decision in the wrong direction can cause a domino of decisions in that same direction. Thankfully God protects us through our times in the land of the enemy. Examples in the Word abound. Whether it is Abraham in Egypt, Isaac and Abimelech, or David in the land of the Philistines. 

Thankfully God is gracious and long suffering with us. Even in our wanderings He watches over us for our good. Eventually God calls His sons out of Egypt. He will not leave us out of the promised land. Victories await those whose hearts are loyal to God. David strengthened himself in the Lord. David also recovered all. So will we when we seek the Lord and find our strength in Him. 

How can we make the right decisions so we don't end up in the enemy's land? How can we strengthen ourselves in the Lord?