GEMS OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2013.
PROVERB:
If you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:3-5.
PROMISE:
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge, the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33: 6.
PRAISE:
Show me Your ways , O Lord, teach me Your paths, guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. Psalm 25:4-5.
November 10, 2013
Discouragement: November 6, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2013.
DISCOURAGEMENT
DEFINITION:
Cause to lose spirit or hope; dishearten; dismay.
SCRIPTURE:
O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "VIOLENCE!" and You will not save. Habakkuk 1:2
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Habakkuk in the verse above expresses his heart just like many believers do today. He was frustrated and baffled as to why God had not corrected the corruption in Judah? God was working but Habakkuk could not see it because it was not the time for Him to answer Habakkuk's prayers. Habakkuk was discouraged and could not understand why God was delaying.
It is difficult for believers today, as well, to see the injustice and evil that abounds in our world and not be discouraged and wonder if God is paying attention.
Do you feel stuck in discouragement? If so, you are not alone. At some point everyone experiences a disappointment which is an emotional response to a failed expectation. Disappointment is the normal initial reaction to a failed expectation but if you allow it to linger it will turn into discouragement.
The circumstances that bring on disappointment may be unavoidable but we have a choice how we can respond. We can either let it overwhelm us or bring it before the Lord who can help us through it.
Living in constant discouragement can divide the mind, making it hard to focus on anything but our pain. Then anger comes and we look for someone to blame, whether it be God, people around us, or our selves.
Frustration that isn't handled well may develop into depression, which will turn others away from us. This leads to a low esteem and then we make poor decisions. Choosing this self-destructive path is not God's best for our lives. Instead of sulking in self-pity, choose to believe God, step out in faith, and climb out of your emotional pit.
Nehemiah is a great example. (Nehemiah 2:1-8) He had every reason to feel defeated, because his people were in trouble. The city wall had been destroyed but he did not allow himself to stay in the low place of discouragement. Instead he cried out to God for direction. Even though Nehemiah knew that sadness in the presence of royalty was punishable by death, the Lord went ahead of Nehemiah and led the king to notice his servant's sadness and asked what he could do to help.
This miracle led to the rebuilding of the wall and the redemption of God's people. The Lord can take an impossible situation, just like He did for Nehemiah when He moved the king to talk to Nehemiah, and move in ways mightier than we could ever imagine. Even though we cannot see how God is working we do not need to be discouraged. God is doing His work even when we do not understand why He works as He does.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Help me to be alert to obeying God even in the little things You ask me to do. Help me to listen carefully to Your voice so I can live in obedience to Your perfect will for my life.
DISCOURAGEMENT
DEFINITION:
Cause to lose spirit or hope; dishearten; dismay.
SCRIPTURE:
O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "VIOLENCE!" and You will not save. Habakkuk 1:2
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Habakkuk in the verse above expresses his heart just like many believers do today. He was frustrated and baffled as to why God had not corrected the corruption in Judah? God was working but Habakkuk could not see it because it was not the time for Him to answer Habakkuk's prayers. Habakkuk was discouraged and could not understand why God was delaying.
It is difficult for believers today, as well, to see the injustice and evil that abounds in our world and not be discouraged and wonder if God is paying attention.
Do you feel stuck in discouragement? If so, you are not alone. At some point everyone experiences a disappointment which is an emotional response to a failed expectation. Disappointment is the normal initial reaction to a failed expectation but if you allow it to linger it will turn into discouragement.
The circumstances that bring on disappointment may be unavoidable but we have a choice how we can respond. We can either let it overwhelm us or bring it before the Lord who can help us through it.
Living in constant discouragement can divide the mind, making it hard to focus on anything but our pain. Then anger comes and we look for someone to blame, whether it be God, people around us, or our selves.
Frustration that isn't handled well may develop into depression, which will turn others away from us. This leads to a low esteem and then we make poor decisions. Choosing this self-destructive path is not God's best for our lives. Instead of sulking in self-pity, choose to believe God, step out in faith, and climb out of your emotional pit.
Nehemiah is a great example. (Nehemiah 2:1-8) He had every reason to feel defeated, because his people were in trouble. The city wall had been destroyed but he did not allow himself to stay in the low place of discouragement. Instead he cried out to God for direction. Even though Nehemiah knew that sadness in the presence of royalty was punishable by death, the Lord went ahead of Nehemiah and led the king to notice his servant's sadness and asked what he could do to help.
This miracle led to the rebuilding of the wall and the redemption of God's people. The Lord can take an impossible situation, just like He did for Nehemiah when He moved the king to talk to Nehemiah, and move in ways mightier than we could ever imagine. Even though we cannot see how God is working we do not need to be discouraged. God is doing His work even when we do not understand why He works as He does.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Help me to be alert to obeying God even in the little things You ask me to do. Help me to listen carefully to Your voice so I can live in obedience to Your perfect will for my life.
End: November 8, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR FRIDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2013.
END
DEFINITION:
Finish; the terminal moment in time; the concluding part.
SCRIPTURE:
Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Revelation 22:13
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the verse above from Matthew, Jesus commands us to teach to observe all things that He has commanded us to do right up to the end. The "end" refers to the time when our Lord comes again to get us as believers or until He takes us home. From time to time we need to look back and think about how we have responded to what God has commanded us to do.
Have we taught our children the ways of the Lord? Have we ourselves lived every day using the TEN COMMANDMENTS as our standards? Do the people that we live by and work with know of our love and dedication for our Lord?
But we cannot live in the past. But we can look at the past and evaluate the pluses and the minuses with our failures and our successes. Then we have the opportunity to build on the base we have established. And this is our challenge for today. We need to spend more time reading God's Word, more time praying and more time doing what God wants us to do. Take a good look at the talent, the treasure and the time that God has given you and use these abilities for your Father in heaven.
It is important that we commit our plans to the Lord if we want them to succeed. Proverbs 16:3 in the NAS version reads: "Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established." In Proverbs 19: 21 it reads, "Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand."
The prophet Isaiah proclaimed to the people years ago Gods plan of redemption as recorded in the message version in Isaiah 61: 1-2:
"The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because GOD ANNOINTED ME, HE SENT ME TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR, HEAL THE BROKEN HEARTED, ANNOUNCE FREEDOM TO THE CAPTIVES, PARDON ALL THE PRISONERS. God sent me to announce the YEAR OF HIS GRACE, a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies, and to comfort all that mourn."
Jesus brought the “good news” of redemption and commands those who are redeemed to follow Him (Matthew 16:24).
Remember God anointed (chose) you to do His will. Make your commitment today to grow daily in His Word and to serve Him with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. When the end comes all we as believers want to hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
May I not only grow spiritually every day but help me to reach out to the world around me so that every person I make contact with sees You through my walk and talk. I commit all my plans to You and ask for Your guiding hand upon my life to show me Your will so I may be a faithful servant.
END
DEFINITION:
Finish; the terminal moment in time; the concluding part.
SCRIPTURE:
Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last. Revelation 22:13
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
In the verse above from Matthew, Jesus commands us to teach to observe all things that He has commanded us to do right up to the end. The "end" refers to the time when our Lord comes again to get us as believers or until He takes us home. From time to time we need to look back and think about how we have responded to what God has commanded us to do.
Have we taught our children the ways of the Lord? Have we ourselves lived every day using the TEN COMMANDMENTS as our standards? Do the people that we live by and work with know of our love and dedication for our Lord?
But we cannot live in the past. But we can look at the past and evaluate the pluses and the minuses with our failures and our successes. Then we have the opportunity to build on the base we have established. And this is our challenge for today. We need to spend more time reading God's Word, more time praying and more time doing what God wants us to do. Take a good look at the talent, the treasure and the time that God has given you and use these abilities for your Father in heaven.
It is important that we commit our plans to the Lord if we want them to succeed. Proverbs 16:3 in the NAS version reads: "Commit your works to the Lord and your plans will be established." In Proverbs 19: 21 it reads, "Many plans are in a man's heart, but the counsel of the Lord will stand."
The prophet Isaiah proclaimed to the people years ago Gods plan of redemption as recorded in the message version in Isaiah 61: 1-2:
"The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because GOD ANNOINTED ME, HE SENT ME TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR, HEAL THE BROKEN HEARTED, ANNOUNCE FREEDOM TO THE CAPTIVES, PARDON ALL THE PRISONERS. God sent me to announce the YEAR OF HIS GRACE, a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies, and to comfort all that mourn."
Jesus brought the “good news” of redemption and commands those who are redeemed to follow Him (Matthew 16:24).
Remember God anointed (chose) you to do His will. Make your commitment today to grow daily in His Word and to serve Him with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul. When the end comes all we as believers want to hear our Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
May I not only grow spiritually every day but help me to reach out to the world around me so that every person I make contact with sees You through my walk and talk. I commit all my plans to You and ask for Your guiding hand upon my life to show me Your will so I may be a faithful servant.
Disaster: November 7, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2013.
DISASTER
DEFINITION:
A great misfortune, a catastrophe; a calamitous event occurring suddenly and causing great loss of life, damage or hardship.
SCRIPTURE:
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When a disaster strikes many people respond with what they feel are legitimate questions. They include: Why does the Lord let such things happen? Couldn't God have stopped this? Doesn't God care? The magnitude of disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis and floods cause death and destruction and our thoughts change from day to day activities to concerns about surviving and wanting explanations for the suffering that results.
Non-believers in our Lord have a most difficult time answering these questions because they have no relationship with God, thus they feel hopeless and alone. They have no frame of reference for understanding God and have nowhere to turn for comfort.
Believers in the Lord have the Bible to guide them as they wrestle through the issues they face. Coming to the proper conclusions on issues will depend on one's knowledge of the Bible and the depth of one's relationship with God.
We must not allow disasters to cause us to doubt God. When a disaster happens we want to ask, "How could God allow this to happen?" Isaiah reminds us that we cannot know the mind of God. God does not think as we think and His way is not our way. Isaiah assures us, however, that God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are better than our ways.
Many believers have a tendency to design a box in their mind that the Lord will fit into. But if He does not fit into that box we get upset, confused and even angry at God.
We may not know why disasters occur but we have several Biblical truths that we know with absolute certainty that will allow us to trust God in even the greatest times of our suffering.
We know that God is in control. "The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all." Psalm 103:19. Nothing in heaven or earth is outside of His control, rule or authority. We can always trust in His goodness and mercy.
The Lord loves people and wants them to be saved. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall never perish but have eternal life." John 3:16. God cares for us, even when we cannot feel it or even will not accept it.
God ordains or permits events for His good purpose. Although we cannot comprehend what God is doing, in every incident, every disaster is a wakeup call for humanity. God is alerting us to repent. Catastrophes open our ears to hear from God.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Thank You that You are in full control and working out every detail of our world's issues according to Your good purpose. Help my heart to always be filled with hope no matter how difficult my crises.
DISASTER
DEFINITION:
A great misfortune, a catastrophe; a calamitous event occurring suddenly and causing great loss of life, damage or hardship.
SCRIPTURE:
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
When a disaster strikes many people respond with what they feel are legitimate questions. They include: Why does the Lord let such things happen? Couldn't God have stopped this? Doesn't God care? The magnitude of disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis and floods cause death and destruction and our thoughts change from day to day activities to concerns about surviving and wanting explanations for the suffering that results.
Non-believers in our Lord have a most difficult time answering these questions because they have no relationship with God, thus they feel hopeless and alone. They have no frame of reference for understanding God and have nowhere to turn for comfort.
Believers in the Lord have the Bible to guide them as they wrestle through the issues they face. Coming to the proper conclusions on issues will depend on one's knowledge of the Bible and the depth of one's relationship with God.
We must not allow disasters to cause us to doubt God. When a disaster happens we want to ask, "How could God allow this to happen?" Isaiah reminds us that we cannot know the mind of God. God does not think as we think and His way is not our way. Isaiah assures us, however, that God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are better than our ways.
Many believers have a tendency to design a box in their mind that the Lord will fit into. But if He does not fit into that box we get upset, confused and even angry at God.
We may not know why disasters occur but we have several Biblical truths that we know with absolute certainty that will allow us to trust God in even the greatest times of our suffering.
We know that God is in control. "The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all." Psalm 103:19. Nothing in heaven or earth is outside of His control, rule or authority. We can always trust in His goodness and mercy.
The Lord loves people and wants them to be saved. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall never perish but have eternal life." John 3:16. God cares for us, even when we cannot feel it or even will not accept it.
God ordains or permits events for His good purpose. Although we cannot comprehend what God is doing, in every incident, every disaster is a wakeup call for humanity. God is alerting us to repent. Catastrophes open our ears to hear from God.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Thank You that You are in full control and working out every detail of our world's issues according to Your good purpose. Help my heart to always be filled with hope no matter how difficult my crises.
Obstacles: November 5, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2013.
OBSTACLES
DEFINITION:
An obstruction or hindrance; something that interferes with action or progress and must be removed or overcome.
SCRIPTURE:
Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. Joshua 6:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The Lord has a plan for the life of each believer. To thwart God's purposes, Satan puts obstacles in the path of believers. There are many different kinds of obstacles. They include a difficult boss, contrary family members and financial concerns. Anything that blocks a desired goal can cause anxiety and frustration. And these can derail what God wants from you. But remember, as a believer, no obstacle can touch you or be a concern to you, without the consent of God. And there is no obstacle that God cannot overcome.
Read the verse above concerning the Biblical account that we all know about Joshua and the city of Jericho. The strong fortress around the city of Jericho barred Israel's entrance into the land. This was an obstacle to God's plan for the Children of Israel and Joshua to conquer Jericho. Jericho was one of the oldest cities in the world and was regarded as the epitome of power and strength. In the eyes of the world it was considered invincible.
Satan will always be seeking to put up obstacles (fortresses) to hinder our spiritual progress just like He did to Joshua and the Children of Israel. He never gives up. The conquest of Jericho seemed impossible to Israel but not so to God. Joshua's army was no match to Jericho's military might and the 25 foot high and 20 foot thick wall was an impossible barrier to cross.
But God had promised the Israelites the land and Joshua believed that God would provide a way for them to get into the city of Jericho. Before attempting to conquer Jericho, Joshua led the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually. They renewed their commitment to God and they celebrated the Passover with thankfulness for God’s miracles that made possible their escape from Egypt and the crossing of the Jordan river into the Promised land. Joshua was not deterred by what seemed impossible but instead he acknowledged God's power and sought His guidance.
Before Joshua even realized that God was at work, God was already preparing the city for destruction by instilling fear into the hearts of the kings in the region and the people in Jericho. God's directions seemed complicated and as a very unlikely battle plan, but Joshua obeyed and God's people triumphed.
The apostle Paul understood how to handle obstacles in his life. Even when he was in prison he kept his eyes and full trust on Christ. His days in prison were filled with joy in the Lord. He wrote the book of Philippians from his jail cell and it was full of expressions of joy. (1:18, 2:18 and 3:1) Paul did not let even prison keep him from sharing the message of salvation.
We can overcome obstacles in our lives by focusing on Christ. This is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation that we are facing in life at the moment. We search for our own solutions and meanwhile we stew over pain and difficulty. Our troubles look insurmountable and overwhelming, but fear and defeat cannot last long in the heart of a believer that has his or her trust in the Lord. The choice is yours just as it was the apostle Paul's, Joshua and the Children of Israel. We must ask ourselves, "Where is our faith and trust and are we willing to be in submission to God?"
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Help me to put my complete trust in You to enable me to overcome the obstacles Satan puts in the way to defeat me. Strengthen my faith when I face obstacles that can cause me great heartache and overwhelm me. Help me to put my complete trust in You knowing that You care for me and will lead me through the difficult times in life.
OBSTACLES
DEFINITION:
An obstruction or hindrance; something that interferes with action or progress and must be removed or overcome.
SCRIPTURE:
Now Jericho was securely shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. Joshua 6:1
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
The Lord has a plan for the life of each believer. To thwart God's purposes, Satan puts obstacles in the path of believers. There are many different kinds of obstacles. They include a difficult boss, contrary family members and financial concerns. Anything that blocks a desired goal can cause anxiety and frustration. And these can derail what God wants from you. But remember, as a believer, no obstacle can touch you or be a concern to you, without the consent of God. And there is no obstacle that God cannot overcome.
Read the verse above concerning the Biblical account that we all know about Joshua and the city of Jericho. The strong fortress around the city of Jericho barred Israel's entrance into the land. This was an obstacle to God's plan for the Children of Israel and Joshua to conquer Jericho. Jericho was one of the oldest cities in the world and was regarded as the epitome of power and strength. In the eyes of the world it was considered invincible.
Satan will always be seeking to put up obstacles (fortresses) to hinder our spiritual progress just like He did to Joshua and the Children of Israel. He never gives up. The conquest of Jericho seemed impossible to Israel but not so to God. Joshua's army was no match to Jericho's military might and the 25 foot high and 20 foot thick wall was an impossible barrier to cross.
But God had promised the Israelites the land and Joshua believed that God would provide a way for them to get into the city of Jericho. Before attempting to conquer Jericho, Joshua led the Israelites to prepare themselves spiritually. They renewed their commitment to God and they celebrated the Passover with thankfulness for God’s miracles that made possible their escape from Egypt and the crossing of the Jordan river into the Promised land. Joshua was not deterred by what seemed impossible but instead he acknowledged God's power and sought His guidance.
Before Joshua even realized that God was at work, God was already preparing the city for destruction by instilling fear into the hearts of the kings in the region and the people in Jericho. God's directions seemed complicated and as a very unlikely battle plan, but Joshua obeyed and God's people triumphed.
The apostle Paul understood how to handle obstacles in his life. Even when he was in prison he kept his eyes and full trust on Christ. His days in prison were filled with joy in the Lord. He wrote the book of Philippians from his jail cell and it was full of expressions of joy. (1:18, 2:18 and 3:1) Paul did not let even prison keep him from sharing the message of salvation.
We can overcome obstacles in our lives by focusing on Christ. This is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation that we are facing in life at the moment. We search for our own solutions and meanwhile we stew over pain and difficulty. Our troubles look insurmountable and overwhelming, but fear and defeat cannot last long in the heart of a believer that has his or her trust in the Lord. The choice is yours just as it was the apostle Paul's, Joshua and the Children of Israel. We must ask ourselves, "Where is our faith and trust and are we willing to be in submission to God?"
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Help me to put my complete trust in You to enable me to overcome the obstacles Satan puts in the way to defeat me. Strengthen my faith when I face obstacles that can cause me great heartache and overwhelm me. Help me to put my complete trust in You knowing that You care for me and will lead me through the difficult times in life.
Ambition: November 4, 2013
TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2013.
AMBITION
DEFINITION:
An eager desire for distinction, power or fame; aspiration to achieve a particular goal good, or bad.
SCRIPTURE:
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. Philippians 2:3.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. Mark 12:30.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We have been involved in Christian ministries now for over 60 years. During that time we had responsibilities of working with all kinds of people. The one thing we have noticed is that all things being equal, such as talent, ability, and experience, the person that had ambition excelled far and above every other person. But we also learned that a person with ambition needed to be watched to make certain that their ambition was not motivated by selfish desires to elevate themselves or by a conceited attitude of superiority.
Probably one of the worst things that one could have on his or her performance review is lack of ambition. When it comes to work, those who lack ambition seldom rise to the top of their profession or ministry. Without a strong desire to achieve something, little is accomplished.
But ambition also has a dark side. Often one with ambition is dedicated to elevate themselves to a higher level and not to what the Lord has called them to do. This was the down fall of many of the kings of Israel, including the first one.
James calls this “selfish ambition” and strongly warns against selfish ambition. Selfish ambition is instigated by the devil and leads to evil tactics. James say it this way, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” James 3:16.
Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. He had the makings of a great king. He was physically strong, tall and handsome. He was courageous and a leader. He was described as an “impressive young man without equal” in I Samuel 9:2. In I Samuel 10:10 it says the Spirit of God came upon him.
Saul started out with humility and with great ambition but soon Saul grew impatient waiting for God's leading and he decided to take matters into his own hands (I Samuel 13:8-10). He forgot that he had a special assignment from God to lead His chosen people in a way that would show other nations the way to God. Thus his downfall. Pride and selfish ambition took over his life.
Not only did Saul disobey God by not allowing God to lead him, but he failed to give God the credit for his victories in battle. After the victory over the Amalekites, Saul set up a monument to honor himself (I Samuel 15:12). We are told in I Samuel 15:30 that when God rejected Saul as king, Saul's only concern was for his own honor.
We are living in a world where people only think of themselves. Often ambition compels people to do whatever it takes to put themselves in a position of power over others. God calls His people to a different way of living. We are to do nothing out of selfish ambition (verse above).
In addition in Hebrews 12:1 the writer tells us to lay aside the weight of sin that ensnares us. Sin is what causes us to seek our own selfish ambitions instead of seeking the will of God and then to give ourselves the credit and honor for our successes given to us by God. This is not acceptable in His sight. God should receive the honor for the successes He has given us.
If you want to be someone who truly wants to rise above others that you work with and meet daily, then make your ambition to humbly love and serve God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. God honors those who honor Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Help me to understand that the ambition that people who do not know Jesus strive for is short-sighted. Help me to be ambitious for Your sake, not mine, so I can bring honor to You. May my family be a family that serves You with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength in order to bring glory to God.
AMBITION
DEFINITION:
An eager desire for distinction, power or fame; aspiration to achieve a particular goal good, or bad.
SCRIPTURE:
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. Philippians 2:3.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. Mark 12:30.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
We have been involved in Christian ministries now for over 60 years. During that time we had responsibilities of working with all kinds of people. The one thing we have noticed is that all things being equal, such as talent, ability, and experience, the person that had ambition excelled far and above every other person. But we also learned that a person with ambition needed to be watched to make certain that their ambition was not motivated by selfish desires to elevate themselves or by a conceited attitude of superiority.
Probably one of the worst things that one could have on his or her performance review is lack of ambition. When it comes to work, those who lack ambition seldom rise to the top of their profession or ministry. Without a strong desire to achieve something, little is accomplished.
But ambition also has a dark side. Often one with ambition is dedicated to elevate themselves to a higher level and not to what the Lord has called them to do. This was the down fall of many of the kings of Israel, including the first one.
James calls this “selfish ambition” and strongly warns against selfish ambition. Selfish ambition is instigated by the devil and leads to evil tactics. James say it this way, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” James 3:16.
Saul was chosen by God to be the first king of Israel. He had the makings of a great king. He was physically strong, tall and handsome. He was courageous and a leader. He was described as an “impressive young man without equal” in I Samuel 9:2. In I Samuel 10:10 it says the Spirit of God came upon him.
Saul started out with humility and with great ambition but soon Saul grew impatient waiting for God's leading and he decided to take matters into his own hands (I Samuel 13:8-10). He forgot that he had a special assignment from God to lead His chosen people in a way that would show other nations the way to God. Thus his downfall. Pride and selfish ambition took over his life.
Not only did Saul disobey God by not allowing God to lead him, but he failed to give God the credit for his victories in battle. After the victory over the Amalekites, Saul set up a monument to honor himself (I Samuel 15:12). We are told in I Samuel 15:30 that when God rejected Saul as king, Saul's only concern was for his own honor.
We are living in a world where people only think of themselves. Often ambition compels people to do whatever it takes to put themselves in a position of power over others. God calls His people to a different way of living. We are to do nothing out of selfish ambition (verse above).
In addition in Hebrews 12:1 the writer tells us to lay aside the weight of sin that ensnares us. Sin is what causes us to seek our own selfish ambitions instead of seeking the will of God and then to give ourselves the credit and honor for our successes given to us by God. This is not acceptable in His sight. God should receive the honor for the successes He has given us.
If you want to be someone who truly wants to rise above others that you work with and meet daily, then make your ambition to humbly love and serve God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. God honors those who honor Him.
LEARNING:
Our memory verse for this week is found in Colossians 2:9-10.
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.
PRAYER:
Help me to understand that the ambition that people who do not know Jesus strive for is short-sighted. Help me to be ambitious for Your sake, not mine, so I can bring honor to You. May my family be a family that serves You with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength in order to bring glory to God.
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