Getting God’s Guidance

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“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.”1

A Daily Encounter reader writes, “My husband and I started a business a year ago and it has been a constant struggle. How can we know if what we are doing is God’s goal/purpose for us?”

First, as indicated you are doing the right thing by seeking God’s direction in prayer.

Second, are you gifted for the work that you are doing? I don’t believe God ever calls us to do things that he hasn’t already gifted us for.

Third, are you adequately trained for what you are doing? This is a constant challenge in today’s competitive world because if we don’t keep upgrading our training, we can easily get left behind.

Fourth, is what you are doing in harmony with the will of God based on principles as found in his Word, the Bible? This is very important if we are to get God’s blessing.

Fifth, is what you are doing a business or service that people want? It doesn’t matter how good a product or service is, if people don’t want it, it won’t succeed.

Sixth, keep in mind, too, that a big percentage of new businesses never survive. It takes all of the above plus hard work, determination, and stick-ability. Very few successful projects happen without these qualities.

Seventh, above all we need to keep seeking God’s direction by every day committing and trusting our life, our loved ones, our work, and all that we are doing to the Lord in prayer. By way of interest, whenever I have a problem, challenge, question or struggle, I always ask God to face me with the truth and reality of the situation I am in. Once I see the truth and reality I pretty much know what I need to do.

I trust these few thoughts will be helpful.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you are interested in every detail of my life. Again this day I commit and trust every aspect of my life to you. Please give me the insight to see the reality in every situation I am in. And then, help me to know what I need to do and give me the courage to do it no matter what it is. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Solomon (Proverbs 3:5-6).

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The Baffling Call of God

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Jesus said, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”1

One of my big struggles as a young man was how could I know if God were calling me to serve him in some kind of Christian work. However, as I look back I can see that had God not been calling me, I wouldn’t have been struggling with the question.

I never did find an easy answer to that question. The best answer I found was in the words of Oswald Chambers who said, “The call of God is like the call of the sea to the sailor. Only he who has the nature of the sea within can hear the call.”

In other words, a man who is “born to be a sailor” hears in his inner being the call of the sea and never rests until he answers that call and sets out on the high seas. It’s the same with a man or woman who is called of God. He or she will never rest until they answer God’s call.

For me, God had to get me on my back to make me slow down enough to “hear” his call. I had an accident on a construction site that put me in the hospital flat on my back for a week. The day after they stitched me up, I turned on my bedside radio and just “happened” to get the only religious program for the entire day on any station in the city where I lived. The moment my radio came on, I heard a lady quoting the words of the poem:

“If I should stand before the Master [Jesus Christ] today, would I empty handed go?”

Wham! I felt like an invisible arrow pierced my heart and I “heard the call loud and clear.” I prayed, “Okay, God, you win. My answer is yes.” The moment I said yes to God, I knew exactly what my next step needed to be—that was to go back to college to train for the work I am doing today.

Indeed, the call of God is like the call of the sea to the sailor. And God calls each one of us—some to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and to receive God’s forgiveness and gift of eternal life. Some he is calling to serve in a local church as an active lay person. Some to be a good neighbor. Some to be a missionary, pastor, teacher, a local leader, a politician, or a business person. Some to be a wife, a husband, a parent, etc., etc. Whatever it is, God has a calling for each of us. It’s up to us to seek God’s guidance to discover what that call is—and get the training we need to do it as best we can.

Perhaps we could interpret today’s text as, “Many are called but few prove themselves to be chosen ones.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you that you are calling me to love and follow you, and to use the gifts and talents you have given to me to serve you. Help me to discover exactly what you want me to do. Please give me a “listening” ear so I will hear your call. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Jesus (Matthew 22:14).

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Godspell … Part III

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“To all who received him [Christ], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”1

Could you imagine seeing a used car salesman give a compelling presentation regarding a particular car you were interested in, had you convinced that this was the perfect car for you and had you ready to sign the purchasing contract when he turned and walked away—and left you standing there aghast without ever closing the sale! That kind of salesman would be fired on the spot if his manager saw what he did.

Sad to say, I believe some preachers are like this. They give a good presentation of God’s message but never give listeners the opportunity to make a commitment to accept Jesus as their Savior. I believe there are many church members who understand the gospel and are ready to accept Jesus but have never been invited to do so. I say this because it is my understanding that so many of the people who have made this commitment to Jesus at a Billy Graham crusade are church members.

It isn’t enough just to believe in our head that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died on the cross for our sins. The devil knows and believes that. True, we need to believe this but we also need to accept God’s offer of forgiveness and gift of salvation (eternal life) by confessing our sins to him, asking for his forgiveness, and inviting Jesus Christ into our heart and life as Savior and Lord. It also involves making a commitment of our will to follow Jesus. In “salesman terminology” this is closing the sale.

Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door [of his/her heart and life], I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”2

If you have never invited Jesus into your heart and life, asked for God’s forgiveness, and made a commitment of your life to him, I would like to give you that opportunity today. The following prayer will help you to do this:

“Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry for all the wrongs that I have done. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross to pay the penalty for my sins. Please forgive me for all my sins. I invite you, Jesus, to come into my heart and life as Lord and Savior. I commit and trust my life and will to you. Please give me the desire to be what you want me to be and to do what you want me to do. Thank you for dying for my sins, for your free pardon, for your gift of eternal life, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus name, Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer and truly meant it, please let us know by filling in the form at: https://learning.actsweb.org/decision.php. (Be assured that we have a strict privacy policy and will never give any of your information to anyone.)

For further help read “God’s Invitation” at: http://tinyurl.com/6k49w and/or “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9

1. John 1:12 (NIV). 2 Revelation 3:20 (NIV).

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Godspell … Part II

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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”1

As noted yesterday, Godspell or God’s good news is that the gospel is first of all a message about God and his infinite love for all mankind. Second, it is a message about sin and sin’s tragic consequences. Fortunately, the gospel is also about the following:

3. A Message about Jesus Christ. God is not only a God of absolute holiness, but also a God of perfect justice. Because of this, all sin has to be judged, the just sentence of which is spiritual and eternal death. However, the gospel is also about how God is not only a God of absolute holiness and perfect justice but also a God of infinite love. Because of God’s infinite love for us, he gave his own Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth in the form of a man and willingly died in our place on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for all our sins. Because Jesus was without sin, he was the only one qualified to die to pay the penalty for our sins. Had there been any other way to save mankind, Jesus wouldn’t have had to die for us.

4. A Summons to Faith and Repentance. The really good news is that God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life is available to all who will accept it.

First, we need to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that he died in our place to pay the penalty for all our sins. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved”2 states the Word of God.

Second, we need to confess our sins to God and ask for his forgiveness. God’s Word also says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”3

Next, we need to repent. That is, we need to turn from sinful and selfish ways to follow God and his ways. Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.”4 That is, we need to turn from sinful and selfish ways and make a commitment of the will, with God’s help, to follow God and his ways.

Fourth, we need to receive Jesus as our Savior. God’s Word says, “To all who received him [Christ], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”5

Admitting and confessing our sins, believing that Jesus died for our sins, inviting him into our lives as Lord and Savior, accepting God’s forgiveness and turning from our sinful ways to live God’s way is what makes us a real Christian. This is what Godspell—God’s good news is all about!

If you have never received Jesus as your savior, for help be sure to read “God’s Invitation” at: http://tinyurl.com/6k49w

To be concluded ….

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your wonderful gospel—for giving your Son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place to pay the penalty for all my sins, and to grant me your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. Please help me to be sure that I have truly accepted Jesus as my Savior and have your forgiveness and gift of eternal life to be with you forever in heaven. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. John 3:16 (NIV). 2. Acts 16:31 (NIV). 3. 1 John 1:9 (NIV). 4. Mark 1:15 (NIV). 5. John 1:12 (NIV).

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Godspell … Part I

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“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”1 Or to put it another way the gospel “is God’s powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven.”2

This Scripture text was written by the Apostle Paul in the first century AD. But what is the gospel that Paul was not ashamed of?

As Webster’s Dictionary explains, the meaning of “gospel” is “Godspell or good news.” It is the good news about God’s salvation plan for mankind. Specifically, as another has said: “The gospel is a message about God, a message about sin, a message about Jesus Christ, and a summons to faith and repentance.”

1. A Message about God. The gospel is not a message about religion. It’s about having a right relationship with God. Religion tends to want to fix us from the outside in. God wants to fix us from the inside out. The first can become an impossible burden. The latter is what brings freedom. Neither is the gospel a set of rules and regulations. It is experiencing God’s divine love, divine acceptance and divine forgiveness—and learning to communicate this to every life we touch.

It helps to realize that God isn’t out to zap us for the wrongs we’ve done. In fact, no matter what we have ever done or have failed to do, God loves us with an everlasting love and has a wonderful purpose for our lives—for this life as well as the next! As Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”3 And again, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”4

2. A Message about Sin. Many people understandably ask, “If there is a God and if he is a God of love, why does he allow so much suffering, sickness and sadness in today’s world? Without sounding too simplistic this is because we have all sinned and separated ourselves from an infinitely holy God.5 It’s not that God left us, but rather, we left God and separated ourselves from him—and from his protection.

Another misconception about God is that he is out to punish us for our sins when, in fact, we bring sin’s punishment on ourselves because sin has its own natural consequences. If we try to break the universal law of gravity, for instance, we can’t. It will break us. Neither can we break God’s universal moral law. When we do, it breaks us, and besides its painful effects in this life—suffering, sorrow, sickness and spiritual death—its ultimate and tragic consequence is eternal death which is separation from a holy God6 in the place the Bible calls hell.

To be continued ….

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, thank you for your wonderful good news that provides hope for all mankind. Please help me to experience your divine love, divine acceptance and divine forgiveness, and in some way communicate this to every life I touch. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’name, amen.”

1. Romans 1:16 (NIV). 2. Romans 1:16 (TLB). 3. John 3:16 (NIV). 4. John 10:10 (TLB). 5. Romans 3:24. 6. Romans 6:23.

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The Baffling Call of God

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Isaiah the ancient prophet wrote, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”1

Another thing I struggled with when I was a young man was how would I know if God was calling me to serve him in a fulltime capacity?

One of the most helpful pieces of advice I received came from Oswald Chambers who described God’s call as being like “the call of the sea to the sailor. Only he who has the nature of the sea within can hear that call.”

In other words, a man who is “called” to be a sailor cannot rest until he launches out to sea—the call is in his heart. And so it is with the call of God. One cannot rest until he/she steps out from the safety of the shore and launches out into what he/she believes God is calling him or her to do.

A good test is: “Are you gifted for what you believe you are being called to do?” As a general rule, although not always, friends who know you well can help you answer this question more realistically.

Another test of God’s call is to try doing in a small way what you feel you are being called to do. For instance, if you feel called to be a teacher, learn a subject well and offer to teach a small class in your church. After practice you will see if you are gifted to teach or not. When I feel I’m being led to do something, I always start in a small way to put it to the test. If it fails, I know it wasn’t from God. However, we may need to test our call several times because nothing that is worthwhile ever comes easily.

Be assured, however, if God has called or led you to do it, he will help you. But we need to do our part too. Once we feel assured that God is calling us, we need to be adequately trained for the work we are called to do. True, we are instruments in God’s hand but it is our responsibility to make and keep the instrument sharp.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, give me the courage to put to the test what I sense you are leading me to do. I’m willing to do what you want me to do … just make it plain to me. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Isaiah 6:8 (NIV).

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Fall In … Live In … Fall Out

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”Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”1

Guess we’ve all heard and maybe experienced falling-in-love at first sight. Sure, it can be exhilarating, but let’s be realistic. It’s really attraction, infatuation, or lust at first sight. How can you possibly love someone without knowing them or anything about them? You can’t. True, attraction can grow into love but more often than not those who fall-in-love too soon, all too soon fall-out-of-love.

And then there are those who, totally neglecting God’s instructions, argue that you should live together before getting married to make sure you are compatible. However, according to James Kennedy, “A recent study challenges the practice of living together ‘before marriage.’ The journal, Demography, reveals that cohabitation ends in separation 90 percent of the time. More than half end in less than one year.”

And “according to lead researcher Daniel Lichter of Cornell University ’Serial cohabitation may be an emerging norm as cohabiting unions form and break up. The common view of cohabitation as a steppingstone to marriage needs to be seriously questioned.’”2

For at least a decade-and-a-half I’ve been teaching in divorce recovery programs and repeatedly I have seen divorcees “fall-in-love” before ever resolving the part they played in the breakup of their marriage. Over and over we recommend that divorcees resolve their issues before ever committing to another permanent relationship, for only healthy, mature people are attracted to and find healthy, mature partners—and develop healthy relationships and marriages.

Also, it is imperative that one gets to know him/herself and their potential partner before ever saying, “I do.” The fact is that if I don’t fully know and understand myself, there is no way I can ever fully know and understand anybody else.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, please help me to grow and mature in every area of life and know and understand myself so that I will be able to know and understand others and therein know how to develop healthy and mature relationships. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Hebrews 13:4 (NIV).
2. James Kennedy, Center for Reclaiming America, cfra@coralridge.org.

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Fathers Needed

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Paul the Apostle wrote, “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”1

Ron Farmer of the University of New South Wales (Australia) Psychology Department said, “Any man seeking too strenuously for recognition in his early adult life was likely to find that neglect of his family unit during that time would lead to an alienation from his wife and children at the time he most needed their affection and understanding.”

As fathers we know we are to provide for our families, but this provision goes far beyond just meeting physical needs. We are to model Christian fatherhood and provide for our families’ spiritual needs. Equally important is to be present for our family and meet their emotional needs, the absence of which is a major cause of family breakdown.

As fathers we need to be emotionally present and connected to our wives and children. However, if we’re not connected to our own emotions and inner self, we cannot be emotionally connected to or intimate with our families or anyone else.

Listening beyond words to what our loved ones are saying and feeling, and accepting, caring, spending quality time with them is all a vital part of providing for our family’s needs. Being present emotionally and spiritually, as well as physically, is critical.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, help me to be connected to my own ‘inner self’ so I can be fully connected to you and my loved ones. Help me to change so my loved ones will never say that I was distant or emotionally uninvolved with them. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. 1 Timothy 5:8 (NIV)

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He Is Risen

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Jerusalem: Easter Sunday. It is sunrise. Jesus is alive. He is risen. He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Click HERE to hear the magnificent “Hallelujah Chorus” from George Frederic Handel’s “Messiah” – sung by the MIT Chamber Chorus1

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The kingdom of this world is become

the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and of His Christ;

and He shall reign for ever and ever

and He shall reign for ever and ever

and He shall reign for ever and ever

and He shall reign for ever and ever

King of Kings,

for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

and Lord of Lords,

for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

King of Kings,

for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

and Lord of Lords,

for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

King of Kings,

for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

and Lord of Lords,

for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,

and He shall reign for ever and ever

and He shall reign for ever and ever

King of Kings

for ever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

and He shall reign for ever and ever,

for ever and ever,

King of Kings,

and Lord of Lords,

King of Kings,

and Lord of Lords,

and He shall reign for ever and ever,

King of Kings,

and Lord of Lords.

• • •

Surely He [Jesus] has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all

(Isaiah 53:4-6, NKJV).

But the angel answered and said to the women [Mary Magdalene and the other Mary], “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you”

(Matthew 28:5-7, NKJV).

• • •

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and received God’s forgiveness for all your sins and his gift of eternal life, why not do that today. For help, read “How to Be Sure You’re a Real Christian” at: http://tinyurl.com/8glq9 or “God’s Invitation” at: http://tinyurl.com/6k49w. This is life’s most important decision. Don’t put it off. Be sure to do it today!

• • •

1. MIT Chamber Chorus’s performance of Hallelujah from Handel’s Messiah. Taken from http://hebb.mit.edu/FreeMusic as seen on http://tinyurl.com/35fdlr

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He Took My Place

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“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”1

According to Doug Batchelor in his book, Broken Chains, “There’s a story about two Filipino brothers, identical twins, who lived in Manila and made their living by driving jeepneys, Filipino taxis.* Though they were twins and had similar jobs, they lived very different lives. One was married and had children; the other was single. Then one day, the married brother accidentally struck and killed a tourist with his taxi. Accused of reckless driving, the twin was sentenced to twenty years in the notorious Manila prison—a devastating fate that would leave his wife and children without an income.

“One day, his twin came to visit him in prison. He said, ‘Brother, your family desperately needs you. Put on my clothes and take my visitor’s pass and I will put on your prison uniform and serve the rest of your sentence. Go to your family.’ So, while the guards were not looking, the twins exchanged clothes, and the married brother walked out of the prison unchallenged. Do you think the twin who was freed could ever stop thinking about the sacrifice that his brother made in trading places with him?”2

Though having limitations it is still a powerful illustration of what Jesus Christ did for you and me at Easter time 2,000 years ago when he exchanged places with you and me and died in our place on the cross of Calvary. He did this out of his great love for us to pay the penalty for all of our sins, so we could be freely forgiven by God and receive his gift of eternal life in Heaven to be with him forever.

If you have never thanked Jesus for dying in your place to pay the penalty for your sins and accepted God’s gift of forgiveness and eternal life, I urge you to do this today. For help please go to http://tinyurl.com/8glq9 or click on the Know God button link below.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, how can I ever thank you enough for your great act of love in giving your Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross, and Jesus, for dying in my place to pay the penalty for all my sins? I believe and, Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Lord and Savior. And because you died for me please help me always to live for you. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

1. John 15:13 (NIV).
2. Doug Batchelor, Broken Chains, Pacific Press 2004.
Cited on WITandWISDOM www.witandwisdom.org.
*Joy has ridden in jeepneys when on a mission trip in the Philippines. Some of these in some of the places are old converted military jeeps.

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