Where’s Your Heart?

October 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment

“This Moses whom they disowned, saying, `WHO MADE YOU A RULER AND A JUDGE?’ is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush. This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel, `GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN.’ This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you. Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him, but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt, SAYING TO AARON, `MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT-WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.’ At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, `IT WAS NOT TO ME THAT YOU OFFERED VICTIMS AND SACRIFICES FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS, WAS IT, O HOUSE OF ISRAEL? YOU ALSO TOOK ALONG THE TABERNACLE OF MOLOCH AND THE STAR OF THE GOD ROMPHA, THE IMAGES WHICH YOU MADE TO WORSHIP. I ALSO WILL REMOVE YOU BEYOND BABYLON.’ (Acts 7:35-43 NASB)

As I sit writing on my iPad this morning, I have been requested to grant several apps permission to track my location. It seems that everything these days wants permission to know where we are. Unfortunately, it is not as easy as it seems. Physical locations are not always congruent with where we are inwardly.

In his last words, Stephen, a deeply committed follower of Christ, challenged his accusers with their own history of disobedience. From Abraham to Moses he gave witness to God’s interaction with the people of God and their own unwillingness to heed His commands. In verses 35-43, Stephen recalls how Moses was called by God to lead the children of God, yet in their hearts they dismissed Moses as their leader.

Beyond their disregard for Moses’ leadership, and their fabrication of a golden calf, they people of God had turned back turned back to Egypt “in their hearts” (v.39). As I read these words, I felt the Holy Spirit requesting permission to determine the location of my heart. Where I am physically does not always coincide with where I am inwardly. This is seen especially in times of uncertainty or seasons of transition. By ‘default’ we will return to the place where we were last ‘settled’, even if it means returning to slavery.

Carefully, consider what’s happening in your heart today. Have you checked out on your leader and returned back to Egypt in your heart? Be careful to understand that God sends us unlikely leaders with undesirable pasts to lead us through uncomfortable situations in order that we may occupy unforeseen lands of opportunity

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The Sphere of Exaltation

October 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

In my quiet time this morning I read the following excerpt from My Utmost for His Highest. It really ministered to me, so I thought I’d post it here.

Be blessed,

P.Allen

The sphere of exaltation

Jesus leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves. Mark 9:2.

We have all had times on the mount, when we have seen things from God’s standpoint and have wanted to stay there; but God will never allow us to stay there. The test of our spiritual life is the power to descend; if we have power to rise only, something is wrong. It is a great thing to be on the mount with God, but a man only gets there in order that afterwards he may get down among the devil-possessed and lift them up. We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle. Spiritual selfishness always wants repeated moments on the mount. We feel we could talk like angels and live like angels, if only we could stay on the mount. The times of exaltation are exceptional, they have their meaning in our life with God, but we must beware lest our spiritual selfishness wants to make them the only time.

We are apt to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching, it is to be turned into something better than teaching, viz., into character. The mount is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something. There is a great snare in asking—‘What is the use of it?’ In spiritual matters we can never calculate on that line. The moments on the mountain top are rare moments, and they are meant for something in God’s purpose.

Chambers, O. (1993). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year (NIV edition.). Westwood, NJ: Barbour and Co.

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Praying With and For Your Kids

September 1, 2010 By 1 Comment

In preparation for our 30 days of Prayer Initiative, the following resource is a great way to begin covering your family in prayer. Take the time this month to pray with and for your children. The impact will be far greater than you can imagine.

Praying With and For Your Kids

  1. Praise God for his Creation. Pray spontaneous prayers of praise when nature’s beauty is so apparent. Point out rainbows and the colors and the fall, springtime flowers with the buzzing bees and the singing birds. Thank God for such a beautiful earth.

  2. Point out answers to prayer and celebrate them with your children. Encourage them to share God ‘s answers to their prayers. When you entertain ministers and missionaries or praying Christians, have them share answers to prayer. Stories are the means by which we pass on God’s active work in history.

  3. Bless your children. When your child is hurting, turn the situation into prayer time. They will never forget the association of pain and prayer. When you are wounded or in despair – pray! It is a life lesson. Bless them. Invite God into their difficulty. Lay gentle parental hands of love on them. Pronounce a Biblical Blessing over them. Read a passage of scripture to them, out of their Bible. Mark it. So they will remember it as a promise from the Lord.

    The Daily Blessing. Invoke Numbers 6:24–26 over your children. “The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

  4. Teach your children about the armor of God. Help them understand that life is a battle. But, we all have been given critical tools that assure us victory. (Eph. 6:10–18)

  5. Establish a family worship time. Create a time when the whole family commits to be together. Worship. Sing. Read Scripture – do that systematically (through the Psalms, or the Gospels, or a Bible Story Book), share needs and pray for one another, take some principle and talk about its meaning. Do this at least once a week.

  6. Lace prayer into family gatherings. Don’t just give a birthday gift and light candles, pray for the birthday child. Bless them. Ask God to guide their lives and help them make a difference in the world. Say, “We thank God for __________, a gift you gave to us. What a wonderful boy/girl s/he is – a gift to us, and a gift to the world.” Have them pray a prayer, “God, thank you for the gift of life … help me live my life to honor you …”

  7. Pray for people in need – on the spot. Ask God to bless at an accident scene. Pray for the homeless you see on the street. When exposed to a problem on the television news – pray, then and there. Spontaneously. Teach your children to pray about everything. Prayer invites a compassionate heart. It keeps us tender. It reminds us that we should care. Life without prayer creates an insulated life that sees tragedies unfold and does nothing.

    8. Make Holidays – Holy Days. Read the Christmas story at Christmas and take time to thank God for the greatest gift of all – the Christ child. Consider a family gift to God, and his work at Christmas. At thanksgiving, pray prayers of thanksgiving!

  8. Prayer-walk your neighborhood. Take a family walk and pray all along the way. Bless the families that live in your neighborhood. Teach your children casual and informal prayer – under the open heaven, as they walk along. Get the video Prayerwalking for Kids from Joey and Fawn Parish.

  9. Pray for City and National Leaders. The National Day of Prayer Task Force wants families to adopt a local, state, or national political leader. In doing so, the family commits to pray for and communicate with this leader for at least one year. Kits are available from NDOP at (800) 444-8828. There is also a wonderful video that teaches children about the 10/40 Window called The 10/40 Window for Children. It is available from Joey and Fawn Parish, 6673 Sora Street, Ventura, CA 93003.

  10. Take your family to prayer events. When the church has a prayer meeting, take your children. When National Day of Prayer gatherings take place on the 1st Thursday of May, take your children. Other similar community prayer events include – PrayUSA!, Praying Through the Window, March for Jesus, the Global Day of Prayer, Meet Me At the Pole, September 11 Prayer Gatherings at the Courthouse, Meet Me At City-Hall. Encourage your children to take part in such prayer events.

  11. Keep a family prayer journal. Record family answers to prayer. Significant spiritual experiences. Promises of God. Make a place for each child. Journal the spiritual experiences, even the struggles and the prayers you pray. What a gift that will make some day. Keep records of missionaries the family has committed to pray for. Make the connection between prayer and people coming to know God. Pray for neighbors. Pray for enemies. Let your kids hear you bless them.

Source: Prayer – the Heartbeat of the Church Resource Guide: P. Douglas Small (Pathway Press: Cleveland, TN; 2008), p. 43.

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It’s Time

January 20, 2010 By 1 Comment

I love the New Years and new beginnings. It offers a set time to initiate change in our lives. It is a beautiful opportunity to draw a line in the sand, making yesterday and yesteryear the past and today a brand new chance at life.

As a part of any new beginning, one of our priorities is to kick bad habits and destructive behaviors. Be it smoking, eating or the like, we all generally have something we want to gain victory over. It is no secret that the rage of online pornography has gripped our society with a death grip. It is destroying marriages, future marriages, and the innocence of our young people.

Listen to these statistics:

These were numbers I pulled from two credible sources in less than 5 minutes. In the last few weeks I have heard of former UN officials being busted in sex stings, a University of Florida staff member being charged for child pornography, and even a PA sheriff accessing pornography from his work computer. Sure, these are all people far away from us, and you’re family is probably different…No, not at all! It’s present in our families, our church, and our community.
Over the last several months I have been promoting an internet filtering software called SafeEyes. It is an annual subscription that offers a variety of filters and protections for your family’s internet usage. If you download it from the company’s site it is just $49.95 per year and is permitted for up to 3 computers. If you use the following coupon code (“tweet10”) you can receive 20% off. This is certainly worth purity of your family.

This program will allow you to:

  • Filter unwanted material from your computer and searches
  • Monitor the activity and usage of those in your household
  • Block certain users from certain programs
  • Establish usage restrictions and time limits
  • And, much more

It’s not to late to get your family on the right track. Let’s take this issue seriously. It is affecting our families, our church, and our community.
If you would like more information, feel free to contact me.

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How Hungry Are You?

December 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

There’s nothing like being a new parent! The bundle of joy, known as your child, brings immense joy to the heart. The innocence of their face, cries, and hands is unexplainable.

Let us not forget…the sleepless nights, deafening cries, and constant diaper changes. What would parenting be without these?!

Though it is fairly early in 2010 and in my parenting role, I am already feeling a great stirring in my heart and life. At a time when the newness of a year and the freshness of life is so tangible, I guess I anticipated more changes in my life and the lives of God’s people. Maybe it’s just me and my heightened sense of the brevity of life at the moment, but I wonder when will we, as God’s people, begin to take our walk with Him seriously.

Granted, Addison has only been with us for a few weeks, but we’ve already made some profound observations about babies:

  1. They cry when they’re hungry, dirty, or neither of the two.
  2. Milk is important!!!
  3. Sleep is a priority!!!
  4. They make a mess, both of themselves and our hearts!

As eager parents, Julie and I have unsuccessfully tried to interrupt sleep in order to get Addison to eat. (Note the word “unsuccessfully”) Despite our desire to feed her for growth, Addison feels her sleep is more important than her milk, which is opposite of our desires. However, when the pain of her personal hunger has exceeded her need for sleep, she successfully feeds her growth.

Personal hunger is the greatest catalyst for spirituality. Despite the numerous attempts of those who desire your personal spiritual growth, nothing fuels your spiritual growth like your hunger for God. I can want it for you. I can attempt to awaken you for it. But it is obtained when you awaken hungry for it yourself.

Jesus has said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matt. 5:6)

Response
How hungry are you? Is your hunger great enough to wake you from your sleep to pursue spiritual growth?

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I Thought I Had Learned That Already

December 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Today’s devo is from another valuable lesson I learned in the last week or so. I guess there’s just so many lessons in life that find the need to be repeated in life. This has been one of them for me. I thought maybe it would help you today.

Aloha,
allen

Thoughts
While I was in college I had a very real encounter with the power of stereotypes and stigmas. After picking up the paper and reading of a mother whose baby had been bitten by a rat during the night, I was infuriated. Without knowing the individual’s financial struggles or physical and socio-economic restrictions, I foolishly categorized her in the worst of parental categories and decency of life.

It wasn’t until I was assigned Jonathan Kazol’s book Amazing Grace, that I began to understand the dynamics of life that I had been sheltered from. People really do go hungry. They really do want to work and will work, but can’t find jobs. These were realities I had not fully considered when it came to the newspaper article.

That was 10 years ago. Recently, I have encountered someone that has challenged my thinking again. Let’s just say that their punctuality wasn’t the greatest and the integrity to their word, as far as timeliness, has been broken on several occasions. In my mind I had written them off from any future dealings.

However, as they completed their project, information surfaced that made me feel like an inconsiderate idiot. The horror of their physical and verbal abuse began to surface. The nights they had spent on the run for their own safety. The fear they had that they would be found. I melted. I had written an entire list of preconceived ideas without ever pausing to consider the external issues the individual was facing.

In Matthew 7 Jesus instructs us to be careful about establishing judgments about someone else. The Amplified version translates it like this:

        DO NOT judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you [use to] deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you. (Matt. 7:1-2)

It was a lesson I have heard, preached, and learned (so I thought). But it was one that I had forgotten to practice. Even though you may have learned it too, don’t forget to practice it today.

Application
Have you ever learned a lesson that you forgot to practice?

When have you past a critical judgment on someone without knowing their entire situation?

Is there someone in your life that perhaps you need to get to know more so that you can better understand their story?

Prayer
Father,

Thank You for Your grace and forgiveness. How foolish I have been to pass judgment on someone that I knew nothing about. I thought I had learned my lesson before, but You have shown me just how far I have to go. Please continue to refine me through these valuable lessons. Along the way, I ask for Your grace and mercy so that others are not hurt by my foolishness.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Regard Relationships and Responsibility

December 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Here’s the second devo in the Before You Go Home series. I pray you are checked by it and recognize your role in the bigger picture.

Though Christianity is not about you, it contains you! Therefore, regard your relationships and responsibility.

Aloha,
allen

Thoughts
Perhaps, you have heard the stir in the media in the last few days concerning Tiger Woods’ auto accident. His otherwise clean record has been the topic of quite a few mud throwing contests. (And to be clear, this is not another one!) While his wife Elin was probably not the club-swinging spouse they’ve created her to be, some of the underlying stories might be truer than we once believed.

In Tiger’s public apology this morning, one of sport’s greatest poster children referenced his ‘transgressions’ and repeatedly requested privacy. Anyone who has ever made a mistake understands what a respectable and noble request Tiger is presenting. Unfortunately, what none of us can ignore, including Tiger, is that it is just not that easy. Our lives, whether on an international level or familial level, are lived in relationships with other people and those relationships present responsibility.

John Mark had to learn a similar lesson. When he chose to desert Paul and Barnabas on the missionary trail, he wasn’t making an independent decision. He was making a choice that would affect his relationships, mission, and community.

Paul is very clear about the unity that must exist among the body of Christ. In Ephesians 4 he writes extensively about striving for unity in the body of Christ. As individual members within the body, we must regard relationships and responsibility. Our choice to return to a former lifestyle, addiction, or a physical place for the sake of ourselves is detrimental to the body of Christ.

With all due respect, Tiger is not going to receive ultimate privacy just because he made some bad choices. His choices have impacted families, fans, and financial sponsorships. There’s no quick return to anonymity because it’s uncomfortable. It is relationships and responsibility. Before you choose to go home, make sure you regard them; Your life is not independent of them.

Application
How should the media and his fans handle Tiger Woods’ circumstances? (Ignore it, Explore it, Acknowledge it, etc.)

How do our individual actions impact our relationships and responsibilities in the Body of Christ?

Has there been a time when you chose to go home and the Kingdom suffered for it?

Prayer
Father,

I pray first for Tiger and his family. We all know the devastation that our actions can cause. Uplift his family and use this time to draw him closer to you. Second, help me to realize just how important I am to the body of Christ. My actions and decisions are crucial to the Kingdom. When temptation assails me, keep me steady on You. May I not rush to what is comfortable and easy. Rather, keep me connected and committed to You mission.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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It’s Worth Living For

December 1, 2009 By 2 Comments

I pray that your Thanksgiving holiday and weekend went well. I realize it’s a busy time for us all. Family and friends are great, but it sure gets to be exhausting. :)

This week we will be recapping Sunday’s message Before You Go Home. Taken from Acts 13:13, we’ll focus on the temptations we face to go home. Whether it is the change of the weather, the time of the year, or just a difficult situation, there are times when we just want to go home. Young Mark bailed on his missionary journey with Paul and Barnabas to go home. Be it a return to addictions or to a comfortable lifestyle, we all face the temptation to give up on our mission and go where things are familiar, safe and comfortable.

Before You Go Home there are some things you should consider…

Aloha,
allen

Thoughts
The following ad once appeared in a London newspaper: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful.”

The ad was signed by Sir Ernest Shackleton, Antarctic explorer.

Amazingly, the ad drew thousands of respondents, eager to sacrifice everything for the prospect of meaningful adventure.

[Today In The Word, August, 1989, p. 33.]

The mission that Paul, Barnabas, and John Mark were on was the greatest mission in history. Set apart by the Holy Spirit they were engaging heathen nations with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Despite opposition and opinions, the trio were seeing people come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Nevertheless, for reasons unknown, Mark chose to abort his mission and return home. Some have suggested that the journey was too demanding for him. Others think that a transition in leadership focus from Barnabas (John Mark’s cousin) to Paul was the reason. Whatever the reason, Paul felt that Mark deserted them (Ac. 15:38) and found it difficult to allow him back on the team a couple of years later.

Mark’s aborted mission challenges us to consider our mission and its significance. If your mission isn’t worth persevering THROUGH, you do not have a mission worth living FOR. I am sure the suffering, resistance, and persecution that Paul and Barnabas endured made it challenging at times. Yet, they found their high calling (Phil. 3:12-14) to be worth their suffering.

Like Mark, there will be times in life when major pulls will be made to just go home. Whether it is leadership changes or just the cuddly comforts of the familiar, we all face the temptation to abandon responsibility and maturity and return home. We often forfeit spiritual growth, marriages, financial responsibility, etc. for addictions, strongholds, mediocrity, and comfort. In such cases, perhaps we are living with the wrong mission in mind. If your marriage is centered on your comfort rather than God’s character, it will always be easier to abort your mission. If your financial structure is based upon your desires rather than Godly stewardship, there will always be reasons to go home. However, if you’re living for the mission of Christ, it’s worth persevering through!

Application
What missions have you found worth persevering through? (weight loss, parenting, etc.)

When are you most likely to abort your mission and go home? (difficulties, change of seasons, etc.)

What mission are you living for today? Is it worth persevering through?

Prayer
Father,

May we all received and accept the divine calling that Paul and Barnabas engaged in. They found the trials and temptations worthy of their persistence and resistance. They stayed the mission rather than going home. They didn’t desert the Gospel for addictions or comforts. They disciplined themselves and completed their mission. May I have that same persistence in my faith. May You become my mission!

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Identity, Labels, and Purpose

November 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

As I sat to write this morning’s devo, one paragraph morphed into an entirely different thought pattern. It is my hopes that today’s devo will better explain what I sought to share on Sunday. However, you will have to pay close attention to my line of thought to grasp the essence of what I find in Acts 11:19-26. Prayerfully take your time through today’s devo. It’s challenging and changing.

Aloha,
Allen

Thoughts
For a period in middle/high school I was desperate for a nickname. I longed for identity and wanted a nickname that made me unique and/or special. Clearly, it was my struggle to find my purpose and place in a big world. Unfortunately, I fear the struggle was/is not limited to me. And, an even greater fear is that it doesn’t always end after high school.

Throughout life we seek labels, categories, hobbies, sports, and possessions to define our purpose and identity. Many have adopted the label ‘Christian‘ because it gives them a category in which to identify themselves. However, categories, nicknames, and labels do not give us our identity. While they may stem from our identity, it is our identity that gives us our purpose and our purpose warrants labels.

When the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch, it was not because they went to Antioch to find themselves or that they desired a nickname for themselves. The disciples went to Antioch with an identity and they were committed to being who they were. They had been radically transformed by Christ and were empowered witnesses of the things they had seen and heard concerning Him. In the end, they were labeled because of their identity and not because they were in search of their identity.

Each week churches are filled with people seeking purpose for their lives. In the process, they adopt a nickname, Christian, in hopes that their new label will give them their identity. Thus, we have created a culture of referring to ourselves by a label, namely Christian, in hopes that we will find our identity. While there’s nothing wrong with the label Christian, it does not give us our identity nor does it impart into us our purpose.

In Antioch, known as the second wickedest city of its day, the disciples were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). Thankfully they were not waiting for a title to give them their identity or purpose. Rather, they knew who they were (witnesses of the transforming grace of Jesus Christ), lived their lives with that purpose in mind, and were given a label that characterized their mission. We must note that their label did not dictate their mission or purpose. Purpose flows from our identity.

It is interesting to see that the label we cling to is used only three times in the New Testament (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16). Perhaps, our struggle in American churches is not so much that the world is so unacceptable of our label. Maybe our struggle is that we are more concerned with our label than we are about our identity and purpose. You can call me what you want, but it doesn’t change who I am.

Application
Have you ever allowed a label to determine your identity?

If identity gives us our purpose, what should we be more passionate about: discovering who we are or defending what people call us?

Are you called a Christian because you are fulfilling your purpose as a witness of Jesus Christ’s transformation (identity)? Or because you are seeking to gain your purpose from the label?

Prayer
Father,

I have been so challenged by today’s thought. Thinking back over my life, I have desired a label that would impart identity and meaning in my life. All along You have desired to reveal who I am in You. Who I am in You answers the question, “Why I exist?” Today, I long to delve into understanding who I am in order that I may find out why I exist. While a label may describe that, it cannot impart that. May the world call me a Christian because I am being who I am.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Hand of the Lord

November 18, 2009 By Leave a Comment

As I made my way to the office this morning, I was greeted with a beautiful rainbow. It seemed to be just the reminder I needed. That gentle nudge that says, “I am in control of all situations in your life today.” Regardless of what you’re going through today, Remember that our God is seated above the earth and above your situation. Hold on to His promises and unfailing love. May you enjoy today’s thought about the significance of His hand in our lives.

Aloha,
allen

Thoughts
Just prior to moving to the islands in 2001, I encountered Ezra 7. On multiple occasions within this chapter the author makes the remark that “the hand of the Lord” was with Ezra. Ultimately, it became the topic of my first sermon in Hawaii. :)

Just a few weeks ago, prior to preparing for Acts 11, I revisited those words of Ezra 7. This simple phrase has been a source of strength and encouragement to me over the years. I will never be able to adequately or appropriately describe what it means for the “hand of the Lord” to be with us or upon us. I am not sure that entire commentaries could describe the blessings, favor, and strength that are contained within those few short verses.

Nevertheless, here’s what I do understand about the hand of the Lord in Scripture:

  • It is not always for or with, but sometimes against. (Ex. 9:3, Dt. 2:15)

                - As seen in the Israelites struggle with Pharaoh and the Egyptians, God’s hand is not always just for or with His people, but can also be against those unwilling to submit to His ways. In this sense His hand is the antithesis of what it suggests in Acts 11:21 and the passages mentioned below.

  • It is associated with God’s favor. (Ez. 7:8)

                - From Ezra to the disciples in Acts 11, there is a divine favor associated with God’s hand. When His hand is mentioned to be with, on, or for someone it generally speaks of His presence and blessings upon them. In Ezra’s case, the king granted him everything he had requested for the work of the Lord in Jerusalem.

  • It is a sign (or source) of God’s strength. (Ps. 118:15,16)

                - The psalmist and others identified the hand of the Lord with God’s power. In Psalm 118 the Lord’s right hand “does valiantly.” In this particular psalm, the psalmist recognizes discipline and difficulties without denying the staying power of the Lord’s hand.

  • It is an active part of one’s ministry. (cf. Ezra 7, Ezekiel 1, Acts 11)

                - One cannot read the accounts of Ezra, Ezekiel, or the disciples in Antioch and without acknowledging the connection between the “hand of the Lord” and their ministry. Of the references to the “hand of the Lord” in Scripture, no individual is as frequently connected to the term as is the prophet Ezekiel. It’s as if his ministry depended upon the “hand of the Lord” (tongue in cheek). Or as if the disciples’ ministry depended upon it. Or Ezra’s ministry depended…

I suppose you’re beginning to catch the gist. We must have the hand of the Lord with, on, and for us. None of us are able to stand without it. It testifies of our God’s favor, strength, and ministry in our lives.

Application
Of the associated passages referring to the “hand of the Lord” which do you feel most prevalent in this season of your life?

Have you ever experienced the wrath of having God’s hand against you? Why? What was it like?

If you haven’t already, ask God to place His hand upon you and lead you into the ministry He has for you today.

Prayer
Father,

I desire Your hand upon me. Today I have seen yet again what it means to have Your hand upon me. You grant unto me strength, favor, and fruitfulness with Your hand. In my life I long to see others come to know You. May You place Your hand upon me as I yield myself to You.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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