Magnified Ministry

Josh 4:14  On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

Paul said, I magnify my office. Here, the Lord magnifies Joshua before the people, as He did Moses.

A leader has to come across as larger than life, while at the same time, bearing a mantle of humility and servanthood.

It is expected that a leader by smart, talented, decisive and wise. They must come across as in control, omniscient and able to leap tall communion tables in a single bound.

But they dare not over assert these magnified qualities or they may be seen as hard, uncaring, better-than-thou, unapproachable, and "all that."

Welcome to the blessings of leadership. Very few start out desiring to be the big fish living in the fishbowl. But, because they have been tapped on the shoulder and called to lead, it falls upon them to mount the white steed and charge into battle as the obvious target. Not only does the enemy seek to take the general out, but sometimes, even those behind, tend to take potshots at the trailblazer’s backside.

Of such is management. At times, it can be like having incontinence in a dark suit. You get a warm feeling but nobody notices. Your feelings and personal needs take a backseat to those of the followers, who often ask, what have you done for me lately?

James said, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. Indeed, leadership has its crosses to bear.

But it is God Who will magnify His leaders so that the people will recognize their need to follow, support, pray, work and produce.

Leaders, stay humble, serve and lead well. Followers, be good soldiers, submit to your godly leaders, for one day, they will give an account for you. Make sure they can do it with joy.

Free at Last, Free at Last, Thank God Almighty, I’m Free at Last!

Today is Martin Luther King Day. Having reread Romans 8 today in my devotions, I have decided to repost this blog. Rejoice and take rest in these thoughts.

Romans 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

Oh, Hallelujah! The work of the cross of Christ is so absolutely complete, the blood so overwhelmingly efficacious that the believer who is following Christ walks scot free!

The lawyerly Apostle Paul lays out the case of the believer’s innocence out so efficiently, elegantly and even dramatically that even OJ's Dream Team would be reduced to admiring tears.

Chapter 7 closes with utter frustration. The apostle finds himself crying out in desperation, "Oh wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" He had just expressed the infighting of his dichotomous nature; the flesh verses the spirit, the old nature battling the new. It almost hurts to read aloud Romans 7:15-20. We take solace that if this inward battle ravaged the greatest Christian life ever lived, then we know that we pusillanimous believers are in good company.

However, the final lines of chapter 7 introduce us to the majesty of the Bible’s Mount Everest chapter, Romans 8.

Here is the inkling: Rom 7:25  I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I 

myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

A Savage war exists within our members but Jesus Christ our Lord be thanked for dropping the capital charges that were against us, allowing us to savor the free air of complete exoneration.

Legalists will do their best to draw you back into their guilt-ridden world of do's and don’ts, thou shalts and thou shalt nots. Their extreme misery desires wretched company.

But those living to please their Savior through loving relationship no longer take each step with an eye on their past and wondering when the hammer is going to fall.

Clean, forgiven, unshackled, uncondemned! That is how eternity, from the moment of salvation and going forward, is meant to be for the blood-washed child of God.

Are you still looking over your shoulder toward an ungodly past? Are you hopelessly struggling against your ever-resurrecting flesh?

Stop warring and start enjoying the winning that is already yours. As Jesus often said to those He touched and healed, "Go and sin no more." Did they ever sin again? Of course. But then, one must realize his/her error, the blood's power, complete forgiveness and move on, uncondemned once again.  

From Don Francisco:

Sittin' by my window on a rainy afternoon
Everything inside my head was playin' out of tune
I was thinkin' of the fool I'd made of me the night before
In front of God and everyone I'd sinned and sinned some more.

I thought of all the things I'd done, I winced at things I'd said
I wallowed in self-pity, I hung my worried head
Right when I was so far down that even up looked wrong
That's when Jesus gave to me the chorus of this song.

He said, "Satan the Accuser has been whisperin' in your ear"
You just tell him you're forgiven and he's got no business here
'Cause it doesn't matter what you've done
It matters what you'll be
There is no condemnation when the Son has set you free.

Now I could say that right away the sun burst through the clouds
And I just started singin' on the chorus right out loud
But actually I moped around and blew another day
Before I let myself accept the words I'd heard Him say.
He said, "Satan the Accuser has been whisperin' in your ear"
You just tell him you're forgiven and he's got no business here
'Cause it doesn't matter what you've done
It matters what you'll be
There is no condemnation when the Son has set you free.
 

So I can't criticize you now if you want to take your time
And cling to all your problems just the way I clung to mine
But now you've got the answer Jesus wanted you to know
He'll take your sin and guilt away if you'll just let them go. 

He said, "Satan the Accuser has been whisperin' in your ear"
You just tell him you're forgiven and he's got no business here
'Cause it doesn't matter what you've done
It matters what you'll be
There is no condemnation when the Son has set you free.

The Children of Israel and ADD

Ex 32:1  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Silly people, they knew the Mount was filled with God's glory. It wasn't too long before that lightenings, thunders and earthquakes resulted from the advent of the Lord upon the mountain. They had seen the Shekinah glory of the Lord on Moses' face after meeting God there. They had witnessed the feet of the Almighty treading upon a sapphire sidewalk. Now this!!!

Their gaze toward the mountain reminded them of the true God, but looking at 5 weeks without a leader, surrounded by desert caused them to doubt, then fear, then commit idolatry. "Aaron, make us a golden calf so we have something to worship!" And what is up with Aaron? Talk about a people-pleasing, lily-livered, sorry excuse for a back-up! "Give me your jewelry and let me see what I can come up with. There you go, your new god, which brought you up out of Egypt. Yeppers, folks, let me make an altar for you to dance before your holy cow." 

Instead of Ritalin to help with their ADD, Moses ground the idol to powder and shoved it down their throats!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it's off to Work I Go!

Filled with the Spirit for Work

Exodus 31:2  See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 3  And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4  To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5  And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

Rising early, knocking off a couple of cups of Joe, kissing the spouse goodbye and heading off down to the plant or the office could possibly be one of the most spiritual things you do.

Bezaleel was filled with the Spirit of God as a metal worker. Sure, it was to build the house of God, but isn’t that what you are doing with the tithe from your paycheck? Isn’t that what you are doing as you testify for the Lord at work? God has a work for each of us to do and it is a spiritual work. It may not be to preach from behind a pulpit or to traverse land and sea in missions work. The fact is, your secular job is seen as holy work, meant to minister to others and bless God.

Besides that, your job requires that you be filled with the Holy Spirit. You need joy, love, longsuffering, goodness, self-control, peace at work more than anywhere else. You need witnessing power on the job as much as when you are on visitation. Your job needs wisdom and grace and strength that a Spirit-filled believer affords.

Perhaps you have been looking at what you do from 9 to 5 as a curse, a way to keep food on the table and a roof overhead. But really, your job is your ministry for God and deserves your best, which comes only when the Spirit empowers you to operate in a realm above and beyond your powers.

Lord, fill us with your Spirit for what you have for us to do today. Lead us, empower us, use us. Thank you for the sweetness and power of Your Holy Ghost. In Jesus' name, Amen!

God's Sidewalk

Ex 24:10  And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

This is quite a contrast. The people are immersed in a land of incongruity. The Sinai desert is a wilderness of uneven, barren, rocky, uninhabitable wasteland. Each step of man and beast is an unwelcome intrusion upon an inhospitable topography. 

Suddenly, they are granted the gift of a vision of the Lord. Order invades Sinai's disorder. Beauty transcends drabness. Glory suspends endless monotony.

The Lord is seen walking upon pavement, a sidewalk of sapphire, bluer than the heavens on a brilliant day.

As awestruck as the Jews were in the wilderness at this rare sight, I am struck that the glorious God of heaven invades my day's dreariness with adorning jewels of joy. Heaven's glory floods my soul in the midst Satan's minefield of monotony. Bountiful beauty He gives in exchange for the ashes of burned-over boredom. He has appointed the oil of joy for my morning mourning. He clothes me with the garment of praise in place of the heavy heart which threatens to plunder another precious day.

All the Jews needed was to look up toward the mount to see an incredible sight which would transform their wilderness wandering into heavenly wonder. All I need to do is look unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

Why is my soul downcast? Because my eyes are on the desert, an endless vista of hopelessness. But when I gaze upon the Lord, I can see His rainbow wrapped shoulders as He sits ensconced on His emerald throne composed of heaven. I note that the earth is his footstool. His eyes of fire captivate my vision, His feet of brass I kneel to embrace. His girdle of gold adorning His brilliant white robe shines to dispel my darkness.

I see upon His thigh the name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords and I join with the 6-winged seraphs, the two dozen elders and a quartet of beasts in ceaseless praise, crying Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 

Though I plod through today's vale of sorrow, my spirit is seated in the heavenlies beholding the God of glory.

Oh, where shall my eyes be fixed today? Upon earth's dismal desert or upon Heaven's happy splendor?