"One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house." (Genesis 39:11,12)
There is an environment in which sexual temptations thrive, it is called privacy. For most people, it is impossible to yield to sexual sins when people are present. That is why, even with the prevalence of sexual sins in the society, it is hard to find people committing it on the streets. Under normal circumstances, adultery and fornication are usually private affairs, done behind closed doors. A certain measure of secrecy and privacy are required. Christians who engage in sexual sins, usually hide to do it. They keep secret relationships. They go to secret places where they feel they cannot be exposed.
In our text today, Joseph found himself in an uncomfortable situation of privacy. None of the servants were inside. He was alone with Potiphar's wife. This situation exacerbated the sexual temptation and provided room for false accusation. Joseph did the right thing. He fled the place immediately.
This truth could also be one of strong defense against sexual sin. Deliberately avoid situations of privacy that can lead to it or create opportunity for false accusations. It means you should avoid being alone, as much as you can, with another member of the opposite sex, who is not your spouse. Make it a life policy to avoid being behind closed doors with such people. If you are in a relationship with someone or even engaged, make your meetings private but in public. Avoid going to each other's houses when no one else is there.
Avoid secret relationships. If you are not proud of your relationship enough to reveal it to your pastors, church and family, it is not worth it. The privacy will hurt you. Avoid traveling together alone and staying in the same hotel. Such arrangements create the perfect opportunity for either sexual sins or false accusations. This is just practical wisdom. If you find yourself in such a situation unwittingly, then do what Joseph did, leave the place in a hurry. You will be protecting your calling in God.
Decision of the Day
I understand that sexual sins and false accusations require some form of privacy. So, to avoid falling into these, I will manage the people I allow myself to be behind closed doors with. I will guard against meeting or traveling alone with people of the opposite sex to the best of my effort. I will avoid secret relationships and intimate discussions without boundaries, with people of the opposite sex. If I find myself in such situations, I will leave the environment, stop the relationship, or end the conversation immediately. I will protect my calling in God.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
May 20: Who is More Persistent - the Devil or You?
"And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her." (Gen 39:10).
There is this story of a woman who was known for being very positive about everything and everyone. She would never say a bad word about anyone, but would always find something good to say about people, even those that others considered bad. One day, some people were talking about her and her positive attitude. One of them said, "I bet if we asked her about the devil, she would even find something good to say about him." They decided to try. They asked her, "What do you think about the devil? She replied, "I'll say this for him, he's very persistent. He never stops trying"
If it is ever right to ask you to emulate something from the devil, it would be his persistent nature.Wouldn't it be wonderful if God's people were as persistent in evangelism, loving others, spreading God's agenda, persuading people, in prayer, in reading and acting on the word as Satan is in spreading his own agenda, tempting and corrupting people. Satan never relents, give up or rest. He is ever looking for opportunities to carry out his evil agenda. When he sniffs a lead or spots and opening, he will follow it to the very end. When he gets a foothold in a person's life, he wouldn't stop until he makes every effort to possess the person. Then he will persist until he gets their family and when he gets a family, he will fight to keep them from generation to generation.
This strategy of persistence can be seen in our text today. Potiphar's wife, influenced by Satan, did not ask Joseph for sex once. She kept on asking him everyday. We are not told the number of days but we can be sure it was enough days to make a less resolute saint give in to her advances. This is satan's strategy: to keep repeating a temptation, a suggestion, a method of attack without letting, until he wears you down and you give up or give in.
When satan tempted Jesus in Luke 4, it was said that, "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." (vs 13). Even though Jesus resisted him and overcame his multiple temptations at that time, the devil still planned to be back when an opportunity showed up.
The lesson for us in this? Don't think because you just experienced victory over a temptation from satan today, that he's not coming back. He is still coming back with the same temptation in another form. He is still coming back to try and get you back into that habit you just broke. The temptation for drugs, a drink, depression, illicit sex, pornography, to curse etc is still coming. The sickness you got healed of will still try to return. The bondage you were prayed for about that got broken will still try to wrap its chains around you again. Jesus even said, when demons are cast out, they will come back to the house they left to see if there's still space for them and their pals.
"When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." (Matt 12:43-45)
Be prepared. Resistance cannot be a past thing. It should be continual because the battle is a continual one. Whatever you have faced in the past, you will face again. It came as a lion and a bear before. Next it will come as a Goliath. The good thing is that if you have developed your slinging skills in dealing with the lion and the bear, Goliath is just a way to show others how to get a-head in life.
Is there a persistent temptation in your life? Something that keeps coming day after day like the seduction of Potiphar's wife? It might be a guy or girl always pressuring you for sex or an acquaintance with unceasing enticement to compromise your values. Don't let it wear you down. Don't give in because of its persistence. Keep resisting. Remember the injunction of Peter.
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. " (1 Peter 5:8,9)
Don't forget also, that attack is the best method of resistance and defense. Rather than wait for the devil to keep coming with his attack, get him busy defending himself by taking the battle to his gates. Be a persistent torment to his kingdom by staying in the word and taking the gospel to the lost. He can't handle people with such attitudes.
Decision of the Day
I understand that the devil is persistent. He will keep coming day after day with the same temptations in order to trip me. I will not relent in my resistance. My victory yesterday does not guarantee victory today. I must continually depend on God, persisting in resisting, staying in His word and being on the offensive. Victory is mine in Christ.
There is this story of a woman who was known for being very positive about everything and everyone. She would never say a bad word about anyone, but would always find something good to say about people, even those that others considered bad. One day, some people were talking about her and her positive attitude. One of them said, "I bet if we asked her about the devil, she would even find something good to say about him." They decided to try. They asked her, "What do you think about the devil? She replied, "I'll say this for him, he's very persistent. He never stops trying"
If it is ever right to ask you to emulate something from the devil, it would be his persistent nature.Wouldn't it be wonderful if God's people were as persistent in evangelism, loving others, spreading God's agenda, persuading people, in prayer, in reading and acting on the word as Satan is in spreading his own agenda, tempting and corrupting people. Satan never relents, give up or rest. He is ever looking for opportunities to carry out his evil agenda. When he sniffs a lead or spots and opening, he will follow it to the very end. When he gets a foothold in a person's life, he wouldn't stop until he makes every effort to possess the person. Then he will persist until he gets their family and when he gets a family, he will fight to keep them from generation to generation.
This strategy of persistence can be seen in our text today. Potiphar's wife, influenced by Satan, did not ask Joseph for sex once. She kept on asking him everyday. We are not told the number of days but we can be sure it was enough days to make a less resolute saint give in to her advances. This is satan's strategy: to keep repeating a temptation, a suggestion, a method of attack without letting, until he wears you down and you give up or give in.
When satan tempted Jesus in Luke 4, it was said that, "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." (vs 13). Even though Jesus resisted him and overcame his multiple temptations at that time, the devil still planned to be back when an opportunity showed up.
The lesson for us in this? Don't think because you just experienced victory over a temptation from satan today, that he's not coming back. He is still coming back with the same temptation in another form. He is still coming back to try and get you back into that habit you just broke. The temptation for drugs, a drink, depression, illicit sex, pornography, to curse etc is still coming. The sickness you got healed of will still try to return. The bondage you were prayed for about that got broken will still try to wrap its chains around you again. Jesus even said, when demons are cast out, they will come back to the house they left to see if there's still space for them and their pals.
"When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation." (Matt 12:43-45)
Be prepared. Resistance cannot be a past thing. It should be continual because the battle is a continual one. Whatever you have faced in the past, you will face again. It came as a lion and a bear before. Next it will come as a Goliath. The good thing is that if you have developed your slinging skills in dealing with the lion and the bear, Goliath is just a way to show others how to get a-head in life.
Is there a persistent temptation in your life? Something that keeps coming day after day like the seduction of Potiphar's wife? It might be a guy or girl always pressuring you for sex or an acquaintance with unceasing enticement to compromise your values. Don't let it wear you down. Don't give in because of its persistence. Keep resisting. Remember the injunction of Peter.
"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. " (1 Peter 5:8,9)
Don't forget also, that attack is the best method of resistance and defense. Rather than wait for the devil to keep coming with his attack, get him busy defending himself by taking the battle to his gates. Be a persistent torment to his kingdom by staying in the word and taking the gospel to the lost. He can't handle people with such attitudes.
Decision of the Day
I understand that the devil is persistent. He will keep coming day after day with the same temptations in order to trip me. I will not relent in my resistance. My victory yesterday does not guarantee victory today. I must continually depend on God, persisting in resisting, staying in His word and being on the offensive. Victory is mine in Christ.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
May 18: When He Ran from Free Sex, He Was Running Toward His Dream
"... Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he refused. "With me in charge," he told her, "my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?" And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her. One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, "Come to bed with me!" But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house." (Genesis 39:7-12)
Some crave it and hope for opportunities to engage in it. Some pay precious dollars for just a moment of it. Some spend huge chunks of their time, scheming for another bout of it. But how about this single, handsome, full-blooded hunk, Joseph, who had it offered to him on a platter of gold, but instead of taking up the offer, took off his sandals and ran away as if from a poisonous snake?
Imagine the situation. A beautiful wealthy woman found him attractive enough to ask him for sex. A slave would conquer his wealthy master's wife. Isn't that one of the fantasies of slaves. She did not ask him once, but persisted day after day, probably with some seductive maneuvers and sexy dressing. She finally made a move and grabbed him when no one was around to see. Secrecy was assured. No other human would know of the affair. It would be their special secret. It held the promise of a fun, steamy affair, something Joseph could make a pastime, maybe a staple to relief sexual tensions. After all, he was a single young man.
Despite all these, Joseph refused to yield. He fled the scene. What made him run? A man only runs from danger and destruction. What did Joseph know about illicit sex that we have missed in our days? The answer is in the text.
1. Indulging in it would hurt people that trusted him. Joseph knew it would be a betrayal of the trust of his earthly master, Potiphar, if he yielded to the temptation. Isn't that how it goes. A single sexual compromise can destroy important relationships that you have spent years to build. Spouses get hurt. Children lose respect. A minister can destroy years of work through one act of indiscretion. Public officials lose respect and positions built over years by one act.
2. Indulging in it would be a betrayal of the trust of his heavenly master, God. Joseph feared God. He knew that God would see everything. He understood that sin is noticed by God and it is always judged. It might be a secret affair for now before men, but it is no secret to God and God will judge. Sin will always be exposed. Sin will always trap the sinner. Your sin will find you out. It might take years, but the equation will balance out. Recompense will come. And it usually comes when it will do the greatest harm. Joseph probably knew that from the experience of Dinah his older sister who was never counted as one of the children of Israel and received no blessing after her sexual indiscretions. Joseph knew that yielding to the pleasure now would be the end of his dreams. He would have died as a slave or prisoner.
Sexual sins have great consequences. They are not just things to be swept under the carpet. They steal destinies and destroy lives. If you are being tempted right now. Take the route Joseph took. Leave your things and get out of the door fast. Flee! End the tempting relationship. Run away from the affair. Stop going to the place of temptation. Fleeing sexual sin is the same as running toward your dreams in God. So run.
Decision of the Day
I understand that sexual sin hurt other, God and me. It destroys destinies and kills dreams. I will flee like Joseph did. I will not vaporize the great destiny awaiting me in the palace through a few minute of illicit pleasure.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
May 13: A Door to the Heart
"...Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, and after a while his master's wife took notice of Joseph and said, "Come to bed with me!"
Doors are part of our daily existence. We lock them to keep unwanted people out and open them to let welcomed people in. With doors we protect the precious treasures in our houses or cars. Now we even add extra layers of security to alert us or the authorities if they are opened by the wrong people.
There are however other doors in your life. Doors that open and shut to receive or reject what seeks to enter into your heart. There are two doors to your heart. Your eyes and ears. The opening and closing of them protects or exposes the heart. Today, our focus is the eye.
Potiphar's wife took notice of Joseph and from then the process of lust began. She set her eyes on him and lust was triggered in her heart. Sin usually starts with the eye. Think of the temptations that have come into your life as a result of something you saw or noticed: a movie scene, a picture, a certain person or situation your eyes happened to catch notice of. Your eyes snaps the picture as the efficient camera it is. It then passes it to the mind which faithfully begins to process the picture in the imagination, and if nothing is done, what you see becomes a reality in your life.
This was what happened to David. "One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite...Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her...Then she went back home.The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant." ( 2 Samuel 11:2-5)
What began with David's eyes, led to lust, adultery, murder and eventually chaos in David's family and kingdom.
Knowing the working of the eye, you ought to use it with caution. It must be trained and made to avoid scenes that could trigger sin. It must be trained to gaze on things that can enhance your life. It must learn to gaze on pure beauty, excellence, virtue, inspiring and godly things. It must be trained to turn from sight that seed the sinful nature to the ones that brings the best out of you.
We should imitate Job who said, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman." (Job 31:1).That was a wise choice. David probably learned his lesson when he said, "I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it." (Psalm 101:3).
Have your eyes been tripping you lately? Has this door of your heart been left ajar to let in anything and anyone? It is time to guard your heart and your life by closing the door. Let your eyes be single and fill your body with light. Let your eyes look straight on without wandering. Clean your house of offensive sights. Turn off the T.V shows that impassion you wrongly. Take a walk and take in the beauty of nature. Watch things that inspire you to excellence. Keep your heart with diligence. Always remember the exhortation, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it...Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you." (Proverbs 4:23,25)
Decision of the Day
I will watch the seeds planted in my heart through my eyes. I will guard my heart and my life by being discriminative in what I watch. If my eyes catch the wrong things, I will immediately adjust my gaze. I will feed my eyes with godly and excellent things.
Doors are part of our daily existence. We lock them to keep unwanted people out and open them to let welcomed people in. With doors we protect the precious treasures in our houses or cars. Now we even add extra layers of security to alert us or the authorities if they are opened by the wrong people.
There are however other doors in your life. Doors that open and shut to receive or reject what seeks to enter into your heart. There are two doors to your heart. Your eyes and ears. The opening and closing of them protects or exposes the heart. Today, our focus is the eye.
Potiphar's wife took notice of Joseph and from then the process of lust began. She set her eyes on him and lust was triggered in her heart. Sin usually starts with the eye. Think of the temptations that have come into your life as a result of something you saw or noticed: a movie scene, a picture, a certain person or situation your eyes happened to catch notice of. Your eyes snaps the picture as the efficient camera it is. It then passes it to the mind which faithfully begins to process the picture in the imagination, and if nothing is done, what you see becomes a reality in your life.
This was what happened to David. "One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, "She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite...Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her...Then she went back home.The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, "I am pregnant." ( 2 Samuel 11:2-5)
What began with David's eyes, led to lust, adultery, murder and eventually chaos in David's family and kingdom.
Knowing the working of the eye, you ought to use it with caution. It must be trained and made to avoid scenes that could trigger sin. It must be trained to gaze on things that can enhance your life. It must learn to gaze on pure beauty, excellence, virtue, inspiring and godly things. It must be trained to turn from sight that seed the sinful nature to the ones that brings the best out of you.
We should imitate Job who said, "I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a young woman." (Job 31:1).That was a wise choice. David probably learned his lesson when he said, "I will not look with approval on anything that is vile. I hate what faithless people do; I will have no part in it." (Psalm 101:3).
Have your eyes been tripping you lately? Has this door of your heart been left ajar to let in anything and anyone? It is time to guard your heart and your life by closing the door. Let your eyes be single and fill your body with light. Let your eyes look straight on without wandering. Clean your house of offensive sights. Turn off the T.V shows that impassion you wrongly. Take a walk and take in the beauty of nature. Watch things that inspire you to excellence. Keep your heart with diligence. Always remember the exhortation, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it...Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you." (Proverbs 4:23,25)
Decision of the Day
I will watch the seeds planted in my heart through my eyes. I will guard my heart and my life by being discriminative in what I watch. If my eyes catch the wrong things, I will immediately adjust my gaze. I will feed my eyes with godly and excellent things.
Friday, May 13, 2011
May 12: The Prosperous Slave
"The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master." (Gen 39:2)
If you saw a man go from being the most favored in his family to being a slave, a property of another, what would be your conclusion?If you saw the same man arrested, in handcuffs and chains and jailed for sexually assaulting a woman, what would conclude?Certainly you wouldn't say the Lord was with him. You may most likely conclude that he was a cursed man who was reaping the consequences of his sin or something.
But look at the text. It was said of Joseph that the Lord was with him and he was prosperous man. God called a slave a prosperous man. How can God be with him and let him be enslaved? How can God be with him and let him be put in prison? How can someone who is a slave be called prosperous?
This text is teaching us to separate the approval and the presence of God from the physical circumstances of a person. God can be with a man and then he loses his job. God can be with a man and let him be betrayed. God can be with a man and let others take advantage of him. He could be with a man and let him hit rock-bottom in the pit of life. The current circumstance of a person is not the true measure of his approval of God. Never conclude that adversity is always as a result of a man's disobedience to God. Usually it comes because of obedience.
Having said that, there is a huge difference between a man who has God with him in adversity and the one who does not. The man who has God with him takes the lemons of adversity and turns them into lemonade through the blessing of God. He is not made bitter by what he's going through but he applies the wisdom and presence of God to the circumstances he face.
Joseph did this. Though he was forced into slavery, he applied the blessing of God to slavery and it became a supervisory position. He applied it to false accusation and betrayal and walked in it in prison and became the prison head.
The blessing does not care about where you are physically. It is unconcerned about status. It works everywhere. You might be down but God is with you. You might look as if you are going down in life to others but God is with you. You might be on a job you dislike, but God is with you. You might find yourself at a point where your current reality tells you something is wrong, but God is with you. You may have just failed an examination, experienced a divorce, jilted, lost all the members of your church to a split, lost a huge business deal on behalf of your company.
Learn to separate the situations you face from the vitality of your relationships with God and his approval. You might just be passing through that valley as allowed by God. You may be undergoing a test of what is truly in you heart. Being down does not mean you are abandoned. God can live in the pit as well as the palace. He doens't mind going to prison with His man.
So no matter your current status, get yourself up and start to live in the blessing. Refuse to allow a pity party. You are only down temporarily, not out. You are in a passing phase of life, not a parking lot. Apply the blessing of God in every situation. Handle each season of your life the same way- face it with all you've got. Reign over circumstances by being faithful where you are. Be the best jobless person, the best divorced person, the best prisoner, the best pastor who is starting all over again. Put all you've got into what you've been presented with. You are on your way to the palace but you are only having a stop at the pit or prison. Be encouraged that God has not forsaken you. He is with you to help you succeed.
Decision of the Day
I will not equate downward trends in my life to the absence of God. I understand that I can be in the will of God and and things don't look the way they are generally supposed to look for a blessed man. I will handle every situation of life, confident that God is with me.
If you saw a man go from being the most favored in his family to being a slave, a property of another, what would be your conclusion?If you saw the same man arrested, in handcuffs and chains and jailed for sexually assaulting a woman, what would conclude?Certainly you wouldn't say the Lord was with him. You may most likely conclude that he was a cursed man who was reaping the consequences of his sin or something.
But look at the text. It was said of Joseph that the Lord was with him and he was prosperous man. God called a slave a prosperous man. How can God be with him and let him be enslaved? How can God be with him and let him be put in prison? How can someone who is a slave be called prosperous?
This text is teaching us to separate the approval and the presence of God from the physical circumstances of a person. God can be with a man and then he loses his job. God can be with a man and let him be betrayed. God can be with a man and let others take advantage of him. He could be with a man and let him hit rock-bottom in the pit of life. The current circumstance of a person is not the true measure of his approval of God. Never conclude that adversity is always as a result of a man's disobedience to God. Usually it comes because of obedience.
Having said that, there is a huge difference between a man who has God with him in adversity and the one who does not. The man who has God with him takes the lemons of adversity and turns them into lemonade through the blessing of God. He is not made bitter by what he's going through but he applies the wisdom and presence of God to the circumstances he face.
Joseph did this. Though he was forced into slavery, he applied the blessing of God to slavery and it became a supervisory position. He applied it to false accusation and betrayal and walked in it in prison and became the prison head.
The blessing does not care about where you are physically. It is unconcerned about status. It works everywhere. You might be down but God is with you. You might look as if you are going down in life to others but God is with you. You might be on a job you dislike, but God is with you. You might find yourself at a point where your current reality tells you something is wrong, but God is with you. You may have just failed an examination, experienced a divorce, jilted, lost all the members of your church to a split, lost a huge business deal on behalf of your company.
Learn to separate the situations you face from the vitality of your relationships with God and his approval. You might just be passing through that valley as allowed by God. You may be undergoing a test of what is truly in you heart. Being down does not mean you are abandoned. God can live in the pit as well as the palace. He doens't mind going to prison with His man.
So no matter your current status, get yourself up and start to live in the blessing. Refuse to allow a pity party. You are only down temporarily, not out. You are in a passing phase of life, not a parking lot. Apply the blessing of God in every situation. Handle each season of your life the same way- face it with all you've got. Reign over circumstances by being faithful where you are. Be the best jobless person, the best divorced person, the best prisoner, the best pastor who is starting all over again. Put all you've got into what you've been presented with. You are on your way to the palace but you are only having a stop at the pit or prison. Be encouraged that God has not forsaken you. He is with you to help you succeed.
Decision of the Day
I will not equate downward trends in my life to the absence of God. I understand that I can be in the will of God and and things don't look the way they are generally supposed to look for a blessed man. I will handle every situation of life, confident that God is with me.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
May 11: Stripped, Sunk and Sold
"So it came to pass, when Joseph had come to his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the tunic of many colors that was on him. Then they took him and cast him into a pit. And the pit was empty; there was no water in it...Then Midianite traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt."(Genesis 37:23,24,28)
I have been privileged to be part of the beginnings of a few vision given by God. An example is when the CityLight Church had its first service. It was a beautiful and colorful event attended by many well-wishers. Not much different from Joseph's coat of many colors. Beautiful, a manifestation of the favor and approval of the Father. We left that first service excited that big things were awaiting us. We wore our coat of many joyfully and proudly. It was going to be beautiful from now on. However, we had the shocker of our lives when on the second service of the church, only a few people showed up. We felt we had been stripped of a coat of many colors. Little did we know that that was only the beginning of a process of several years before the vision could speak.
Carrying out a vision may start out beautiful but an inevitable process will surely follow. It is that season when the initial beauty dies so that the vision may eventually be realized. It is that time that we get stripped, sunk and sold. We are stripped of our pride and self sufficiency, sunk in the pit of isolation and have our labors sold out in the market as we become slaves to the vision, working without adequate compensation. Joseph went through the same. He was stripped of his robe of pride, sunk in the pit and then sold as a slave to strangers.
If your vision is going to be a reality, you will have to go through this process. You come in with a believe that you can carry the vision out with much speed, but soon that confidence get stripped of you and you come to the conclusion that you can't possibly accomplish it, then and only then will God begin to show you how you can do it through Him.
You will find yourself in the pit. Where you feel left alone by all. You labor is seemingly abandoned in a pit of loneliness. You feel like everyone is on top of the world while you are stuck in a hole.
Then you go through a time when your labor brings little or no returns. You feel like a slave laboring for strangers. You are doing everything with little returning back to you. You are like Joseph laboring uncompensated.
When you pass through this season, don't quit. It is a path all vision bearers must tread. It is the purification season when your commitment to your vision is tested. Will you quit when it is tough or will you stand until the season changes? Is your vision more real than the current challenges?
If you don't quit, I can assure you that you are on a caravan to Egypt. You may still have to stop at Potiphar's house which is even better that the prison that will follow. However you are on the road that leads to the palace and the fulfillment of you vision. People may think you are going down but in God's eyes you are going up. So get ready to be stripped, sunk and sold. It is your path to destiny.
Decision of the Day
I will not despair if I find myself stripped, abandoned in the pit and sold. I will trust God in all situations and I'll keep moving on, knowing that my path leads to the realization of my vision.
I have been privileged to be part of the beginnings of a few vision given by God. An example is when the CityLight Church had its first service. It was a beautiful and colorful event attended by many well-wishers. Not much different from Joseph's coat of many colors. Beautiful, a manifestation of the favor and approval of the Father. We left that first service excited that big things were awaiting us. We wore our coat of many joyfully and proudly. It was going to be beautiful from now on. However, we had the shocker of our lives when on the second service of the church, only a few people showed up. We felt we had been stripped of a coat of many colors. Little did we know that that was only the beginning of a process of several years before the vision could speak.
Carrying out a vision may start out beautiful but an inevitable process will surely follow. It is that season when the initial beauty dies so that the vision may eventually be realized. It is that time that we get stripped, sunk and sold. We are stripped of our pride and self sufficiency, sunk in the pit of isolation and have our labors sold out in the market as we become slaves to the vision, working without adequate compensation. Joseph went through the same. He was stripped of his robe of pride, sunk in the pit and then sold as a slave to strangers.
If your vision is going to be a reality, you will have to go through this process. You come in with a believe that you can carry the vision out with much speed, but soon that confidence get stripped of you and you come to the conclusion that you can't possibly accomplish it, then and only then will God begin to show you how you can do it through Him.
You will find yourself in the pit. Where you feel left alone by all. You labor is seemingly abandoned in a pit of loneliness. You feel like everyone is on top of the world while you are stuck in a hole.
Then you go through a time when your labor brings little or no returns. You feel like a slave laboring for strangers. You are doing everything with little returning back to you. You are like Joseph laboring uncompensated.
When you pass through this season, don't quit. It is a path all vision bearers must tread. It is the purification season when your commitment to your vision is tested. Will you quit when it is tough or will you stand until the season changes? Is your vision more real than the current challenges?
If you don't quit, I can assure you that you are on a caravan to Egypt. You may still have to stop at Potiphar's house which is even better that the prison that will follow. However you are on the road that leads to the palace and the fulfillment of you vision. People may think you are going down but in God's eyes you are going up. So get ready to be stripped, sunk and sold. It is your path to destiny.
Decision of the Day
I will not despair if I find myself stripped, abandoned in the pit and sold. I will trust God in all situations and I'll keep moving on, knowing that my path leads to the realization of my vision.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
May 10: Dream Killers
"Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him.Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!” (Gen 37:18-20)
There is a huge target on your back if you have a God-given vision. The enemy is seeking ways to destroy your vision, and if he can, destroy you in the process. Vision places you on the assassination list of Satan. This is because he is afraid of your dream and its potential. The assassination attempts of the enemy will even be more intense at the beginning stage of your vision. He knows there is no easier time to end a life than when it is tender. See how he tried to murder Moses and Jesus when they were babies.
This is what was happening to Joseph in our text today. The dream God gave him was still tender. The potential of the dream was the preservation of Israel as a nation but while it was still pictures in Joseph's mind, the enemy sent in his assassination squad. I call them the dream killers.
You have to watch out for these dream killers. They come in various shapes and form. They work directly through your weaknesses and also manifest through others. They could come through pleasure or pressure, complacency or hyperactivity. They show up as a pet sin or habit. They come as discouragement or conflict. They manifest through people or circumstances. No matter the form they come in, their goal to kill your vision and stop you in your tracks.
Let's look at the dream killers that appeared in Joseph's path in our text. They were his brothers. This represents the people category of dream killers. They were motivated by jealousy and envy. When you have a big dream from God, Satan will try to use small minds to intimidate you. Some people will talk about you, criticize you and ridicule you. Some will literally plot your downfall. They are angered by your calling. They want to get you in the pit.
How do you handle people who seek your downfall? Understand that your real enemy is not people. Your wrestling is not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers. Satan is the one motivating the people. So don't waste your time responding to people. Address the real source, Satan. Take authority over him in the name of Jesus. Command him to stop his harassment.
Second, see God at work in the situation. Satan has always been an unwitting tool in God's hands. He crucified the savior not knowing he was carrying out God's plans to save the world. Joseph was sold by his brothers, but they did not know they were helping him further toward his dream. Sometimes you will discover that the betrayal of people meant to hurt you is actually God pushing you further in His plans for you. So entrust all your situations into God's hands.
Confront any weakness in your life. The most dangerous enemy is the one who lives in your house. Many dreams have been aborted suicidally. The dreamer kills his own dreams by self-inflicted means. Is there an enemy's foothold in your life? This is more dangerous than any external opposition you will ever face. It is like having enemy spies in your territory and feeding them. Send them packing. They are not your friends but are there to ruin you.
Watch out for the dream killers. Protect your vision from them. They are around you.
Decision of the Day
I know my God-given dreams puts me on Satan's most wanted list. I will be watchful for the dream-killers. I will protect my vision by God's help. I will watch out for internal and external enemies. My vision and I will stay alive no matter the resistance I face.
There is a huge target on your back if you have a God-given vision. The enemy is seeking ways to destroy your vision, and if he can, destroy you in the process. Vision places you on the assassination list of Satan. This is because he is afraid of your dream and its potential. The assassination attempts of the enemy will even be more intense at the beginning stage of your vision. He knows there is no easier time to end a life than when it is tender. See how he tried to murder Moses and Jesus when they were babies.
This is what was happening to Joseph in our text today. The dream God gave him was still tender. The potential of the dream was the preservation of Israel as a nation but while it was still pictures in Joseph's mind, the enemy sent in his assassination squad. I call them the dream killers.
You have to watch out for these dream killers. They come in various shapes and form. They work directly through your weaknesses and also manifest through others. They could come through pleasure or pressure, complacency or hyperactivity. They show up as a pet sin or habit. They come as discouragement or conflict. They manifest through people or circumstances. No matter the form they come in, their goal to kill your vision and stop you in your tracks.
Let's look at the dream killers that appeared in Joseph's path in our text. They were his brothers. This represents the people category of dream killers. They were motivated by jealousy and envy. When you have a big dream from God, Satan will try to use small minds to intimidate you. Some people will talk about you, criticize you and ridicule you. Some will literally plot your downfall. They are angered by your calling. They want to get you in the pit.
How do you handle people who seek your downfall? Understand that your real enemy is not people. Your wrestling is not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers. Satan is the one motivating the people. So don't waste your time responding to people. Address the real source, Satan. Take authority over him in the name of Jesus. Command him to stop his harassment.
Second, see God at work in the situation. Satan has always been an unwitting tool in God's hands. He crucified the savior not knowing he was carrying out God's plans to save the world. Joseph was sold by his brothers, but they did not know they were helping him further toward his dream. Sometimes you will discover that the betrayal of people meant to hurt you is actually God pushing you further in His plans for you. So entrust all your situations into God's hands.
Confront any weakness in your life. The most dangerous enemy is the one who lives in your house. Many dreams have been aborted suicidally. The dreamer kills his own dreams by self-inflicted means. Is there an enemy's foothold in your life? This is more dangerous than any external opposition you will ever face. It is like having enemy spies in your territory and feeding them. Send them packing. They are not your friends but are there to ruin you.
Watch out for the dream killers. Protect your vision from them. They are around you.
Decision of the Day
I know my God-given dreams puts me on Satan's most wanted list. I will be watchful for the dream-killers. I will protect my vision by God's help. I will watch out for internal and external enemies. My vision and I will stay alive no matter the resistance I face.
Monday, May 9, 2011
May 9: Dreaming Another Dream
"Then he had another dream, and he told it to his brothers. "Listen," he said, "I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." (Gen 37:9)
Joseph dreamed another dream. It was a dream with different imageries but with the same message as the previous dream he had. Some have asked they can discern whether it is God imparting what they sense in their hearts to them. I often reply. "Does what you sense in your heart keep recurring and stay even after you have prayed about it and tried to shake it off? Does it seem like you keep getting the same message from everyone you meet? Does it seem like it is following you everywhere? Do you hear it in almost every sermon or discussion? "If the answer to these questions are yes, then it is very likely that it is God speaking to you.
Proverbs 19:21 says, "There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand."
Your heart has many desires, dreams many dream, hears many voices and has many impressions but not all these are sourced in God. There are those coming from you, others, Satan and generally from the exposure of your subconscious to many stimuli. However, there are those impressions from God too. How do you sort out all these to identify which one is God? This verse in proverbs gives us one of the ways- identifying the one that stands, the one that is unflinching and that keeps recurring and repeating itself even after much prayer. That inner feeling that refuses to let go of you. It is that impression that keeps coming again and again like Joseph's recurrent dreams.
When you get a persistent impression like that, pay attention and take it to God in prayer. Seek counsel with your spiritual leaders or mentors because this might be God interrupting the natural flow of events in your life to illuminate you with His dreams for the next phases of your life. Don't ignore persistent impressions. Always take note when you dream another dream similar to the one you dreamed before.
Decision of the Day
I will pay attention to persistent impressions that I get. I will get to the root of them to know what they are about and see if God is trying to get my attention.
Joseph dreamed another dream. It was a dream with different imageries but with the same message as the previous dream he had. Some have asked they can discern whether it is God imparting what they sense in their hearts to them. I often reply. "Does what you sense in your heart keep recurring and stay even after you have prayed about it and tried to shake it off? Does it seem like you keep getting the same message from everyone you meet? Does it seem like it is following you everywhere? Do you hear it in almost every sermon or discussion? "If the answer to these questions are yes, then it is very likely that it is God speaking to you.
Proverbs 19:21 says, "There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand."
Your heart has many desires, dreams many dream, hears many voices and has many impressions but not all these are sourced in God. There are those coming from you, others, Satan and generally from the exposure of your subconscious to many stimuli. However, there are those impressions from God too. How do you sort out all these to identify which one is God? This verse in proverbs gives us one of the ways- identifying the one that stands, the one that is unflinching and that keeps recurring and repeating itself even after much prayer. That inner feeling that refuses to let go of you. It is that impression that keeps coming again and again like Joseph's recurrent dreams.
When you get a persistent impression like that, pay attention and take it to God in prayer. Seek counsel with your spiritual leaders or mentors because this might be God interrupting the natural flow of events in your life to illuminate you with His dreams for the next phases of your life. Don't ignore persistent impressions. Always take note when you dream another dream similar to the one you dreamed before.
Decision of the Day
I will pay attention to persistent impressions that I get. I will get to the root of them to know what they are about and see if God is trying to get my attention.
Friday, May 6, 2011
May 6: When Confidants Turn to Critics
"His brothers said to him, "Do you intend to reign over us? Will you actually rule us?" And they hated him all the more because of his dream and what he had said...When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you? His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind." (Genesis 37:8,10)
Great dreams when shared with others elicit a cross-section of responses. Adopters buy into it with excitement. Laggards watch to see what would happen to it. The indifferent couldn't care less about it. Opponents despise and plot against it. Today we focus on the fourth response- opposition to the dream.
It is a good thing to be liked by others. It is great when others buy into your dreams. However the fact is that every time you share God's vision for your life, there will be some who would feel threatened by it. There will be those who will hate you and your dreams out of envy or jealousy. It shouldn't also be surprising that these people may not necessarily be strangers or far-off people. Opposition to your dreams will often rise from those closest to you. A man's enemy often are people from his household.
Parents may think you are stupid
Siblings may think you are crazy
Your spouse may remind you of current commitments
Friends may ask you to be more reasonable.
Your church people may think you are misguided and proud.
Joseph's family felt threatened by his dreams. They thought he was insolent. The family of Jesus labelled him crazy. Paul was deemed mad from his abundant knowledge.
Opposition will rise to your God-given dreams from quarters that will surprise you. Those you thought had your back may stab you there. You will hear murmurings behind your back. You will see blank stares of people as they mull your audacity to challenge their favored norm. People will call you for in for advising sessions on thinking things through. Analysis is good as long as it doesn't lead to paralysis.
When these begin to happen, don't be surprised or discouraged. Your dream is going through the normal process all great dreams must go through. A dream unopposed is worth nothing. If you have no head-on collision with Satan, the opposer of the brethren, it means you are headed in the same direction. He knows that oppositions from strangers are not as powerful as those from trusted ones. That's why your greatest opposers may have been your greatest confidants.
Refuse to be moved. Stick with your dreams. The sincere ones will eventually come around when your dreams start to bear fruit. You may lose them for now, but it is only temporary if you stick with your dreams. If you cave in, you may gain their approval now only to lose later because you missed the boat of God's call on your life and you are stuck in mediocrity.
If you are close to a dreamer, be careful how you respond to his or her dreams. Don't be one of those who pour cold water on budding dreams. Realize that a dream works in such a way that only the dreamer can at first see it with clarity. Be a believer and a supporter of other's dreams. Don't join the camp of the opposers.
Decision of the Day
I will not be surprised if opposition arise to my dreams from people close to me. I will hold on to what God has showed me. I will not be disobedient to the heavenly vision. I will be a supporter of other people's dreams even when I don't fully see what they see.
Great dreams when shared with others elicit a cross-section of responses. Adopters buy into it with excitement. Laggards watch to see what would happen to it. The indifferent couldn't care less about it. Opponents despise and plot against it. Today we focus on the fourth response- opposition to the dream.
It is a good thing to be liked by others. It is great when others buy into your dreams. However the fact is that every time you share God's vision for your life, there will be some who would feel threatened by it. There will be those who will hate you and your dreams out of envy or jealousy. It shouldn't also be surprising that these people may not necessarily be strangers or far-off people. Opposition to your dreams will often rise from those closest to you. A man's enemy often are people from his household.
Parents may think you are stupid
Siblings may think you are crazy
Your spouse may remind you of current commitments
Friends may ask you to be more reasonable.
Your church people may think you are misguided and proud.
Joseph's family felt threatened by his dreams. They thought he was insolent. The family of Jesus labelled him crazy. Paul was deemed mad from his abundant knowledge.
Opposition will rise to your God-given dreams from quarters that will surprise you. Those you thought had your back may stab you there. You will hear murmurings behind your back. You will see blank stares of people as they mull your audacity to challenge their favored norm. People will call you for in for advising sessions on thinking things through. Analysis is good as long as it doesn't lead to paralysis.
When these begin to happen, don't be surprised or discouraged. Your dream is going through the normal process all great dreams must go through. A dream unopposed is worth nothing. If you have no head-on collision with Satan, the opposer of the brethren, it means you are headed in the same direction. He knows that oppositions from strangers are not as powerful as those from trusted ones. That's why your greatest opposers may have been your greatest confidants.
Refuse to be moved. Stick with your dreams. The sincere ones will eventually come around when your dreams start to bear fruit. You may lose them for now, but it is only temporary if you stick with your dreams. If you cave in, you may gain their approval now only to lose later because you missed the boat of God's call on your life and you are stuck in mediocrity.
If you are close to a dreamer, be careful how you respond to his or her dreams. Don't be one of those who pour cold water on budding dreams. Realize that a dream works in such a way that only the dreamer can at first see it with clarity. Be a believer and a supporter of other's dreams. Don't join the camp of the opposers.
Decision of the Day
I will not be surprised if opposition arise to my dreams from people close to me. I will hold on to what God has showed me. I will not be disobedient to the heavenly vision. I will be a supporter of other people's dreams even when I don't fully see what they see.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
May 3: Those Who See into the Future Rule it
"Joseph had a dream... He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had. We were binding sheaves of grain out in the field when suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright, while your sheaves gathered around mine and bowed down to it." (Genesis 37:5-7)
Walt Disney died before Disney World was opened. On the day of its opening, one of the guests, turned to Walt's wife and said, " I wish Walt was here to see this." Walt's wife turned to the man and said "Walt saw it"
Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I have a Dream" speech at the height of segregation and discrimination in America. Decades later, what he saw is progressively coming to pass.
The story is told of James Irwin, one of the few humans to have walked on the moon. One night 32 years before the moon landing, as a little boy, his mom had sent him to his room to go to bed at night. He obeyed. An hour or so later, his mom came up to check on him, and to her surprise, she saw little James staring quietly out of his window at the full moon of that night. "What are you doing, Jimmy?" his mom asked. "I'm looking at the moon, Mommy." his mom instructed him to go to bed. As he settled down reluctantly to sleep, he said, "Mommy, you know one day I'm going to walk on the moon."
What was it that was similar in the story of these 3 extraordinary individuals? They all saw into the future. Some pictures dropped into their minds about a desired future long before they would ever come to realization. They all were dreamers.
In our text today, we see a similar thing happening to Joseph. Unexpectedly as a little boy, God dropped into his mind a magnificent dream of rulership and authority. It took years before it came to pass but it all started as a dream.
The implantation of a dream or vision in a person's heart is God's way of giving the individual a glimpse into the future plans He has for their lives. Through a dream, God plants in a person's heart the possibilities of the future. This dream then acts as a powerful force to motivate the person to go through what it takes to see its realization. Dreams are powerful. The ability to dream is the distinguishing factor between excellence and mediocrity. Dreamers rule the world because they see what others cannot see. They are prophetic in their inner sights.
Dreamers live for the future, not the present. They invest now so that their dreams could be realized in the future. Through them the world moves on. Those who see into the future rule it.
How about you? Do you have a dream from God or are you just living with no clear picture of the destination you are headed? Everyone has a place in God's plans so everyone can be dreamers. He gave us the power of the imagination for this reason. To dream of things that are not, in order that they may be. Make up your mind to use that power. Ask God to I impregnate you with His dreams for your life. Be a dreamer.
Decision of the Day
I understand the power of dreams. It is God's way of revealing His future plans for my life. I choose to be a dreamer. I choose to be one of those who move the plans of God forward through vision. Lord impregnate my mind with your dreams for my life as I lay down mine.
Walt Disney died before Disney World was opened. On the day of its opening, one of the guests, turned to Walt's wife and said, " I wish Walt was here to see this." Walt's wife turned to the man and said "Walt saw it"
Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I have a Dream" speech at the height of segregation and discrimination in America. Decades later, what he saw is progressively coming to pass.
The story is told of James Irwin, one of the few humans to have walked on the moon. One night 32 years before the moon landing, as a little boy, his mom had sent him to his room to go to bed at night. He obeyed. An hour or so later, his mom came up to check on him, and to her surprise, she saw little James staring quietly out of his window at the full moon of that night. "What are you doing, Jimmy?" his mom asked. "I'm looking at the moon, Mommy." his mom instructed him to go to bed. As he settled down reluctantly to sleep, he said, "Mommy, you know one day I'm going to walk on the moon."
What was it that was similar in the story of these 3 extraordinary individuals? They all saw into the future. Some pictures dropped into their minds about a desired future long before they would ever come to realization. They all were dreamers.
In our text today, we see a similar thing happening to Joseph. Unexpectedly as a little boy, God dropped into his mind a magnificent dream of rulership and authority. It took years before it came to pass but it all started as a dream.
The implantation of a dream or vision in a person's heart is God's way of giving the individual a glimpse into the future plans He has for their lives. Through a dream, God plants in a person's heart the possibilities of the future. This dream then acts as a powerful force to motivate the person to go through what it takes to see its realization. Dreams are powerful. The ability to dream is the distinguishing factor between excellence and mediocrity. Dreamers rule the world because they see what others cannot see. They are prophetic in their inner sights.
Dreamers live for the future, not the present. They invest now so that their dreams could be realized in the future. Through them the world moves on. Those who see into the future rule it.
How about you? Do you have a dream from God or are you just living with no clear picture of the destination you are headed? Everyone has a place in God's plans so everyone can be dreamers. He gave us the power of the imagination for this reason. To dream of things that are not, in order that they may be. Make up your mind to use that power. Ask God to I impregnate you with His dreams for your life. Be a dreamer.
Decision of the Day
I understand the power of dreams. It is God's way of revealing His future plans for my life. I choose to be a dreamer. I choose to be one of those who move the plans of God forward through vision. Lord impregnate my mind with your dreams for my life as I lay down mine.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
May 2: Going Back to Go Forward
"Then God said to Jacob, "Go up to Bethel and settle there, and build an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you were fleeing from your brother Esau. So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone.So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem." (Gen 35:1-4).
During my days in college, many events took place that permanently shaped the course of my life. Many of these events where spiritual- they were points of consecration to God's will for my life. Whenever I have the opportunity to go back to the college campus and visit the places where these events took place, a holy awe always overcomes me and I feel a sense of renewal. Going back to the places where I made commitment to God inspired the renewal of those commitments.
Now, not often do we hear God telling his people to go back. God usually emphasizes forward motion.
"The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." (Exodus 14:15)
"The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance..."(Deut 1:6), and
"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Philippians 3:13)
However, sometimes you have to go back to be able to move forward.
That was the case with Jacob in our text. Jacob had met God earlier at Bethel. It was that place in his past about 30 years ago, during the time he was fleeing from his brother Esau. It was at Bethel that he saw the ladder that reached heaven, with angels ascending and descending. Bethel was the place that God first spoke to him. It was the place where he made a vow to God. It was the where he encountered God for himself the first time. It was a place of consecration.
However, over the years, other things had crept in. Idols were in his household. Even though God had blessed him tremendously, his commitment and consecration to God were at a lower point than what it used to be in the past. Complacency and defilement had crept in. So, God instructs him to go back to Bethel. It wasn't necessarily an instruction to go to a physical place, but more so a commandment to return to his consecration. Jacob obeyed. Cleansing his house of idols, he departed to Bethel.
Similarly, in your life, there will be times when God will call you to go back to your own Bethel. He will instruct you to return to a place in your life when your commitment was deeper ,your passion and zeal hotter, your love or Him fresher, your life purer, your faith more sincere and childlike . It shouldn't be, but over time, if care is not taken, your love for God and consecration to Him could wax colder. Things you once were passionate about no longer hold any attraction to you. Things you had renounced come in again and rule in your life. Jesus spoke to a church in this condition.
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." (Rev 2:4,5)
This is a command to go back to Bethel, to return to your first love, to renew your commitment to Him. You will need to do what Jacob did. Cleanse yourself of strange things that have crept in. You will need to confess, renounce and separate yourself from them. Then you must begin your journey back to where you used to be so that you can get to where you ought to be.
So make up your mind today, to return to your Bethel. God is waiting for you there.
Decision of the Day
I know that my consecration to God must be maintained. My zeal for Him must remain burning. Today, I return to my first love. To the place where I have fallen from. I renew my commitment to God, cleansing myself from every strange thing. I go back in order to go forward. In Jesus' name.
During my days in college, many events took place that permanently shaped the course of my life. Many of these events where spiritual- they were points of consecration to God's will for my life. Whenever I have the opportunity to go back to the college campus and visit the places where these events took place, a holy awe always overcomes me and I feel a sense of renewal. Going back to the places where I made commitment to God inspired the renewal of those commitments.
Now, not often do we hear God telling his people to go back. God usually emphasizes forward motion.
"The LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward." (Exodus 14:15)
"The LORD our God said to us at Horeb, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance..."(Deut 1:6), and
"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Philippians 3:13)
However, sometimes you have to go back to be able to move forward.
That was the case with Jacob in our text. Jacob had met God earlier at Bethel. It was that place in his past about 30 years ago, during the time he was fleeing from his brother Esau. It was at Bethel that he saw the ladder that reached heaven, with angels ascending and descending. Bethel was the place that God first spoke to him. It was the place where he made a vow to God. It was the where he encountered God for himself the first time. It was a place of consecration.
However, over the years, other things had crept in. Idols were in his household. Even though God had blessed him tremendously, his commitment and consecration to God were at a lower point than what it used to be in the past. Complacency and defilement had crept in. So, God instructs him to go back to Bethel. It wasn't necessarily an instruction to go to a physical place, but more so a commandment to return to his consecration. Jacob obeyed. Cleansing his house of idols, he departed to Bethel.
Similarly, in your life, there will be times when God will call you to go back to your own Bethel. He will instruct you to return to a place in your life when your commitment was deeper ,your passion and zeal hotter, your love or Him fresher, your life purer, your faith more sincere and childlike . It shouldn't be, but over time, if care is not taken, your love for God and consecration to Him could wax colder. Things you once were passionate about no longer hold any attraction to you. Things you had renounced come in again and rule in your life. Jesus spoke to a church in this condition.
"Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place." (Rev 2:4,5)
This is a command to go back to Bethel, to return to your first love, to renew your commitment to Him. You will need to do what Jacob did. Cleanse yourself of strange things that have crept in. You will need to confess, renounce and separate yourself from them. Then you must begin your journey back to where you used to be so that you can get to where you ought to be.
So make up your mind today, to return to your Bethel. God is waiting for you there.
Decision of the Day
I know that my consecration to God must be maintained. My zeal for Him must remain burning. Today, I return to my first love. To the place where I have fallen from. I renew my commitment to God, cleansing myself from every strange thing. I go back in order to go forward. In Jesus' name.
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