(Be blessed by this DWOD for Feb. 04, 2014 by guest contributor Os Hillman)

 

“Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the Lord.”(Psalm 107:23-24a)

 

When you were a child, perhaps you may have gone to the ocean for a vacation. I recall wading out until the waves began crashing on my knees. As long as I could stand firm, the waves were of no concern to me. However, as I moved farther and farther into the ocean, I had less control over my ability to stand. Sometimes the current was so strong it moved me down the beach, and I even lost my bearings at times. But I have never gone so far into the ocean that I was not able to control the situation.

 

Sometimes God takes us into such deep waters that we lose control of the situation, and we have no choice but to fully trust in His care for us. This is doing business in great waters. It is in these great waters that we see the works of God.

 

The Scriptures tell us that the disciples testified of what they saw and heard. It was the power behind the gospel, not the words themselves, which changed the world. The power wasn’t seen until circumstances got to the point that there were no alternatives but God. Sometimes God has to take us into the deep water in order to give us the privilege to see His works.

 

Sometimes God takes us into the deep waters of life for an extended time. Joseph was taken into deep waters of adversity for 17 years. Rejection by his brothers, enslavement to Pharaoh, and imprisonment were the deep waters for Joseph. During those deep waters, he experienced dreams, a special anointing of his gifts to administrate, and great wisdom beyond his years. The deep water was preparation for a task that was so great he never could have imagined it. He was to see God’s works more clearly than anyone in his generation. God had too much at stake for a 30-year-old to mess it up. So, God took Joseph through the deep waters of preparation to ensure that he would survive what he was about to face. Pride normally engulfs such young servants who have such access to power at such a young age.

 

If God chooses to take us into deep waters, it is for a reason. The greater the calling, the deeper the water. Trust in His knowledge that your deep waters are preparation to see the works of God in your life.

 

(Reprinted by permission from the author. Os Hillman is an international speaker and author of 15 books on workplace calling. To learn more, visit http://www.MarketplaceLeaders.org/)

(Be blessed by this encouraging word from guest contributor, Shyju Matthew)

Sometimes you won’t have anybody. Except, of course, Jesus.

 

That may sound harsh, but is that not the truth?

 

I wanted to be with my wife in the hospital after her delivery, but hospital rules only let one other person accompany her. So her mom stayed back.

 

As a parent, I wish to be there for Kathryn at her slightest whimper. But my human frailty puts me into deep sleep that a shrieking cry from her is what is needed to wake me from my slumber.

 

Now those are just two examples closest to my vest.

 

In the Bible, Moses was sent by God to His people. Finally, 430 years of slavery is broken loose through the surrendered tongue of a stammerer. With Moses leading the way, hundreds of thousands of people marched into their Promised Land.

 

Yet the same people very often picked up rocks to stone him. He was tested and broken till every ounce of the angry man melted to become the meekest man ever, as God Himself testified!

 

David, the greatest king in the Bible, had a test with his 600 loyal warriors!

 

Once, when they returned from battle, they were dismayed to discover that their wives and children had been taken hostage while they were away. ”And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters.”

 

Then the same verse goes on to record one of the most powerful acts mentioned in the Bible,”But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6).

 

That means there was no one to encourage him and everyone had mistrusted him.

 

But that couldn’t kill him.

 

David went on to wipe his tears and pat his own back in the knowledge that his ”God was his strength in his most lonely hour.”

 

Interestingly, even our master Jesus had no one with him in the most crucial hour.

 

Jesus found strength by going back to the garden of prayer–repeatedly!

 

Avoid the temptation of looking for peer support, chariots & horses or to lean on another fragile human being. No one may be there to compliment or encourage you.

 

But remember this: the best of history was made in the loneliest hour.

 

Today, wipe your tears, pat yourself on your back, get back up and go on into your destiny, you history maker, you!!!

(Born in India and presently living in Montreal, Canada, Revivalist Shyju Matthew continues to demonstrate God’s mighty Word through the manifest presence of the Holy Spirit in crusades and conferences all over the world. This post first appeared on his blog Guarding The Heart)

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Jan. 24, 2014 by guest blogger, Barry Adams)

Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2 Corinthians 3:17)

The kingdom of God is all about living a free life. When Jesus announced His public ministry (Luke 4:18), He read from the Isaiah 61 passage of Scripture which starts off by saying: “The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound.”

Simply put, Jesus came to set us free. In John 8: 36, Jesus clearly states this when He said: If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. God loves freedom. Freedom of choice, freedom of expression, freedom to be who He created us to be.

It was our Father’s love of freedom that cost Him everything He had. In order for Adam and Eve to be truly free, they had to have the power to accept or reject the love that God offered them. There is no other way for love to operate. Love does not control, manipulate or oppress. To live in love means freedom to stay or freedom to leave.

Adam and Eve chose to go their own way which absolutely broke their Father’s heart and started a chain reaction in heaven that would cost the Godhead everything in order to redeem what was lost in the Garden. That is how important freedom is to God, for wherever He lives, there is complete freedom.

Anything that wars against freedom in our lives is something we that we should take notice of. The spirit of religion moves in opposition to freedom. It sets rules and regulations, customs and traditions, applies pressure and guilt, all in order to keep people bound up… all in the name of God!

I am learning more and more how our Father hates captivity. He created everything to be free. Now just because we are free does not mean we abuse the trusted freedom that has been given to us as a gift. Galatians 5:13 tells us: For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only don’t use your freedom for gain to the flesh, but through love be servants to one another.

If we truly live in love, there is no way that we will abuse our freedom. There will be many times in our life when we will lay down our rights in order to serve another. As a matter of fact, I believe the more that we are convinced that we are loved, the freer we will be to be the Lord’s bondservant. But it will be for love’s sake that we choose to lay down our life, not control, guilt or manipulation.

My prayer today, is that each one of us would come into a deeper revelation of freedom than we have ever had before. My hope is that we would all be free from all of the ‘shoulds’ that would keep us in bondage in our life. May we all see that Jesus died on a cross so that we could live a free life. Free from sin, free from shame, free from condemnation… Free to be who He created us to be!

May the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation show us today the true heart of our heavenly Father so that we would know His love in its truest form. He doesn’t control us, manipulate us or abuse us. His love for us is so pure and so self-sacrificing, that we are free to come and free to go. Just as the loving father in the Prodigal Son story allowed his son to leave his house and take his inheritance with him, our Father entrusts us with the same choices.

May each one of us choose to live a free life and choose to live in love so that the love that God has for us might find its expression in servanthood beyond our wildest dreams, not because we have to, but simply because we choose to.

(Barry Adams is the humble vessel chosen by God to bless the world with the revelation known as the Father’s Love Letter. Along with his wife Annelise, Barry ministers the Father’s Love all over the world. Today’s DWOD is from a post he wrote for A Son’s Life Blog. Please check out his new website: http://www.aboutfathersbusiness.com)

(In this DWOD for Jan. 20, 2014, guest contributor Kenneth Copeland addresses a key factor that could delay the fulfillment of your destiny…be blessed by this revelation, y’all!)

Therefore do not worry and be anxious. (Matthew 6:31)

God is vehemently against worry. Jesus preached against it. Paul preached against it. The whole Bible preaches against worry because it was designed by Satan to produce stress, strain, and death.

Yet many of us still act as if it’s an option, as if we’re free to worry if we want to. But we’re not! Worrying is a sin. It’s one of those things the Word of God directly commands us not to do.

What are you supposed to do then with all the concerns you have about your problems? In 1 Peter 5:7, God says you should “cast them all upon Him.” All. Not 75 percent of them. Not all of them but the ones about your kids. All of them!

Your confession every morning should be, “I do not have a care in this world because I’ve cast every one of them onto my Lord.”

Let me illustrate how that works. Let’s say you were standing about 20 feet away from me and I tossed my car keys to you. If someone else were to come to me and say, “Brother Copeland, I need the keys to your car. I need to use it.” I would say, “I can’t help you. I cast my keys over on him. I don’t have them anymore.”

That’s what you need to do with your worries. You need to cast them over on the Lord and not take them back. If Satan brings a worried thought to your mind, saying, “What if this terrible thing happens?” then you can tell him to talk to God about it. It’s in His hands, not yours!

Once you do that, changes will start to take place in your life. Problems you’ve been fretting about for years will start being solved. You’ll no longer be tying God’s hands with your worrying. His power can begin to operate because you’ve acted in faith and cast your cares on Him!

Remember, though, God will not take your cares away from you. You have to give them to Him. Then you have to replace those worries with the Word. You are the one who has to keep your thoughts under control. But you can do it. The Greater One dwells within you. He is able to put you over. Commit to it. You’ll never have to worry again.

(This post appeared first in “From Faith to Faith”, a daily guide to Victory. To subscribe to this daily devotional and access other great resources, please go to www.kcm.org)

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Jan. 14, 2014 by Kenneth Copeland)

Let those who favour my righteous cause and have pleasure in my uprightness shout for joy and be glad, and say continually, Let the Lord be magnified, who takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. (Psalm 35:27)

If traditional religion has taught you that God wants you poor and oppressed, I have good news for you today. The Bible says, “God takes pleasure” in your prosperity. God wants you to prosper!

Not just in the financial realm, but in every area of your life…spirit, soul, and body.

No matter where you are or who you are, God wants to see you delivered from every adverse situation.

Why? Because He loves you and He has a job for you to do. He wants you to help meet the needs of humankind and He’s smart enough to know that you can’t give away what you don’t have.

You can’t give to spread the gospel or buy food for the hungry when you’re broke.

You can’t go out laying hands on the sick when you’re lying in a hospital bed.

You can’t minister joy to others when you’re being held captive by depression.

No! You have to be blessed to be a blessing.

If you really want to tap into the riches of God today, make up your mind to be a blessing to others, and before you know it, you’ll be receiving more from God than you ever dreamed.

That’s what happened to me. I decided years ago, first and foremost, to be a giver. I developed a lifestyle of giving. Today, I literally “live to give.” And I don’t mind telling you, God dumps blessings on me by the truckload!

He’ll do the same for you if you’ll become His servant–if you’ll lay down your time and your money and your love for those who need it. Become a giver–and God will take pleasure in prospering you!

(This post appeared first in “From Faith to Faith”, a daily guide to Victory. To subscribe to this daily devotional and access other great resources, please go to www.kcm.org)

(Be blessed by this inspirational DWOD for Jan. 12, 2014 contributed by guest blogger Os Hillman)

Yet when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days. (John 11:6)

Delays in our life are not always easy to handle or to reconcile in our minds. Often, when God does not answer our prayers in the time that we feel He should, we appoint all sorts of characteristics to God’s nature that imply He does not care.

Such was the case with Lazarus’ sisters when Lazarus became ill and died. Jesus was a close friend to Lazarus and his two sisters, Mary and Martha. (Mary, you may recall, was the woman who came and poured perfume on Jesus’ feet.)

When Jesus arrived two days later, Martha shamed Him by saying, “If You had come he would not have died.” She implied that He didn’t care enough to come when sent for. It was a matter of priorities for Jesus, not lack of love.

God often has to delay His work in us in order to accomplish something for His purposes that can be achieved only in the delay. Jesus had to let Lazarus die in order for the miracle that was about to take place to have its full effect.

If Jesus had simply healed a sick man, the impact of the miracle would not have been as newsworthy as resurrecting a man who had been dead for four days. This is Jesus’ greatest “public relations act” of His whole ministry. What many do not realize is that the key to the whole story is in the next chapter.

Many people, because they had heard that He had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet Him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after Him!” (John 12:18-19)

If Jesus had not raised Lazarus from the dead, there would have been no crowds to cheer the Lord when He came into Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

God often sets the stage so that His glory is revealed through the events that He orchestrates. He did this with Moses and Pharaoh, allowing delay after delay for release of the Israelites from Egypt. He did this with Abraham and Sarah for the promised child, Isaac. God granted Sarah a baby past the age of childbearing in order to demonstrate His power.

God did this in my own life. He delayed the fulfillment of what I believed He called me to do for several years. But the delays provided the necessary preparation and greater glory that God was to receive.

My friend, don’t take the delays lightly. Do not faint as God places you in what seems to be a holding pattern. God is at work. God knows the purposes for His delays. Don’t give up, for they are for His greater glory; so we need to remain faithful.

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Jan. 09, 2013 by guest contributor Steve Hill)

My wife, Jeri, and I are certified scuba divers. It is one of our favorite activities to do together. We thrive on the excitement of exploring the underwater world teeming with the life of colorful reefs and exotic fish.

A few years back, while on vacation, we decided to take a day and charter a boat to take us out to a local reef we were told was a top dive site. That morning the sun came up without a cloud in sight. We expected it to be another day in paradise.

We left the boat dock excited to be on our way, looking forward to the adventure that lay ahead. However, as we approached the dive site, the weather started to take a turn.

The sunny sky quickly disappeared as dark storm clouds began to roll in. The wind and the waves started to pick up, and the rain started to fall. 

I assumed the dive would be canceled and we would all have to head back to port. To my surprise, the dive instructor dropped the anchor and told the handful of us on the boat to strap into our tanks and prepare to dive.

Puzzled, I looked at the instructor and said, “It looks like it’s about to storm.”

He fired right back, “The fish don’t know that.”

My friend, he was right. As soon as we dove beneath the waves, we found the peace that awaited just a few feet below. For the next 45 minutes, Jeri and I swam with the fish, completely oblivious to the storm that was overhead.

We found the security of being in a deep place.

As you and I embark on a brand new year, we must do so knowing there are trials and tests of various types awaiting us. Regardless of how well your year begins, trust me, there is a storm on its way.

Whether you find yourself tossed about by the waves or settled in the calm of the peaceful depths depends on where you’ve positioned yourself within the Lord.

Though waves may be crashing on the surface of your life, you can have the inward peace of perfect faith in God. Amid the dreary noises of this world, amid its cares and tears, its hot contentions, ambitions and disappointments, you can have an inner calm like the serene ocean depths against which the influence of the wild winds and waves can never prevail!

This is a peace that passes all understanding, a peace that only a true child of God can understand.

This year, put your full trust in the Lord and do not return to the trappings of the world in search of peace. The world can at best offer only a temporary substitute.

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27, KJV).

Amongst all your resolutions, may this be the first: Resolve yourself to find the deep place in God’s presence. Daily surrender your fears, doubts and self-sufficiency—anything that troubles your hearts—and daily rely on Him.

(Evangelist Steve Hill preached the Brownsville Revival for five years, is pastor emeritus of Heartland World Ministries Church and has authored 13 books, including Spiritual Avalanche. This post first appeared in Charisma Magazine).

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Jan. 04, 2013 by guest contributor Elizabeth Enlow)

My husband Johnny and I have a tradition of setting time aside every year to seek God’s heart concerning the upcoming new year. This year I sensed God’s invitation for His sons and daughters to participate in His plans of reformation in 2014 by caring more about our reputation or image in the world than ever before. I felt He said that as we gain a reputation more for our love than for what we stand against, then the knowledge of God and His correct reputation will also increase in the earth.

Just in case you may think it’s inappropriate for a Christian to care about what others think of us, remember that Luke 2:52 says “Jesus increased in wisdom, and stature, and in favour with God and man.”I believe our Father has given us the same privilege and responsibility. You may also remember that Philippians 2:7 tells us that Jesus “made Himself of no reputation.” If you read this verse in context, it explains how Jesus gave up His more true identity as God in order to be known as a servant among us. I believe God is inviting us to change our reputation, or what we are known for in the eyes of the world, for the purpose of increasing in favour.

Johnny’s word for 2014 is The Year of the Catapult. God began to speak to me about our love for the world being the catapult that will launch us into the reformation of cities and nations. I believe He has taken our generation through many intentional steps over the last several decades to teach us, as His sons and daughters, how He truly does love us and desires an intimate and authentic relationship with us and not religion or works.

The best evidence of that can easily be seen in the progression of our worship. Clearly we are learning to pour our hearts out to a God we feel can handle our honesty and wants our genuine affection and freedom in His presence. Our Father has individually and corporately been intentionally convincing our hearts of the very thing that we must learn to give away to the world – unconditional, extravagant love that secures us even when the enemy would try to use circumstances to convince us that we are not loved or valued. Until we began to believe it for ourselves, we certainly wouldn’t have been capable of giving it away.

2013 was filled with the usual ups and downs, but it was a year that our hearts began to pass the test of knowing, no matter what circumstances looked like, we were still loved by God and He could still be trusted.

Johnny described it like the intense pressure and tension that happens when a catapult is pulled back. It was in that place of tension and extreme pressure that our hearts became more convinced than ever of the goodness of the Lord and therefore convinced of His love towards us. The next step will be seen in our ability to give to the world that same love we have received. It is that very love that will propel us forward into places of influence, bringing with us the solutions God is excited to provide through us in all areas of culture.

(Elizabeth Enlow and her husband Johnny are passionate about the need to transform culture, and to awaken not only Christians to this new way of thinking, but also helping those who may not feel close to God change their perspective of who they think He is and His true heart towards them. This DWOD is an excerpt from a lengthier word for 2014 posted at: http://johnnyandelizabeth.com/category/media/)

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Jan. 03, 2013 by guest contributor Johnny Enlow)

Right now unforgiveness (offense holding, bitterness, unreleased judgments) are rampant in the Body of Christ and it must stop. No matter what level of grace message you are being fed and strengthened by at this time, if it does not hold you accountable for refusing to forgive then it is subgrace.

You can believe and declare over yourself all sorts of great things but they will all be sabotaged if you refuse to forgive. Nobody who truly needs to be forgiven deserves to be forgiven- so if you are waiting for your ‘prey’ to deserve your forgiveness – it is still unforgiveness.

If as you are reading this, a person or situation comes to mind then radically deal with it now. Sometimes it is appropriate to go to the person, sometimes it is not. Let the Holy Spirit lead how – but release your own destiny by forgiving.

What do I mean by “devouring words”? It is what actually happens when you give yourself over to negative conversation. Life and death is in the power of the tongue and you just cannot keep speaking out loud words that actually devour your harvest, your inheritance, and your destiny.

If you already know that negativity notoriously comes out of your mouth this is a SELAH year for you. Just be silent. Don’t agree with anything destructive that comes from anyone’s mouth or email. If there is a true warning to be aware of, it will come with a built-in hope.

I have been shown that one of the main attributes that the Lord is looking for is simple sincerity. In John 1:47, Jesus praised a man named Nathanael, calling him a man “in whom is no guile”. In John 4:23, Jesus talked about the Father looking for “true worshippers”. Both of these speak of authentic heart responses that did not carry other subtle motives or agendas.

The word SINCERE itself is said to derive from the practice of ancient pottery making. SIN means without and CERE means wax. Often when potters would bake their vessel, cracks would show up that would greatly devalue the vessel or render it of no value. Potters would fill the cracks with wax and paint over it to cover up the defect. If a Corinthian pottery shop had over it SINCERUS it meant that the pottery contained no wax and that what you saw is what you were getting. This made the pottery valuable.

The message here is “get rid of the wax”. Especially the wax around your heart. You, yourself, are the best judge of your own sincerity. If you are aware that you are not transparently living out of your heart – but rather out of agenda- then do business with God and become a sincere person.

It can be difficult in such a tough, cynical, agenda-driven world, but we must become as little children in this way. He wants to give the kingdom to His hopeful, radiant, sincere, non-grudge holding children.

For 2014 may you take full advantage of what He is making available to us by not sabotaging your own awesome destiny. He really doesn’t need you to be perfect, and He just wants you to extend that same grace to others.

Now prepare to be catapulted.

(Johnny Enlow is the author of The Seven Mountain Prophecy and The Seven Mountain Mantle among others. He and his wife Elizabeth are passionate about the need to transform culture, and to awaken not only Christians to this new way of thinking, but also helping those who may not feel close to God change their perspective of who they think He is and His true heart towards them. This DWOD is an excerpt from a lengthier word for 2014 posted at: http://johnnyandelizabeth.com/category/media/)

 

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Jan. 01, 2014 by guest contributor John Chasteen. I believe that what he shares is a key to advancing into your destiny this year)

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17)

King Solomon’s writings are filled with illustrations meant to enlighten us about the power of meaningful relationships. He believed good friends could sharpen one another—that “metal to metal” relationships would result in an improved life.

He also believed that poor relationships would wound us. Ultimately, he claimed, we are the product of our friendships, whether good or bad.

The king clearly understood that human beings were never made to “go it alone.” He taught us that God often uses the influences of others to shape and prepare our destinies. We can never be all God intended for us to be without significant people in our lives. 

Solomon also taught that true friends correct one another. “Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy” (27:6). Pity the person who has no healthy “wounding” from a friend!

Solomon’s words tell us that a quality friend will offer valuable counsel: “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense” (27:9). Literally, this means a real friend will give “fit”—that is, timely and appropriate—advice (see 15:23).

Another characteristic of friendships is that friends offer mutual support and encouragement. We each need someone who will hold us accountable.

For this reason, we must work hard at developing friendships with those more stalwart than ourselves—colleagues who aren’t afraid to “level with us,” who are more impressed with character than accomplishment.

What about behaviours that spoil friendships? Solomon gives us a list that includes gossip, excessive talking (see 16:28; 17:9), the improper handling of money (see 19:4), anger and self-control issues (see 22:24), and odious and obnoxious behavior (see 27:14).

Finally, we need to understand that going to the next level in God will always require us to discover and develop new relationships. However, we should never discard time-honored, meaningful relationships. Benjamin Franklin once said: “Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing.”

So who needs friends, right? After all, this is America—the great bastion of independence and self-sufficiency.

Think again! Maybe it’s time once more for you and me to hear the sound of grinding metal in our lives. Iron to iron—friend sharpening friend. Lord, give us good friends!

(John Chasteen is a professor of history at the University of North Carolina. This post first appeared as a column in Charisma Magazine).