(Be blessed by this DWOD for Nov. 23, 2013 by guest contributor Gloria Copeland)

 OBEDIENCE IN LITTLE

He who is faithful in a very little [thing], is faithful also in much. (Luke 16:10)

Have you ever wanted to take on some really big project in the kingdom of God, but the Lord just wouldn’t seem to let you? If so, there’s probably a good reason why.

You can see what I’m talking about if you’ll read about what God did with the children of Israel after He brought them out of Egypt. He wanted to take them on into the Promised Land. But before He could do it, God had to know if they would obey Him. He had to know if they would listen to His voice. Because if they didn’t, the enemies they were about to face would wipe them out.

So, do you know what He did? He tested them in a small matter.

Exodus 16:4 tells us about this simple test. “Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.”

God took a little, insignificant matter, the food they ate–and used it to see if they would listen to Him or not. He told them how much of it to gather, when to gather and when not to, and what to do with it after they brought it in.

And the Israelites went right out and violated those instructions. They showed God by their actions that His voice was not important to them. They were not willing to obey even His simplest commands.

God works the same way today. Before He sends you on a major mission, He gives you the opportunity to prove you can be trusted with small instructions.

But many of us miss that opportunity. We pray, “What do You want me to do, Lord? Where do You want me to go? I’ll do anything You say.” But then when the Lord says, “I want you to get up and pray in the Spirit one hour every morning,” we fail to obey Him. We say, “Oh yeah, that would be good. I ought to do that.” But somehow we never quite get around to it.

Don’t make that mistake. Start today obeying God in the little things. Let Him see that He can trust you out there in a place of much authority. Let Him know you’ll be faithful to His Words and to the voice of His Spirit. Once He knows you won’t let disobedience wipe you out, He’ll start sending bigger assignments your way.

(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 Nov. 19, 2013 by guest blogger, Os Hillman)

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you”  (Joshua 1:5b).

A black hole is a place of total nothingness. It is a time in our life when God removes the resources and supports that we normally rely on to feel secure– our careers, finances, friends, family, health and so forth. It is a preparation time.

When you find yourself in a black hole experience, don’t just sit and brood. Take stock of your life. Take a look at your relationship with God.

First, ask God if there are any sins, habits, or attitudes that He might be judging in your life. It’s important to discern whether the trial we face is the result of God’s discipline for our sin or if it is preparing us for a future leadership role.

Second, when you enter a black hole, don’t trust your feelings. Trust God. Your feelings will tell you, “God has rejected you. Abandon hope. He has left you utterly alone.” Feelings change; God never changes. Feelings come and go; God is always with us.

Third, remember that your black hole experience is not only intended to refine and define you; it’s also intended to influence and change the lives of hundreds or even thousands of other people. Our adversity is not just for us, but others in our sphere of influence.

Fourth, don’t try to hurry the black hole process along. Remember, when Joseph was in the depths of the pit, there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn’t climb out, jump out, levitate out, or talk his way out. All he could do was pray and wait upon the Lord.

Fifth, lean on God. Even when you don’t feel like praying, pray. Even when you don’t feel like reading His Word, read. Even when you don’t feel like singing songs of faith, sing. When you pray, don’t just talk; listen. Be silent before Him and listen for His still, quiet voice.

Sixth, be alert to new truths and new perspectives. During a black hole experience, God often leads us to amazing new discoveries. A black hole can be a storehouse of unexpected riches for the soul.

(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/)

(Guest blogger Lance Wallnau releases the DWOD for Nov. 15, 2013…be blessed!)

Emotional Intelligence author Daniel Goleman once used the term “feeling tone” to describe the ultimate measure of communication.

Communication involves a sender and a receiver. If you are sending accurate content but the feeling is off, your message is compromised by the feeling you mixed into it. I have often sent the wrong message when in fact I am simply not paying attention to my voice and expression at the moment I sent it. An associate of mine had a broken keyboard on their blackberry and every message was in CAPS! I always felt like I was being yelled at.

This mixed messaging happens to us more than you think. For this reason, “Self Awareness” is one of the fundamental skills of the emotionally intelligent person.

Let’s go one level deeper. Apart from the relationship you have with your Creator, what is the One relationship that matters most? It is not your spouse, kids or parents. I believe the answer is—your relationship with YOURSELF!

How you FEEL about you is going to affect how you treat others. They are directly affected by your state. People can “sense” when you really enjoy their company.

What’s the “feeling tone” you are having right now with yourself? Do you secretly beat yourself up because you are overweight, alone, not making more money or stuck in some way while others seem to be racing on with life on their own terms?

The relationship you have with you is the most priceless discovery a Christian can make. Why? Because most are unaware that any relationship of self to self even exists!

Ever wonder why David talks to himself? He talks to his soul like he was coaching a friend out of depression. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”(Psalm 42:5)

The Christian falls into an unintentional trap. A believer knows that God loves them and that forgiveness is really just a prayer away.

What Christians do not know is that this new way of life delivers us from periods of self- loathing and self-hatred because we are to “bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”(2 Corinthians 10:5) “EVERY thought” includes thoughts that don’t agree with God’s estimate of you…including the critical thoughts you feed yourself every day! You lost the right to beat yourself up when you gave your life to Christ.

What is the “feeling tone” you have with yourself right now?

You are a beloved son or daughter. God is not dealing with accepting or rejecting you. That issue is already settled. You are “accepted in the beloved.” For the rest of your life, your heavenly Father is working on your “maturity” not your “acceptance.”

You may be made of dust, and shall return to dust, but there is dignity in your dust. You are not the same person you once were. You have been infused with new life and a new nature. Look how far you have come. You have made progress.

If God had His way, when you look into the mirror you would feel the feelings He has toward you. The “feeling tone” between you and yourself would resonate with dignity, not disappointment. You child of royalty, you ought to feel a deep and abiding self-respect, not shame.

O sons and daughters of Zion, enter the tabernacle of your father David and speak to yourself, say to your soul: “why are you disturbed within me?”

“Awake, my soul! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples.” (Psalm 57:8)

Talk to yourself and SING!

(Dr. Lance Wallnau is a world-class trainer and consultant whose students span the globe. From bestselling authors, pastors, and billion dollar CEO’s, he has helped to transform the lives of thousands. Please check out his resources at www.lancelearning.com)

(Guest blogger Shyju Matthew provides us with the DWOD for Nov. 13, 2013–be blessed, everybody!)

Here is God’s key to success for Adam and Eve in their marital life: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

Other translations use these expressions: “leave and cleave”(KJV), “leave and be united” (NIV), and “leave and be joined” (NASB)

Interestingly, the same words are used when we are encouraged to pursue God: “Ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him.” (Deuteronomy 13:4 KJV)

Look at what Samuel says to Israel in I Samuel 7:3: “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve Him only, and He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Consider also the apostle Paul’s prescription for overcoming temptation: “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)

“Leaving” is perfected only when practised with “cleaving”. In other words, you cannot successfully leave something unless you are united with another. This, as a principle, can be used to find success in all areas of our lives.

The fact is that as social beings, we are created to cling to something. We are not made to be isolated. So the question is: What are you clinging to?

If you are not pursuing God actively, then you are already pursuing something that is not of God, knowingly or otherwise.

The key to overcoming temptations is not just to flee from attractions, but replacing it by pursuing the things of God.

The key to marriage is to give your undivided attention to your spouse.

The key to clinging to God is to totally let go of all other things we worship.

In 2010 an Emirates airliner bound to Kochi, India hit an air-pocket and dropped 200 feet in a matter of seconds. Thankfully the pilot was able to regain control with minor injuries to the passengers.

An air pocket is a downward air current that causes an aircraft to lose altitude abruptly. Every Christian has to be aware of these kinds of holes in one’s walk with God.

We all have different kinds of needs–for love, intimacy, encouragement, security, appreciation, etc. When these needs are not met through the channels that God’s Word wants it to be filled with, one creates a dangerous air pocket.

Many of us have fallen into these dangerous traps because these vacuums were not rightly filled.

If you have not taken active steps to cleave to your spouse in your marriage, then you are bound to look outside your marriage.

If you are passive about pursuing God, then it’s only a matter of time before you drift away from God.

If you are not actively pursuing righteous living, faithfulness, love, peace and the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts, then, my friend, you are bound to pursue youthful lusts.

Here are some practical steps you can take today:

a) Make a note of the things you need to “leave” to “cleave” to your destiny.

b) Take all steps to be disconnect from those things totally. 100%, without mercy!

c) Then, make note of the things you need to replace those negative habits with.

d) Take all steps to be passionately and actively pursuing those things which are good and from God.

Start now. Be consistent. And you will avert a dangerous vacuum from developing in your heart.

(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)

(Guest blogger Lance Wallnau releases the DWOD for Nov. 09, 2013…be blessed!)

“I am the God of your father–the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”(Exodus 3:6)

Thus began the conversation between God and the chosen vessel Moses. It is almost as though God were viewing three generations as present with Him while He speaks.

Come to think of it, this IS what is happening in that moment. Jesus quoted this verse to prove the reality of the resurrection saying, “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” (Luke 20:38) God has the past and future of your lineage in mind as He talks to you.

This means that God is the God of a BIGGER story than the chapter you and I occupy.

Baby boomers (my generation) often obsess about our lives as though Heaven has to perform every promise ever spoken to us and through us in OUR lifetime. I had a somewhat shocking thought today…what if God does not see Himself as limited to fulfilling all He spoke to you and me through us alone? What if he intends to do much of this through your children and grandchildren?

If you are a second generation Christian, you are an Isaac fulfilling in some measure the promise God gave the Abraham who was before you. You think it’s all about you? It’s largely about Abraham. I’ve often suspected that some of my children will complete the missed potential of my own calling. But I am the Abraham in my family line (or so I think…but who knows?)

If you’re a third generation believer, you are the Jacob completing the promise to Isaac and great Grandpa and Grandma Abraham and Sarah. And JOSEPH? He’s working out the promises given to Abraham as his great great grandson.

Here’s a brain burner (at least for me). In the resurrection all those characters will be alive as contemporaries with new bodies looking approximately 30 years of age. They will have comprehensive knowledge of the others’ journey, consecration, failures and contribution to each other and the kingdom.

We feel like the story is all about us, but we got written into somebody else’s story. This does not diminish your value or uniqueness, but it does put your life into perspective, doesn’t it?

God was at work before you and I arrived and will no doubt be showing His prophetic faithfulness to us through the story He tells in the lives of our offspring.

Let us live our lives with such intensity and advance the kingdom so powerfully that we take out enemies our children and theirs will never have to fight. Then in the age to come, our offspring will rise up and call us blessed.

(Dr. Lance Wallnau is a world-class trainer and consultant whose students span the globe. From bestselling authors, pastors, and billion dollar CEO’s, he has helped to transform the lives of thousands. Please check out his resources at www.lancelearning.com)

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Nov. 06, 2013 by guest blogger, Barry Adams)

 He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

 The Apostle Paul was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) of all of the apostles. He is responsible for writing the theology for a huge chunk of the New Testament that we all embrace today. In the verses just prior to this week’s Scripture passage, Paul even tells about the amazing things that he saw when he was caught up to the third heaven. If there was ever someone who could boast in his own abilities, it would probably be Paul. He was better educated, better disciplined, and probably more zealous than most of his contemporaries.

Yet in all of his natural abilities and spiritual gifts, it appears that he had something yet to learn. And that was the principle of weakness. You see, Paul thought as many of us do, that in order to be strong, we need to be able to demonstrate our own strength. Yet as we read in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, he was about to learn that the very opposite of this is true.

Because of his struggle with something that he could not overcome in his own strength, the proverbial thorn in the flesh, he asked God to remove it on his behalf. He actually asked on 3 different occasions to be delivered from whatever it was that was harassing him. It was at that time that Jesus appeared to him and said words that absolutely turned Paul’s theology upside down… “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

It was at that moment that Paul got a revelation of the principle of weakness. When he was empty of his own ability to be strong, then the omniscient, omnipotent power of Christ living in him could be strong on his behalf! Paul realized that his own strength actually was getting in the way so he decided not to try and boast in his strength any longer, but rather in his weakness. For when he was weak… then he was made strong!

You see, a son is not afraid to be weak. He knows that one of the greatest principles in the kingdom is the principle of weakness. Jesus modelled this dependent life in John 5:19-20 when He told His disciples that the Son could do NOTHING apart from His Father. In John 14:8-11, Jesus also said that it was actually the Father doing the work through Him.

If we try to be strong in our own abilities, we will actually hinder the true strength of Christ that is just waiting to be revealed through a surrendered life. That is why Jesus told us in Matthew 18 that the greatest in the kingdom would be those with a childlike heart. Little children are weak. They need to be provided for, protected, taught, etc., etc. Because they know they are needy, it creates a complete and absolute dependence upon their parents that is absolutely beautiful.

Because we live in an orphan-hearted world system, the ideologies and opinions of that mindset dominate the thinking…even in some church cultures. In an orphan world system, the first shall be first and the last will be least. The wealthy, the powerful, the beautiful, the educated are all considered the cream of the crop, while those who are lesser in any of these areas are considered to be inferior.

When I talk about an orphan mindset, I am simply referring to a belief system that is not rooted in the truth that we are children of God and that He is a Father to us in every way. If we are not yet convinced of this foundational truth of Christianity, we will try to live a life where we have to manage all of the challenges that come our way in our own strength.

My prayer today is that God would give us the same revelation that He gave to Paul the Apostle two thousand years ago…that when we are weak, then we are truly strong because the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for us.

(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)

(Be blessed by this post by guest blogger Shyju Thomas)

This is important for everyone called to a great destiny. As Christians, we look to God as our Father. In fact, we are joint heirs to God’s inheritance. Galatians 4:7 says, ‘So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.’

So then the danger arises when we as Christians end up thinking that we will receive everything that we ask. But to tell the truth, from time to time, we find ourselves sulking about something that we really wanted and did not get.

I’ve had my own times of sulking but after some polishing and moulding from God, I look back today and praise God for shutting doors because now I realize how I was not ready for that blessing.

There is another important verse in that same chapter that we must understand closely. Galatians 4: 1, 2 says, ‘What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.’

To explain that in simple words would mean that even though you own all the blessings, our Father in heaven waits for the right time to give it to you.

For an earthly example, even though a child rightly has access to his father’s car, his father waits for him to grow up till the age that he is physically capable and legally allowed to drive! Otherwise, that same car which is supposed to be a blessing may end up destroying the life of that child. How much more does our Heavenly Father understand when we are ready for our blessing!

This is true also with your spiritual life. As the Spirit has been teaching me, I’m still learning to put my desires to death to the desires of the Father. Yes, even spiritual desires!

There are times when I desire gifts of the Holy Spirit, I make a conscious effort and try to correct myself and say, “Lord bless me with that gift in your time and for your purpose.” Because many times, we have our own selfish desires for our own selfish purposes.

When we end up having something we are not ready for, we subject ourselves to a fall. I want God to honour me in His due time so that when it comes, I will also be prepared and humble enough to receive it.

I once heard my friend quote A. W. Tozer, ‘God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work.’

Do not be discouraged if promotion does not immediately come your way.

Do not be discouraged if no one recognizes you immediately.

Do not be hurt if people don’t appreciate your ministry.

Do not sulk if all your dreams don’t come true instantly.

Hide yourself in God.

Do not forget that God anointed David for what was going to happen 14 years later. And after God anointed David as King, what followed were insults, attacks and prejudice. Yet he was in the centre of the will of God. God was fully preparing him for his throne.

Consider also Absalom who forcefully grabbed his father David’s throne before his time. With it came pride and with the pride came his fall.

Proverbs 20:24 says, ‘A man’s steps are directed by the LORD.’ It is interesting that those are the times that we attain our full spiritual maturity by going through the steps that God has ordained. Each of those steps are our experiences that make us stronger for where God is going to take us. Those steps are when we meet friends that help us reach where we have to reach. Those steps are places where we are moulded to God’s own character. Why then do we try to take the elevator?

Can you relate, dear DWOD friend? Please share your thoughts and experiences with the rest of us.

(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. Please visit his website: http://revivenations.org/)

(Guest blogger Lance Wallnau returns with the DWOD for Oct. 30, 2013…be blessed!)

There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end the choice you make, makes you!

Even the choice to be stuck is a choice nonetheless. Just because the situation on the outside isn’t moving doesn’t mean you can’t be going somewhere on the inside.

In a stuck situation you always have the choice to:

Try a different approach! I have a friend in a bad marriage. It’s bad for him and his children as well as his wife. She refused to work with him to fix it. After 4 years of abuse I pleaded with him to try ANYTHING different. Specifically, act happy for a while and tell her it’s over just to see what happens. He did – and she changed. Who knows why?

What matters is, it worked! The moment he started acting happy and wanting to separate she was unhappy and wanted to stay together. Now they are working on being happy at the same time- but it’s progress. When what you are doing isn’t working – try ANYTHING else.

or

Embrace the unchangeable situation and change your perspective. Paul didn’t call himself a prisoner of Rome, but rather “the prisoner of the Lord Jesus Christ.”He didn’t call his scars “the mark of Roman and Jewish barbarism” he called them “the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Joseph’s abduction to Egypt wasn’t such a terrible thing once he saw that God was in the whole plot to get him to Egypt.

So ask God what HE is doing in the seemingly delayed answer to prayer or unresolved problem. You might be surprised at what you discover! He may be working on your kids, or spouse or something else and when it comes together, the timing will be perfect. How many properties or purchases have I seen that looked like they were held up only to be massively better once God’s timing released it!

The point? Every choice affects you. Make a decision to alter your condition on the inside till the situation on the outside shifts. 90% of the time, the change in you has a mysterious effect on changing the dynamic of the situation.

In everything give thanks….because this aligns you more perfectly with God over your situation. Start by thinking of ways this problem is a good thing! Seriously. What is GREAT about it?

Doing this will put the helmet of HOPE back on your head and the anointing oil will start to cover you and make you so slippery the enemy will lose his grip and you will get unstuck J

(Dr. Lance Wallnau is a world-class trainer and consultant whose students span the globe. From bestselling authors, pastors, and billion dollar CEO’s, he has helped to transform the lives of thousands. Please check out his resources at www.lancelearning.com)

(Be blessed by this DWOD for Oct. 25, 2013 by guest blogger, Os Hillman)

“O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed”(Ps 30:7).

It is often difficult to recognize the hand of God when we are in the midst of adversity. We often feel God has hidden His face from us. When the Lord takes us through deep valleys, there will be fruit from the deep valley that we cannot see. You must press into Him with all you have during this time.

God uses the deep valley to frame our lives to create a change in our nature, not just a change in habits. The depth and width of our valley is often an indicator of the level of calling and influence we will have on others in the future. Our adversity is not just for us, but others who will be in our future path of influence. This is not very comforting when you are in the middle of the valley, but know this is a truth in the Kingdom.

It is often years later when we discover the wisdom of God and why He intentionally led us through the dark valley. Life is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back at through valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life while we were there.

“He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light” (Job 12:22).

When you begin to realize this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn’t seem like it at the time, but He was.

Do you find yourself in the valley? Now is the time to fully trust Him to guide you to higher ground.

(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 DWOD for Oct. 23, by Kenneth Copeland)

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:35-36)

Most of us have a distorted idea about patience. We think of it as something designed to help us suffer failure gracefully, but according to these scriptures, it will actually put us on the path to success!

Patience (or being consistently constant) is the power twin of faith. They work together to see to it that the promises of God are fulfilled in your life.

Say, for example, you need a job. You can go to the Word and see clearly that God promises to provide your needs. You can see He takes pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. Once you see that, faith takes hold and you shout, “Hallelujah, I’ve got the job I need.”

But what happens to that faith tomorrow morning when you go to three interviews and get turned down all three times? Then what? That’s when patience has to take over! That’s when you have to make a decision to stay constant, to act as if nothing’s changed.

The truth is, if you based your confidence on the Word of God, nothing has changed. It says exactly the same thing it said yesterday.

So, if you’ll put patience to work, you know what you’re going to say after those three unsuccessful job interviews? You’re going to say, “Hallelujah, I’ve got the job I need!” just like you did before.

You see, faith opens the door to God’s promise for you; and patience keeps it open until that promise is fulfilled. 

Do you have your faith sights set on a promise of God today, a promise you’ve been waiting on for some time? Don’t let the delay discourage you. Put patience to work. The Word guarantees you will receive your reward.

(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)