1 Chronicles 22; 1 Peter 3; Micah 1; Luke 10

I imagine Jesse’s sons lined up as Samuel walked by looking for the one God had chosen to be anointed. That son was out in a field watching over animals, and he must not have been regarded as a possibility because he wasn’t in the line up. I note that David was not as (comparison: big, strong, handsome) as his brothers. I can only imagine. I think of that boy, David, who had a heroic future ahead of him, so many things God had planned for him. David, who faced off against a giant–a legend. David, who was hunted by a king and an army–not so glamorous.

I imagine in 1 Chronicles 22, David who gathers together tools and supplies for his son to carry out a historic task.

⁶ Then David sent for his son Solomon and instructed him to build a Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁷ “My son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God,” David told him. ⁸ “But the Lord said to me, ‘You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. ⁹ But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign. ¹⁰ He is the one who will build a Temple to honor my name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will secure the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

¹¹ “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God. ¹² And may the Lord give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the Lord your God as you rule over Israel. ¹³ For you will be successful if you carefully obey the decrees and regulations that the Lord gave to Israel through Moses. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or lose heart!” (1 Chronicles 22:6-13, NLT)

It was a job David wanted to complete, but he knew that it was destined for Solomon. I love, that as a father, leader, and visionary, David made the necessary supplies and guidance available for his son. I love that David loved the Lord so much that, although he wouldn’t be the one to complete the job, he did all that he could to contribute to a future he wouldn’t see.

I think long on purpose. I know women who gaze into another’s life and get caught in a comparison trap. Perhaps the Lord equips and provides for each as their purpose requires. How ineffective to covet another’s belongings, status, purpose at even a momentary neglect of your own. A friend was telling me about the encouraging atmosphere she found in a small community and wondered, “Why can’t we all be like that everywhere and build people up?” I think of David, who put his desire to build the temple to better use, to equip and encourage the one who would actually build it.

Jesus infused his followers with purpose.

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. ² These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. ³ Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves … ⁸ “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. ⁹ Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ ¹⁰ But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’” (Luke 10:1-3, 8-11, NLT)

Lord, help me to keep my eyes on your kingdom. Help me to keep my focus on the job you have called me to. Let me be one to serve you with my whole heart. I don’t want to be ineffective. I don’t want to miss what you have planned for me. Thank you for giving me this place, this space, this time to honor you and serve you.

Courtney (66books365)

Isaiah 41-44; 1 Corinthians 12

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6

I compare myself to others way more than is good for me. I do it for the everyday things, with my body type, how much I weigh, what I am wearing, how my hair and make-up (or lack of it) looks, etc. I do it with my possessions; is my car good enough? Is my house clean enough? Is my phone nice enough? I even do it with my kids – are they acting better or worse than the other kids around?

I have realized that sometimes I also compare gifting and talents; and rather than strengthening the areas that come natural for me, I focus more on what I wish I had.

I’m not sure why I waste my time in the comparison trap, maybe a subconscious desire to be better or maybe the enemy whispering in my ear that I am not good enough. Either way, I usually end up feeling horrible about myself, because inevitably I evaluate my worst when I am looking at someone else’s best; and I will never measure up in that equation.

The truth is that I need to change my focus completely. I need to turn away from thoughts of what I have or don’t have and how I compare to others; and I need to shift back to keeping my eyes on the source of everything. I need to put the emphasis back on God, my Creator, the One who made me as I am for a purpose in His plan.

“But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the lord.

“You are my servant.

You have been chosen to know me, believe in me,

and understand that I alone am God.

There is no other God—

there never has been, and there never will be.

I, yes I, am the lord,

and there is no other Savior…

“From eternity to eternity I am God.

No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.

No one can undo what I have done.”

The lord’s Promise of Victory. Isaiah 43:10-11; 13

I have been chosen to know God and to know that He is the Only Living God. I have been chosen to be in relationship with Him just as I am. I do not need to look to the right or to the left to see how I match up with someone else; I need to look straight into the Father’s eyes and see myself as He sees me.

I have called you back from the ends of the earth,

saying, ‘You are my servant.’

For I have chosen you

and will not throw you away.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you.

I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:9-10

I don’t need to be discouraged by what I think is lacking in my abilities, I need to trust that God loves me with an everlasting love, that He determined the who, what, when, where, why, and how of my destiny and I am perfect and well equipped for my call on this earth. I need to have faith that He will strengthen me in my weakness and that he will uphold me as I walk the path set before me. He has made me a testimony to His goodness and glory.

Yesappa, Thank You for choosing me for such a time as this. Thank You for always being there for me. Thank you for loving me perfectly. Help me keep my focus on You and not what surrounds me. Help me remember that You are my source and You will provide everything I need to walk in Your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Blessings – Julie, Sholavandan, India (written in the U.S.A.)

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Isaiah 20-22; 1 Corinthians 2

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 1 Corinthians 2:1-7

A friend of mine recently expressed that she felt she was the “least qualified” to minister to someone to receive healing.

Though I completely understand that sentiment, especially when around spiritual power-houses, and often feel like that myself, my immediate reaction was to rise up (inside) and say “that’s not true!”

As humans, we often get ourselves mixed up in the comparison trap – I look at you and instantly see how awesome you are. Then I look at myself, and even though I have some great qualities, I know the deep dark secrets lurking in my heart, and start believing that I will never measure up. I forget that you have some less than perfect things in your life too. I compare the best of you, to the worst of me and then deem that to be truth.

But the truth is that the same wonderful, powerful, glorious Spirit is in all of us who believe in the resurrected power of Jesus. He chose you AND he chose me, regardless of my weaknesses (maybe even because of them).

It doesn’t matter that you may have prayed for thousands of people, that you have witnessed many people healed, that you have been on the {foreign} mission field for most of your adult life, that you are active in your community spreading God’s love to your neighbors, that you care for your children as a stay at home parent, etc.; we are all the most qualified when we say “yes” to God’s call, regardless of what that commission is.

God chooses me, not because I have it all together – because let me tell you before you figure it out on your own – I most certainly don’t. God chooses me because I am the perfect person for the job. I am the most qualified, to touch the heart of that particular person in that particular moment for that particular purpose…and because I am willing. I am perfectly qualified because Christ, living inside me, makes me perfectly qualified.

God isn’t expecting me to be well studied in Theology or have tons of practice in Biblical counseling or have years of ministry experience under my belt. God is expecting me to have a relationship with Him, to “rely on the power of the Holy Spirit”; He is expecting me to trust the simplicity of His Message.

I can’t put trust in my own words or wisdom. I need to fully trust in the power of God so that others will do the same. I need to follow Jesus, modelling His actions as revealed in the Word, so that others can follow Him. I need to be confident in the wisdom of Holy Spirit expecting His Rhema Word to fill my mouth with plain words that will reveal the mystery of God to those who are ready to hear.

Though I do have a “spiritual resume”, the reality is that my only qualification is God in me.

Yesappa, Thank You for choosing me in my weakness to accomplish Your purposes on earth. Thank You for equipping me with everything I need to make me the most qualified for Your call on my life. Help me walk with You, trust You, and rely on Your power for each mission You set my feet toward, so that everyone I encounter recognizes You rather than seeing me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

Blessings – Julie, Sholavandan, India (written in the U.S.A.)

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.