Listen: Your Worship Will Shift Atmospheres and Break Things Open. Dry Bones Will Come To Life, Mountains Will Move, Red Seas Will Part, And Hope Will Arise. Anything You Do That Brings Pleasure To God Is An Act Of Worship.

Listen: Your Worship Will Shift Atmospheres and Break Things Open. Dry Bones Will Come To Life, Mountains Will Move, Red Seas Will Part, And Hope Will Arise. Anything You Do That Brings Pleasure To God Is An Act Of Worship. Can you imagine something being so important and vital to God that He comes looking for it? That He pursue it? He seeks after it Well, that’s the power and attraction of true worshipers. There is something so phenomenal about their worship, that God seeks for, looks for, goes after, and relentlessly pursues them. Reminds me a lot of ‘new love’. We go so out of our way when it’s ‘new love’. The phone calls are never-ending, the flowers flow in constantly, the ‘I love you are dear, genuine, passionate, and daily, the time together is precious, and you never want it to come to an end. You rearrange your entire schedule (and life) just to spend a moment with the one you love. You give everything to them because you love them. It’s new, exciting, fun, and life-giving. It brings you joy, happiness, and contentment, and you can’t stop telling everybody about somebody who has stolen your precious heart and refuses to give it back. You want to hold hands all the time, your intimacy knows no limits or boundaries. All because you love them. Often their response matches yours because when someone knows just how special, valued, cherished, treasured, important, and loved they are, they tend to give even more of themselves in return out of gratitude.

I wonder what would happen if we would dare to love God like that? What would it be like for our worship to resemble that kind of ‘new love’ in word, thought, and action? 

You can find in Isaiah 6 perhaps the greatest worship scene in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah says the following in Isaiah 6:1-4 “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw [in a vision] the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, with the train of His royal robe filling the [most holy part of the] temple. Above Him seraphim (heavenly beings) stood; each one had six wings: with two wings he covered his face, he covered his feet, and with two wings he flew. And one called out to another, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is filled with His glory.” And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, and the temple was filling with smoke” (AMP)

This is what you would call true worship! It is getting lost in the worth of who He is and being overwhelmed by His very presence. It is the place where no flesh glories in His sight. It is the place where the true worshiper dwells.

John 4:23-24, “But a time is coming and is already here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit [from the heart, the inner self] and in truth; for the Father seeks such people to be His worshipers. God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (AMP)

The God’s Word Translation says, “…The Father is looking for people like that to worship Him…” (GWT). Then the Good News Translation finishes like this, “…God is Spirit, and only by the power of His Spirit can people worship Him as He is.” (GNT).

KEY: “…the Father SEEKS such people to be His worshipers…”

What would it be like for our worship to resemble that kind of ‘new love’ in word, thought, and action? Instead of that old stale familiar ‘I still care about you, God’, kinda ‘love’. This sounds a lot like Revelation 2:4-5, “But you walked away from your first love—why? What’s going on with you, anyway? Do you have any idea how far you’ve fallen? A Lucifer fall! “Turn back! Recover your dear early love. No time to waste, for I’m well on my way to removing your light from the golden circle.” (MSG) I don’t know about you, but that encouraged me to love God afresh, with a NEW love! I want to be one of those true worshipers whom God pursues!

Could you imagine how relentlessly God would pursue us for rendering such worship on Him? If only we would give God even a tenth of what we give to people. Selah…

Which makes me wonder, if we spend no time with God, no time talking to Him and hearing from Him; if we spend no time in prayer, no time in His Word, no time in His Presence, how will we ever be able to worship Him in spirit and truth? You can’t worship Him when you spend no worthwhile time with Him. How can we worship Him, by His Spirit, when our Spirit takes no time to learn who He is? Which is hard to do in an era of the church that is “Praise” focused…ONLY. Now, is there anything wrong with praise? Not! From cover-to-cover of the Bible, you will hear about the praises rendered to our God and His favorable responses to them.

HOWEVER, I’m afraid that we’ve become so Praise-Centered, that we no longer know how to get to the Core of Worship.

There’s a wonderful new emphasis in many places today on praise and worship. And I for one certainly recall it being called “devotion”. You see, it was the time in my former church when the Deacons and Deaconesses led in prayer, praise and worship, and testimony service. It was a time when the people remembered to make the Lord the focus, and finally took time to forget themselves instead and experience just how big God is. People from all over the sanctuary would share what the Lord had done for them and their loved ones, their health, their employment, marriage, etc. It was wonderful, encouraging, empowering, motivating, faith-building, inspiring. We would sing, and clap and dance, and holler. We would give God our best and noisiest praise! It was sort of our standing ovation for God! Much like the preparation for when A President is about to enter the room and speak.

Isaiah 6:5 says this, “Woe is me! For I am ruined, Because I am a man of [ceremonially] unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” (AMP). Worship is supposed to lead to REPENTANCE. When you are in the presence of the Lord, you should see His holiness and the sin that you have not dealt with. You need to make things right with this awesome God. Worship that doesn’t lead to cleaning up your sin is just dead-end applause, and we should not leave until God has spoken. Worship should remind us that we’ve sinned, it should convict us of our unrighteousness when we realize just how righteous He is. It should uncover our unholiness when we realize just how holy He is. Worship should challenge us to change for the better. Worship should remind us that although we serve an awesome, loving kind, and generous God, He is also HOLY.

“Because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16 AMP);

“Strive to live in peace with everybody and pursue that consecration and holiness without which no one will [ever] see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14 AMPC)

This is how vital holiness is. We are to be holy because He Is Holy and without Holiness, No One Will EVER See Him. So, when we worship God, it is a time of preparation to hear from God. We enter that place of holy worship where we acknowledge that we are unclean and need to be bathed in His presence. We need to be made right. We need to begin again. Start afresh, start anew. We need to reevaluate ourselves, our attitudes, our speech, our thoughts, our deeds, our motives and intentions, our desires, our longings, our hearts. Because we need to hear Him, we must come close to Him, and have Him cleanse us and position us. Praise is wonderful, it gets us to the door, thanksgiving opens it up, worship allows us to enter in, and holiness allows preparation to hear God speak.

Isaiah 6:6-7, “Then flew one of the seraphim [heavenly beings] to me, having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with tongs from off the altar; and with it he touched my mouth and said, Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity and guilt are taken away, and your sin is completely atoned for and forgiven.” (AMPC).

Verse 8 says, “THEN I HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD SAYING, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (AMP). 

A lot happens after the initial cries of “Holy, Holy, Holy”. Just as a lot happens before Kings, Queens, and Presidents speaks. There’s a process before the proclamation. Isaiah didn’t get happy just because of who he was around (the angels, or for us it’s other church folks). He didn’t even get happy because of the ovation and applause (“Holy, Holy, Holy”, or for us it’s our Praise Breaks). But Isaiah declared his sin, I’m unclean and unholy. And since I’m in your presence and can hear you speak, I’m not stopping here, I’m not staying here, I’m leaving here changed and better. And the very thing he declared was unclean (‘I’m a man of unclean lips’), the angels touched him and gave a new declaration, “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity and guilt are taken away, and your sin is completely atoned for and forgiven.” And what happens after he confesses and gets cleaned up?

When we see our sins and receive God’s forgiveness, then we should see the people who don’t have a Savior yet. Our hearts should ache for those who haven’t seen the King. Worship is not just getting a good feeling because you get close to God. When you see the Lord, it will help you see the lost people who haven’t gotten close to Him yet. Worship that is worship will lead to repentance and then to evangelism.

“Here am I, Lord. I will go for You into the lives of the people around me who have yet to see the King as I have.”

We don’t get clean just to brag about our cleanliness. We don’t get clean just to hang around other clean folks. We get clean so we can go to them who are still in the filth of their sin, and we tell them I know a Man that can clean your sin better than Tide can clean your laundry! John 4:39-42, “Many of the Samaritans from that village committed themselves to him BECAUSE OF THE WOMAN’S WITNESS: “He knew all about the things I did. He knows me inside and out!” They asked him to stay on, so Jesus stayed for two days. A LOT MORE PEOPLE ENTRUSTED THEIR LIVES TO HIM WHEN THEY HEARD WHAT HE HAD TO SAY. They said to the woman, “We’re no longer taking this on your say-so. We’ve heard it for ourselves and know it for sure. He’s the Savior of the world!” (MSG) That’s what we’re supposed to do in church. Leave worship with the witness that I know a man that can save you, help you, heal you, deliver you, redeem you, forgive you! And that passionate witness will lead them to listen to Him for themselves. See, the people entrusted their lives to Him when they heard what He had to say. We stick around when Presidents, Kings, The Pope speaks because we want to hear what they have to say. Well, we need to learn to stick around Jesus to hear what He has to say! Why? Because there are far too many lives at stake without Him! And all they need is our witness after worship to lead them to the one who is still the truth, the way, and the light! Church, there is So Much More to the Reason We Worship!

Don’t lose the core importance of the Presence of God. It is not to tickle our ears or our fancy, it’s not hearing what we want to hear, it’s not about houses, cars, land, business opportunities, checks in the mail, job promotions, ministry elevations, and new spouses. It’s about becoming better. It’s about spending so much time with God that you finally start to sound like Him, walk and talk like Him, think and act like Him, reflect Him.

Acts 4:13, “They couldn’t take their eyes off them—Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. THEY RECOGNIZED THEM AS COMPANIONS OF JESUS, but with the man right before them, seeing him standing there so upright—so healed! —what could they say against that?” (MSG)

Can you imagine spending so much time with Jesus that even when you’re not with Him, people can look at your life and lifestyle and see the evidence that you’re one of His companions?

Now this is what you can call a great witnessing tool! When you’ve been around Jesus so much so, that even unsaved folks will have no other choice but to say even they can see what being with Jesus has done for you!

So, can people be able to look at you and see, recognize, be certain, know, and realize that you’ve spent time with Jesus?! Can they look at you and your lifestyle and be amazed and realize what being with Jesus has done for you? Because that’s the profound product of worship. You walk away reflecting His image and likeness, representing well His characteristics and glory.

Can you imagine spending so much time with Jesus that even your speech betrays you?! Matthew 26:73, “A short time later those standing there came and said to Peter, “You must be one of them. The way you talk gives you away.” (CEB) Listen to these translations:

Peter couldn’t hide his Galilean accent; it came out naturally because it was a part of who he was, where he came from and who he’d been around. Do you spend enough time in worship in God’s presence, that you sound like God? Do you sound like you’ve been among believers and worshipers, praises, and faith walkers? Can people see the evidence of your Sunday worship still on you when you’re stuck in Monday traffic; Tuesday conflict; Wednesday stress; Thursday health decline; Friday failures; and Saturday temptations? Can they still hear you speaking faith and not fear; can they still hear your worship and not your worry? Do you still sound like you’ve been with the Savior, even when you’re in the presence of sinners? Or do you lie like Peter and say you don’t even know the man? Or worse yet, are you living so beneath the code of conduct lifestyle of a believer that you don’t even have to open your mouth and say the words, but your lifestyle speaks on your behalf that you don’t know the man? Don’t just talk about God, you ought to spend so much time with Him that you even talk LIKE God!

And then, what happens when your worship experience is written all over your face?! Exodus 34:29-35, “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying the two Tablets of The Testimony, HE DIDN’T KNOW THAT THE SKIN OF HIS FACE GLOWED BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN SPEAKING WITH GOD. Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, saw his RADIANT FACE, and held back, afraid to get close to him. Moses called out to them. Aaron and the leaders in the community came back and Moses talked with them. Later all the Israelites came up to him and he passed on the commands, everything that God had told him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face, BUT WHEN HE WENT INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD TO SPEAK WITH HIM, HE REMOVED THE VEIL UNTIL HE CAME OUT. When he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, THEY WOULD SEE MOSES’ FACE, ITS SKIN GLOWING, AND THEN HE WOULD AGAIN PUT THE VEIL ON HIS FACE UNTIL HE WENT BACK IN TO SPEAK WITH GOD.” (MSG)

Is your time in God’s presence this evident in your life from day to day? Can people look in your face and see the Glow of God’s Glory? If not, get back to worship until it does!

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

Join Journey Into The Word each Sunday morning at 5:30 AM CST & 6:30 AM EST on The Now Network http://www.theNOWnetwork.org

ROKU, Cable & Online

https://www.thenownetwork.org/sunday

If You Are Still Living: Then Disappointment Is Inevitable! Disappointment Does Not Cancel Your Assignment. Disappointed With Those You Look Up To: Disappointed In Those You Live With: You Are Disappointed In Those You’ve Poured Your Life Into:

Proverbs 13:12, “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a…good break can turn life around.”  People of God, disappointment does not cancel your assignment—nor does it close the door on God’s presence! So, go forth, even during disappointment and do what He sent you to do! 

If you are still living, then disappointment is inevitable! Disappointment does not cancel your assignment – nor does it close the door on God’s presence! You are disappointed with those you look up to. You are disappointed in those you live with: You are disappointed in those you’ve poured your life into: You’re disappointed in those you work with and depend on: Disappointment in ourselves! 

Webster defines disappointment as, “When expectations fail to be met, producing anger, frustration, sadness, and discouragement.” With that said, here are some examples to help you when:

1.. YOU'RE DISAPPOINTED WITH THOSE YOU LOOK UP TO: Think of Samuel and Eli (1 Samuel 1-4). Samuel’s mother entrusted her child to Eli the High Priest, confident he would mentor and prepare him for God’s service. But Eli had a serious character flaw! He was a weak, passive parent who stood by while his own sons abused their priestly privilege, bringing shame and disrepute to the family and ministry! There is a very befitting quote that says, “He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.” (Author Unknown) I believe it is fair to say that Eli was “…only taking a walk.” I mean with a “mentor” like Eli, who would have even blamed young Samuel for taking a nosedive right into the very heart of immorality, when the man he looked up to failed him so badly?! But no, instead he fielded his disappointment and kept his eyes on God: The Bible says, “…Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him.” (1 Samuel 3:19). And as a result, God turned him into one of Israel’s Greatest Prophets! Henry Ward Beecher accurately stated: “Ones best success comes after their greatest disappointment.” Well Done, Samuel, Well Done!

So, how are we to deal with the disappointment we feel in those we look up to, that let us down? Because it is bound to happen at some point in life. Whether it is a parent, clergy, family, friend, business associate, spouse, governmental official, etc., we are bound to be let down by those we look up to. But does that give us license to lower our standards because they did not raise theirs. Absolutely Not! Samuel grew and the Lord was with him. You see, even when Eli messed up his Role, Samuel maintained his Character. He never attacked Eli, he did not bash him, he did not talk about him, he did not spread rumors, lies, gossip or even truth about him. No, Samuel just lived the life of a good leader, which reminds us that we can point fingers and lay blame, but where does that get us, even if we are in the right?! The better bet is to take the high road. Live right, think right, speak right, behave right, no matter how wrong your surroundings or the people in them. So, the next time someone you look up to lets you down, keep them in prayer and be a mirror to them showing them the reflection of what good (not perfect) looks like. Why? Because Eli died and missed out, but the person you look up to does not have to. So, share your heart with them gently and honestly, then whether they agree or disagree, you move onward showing everyone that you can learn a good lesson even from a bad example! Do not judge them, just refuse to make the same errors in judgment. You can do it; I know you can!

2.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU LIVE WITH: If anyone would not let you down, surely it would be your family, right? Wrong! Just ask young Joseph. When his father favors him, and God promised him a big dream, you would think his own blood brothers would celebrate him and celebrate with him! But instead, they responded with jealousy, anger, spite, bitterness, ridicule, and resentment, while dropping him in a pit, then selling him into slavery! Far from friends and home he languished in prison for a crime he did not commit! What an invitation to bitterness, and an opportunity to rehearse the wrongs done him while plotting his revenge. But if he had done that, he would have died an innocent, unknown convict in a foreign jail! Instead, he allowed God to vindicate him, using his circumstances to position, prepare and promote him to being Egypt’s Prime Minister—now that is how you deal with disappointment! Robert Kiyosaki said: “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” Well Done, Joseph, Well Done!

So, how do you deal with family, your own blood, that stabs you in the back? What happens when the attack is from an assailant under your own roof? What do you do when it is your sibling that drops you in the pit, or your cousin that sells you out, or your auntie that lands you behind bars?! How do you recover when it was a relative that inflicted the hurt?! You do as Joseph did, you trust God throughout the entire process! Nowhere do we read that Joseph cried out ‘why me God’; he did not blame dad for not being there to protect him; he did not retaliate against the cupbearer who forgot him; he did not get angry with the whole world and try to issue his own form of the big payback. As he went from disaster-to-disaster God never left his side. In every bad, God produced something good. Now, is it easy, especially when it is blood, to just trust the vindication and vengeance to God alone? No! But it is the best way to handle it, to put what you will mishandle in the hands of God!

In the end, those same relatives had to come and bow before Joseph, will that happen with you, probably not, but isn’t it worth it to trust God and let Him work? Maybe, just maybe, you will at least get the apology and more importantly, you will get the reconciliation. Take the high road my friends, even when it is family that is trying to drive you off course!

3.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU WORK WITH AND DEPEND ON: To succeed, you need people; you cannot make it without them! And when those people fail you, it is painful. Imagine Moses’ disappointment. He leaves his brother Aaron in charge while he attends a summit conference with God and receives the Ten Commandments. Returning, he finds Israel in anarchy, idolatry, and unspeakable perversion! And where’s Aaron, you ask? Leading the Rebellion! When Moses needs him Most, Aaron fails him Miserably! But watch Moses, true leadership shines even in darkest of disappointment! He confronts Aaron, takes the mess to God for resolution and prays forgiveness for Israel! God listens, then reminds Moses of his assignment! [It is disappointing, Moses, but…]– “…go, lead the people…my angel will go before you…” (Exodus 32:34 NIV). People of God, disappointment does not cancel your assignment—nor does it close the door on God’s presence! So, go forth, even during disappointment and do what He sent you to do! “Man must be disappointed with the lesser things of life before he can comprehend the full value of the greater.” (Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton). Well Done, Moses, Well Done! So, leaders, dare I even ask if you have ever been disappointed by your leaders? Surely you have, many of us have. But that does not mean you disown them; you do not give up on them; you do not give them the cold shoulder; you do not attempt to replace them; you do not ignore them; and certainly, you do not retaliate tit-for-tat with them!

No, you follow Moses’ example. Take the issue before God! Let Him tell you how to handle it, not your ‘inner circle’; not your clique; not your buddies and pals; not people you know do not like them; and certainly, you do not attempt to get back at them from over the pulpit! Moses took the issue he had with Aaron his leader, to God. And God could have told Moses get rid of Aaron, you do not need him, you are the key person to this assignment anyhow. No, He simply tells Moses to not focus on the attack but on his assignment, “…go, lead the people…my angel will go before you…” Leaders, I do not have to tell you just how difficult it is to lead people, especially those who are stiff-necked, hardheaded, and rebellious! But do you get to retaliate? Nope! You are still held accountable for your leadership, your life and lifestyle and your responses to offense. Your character and integrity must remain intact.

You must still be above reproach, even when those you lead keep falling under it! Yes, disappointment hurts, but you cannot let the wound infect your assignment. Do what Moses did, take it to God, receive His directives, and continue. Why? Because God said, “…go, lead the people…” which means others will be affected by how you respond when disappointed. Do not let childish immaturity be the only way your followers can describe your leadership. Handle it, rise above it, and keep moving the people forward! Do not mess up your ministry because you are mad!

4.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU’VE POURED YOUR LIFE INTO: Let us check in again with Moses, Founding Pastor of the First Church of the Critical and the Ungrateful, a congregation of former slaves, delivered, abundantly blessed, in route to the Promised Land, but without a shred of loyalty or gratitude for the man who put everything on the line to make it all possible! Fresh out of Egypt they turn on Moses, accusing, blaming, and berating him (Exodus 14). Was Moses disappointed and hurt by it? Sure, who wouldn’t be? But each time he wanted to quit he would discuss it with God, pray for his complaining flock, receive fresh orders from headquarters and return to work! It is what “God-Called” men and women do when they are disappointed and feel like giving up! “If you use disappointments as sort of mid-semester exams, for learning, you will learn that every disappointment you overcome makes you stronger—and wiser. The greatest success stories have been lived by those who had to grow strong and wise in that very way.” (Loretta Young). Once Again, Well Done Moses, Well Done! Leaders, once again I want to encourage you, because it is not easy to take one vision and try to get an entire house to see and follow it. I know it would be wonderful to have the whole house on the same page, however, realistically, our churches are family trees with a whole lot of mixed nuts! One person wants the school; the other person thinks the school will not work; the other person does not mind a school, but does not like the blueprint of the school, and all the while you wish you could throw all of them in detention and keep building the vision by yourself. But unfortunately, pastors, it does not quite work out that way.

We are a part of One body with many members, and every member is vital to the health and wellbeing of the whole. So even when it seems like you cannot get one good solid supporter, remember you always have God and with Him you are in the majority! Moses led a frustrated, frustrating bunch of complainers, but did he throw in the towel? No, and neither will you. Like it or not, but you will pour even more of your life into the people, and some of them have eternal leaks, but that is not your problem! Their capacity is for God to handle, you simply pour of yourself into them. God will never allow you to dry out and die, He will continue to replenish you, His Chosen Vessel of Honor. Therefore, understand that disappointment will visit, but do not let it move in! Stay the course, God has got you!  

Now take a moment and look at 1 Samuel 15:10-12, “…God spoke to Samuel: “I am sorry I ever made Saul king. He turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him.” Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night…” (MSG). As already stated, if you are still living disappointment is inevitable! But might I add, it is not ‘Impregnable’, which means ‘Unable to Overcome’! You see, when anger and disappointment threatened Samuel, he fought back in Prayer! If you are smart, you will do the same!

Disappointment only delivers a death blow to those who do not fight back! You can literally read those verses and feel Samuel’s anger, after all, do you know how mad you must be to pray angry and disappointed…All Through the Night? But sometimes prayer is the best thing, because when you are hurt, angry and disappointed, your mouth runs faster than your mind. So, you tend to say some things that you meant to say and a whole lot more that you did not! But when you empty all of that out to God in prayer, He is a master-sorter, He knows how to pick through that prayer for what is really needed. Therefore, no matter how great the disappointment, take it to God FIRST in prayer, even if you must enter your prayer closet hurt, disappointed, bitter, angry, confused, rejected, abandoned, used, betrayed, lied on, suicidal, take it all to God in prayer, even if that prayer will last long into the night!

Thank God, He never sleeps or slumbers! Take it to Him, then rest in Him, knowing He is going to bring something good out of your something bad! Now, we have talked about disappointment with those we look up to; those we live with; those we work with and depend on and those we have poured our life into. But there is one last disappointment I want us to dig into, and that’s:

5.. DISAPPOINTMENT IN OURSELVES! It is potentially the most debilitating kind of disappointment because it can throw you into a downward spiral that is hard to stop or recover from! Rollo May said: “Depression is the inability to construct a future.” And for most of us, who can tell the whole truth, we have had so many little disappointments along the way that we cannot even fathom a pencil- sketch of a big future! Well, there’s an even better quote that I want you to hold on to by Albert Ellis, he said: “You largely Construct your depression. It was not given to you. Therefore, you can Deconstruct it.” You see, mounting disappointments are a map with all directions pointing towards the destination of depression! But remember, anything you can CONSTRUCT, you can also DECONSTRUCT, or cause the destruction of”. The other definition I like is, “to dismantle and expose the workings of.” If you have built up and constructed disappointments in your life, you can also grab your toolkit and deconstruct those same disappointments. Take them apart, dismantle them and expose the works behind them, so you can ensure that what worked before in building that disappointment, will not ever work again! And even if “YOU” brought discouragement, disappointment and depression to yourself, there is still a way to recover! JUST ASK PETER! Peter had sworn undying love and fidelity to Jesus. “Lord, everybody else may abandon you, but not me! I’m yours till death.” (Read—Matthew 26:33- 75). And he meant every word of it! But under the pressures surrounding the crucifixion, he yields, and three times denies knowing Jesus. Later, remembering Jesus’ words, “Before the rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times,” Peter, heartbroken BY HIS OWN DISMAL FAILURE, “went outside and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62 NIV).

Have you ever been there, asking: “God, how can You possibly use someone as messed up as me?” I lost the job; I flunked out of school; I had this baby out of wedlock; I have a prison record; I fell off the wagon again; I’ve destroyed my finances; my health is falling apart; my marriage is on life support and we’re both ready to pull the plug; I can’t even remember the last time I prayed or fasted or studied Your word; I can’t remember the last time my hands clapped, my feet danced or praise was on my lips and worship in my spirit. Lord my family is a feuding mess; the loans were denied; the bills are about to drown me; there is so much to pray for regarding my kids, I do not even know where to start; my parents are getting sicker; God I cannot get two sentences to make sense in my head, Lord, why are you still trying to use me?!

Listen, Peter failed to meet his own expectations, but Jesus was never shocked! He was aware of Peter’s flaws when He called him into the ministry. He knew that His blustering, outspoken disciple had a tender heart, so He extended grace to him rather than remove him from office! And as disqualified as you may feel from all your disappointments in life, God is not going to remove you from office or your assignment either!   When Christ gave post-resurrection orders to “…tell His disciples and Peter…” (Mark 16:7 NIV) to meet Him in Galilee, He reaffirmed His choice of the failed disciple! The rest of Peter’s story is New Testament History!

So, yes, You Can Recover Even from Disappointment in Yourself! Never forget, God is the Master Potter, and no matter how many times we His clay become marred in His hands, He never throws us away! We are never discarded! He simply molds us again into another vessel He can use again.

You are not strong enough on your worst day to dismantle God’s assignment on your life!  Every day He gives you brand new mercies, and not so you can keep going over old disappointments. Friends, if last night was not your LAST night, God still has much in store for you! So, stop beating yourself up, sometimes God uses our greatest disappointments as reappointments to life and ministry! He has not given up on you, so do not give up on yourself! It is a new day, make a renewed you and fulfill your purpose in life! God is waiting to hand you your next assignment, now get back to work!

We Are three months before we enter a new year, you can finish this year by overcoming and surviving every disappointment!

“It is how you handle your disappointments that defines you as a person. If you get up after the fall or just lay, there in defeat.” (Author Unknown)

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointments, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.” (Paulo Coelho)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com

Join Journey Into The Word each Sunday morning at 5:30 AM CST & 6:30 AM EST on The Now Network http://www.theNOWnetwork.org

ROKU, Cable & Online

https://www.thenownetwork.org/sunday

God Has Given You Money, Therefore He’s Given You Resource! How Are You Managing His Resources? “Money Speaks Only One Language. If You Save Me Today, I Will Save Your Tomorrow.” Good Financial Planning Is A Part Of Wise Stewardship!

God Has Given You Money, Therefore He’s Given You Resource! How Are You Managing His Resources? If People Were To Look At Your Financial Lifestyle, Would They Say You Could Be Trusted With A Full Storehouse? “Money speaks only one language. If you save me today, I will save your tomorrow.” Good financial planning is a part of Wise Stewardship!

To be a truly effective steward, you must believe unequivocally that the Money being managed is Someone Else’s Money – GOD’S! You do remember that the Bible says, ‘The earth and all its fullness is the Lord’s’ (Psalm 24:1, “The earth and everything it contains are the Lord’s. The world and all who live in it is His” GWT). Every resource, even money, is His, and you are simply stewards of His resources!

Having this perspective gives a person the freedom to use finances as a tool to accomplish God’s purposes, recognizing that no one comes into this world with any possessions, and certainly no one will leave with anything (Ecclesiastes 5:15, “They came from their mother’s womb naked. They will leave as naked as they came. They won’t even be able to take a handful of their earnings with them from all their hard work” GWT). So be careful about trying to make you rich! Be careful about trying to increase your bank accounts for the sole purpose of saying “I have…” You cannot under any circumstances take one red cent with you when you go! Therefore, you must save money, for the Right Motive!

“Money speaks only one language. If you save me today, I will save your tomorrow.”

“How important are money management and finances in marriage and family affairs? Tremendously. The American Bar Association recently indicated that 89% of all divorces could be traced to quarrels and accusations over money. Another study estimated that 75% of all divorces result from clashes over finances. Some professional counselors indicated that four out of every five families wrestle with serious money problems.” (Jeffrey R. Holland)

In addition, money is something that God uses to test your ability to handle properly the other gifts He desires to give you (Luke 16:11, “Therefore, if you can’t be trusted with wealth that is often used dishonestly, who will trust you with wealth that is real?” GWT). The Message Bible says it like this: “If you’re honest in small things, you’ll be honest in big things; if you are a crook in small things, you’ll be a crook in big things, if you’re not honest in small jobs that will put you in charge of the store? No worker can serve two bosses: He’ll either hate the first and love the second or adore the first and despise the second. You can’t serve both God and the Bank”.

So, if people were to look at your financial lifestyle, would they say you could be trusted with a full storehouse? Or would you be more likely to empty it out instead?

Listen, one day God will ask for an accounting of how you managed the resources He has given you. Do your spending habits say you will pass the test or fail?

Luke 19:11-26, “While he had their attention, and because they were getting close to Jerusalem by this time and expectation was building that God’s kingdom would appear any minute, he told this story:  “There was once a man descended from a royal house who needed to make a long trip back to headquarters to get authorization for his rule and then return. But first he called ten servants together, He Gave Them Each a Sum of Money, and instructed them, ‘Operate With This Until I Return.’  “But the citizens there hated him. So they sent a commission with a signed petition to oppose his rule: ‘We don’t want this man to rule us.’  “When he came back bringing the authorization of his rule, He Called Those Ten Servants To Whom He Had Given The Money To Find Out How They Had Done”.  “The first said, ‘Master, I doubled your money.’ “He said, ‘Good servant! Great work! Because you’ve been TRUSTWORTHY in this small job, I’m making you governor of ten towns.’ “The second said, ‘Master, I made a fifty percent profit on your money.’ “He said, ‘I’m putting you in charge of five towns.’ “The next servant said, ‘Master, here’s your money safe and sound. I kept it hidden in the cellar. To tell you the truth, I was a little afraid. I know you have high standards and hate sloppiness, and don’t suffer fools gladly.’ “He said, ‘You’re right that I don’t suffer fools gladly—and You’ve Acted The Fool! Why Didn’t You At Least Invest The Money In Securities So I Would Have Gotten A Little Interest On It?’ “Then He Said To Those Standing There, ‘Take The Money From Him And Give It To The Servant Who Doubled My Stake.’ “They said, ‘but Master, he already has double.’ “He said, ‘that’s what I mean: Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.” MSG).

So where have you invested the money God has given you? Who have you invested in? How much have you invested?

God has given you enough resources, so have you put money away for your children’s education? Have you put money away for retirement? Have you reexamined your finances and rid your budget of non-essential expenditures? Have you been faithful to give your tithe and offering? Have you sown finances in soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and foreign missions? Have you funded orphans and widows as the Bible charges us to do? Have you put a plan in place to get yourself out of debt? Do you know what your credit score is? When was the last time you checked your credit reports? If in debt, what steps have you taken to repair your credit? Are you wearing more than you’re saving?  Do you even know what a stock, bond, 401k, IRA is?

Do you have a savings account for “just in case?” What’s that you ask? Well, that’s money you put aside and save ‘just in case’ the car breaks down; the kids need braces; the plumbing has a leak; an unexpected lay-off takes place; you, your spouse or child becomes long-term sick, the rent goes up etc…You Need a “Just In Case” Fund!

And even things that may seem a little less important, but are not: Have you and your family gone on vacation together? Do you and your spouse have play money set aside for date night? Do you have change for the kids to go to summer camp instead of hanging out in front of the television all summer?

God has given you money, therefore He’s given you resources! How are you managing His Resources?

Also, it’s important Ladies, to note, that a Wife who manages resources wisely is a blessing to her husband and family:

Ladies, did you catch some of those highlights? Her husband trusts her without reserve and has no regret! Why? Because she knows how to manage her household…and that includes Managing Money! The Scripture says she “…shops around…” sounds like bargain hunting to me! A good woman who is a good steward shops around for the best bargain for her family’s budget! She also “…looks for a field and buys it…with money she’s put aside…” Sounds like a savings account to me! For instance, you may come across a foreclosed house or a car for little of nothing, but if you’ve not put aside some money…someone else will enjoy that blessing! Then she also “…plants a garden” …with the “…money she’s put aside” You take seed to plant, and then you wait, and then you reap, then you sow, then you wait, then you reap, then you sow, then you wait, then you reap…are you getting this?! She makes sure that her harvest always comes around again because she’s smart enough, diligent enough…to keep putting money aside! And she’s not selfish either because “…She’s quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor…” Would people agree or disagree that that’s your testimony?

Remember this: “And [God] Who provides seed for the Sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity]” 2 Corinthians 9:10 AMP) In other words, He Only Gives Seed To Those Who Have Sown! Maybe that explains why your barn is always empty! Proverbs 3:5-12, "Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor God With Everything You Own; Give Him The First And The Best. Your Barns Will Burst; Your Wine Vats Will Brim Over. But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under His loving correction. It’s the child He loves that God corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this." (MSG)

In conclusion, People of God, avoid an overly consumptive lifestyle! The Bible teaches us to be temperate in all things: (1 Corinthians 9:25, “Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself Temperately And Restricts Himself In All Things…Amp). “Temperate” means “Showing Moderation or Self-Restraint”. Ladies, Good Stewards Exercise Moderation and Self-Restraint even when the shoes are buy one get one free; the dress is 50% off or the pocketbook is 2 for the price of 1! Listen, you don’t have to Like me, but make sure you Learn from me!

Good Stewards, even know how to pass up a good thing for a better one. For example: Yes, you’ve saved enough for a new car, but your son graduates high school this year, so is this really the right time or not? Good stewards walk in wisdom and discernment!

And Whatever You Do, Avoid Debt! (Proverbs 22:7, “The poor are always ruled over by the rich, So Don’t Borrow And Put Yourself Under Their Power” (MSG); Romans 13:8, “Don’t Run Up Debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other… MSG).

Grab hold of the Wisdom of the Proverbs: Proverbs 12:11, “Those who work their land will have plenty to eat, but those who engage in empty pursuits have no sense” CEB). Surely You Don’t Want To Be Known As A Saint With No Sense?

Personal Experience: One of the things I do all the time is drop lose change in a jar I keep on my desk at home. Recently, both jars became too full to add anything else to them. So, I took a Saturday and just sat at the island counter in my kitchen rolling up the coins. All I kept saying was, 'how much can this really be? It's just a bunch of quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies.' Well, once I was finished with my little weekend project, the total amounted to $540! I was amazed! Just saving a few coins amounted to that much of an unexpected blessing! Now, that may not be much to some, but that was a pretty penny in my book! In a nutshell, you don't have to do anything drastic to start saving, you just need to start saving! It takes 100 pennies to get one dollar bill, so every penny is of value! Therefore, if you must start with a penny, it's a good place to start!

An Important Scripture I Want to Leave With You Is: Proverbs 13:22, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just” The Amplified Bible says it like this: “A good man leaves an inheritance [of moral stability and goodness] to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up”

Two things I want you to take note of:

1) The Inheritance that’s Left is “…moral stability and goodness…” the Inheritance that you leave them has nothing to do with money! Does that mean you shouldn’t have life insurance? No! Don’t be stupid! Take care of your family! But note that the Biblical Inheritance is “…Moral Stability and Goodness” that’s Real Wealth! And.

2) You don’t have to be wicked to Attain Wealth! You do not need schemes and under-handed tricks! The Bible says: “…the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous…” Why? Because it’s for whom it was laid up”. In other words, God already has a plan in place for your prosperity! No matter how much Wealth the Wicked has, it will eventually flow our way! It has no choice but to because it was already intended for us to have! It was already laid up for us!

Today, be determined to start putting a plan in place so your financial stability can stop staggering and stagnating! Your present and future self (and generations) will thank you for it!

 “If you don’t value your time, neither will others. Stop giving away your time and talents. Value what you know and start charging for it.” (Kim Garst)

 “When you’re having money problems the first thing to do is quit spending on all things that don’t produce money.”

“Hope is not a financial plan.”

“Money without brains is always dangerous.” (Napoleon Hill)

“Too many people spend money that they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people that they don’t like.” (Will Rogers)

 “No one’s ever achieved financial fitness with a January resolution that’s abandoned by February.” (Suze Orman)

 “You must gain control over money, or the lack of it will forever control you.” (Dave Ramsey)

“Money is usually attracted, not pursued.” (Jim Rohn)

 “If you are born poor it’s not your fault. But if you die poor, it’s your fault.” (Bill Gates)

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.journeyintotheword.com