Monday, January 28, 2008

Plan For Victory--Passion Part 5/12

PLAN FOR VICTORY—Passion Part 5/12
Proverbs 19:11, 20, Ephesians 6:10-18

Life is not as neat as working jigsaw puzzles. Neither do people fit together perfectly, there are too many ragged edges. When a person has a goal, it’s easy to become discouraged when failure upsets the plan. Patience, perseverance and passion work together in reaching the end of life victoriously. Our Father has plans to combat against despair. When we embrace His word as truth, we edge closer to realizing our goals.

People show determination, but not always confidence. The Children’s story “The Little Engine That Could” is a perfect example of grit and determination. “I think I can, I think I can” can be changed into “I know I can through Christ” easily enough. When someone has a goal that consumes their hearts and minds, determination is not a problem. But when a person is luke-warm on that same goal, passion is replaced by procrastination.

If this is you, consider that your chosen goal isn’t God ordained. Rethink your goal. Is it self-seeking for your own glory, or will it bring glory to God? Will your goal serve others doing something that you find enjoyable, and have a demonstrated talent doing? If not, God Himself may be cooling your passion to achieve it. It is important to choose goals wisely to claim the prize at the end of your life’s rainbow.

Consuming desire—that which does not fade over time can be seen when your answers to questions remain consistent. Your answers gush out of your mouth with gusto. “Are you college bound?” is one question that adults enjoy watching kids answer. People can tell what kind of person you are when answering that question. They listen to how forceful your answer is. That indicates your passion.

Search your heart to find your goals. When they reflect a deep desire to please and honor the Lord, they will be met—regardless of how large they may be. Sometimes God doesn’t honor your goals because they are too small. Think about that!

Take Home Nugget
We serve a God of impossibilities. Dream large. Study hard. Clothe yourself in the armor of God when facing life. Walk on your path with confidence and determination. When someone ridicules you, smile back and hold your head high. The best way to stifle ridicule is to prove it wrong. Seek God and claim His promise of victory!

Dream large and grip Jesus’ hand.
When two walk together
None can break that band.

J.D. Griffith

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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Plan for Victory--Clarity of Purpose Part 4/12

PLAN FOR VICTORY—Clarity of Purpose Part 4/12
1 Samuel 17:40-50, Romans 8:28-39


David had no trouble deciding what he wanted. The thing that was foremost on his mind was to destroy the enemy. His brothers were warriors in Saul’s army, and David just went to the battle front to give them food. (1 Samuel 17:17-50) There was a Philistine enemy who was taunting Israel, and David wanted to defeat this enemy. You may remember the name of this particular Philistine—Goliath.

David had a clear mental picture of what he wanted to accomplish. Despite being ridiculed by his own brother, he approached Saul and asked for a chance to do this task. Not at any time did he have thoughts of inadequacy. Fear was not making him shake in his boots. He had seen God’s provision in protecting him when fending for the sheep in the open field, so he was confident—even in the face of a giant. He trusted God for the victory, and God did not disappoint.

When faced with something, it’s not unusual for us to doubt our abilities. Shock waves of insecurity can fell even the most confident person. This is the devil’s work to defeat us.
However, the moment we trust God for our victory, our attitude changes. Faith in a sovereign God who loves us unconditionally ignites our hope. We begin to feel like David. We brave even the most daunting task. After all, Paul gave us the security of hope in Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Remember our Bible study in Proverbs in part 2? Even kids can claim wisdom, victory and protection for the faithful. (Proverbs 2:6-8) That gives us all confidence to accomplish our goals.

Take Home Nugget

Not everyone has as clear a goal as David did that day. But every day is new, and no one knows what mountains will have to be scaled before it’s safe to let down our guard and fall to sleep. It gives each of us confidence knowing that with Christ, we’re ready for any challenge. Some days our goal is to make it through this one day. God is with us each day to guarantee our victory.

It’s hard to imagine that tasks will be different from one day to the next.
Best to have all our wits sharp and armor secure.
Phones can bring alarm with surprising text
Indwelling Spirit strengthens us to endure.

J.D. Griffith
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Monday, January 21, 2008

Plan For Victory--Setting Godly Goals 3/12

PLAN FOR VICTORY—Setting Godly Goals Part 3/12
1 Samuel 17:40-50, Philippians 2:15, 3:12-21


In setting goals we saw previously that selfish motives are not honored by God. David is a good example for us to follow. David was anointed king of Israel, but didn’t seek position or status. His love for the Lord was his motivation. His objective was to honor God. This too, is often the difference between success and failure for us when we set goals.

Goal setting is tricky business. Intuitively we should ignore goals that are self-seeking and concentrate on goals that increase the work of God’s kingdom. This can be many things—from a desire to teach others, heal others, lead others, to various other kinds of service.
God rewarded my goal of seeking to be an analytical chemist to work in research and development. This advanced improvements for products made by several companies. I often announced that I had the best job in the whole world! That was not to brag, but to show my delight in serving the way that was my choice.

God blended my gift of love of science to serving others in a profitable way. See how God responds to each person’s desires? God planted desires and talents into our very being, and He is glorified by our diversity.

You might ask, “Will I like the plans God has for me?”

The answer is a resounding “YES!” The Lord’s plans for each person is awesome—far beyond what we can imagine. They overflow with blessing and hope. (Ephesians 3:20). When we tap into His dreams for our lives, we learn how to set Godly priorities which lead to fulfillment and joy.

Take home Nugget
It seems to go against our grain to submit ourselves to another. We have a right to be the person who we are with no strings attached. Right?
Submitting ourselves to the Father is not the same thing as submitting ourselves to a person. Our Father made us and gave us life—a life that was bought at a high price, the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. We have the choice because the Father also gave us free will.

Choosing to follow God is the smart way to live our lives. This is victory in the making, and isn’t that what our goal is—to live victoriously? That’s our Father’s goal for us, too. What a teammate God is!

Holy Father, You are the maker of the heavens and the earth, the stars in the sky—how wondrous are Your works! Please lead me into the path that is pleasing to You and fulfills my greatest desires. I want what is best in my life and to reap your abundant blessings so that my life is one of victory. Thank you for this privilege of finding You wherever I look. You make it simple, I make it hard. Please bless me as I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, January 18, 2008

Plan For Victory--Setting Goals Part 2/12

PLAN FOR VICTORY--Setting Goals Part 2/12
1 Samuel 17:26, 36, 46-47

Life is a journey. No one knows the future, and we get caught up in the challenges of just travelling. In order to land in our promised land, we must have a plan. Our promised land is different for every person; just as we’re unique, our goals are unique.
God has a plan for each of us, and that’s our individual promised land. He builds into every person a different set of skills and talents. These work together in claiming victory in our lives. We are not abandoned; we are not travelling alone in our journeys. Our Father also supplies our dreams, and He orchestrates our lives, IF we let Him.

Dreams illuminate goals. There will be times when attaining goals make us face challenges. When things come easily, we tend to take them for granted. When we’re forced to work through challenges, the prize is cherished. Opposition is almost a certainty when you say “Yes” to God—especially when you trust Him to accomplish the impossible.
God may require something from us when we seek His will for our lives. When we face opposition, He is there to walk us through the opposition. Whenever we work for something, it becomes that which we appreciate the most.

Setting goals according to God’s standards always ensures victory. While not all our goals will be spiritual in nature, each one should reflect a principal found in the Bible. Follow Jesus’ path to see the things He did for people. Imagine that if you were Jesus, would this goal be in line with His desire for you? Eliminate the goals that are self-seeking for your own glory. These are goals that the Father may not allow you to reach.

Take Home Nugget

Proverbs 2:6-8 gives God’s children the tools to achieve victory in life. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding come to those who seek Him. He holds victory for the upright, and shields those whose walk is blameless. He guards the course of the just and protects the way of the faithful.

Life is a journey that takes all our might.
Seeking His path becomes our goal
Working together for things that are right
Fills hearts with joy, and protects the soul.
J.D. Griffith


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Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Plan For Victory--Trust Part 1 of 12

PLAN FOR VICTORY--Trust Part 1/12
First Samuel 16-17

There is a difference between confidence and cocky. David was never cocky, but He learned to trust God 100% when serving his family as a shepherd. This gave David supreme confidence, knowing that God is always with him. Knowing this helps us all—adult and kids alike to understand there is nowhere we can go where our Father is absent. (Psalm 139:1-14)

Of course, that also serves to guard us against succumbing to temptation. If our parents’ eyes are always watching, we’d never get away with all kinds of stuff we try pulling. Would we? God ‘s eyes are always watching, and He knows all. David’s confidence comes from being alone in the fields keeping watch over his flocks. Long hours alone in the fields gave David a perfect opportunity to study God in his habitat.
The evidence is the many Psalms he wrote in the Bible There were times when he had to protect the sheep from wild animals, at his own peril. He knew God was present keeping him safe just as he was keeping his flock safe from harm.

David had no way of knowing that being a shepherd was going to change. One day, the prophet Samuel came to his father’s house and anointed David King! What do you think David thought about that? Do you think that he imagined he’d be moved into a palace immediately? Think again.

David had many trials both before and after Samuel anointed him king. As it is in our lives, living doesn’t mean we’re automatically entitled to anything. Trials are ways for us to learn life’s hardest lessons. It is our job to not let problems defeat us—remember God is by our side. He is rooting for our success. All we have to do is embrace Him as Lord, and obey Him.

Our God uses all the persons in His Holy Trinity to equip us with what we need. When we need it. His timing is perfect. When we think He’s slow, He’s getting us ready, and working all things together for our good. (Romans 8:28) He wants us to plan for our future by setting goals. He wants us to look to Him for achieving them. He is cheering us onto victory.

Take Home Nugget

Like David, we cannot see the future delights God has planned for us. But it is good to prepare for the unforeseen. Looking forward with hope is exactly how we aspire to live. No one knows the plans our God has in His mind for us. Setting goals is a way to enlist God to join our team. We’ll talk more about setting goals in future parts of this series.

The world is dynamic and the choices are not clear
Which way to go, towards what places to steer?
The best way is to keep God by our side
For trusting His leading and be our guide.
J.D. Griffith
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Friday, January 11, 2008

Radical Commitment


RADICAL COMMITMENT
Philippians 3:13-14

V. 14: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”


This year I made an entirely different kind of resolution. This new year I want to

press toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me in Jesus Christ.

Whatever it takes, with Jesus’ help, I step across the line. No waffling, no wavering, no

indecision. We are called to affirm our commitment to the work of the Great

Commission. Matthew 28:19.

My decision is made and it’s irrevocable. I’m following Jesus, no turning back. I

trust Him to lead me and give me the strength to follow Him until the end of my life. I

promise this in service to fulfill God’s purpose. For His glory.

I will live my life celebrating His presence; cultivating His character, demonstrating

His love for others, and meditating on His Word.

I have been forgiven, and this purpose will lead me straight to a home awaiting me

in heaven. I turn away from petty thinking, trashy talk, trifling with unnecessary works,

and resentful of things in my past.

I won’t be engaged in a culture that demeans others, manipulated by peers,

frustrated over problems, praise seeking, or succumbing to the devil’s temptations. My

goal is to cross the finish line, not to be sidetracked by what’s on the sidelines of life.


I surrender myself to You, Lord Jesus, every day. I will value worship over

wealth, character over comfort, service over status. I will make people my priority over

possession, position and pleasure. I know what matters most, and with Your help, Jesus,

I will live this way the rest of my life.

If I backslide, I will begin anew with perseverance to continue forward. By

training my compass on King Jesus as true north, I will stay the course. By God’s grace,

I’ll be spirit-led and purpose-driven. I will not be compromised and I will not quit until my

race is won as I cross the finish line.

I will be gracious to others because of God’s amazing grace towards me, and

grateful every day. I will be generous with all that my Father entrusts to me.

To my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I say: Whenever, wherever, whatever You

assign to my task, my answer will be, “Yes,” Whatever it takes!


Take Home Nugget

Today I affirm this commitment to God, submitting to His plans for my life, no

matter what.

If you can take this pledge with me, fellow sojourner, we’ll walk hand in hand

following Jesus’ footprints in the sand. May God lead us both in Grace and Mercy.


_____________________________________________
Signature

________________________________
Date
J.D. Griffith

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Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Another Thank-You


ANOTHER THANK-YOU
Luke 17:11-19, II Corinthians 9:15
Luke 17:15: “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.”


We groan when having to write thank-you letters after receiving gifts. Then it hits us—we have much to be thankful for. What is wrong with taking the time to acknowledge the gift giver’s generous present? Nothing. God looks forward to our thanks, and blesses us when we remember to thank Him.

Jesus wondered about the other men who were cleansed of their leprosy when one returned to say, “Thank you.”
“Where are the other nine?” Jesus inquired. (Luke 17:17).
Don’t let that be you. I sure don’t want that to be me.

Jesus wonders where our gratitude is when we forget to let Him know how thankful we are for all His provisions. It is not hard to do. It takes practically no time, and little effort. But remembering to thank God is one thing that slips our minds--until we’re in a jam and He bails us out—then we say our thanks freely.

Whew! That was close. Thank you, God. We breathe a prayer glancing skywards. Is that enough? Maybe. What is in your heart?

We do expect good manners from our peers. We never appreciate being taken advantage of. When someone has a request, we try to accommodate it, don’t we? Sometimes it’s easy to accomplish, and sometimes it’s hard to do. Regardless of the time and effort we expend, we appreciate a simple thank-you, don’t we?

How much more do we owe thanks to our Father in Heaven? He has offered His own Son as a sacrifice so that our sins are forgiven. God has provided us security, peace and joy through Jesus. We can bring all our burdens to Him and leave them at His feet. What freedom!
That alone is worth saying Thank-you for. Agreed?

Take Home Nugget
Living in a state of gratitude is learned behavior. It is so worthwhile, with God ready to bless His children every day in so many ways. Don’t allow fear, anger, jealousy or any other destructive emotion rob you of God’s showering you with blessings. Our Father wants His children to reap the best and live victoriously. Won’t you seek Him and learn more by reading your Bible every day? He’ll be so pleased that you care enough to learn about Him that He’ll bless you abundantly.

“Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.” (2Corinthians 9:15)
A prayer and a smile gets us through each rift.
A sincerely thankful heart
Reaps blessings from the start.

J.D. Griffith
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Friday, January 4, 2008

Season of Epiphany

SEASON OF EPIPHANY
To Make Known
Isaiah 60:3, Matthew 1:23, 2:11-12, Luke 2:25-33

Isaiah 60:3: “The Gentiles shall come into thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”

The 12 days of Christmas: from December 25th to January 6th is the Season of Epiphany. (This time line is different for various traditions in the Christian church.) The word Epiphany means “to show”, ”to reveal”, or “to make known”.

Ever notice that many leave their Christmas lights on past New Year’s Day? One could say they are just lazy, not wanting to pack up the decorations. Maybe they so enjoy the Christmas season that it’s hard to pack it away for a whole year. OR they could be celebrating that God welcomes Gentiles into His family. Whoopee! All people turn into kids when imaging that to be true. When we read in the Bible that God considers us joint-heirs with His Son Jesus, we are amazed.

The three kings, or Magi in Matthew, saw the light first. They came to worship Jesus, bringing gifts to acknowledge their Lord and King. Jesus came into the world for the Jewish nation as well as for non-Jews as Messiah. Emmanuel, who the Angels called His name, means God with us, is really with us. We’re adopted children of God, through Jesus. He was born so that He could lay down His life for us—all so that we could share in the inheritance of eternal life.

Luke 2:30-32 correlates the fact that Jesus came to the world as the incarnate Christ. A man named Simeon, who was promised to see the Lord’s Christ before his death, saw Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem. He said, “For my eyes have seen thy salvation which thou has prepared before the face of all people. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people, Israel.” This “light” is the “revelation” to the Gentiles, and is the first time we see that Jesus came for all people, of all nations, all races.
WOW!
That’s something for us to celebrate, don’t you think? Maybe we should leave our Christmas lights on all throughout the year.

Take Home Nugget
Epiphany is now observed as a time of focusing on the mission of the church in reaching others. “Showing” Jesus as the Savior of all people is our life’s purpose. We represent Christ every day in every way. Christian brotherhood and fellowship heals prejudice and bigotry that too often create dissention among people.
J.D. Griffith

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light.” Matthew 4:16.
“Wise Father, on this Epiphany, thank You for revealing Yourself to us in Jesus Christ.”
Melody Bonnette
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