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Principles of Promotion

10/26/2017

God’s appointing Saul to be king of Israel provides a good lesson on promotion.
1. Saul was equipped with what he needed even before he had an inkling God wanted him to be king. His tall stature was a physical attribute that would gain the people’s favor, and his status as a donkey-owner and servant-haver lent itself to handling the role of national leader. Saul was the perfect fit to become the king Israel desired. He was thus because God had qualified him long before his advancement. In like manner, God formed us with gifts and talents that complement our purpose. Our substance is composed of what we need to accomplish His good plan for our lives. Our upbringing partners with those qualities. Together, we are prepared for God’s promotions.
2. Saul’s elevation was set in motion before Saul was even aware of the possibility of promotion. Israel had rejected God’s method of leading them. They wanted a king. God used this unrest to present Saul with an unheard-of promotion. He would become a king to a nation that had never had a king. God’s plans are always bigger and higher than ours. They aren’t limited to circumstances and can be derived from either good or bad situations. God simply takes what is present and molds something for our future. While we are still clueless, He has already prepared awesome things for us.
3. God’s plan for Saul was bigger and better than his, and its grandeur unfolded right in the middle of the common. Saul was going about his daily life attending to the affairs of the family. While finding some run-away donkeys, he encountered the prophet Samuel for a life-changing experience. God does not require us to be in some exotic, remote location to give us direction for our lives. He promotes us in His Kingdom from where we are. The lesson we can learn from Saul is to be faithful in whatever we have at hand to do. Whether it is chasing donkeys or studying for a college exam or arriving at work on time, fulfilling our responsibilities well is a good foundation for promotion.
4. God activated His will with His Word. For Saul, it was through the lips of Samuel. For us, it may be whispered through the pages of the Bible, spoken by ministers of God, or plucked on our heart strings. That direction, however, will always be in sync with God’s written Word.
5. God confirmed His will. Saul experienced several signs that validated Samuel’s prophesy. If we are restful in God’s presence, He can show us confirmation for His plan for our lives as well.
6. God manifested His will. For Saul it was through oil poured on his head and Samuel’s proclamations, then a feast, and a coronation. For us, it unfolds through opportunities and open doors to do what has been in our spirits to do.
7. God provided support. Saul was surrounded with valiant men and given a book of instructions. He was set up for endurance. God’s resources for our success may be mentors, critics, accountability partners, education, information, and always, His word as a guideline. We are equipped for the long-haul because God never leaves us to handle the pressure of promotion alone.
8. God promoted, anointed, and empowered, but He left Saul with the power of choice. Saul had everything he needed EXCEPT confidence in God. He couldn’t keep his eyes off himself so he was forever swinging on the pendulum of pride. Pride made him feel inferior and embarrassed and kept him hidden among the stuff at the time he should have embraced his promotion. Pride exalted him above his anointing, encouraging him to act rashly time and again. Without keeping God in view, he could only rely on himself, and faltering humanity is never strong enough to equip a calling. Anointing and promotion are not enough. Just as Saul could not fulfill his potential by sitting on the throne, neither can we fulfill our purpose simply because we have been given every opportunity to do so. We possess all we need to succeed in our promotion, but we must choose to hold fast to the God who arranged every detail for us. What began with God must be maintained through Him and completed by Him. Only then will our promotion bring full success.

Tip/Tidbit: What unexpected opportunities have God brought your way? Looking back, did you see how His plan for you unfolded? Once you moved into God’s direction for your life, did you maintain dependency on Him, or did your focus become more self-centered? How is your current focus?

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Ruth-like Redemption

10/19/2017

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Oh, how I love the Book of Ruth!
I love how God’s plan is not discriminatory. Ruth was a Moabite, a heathen in the eyes of God’s people, yet she is the central character of the story that so clearly depicts God’s love for us. Ruth didn’t choose her race, her gender, or any other such predisposition, but she did choose God’s people as her family, and she did choose to be a woman of virtue and character. She purposed to do right. Naomi, on the other hand, was blessed with spiritually optimum birth qualifications. She, however, made poor decisions. After being wrung out by life, she gathered herself and her wasted years and headed back to the land she’d forsaken. Old and bitter, she had little hope of a better life. Still, she chose to identify with God’s people. God accepted them both. He orchestrated a lovely plan for the one who couldn’t help herself as well as the one who’d lost hope because of her own mistakes. He does the same for us.John 6:37 “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

I love how faith in God is personal and how that relationship isn’t determined by the views of a nation or the institutions of religion. Israel was a mess. Spiritual depravity corrupted the center of their worship. And Moab didn’t even claim to know God. Ruth’s people embraced the gods of their nation. But no tainting of nation, culture, or religion could besmirch Ruth’s faith. In our lives, it can be distressing to see spiritual setbacks in our culture. It hurts to witness the numbing of consciousness that blurs the line between the world and the church. But our personal relationship with God doesn’t have to be defined by negative shifts. We can have surrendered hearts even in the worst of climates.

I love how trust in God was the foundation on which the natural blessings unfolded. Ruth nestled under God’s wing (Ruth 2:12) before she sought Boaz’s protection. It was on that trust that she followed Naomi, that she labored in the field, that she followed other's instructions, and that she waited for a kinsman redeemer. If we just trust God and let his protective wing cover us, we’ll find that He will lead us to blessings we could never have attained in our own strength. Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”

I love how the story is rich in reward for doing the right thing. Ruth made a practice of doing what was right. So did Boaz. As a result, their story was one of honor and blessing. Not only did their situations improve, but their relationship resulted in King David, and ultimately the Messiah, joining their lineage. In a day and age where it seems the wicked often stand beneath the light of stardom, in God’s world, virtue still rises to the top and receives lasting honor.

I love how something beautiful develops from ashes. Before Ruth and Naomi ventured back to Bethlehem, they were widows with no hope and no future. The canvases of their lives had been painted with loss and grief. But their return marked a change of pallet. Soon, lighter shades softened the stark streaks, and before long, vibrant hues of joy colored their world. God does that for us. We come to Him broken, an ash heap for a life, and He gives us a glorious hope. Isn’t it neat that it was Bethlehem where their new beginning took place? Our Saving Hope was born there as well.Isaiah 61:3 “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”

I love how the generosity and selflessness had the power to change the world. Naomi received a life change because of a caring daughter-in-law. Her bowed, gray head was lifted. Joy and purpose was restored because of Ruth’s willingness to love unconditionally, work tirelessly, and trust unreservedly. In like manner, Boaz’s open hand made provision for a destitute foreigner and a poverty-stricken woman. Together, their union built a family through which a king would conquer all of the Promised Land and through which The King would conquer Satan’s domain.

I love how trust in God always wins. As it was for Ruth and Naomi, the theme of redemption is still relevant today. We have a Redeemer. His name is Jesus. I love the story of redemption.
Colossians 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Tip/Tidbit: It’s easy to get our eyes on negative situations. We can focus on our personal losses and unfair circumstances, but there is another view to take, one that offers solutions for the moment, hope beyond what's current, and eternal reward that is forever. It may not look appealing. It may not be easy. But it will bring God’s favor into our lives. Today, evaluate what God would have YOU to do right now. Stick with that. Keep plodding through the rough times. Then, let God bless your effort and reward you according to His will.

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Saving our Strength

10/12/2017

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Long hair lifting in the breeze, he lengthened his powerful stride, eager to see the woman who’d bewitched him. He’d tasted her honeyed lips, inhaled the incense of her perfumed linens, caressed the satin of her skin, and he was hungry for more. Bicep flexing, he hoisted the offering he was bringing to her. He planned to stay a while this time. Even if she did live in hostile territory. What were a few Philistines to him? His chest inflated, stretching the muscles tautly and tightening his lean ribcage. He’d beaten this enemy so many times that he’d almost recovered from the bitterness of his catastrophic marriage. He flung aside lingering twinges of anger in favor of images of Delilah. Thoughts of her full lips parted in laughter, the fiery trail of her teasing touch, and the delicacies they’d share behind tapestried curtains blotted out the memories of the past—even the God-calling that sometimes pricked his conscience. A lock of hair whipped into his face, and he wiped it away, just as easily erasing the faint memories of moral upbringing. No. This was a day for freedom. For forgetting. For pleasure. Pursing his lips, he whistled a lively tune. Oh, yes indeed, he was going to enjoy himself until he had his fill. He lifted his face to the wind and embraced the warmth of the sun then looked around at the land stretching on either side of the road headed toward the valley of Sorek. Good land. Rough land. Land that’d likely be altered by the changing season the next time he traveled this way--a trip he’d make with his mourning parents as they returned his remains to the homeland he’d forsaken.

The story of Sampson and Delilah has graced song lyrics, sermons, and poems for centuries. It’s a sad tale with a bitter end, an event that shouldn’t have happened. We shake our heads in pity. Couldn’t Sampson see beyond his infatuation? we wonder. How could someone so mighty become so frail?

The same way we do. Once wrong move at a time.

Sampson mistook the anointing as his own ability. God’s willingness to use Sampson was for a greater purpose. Just because God blesses us or uses us to help someone else does not mean we are walking in integrity of spirit.

He permitted his emotions to rule. Sampson was swayed by his own feelings. Our feelings can lead us into failure.

He didn’t set boundaries. Sampson thought he could handle himself in any situation, so he lacked accountability. He trusted himself too much. Without a check system, we can get ourselves into trouble, too.

He played with fire. By toying with Delilah, he inched toward his own demise. When we play with sin, it may start off as a seemingly harmless compromise, but before long, we will be completely ensnared and powerless to do anything about our entrapment.

He lacked proper focus. Sampson’s attention was on the object of his whims, not on the enemy at hand, and definitely not on the God who’d called him. We can focus on the wrong things—entertainment, work, food, etc.—and become oblivious to the enemy who wants to kill, steal, and destroy us. These distractions can draw our attention away from God and His plan for our lives.

It’s easy to question Sampson, but we suffer his same malady. We give our enemy inroads, allowing him to attack our strengths by using our weaknesses. He wants our power, but if we will surrender our vices, our frailties, our shortcomings and deficiencies to the Source of all help, victory, and authority, then we can dominate the enemy and throw him... and our flesh under our feet.

Tip/Tidbit: What strengths do you possess? Are you using them to invade the Kingdom of Darkness? If so, how might the enemy weaken you to protect his dominion?

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Faith to Fight

10/5/2017

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“Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof… And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.” Judges 3:1-4

I like it easy. No stress. No sickness. Everything just peachy. But it’s not. Lurking around the edges of life are setbacks, trials, and disappointments, enemies that are waiting to rob me of all that God has promised me. Things like my righteousness, peace, and joy. If I’m like Israel, I’ll likely let him succeed.

Israel, too, was given promises. Promises that were anchored in the mighty power of God and His ability to perform…and the condition that they love, serve, and trust Him. That sounds a lot like God’s gifts to us: things far superior to what our human ability can achieve. But some of our promises are contingent upon how we handle the enemy. Israel didn’t do so well. They cohabitated. They compromised. They caved in. Therefore, God’s promises dangled before them, fingertips out of reach. And God left them there, waiting to see what Israel would do.
Generation after generation failed, keeping their poor habits and distancing themselves from the One who’d already proven His might and power. Consequently, they were oppressed. Only when their pain would become unbearable would they cry out to God--a cry that wasn’t for His help to change their way of life. It was a plea for temporary appeasement.

Their prayer evoked God’s help, and their desire for relief—though not complete victory--was granted.

Israel reminds me of myself. I’ve gotten into predicaments that were outside the realm of God’s will for my life by making the same missteps that Israel made. I’ve feared the enemy’s power and put up with him rather than confronting him with the knowledge that God’s power in me is much greater than his threats. I give up territory. Like Israel’s response, when he pushes closer, I have found myself aligning with him. Agreeing with his lies, believing what I shouldn’t believe, compromising, subsequently, losing more of God’s promise, little by little. And I’ve caved. I’ve given up in full surrender, changing my words or actions to accommodate him, thereby giving him control of situations that God had designed for my victory.

The decision is mine.
Whether I receive ALL that God has provided
or whether I forfeit the fullness of His promise is up to me.

God gives His Word, and He backs it up. Repeatedly, He proved to Israel He would fight for them, just like He has proven He is for us. In like manner, He permits a little resistance to come our way, and our hearts are uncovered. Are we serving Him merely for the victories, or are we serving Him because He is our choice? Our reactions to the test gives the answer. If that answer moves us away from trusting in God, then we have shifted our faith to ourselves and our ability to handle things our way. We have chosen a new master. God removes His protective barrier and what was our greatest strength becomes our weakest vulnerability.

See, Israel didn’t have chariots or horses. They didn’t need them. They had God. But when they thought they could do things without Him, they were sitting ducks, stranded on a waterless pond. They trusted themselves, but they were not equipped to handle the enemy through their own reasoning. The result was enemy pressure.

But when they cried out to God, He showed up—willing to fulfill His promise. Judges 10: 16 says, “And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the Lord: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.” God YEARNED to rescue them, and His desire was to take them as far as they were willing to fight, yet no one stepped up to receive the fulfillment of all He had promised until King David ascended to the throne. David alone showed a full trust in God. It surpassed his weakness and failings, and it went beyond a desire for relief from oppression. His conquering mindset was founded on his relationship with God and a hunger to serve Him. He wanted everything God had promised…because that was what GOD wanted. So he fought. And God granted him the power to oust every enemy and claim the territory He had promised to Abraham.

When we finally realize that the enemy is not our friend, that he is not someone with whom we can negotiate, then we can tear our thoughts from their agreement with him. It dawns on us that we are not equipped for our battles, and in humility we see that the Warrior of Heaven is willing to be our defense, a wall of salvation around us. From this posture, we trust, and experience the liberty of His rescue. Then, if we let it, we employ that freedom to embrace more of God, to commit more fully to Him, and to grow more intimately aware of His heart. We welcome His transformation, allowing it to change our thought patterns and awaken our faith. Crowned royalty, we ride with Him, and experience the fullness of the victories God has promised.

Tip/Tidbit: Have you settled for relief, or are you eager to claim all that God has promised? He is faithful to His Word. Work with God to receive His best for your life. Choose one area that you have relinquished to the enemy, and stand up in God’s strength to reclaim what is rightfully yours.

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Principles of Promotion

Ruth-like Redemption

Saving our Strength

Faith to Fight

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Principles of Promotion

Ruth-like Redemption

Saving our Strength

Faith to Fight

A little about Tips and Tidbits

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A little about
Tips and Tidbits