Performing Miracles With Your Staff
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Tuesday, June 03 2008
"But take this staff in your hand so you can perform miraculous signs with it." - Exodus 4:17
What is the staff God has put into your hand? Is it being a builder? Is it being an office worker? Is it being a doctor? Moses' staff represented his vocation as a shepherd. God had something in mind for his vocation - to perform miracles. And awesome miracles He did! God turned the Nile river into blood with the touch of the staff. He turned the staff into a snake. He parted the Red Sea with it. These are just a few of the miracles God did with that staff.
When we yield our talents and abilities to the Lord, God can perform miracles through them. First, Moses had to yield what He had in his hand to God. Only after this took place could God use that staff. As long as Moses held onto it, God could not and would not perform miracles through it.
Until we come to this place with our heavenly Father, we will fail to see miracles performed in our work. He delights in showing His power through us. When we become an open vessel, we can expect to see things happen.
Have you given your staff to the Lord? Offer it to Him and see what He might want to do through it. Your life will never be the same.
© 2008. Today God Is First™ trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Thursday, April 19, 2007
A Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech
[Received the following email from a friend]
My dear brothers and sisters:
I received this message today from my friends at Familylife and wanted to share this with each of you and ask that you all join us in a call to prayer tomorrow.
Below is a heartfelt message and I encourage each of you to read it and share it with someone not on this distribution. May God Bless Each One of You and May he Hold you all Ever Safe and protected in the face of Evil.
-----Original Message-----
From: FamilyLife [flannounce@familylife.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 1:46 PM
Subject: A Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech
Just one step of faith, that's all it took. Just one step of faith.
Yesterday my cell phone rang in the middle of the day. It was my daughter Laura. Nothing unusual about that.
What was unusual about the call was that my normally upbeat, positive daughter (a senior, just a month away from graduating from college) was down, and in a "funk."
All because of the Virginia Tech massacre on Monday morning. She wanted to do something.
As we talked, I read Laura a portion of the words from President Bush's address at the special service held at Virginia Tech on the day after the shootings. In his message the President quoted Romans 12:21:
"These sources of strength are also in the faith that sustains so
many of us. Across the town of Blacksburg and in towns all across
America, houses of worship from every faith have opened their
doors and have lifted you up in prayer. People who have never met
you are praying for you; they're praying for your friends who have
fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, real
power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and
guidance of a loving God. As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Don't be
overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'"
In our conversation I encouraged Laura to turn her grief heavenward and pray for those who have been impacted by evil.
Then I re-read Romans 12:21 to her: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Laura replied, "But I'm just a college student, what could I do? I live off campus. I'm not in a dorm or sorority house on campus. What can I do?"
Reflecting on Laura's response, I think that most of us feel that way … I'm just a dad … or a mom … what can I do? The enemy of our souls loves it when we think this way. Doubt gives way to unbelief and ultimately results in paralysis. I'm reminded of British statesman Edmund Burke's warning, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
But a follower of Jesus Christ is more than "just" a college student, a dad, a mom. God made us to be children of the King who are empowered by Him to push back against the forces of evil that seek to destroy us and take away our hope.
The Scripture gives us resolute purpose: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
I then challenged Laura to take the lead with a few student leaders on campus to join with her and organize a campus-wide prayer meeting Thursday for the Virginia Tech students, faculty and families.
There was silence on the phone.
After a few moments, my adventuresome, "go for it" daughter, Laura, declared, "I got it! I'm on it! I'll do it!"
I had a few more words of encouragement and we said goodbye. I concluded by asking her to keep me posted on what was going on.
Ten minutes later I was in a meeting and my cell phone rang. It was Laura. She had contacted her friend Ben, a fired-up Christ follower, as well as student leaders of various campus ministries. They all were "on it!" The campus-wide prayer meeting was scheduled at an outdoor amphitheater on campus for Thursday at 7 p.m. I told her how excited I was for her and the other students.
I jumped back in to my meeting and another ten minutes later the phone rang again. This time Laura told me that she had just sent the following e-mail to 12 student leaders on campuses across the country who are participating in an internship with her at The Falls Church in Falls Church, Va., beginning this fall:
All across the country students are feeling sad about the loss of life at Virginia Tech, and also thinking that it could have been me. I know I have thought that a couple of times while on campus today. I know that all of us have been and are praying for the students and families of Virginia Tech. I have called several of my friends and we are getting together on Thursday night at 7:00 to have a time of prayer for the students, families, faculty, and everyone that has been affected because of this tragedy. I just wanted to throw this out there to see if you all
would get together with your friends and fellow students, on your campus and pray together on Thursday. Our God is powerful and He can and will turn this evil into good!
I responded with a "Wow" and told Laura, "You go, girl!"
In the midst of all this, I thought of my friend and comrade, Mark Gauthier, the national director of the Campus Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. So I wrote him and shared with him what Laura and students were doing on her campus.
Mark was pumped! So pumped that last night he sent an e-mail out to four thousand full time staff and student leaders on more than a thousand campuses here in the U.S. and even more in over 100 countries of the world.
By 8 a.m. today, Mark's inbox had over 200 responses from campus leaders all over the world, saying they will be calling for a campus-wide Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech. In fact, I was just told that the e-mails are streaming in so fast they can't keep up. Spiritually and virally, this thing has taken off with responses from London, East Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and even North Africa (where three Virginia Tech grads lead the ministry). Many more will join.
Another group of college students who use Facebook online have responded by establishing a Facebook group to pray for Virginia Tech. Somehow mother's groups and churches have received the e-mail and they are calling for prayer. And another e-mail was sent to the leaders of other national campus ministry groups (Navigators, Intervarsity, Impact, etc.) inviting them to lead and call their students to prayer tomorrow. Bill Pugh, national director of Athletes in Action, has written his leaders
on several hundred campuses and many of those will be rallying students on their campus to pray.
I started forwarding e-mails to Laura this morning from all over the world and I just got off the phone with her. I told her how proud I was of her for taking one step of faith and saying "I'll do it!" I told her that her step of faith helped create something much bigger than anything we would have imagined. All she could say was "Wow! God is indeed powerful."
Wow, indeed.
As I write this, I am about to go into the studio to tell the story on our broadcast tomorrow and challenge several hundred thousand moms and dad, husbands and wives, and singles to join with us. I also decided to send this letter out to you, along with more than 165,000 stakeholders in FamilyLife all around the world, encouraging you and your family to join in the Call to Prayer. And take a step of faith and challenge at least one other person to do the same:
Find information about the tragedy and updates on how you can pray at Campus Crusade for Christ’s website dedicated to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. If you have any children in college, call and challenge them to organize a Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech tomorrow. Send them this
e-mail. They'll know how to get more information on Facebook.
And if you are unable to get a group together to pray, just pray where you are. Prayer is portable—you can join the movement tomorrow at lunch or at the dinner table with your family. But pray.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Dennis
P.S. On my way to the office I was listening to the radio and just
heard of the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold the ban on partial birth
abortion. I have to admit I became emotional and immediately broke out
in a prayer of thanksgiving to God that He has given five Supreme Court
justices the courage to protect unborn life. Wow! I invite you to lead
your family in giving thanks to God for this historic decision (Psalm
118:8).
You are receiving this e-mail because you either gave your e-mail
address when you registered for a conference, filled out a conference
evaluation, made a donation or purchased a product from FamilyLife. This
newsletter is sent intermittently, but not more than once a week.
FamilyLife's mission is to effectively develop godly families who change
the world one home at a time. FamilyLife/Campus Crusade for Christ is a
501(c)(3) organization. All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.
To contact us, visit http://www.familylife.com/about/contact.asp; or write to FamilyLife, 5800 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, AR 72223.
Please do not hit "Reply" to this e-mail to send us your comments or
questions.
Copyright © 2007 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.
My dear brothers and sisters:
I received this message today from my friends at Familylife and wanted to share this with each of you and ask that you all join us in a call to prayer tomorrow.
- Pray for the families and friends of students who were killed—that they would turn to God for His comfort and strength. Four of the students were involved with Campus Crusade at Virginia Tech.
- Pray for the survivors of the shootings who witnessed the horrors of that day.
- Pray for God's grace and comfort.
- Pray for wisdom for the Campus Crusade staff and other campus ministers and pastors as they seek to counsel and love the hurting students.
Below is a heartfelt message and I encourage each of you to read it and share it with someone not on this distribution. May God Bless Each One of You and May he Hold you all Ever Safe and protected in the face of Evil.
-----Original Message-----
From: FamilyLife [flannounce@familylife.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2007 1:46 PM
Subject: A Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech
Just one step of faith, that's all it took. Just one step of faith.
Yesterday my cell phone rang in the middle of the day. It was my daughter Laura. Nothing unusual about that.
What was unusual about the call was that my normally upbeat, positive daughter (a senior, just a month away from graduating from college) was down, and in a "funk."
All because of the Virginia Tech massacre on Monday morning. She wanted to do something.
As we talked, I read Laura a portion of the words from President Bush's address at the special service held at Virginia Tech on the day after the shootings. In his message the President quoted Romans 12:21:
"These sources of strength are also in the faith that sustains so
many of us. Across the town of Blacksburg and in towns all across
America, houses of worship from every faith have opened their
doors and have lifted you up in prayer. People who have never met
you are praying for you; they're praying for your friends who have
fallen and who are injured. There's a power in these prayers, real
power. In times like this, we can find comfort in the grace and
guidance of a loving God. As the Scriptures tell us, ‘Don't be
overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.'"
In our conversation I encouraged Laura to turn her grief heavenward and pray for those who have been impacted by evil.
Then I re-read Romans 12:21 to her: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Laura replied, "But I'm just a college student, what could I do? I live off campus. I'm not in a dorm or sorority house on campus. What can I do?"
Reflecting on Laura's response, I think that most of us feel that way … I'm just a dad … or a mom … what can I do? The enemy of our souls loves it when we think this way. Doubt gives way to unbelief and ultimately results in paralysis. I'm reminded of British statesman Edmund Burke's warning, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
But a follower of Jesus Christ is more than "just" a college student, a dad, a mom. God made us to be children of the King who are empowered by Him to push back against the forces of evil that seek to destroy us and take away our hope.
The Scripture gives us resolute purpose: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
I then challenged Laura to take the lead with a few student leaders on campus to join with her and organize a campus-wide prayer meeting Thursday for the Virginia Tech students, faculty and families.
There was silence on the phone.
After a few moments, my adventuresome, "go for it" daughter, Laura, declared, "I got it! I'm on it! I'll do it!"
I had a few more words of encouragement and we said goodbye. I concluded by asking her to keep me posted on what was going on.
Ten minutes later I was in a meeting and my cell phone rang. It was Laura. She had contacted her friend Ben, a fired-up Christ follower, as well as student leaders of various campus ministries. They all were "on it!" The campus-wide prayer meeting was scheduled at an outdoor amphitheater on campus for Thursday at 7 p.m. I told her how excited I was for her and the other students.
I jumped back in to my meeting and another ten minutes later the phone rang again. This time Laura told me that she had just sent the following e-mail to 12 student leaders on campuses across the country who are participating in an internship with her at The Falls Church in Falls Church, Va., beginning this fall:
All across the country students are feeling sad about the loss of life at Virginia Tech, and also thinking that it could have been me. I know I have thought that a couple of times while on campus today. I know that all of us have been and are praying for the students and families of Virginia Tech. I have called several of my friends and we are getting together on Thursday night at 7:00 to have a time of prayer for the students, families, faculty, and everyone that has been affected because of this tragedy. I just wanted to throw this out there to see if you all
would get together with your friends and fellow students, on your campus and pray together on Thursday. Our God is powerful and He can and will turn this evil into good!
I responded with a "Wow" and told Laura, "You go, girl!"
In the midst of all this, I thought of my friend and comrade, Mark Gauthier, the national director of the Campus Ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. So I wrote him and shared with him what Laura and students were doing on her campus.
Mark was pumped! So pumped that last night he sent an e-mail out to four thousand full time staff and student leaders on more than a thousand campuses here in the U.S. and even more in over 100 countries of the world.
By 8 a.m. today, Mark's inbox had over 200 responses from campus leaders all over the world, saying they will be calling for a campus-wide Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech. In fact, I was just told that the e-mails are streaming in so fast they can't keep up. Spiritually and virally, this thing has taken off with responses from London, East Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and even North Africa (where three Virginia Tech grads lead the ministry). Many more will join.
Another group of college students who use Facebook online have responded by establishing a Facebook group to pray for Virginia Tech. Somehow mother's groups and churches have received the e-mail and they are calling for prayer. And another e-mail was sent to the leaders of other national campus ministry groups (Navigators, Intervarsity, Impact, etc.) inviting them to lead and call their students to prayer tomorrow. Bill Pugh, national director of Athletes in Action, has written his leaders
on several hundred campuses and many of those will be rallying students on their campus to pray.
I started forwarding e-mails to Laura this morning from all over the world and I just got off the phone with her. I told her how proud I was of her for taking one step of faith and saying "I'll do it!" I told her that her step of faith helped create something much bigger than anything we would have imagined. All she could say was "Wow! God is indeed powerful."
Wow, indeed.
As I write this, I am about to go into the studio to tell the story on our broadcast tomorrow and challenge several hundred thousand moms and dad, husbands and wives, and singles to join with us. I also decided to send this letter out to you, along with more than 165,000 stakeholders in FamilyLife all around the world, encouraging you and your family to join in the Call to Prayer. And take a step of faith and challenge at least one other person to do the same:
- Pray for the families and friends of students who were killed—that they would turn to God for His comfort and strength. Four of the students were involved with Campus Crusade at Virginia Tech.
- Pray for the survivors of the shootings who witnessed the horrors of that day. Pray for God's grace and comfort.
- Pray for wisdom for the Campus Crusade staff and other campus ministers and pastors as they seek to counsel and love the hurting students.
Find information about the tragedy and updates on how you can pray at Campus Crusade for Christ’s website dedicated to the tragedy at Virginia Tech. If you have any children in college, call and challenge them to organize a Call to Prayer for Virginia Tech tomorrow. Send them this
e-mail. They'll know how to get more information on Facebook.
And if you are unable to get a group together to pray, just pray where you are. Prayer is portable—you can join the movement tomorrow at lunch or at the dinner table with your family. But pray.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Dennis
P.S. On my way to the office I was listening to the radio and just
heard of the Supreme Court's ruling to uphold the ban on partial birth
abortion. I have to admit I became emotional and immediately broke out
in a prayer of thanksgiving to God that He has given five Supreme Court
justices the courage to protect unborn life. Wow! I invite you to lead
your family in giving thanks to God for this historic decision (Psalm
118:8).
You are receiving this e-mail because you either gave your e-mail
address when you registered for a conference, filled out a conference
evaluation, made a donation or purchased a product from FamilyLife. This
newsletter is sent intermittently, but not more than once a week.
FamilyLife's mission is to effectively develop godly families who change
the world one home at a time. FamilyLife/Campus Crusade for Christ is a
501(c)(3) organization. All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.
To contact us, visit http://www.familylife.com/about/contact.asp; or write to FamilyLife, 5800 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, AR 72223.
Please do not hit "Reply" to this e-mail to send us your comments or
questions.
Copyright © 2007 FamilyLife. All rights reserved.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Striving Versus Abiding
by Os Hillman, March 5, 2007
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. - Psalm 127:1a
What does it mean for the Lord to build the house? It almost seems a contradiction when we consider that we might be the builders in this passage. God wants us to allow Him to build the house. He explains further:
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:1-2).
God is telling us there is a way of working without striving. There is a way to conduct business without sweating and toiling for outcome. His warning to each of us is to avoid thinking that outcome is based on our sweat and toil. Outcome is based on obedience. That outcome is sometimes more than we deserve. Sometimes it is less than we hoped for. His desire for each of us is to see Him working in our daily work life. He wants us to avoid looking to our own effort to gain an outcome.
One day Jesus called out to Peter from the shore of the lake and suggested he throw his net on the other side of the boat. It was this simple act of obedience that yielded a tremendous catch that he would not have received unless he obeyed.
We are called to work; He is called to bring forth the fruit. He is the vine. We are the branches. Fruit comes forth naturally from a healthy tree.
Today, ask God to show you when you enter into striving. Ask Him to show you the difference between loving trust and obedience and striving for outcome. It can be challenging for us to balance this in our daily work experience. He wants to help us walk in this freedom and rest.
© 2007. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. - Psalm 127:1a
What does it mean for the Lord to build the house? It almost seems a contradiction when we consider that we might be the builders in this passage. God wants us to allow Him to build the house. He explains further:
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:1-2).
God is telling us there is a way of working without striving. There is a way to conduct business without sweating and toiling for outcome. His warning to each of us is to avoid thinking that outcome is based on our sweat and toil. Outcome is based on obedience. That outcome is sometimes more than we deserve. Sometimes it is less than we hoped for. His desire for each of us is to see Him working in our daily work life. He wants us to avoid looking to our own effort to gain an outcome.
One day Jesus called out to Peter from the shore of the lake and suggested he throw his net on the other side of the boat. It was this simple act of obedience that yielded a tremendous catch that he would not have received unless he obeyed.
We are called to work; He is called to bring forth the fruit. He is the vine. We are the branches. Fruit comes forth naturally from a healthy tree.
Today, ask God to show you when you enter into striving. Ask Him to show you the difference between loving trust and obedience and striving for outcome. It can be challenging for us to balance this in our daily work experience. He wants to help us walk in this freedom and rest.
© 2007. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Tony Dungy's Super Bowl Breakfast 2006 Speech
If you have a few minutes, listen/watch the following two clips to hear a man whose life bears the sign of Christ. Tony Dungy is the Head Coach of Indianapolis Colts who led the team to the Super Bowl XLI (41) Championship.
Tony Dungy's Super Bowl Breakfast 2006 Part 1
Tony Dungy's Super Bowl Breakfast 2006 Part 2
Tony Dungy's Super Bowl XLI (41) Speech @ Indianapolis -- "Win it with dignity!"
Tony Dungy's Super Bowl Breakfast 2006 Part 1
Tony Dungy's Super Bowl Breakfast 2006 Part 2
Tony Dungy's Super Bowl XLI (41) Speech @ Indianapolis -- "Win it with dignity!"
Monday, February 05, 2007
The Black Hole
By Os Hillman
© 2007. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
..."My grace is sufficient for you...." - 2 Corinthians 12:9
If you are older than 35, you may recall the early days of the space program. I remember the early spacecraft launch with John Glenn. One of the most exciting and tense moments of his return to earth was his reentry to the earth's atmosphere. I recall the diagram on television of the heat shield on the capsule that had to withstand incredible temperatures to avoid complete destruction. There was a blackout period for several minutes in which mission control had no radio contact. He was in the "black hole." It was a tense time. Either he would make it through, or the spacecraft would burn up in the atmosphere. There were several minutes of silence that seemed like an eternity. Then, mission control shouted with joy when they reestablished contact with the spacecraft. It was a time of rejoicing.
Have you ever had a time when you were in a spiritual black hole in your life? I have. The pressure was unbearable. No sense of God's presence. No sense of anything going on around me. God was about as far away as the man in the moon - at least from my perspective. I think every Christian who is called to make a significant difference in his world experiences times like these. These are the times when we question the reality of God, the love of God, the personal care of God. And He demonstrates to us that He was there all the time. These are "faith experiences" that God does in every person who is called to a higher level of relationship with Him. These times are needful in order to know that we have the "heat shield" that can withstand the incredible heat that comes when we follow Him with a whole heart - a heart that is radical in a commitment to fully follow His ways. Elisha had that spirit. He slaughtered his 12 oxen and burned his plowing equipment so that he would not have the opportunity to return to anything if God didn't come through (see 1 Kings 19:21).
The apostle Paul asked God to remove the heat from his own life one time. God's answer was not what he wanted to hear.
But He said to me, My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness. Therefore, I will all the more gladly glory in my weaknesses and infirmities, that the strength and power of Christ (the Messiah) may rest (yes, may pitch a tent over and dwell) upon me! (2 Corinthians 12:9 AMP)
How's your heat shield today? Can it withstand the heat that would want to burn up everything in your life not based in Him? Christ said, "My grace is sufficient." Is that really true in your life? Let His grace be your shield today.
© 2007. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
No More Reproach
by Os Hillman
..."Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you".... - Joshua 5:9
Joshua and the people had just crossed the Jordan River. They were camped at Gilgal. But before they could proceed they were required to circumcise all the males, because a whole new generation had grown up while living in the desert. This is where Israel, like a worm in a cocoon, was transformed. Circumcision is bloody, personal, and it exposes all that you are. God was saying that before you can become His army, you must roll away the reproach of the Egyptian way of life. You are no longer a slave to the ways of Egypt. It is a time to put aside the old way of life. Many are walking around as goats in sheep's clothes, practicing a form of religion without the true source of truth and power.
Sin in our midst testifies against us. It keeps us in Egypt and never allows us to enter the Promised Land. Our lives must be circumcised in order for us to come out of Egypt into our own Promised Land of spiritual blessing with God. This transformation marks the first time Israel begins to taste the fruit of the Promised Land. No more manna from Heaven. The manna stopped the day after they were circumcised. There was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate produce from Canaan.
God is turning our plowshares into weapons of love to usher in a new generation of workplace warriors. But we will not be effective if we have the reproach of sin in our lives. Ask God to show you what needs to be confessed this day so that no reproach exists. The cross of Jesus takes away all reproaches. Enter the Promised Land with power.
© 2007. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
..."Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you".... - Joshua 5:9
Joshua and the people had just crossed the Jordan River. They were camped at Gilgal. But before they could proceed they were required to circumcise all the males, because a whole new generation had grown up while living in the desert. This is where Israel, like a worm in a cocoon, was transformed. Circumcision is bloody, personal, and it exposes all that you are. God was saying that before you can become His army, you must roll away the reproach of the Egyptian way of life. You are no longer a slave to the ways of Egypt. It is a time to put aside the old way of life. Many are walking around as goats in sheep's clothes, practicing a form of religion without the true source of truth and power.
Sin in our midst testifies against us. It keeps us in Egypt and never allows us to enter the Promised Land. Our lives must be circumcised in order for us to come out of Egypt into our own Promised Land of spiritual blessing with God. This transformation marks the first time Israel begins to taste the fruit of the Promised Land. No more manna from Heaven. The manna stopped the day after they were circumcised. There was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate produce from Canaan.
God is turning our plowshares into weapons of love to usher in a new generation of workplace warriors. But we will not be effective if we have the reproach of sin in our lives. Ask God to show you what needs to be confessed this day so that no reproach exists. The cross of Jesus takes away all reproaches. Enter the Promised Land with power.
© 2007. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Living Forward, Understanding Backward
Living Forward, Understanding Backward
by Os Hillman, December 1, 2006
The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. - 1 Thessalonians 5:24
When I was in my 20's, I participated in a wilderness-training course in a desert and mountain area. For our "final exam," we were blindfolded, placed in the back of a pickup truck, and taken to a remote area. We were dropped off and told to meet back at the camp in three days. We did not know where we were. We had to determine our location with our compasses. It was a frightening experience for four young people who had learned to navigate through the use of a compass only a few days earlier. With our food and water on our backs, we began our trek. It had just snowed that morning, so the way was difficult. We walked through valleys, canyons, snow-covered hills, and forests. In all, we walked more than 60 miles in three days. There were times when we did not think we could go another foot. Exhaustion and frostbitten feet were taking their toll. However, we finally made it to our base camp successfully, and to our surprise, we were the first ones among the other patrols to make it back.
At the conclusion of our journey, we were able to stand on top of a ridge, look behind us and see the beautiful terrain that we had just scaled. The pain of what we had just endured seemed to subside. We could not believe we had actually walked through those valleys and snowcapped hills. There was a sense of accomplishment.
Life is very much like this. It is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road a bit that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life as a result. When you begin to realize some of this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn't seem like it at the time, but He was.
Are you in the midst of a difficult journey that seems almost impossible to continue? Be assured that God is providing grace even now to equip you for that journey. There will be a time when you can say, "Wow, look at what God has done because of what I gained through that valley." Trust Him with the outcome of where you find yourself today.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, December 1, 2006
The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it. - 1 Thessalonians 5:24
When I was in my 20's, I participated in a wilderness-training course in a desert and mountain area. For our "final exam," we were blindfolded, placed in the back of a pickup truck, and taken to a remote area. We were dropped off and told to meet back at the camp in three days. We did not know where we were. We had to determine our location with our compasses. It was a frightening experience for four young people who had learned to navigate through the use of a compass only a few days earlier. With our food and water on our backs, we began our trek. It had just snowed that morning, so the way was difficult. We walked through valleys, canyons, snow-covered hills, and forests. In all, we walked more than 60 miles in three days. There were times when we did not think we could go another foot. Exhaustion and frostbitten feet were taking their toll. However, we finally made it to our base camp successfully, and to our surprise, we were the first ones among the other patrols to make it back.
At the conclusion of our journey, we were able to stand on top of a ridge, look behind us and see the beautiful terrain that we had just scaled. The pain of what we had just endured seemed to subside. We could not believe we had actually walked through those valleys and snowcapped hills. There was a sense of accomplishment.
Life is very much like this. It is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road a bit that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life as a result. When you begin to realize some of this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn't seem like it at the time, but He was.
Are you in the midst of a difficult journey that seems almost impossible to continue? Be assured that God is providing grace even now to equip you for that journey. There will be a time when you can say, "Wow, look at what God has done because of what I gained through that valley." Trust Him with the outcome of where you find yourself today.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
A Faithful Woman
A Faithful Woman
by Os Hillman, October 8, 2006
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. - Proverbs 31:28
She was the Vice President of Household Affairs for her entire adult life. She had a husband, four daughters, and one son whom she managed. Her calling was not to the workplace; it was to the home. It was a calling that she fulfilled well. She often went beyond her job description to fulfill menial tasks like sewing clothes for her twin girls, playing dolls, and even playing catch with the only boy in the clan.
Things were going along well until midway in life a telephone call came that changed everything. The caller informed her that the love of her life had been killed in an airplane crash. She was in her early 40's, still beautiful, with five kids to raise on her own in spite of the fact that she hadn't worked in the business place for nearly 20 years. The death of her husband removed their steady upper middle-class income, and she was now faced with the greatest test of her life. At her lowest moment, wondering how she was going to make it, she cried out to God. God answered, "Trust Me, Lillian." Those audible words became the strength that she needed to care for her family for the next 40 years. From that moment on, she came to know her Savior personally and shared Him with her family. Her children came to know Him as well. Grandchildren became the recipient of her prayers, and they came to know Him too. She was building an inheritance in Heaven, one prayer at a time, one soul at a time. She never remarried; Christ became her Husband.
Whatever wisdom and encouragement has come to you through these devotionals, it is only as a result of one who answered the call to the greatest and most important workplace there is: the home. You can thank my mom, Lillian Hillman, for whatever grace you have gained from these messages throughout the year because she remained faithful to the call to invest in those she was called to love and serve. "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, October 8, 2006
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. - Proverbs 31:28
She was the Vice President of Household Affairs for her entire adult life. She had a husband, four daughters, and one son whom she managed. Her calling was not to the workplace; it was to the home. It was a calling that she fulfilled well. She often went beyond her job description to fulfill menial tasks like sewing clothes for her twin girls, playing dolls, and even playing catch with the only boy in the clan.
Things were going along well until midway in life a telephone call came that changed everything. The caller informed her that the love of her life had been killed in an airplane crash. She was in her early 40's, still beautiful, with five kids to raise on her own in spite of the fact that she hadn't worked in the business place for nearly 20 years. The death of her husband removed their steady upper middle-class income, and she was now faced with the greatest test of her life. At her lowest moment, wondering how she was going to make it, she cried out to God. God answered, "Trust Me, Lillian." Those audible words became the strength that she needed to care for her family for the next 40 years. From that moment on, she came to know her Savior personally and shared Him with her family. Her children came to know Him as well. Grandchildren became the recipient of her prayers, and they came to know Him too. She was building an inheritance in Heaven, one prayer at a time, one soul at a time. She never remarried; Christ became her Husband.
Whatever wisdom and encouragement has come to you through these devotionals, it is only as a result of one who answered the call to the greatest and most important workplace there is: the home. You can thank my mom, Lillian Hillman, for whatever grace you have gained from these messages throughout the year because she remained faithful to the call to invest in those she was called to love and serve. "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her."
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Hell's Best Kept Secret
(From the website of The Way of the Master website)
Why do 80-90% of those making a decision for Christ fall away from the faith? What is the principle that Spurgeon, Wesley, Whitefield, etc., used to reach the lost? Why have the Church neglected it? Don't let anything stop you from listening to this incredible teaching.
You can watch or hear this presentation in many way as shown below:
[Watch High Broadband]
[Watch Low Broadband]
[Listen]
If you have any problems, go directly to The Way of the Master website.
Why do 80-90% of those making a decision for Christ fall away from the faith? What is the principle that Spurgeon, Wesley, Whitefield, etc., used to reach the lost? Why have the Church neglected it? Don't let anything stop you from listening to this incredible teaching.
You can watch or hear this presentation in many way as shown below:
[Watch High Broadband]
[Watch Low Broadband]
[Listen]
If you have any problems, go directly to The Way of the Master website.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Defining Moments
Defining Moments
by Os Hillman, August 30, 2006
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. - Acts 9:3
We could go on and on. Each of these servants had years of preparation leading up to their defining moment. These moments forced the servants to be involved in something beyond their human experiences. It took them outside their own paradigms of life. God had to move them outside their own boxes. And when He did, their lives were never the same.
You may be in one of three stages of life: You may not have had your "defining moment" yet-God may be preparing you with many important life experiences. You may have had your defining moment and you are living out your call. Or, you may be toward the end of your journey and you have already experienced what I speak of.
We are all called to a relationship with God; and we are all called vocationally, which is often ushered in by a defining moment. And there can be more than one defining moment, each pointing you down a path that God foreordained from the foundation of the world. The secret of a great life is often a man's ability to discern the defining moments given to him, understanding them, and learning to walk in the path that leads him to his ultimate destination.
Once you have had a defining moment, you are never the same. Pray that you have eyes to see and ears to hear when your Master brings a defining moment into your life.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 30, 2006
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. - Acts 9:3
- For Moses, it was the burning bush.
- For Peter, it was walking on water.
- For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, it was walking through the burning furnace untouched.
- For Paul, it was being blinded and spoken to by Jesus on the Damascus road.
- For Daniel, it was deliverance from the lions' den.
- For Joshua, it was parting the Jordan River and crossing into the Promised Land.
We could go on and on. Each of these servants had years of preparation leading up to their defining moment. These moments forced the servants to be involved in something beyond their human experiences. It took them outside their own paradigms of life. God had to move them outside their own boxes. And when He did, their lives were never the same.
You may be in one of three stages of life: You may not have had your "defining moment" yet-God may be preparing you with many important life experiences. You may have had your defining moment and you are living out your call. Or, you may be toward the end of your journey and you have already experienced what I speak of.
We are all called to a relationship with God; and we are all called vocationally, which is often ushered in by a defining moment. And there can be more than one defining moment, each pointing you down a path that God foreordained from the foundation of the world. The secret of a great life is often a man's ability to discern the defining moments given to him, understanding them, and learning to walk in the path that leads him to his ultimate destination.
Once you have had a defining moment, you are never the same. Pray that you have eyes to see and ears to hear when your Master brings a defining moment into your life.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Friday, August 25, 2006
Our Plans and God's Plans
Our Plans and God's Plans
by Os Hillman, August 26, 2006
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. - Proverbs 19:21
Have you ever heard of someone who spent years of preparation for one vocation only to end up doing something completely different? Perhaps this could be said of you. Quite often we have in our minds what we believe we want to do only to have a course correction. Often the course correction comes through a major crisis that forces us into an area that we would never have considered.
Such was the case for Samuel Morse. Born in 1791, Morse grew up desiring to be an artist, and he eventually became very talented and internationally known. However, it was difficult to make a living as an artist in America during that time. A series of crises further complicated his vocational desire when his wife died; then his mother and father also died soon after. He went to Europe to paint and reflect on his life. On his return trip aboard a ship, he was captivated by discussions at dinner about new experiments in electromagnetism. During that important occasion, Morse made the following comment, "If the presence of electricity can be made visible in any part of the circuit, I see no reason why intelligence may not be transmitted by electricity." In the face of many difficulties and disappointments, he determinedly perfected a new invention, and, in 1837, applied for a patent that became what we know today as the telegraph. He also created Morse code. It was only later, after many more setbacks and disappointments, that his projects received funding.
Samuel Morse later commented, "The only gleam of hope, and I cannot underrate it, is from confidence in God. When I look upward it calms any apprehension for the future, and I seem to hear a voice saying: 'If I clothe the lilies of the field, shall I not also clothe you?' Here is my strong confidence, and I will wait patiently for the direction of Providence." Morse went on to create several other inventions and can be recognized today as the father of faxes, modems, e-mail, the internet and other electronic communication. ["Glimpses," Issue #99 (Worcester, Pennsylvania: Christian History Institute, 1998).]
God's plans may not always seem to follow our natural inclination. Perhaps God has you taking a path that may not lead to His ultimate destination for you. Trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all you do, and He shall direct your path (see Prov. 3:5-6).
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 26, 2006
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. - Proverbs 19:21
Have you ever heard of someone who spent years of preparation for one vocation only to end up doing something completely different? Perhaps this could be said of you. Quite often we have in our minds what we believe we want to do only to have a course correction. Often the course correction comes through a major crisis that forces us into an area that we would never have considered.
Such was the case for Samuel Morse. Born in 1791, Morse grew up desiring to be an artist, and he eventually became very talented and internationally known. However, it was difficult to make a living as an artist in America during that time. A series of crises further complicated his vocational desire when his wife died; then his mother and father also died soon after. He went to Europe to paint and reflect on his life. On his return trip aboard a ship, he was captivated by discussions at dinner about new experiments in electromagnetism. During that important occasion, Morse made the following comment, "If the presence of electricity can be made visible in any part of the circuit, I see no reason why intelligence may not be transmitted by electricity." In the face of many difficulties and disappointments, he determinedly perfected a new invention, and, in 1837, applied for a patent that became what we know today as the telegraph. He also created Morse code. It was only later, after many more setbacks and disappointments, that his projects received funding.
Samuel Morse later commented, "The only gleam of hope, and I cannot underrate it, is from confidence in God. When I look upward it calms any apprehension for the future, and I seem to hear a voice saying: 'If I clothe the lilies of the field, shall I not also clothe you?' Here is my strong confidence, and I will wait patiently for the direction of Providence." Morse went on to create several other inventions and can be recognized today as the father of faxes, modems, e-mail, the internet and other electronic communication. ["Glimpses," Issue #99 (Worcester, Pennsylvania: Christian History Institute, 1998).]
God's plans may not always seem to follow our natural inclination. Perhaps God has you taking a path that may not lead to His ultimate destination for you. Trust in the Lord, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all you do, and He shall direct your path (see Prov. 3:5-6).
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
God's Recruitment Strategy for Leaders
God's Recruitment Strategy for Leaders
by Os Hillman, August 24, 2006
Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. - Acts 9:8a
When God calls one of His servants into service, there is often much travail. There are many examples where God makes His presence known through circumstances that tax the individual to his very soul.
Consider Paul, who was stricken blind on the Damascus road.
Consider Peter; when he denied Jesus after the crucifixion, he was in total despair.
Consider Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into the fiery furnace.
Consider Daniel, who was thrown into the lions' den.
Consider David, who was forced to flee his former employer for many years and lived as a fugitive.
It may seem strange to us that God uses such incredible adversity to prepare His servants for greater service, but this is God's way. God knows that the human heart is incapable of voluntarily stepping into situations that take us beyond our comfort zone. He intentionally brings us into hard places to prove us and to drive us deeper into the soil of His grace.
In arid regions of the world, trees cannot survive unless their roots grow deeper to where the water table can be found. Once they reach the water, these trees become stronger than any tree that can be found in tropical climates. Their root systems ensure that they can withstand any storm. In the same way, God brings us into extremely difficult situations in order to prove His power and drive our spiritual roots deeper.
Friend, God may take you through times when you will question His love for you. In such times, you must cling to His coattail so that you see His purposes in it. Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him" (Hebrews 10:36-38).
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 24, 2006
Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. - Acts 9:8a
When God calls one of His servants into service, there is often much travail. There are many examples where God makes His presence known through circumstances that tax the individual to his very soul.
Consider Paul, who was stricken blind on the Damascus road.
Consider Peter; when he denied Jesus after the crucifixion, he was in total despair.
Consider Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into the fiery furnace.
Consider Daniel, who was thrown into the lions' den.
Consider David, who was forced to flee his former employer for many years and lived as a fugitive.
It may seem strange to us that God uses such incredible adversity to prepare His servants for greater service, but this is God's way. God knows that the human heart is incapable of voluntarily stepping into situations that take us beyond our comfort zone. He intentionally brings us into hard places to prove us and to drive us deeper into the soil of His grace.
In arid regions of the world, trees cannot survive unless their roots grow deeper to where the water table can be found. Once they reach the water, these trees become stronger than any tree that can be found in tropical climates. Their root systems ensure that they can withstand any storm. In the same way, God brings us into extremely difficult situations in order to prove His power and drive our spiritual roots deeper.
Friend, God may take you through times when you will question His love for you. In such times, you must cling to His coattail so that you see His purposes in it. Do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For in just a very little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay. But My righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him" (Hebrews 10:36-38).
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The Art of Waiting
The Art of Waiting
by Os Hillman, August 23, 2006
By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them.... - Exodus 13:21
How are you at waiting on God? How do you determine if God is giving you the green light to move forward? Many workplace believers make the mistake of adding up all the pluses and then concluding that God has given them the green light. Several factors go into making a decision from the Lord.
It is important to do three things before you make a decision on a matter. First, you should gather facts. Fact gathering allows you to determine all the realities of a given situation. However, this does not ultimately drive your decision, but it can put a stop to it. For instance, if you were planning to build a shopping center and you knew the only way to lease the space was to rent to a porn shop, your decision would be made. God would not lead you to enter into unrighteous ventures.
Second, is the Holy Spirit guiding you in your decision? "If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm" (Ps. 37:23). George Mueller cites that the steps are also "by the Lord." God puts hedges around us, but many times we bull our way through the hedges under the guise of tenacity and perseverance. This too is unrighteousness. One wise workplace believer stated that the greatest success one can have in business is to know when it is time to pull the plug rather than keep forcing a situation. Not all businesses last forever.
Third, has your decision been confirmed? God has placed others around us to be used as instruments in our lives to confirm decisions and keep us from the deceit of our own heart. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (2 Cor. 13:1b). This is God's way of keeping us within the hedge of His protection.
"Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser."
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 23, 2006
By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them.... - Exodus 13:21
How are you at waiting on God? How do you determine if God is giving you the green light to move forward? Many workplace believers make the mistake of adding up all the pluses and then concluding that God has given them the green light. Several factors go into making a decision from the Lord.
It is important to do three things before you make a decision on a matter. First, you should gather facts. Fact gathering allows you to determine all the realities of a given situation. However, this does not ultimately drive your decision, but it can put a stop to it. For instance, if you were planning to build a shopping center and you knew the only way to lease the space was to rent to a porn shop, your decision would be made. God would not lead you to enter into unrighteous ventures.
Second, is the Holy Spirit guiding you in your decision? "If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm" (Ps. 37:23). George Mueller cites that the steps are also "by the Lord." God puts hedges around us, but many times we bull our way through the hedges under the guise of tenacity and perseverance. This too is unrighteousness. One wise workplace believer stated that the greatest success one can have in business is to know when it is time to pull the plug rather than keep forcing a situation. Not all businesses last forever.
Third, has your decision been confirmed? God has placed others around us to be used as instruments in our lives to confirm decisions and keep us from the deceit of our own heart. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses" (2 Cor. 13:1b). This is God's way of keeping us within the hedge of His protection.
"Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser."
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Drawing Near to Darkness
Drawing Near to Darkness
by Os Hillman, August 22, 2006
The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. - Exodus 20:21
Like the nation of Israel, we are each called to the mountain of God, but few are willing to pass through the darkness to get there. God wanted to reveal His glory to the children of Israel, but they were afraid to enter into His presence. They only wanted to know about God, rather than know him personally like Moses did. This grieved the heart of God.
Why wouldn't the people of Israel risk entering the darkness if it meant being in the presence of God? What did the people fear?
Perhaps they had fears like each of us. The fear of the unknown. The fear of what might happen. The fear that God might not like what He sees. Or, perhaps even the greatest fear: the fear of darkness itself and what lies behind that darkness.
Many of us have been satisfied to hear about God from God's messengers. But there is a greater calling for each of us-a calling to enter into His presence. Sometimes entering into His presence means we enter through an unexpected door-a door that appears to have nothing good behind it.
We do not need to fear entering the presence of God even if it means entering through a period of darkness. Above all else we must believe that God is a God of love. If He calls us into darkness in order to enter His presence, then that darkness will become an entry to new levels of relationship with a God who longs for fellowship with you and me.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 22, 2006
The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. - Exodus 20:21
Like the nation of Israel, we are each called to the mountain of God, but few are willing to pass through the darkness to get there. God wanted to reveal His glory to the children of Israel, but they were afraid to enter into His presence. They only wanted to know about God, rather than know him personally like Moses did. This grieved the heart of God.
Why wouldn't the people of Israel risk entering the darkness if it meant being in the presence of God? What did the people fear?
Perhaps they had fears like each of us. The fear of the unknown. The fear of what might happen. The fear that God might not like what He sees. Or, perhaps even the greatest fear: the fear of darkness itself and what lies behind that darkness.
Many of us have been satisfied to hear about God from God's messengers. But there is a greater calling for each of us-a calling to enter into His presence. Sometimes entering into His presence means we enter through an unexpected door-a door that appears to have nothing good behind it.
We do not need to fear entering the presence of God even if it means entering through a period of darkness. Above all else we must believe that God is a God of love. If He calls us into darkness in order to enter His presence, then that darkness will become an entry to new levels of relationship with a God who longs for fellowship with you and me.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Free to Stand
Free to Stand
by Os Hillman, August 21, 2006
That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies.... - Joshua 7:12
It matters not how strong you are. It matters not whether you have the greatest resources and talent. It matters not if you have the best plans and procedures. It will all fail if you have a break in your armor.
This is the message God told Joshua when he attempted to go against a small army at Ai, which was the Israelites' second battle in the Promised Land. Sometimes we try to figure out why we are not successful in an endeavor. We look at all aspects of our performance to see what went wrong. For the people of Israel, it was not easily seen on the surface. Everything seemed just as it should be from Joshua's vantage point, so when his army was soundly defeated, he cried out to God, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?" (Josh. 7:7a)
The people had been defeated because God could not bless them. One person had violated the covenant with God. They were not to take any possessions from the first battle, but one person failed to live up to this, and the whole army suffered.
Sin makes our armor vulnerable to attack from satan, who then gains permission from God to attack us in the area where we have failed to uphold righteousness. If we break down in moral purity, satan comes in and establishes a stronghold. If we give place to bitterness and unforgiveness, we will break fellowship with God and others. If we become money-focused, we will fall into greed and deception. It is a vicious cycle.
Examine your armor today. Make sure you are not susceptible to attack. Begin from a solid spiritual foundation and your chances of success will be great.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 21, 2006
That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies.... - Joshua 7:12
It matters not how strong you are. It matters not whether you have the greatest resources and talent. It matters not if you have the best plans and procedures. It will all fail if you have a break in your armor.
This is the message God told Joshua when he attempted to go against a small army at Ai, which was the Israelites' second battle in the Promised Land. Sometimes we try to figure out why we are not successful in an endeavor. We look at all aspects of our performance to see what went wrong. For the people of Israel, it was not easily seen on the surface. Everything seemed just as it should be from Joshua's vantage point, so when his army was soundly defeated, he cried out to God, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, why did You ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us?" (Josh. 7:7a)
The people had been defeated because God could not bless them. One person had violated the covenant with God. They were not to take any possessions from the first battle, but one person failed to live up to this, and the whole army suffered.
Sin makes our armor vulnerable to attack from satan, who then gains permission from God to attack us in the area where we have failed to uphold righteousness. If we break down in moral purity, satan comes in and establishes a stronghold. If we give place to bitterness and unforgiveness, we will break fellowship with God and others. If we become money-focused, we will fall into greed and deception. It is a vicious cycle.
Examine your armor today. Make sure you are not susceptible to attack. Begin from a solid spiritual foundation and your chances of success will be great.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
New Things
New Things
by Os Hillman, August 20, 2006
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13b-14
Our past can be a hindrance or a help in moving toward God's purposes for each of us. For some, the past has meant pain and heartache, and grace is required so that we do not let our past dictate our responses to the future. If we allow our past to make us a victim, then we have not entered into the grace that God has for us. If we live on memories of past successes and fail to raise our vision for new things, we again are victims of our past.
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Is. 43:19). Our past should only be viewed for what we can learn from it. We must move forward and avoid viewing the negative or the positive for more than what we can learn. Many have allowed their past to dictate their future. God is always about doing new things in our lives. He gives fresh revelation of His purposes in our lives. Do not live in the past. Do not hold onto bitterness that may hinder God from doing new and exciting things in your life. He turns our wastelands into streams of water to give life, not death.
How have you viewed your past? Has it hindered you in some areas of your life? Have you relied on past successes to dictate what you will do in the future? Put aside such thoughts and allow God to do a new thing in your life. Ask Him to help you see the new things He wants to do in and through you today.
"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" [Author unknown].
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 20, 2006
Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13b-14
Our past can be a hindrance or a help in moving toward God's purposes for each of us. For some, the past has meant pain and heartache, and grace is required so that we do not let our past dictate our responses to the future. If we allow our past to make us a victim, then we have not entered into the grace that God has for us. If we live on memories of past successes and fail to raise our vision for new things, we again are victims of our past.
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland" (Is. 43:19). Our past should only be viewed for what we can learn from it. We must move forward and avoid viewing the negative or the positive for more than what we can learn. Many have allowed their past to dictate their future. God is always about doing new things in our lives. He gives fresh revelation of His purposes in our lives. Do not live in the past. Do not hold onto bitterness that may hinder God from doing new and exciting things in your life. He turns our wastelands into streams of water to give life, not death.
How have you viewed your past? Has it hindered you in some areas of your life? Have you relied on past successes to dictate what you will do in the future? Put aside such thoughts and allow God to do a new thing in your life. Ask Him to help you see the new things He wants to do in and through you today.
"When your memories are bigger than your dreams, you're headed for the grave" [Author unknown].
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Preparing for College by Reading the Bible
Preparing for College by Reading the Bible
What Students Need to Know
August 11, 2006
Is it possible to be an educated person without knowing about the Bible? That's the question that was posed to thirty-nine English professors at some of our leading universities. Their answers should not come as a surprise, although given our culture's "Christophobia" and the politically correct attitudes on campuses, they probably do.
The relationship between biblical literacy and education was the subject of a survey conducted by the Bible Literacy Project. The study, whose subtitle is "What University Professors Say Incoming Students Need to Know," found that every professor surveyed agreed with the following statement: "Regardless of a person's faith, an educated person needs to know about the Bible." Every professor!
By way of elaboration, Professor George P. Landow, from my alma mater, the very liberal Brown University, said, "[Without the Bible] it's like using a dictionary with one-third of the words removed." Professor Ulrich Knoepflmacher at Princeton said that the lack of "Bible knowledge is almost crippling in students' ability to be sophisticated readers."
Case in point: A preparation workbook for the Advanced Placement Literature exam lists sixty-seven biblical allusions among the 105 allusions that it recommends students know. Yet, only 8 percent of public high schools teach about the Bible even as literature.
Then there's the Bible's central role in Western civilization. As David Kastan of Columbia said, "The Bible is the foundational text, certainly of the West . . . We need to know more, and we need to know it better."
Given the Bible's status, it shouldn't be "too much to ask," as Gordon Braden of the University of Virginia put it, for students to read what he called a "core Bible." This would include "Genesis, Exodus, the Psalms, the four Gospels, and the Book of Revelation." In Braden's words, "If they have that, then we can get started."
If leading academics agree on the importance of the Bible, regardless of one's faith or lack thereof, why isn't it being taught more? Why are we raising the first generation to have lost the biblical narrative that was second nature to prior generations in America?
The answer certainly is not for lack of a suitable curriculum. The Bible Literacy Project recently released a textbook called The Bible and Its Influence. The textbook has been well received, not only by evangelical leaders, but by Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish leaders as well.
The text enables students to learn about the role of the Bible in an accurate, scholarly, and constitutional way. It helps teachers and administrators feel more confident about their ability to do justice to our "foundational text."
The problem lies in getting past the "Christophobia" I mentioned earlier. Whether the problem lies in overt hostility or a misunderstanding of what the law actually says, many schools are reluctant to teach the Bible.
That's where you come in. There is overwhelming evidence of the need for biblical literacy in public education. You need to bring this evidence to the attention of those running your local school boards. You need to help them understand that the goal is not spreading a particular religion but preventing the spread of something far worse: a crippling kind of ignorance.
For printer-friendly version, simply visit www.breakpoint.org and click on Today's Commentary.
Copyright (c) 2006 Prison Fellowship
What Students Need to Know
August 11, 2006
Is it possible to be an educated person without knowing about the Bible? That's the question that was posed to thirty-nine English professors at some of our leading universities. Their answers should not come as a surprise, although given our culture's "Christophobia" and the politically correct attitudes on campuses, they probably do.
The relationship between biblical literacy and education was the subject of a survey conducted by the Bible Literacy Project. The study, whose subtitle is "What University Professors Say Incoming Students Need to Know," found that every professor surveyed agreed with the following statement: "Regardless of a person's faith, an educated person needs to know about the Bible." Every professor!
By way of elaboration, Professor George P. Landow, from my alma mater, the very liberal Brown University, said, "[Without the Bible] it's like using a dictionary with one-third of the words removed." Professor Ulrich Knoepflmacher at Princeton said that the lack of "Bible knowledge is almost crippling in students' ability to be sophisticated readers."
Case in point: A preparation workbook for the Advanced Placement Literature exam lists sixty-seven biblical allusions among the 105 allusions that it recommends students know. Yet, only 8 percent of public high schools teach about the Bible even as literature.
Then there's the Bible's central role in Western civilization. As David Kastan of Columbia said, "The Bible is the foundational text, certainly of the West . . . We need to know more, and we need to know it better."
Given the Bible's status, it shouldn't be "too much to ask," as Gordon Braden of the University of Virginia put it, for students to read what he called a "core Bible." This would include "Genesis, Exodus, the Psalms, the four Gospels, and the Book of Revelation." In Braden's words, "If they have that, then we can get started."
If leading academics agree on the importance of the Bible, regardless of one's faith or lack thereof, why isn't it being taught more? Why are we raising the first generation to have lost the biblical narrative that was second nature to prior generations in America?
The answer certainly is not for lack of a suitable curriculum. The Bible Literacy Project recently released a textbook called The Bible and Its Influence. The textbook has been well received, not only by evangelical leaders, but by Catholic, Orthodox, and Jewish leaders as well.
The text enables students to learn about the role of the Bible in an accurate, scholarly, and constitutional way. It helps teachers and administrators feel more confident about their ability to do justice to our "foundational text."
The problem lies in getting past the "Christophobia" I mentioned earlier. Whether the problem lies in overt hostility or a misunderstanding of what the law actually says, many schools are reluctant to teach the Bible.
That's where you come in. There is overwhelming evidence of the need for biblical literacy in public education. You need to bring this evidence to the attention of those running your local school boards. You need to help them understand that the goal is not spreading a particular religion but preventing the spread of something far worse: a crippling kind of ignorance.
This commentary first aired on June 7, 2006.
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Copyright (c) 2006 Prison Fellowship
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Waiting on God
Waiting on God
by Os Hillman, August 10, 2006
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him! - Isaiah 30:18
Have you ever noticed that God is not in a hurry? It took 40 years for Moses to receive his commission to lead the people out of Egypt. It took 17 years of preparation before Joseph was delivered from slavery and imprisonment. It took 20 years before Jacob was released from Laban's control. Abraham and Sarah were in their old age when they finally received the son of promise, Isaac. So why isn't God in a hurry?
God called each of these servants to accomplish a certain task in His Kingdom, yet He was in no hurry to bring their mission into fulfillment. First, He accomplished what He wanted in them. We are often more focused on outcome than the process that He is accomplishing in our lives each day. When we experience His presence daily, one day we wake up and realize that God has done something special in and through our lives. However, the accomplishment is no longer what excites us. Instead, what excites us is knowing Him. Through those times, we become more acquainted with His love, grace, and power in our lives. When this happens, we are no longer focused on the outcome because the outcome is a result of our walk with Him. It is not the goal of our walk, but the by-product. Hence, when Joseph came to power in Egypt, he probably couldn't have cared less. He had come to a place of complete surrender so that he was not anxious about tomorrow or his circumstances.
This is the lesson for us. We must wait for God's timing and embrace wherever we are in the process. When we find contentment in that place, we begin to experience God in ways we never thought possible.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 10, 2006
Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him! - Isaiah 30:18
Have you ever noticed that God is not in a hurry? It took 40 years for Moses to receive his commission to lead the people out of Egypt. It took 17 years of preparation before Joseph was delivered from slavery and imprisonment. It took 20 years before Jacob was released from Laban's control. Abraham and Sarah were in their old age when they finally received the son of promise, Isaac. So why isn't God in a hurry?
God called each of these servants to accomplish a certain task in His Kingdom, yet He was in no hurry to bring their mission into fulfillment. First, He accomplished what He wanted in them. We are often more focused on outcome than the process that He is accomplishing in our lives each day. When we experience His presence daily, one day we wake up and realize that God has done something special in and through our lives. However, the accomplishment is no longer what excites us. Instead, what excites us is knowing Him. Through those times, we become more acquainted with His love, grace, and power in our lives. When this happens, we are no longer focused on the outcome because the outcome is a result of our walk with Him. It is not the goal of our walk, but the by-product. Hence, when Joseph came to power in Egypt, he probably couldn't have cared less. He had come to a place of complete surrender so that he was not anxious about tomorrow or his circumstances.
This is the lesson for us. We must wait for God's timing and embrace wherever we are in the process. When we find contentment in that place, we begin to experience God in ways we never thought possible.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Blessing God's Chosen
Blessing God's Chosen
by Os Hillman, August 4, 2006
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. - Numbers 6:24-26
Recently, a friend from London sent this personal account of an experience he had:
"I was walking past the Stock Exchange in the City of London when I overtook an Orthodox Jew with his black hat and long gray beard. As one does, I put my arm on his shoulder and gave him the blessing which God gave to Moses to give to Aaron with which he was to bless the Jews.
" 'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.'
"The Jewish gentleman turned round with a smile. 'God said to Abraham, "Those who bless the Jews will be themselves blessed." You will be blessed!'
" 'I know,' I said. 'Ten years ago, I blessed a Jew at Kennedy Airport and I was upgraded to Club class and this happened again on my next two transatlantic flights. Every time I blessed a Jew I was upgraded!'
" 'You're the man, you're the man!' cried my friend. 'I read that article in the Jewish Chronicle and was just going to tell you the story.'
"We ended up embracing each other on the pavement, no doubt to the astonishment of passing stockbrokers and bankers!"
Is there an opportunity to bless Israel and the Jewish nation today? You might find yourself blessed if you do.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure (Ps 122:6).
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, August 4, 2006
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. - Numbers 6:24-26
Recently, a friend from London sent this personal account of an experience he had:
"I was walking past the Stock Exchange in the City of London when I overtook an Orthodox Jew with his black hat and long gray beard. As one does, I put my arm on his shoulder and gave him the blessing which God gave to Moses to give to Aaron with which he was to bless the Jews.
" 'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.'
"The Jewish gentleman turned round with a smile. 'God said to Abraham, "Those who bless the Jews will be themselves blessed." You will be blessed!'
" 'I know,' I said. 'Ten years ago, I blessed a Jew at Kennedy Airport and I was upgraded to Club class and this happened again on my next two transatlantic flights. Every time I blessed a Jew I was upgraded!'
" 'You're the man, you're the man!' cried my friend. 'I read that article in the Jewish Chronicle and was just going to tell you the story.'
"We ended up embracing each other on the pavement, no doubt to the astonishment of passing stockbrokers and bankers!"
Is there an opportunity to bless Israel and the Jewish nation today? You might find yourself blessed if you do.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May those who love you be secure (Ps 122:6).
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Being an Overcomer
Being an Overcomer
by Os Hillman, July 26, 2006
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. - John 16:33
"Why does it seem that those involved in Christian enterprise find the way so hard? It seems as though it is harder for those who are committed Christians in business. Have you found this to be true?" This was the comment from a business associate recently. My answer was a definite yes. In fact, if you were not a Christian and sought to do a similar business without regard to maintaining a biblical philosophy, the way would be much smoother sailing. It makes us think of the prophet who asked, "Why do the wicked prosper?" (see Jer. 12:1)
It is a spiritual principle of which we speak. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan before they entered the Promised Land, they fought only two battles. Then after they entered the Promised Land, they fought 39 battles. The way of the cross is not paved with lilies; it is paved with grace. When we seek to honor God in our business life, we will be met with opposition from the spiritual forces of this world. This is why each of us must commit ourselves to walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and to be as gentle as doves but as wise as serpents.
Do not be surprised when you find the way harder as a believer than when you were a non-believer. You now have more at stake among the spiritual forces that desire you to be defeated and ineffective.
Stand firm against the evil forces that desire to keep you from walking in freedom in the Promised Land. Jesus is your victory for every battle you will encounter. Call on His name.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
by Os Hillman, July 26, 2006
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. - John 16:33
"Why does it seem that those involved in Christian enterprise find the way so hard? It seems as though it is harder for those who are committed Christians in business. Have you found this to be true?" This was the comment from a business associate recently. My answer was a definite yes. In fact, if you were not a Christian and sought to do a similar business without regard to maintaining a biblical philosophy, the way would be much smoother sailing. It makes us think of the prophet who asked, "Why do the wicked prosper?" (see Jer. 12:1)
It is a spiritual principle of which we speak. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan before they entered the Promised Land, they fought only two battles. Then after they entered the Promised Land, they fought 39 battles. The way of the cross is not paved with lilies; it is paved with grace. When we seek to honor God in our business life, we will be met with opposition from the spiritual forces of this world. This is why each of us must commit ourselves to walking in the power of the Holy Spirit and to be as gentle as doves but as wise as serpents.
Do not be surprised when you find the way harder as a believer than when you were a non-believer. You now have more at stake among the spiritual forces that desire you to be defeated and ineffective.
Stand firm against the evil forces that desire to keep you from walking in freedom in the Promised Land. Jesus is your victory for every battle you will encounter. Call on His name.
© 2006. TGIF Today God Is First™ is a registered trademark of Os Hillman/Marketplace Leaders. To request re-print permission, click here.
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