SUNDAY, Give me an undivided heart to revere your name Psalm 86:11; In his parable of the Sower, Jesus said that some of the seed produced nothing because the cares of the world and other things literally choked it. As Christians we have a dual identity, we are many things to many people, but unfortunately we sometimes think of ourselves a business people who happen to be Christians, or administrative assistants, carpenters, sales people, physicians, etc. who happen to be Christians rather than Christians who happen to be business people, secretaries, clerks, programmers, etc. It is easy to allow problems, people and other things to divide our mind and thus choke out the blessing that comes from fully appreciating God and his loving care and concern.
MONDAY, Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy Psalm 86:1
Often, in the midst of a hectic week, it is easy to feel like we are losing our mental and spiritual equilibrium, isn’t it? There are projects to be started and completed, decisions to be made, meetings to participate in, work to be done and a myriad of activities involving family and friends. In looking over everything we need to get done it is easy to feel overwhelmed, to become aware of our limitations and experience a sense of inadequacy. Why not try following the example of some of the most successful people in the history of American business? Men like John D. Rockefeller, J.C. Penney, J. L. Craft, John Danforth (founder of Purina), Milton S. Hershey and countless others who, realizing their poverty and need in certain areas of their lives made their faith an integral part of their business lives.
Certainly, these men weren’t perfect and they made mistakes, but each of them demonstrated a reliance on Almighty God and their religious faith as they understood it. So if you are feeling somewhat inadequate or overwhelmed by all the things you’ve still got to co this week, why not acknowledge your poverty and need in these areas of your life and talk it over with God.
TUESDAY, Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all day long Psalm 86:3
I became acquainted with a successful executive several years ago who testified to this simple truth. Almost everyday he was faced with decisions that involved millions of dollars, the future of his company and the security of both his employees and stockholders. “I have a fine education, solid experience and good business instincts” he said, “but when I combine those ingredients with the wisdom that God gives when I ask for it, I always see things turn out much better than when I simply rely on my on background.”
Don’t hesitate to bring every decision and problem you face in your career, family and personal life to God. Then be open to his guidance, you’ll be amazed at the ideas that you receive that correct your thinking, develop a strategy and lead to positive outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Give your strength to your servant Psalm 86:16b; Not only can we count on God to provide us with guidance as we handle our daily affairs, we can also count on him to give us the added strength of mind and conviction we need during difficulties. A young lad was trying to pick up a bulky bag of lawn fertilizer. His father knew the boy had the strength to carry the sack—if he could ever get it off the ground, the father offered to help him but the boy insisted that he pick it up. He tugged and pulled but could never get enough heft to get it up high enough to carry. Finally, exhausted by his efforts the boy ask his dad to help him pick up the bag. Together they easily lifted the sack high enough for the boy to get his arms around it. The father then watched as his son proudly carried the sack down the driveway.
THURSDAY, Happy are those whose strength is in you…They go from strength to strength Psalm 84:5a-7a; There are many kinds of strength, among them are strength of conviction, strength of mind, strength of purpose, and strength of will. Many of the truly unhappy people I’ve known lacked strength in one or all of these categories. When we truly put our confidence in God we draw our strength of purpose from God’s purpose, our mind is strengthen as we transform our thinking from a negative, defeatist pattern to one that is positive and faith-based, our core beliefs (convictions) become strongly anchored and the human will becomes strong as steel in the face of adversity and temptation. It is no wonder that the Psalmist asserts that when our strength is in God we find real happiness and contentment.
FRIDAY, No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly Psalm 84:11b; Those whose strength is in the Lord have a sense of happiness and also an unshakeable optimism. I realize that optimism is often mocked by today’s modern sophisticates. But the real optimist isn’t someone who sees everything through rose colored glasses. A real optimist is someone who, having lived through life’s up’s and down’s quickly recognizes adversity for what it is, accepts its challenges and moves forward with faith and confidence, knowing that with God on his side things will work out for the best. The Psalmist was such a person. Living in a time when war, disease and uncertainty shadowed people every hour of the day, the writer affirms that regardless of how bad things get.
SATURDAY, Happy is everyone who trusts in you Psalm 84:12; When we put our trust in the Good Lord through faith in Jesus we are given the potential to live the abundant life—one of strength, confidence, divine guidance and optimism for the future. Then when we cross to the other side those who have consistently lived out their faith receive eternal life. This knowledge provides a peace of mind and confidence that gives us an unshakeable sense of happiness, even in the face of distressing events. When he broke the news that he had Alzheimer's in his "open letter" to the nation, Ronald Reagan wrote: "When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future."
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
