WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BLESSED

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel … “Oh that you would bless me, indeed …” 1 Chronicles 4:10

We are continuing to have computer issues, so please pardon the delay in getting out this morning’s Freedom Fighter …

This verse is so filled with precious truth. I wanted to move on a share some things with you, but felt led to do a little more digging on this concept of what Jabez was asking the God of Israel, when he petitioned him to “bless” him.
There are basically three words for bless that I see in the Old Testament for bless. The first two appear to refer to both God’s blessing His people and how we bless Him. In both cases, the word “abundantly” is attached to the meaning.
The third word means “happy” and is the byproduct of how we walk with God.
A man is “blessed” or “happy” when:
1. He doesn’t walk in the council of the wicked, doesn’t stand in the
paths of sinners, and doesn’t sit with the scoffers. (Psalm 1:1)
2. He takes refuge in Him. (Psalm 2:12; Psalm 34:8)
3. He makes the Lord his trust. (Psalm 40:4; Jeremiah 17:7)
4. He considers the helpless. (Psalm 41:1)
5. He dwells in His house. (Psalm 84:4)
6. His strength is in the Lord. (Psalm 84:5)
7. He is chastened by the Lord. (Psalm 94:12)
8. He keeps justice and practices righteousness at all times. (Psalm 106:3)
9. He fears the Lord. (Psalm 112:1; 128:1; Proverbs 28:14)
10. His way is blameless. (Psalm 119:1)
11. His quiver is full. (Psalm 127:5)
12. His God is the Lord. (Psalm 114:15)
13. He finds godly wisdom. (Proverbs 3:13)
14. He keeps HIS ways. (Proverbs 8:32)
15. He listens to God. (Proverbs 8:34)
16. His sons are blessed because of his integrity. (Proverbs 20:7)
17. He is generous. (Proverbs 22:9)
18. He longs for his God. (Isaiah 30:18)
19. He waits for his God. (Daniel 12:12)

This is not an exhaustive list, but a list from just the Old Testatment.
Before you cry out to the God is Israel to abundantly bless you – think through how HAPPY you are when these 19 principles are true in your personal walk with God.

Tomorrow we will look at the “Happy” man from the New Testament.

Great quote:“If we interrupt the process of sanctification by procrastinating in meeting an issue that God has set before us or by reverting to a posture of backsliding unbelief, God in his love will inevitably bring our lives into circumstances of failure, frustration or suffering which will drive us back to sobriety. The progress of our spiritual growth is not a matter of our own initiative and designing; it is under the control and direction of God who has begun a good work in us and will work patiently to perfect it until the day of Christ.” Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life

Let’s continue to look at Mary’s life as we move into the second week of Advent. We don’t know much about her. She was young. We can tell from her “song” in Luke 2:46-55 that she was familiar with the Old Testament scriptures. She was betrothed to Joseph. That means she was somewhere between what we call engagement and marriage. We know she was a virgin.
None of those things made her different than other girls in Israel in those days. Why did the Lord choose her?

The angel Gabriel tells us something of God’s take on Mary. “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
(2:28) Something about Mary made her different. The angel also tells her that she has found favor with God. It’s noteworthy that you never find anything negative said about Mary throughout the gospels.

We often talk about “The man God can use.” We describe qualities of life that make us useful to God. This story that introduces Advent to us is about “The woman God can use.” Something about the quality of her life and her walk with God made her the woman He could use to bring His Son into the world. I doubt that Mary was expecting Him to use her in that way; the text of the story certainly indicates her total surprise.

There are lessons to be learned from Mary’s experience. We never know when God may want to use us, but we learn from Mary that being used by God is a great honor and privilege. Choosing to live carelessly might easily disqualify us from being used. Choosing to live in close fellowship with God keeps us in a state of readiness. When He chooses to use us, we’re prepared!

Consider another lesson from Mary’s unexpected calling. Most of us live in relative anonymity. We can often feel that our lives are insignificant. Mary might well have lived that way prior to meeting Gabriel. That didn’t keep her from loving God and living for Him. It
didn’t prevent her from pursuing faithful devotion to God. Most of us
will never get a call to do something great and noticeable in our lives.
All of us are called to faithfulness. We can pray with Mary for God to use us according to His plans and purposes. (2:37)

No one knew when Messiah would come. No one, including Mary, expected Him to come the way He did. Mary’s choice to live faithfully prepared her for the unexpected. You and I can make that same choice. Choosing to live faithfully prepares us for God’s unexpected callings in our lives. (Pastor John Strain – First Baptist of Toms River)

Great Quote: Truth without enthusiasm, morality without emotion, ritual without soul, are things Christ unsparingly condemned. Destitute of fire, they are nothing more than a godless philosophy, an ethical system, and a superstition. Samuel Chadwick

THE PRAYER OF JABEZ (PART 2)

“Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain. And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I would not cause pain!’ So God granted him what he requested. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Yesterday I shared with you that the commentator, Dr. Herbert Lockyer, records over 469 prayers in his book, “All The Prayers of the Bible.” As you think through the examples of the prayers that have been recorded for us in the Bible, most of them are recorded in a narrative of a story line, or given as a part of a teaching. For example, Paul in his letters to the churches shares how he is praying for them.

Yet this prayer seems to be different. It is recorded for us in the middle of a book of the Bible that is filled with what would appear to be boring, insignificant genealogies. For some reason, the Lord puts the VCR on pause, and in the middle of this list, He singles out Jabez, and of all the things that could be said about him, he gives us insight into his faith and his prayer life. Note in reading these early chapters, Jabez is the only one that seems to get attention like this.

We don’t know much about his background other than what is recorded here. For some reason he was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother had a difficult time in childbirth with him, and named him, “Pain!” Imagine what it must have been like to have your name be “Pain!”

What made him more honorable than his brothers? Was it his financial assets? His reputation in the community? Or was it that in his growing up years he was the brother who took his relationship with God seriously, and was a man of integrity – a man whose walk with God was so real and genuine that it caused others around him to take note that there was something different in his life.

You and I meet people like that. You don’t have to be in their presence long to know that there is something very special about their connection with God. I can list in my mind, so many people that fit that description. People that I look at and say, “Wow – they have a special walk with God.”

Maybe that is why there is a boldness in his praying. He has spent so much time with God in his personal communion with him – that he is comfortable being bold in his petition.

Is that the kind of relationship you have with the Lord? When people are around you do they sense from your life that there is something different? Are you willing to be bold enough to pray like Jabez? Take up the challenge. Pray Jabez’s prayer and then see what God will do in your life.

Great Quote: At the Day of Judgment, we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done. Thomas a Kempis

DIVINE WISDOM

“Where can wisdom be found?” Job 28:12

Our Administrative team has been working on putting together our 2008 Annual budget. I am so blessed to have a CFO and COO who love God and who are men of integrity. They are dedicated to serving Christ at America’s KESWICK and using the gifts God has blessed them with.

For weeks they have been working through the budget process and it has been tedious work. Getting the bottom line to balance has been a challenge, and yesterday, my CFO said that he is at a point where he doesn’t know what else to do. We are facing a deadline to present the budget to the Finance Committee of the Board. It is coming to 11:59 – and often that is when God shows up!

This morning I couldn’t wait to get out of bed to see what the Lord would show me from His Word. Here were the words from His Word to my
ears:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting.-Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.-The only [wise, kjv] God.-Be not wise in your own eyes.

“Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”

“Whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.
Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”-“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

Job 28:12; Jas. 1:5, 6; Prov. 3:5, 6; 1 Tim. 1:17; Prov. 3:7; Jer.
1:6-8; John 16:23, 24; Matt. 21:22

These were verses that ministered to my heart this morning. What an awesome thing to know that when all of our conventional wisdom is exhausted and we have nowhere else to turn, we can turn to the ONE who has ALL the answers. Notice that He says that He not only will give wisdom, but He will give it generously!

Are you facing a difficult situation in your life? Need answers?
Scratching your head trying to figure out the solution? Why not join me today in asking the God of the universe for HIS DIVINE WISDOM! Together, with eager anticipation, let’s wait on Him and see what HE will do! I’d love to hear your story, too!

Great Quote: If you have a murmuring spirit, you cannot have true cheerfulness; it will generally show up in your countenance and your voice. Some little fretfulness or restlessness of tone will betray it.
Your cheerfulness is forced, it does not spring up freely and healthily out of your heart, which it can only do when that is truly at rest in God; when you are satisfied with His ways, and wishing no change in them. Anonymous

ADVENT

Today is the first day of Advent. Followers of Jesus take these four weeks to remember the first coming of Jesus and to await His second coming. Each of us determines how much change and growth Advent brings to our lives. We can look for the lessons and learn them, or we can see the month as just a little more tradition.

Let me bring you back to Mary and the events that meeting the Angel of the Lord put into motion. She accepted the message and the promises, but life had many lessons to teach her as she gave birth to Jesus, watched Him grow up, travel as an itinerant preacher, and become the sacrifice for our sins. She spent many of those years waiting to see how those words from the Angel would become reality in her life and the life of her son.

Most of us don’t like waiting, but it’s one of God’s best resources for teaching us. I’m learning that in fresh ways right now. Advent couldn’t come at a better time for me. Life has been pretty dry for me lately-especially my private times with the Lord. I’ve asked the Lord for direction, for some insight on how to get out of the desert.
Nothing seemed to work. It hadn’t occurred to me that God might have a design in my wait.

Each month I meet with a retired pastor for spiritual direction. When I told him earlier this week about the dryness, he brought up the issue of waiting. He suggested attentiveness during dry times will teach us lessons we can only learn in the desert. That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, but it made sense.

Advent helps me understand. Just as Mary waited to see God’s work develop, we can learn through waiting for His work in our lives. We can learn by waiting for His coming. Most of us who have struggled with addictions know the demand of instant gratification. The Jews had waited 400 years for a word from God when Jesus came. Mary waited repeatedly to see God’s design for her and her son. We can learn the lesson of waiting by paying attention to what God wants to say to us during the Advent season.

What’s going on in your life that requires you to wait for God’s work?
Be especially attentive during Advent; allow God to teach you through the lesson of waiting. “Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14) (Pastor John Strain – First Baptist Toms River)

Great quote: God is everywhere. His truth and his love pervade all things as the light and the heat of the sun pervade our atmosphere. But…God does not touch our souls with the fire of supernatural knowledge and experience without Christ. Thomas Merton

Today’s FF was late due to technical difficulties . . .

Tomorrow begins the Advent season in churches around the world. Many traditions within various denominations make the observance anything from really big to almost unnoticeable. For many in evangelical churches the Advent celebration will include and advent wreath, lighting the advent candles and brief mention of its significance.

Some pastors, like me, will use the season for a series of messages that bring us to Christmas and the celebration of Jesus’ birth. Other pastors disdain the tradition and will go on with a regular schedule of services until Christmas Sunday. Since the Advent tradition isn’t a specifically biblical observance, each church and pastor can choose what he will or won’t do.

Let me suggest, over the next four weekends why I believe we can benefit from the tradition. I believe it can help us grow in our walks with Jesus enjoy the holiday season. Advent can help us remember the blessings of God that are ours through Jesus’ coming into our world.
Let’s think about it.

You’ll remember the Christmas story as recorded in Luke 1. The Angel of the Lord came to speak to a young Jewish girl named Mary. Before the conversation was over, Mary knew that she was going to bring the Messiah into the world and would do so as a virgin. Can you imagine the shock!
In reviewing the story, I see some things in Mary’s response that can help us prepare for the Advent season in the same way Mary prepared for His birth.

When Mary was afraid, the Angel told her “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” He put her at ease and assured her that what was coming was good news for all people. That hasn’t changed.
Jesus coming into our world is good news! He comes to free us from bondage and the penalty of sin. His arrival is perhaps the greatest declaration of grace God has ever spoken. Jesus living in our world offers hope instead of despair and light instead of darkness and life instead of death.

Advent reminds us that we live with great trust in God’s grace. We don’t have to be afraid. The Advent season encourages men pursuing freedom to trust the One who came into our world. We can trust the One who not only came into our world but also came into our lives. Do you remember that day when Jesus came into your life? If it’s gotten a little fuzzy in your memory bank, allow the Advent season to remind you that Jesus showed up at your door!

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son . .
. .” (Galatians 4:4) You and I trust God for freedom because we know He sent His son to purchase that freedom for us. Remember that this Advent season. (Pastor John Strain, First Baptist Toms River)

Great quote: The spirit of Christmas needs to superseded by the Spirit of Christ. The spirit of Christmas is annual; the Spirit of Christ is eternal. The spirit of Christmas is sentimental; the Spirit of Christ is supernatural. The spirit of Christmas is a human product; the Spirit of Christmas is a divine person. That makes all the difference in the world. Stuart Briscoe

ENCOURAGEMENT #3

Sorry that this is late. I had difficulty connecting to our server this morning. Here are some additional thoughts on encouragement.

1. Don’t use encouragement as a form of manipulation. Encouragement
needs to be genuine, not phony or forced. The person you are attempting to encourage will most likely see right through you if you are encouraging for the wrong reasons.

2. Be specific and direct with your encouragement without adding
sarcasm or criticism to your comments. My mother-in-law was a great cook. My wife is an excellent cook. When we were first married, my mother-in-law lived with us. One night Jan cooked a fabulous dinner and afterwards my mother-in-law said, “This was a good dinner. Now when I make this …”

3. Use random acts of kindness in your arsenal of encouragement
tools. Be creative. Cards, notes in unexpected places, flowers, candy, gifts, can all be used to express encouragement. It could be showing up at a friends house and helping him with a difficult project. I could go on and on – you get the idea.

4. Encouragement takes practices. The more you do it, the easier it
will be. It is worth it!

Make it a lifelong goal – encourage one person a day for the next year.
Just think – that’s 365 people!!!

Great quote: The holy and most glorious God invites us to come to Him, to converse with Him, to ask from Him such things as we need, and to experience what a blessing there is in fellowship with Him. He has created us in His own image and has redeemed us by His own Son, so that in prayer with Him we might find our highest glory and salvation. Andrew Murray

ENCOURAGEMENT (Part 2)

“Words kill, words give life -they’re either poison or fruit – you choose!” Proverbs 18:21

I wanted to give some follow-up thoughts on encouragement to challenge your thinking.

1. Encouragement doesn’t cost anything! It is a free gift. Yes, you
can do things that cost something to encourage someone like buying them a gift. But it can be something as simple as a note you write in your own handwriting.

I have a file of notes that I have received over the years. When I am discouraged or feeling sorry for myself, I will pull out that file and read a couple of those notes. They refresh and revive my spirits. Most of those notes came on just the right days – out of the blue.

2. Sometimes it is the people most closest to you that need the
encouragement the most.

I never doubted my Mom and Dad’s love, but they were not the greatest encouragers. They would tell others how proud they were of me and my accomplishments. But my Dad went to his grave having never told me how proud he was of me.

Sometimes it is the people closest to us who need to hear words of encouragement from us.

3. Encouragement can change the course of a person’s life.

There are thousands of stories of people who were ready to throw in the towel who because of a timely word of encouragement, hung in there and soared in the place where God called them to serve. Your pastor needs continual encouragement. Sometimes we make the assumption that everyone else is doing it, so why should it. Guess what – it ain’t happening.

Make encouragement a part of your daily routine. It’s a great investment.

Great quote: There is such a thing as taking ourselves and the world too seriously, or at any rate too anxiously. Half of the secular unrest and dismal, profane sadness of modern society comes from the vain idea that every man is bound to be a critic of life, and to let no day pass without finding some fault with the general order of things, or projecting some plan for its general improvement. And the other half comes from the greedy notion that a man’s life does consist, after all, in the abundance of things that he possesseth, and that it is, somehow or other, more respectable and pious to be always at work trying to make a larger living, than it is to lie on your back in the green pastures and beside the still waters, and thank God that you are alive.

Henry Van Dyke

THE GIFT OF ENCOURAGEMENT

“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need.” Philippians 2:25

Martin Luther once said that “encouragement is oxygen to the soul.”
Sometimes it seems that all we hear are the voices of those who choose to use their words to tear us down or discourage us. I have been surrounded times with people who tend to always look at life with a half-full glass mentality. Everything is negative. Life is viewed from “under-the-turf” rather than from above the turf!

I once read a cartoon of two old guys sitting on a park bench. The one was moaning about how awful the day was, and the other was the optimist.
The pessimist asked his friend how he be so cheerful. The optimist responded, “Every day I wake up on this side of the grass is a good day!”

Listen to what Henry Blackaby has to say about encouragers:

“Some people know just what to say and do to encourage others who are going through difficult times. Their words give strength to those who are discouraged and comfort to those who are grieving. These people are sensitive to God’s voice. They are not self-centered or unaware of the struggles of those around them. They are the ones we immediately seek when we enter a crisis. They welcome visitors when we are in distress, for their presence sustains us.

Scripture testifies of many whom God enabled to encourage others. When Moses was overwhelmed by his work, Jethro went to him and encouraged him. Jethro gave Moses wise counsel that eased his strain (Exodus 18:1-27). When Paul was imprisoned far from those who loved him, Epaphroditus risked his health and safety in order to go to Paul and minister to him (Philippians 2:25-30). Later, Paul urged Timothy to come and visit him, for Paul found strength and encouragement in Timothy (2 Timothy 4:9; Philippians 2:19-20). Paul asked Timothy to bring Mark also. Mark was the kind of friend Paul needed when he was enduring hardship (2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 24). Paul also relied on Luke for encouragement. When everyone else was absent or preoccupied, Luke could be found with Paul (2 Timothy 4:11).

Paul experienced trials throughout his life, but God sustained him by placing godly friends around him who provided support in practical and sacrificial ways.

God wants to develop you into the kind of friend who can strengthen others. The words you share and the things you do can bring comfort and encouragement to your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your co-workers.” (Experiencing God – the Devotional)

My prayer for me today is that I would be a man of encouragement with my family, my staff and my friends. And beyond that – people I meet and rub shoulders with along the way. I can’t do it on my own – but I can through Christ!

Great quote: “Drag the skulking Agags of pride, snobbery, fear, prejudice, green envy and ugly grudge to the light, and hack them in pieces! These are the hidden scoundrels which keep tricking us into refusing the meek, lowly, brave, noble, generous, lovely, Christlike life which we know we ought to live.” J. Sidlow Baxter

PRAYER PERSPECTIVE

“I love the Lord because He hath heard my voice and my supplications.”
Psalm 116:1

I needed this perspective this morning in regards to prayer. Maybe you do to. It is written by the great missionary, Amy Carmichael.

“Sometimes people speak of God having answered their prayers, but what they mean is that He answered according to their desire and does something about which they are glad. If he does something different they say sadly, ‘He has not answered.’ All this is a mistake.

Prayer is ALWAYS heard if the one who prays comes to the Father in the NAME of our Lord Jesus. ‘I love the Lord, because He hath heard’ can be our word always, and also that other word, ‘This is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears
us: and if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desire of Him.’

If we love Him, our real prayer is that His perfect will may be done, whatever the words are, and so it is certain that we have the petition even before we see it granted. The form the answer takes does not affect the fact.

I know sometimes we do not see how the thing granted is all that we desire. And yet it is! For after all, what the deepest in us wanted was not for our own natural will, but the will of the Father. So what is given is our heart’s desire; He hath not witholden the request of our lips. But God always answers us in the deeps, never in the shallows of our soul. In hours of confusion I can remember this!” – Amy Carmichael (His Victorious Indwelling – Zondervan)

Good words for me today! I hope they will speak to your heart too.

Great Quote: You cannot expect and answer from God unless YOUR WILL is gone. You shut out your answers to prayer because you have a will about the thing for which you are praying.” Edward Dennett