Hearing His Voice

John 8:47
He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.

Jesus said that the key to being able to hear God's voice is first to be one of His children. One of the great mysteries of the universe to my logical mind is how God can communicate with six billion people on the earth at the same time. It is one of those mysteries I must let go of because my "hard drive" would crash if I had to explain and understand this before I believed and trusted in Him. It is as though God places a computer chip in each human being, and when we place our faith and trust in Him, it becomes activated. We begin to communicate with Him. Jesus says that if we are a child of God, we can hear God's voice. He further explains this relationship in the following parable:

I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice (John 10:1-5).

The Shepherd is always representative of Christ. Sheep are representative of God's children. This passage tells us that the Shepherd communicates with His children. We are called by name and we can listen to our Shepherd's voice. There is another comforting aspect to this relationship. The Shepherd goes before the sheep to prepare the way. Jesus has already gone before us today to prepare our way.

Knowing the Shepherd and His voice allows us to have the assurance that we will not be fooled by another shepherd's voice. The sheep know His voice. It is only when we are dull of hearing that we mistakenly hear another's voice and follow it. Sin can create a poor frequency in our communication with the Shepherd. Make sure your frequency is free of static (sin) today so that the Shepherd can lead you and go before you.

Finally, distractions can also keep us from hearing our Shepherd's voice. When the sheep get entangled in the fence or wander off, they get too far away to hear the Shepherd's voice. We must stay in close proximity to the Shepherd to hear His voice. Stay close to the Shepherd today. Listen and follow. He wants to lead you.

Mustard Seed Faith in Business

Matthew 17:20
He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Does God do miracles in business? Is He concerned about the mountains we face in our work life? Does He want us to bring the everyday problems we face in the workplace to His attention? The answer to every one of these questions is yes. God wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives.

Gunnar Olson, the Swedish founder of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce, tells a story about God performing a miracle in his own business a few years ago. He owns a plastics company in Sweden. They make huge plastic bags that are used to cover bales of hay in the farmlands across Europe. It was the harvest season and they were getting ready to ship thousands of pallets of these bags to their customers. More than 1,000 pallets were ready to ship when an alarming discovery was made. Every bag on the warehouse floor had sealed shut from top to bottom. Scientists declared the entire stock as worthless trash. Nothing could be done. The company would go out of business.

Gunnar, his wife, and children sought the Lord in prayer about this catastrophe. The Holy Spirit spoke through various family members. The wife said, "If God can turn water into wine, what are plastics?" The daughter said, "I don't believe this is from the Lord. We should stand against it." Gunnar sensed they were to trust God for a miracle in this situation. They began to pray. They took authority over this mountain of a problem based on Matthew 17, which gave them the authority to cast a mountain into the sea if faith only the size of a mustard seed could be exercised. The following Monday they went to the warehouse and laid hands on every pallet asking the Lord to restore the bags to their original condition. It took several hours. Later, the employees began to inspect the bags. As they inspected the bags, they discovered that every single bag had been restored to its original condition! An incredible miracle had taken place.

What obstacles have been placed in your life that need a miracle today? Could God be setting the stage in your life for you to trust Him at new levels you've never trusted before? God sets the stage to allow His power to be revealed for those willing to exercise the faith of a mustard seed. All things are possible with God.

The Interests of Others

Philippians 2:4
Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

One of the walls of Christianity that has existed for centuries is the attitude of many "full-time" Christian workers and businesspeople. Often pastors, missionaries, and other "full timers" (I put this in quotes since all of us should consider ourselves full time) see businesspeople as a dollar sign. They see them as the instrument to fund their next project or provide the support they need. This wrong view toward businesspeople encourages them to harden their hearts toward legitimate projects. It creates a vicious cycle in which satan robs both servants of God of the blessing of each other's gifts and talents.

I once attended an international conference in which businesspeople acknowledged having this attitude toward Christian workers. Christian workers asked for forgiveness for viewing those in business as objects for funding. There was a time of repentance and tears for the selfish attitude and callousness of both groups. Christian businesspeople have more to offer the Kingdom than their dollars, but this is often overlooked.

Paul admonishes us to:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:3-5).

If the God of the universe came as a humble servant, we in business must maintain our humble servant attitude toward those who have lesser means and are seeking to serve the Lord. God has entrusted many of us in business with greater resources. The test is to examine whether we are operating in vanity or Christ-like servanthood, looking out for the interests of others.

Ask the Lord to provide the grace to consider each request that comes to you for assistance and to avoid becoming callous to these requests. This is one test from God that He brings to determine whether you will serve others before yourself. The true test of giving is when it has no benefit to yourself.

Four Attributes of a Life God Blesses

Isaiah 28:16
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed."

Whenever God calls us into a consecrated life, it is made up of four distinct stages. Christ often compared this process to building a house. First, we must prepare to build by laying a foundation. That foundation is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. Any foundation other than Christ will not stand.

Second, as we enter a walk of faith with God, He allows each of us to experience trials, testings, miracles, and challenges in life that are designed to provide "faith experiences" that demonstrate tangible evidences of His work in our life: Moses' burning-bush experience, Peter's walk on the water, Joshua's parting of the Jordan River. These experiences built the faith of these people. The depth and width of our calling is directly proportional to the faith experiences He allows in each of our lives. If God plans an international ministry with you, chances are you will experience a higher degree of faith experiences compared to another. The reason is, you will need to look on these to ensure your calling and provide testimony to His work in your life.

The third stage deals with motives. "All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord" (Prov. 16:2). What is the motive behind my actions? Is it only financial accumulation? Is it to gain control? Is it to create independence? The primary motive must be God's leading you to take such an action-it must be obedience. These other factors must be by-products of the decision.

Finally, we are prepared to take action. Here we must ask, "Do we have the skill, quality, and ability to enter into this activity?" So often we have not trained ourselves adequately to be successful in our endeavor. You would never want someone working on your teeth who had not been trained and certified as a dentist.

Before you begin your next project, ask yourself these four questions. What is the foundation this project is based on? What experiences has God demonstrated in my life that indicate His involvement? What is my motive for entering this activity? Do I have the skill, quality, and ability to accomplish the task? Answering these questions will tell you whether God will bless your activity.

Using Satan for God's Purposes

1 Corinthians 5:5
Hand this man over to satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.

Paul encountered a believer who was involved in an incestuous relationship in the Corinthian church. This man was deluded by satan and was controlled by immorality. The man was unwilling to change his behavior, so Paul recommended to the church that tough actions be taken. He spiritually handed this man over to satan for the destruction of his flesh for the benefit of his soul. The idea is that the person will wallow in the pit of sin so long until it becomes detestable to him and he cries out for God's grace. We know this man was a Christian because only a Christian can be subjected to church discipline.

Have you ever known someone who was walking in disobedience and no matter how much you prayed, he seemed oblivious to his sin? God has given one weapon to counter satan's schemes against those who fall prey to satan. That is, let satan have access to them fully so that their lives become so miserable they cry out to God for mercy. Probably few of us have ever had to pray this prayer. However, you should not be fearful of this prayer for any believer who is willingly walking in disobedience. This is love-tough love. There is a time and place for tough love. I have seen this principle work. God restores His children when His Body takes a stand against sin. It is not comfortable for those who take this action.

Do you know someone who needs tough love in his or her life right now? Ask God if it is time to pray the prayer that Paul prayed. "So that his spirit might be saved on the day of the Lord."

Knowledge That is Productive

2 Peter 1:8
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Productivity is a term all businesspeople can relate to. It is the by-product of what we desire from our work. Without productivity, we do not make sales, we do not deliver goods, we do not achieve our goals. There are things in our business lives that can creep in making us unproductive. The same is true in our walk with God.

The apostle Peter tells us that we can become knowledgeable of Jesus but fail to be effective and productive in our relationship with Him. We are a society that has great knowledge, but our comparable scale of productivity from that knowledge is extremely weighted to the knowledge side. The apostle Peter tells us there is a solution to this dilemma.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:5-8).

Is your Christian experience filled with knowledge, but little power? Is there a staleness in your walk with God? Is there an unrest in your soul? It may be due to a need to develop character that only the Holy Spirit can develop out of an obedient heart. Ask the Lord today to add these qualities to your faith so that you can be productive as a soldier of Jesus Christ.

Planning for Success

Jeremiah 10:23
I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.

In business I hear a lot about planning. Every January I hear businesspeople establishing their planning for the year. Corporations establish plans that cover anywhere from one to five years. Individuals establish personal life plans. There is only one problem that I see with most planning done by well-meaning believers. If God is not the originator and director of the plan, then that plan is doomed for failure. So often, Christian businesspeople set out to plan something that seems good in their own mind. The merits of what is being planned can look great, and it can even be a worthy endeavor. However, that is not the point. When Jesus said He came only to do the will of the Father, He could not consider doing anything that was not what the Father wanted, no matter how good or righteous it might appear to be.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" (Prov. 16:9). God must give us the vision for what He calls us to do. After we have the vision, we must ask Him if He wants us to take action on that vision and what the action steps entail. The Lord wants to direct each step of the planning process. David learned this lesson when he went to battle against his enemy, the Philistines. One day he inquired of God as to whether he was to go up against the Philistines, and the Lord said, "Yes, but only when you hear the marching in the balsam trees." It is a mistake to reason and analyze in order to come to a decision on a matter. The Lord already knows the answer. It is our responsibility to seek Him to find out His mind on the matter. Our planning must be established in Him. Only when we remain so connected to the source can we be assured of putting God's plan into place. Also, getting that plan confirmed through others will assure that we are not following the deceit of our own heart.

When you begin to plan next time, ask God for His wisdom for establishing the vision and action steps. You will be surprised how well He can plan.

Failure That Leads to Godliness

1 Samuel 22:2
All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around
him, and he became their leader....

God uses broken things to accomplish His greatest work. When David was anointed to be the next king, he was just a boy, the youngest among all his brothers. Little did he know that the next several years would be years of fleeing from Saul whose successes turned into obsessions as a leader who had fallen from God's anointing. Perhaps David thought, Why am I living a life as a fugitive? I am the next king of Israel. Yet, his life was filled with adversity after adversity before he ever fulfilled the ultimate calling God had for him. Others began to hear of David's successes and identify with his plight. But, it wasn't the successful and polished who came to join him. It was "those who were in distress or in debt or discontented" who would be part of his army-and an army it was! His army would become known throughout the world as the greatest ever assembled, not because of their skill, but because of the God behind the army. God turned David's men into "mighty men of valor" (see 1 Chron. 11:10).

God often uses failure to make us useful. When Jesus called the disciples, He did not go out and find the most qualified and successful people. He found the most willing, and He found them in the marketplace. He found a fisherman, a tax collector, a farmer, and a doctor.

The Hebrews knew that failure was a part of maturing in God. The Greeks used failure as a reason for disqualification. Sadly, in the Church, we often treat one another in this way. This is not God's way. We need to understand that failing does not make us failures. It makes us experienced. It makes us more prepared to be useful in God's Kingdom-if we have learned from it. And that is the most important ingredient for what God wants in His children.

The Dangers of Overcontrol

1 Samuel 15:23

For rebellion is like the sin
of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have
rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.

A friend of mine who is a jet pilot once told me that whenever a jet goes out
of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do is totally take your hands
off the controls and the plane will right itself. This goes against our natural
inclination to control and manipulate in order to bring things back under
control. It is scary to be out of control. Or is it?

Saul was a man out of control. He was losing control of his kingdom to David.
He was losing the favor of God and the people. It began as compromises.
Eventually he was given a final test to obey the voice of God fully. He was
instructed to kill the Amalekites completely; but he failed to follow through.
The prophet Samuel delivered a hard word to King Saul, "Because you have
rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king" (see 1 Sam. 15:26).
Saul obeyed partially, but not fully. It was partial obedience that led to his
removal as king of Israel and his calling from God. But why did Saul do such a
thing? "I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them" (1 Sam. 15:24b).
Saul's fear and insecurity made him more afraid of the people and what they
thought than of God. At the core of Saul's disobedience was fear of losing
control. That fear of losing control led to partial obedience and the loss of
his reign as king.

How many of us are in danger of losing God's blessing due to partial
obedience? How many of us have such a need to control people and circumstances
that we fail to fully walk in obedience to God's voice in our lives? Saul
provides a great lesson for us as businesspeople. The need to overcontrol things
around us can prevent us from receiving all that God has for us. Today, take an
inventory of your control quotient.

Ask God if you are being fully obedient to what He has called you to do this
day, and avoid being put on the shelf for disobedience. "To obey is better than
sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22b).

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The Dangers of Overcontrol

1 Samuel 15:23

For rebellion is like the sin
of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have
rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.

A friend of mine who is a jet pilot once told me that whenever a jet goes out
of control and begins to spin, the only thing to do is totally take your hands
off the controls and the plane will right itself. This goes against our natural
inclination to control and manipulate in order to bring things back under
control. It is scary to be out of control. Or is it?

Saul was a man out of control. He was losing control of his kingdom to David.
He was losing the favor of God and the people. It began as compromises.
Eventually he was given a final test to obey the voice of God fully. He was
instructed to kill the Amalekites completely; but he failed to follow through.
The prophet Samuel delivered a hard word to King Saul, "Because you have
rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king" (see 1 Sam. 15:26).
Saul obeyed partially, but not fully. It was partial obedience that led to his
removal as king of Israel and his calling from God. But why did Saul do such a
thing? "I was afraid of the people and so I gave in to them" (1 Sam. 15:24b).
Saul's fear and insecurity made him more afraid of the people and what they
thought than of God. At the core of Saul's disobedience was fear of losing
control. That fear of losing control led to partial obedience and the loss of
his reign as king.

How many of us are in danger of losing God's blessing due to partial
obedience? How many of us have such a need to control people and circumstances
that we fail to fully walk in obedience to God's voice in our lives? Saul
provides a great lesson for us as businesspeople. The need to overcontrol things
around us can prevent us from receiving all that God has for us. Today, take an
inventory of your control quotient.

Ask God if you are being fully obedient to what He has called you to do this
day, and avoid being put on the shelf for disobedience. "To obey is better than
sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams" (1 Sam. 15:22b).

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Is Anything Too Hard for God?

Genesis 18:12

So Sarah laughed to herself as
she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this
pleasure?"

God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son who would be the seed of a whole
nation. Sarah was now beyond childbearing years. So when some angels from God
paid Abraham and Sarah a visit to inform them that Sarah was going to have a
child, she happened to be listening outside the tent and erupted with laughter.
The thought seemed preposterous to her. The angels reminded her that nothing is
impossible with God. "Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at
the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son" (Gen. 18:14). Sarah gave
birth to Isaac as foretold.

Recently, I was considering putting on another marketplace-leader summit for
ministry leaders who minister to those in the workplace. I had been involved in
such an event a year earlier. My friend Gunnar Olson, who is the founder of the
International Christian Chamber of Commerce of Sweden, had been involved with me
in putting on the first event, so I inquired whether he would be willing to
participate in the second event. He wrote me an e-mail letter informing me that
an international gathering of Christian marketplace leaders would be taking
place on the island of Cyprus in March and asked if I could postpone my event
and instead participate in an event in Cyprus and invite other leaders. My
initial response was laughter due to my current financial condition. In fact, I
had to go to a map to see just where this place was.

The following day I received a call from a man I had met only 30 days
earlier. We had not discussed this event in March. "What are you doing tomorrow?
I would like you to go to the airport with me to pick up a missionary whom I
want you to meet. We'd like to propose an idea to you. Can you come?"

"Sure," I said.

The next day he picked me up and informed me that we were picking up a
missionary who was flying in from Cyprus. "We are planning to take 25
businesspeople to Cyprus for an event that Gunnar Olson is involved in and would
like you to come and teach your Esau-to-Joseph workshop the day before. We will
cover your expenses. Would you be interested in doing this?" Again, I had to
laugh as I saw the hand of God orchestrate in such a miraculous way and in such
a timely manner to assure me of His involvement in the new directions in my
life.

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with
God; all things are possible with God" (Mark 10:27).

Are there things that make you laugh when you think of the miracle that would
be required for it to take place? Ask God for the miracle you need today.

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Spiritual Contracts

Daniel 9:2
In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.


When you enter a legal contract, it binds the two parties to fulfill the terms of that contract. In Heaven there are legal contracts that, when fulfilled, allow the spiritual to impact the physical.

Israel had been in captivity to Babylon for 70 years. Daniel, when he investigated the history of his nation, found the prophecy of Jeremiah that revealed there would be 70 years of captivity. He recognized that in order to release his nation from this captivity, there had to be a confession of sin on the part of the nation. Daniel took that responsibility. Although he could not personally repent for his nation, he could acknowledge their sin and repent himself. When Daniel acknowledged this sin before God, something took place in Heaven. God heard this prayer and responded by sending His angel Gabriel to Daniel's side.

We know from history that this was the time when Judah's return from exile began. Daniel's prayer of confession was the spiritual key to the physical manifestation of releasing the nation from captivity to Babylon.

Whenever you want to confront spiritual forces that have dominion over a situation, you must find the source of the problem. Once you find the source of the problem, you must take the necessary steps in the spiritual realm to release God's power into that situation. For Daniel, it meant taking responsibility for the sin of the nation by confessing its sins and asking forgiveness on behalf of the entire nation. This allowed God to begin the process of releasing the nation.

Ask God to show you the source of the problems that may exist in your city, your business, or people you want to see freed to fulfill God's purposes for their lives.

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Peace: A Weapon Against Satan

Psalms 23:4

Yea, though I walk through the
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.

In the battles of the marketplace, your peace is actually a weapon. The
marketplace creates many opportunities to rob us of our peace. Cash flow
concerns, deadlines, relationships-all create stress on us. Your confidence in
the God of peace declares that you are not falling for the lies of the devil.
You see, the first step toward having spiritual authority over the adversary is
having peace in spite of our circumstances. When Jesus confronted the devil, he
did not confront satan with His emotions or in fear. Knowing that the devil was
a liar, He simply refused to be influenced by any voice other than God's. His
peace overwhelmed satan; His authority then shattered the lie, which sent demons
fleeing.

There is a place of walking with God where you simply fear no evil. David
faced a lion, a bear, and a giant. In this Psalm he stood in the "shadow of
death" itself, yet he "feared no evil." David's trust was in the Lord. He said,
"...for Thou art with me." Because God is with you, every adversity you face
will unfold in victory as you maintain your faith in God! David continued, "You
prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies" (Ps. 23:5a). The battle
you are in will soon become a meal for you, an experience that will nourish and
build you up spiritually. Only God's peace will quell your fleshly reactions in
battle. The source of God's peace is God Himself. If fear has been knocking at
your door, begin to face that fear with God's peace. It is God's secret weapon
to destroy fear.

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David's Source of Direction

Psalms 143:8

Let the morning bring me word
of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should
go, for to You I lift up my soul.

David is the only person in the Bible whom God describes as a man after His
own heart. Despite David's many setbacks he continually sought to know and do
God's will in his life. Like many of us, his will got in the way of a sinless
life.

In the morning hour, David sought to hear from God. I can imagine David
sitting on the open deck of his palace looking over the hills of Jerusalem,
listening to God. There, in his morning watch, he felt God's unfailing love. He
reaffirmed his trust in God. He also understood that the key to knowing God's
will lay in spending such moments alone to reflect on what God had done and was
doing in his life.

Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on
level ground (Psalm 143:10).

Sometimes we fall prey to believing that God is not concerned, and that He
does not lead us in our work life. We are tempted to think that He leads us in
other areas, but not in our daily workplace. The truth is that God is in every
aspect of life and desires to direct us.

Do you need direction in your life today? If so, David provides the best
example of gaining direction. Set aside the morning hour to draw close to His
presence. There, you will sense His unfailing love for you. His direction for
your life will be a natural by-product of this time of communion with Him. Ask
God to lead you by His Spirit today.

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The Training Ground of God

Psalms 144:1

Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

David was a man skilled in war. From his days as a shepherd boy to the days
of serving in Saul's army to leading his own army, David learned to be a
skillful warrior. How does one become a skillful warrior?

The only way one can become a skillful warrior is to be trained and placed in
the middle of the battle. It is only when we are placed in the furnace of battle
that we truly learn to fight the real battles. Practice doesn't make you battle
ready. War games won't prepare you for facing your real enemy in the
battlefield. The stark reality of being in the midst of the battle makes us
effective warriors.

Simply reading your Bible will not make you a warrior for the Kingdom.
Knowledge without experience is mere folly. Only when you are placed in
situations where there is nothing or no one who can save you but God will you
learn the lessons of warrior faith. This is the training ground of God, which
will make you into a soldier for Christ in the marketplace. Consider it to be
suicidal faith-faith that says I want to be dead to anything that keeps me from
fulfilling God's purposes for my life. It is when your efforts can do nothing to
change your circumstance and you are at the mercy of God. These are the real
training grounds of God. Do not shrink back from the battle that God may be
leading you to today. It may be a training ground that is necessary for the
calling He has on your life.

If you can trust Him in these times, you'll know that you have gained a faith
that will move mountains and will sustain you in the most difficult of
circumstances. "Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my
fingers for battle."

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The Anguish of Faith

Psalms 143:7

Do not hide Your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.

Of all the biblical characters, David gives us a glimpse of a man who walked
with God with great emotion in victory and in defeat. David never lost a battle
throughout his many years of serving as king of Israel. In many of the Psalms,
David often lamented about the difficult places where God had placed him. He
talked of his enemies and the need for God to deliver Him. He talked of God's
everlasting love for him. How do you suppose David came to this understanding
after years of being sought after by King Saul who wanted to take his life? His
years of turmoil within his family gave him many reasons to lose all hope in a
loving God.

David often began his Psalms in a place of discouragement and loss of hope.
But He never ended one Psalm in defeat. He always came to a place of victory in
God by the end of the Psalm. David always placed his life in God's hands,
knowing He would care for him.

Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust
in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul. Rescue me
from my enemies, O Lord, for I hide myself in You. Teach me to do Your will, for
You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:8-10).

It is okay to feel discouragement. It is part of the process of grieving and
working through those times of pain. But God wants each of us to allow Him to
walk with us in these places. If you find yourself in one of these places, do
what David did. Ask God to show you the way and let Him bring the word of His
unfailing love to you.

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Discerning the Work of God

Nehemiah 6:14
Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, because of what they have done; remember also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who have been trying to intimidate me.

Nehemiah set out to rebuild the wall at Jerusalem that had been destroyed. Nehemiah held a position in the Persian Empire that would be comparable to Chief of Staff in our government. Nehemiah wept over the destruction of the city wall and repented for the sins of his generation and the generations before him that had led to the fall of Jerusalem. Nehemiah responded to the news by seeking approval from his superior to take time off to rebuild the wall. Tobiah and Sanballat met Nehemiah's action with resistance, as did Noadiah the prophetess and other prophets. These were the religious and political leaders of his day. They became distractions to his work and opposed him.

Whenever God does a new work, it is often met with resistance by those in the established religious community, and sometimes among those from whom we would expect support. Jesus met the same resistance when He began His public ministry. This same phenomenon happens today. When God begins a new work that cannot be easily explained based upon prior experiences, many make the mistake of assuming it not to be of God. The very people who should embrace and encourage the work become the source of skepticism and opposition. God tells us that His ways are not our ways. He does things in ways beyond our limited understanding.

Before you are tempted to criticize or oppose something that looks different from your past experience, ask God for wisdom and discernment. Examine why you might be tempted to oppose it. The Lord cannot be put in a box. He delights in doing things in ways that may not fit our former paradigms.

Obeying the Spirit of God

Acts 8:26
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."

Philip was conducting what we might today call a revival meeting. God was blessing the meeting, and many were being healed and delivered from demonic influence. Here is the scene:

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ there. When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. So there was great joy in that city (Acts 8:5-8).

And yet, in the midst of this great event, the Holy Spirit spoke to Philip and told him to remove himself and go to a completely different area to speak to one individual. Philip was so sensitive to the directive of the Holy Spirit that he left what would be deemed a successful event to go speak to another-an Ethiopian eunuch. The result of his obedience was that Philip led the eunuch to faith in Christ and baptized him. The Lord then took Philip away supernaturally to another region many miles away.

God's ways of determining where we invest our time and energy often have little to do with results. The danger for each of us is to determine that we are in the center of God's will simply by the success or failure of the events we are involved in. Our plumbline for determining success can be only one thing: obedience. Philip responded in obedience to the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Are you listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit? Has God prompted you to speak, go, or come alongside another? Ask God today to help you hear the Holy Spirit's voice so that you might be used mightily in your marketplace.

Suffering for the Salvation of Another

Matthew 5:11
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

Recently, a friend told a true story about one of his closest friends who experienced great suffering for the soul of his persecutor. This man worked on a cargo ship. His boss was the captain. This friend was a committed Christian who shared his faith with others and was a good worker. One day the friend led the sea captain's girlfriend to Christ. The sea captain already hated and ridiculed the Christian worker because of his faith in Christ. When his girlfriend came to Christ, she stopped sleeping with the captain. The captain blamed the Christian man for the change in his girlfriend. One day he entered the restaurant where the Christian man was having lunch. He walked over to his table and began hurling obscenities and began beating him. The Christian man simply tried to defend himself but did not fight back. The captain kept beating him until eventually the man lay on the floor bleeding.

Two men entered the restaurant and saw what was taking place. They jumped the sea captain and took him outside and began beating him. The sea captain was beaten so badly that he needed immediate medical attention. The Christian worker saw the condition of the sea captain, came to his aid, and began helping him. The sea captain was so moved that this man could do this after he had literally beaten him bloody that he began to weep, not understanding what could move a man to have such love in the face of being beaten. The sea captain accepted Jesus at that moment.

The Bible tells us that while we were yet sinners Christ came and paid our penalty so that we might live eternally. Many in the marketplace have never known the love of Christ. You might be the only one they ever meet who can introduce them to this love. Ask God to show you how to love the unlovable in your workplace today.

Faith Versus Presumption

Genesis 16:2
So she said to Abram, "The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

Presumption is based on our own reasoning. Abraham and Sarah fell into presumption when they got too old to have children. God had promised a son to Abraham and Sarah-a son who would fulfill His promise to birth a nation. But Abraham and Sarah were past the normal age for childbearing. So, they concluded that God needed help to work out His plan.

Many businesspeople make the same mistake every day. We make assumptions about what we believe God is doing and wants us to do. However, before we really have full assurance that God has spoken to us on the matter and revealed His perfect action plan, we move forward with our steps to get it done. How do we protect ourselves from presumption? The Proverbs tell us that there is safety in a multitude of counselors (see Prov. 11:14 KJV). Submitting our decisions to others for confirmation protects each of us from the deceit of our own heart. This process will protect us from presumption and encourage us to move in faith. The next time you believe God is directing you toward a specific action, consult with your spouse first, then some close, spiritual friends who will take the time to prayerfully consider your request. If you don't have consensus, wait until you do before you move forward. God will move through this process to His desired will for the matter.