Pastor Lindell Ballenger

A Legacy Fit for a King

If Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were alive to see his new monument in Washington, D.C., it would probably give him great pride to see his likeness standing at the foot of the Tidal Basin, facing the Jefferson Memorial. No two men could be more perfectly situated than a father of our religious freedom and the man who championed that freedom to a revolution of human dignity. Today, their monuments are a visual testimony to a very practical and inspiring truth. Long before his memorial looked toward Jefferson, Dr. King lived his life in line with the democratic ideals of the man himself. They were two great leaders, living in two very different times — but their dreams were both firmly rooted in the freedom of faith.

So it is a somewhat fitting irony that this year we celebrate Religious Freedom Day on the same date we remember one of the most influential ministers in American history. For the past 19 years, Presidents have set aside January 16 to honor the passage of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom, written by Thomas Jefferson in Fredericksburg some 233 years ago. It was such an important document that the men who crafted the U.S. Constitution relied on it for the framework of the First Amendment. “…Almighty God,” Jefferson wrote, “hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burdens, or by civil incapacitations, tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion…”

Without religious liberty, Rev. King wouldn’t have had the freedom or the platform to overcome racial oppression. Maybe that’s why, despite all of his accomplishments, Jefferson considered the statute one of his greatest legislative feats. ” No nation,” the third President said years later, “has ever existed or been governed without religion. Nor can be. The Christian religion is the best religion that has been given to man and I, as Chief Magistrate of this nation, am bound to give it the sanction of my example.” Two hundred years later, Rev. King understood faith’s place in fueling a movement of Christian people. “The church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state,” he said in Strength to Love, “but rather the conscience of the state.”

What motivated Rev. King and powered his movement was Scripture — an understanding that “darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” Civil rights could not have been achieved if that light, that religious liberty, had been extinguished. It’s what enables the church to speak out today on behalf of marriage, the unborn, the downtrodden, and the persecuted. Rev. King understood then, as we do now, that religious freedom is fundamental to every other freedom on earth. And without that rich tradition Rev. King’s mighty vision would have been just another dream.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
-Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)

Expansion and New Levels of Brightness and Favor

Things are accelerating in the Spirit. This is a time of God’s favor and overwhelming blessing in the midst of testing times. As we anchor ourselves to Him, building our house on His Words, we will not fail to discover the place that He has prepared for us in this hour.

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7

A Time of New Levels of Authority Being Released

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:21-22

The authority of the Lord is going to increase as we pursue Him. In conjunction with this expanded territory of His dominion there will be a coinciding authority released to steward the work that the Lord is doing. With every new thing that God grants to us there is the responsibility that comes with the territory. The new authority is needed, for with the new territory comes new challenges that can only be handled by it.

A Time of the Brightness of His Glory Being Released

“For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Isaiah 60:2-3

In this new place that God is building there will be a bright release of His glory. The highlight will be the “brightness” of His glory. As we partake in His glory, we will reflect His glory. There will be a brightness upon our faces. Just as the children of Israel could not stand to look at the face of Moses, so God will restore to us such a glory that the world will be able to see a difference. Because the Lord is building the house, our labors will not be in vain and will not be out of religious ritual and tradition but out of the ongoing influence of the Spirit in our lives.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

Communion with God is no longer a chore because we have broken ties with the prevalent evil that seeks to bring God’s people into bondage and under a “heavy yoke mentality.” You can always tell you are under a religious spirit when your communion time becomes “work.” You have lost the “easy yoke” of Christ and have come into a place of superficiality that breeds “striving in the flesh” to accomplish things. In Him there is not striving of the flesh but an ease of flow, because you are simply yielded to the Holy Spirit and find your pleasure in Him. It is never work when it is a pleasure to do something.

Ask the Lord to release a fresh oil upon your head to remove the weights and chores mindset, that He may replace it with a joyful desire to be with Him. What a concept! In that place we will find the brightness of His glory upon our face.

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Psalm 17:15

A Time of the Favor of God and His “Famous” Anointing Being Released in an Unprecedented Way

“For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.” Psalm 5:12

God will release His unprecedented favor or “famous” anointing upon His people. Because our hearts are to make HIM famous, He will release this anointing upon our lives. Due to the absence of “self-promotion,” God will do the promoting and bring His Joseph Company into the places of prominence that He has destined for this time from the foundation of the world.

The wealth of the wicked has been stored up for those who walk with integrity before Him. They will not spend this wealth on their own fleshly desires but will funnel it into His Kingdom purposes for the glory of God. God has tested and tried choice vessels for this purpose.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22

These are those who have been found trustworthy to handle the wealth of the world. He who has been faithful with little shall be entrusted with much. Those who covet this wealth will not be the recipients, but only those who covet the Lord. This is not any wealth, but a special wealth that has been set apart and is “holy to the Lord.”

His favor is for a lifetime. He does surround His righteous ones with this favor like a shield. The pure in heart shall see God and glory in His love, goodness and grace.

The Timing of God is Perfect Yet Offends the Natural Mind

The timing of God is perfect, but it does offend the natural mind. God has His own economy. It is completely separate from the world.

“When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices…” Proverbs 11:10

When the economy of Heaven is functioning in His righteous holy ones, the city rejoices. What this means is that when the righteous tap into Heaven’s realities and function from that realm, the realm of Heaven gains access through the gateway of the heart of His people into the earth. The people of God are the channels of blessing that funnel the unlimited resources of Heaven into the earth.

Just as Jesus multiplied the loaves, so God uses His people to release His blessings and provision into the earth. In this way, He gets all the glory. It is beyond our natural (worldly) understanding, because the blessings are from a heavenly outsource. This is why it is of utmost importance that we function by faith with our trust in Him, believing in His faithfulness and desire to be our sole Resource in the earth. It is “In God We Trust.”

Expansion and New Levels of Brightness and Favor

Things are accelerating in the Spirit. This is a time of God’s favor and overwhelming blessing in the midst of testing times. As we anchor ourselves to Him, building our house on His Words, we will not fail to discover the place that He has prepared for us in this hour.

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” John 15:7

A Time of New Levels of Authority Being Released

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’” Revelation 3:21-22

The authority of the Lord is going to increase as we pursue Him. In conjunction with this expanded territory of His dominion there will be a coinciding authority released to steward the work that the Lord is doing. With every new thing that God grants to us there is the responsibility that comes with the territory. The new authority is needed, for with the new territory comes new challenges that can only be handled by it.

A Time of the Brightness of His Glory Being Released

“For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Isaiah 60:2-3

In this new place that God is building there will be a bright release of His glory. The highlight will be the “brightness” of His glory. As we partake in His glory, we will reflect His glory. There will be a brightness upon our faces. Just as the children of Israel could not stand to look at the face of Moses, so God will restore to us such a glory that the world will be able to see a difference. Because the Lord is building the house, our labors will not be in vain and will not be out of religious ritual and tradition but out of the ongoing influence of the Spirit in our lives.

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

Communion with God is no longer a chore because we have broken ties with the prevalent evil that seeks to bring God’s people into bondage and under a “heavy yoke mentality.” You can always tell you are under a religious spirit when your communion time becomes “work.” You have lost the “easy yoke” of Christ and have come into a place of superficiality that breeds “striving in the flesh” to accomplish things. In Him there is not striving of the flesh but an ease of flow, because you are simply yielded to the Holy Spirit and find your pleasure in Him. It is never work when it is a pleasure to do something.

Ask the Lord to release a fresh oil upon your head to remove the weights and chores mindset, that He may replace it with a joyful desire to be with Him. What a concept! In that place we will find the brightness of His glory upon our face.

“As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Psalm 17:15

A Time of the Favor of God and His “Famous” Anointing Being Released in an Unprecedented Way

“For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.” Psalm 5:12

God will release His unprecedented favor or “famous” anointing upon His people. Because our hearts are to make HIM famous, He will release this anointing upon our lives. Due to the absence of “self-promotion,” God will do the promoting and bring His Joseph Company into the places of prominence that He has destined for this time from the foundation of the world.

The wealth of the wicked has been stored up for those who walk with integrity before Him. They will not spend this wealth on their own fleshly desires but will funnel it into His Kingdom purposes for the glory of God. God has tested and tried choice vessels for this purpose.

“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous.” Proverbs 13:22

These are those who have been found trustworthy to handle the wealth of the world. He who has been faithful with little shall be entrusted with much. Those who covet this wealth will not be the recipients, but only those who covet the Lord. This is not any wealth, but a special wealth that has been set apart and is “holy to the Lord.”

His favor is for a lifetime. He does surround His righteous ones with this favor like a shield. The pure in heart shall see God and glory in His love, goodness and grace.

The Timing of God is Perfect Yet Offends the Natural Mind

The timing of God is perfect, but it does offend the natural mind. God has His own economy. It is completely separate from the world.

“When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices…” Proverbs 11:10

When the economy of Heaven is functioning in His righteous holy ones, the city rejoices. What this means is that when the righteous tap into Heaven’s realities and function from that realm, the realm of Heaven gains access through the gateway of the heart of His people into the earth. The people of God are the channels of blessing that funnel the unlimited resources of Heaven into the earth.

Just as Jesus multiplied the loaves, so God uses His people to release His blessings and provision into the earth. In this way, He gets all the glory. It is beyond our natural (worldly) understanding, because the blessings are from a heavenly outsource. This is why it is of utmost importance that we function by faith with our trust in Him, believing in His faithfulness and desire to be our sole Resource in the earth. It is “In God We Trust.”

In these difficult days when so many are stressed by their circumstances it is easy to forget that it is still God’s plan to bless His people

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 may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.                                 (1 Chronicles 4:9-10)

The name Jabez means affliction or sorrow, from an unused root probably meaning to grieve; and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, because I bore him with sorrow; either with sorrow for her husband, being dead, or by reason of very sharp pains she endured at the birth of him;

He was another Ben-Oni.  Ben-Oni meaning Son of my sorrow.

Then they journeyed from Bethel. And when there was but a little distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel labored in childbirth, and she had hard labor. Now it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, “Do not fear; you will have this son also.” And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin.  (Genesis 35:16-18)

Rachel called her son Ben-Oni but His father called him Benjamin, the Son of the Right Hand

It doesn’t matter what man has said about you, it doesn’t matter what your environment or your circumstances say about you.

The issue is what has your Father said about you?

Everything around you may speak of weakness, failure, of insignificance, of sorrow and despair, but what has your Father said about you?

Psalm 68:13 Though you lie down among the sheepfolds, You will be like the wings of a dove covered with silver, And her feathers with yellow gold.”

Though we may be surrounded by ashes, and brokenness, and confusion and despair, yet are we not what we are surrounded by.

All things are not as they appear. A mischievous child may be a prophet.

A crippled beggar may be royalty in disguise as Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan.

A carpenter may be a king.

1Chronicels 4:9 And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers:

He was more deserving of honor, more responsible, more dependable, more committed, more trustworthy, more devoted.

It was not because of things made better or easier for him, but for better use of what was available to him.

True honor is not in what a person has, but in the character of the one who has it.

1 Chronicles 4:9 And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers:

This means that Jabez excelled above those of his kindred, his tribe, those of resemblance.

This is a characteristic that God would have in all of his children, the desire and ambition, and effort to be the best that they can be,

This desire and ambition and personal effort and application will place you in a more honorable position than many of your tribe, brethren.

1 Chronicles 4:10 that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

This does not just mean give me more, pour it on me Lord. This speaks of enlargement in your circle of influence, your sphere of ministry, your place of responsibility.

that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!”

Jabez understood that if you do not keep God first in your life even the things that should bless you will become a source of grief.

A Blessing is only a blessing as long as it points you back, and keeps you close to the one who gave it. When blessings are an end in themselves, they cease to be a blessing and ultimately will bring grief into your life.

And God granted him what he requested.

Increase was not Jabez’ Idea, Increase is God’s plan.

It is Gods will that we increase, it is Gods will that we increase in wisdom and knowledge, and that we prosper and multiply.

Deuteronomy 6:3 Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you — ‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’

Job 8:7 Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.

Ps 115:14 May the LORD give you increase more and more, you and your children.

Prosperity is not a rebellion against dependence upon God, Prosperity is the rewards of life lived in dependence and recognition of God. Prosperity is having sufficient resources to accomplish your God given assignment.

Prosperity is the will of God.

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers

Psalm 1:3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.

2 Chronicles 20:20 Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe his prophets, you shall prosper.

Deuteronomy 29:9 Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.

It Blesses God When You Prosper.

Psalm 35:27 Let the LORD be magnified, who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.

Job 36:11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

Psalm 118:25 Save now, I pray, O LORD: O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.

The devil hates to see Gods people prosper

Ps112:1-3 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man that fears the LORD, who delights greatly in his commandments. His descendants will be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wealth and riches will be in his house: and his righteousness endures forever.

Prosperity is not a miracle or a mystery: It is the result of obedience to the principles of sowing and reaping.

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

2 Corinthians 9:10 Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.

God granted His request. God wants to prosper you, that is not the question. The question is, can He trust you?

With prosperity and blessing comes greater responsibility.

Can You Stand to be Blessed?

Deuteronomy 8:11-14 Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, lest — when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Deuteronomy 8:17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’

This is one of the greatest tests of godly character, can you stand to be blessed.

When we don’t have anything we lean on the Lord, we trust in the Lord, we depend on the Lord, but what about when the blessing comes,

There are two scenarios that are very opposite and the one you choose is the one that will determine whether you can stand to be blessed or not.

#1 Jabez who wanted to be blessed, but he wanted the blessing under the guiding, and protecting hand of the Lord.

#2 The prodigal son who wanted to be blessed without the fathers hand, he wanted his blessing his way.

Which one describes you?

If you like Jabez want the Lords hand connected to the blessing guiding and directing, instructing and correcting, then you are blessing material.

Have you found that you don’t change easily? Many people change only under pressure. Not because they want to but because they must.

Nothing in human experience is a greater catalyst for change than pressure, usually the pressure of some sort of difficulty. Yet we ordinarily do all we can to avoid pressure situations. Non-pressured living has become almost a god in our world.

If you design a life free of pressures, you probably also will have a life of mediocrity.  Count on it: without pressure there is little change, and without change there can be no growth.

People seem to assume that conflict is inherently bad or that the ideal life would be one that is conflict free.  Anybody that is conflict free, I would suspect, is not experiencing growth. The important changes in us take place within the framework of struggle.

The Apostle James put it this way. “Is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete” (James 1:2-4 TLB)

“And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray…” Luke 11:1

Prayer was the key to the life and ministry of Jesus. We must be faithful to consistently pray as never before and teach others to do the same. Following is a quote from one of my favorite books, “The Power of Prayer” by E. M. Bounds (1835-1913) who urgently and unflaggingly called men to pray and teach others to do so:

 “Where are the Christ-like leaders who can teach modern saints how to pray and get them busy at it? … Let them come forward and do it, and it will be the greatest of all possible ministry. More educational facilities and a great increase of financial power will be the worst curse to religion if they are not sanctified by more and better praying than we are now doing… Nothing but a specific effort from a praying leadership will avail. Senior leaders must lead in an effort to root the vital importance and practice of prayer in the heart and life of God’s people. None but praying leaders can have praying followers. Praying leaders will beget praying saints. A praying pulpit will beget praying pews…

The great need of the Church in this and every age is men and women of such commanding faith, such untarnished holiness, such striking spiritual vigor and consuming zeal, that their prayers, faith, lives, and ministry will be so radical and aggressive as to work spiritual revolutions” (Power of Prayer, Ch. 20, condensed).

Amid the battle, we possess resources our enemies know nothing about: truth, love, righteousness, grace, peace, the presence of the LORD and the power of prayer. These motivate, strengthen and enable us to press on, overcome setbacks and endure, knowing that life and the future is in the Lord’s hands and he has destined us to be “more than conquerors.”

This is an important repost from David Barton and WallBuilders of a little known Prayer Group in our nation’s capitol and some ways you can support it.

One of the unique and overlooked parts of our national capitol is the Congressional Prayer Room. This room was opened in 1954, the same year in which Congress added the phrase “under God” to the pledge of allegiance. In front of the chapel is an inspired stained-glass window portraying George Washington kneeling in prayer. Around the widow is the scripture Psalm 16:1 declaring, “Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust.” This verse remains an inspiration to Congressional leaders today.

Most citizens are unaware that every week Congress is in session, as votes begin, dozens of congressional Members meet in Room 219 of the Capitol (directly across from the House Chamber) to join together in extended prayer for the country. In 2005, a small group of members of the U.S. House of Representatives gathered to begin praying for our nation to return to its Judeo-Christian principles. Today, these meetings have grown to include more then 50 members who still meet to pray about important Congressional issues. The Prayer Caucus has been bold in defending religious liberties and public religious expressions, including at the Washington Monument, the Capitol Visitor Center, veterans’ funeral ceremonies, and many other areas where officials had ordered the removal of public acknowledgments of God. With the many attacks on our Godly Congressmen and women it is important to recognize these Godly leaders who boldly stand for truth on the front lines.

There are a number of ways you can support this important group!

         Prayer
         God commands us in Scripture to pray for those in authority over us. I Timothy  2:1-2 states, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority”. The Prayer Caucus invites Americans across the nations to join them in prayer. A list of Prayer Caucus members is available so you may pray for each member specifically.

Connect
          Sign up for The Prayer Caucus’ Newsletter, and follow them on Twitter and Facebook, to stay informed about upcoming issues facing our nation and how you can be a part of this movement!

          Spread the Word
         As an individual you have the most influence on your friends and family! You are in a position to have a real impact on the course our country takes, so exercise your voice and share with your loved ones about those standing for righteousness on the national level!

Because we live in a world that is quick to focus on the negative, we are often unaware of the many positive movements in our nation and begin to disparage. Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate some of the many good things our leaders are doing and actively join them in our fight to promote and preserve America’s Judeo-Christian principles!

God Bless!
David Barton

Copyright © 2011 WallBuilders, All rights reserved.
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Let what you see in your future be the motivation to prepare yourself and grow to maturity in the present!

The Apostle Paul was a naturally talented and gifted man. Even before he met Jesus Christ, he was well-known and respected in important Jewish circles. He was from the tribe of Benjamin, a member of the Sanhedrin, and was a nationalistic extremist for the cause of Israel. Because of his education, he had become one of the greatest intellectual minds of his time.

When Paul accepted Jesus Christ as his Messiah, it should not surprise us that he thought, if anyone deserved to be a leader of the Christian community, it should be him. He was saved one day and almost the next day he was in the City of Jerusalem, trying to make his way into the circle of believers. He was still so new to the faith, they weren’t even sure if he was really saved!

Acts 9:26-27 says, “And when Saul (that’s Paul) came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.”

Barnabas believed Paul’s testimony, but the disciples did not send out advertisements that the world’s greatest Christian killer had been saved, nor did they immediately launch him into an itinerant ministry to reach the world for Jesus. They were wiser than that!

Instead, Paul was put on a ship and sent back to Tarsus, his own home town. There, he probably shared the news of his salvation with his family and took care of any personal business that needed attention. What happened with his family no one can say for sure. But one thing is certain! Paul’s public ministry didn’t begin until nearly thirteen years after his salvation experience!

In those thirteen years, Paul served God and the members of the apostolic team who were nestled in Antioch. He studied the Bible, gained new and incredible insights into the Lord Jesus from the Old Testament, and began to mature in his character.

Finally, it was time for him to be sent out onto the mission field, but even then he was not sent out alone. He traveled with Barnabas, the man who first brought him to the apostles in Jerusalem and had taken spiritual oversight of him as he was growing in his walk with the Lord.

This is why Paul is able to tell us, “Lay hands suddenly on no man”   (1 Timothy 5:22), and do not use a novice or new believer, because they aren’t ready for leadership yet (see 1Timothy 3:6). This is why Paul demands that elders and deacons be men of character who have already^­ proven their sincerity and stability in the local church before they are promoted into visible positions of leadership (First Timothy 3:1-13). He was actually speaking from personal experience!

Concerning himself, Paul told the Thessalonians, “But as we have been approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who test our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

I want you to notice this part of the verse, “But as we have been approved of God…”

“Approved” is taken from the Greek word “dokimadzo.” Historically, this word was used to depict a man who had undergone many rigorous tests and trials to determine whether or not he had enough character to be placed into a position of leadership. If he could not pass a number of character tests over a period of time, then he was deemed unfit for public service and eliminated from ever being used in that way. Strength of character was more important than gifts or talents!

Therefore, when Paul says, “But as we have been approved of God,” he is making a powerful statement to us about his own walk with the Lord. Rather than being thrust into a position of leadership quickly after his new birth, he had been put through a myriad of grueling character tests which would prove him fit or unfit for leadership in the kingdom of God. Though he was called to the ministry, God would not allow him to move into a visible position of leadership in the Body of Christ until his strength of character had been developed, tested, and shown trustworthy.

Most likely, part of the process of gaining maturity was learning to sit quietly and listen to the more spiritually mature men of Antioch, perhaps less educated than him, but more knowledgeable and experienced in spiritual matters. He was also learning to serve in unnoticed ways, which he may have thought were far below his abilities and an insult to his intelligence, learning to simply be a brother like everyone else.

Promotion did not come quickly for Paul. Thirteen years later, after a lot of dealing with his flesh, pride, and strong will, God finally deemed him fit to enter the full-time ministry. In Acts, chapter thirteen, Paul at last heard the prophetic words he had been waiting for! “Separate me Barnabas and Saul (Paul) for the work to which I have called them” (Acts 13:2).

The Holy Spirit said, “… for the work to which I have called them.” Paul knew he was predestined for this! He could remember the prophecies which were spoken over him when he was first saved, prophecies which said, “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

From the very outset of his life in Christ, Paul knew he had an important destiny. He knew he would play a major role in the kingdom of God. But it took thirteen years of preparation before those prophetic words would begin to come to pass in his life. During that time, his character and moral flaws, his pride, and his attitudinal faults were exposed, dealt with by God, and confronted by the men whom God placed over him.

At the end of those thirteen years, Paul said, “We were approved of God to be put in trust…” (First Thessalonians 2:4).

The phrase “to be put in trust” is an old Greek phrase which means “to be put in public office, such as a mayor or governor.” By using this phrase, Paul is telling us, “It took a long time, but after a series of hard trials and tests through the years, God finally deemed me fit to be used by Him in a public capacity.” In other words, he passed his leadership test, and God saw him fit to be trusted in ministry.

But that wasn’t the end of the tests and trials for Paul’s life! Paul concludes this verse by saying, “not as pleasing men, but God, who test our hearts.” He is telling us, “After all the trials and tests I’ve been through in my past, God is still trying my heart today, making sure I remain fit for public service.”

This means our leadership fitness is always being monitored and reviewed by God. He is watching to see how we respond to situations, how we are walking in love toward people, how serious we are about the positions He has assigned to us, and how we handle His Word. “After passing all of those earlier tests,” Paul says, “the tests aren’t over yet! God is still trying our hearts.”  You must always remember tests are temporary and they are necessary because they measure our progress and provide opportunities for improvement.

Do not be discouraged if it takes time for your dream to become a reality in your life! God never gets in a hurry, because godly character is more important to Him than gifts, talents, or temporary successes in the eyes of our contemporaries. You need time to prepare, change, and grow right now, so that when you are finally promoted into a visible position of leadership, you’ll have what you need internally and spiritually to keep you in that place, established with the right heart attitude.

FOCUS ON YOUR FUTURE – TAKE THE LEAP OF FAITH

When most people are called into full-time ministry, they want to hear a powerful prophetic word to kick their ministry off with a supernatural bang! They fantasize of receiving a prophecy that goes something like, “Yes, I have called you and anointed you to take My Word to the nations,” says the Lord.

That’s what most ministers would like to hear! Or, “Yes! I have ordained you to preach My Word and to move in the power of My Spirit,” says the Lord, “and I will do wonderful and earth-shaking things through your mighty ministry.” Those are the kinds of prophetic utterances they love to hear when they first get started!

But that is not the kind of prophetic word that kicked off Joshua’s ministry. He received a word all right, but it wasn’t very flowery and it didn’t even sound too prophetic. It was straight to the point, hard to hear, and struck him like a slap in the face. God simply said: “Moses my servant is dead!”

What a way to start your ministry! Yet, that is the way Joshua’s ministry began. In Joshua 1:2, God told him, “Moses my servant is dead: now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and this people, unto the land which I am giving to them, even to the children of Israel.”

When Joshua heard those fateful words, they must have hit him hard. Mourning for Moses would not help or change the situation, for his role had been fulfilled, and it was time for the next phase of God’s plan to be carried out by Joshua. It was time for Joshua to stop looking backward and start looking forward, focusing on the future.

Have you ever come to one of those places in your life when you knew that, as glorious and wonderful as your present experience has been, it is finished? When you finish this phase of your spiritual life, you know it can no longer be extended or repeated. As sweet and precious as that period of your life has been, you know it is now time for you to move on toward the next new assignment God gives you.

You don’t want to stay where you are anyway! If you stay where you are, never breaking into new territory with your life and with your dreams, then you’ll never know what life would have been like living out on the edge! Believe me, when you step out to obey God - whether it is to witness to your neighbor, accept a new position at work, start a new business, go into the ministry, all of it feels like you’re living out on the edge!

Then, after you’ve lived out on the edge for awhile and grown accustomed to the daily adventure of serving Jesus Christ, you’ll wonder how you were ever satisfied before. In retrospect, your old life looks gray, boring, and terribly uneventful compared to your new walk of obedience, power, and daily excitement.

Where is your next great leap of faith? Leaving your current job to accept one with greater responsibilities? Biting the bullet, quitting your job and starting the new business you’ve had in your heart for a long time? Recognizing you’ve finally met the woman or man God wants you to marry, and finally saying “yes” to marriage? Or, pushing your fears aside to share Christ with your neighbor or unsaved family members?

We are all at different phases and places in our lives. What is important is that you continue to MOVE FORWARD AND FOCUS ON THE FUTURE. Don’t get bogged down and lose the vision God has given you for your life.

What are you going to do with your life? What is your next step? If you are stuck in a rut, are you going to stay where you are? Or are you going to break out of your stale mode into the adventure that God Almighty has planned for you?

TAKING THE BIG LEAP OF FAITH

If your answer to those questions is, “Yes, I’m willing and ready to move on, and I want to do the will of God with my life,” then you need to pay close attention to the next words God spoke to Joshua.

Moses my servant is dead: now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, even to the children of Israel. (Joshua 1:2)

Notice God tells Joshua, “Now therefore arise…” This is an extremely important statement, because God uses the word NOW.

You may have heard clearly from the Lord, but you are waiting for the circumstances to be absolutely perfect before you obey. The situation will never be perfect! When God told Joshua to cross the Jordan River, it was at flood stage. Believe me, there was not a more difficult time to begin a ministry than that! They had never learned to swim in the desert.

Many use the excuse that they are waiting on the perfect timing of the Lord. But if God has spoken to you and said NOW, that is the perfect timing of the Lord! In fact, if the conditions are perfect, you might need to take a closer look and ask the Holy Spirit for discernment.

Perfect conditions do not mean perfect timing.

There comes a time in your life when you don’t need to pray about your future any more. Joshua didn’t need to stop and say, “Lord, let me pray about this for a few days.” He had been praying about this opportunity for many years! His whole life had been spent training for this very moment. Now, when the moment came, only the action of obedience was required of him. That’s why God said NOW.

Many times people over-spiritualize things, saying, “Let me pray about this, or pray about that,” and while they are praying, they miss the golden opportunity God set in front of them. They lost that opportunity because it was the opportunity of the moment. It was a NOW opportunity

There is a time to pray, and there is a time to act. Most believers confuse the two and end up praying a lot, but not doing much with their lives. How can you know when it is time to pray and when it is time to act?

There are two kinds of hesitation. A hesitation in your spirit is the Holy Spirit telling you to slow down, but your own natural hesitation is your flesh not wanting to move forward into something new and unfamiliar. Most often, you will find that it is your own natural hesitation which is speaking to you.

It is very important for you to discern which voice you are listening to, yours or the Holy Spirit’s. If it is the Holy Spirit’s, then you will have an unshakable, immoveable warning on the inside that you need to stop and pray. If it’s your own natural hesitation you are hearing, then you need to shove those fears aside and forge ahead to do what God has told you to do.

If the opportunity before you right now is a door you have kicked open yourself, it’s time to stop, pray, and find out where the Holy Spirit wants you to be. You don’t have to manipulate yourself into positions of authority or promote yourself.

Let God promote you! If you promote yourself too soon, you will not be prepared to do the job. Follow where He leads you, and pass every test He brings you to with courage and faithfulness. Remember, He’s the only one who knows what you need to succeed and when you are ready for that great door of opportunity.

If the opportunity before you right now is the one you’ve been praying and waiting for, has supernaturally opened, and everything looks like God is giving you a green light, then go for it! If you are nervous about it, that’s normal! You are about to do something you’ve never done before. Don’t allow that natural edginess to keep you from something wonderful. Those steps of faith only look huge because you have never taken them before.

Once you step out into the realm of faith to accept this new place to which God is calling you, you’ll realize it wasn’t so hard after all. If this is what you’ve been praying for, recognize God is working and stop over-spiritualizing things! Over-spiritualizing can rob you of God’s blessings when they try to come to you.

The important thing is to obey when you know God is calling you to accept a new assignment in life. If the door is opened, why not go ahead and walk through it? Ultimately, someone is going to do what God has called you to do, and it might as well be you!

What opportunity is before you right now? Are your circumstances lining up for you to fulfill the dream that has been in your heart? Does it look like you have a green light to move forward? Then go for it! This may be your NOW opportunity. Don’t let this opportunity pass by you and then leave you wondering what would have happened had you taken the big leap of faith! Take the leap!

FATHERS AND LEGACY

If every person really thought about the legacy he or she would leave behind, perhaps his or her life would be lived quite differently.

The brevity of life is a humbling thought. Every day people come and people go. This is the drama of the human experience. The people we remember are those who have taken the time and applied the effort to make a contribution that will outlive them.

Proverbs 13:22 reads, “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children…” (NIV)

Far too many men in modern society have been tagged irresponsible, negligent and uncaring. Maybe we need to be taught certain principles that can cause us to change, rather than merely point out where we are inadequate or fall short.

In studying this important subject (that is, on the meaning of fatherhood), I found that the word pater (in Greek) translated father is from a root word signifying:       “A Nourisher, Protector, and Upholder.”

Wait a minute! You mean that the word father is not merely a title but a function? That is exactly the case.  It is just like the word ‘leader’ is used today as a title, but it is a word that signifies one who influences people by taking them towards a defined purpose. 

The predictable nature of man makes him “accustomed” to hearing something so often, that focusing on the underlying function is lost, and the title he possesses takes center stage.

Notice that Proverbs 13:22 defines who is a good man; it does not focus on the title or the fact that he is a biological father. Instead, the emphasis is on the legacy he leaves for his children’s children (that is, his grandchildren).  This means that a LEGACY IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. You don’t somehow accidentally stumble into one. IT IS PREMEDITATED, PRECONCEIVED, and PREPLANNED.

Let us revisit the three functions of a FATHER:

1. A Nourisher: This means that a father is responsible for promoting the growth and development of his children. He is a provider. To promote is to aid; therefore a man who is not aiding his children is a hindrance to them. (See Luke 11:11-13).

2. A Protector: a father creates a secure environment for the promotion and growth of his offspring. This means he also disciplines them. (See Hebrews 12:7-9, 11). Teaching children how to function in society is a form of protection.

3. An Upholder: a father elevates or enhances the self esteem of his offspring. A child ought to be infused with “mega doses” of self-esteem-boosting-words of affirmation by the time they are introduced to society. A good father does not tear them down, he builds them up. (See Hebrews 1:3).

I have come to realize that one does not even have to be a father to apply these principles. One can apply them in any area of life. That is, we are supposed to nourish, protect, and uphold:

1. Our visions

2. Our dreams

3. Our businesses

4. Our destinies

5. Our relationships  (with God and man) and etc.

As we can see, a legacy is never left to chance; it is a matter of choice.