Did you know that you have been appointed to the office of ambassador?  Not of the United States, France, Canada, or Mexico, but of heaven itself! 

According to 2 Corinthians 5:20 every believer has been selected to represent the kingdom of heaven on the earth.  What an awesome privilege and what an awesome responsibility. 

Be careful not to squander your appointment and give the kingdom you represent a bad name.

I love how the Bible sometimes uses humor to get a point across.  In today’s reading of the One Year Bible from Proverbs 22:13 it says, “The lazy person claims, ‘There’s a lion out there!  If I go outside, I might be killed.’”  Solomon is showing us an example of the laim excuses that people can use for not succeeding in life. 

Here are some I’ve heard:  “I would really be able to do something great for God if it weren’t for my kids.”  Or, “I’m just waiting on God right now to bring the right job to me.”  This 0ne is good for those not wishing to get involved, “I would love to volunteer, but I’m just so busy.”  What are these?  Excuses. 

Who are we trying to fool with them, ourselves, those we’re talking to, or even God?  Instead of making excuses, why don’t you step up and make some commitments?  Excuses won’t win a war, stop a depression, help a neighbor, or eradicate poverty and human suffering. 

I know actually doing something might seem harder than just making excuses, but it’s not near as rewarding.

We can all too often think too much of ourselves by failing to realize that we are just jars of clay.  That’s what Paul calls us in today’s reading in 2 Corinthians 4 of the One Year Bible.  He mentions this after speaking about the glory of God being revealed in us. 

Our problem is we think WE come up with the great ideas, the astounding revelations and discoveries.  Paul brings us back to reality by saying, “All you really are is a jar of clay and it’s what’s inside that counts.” 

What’s in your jar?

It seems like most people in our culture are trying to see how many rights they have.  People make statements like, “Well, it’s my body, so I should be able to do with it as I please.”  Or, “It’s none of your business what I choose to do with my life.”  For most of us Americans that sounds great.  Most people just ask the question, “Is it legal for me to do this?” and if the answer is “yes” then we do as we please.  We think that we should have the freedom to do whatever we choose, but the Apostle Paul gives us another question to ask. 

In today’s reading of the One Year Bible, Paul says we should ask this question, “Is it beneficial and constructive” (1 Corinthians 10:23).  Furthermore, he goes on to add “Does it cause anyone around you to stumble.”  In other words, life isn’t just about you, what pleases you and your desires.  He says you need to consider the impact your decisions make on those around before you do it. 

Sure, you might have the freedom to drink a beer from the fridge at home, but do you want your teenager to drink?  It may be acceptable to wear clothing that exposes half your chest (I’m talking to ladies), but what about how affects those around you?  Paul says, “Yeah, you may have the right to eat what you want, wear what you want, drink what you want, but when you’re around others that could stumble because of it, you need to consider the good of others.” 

Here’s the example: Paul says “Follow me as I follow Christ.”  Hmmm, let’s see did Christ exert His rights, or was His life lived all about others like you and me?  What kind of impact could our lives have if we chose to live that way?

Everyone needs encouragement from time to time and most need it more often than not.  I’m so glad for the encouragement that is found in God’s Word.  In service yesterday, we were discussing the End of the World and how that we don’t need to be discouraged by what is going on around us, but rather encouraged because we know Who is about to return.  Instead of asking, “what is this world coming to?” a better question is “who is coming to this world?” 

In today’s reading of the One Year Bible, I was again reminded of how awesome of a God that we serve in reading the story of Hezekiah.  In 2 Chronicles 32 he encouraged the people with these words, “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.  With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.”  The Bible says that they people gained confidence from Hezekiah’s words in spite of the odds.

I don’t know what you may be facing and what challenges are before you, but I do know that ”there is a greater power with us” that is able to deliver.  Get ahold of the powerful promises of God’s Word and refuse to give into self-pity, depression, thoughts of defeat and fear.  Instead, gather your thoughts upon the Word of God and hope, strength and courage can fill your heart regardless of what it looks like. 

Read the Bible every day and be on the lookout for words of encouragement.

I wish I was good at everything, but the truth is there are some things I’ll never be good at no matter how hard I try.  For example, I may dream of playing in the NBA, but no matter how hard I train, my chances of being on a team are about zilch.  On the contrary, there are some other things in which I’m pretty good at and could even become great. 

Every leader should discover where their strengths are and where they are not.  A good leader will then begin to develop their strengths and delegate their weakness.  In today’s reading of the One Year Bible, Paul explains this in Romans by comparing each of us a a body part.  Just like many parts come together to form your physical body, likewise we all come together to form one spiritual body (His church).  He further develops this idea by saying that if you have the gift of serving – then by all means serve.  If you have the gift of encouraging – then get out there and encourage someone. 

This principle works in reverse: if you are gifted to encourage then don’t spend the bulk of your time trying to serve because you’re not that good at it.  Plus, someone else around you IS really good at it and wondering why you’re doing it all wrong!  Dare to be what you are, what God created you to be and let others do what they are gifted to do and you do what you are gifted to do. 

Allowing those around you come along side and carry what you were never meant to carry makes you a team player.  Maybe not on the NBA, but for a championship team nonetheless.

Who you listen to is crucial in the decisions you make which leads to the outcomes you experience.  With that in mind, you better be careful where you get your advice.  The Bible is full of illustrations of this, for example: 2 Chronicles 18 tells the story of Jehoshaphat (King of Judah) aligning himself with Ahab (King of Israel) for battle.  Jehoshaphat wisely suggests that before they march into battle to “first seek the counsel of the Lord.”  However, Ahab invites 400 prophets to come who only tell the king what he wants to hear.  So, they all give the thumbs up!

Instead of being satisfied with this, Jehoshaphat suggests hearing from a “prophet of the LORD” for a second opinion.  Ahab reluctantly calls for a prophet that he despises because he never prophesies “anything good” about him.  Sure enough, this prophet tells that calamity awaits and sure defeat, and Ahab says “I told you he never prophesies good about me.” 

Rather than listen to this one godly prophet, they take their advice from the crowd and go into battle only to suffer great defeat.  The same thing will happen to us when we take our advice from a crowd.  I would rather listen to one wise person than a crowd of fools! 

Just because a number of people are saying the same thing doesn’t make it right.  We will only bring trouble into our lives if we surround ourselves with advisers whose only thought is to tell us what we want to hear.

One of the biggest questions I hear people struggling with is, “Why is this happening to me?  I’m a good person, so why should I be dealing with this?”  Usually when this question is asked it is in regard to BAD things happening.  Rarely do I hear a person asking, “Why is all this good coming my way?”  Where are the people asking about GOOD things happening to them that are undeserved or unearned? 

Anyway, in today’s reading of the One Year Bible we find a partial answer to this question from the book of Romans.  Here’s the question it raises, “Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?”  In other words, should we believe that if our lives don’t run according to our plan that God doesn’t love us? 

The answer is provided in Romans 8:37 “No, DESPITE all these things, overwhelming victory is OURS through Christ, who loved us.”  Paul says that God already proved His love for us by sending His Son to die for our sins.  What more do you have to do beyond dying for someone to show that you love them?  So, never doubt God’s love. 

The greatest victory that you and I have is not just getting this month’s bills paid, our bodies healed, or a new job.  By far the most phenomenal thing that you and I have to consider is we are bound for an eternal heaven with God and are assured of His presence every day of our lives.  So what if we encounter opposition and difficulties along the way, because when you and I get to heaven we’ll ask, “Why should I get to live in a place like this?  Why me?”  It’s all because of Him!

Is there anything worse than listening to people who can’t sing?  I confess that my family and I get drawn in each year to many of the episodes of American Idol.  What amazes us most each year is how many people truly believe they can sing that carry a tune in a bucket.  I know Simon sounds cruel at times when he makes comments like, “Who told you that you could sing?”, but he is really doing them a favor.  No one wants to keep moving forward in a position that they are not skilled to do.

When David was bringing the ark back to Jerusalem in 2 Chronicles 15, it states that he appointed musicians and singers to be part of the celebration.  It even states in verse 22 that the head Levite was “in charge of the singing…because he was skillful at it.”  There, that’s it!  What’s wrong with allowing people to do things they are skilled at and the rest stay out of the way? 

I’ve grown up in the church world where people have been allowed to sing because they had a good heart.  My thought is that a good heart is not worth as much as a good ear in singing.  Besides the unbelieving world looks in and thinks, “Do these people not have enough intelligence to stop that person from singing?”  How can we be taken seriously when we do such foolish things?

Here’s my proposal, let’s allow those gifted to sing hold the microphones and the rest blend in with the congregation.  While we are on the subject, let’s allow those gifted to teach to stand behind the lecturn and share.  And, wouldn’t it be great if those gifted to help came alongside others to lift the load of ministry? 

This is actually the way I believe God intended it.  People doing what they are gifted to do in an area that they can serve with passion.  How do you know what this is for you?  Here’s some simple suggestions:  What are you good at? (let people help confirm that one)  What excites you or motivates you?  What do you do with more ease and enjoyment without having to be pushed?  The answer to these can give you some direction on areas in which to serve. 

A final word: get in the area of passion, giftedness and talent and then give it all you got!

I have so much in which to be thankful – my health, my family, my church family, and most of all, my relationship with my Heavenly Father.  Today, on my birthday, I want to pay tribute to three people.  The first two are my parents that are both home with the Lord.  They taught me right from wrong, demonstrated a hard work ethic and pointed me to Christ.  The role models that they provided had an incredible impact upon my life.

The other person is described in today’s reading of the One Year Bible.  In Proverbs 18:22 it states that a man who finds a wife finds a treasure, and receives favor from the Lord.  This has certainly been true in my life.  Rachelle has been a gift of the Lord to me that has provided assistance, support, practical wisdom, and encouragement.

Who’s shoulders are you standing upon today?  What individuals have been a treasure to you in times past?  Who is it that currently is giving you the support you need to be a better you?  Why not give thanks to God and to them today?  Gratitude looks good on you!