Leading the Way ~Michael Youssef

Week of May 14

Remember My Past Blessings

Do you have people in your life who only talk to you when they want something? Conversations that revolve around the other person's needs or demands make it hard to develop true fellowship. These one-sided relationships can lead to us feeling used and manipulated. Yet that is exactly what many of us do to God when we only approach Him in prayer with a need or desire. We give Him our laundry lists of prayer requests without spending any time praising Him, thanking Him for our past blessings or seeking a relationship with Him. We pray for future events without acknowledging His help in the past. Our forgetfulness is an indication of our ingratitude toward God and it renders our prayers ineffective.

Yet none of this shocks God. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we are a forgetful people. He knows our capacity for ingratitude. He knows our capacity for reinventing the truth. He knows our capacity for taking credit for His provision. Throughout the Scriptures we see God reminding His people of His blessings. He often urged them to set up visible memorials of His past provision so they would be filled with prayer and praise. Without these reminders, the people would forget God's faithfulness.

When God miraculously brought His people out of slavery in Egypt, they quickly succumbed to ingratitude towards God. They grumbled and complained and murmured every time they faced a new challenge, instead of thanking God for His ever-present hand. Their attitude prevented them from entering the Promised Land for 40 years until that grumbling generation had died out in the wilderness.

After God's people finally reached the Promised Land, God told them to create a monument as a reminder of His supernatural aid in crossing the Jordan River. "When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight'" (Joshua 4:1-3). Joshua carried out the Lord's commands and explained to the men that this would "serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.…These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever" (Joshua 4:6, 7).

God wants to see prayers that are filled with genuine praise and thanksgiving for what He has done in the past. He wants our hearts to be filled with awe and gratitude for His blessings. He wants us to set up memorials in our hearts testifying to the provisions He has given us.

God does not want to be taken for granted. He does not want to be given our lists of wants without any true desire to know Him. We dishonor God when we relegate Him to the role of magic genie. God answers our prayers to strengthen our faith in Him, to help us trust in His Word, to glorify Himself, and to express His love for us. Imagine how He feels when we respond to His grace and love and mercy with indifference and forgetfulness and presumption.

When we face difficult times, we often become blinded by our problems and forget how God has always provided the solutions to our past troubles. God wants to see that His past aid did not go unnoticed or unappreciated. He wants us to come to Him confidently in prayer, gratefully acknowledging His past mercies. After we have spent time in praise and thanksgiving, we can then ask Him to again help us so that our blessings can glorify Him.

Week of May 7

When God Moves You

Has God ever placed you in a job, a location or a situation you never would have chosen for yourself? Today we see how God operates on many fronts to accomplish His purposes and to bless us as well. Read I Kings 17:7-16

One day while Elijah was enjoying the restful protection of the Lord at the bottom of the Kerith Ravine, the brook dried up and his time of being fed by ravens ended. The Lord told him to go to Zarephath where a widow would feed him.

This new direction from the Lord was strange on many levels. First, Zarephath was hard hit by famine. Second, it was in the heart of Baal-worship territory and only seven miles from Jezebel’s home. Even the name Zarephath meant “smelt,” as the city had a reputation for being a smelly, polluted place where iron was smelted. Elijah must have wondered why he was being asked to leave his comfortable hideout and cross seventy miles of desert to walk into unpleasant and dangerous territory.

But Elijah knew that if God had given him the order that He would provide all he needed. Verse 10 says simply, “And so he went to Zarephath…”

Things looked even bleaker when Elijah arrived. He found a widow out gathering sticks to make a final meal before she and her son died of starvation. All she had left was one small serving of oil and flour. However, God told Elijah that she would feed him. Imagine how hard it must have been for Elijah to ask the woman to make a cake of bread for him before she made one for her family. Regardless, it was God’s command and Elijah obeyed. Elijah tells her, “For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land’" (1 King 7:14).

That is exactly what happened. The flour and oil were constantly replenished through God’s provision and the woman’s family was fed throughout the famine.

Has God ever put a mission or a task on your heart that you felt was too overwhelming, dangerous or costly in some way? Have you ever felt that as one person you could not make a difference? Elijah turned the tide in his nation though he was only one person with limited resources. The widow made a difference by making her last cake for God’s man and not for herself. God puts unique service on the hearts of His people and blesses that obedience as they submit to His sovereign will.

Often, God’s strategies make no sense to us because, unlike him, we have limited vision. When God took Elijah into the heart of enemy territory, God knew that was the last place King Ahab’s soldiers would look for him. God also knew that going to Zarephath would save Elijah from starvation though common sense said there was famine. More importantly, God showed Elijah that He cared about the Baal-worshipping widow and her family. God often has multiple objectives as He operates on many fronts simultaneously. If we follow His lead, we will be blessed and may become instruments of blessing for others.

Has God ever prompted you to do something that made no sense at the time but that was His sovereign will? What was the result?

Is God asking you now to move out of your comfort zone with people, your career, or your finances? Is He moving your heart to explore new territory in ministry or in your relationship with Him? Pray about what God is leading you to do now.

Week of April 30

When God Hides You

Seemingly out of nowhere, Elijah appears in scripture. He had no family history, high office, or credentials to make him God’s choice to confront the terrifying and immoral leadership of his day. There is no evidence that Elijah was super spiritual. Like us, he was fearful and perplexed at times. Yet with great directness he tells the wicked King Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word." Read I Kings 17:1-6 to see how God used this ordinary man to make extraordinary changes in his nation.

Elijah’s act was outrageously bold because King Ahab was under the influence of his pagan wife Jezebel. She had led King Ahab to kill hundreds of God’s people because they would not bow down to Baal. Delivering God’s message to Ahab must have seemed like a suicide mission.

At God’s direction, Elijah delivered the message and then hid in the Kerith Ravine. There he learned that when God pulls you away into hiding, He will supply the power, provision and protection you need to be prepared to be of even greater service to Him.

All of Elijah’s needs were met through God’s supernatural provision. Verse 6 states, “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.”

God’s children rarely seek to be hidden. However, it is in the hidden moments that men and women of faith are drawn closer to God and prepared for greater ministry. Joseph grew during his time of exile and imprisonment. Moses spent years in the desert before his greatest ministry. Esther spent a considerable amount of time being prepared to be presented to the king. Paul spent three silent years in northern Arabia before he launched his ministry.

Has God hidden you for a time? Are you feeling isolated, endangered, or unused for the kingdom? God has His purpose for you to be exactly where you are. Use this time to refresh yourself in the Word. Pray that you will grow closer to Him and more fit for service during this season of hiding.

Week of April 23

Operating in Holy Spirit Power

Are you one of the thousands of people who have been praying for worldwide revival? Many Christians desire to see a great harvest of souls, but the idea may seem daunting. So many sin barriers, cultural barriers, and faith barriers would need to be torn down. Read Acts 10 and discover how God broke through these barriers to spread the Gospel to every corner of the world. What He did then, He can do again.

In this story, we see the Holy Spirit accomplishing things man never could. God brings about a memorable conversion by preparing the hearts of an unbeliever and a witness. What happens next is spectacular.

As a Roman centurion, Cornelius had 100 men reporting to him. He had heard of Yahweh, God of the Jews, and respected Him enough to donate to the church. Still, Cornelius was not a committed believer. That changed one afternoon when an angel of the Lord appeared to Cornelius. Acts 10:4-5 states, “The angel answered, "Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter.”

The angel in shining clothes appearing inside his house had Cornelius’ attention, and he obeyed.

Simultaneously, God was preparing Peter’s heart to witness to Cornelius. God had to change Peter’s view of Romans and all Gentiles, a belief system developed over a lifetime of teaching from his parents, his church, and his community. God effectively transformed Peter’s thinking through a vision. God portrayed food that the Jews had always considered as unclean as an analogy to the Gentiles, who were considered even more unclean. No Jew would have ever invited a Gentile into his house nor enter a Gentile home. Yet, the voice in the vision said to Peter, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Verse 15.

At the Spirit’s direction, Peter soon finds himself traveling to Cornelius’ home. Not only had the hearts of Cornelius and Peter been prepared, “the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message” (v.44) and many were saved as a result. The move of the Spirit was so great that Peter said, "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him” (Acts 10:34-35). This was a world-changing, history-making statement. The Jewish believers were astonished and began to baptize the believing, formerly untouchable Gentiles.

And that is how God took Christianity from being a narrow sect within the Jewish religion to a worldwide religion that breaks down prejudice and unites people in Christ. Christians do not just show tolerance to others, they love all people because God created them and loves them Himself.

You can have confidence that if God has a calling for you, even if it is to go into territory that is unfamiliar to you, He will go ahead of you. Not only will He prepare your heart for your mission, He will prepare others to receive what you offer.

Pray that God will reveal to you what He wants you to do for Him. Ask Him to prepare the hearts of those you can witness to and invite into the kingdom. God’s heart was inclined to Cornelius because of his prayers and his generosity. Ask God to help you pray the prayers and give the gifts that will be most pleasing to Him.

Week of April 16th

Sharing the Excitement

When the Samaritan woman accepted Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, she was instantly transformed into a new being. When something new and exciting happens in your life, what do you do? Share it with your friends and neighbors. The woman at the well was so thrilled she left her water jug behind in her eagerness to tell everyone what Christ had done for her!

She went back to the streets where she had previously walked in shame with her eyes downcast as people whispered unkindly about her. She had given her sin and guilt to Jesus and now could boldly engage each and every person she met in earnest conversation about her amazing experience. In short, she became a witness. John 4:27-42 tells the story.

Many Christians talk about witnessing but most don’t have a truly accurate view of what being a witness means. To better understand the term, just look at what a witness in a court trial does. His duty is simple: to tell the truth about what he experienced. He is not responsible for fully understanding the law or the process; he is only obligated to tell what he saw and heard. Telling others what we experienced when we met Jesus is our duty as witnesses for Christ, and it should be our joy to do so. How can we keep the gift of salvation quiet and not share it with others?

The Samaritan woman was not a Bible scholar and did not fully understand all that had just happened to her, yet she could not contain her excitement. Her simple testimony was to tell everyone she met, “Come and see.” That sums up our role as witnesses: we are to invite others to come and see what Jesus has to offer them. We are messengers, bearers of the most valuable invitation people will ever receive.

Christians are often relieved to learn they are not responsible for saving souls; that role is divine and not ours. Just as a witness is not responsible for the verdict, we are not held accountable for whether the people we invite to know Jesus ever accept that invitation. A witness only tells his experience and then leaves the outcome up to the judge or jury. In the same way, we share the Good News and then the Holy Spirit takes over.

What was most effective about the Samaritan woman was the joy that overflowed from her changed heart. She went from being a woman who drew water in the heat of the day to avoid contact with the townspeople to actively engaging everyone she knew to tell of her wonderful experience. Her simple testimony, unschooled and incomprehensive, was highly effective. Verse 39 says, “…Many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified…”

Do you want God to use you more this year to witness to the wonder of His love, mercy and grace? We must first start with confession of any sin in our own hearts and repentance. Even worldwide revival must start with facing our own sin.

Pray that God will reveal to you any secret sin you may have rationalized or not yet dealt with. Ask for a pure heart so you can go forward with His work. Then go out into the workplace, the gym, the classroom or wherever God has placed you and share the story that only you can tell—the story of how you came to know Jesus and all that He has done for you. Someone you know needs to hear it.

Waiting at the Well

Today’s novelists, journalists and moviemakers favor the themes of racism, prejudice and sexual immorality as if they are new. These themes go back to the Garden of Eden. One of the most dramatic stories of the love of Jesus conquering prejudice and human desperation was told two thousand years ago. The central figure of this story is known simply as the woman at the well. Read this story in John 4:4-26.

To understand the magnitude of Christ’s gesture when He reached out to the Samaritan woman, you first must try to understand the depth of the hatred and prejudice between the Jews and Samaritans. Orthodox Jews felt revulsion at the way Samaritans mixed Jewish beliefs and idolatry.

When Jesus set out to walk from Jerusalem to Galilee, His detractors would say He should not have taken the two-and-a-half day route. Instead, most Jews would have taken a five-day detour through Jericho and the Jordan Valley in the scorching desert to avoid contact with Samaritans.

But Jesus defied the expectations of others and traveled right into the heart of Samaria. Upon arrival, He stopped and rested at a well, clearly not avoiding the Samaritans. On the contrary, He sat there open, available and waiting, in no hurry to rush off. He had been led to that well for a purpose. Though tired from His journey, he waited.

The woman at the well was hated and degraded on many levels—by her birth as a Samaritan, by her gender that was considered inferior in that day, and by her infamous immorality. Yet this is the person the Christ, the Son of God, waited for expectantly.

We cannot fathom how shocking it was for Jesus to say to this fallen woman, “Will you give me a drink?” Not only did Jesus defy tradition by speaking directly to a woman, this woman was a despised and immoral Samaritan!

It is also significant that the woman’s word for water meant “stagnant,” water held in a cistern. Jesus’ word for water, however, meant a spring of bubbling, ever-refreshing, living water.

He wanted to give her water that would satisfy her every thirst. He wanted to give her the fulfillment that had eluded her as she sought satisfaction and joy in worldly pursuits. All had left her dry and empty. Only Jesus had the wellspring of eternal life that would satisfy her needs, and he offered it to her as a gift.

Jesus models how to share the good news with people from very different backgrounds. He put his agenda aside, lingered with her, asked her questions, did not condemn her for her past, did not rationalize or condone her sin, and offered her the bright hope of a future that is God’s gift. Jesus looked past her sin, her crusty veneer, and their cultural differences. He conveyed the Father’s love for her in a simple conversation. She confessed her sin, repented, accepted His gift, and was changed forever.

You may have unsaved neighbors or co-workers who have different values or different cultural backgrounds from yours. They need the Good News that Jesus loved them enough to give His life for them. The Lord has placed you at a well in your community so you can meet people who need to know the salvation message. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you discernment to know the people you are to engage in conversation. Ask God for the words to say and the willingness to move out of your comfort zone to reach people quite different from you.

Week of April 2

Counting on God’s Abundance

Have your thoughts lately been focused on what you lack? Are you concerned about the lack of a strong economy, the lack of godliness in America, or even your own lack of ability to walk out your faith in a difficult world? Read John 6:1-15 and discover what happens when we place everything of concern into the Master’s hands and refuse to dwell on what we lack.

After an intense day of preaching to crowds of people, Jesus realized that the crowd was hungry and had made no provision for their next meal. Instead of expecting them to be self-reliant, Jesus felt deep compassion on them. The word used to describe Jesus’ compassion communicates that he had a physical, visceral feeling—much like pain—for them.

Jesus used the problem of feeding the hungry crowd to grow the faith of three people who were present that day. First, He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do” (John 6:5b-6).

Jesus knew that Philip was thoughtful, analytical and cautious. True to his nature, Philip offered the analytical answer that it would take eight months of wages to feed the crowd, and the lack of this sum was very clear.

Andrew offered a half-hearted suggestion but with no expectation that all the needs would be met. He did mention that there was a young boy with three loaves the size of silver dollar pancakes and two sardine-sized fish. He suggested this as if the offering were just a way to put a minor patch on an overwhelming problem.

The only person who wholeheartedly gave his all to Jesus with faith and expectation was the boy. He did not operate out of his lack, his hunger, his rights to the lunch he had brought for himself, or an expectation of receiving anything in return. Instead, he turned his entire lunch over to Jesus to see what He would do, and he was not disappointed.

“Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish” (John 6:11).

Not only were the boy’s needs met, he had the joy of seeing his lunch feed over 5,000 people. Then, he watched as another 12 basketfuls of food were collected. Jesus could have fed the crowd without anyone’s help, but the young boy received an exciting and unforgettable blessing as he became part of the miracle.

What do you have that you can give to Jesus? Are you holding back because you believe your gift is too small or won’t make a difference? Lately, have you focused on your lack instead of seeing what God will do with what you have to offer? You may be missing an exciting blessing when you hold back even part of what God wants you to yield to him, whether your talents, your time, your testimony, or your money. The same mercy He had for the hungry crowd, He will show you.

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Week of March 26

Bring Your Friends to Jesus

You may have made sacrifices in your life to help others have life’s necessities, an education, or better opportunities. They are all worthy sacrifices, but the ultimate sacrifice is made when we step out in faith to bring another to Jesus. Mark tells us of four friends who did not allow seemingly insurmountable obstacles to prevent them from bringing their friend to Jesus. Read Mark 2:1-12.

Four men watched as their quadriplegic friend lay immobile, destined to a life of physical infirmity. The men developed an irrepressible commitment to their friend. They purposed to bring him to Jesus on a stretcher. The day they did, the crowds were alarmingly large and aggressive. No one would give up his place near Jesus so the men could bring their friend to the front to be healed. This did not dissuade these men. They did not stop in the face of impossible circumstances.

Because the stakes were so great, the four persisted. They had committed to bringing their friend to the Lord, and they did not waver in that commitment. They climbed onto the roof of the building where Jesus spoke, dug a hole, and lowered their friend down to Jesus.

What struck Jesus first was not the man’s paralysis but rather his friends’ faith. They could not heal the man physically or convert him spiritually, but they had an undaunted faith that Jesus could. The men believed that if they could just bring him into the presence of Jesus that He would do the rest—and Jesus honored that faith.

Jesus’ first move was not to heal the man’s paralysis. Instead, He addressed the man’s spiritual condition by forgiving his sins—a far greater need. Not only did the man walk out of the house healed physically, Jesus saved him from eternal death and gave him eternal life. His friends could not have given him a greater gift.

Often, we are satisfied if our families and closest friends are saved. It should not stop there. The paralytic may have been a neighbor, a former co-worker, or a family friend. Like these men, when God brings people into our lives and places their unsaved condition on our hearts, we can trust Him to honor our faith. Our only task is to bring them to Him. They may have no faith at all, but God will honor our faith.

Is there someone in your life who is unsaved? Are you committed to bringing that person to Jesus? You may have tried in the past with no results. George Mueller prayed for some people for 23 years before they were saved. Will you commit to praying with renewed commitment for them? Do you need to invite them to church or a small group?

Pray today that God will give you undaunted faith that your friend will surely come to know the Lord. Then be obedient to do your part to bring them before Jesus.

Week of March 19

Shadow Spirituality

Have you ever tried to witness to someone who responded, "I don't need church or religion—I'm a very spiritual person." Maybe they try to fill their spiritual void with tarot cards, astrology, meditation, philosophy, or yoga. But without Christ as their Savior, their efforts to feed their spiritual hunger are in vain. We all were born in a spiritual vacuum, craving wholeness and peace. We may try to satisfy our hearts and souls with temporary fixes, but only God can permanently and completely fill that longing inside of us.

God is the only source of true spiritual fulfillment. Anything else is temporary and false. It is a shadow of the real spirituality of God. Shadow spirituality is any form of spirituality that does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as the only Lord of life. Shadow spirituality refuses to acknowledge the sovereign power and authority of God. Shadow spirituality dismisses the Bible as the Word of God.

Even churches are not immune from shadow spirituality. Many churches are wrongly preaching that Christ is merely one of many ways to God. They preach in direct opposition to God's Word and plan of salvation. Jesus warned, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15).

People who claim they are "spiritual" define their spirituality as any dimension of the human experience that is beyond the physical -- whether it is the occult, paganism, mysticism or any human-designed religion. Their goal is for people to become enlightened and empowered. They seek a strong self-esteem and a balance of spirit, body, and mind. Unfortunately, these are elusive goals leaving their seekers spending their lives constantly searching for more.

Christianity provides something far greater than improved emotional health; it provides complete emotional transformation. Only God can heal our emotions and make us whole. We will never find wholeness unless we make Christ the center of our lives. The apostle Paul said, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).

Shadow spirituality is deceptive and based on personal happiness. True spirituality leads to wholeness as we reflect the likeness of Jesus Christ. Shadow spirituality offers temporary fixes. True spirituality provides permanent transformation. Shadow spirituality promotes the falsehood that we can achieve our own wholeness, while true spirituality acknowledges that only the Holy Spirit can declare us whole.

Many of these human-designed spiritual distractions may seem helpful on the surface, but they lead us away from the only One who truly wants to see us forgiven, healed, and whole. Jesus longs for us to receive the power of the Resurrection where we can find real transformation. Through Christ we become new creatures. Through Christ we receive the Holy Spirit and become genuinely spiritual people. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The world desperately needs to hear this message of true spirituality. They are seeking to fill that spiritual void but will remain eternally empty without Christ. Write on the lines below people in your life who are distracted by shadow spirituality, whether through new age practices, false religions, or a distorted gospel. Begin praying for every day that God will provide opportunities for you to share with them what true spirituality means.

"Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God."
1 John 4:1-3

Week of March 12

Finding Contentment

No one is born contented with life. As babies we cry for our every need. As we grow up we experience the frustrations and struggles of life. Yet through our hardships, we can learn how to gain contentment. Paul told the Philippians, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want" (Philippians 4:12).

Contentment was not a natural skill or talent for Paul—he had to learn about it through experiencing both the highs and lows of life. Paul said, "I have learned…" Learning does not always come easily. It requires time, dedication, and willingness to learn the necessary lessons.

Paul spent years at the pinnacle of prestige and power as a Pharisee, then became a humble servant of Christ. He experienced times of plenty and times of near starvation. He lived in a comfortable home, and he dwelled in a prison cell. Yet he finally figured out how to find joy and contentment in both extremes of life. He realized that contentment is a state of the heart, not of affairs and that contentment is independent of his circumstances.

Paul learned that everything we have belongs to God, including life itself. When we completely trust God to lead our lives in His timing and His ways, He will meet our needs. When our confidence is in the sovereignty of God, we will not panic when we face tough circumstances. But when we try to control our lives and manipulate events and people to our advantage, we will become frustrated and joyless.

Paul trusted the sovereign hand of God and he learned to be content in the ups and in the downs, in the abundance and in the lack, in the sickness and in the health, in the courts of the kings and in the dungeons and the prisons. Paul recognized God as the source of his strength: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

Whatever God called Paul to do—whether speaking with the powerful or the poor, whether preaching to thousands in a coliseum or to a lone Philippian jailer, whether speaking to King Agrippa or to a lowly soldier in Rome—Paul knew that God would equip him for his tasks. Paul's God-centered focus brought joy and contentment to his life. The psalmist declared, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song" (Psalm 28:7).

God will also provide for us and strengthen us as we seek to follow Him in faithful obedience. "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19). Whatever needs we have—salvation, comfort, encouragement—Jesus can meet them. He can lift us above the hurts that others have caused. He can give us perseverance when we are in the middle of the valley. He will meet our needs in His perfect timing and in accordance with His glorious, inexhaustible riches.

Are you facing difficulties? Are you facing trying times? Are you panicking about what to do next? God wants you to be faithful to Him; God wants you to trust Him, and He will teach you this incredible lesson of contentment. Commit to Christ today to follow Him first in all circumstances.

"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
Psalm 16:11

Week of March 5

Remaining Spiritually Stable

Would you describe your spiritual life as stable? Or does it waver and wobble? Are you guided by the Holy Spirit or by the prevailing mood of the culture? One of the consequences of diminished joy is spiritual instability. This condition leads to burnout and discouragement; it leads to doubt and total ineffectiveness in the ministry of Christ. Spiritual instability opens our lives up to spiritual attack during a time when we are too misguided to realize the danger. Just as we need to remain on guard to protect our joy, we also need to watch for the warning signs of spiritual instability.

We are reminded throughout the New Testament to stand firm in our faith: "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58). "For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 3:8).

We can stand firm because we know that Christ has already defeated the enemy of death and the grave, and He has conquered sin and Satan. We do not have to fight that battle; it was won on the cross. Our call is to stand firm against a defeated enemy. We stand firm because Christ has already obtained the victory for us.

By standing firm and upholding the Truth of the Gospel, we remain focused on the things that matter most. But when we waver, we are likely to bicker over the minor issues. In the church at Philippi, two women were engaged in an ongoing argument over a trivial matter. Paul wrote, "I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel" (Philippians 4:2, 3).

Paul knew their stubborn insistence on their own opinions would steal their joy and lead to destabilization in their spiritual walks. He knew their arguments would lead to bitterness, vengefulness, and hostility. But when we live in harmony with others, our hearts are better able to focus on Christ.

We can protect our spiritual condition by remaining joyful in the Lord. When we place all of our sufficiency in Christ, we will naturally want to rejoice. We experience sufficiency in the Lord when we routinely spend time with Him in order to know His character, His Word, His promises, and His will for our lives. Then our hearts will be focused on godly things, instead of our tendencies toward gossip, pride, selfishness, and bitterness.

Paul further encourages us to remain faithful to God in prayer. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6, 7).

We feed our stabilizing joy by filling our minds with godly thoughts. Whatever fills our minds will come out in our actions and decisions. If we focus on our bitterness, our self-pity, our selfish desires, we will become miserable people. Paul encouraged the Philippians, "Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you" (Philippians 4:8, 9).

How stable is your spiritual walk today? If you have allowed your joy to diminish, you are in danger of spiritual instability. Pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance to show you areas that have been weakened in your spiritual life, and ask Him for the power to strengthen your relationship with Christ.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
Philippians 4:4

Week of February 27

Making Joy a Priority

When was the last time you evaluated your priorities? Have you recently looked at your commitments, goals, and checkbook to list your assets and liabilities? When we do not discipline ourselves to stay focused on our eternal priorities, we can easily become bogged down by earthly concerns that are unimportant.

When the apostle Paul was in prison, he took the time to evaluate his own life. Before Paul became a Christian, he was a Pharisee with prestige, power, and wealth. After he began His ministry for Christ, Paul endured frequent attacks, imprisonments, and hunger as he traveled from town to town. Yet because Paul kept his focus on Christ, he found a joy that gave him a heavenly perspective on life and priorities:

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith" (Philippians 3:7-9).

As Paul discovered, the things we consider assets in this life often turn out to be our liabilities because they keep us from depending on God. What is the object of your confidence? Is it your intelligence, your financial security, your social network? None of these things will bring us indescribable joy—only dependence on Christ's strength can bring us joy. We must value our relationship with Christ and treasure our gift of joy in order to experience joy at its fullest.

Only Christ's resurrection power can satisfy our empty hearts. Only His power can defeat our temptations and turn our trials into triumphs. Only His power can exchange our weaknesses for His strength. Any earthly assets that we draw on are rubbish compared to Christ's power.

As imperfect humans, it is easy for us to revert back to our independent ways, especially when things seem to go well for us. We quickly forget about Christ's strength and joy when we find comfort and happiness in our circumstances.

But we must be on guard against spiritual stagnation. We must place our relationship with Christ first in our lives. We often shy away from spiritual growth because we know that growth is often accompanied by pain. We want to run from our troubles rather than pressing forward. But the Bible tells us, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1).

Paul encouraged the Philippians, "But one thing I d Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13, 14). While we may have to strain our spiritual muscles in order to grow, we will find joy in the midst of our struggles if we focus on Christ.

If you have been struggling with finding your joy, spend some time today examining your priorities. Is Christ first in your life? Are you placing all of your confidence in Him alone? Be honest with yourself as you rank your priorities on the lines below. Which are your assets and which are your liabilities as God sees them? Ask God for forgiveness if He is not your first priority. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you reprioritize your life so that God is first and your joy may be full.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
James 1:2-4

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Week of Feb. 20

Joy Through Christ

On the surface, happiness and joy are similar; they are both uplifting and blissful experiences. Yet there are more differences than similarities. Happiness is a self-focused emotion tied directly to getting what we want. Joy is a spiritual result of our focus on God. It is tied to our salvation and our walk with Christ. Happiness is temporary at best; it is subjective to our circumstances and moods. Joy is eternally-based and can be ours even in our deepest valleys. Happiness quickly leaves us when we fail to attain our goals or we become bored with our prizes. Joy is from God and therefore can never be stolen from us.

Joy is given through the Holy Spirit the moment we accept Christ as our Savior. As Christians, our joy can never be completely destroyed, although there are many pitfalls which can significantly diminish it. Joy is a permanent gift from God, but it also a gift for which we must take responsibility for nurturing and protecting on a daily basis.

We can always find joy in our salvation, because our salvation is assured. Paul told the Philippians, "In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:4-6). The God who gave us salvation never begins anything that He will not complete. When He saved us, He saved us completely, eternally and forever. Jesus said, "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:28).

You may have heard the acronym for J-O-Y representing how to gain joy through our priorities: Jesus, Others, then Yourself. But consider this twist: J stands for Jesus, Y stands for You, but O stands for Zero. When absolutely nothing comes between Jesus and You, you will find joy. At the center of our joy is our relationship with God; anything that stands between us and our Savior will corrode our joy.

One of the greatest threats to our joy is disobedience to God's Word. When we live in disobedience, we become a fruitless and joyless Christian. Jesus warned against fruitlessness: "No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:4, 5).

We also face pitfalls to joy through people and circumstances in our lives. We may encounter malicious people who resent our beliefs. We may lose our jobs, our best friends, or our homes. Happiness may be out of reach—but joy is readily available if we know how to nurture it.

Paul was no stranger to experiencing hardships. He endured harsh criticism, prison, and near-death situations. He was not always happy, but he had found the secret to maintaining his joy. He remained focused on Christ instead of his circumstances. Rather than resenting his obstacles, Paul was able to say, "But what does it matter? The important thing is that…Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that…what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance" (Philippians 1:18, 19).

Joy does not mean that we will not experience pain or sadness or frustration when everything seems to go wrong. But unlike happiness, we can find joy in the midst of our suffering. When Christ is at the center of our lives, when His glory is our goal, when we refuse to be intimidated by life's obstacles, and when we live totally for Christ in obedience, we will find a joy that will carry us through the darkest of valleys.

Have you covered up your joy with the anxieties and distractions of this world? Have you taken you eyes off of Christ and your relationship with Him? Are you ignoring the convictions of the Holy Spirit to repent of certain sins in your life? If so, seek God's forgiveness today. Pray for the Holy Spirit's help to overcome the obstacles to living a joyful life.

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."
Romans 14:17

Week of Feb. 13

Contentment in Fishing

As we learn to overcome our discontentment by remaining in constant fellowship with Christ, we also realize that our joy in Christ is far too exciting to keep to ourselves. In thankfulness and delight, we want to share with others what God has done in our lives.

In the gospel of Matthew, we see Jesus gathering His disciples. "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,' Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.' At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him" (Matthew 4:18-22).

The men in this passage were successful fishermen, but Jesus had bigger plans for them. He said, "Come, follow me…and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). Jesus did not expect that they would already know how to be fishers of men. He expected them to follow Him. He was asking them to abandon their mundane lives and work for the glory of God's kingdom. He sought their willingness to drop everything for Him. He asked these successful leaders to become His followers. He called these decision makers to trust His commands completely.

Today Jesus is still asking His followers to let go of whatever may be hindering our work for God's kingdom, whether it is our opinions, our ideas, or our needs. He is seeking our obedience and willingness to serve Him wholeheartedly. When we witness to nonbelievers as we live a life of contentment in Christ, God can use our testimony for His glory.

Christ does not demand a perfect knowledge of witnessing methods, but he does demand our service and obedience. He knows that our lifestyle will speak volumes alongside our words. Paul told the Corinthians, "Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else" (2 Corinthians 9:13).

As fishers of men, we need to remember that the fish around us in the world are constantly watching us. They notice how we act, live and behave. When we do not allow God's transforming power to work in us daily, we have no bait to lure them. Can you imagine what nonbelievers think as they see Christians full of bitterness, anger, jealousy, envy, and gossip? Who wants that kind of life? If they see us as hypocrites full of criticism, the fish will swim the other way. In order to be fishers of men, we need to model ourselves after Jesus. We need to obey Him and listen to Him and follow His directions.

Why did Jesus ask His disciples to become fishers of men? Why not hunters or harvesters? Jesus was addressing them in the context of how they lived—they were fishermen. Jesus was asking them to take the talents and skills of their trade and apply them toward working for God's kingdom. Regardless of whom we are or what we do, God wants us to use our resources for His glory. He wants us to view our neighborhoods and our schools and our workplaces as our fishing ponds.

What is hindering you from becoming a fisher of men? Do you think you need to be perfectly prepared with all the right answers and the latest witnessing techniques? Jesus never said He only calls the experts—He calls every Christian to witness for Him. He just wants our willingness—and the Holy Spirit will take care of the rest. Commit to God today to become a willing servant of Christ.

"‘Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'"
Mark 10:43-45

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Week of Feb. 6

The Detours of Discontent

Why does it seem so easy to go from living the abundant life that Christ promised to living a life that is bleak and frustrating? How do our hearts get disengaged from these spiritual activities, leaving us to simply go through the motions of attending church and reading the Bible? Where did we go wrong? How can we find our way back?

There are four primary detours that throw us off course in our Christian walk. They are designed by the enemy to keep us restless and to steal our peace and joy. The first detour is an unwillingness to confront our weaknesses. We all have weaknesses which cause us pain. We may have a physical weakness that has led us to depression. We may have a moral weakness that leads us into sin. We may have a character flaw or a lack of spiritual discipline. Whatever our weaknesses are—whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual—they can lead to discontentment if we do not apply God's grace to those areas.

Paul wrote, "But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9). If we find that God's grace is not sufficient for us, then that insufficiency is signaling a problem—either we are focusing too much on the problem itself and not on God's grace, or we are ignoring our weaknesses altogether. As Paul explains, the secret to dealing with weaknesses is to trust in God's grace, allowing Him to give us victory in those areas.

Another dangerous detour to contentment is legalism. Legalism elevates our rules to the same importance as God's commandments, whether the rules are moralistic guidelines, worship etiquette, or additional conditions to salvation. Yet no matter how well-intentioned these manmade rules may be, they are inferior to God's commandments. When we follow our faulty human thinking instead of God's perfect ways, we will find ourselves headed for discontentment. We can never live up to our own harsh standards, and every time we fail we lose another piece of our joy. Only God's grace gives us the peace of salvation—not God's grace plus our church attendance or our charitable activities or who we associate with. Jesus did it all on the cross. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8, 9).

The pitfall of pride can also lead us away from contentment. Pride lurks at the core of our weaknesses. Pride deceptively presents itself as righteousness when in reality it is self-serving. Pride hinders our prayers as we lose focus on bringing glory to God in all things. Pride arrogantly shifts our confidence in God to confidence in ourselves. Yet as imperfect humans, we will fail ourselves. Our focus on ourselves will only lead to discontentment. The Bible tells us, "But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'" (James 4:6).

A fourth detour from contentment is a lack of generosity. Even when life grows financially difficult, a generous person can remain joyful. God wants us to give out of love and gratitude to Him, not out of obligation or for the sake of appearances. God is concerned with the heart of our giving.

The gospel of Mark gives us an example of generous and wholehearted giving. "Jesus…watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins…Jesus said, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on'" (Mark 12:41-44).

Have you experienced a detour in your Christian walk? Are you allowing your weaknesses to drive you further from God? Has a legalistic mindset shifted your focus from God's grace to manmade rituals and rules? Are you allowing pride to determine your own path? Has your generosity crumbled? Seek God's forgiveness today for whatever has caused you to stumble in your relationship with Him. Ask for His help to overcome that roadblock and to lead you back toward contentment in Him alone.

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ."
Philippians 3:7

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We are Leading The Way for people living in spiritual darkness, at home and around the world, to discover the light of Christ as we passionately proclaim uncompromising Truth. Visit us today at www.leadingtheway.org

Listen to Michael Youssef on Today's Broadcast of "Leading The Way" at OnePlace.com