HillThread ~ Supporting Missions

Matthew 25:25
“I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.”

If you weren’t afraid of failing, what would you attempt today?

In Matthew 25:14-30, a wealthy businessman entrusted his entire estate to 3 key workers. He gave the first worker 5 talents, the second worker 2 talents, and the third worker 1 talent.

A talent is believed to be worth about 1 year’s salary. Knowing that helps us understand exactly how marvelous of an opportunity this was for the workers. It was a defining moment in their lives that gave them the chance to:
1. test their skills
2. practice good judgement
3. profit from their investment

Two of the workers accomplished all three of these things, but the third was afraid of failing his master. In his fear, he decided t play it safe and bury the money he was given. Playing it safe got him called wicked and lazy. (Matthew 25:26)

Fear of failure always makes us play it safe. Without the courage to start, we are already finished. Everyone will either overcome their fears or give into them.

Refuse to let fear stop you from making God a return on His investment. His investment is YOU. How we use the gifts that Go has given us is a matter of utmost importance. We all could use a little reckless faith.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”

1 John 3:16-20
16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

John 15:9-15
9 “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. 10 When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! 12 This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. 13 There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

True love requires sacrifice. It’s true. To truly give of your love, you must be willing to sacrifice for it. According to the dictionary, the word sacrifice means “destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else”. In Other words, to give up something.

Sacrifice, that’s kind of a hard word for most of us. Really, it’s a word we don’t like to use all that often. We don’t want to sacrifice much, not money, not time, not our possessions, and not our lives. To truly understand what sacrifice is, and what it would look like in our lives, we have to consider what God sacrificed for us. Stop and think for a moment. Stop and just thank Jesus for being the ultimate sacrifice for us. Without Christ, we are nothing (John 15:6). He paid it all so we could be free. Take time right now to praise and worship Him for His most excellent sacrifice.

One of my favorite songs from Third Day is Offering. Here are a couple lyrics that penetrate my heart:

“Who am I that You should suffer
Your very life to set me free
The only thing that I can give You
Is the life You gave to me

This is my offering, dear Lord
This is my offering to You, God
And I will give You my life
For it’s all I have to give
Because You gave Your life for me”

Have you sacrificed your life and they way the world tells you to live? Have you declared to God that you will live your life in obedience to Him who died for you?

Related Text:
2 Corinthians 5:15
“And Jesus died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.”

Philippians 3:20
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Imagine for a moment that you are standing in a room with about 10 of your closest friends. You have shared good times and escaped death with these companions. You have spent the last three years with these people on a journey of learning, teaching, and service. But the person whom you have been following during this time was just arrested and put to death. You’re terrified that soldiers will knock down the door at any moment and arrest and kill you as well.

Then, all of a sudden, Jesus is standing before you, wounds and all. He tells you that He must leave you to be with God in heaven, but will return for you. You begin thinking about all that He taught you, all that He instructed you to do. You remember all of His instructions about love and forgiveness and obedience. You see Him ascend into heaven, and you begin counting the days, waiting for Him to return. You’re excited about His return, and you travel to the ends of the earth living your life to tell others about Him. Nothing else matters except spreading this news!

I know that we are hundreds and hundreds of years removed from the time when Jesus walked on this earth with His disciples. But what if we lived our lives truly believing that He could return at any moment.

Jesus describes it this way in Mark 13. He says it is like a master leaving his household for a journey, and leaving his servants in charge with certain instructions. The servants do not know when the master will return, but they will stay on alert and continue to be obedient, fulfilling the master’s instructions until the day of his return.

If we took Jesus at His word and lived our lives 100% believing He could return at any moment, how would our lives be different? Would we be concerned with a better job or a better car, or a bigger house? Sure, we can always find reasons to be concerned about stuff like that and convince ourselves that it’s very important. But when was the last time you were concerned about being obedient to God? When was the last time you were more concerned about your neighbor who doesn’t know Jesus than about getting the new slimmer LED tv and upgrading to HD? Don’t get defensive, but please humbly realize that stuff has a way of taking our focus away form Jesus.

So many of us have lost our intensity to live for God. Or, maybe we never had any intensity. Maybe the reason we’re lost our passion is because we’re so far removed from the time Jesus walked on this earth.I beg you to take inventory of your life. Recognize why you do what you do. Are you living in obedience to God? Live like children of God, live as though you are a citizen of heaven and heirs to God’s promise with Christ! Return to God, and live your life for Him who died for you. (2 Corinthians 5:15)

Related Text:
Philippians 3 (entire chapter, it’s great!!)

2 Chronicles 20:12
“We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”

I don’t have a twelve step program, but here’s seven steps that have often helped me when seeking God’s guidance:

1. Clear the channel. Repent and receive forgiveness. Sin hinders communication with God. Confession and repentance show our willingness to set aside our selfishness and be open to God.

2. Be patient. “Don’t be impatient. Wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27: 14) “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” (Psalm 25:3) Don’t give in to self-generated urgency. Wait for God to open doors and direct your path.

3. Be aware of and beware of external pressures. These usually result from our present circumstances, or from those who are trying to impose their agendas on us. Sift all advice through God’s Word.

4. Watch out for internal pressures. These can be triggered by fear or loss or exaggerated expectations. Don’t try to manifest God’s direction on your own.

5. Persist in prayer. “Pray all the time.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) God’s goal is to mold us into His Son’s likeness, and prayer is one of His tools. Prayer is not for God’s benefit, it is for our benefit, development, and maturity. He already knows what we should do; and as we persevere in prayer, He will reveal it to us at just the right moment.

6. Search the scriptures. Read, study, and digest God’s Word. It is and will always be an unfailing source of guidance and wisdom. It cuts through the clutter in your life and helps you to filter out what is not of God.

7. Wait for peace. “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other.” (Colossians 3:15) Peace is the deciding factor after going through the other steps. Peace is the verification that we are making the right decision, don’t proceed without it and don’t lie to yourself about it. You’ll know when you have it.

Related Text:
Acts 17:11

Genesis 9:16
“Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”

When Noah preached about the coming rain, it was a symbol of blessings.

After the flood, God said, ” . . . and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth. Then God said to Noah, ‘Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.’” Genesis 9:15-17

When God turns something that should have destroyed you into a blessing, you’ll be able to look back and say, “The suffering, even though it was horrible, did me some good. It taught me to pay attention to God.”

Without suffering, we would never discover:
1. that isolation creates determination and makes us lay hold of God
2. the power of prayer
3. what God can accomplish in the face of adversity
4. that God alone brings us through suffering

Suffering will come, but after the rain comes the rainbow! God has a way of turning suffering into blessing.

Related Text:
Psalm 119:71
“My suffering was good for me,
for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.”

Habakuk 2:3
“If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed.”

God sometimes post-dates His promises.

He takes His time getting us fully prepared for our destiny, even when we feel we’re more than ready. We may think God’s promises and plans for our lives are delayed, but they are only delayed according our time; God’s timing is perfect. This tends to be one of the hardest things for us as Christians to wrap our heads around: Completely trusting in God that His plans and His TIMING are perfect.

God finds some of His most useful people in some of the worst places. He found Gideon hiding in a cave and He found Rahab working in a brothel. But no matter where He finds us, He can always use us if we are willing to follow His direction.

Is that where you are? Have you been asking God why are you stuck where you are when your passions are somewhere else? Joshua was stuck for a time. He went to scout the Promised Land, and when he and Caleb came back to the Hebrews, they were met with opposition and unwillingness to trust God. (Numbers 13-14)

Don’t despair! As hard as it may be, trust in God. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” – Philippians 1:6

Related Text:
Psalm 36:7 “How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.”

1 Kings 18:43
“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked.
“There is nothing there,” he said.
Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

As he prayed for rain, Elijah sensed something in his spirit that he wasn’t seeing with his eyes.  When he told his servant to look toward the sea, Elijah kept getting the same report over and over, “nothing”.  Then, “The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” (1 Kings 18:44)

When you pray (and we’re talking about a strong prayer life here), God will often show you the direction that His answer is going to come from.  But, first you have to:

1.  Stop being influenced by others who don’t share your vision.  ”Can two people walk together
without agreeing on the direction?” (Amos 3:3)  Allowing yourself to be influenced by those aren’t in sync with you spiritually can cost you dearly.

2.  Disregard conflicting voices.  Elijah tuned out everyone except God.  Learn to tune out the voices of fear, confusion, and doubt.  Look to God for your direction; He has given us guidance in the Holy Spirit, our counselor and guide.

Today, if there is a storm in your spirit, don’t ignore it.  Seek God’s direction and remove the outside influences that are not from God.  Know that God is with you and He will direct you.

Related Text:
Matthew 6:25-34

1 Kings 18:41
“Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Up on your feet! Eat and drink—celebrate! Rain is on the way; I hear it coming.’”

Are you going through a dry spell?  Are you busy encouraging others, while your own life seems to be falling apart?  Maybe work or school has got you down, or maybe you’re facing some unexpected health concerns or family problems.

This is what happened to Elijah; the man who earlier called down fire from heaven suddenly found himself in the middle of a full-blown famine.  So what did he do?  He prayed. (1 Kings 18:42)

Elijah chose to:
1.  isolate himself for a while, shutting out his surroundings and distractions
2.  focus only on what God was saying
3.  keep praying

And when he did, the Bible says that he said, “I hear it coming.”  What Elijah sensed inside was completely contrary to what was happening outside.  His spirit sensed the rain before a single drop fell from the sky.

God speaks to our spirit, not our flesh. and what He says there is more real than anything around us.

When you know that God has promised you a certain thing, you must tune out all the negativity around you, reject your doubts and keep believing in God.

Related Text:
Hebrews 12:1-3

John 15:13-15
“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Friendship with God is maintained through continual study and meditation of God’s Word. It is impossible to be God’s friend apart from knowing what He says. We cannot love God unless we know Him, and knowing Him is possible only through spending time with Him in prayer and spending time in His Word. “He revealed Himself to Samuel through His word.” (1 Samuel 3:21)

Gos still uses the same method.

While we cannot literally spend time all day reading our Bibles. We have school and work and daily responsibilities that require our attention. But we can think about His Word throughout the day, recalling verses we have read or memorized, mulling them over in our minds, understanding how we can apply them to our daily lives. This is meditation. Meditation isn’t some difficult, mysterious ritual practiced thousands of years ago; it is focused thinking and it is a skill that anyone can accomplish.

Thinking about a problem over and over again is called worrying, thinking about God’s Word over and over again is called meditation. If you’ve ever worried about something, then you know how to meditate. simply change the focus from the problem to the solution. The more we spend time with God, the less we have to worry about. The more we meditate and study God’s Word, the more we will understand it.

To cultivate a friendship with God, start by practicing conversation with Him and continually meditating on His Word.

Related Text:
John 15:5-12
“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. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

9″As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

Galatians 1:10

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”

We remain locked in a prison of our own making until we quit trying to please those who disapprove of us. To many of us have made it our life’s work to change somebody else’s opinion of us. For some reason, we get determined beyond all logical reasoning to prove to them that we are valuable.

Never allow someone else’s approval of you to become your goal. The truth is that some folks may never like you, they may never (for reasons unknown) see your good qualities.

Any time we try to please someone who rejects or abuses us, we put ourselves into bondage to them. They have the upper hand; they have the control in the relationship. By saying either in words or in actions, “You were right to hit me, to hurt me, to say that about me, to leave me,” you are tying yourself up with their opinion of you rather than resting in God’s opinion of you. Furthermore, when their opinion of you becomes your opinion, you have built a prison inside your soul with yourself as the lone captive.

Let us have such a close relationship with out Savior that everyone else’s opinion about us comes in a very distant second, or even third. May we live our lives focused on Jesus instead of focusing on winning the approval of those around us. To deal effectively with others, we must be able to work alongside them without allowing ourselves to be controlled by their moods, or governed by their opinions of us. Most of all we must not let their views of us become the basis for your self-image. We MUST believe that God’s opinion of us is all that matters.

Related Text:

Hebrews 12:2

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”