An Ordinary Life

How would you define your life, ordinary or extraordinary?

Dwight L. Moody was a poorly educated, unordained, shoe salesman who felt God's call to preach the gospel. Early one morning he and some friends gathered in a hay field for a season of prayer, confession, and consecration. His friend Henry Varley said, "The world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him."

Moody was deeply moved by these words. He later went to a meeting where Charles Spurgeon was speaking. In that meeting Moody recalled the words spoken by his friend, "The world had yet to see!...with and for and through and in!...A man!" Varley meant any man! Varley didn't say he had to be educated, or brilliant, or anything else. Just a man! Well, by the Holy Spirit in him, he'd be one of those men. Then suddenly, in that high gallery, he saw something he'd never realized before. It was not Mr. Spurgeon, after all, who was doing that work; it was God. And if God could use Mr. Spurgeon, why should He not use the rest of us, and why should we not all just lay ourselves at the Master's feet and say to Him, "Send me! Use me!"

D.L. Moody was an ordinary man who sought to be fully and wholly committed to Christ. God did extraordinary things through this ordinary man. Moody became one of the great evangelists of modern times. He founded a Bible college, Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, which sends out men and women trained in service for God.

You may consider yourself just an ordinary man or woman, GOOD! God wants to do extraordinary things through your life. Today, believe that God will do great things in you and through you for His Kingdom.

Kings and God's Favor

The following message comes from John Garfield's Releasing Kings newsletter Even though it's rather lengthy, it's a great read and will help your walk with God.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. Genesis 6:8-9

Finding Favor - Finding God's favor is not a great mystery available only to a few. It's for you too. Noah had three ingredients that brought the favor of God (Genesis 6:8-9)

1. He was righteous - right standing with God. Maybe not perfect, but forgiven

2. Blameless among the people - He was honest, likable, productive... a good citizen

3. He walked with God - not "for God"; not "followed God"; but "with God"

Walking "With" God - Most of us have a vague sense that God is far to busy to go for a walk with us. We also think of "His ways as far above our ways" so that he wouldn't be interested in any of our inputs - we're just supposed to hear, trust, and obey. Our obedience language is couched in the priority of "following he leading of the Holy Spirit." Folks like Noah and Moses did serve and obey, but their relationship went a lot farther.

Walking with God implies a knowledge of what He's doing and engaging our initiative in co-laboring with Him to make it happen. The reason most people miss out on this level is because they are passive... they assume they should wait until God tells them what to do.

I often hear the phrase, "I don't know what God's doing?" The answer is nothing! He's waiting for you to do something. He does have a plan and he moves to empower us as soon as we get on board and implement the details for our area of responsibility. Walking with God is a lot different than waiting on God. One works and sees fruit; the other sits and wonders why God doesn't move.

Presumption - Until recently, I've carried a large concern over getting ahead of God and falling into presumptuous sin. The classic sermon illustration is: Abraham and Sarah don't see the promise of Abraham's offspring multiplying like the stars of heaven so Sarah volunteers Hagar and they make something happen. Now I've always heard that this was one of the onerous sins of presumption committed in scripture. But listen to what God has to say about it. Although it was God's plan to extend the covenant through Isaac, he also blesses Ishmael (the product of their initiative). I'm not saying Sarah had a great idea; I'm only suggesting that God didn't categorize it as sin. In fact, he seems to expand the tent of covenant blessing to include Ishmael.

Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her." 10 The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." Gen 16:9-10 NIV

And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. Genesis 17:19-20 NIV

Bottom line - God loves your initiative and willingness to co-labor with his vision so much that a few mistakes don't really bother Him. On the other hand, doing nothing does bother Him... he doesn't put his favor on passive people.

Jacob's Initiative - Jacob and his mother push initiative to ethical outer limits in contending for the favor of God. However, God's judgment ends up more on Esau than Jacob. Again, God loves those that cooperate with his plan even in their imperfections.

Jacob was also the one that wrestled all night seeking the favor of God (Genesis 32:26-30). We're a little fuzzy on who it was, but Jacob clearly thinks it was God himself. Here's the crux of the question, "Do you want God's favor enough to wrestle Him for it?" The answer is what separates those that have God's favor from those that are waiting for it.

Moses - Moses takes this amazing initiative even farther. In Exodus 32-34 God is so mad at the Israelites he's ready to start over again with just Moses. However, Moses took the liberty to "seek the favor of God" and... reasoned Him out of it. That's a pretty high level of partnership in walking with God. It didn't happen once either; it happened several times. Intercession can change certain aspects of God's intent.

Kings Walk with God - Here's what people that have a significant level of God's favor on their lives look like. They don't subscribe to "God helps those who help themselves." What they really believe is "God helps those that help Him build the Kingdom." Once they understand the big picture of what God is doing, they jump in with both feet and try everything at their disposal to make it happen.

Moses' mother didn't just throw him in the river. She put him in a water-proof basket where pharaoh's wife would find him under the watchful eye of his sister... who recommend mom for wet nurse duty. Hi level of initiative and it worked!

Joseph didn't just wait for God's deliverance. He used every natural and spiritual gift at his disposal to work his way up to effect the plan of God. It wasn't an accident of God's providence; it was everything Joseph could do plus God's anointing.

Hezekiah became ill and Isaiah prophesied his death in no uncertain terms (thus saith the Lord). Amazingly, however, Hezekiah still appeals to God for 15 more years and before Isaiah has left the court he returns to reverse his prophecy (2Kgs 20).

David prayed that Bathsheba's child would not die because he knew there was a possibility God might extend mercy. The Lord didn't answer David's prayer but that didn't keep a man after God's own heart from asking.

Our initiative has far more influence over circumstances and God than we've realized. You already know what God is doing... building his Church, the great commission, releasing Kings, etc. The next question is, "What are you doing?" and God is the one asking.

Help From The Holy Spirit

We've been given the Holy Spirit for a definite purpose, he will help us in our everyday lives.

Os Hillman recently told this story of a friend from Nigeria who is a lawyer.

My lawyer friend from Nigeria tells a personal story of how he was preparing for an important case. He knew that he must be prepared to argue five separate points. He was to appear before his country's supreme court, so it was a very important case.

As he neared the time in which he was to go to court, he began to pray about how he was to argue the case. He spent much time in legal preparation and intercessory prayer. As he went to court, the Spirit spoke to him and said, "Do not argue point one, point two, point three, or point four. Only argue point five." Imagine my friend's struggle of faith. If he were reading this wrong, the shame and professional fallout would be devastating.

The time had come to present the case before the judge when my friend said, "Judge, I wish to withdraw points one through four. I wish to argue only point five."

The opposing counsel stood up and objected. "Your honor, he cannot do that!"

"Objection overruled, counsel," said the judge.

My friend went on to present his case around point five only, and then sat down. When the opposing counsel stood to present his case, he stood speechless for 12 minutes. He could not get a word out of his mouth. He finally mumbled a few words and complained to the judge that he was going to have to yield. It seems that the opposing counsel had prepared to argue only points one through four, but failed to prepare for point five. The judge ruled in favor of my friend.

The Holy Spirit wants to help us in the physical realm of our work life. Religion tries to separate the secular from the spiritual but real Christianity is Christ in you, everyday, all day. Acknowledge His presence and tap into the Holy Spirit's incredible power as a resource.

God in the Marketplace

A real move of God is taking place in the workplace today, yet a great divide exists between our understanding of "sacred and secular."

A lot of people who attend local churches do not consider themselves in "full-time ministry" and believe that what they do out in the workplace during the week is somehow "inferior" and "less spiritual" than local church involvement. This misunderstanding is perpetuated by pastors and leaders of churches who only consider those who are salaried by the church as "full-time ministers". How unfortunate because it hinders roughly 95% to 98% of the body of Christ from reaching their destiny as ministers of the Gospel.

Yet God is up to something. Dr. Henry Blackaby says "God is marshalling His people in the workplace as never before in history. The next spiritual awakening could take place in the marketplace."