Daily Devotion (Monday, August 3rd - Friday, August 7th)

Monday

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. --Acts 8:5

Acts 8 tells us that Philip went to Samaria. We may read that in passing and not think much of it. But it actually brings out an important point.

Philip went to where people were. Here was a man overcoming his natural prejudice to bring the gospel to a group of people he would not even have communicated with under normal circumstances.

The Samaritans and the Jews hated each other. That is why, when Jesus asked the woman at the well for a drink, she said to Jesus, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?"
Yet Philip went down to Samaria. He was not going to let prejudice keep him from bringing the message to someone who needed to hear it. He put those things aside.

That is a reminder that there is no room for bigotry, no room for prejudice, and no room for bias in the life of the child of God.

It also reminds us that we should not try to communicate only with people who look just like us. We may be more comfortable talking to someone who is basically our equal in age, gender, economic background, race, or whatever. But God wants us to take the gospel to all people.

They may be younger. They may be older. They may be of a different race or background. It doesn't matter. Everyone needs Jesus.

There is another thing. Philip was essentially watering seeds that Jesus had sown a few years earlier. When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman, she came to faith and went out and told others. Now Philip was laboring in the same area.

It reminds us that the process of conversion happens through reaping and sowing, often over a period of years.


Tuesday

"Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown" (Num 22:27-31).

Have you ever wanted something so badly that your perception of the situation became distorted? We can force situations so much that we lose perspective.

The Israelites were defeating all their enemies in the Promised Land. Balak, the king of Moab, feared that they would be defeated by the Israelites. Balaam was a prophet of the Lord in whom Balak knew had the power to bless or curse a nation. So, he sent a delegation to get Balaam to curse the nation of Israel. Balaam wanted to do this for a nice fee that would come with his cooperation. However, God was not pleased. "But God said to Balaam, 'Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed'" (Num 22:12).

Balaam was not being obedient to the Lord because he proceeded with his plan. And this was displeasing to the Lord. God sent an angel to stop him and would it not have been for his "talking donkey" he would have been killed by the angel.

In the workplace, we can become driven to achieve. Corporate pressure drives executives to make decisions that can impact many people. We become deceived by the need to succeed at any cost in our venture.

In order to achieve Godly success, we must be sensitive to those around us who can give input to the direction we may be taking. God will confirm His direction in our lives if we are willing to accept input from those around us. It can come through a spouse, a co-worker, a boss, a secretary or any other person. Be aware of situations that encourage you to press too hard for a particular outcome.

Achieving goals should be a result of following the actions you believe God leads you to take. Let results become a fruit of your strategic actions.


Wednesday

He has planted eternity in the human heart...--Ecclesiastes 3:11

There are four things we should know about every person on this earth. No matter how successful they are, how unsuccessful they are, how famous they are, how beautiful and handsome they are, or how unattractive and plain they may be, everyone shares these four traits.

One, there is an essential emptiness in every person who hasn't yet come to Christ. Everyone is essentially empty. No matter how much money or prestige someone has, everyone has to deal with that emptiness.

Scripture says that God made His creation subject to vanity or emptiness, meaning there is a void--a hole, if you will--inside every man, woman, and child.

Two, people are lonely. We can assume there is a sense of loneliness in every individual. Albert Einstein once wrote, "It is strange to be known so universally and yet be so lonely." People are lonely. We need to know that.

Three, people have a sense of guilt. They may try to mask it with alcohol or have a psychologist or psychiatrist tell them it is not there. But they have to deal with their guilt over the things they have done wrong.

The head of a mental institution in London once said, "I could release half of my patients if I could find a way to relieve them of their sense of guilt."

Four, people are afraid to die. Some may strut around and say, "Not me. I'm not afraid to die." But they are.

So don't be so intimidated by the facades that people hide behind and assume they don't want to hear what you have to say about your faith in Christ.

Remember, you used to be one of those people. And we responded to the gospel. So will they.


Thursday

"If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success" (Eccl 10:10).

Manufacturing companies live and die by the ability of its designers, engineers, and staff to bring new products to market quickly. Yet for many organizations, a team's capacity to turn promising ideas into new revenue is diminished because of fragmented business processes, a geographically dispersed workforce, and a lack of standards across the supply chain according to an industry expert on innovation in technology.

We live in an information age where the level of knowledge is increasing at warp speed. The way you did things two years ago may not be the same way you do it today. The knowledge you have two years ago may not be adequate to compete in the global marketplace today. Businesses have gone bankrupt because they were not willing to change with the times. Have you seen a Polaroid camera lately? Do you know someone over sixty years old who chose not to learn about computers? The world passes by such people because they are unwilling to "sharpen their ax."

God calls every workplace believer to model four key attributes: 1) Excellence, 2) Ethics and Integrity, 3) Extravagant Love and Service, and 4) Signs and Wonders.

The first quality of a Christian worker should be excellence. Excellence does not just mean the way we do our jobs, but it also means staying abreast of how we do our jobs. God desires to reveal His innovations in His creation. You will not compete in the marketplace today unless you make a commitment to stay abreast of innovation. This too is good stewardship.

How is your "workplace ax"? Does it need sharpening? What are the areas in your working life that need to be sharpened? What innovation is needed to insure that you will be the "head, not the tail" in your workplace calling? Begin today to evaluate action steps you may need to take to have a very sharp "ax".


Friday

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline" (2 Tim. 1:7).

Fear is the enemy of faith. Fear is bondage. Satan wants us to live in bondage to the past and even the future, but God wants us to live in the freedom of His love and power in the present. As Paul wrote, "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, 'Abba, Father'" (Rom. 8:15).

In order to be the leaders God calls us to be, we must conquer our fear and put it to death. This is a spiritual battle, and it can only be won with spiritual weapons. We must replace our fear with the peace that surpasses understanding. As Jesus told His followers, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

As the apostle Paul told the persecuted Christians in Rome, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet" (Rom. 16:20). The God of peace is our conquering King; the peace of God is our weapon against fear and Satan. Before going to the cross, Jesus told His disciples, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid" (John 14:27).

Fear is a natural response to obstacles, adversity and failure, but peace is the supernatural response that God gives us by His grace. Just as Jesus had authority over the wind and waves, He has authority over the storms in our lives. He has authority over our doubts, fears and shame.

Doubts, fear and shame are the weapons of Satan, but Jesus stands against Satan's fury and says with authority, "Peace, be still." The peace of God shatters the weapons of Satan and sends our enemy fleeing.

Appropriate the peace God has already provided for you today.