Epraize

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak (Jeremiah 1:7 NKJV).
 
Jeremiah told God, ‘…I cannot speak, for I am a youth.’ (v6 NKJV) Sound familiar? Have you been saying, ‘I don’t have what it takes’? God told Jeremiah, ‘Do not say, I am a youth, for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you…’ (vv 7-8 NKJV) When actors audition for a part, the director conducts what are known as ‘callbacks’.

At that point the actor either gets the part or it goes to somebody else. But when an actor is experienced and well-known, sometimes the director offers them the part without them even auditioning for it. Understand this: God doesn’t do auditions and callbacks! That’s because He’s already designed a role for you that nobody else could fill. Even if others were to study you endlessly they still couldn’t be you. When God says, ‘I know you by name and you have found favour with Me’ (Exodus 33:12 NIV), be careful about responding to any other call except the one that comes from Him. The Importance of Waiting

Since God designed you with all the built-in qualifications you need, you don’t have to compromise your convictions, manipulate, drop names or do special favours. The part is yours! And don’t be jealous or intimidated by anybody else no matter how talented they are. In God’s eyes there are no other contenders; you’re it! You’re the only one who can fill the slot because He created it with you in mind. When you feel insecure and unqualified, remind yourself of that.

Do you remember Rosa Parks, the black woman who refused to surrender her seat to a white man and move to the back of the bus? There was more at stake that day than just a ride home from work. By simply being herself, Rosa suddenly moved to centre stage. She wasn’t playing games. She was the real thing, and God shone a light on her soul that day that changed history.

That’s how it works: when God’s light shines on your efforts, little becomes much. Jesus said that everyone ‘who learns to be humble will find promotion.’ (Matthew 23:12 PHPS) Now, since God is the only One who knows when your time will come, you must be prepared. ‘How do I do that?’ you ask. The Bible answers: ‘…don’t be proud. Put yourselves under God’s mighty hand. Then He will honour you at the right time.’ (1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV) Allow the Holy Spirit to be your agent and advance man. Don’t get ahead of Him. Just be faithful; when the time is right God will shine His spotlight on the next stage and assign you an even bigger role. Learn to Say 'Enough!'

And when the moment comes for you to stride confidently into the spotlight and fulfil your God-given role, try to remember that there’s no room for self-importance and pretence. This moment calls for: stripping away all lesser roles you’ve acted out and settled for; discovering who you are and what your life is really about; depending totally on God to help you give the most authentic performance of your career.

In God’s Kingdom, centre stage is not for those who think they’ve got their act together and deserve public recognition. Nor is it limited to those in leadership and public ministry. It’s a call to action, to you, whoever and wherever you are today. When you trust God’s timing He grooms you for bigger and better parts. But there are some things you must, and must not do:

(1) Don’t try to make it on your own. Popular wisdom says, ‘Fake it till you make it,’ and you’ll be tempted to debut in your own strength. Don’t do it! If you do, you will get in the way of a much greater production. The Bible says: ‘Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it.’ Trust God, and when your moment comes He will give you your cue. Share Your Life

(2) the shadows. Are you ready to transform ‘acting’ into an authentic performance that reveals the real you? Fear of rejection is powerful. It takes courage to be yourself. But you gain strength from the struggle and power from the pain when you are willing to risk moving from the shadows into the light.

(3) Confront your inner critic. We are all subject to the little voice within that says, ‘You’ll never be smart enough, rich enough, pretty enough or good enough to stand in the spotlight.’ But when God raises you up, nobody can put you down. So remind your inner critic of God’s promise: ‘…You shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.’ (Jeremiah 1:7 NKJV)

More Reading: Deuteronomy 10:12-21, Colossians 2:9-15,Psalm 136:1-12, Proverbs 6:30-31

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:6 NIV)

Why did God say to Joshua, ‘Be strong and of good courage’? For four reasons:
(1) For Joshua‘s own sake. God had a lot invested in Joshua; the future of an entire nation rested on his shoulders. And since God has a lot invested in you too, you must believe that it’s His will for you to succeed. If you grew up in a family or church where you felt unworthy of God’s favour and unentitled to His blessing, you must reprogramme your mind with the Scriptures. ‘…then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.’ (Joshua 1:8 NKJV)

(2) For the Lord‘s sake. God told Joshua, ‘…do not be afraid…for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’ (Joshua 1:9 NKJV) God’s reputation was on the line. The nations in Canaan had heard how He delivered the Israelites from slavery, drowned the Egyptian army in the Red Sea and fed His people with food from Heaven every day. Had Joshua failed to conquer the Promised Land it would have brought reproach to God’s name and made His people a laughing stock. The Lord had a bigger stake in Israel’s success than anyone else. His plan to bring forth the Messiah depended on their success. His desire was to turn a bunch of slaves into the greatest nation on earth-one that served the true and living God. And Joshua had a big part to play in it. Where did Joshua’s strength come from? This promise: ‘…the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’ (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
You Need Faith
 (3) For the sake of others. People are watching you. They want to know if you’ll face the situation with courage or buckle before it in fear. Your ability to demonstrate faith in the midst of difficulties will give them courage. The battle is not just about you, it’s about those God has planned to bless through you. You may not have money or fame, but you have influence. The attitudes you display and the decisions you make will influence your children and your grandchildren. You say, ‘But I am afraid.’ We all experience fear. But the Psalmist declared, ‘Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.’ (Psalm 56:3 NKJV)

(4) For your enemies’ sake. David wrote: ‘You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…’ (Psalm 23:5 NKJV) God will not only fight for you, He will vindicate you in the eyes of your critics. It’s good to have critics and competitors. Sometimes a foe can press you into victory where a friend cannot. Who would ever have heard of David, without Goliath? Who would have known about Moses, if there had been no Pharaoh oppressing God’s people? And what would have been known about Esther, without Haman’s evil plot against the Jews? What’s your dream? Is there an enemy standing between you and its fulfilment? Maybe God is waiting for you to confront them so they become an instrument in His hand to press you into your destiny.

In 1955 Rosa Parks was arrested in Alabama for refusing to give her seat on the bus to a white man. Boycotts and bloodshed followed until the US Supreme Court ruled segregation unconstitutional. Later Rosa wrote: ‘Knowing what must be done does away with fear. When I sat down on the bus that day I’d no idea history was being made, I was only thinking about getting home. But I had to make up my mind.

After many years of being a victim…not giving up my seat, and whatever I had to face afterwards, wasn’t important…I felt the Lord would give me the strength to endure whatever I had to face. It was time for someone to stand up-or in my case, sit down.’ Courage is displayed at unexpected moments; what you do in such moments can change you, and those around you. The story’s told of a spy who was sentenced to death by a general in the Persian Army. The general had a strange custom of giving condemned criminals a choice between the firing squad and ‘the big door’.
You Can Conquer Worry
When the general asked, ‘What will it be?’ the spy chose the firing squad. Turning to his aide the general said, ‘They always prefer the known to the unknown, yet, we gave them a choice.’ The aide asked, ‘What lies beyond the big door?’ The general replied, ‘Freedom.’ Then he added, ‘Few are brave enough to take that door.’ The dividing line between mediocrity and success is courage. That’s why David told his son Solomon upon ascending the throne: ‘Be strong and of good courage, and do it.’

More reading: Leviticus 21:1-23:25, Matthew 10:32-42, Psalm 104:24-35, Proverbs 3:11-12

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2 NIV).

Chuck Swindoll said, ‘We like to imagine ourselves a race of rugged individuals-the Patrick Henrys, Davy Crocketts and Lone Rangers. The truth is, we hate to appear different lest we be ostracised, branded fanatics and rejected. So, we conform. You’ll see it in the child eager to please; the adolescent aligning with peer pressure; the adult breaking their back to keep up with the Joneses.’

Just being different for its own sake is likely to be worthless, even counterproductive. What God wants from us is our willingness to be radically transformed. ‘Therefore, I urge you…to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ (Romans 12:1-2)

Here are two important observations to help you reach that goal:
 First: Transformation belongs to believers. The unbeliever can’t break the world’s control over them without Christ, but believers are promised: ‘…the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) God’s indwelling Spirit enables you to resist the world’s pressure to conform you to its ways. How To Activate God's Word

Secondly: God‘s appeal is urgent. ‘I urge you, brothers.’ Words like beg, plead, beseech are used in some translations because the appeal isn’t secondary or optional. It’s vital, a divine imperative! God is seeking for surrendered vessels that are ready to be transformed for His use. Are you willing to say, ‘Yes, Lord, use me!’

Transformation: 
(1) Requires personal sacrifice. It’s not easy, natural or automatic. It calls for becoming a ‘living sacrifice’. The problem with ‘living’ sacrifices is their tendency to keep escaping the altar, having to be led back repeatedly to be sacrificed again and again. Salvation is an instant, once-for-all experience, but there can be no instant, once-for-all ‘living sacrifice’.

It’s a day-by-day, moment-by-moment recommitment which means bringing our stubborn nature back to the altar, surrendering it to God as often as necessary. Don’t wait for your old nature to improve or to agree to die before concluding your sacrifice is truly genuine. And don’t let it discourage you in your battle for victory; your old nature and your regenerated spirit are mutual enemies, ‘…constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.’ (Galatians 5:17) Your job isn’t to obliterate the flesh but to crucify it each time it wants to take over, refusing to let it curtail or cripple your commitment to spiritual growth.

(2) Is a two–sided issue. ‘…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.’ (Romans 12:1) That involves a resolute decision of mind and will, because our bodies don’t surrender themselves. Until you deliberately choose to ‘offer your [body]…to God,’ your flesh will act unrestrained. ‘…Just as you…offer the parts of your body in slavery…to ever increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.’ (Romans 6:19) When you surrender to your lower impulses, you reap sin. When you surrender to God, you reap His blessing.  The Path To The Throne

What does it mean to give yourself fully to God?
(1) It‘s an act of worship. ‘Offer your bodies…this is your spiritual act of worship.’ (v1) Worship isn’t just attending Sunday service, singing praises and saying prayers. ‘…this people…honour Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me…’ (Isaiah 29:13) It calls for surrendering your heart to God twenty-four hours of every day; whether you’re alone or in a crowd, at work, enjoying recreation, spending family time, at school, on a date or just walking the dog. If your heart isn’t moving you, your behaviour will only be an act of reluctant compliance rather than one of joyful commitment. Surrendering to God isn’t a part-time thing done for your own benefit; it’s a full-time act of worship done for God’s benefit.

(2) It‘s a response to God‘s generosity. ‘…in view of God’s mercy…offer your bodies…’ (Romans 12:1) God doesn’t say, ‘If you don’t surrender I will punish you.’ There’s no arm twisting. You don’t submit through clenched teeth because of fear; no, it’s a response to a debt. Everything God asks is initiated by His giving. Your repentance is a response to His love. Your tithe is a response to His blessing. Your obedience is a response to His promises. God’s grace is never ‘a deal’, it’s the ‘free gift’ of His love to the undeserving. (Romans 5:18) Therefore ‘in view of’-as a rational response to-His mercy, ‘offer your bodies as living sacrifices.’ It’s your ‘reasonable service’ and it will be ‘acceptable to God.’

Each time we offer our bodies as ‘living sacrifices’ to God, our stubborn nature will rebel. But with Christ in control we can break its grip. ‘Do not conform…to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’ We have the option; be conformed or transformed! Deciding ‘I will not conform to the world’ leads to a transformed lifestyle. Your old nature naturally conforms, enslaving you to worldly influences.

JB Phillips’ translation says: ‘Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould.’ Conforming to the world’s values, like sensuality, pride, control etc, will rob you of the liberating power of Christ living in you, resulting in a recurring cycle of guilt, failure and discouragement. Choosing not to conform to this world is what opens the door to your transformation. Unlike conformity, which is externally initiated, your walk with God will become an outer expression of an inner change. MAKE USE OF TODAY

The tadpole’s life is transformed into the frog’s life, and the caterpillar’s into the butterfly’s. You become transformed from the inside out. How does it happen? ‘…greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) Add to your decision not to conform, your commitment to ‘the renewing of your mind’ which in Greek text means you think God’s thoughts instead of your old thoughts, then watch as a Holy Spirit-empowered transformation begins to take place in your daily life.

More Reading: Colossians 1:9-23, Matthew 9:14-26, Proverbs 3:1-2, Psalm 89:15-37

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).
As a parent you either accelerate or stifle your child’s giftedness. The Bible says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.’ (Proverbs 22:6) That doesn’t mean when you set your kids on the right path they’ll never leave it. No, salvation is the work of God (1 Corinthians 3:6). So what does this Scripture mean? The Amplified Bible says, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent]’. Note the word ‘bent’. The Benefits of Reading God's Word

As a parent you hold the bow, and your child is the arrow. So pray for God’s help in recognising your child’s strengths and giftedness and aim them ‘in the way [he or she] should go.’ The fact is God pre-wired your infant, pre-programmed your toddler’s strengths, set your teen on a trajectory, and then gave you an eighteen-year research project! So ask yourself, ‘What sets my child apart?’ Childhood tendencies often forecast adult abilities. Read them. Discern them. Affirm them. Cheerlead them.

Think about the life of Joseph. At seventeen he saw dreams and visions of himself as a leader (Genesis 37:2–10). And as an adult he interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh and ended up leading the nation (Genesis 40–41). As a boy David displayed two strengths: fighting and music. Later he killed a lion and a bear (1 Samuel 17:34–37). And he played skilfully on the harp (1 Samuel 16). Fighting and music dominated David’s adult life, and are largely what he’s remembered for today. So strive to understand, appreciate and channel your child’s uniqueness. You Need Faith

Raising your child ‘in the way he should go’ means being aware of:
(1) Their interests. John Ruskin said, ‘Tell me what you like, and I’ll tell you what you are.’ What do your children like? Numbers? Colours? Activities? The greatest gift you can give them isn’t your riches, but revealing to them their own.

(2) Their relationships. What statement best characterises your child?
a) ‘Follow me, everyone.’
b) ‘I’ll let you know if I need help.’
c) ‘Can we do this together?’
d) ‘Tell me what to do and I’ll do it.’
Don’t characterise loners as aloof, or crowd-seekers as arrogant. God designed them that way. What gives your child satisfaction and makes them say, ‘Yes’? Do they love the journey, or the destination? Do they like to keep things straight, or straighten things out? What thrills one child bothers another.

(3) Their environment. A cactus thrives under different conditions from a rosebush. What soil does your child grow in? Some love to be noticed while others prefer to hide in the crowd. Some do well taking tests, others excel in the subject but stumble when it comes to exams. Winston Churchill repeatedly failed tests in school, yet he changed history. We only excel when we’re in the right environment.  What Is a Parent To Do

(4) Their strengths. At two, Van Cliburn played a song on the piano as a result of hearing someone teaching in an adjacent room. His mother noticed, gave him lessons, and the kid from Kilgore, Texas, won the first International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow. Resist the urge to label your children before studying them, and ask God to help you understand their uniqueness.

More Reading: 2 King 13–15, Luke 20:9–26, Psalm 26, Proverbs 7:26–2

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).
A career is something you choose; a calling is something you receive. A career is something you do for yourself; a calling is something you do for God. A career promises status, money and power; a calling generally promises difficulty, suffering and the opportunity to be used by God. A career may end with retirement and lots of toys; a calling doesn’t end until you die.  Share Your Life

A career can be disrupted by any number of events, but God enables you to fulfil your calling even in the most difficult circumstances. For some people in Scripture obeying the call of God meant living in slavery, being captured and sent into exile, or being put to death. Their career trajectories didn’t look promising, yet they fulfilled their calling in extraordinary ways.

Chuck Colson had one of the highest profile careers in America. He had access to power and influence in the Nixon White House, yet he landed in prison. His career was over, but his calling was just beginning. He was called to reach others just like himself. He reflects: ‘The real legacy of my life was my biggest failure—that I was an ex-convict. My great humiliation—being sent to prison—was the beginning of God’s greatest use of my life; He chose the one experience in which I couldn’t glory [and used it] for His glory.’

In the providence of God, the end of your career can be the beginning of your calling. So whatever God has called you to do, the Bible says, ‘Give yourselves fully to the work … because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.’  The Secret of Lasting Happiness

You didn’t arrive on this planet with your calling pre-clarified and your gifts pre-developed. Discerning God’s calling usually involves attempts and failures. He called Samuel four times before he recognised the divine voice. Before Peter walked on the water he said, ‘Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’ (Matthew 14:28–29) And Jesus said, ‘Come.’

Here’s a lesson you can learn from this: You are not in charge of water-walking, Jesus is! It’s not about having power at your disposal to be used any time you choose, for whatever you please. Before you decide to get out of the boat you’d better be sure it’s what you’ve been called to—and that Jesus is the One calling you.

God’s looking for more than impulsiveness. Sometimes we make reckless decisions about relationships, finances or work, then rationalise them using the veneer of spiritual language. In many self-help books risk-taking is seen as commendable, but as a Christian the risks you take should be in direct response to God. If you’re a thrill-seeking personality, you may be particularly susceptible in this area. Accepting Yourself

 Boredom can make you vulnerable and tempt you to solve your problems by making rash decisions that are out of step with God’s will. There’s a fine line between ‘not being afraid’ and ‘being stupid’—one that’s easily blurred. Knowing when to step out of the boat and take a risk doesn’t just call for courage, it calls for wisdom to ask the right questions, discernment to recognise the Master’s voice and patience to wait until He says, ‘Come!’

Sometimes we view the call of God on our lives through rose-coloured glasses. But hearing His call isn’t the same thing as falling into your dream career. When God called Jeremiah to preach to a people who refused to listen, he cried so much he became known as ‘the weeping prophet’. Our first response to a God-sized assignment is generally—fear.

Henry Blackaby writes: ‘Some people say, “God will never ask me to do something I can’t do.” I’ve come to the place in my life that if the assignment I sense God giving me is something I know I can handle, I know it’s probably not from God. The kind of assignments God gives in the Bible are always God-sized. They’re beyond what people can do, because He wants to demonstrate His nature, His strength … and His kindness … to a watching world.’  Listen To God

Saying yes to God’s call often means putting in hours of effort when you’d rather not. And it doesn’t always reward you with the kind of recognition you’d hoped for. People may disapprove of what you’re doing and try to block you. For sure, it’ll involve trial and error and some false starts. And natural talent alone isn’t enough to honour your calling; you’ll need ideas, strength, and creativity beyond your own resources to do what God requires of you.

Paul says, ‘We are labourers together with God’ (1 Corinthians 3:9), because in order to succeed it has to be God and you doing it together. He doesn’t just call you to work for Him; He calls you to work with Him!

More Reading:  Mark 6:30–44 Deuteronomy 11–13, Matthew 8:18–27

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret (Proverbs 11:13)

When you gossip you’re like a loose cannon. Stop and try to imagine that. When a cannon is anchored and aimed in the right direction it can win the battle. But when it’s not, it can destroy everything in its path. And that’s what gossip does: ‘A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.’  Moving On to Maturity

The word ‘talebearer’ comes from the Hebrew word rakal, which means ‘to go about’; it’s likely derived from an old word meaning ‘merchant’. So a talebearer is someone who goes around peddling gossip! The story is told of a mother who was preparing dinner one evening when her little boy came running into the kitchen. ‘What has Mama’s little darling been doing all day?’ she asked. ‘I’ve been playing mailman,’ he replied. ‘Mailman?’ the mother wondered aloud. ‘How could you do that when you’ve no letters?’ He said, ‘Oh, I had a whole bunch of letters.’ Alarmed, she said, ‘What letters?’ Her son replied, ‘I found them all tied up with ribbon in an old trunk in the attic, and I put one in every mailbox on the street.’ Stop Being So Critical

 Even when you don’t intend harm, your words can start a chain reaction that devastates people’s lives and drives wedges. That’s why the Bible says, ‘A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.’ (Proverbs 16:28) Unless you’re sure that what you’re sharing in confidence will remain in confidence and result in good, don’t share it at all. And if you feel like you must talk to somebody, talk to the One who can do something about it—God!

More Reading: 2 Samuel 3:22–7:17, Matthew 26:26–35, Psalm 118:1–9