Time Alone With God
Dr. Tim Johnson
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?passage=2+Corinthians+8&NIV_version=yes&language=english&x=19&y=10">2
Corinthians 8
Day 1 | Day
2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
As you probably know by now, we
are entering into a capital stewardship campaign referred to as "The Call."
Over the next few weeks, we will be challenging all of us to pray a prayer
similar to this, "Lord what do You want to do through me to help Your church
fulfill Your purposes on earth?" This week's Time Alone With God will focus
on helping you prepare yourself for this large challenge.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=2+Corinthians++8%3A1-2&x=10&y=11">2
Corinthians (later referred to as 2 Cor.) 8:1-2
The Macedonians' poverty was due partly to
the hash treatment they had received from the Roman conquerors. The Romans had
exploited the rich natural resources of their land. Also, their poverty was due
to the succession of the civil wars which had been on their soil before Augustus
became the emperor.
Out of their poverty they gave to Paul's
Jerusalem relief fund, a collection to bring support to the impoverished mother
church in Jerusalem. The Macedonians didn't give out of their plenty; they
gave out of their poverty. Their joy welled up in rich generosity.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=2+Cor.+9%3A7">2
Cor. 9:7
God desires for us to give out of
a cheerful heart. In fact the word, "cheerful" literally means
"hilarious." I can never remember hearing any joyous laughter break out when
the offering bag has been handed out at any church I've been in. Of course I
know that this is a reference to the heart condition. But the point is that,
when we give, we need to give out of a heart full of gratitude and see it as a
privilege to give no matter what the amount is.
Questions to muse: Can you recall
a specific time when you gave of your resources with great joy? Why do you think
you enjoyed giving so much? Are you giving cheerfully now? What do you think God
would want to do in your life to create more joy in giving? What would it take
for you to enter into a deeper experience of cheerful giving?
At this particular point in the
process of "The Call", all we are asking is that you begin to prepare your
heart to hear from God. Instead of thinking of all the reasons why you can't
give, simply begin to pray, "Lord what do You want to do through me to help
Your church fulfill Your purposes on earth?"
Too many times we fall into a
false notion that only those who have excess time and money can make a
difference. That is a lie straight from the pit of hell! The evil one wants you
to believe that you have nothing to offer the Kingdom of God. Today, I believe
you will be touched as you read about the giving attitudes of those living in
Macedonia.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=2+Cor.+8%3A1-7">2
Cor. 8:1-7
Very
impressive don't you think? Did you notice how they gave?
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">First
they gave out the most severe trial. Usually when I am going through personal
trial, my thoughts are not usually of others, they are of
myself. Second, their attitude was
referred to as
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">overflowing joy! Once again, when life is tough for me,
my attitude is usually not joy, much less
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">overflowing joy! Re-read
verse 2. Their extreme poverty + severe trial + overflowing joy = rich
generosity. Personalize this for a moment. If you had the first two factors,
would the last factor be overflowing joy that manifested itself in rich
generosity?
I don't know about you, but I have come under
intense conviction as I have read these verses today! My attitude needs such an
adjustment to this kind of living. I tend to let circumstances determine my
level of joy and happiness.
Think about the kind of situation you are in
today. Regardless of the circumstances, are you thinking about the needs of
others or just yourself? Philip. 2:4-5
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Each of you should look not only to your own
interests, but also to the interests of others.
[5] Your attitude
should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Go back and re-read verse one. Paul said that
he wanted to make known to you the grace of God which was given in the
churches of Macedonia. He is reporting what happened to them as a result of
their willingness to be a part of the solution. They saw a need and did not find
all the excuses to meet that need, they simply gave what they could. In this
case, they gave out of their poverty and God's grace was experienced. Wow! I
am so far from that kind of response so much of the time.
Close your
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">Time Alone With God by asking Jesus to give you an opportunity to
invest in someone other than yourself today. Regardless of the difficulty of the
day facing you, make a conscious effort to have an attitude of
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">overflowing
joy which will manifest itself in
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">rich generosity!
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Will you pray this, "Lord what do You
want to do through me to help Your church fulfill Your purposes on earth?"
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Day
Three
Well, how was your attitude yesterday? Did you
choose to have overflowing joy in spite of your circumstances? This kind of
attitude does not come easily for me. I really have to force myself to focus on
the strength of Christ and not on the difficulty of the season. I want us to
continue to look at the incredible attitudes of the people who lived in
Macedonia.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=2+Cor.+8%3A3-7">2
Cor. 8:3-7
This group of people who were
struggling with their own problems saw the needs of others and not only gave of
what they had to meet those needs, they gave beyond their ability. Look again at
the way they saw the need they were meeting. Re-read verses 4-5. They
begged for an opportunity to have the privilege to meet the needs of someone
other than themselves! Amazing! How in the world did they get to the place where
the needs of others were more important than themselves? Re-read verse 5.
The foundation of their attitude was that they first gave themselves to the
Lord. What that means is that they had not neglected their relationship with
Christ. Their relationship with Him was a priority above all other
responsibilities and situations.
So, what difference does that mean in our daily
living? Proverbs 3:5-6
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Trust in the LORD with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding; [6] in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
will make your paths straight. Matthew
6:33But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things
will be given to you as well. Philip.
4:13,19 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. [19]
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> And my God will meet all your needs
according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
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yes">
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When you get to the place where you acknowledge Christ as "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">Lord/Leader" of your life, you begin to rest in peace knowing that
your life is in the hands of the Creator of the Universe, thus you have nothing
to worry about! Wouldn't you love to get to the place where you don't worry
about the difficult circumstances you are facing; but instead just rest in the
care of God? Just as the Macedonian people found that kind of peace, you too can
experience it. Read these next verses very slowly.
style="color:black">Matthew 11:28-30 "Are
you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and
you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest.
style="color: black; mso-text-raise: 3.0pt">29Walk
with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of
grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.
style="color: black; mso-text-raise: 3.0pt">30Keep
company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Msg)
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1 Peter 5:7
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares
for you.
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mso-vertical-align-alt:auto">
The key to getting to the place where you can minister to others in the
midst of your own problems is found in giving yourself to God first. When you
give all that you have to Him, God can begin to work in your life. Close your style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Time Alone With God by listing all the
pressures & stresses in your life right now (I think it would be worth your
time to actually list them even though you are thinking that you don't have
time to do it. Don't just say, "I'll
just make a mental list." Write them down, and then go back over the list
and one by one give them over to Jesus. Completely give up responsibility of
worrying over them and allow Him to meet those needs. Now, ask God to give you
sensitivity to those you will be around today. Pray for an opportunity to meet
some needs of others and conclude by praying, "Lord what do You want to do
through me to help Your church fulfill Your purposes on earth?"
style="text-indent:10.0pt;punctuation-wrap:hanging;
mso-vertical-align-alt:auto">
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Day
Four
Are you one of those people who have great
intentions, but seem to run out of time before you can carry through with them?
If so, this Time Alone With God will be just what you need. Enjoy hearing a word
from God to you today!
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=2+Cor.+8%3A8-12">2
Cor. 8:8-12
Ouch, did that hurt a bit? Verse 11
tells us that we are to finish what we start! Too many times we will begin
something that we know is the right thing to do, but when the normal pressures
of life hit us, we let go of some things that need to remain in our lives.
It's always easier to do what is comfortable and routine. The problem is that
many times what we have in our routine schedules can lead towards mediocrity.
The first step towards carrying out our good
intentions is to:
face="Arial">·
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Make sure that the intentions are God given. Ask God to convict
you of what your daily schedule is and see if He is pleased with it.
face="Arial">·
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Once you know what God has told you to do, prioritize your
schedule around those items. If you don't, you will not find time to do those
things. I read a booklet years ago called The Tyranny of the Urgent which
greatly convicted me of being urgent driven instead of priority driven.
face="Arial">·
style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal">
Make an action plan for each item that is a priority and set a
date as to when that will be carried out.
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Let someone know of your plans & ask them to hold you
accountable to get it done.
face="Arial">·
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Don't forget the old "Farmer Principle" Galatians
6:7-9 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> [8] The one who sows to please his
sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to
please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.
style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> [9] Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper
time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Paul simply wanted the Macedonian people to be very careful to carry out
their convictions.
face="Arial">2 Cor. 8:10-14 (NLT)
style="color:black">I suggest that you finish what you started a year ago, for
you were the first to propose this idea, and you were the first to begin doing
something about it. 11
style="color:black">Now you should carry this project through to completion just
as enthusiastically as you began it. Give whatever you can according to
what you have. 12
style="color:black">If you are really eager to give, it isn't important how much
you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you
don't have. 13
style="color:black">Of course, I don't mean you should give so much that you
suffer from having too little. I only mean that there should be some
equality. 14
style="color:black">Right now you have plenty and can help them. Then at some
other time they can share with you when you need it. In this way, everyone's
needs will be met.
As you pray "Lord what do You want to do
through me to help Your church fulfill Your purposes on earth?" you can be
assured that He will not call you to give what you don't have, but to give out
of what God has blessed you with. Also, there should be an attitude of
"we're in this together." That what the statement above means, "…
style="color:black">there should be some equality.
style="color:black">" The phrase we
are using is, "Not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice."
Paul reminds them that God looks
at the attitude of the gift as opposed to the amount. He desires that we meet
the needs of others out of our love for them, not because "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">we have to."
face="Arial">
face="Arial">Close your Time Alone With God by committing to carry out the 5 steps mentioned
above and to praying, "Lord what do You want to do through me to help Your
church fulfill Your purposes on earth?"
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal">Day
Five
Are we to give to meet the needs of others when
we ourselves are in great need? This is a great question that needs to be looked
at.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=2+Cor.+8%3A13-15">2
Cor. 8:13-15
Let me begin by stating that I do not believe
that just because there is a need around us that we are to meet that need
regardless of the circumstances. The context of your reading today will answer
this question (By the way, proper Bible study methods will always interpret
Scripture in light of the context of the setting.). The Macedonian church
had already revealed that they believed that God wanted them to meet this need
before them. As they met that need, reality hit them that they were
giving away resources that could be used at home. Now, what were they going to
do? Paul reminded them that God is the one Who meets their every need. If He
directed them to give to others, He could be counted on to meet their need. In
fact, the verse referenced in verse 15 is referring to God meeting the daily
needs of the Israelites while they were moving to the promised land (Exodus
16:18). God still promises to meet our needs.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole
tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in
this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room
enough for it. Matthew 6:31-33 So do
not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall
we wear?' [32] For the pagans run
after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> [33] But seek first His kingdom and His
righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Philip. 4:19
style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious
riches in Christ Jesus.
style="mso-spacerun: yes">
Really, the issue is trust is it not? Who/what are you trusting in to
meet all your needs? Whoever or whatever you are trusting in is your Leader.
Christ wants to be the leader of your life and has promised to meet all of your
needs if you will place Him as leader of your life.
Read
href="http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?language=english&version=NIV&passage=2+Cor.+8%3A16-24">2
Cor. 8:16-24
Focus on verses 20-21 again. They were
taking pains to do what was right! Why? Because the credibility of the Gospel
was at risk. People are watching us and associate Christianity with our actions
- good or bad. Proverbs 3:4
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> Then you will win favor and a good name in
the sight of God and man. Matthew 10:16
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I am sending you out like sheep among
wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">1 Thes. 5:22 Avoid every kind of evil.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> 2 Cor. 6:3 We put no stumbling block in
anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">
Close your
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Time Alone With God by asking Jesus to
reveal to you any areas in your life where you are not "
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal">doing the right thing." Ask Him to show you how He would like for
you to be responding in that particular area. Commit to do whatever God reveals
to you for the sake of His Name's sake!
style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Matthew 5:16
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
normal"> In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see
your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Finish your
prayer with, "Lord what do You want to do through me to help Your
church fulfill Your purposes on earth?"
style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">