"What have I done? What is my crime? How have I wronged your father, that he is trying to take my life?" (1Samuel 20:1).
The cost of being one of God's anointed can be great. Those whom God has anointed for service and influence in His kingdom go through a special preparation. David was anointed to be the next king over Israel. Shortly after this he was brought into King Saul's service as a young boy to play music in Saul's court. While there the opportunity to stand up against Goliath elevated David for his next stage of development as future king. As his popularity grew so did Saul's jealousy. However, even Saul's jealousy was the instrument of God molding and shaping David.
Saul finally decided he could no longer tolerate David's success and popularity among the people. He tried to kill him. David finally comes to "wit's end" in his own life. He cannot understand why someone he has blessed and served wants to kill him. It would be many years of fleeing the sword of Saul and living in the caves living with the down-and-outs of life before David could see the hand of God in all of this. No doubt David thought that when he was anointed by Samuel he would be conveniently raised up to be King with all the accompanying fruits of kingship. Not so. God's preparation of David involved much persecution, disloyalty, and hardship. These were the lessons necessary to be a Godly king. God brought many tests in David's life, just as He did with Saul. David passed these tests. Saul did not.
When God anoints us it often is accompanied by some severe tests. These tests are designed to prepare us for the calling God has on our life. Should we fail these tests God cannot elevate us to the next level. For the Businessperson, these tests often involve money, relationships, and other issues of the heart.
What if God has chosen you for a specific purpose in His kingdom. Are you passing the tests He is bringing about in your life. These tests are designed to bring about greater obedience. In most instances it will involve great adversity. The Bible tells us that the King of Kings learned obedience through the things that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). If this is true, why would it be any different for His children. Be aware of the tests God may be bringing before you in order to prepare you for His service.
Tests of the Heart
Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands (Deuteronomy 8:2).
Has God performed a heart test on you lately? There are times in our lives when God leads us into the desert in order to let us find out what is in our heart. These times can be very difficult and humbling. They can test our meddle like no other time. Desert times often mean we are living without those things we are normally accustomed to: water, food, limited supplies, few comforts. In modern terms, it may mean a different environment. God is performing a very important work during these times. He wants to know if we can be obedient to Him in these times, or will we be obedient only when times are good?
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. (Deuteronomy 8:3-5)
The Graduate Level Test: Self-defense
He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun (Psalm 37:6).
As a believer grows in trusting obedience and love, God often brings a test that seems uncharacteristically cruel. That test is being wrongfully judged by those close to you. It is not for the reactionary. It cannot be passed over by simply gutting it out. Supernatural grace is the only means of passing this one. It is one of those tests the savior had to experience Himself when being tried by the court of public opinion, the religious community, and the government of His day. His response to the government was silence. His response to the religious establishment was silence at the final judgment. To the rest of His accusers He remained quiet and left vindication to the Father. He lived the commandment He gave to the disciples. "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked" (Luke 6:35).
How do you react when you are accused or mistreated for no reason? Do you listen quietly, or do you justify each and every action? Most of us take pride in doing what is right and expect the same from others, especially our brothers and sisters in the faith. Jesus knew that if you were to be a true follower of His, you would enter this test eventually. It is part of the program. The marketplace gives ample opportunity to be wronged, misunderstood, and maligned. When God brings a measured assault against one of his children, it is to find out if he truly believes in the cross. The cross is where each of us is given the opportunity to die from our pride, our reputations, and our ego. When He allows a measured assault upon us, it is to find out if the cross is sufficient. He wants to see if we will seek to rescue ourselves. Jesus said if we die with Him, we will be raised with Him. When God allows Satan to bring the measured assault, ask Him for the grace to cling to the cross. Let the pride and arrogance that Jesus wants to remove from our lives be crucified. Thank God for the opportunity to be crucified with Christ. Then your righteousness will shine like the noonday sun and the justice of your cause will be in His hands.
These desert times may mean experiencing new ways of provision from the Lord. Like manna from heaven. It may mean seeing miracles we've never seen before. Like clothing that never wears out, it may mean seeing your normal capabilities expanded. Like walking hundreds of miles without pain, desert experiences provide new lessons and new experiences that only these times can teach us.
What desert experience has He brought into your life lately? Perhaps it is a lean time in business. Perhaps it is a new environment. Whatever it is, when God decides to bring new disciplines into our lives by bringing us into the desert, do not fear the heat that is sure to come. He is walking beside you in order to test you and find out what is really in your heart. Ask for His grace to pass the test. He wants to bring all of His children into the Promised Land.
Created for His Good Pleasure
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,
which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)
He spent years training for the Olympics. He passed each hurdle and
qualified for the Olympics. Finally, the day came for him to run in the games
that were held in Italy. There was only one problem. One of his running events
was held on Sunday. Liddell refused to run on Sunday, believing it dishonored
the Lord's Sabbath. He held to his convictions and brought great persecution on
himself. He made a decision that even if it meant losing his opportunity to
compete, he would not run. God's laws were greater than man's applause. Just
when the circumstances seemed hopeless, another situation arose that allowed
Liddell to run on a different day.
So often this is the case in the spiritual realm. God tests our hearts to
see if we will remain faithful to Him at the cost of something important to us.
Once He knows where our loyalty lies, He opens a new door that meets the
desires of our hearts.
God takes pleasure in seeing His creation used for His glory. Liddell
understood why he was made to run; he used his gift of running to bring
pleasure to his Creator. Later, Eric Liddell went on to serve God on the
mission field.
Does your life work bring pleasure to the Lord? Do you understand that God
instilled certain gifts and talents in you so that He might find pleasure in
His creation of you? Take pleasure in the gifts God has given to you this day.
And let His glory shine through you.
Passing The Tests
"The Lord has torn the kingdom out of your hands and given it to one of your neighbors - to David" (1 Samuel 28:19).
When God anoints a person, a pattern of testing appears to take place at specific times in the leader's life. There are four major tests I believe God takes each person through that determines if that person will achieve the ultimate call of God on their life. Their response to these tests is the deciding factor whether they can advance to the next level of responsibility in God's Kingdom.
Control - Control is one of the first tests. When Saul received the kingdom as king of Israel, he spent the rest of his days trying to prevent others from getting it. Saul never got to the place with God that he was a grateful recipient of His goodness to him. He was a religious controller. This led to disobedience and ultimately being rejected by God because he no longer was a vessel God could use.
Bitterness - Every major character in the Bible was hurt by another person at one time or another. Jesus was hurt deeply when Judas, a trusted follower, betrayed him. Jesus responded, knowing this was going to happen, by washing his feet. Every anointed leader will have a Judas experience at one time or another. God watches us to see how we will respond to this test. Will we take up an offense? Will we retaliate? It is one of the most difficult tests to pass.
Power - Power is the opposite of servant hood. Jesus had all authority in heaven and earth. Satan tempted Jesus at the top of the mountain to use His power to remove Himself from a difficult circumstance. How will we use the power and influence God has entrusted to us? Do we seek to gain more power? There is a common phrase in the investment community, "he who has the gold rules." Jesus modeled the opposite. He was the ultimate servant leader.
Greed - This is a difficult one. Money has the ability to have great influence for either good or bad. When it is a focus in our life, it becomes a tool of destruction. When it is a byproduct, it can become a great blessing. Many leaders started out good--only to be derailed once prosperity became a part of their life. There are thousands who can blossom spiritually in adversity; there are only a few who can thrive spiritually under prosperity.
As leaders, we must be aware when we are being tested. You can be confident that each one of these tests will be thrown your way if God calls you for His purposes. Will you pass these tests? Ask for God's grace today to walk through these tests victoriously.
Today's Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven,
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Make your ways, my ways and your light, my light. Give me strength to follow Your path and share Your light with others in my personal and professional life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen
Biblical Principles in Network Marketing
As a Pastor, Bill Nissen was against Network Marketing for years. In 2003, a friend helped
him see a new perspective. He still dislikes the ethics of many who do it, but he sees a
biblical perspective that allows him to not only support network marketing, but embrace it as
a way to serve people. Watch This Video. It is longer than most (20 minutes) but carries essential information.
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