How To Avoid The Sin of Presumption

1Kings 22:4-5 "Then he turned to Jehoshaphat and asked, “Will you join me in battle to recover Ramoth-gilead?”Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “Why, of course! You and I are as one. My troops are your troops, and my horses are your horses.” 5  Then Jehoshaphat added, “But first let’s find out what the Lord says.”  This story gives us a great example of how to avoid the sin of presumption. The king of Israel has ask Jehoshaphat the king of Judah to join him in battle and to help him reclaim a city taken by the enemy. I love Jehoshaphat's answer, why of course, my troops are your troops but first lets find out what the Lord says. This story rolls over into our lives so beautifully, how many times have you been ask by a family member or a friend to help them do something. Now many times those request are small insignificant things but sometimes they are major things. Will you loan me money, will you go into business with me, will you hire me or get me a job? Our answer like Jehoshaphat is of course I will help you, but first lets find out what the Lord says. When we presume that because it is somebody that we love we should automatically jump on board with what ever they are doing we commit the sin of presumption and in the end many times in will destroy your relationship with the person you were trying to help. Taking the time to seek the Lord always pays off and understand that seeking the Lord also mean seeking Godly counsel. The Lord has brought people into your life that have the experience and wisdom of God to help you make right choices. Before you rush into an major decision you need to first find out what the Lord says. Jehoshaphat and Ahab sought God but refused the counsel of the Lord and it cost Ahab his life. Here is the key to seeking God, when God speaks, by his spirit, his word or through Godly counsel you must do what he says to do. When you seek the Lord and then refuse to obey what he says, then not only are you going to suffer from a wrong decision but now you are in rebellion against God. But when we seek and obey him we can walk away in peace and know that his blessing is upon our lives. Don't presume, first find out what the Lord says.

Windows of Opprotunity

Acts 3:12 "Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd..." Peter saw his opportunity, what do you see? The supernatural power of God opens up a window of opportunity to share the gospel and call people to a place of repentance. Peter grabbed hold of this moment and began to preach Jesus and call the people back to God. Everyday we have windows of opportunity to share Jesus with our co-workers, family and friends, but if we are not looking we wont see our opportunity. Instead all we will see and hear are the hurts and struggles of those around us. It was the struggle of one man that opened the window of opportunity up for Peter. How you respond the needs of others around you determines the opportunities that you will have to minister Jesus. I want to share three keys to an open window of opportunity. First remember that we serve a supernatural God. Don't be afraid to step out in faith and trust God to do the impossible. Peter had to trust God to do what he knew only God could do and God did it. We have not because we ask not. Second remember that every need you encounter is a window of opportunity for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ask God to keep you sensitive to the needs of others and respond according to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Third remember that windows of opportunity are moments that have a beginning and an end. When the opportunity arises don't procrastinate for a better time. Jump through that window, boldly declare who Jesus is and call people back to God.

Your Greatest Asset

Psalms 118:22-23 "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. 23  This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see." God specializes in taking what this world rejects and creating something great out of what the world says has no value. He takes the foolish things to confound the wise and the weak to conquer the mighty, so that He alone will get the glory and the world will know that He Is God! God doesn't save by human strength or wisdom, he saves by his mighty power. This is why the greatest ability is availability; when we make ourselves available to God, we position ourselves to experience the impossible and to become a vessel of honor that bring Him Glory. So instead of grieving over what you can not do, submit your life to the one that can do all things. Let him display his strength through your weakness and demonstrate his power through your life. You will be amazed at what God can do with your availability, it is your greatest asset. Below I want to share with you seven areas of availability that position you to experience the impossible and see God's Glory revealed through your life. Be available for intimacy. Make time everyday to sit at his feet; prayer, worship and the word. Be available to share. When the opportunity arises to tell someone about Jesus, stop what you are doing and share with them the message of Jesus Christ. Be available to pray. When someone shares a prayer need stop what you are doing and say a 30 second prayer, agreeing with them and the word of God. Be available to minister. When God sends someone into your life that needs ministry; encouragement, counsel or deliverance. Schedule time with them and allow the Lord to minister through you. Be available to give. Budget your finances and live below your income, so that when God quickens your heart to meet a financial need you have money available. Be available to serve in everyday life. When you encounter a need that you can meet, then lend a hand and help someone in need. Be available to serve in the local church. Get involved: give your time, talents and resources to the Kingdom of God through the joint efforts of the local church. Find the greatest area on need and plug in to meet that need.

Enforce the Victory

1 Samuel 17:46 "Today the Lord will conquer you, and I will kill you and cut off your head..." David had it figured out, whatever God has established in the spirit, we have the authority to enforce in the flesh. David said, "The Lord will conquer you and I will kill you and cut off your head." Jesus has conquered the enemy, he has defeated sin and Satan, our job is to enforce in the flesh what has been established in the Spirit. It is time for all the mighty warriors to rise up and fight. We can not be defeated but we can be deceived into not fighting. You will never win a fight that you are unwilling to engage in. Let's fight for our families, communities, nation and the world. Let's take on the Goliath's of our day and like David, let's run to the battle!

God's Warning Label

John 5:14 "But afterward Jesus found him in the Temple and told him, “Now you are well; so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you.” The wages of sin is death, sin brings destruction into our lives. Jesus warned the lame that had been healed to stop sinning or something worse may happen to him. When people get healed, delivered, set free or forgiven there is a warning label that reads, stop sinning or something worse may happen to you. Only God can heal the sick, set free those who are oppressed, forgive our sins and save our souls, but we have a responsibility to walk out the freedom that Christ gives. A supernatural miracle can be short lived if you continue in a lifestyle of sin. God can supernaturally meet your financial needs but if you refuse to change your ways, debt will rise back up and devour you. God can heal you of cancer, but if you continue to smoke it can come back and take your life. God can forgive you of your past and wipe away the shame and guilt of your yesterday, but if you don't change the way you live, guilt and shame will come back like a flood. There is a warning label that comes on the back of every miracle and supernatural work that God does in our lives, if we obey it, we walk out our freedom and move forward into the future that God has for us. But if we violate the warning label we will end up worse in the end. Don't allow your miracle to short lived, walk out what God has given you and enjoy the journey of your life.

ALL

Psalms 103:1-5 "Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. 2  Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3  He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4  He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5  He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!" All, that is an amazing word especially when it is wrapped up in a promise from God. I looked up the word all in the Greek and Hebrew and all means all. So listen to the word of the Lord, God forgives all our sins, heals all our diseases and desires all that we are to praise him. God gives all and he requires all. All that we are in surrender to all that he is. God never ask for more than he has given, every request he makes from us is first conditioned with a gift from himself. Everything that we give to him, he first gave to us. So when he says praise me with all that you are, he is really saying give back to me all that I gave to you knowing that there is always more to come. As a matter of fact the only way to shut down the supply of heaven is to become unwilling to give back what he has given you in the first place. When we close our fist so to speak, we become unable to receive. But a open hand allows all things to flow in and out of our lives. So today let's Praise God with All that we are for All that He has done!

Confidence

Proverbs 14:15-16 "Only simpletons believe everything they’re told! The prudent carefully consider their steps. 16  The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence." Wisdom measures twice and cuts once. It takes the time to do the work on the front end, so that once a decision is made you can run with it. Fools plunge ahead, they make decisions based upon emotions and refuse to slow down long enough to think through and evaluate the process. They move ahead with what the Bible calls reckless confidence. Now as a leader you need confidence and your people need to have confidence in you. The way we build confidence is by making wise decisions, leadership alway involves risk because as a leader you are taking your team somewhere that none of you have ever been before. But calculated risk and reckless confidence are two totally different animals. Calculated risk means that I have done my homework, it means that I have taken the time to pray through the decision, gather information regarding the decision, gotten counsel about the decision and finally gotten a word from God to move forward. When we have done our part, we can be sure that God will do his and we can lead with a confidence that flows out of a prudent and wise heart.