Softened Through the Fear of the Lord

 

 

Rich Miller – Manager, CBN Prayer Center Digital Interactions

We all recognize “the look.” Whether from parents, schoolteachers, police officers, or someone else in authority, there was a look they could give that stopped you dead in your tracks. It was a look that let you know you were about to cross a line and the consequences would not be good. Their eye contact held a look of warning, of protection, and depending on what you were doing, a look of discipline.

I will never forget as children when my brother and I rigged the small part of a walkway to collapse when stepped on it, thinking it was a funny prank. Yet, there was nothing funny about the phone call my mom received from our friend’s mother. Her son had been injured when he stepped through, walking exactly where we had tricked him into stepping. The feeling of dread, knowing that we were in trouble and would have to face the music, was immense. The look in her eyes and sound in her voice had me praying that the rapture would happen any moment!

If you are a parent or hold a position of authority, you understand the effects of giving someone that same look. It is not something you try to do, it is instinctual. The goal is that they will stop whatever it is they are doing before having to experience negative consequences. If they have already done it, your look lets them know their action will not be tolerated. You are not acting from a place of animosity; rather, you are taking this step for their own good.

In the same way, there is “a look” from our heavenly Father that we catch with the eyes of our heart. This look causes instant conviction, immediate knowledge that we have missed or are about to miss the mark. In those moments, it is up to us to humble ourselves so our heart can remain soft. Or, we can continue with our current behavior and experience the consequences He is trying to prevent. He loves us enough to leave the choice up to us.

As the wisest man who ever lived (next to Jesus), Solomon reveals to his son the source of his wisdom:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7 NIV)

To fear the Lord means to hold Him in a place of healthy reverence and respect. This is not a tormenting fear that leads to panic; rather, we see the perfect example in the life of Jesus. His desire was to please the Father in all things, out of respect for His great name. He was not willing to do anything that He did not first see His Father doing. (John 5:19) May the same thing be said of our lives: that our respect for Him is what motivates us to please Him with every thought and decision we face.

Prayer For Today:
Father, we worship and lift You up. You alone are holy, thank You for dressing us in the robe of Your righteousness. We ask You to root us deeper in the fear and reverence of Your great name. May our hearts be further tenderized to recognize every look you are giving, both of approval and of conviction. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Making Every Day Count

 

 

Glena Fitzmorris – Partner Services Representative, cbn.com

The most valuable lessons I’ve learned about God’s heart came through observations of my mom’s life. Not only by her words, but through her lifestyle, character, and actions, God taught me to make every day count. The following verse sums it all up.

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” (I Corinthians 15:58 NLT)

We had a family business that began in very humble beginnings. My dad, a butcher like his father, bought the meat market from my grandpa and turned it into a restaurant that continually grew with his ingenious creativity. Both my parents were very hard workers. While my dad worked such long hours that we seldom saw him at home, my mom taught elementary school.

So that we could have a family meal together at least a couple times a week, my mom would drive my brother and me to the restaurant for supper—otherwise known as “dinner” beyond Texas. She would surprise us in that cheerful voice, “Want to go have supper with Dad tonight?” We always got so excited; after all, it was quite a scenic trip to pass over Galveston Bay, which looked like a vast ocean to us! Little did we know what a sacrifice that hour drive was for her after her long work day, because she did it with such joy. In fact, we never knew the many other sacrifices she made for us until it was a reflection of past history.

Once we got there, I had a special window into God’s view. People were drawn to my mother—not only as the owner’s wife; but her effervescent joy expressed the love in her heart for people. Her gentle, warm and tenderhearted style mirrored the ways of Jesus. Consistently, I observed her treating people as if they mattered greatly to her, since they certainly did to God (Matthew 25:34-40).

Fast forward to Dad’s diagnosis of cancer, hastening his death six weeks later, Mom was thrust into grief’s shocking blow and the sudden role of managing the business. Instead of revolting at the abrupt shift from teaching children to managing a restaurant, her attitude was saturated with God’s grace. People were watching closely. Would her reputation crumble?

Whereas I know for a fact that she had led some of the waitresses to the Lord when Dad was still alive, even more opportunities abounded for her to share Jesus with those who were drawn to her when her time of suffering and hardship intensified. Why? Because instead of getting bitter, she got better. People knew what a significant loss and major adjustment it was for her. Yet, they saw the light of Jesus even brighter through the peace she maintained in the midst of her pain.

It was not until the last decade of her life that she became a ministry leader, insofar as having an official title. From God’s viewpoint, however, her “ministry” actually began all those years ago when she was simply living like Jesus in the sacrifices of motherhood, teaching, and showing God’s love to everyone she encountered. All the lives she influenced for God’s kingdom in those earlier years calculated as great wealth in God’s economy. (Hebrews 6:10-12)

Be encouraged, no matter your role in life, living like Jesus is what counts in God’s eyes; no act of kindness goes unnoticed by Him. It’s in the daily ways of touching someone’s life with the love of God that amounts to great worth in heaven!

The Importance of Rest

 

 

Glena Fitzmorris – Partner Services Representative, cbn.com

On this special date of Labor Day that we set aside to celebrate the American hard work ethic that has brought us this far, many of us have the best intentions of getting extra rest. Yet, deliberate relaxation can be challenging for certain personalities!

I remember Labor Day weekends growing up when we had various projects on the agenda. We organized the garage, sorted through outgrown clothes in our closets, and did yardwork in the cooler evening hours, to name a few memories.

As an adult, I continued the same trend. For a day off work, I wrote an unreasonably long to-do list of all I wanted to accomplish. Relaxing felt like a waste of time! Why is it so hard for some of us to rest? The Holy Spirit, as a wonderful Teacher, has been teaching me the value of rest—the art of being still. (Psalm 46:10) After all, it’s what God Himself modeled perfectly for us in the very beginning of Creation’s story. (Genesis 2:1-3)

The Psalmist paints a dramatic display highlighting God’s work. We are drawn into the vivid descriptions of His powerful activities:

“He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever. He gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners…opens the eyes of the blind…lifts up those who are weighed down…protects the foreigners…[and] cares for the orphans and widows.” (Psalm 146:6-9a NLT)

That’s not all!

“The LORD is rebuilding Jerusalem and bringing the exiles back to Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name…He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures. He gives food to the wild animals and feeds the young ravens when they cry.” (Psalm 147:2-4,8-9)

The picturesque illustrations of God’s work continue in Psalm 147, filling us with awe and wonder of all our Maker is actively performing. Still, we remember His established priority of rest, when He refers to that critically important time of resting that He took Himself. (Hebrews 4:1-11)

Even Jesus emphasized His need for rest after His long days of ministering to people. (Matthew 14:22-23, Mark 6:30-32) He demonstrated the importance of taking time to rest and be alone with His Father. Those were exhausting days for Him, as He (in fleshly form) felt the same fatigue we do. If resting was a necessity for Jesus, how much more so for us!

I’ve personally found the permission to rest by Jesus’ example. In my times of thorough exhaustion, I realized I had been pushing myself too much—something God never intended. Jesus said,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29)

How liberating it has been to have a day off work and simply relax—without feeling guilty about it that I’m not conquering my to-do list! What I have discovered is that I’m actually more effective and can accomplish more when I’ve had adequate rest.

Be encouraged to let go of the work-cycle and enjoy Labor Day for what it is!

“Father, I love how You exemplified the importance of resting. With a grateful heart, I receive Your gift of setting aside my work, letting You restore and refresh me as I rest. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Trusting God During Economic Uncertainty

 

 

Dayna Lovelady, cbn.com

We are in a time of economic uncertainty with rising inflation, gas prices, housing expenses, and grocery costs. Thankfully, God’s ability to provide for His children is not dependent on the stability of the economy. Even when there is economic uncertainty in the world around us, as children of God, we can trust Him to provide for our daily needs.

As recent warnings of a coming recession emerged, I began reflecting on my testimony of God providing for me during the Great Recession of 2007 while I was a graduate school student trusting God for food, gas, tuition, and housing. During my prayer time back then, I would pray for God to provide for me during the Great Recession and beyond. God provided for me through my new job, scholarships, and by giving me wise budgeting strategies to steward what He provided.

Psalm 143:5 CSB states, “I remember the days of old; I meditate on all you have done; I reflect on the work of your hands.”

Remembering how God provided for me during previous hard times caused me to have hope in the current financial difficulties in society. This time of meditation on all that God has done serves as comfort when the world’s economy is shaky.

The Bible is filled with accounts of people trusting God during moments of financial difficulties or when the need was greater than the supply on hand. One example is when the fish and loaves of bread were multiplied to feed the crowd of thousands. The crowd was in need and the supply was much less than the demand of the hungry men, women, and children. The food was miraculously multiplied so that everyone in attendance ate and were satisfied.

A while ago, I coordinated a street evangelism and feeding crusade in a local park where homeless men and women gathered. My team’s food supply was limited and as soon as we started setting up the tables and chairs, I saw that there were more people than food. I quietly prayed for a miracle as I continued to set up the tables and began to set out what little food that we had. Shortly after my prayer, a man drove up in a truck and explained that he was supposed to feed the homeless community just blocks away but his team did not show up, leaving him with a truck full of fresh food that he did not want to go to waste. As he opened the truck door to show me all the fresh food, I stood in awe as I thanked God and thanked this kind man for offering the food to us. As we unloaded the truck, I thought of how much God cared for us to connect us so that we could feed to homeless community in the park that day. More and more people showed up with their hands open, ready to receive, and the food miraculously never ran out. We ended the day with leftovers that I could send several new homeless friends away with as we prayed for them, offered Christ as their Savior, and provided resources to assist them with housing and other needs.

Psalm 143:6 declares, “I spread out my hands to you; I am like parched land before you. Selah.”

When I had a need to provide for my homeless friends in the park that day, I spread my hands to God and He provided. May we who are God’s children always stretch our hands towards God in expectation that we can trust Him to provide.

I Was Chosen

 

 

Henry Villalobos Sirias – Digital Media Assistant – CBN Costa Rica

As a child, when people talked about gifts, we thought of superpowers; and of course, my imagination flew at that age. I wanted to be like the superhero in the comics named the Hulk, and have great strength. When I was in school, I spent time drawing him in every notebook I had. I never imagined that later in life I would have a great affinity with artistic design. During those times, God allowed me to discover and experience one of my gifts.

And that is how God is. He has cultivated gifts in each one of us through the Spirit and has made them something special. Sometimes we do not understand the immensity of the things that come from the Lord and how He can transform something imperfect into a work of art. We can see how several generations have emerged with the abilities given to them and that despite their mistakes, God believed that they would make a difference in the world around them and that generations would recognize everything they did after them.

Each of us has something that differentiates us from others. On certain occasions, those differences must be united to support each other. Suppose you have ever seen a colony of ants working together. In that case, you will notice that they have a communication code, and that is how we must be to bring the Word of God to others in an accessible and collaborative way.

“I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified” (1 Corinthians 14:5 NIV).

When I first learned about CBN and did a high-school internship with the organization as an advertising designer, I fell in love with what they did. Each person had a different facet of the ministry to work in, but they all helped each other. It was incredible for me to see so much collaborative work.

The story does not end there. God allowed me to test my abilities again at the end of the internship, but He knew that it was not yet the time to stay on at CBN. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV) tells us that everything has its time, and everything that is wanted under heaven has its hour.

I never imagined getting to that point after serving in my church for many years and doing so many things.  I was still not in tune with God’s purpose, and, for several years, it was difficult for me to understand the reason for my situation. However, at that point, God forges us through our trials and makes us grow as a person.

I remember as if it were yesterday, in 2019, when I had the opportunity and privilege of joining CBN Costa Rica in the Digital Media area and where I dreamed of working after finishing high school in 2014.

With this achievement, I said to myself, “I won God’s admission exam; my gifts were approved.”

That is when I understood that God could use us in many areas, but first, we must fulfill the service to His church and do it wholeheartedly as unto Him. Each of us is an essential key to carrying His Word in different ways and at the right time in His all-encompassing plan.

Have you identified the greatest gifts that God has given you?  Pray that God would use your life and gifts in new ways each day.

“So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.” (1 Corinthians 14:12)

He Delights in Us

 

 

Lorie Hartshorn – Co-Host – The 700 Club Canada, cbn.com

I have the privilege of being a mom and now a grandma, and there is nothing like the birth of a baby. The word that comes to mind is delight! There is celebration and awe over a new little life, and we continue to delight in our children as they grow up. A baby learns to roll over, then crawl, and start to take his or her first steps accompanied by squeals of laughter and joy — look at what they can do!  Even when a child is tired and grumpy, a parent or grandparent still sees that child with delight. Children are a gift, a blessing from God. Do you think God sees you in this way?

When our kids were little, my husband’s favorite time of day was when he got home from work because the kids would come running to him shouting, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!” He’d scoop them up in his arms and they’d giggle and laugh.  They knew he was delighted with them. They brought him joy.

That’s how God sees you, too! From your very conception, God had joy in forming you. Psalm 139 tells us that we are wonderfully made and that our days were ordained by God before we drew our first breath. We are reminded in Genesis that each one of us is made in the image of God. This means that we are a reflection of who He is. We are like our heavenly Father. Daddy. Here is one of my favorite verses:

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17 NIV).

Recently, I sat at the end of our dock with my little grandbaby in my arms. Minutes before, she had been on a mission, crawling and getting into everything.  But as we relaxed there, I sang to her. She sat perfectly still and quiet. She was snuggled in as I rejoiced over her with singing. That’s how the Father sees you. He invites you to a relationship with Him. To eat with you, walk with you, empower you, provide for you. He cares for you. He is close to you. He gives you a huge inheritance. He gives you His authority. You are the apple of His eye. He delights in you. You make Him smile.

So how do we respond to that kind of God? Do we run and jump into His arms, calling Him “Daddy”? Do we sit still and quiet as He rejoices and sings over us?

I remember a birthday card that my mother-in-law gave to my husband. In it she simply wrote, “Let Him love you.” When I first read it, I didn’t know what she meant. Then it struck me. We can often be too caught up in our busyness, our troubles, and our distractions that we miss God. He delights in you. He wants you to let Him love you. Welcome His perfect love. You don’t have to work for it. He already loves you completely. He couldn’t love you more than He already loves you.

Christianity is not about appeasing an angry God, and Jesus’ death and resurrection already satisfied the required payment for our sins. Paul writes,

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

God loved us first. He delights in us. Christianity is about receiving His love. Let that wash over your heart and mind today and free you from any distorted views of God. Then, run to your Daddy, and let Him take delight in you because that’s courageous living.

God Has Given You a Gift

 

Brenda Williams – Partner Care Specialist, cbn.com

The first charismatic church I attended was called the Lord’s Chapel. It was the first charismatic church in the city. People had their hands raised and their faces were radiant with joy as they worshiped God.  Other people spoke in a language I had never heard! One second, they sang in English then the next it was in another language. Later, a man spoke out a word from God to the people about what He was doing in the congregation. Next, Brother Moore got on stage and said someone suffered from a certain disease and God was healing them.

I had never experienced this type of church service and was totally amazed, but in my heart, it felt so right. I later learned that in 1 Corinthians 12:4 Paul explains what I saw and heard that day:

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… the same God who works all things in all persons. To one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge, to another faith, to another healing…to another miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues…the same Spirit works all these things distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

Paul also said, “you are Christ’s body.”  As Christ lives in us, He expresses Himself through us; and one of the ways He does this is through these spiritual gifts.

Here Paul reveals that God has given spiritual gifts to each of us to use as He chooses and we are to ask for these gifts. While they may vary, each gift has great value and are equally important to the entire body of Christ.

For example, have you ever known something with certainty but didn’t exactly know how you knew, you just knew? I talked to a church member recently who wanted to know God’s will about something. She felt He had given her an answer but she wanted to be sure. My response to her was that “your Knower (the Spirit in you) knows.” This is a phrase I’ve heard but have never spoken, yet, it was the perfect answer. She said her mother used to tell her that and it’s a lesson she taught her children. I had no idea this was the right response but the Holy Spirit gave me this word of wisdom and it was exactly what she needed.

Also, a friend’s daughter was learning to hear God’s voice. When she was at the grocery store deli, she felt impressed to tell a lady there that she was a good mother. While it was out of the ordinary, she stepped out in faith to share this and the lady began crying. As it turned out, that very morning the lady had asked God if He thought she was a good mother.

I discovered that as we grow in Christ, He will use us in a variety of ways and places. God will prompt you to exercise your faith and speak the word of knowledge and wisdom He gives you in any situation where it is needed. We often see Him move as we pray for others. As we are yielded, He will use us.

In verse 31 Paul says we should “desire the greater gifts and I will show you a more excellent way.” We wonder, what is greater than miracles? In 1 Corinthians 13, Jesus said “the greatest of these is love.” Since God is love and we are being conformed to His image, 1 Corinthians 14:1 says to “Pursue love.” Colossians 3:14 says to “Put on love.” That, my friends, is our destiny!