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Leading the Way ~Michael Youssef

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Post  Admin Mon 18 Jul 2011, 3:11 pm

Week of July 18

Joy from Within

Polls and surveys consistently show that the top three things people want the most in life are love, happiness, and peace. So often we confuse happiness with joy. There is a difference.

Happiness is the result of getting what we want. We tell ourselves that we'll be happy when we get a newer home. Or life will be great if we get a promotion at work and a pay increase.

However, getting what we want only offers a temporary form of happiness that fades over time. We get our new home, and we are so happy until we realize that we, in order to remain happy, must have all the furniture and decorations to go with it. This kind of happiness is dependent on our circumstances, and can be accompanied with a fear that we may lose whatever it is we feel has made us happy.

Joy, however, is a fruit of the Spirit. It comes from within and not from external conditions. Jesus said that we are to abide in Him so that our joy can be complete (John 15:9-11). We can experience the joy of the Lord regardless of our circumstances because joy is dependent on our relationship with Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul instructed the Philippians to rejoice always in the Lord (Philippians 4:4). While this group of believers was anxious about their material needs, Paul reminded them that their joy came from God. They were oppressed and persecuted by the Romans. They suffered economic hardships. Yet they had a reason to be joyful—their lives belonged to the Lord.

The world tries to persuade us that joy is found in material possessions, worldly achievements, and social status. However, true joy comes from the knowledge that we are saved through the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus.

****

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Post  Admin Mon 11 Jul 2011, 1:38 pm

Week of July 11

Love Will Lift You
Love lifts a broken heart—not just any love, but the love of God. Most of us have sung James Rowe's hymn, "Love Lifted Me." The first verse contains these words:
I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more.
But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me—now safe am I.

Love lifted me! Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help, love lifted me!

Sometimes nothing can lift our hearts like the love of God. Friends abandon us. Colleagues try to bypass us. Even our families may fail to understand us. But God's love for us never changes.
Even when we act unlovable, God continues to love us. When we are undesirable, He embraces us. When it seems that the world has turned against us, God's love remains. He has promised never to leave us hopeless.
Difficulties in life can certainly leave us feeling broken and confused. Many times, disappointments come in order to teach us more about the depths of God's love. In desperation, we turn to God. This is when we discover that only His love can truly lift us up and restore our sense of hope.
We may struggle to find another way around our problems, hoping that someone or something will bring relief, but nothing can help us outside the love of God. Only His love has the ability to satisfy our every need.

Maybe you are wondering if God really loves you. Have you yielded to sin? Or have you allowed the world and its trappings to come between you and your Savior? Cry out to Him and He will restore the joy of your salvation. When nothing else can help, love will lift you.
****
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Post  Admin Tue 28 Jun 2011, 1:14 pm

Week of June 27

Faith Manifested in Courage
Where do you find your courage? The strongest courage that we can possibly experience comes from faith in God. We find courage when we trust in His power, in His character, in His promises, and in His Word. When our faith is in the omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God, what should we fear?
Courage is one of the greatest manifestations of faith. Courageous faith is confident that God cannot and will not make a mistake. Courageous faith knows that God cannot be wrong. Courageous faith is confident that God can never be defeated. Read Hebrews 11:30-40. This section of the passage lists several biblical heroes who demonstrated great courage: "who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies" (Hebrews 11:33-34).
Sometime courageous faith leads to dangerous situations. The people listed in this passage did not always conquer the enemy without any injuries. "Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground" (Hebrews 11:36-38)
Even if we experience persecution or hardships because of our faith, we know that God has the ultimate victory. As this passage highlights, God gave His people the victory over the fortified walls of Jericho. He used the least likely people, including a pagan prostitute, to bring about His plans and victories. Gideon was greatly outnumbered, yet he conquered the enemies. Barak trusted in God's plan and he vanquished the enemy. Samson accepted God's call and delivered the Israelites from the Philistines. Jephthah trusted in the power of God, and God gave him the victory. David was able to defeat Goliath because he trusted in the one true God of Israel. Samuel fought the unfaithfulness of God's children and called a nation to repentance. Prophets like Daniel, who closed the mouths of lions, trusted God and triumphed.
None of these people would have experienced victory with a weak, ineffective faith. Each of them was courageous in their faith because they knew the enormity of God's power and trusted that He would follow through on His promises. They knew that if God commanded them to act in battle, then God had a plan for victory. God's plans may not always make sense to us, but if God is truly speaking, then we must follow in obedience. Can you imagine what Joshua must have felt walking in circles around Jericho? Or what Gideon must have felt facing a people described as "thick as locusts" (Judges 7:12). Yet they followed through with God's plan because they had courageous faith.

Only courageous faith will keep us going when we are puzzled by our circumstances, when we are suffering for our choices, and when we are going through the valley. Following God's plan will not always be easy, but we can trust that the all-powerful God will continue to equip us and guide us and strengthen us in our battles. We must always trust in the good and holy God who will never make a mistake. We must persistently believe in the sovereign hand of God who is working our behalves. We must continuously call on Him in prayer and follow Him with all our hearts. We must remember that even in our suffering we are victorious, because our eternal dwelling place is in heaven. No matter what situations or enemies we face, we can be confident because Christ has won the greatest victory—and that is a great foundation for courageous faith.
God may not be calling you to a dangerous battle or a life-threatening situation, but eventually we will all face calls to step out of our comfort zones. At some point, if we are acting in courageous faith, we will experience ridicule and scorn. Will you continue to follow God in obedience when your social standing is threatened? Will you follow God's plan when your friends and family refuse their support? If your faith withers in the face of fear, confess this to God. Seek His help in developing a faith so firm in God that you will find powerful courage to do His work.
****
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We are Leading The Way for people living in spiritual darkness, at home and around the world, to discover the light of Christ as we passionately proclaim uncompromising Truth. Visit us today at www.leadingtheway.org
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Post  Admin Mon 13 Jun 2011, 11:39 am

Week of June 13
Faith in Progress
Have you ever experienced a setback in your faith journey? We all experience failure and discouragement and spiritual stagnation at some point in our lives. We may feel shame or embarrassment over our weaknesses, but the Bible does not hide the failures of the faithful. We not only read about their great acts of faith, but we can also learn from their mistakes. We can find encouragement, knowing that the spiritual giants of the Bible were humans with faults and sins and disappointments; even in their weaknesses and amidst their failures, they continued to follow God in faith. Whatever setbacks we encounter on our faith walk, we can take heart that it is never too late to trust and obey God.
Abraham is a man known for his faith and his friendship with God. Read Hebrews 11:8-19. In this passage, the Bible mentions several great acts of faith by Abraham. "By faith Abraham…obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.…By faith he made his home in the promised land.…By faith Abraham, even though he was past age—and Sarah herself was barren—was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.… By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice" (Hebrews 11: 8, 9, 11, 17).
Abraham sacrificed much in his obedience to God; yet the Scriptures also reveal his many missteps and detours along the way. The greatest lesson that we can learn from Abraham is that our faith is a journey. We cannot expect to be faith giants upon our first moment of salvation or without constant forward motion. Great faith requires time to develop trust in God and to develop a willingness to serve Him wholeheartedly. Great faith requires hard work and commitment to God. We must walk in obedience to God and follow where He leads. We need to maintain an active and fervent prayer life to know God's voice. We must daily study His Word to strengthen our faith in His promises.
Abraham's faith did not happen instantaneously; in his story we see a slow progression of faith with many setbacks. In Genesis 12, God called Abraham out of his pagan lifestyle and told him to move to Canaan. Abraham started the journey, but before he reached God's destination for him, Abraham settled along the way in Haran. Eventually Abraham arrived in Canaan, but as soon as things got tough during a famine, Abraham abandoned God's plan and left for Egypt. Then out of fear for his own life, he lied and allowed his wife Sarah to be taken into Pharaoh's household. In Genesis 16 and 17, Abraham followed Sarah's scheme to conceive a child instead of waiting upon God's promise. In Genesis 20 and 21, Abraham again lied to save himself while putting Sarah in harm's way. It took many years of faith development for Abraham to reach the point where he could trust God enough to be willing to sacrifice his own son.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, God calls us out of whatever pagan and sinful place we are living in and leads us in a walk with Him. Ideally, our journey to become more and more like Christ will remain straight and focused. However, for most of us, our journey will look more like Abraham's. We will stagnate in our spiritual growth and stop our journey at places that are comfortable and easy. We will run when God's calling becomes too difficult. We will compromise our beliefs and hurt people we love in order to save ourselves. We will face many opportunities to give in to temptations, pride, indifference, and stubbornness.
Abraham did not wallow in his failures or give up on his relationship with God—he always returned to the right path. As God continued to show Himself faithful, Abraham's trust in God grew. Abraham's faith development was a daily process, always learning how to trust God more and more. During the early years of his faith walk, Abraham did not even trust God for his daily bread during the famine. Yet years later, after learning lesson after lesson of how to trust in God, Abraham was willing to trust the very life of his precious and beloved son to Him.
Each one of us will experience failure and setbacks in life. We should never allow our failures to become excuses for giving up on God's plans or running from our relationship with God. Has your spiritual journey come to a halt? If so, seek God's forgiveness for your doubts or indifference or fears that keep you from following His plan for your life. Write down the obstacles that keep you from fully developing your faith, whether it is an old sin, doubt in God's promises, or anxiety over the future. Pray for God's strength to help you overcome those hurdles so that you can continue your faith journey.
****
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We are Leading The Way for people living in spiritual darkness, at home and around the world, to discover the light of Christ as we passionately proclaim uncompromising Truth. Visit us today at www.leadingtheway.org
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Post  Admin Mon 06 Jun 2011, 12:21 pm

Week of June 6
Faith in Action
Are you currently in a state of turmoil, believing that God is leading you in a direction that you are reluctant to follow? Perhaps God is asking you to lead a Bible study, but you feel that your schedule is too busy. Or maybe God is leading you to witness to a co-worker, but you are anxious about bringing up your faith. You do not intentionally want to disobey God, but you are feeling reluctant and hesitant about the work He is calling you to do.
Sometimes God calls us to work which forces us to give up something precious to us. Other times He asks us to step out of our comfort zones in order to share His Gospel with others, whether one-on-one with a neighbor or by speaking to a large group. It is natural to feel some resistance to difficult and self-sacrificing tasks which God calls us to, but in the end we must act in obedience to God.
Read Genesis 6 and 7. Can you imagine the concerns and questions that Noah had when God told him to build the ark? Regardless of any misgivings Noah may have felt, Scripture clearly tells us that, "Noah did all that the LORD commanded him" (Genesis 7:5). Genuine faith can only be demonstrated by obedient action. If we truly trust in God and His Word and promises, then we will fully obey Him. Anyone can say they have faith, but the people who actually live by faith will act in obedience to God, no matter where God leads them. Noah's faith led him to obey God, even in a task that seemed overwhelming and perplexing.
For 120 years, Noah followed God's command to build the ark. This boat was no small project—it was longer than a football field, four stories tall and contained multiple decks. Noah must have been perplexed at the thought of building a large boat in the middle of a land-locked region. For more than one hundred years he would have experienced scorn and mocking from neighbors who thought he was insane and delusional. Noah must have spent countless hours and resources in building the ark year after year. Yet he continued to follow God's plan despite the ridicule and toil.
Noah had no ship-building experience. He was not a mariner or even a coastland dweller. Noah seemed the least qualified to build the ark; yet God chose Him, not because God was looking for an expert craftsman, but because He wanted someone faithful and obedient. The Scripture describes Noah as "a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God" (Genesis 6:9). God was less concerned with skill and more concerned with obedience. Today, God is still calling those of us who will act in faith and bring glory to His kingdom, even if we feel unqualified for the job.
Whenever God calls us to a task, He will equip us and enable us to complete that task. God did not give Noah the ark project without any aid. Noah had no ship-building experience, but God gave him the necessary instructions: "So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks" (Genesis 6:14-16). Many experts consider the ark the most stable ship in all of history. When God gives us a plan, He will only give us the best plans that lead to the greatest glory for Him.
God may be calling you to a task that seems insurmountable. You may feel like Noah - trying to build an ark in the middle of the desert, with no ship-building experience and little support from others. If God has directed you toward a certain project or action, you can trust that God will give you everything you need to complete the task. Spend time in prayer today asking for God to share His vision for your life and the work He wants you to do for Him. Pray that He molds your heart into that of a willing servant. Ask Him to show you the resources and people and spiritual gifts He has made available to you as you set out to do His work.
****
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Post  Admin Mon 18 Apr 2011, 11:35 pm

Week of April 18th

Sharing the Excitement

When the Samaritan woman accepted Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, she was instantly transformed into a new being. When something new and exciting happens in your life, what do you do? Share it with your friends and neighbors. The woman at the well was so thrilled she left her water jug behind in her eagerness to tell everyone what Christ had done for her!

She went back to the streets where she had previously walked in shame with her eyes downcast as people whispered unkindly about her. She had given her sin and guilt to Jesus and now could boldly engage each and every person she met in earnest conversation about her amazing experience. In short, she became a witness. John 4:27-42 tells the story.

Many Christians talk about witnessing but most don’t have a truly accurate view of what being a witness means. To better understand the term, just look at what a witness in a court trial does. His duty is simple: to tell the truth about what he experienced. He is not responsible for fully understanding the law or the process; he is only obligated to tell what he saw and heard. Telling others what we experienced when we met Jesus is our duty as witnesses for Christ, and it should be our joy to do so. How can we keep the gift of salvation quiet and not share it with others?

The Samaritan woman was not a Bible scholar and did not fully understand all that had just happened to her, yet she could not contain her excitement. Her simple testimony was to tell everyone she met, “Come and see.” That sums up our role as witnesses: we are to invite others to come and see what Jesus has to offer them. We are messengers, bearers of the most valuable invitation people will ever receive.

Christians are often relieved to learn they are not responsible for saving souls; that role is divine and not ours. Just as a witness is not responsible for the verdict, we are not held accountable for whether the people we invite to know Jesus ever accept that invitation. A witness only tells his experience and then leaves the outcome up to the judge or jury. In the same way, we share the Good News and then the Holy Spirit takes over.

What was most effective about the Samaritan woman was the joy that overflowed from her changed heart. She went from being a woman who drew water in the heat of the day to avoid contact with the townspeople to actively engaging everyone she knew to tell of her wonderful experience. Her simple testimony, unschooled and incomprehensive, was highly effective. Verse 39 says, “…Many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified…”

Do you want God to use you more this year to witness to the wonder of His love, mercy and grace? We must first start with confession of any sin in our own hearts and repentance. Even worldwide revival must start with facing our own sin.

Pray that God will reveal to you any secret sin you may have rationalized or not yet dealt with. Ask for a pure heart so you can go forward with His work. Then go out into the workplace, the gym, the classroom or wherever God has placed you and share the story that only you can tell—the story of how you came to know Jesus and all that He has done for you. Someone you know needs to hear it.

******

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Post  Admin Mon 11 Apr 2011, 12:47 pm

Week of April 11th

Waiting at the Well

Today’s novelists, journalists and moviemakers favor the themes of racism, prejudice and sexual immorality as if they are new. These themes go back to the Garden of Eden. One of the most dramatic stories of the love of Jesus conquering prejudice and human desperation was told two thousand years ago. The central figure of this story is known simply as the woman at the well. Read this story in John 4:4-26.

To understand the magnitude of Christ’s gesture when He reached out to the Samaritan woman, you first must try to understand the depth of the hatred and prejudice between the Jews and Samaritans. Orthodox Jews felt revulsion at the way Samaritans mixed Jewish beliefs and idolatry.

When Jesus set out to walk from Jerusalem to Galilee, His detractors would say He should not have taken the two-and-a-half day route. Instead, most Jews would have taken a five-day detour through Jericho and the Jordan Valley in the scorching desert to avoid contact with Samaritans.

But Jesus defied the expectations of others and traveled right into the heart of Samaria. Upon arrival, He stopped and rested at a well, clearly not avoiding the Samaritans. On the contrary, He sat there open, available and waiting, in no hurry to rush off. He had been led to that well for a purpose. Though tired from His journey, he waited.

The woman at the well was hated and degraded on many levels—by her birth as a Samaritan, by her gender that was considered inferior in that day, and by her infamous immorality. Yet this is the person the Christ, the Son of God, waited for expectantly.

We cannot fathom how shocking it was for Jesus to say to this fallen woman, “Will you give me a drink?” Not only did Jesus defy tradition by speaking directly to a woman, this woman was a despised and immoral Samaritan!

It is also significant that the woman’s word for water meant “stagnant,” water held in a cistern. Jesus’ word for water, however, meant a spring of bubbling, ever-refreshing, living water.

He wanted to give her water that would satisfy her every thirst. He wanted to give her the fulfillment that had eluded her as she sought satisfaction and joy in worldly pursuits. All had left her dry and empty. Only Jesus had the wellspring of eternal life that would satisfy her needs, and he offered it to her as a gift.

Jesus models how to share the good news with people from very different backgrounds. He put his agenda aside, lingered with her, asked her questions, did not condemn her for her past, did not rationalize or condone her sin, and offered her the bright hope of a future that is God’s gift. Jesus looked past her sin, her crusty veneer, and their cultural differences. He conveyed the Father’s love for her in a simple conversation. She confessed her sin, repented, accepted His gift, and was changed forever.

You may have unsaved neighbors or co-workers who have different values or different cultural backgrounds from yours. They need the Good News that Jesus loved them enough to give His life for them. The Lord has placed you at a well in your community so you can meet people who need to know the salvation message. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give you discernment to know the people you are to engage in conversation. Ask God for the words to say and the willingness to move out of your comfort zone to reach people quite different from you.

*******

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Post  Admin Mon 04 Apr 2011, 3:23 pm

Week of April 4th

Counting on God’s Abundance

Have your thoughts lately been focused on what you lack? Are you concerned about the lack of a strong economy, the lack of godliness in America, or even your own lack of ability to walk out your faith in a difficult world? Read John 6:1-15 and discover what happens when we place everything of concern into the Master’s hands and refuse to dwell on what we lack.

After an intense day of preaching to crowds of people, Jesus realized that the crowd was hungry and had made no provision for their next meal. Instead of expecting them to be self-reliant, Jesus felt deep compassion on them. The word used to describe Jesus’ compassion communicates that he had a physical, visceral feeling—much like pain—for them.

Jesus used the problem of feeding the hungry crowd to grow the faith of three people who were present that day. First, He asked Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do” (John 6:5b-6).

Jesus knew that Philip was thoughtful, analytical and cautious. True to his nature, Philip offered the analytical answer that it would take eight months of wages to feed the crowd, and the lack of this sum was very clear.

Andrew offered a half-hearted suggestion but with no expectation that all the needs would be met. He did mention that there was a young boy with three loaves the size of silver dollar pancakes and two sardine-sized fish. He suggested this as if the offering were just a way to put a minor patch on an overwhelming problem.

The only person who wholeheartedly gave his all to Jesus with faith and expectation was the boy. He did not operate out of his lack, his hunger, his rights to the lunch he had brought for himself, or an expectation of receiving anything in return. Instead, he turned his entire lunch over to Jesus to see what He would do, and he was not disappointed.

“Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish” (John 6:11).

Not only were the boy’s needs met, he had the joy of seeing his lunch feed over 5,000 people. Then, he watched as another 12 basketfuls of food were collected. Jesus could have fed the crowd without anyone’s help, but the young boy received an exciting and unforgettable blessing as he became part of the miracle.

What do you have that you can give to Jesus? Are you holding back because you believe your gift is too small or won’t make a difference? Lately, have you focused on your lack instead of seeing what God will do with what you have to offer? You may be missing an exciting blessing when you hold back even part of what God wants you to yield to him, whether your talents, your time, your testimony, or your money. The same mercy He had for the hungry crowd, He will show you.

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Post  Admin Mon 28 Mar 2011, 5:09 pm

Bring Your Friends to Jesus

You may have made sacrifices in your life to help others have life’s necessities, an education, or better opportunities. They are all worthy sacrifices, but the ultimate sacrifice is made when we step out in faith to bring another to Jesus. Mark tells us of four friends who did not allow seemingly insurmountable obstacles to prevent them from bringing their friend to Jesus. Read Mark 2:1-12.

Four men watched as their quadriplegic friend lay immobile, destined to a life of physical infirmity. The men developed an irrepressible commitment to their friend. They purposed to bring him to Jesus on a stretcher. The day they did, the crowds were alarmingly large and aggressive. No one would give up his place near Jesus so the men could bring their friend to the front to be healed. This did not dissuade these men. They did not stop in the face of impossible circumstances.

Because the stakes were so great, the four persisted. They had committed to bringing their friend to the Lord, and they did not waver in that commitment. They climbed onto the roof of the building where Jesus spoke, dug a hole, and lowered their friend down to Jesus.

What struck Jesus first was not the man’s paralysis but rather his friends’ faith. They could not heal the man physically or convert him spiritually, but they had an undaunted faith that Jesus could. The men believed that if they could just bring him into the presence of Jesus that He would do the rest—and Jesus honored that faith.

Jesus’ first move was not to heal the man’s paralysis. Instead, He addressed the man’s spiritual condition by forgiving his sins—a far greater need. Not only did the man walk out of the house healed physically, Jesus saved him from eternal death and gave him eternal life. His friends could not have given him a greater gift.

Often, we are satisfied if our families and closest friends are saved. It should not stop there. The paralytic may have been a neighbor, a former co-worker, or a family friend. Like these men, when God brings people into our lives and places their unsaved condition on our hearts, we can trust Him to honor our faith. Our only task is to bring them to Him. They may have no faith at all, but God will honor our faith.

Is there someone in your life who is unsaved? Are you committed to bringing that person to Jesus? You may have tried in the past with no results. George Mueller prayed for some people for 23 years before they were saved. Will you commit to praying with renewed commitment for them? Do you need to invite them to church or a small group?

Pray today that God will give you undaunted faith that your friend will surely come to know the Lord. Then be obedient to do your part to bring them before Jesus.

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