Today's Prayer
My Precious Heavenly Father, Here I am to worship you this day. Here I am to declare that you are my God and lift up your name. I praise you above all on the earth and above every being in the heavens. You are the Almighty, all-powerful and all-knowing God that I come to. You hold me in your hand and watch over me. Thank you for shielding me and loving me. Thank you for your tender mercies and your firm chastisement, oh One who loves more than any other loves. Thank you for reminding me of who you are and who I am. Without you, I am nothing. With you, I am forgiven, blessed, and victorious. Through the blood of Jesus, I am made righteous. I cannot thank you enough for saving my soul and carrying me through this life. In Jesus' name I bow before you. Amen.
"So I have caused you to be despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not followed my ways but have shown partiality in matters of the law" (Mal 2:9).
My work, My way - When you and I live in this world without Christ we live a life just as Esau lived his life. Esau despised his birthright and failed to enter into a relationship with God that allowed him to fulfill his destiny. In essence, Esau fulfilled his work, his way. His life represented the carnal life of the flesh.
His work, my way - When you and I become born-again by the Spirit of God, we begin to focus our attention on living for Christ. We realize it is His work we are doing but it takes time before we learn what it means to do His work, His way.
My work, His way - As the Holy Spirit does His work in us, we learn to walk with God. We learn what it means to see our work as His work and we desire to do it His way. The Israelites were guilty of not knowing His ways and were unable to move into the Promised Land because of not understanding how to do Their work, His ways.
His work, His way - When we begin to walk with God we begin to realize that all that we do is His work and He calls us to do it His way. When we begin to walk with God in this manner we begin to see the Kingdom of God manifested in our working lives. We begin to experience His power and learn what it means to do His work, His way.
In order to experience God in this way, each of us must give our working lives to the Lord and ask him to teach us His way. Moses asked God: "If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you" (Ex 33:12). Moses realized He needed God to teach him His ways in order for him to prosper in His relationship with God.
What best describes your life today? Your work, your way; Your work, His way; His work, your way; or His work, His way? Pray that you learn to do His work, His way.
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman
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"Prime Time With God, Reflecting on Faith, Work and Ministry." TGIF Today God Is First Volume 2, by Os Hillman. Copyright 2008 Ephesians Four Ministries, Church Growth Institute, PO Box 7, Elkton, MD 21922-0007 USA cgimail@churchgrowth.org Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this email in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.
