Divine Mentor: God's Will: By: Debbie McGrath

Today's Reading: Job 16, Acts 21-23(Oct. 25)

Lately, I have been busier than ever.  All the things I do are good - and I have questioned myself - should I be doing all these good things?  Many times at the end of the day, I am exhausted.

I exhaust myself - thinking about everything I have to do.(this is totally relying on myself and not God)

These passages about Paul really spoke to me about God's Will for my life.
Paul's friends begged him not to go to Jerusalem.  They knew he would be in danger and possibly lose his life. Paul knew God's will for his life was to go to Jerusalem and he was obedient.

Paul is a great mentor to me:  Thru these verses, I learned lessons about God's Will for my life:

1.  What matters is God's will for me not what others think I should do.

2.  Spiritual focus is to be vertical.

3.  Spend time in the WORD and listen for the Lord to speak.

4.  To realize God's Will -- may not be what I want.

5.  Do not settle for merely knowing His Will - Do it, in His strength and for His 
     glory.

6.  Surrender to God's Will - be Obedient!

Divine Mentor: Spirit of Discernment: by Laila Wahba, PhD

A Spirit of Discernment

Acts 16.16b,17  we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by fortune telling. She followed Paul and us, crying out, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.

This slave girl had an evil spirit, a spirit of divination. Yet, what she was saying looked like she was evangelizing or, at least, pointing others to follow and believe Paul and Silas. But, it was not God’s voice, but Satan’s.

Amazing how Paul, with the Holy Spirit in him that gives him discernment, was not flattered by what the girl was saying. He immediately realized that this is not from the Lord but from the devil.

The Bible tells us a scary fact that “ Even the demons believe—and shudder” James 2:19. Head knowledge alone cannot save us, but the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and His work in us.

How do we react when we hear praise? When people sing our laurels? How do we react when we see people speaking like they were Christians? DO we, as the Bible orders us, do we examine the spirits? Or do we just assume that since others are talking the talk, then they must be ok? Or that if they praise us for our Christian ministry then they must be ok?

Lord, today, I am praying for your Holy Spirit. I pray for a Spirit of discernment. Show me, like Paul when to talk (Acts 15.6) and when to keep quiet. If you tell me to hold my tongue, whatever it is, Lord, may I be totally submitted to the calling of Your Spirit.  Oh Holy Spirit, tell me where to go and where not to go (Acts:15.7). May I be sure that You know best.

Help me, Holy Spirit to obey when You tell me to move, like Paul when he immediately went to Macedonia. I want to be totally submitted to You and You alone.

Divine Mentor- Only God has The Power

Job 6-8; Acts 12
Scripture: Job 6:13 " Do I have any power to help myself now that success has been driven from me?"

Observation: Isn't this how we think? We look at our successes: financial independence, obedient and independent children, job security, possessions, health and fitness, etc. and we are so proud of our ability to achieve. We say, "God has truly blessed me." Then something happens and these are "taken from us". So we say exactly what Job is saying: The successes in my life for which I worked so hard have been taken from me-  how can I fix it?

Application: Only when we truly understand that God is our power will we experience the success that can never be driven from us.

Prayer: O God, today I surrender my right to be successful in the eyes of those around me. I desire only an intimate relationship with You. I give up my desire to control the future. Amen.

Divine Mentor-Hearts Prepared For Jesus

Job 5; Psalm 108; Acts 10-11

Scripture: Acts 10:2 " He and all his family were God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly."

Observation: Cornelius was a roman soldier who knew about the God of the Jews and respected their teachings. He prayed regularly, perhaps daily, and gave money to those in need.  If, however, that had been enough for salvation, this story told by Luke would not have been necessary--- but it was.

Application:  God prepares hearts to hear the Gospel. He prepares us to speak it. Many people are doing everything they know to do to follow a God they think ( or desperately hope) exists. Like Cornelius, they need to hear the true story of Jesus, and we need to be telling it.

Prayer: Father God, don't let me miss a heart You have prepared to hear the story of Your precious Son and my Lord and Savior.

Divine Mentor- Worthy to Suffer?

Malachi 3-4; Psalm 148; Acts 5
Scripture: Acts 5:41 " So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name."

Observation: Rejoicing that they were worthy to suffer shame. The Greek word for shame (atimazo) means "dishonorable treatment" , but it was far more than that! They were thrown in prison and beaten ( flogged until their skin came off). And for what? For telling the truth about Jesus. In Acts 4 they told us they couldn't help themselves- they HAD to talk about what they had seen and heard. They weren't rejoicing about their mistreatment- they were rejoicing because it brought them closer to Jesus.

Application: Here in the United States we have no concept of what it means to suffer for our faith. Next week I will travel to India to spend 5 days alongside believers who actually have been rejected by family, beaten, and imprisoned for their faith. It is a humbling experience. And yet, friends here have told me that I am making a great sacrifice- financial expense, 19 hours in airplanes, strange food, the dangers of Calcutta. Like I said, we have no concept of what it means to suffer for our faith.

Prayer: Father, I thank you for believers around the world who truly sacrifice their lives so that others can know the truth of Christ and the love of God. Give me the opportunity today to tell someone about You.

Divine Mentor- Do Not Desire Self - Control

Nehemiah 11-12; Psalm 1; Acts 3

Scripture: Ps. 1:6 "For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."

Observation: We need to be careful about this verse, because the world divides people into two categories, good and bad, based on their behavior. For this reason, most would interpret the verse like this: If you are a "good" person, God will take care of you; however, if you are a "bad" person, you will die and go to hell ( most people, even if they say they don't believe in hell, still assume that God will inflict serious punishment on "really bad" people when they die).

The problem with this is that God's Word says there is no one who is good (Ecc.7:20); therefore, there is nothing we can do to be righteous. So who are the righteous? I believe Paul says it best: "What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but the people of Israel, who pursued the law as the way of righteousness, have not attained their goal. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the stumbling stone." (Rom. 9:30-32)

Definition of Righteousness: Conformity to the revealed will of God for my life

Application: The righteous are "God-controlled"
                   The wicked are "self-controlled"
                    It has nothing to do with my behavior and everything to do with my Jesus.

Prayer: Father God, today I desire to have no self - control but to be totally controlled by You so that I can be conformed to Your perfect will for my life and transformed into the very likeness of Your Son, Jesus.

Divine Mentor: Will you stoop to serve the Lord? by: Laila Wahba, PhD

Nehemiah 3:5

And next to them the Tekoites repaired, but their nobles would not stoop to serve their Lord.

After hundreds of years, we read about the nobles who would not stoop.

After hundreds of years, another Noble, another King, another Master stooped to serve fallen mankind. Jesus stooped to wash our feet.

How will our lives read many years from now? How will people talk about us?

will you stoop to serve your God who stooped so low for you? as low as a slave? who became sin for you? 

How low am I willing to stoop? Our natural body tells me to elevate myself, to appear much bigger and much more important than my reality. Stoop? no way. 

Jesus, You who stooped for me- a sinner, I stoop in front of you. Help me be willing to stoop however low, to bring others to know you. Help me not think too much of myself. May I be willing to diminish so that You might increase for by being proud, no one whom I know will get to know you. Lord, forgive me if at times, I am the stumbling block, I am the casue that others do not want to meet you because.  I am not stooping enough to lift them up.

Lord, I give you all my pride Help me stoop... and be proud of it  :)

Divine Mentor: Rebuild Your Lives - by: Laila Wahba,PHD

Rebuilding the Walls

Nehemiah 3

I find the sequence of the gates built very interesting. It is not by chance that they built the gates in this order, but I think that this is the sequence we need to rebuild our lives too.

1. They rebuilt the Sheep Gate: we always need to start rebuilding with the Lamb of God, Jesus, if we want to rebuild our lives and make sure it will be secure. If we start anywhere else, the building will surely fall down... our lives will crumble at the first wind, the first problem, the first sickness, the first broken relationship, the first hurt.
2. The Fish Gate; the symbol of the Cross of Jesus. This is why many Christians choose to put a fish on their bumpers, but let us put the Cross..not on our necks or bumpers but in our hearts that Jesus might reign; that the Cross might always keep us humble and pleasing to God.
3. The Old Gate: Revisit the old things in your life and clean them by the Blood of the Jesus, the blood, the sign that we have a blood covenant with God and nothing can separate us.
4. The Valley Gate: Build the deep pits in my character that no one knows about but me. Let Jesus fill my guilt, my shame, my sin, my unbelief, my shortcomings, my shaky knees, my relationships, my sorrows, my fears, my discontent, and I can go on and on... let Jesus fill the Valleys with His Love, forgiveness, freedom, appreciation, encouragement and redemption.
5. The Dung Gate: Get deeper to the dirtier, darker areas in my life. Amazing how God reveals our shortcomings little by little. He gets deeper and deeper into our souls and does a deeeeep, deeeep cleansing that no one else can do. And although He sees the dung in my life, yet all the while He is loving me, and encouraging me, and helping me...and when He does get rid of the dirt, He applauds me as if I have done it on my own. PRAISE YOUR HOLY NAME, MY SWEET SWEET JESUS.
6. The Fountain Gate: Now comes the washing, the cleansing. Now I am refreshed by the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit.
7. The Water gate; More and more cleansing. 
8. The Horse Gate: Now comes victory. Go charging on telling others about your new found love: Jesus.
9. Inspection Gate: Re examine your life, and start all over with the Sheep Gate.

What Matters Most

Today’s Reading

Ezra 7 & 8

Luke 20

The one thing I have found to be true since I have begun to journal is when God wants me to know something it will jump off the pages.  Today I received two messages that my heart needed to hear.

Luke 20:34-38

Jesus told them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to take part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.  For they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.  Moses even indicated in the passage about the burning bush that the dead are raised, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jabob. He is not God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to Him.” (HCSB)

I occasionally think about what my earthly relationships will be like in the Kingdom of God.  The question that the Sadducees asked Jesus about the woman with seven husbands provided an answer for me today.  They wanted to know which of her seven husbands will be her husband in the Kingdom of God. 

Jesus is telling us that once we enter the Kingdom of God we are all his children making us brothers and sisters.  There will be no need for any other relationships.  We are here on earth to do what is required of us according to God so that we can be with Him when the time comes.  That is why Luke 20:38 is so important, “He is not God of the dead but of the living, because all are living to Him.”  We must believe that Jesus died for us and rose from the dead 3 days later, understand that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, be biblically baptized to be born again, and build a relationship with Christ to be considered alive.  As believers we must not concern ourselves with who God will raise from the dead because those that haven’t accepted Jesus as the only way will not be born again so they are not the living. 

Please continue to show me patience and mercy as I continue to live under Your Grace.  I am alive because Jesus saved me and I am grateful for that sacrifice every day. Please continue to help me to remember there is no relationship more important than my relationship with Christ.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ezra 7:28

…I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me…

This is what God wants us to always remember; that we are empowered through His strength.  Daily we should be courageous.  When we encounter situations or even people that fear shows its ugly face in, we are to be courageous not because we can handle anything but because we can handle everything with God.

I must remember that because I am touched by God nothing or no one can ever cause me any real injury.  I must move forward with courage.  No matter how large or small God is with me.

Please continue to show me patience and mercy as I continue to live under Your Grace. I want to always be courageous in all my daily activities and especially my challenges.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Divine Mentor- Prepare My Heart Daily

Ezra 7-8; Luke 20

Scripture: Ezra 7:10 " For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel. "

Observation: The world would tell us to prepare our minds, but God desires our hearts. Because his heart was in tune with God, he was able to hear what God was saying to him. He was then willing not only to do it but to teach it to others.

Application : How do I prepare my heart? For years I tried to do it with Sunday morning worship, a Bible Study during the week, and a quick devotional in the morning ( or before bed if I forgot that morning or was running late). Now He is showing me that it is vital that I rise early every morning so that He can prepare my heart for the day. God' s word is new and specific each morning for what I am to learn, to do, and to teach.

Prayer: O God, my heart desires to hear You as my day begins. This day belongs to You. What have You planned for me this day?

When I go unrecognized

Esther 2:23
When the affair was investigated and found to be so, 

the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was 

recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence

 of the king.

We are living in the instant world, instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant 
satisfaction..., but what if God intentionally delays recognition for 

something we have done? Something so great as saving the King's life!!!! 

Will I feel bitter? Cheated? Angry? Will I go around telling others 

how ungrateful the king is? How faithful I am yet unappreciated? 

Well Mordecai did none of this. He did the right thing. Period. 

He did his job faithfully. Period. 
When the time came for him to be recognized, it was not because 

of his pushing, but because GOD, in His sovereignty and omnipotence 

woke the King up and had him read in the middle of the night

 a history book!!!! Have you ever heard of someone read a

 historybook when they have insomnia? But God had a plan 

to promote Mordacai. What an awesome God we have.

Lord, let me do what is right even if no one will ever know. 

I lay down today every spirit of entitlement for I deserve 

nothing but death. 

You, in your love gave me life through YOUR Blood. 

Praise you Jesus.Let me not get angry, or have self pity 

when I am unrecognized, or when others do not thank me 

or appreciate what I do. YOU see, Lord and this is more than

 enough. I love you Jesus.

Laila Wahba

Divine Mentor: Contentment by Laila Wahba

Contentment

Esther 2:9
And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided 

her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen 

young women from the king's palace, and advanced her and her young 

women to the best place in the harem. Esther 2:13 when the young woman

 went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to 

take with her from the harem to the king's palace.
Esther 2:15 When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail 

the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, 

to go in to the king,she asked for nothing except what Hegai the 

king's eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. 

Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her.

What a great opportunity for any woman: to get whatever she desires, and 
probably get to keep it even if she does not become queen. But Esther was so 
content with what was given to her, not asking for what she might have thought 
to be her right; not taking more out of fear of not becoming the queen. She did 
not think of taking more to ensure her future in case she lost the beauty 
contest. Her contentment won her not only a kingdom, but also the favor of 
many..of everyone who dealt with her which would later be in her favor, since 
people did know her in her poverty and before she had any queenly power. She 
realized that Hegai would know much better than anyone what the King liked, so 
she trusted his judgement even if it meant getting smaller jewelry or a color 
she did not like too much.
This made me think: am I content with God's choice for me? To tell you the 
truth, not always. Am I content that I am in a transitional period waiting with 
many uncertainties? Do I trust God's choices for me knowing that He knows best? 
Hmmmm sometimes..
Lord, I pray for contentment today, for contentment brings blessings far beyond 
what I would choose for myself.
Let me be satisfied with what You choose to give me, because You, Lord know 
best.
Laila Wahba

Divine Mentor: Follow Me?? by Debbie McGrath

Today's Reading: Esther 3-8, Luke 18

Even though I know the story of Esther, God teaches me new things every time I read the story.
I love the part when she fasted and prayed before she rushed in to speak to the King.
She went to God first and sought His direction.  She waited on God's timing - Esther was wise.

When I got to Luke 18:22 - the Lord says: then come and follow me.

I thought about what it really meant to follow me.  It is more than a salvation prayer!
I made a list of what I believe it means to Follow the Lord:
 I am sure when you read this, you will think of many other ways to follow Christ.

Follow Me:

To saturate my mind in the Word.

To trust God.

To turn from Sin.

To have a heart change.

To lose my life.

To abandon my safety/security.

To leave my comfort zone.

To die to self wants.

To realize Christ controls everything.

To realize Christ is in charge.

To learn to wait on the Lord.

To give beyond my ability.

To be grateful in all circumstances.

To see an urgency in sharing the gospel.

To give myself to others.

Divine Mentor: Who Am I? by Debbie McGrath

Today's reading: Ezra 5-6, Psalm 138, Luke 16

As I spend time in the God's word tonight, I am refreshed. God's Word fills me like a tall glass of water in the desert. When I miss my time in the Word - I am empty, selfish and malnourished.

Love what I read in Ezra 5:11 - The workers of the temple were confronted by the Persian appointed governor. He asked the workers - Who are you?? Love this response: - We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth.  

When I read this, I had to ask myself -would others say that I am a servant of the God of heaven and earth by my actions or the words I speak.  Do my actions prove that I put Christ first and others second in my life?  Do the words I use everyday represent the fruit of the spirit?

As I question myself - I know that my priority is to implant the Word of God in my heart. God's word gives me wisdom and direction for my life. When I put God first, others will know whom I serve.

That is my prayer -that no one would question me when I say: I am the servant of the God of heaven and earth.