You have a remarkably distinctive treasure inside of you, and it’s the you God created you to be.
My friend, don’t you know how beautiful you are to our Heavenly Father? Not because of what’s on the outside, but the treasure that makes you uniquely you on the inside.
You are a created original.
Valued and precious, and God is in love with you.
“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:17.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” 1 Corinthians 12:7
There is a beautiful thing in the body of Christ called diversity. And yes, when we hear that word typically our minds are drawn to the notion of race, ethnicity, background, and the like. Believe me, those things DO make the body of Christ uniquely beautiful, and we will see the full culmination of that when we get to heaven.
But to help usher people toward that goal of reaching those heavenly doors, and to teach, assist, and encourage the saints along the way, variety in the form of spiritual gifts are very vital.
Working together in unison with His Spirit and one another for Kingdom purposes means that one does not have to shoulder the weight of every gift upon oneself. Rather, as doctors are in areas of specific studies, there are special areas endowed with special abilities from high. The beauty is, as a community of believers we have all the gifts of His Spirit in operation to benefit the body as a whole, lacking nothing, regardless of who is the one carrying the gift.
Spiritual gifts are never to be the source of contention and division. Every gift, regardless of the name or manifestation you attach to it, comes from the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
It’s not about who gets to do what, or who is recognized for this and that, or whose gift seems to be “greatest.” It is all about what are we doing with what God gave us? How are we pooling our resources to help people and to help further increase His Kingdom?
First Peter 4:10, 11 instructs us, saying, “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
This means all gifts given are with the purpose that we “minister” or serve one another with the end result “that God in all things may be glorified.”
This is a concept Paul had to explain to the Corinthian church, who allowed divisiveness to enter over the topic of spiritual giftings. Paul explained to the church the different varieties of gifts, the value of all gifts given, and their intended purpose, which was for the benefit of all (read 1 Corinthians 12:1-11).
In 1 Corinthians 12:7, he wrote, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal”, reiterating the way the Spirit manifests or reveals His working through individuals by their gifting is to “profit withal.” The advancement of God’s business, and the church as a whole, should benefit from what He has blessed inside each of us.
We are a part of His plan to make a difference in the lives of others. Each of us has something special within us that is never meant to be buried, hidden, or kept for ourselves. One should not want to go through life without the world benefiting from that spiritual treasure inside you. Take the bold approach and unearth it. Put it out there for all to partake in.
And whatever you do, don’t use it as some sort of measuring rod to compare with others. We have different gifts for a reason. Where I am strong, I can do my part to help minister to those around me.
Where I am weak, I cannot not only lean upon another, but I can help send others who have needs to be fulfilled in that direction to get the specific help they need.
Doing this makes us good stewards of the gifts. This is beautiful, because hand in hand, and heart with heart, like Nehemiah and the people building the wall, we are all working in unison together on our individual part to build up and finish the work (Nehemiah 3-4).
You, my friend, are gifted, and your gift is needed in this work. Let us not fight or become discouraged over the gifts but let us build together using them.
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“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.” Ecclesiastes 7:14
Let’s talk about bad days because we all have them. Bad days are like clouds that block out the sun. When they move in, they overshadow the beauty around them. If they hang around long enough, the dreariness accompanying them can settle in your surroundings, obscuring your view, and warping your perspective.
People tend to shift their perspectives based on experience. Experience can be subjective due to knowledge and/or feelings. In all, it is easy for one to think or feel a certain way regardless of what the actual fact says.
Here’s what is true for the Christian, if the Bible says something, then that’s a fact. With that as our springboard, let’s unpack Ecclesiastes 7:14 to gain a better understanding of whatever kind of day, the season of life, or challenges you may be facing.
“In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider.” Know this, we will have both good days and bad days. Yet, we are always surprised when our good days are interrupted by the bad. Part of that comes with the shock and awe of the adverse moment. And it’s not as if we are totally divorcing ourselves from all the feelings we feel when facing difficulties, but we are also to realize that this is a part of life. Peter writes, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Peter 4:12). Some days, hard stuff will happen, if for no other reason than we are living. We are alive. In that, our experiences in the ups and downs of life may vary from day to day.
Ecclesiastes tells how to handle those variances: in the good days, when everything is fine and prosperous, going your way – rejoice. Be “joyful!” Be thankful for those moments. Live with an appreciative heart in gratitude for them.
And in the bad, when things don’t look so rosy – those days you want to hide from the world, he says to “consider.” There are fewer things in life that will slow you down and give you a long pause to reflect, like adversity. It provides a place to mull over some things and to deeply think about this life and the many facets it brings.
The word consider is used in a specific way in this verse that I will deal with in more depth when we get to the next section. But to know for a fact that both experiences of good days and bad days are just a part of our human living, can be almost liberating. In that, it allows us to prepare our hearts and our responses in how we want to act for either/or during those times, even if we sometimes do it imperfectly.
“God also hath set the one over against the other.” God is sovereign over any and all days. One of the things we like to say is that a situation may have taken us by surprise, but it sure didn’t take God by surprise. And that’s so true! I can write a book on the verses of Him ordering the days, and times, and seasons – oh wait, they already did that. It’s called the Bible, and in it, we see from the first page to the last, God’s sovereign hand moving. In the middle, there are a lot of lives, with a lot of stories – some good, and some not so good. But our God, who Ecclesiastes 7:14 assures us regarding these differences of days, “hath set the one over against the other.”
Our God, who is the Creator of the world, is the Creator of our days. And even when the days don’t look right or feel right to us, we have this promise: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Did you see what I saw in that verse? Even if it doesn’t appear good to us, God is able to make something good out of that experience. It doesn’t say that everything that happens to us is good, but whatever happens, God can use it for good.
“To the end that man should find nothing after him.” You never know what’s ahead, so strive to thrive in all seasons and days you experience. Life is a gift, and while we may not like some of the things and days we face, and we may wish they were all full of joy and celebrating, we can remain in hope in our God who has never failed.
The children of Israel experienced many days of a time of prolonged captivity under the rule of their enemy when they thought it would never get better. Because of what they were experiencing, some struggled with the picture of their future God provided through the prophet Jeremiah when he said, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11).
My friends, when the days are good, we claim to see the hand of the Lord moving in all kinds of ways in our lives. But when approached by the bad, we fail to realize He’s still there, and no matter what we are facing, good or bad, our reliance, dependence, and hope are securely anchored in God alone and in what He can do and has done for us – not in ourselves, our present circumstances, or experiences.
And while we may struggle to see the end, our trust is to always be in the God who knows the end.
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“Give us this day our daily bread.” Matthew 6:11
The soul must recognize, and the heart acknowledge, there is not a day that goes by when we don’t need the holy provisions that come from on high. The hope, joy, and peace of heaven – every good, and every perfect gift from above – all of it we need daily to feed this spiritual life (James 1:17).
You, O God, are the one true source of all. To look anywhere else to nourish our souls for these times would be a futile pursuit. It is in You that we find the freedom we so long for. It is before You, we lay our cares, our thoughts, our burdens at Your holy feet.
Whatever we place there may feel like a lot to us, but it is never too much for You. So, daily You invite us to come, ask, seek, knock, and believe in faith (Matthew 7:7-8).
Today, and every day, we know that we need You. You, who were the manna in the wilderness, are the daily, living bread we need for this life right now (John 6:47-51). As a man starved in appetite, let us look to You for our heavenly sustenance (Matthew 5:6). You are the hope we lean upon, daily.
Friend, go to Him, daily.
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Every worry and every fear, take it and leave it at the foot of that blood-stained banner that was raised for our freedom.
Every doubt and every hurt, take it to Him who is stretched wide upon those old rugged beams to experience fully the troubles we face.
Every sorrow and every tear, take it to Him whose nail-pierced hands flow with a life poured out for you and me. He that endured the pain of the piercing knows of the rejection, the betrayal, and the indecency of evil we all face in this life. He knows this and more for in His bearing, He held the crushing weight of all sin upon those beaten and slumped shoulders even as His heart cried out to the Father the agony of separation.
There is nothing we feel that He hasn’t already felt.
There is no experience so unique to us that He has not already carried the weight of.
There is no trouble we face that He hasn’t looked in the eye and gained the victory of it on that cross.
On that cross, He became authority and victor over all. His kingship may have been inscribed in writing by man: “And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS,” (John 19:19), but God declared Him Ruler over all through His atoning sacrifice of the blood on that cross (Revelation 1:5; Romans 3:25; Matthew 28:18).
Whatever you are facing, take it to the cross and trust Him who was hung there so that you may rise to a life of victory today!
Why take it to the cross?
It’s the place where the King would suffer for our healing: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5
It’s the place where reconciliation takes place and hostility is put to death: “He did this so that he might reconcile both to God in one body through the cross by which he put the hostility to death.” – Ephesians 2:16, CSB
It’s the place where we find the truest form of peace: “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” – Colossians 1:20
It’s the place where our sins were blotted out: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross.” – Colossians 2:14
It’s the place where we are given the opportunity to lay down the dead and pick up a life of righteousness: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24
And, it is the place where we experience true love: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16
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You are the Rock
that we lean upon.
Better than the
glory of the rising sun.
You are the great
I AM THAT I AM.
Better than Moses,
the prophets, and Abraham.
You are my praise,
my comfort, my shield.
Better than any source
this world reveals.
You are the hope
in my soul, do I trust.
Better than man or plan,
designed or discussed.
It is You to which
none can compare,
for You are better than
anyone, anywhere.
A lot of things
we can appreciate
but You, O God,
are better in every way.
“Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord‘s name is to be praised. The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.” Psalm 113:2-4
“Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.” Jeremiah 10:6-7
“I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” Isaiah 45:5-7
The world calls out for our trust. Man pleads for us to put confidence in him. Even our own five senses beckon us to lean upon what we can feel, see, and touch.
But God is supremely better than them all. He is the Utmost beyond our utmost, and none can top, come near, or replace the joy and treasure found in the greatness of our God who is just better than.
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You are not in this alone in this. We carry this promise with us: “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world,” (Matthew 28:20). Believe that the same Jesus who stood on the boat and “rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm,” (Mark 4:39) is the same Jesus that is with you now.
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“But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the Lord which he did.” Deuteronomy 11:7
How would life look for us, or how much more would our faith be fed if we were intentional about remembering “the great acts of the LORD?” We don’t need to see the seas part, the ground opened to swallow, or mighty plagues – but surely, there are moments in our lives when we know that it was nothing but God. There are miracles, blessings, the moving of His holy hand, and His Holy Spirit that could be nothing short of His intervention for us.
As Moses recaps God’s commandments in Deuteronomy for the wilderness wanderers, he also wants them to remember personally what their eyes have seen, the things they have experienced during this time with God.
Days gone by supply us with a life full of the stories of His deliverance, His patience, and His constant and consistent work in our lives. Sometimes too numerous to tell, but when we think back, our eyes of faith behold them and we see that it is nothing we have done, nor can we take the credit. We see a God who has done more to love us, so this is where our trust should lie. This is where we should look in hope also for the days coming ahead.
If you look back into your bygone moments, what can you see? Can you see His hand showing up unexpectedly in a moment of grace? Can you see where His mercy touched what was once believed to be untouchable? Can you see where His promises came alive more vividly when you thought it was all over?
There are big things and there are small things – events and seasons that grow our appreciation all the more for the wonderful God we serve.
It takes nothing more than for us to simply appreciate that our eyes have awakened to a new day, and our lungs are breathing what He provides, to see God’s wonderful acts at work in our lives even right now.
His presence and concern for us are marked by the care He invests in us. Every prayer is heard. Every prayer responded. The feelings of His love wrapped around us – yes, He is there.
Even in times of tears and upset, His comforting presence saturates the atmosphere with His reassuring peace.
Throughout your life your eyes have seen many things and many things have been your experiences. Some may have been wonderful and good. Some may not have been. But if you pick through all you have witnessed, your testimony would call to mind: “I have seen the great acts of the Lord in my life.” In that, God’s faithfulness and neverending love for you shines through, holding you in faith through the days when it’s hard to see anything positive.
Take a walk down memory lane today and see those moments where He has faithfully made a way. Pray for God to show you Him in that walking and may your faith be increased as you take in the great acts of the Lord, for wherever He is, it is always great.
“I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.” Psalm 77:11
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Giving God my all. What exactly does that mean?
What are you holding? What do you possess? What is important to you? Where does your love rest?
There are many parts of us. And while many parts make us us, there is only one God, and He is to be over all. Not just over all in the sense of His complete Sovereignty – but over your all, personally.
So, I ask you again, what is near and dear to you? What do you treasure and hold in high regard? There are no areas to be withheld from Him. Wherever He wills, He can touch. But how do we respond when He touches it?
As I ponder those questions, I am reminded of the time when adverse circumstances struck Job’s life in many different ways, all at the same time (Job 1-2). Job’s response may seem mind-boggling to some for we are told in the midst of it all, he “worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:20-21).
Job may not have understood everything, and he may have felt sorrow and experienced grief, but even in this, he surrendered everything he held dear in his choice to worship. He held on to his integrity and “In all this did not Job sin with his lips” (Job 2:10).
How does our heart respond when that which is dear to us has faced times of crisis? Do we really surrender all to Him, trust, and move forward even if our steps seem heavier than before? Or do we shut down as we try to hold on to the very last thread of that beloved thing?
To “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength” (Mark 12:30) means there is to be no part of me, or what I am, or what I have that comes before God. Everything else must be willingly surrendered so that my love for Him shines first.
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Our strength to do life comes from God. He is our staying power. He is the one who carries us. He is our protector. He is our anointing. When we stand on Him, we will not be moved! “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” Psalm 46:1, NKJV
“The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.” Psalm 28:8
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