The Daily Verse: Luke 18:2-5

He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.' Luke 18:2-5

Sometimes, the practice of persistence molds and prepares us to be able to receive what we're asking for. If you feel you have unanswered prayer, keep asking. Let us continually approach the throne with boldness and persistence, such as the woman described here.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

The Daily Verse: Hebrews 2:9

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9

Christ is familiar with your suffering. You are not alone in it. Press into your relationship with Him, sharing in your common experience. Lean into the hope that He has already conquered the source of our suffering and the battle has been won!

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

Boyd Bailey: Mission Accomplished...

“For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your brothers but carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you." Joshua 22:3

What is your personal and professional mission? Are they clearly defined and do they align? Your mission is your purpose in life; it is why you get up in the morning. Is yours compelling and Christ centric? Your mission flows from your heart, mind and soul. It is who God made you to be and what He wants you want to do. Are you on your mission from God? A life on purpose is able to produce lasting results blessed by the Lord.

Your mission keeps you honest and accountable. It is what God uses to measure the effectiveness of your life. He has created you for a specific purpose with a specific plan. You can rest assured that your mission involves loving Him and loving others, as these are His two greatest commandments. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27). Love lingers long and hard on behalf of the Lord.

Your mission is a time-saver as it is a filter for decision-making. It gives you permission to say no to many things and yes to a few things. Your mission is your friend, your motivator and your protector. Embrace it and let it empower you. Then live your life intentionally, rather than drifting and missing God’s best. So, how can you discover and live out God’s mission for your life and work?

Your mining for your mission begins with God. How has He gifted you? What are your passions and what do you do well? Will the mission you are considering be pleasing and acceptable to Him and to those who care about you the most? What are your roles in life? You may be a son, a daughter, a brother, a sister, a parent, a friend, a leader, a husband, or a wife. Consider the influence of your life’s roles and weave those into your purpose.

Your personal and professional mission should support and encourage alignment between the two. For example, if your personal mission is to be family friendly and your professional responsibilities require you to travel extensively, you may need to re-evaluate. If your career is currently demanding an inordinate amount of time, make sure your spouse and children understand this is temporary so that they can support your efforts.

Your mission should be a regular monitor of who you are and what you are doing. Start today and define who you are by God’s definition. What He would have you to do at this stage of life, for your mission can evolve over time. Write it down or update it and keep it in front of you. Then one day, like Jesus, you can say mission accomplished. “I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do” (John 17:4).

What is God’s purpose for my personal and professional life? Are they aligned? Am I on purpose for God?

Note: my personal mission is to glorify God by being a faithful husband, available father, loyal friend and loving leader. My professional mission is to equip ministries for Christ!

Related Readings: Exodus 9:16; Psalm 57:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; Revelation 17:17


Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

Boyd Bailey: Pioneer Or Procrastinator… MUST READ!!!

“If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.” Numbers 14:8

What is your picture of God’s plan for your future? Is it full of possibilities and promise or is it frightful and uncertain? Do you dwell on the disappointments of the past or do you anticipate the blessings of the future? Are you a pioneer who is propelled forward by the prospects of good things or are you a procrastinator paralyzed by doom and gloom?

The great news is God has a hope and a future for His loved ones. “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). You can prayerfully plan and work hard because your Savior scripts your future. The Lord will lead you to His purposeful place.

Is moving forward with God’s game plan without suffering and sacrifice? Of course not! Pioneers understand that conquering new horizons require hardships and overcoming harsh conditions. Procrastinators, however, find excuses why taking new territory won’t work. They are intimidated by the big boulders of unbelief that lie ahead on the trail of trust. But is God big enough to remove obstacles and clear the way? Yes, and He is waiting for you to walk with Him by grace. Pioneers are proactive to pray as they move ahead in faith.

Your Heavenly Father will clear the way for you to travel to your next destination. Paul understood this, “Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you” (1 Thessalonians 3:11). Pioneers show up in the face of uncertainty and expect good things to happen. Procrastinators remain behind terrified by the prospects of bad things, but pioneers are at peace as they see God at work in the unseen.

Pioneers hope. Procrastinators fear. Pioneers encourage. Procrastinators complain. Pioneers support. Procrastinators tear down. Pioneers pray. Procrastinators worry. Pioneers are creative. Procrastinators are dull. Pioneers are determined. Procrastinators give up. Pioneers make progress. Procrastinators lose ground. Pioneers are leaders. Procrastinators were leaders. Pioneers serve a Big God. Procrastinators serve a small god.

Are you a pioneer or a procrastinator? Where is the Lord leading you that requires great faith? Is your vision so compelling that unless God shows up it is doomed for failure? Keep pressing forward by faith and by God’s grace and you will carry out His perfect plan. “This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13). Am I willing to release my fears and move forward by faith?

Related Readings: Numbers 20:12; Micah 4:13; Romans 15:23-24; 2 Corinthians 1:17

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

The Daily Verse: Galatians 5:17

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. Galatians 5:17

Are you ashamed that sometimes you struggle? The best way to be strong, is to stay closely connected to your power source. If your power source is the Lord, then you're going to long for the ways of the Spirit. If your power source is worldliness, then you're going to long for the ways of the world. Choose which power source you will plug into, and allow God to empower you to choose the ways of the Spirit, though they be at war with the flesh.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

The Daily Verse: Romans 8:6

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6

When we are intentional to have our mind set on the things of God, His unconditional love for us, and HIs truths, it's much harder to be shaken by the nuances of everyday life. Consider what rattles your cage, then exercise surrendering both that situation and your mind-set to His authority, and allow that release to bring you peace and assurance of His sovereignty.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

Boyd Bailey: Depth Leads To Breadth…

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” Romans 11:33

God’s ways require an understanding that is not shallow or unintentional. Rather, it’s deep and deliberate. So as a serious follower of my Savior Jesus I have to ask, “Am I delving deep into the heart and mind of God or am I satisfied with a surface relationship?” The Almighty wants much more for His children than to be an acquaintance. His desire is an intense intimacy that engages and endures after our simple prayer of salvation to Jesus.

“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18). He longs to be gracious and give His sons and daughters good things. But are we so busy serving Him that we miss being with Him? Depth of relationship with Christ requires coming to His feet by faith and surrendering once again our self, our stuff and our secrets.

If we take care of the depth, He will take of the breadth. If we make the effort to focus on internal intimacy, He will take care of our external influence. For example, take responsibility for being the spiritual leader in your home, and trust Him to open doors for you to be a spiritual leader outside your home. Focus on prayer with those you work with and trust Him to open doors for you to pray with influencers outside of your work.

How do I know if I am going deeper with the Lord and not just enamored with theology in my holy huddle? Authentic intimacy with Christ is compelled to love, serve and worship Him. Your motivation flows from the inside out. Instead of being driven by guilt you are lead by grace. You take yourself less seriously and Christ and His commands more seriously. There is a holy ambition to know God and to make Him known!

Indeed, a Holy Spirit exchange takes place, “God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10). His revelation shows us the way. However, as we dive deep into the riches of His wisdom, we are held hostage by humility. True depth with God honors Him and Him alone. Glory escapes from any self-promotion on earth and assigns itself to its true home in heaven.

As you go deep with the Lord, His affection captures your heart to pray for others like Paul did: “God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:8-9). Focus on the depth of your relationship with Him and He will take care of the breadth of relationship with others. “Am I focused on my depth of intimacy with God and trusting Him with my breadth of influence with others?”

Related Readings: Psalm 63:1; Daniel 2:22; 2 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Timothy 3:9

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey