Boyd Bailey: Socializing With Sinners…

“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.” Matthew 9:10

Is socializing with sinners ok? Yes, and even preferred if your heart is to love them to Jesus. When you enter the home of someone who has yet to enter the narrow gate of heaven, you honor them with your presence. You can be with sinners and not be like sinners. In fact, we are all sinners, but Christ followers are sinners saved by grace.

You have an acquaintance that has just come to Christ. Providently, they still have friends that are outside of the faith. The Lord has placed you in their life to model for them how to reach out to the unrighteous. New believers, in their zeal, have to make sure they channel their passion into a productive, not a destructive process. It is the relational investment of love and listening that makes righteousness attractive to the unrighteous.

So whom do you know who is a new believer, that you can invest your time learning the Scriptures and socializing with their sinner friends? Authentic faith does not eat alone in judgment, but invites outsiders in to experience true grace. Christianity is first caught before it can be taught. How can you be intentional in your investment of others?

You say: “I am not very sociable and really don’t like being in groups of people.” This is understandable, but is being a Jesus follower about your comfort and preferences? No, it’s placing yourself in situations that require prayer, patience and acceptance. You now know better, but outsiders are still lost looking for their God-given purpose in life.

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5). Wisdom looks for ways to work into the lives of those that need the Lord. Indeed, be prayed up and accountable, so you are not drawn into their unruly ways. Perhaps you start with your neighbors and begin initiating acts of kindness so that you earn their trust and respect. You still fellowship with believers, but also socialize with sinners.

“Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy” (1 Peter 3:15, The Message).

Who do I know who is a new believer? How can I help them love on their lost friends?

Related Readings: Judges 14:4; Psalm 1:1; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 3:7

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

The Daily Verse: Hebrews 12:28,29

Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28,29

We can easily be shaken by our circumstances, but remember that you've received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. You serve a God Who cannot be denied. Take every bit of your confidence (or lack thereof), insecurity and weakness and submit them to these truths. Seek and find hope and peace in knowing that you're loved, chosen and under the shelter of the Almighty.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

The Daily Verse: Isaiah 60:17

Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron. I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness. Isaiah 60:17

Too often we allow anxiety, fear, worry and restlessness to be our overseers. Rather, let us allow peace to be our overseer and rest safely in the palm of His hand.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

Boyd Bailey: Follow Through…

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Matthew 7:24-25

Follow through is the difference between just head knowledge and heart felt life application. It is what distinguishes success from failure. Follow through gives a boss creditability and a parent respect. It leads to championship teams in sports and excellence in business. Follow through is a form of honesty that honors the Lord and others.

How does it make you feel when a friend follows through with an act of service? Loved? Grateful? Respected? You probably feel all these pleasant emotions and more. So what do you face today that requires your faithful follow through? Who is depending on you? Jesus defined our responsibility to each other. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).

Follow through is an act of responsibility that communicates respect and accountability. Your ability to finish the task is a faith builder for you and for your colleagues. So follow through even when it costs you and you will gain God’s good graces. Avoid an easy shortcut that rests on unreliable sand. Instead, build on the solid rock of what’s right.

Above all else, follow through with what your Heavenly Father is teaching you. Put into practice patience, if He is teaching you to be patient. Schedule the unpleasant meeting and ask the hard questions, if He is teaching you accountability. Make good on your commitment, even if the circumstances have changed. Allow follow through to become your friend who helps you to overcome your fears, as you replace old habits with new ones.

“Surely you heard of Him and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:21-24).

What am I facing that I need to follow through with by faith? What is my Heavenly Father teaching me that I need to put into practice in my life?

Related Readings: Leviticus 26:2-4; 2 Kings 23:3; 1 Corinthians 4:19; 3 John 1:10

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

The Daily Verse: Isaiah 57:17,18

Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry, I struck him; I hid my face and was angry, but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners... Isaiah 57:17,18

God sees the actions that come out of the desires of our hearts. Whether they be righteous actions, or actions that steal us from His presence, He sees. He is constantly willing and able to heal us and restore us to Him. Press into Him today, asking Him to point out the areas where you've gone astray, as well as those where you've stayed close. Allow His mercy to keep you near.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

Prayers for Ray: Phil. 4:6

Don't worry about anything instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Phil. 4:6

Boyd Bailey: Road Less Traveled…

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”. Matthew 7:13-14

What road do you travel in life? Is it the narrow road of trust in God and others, or is it the wide road of trust in you alone? Do you briskly travel down the road of life with the masses, or is your trip more measured and prayerful with a few? The wide road may seem more exciting in the beginning, but it is the narrow road that leads to fulfillment.

You may have been on the road of righteousness with Christ for a long time. But now it seems like your Savior is directing you in a direction that is less familiar. The level of faith required to digest the risk is much higher and daunting. Even within the family of faith there are not that many who have gone where your Heavenly Father is asking you to go. How will you respond? Do not be so cautious that you miss Christ’s new direction.

You first enter into the narrow gate of salvation in Jesus, and then you travel with Him down the fine line of faith and obedience. Those who go through the wide gate of disbelief experience destruction in their life and soul. So make sure you have entered into God’s eternal entrance and then travel with Him deep into absolute abandonment of self.

The gate of grace leads to a road of forgiveness and mercy. You still encounter resistance, and potholes of pride pot up, but you avoid them by slowing down and reacting in humility and grace. People will come and go on your trip of trust, so enjoy them for this part of your journey. Do not remain disappointed when good people move on. The Lord will lead you to new travel companions required for your next assignment.

Above all, stay focused by faith on the Lord’s leadership. Where He leads you follow. Where He leads for the future will require more faith than the past. Sometimes He leads with a cloud of limited perception and other times He gives you a fire for a long-term view. Whichever less traveled road you choose; make sure you journey with Jesus.

“By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night” (Exodus 13:21).

What road am I currently traveling? What road is the Lord leading me to travel?

Related Readings: Genesis 41:45-47; Numbers 10:33; Luke 14:24-26; Acts 16:6

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

Boyd Bailey: Wise Time Investment…

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces”. Matthew 7:6

How do you spend your time? Are you proactive toward the eternal or reactive toward the temporal? Does Jesus get the first fruits of your time, energy, talents and money, or the leftovers? What does your calendar reflect? Is there enough white space to handle God’s interruptions? Time is finite, so wisely use it to accomplish infinite results.

Beware of distractions or attractions that feel like you are wasting time. Maybe you have a family member who has gone beyond the point of listening to your good intentions. Instead of fretting over their focus on absurdity, spend more time fasting and praying for them. Quietly involve your family in corporate prayer on behave of another relative who is in relational chaos. Be wise to not waste time arguing, but redeem the time asking God.

In the workplace give added responsibilities to the faithful and avoid promotions for those who are constantly engaged in drama. As a leader your responsibility is to make better the grateful and loyal team members, and not be consumed or angered by the unappreciative. Reserve your reproofs for those who will take it to heart, and change. Be wise and not be drawn into the influence of those in chronic turmoil. Give quantity time to quality people, because the unkind do not always react kindly to kindness.

Even in sharing the gospel there are some who only want to argue their point. Dismiss their combative conversations and move on to those more open to truth. The lost are loved to Jesus and enticed by truth, but they will not be debated into belief. “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work” (2 John 1:10-11).

Time is a treasure, so steward it with prayer. Invest in others who can invest in others. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). The pearls of Providence deserve the best people and places for your investment of time and energy.

With whom do I need to cut back my time, and trust God to change them? What project or program needs to be cut loose and replaced with a more productive strategy?

Related Readings: Ecclesiastes 8:5; 3:1-11; Luke 12:42; John 4:1-42

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

The Daily Verse: Proverbs 23:26

My son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways. Proverbs 23:26

God is after your heart, not your accomplishments. Consider which you're spending more time focusing on.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

Wild at Heart: Sound the trumpets

And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “The work is great and widely spread, and we are separated on the wall, far from one another. In the place where you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.” Nehemiah 4:19-20 (ESV translation)

Self-Awareness…

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Matthew 7:3

Self-awareness allows us to see our own shortcomings and to understand our limitations. We are able to answer questions like, “What do I do best?” “Where am I least gifted? “How does my character need to grow?” and “What sin easily seduces me? It is a mixture of honesty, discernment and common sense when we are able to see how God sees us. Go to the Lord in prayer, so you are first able to test and see if an opportunity is from Him.

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Spirit-filled believers are men and women of self-awareness. They use their understanding of themselves as a filter for wise decision-making. For example, when you become aware that you are not a natural planner, you then surround yourself with those who understand how to plan and implement a process toward an agreed upon result.

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully” (Romans 12:6-8).

Self-aware individuals wisely select activities that allow them to have the most impact. You have a limited amount of time, a limited amount of opportunity and a limited amount of resources. What experiences, skills and abilities can you offer to your family, work and ministry with focused intensity? Where is God working and how can you join Him with the gifts He has given you? Self-awareness sees the unseen and engages God there.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal”(2 Corinthians 4:18).

Moreover, self-aware servants of Christ are quick to take an inventory of their own indiscretions before they pronounce judgment on others. You can clearly see in another what has become familiar in your own heart and mind. Resist the temptation to quickly judge another until you have judged yourself. Confront the sin of a fellow believer only after confessing and repenting of your own sin. Be self-aware and honest about your sin.

What relationships and opportunities do I need to avoid? And what relationships and opportunities do I need to steward better with focused attention?

Related Readings: Genesis 28:16; Leviticus 4:14; Matthew 12:15; Galatians 4:21


Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

Life Church Germantown: Kids

A lot of things are caught and not taught!

lifechurchgermantown

The Daily Verse: Psalm 51:6

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Psalm 51:6

The Lord delights in truth in your inward being. Take account of the state of your heart, and even if you can't be truthful about the hard stuff with the people around you, be truthful with Him and allow Him to teach you His wisdom. Then translate that into practical application in how you live your life.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

Boyd Bailey: Focus On Today…

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34

Focus on today, for it is the only day you can directly influence with your actions. Today is the best day to do what you have put off doing. Your motivation of love casts out fear. So go ahead and confront your circumstances with confidence knowing Christ is leading you. Use today to trust the Lord with your relationships and the results of your work.

Why do we worry instead of taking responsibility? One reason is worry gives us an excuse to do nothing and then expect someone else to be responsible for our irresponsible behavior. But this is not the path of a mature Christian who really believes God is in control. Believers steeped in Scripture know they have to do their part and trust the Lord with His part. Worry precludes responsibility, while prayerful trust seizes the day.

Do you feel overwhelmed in your new role? Does it seem like you work and worry more than ever? Is your leadership at a point of breaking under the weight of everyone else’s expectations? It is in times of intense pressure that we lean into the Lord. Prayer is the pressure value to release your anxieties. Ask, what does God want me to do today?

Today brings enough of its own burdens and grievances, yet it is complimented by daily doses of grace and strength to sustain you. Grace under fire is your test to show friends and foes a gracious response. Prepare for tomorrow, but do not obsess over its uncertainty. Focus on today-- then your faith with flourish and your work will prosper.

Therefore, in your quiet place before the Lord, inhale His peace and exhale your anxiety. Look around you at the faithfulness of God in the lives of those who endure with a smile. Your calm assurance is a refuge of hope for friends, family and co-workers who suffer in silence. Today, stay the course of your trust in Christ for you facilitate faith for others.

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert” (Hebrews 3:7-8).

What can I do today to trust God with tomorrow? Who can I encourage to not worry, but to hope for the Lord’s provision?

Related Readings: Deuteronomy 5:24; Psalm 95:6-8; Proverbs 22:19; Hebrews 11:39-40

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

The Daily Verse: Galatians 5:1

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Many of us don't know how to live without our chains that have bound us for so long. However, Christ did not set you free, just so that you could turn around and be bound up again. Consider the areas of your life where He has illuminated potential for freedom, and step in that direction. It may not be easy, but neither were His efforts toward making your freedom possible, so let us not live as though they were in vain.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis