Power in numbers

I believe the Bible teaches us that when we join together the impact is multiplied far beyond just the addition of those who join together.  One plus one equals far more than two.  Let me show you what I mean.     

In Deuteronomy 32:30, it says,

How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had surrendered them?

While this verse deals with Israel's disobedience to God and subsequent retreat from their enemies, think of what might be possible when God's people obey Him!  It says that one could chase a thousand, but two could put ten thousand to flight.

While one person can impact a thousand, two people can impact ten thousand.  That is a ten-fold multiplied effect!

Leviticus 26:7-8, when God was giving promises to His people if they would walk in His ways, states this,

You will chase your enemies, and they shall fall by the sword before you.  Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight;  your enemies shall fall by the sword before you.

Notice God says five will chase a hundred, and a hundred will chase ten thousand.  By increasing the number of people times 20, their effectiveness would increase times 100.  Again, that is a multiplied effect.

You have probably heard of the Clydesdale horses, those big, strong workhorses that can pull a lot of weight.  One horse by itself can pull two tons, but if you yoke two together they can pull 23 tons!  That is incredible!

And that is how it works when we pray together with one another. When we join our forces in prayer and connect with heaven, that is what happens. There is a multiplied effect.


By Janet Conley

Worry Doesn’t Solve Anything (By Rick Warren)

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25 NIV)

Worry is essentially a control issue. It’s trying to control the uncontrollable. We can’t control the economy, so we worry about the economy. We can’t control our children, so we worry about our children. We can’t control the future, so we worry about the future.

But worry never solves anything! It’s stewing without doing.

Jesus actually gives four reasons you don’t need to worry in his Sermon on the Mount.

1. Worry is unreasonable.

Matthew 6:25 says, “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (NIV).

Jesus is saying, if it’s not going to last, don’t worry about it. To worry about something you can change is foolish. To worry about something you can’t change is useless. Either way, it’s unreasonable to worry.

2. Worry is unnatural.

Jesus gives us an illustration from nature in Matthew 6:26: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (NIV).

There’s only one thing in all of God’s creation that worries: human beings. We’re the only things God has created that don’t trust him, and God says this is unnatural.

3. Worry is unhelpful.

It doesn’t change anything. Matthew 6:27 says, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (NIV). When you worry about a problem, it doesn’t bring you one inch closer to the solution. It’s like sitting in a rocking chair—a lot of activity, energy, and motion, but no progress. Worry doesn’t change anything except you. It makes you miserable!

4. Worry is unnecessary.

Matthew 6:30 says, “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” (NIV). If you trust in God, you don’t need to worry. Why? Because he has promised to take care of all your needs: “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV).

That includes your bills, relational conflicts, dreams, goals, ambitions, and health issues you don’t know what to do with. God will meet all your needs in Christ.

Don’t worry about it!

God looks at the heart

HAVING A HEART FOR GOD

"The Lord sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people." 1 Samuel 13:14

When I was a freshman at the University of Texas, I began to study the Bible. As I did, I fell in love with the stories of David. He was an amazing person – strong, handsome, courageous, wise, tough, and tender. While he possessed so many great attributes, the one thing that really set him apart was his heart. He is the only one in the Bible described as “a man after God’s own heart.”  

GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART

When God chose David to be king in Israel, David was just a kid, probably no more than fourteen. His father, Jesse, didn’t even think to invite him to the “anointing feast” because he was so young. Jesse thought to himself, “Certainly, God would not have little David as king.” But, God sees past the outward appearance. He sees down into the heart. And David’s heart was special to God. What was his heart like?

1.  He had a passionate heart. David loved God sincerely and supremely. He did not play at his worship. He really had a desire in his heart to walk with God and please God. His heart was completely His (Psalm 103).  

2.  He had a humble heart. David never lost sight of the fact that he was nothing and God was everything. He never started believing his own press clippings. He knew all his success came from God (2 Samuel 7:18).  

3.  He had a dependent heart. David depended on God, not himself. He sought God early and often throughout the day (Psalms 63).

4.  He had a grateful heart. David gave praise and thanks to God regardless of His circumstances. He knew God was worthy of praise, even if everything in his life seemed to be falling apart (Psalms 34).

5.  He had a repentant heart. We all know that David was a great sinner. The story of Bathsheba proves it. But unlike King Saul before him, when David   sinned, he confessed his sins to God and turned from them. He repented and got his heart right with the Lord (Psalms 51).  

HOW ABOUT YOUR HEART?

How does your heart look to God? Are you moving in the right direction in these all- important heart areas? Do you need some spiritual surgery to get your heart beating for the Lord?

God wants YOU to be a person after His own heart. In order to do it, you must confess any sins and ask Him to soften you and change you on the inside. Spend time with the Lord each day. Talk to Him from your heart. Share your burdens with Him, seek His face, and obey Him. Jesus wants to be your closest friend on the planet … if you will only let Him.

Pastor Jeff Schreve,

From His Heart Ministries-

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Without Love, You’ve Wasted Your Time

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV).


Love is our greatest aim in life because we were put here on earth to learn to love God and others. The Bible makes it clear in the first few verses of 1 Corinthians 13 why love is the most important value.


Without love, all that you say is ineffective. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV). Words without love are just noise. People resent and reject unloving words. But they will listen and respond to words spoken in love.


Without love, all that you know is incomplete. “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge . . . but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV). The world is exploding with information and knowledge. Yet many of our most basic problems are not being solved, because the world is not looking for more knowledge. The world is looking for love.


Without love, all that you believe is insufficient. “If I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2 NIV). Many people have the misconception that being a Christian is just about believing certain truths and doctrines. But do you love Jesus? Do you realize he loves you? hristianity is about experiencing the love Jesus has for you and learning how to love like him.


Without love, all that you give is insignificant. “If I give all I possess to the poor . . . but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3 NIV). There are all kinds of motivations for giving, including obligation or prestige or guilt. Just because you give doesn’t mean you’re doing it in love. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.


Without love, all that you accomplish is inadequate. “If I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn’t love others, it would be of no value whatever” (1 Corinthians 13:3 TLB). You can have all kinds of great accomplishments. You can even sacrifice your life for the greatest cause in the world—the Kingdom of God—but without love, it’s wasted effort.


You can have the eloquence of an orator, the knowledge of a genius, the faith of a miracle worker, the generosity of a philanthropist, and the dedication of a martyr. But if you don’t love, it doesn’t count.


The good news is that you can love others because God first loved you. Jesus says that as you live within his love, he will help you to love others. When you draw closer to him, your ability to love will increase—he makes it possible for you to live out the calling to love others


By Pas.Rick Warren.

Avoiding a Spiritual Identity Crisis

God “chose us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4).

A true sense of identity comes from knowing that God Himself personally selected you to be His child.

Many people in our society are on a seemingly endless and often frantic quest for personal identity and self-worth. Identity crises are common at almost every age level. Superficial love and fractured relationships are but symptoms of our failure to resolve the fundamental issues of who we are, why we exist, and where we're going. Sadly, most people will live and die without ever understanding God's purpose for their lives.

That is tragic, yet understandable. God created man to bear His image and enjoy His fellowship forever. But when Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they violated that purpose and plunged the human race into sin. That created within man a spiritual void and an identity crisis of unimaginable proportions.

Throughout the ages ungodly people have tried to fill that void with a myriad of substitutes but ultimately all is lost to death and despair.

Despite that bleak picture, a true sense of identity is available to every Christian. It comes from knowing that God Himself personally selected you to be His child. Before the world began, God set his love upon you and according to His plan Christ died for you (1 Pet. 1:20). That's why you responded in faith to the gospel (2 Thess. 2:13). Also, that's why you can never lose your salvation. The same God who drew you to Himself will hold you there securely (John 10:29).

Don't allow sin, Satan, or circumstances to rob your sense of identity in Christ. Make it the focus of everything you do. Remember who you are: God's child; why you are here: to serve and glorify Him; and where you are going: to spend eternity in His presence.

Suggestions for Prayer

Thank God for choosing you to be His child and for drawing you to Himself in saving faith.
Praise Him for His promise never to let you go.

Source: gty.org