Thou Shalt Offend Pharisees

Thou Shalt Offend Pharisees

by Mark Batterson

How you handle offense has the potential to make you or break you as a leader.

You will offend.

The only question is: who will you offend?

And you will be offended.

The only question is: how will you respond to offense?

As God expands your sphere of influence, you'll offend more and more people. It's inevitable. But there is a right way to handle it and a wrong way to handle it.

First things first: who are you offending? Some leaders are so afraid of offending people that they offend God instead. Let me tell you who you should offend: thou shalt offend Pharisees! That is who Jesus offended. And he did so regularly and intentionally. He could have healed on any day of the week, right? I think he chose the Sabbath to confront the Pharisees who couldn't see the miracle through the theological trees!

So go ahead and offend Pharisees, but while you're at it, make sure you aren't one of them!

How do you know? Well, read the Gospels and see the distinctives of Pharisaicalism. Self-righteousness is chief among them. Pharisees are low on humility and high on criticism. That critical spirit results in a focus on the letter of the law with very little room for grace.

Pharisees use, or I should say misuse, the Bible as a weapon.

And they have an uncanny habit of focusing on what's wrong instead of celebrating what's right.

They bring division instead of unity. The sow discord instead of peace. They aren't advancing the kingdom of God. They are actually undermining it by backbiting and infighting. And instead of building up, they tear down. That's the tip of the iceberg, but I think a pretty good caricature.

Can I just come out and say it?

If we quit fighting with each other and converted all of our sideways energy into forward motion, I think we'd win the world to Christ. But we've got to love each other first. After all, they shall know us by our love!

Now let me flip the coin...

Thou shalt offend Pharisees, but don't be offended by them!

Proverbs 19:11 says: "It is to the glory of a man to overlook an offense." Circle that promise.

The more offenses you overlook, the more glory!

If you get offended by an offense, you quit playing offense and start playing defense. And when you get defensive, you stop leading and start reacting!

I made a decision a long time ago that I don't play defense.

I have an advocate. His name is Jesus. And that's who I'm accountable to. And of course, all of us need human accountability, but it'll be to the people we're in relationship with.

We need to submit to the righteous rebuke of a brother and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. No one is above or beyond rebuke or exhortation.

But you also need to consider the source. Is it coming from a genuine spirit of love? Or is there a critical spirit or mean spirit? Is the rebuke a love offering or tough love? Or does it derive from wrong motives?

Do you know the person, and do they know you? Now, no matter who is doing the rebuking or how they are doing, if the rebuke is accurate, then you need to repent. But if it's not, don't swallow the poison. You need to shake the dust off your feet.

And whatever you do, don't become defensive! Play offense!

You need the emotional tenacity of Nehemiah who said to a couple backbiters named Sanballat and Tobiah: "I am doing a great work so I can't come down." Don't let anyone or anything bring you down! Let it steel your resolve! Don't get sidetracked by sideways energy!

Press on with the mission.

Press into the presence of God.

Play offense.

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., a multi-site church and a leading fellowship in the nation's capital. Meeting in movie theaters and Metro stops throughout the D.C. area, NCC is attended by more than 70 percent single twenty-somethings. Mark's weekly podcast is one of the fastest growing in America. His book, In A Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars peaked at #44 on Amazon.com's best-seller list. He has just released his newest book entitled, Wild Goose Chase: Reclaiming the Adventure of Pursuing God. He and his wife Lora live on Capitol Hill. They have three children. Visit Mark at www.evotional.com/

Thou Shalt Offend Pharisees

Thou Shalt Offend Pharisees

by Mark Batterson

How you handle offense has the potential to make you or break you as a leader.

You will offend.

The only question is: who will you offend?

And you will be offended.

The only question is: how will you respond to offense?

As God expands your sphere of influence, you'll offend more and more people. It's inevitable. But there is a right way to handle it and a wrong way to handle it.

First things first: who are you offending? Some leaders are so afraid of offending people that they offend God instead. Let me tell you who you should offend: thou shalt offend Pharisees! That is who Jesus offended. And he did so regularly and intentionally. He could have healed on any day of the week, right? I think he chose the Sabbath to confront the Pharisees who couldn't see the miracle through the theological trees!

So go ahead and offend Pharisees, but while you're at it, make sure you aren't one of them!

How do you know? Well, read the Gospels and see the distinctives of Pharisaicalism. Self-righteousness is chief among them. Pharisees are low on humility and high on criticism. That critical spirit results in a focus on the letter of the law with very little room for grace.

Pharisees use, or I should say misuse, the Bible as a weapon.

And they have an uncanny habit of focusing on what's wrong instead of celebrating what's right.

They bring division instead of unity. The sow discord instead of peace. They aren't advancing the kingdom of God. They are actually undermining it by backbiting and infighting. And instead of building up, they tear down. That's the tip of the iceberg, but I think a pretty good caricature.

Can I just come out and say it?

If we quit fighting with each other and converted all of our sideways energy into forward motion, I think we'd win the world to Christ. But we've got to love each other first. After all, they shall know us by our love!

Now let me flip the coin...

Thou shalt offend Pharisees, but don't be offended by them!

Proverbs 19:11 says: "It is to the glory of a man to overlook an offense." Circle that promise.

The more offenses you overlook, the more glory!

If you get offended by an offense, you quit playing offense and start playing defense. And when you get defensive, you stop leading and start reacting!

I made a decision a long time ago that I don't play defense.

I have an advocate. His name is Jesus. And that's who I'm accountable to. And of course, all of us need human accountability, but it'll be to the people we're in relationship with.

We need to submit to the righteous rebuke of a brother and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. No one is above or beyond rebuke or exhortation.

But you also need to consider the source. Is it coming from a genuine spirit of love? Or is there a critical spirit or mean spirit? Is the rebuke a love offering or tough love? Or does it derive from wrong motives?

Do you know the person, and do they know you? Now, no matter who is doing the rebuking or how they are doing, if the rebuke is accurate, then you need to repent. But if it's not, don't swallow the poison. You need to shake the dust off your feet.

And whatever you do, don't become defensive! Play offense!

You need the emotional tenacity of Nehemiah who said to a couple backbiters named Sanballat and Tobiah: "I am doing a great work so I can't come down." Don't let anyone or anything bring you down! Let it steel your resolve! Don't get sidetracked by sideways energy!

Press on with the mission.

Press into the presence of God.

Play offense.

Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., a multi-site church and a leading fellowship in the nation's capital. Meeting in movie theaters and Metro stops throughout the D.C. area, NCC is attended by more than 70 percent single twenty-somethings. Mark's weekly podcast is one of the fastest growing in America. His book, In A Pit With a Lion on a Snowy Day: How to Survive and Thrive When Opportunity Roars peaked at #44 on Amazon.com's best-seller list. He has just released his newest book entitled, Wild Goose Chase: Reclaiming the Adventure of Pursuing God. He and his wife Lora live on Capitol Hill. They have three children. Visit Mark at www.evotional.com/

Praying God's Word

Praying God's Word

Would you like your prayers to be more powerful? Pray the Scriptures. Hebrews 4:12 says that God's Word is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword. When we speak and pray the Scriptures, we are coming into agreement with God, and His power is released to answer our prayers.

Maybe you feel like God doesn't hear your prayers? Or maybe you don't know what to pray for in certain situations. On the Prayer Promises page, I have gathered Bible Scriptures such as 1John 5:14, which tells us we can have confidence in God. Not only does He hear our prayers, but He also promises to answer them when we pray in line with His will. He hastens to perform His Word

Benefits of Praying the Scriptures

Praying the Scriptures will increase your spiritual growth. You actually learn what God says about certain situations, and by praying His Word you will see His results. Many people have testified that just by praying the healing scriptures they have been healed, physically as well as mentally.

You can live a stress free life if you will only just pray because when you pray, you are turning the situation over to God. You're taking the situation out of your hands, and putting it in His hands. You're releasing it to God. These Scripture Prayers are very easy to read, and if you'll read them every day, even within a week, you will have memorized Scripture and won't even realize it until a situation arises, or until someone asks you to pray for them.

Commitment to Pray the Scriptures

Most people when they hear the word commitment, their first response is, "I don't have time for another commitment." But if you want your circumstances in your life to change you need to make a commitment to pray the Scriptures out loud everyday. Then you will see how praying with the powerful force of God's Word will cause you to be praying in victory. You will have victory in your life, in your home, and be able to handle situations as easily as Jesus would have handled them.

It doesn't take long to read these prayers, and you can print them out and take them with you, and read them whenever you want. But it is important for you to pray the prayers outloud, even if it is in a whisper, the spoken Word, makes things happen! Why pray your prayers out loud? Read How to Pray the Scriptures--http://www.prayingscriptures.com/how-to-use-book.shtml

How to Pray the Scriptures - Praying God's Word

www.prayingscriptures.com

How to use scriptures to pray for spiritual direction, spiritual healing by praying God's Word, how to pray to God, how to pray the scriptures. Here's how you get victory from prayer

"We Are Not That Smart"

Coffee Break

"We Are Not That Smart"

"In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:6

In our opening scripture we are told to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways. Now, I don't know about you, but when I read the word "all", I take it literally- that means that I believe it really means "all". I have had people tell me that you don't have to acknowledge God in everything (all). You don't have to ask Him about small things. They contend that He gave us a brain to think for ourselves so that is what we should do-- think for ourselves. Seems to me that "thinking for ourselves" is what got the human race in trouble in the first place. Adam was a perfect man, filled with knowledge beyond our wildest imagine-- after all, he named all the animals-- but when he leaned to his own understanding about the tree that the Lord forbid them to eat from, his "intellect" proved to not be very smart.

I learned a long time ago that God says what He means and means what He says. There was a reason why He said, "all", instead of "some" of your ways or "most" of your ways. Acknowledging Him in all our ways may seem foolish, but if we would do it, it would save us a lot of heartache, grief, unnecessary pain, we would make better choices and decisions, and we would find that things would go a whole lot better for us in the long run.

We are told that there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end leads to death. In other words, in our human understanding of certain situations, it may seem right, but it could kill you! Not wanting to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways boils down to being a pride issue.

We don't know better what to do than He does-- even in the smallest problem. We need His help. We need Him to direct our paths. We need Him to show us what to do. Have you ever been around little children who "know everything". Everything you try to tell them--- "I know". Or when you try to help them--- "I can do it". You know they don't know and you know they can't do it. I think we act like that toward our heavenly Father as well. We think we know everything, can do everything and have everything under control when we really don't. And He knows we don't, but He waits patiently for us to decide that we can't do it and then turn to Him. And once we do, He is right there ready to help us.

Have a great day. We might as well admit that we don't know as much as we think we do and that God does!

For further reading:

Proverbs 16:25; 14:12

Psalms 37:23

Jeremiah 10:23

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell

and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from

About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.

Please feel free to

call (601) 833-5278 or

Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net

Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.

You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

"Complaining"

MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2011

"Complaining"

"Wherefore doth a living man complain.....? Lamentations 3:39a

Recently, it seems like everywhere I go I wind up in the company of complaining people... and many of them are professing Christians. The complaints that I hear are not confined to one area, but every area. I hear complaints about everything from the weather to what someone else is doing. People tend to complain about everything that doesn't go their way. We want what we want, when we want it and the way we want it. If it is not to our liking-- we complain about it.

The problem with complaining is that it shows a lack of gratitude. When you complain about your food, it shows that you aren't grateful for the fact that you have something to eat and are not going hungry. When you complain about your spouse, it shows that you aren't thankful for that person. And whether you realize it or not, the primary focus and object of your complaint is God. You are saying that what He has done for you is not good enough. This was the problem with the Israelites in the wilderness. You would have thought that they would have been so thankful to be out from under Egyptian bondage that there would never be a complaint in their mouths ever again--- wrong. They complained about everything, even the blessings the Lord was sending them.

Another problem is that complaining is contagious. When you are around someone and they start complaining, it is easy to get pulled into that complaining spirit yourself. (If you ever talk to any one about politics you'll see this happen real quick.)

The Bible tells us that godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6) As I said earlier, complaining comes as a result of things not going the way we want them to go. The truth of the matter is, as long as we live in this world, things will not always go the way we want them to go-- they will go the opposite more times then not. There are plenty of reasons to complain all around us. But we need to learn how to be content with such as we have so we won't be guilty of complaining. If we will have an attitude of gratitude- regardless of the fact that all we have is "manna" and "no meat", then we will not be complaining people. Because when you get down to it, the blessings and good things that we have are far more than we should have.

Have a great day. Let your gratitude outweigh your complaining.

For further reading:
Psalm 144:13-15
Exodus 16:8
John 6:43
1 Corinthians 10:10

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Coffee Break is a morning devotional written by Lorraine Ezell
and is sent to you free of charge for the asking from
About the Master's Business Ministry, Inc.
Please feel free to
call (601) 833-5278 or
Email: mastersbusiness@bellsouth.net
Visit us on the web: www.mastersbusiness.org

You are welcomed to make copies and distribute them free of charge.
You may also forward them via e-mail or post them to your website - leaving the whole message in tact unless permission is granted to do otherwise. Please remember to give credit to About the Master's Business Ministry.

God Is In Your Corner

God Is In Your Corner

The LORD himself will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forget you. Deuteronomy 31:8

When I was seven years old, I ran away from home. I'd had enough of my father's rules and decided I could make it on my own, thank you very much.

With my clothes in a paper bag, I stormed out the back gate and marched down the alley. [But] I didn't go far. I got to the end of the alley and remembered I was hungry, so I went back home.

Though the rebellion was brief, it was rebellion nonetheless. And had you stopped me on that prodigal path . . . I just might have told you how I felt. I just might have said, I don't need a father. I'm too big for the rules of my family.

I didn't hear the rooster crow like Peter did. I didn't feel the fish belch like Jonah did. I didn't get a robe and a ring and sandals like the prodigal did.

But I learned from my father on earth what those three learned from their Father in heaven. Our God is no fair-weather Father. He's not into this love-'em-and-leave-'em stuff.

I can count on him to be in my corner no matter how I perform. You can, too !

Written by Max Lucado
The Great House of God

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." Numbers 6:24-26

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW

YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW

Good morning said a woman as she walked up to the man sitting on ground.

The man slowly looked up.

This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.. She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life.

His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.. "Leave me alone," he growled....

To his amazement, the woman continued standing.

She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked.

"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away."

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm.

"What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone.

Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked..

"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"

The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"

"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."

"This is a good deal for you, Jack" the officer answered. "Don't blow it.."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived...

The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this, is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business.."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled....... "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a godly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, maam. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel, "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."

She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently.. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said.. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble... Then, when I looked over and saw you put the price of my food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card.. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons...He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet... If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you?" he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus...... He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways....

"Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And.. And thank you for the coffee."



God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor.

If you believe, send it.

If you don't believe, delete it.

God closes doors no man can open & God opens doors no man can close..

If you need God to open some doors for you...send this on.

Have a blessed day and remember to be a blessing...

LIVE WELL, LOVE MUCH, LAUGH OFTEN

NEVER GROW A WISHBONE

WHERE A BACKBONE OUGHT TO BE