Don't Let Your Enemies Count Their Chickens Before Their Hatched!

I love this story – 1 Kings 20:1-30 – Benhadad the king of Syria sent a message to the king of Israel and said this, “Deliver to me your silver and your gold, your wives and your children.” In other words, “Hand it all over – game over – I’m calling the shots.” Ahab the king of Israel calls in the elders and asks their advice. Finally King Ahab makes this retort to Benhadad, “Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.” There are a lot of dynamics going on in this chapter but I want to just focus on King Ahab’s reply to Benhadad: “Let not him who straps on his armor boast himself as he who takes it off.” What is he actually saying? King Ahab is saying “just because someone makes threats (i.e. straps on his armor) – this isn’t synonymous with winning the victory (i.e. taking his armor off).” Wow!

Now for the practical application – how is your enemy threatening you? Is it a person, institution, thought, emotional issue, physiological issue, or spiritual issue? What are these things/people telling you? Is a co-worker or employer telling you that you’ll never succeed at climbing the corporate ladder? Have teachers, aunts, uncles, parents, cousins, or other authority figures expressed doubt in your personal abilities? Have emotional and/or physical scars from past or present abuse hindered you from feeling like a “normal human being?” Have these scars lied to you and told you that you’ll never be the person that you wanted or dreamed of because of these ghosts of your past? This list can continue on indefinitely – hopefully by this time you can connect the dots yourself to the people or things that are threatening you – and furthermore, declaring a victory against you that doesn’t have to be guaranteed.

It’s not a surprise that the “devil” is referred to biblically as the “accuser of the brethren.” Constantly trying to devalue us within our own minds and lives – this is the psychological warfare the devil revels in – and how many times do we listen attentively! A person once expressed their frustration with how every time they tried getting their life “straightened out” all hell would break loose. I told them I was extremely encouraged by this! Since when, does an enemy fight against something (or someone) who is not a threat! Only dead fish go with the flow – but for those trying to get somewhere, the adversity of the current will bombard them every step of the way.

To summarize, don’t allow these “threats” from various people, thoughts, experiences, traumas, etc. tell you that you’ve been conquered – when the fact is that victory is still in your hands. King Ahab went on to be victorious against the onslaught of Benhadad. Why? Because Ahab refused to listen to the intimidation and threats of an enemy and rather trusted in God’s word. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Fight on!

Kevin Mills

My Pet: God

We as humans love pets. They bring us comfort. They make us feel good. And above all they give us that token feeling of having something solely dependent upon us. A person once said this about pet dogs, “We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made.” People love coming home to something (or someone) that shows them love, comfort, and acceptance. Many people will actually find themselves confiding in their “pet(s)” their most intimate struggles and secrets. In other words: Pets (for the most part) make us feel good inside and usually give us comfort and acceptance when we cannot readily find it elsewhere.

But how many of us would take our pet dog, cat, budgie, or other animal to work in order to solicit advice from them? Or how many would ask advice from their parrot on relational difficulties? Or how about asking your horse for agriculture advice? This series of questions may bring a chuckle to us but how many times do we treat God the same way?
How often do we compartmentalize God into the areas of our lives where we think He is applicable? How many times do we treat God as the “pet?” We’ll only run to Him when we need comforting or an ego-boost. We throw Him a few treats (prayers, church attendance, etc.) and figure all is well and He’ll be there again when we need Him.
When it comes to real situations in business, relationships, politics, and health –we fail to ask for His advice or wisdom. We’ve relegated God to being our pet. That something or someone we come to for comforting – and then go back to our “real lives.”

Galations 6:7-8 says that, “God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Many times we isolate the spiritual from the physical instead of realizing that sowing to the spiritual (i.e. pursuing God in all areas of our life) causes the physical to benefit as well.

Let’s be careful to not compartmentalize God to an area of our life which we run to only in times of trouble –but let us seek His wisdom and grace in every aspect of our lives and consequently bring glory to Him in all of our “business.” God is not anyone’s pet – but we unfortunately have a tendency to treat Him exactly that way. It’s time for us to realize who God really is and focus our entire life around Him.

Rev. Kevin Mills – Prairie Community Church

“Wait!” Oh, Great...

One of the dreaded words of the twenty-first century has to be “waiting.” The prevailing philosophy of North America many times dictates that if a person desires something they have to have it – now! This is one of the main reasons we got ourselves into the current recession – but I’ll leave that subject for now.

Waiting passively without any seemingly productive output is frowned upon in our society. Even the drive to and from work has become inundated with blackberry’s, PDAs, laptops, and cell phones - all in an attempt to be more “productive” and thus more meaningful. The increasing number of fast-food joints also tells us something about our developing culture. When it comes down to it, we as North Americans can’t stand the idea of passively waiting and not being able to do anything about it.

But here is where we run into problems – all things worth-while take … are you ready for this? ….Time. Well-known poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, “Let us, then, be up and doing, with a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing, Learn to labor and to wait.” Here’s the balance. And even though it’s a lot easier said then done it’s what we must strive for. We must be willing to work for that which we desire but to also learn the patience of waiting for its completion and/or fruition.

This principle is extremely far-reaching and a lot of times applied to business start-ups whereas an eager owner/operator is urged to lay a solid business foundation (mission statement, customer policies, reasonable cash-flow, etc.) instead of expanding too quickly and stifling available capital.

Now let’s apply the verse that inspired this article –Ps. 27:14, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” There are numerous illustrations in the bible of men and women asked to “wait on God.” Many did, many didn’t. But for those who did wait – they obtained the promise.

Is God asking us to wait and do nothing? Not at all. God may ask us to wait on Him during certain times in our lives – but while we wait we do our due diligence in being a blessing to those around us and preparing our talents, skills, and abilities for the time when God says, “stop waiting, move forward.”

Abraham is a prime example of a person who waited on God but continued to prepare for the fulfillment of God’s promise. (Gen. 17, Heb. 6) This is what God asks us. God has asked you to wait on Him – but prepare yourself for the day of fulfillment. God hasn’t forgotten about your dreams, your goals –but first you must learn to wait on Him.

"There is Hope for your Future, Declares the Lord"

“There is hope for your future, declares the Lord…” Jeremiah 31:28. You’ve got to love the practicality and clarity of the bible. So many times the search for hope becomes a complicated formula of actions and thoughts as dictated by the motivational gurus of the day. But God makes it simple because He really wants us to get this: There is a Hope for your future!

There’s people reading this article who have succumb to believing that God has forgotten about their dreams, prayers, and visions – subsequently, your just trying to survive. But God’s desire is not for survival but for a hopeful and joyful existence. God desires us to experience the full range of emotions and feelings in life. (Ecc. 3:1-8) God really wants you to grasp that “there is hope for your future.”

A couple of chapters back in Jeremiah we read the Lord’s encouragement once again, wherein He states, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (29:11) Friends, God’s desire is for us to have our hope set in Him. Why? Because God is unchangeable in His character towards man and all creation – He is love. (1Jn. 4:8) How many of us have experienced the wonderment and absolute thrill and hope of being in love? Why do we feel so euphoric and hopeful? Because: someone loves us! How much more to be loved by one who’s opinion of you can never change – God says He first loved you therefore nothing you can do can change His love towards you. How wonderful a security and HOPE! (1 Jn. 4:19, Rom. 8:35-38)

The first step in dwelling within this hope is to acknowledge, believe, and thrive within the unchangeable/unwavering hope of God’s love towards you. Secondly, we learn to set our hope outside of present circumstances and situations. Tom Marshall in his book “Understanding Leadership” makes a great point, “…when the going gets rough, present problems appear to [people] to be far more pressing than future possibilities.” Here we once again return to our text – “there is a hope for your future, declares the Lord.” Because the “means” (present problems) by which you may reach your future hope is many times beyond your present understanding, you must trust God that He will bring you to the expected, hopeful, and exceedingly wonderful end He has promised all of us.

My friend, please realize God’s desire for you to grasp this simple and yet far-reaching truth: There is hope for your future. God does not desire to leave anyone without a hope. God himself said that without a hope and vision people will perish. (Prov. 29:18) And didn’t God say that his desire is that none should perish (remember John 3:16?)?
This week, month, year, and life – remember: There is a hope for your future, declares the Lord.

Beware: Bovine Beatitudes

Ask the question – Who influences me? Many articles and essays have been written on the importance of influence and also the double edged sword of the same. But are we as self-aware of our influences as we need to be? When a stallion is in a field of bovines it may seem quite natural to circum to the actions and characteristics of the “bovines” and subsequently forget the ability he, the stallion, possesses.

This same risk applies to individuals: have you checked your influences lately? Have you circum to “bovine mediocracy” or do you continue to search out your God-given greatness? Have you challenged the status quo? Or have you settled your life-goals to a path of least resistance.
Talking about bovines - there was a milk campaign back awhile ago and even though I despised the corniness of the campaign I couldn’t argue with the philosophy – always grow, grow always.

Individuals who hinder your personal growth or who are intimidated by it are not friends but rather insecure relations which are trying to not loose hold of a co-dependant relationship (i.e. your dependency on them brings them a sense of significance). The friends and influencers that you need are individuals who care for you enough to never allow you to sink into mediocracy – but rather individuals who will always lovingly “provoke” you to a higher level in your life. (Hebrews 10:24)

Up to this point of the article I have been writing from a receivership position – but the question must also be asked personally: Am I a person of valuable influence to my friends, family, and relations? Have you so circum to personal insecurity that you cling on to your friends and family tightly to keep them from advancing so that you are not possibly abandoned or “left alone?” A motivational speaker once stated that in order to be successful you must help enough individuals become successful themselves. This is a universal law of reciprocity and one which God set into motion long, long ago. Love your neighbor as yourself; it is more blessed to give then to receive, etc. True significance only arrives from the giving of ourselves to a greater cause then our own contentment, happiness, or security. (Matthew 22:37-39)

But back to our original subject – The challenge still remains for you to “know yourself.” And unless we take time to analyze the “influencers” in our lives we can easily circum to “bovine mediocracy” and quickly loose sight of the inward potential God has placed within us. With this in mind, how much more important our relationship with God becomes, since we are given the incredible opportunity to be influenced by an all-knowing, all-wise, all-loving father. This week please ask yourself four simple questions:

1. Who is my influence?

2. Is this influence helping me grow beneficially?

3. Who do I influence?

4. And have I helped them grow beneficially?

P.S. I do not hold any specific grudges against bovines – actually they hold many intrinsically “tasty” characteristics – but I wouldn’t follow their lifestyles.

Rev. Kevin Mills
Kevin Mills is Executive Pastor of Prairie Community Church in Portage La Prairie

The Great Shaking - Part II

The last article (The Great Shaking – Part 1) dealt with the vicious destructiveness of allowing yourself to fall into a perpetual victimized mindset in the light of the current “worldwide unrest,” since being a perpetual “victim” when the current democracy allows for freedom of innovation, attitude, liberty, freedom, and religious practice is nothing short of willful powerlessness and victimization. Consequently, we can be encouraged that our Country has allowed us the freedom to pursue our dreams, visions, and personal goals even in the light of economically and politically volatile times. It is exactly this type of “pursuit” by private citizens that made this country great in the first place.

“Part 2” is dealing with the importance of each “citizen” being willing to give back of themselves to their neighbors, towns, cities, and countries. This is the second step in leaving behind a victimization mentality and consciously deciding to be proactive and encourage and build-up others in your community. Jesus said that the entire “law” that God requires of man can be fulfilled in simply “loving your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:36-39) Why did He command it?
First-off because God is love (1Jn. 4:8) and we are to represent God’s character. Secondly, “giving” such love will take an individual out of a self-indulgent and self-centered mindset and consequently empower them, since they are no longer just receiving (passive acceptance – can lead to victimization) but they are giving (proactive giving/personal empowerment). Thirdly, our country has maintained its sovereignty and freedom due to individuals sacrificing of themselves for a greater cause (i.e. for present and future generations).

Even though many are quick to point to North America’s prosperity as being the origin of our self-centeredness and over indulgence (many point to this as the root of our current economic problems) – its not. Money and prosperity are not inherently evil – it’s the individuals who utilize them! For us to blame prosperity or “money” on our current problems allows us to “lay the blame” on something external and subsequently excuse ourselves of most personal responsibility – an action which will only repeat failure, since personal responsibility for actions must be taken before any good change will happen.

Certainly prosperity can easily lend itself to self-centered and unthinkable corruption – but these things are only perpetuated by individuals consciously deciding to utilize the resources of “prosperity” in that way. This is why we must all take quick responsibility for our own actions and realize that giving of ourselves to others is the surest road for a perpetually freedom, continuance of democracy, personal happiness, and being absolutely pleasing to God.

The Great Shaking - Part 1

There has already arisen a time of people’s core beliefs and values being tested and shaken. The current “unrest” and world-wide “uneasiness” will continue to place stress on the already shattered lives of those who placed their hope and future into the hands of others. Many people continue to feel that their lives are completely out of their control and furthermore feel that their lives have become pawns in a greater game of chance. It has always been humanity’s greatest source of contention, anxiety, and stress when we feel that our life is no longer our own and that external circumstance now dictate our actions in a way contrary to our personal desires. But herein lays the importance of realizing how true “freedom” and “happiness” are perpetuated in a democratic society.

Firstly, we must fully realize that the last of the human freedoms is to choose our “attitude.” Many things can be taken from an individual but the last of the human freedoms is the choice of how you will ultimately let circumstances shape you. The worst fallacy that anyone can fall into during this these “difficult times” is a victimization mindset. There is nothing wrong with freely admitting and realizing that some things may have “beset” you that were not fair - but to continue in this “attitude” only empowers the individual or thing that firstly victimized you and this will only continue to strip you of your own dignity, freedom, and happiness. Most individuals who have been “wronged” by an individual or institution do not desire to continue to empower the very “thing” that “victimized” them – yet this is exactly what we do if we continue in a victimization mindset.

This may appear as a silly “mind-game” but our attitude directly affects our actions, which directly affect our lives, which directly affects our community, which directly affects our country. Thankfully God has given us the ability to dictate and control such an important aspect of our lives (i.e. Phil 4:8)

Victimization in the form of fear and uncertainty will come at you in many various forms during these “uncertain times.” The reason? Because it empowers the individual or institution that is perpetuating it. This is why the first step we must take in regaining a sense of hope is the realization that God has blessed us with the ability to decide our “attitude” and subsequent approach during difficult times. We have been blessed with a free democracy which allows us to “pick ourselves up by our boot straps” and be free from a perpetual victimized mindset.

The second part of this article will deal with how freedom and happiness can only be perpetuated through the sacrificial giving of oneself to their community and country.