Today’s Prayer
September 17, 2007
Dear God, I praise you today for who you are. I come to you on behalf of this team. You instituted the family. You made a precious connection when you created Eve from Adam’s rib. They would be mates and help meet one another’s needs, raise a family, and oversee your creation. I pray for a hedge of protection around each of us today. Please work in our hearts and guide us to think of one another as we should. May our priorities be straight, with you above all other relationships. May we guard our families and be good stewards of all you have bestowed–and will bestow–upon us. Strengthen this relationship and give power, wisdom, and guidance to each partner to stay on guard against the temptations of the world–the things and people that Satan would throw at us in an effort to destroy our team and family. Bless the union. Work in and through these people and our families to minister to one another and others, exhort the body of Christ, and glorify you. May we be godly examples to the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, amen.
The Error of Positive Thinking
TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman
…”Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. – Zechariah 4:6
God’s people should be the most positive, joyful people on earth. This joy should be a by-product of a healthy, intimate relationship with Jesus. In today’s business climate, we are barraged with every possible means of becoming more productive workplace believers. Positive thinking and self-help philosophy are promoted as tools for workplace believers to fulfill their potential and overcome the mountains in their lives. God calls each of us to be visionary leaders, but we must be careful that vision is born out of His Spirit, not the latest self-help program. These ideas lead us away from dependence on God to a self-based psychology designed to give us more power, prosperity, and significance.
The result is heresy. Our faith in God becomes faith in faith. It is born out of hard work and diligence rather than obedience to God’s Spirit. The problem lies in that these philosophies sound good, and can even be supported by Bible verses. Beware of anything that puts the burden of performance on you rather than God. There are times in our lives when God doesn’t want us to climb every mountain. Sometimes He wants us to go around. Knowing the difference is the key to being a man or woman led by the Spirit.
God has called us to affect the workplace through His Spirit, not by our might. Have you tapped into the real power source of the soul? Ask the Lord to reveal and empower you through His Spirit today. Then you will know what real positive thinking is.
