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God’s Chosen Instrument

By Steve T. on December 6, 2009

The great and mighty Apostle Paul was once the great and mighty persecutor of Christians and destroyer of the Church. He was so zealous that he actually went from house to house and dragged believers off to prison (Acts 8:3). Paul then set off for Damascus in order to rid the land of these “misguided” Christian troublemakers. However, Jesus had other plans!

Acts 9:3
“As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.”

Jesus revealed Himself to Paul in such a magnificent manner that there was no doubt as to the truth of the Gospel; “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:5). Paul encountered the living Christ on the road to Damascus and was literally blinded from the brilliant light – but his life was forever changed.

After three days, Jesus sent a man named Ananias to restore Paul’s sight. When Ananias hesitated because of Paul’s destructive reputation, Jesus made it clear that Paul was now God’s servant. “The Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel” (Acts 9:15).

Most of us will never encounter Jesus in such a dramatic fashion as Paul. One day, without any lights, voices, or great fanfare, Jesus simply meets us on the road and forever changes the course of our life. And just as Paul was called to carry the name of Jesus, we also have been called to follow the living Christ and carry His name to everyone He places along our path.

God could have chosen the rocks and trees to advance the Gospel message, but He didn’t. He could have written His plan of Salvation with a fiery finger in the clouds, but He didn’t. God chose us! Even with all our many flaws, jagged past, and sometimes overwhelming insecurity and fear of failure, we are still His messengers to a dark and dying world; “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

As we continue on this wonderful journey, with all its glorious peaks and fearfully jagged valleys, let’s commit to drawing closer to God and listening more intently to His leading. Let’s be faithful to advance His message of love through the forgiveness found only in Jesus. In this time of great spiritual need, with the world so desperate for truth, let’s remember that we are now God’s chosen instrument.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

Posted in Devotional | 1 Response

Opportunity For Action

By Steve T. on December 3, 2009

We often see the call of God is accompanied by a perceived risk. The risk may be in terms of finances, rejection, or failure; but there will always be an element of the unknown in God’s call which requires us to trust and increase our faith. We should note that when we follow God’s call, the true risk only exists in our mind.

Oh, please don’t misunderstand. Following God’s call may require sacrifice and painful perseverance followed by seasons of doubt and frustration. There may even be severe trials and hardships along His path. But despite our physical circumstances, the middle of His plan is the safest and most secure place to walk. Walking in His perfect plan is eternally safe and secure, but it will continually call us to actively take a step of faith.

When the tax collector came for the “two-drachma” tax, Jesus gave Peter very interesting instructions on how to obtain the necessary funds.

Matthew 17:27
“Go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for My tax and yours.”

With all the power of Creation at His disposal, Jesus could have produced any number of coins and made them readily available. Yet, with the tax collector waiting by the door, Peter was told to excuse himself and take a fishing line down to the lake. Why go through all this trouble with the fish?

Our walk with Christ involves continually developing and growing our faith. It would have taken very little faith for Peter to pick a coin off the table and pay the tax. He was therefore given the “opportunity” to strengthen his faith as he trusted Jesus and not his own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Peter’s faith grew, and therefore his closeness with Jesus, as he obeyed and cast out his fishing line.

Jesus is able to fully meet all our needs (Philippians 4:19). But He loves us enough to lead us to specific action; “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17). The specific actions or accomplishments are never really the issue; rather, it’s the growth in our relationship with Jesus which is important. Our faith becomes alive and we grow closer every time we obey, follow, and take the step!

What is Jesus asking of us today? Many are facing some very difficult decisions. We don’t understand why God is calling, and we can’t see how His plan will fit together. His call is probably nothing as far fetched as the coin in the fish; but the message in His call is the same, He is saying: “Trust Me and love Me with all your heart!” When our Savior calls, we must be prepared to follow. When He calls, we will always be given the opportunity for action.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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With You Always

By Steve T. on December 2, 2009

Soon after the death of Joseph and his brothers, the descendants of Israel were forced into Egyptian slavery. For several hundred years, the Egyptians greatly oppressed the Israelites: “But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly” (Exodus 1:12-13).

God heard the prayers of the Israelites and answered by calling Moses to lead the people to freedom: “So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring My people the Israelites out of Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Moses felt inadequate to answer God’s call and began to tell God that maybe He had chosen the wrong person for this leadership position; “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11).

At this point, God could have given Moses a motivational speech aimed at building up his self confidence. He could have told Moses of his great potential, and encouraged him to think positively and be more assertive. But Moses’ lack of “self” confidence actually made him ideal for this task. Moses would need to trust God, not his own understanding, with absolutely every step he took. But there was one truth Moses still needed to receive.

Exodus 3:12
“And God said, ‘I will be with you.'”

The one thing Moses needed to fully believe in his heart was that he was not alone. He needed to truly understand that God would always be at his side.

When Jesus spoke His final commands, He said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus didn’t need to remind His followers how to present the gospel message or how to fight discouragement – He simply said, “And surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).

When we answer God’s call, we can be assured we have (or will be provided) adequate ability. God NEVER calls without also providing the tools to accomplish everything in His plan. But even with all the tools, we’re often filled with doubts and fears, uncertain of our next step. And yet, we WILL step. We will continue to step along the path of the world or we will trust God and step out with Him in faith.

Today, as with every day, we must make a choice. As we choose which way to step, let’s remember our Heavenly Father is by our side to love us and guide us along His path. Let’s remember He has called, equipped, and given us His promise: “I will be with you always!”

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Hiding Among The Baggage

By Steve T. on November 30, 2009

When Samuel became too old to be an effective judge, the leaders of Israel asked for a new kind of ruler; “Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have” (1 Samuel 8:5). This request was actually an indication of the sad decline of God’s people. By requesting a king, “as all the other nations,” they were rejecting God’s plan and choosing to follow the ways of the world.

God was disappointed with the heart of His children, but He granted their request and told Samuel to anoint Saul as Israel’s first king. Saul was “an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites – a head taller than any of the others” (1 Samuel 9:2). Saul’s external appearance was a perfect match for the superficial values of the nation.

When Samuel spoke with Saul, he was quite surprised to hear he had been chosen by God: “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?” (1 Samuel 9:21). Saul’s insecurities were so great that when it came time to officially anoint him as king, he was nowhere to be found.

1 Samuel 10:22
“So they inquired further of the Lord, ‘Has the man come here yet?’ And the Lord said, ‘Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage.'”

Although Saul made many mistakes as king, we must not forget he was specifically chosen by God and empowered to do His will. But Saul lived with a great sense of inadequacy and was never able to effectively lead. He continually stepped out of God’s will because his focus remained on his own limitations rather than on the limitless ability of the One who called him to serve.

Each of us who enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are also chosen to do His will – empowered by His Spirit to accomplish everything He desires for our life; “His divine power has given us everything we need” (2 Peter 1:3). Unfortunately, most of us enter this relationship carrying bags from our past which weigh us down and hinder our ability to serve.

What baggage are we still carrying or using to hide from God’s call? There may be sins and failures in our distant (or even very recent) past which make us feel unworthy to serve. We may still carry the pain and mistrust of a broken relationship. We may have even made a sincere attempt to serve but taken a few wrong steps and fallen flat. But NOTHING must keep us from doing His will. Nothing must keep us from following where we know He is leading. Let’s trust Him with all our heart and answer the call today. Let’s keep our eyes on Christ and stop hiding among the baggage.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Evangelism Assignment Update

By Steve T. on November 29, 2009

Last month I sent out a message about an evangelism assignment I had for a class I’m taking while my family and I are on the road. I wrote about the difficulty I was having with initiating a conversation about the gospel. I also wrote about the essence of the gospel and encouraged people to pass the message to others. Many people wrote back about ideas for evangelism and many also shared the gospel presentation I wrote with others.

However, this did not end the assignment. I still needed to learn how to approach people with the gospel.

Last week we were on the California coast about an hour north of Los Angeles. I knew my assignment date was coming to a close so last Sunday, when we were visiting a local church, I made a point of staying after to ask the pastor if there were any evangelistic efforts taking place during the week. He introduced me to a couple of guys who work something called a Jesus booth on Friday nights.

The idea of a Jesus booth is that you set up a small stand with information and some catchy signs with the intent of generating conversation which will lead to a gospel presentation. We set up in Ventura on the corner of Main and California Street. This is the party area of town with dozens of bars and even more restaurants. We passed out tracts and tried various methods of initiating conversation. One that worked well was a sign which said something like, “$20 if you can prove you are a good person.” People would stop and say, “Really? You will really give $20?” This would lead into a discussion of what it means to be good, the concept of sin, and the need for a savior. No one collected the $20.

This was a great learning opportunity for me and I had several opportunities to share the gospel message. One young man in particular really touched my heart. His name was Quan. I think he was about 18 and showed a genuine interest. I walked with him and shared what I believed was a complete gospel message. At the end I asked him if he could think of anything that would keep him from believing in Jesus for the forgiveness of sin right now. He started to cry and shared about all the death he had seen over the last several years. Many of his relatives had been killed, and when he was 15 his best friend was shot and killed right before his eyes. He said he would continue to think about what we had shared and then hugged me and sincerely thanked me.

Another man was mad at all the hypocrites in church – and after I told him I was pretty upset about that as well, he listened intently to the gospel message. The rest of his group pulled him away at what I thought was a critical point, but this too is a lesson in trusting the working of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we just plant.

Another girl stopped to talk as we were packing up for the night. I talked with her about sin and asked her if she died tonight and stood before God, why did she think He would allow her into heaven. She said that she had tried hard and done her best. It was interesting that she knew all the Bible stories and that Jesus had died on the cross, but she had never really put it all together that the sacrifice of Jesus and our faith in that sacrifice is what provides a way for us to be with God for eternity. Sometimes we water.

Lessons learned:

1. Evangelism is still necessary and can still be effective. Being around church and seminary all the time it is so easy to forget that there are people who have never heard – and many, many who do not understand.

2. Not everyone will be offended – not everyone will be rude. Some will be genuinely thankful that you took the time to share.

3. Keep the focus on the gospel message. It’s easy to be pulled off track onto side issues – so remember to guide things quickly back to the gospel.

I’m very grateful for this project. Without the pressure of an assignment I would have never found myself talking to someone on the street about Jesus. I pray that my boldness will continue to increase!

Thank you for all your prayers and encouragement with this evangelism assignment.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

Posted in Devotional, Update Message | 1 Response

Say The Blessing

By Steve T. on November 26, 2009

Today is Thanksgiving in the United States. Every year is a little different, but this year we will be with my wife’s family – her mother, two brothers, a sister, spouses, and lots of kids. By the time we get ready to eat, sometime in the early afternoon, there will be almost twenty of us. It should be a very exciting time. But before anyone is allowed to take a bite, I will most likely be asked to say a blessing. So I’ve been thinking…what does it really mean to say a blessing before a meal?

Many people all around the world say some kind of blessing before they eat. Even those who don’t really believe in God will bow their heads before a meal, especially in a larger group. I did a little research and found meal blessings written for Native American, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish, as well as various Christian traditions. I found New Age, Wiccan, Interfaith, and even Atheist blessings. It seems that saying something before a meal is part of an accepted tradition which crosses many cultural and religious boundaries. Perhaps one of the reasons it is so accepted is that we don’t really think much about what we are doing when we bow in prayer.

Why do we pray before a meal anyway? And which meals warrant a prayer? The Bible contains many passages which call us to give thanks as a general attitude of Christian living; “O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever” (Psalm 30:12). But there is not a single passage which says we must give thanks before a meal. The closest would be when Jesus fed the five thousand, fed the four thousand, and when He broke bread with the disciples at the last supper. In each case Jesus simply gave thanks.

Luke 9:16
“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people.”

Jesus gave a wonderful example of giving thanks for what God had provided and for how He would use the provision for His glory. And perhaps that’s the point. Everything is from God to be given back to God.

No, there is no command to pray before a meal. God won’t be mad or disappointed if we fail to pray anymore than He is disappointed when we fail to give thanks for the air we breath. But meal time can be a unique opportunity to stop – just for a moment – and refocus our hearts on the One who created all things, gave us His Son as a sacrifice for sin, and calls us into His presence for all eternity. So as we gather together – whenever we gather – let’s truly give thanks as we turn our hearts to the almighty God and say the blessing.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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A Greater Love

By Steve T. on November 26, 2009

In one of the last messages Moses gave to the people of Israel, he told them to obey all the commands of God and to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). About fifteen hundred years later, Jesus referred to this as the greatest of all commandments and then added: “And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commands” (Matthew 22:39-40). The commands to love God and love others summarize how God desires us to live.

On the evening before He was crucified, Jesus gave His disciples a final command.

John 15:12-13
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

In this command, we’re not all being called to physically die for one another. This one time action would actually be relatively easy compared with the true meaning of His command. The general call from Christ is for us to daily “lay down” our lives by dying to our self gratification and considering the needs of others more important than our own (Philippians 2:3-4). And as opposed to a one time event for a select individual, we are being called to daily lay ourselves down for ALL – even when others are not deserving…even when they have not earned our love.

We are commanded to love as God first loved us. His love was with total commitment and sacrifice; “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son” (John 3:16). His love was with absolute compassion and forgiveness; “God demonstrated His love in this! While we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

The Apostle John spent almost 60 years pondering the words of his Savior and then concluded that love was the one characteristic which identifies us as a true believer; “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death” (1 John 3:14).

Yes, we are to love as Jesus loved. This means we should love without consideration of economic, social, or ethnic class. We should love cross gender, cross race, cross culture, and EVEN cross religion! Without ever compromising the message of Truth, we must begin to view others through the eyes of Jesus, remove the barriers, and make the time to truly love. Let’s begin to open our heart to those in need. Let’s learn to lay down our life and love with a greater love.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Build According To The Spirit

By Steve T. on November 25, 2009

When the armies of Babylon made their final invasion of Jerusalem, they took many captives into exile and completely destroyed the temple – destroyed God’s dwelling among His chosen people. After many years, a group of Israelites were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild.

This group began the work with great excitement: “With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord, ‘He is good; His love to Israel endures forever'” (Ezra 3:11). But they soon encountered opposition; “The peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building” (Ezra 4:4). The opposition grew until all construction came to a standstill.

God sent a message through the prophet Haggai to encourage His people to return to their important task.

Haggai 2:4-5
“Be strong, all you people of the land,” declares the Lord, “and work. For I am with you,” declares the Lord Almighty. “This is what I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt. And My Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”

God encouraged the people by reminding them He was still with them. He had rescued His people from slavery so He could dwell among them, and He had given His Spirit as a guide and comforter; “They were given rest by the Spirit of the Lord. This is how You guided Your people” (Isaiah 63:14).

Today, WE are His temple: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). The same Spirit who was given to be with God’s chosen people of the past is the same Spirit who now fills us and gives us the power to live a victorious life in Christ – gives us the power to build according to God’s perfect plan.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit will “remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). We have all heard and read the truth – we know how Christ desires for us to live – but the Spirit is given to “guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The Truth is our only building material, and the Spirit holds the only plans. He will guide and direct as we listen and prepare our heart to follow.

God sent His Son to set us free from sin, and He gave us His Spirit so we may live in freedom and build a temple which glorifies His name. There are many in the world who seek to discourage and make us afraid to continue building, many who create fierce opposition. But let’s continue the work He has already begun. Let’s continue to walk in victory and daily build according to the Spirit.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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The Promised Land

By Steve T. on November 24, 2009

In the message “The Search” we saw how searching for God’s will is a natural step of Christian maturity. As we become more like Christ, we naturally desire to do only those things consistent with the will of our Heavenly Father. We also saw that this can be a frustrating time as we search…and wait! But it’s a time where we learn more about trust, more about submitting our own desires to His will, and more about preparing to go when He calls.

Abraham was a man of great faith who was chosen to begin the covenant relationship between God and man. Through Abraham’s son Isaac and his grandson Jacob, the nation of Israel was born. However, when God’s Word first introduces us to Abraham, he is already 75 years old and settled with his family in the land of Haran. Then, with absolutely no warning, God calls…

Genesis 12:1
“The Lord had said to Abraham, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.'”

God wanted Abraham to move to the land of promise; “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you” (Genesis 12:2). We’re not told that Abraham was searching for God’s will or even preparing for the call, but he was definitely ready. Abraham had no idea where he was going, how long he would be gone or how he was going to get to where God directed, but he trusted God’s promise and went.

It’s interesting to note there was no further discussion or clarification from God after the call was made – God gave direction, and Abraham obeyed; “So Abraham left, as the Lord had told him” (Genesis 12:4). Abraham may have left with a slight uncertainty in his decision – a slight hesitation in his step – but he had faith enough to trust and obey.

God has a promised land to which He’s calling us today. It’s a land where we find contentment in all situations (Philippians 4:12), rejoice in our trials (James 1:2), and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18) because we KNOW God is working all things together for the good (Romans 8:28). It’s a land of united families where marriage vows represent an unbreakable covenant; a place where children honor their father and mother; and a land where parents lead their children by following Christ. Most of all, it’s a land where we love Him with ALL our heart in ALL we do, say and think!

He’s calling us to trust Him and follow where He leads. Sometimes His call is very specific – and we must diligently prepare to hear and obey this call – but often His call is simply to let go of our own understanding, search His Word for truth, and follow Him to the Promised Land.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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The Search

By Steve T. on November 20, 2009

We have come to that wonderful place where our only desire is to do God’s will. We have begun to view our time on earth with an eternal perspective and are now in the process of aligning our life with His desires. This is a significant step of maturity for any believer, but it can also be a time of great frustration. We truly desire to do the will of God, so we desperately (and often unceasingly) search for His will.

Before we were saved, we were controlled by a sinful nature. This nature manifested itself in a variety of ways; “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (Galatians 5:19-21).

Through the Spirit of Christ, we now have the power to break free from the control of the sinful nature. And, though most of the sinful nature is clearly out of character with a Christian walk, the sin which is often the hardest to recognize is that of selfish ambition. Even in our striving to live according to God’s will, we continually battle the desire to achieve and accomplish.

The deception sounds so good and spiritual: “God, let me do something really great….for You! I’m ready to have a MAJOR impact in Your Kingdom.” We look for God’s will as if it’s some sort of mountain to climb, and then we become frustrated when we never seem to arrive at the summit. But God’s will is never a destination. His will is always a process – always found in the journey! His will is that we love Him, trust Him, and seek Him with all our heart.

Psalm 9:10
“Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.”

Anyone who earnestly searches for God’s will has a strong desire to please Him. They love God with all their heart and are leaning on Him for guidance like never before. This love and trust mean more to God than anything we could ever accomplish. But God allows us to search, because the search is what brings us to His throne.

We must continue to seek His desire for our life and always be prepared to follow where He leads. But we must also strip back the layers of pride which require an achievement of something grand. We have found His perfect will when we walk in humble submission, with a thankful heart, and are actively involved in the search.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Refuse To Be Afraid

By Steve T. on November 19, 2009

As wars continue around the world, we must remember our true battles are not against flesh and blood – not against terrorism or deceptive governments, nor an oppressive boss or unappreciative spouse – but “against the spiritual forces of evil in the Heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). The true battles occur in a world which is real, but unseen; and yet, the battles we see and hear everywhere we turn are the ones which tend to consume our thoughts and cause us to become angry…and to fear.

As Jesus was teaching and healing around the Sea of Galilee, large crowds of people began to come out to Him. One evening, Jesus decided to leave the crowds behind and sail with His disciples to the other side of the sea. As Jesus slept in the back of the boat, a terrible storm soon developed. The disciples woke Jesus and cried out in fear, “Teacher, don’t You care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38).

Mark 4:39-40
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to His disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'”

The disciples had seen Jesus cure a man with leprosy, heal a paralytic, and teach with the authority of Almighty God; but now they thought Jesus didn’t care. When Jesus rose, He rebuked the storm as well as His disciples. These men who were chosen to walk with the Son of God were now accused by Jesus of being afraid and living without faith.

This same event occurs in our life today. Jesus climbs into our boat and directs us to a distant shore. We’ve heard about His miracles so we joyfully cast off, expecting a smooth sail. Suddenly, the wind begins to blow and the waves turn white – this is probably not the voyage we had in mind. No longer able to see the shore, we begin to wonder why we ever set sail. Did we really hear His voice? And in our desperation we pathetically cry out, “Don’t You care if we drown?” … Is our faith really so weak?

In the midst of our fears, we must remember that He is the same God who created the Heavens and the earth, sent His Son to die for our sins, and gave us His Spirit “with whom we were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). He is the same God who chose us to walk by His side!

Jesus is still committed to our journey, and still in complete control. In His perfect timing He will calm ALL the wind and waves – ALL the roaring seas. When doubts begin to surface, we must draw even closer, hold on even tighter, and trust Him even deeper. No matter what battles we see with our eyes and hear with our ears, we must be determined to live each moment by faith and refuse to be afraid.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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Gifts To Be Returned

By Steve T. on November 18, 2009

After Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land, the nation was governed by a series of judges. The period of the judges lasted several hundred years and ended with the prophet Samuel. Samuel lived his entire life dedicated to God. In fact, Samuel’s mother dedicated him to God before he was even born.

For many years Hannah and her husband had tried to have a child, but God did not allow her to conceive. The desire for a child continued for several years and became such a consuming portion of Hannah’s life that she could think of little else; “In bitterness of soul Hannah wept much and prayed to the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:10).

Finally, Hannah’s heart softened and she made a vow that if God would give her a son, “then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life” (1 Samuel 1:11). God honored Hannah’s vow and she soon became pregnant. A few years after Samuel was born Hannah brought him to Eli, the priest.

1 Samuel 1:27-28
“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.”

When Hannah made her vow, she no longer desired a child to satisfy her own needs but truly desired to honor God by returning her son to Him. In turn, God blessed Hannah with five additional children after Samuel (1 Samuel 2:21). God did not bless Hannah because of her vow (we can never “bargain” with God); rather, God blessed Hannah because her heart desired to glorify Him with her blessing.

We must learn to consider everything in our life from the same perspective as Hannah. We have created nothing of lasting value with our own hands. Everything we have – everything which defines who we are – is a precious gift from God. This includes our possessions, family, business, school, special skills, and talents. ALL we have is by the grace of God.

And just as it’s prideful sin to take self-credit for God’s many blessings, it’s equally shameful to shun His gifts – to pretend they don’t exist – and fail to use them for His glory. God always blesses with a purpose; and we live a shallow life if we ignore His gifts or use them solely for our own benefit and pleasure.

Let’s bless our Heavenly Father by fully receiving His gifts, and then by giving back what we’ve so graciously been given. Let’s praise Him and determine to use even the gift of our own life to bring Him glory and honor. God has showered us with many wonderful gifts, but they are ALL gifts to be returned.

Have a Christ Centered Day!

Steve Troxel
God’s Daily Word Ministries

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