Destiny is an important thing.  It speaks of the future.  It  is where we end up in life in terms of our character and contribution.

Our choices determine our destiny.  Where we end up in life is simply a result of the roads we take.  The pathways we take not only determine our destiny, they also impact the destiny of others also.

In the Old Testament book of Esther we find the story of a man who made wise choices — choices that not only led him to a great destiny, but positively affected the destiny of many others, in fact, of a whole nation.

The man’s name is Mordecai.  We could talk about several key decisions this man made, but let’s focus on one.

At some point in Mordecai’s life his extended family faced a crisis.  An uncle and aunt died leaving behind a young girl named Hadassah.  We know her as Esther.  This young lady was left an orphan, with no one to care for her.  Mordecai made a decision.  He chose to take the responsibility for raising his cousin, Esther.  He became a father to her.  He invested in her life, providing for her needs and giving her the spiritual covering she desperately needed.

When he made this decision Mordecai could not have imagined how significant it was.  Under Mordecai’s tutelage and care, Esther grew up and ultimately became the Queen of Persia.  Through her  divine placement, she helped save the Jewish people from horrible pain and destruction.

Mordecai’s decision to care for Esther changed her destiny, Mordecai’s destiny and the destiny of God’s people.  His one wise and compassionate choice led to events that are still being celebrated today!

Remember, our destiny and the destiny of others around us are being fashioned one decision at a time.  Let’s ask God to help us continually make good, wise and compassionate choices.

Pastor Dale

BTW, don’t miss this weekend at Church of the Redeemer as we wrap up our Resolve series!  Checkout our website for more information.

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In working with people as a pastor for over 3 decades, I have discovered a number of similarities in human behavior.  One of these is our failure to grasp the power of the present.  All too often people live in anything but “the now.”

There are a lot of folks who are stuck in the past.  They are always looking back.  Their reminiscence may be filled with regrets over bad decisions in their yesterdays.  They are haunted by what they did wrong or failed to do right in years gone by.

Other people focus on the perceived glory of the past.  These are the folks who are enamored with how great they used to be, what amazing things they once did, or how wonderful the “good old days” were!

While recognizing and reconciling the mistakes, appreciating the successes and learning the lessons of the past are all important and valuable, that’s where “rear view living” should end.

There is another equally destructive tendency.  Many people are living in the future.  They are preoccupied with what I call “one day scenarios.” The single person is tortured by the dream of “one day” when they will be married.  Sadly, at the very same time, a whole lot of married people are dreaming about the “one day” they hope to be single again!  Think about all the “one day” scenarios that cause people to miss their “now” moment.

What does the wisdom of Scripture teach us about “now?” While the Bible helps us understand how to process our past and inspires us with hope for our future, its emphasis is clear on our “today.” God calls us to pay close attention to now — live in the present!  Interestingly, the English word “now” is found 365 times in the NIV translation of the New Testament!

Why is now important?

N = You have no other time but now promised and given to you.  Yesterday is gone, and tomorrow has not yet arrived.

O = Opportunities for growth, learning, serving, giving and loving always happen in the now!  Opportunities always happen in a present moment!

W = What you do with your now will determine what happens in your tomorrows.  Your choices now are determining your future destiny.

Let’s all make a decision to make the most of our NOW!

Pastor Dale

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What’s your occupation?  People usually respond to this question with a description of their work — what they do for a living.  While our business occupations are important to God, there is an occupation that should be foremost in the heart and mind of every Christian believer.  In whatever we do, God has called us to be Kingdom seed sowers.

To help us to understand this responsibility, Jesus gave us a parable.  As a quick sidebar, the word parable comes from two Greek words which, when used together means “to throw alongside.” Jesus, wanting us to understand significant principles in His Kingdom, would often “throw alongside them” a story or illustration to help us grasp the truth He was teaching.

In Matthew 13 we find a great story or parable that is very familiar to most believers.  It is often referred to as “The Parable of the Sower.” While there are many lessons in Jesus’ illustration, at the heart of the parable is call to you and me.  Take a look at how the story begins:

“A farmer went out to sow his seed.”  –  Matthew 13:3

Without taking time to explain all aspects of this teaching , there are three main parts of the parable that we need to understand:

• The seed that is sown — which is the good seed of God’s Word.

• The farmer who sows the seed — you and me; followers of Jesus Christ.

• The soil that receives the seed — the hearts of people in whom the seed is sown.

Let’s zero in on our responsibility.  Jesus wants all of us to be fully engaged in the process of sowing good seed in other people’s lives.  Jesus doesn’t ask us to inspect the soil before we sow Kingdom seed, He simply says, “Sow!”  We are to be “broadcasters” of the seed of God’s love and good news everywhere we go.

How do we do this?

Sowing good seed  is not complicated.  We sow by giving a warm smile to someone who is discouraged, by speaking healing words to someone who is in pain, by being kind to people around us, by bearing burdens for people who are overwhelmed, and by sharing the hope of Jesus when we have an opportunity.

What’s your occupation?  Are you living every day as a Kingdom farmer, sowing good seed in the lives of the people God has placed in your life?

Go sow some good seed today!

Pastor Dale

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Everybody has “turf.”  Our “turf” is “our personal territory.”  Most folks are very protective of their “turf.”  Whether it be the personal territory of our inner thoughts and emotions, relationships or work responsibilities, hackles tend to rise quickly when other people step into areas of our lives when they are not invited, and where they are not welcome.

While these kind of turf battles are usually petty and juvenile, there is a certain kind of turf battle that should be taken seriously.  We must be prepared to protect and defend the spiritual turf of our hearts.  Whether we realize it or not, there is a real spiritual enemy that not only wants to invade our personal territory, he wants to claim it for himself.  He wants to set up his own command center in our hearts.

The Apostle Paul warned us about this kind of “turf attack:”

” … do not give the devil a foothold.”  –  Ephesians 4:27

Here Paul reminded us of our spiritual enemy and his agenda.  Our adversary is the devil, and he wants turf!  He is looking for ways to gain access to our hearts and establish a beachhead of influence and control.

Interestingly, the word Paul used for “foothold” is sometimes translated “place.”  The Greek term is “topos.”  Sound familiar?  It’s the root of our English word “topography.”  Topography refers to “the lay of the land.”  It speaks of ground — of territory.

When we entertain certain attitudes and engage in certain behaviors, we run the risk of giving internal ground — spiritual topography to the devil.  And whatever ground he takes, he exploits and seeks to expand, to our destruction.

What thoughts and behaviors in your life may be compromising the territory of your heart?  Where have you given ground to the devil?

Ask Jesus to help you demolish the devil’s footholds in your life and retake the ground that rightfully belongs to Him.  Determine that you will do everything possible to protect the turf of your heart!

Pastor Dale

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When someone is in pain or trouble the natural reaction is to call for help.  Help is the response of a helper to the cryl of someone in crisis.  It is the action someone takes to step in to an unfortunate and sometimes ugly situation to bring needed assistance, alleviate suffering, release resources and extend comfort.  Help is practical and personal.  There is no help without helpers!

To be a helper, a person has to put aside their own comfort, and for the moment forget about their own problems.  Helpers are people who have stopped living for themselves only.

One of the great parables of Jesus is the story of The Good Samaritan.  It is found in Luke 10:30-37.

Jesus described a Jewish man who was hurting desperately.  He had been robbed and beaten by thieves on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho.  Death was imminent.  Two Jewish religious leaders passed him by, offering him no help.  A third man, a Samaritan, was the only one who helped.  This man crossed a cultural divide, rejected prejudices that existed between Jews and Samaritans and demonstrated what love is all about.  He showed us how to be a people helper.

As I studied this story recently, here are four things I learned from the Samaritan about being a people helper:

• Helpers see needs.

We will never help others if we are blind to their needs.  Helping starts with vision — seeing the needs God wants you to see.  The Samaritan saw the man in need.

• Helpers stop and step in to help.

Helpers are not critics, they are contributors.  They are arrested by human needs.  It is one thing to see needs and another thing to stop and help someone in need.  Both the priest and the Levite in the story saw the man, but  kept moving.  The Bible says that the Samaritan “went to him.” Real love is not measured by our vision of need, but in our response to need.

• Helpers serve the needs of others.

The Samaritan got on his knees beside the hurting man and washed his wounds, applied healing oil and bandaged his wounds lovingly and carefully.  These actions showed the heart of a servant.  We cannot be an effective helper to others without having a servant’s heart.

• Helpers sacrifice resources for the sake of others.

A sacrifice is “the giving up of something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy.” The Samaritan sacrificed for the sake of the hurting man he found by the roadside.  He put him on his donkey, took him to a place where he could be restored to health and asked that the all the expenses be charged to him.  Wow!

For help to happen, someone has to be a helper.  Are you a Good Samaritan?  Let’s all make a conscious commitment to see, stop, serve and sacrifice for the needs of others.  That’s what help is all about!

Pastor Dale

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