Be careful not to do your “acts of righteousness” before men, to be
seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in
heaven. —Matthew 6:1

Who
doesn’t appreciate an accolade or two, but are you willing to become a
small fish in a big pond? In other words, when all you have done has
gone unnoticed and you do not get recognition, what matters most to
you—receiving an immediate reward (man’s recognition) or a heavenly
reward (God’s recognition)?

If Paul had said, “I have planted and God gave the increase,” there
would be room for self-importance. How humbling it is that God uses
more than one person in another’s conversion! There is not a single one
of us who owes his or her conversion and growth just to one person. In
my case I could speak not of a dozen but of fifty, maybe a hundred, all
of whom have had a powerful influence on me. The test is the
willingness to be a small fish in a big pond.

What if I am not noticed for all the hard work I do? My
effectiveness must be determined by (a) my willingness to be
insignificant and have an insignificant part, and (b) my willingness to
have an unnoticed part. Great men show themselves small when they
become too worried about their place in history.

But what does it matter? In a short time we will all stand before
the judgment seat of Christ, where it will all come out. People who are
so eager to have their biographies say this or that about themselves
will find out that one day we will all know the real truth anyway! The
question is, if I am a peacemaker, will I keep quiet about it? If I am
persecuted, will I keep quiet about it? If I am pious, if I pray, fast,
and give sacrificially, will I keep quiet about it? If I am determined
to get noticed, well, I will probably get it, but that means I get paid
now, but recognition in this life is a very low pay indeed.

Excerpted from When God Says “Well Done!” (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1993).

And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. —Matthew 11:6, KJV

Some of us find it easier to be open to the Word than to the Holy Spirit. Being open to the Word directly is to be open to the Spirit indirectly—as the Spirit applies that Word. But being open to the Spirit is when He manifests Himself in an immediate and direct manner.

We feel safe with the Word but fearful that the Holy Spirit may lead us out of our comfort zone. But the Holy Spirit to whom we should be open is the Author of the Bible, and He will not lead us in any way that is contrary to what He has written through His sovereign instruments. We are as safe with the Spirit as we are with the Word. And yet if we are not open to the Spirit, we will likely never experience some of the very same things described in the Word.

When one is offended by the Spirit, it is because he is offended by God. It is not possible to find God pleasant and to find the Holy Spirit offensive. It is incongruous to affirm all that Jesus Christ was and did, then turn around and reject the Holy Spirit. The persons of the Godhead are united. Equally, each has His own stigma. The Holy Spirit mirrors the other persons of the Godhead; therefore, how we respond to the person of the Spirit may show what we really feel about either the Father or the Son.We must affirm God as He is—the Holy Spirit is God. When our hearts are truly right with God, we will find that God is not offensive at all! We will instead find Him glorious! But we must take God as He is and be prepared to affirm the presence of the Holy Spirit—however God may sovereignly choose to reveal Himself.

Excerpted from The Anointing: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Charisma House, 2003).

The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. —1 Corinthians 3:8

There are two operative words in this text: the first is the word one; the second is the word own. The two roles of planting and watering when added up are one. It is what God does, no matter how many plant and how many water. God makes things grow. One plus one equals one—that is God’s mathematics! Ten plus ten equals one; one hundred plus one hundred equals one: God, who makes things grow.

There are a number of points I want to explore in this text.

The first is teamwork. The Oxford English Dictionary defines team as “a set of people working together.” Why? They are one. This will mean that each member surrenders a high profile. For those who have an ego problem this is quite a task! You say, “Well, this won’t apply to me; I don’t have a problem with ego.” Don’t you? Let me ask you a question: If you look at a group photograph you are in, whose face do you look for first?

So the operative word, one, leads to another word, surrender—of seven things:

1. Identity

2. Independence

3. Individuality

4. Inflexibility

5. Indifference

6. Inequality

7. Personal interest

Incidentally, it is not a question whether or not we will result in one, because God will see to that. What is sobering is how this oneness will happen. Either we will do it voluntarily and get a reward, or we do it involuntarily and suffer loss.

The second point in this verse is talent. The man who plants—is that your talent? The man who waters—is that your talent? Planting and watering are metaphors that refer to the kind of ministry that God gives to particular Christians. Now that does not mean that they have to be one or the other, for Paul was both. The point is that each Christian has a gift, and all of these combined together add up to one.

Excerpted from When God Says “Well Done!” (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1993).

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law. —Matthew 7:28-29

God cares about the honor of His name. But He cares even more about His integrity, which is His Word. This is why Psalm 138:2 says that God has magnified His Word over all His name.

Signs, wonders, and miracles were first unveiled in the Bible when God revealed His name to Moses (Exod. 6:2-3). Yet God wants His Word to be magnified above signs and wonders. Salvation is more important than miracles. Salvation was thus unveiled to Abraham four hundred years before the era of signs and wonders. We are not saved by signs and wonders but by the gospel.

We must be careful, therefore, to walk in obedience to all the Word. Jesus said, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). “Not the least stroke of a pen” would be omitted from the fulfillment of the Law (Matt. 5:18). This shows how clearly and carefully God regards every word He utters.

When Jesus healed a boy with an evil spirit, “they were all amazed at the greatness of God” (Luke 9:43, emphasis added). And yet the exact same word, ekplesso, is used to describe the affect of Jesus’ words when He finished the Sermon on the Mount.

This shows that Jesus could amaze people by His word as easily as by signs and wonders! Indeed, when He put the Sadducees in their place, the crowds “were astonished [same Greek word] at his teaching” (Matt. 22:33, emphasis added).

If Jesus could amaze and astonish either by His word or by miracles, it seems to me that this should happen today as well. But we apparently have lost faith in the power of the Word and fancy that miraculous healings alone can restore God’s honor. In my opinion, either should do this.

Excerpted from The Anointing: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Charisma House, 2003).

Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down. —Proverbs 26:20

Gossip. What an ugly word. I hate the word. It is what sells millions of cheap and tawdry magazines at the checkout line in a supermarket. I so despise them that I like to think I am above this stuff.

I may not read these magazines, but I am just as guilty as those who do read them when I myself hear with glee that a person I don’t like has been found out—and I pass it on; or I repeat news of something unflattering about an enemy or a person who has wanted to hurt me in some way; or I make a person feel good that I know would relish news of their enemy’s difficulty. James says the tongue is a fire (James 3:6), and when I enter into conversations like this, I grieve the Holy Spirit.

Gossip is a defense mechanism to preserve our self-esteem. It arises out of an inferiority complex; we build ourselves up by tearing others down—or enjoying hearing that they are in trouble of some kind. It is a poisonous habit that betrays our insecurity and lack of spirituality. If gossip makes us feel better, we are self-deceived.

We may claim to be Spirit-filled, sound in our theology, faithful in our commitment to the church, zealous in worship, and have devotional lives that are highly admirable. But when we grieve the Spirit by saying what comes to mind that is not honoring to God, we become the very examples James laments: we praise the Lord and curse men.

James asks, “Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” (James 3:11). If the well in us—the Holy Spirit (John 7:38-39)—overflows, one expects the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). But when the Spirit begins to speak through us, and instead of love, joy, and peace, suddenly there emerges anger, vengeance, and envy, something has gone terribly wrong.

The Holy Spirit will not produce gossip, anger, revenge, or any other fleshly reaction any more than a fig tree can bear an olive or a grapevine bear a fig (James 3:12-16). It is impossible for the Holy Spirit to produce other than the fruit such as love, joy, peace, and self-control. If we say we are Spirit-filled, then let us display the fruit of the Spirit.

Excerpted from Controlling the Tongue (Charisma House, 2007).

God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. —Hebrews 6:10

Part of the sacrifice of being today’s servant of Christ is that vindication usually comes tomorrow, possibly after we are in heaven. Partly what made those in Hebrews 11 “today’s” servants in their day was that they were willing to have the fruits of their labors borne by a successive generation. “These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Heb. 11:39-40).

Peter reminded his readers that, as for the prophets of the Old Testament, “it was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things” (1 Pet. 1:12).

This is an example when those with the Lord continue to be today’s men and women. Those Hebrew Christians who did not succumb to the pressures of their day would never be forgotten.

We are all guilty of thinking of ourselves and how we will be remembered. But the irony of church history is that those who prepared most for tomorrow’s church were the most remembered; those who wanted to build their own empires became yesterday’s men and women while they were still alive—and hardly remembered afterwards.

The late President Ronald Reagan kept a little plaque on his desk that read, “There is no limit to how far one can go as long as he doesn’t care who gets the credit.” That to me is profound. If you and I can bring that into our own lives, I suspect it would make a considerable difference—not only in our usefulness, but also in how we are remembered. It would mean wanting, first of all, the honor that comes from God only, then to affirm His servants, no matter who they are. That is the challenge of being today’s man or woman.

Excerpted from The Anointing: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Charisma House, 2003).

For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? … The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. —1 Corinthians 3:3, 8

There are few people who have not been either the subject or the object of jealousy at some time in their lives. Someone has said that jealousy is the sin nobody talks about; I think it is the sin nobody admits to—at least, readily. We do not like admitting to being jealous because this exposes our insecurity and weakness; the last thing we want another person to know is that we are insecure. Yet the chances are, our jealousy is one malady everybody else can see but us, and although we cannot deny that there are also psychological implications, fundamentally, jealousy is sin.

We may define jealousy as an attitude of envy or resentment toward a more successful rival. Sometimes it results from frustrated attempts to achieve an ambition, and sometimes it results from seeing somebody who has more talent, greater social advantages, more money, better looks, or a better personality than we have. It may also arise when we see another succeeding where we have failed and we allow our resentment to grow into jealousy.

The reason it is easy to detect jealousy in others is they inevitably behave in a way that betrays their feelings. However, being the object of jealousy is also problematic. Most of us know what it is to have somebody jealous of us.

Yet what if another’s jealousy of you is real? How do you handle a situation like this? You need to identify the real enemy. Paul identified the real enemy: the devil. So if you are the target of unjust criticism aimed to hurt you by attacking your character or by diminishing your influence, know that Satan is behind it all. However, you should also realize that you are no different, and in similar circumstances the chances are that you would react in the same way.

Only God can deal with jealousy, and only God can forgive it. But the Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9).

Excerpted from A Vision of Jesus (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1999).

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. —James 1:4

In early 1956 I felt that God gave me a fresh message to preach. I saw things in Scripture that I had not heard preached anywhere. I saw teaching, doctrine, and insight that I thought had been revealed to nobody but the apostle Paul! I foolishly left college since I felt I had no more to learn there. I also was convinced that the Second Coming of Jesus was so near that I was wasting my time with further preparation.

My dad was distraught that his only son had come to this. Dad begged for proof that I was in God’s will. I assured him God was going to use me—powerfully and internationally! I had been given visions from the Lord that showed me clearly that I would see great revival. Dad had one question: When? I replied with absolute confidence, “Within one year.” He asked me to write it down so he could have it to show me one year later! I wrote it down. One year later I was selling Stroll-O-Chairs, a portable assortment of baby equipment. I had no opportunities to preach.

Dr. Lloyd-Jones once said to me, “The worst thing that can happen to a man is to succeed before he is ready.” That statement was probably the most powerful word he ever gave me. I  believe it to be true, and I can only conclude that I was withheld the success I had hoped for by God’s gracious will. One reason I took myself too seriously back in 1956 was that I received visions that indicated I would be used of God. I assumed these visions would be fulfilled soon. They weren’t. But because I had them and believed they were truly from the Holy Spirit, I assumed I was special. I became arrogant. I was not ready.

I am so thankful God is still peeling away those layers of arrogance and presumption. I’d rather not be greatly used at all than be given a greater anointing that I would abuse. God has withheld the success for which I have hoped for my own good—to keep me from being successful before I am ready.

Excerpted from The Anointing: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Charisma House, 2003).

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out
weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying
sheaves with him. —Psalm 126:5-6

Has something ever broken your heart? Have you ever felt
that because your heart is breaking, all you can do is weep? Some
people can cry at the drop of a hat, but I’m not referring to that kind
of tears. Some men are afraid to cry, because they feel that it is not
manly. But the greatest man that ever was, Jesus of Nazareth, wept
(John 11:35).

Psalm 126 refers to the end of a nightmare: “When the Lord brought back
the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed” (v. 1). In other
words, it seemed too good to be true. But while the nightmare was on,
they thought it would never end.

A nightmare is an awful thing. I think that some of them may be caused
by the devil. The last thing I do before I fall asleep is to pray for
the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus upon my family and myself. I pray
so every night, because I know the devil likes to seize upon us in our
sleep, when we cannot control what is happening.

The nightmare referred to in Psalm 126 was that of Israel living in
captivity in Babylon, a captivity that lasted for seventy years. Many
died there, and others were born there. The whole time they lived in
Babylon, all they could think about was going home.

You may be enduring a psychological or emotional nightmare, where you
think you are losing your mind because the depression is so severe and
the anxiety so intense.

Maybe you are facing a financial nightmare, being deep in debt. I think
of those in our society who are elderly and have to survive on small
incomes. It is very sad to think of them being put under that kind of
pressure.

Perhaps it is a physical nightmare that you face, where something has gone wrong inside your body and the outlook is bleak.

Perhaps you are going through a social nightmare. You have been
ostracized because of the color of your skin or because of your accent.

Here is a promise that is based on a condition. The promise is joy, even success, but the condition is tears.

Excerpted from Higher Ground (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1995).

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord . . .—Micah 3:8

Flowing in the Spirit is the best way to live. This is not to say that one is conscious all the time that he or she is flowing in the Spirit. But one can be fairly certain whether the Holy Spirit resides in a person ungrieved, and when we know this is the case, there is a great peace and an absence of tension and anxiety.

A marvelous example of flowing in the Spirit was the way Paul reacted to a demon-possessed girl who had a gift for predicting the future and kept pursuing him. For days, she kept mocking Paul and his companions and shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” The funny thing was, she was telling the truth. Finally, Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the malicious spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her (Acts 16:16–18). When we flow in the Spirit we reflect God’s timing: never too late, never too early, but always right on time. There are, however, unusual times of flowing in the Spirit. That is when God is up to something that is not your usual everyday happening. Most of life is lived not on the mountaintop, but in the valley. We must learn to flow in the Spirit in the valley as well as during those times when God does the unusual.

God has never—ever—let me down or left me with the feeling I had been deceived when I experienced flowing in the Spirit. It was pure joy, although sometimes it can be costly. You may lose some friends because you are misunderstood, but God will never desert you.

Excerpted from The Anointing: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (Charisma House, 2003).