Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:  Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. —Ephesians 6:6-8, KJV

How do you cope with mistreatment? The story about Laban and the way he treated Jacob may have much to teach us.

Jacob worked for Laban fourteen years, keeping his agreement in exchange for Laban’s two daughters. Then another six years elapsed before Jacob finally made the break, and it was after Joseph was born when Jacob turned his thoughts toward going home.

Maybe you can identify with the kind of mistreatment Jacob endured for so many years. I have known many people who have put up with so much from others, a controlling parent or a spouse, for instance, who makes life so unpleasant. It may be a boss. I dare say many reading this dread returning to work on Monday mornings.

I want you to see three ways in which Jacob coped with mistreatment.

1. Jacob was careful not to pick a quarrel with Laban. He knew that what was happening to him was God’s way of breaking him. Jacob knew he had been a deceiver himself; now he had met his match. This is the way God may choose to break you: to let you meet your match.

2. Jacob preoccupied himself with what he did best. He gave himself to what God had called him to do. You may have been mistreated, but God has given you a gift. Use it well. One day your time will come and God will say, “Enough is enough.”

3. Jacob didn’t really break away until he had divine confirmation. “Then the Lord said to Jacob, ‘Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, and I will be with you'” (Gen. 31:3). Until then, it had been Jacob’s idea, but God had been watching and He said, “Enough is enough. I am with you.”

God knows how much you can bear, and He is coming to your rescue at this moment to remind you that the one who was mistreated the most was Jesus who died on the cross.

Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005).

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. —Romans 1:14

I am a very nostalgic person. I love walking down memory lane. Years ago I was being driven to the airport in Cincinnati, Ohio. On the way I caught a glimpse of the old railway station in Cincinnati. I remembered as a boy how we always had to change trains at that station to visit my grandparents in Illinois. I asked the driver, “Would you mind if we drove over to the old Union Station (as we called it)?” He was happy to do so. I got out and walked inside. It did me a world of good. And yet it was sheer nostalgia—there was nothing spiritual about it at all. It was a precious memory being relived.

But it taught me a lesson. Not only can we not go back to yesterday, but also so much of what we think is valid today is whether we “connect” to it. Some call it our “comfort zone.” If it reminds us of where we’ve been, we are more likely to accept it. If someone we trust says something new, we will take it on board every time, but if we don’t like the person, we tend to be suspicious no matter how valid his or her point may be.

I once listened to a friend of mine read aloud a statement that gripped him. I replied, “I like that—read it again.” He did. “Who said that?” I asked. When he told me, my stomach churned. It was by a person whose views on so many issues are those I reject categorically. I began to see what I could find that was wrong with it. Then I realized how childish I was behaving. Either I will recognize truth for its own sake, or I am going to embrace the thoughts only of those who adhere to my way of thinking. I felt convicted to my fingertips. I vowed then and there to be a seeker of truth, no matter who says it. Surely I can accept truth, even if it is stated by my enemy! We must be willing to follow truth no matter where it leads us. This is the only way you and I can recognize and experience today’s anointing.

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

Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor. —Isaiah 54:1

Isaiah could say that about one who longed for a special touch, a breakthrough, or vindication, and that’s God’s word for you. Do not be afraid. You will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace. You will not be humiliated.

In ancient times barrenness was regarded as a sign of God’s disapproval. Rachel believed her inability to conceive and the withholding of vindication meant that God did not approve of her.

Perhaps you are blaming yourself for what you don’t have. You keep thinking, What have I done wrong? What can I do? The truth is that God is sovereign. He can do what He pleases, with whom He pleases, when He pleases. This is His word for you. The day came when God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb.

There is a possibility that God wants to do something for you in the future that will make it seem that what you have now is nothing in comparison.

Rachel’s first son was the future prime minister of Egypt, although she wouldn’t live to see it. She named him Joseph because she wanted another baby. Indeed, God gave her another son, Benjamin. She couldn’t have known how strategic he would be. Paul said, “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day … of the tribe of Benjamin” (Phil. 3:4). What Rachel finally received was worth waiting for. To this very hour we all benefit from it, for it was Paul who took the gospel to the Gentiles.

We should see that her vindication was the result of prayer. The Bible says that God remembered Rachel. He listened to her. This means she had been praying. She needed and wanted something only God could do.

Have you settled for a premature, shallow vindication? God has your vindication scheduled, too. He has a plan for you, and it’s far greater than the thing you thought would give you satisfaction.

Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005).

I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. —Ecclesiastes 4:4

Do you have a rival? Is there someone who is in competition with you? Is there someone who gets under your skin?

A rival is a competitor, someone who is a threat, a person who could upstage you. Sooner or later most of us know what it is to have a rival. It may be a close friend. Perhaps you don’t mention the rivalry between you, you rarely think about it, and yet it’s just beneath the surface. Sometimes that rival is an enemy, and it would seem in this case it almost came to that. Leah and Rachel were so jealous of each other because although Rachel had the looks, Leah could produce children; that was her claim to fame. We don’t know whether this caused rivalry between Leah and Rachel as they grew up, but it’s possible.

Ambition will get things done, but achieving that ambition will make another person jealous. You know the feeling when you’ve achieved something and someone says, “I’m very happy for you,” and somehow you don’t really think they are. Sometimes it’s the loneliest thing to have accomplished something and you don’t have anyone you can tell who will be glad for you.

You see, an ambitious person may start out wanting people to admire them, but that won’t be enough, ultimately, to bring glory to God. God wants to bring you to a place where you just want to please Him.

Perhaps a rival spirit has brought you to a place where you have lost all sense of pride, you’ve been put down, and you have lost all sense of self-esteem. Often a rival lives for one thing, and that is to make you look bad. It is very painful. What can you do if you have a rival? You can let a rival spirit throw you or destroy you, or you can let them be the best thing that has ever happened to you. The day will come when you are so thankful for that “thorn in the flesh.”

Excerpted from All’s Well That Ends Well (Authentic Media, 2005).

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. —1 John 5:4

Fear of what the future holds in store begins in childhood: we discover that our parents and friends may disappoint us or even reject us; we learn that illness or accidents may happen suddenly and that people we love die; we learn that we do not always succeed and begin to fear failure.

Yet wondering what the future holds in store does not end with our childhood. As adults, we know that life is filled with uncertainty and that even within the short span of twenty-four hours something can happen that will change our lives forever. Furthermore, none of us know when death will call us to stand before our Maker and account for the way we have lived.

I think we can define maturity as “learning to face the unexpected.” Now if ever a person had to face the unexpected, it was John. So we will find it instructive to see how he faced his uncertain and uncompromising future on the island of Patmos.

How was he able to cope? John knew that faith was important. “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4). This gives you an idea of how John felt and how much he trusted in the Lord.

When you become a Christian, you may face the future without fear. John could face the unexpected because he was “in the Spirit.” You may ask, “When will the Spirit of the Lord come on me?” The answer is simple: the Holy Spirit has already come, because Jesus said, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). He has come in God’s Word with the best news you will ever hear: God has taken on your case and invites you to receive Jesus as your Savior.

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

 You’ve probably heard of Sunday school classes being the catalyst for mission trips, cell groups and friendships, but have you heard of a Sunday school class spawning a farm? 

Neither had Joe and June Richey—at least not before they started Questfarms, a farm that houses and employs special-needs adults. They were inspired to start the farm after teaching the Christian education class at their church and realizing their students needed support beyond the childhood years.

“When we came here we came with an idea. There weren’t any books that said: ‘This is how you start a farm for mentally-challenged people,’ so we had to just pick along,” says Joe Richey.

The Richeys’ 25-plus-year ministry provides these adults a place to work and live. On 26 acres of land in Scott, Kan., Questfarms houses 18 farmers, staff, three homes, three tractors, a barn, an office, a craft shop and four greenhouses. Ranchers plant, plow and maintain the ranch. They even go to the market to sell their product. Joe says his prayer is that the residents, whose ages range from the 20s to the 80s, will gain a positive self-image, develop independent living skills and find spiritual peace at the farm.

“We like the farm concept,” says Lara Ingram, executive director of Quest. “One of the main reasons is because when a person, one of our residents, plants a seed and they water it, it grows into a flower or tomato. They realize, I did that. And it really helps to build their self-esteem and that they are successful.

“Our prayer is that the farmers may reach for their stars in quest of a full, meaningful life; that they might reach their full potential, realize their self-worth, and help others.”

When USA Today advertising executive Laura Schroff first met 11-year-old panhandler Maurice Mazyck on the streets of New York City, he was hungry and in need of a friend. Compelled to help, Schroff, who was 35, took him to a nearby McDonald’s for lunch. That day began years of Monday-night dinners and a 25-year friendship. 

As their unique friendship continued, Schroff quickly learned that Mazyck’s life was in turmoil. Not only was he not getting enough to eat, his mother was addicted to drugs and he was constantly getting into fights—when he’d occasionally attend school. 

His living situation wasn’t any better. He bounced in and out of homeless shelters, foster homes and one-bedroom apartments inhabited by 20 other people.

Though Mazyck didn’t live with Schroff, she became a surrogate parent. In addition to their weekly dinners, she would visit his school to stay abreast of his progress. Schroff would also have him over for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays filled with multicourse meals and gifts. And she’d expose him to numerous places and events that he had only seen on television.

Decades later this young man, whose future once looked bleak, is now married with a family and has started a ministry to help other young kids in the predicament he was once in. 

His and Schroff’s relationship is still strong. “People early on used to say to me, ‘Maurice is so lucky,’” Schroff says. “I used to say: ‘You don’t understand. He brings so much into my life.’ … We were fated to meet.” 

In her new book, An Invisible Thread, Schroff says she hopes to help change how people perceive the homeless. She also wants readers to slow down and not take life and people for granted. 

“Despite the hardships that we face, we have all these wonderful, amazing miracles that come into our lives. We have to learn to see them and appreciate them,” she says. 

Before spending hundreds of dollars on unnecessary Christmas presents, consider the impact you can make with these unique gift options

Geese $20

For a single Andrew Jackson you can buy an entire flock of geese. One goose can sometimes lay up to 75 eggs, and her goslings can continue to feed families for generations to come. – heifer.org

Lamp $25

Christians often quote: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” You can follow Matthew 5:16 literally by purchasing a lamp for a home in a Ugandan village. By giving one light to a household, you could provide children with the environment needed for doing school work. – esuubi.org

Grass $14

While you may have to constantly cut your grass, some families are just wishing they had grass. For $14 you can give a family grass seeds to plant for feeding their livestock. What good is having cattle if you can’t sustain them with food? 
– sendacow.org

Beehive $62

The honey from a beehive not only provides a potential source of good nutrition for children and families, but it also can be sold in the market to pay for other essential needs such as medicine and school fees. – sendacow.org

Water Buffalo $250

In poor Filipino villages a water buffalo can provide tilling power and carry large amounts of products to market, and can be rented to neighbors for extra income. A farmer can plant four times the amount of rice with a water buffalo than can be planted by hand. 
– heifer.org

Oven $43

What would you do without an oven in your home? There are orphans across the globe living without one. For $43 you can provide a village where groups of orphans live with this simple appliance—and change their lives. – esuubi.org

A deep well  $100 

It’s fairly easy to cut the child death rate of a community in half—just buy a well. If you buy a share of a well in an impoverished community, you can help bring 2,800 gallons of water to more than 300 people. The result: saved lives. – worldvision.com

5 fruit trees $30

For just $30 you could give a family apple trees, orange trees and a mango tree. You’ll not only be providing them with nutrient foods, but also with seeds for starting a fruit farm, which within two to three years could be a thriving business—and a way out of poverty. – worldvision.com

The Gift of Work

While politicians fight on Capitol Hill over record-high unemployment, Alabama-based ministry WorldCrafts is providing long-term jobs for impoverished people in roughly 30 countries.  

WorldCrafts seeks out poverty-stricken communities—in which a legal job is scarce—and helps residents start craft businesses. They also teach the new business owners rudimentary entrepreneurial skills, from setting prices to employee training.

“We are committed to our artisans for the long term,” says WorldCrafts director Andrea Mullins. “Our standards guarantee impoverished families hope for a better life.”

The ministry is an active part of the Fair Trade Federation and ensures that workers have access to necessary materials and equipment, are paid fair wages and are working in proper conditions. WorldCrafts has committed to consistently buying a minimum amount of product from the businesses and sells the items in catalogues and on its website.

“Fair trade is the opportunity to give people who might not have had it a place at the world market,” Mullins says. 

A city councilman in Brazil is paving the way for heterosexuals to stand against excessive gay rights with the nation’s first Heterosexual Pride Day. But some Christian ministries that work with gays think this so-called Straight Pride Day sends a divisive message.

Carlos Apolinário’s legislation proposes to celebrate heterosexual pride on the third Sunday of December. Although the mayor could rain on the parade by not signing the bill, Heterosexual Pride Day is set to take place in Brazil’s largest city—São Paulo—where gay pride marches frequently take over the city streets.

“I respect gays and I am against any kind of aggression made against them,” Apolinário said. “The creation of Heterosexual Day does not symbolize a struggle against gays but against what I believe are excesses and privileges.”

Perhaps ironically, gays and Christians alike agree that Straight Pride Day is a bad idea. With the percentage of gays killed in Brazil rising 113 percent in the last few years, the Brazilian Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Association is concerned that Apolinário’s Heterosexual Pride Day could incite homophobic violence.

Jeff Buchanan, executive vice president of Exodus International, an interdenominational Christian ministry that assists those who struggle with same-sex attraction, is more concerned about social persecution than acts of violence.

“This is going to contribute to a social criminalization on this issue within Brazil. It’s going to separate those who may not necessarily be active, militant, gay community members, but may be struggling,” Buchanan argues. “Apolinário is going to basically categorize everyone into the same category. My concern is that gays are going to be ostracized and then, as a result, they will be persecuted socially.”

Buchanan also fears a greater danger: hindrances to reaching out to lost souls. Heterosexual Pride Day could breed further division between the church and the gay community in Brazil.

“We’re not going to win souls with a tit-for-tat strategy,” Buchanan says. “The church is going to make a difference when we authentically love and minister to the gay community.”

As he sees it, a parade of heterosexuals would still be a parade of sinners. Instead of homosexuality, the proud-to-be-straight participants may be engaging in other sins such as adultery, pornography or divorce without biblical justification. His point: There is no need for feelings of superiority based on a sexual orientation. The issue is not heterosexuality, he says, but holiness.

Buchanan says there are churches in Brazil approaching homosexuality in a biblical way. To him, that means working to attract the gay community to their congregations with the love of Christ. Buchanan says the same is needed in churches across America.

“We have to continue to bridge the gap, to reach those in the gay community with the love and the gospel of Christ without compromising truth,” Buchanan says. “It’s like with any other area of evangelism—you start with your personal or your inner circle, your personal sphere. You reach those that are in your life—men and women that have been affected by this issue.

“Whether they struggle themselves or their friend or family member, you minister to them. You love and display grace and truth to them on a personal basis. That’s where it begins.”

Jesus multiplied food twice in the Bible—and He’s still doing it today. It all happened during an Operation Mobilization (OM) prison outreach in Oaxaca, Mexico. Organizers had enough food for 70 people. But after the service started at the men’s prison in Pochulta, the inmates came in droves.

The meeting began with praise and worship, and a former drug addict offered his moving testimony, OM reported. Next came a drama, then a sermon from the Word of God that challenged the prisoners. OM reported that several men were so touched by the messages that tears ran down their cheeks.

Then, the grand finale: a meal and a miracle. “We prayed for God to multiply the food,” said a prison outreach coordinator. “By the end of the service there were 200 men attending.”

There was only enough food for 70. So the volunteers prayed, and God showed up.

“I could hardly believe it, but it happened,” the woman said. “As we were handing the food out to the inmates, it didn’t run out. We even had enough plates and spoons for 200 men! When we gave food to the last person in line, it finally ran out. God’s name be praised!”