Frank's Bible Blog

James 2-- Even the demons believe

This is the third and final guest blogger post from my wife Beth. I know it will be a blessing to you! Beth writes regularly and I would encourage you to sign up for her blog by visiting www.GodandMe2TheMax.com. --Frank Banfill

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"You believe that there is one God?  Good!  Even the demons believe that, and they are afraid!"
James 2:19  

"Not by might.  Not by power.  But by my Spirit, says the Lord."
Zechariah 4:6

"At the name of Jesus, every knee will bow and every tounge will confess He is Lord."
Philippians 2:10

It was late in the morning, Monday June 11th.  We were high up in the mountains of the village of Bukabwa, a twenty minute drive by Land Rover over a bumpy, dusty, rocky, hole-filled road.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, Bukabwa had long been forgotten by the government, much because of the villager's widespread involvement in witchcraft.  Yet, even with this knowledge, I remember making the comment to someone on the team how there has been literally no resistence to the Gospel message by the people we've shared with.  Funny how things work out, because on Monday, Katelyn, Gladys, and I would have a whole new experience.

We were already late for lunch, and we had at least a few miles to walk on a thin dirt path about eight inches wide, briers on each side, with corn stalks surrounding us, just to get back to where we would meet for our Bible study/discipleship group time.  Moses, one of the teenagers from the church was from this area, and he wanted to take us everywhere he knew of.  Although he lived so far from where the church is in Bukabwa, his parents are leaders in the church, committed to walk the long road for several hours, just to go to church.  It was past time for lunch, but Moses said we needed to go to this last hut before heading back, so of course we did.  He was our guide, after all.

As we began to share with Niamtodo Enock, a woman whose age was likely disguised by her tanned and leathered skin.  My best guess was that Niamtodo was maybe fifty, but she easily looked as if she was easily in her upper sixties.  As Katelyn began to share, Niamtodo's daughter Mariam walked over with a hesitant look and began to interrupt.  I remember her eyes, and they were disturbing.

I'm not sure of her exact words, but they went something like this, "I don't want you to use that word here in my presence.  I don't want you talk to me.  I don't want to hear this.  I'm afraid if you say that name, then the demon will hurt me."  She went on to tell us how she had given herself over to witchcraft a number of years ago, and she had a demon inside her.  She didn't want us to speak the name of Jesus in her presence, and that was that.  She then walked away and continued to make lunch for the family.

Jesus.  Such a powerful and strong name.  So strong that the demons are afraid to hear it.

Katelyn and I looked at each other, I'm sure with our eyes beginning to bulge out of their sockets, as Mariam walked away, out of earshot of our conversation with her mom.  She had heard enough of what we were saying to understand the power of the Gospel, and she was scared to death.  You could see it in her eyes.

We then continued to talk to Niamtodo.  She understood the power of the Gospel as well, and she wanted nothing more than to turn from her sin, invite Jesus into her life, and ask Him to take control.  I think Katelyn did most of the talking with Niamtodo, because I can only remember keeping my eyes on Mariam over by the fire.  After we visited with Niamtodo some more and invited her to the Bible study less than an hour later, our translator told us that we were really late now, and we had to get back.

My eyes glanced over at Mariam again, and I felt time stand still.  Perhaps you've never encoutered spiritual warfare like this, and you are leary of what I am writing, but let me tell you it's real.  It's very real.  My mind raced.  Was I prayed up enough to go address Mariam?  What would I say?  I asked God to give me strength, and before I knew it, I was walking toward her, and I remember thinking Hebrews 4:12 "the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword."  I don't know if I actually spoke that verse out loud or thought it.  I honestly can't remember everything I said, because it wasn't me talking.  I know the Holy Spirit was giving me the words to say and bringing back every Bible verse that could be used against the enemy at that moment.  I'm sure Gladys thought I was a nut, but she must have been just as crazy, because she followed me over to Mariam and translated for me.

I told Mariam that I was about to leave, but I could not leave without trying to talk to her one last time.  I told her about Jesus and how he shed His blood on the cross for her sin and my sin.  I told her how the only way to have freedom is by turning from sin and giving Christ control.  I remember quoting Bible verse after Bible verse, including I John 4:4 "Greater is He that is in me than He that is in the world."  I told her when we accept this free gift of salvation, Christ comes to live within us, and when that happens, a demon control you any longer.  I remember telling her that she knows it's truth that I was telling her, and the truth will set her free.  I said that knowing about it isn't good enough, that the Bible says that the demons believe in God, and the are afraid, but she had to make a decision to ask God to take control.

I have no idea what else I said, I remember being aware of only three things.  First, I knew Katelyn was standing behind me, fervently praying.  I didn't see her, but I knew she was there; I could feel it.  Secondly, I kept looking at that open fire she was cooking over, thinking, "Lord, I know you can cast that demon right into that open flame.  Lord, please cast that demon into the open flame!"  And finally, I knew what was coming out of my mouth was from God and God alone.  There is no way this scaredy-cat girl who is afraid of even the smallest bug would have done what I did in my own strength, that's for sure!

Then I asked her, "Mariam, are you ready?  Are you ready to give God control?  Are you ready?  Are you ready?"

Mariam looked at me for what seemed like an eternity, and with her face beginning to distort, she broke down in tears sobbing.  "I'm ready.  I'm ready right now.  I'm ready."

I believe in my heart it was at that moment, when she made a decision to turn from her sin and give God control, that the demon left her.  I often tell people that praying the "sinner's prayer" isn't magic words.  It's the change that takes place in your heart that God looks at.  And I think that's what happened with Mariam, because as I said, Mariam was making ugali by the fire.  She was responsible to feed not only her mother, but her husband and children, and let me tell you by golly, she was not going to stop making that lunch for them!  After she broke down in tears saying she was ready to give her life to Christ, she gathered her composure and for the next few minutes finished making the meal, served it up for her family, and then came to us to pray and solidify the decision.

Praise God we had Barnabus, one of the staff membrers from the AIC (African Inland Church) with us on that visit.  He had not been with us on any previous visits nor any future ones, but God had him there for that one.  He led Mariam in the sinners prayer, and he prayed over her.  Then he looked her in the eyes, and said "Yesu.  Yesu.  Yesu."  Then he asked her to say it over and over, "Jesus.  Jesus.  Jesus."  There was no more fear in her eyes.  There was no hesitation, as she said the name of Jesus over and over.

Immediately, she started asking tough questions about how to turn from some of the strongholds in her life.  Immediately, she wanted to know the right thing to do in certain situations.  Her understanding of spiritual things had been so clouded by her background, but she wanted to know the truth.  We finally had to say goodbye and leave Mariam.  We were nearly ninety minutes late for lunch and already late for the afternoon discipleship groups.  We prayed.  We hugged.  And we left.  But this time, we left Mariam and Niamtodo Enock with Jesus.

 

 
Front Row, Left to Right: Niamtodo and Mariam Enock.  Gladys.
Second Row, Left to Right: Beth Banfill, Moses, a sliver of Sanjura Juma Magige (who accepted Christ just two days earlier), Katelyn Nichols, and Christopher, one of the church workers.

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

Romans 6--Cassava, Cyanide, and a Savior

This is the second in a special series from guest blogger (and my wife!) Beth Banfill as she shares stories and Scripture application from our recent mission trip to Tanzania. I trust that you will be blessed and challenged! --Frank Banfill

Romans 6:23  "For the wages (or payment) for sin is death..."

I had no idea what it was.  Maybe the smell of death.  Sickness.  Perhaps the smell of pure poverty.  I wasn't sure.  But this one thing I knew, the smell that surrounded me was one that I had never encountered before.  These are the thoughts that ran through my head on Sunday afternoon in Bukabwa, as Katelyn, Gladys, and I approached a hut.  Actually, a "compound" might be a better word for this area.  Several small huts, one massive family, all working together to just exist. 

Laying on a mat on the ground under a tree was Msololi Kiyonjo, surrounded by at least seven or eight adult family members and a half dozen or so children.  Msololi was barely strong enough to lift her head and greet us.  Only God knows for sure, but to Katelyn and I, this lady looked as if death's door was already knocking. 

We walked over as Gladys introduced us - the "mzungus" (the Swahili name for a white person from America) - who had come to share with them about the most important decision we've ever made.  We had a captive audience as we talked, with one sweet faced but filthy dirty girl jumping toward my arms trying to crawl into my lap.  There was no breeze, and as the sun beat down, the smell from the girl and area was so strong that in between breaths of sharing about Jesus, my mind jumped to asking God for help to not become sick during our conversation.  He answered that prayer, and miraculously, Msololi and her entire family made a decision to follow Christ that Sunday afternoon, June 10, 2012. 

There was joy in Msololi's eyes.  Peace.  Peace that only God can give in such a troubling time.  I prayed over her and her family before we left.  I prayed for God to bless their home.  I prayed for their newfound faith to grow deep.  And of course, I asked God to heal Msololi, if it was His will.  But in my heart of hearts, I just felt that death's doorstep was eminent.  I prayed Revelation 21:4-5, how now that she has made a decision to accept Christ, in heaven she will have a new body and there will be no more pain or sorrow...or death.

As we left the area, the smell remained on my hands.  Trying not to be a judgemental mzungu, I didn't want to say anything to Gladys or ask what the smell was.  I just assumed it was death, and even after a half bottle of hand sanitizer, the smell lingered with me.  Even today, my mind can bring back the odor.  The memory.  It wasn't until the next day, after passing through another area of the village that the exact same smell surrounded me.  This time, since I wasn't talking about anyone in particular, I asked Gladys what it was.  Her answer: cyanide. 

Now I'm not a chemist, but I do know one thing - cyanide is poisonous.  Gladys must have seen the scared look in my eyes, so she went on to explain more.  One of the local plants in the area, cassava, contains cyanide.  The villagers ferment the cassava, then lay it out for the sun to bake and dry.  During this process, the cyanide evaporates from the heated sun, and then the cassava is ground into meal, much like maize, to make a local food staple called ugali.  (I'm not quite sure how, but I never had the privilege to taste ugali while I was in Tanzania.  Somehow that delicacy evaded my taste buds on this trip!)

Cyanide.  Poison.  Death.  Sin.  I kept thinking about that.  Romans 6:23 says that the payment for our sin is death.  We deserve to die.  But I'm so thankful the verse doesn't stop there.  It says BUT...and I love that big BUT in there!  It says, BUT, the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ.  Only through what He did on the cross.  And Msololi and her entire family made a choice for themselves to repent of their sin and accept this free gift my Savior was offering.

God, in His infinite plan, had our little team go a bzillion miles away from Texas to share His love with this family.  Who knows how much longer Msololi will live, she may already have died.  But this one thing I do know, she will live forever in heaven, now that she's made a decision to allow Christ to invade the life she has left.  To the naked eye, sure, laying on the ground waiting to die doesn't seem like much of a life.  But in my heart of hearts, I could see she understood the decision she made.  I could see her family was so grateful for us coming to share the Good News.  Msololi now has a Savior, and that was the most important decision she could ever make. 

I love how God can turn the dreadful into good.  He can take our ugly, stinky, sinful selves and make us clean.  He can take the cyanide and poison away and replace it with His sweet aroma.  So as I reflect on Msololi, I'm so thankful today for Cassava.  Yes, even cyanide.  And most importantly, I'm thankful for a Savior who offers to anyone who receives it for themselves this free gift of salvation.  

Cassava.  Cyanide.  And yes, a Savior.  Thank you, Father!

Msololi Kiyonjo is the lady in the center on the mat. 
She sat up long enough to get her picture taken, but then immediately laid back down.

 

---Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

 

Matthew 28--A Real Live Disciple!

I'm excited to have a guest blogger share with you today! My wife Beth and I just returned from a mission trip to Tanzania, East Africa and she has written a series of blogs on the adventure. These are not only great stories but great real life application of God's Word lived out today. May you be blessed and challenged as you read. --Frank Banfill

 

Matthew 28:19 "Go and make disciples..."

It was the first day of witnessing in Bukabwa, and it was the first hut that I went to.  I was teamed up with Katelyn, a recent high school graduate, Gladys, an amazing translator, and a handful of local church people.  I was the designated "speaker" at the first hut.  I remember one of my first trips to Romania about 13 years ago.  Our team leader said, just knock on the door and breathe...God will do the rest.  That advice always crosses my mind just before I share at the first home on mission trips. 

In this case, it was a mud and straw hut, and there was no door to knock on.  Sanjura and Julius were sitting outside, and they seemed very open, even anxious, to hear about why I came from Texas to Bukabwa to tell about the most important decision I have ever made.  I took a deep breath, and just like my leader said so long ago, God did the rest. 

As best as I knew how, I shared the plan of salvation and what the Bible says about becoming a Christian.  I told them how I made that decision for myself when I was a child, and that it was only by accepting God's free gift of salvation, turning from your sin, and putting your faith in Christ that you would know for sure heaven would be your eternity.  Sanjura Juma Magige.  The first person in Bukabwa that my prayer partner Katelyn and I had the opportunity to lead to Christ. 

As we went hut to hut in an area that was very widespread between homes, there's one thing I noticed.  Not all people allow the change that took place in their hearts to be reflected on their face.  As an emotional girl, (yeah, I'll admit it this one time) people can read me pretty well, and if I just received the best gift of my life, the joy would explode all over my face.  But that's not always the case with the people of Bukabwa.  I observed that emotions are often guarded, and the joy on the inside doesn't always show to others on the outside.  The Bukabwan people had varying reactions to accepting Christ.  Miraculously, no one we talked to refused, but I couldn't always see immediate joy.  And how I longed to see that joy on their faces, a tear in their eye, reflecting the decision they were making. 

But you know what?  I didn't need to see the joy.  God knew what change did or didn't take place in their hearts, and Sanjura is a perfect example.  When we left his hut, we were off to the next hut about 1/2 mile away.  We walked through thickets, corn fields, briers, cattle, and just about everything else you can think of that would go with those surroundings.  I had plenty of time to think about Sanjura and Julius during that walk.  I prayed for them.  I asked God to solidify that decision so they really understood what they were doing.  I asked God to allow their roots to grow deep so they would grow as Christians. 

You see, the church in Bukabwa is about a two hour walk from where Sanjura lives.  For him to fellowship with other Christians at the church, it would take some serious commitment.  It was Saturday, June 9th, when he gave his life to Christ, and I thought the first test of his commitment would be the next morning, if he showed up at church.  How wrong I was. 

The plan for the days in Bukabwa was to witness to the people, hut to hut, in the morning, and then break for lunch.  Then the afternoon was spent in discipleship groups, often under trees, sitting on rocks for chairs, studying the Bible together with the Bukabwan people.  I was anxious to see who would come to that first discipleship group, and sure enough, Sanjura was one of the people there. 

I recognized him immediately, but Sarah, another translator, started to tell me his story.  My brain started to scramble, because Gladys was with us, not Sarah, when Sanjura gave his life to Christ, and I was quite sure I already knew his story, but it sure didn't match what Sarah was telling me.  Then Sarah went on to tell me that her team had passed Sanjura's hut and noticed he had a tract in his hand.  They knew one of our teams had already visited with him, but he looked up and asked them to stop and talk.  Then he asked them if he could take them to visit with his neighbor.  Sanjura then went on to take them to several huts of people he knew that needed to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Straight from the New Testament, he had an urgency to tell others about this Jesus, his new friend, that he had met. 

Sanjura, a baby Christian, was already becoming a disciple.  How humbling it was to see this in action, right in front of my eyes.  After the Bible study time, I had the opportunity to go over and talk with Sanjura some more, through a translator of course, because my Swahili is non-existent.  (I kept wanting to revert to Spanish, but somehow that doesn't fly in Tanzania!!!  No beuno!!!) 

Sanjura went on to say that he had heard about teams coming into his village, and he kept wondering, "When are they going to come tell me about Jesus?"  Like I said, Sanjura lives quite a distance from where the church in Bukabwa is being started, so it took "the teams" a while to get to him, but in God's perfect timing, we did just that, and Sanjura became part of the family of God, my brother in Christ. 

Still, that long walk to church might prove difficult, and when I told Sanjura goodbye, I knew in my heart I may not see him the next morning at church.  I don't know if my faith is so weak as much as I'm a realist.  In reality, how many people do you know that will walk two hours to church?  I dare say not many.  Well, I walked in the door of the make-shift church after a very bumpy ride, and sure enough, there sat Sanjura, with a massive smile on his face.  It was his first time ever gracing a church, but no one would have known it.  He worshipped, he prayed, and he even came forward for people to pray for him at the end of the service.  He went out witnessing with us again Sunday afternoon, and this time it wasn't even in his neighborhood.  He was going hut to hut blindly, much like us.  He was becoming a disciple, right before our eyes. 

When I said goodbye to Sanjura on Sunday, I knew we were working in another area of Bukabwa on Monday.  This new area was in the complete opposite direction of where Sanjura lived.  It would be another two hour morning walk to the church, and again being a realist, I didn't expect him there.  No one even asked him to join us.  So what I saw on Monday morning brought tears to my eyes.  As we drove down that bumpy dirt road, a few miles from the church, we passed Sanjura Juma Magige.  He had a bounce in his step, and he waved as our Land Rover passed him on the dirt street.  He was ready once again to share Christ with us.  I pointed him out to Peter, our driver and host from the AIC (African Inland Church) and Peter agreed to go back and pick him up after he dropped us off at the church. 

On Monday, once again, Sanjura went hut to hut with us, this time sharing at every single home about the decision he had made on Saturday.  When he shared, he smiled, and he talked about how God had already changed his life and given him peace. 

I said goodbye to Sanjura on Monday and just assumed he would be with us again on Tuesday, but unbeknownst to me, he had a sick family member he needed to attend to, and I never got to really say goodbye.  He tried to tell me goodbye, but silly me didn't realize what he was doing.  He pulled me aside and thanked me for coming to his hut and sharing the Good News of Christ.  He asked how he could remember me and how he could give me updates on his growth in Christ.  I just smiled and said I didn't know when I would be able to come back, but that our church is committed to work in Bukabwa, so I'm sure I could hear updates through the team and the leadership. 

When Sanjura wasn't there on Tuesday, my heart sank.  I showed Pastor Samuel, the pastor of the church in Bukabwa, Sanjura's picture.  I wanted to be sure he knew about this newborn sheep, one that I want so desperately not to be lost in the pasture along the way.  I made sure Pastor Samuel knew he needed to follow up with him.  I told him every detail I could about Sanjura, as if I was leaving my own son in the care of a new daycare worker.  And then I left a picture of my family with the pastor to give to Sanjura, so he could share in the memory. 

Matthew 28 says to "Go and make disciples."  I went.  I went all the way to Bukabwa, in the Mara Region of Tanzania, East Africa.  Make disciples?  I can't take the credit for that.  God's love took root in Sanjura's heart, and those roots grew deep.  Sure, he watched me as I shared the Gospel with others, but somehow, as soon as he made a commitment to Christ, he started his path to becoming a disciple.   

Romans 10:14 says "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?" 

How will they hear?  By Christians being obedient to what God tells us to do.  Obedience.  God says go.  The answer isn't yes or no, the answer is "Where, God?"  Bukabwa is where God sent me this last week.  Sanjura Juma Magige, I dare say, will never be the same, but I will never be the same either. 

 

--- Beth Banfill
www.GodandMe2theMax.com

Isaiah 41--It All Begins With Vision

I’m writing this sitting in a church in Tanzania, East Africa where today I am helping train pastors from around the city of Musoma. Yesterday I was in the village of Bukabwa training leaders in the church that we helped plant last year. Part of our training includes a discussion on vision. Vision is critical for leaders, but it hit me this week how important vision is for everyone, whether or not they are leaders.

Without vision we have no direction, we stumble through life and we fail to realize our full potential.

I’m here with a team of Americans, 14 of us in all. They are all here because of vision. They have bought into a vision of seeing part of Africa transformed by the power of the Gospel. In addition to leadership training, we are doing evangelism and discipleship as we seek to grow and expand the Bukabwa church. Now, some on our team have never shared the gospel before—at least not cross culturally. Two on our team hate to fly, one being extremely fearful. Others have challenges of family and work issues back home. Yet it is their vision that has caused them to overcome fears and obstacles to come and proclaim Christ.

Vision compelled them--and vision will compel you to move forward with the Lord to accomplish His will for your life.

Isaiah 41 is a beautiful passage of God’s promise to restore and bless His people. I can’t read verses 17-20 without thinking of Bukabwa. “The poor and needy search for water…but I the Lord will answer them, I…will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights” (vv17-18). God is making a river of life flow through this once barren area. But this is happening because God’s people have responded to the vision God gave them. God uses His people to fulfill His plans in this world.

In other words, we act on the vision that God gives us.

I’ve made six trips here to Tanzania in the last 20 months, and it all started with the vision God gave my pastor for our church to do long-term community transformation ministry in Africa. I went on the initial exploratory trip in response to his vision, but along a bumpy dirt road in the middle of northwestern Tanzania God gave me a vision for Tanzania. Now the vision wasn’t only my pastor’s, it had become mine. I could see the unique ways that God could use me to make a difference, both here and in the lives of Americans who would make the 10,000 mile journey to Tanzania.

What is your vision? What has God laid on your heart to do for Him? Maybe your vision will begin as part of someone else’s, but eventually it needs to become your own. Once you find your vision, then you need to act on it—and that is where faith comes into play.

Stepping into the unknown to pursue your vision is difficult. It’s scary! But God says, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand” (v10).

Let’s ask God to give us a vision today and then let’s move out in faith to enact what God has placed on our hearts.

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Frank Banfill is an international speaker and leadership developer who seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Matthew 7—The Man Who Calls Himself Father-God

It sounded like something you would hear during the Apostle Paul’s missionary journeys—false teachers were trying to infiltrate a young church. But this isn’t something that happened hundreds of years ago. No, this is something that happened recently, right where I was just a few weeks ago. Here is what I wrote at the time:

This week I am writing you from Tanzania, East Africa. I’m here with a small team checking on the progress of the church we helped start a year ago. We are also training church leaders. The reports of the church’s progress have been good, but once we arrived back in Tanzania we heard some troubling news. A cult led by a man who claims to be “father-god” had come to our adopted village and was trying to win the hearts of the people by giving out free clothes.

“What will this do to these young believers,” I pondered as our 4-wheel drive vehicle made its way over the rough terrain that led to the church’s property. As we made our way inside the grass and branch structure that is serving as the temporary building, I was anxious to hear about this from the pastor and church leaders.

Soon a man stood up and began to talk about the situation. We knew him from our very first visit to the village. He was the chairman (mayor) and an early convert to Christ. He had also become a leader in the church, along with his wife, who our earlier teams had spent time discipling. The chairman told us that after a few days this false prophet asked for land to build a church.

“I told him ‘bye-bye’ there is no place for you here,” said the chairman.

With that the other leaders who were gathered with us laughed and clapped—and I breathed a sigh of relief! It was so good to know that even though these were new believers, they had recognized false teaching and were not allowing it to have any place in their community.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Although this verse deals with false prophets—like the one that showed up here in Tanzania—there is a larger sense that we also need to grasp. False teachings and false philosophies are things that all of us could get caught up with if we are not careful. We may recognize as dangerous someone who shows up at our front door calling himself father-god, but we may not be so quick to see deceptive ideas and subtle half-truths.

So this week I am reminded of the importance of running all of my thoughts and ideas through God’s filter to ensure that what I am pondering really is truth. Not my version of reality. Not the influences of a secular culture. Not even the words of believers who are well meaning. Jesus said that if we know the truth the truth will set us free. I don’t want to be in bondage to lies—I want to be set free by truth! My prayer is that you too will seek truth today and every day.
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Frank Banfill is an international speaker and leadership developer who seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 64—Better than a Surveillance Camera

If you have ever been to London and looked closely at the buildings then you have seen security cameras—lots of them. More than any city I know of, London is blanketed with a network of police surveillance cameras tracking the moves of everyone there. It is reported that there are 8,000 cameras in and around the city. You would think that with all of those cameras it would be impossible to get away with any street crimes. Yet the BBC reports that in 2009 only one crime was solved per 1,000 CCTV cameras leading to the capture of eight out of 269 suspected robbers.

It seems more and more that wicked people are getting away with their wickedness all over the world. As believers who seek to live right before the Lord and do good, this can be discouraging. We try to live right yet it seems that wickedness goes unpunished. Sometimes that wickedness is even directed towards us. Just ask the believers who have been arrested around the world for practicing their faith, or the churches whose buildings have been burned simply because they are followers of Christ. In Iraq, for example, a large part of the Christian population has fled the country for fear of their lives.

David in Psalm 64 reminds us that wickedness does not go unnoticed. Yes, “they shoot from ambush at the innocent man” (v4) but God does see them. “God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be struck down” (v7). As the righteous we should “rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in Him” (v10).

Yes it can be discouraging when it seems as if evil doers are getting away with their sins. But we should always remember that nothing in this world goes unnoticed by God and He will deal with it in His time and in His way.

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Frank Banfill is an international speaker and leadership developer who seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 63—How Bad Do You Want It?

For fans of the National Basketball Association’s Dallas Mavericks, 2010-2011 was an exciting year. It was the year that the team won the NBA championship for the first time in franchise history.

As the team worked their way through the playoffs and the eventual finals win, you could see a hunger in the eyes of every Dallas Maverick. You could sense their thirst for victory and their unstoppable determination to let nothing stand in the way of a win. You see, they had been to the finals once before only to come up short. This time, however, it would be different. They played with a focus and intensity that was second to none.

That intensity, however, was lost as the team started the next season going 0-3 and looking terrible in their first few outings. 2011 Finals most valuable player Dirk Nowitzki said after the poor start that they were still riding the wave of excitement from winning and had not yet regained their focus and drive. He was convinced, however, that the veteran team would get back on track.

When I read Psalm 63 I can’t help but think about championship teams and their drive to be the best. Except in this Psalm it’s not about winning a temporal trophy but rather it is about enjoying an intimate relationship with the Creator. One thing that comes through loud and clear in this Psalm is David’s passion to know and walk with God. He had a true hunger and thirst to glorify the Lord.

Look at the words he uses here to describe his focus on God: seek, thirst, long, see, behold, glorify, praise (used twice), lift, satisfied, sing (twice), remember, think, and cling. I look at these words and I see intensity. David wanted God and nothing or nobody else. David was pursuing his relationship with the Almighty with an unstoppable determination greater than the greatest sports champions.

This begs that question: How bad do you want it?

How bad do you want to walk in the Lord’s presence? How bad do you want that intimate relationship with Him? Bad enough to sacrifice for it? Bad enough to put in the time to attain it?

This brings us back to Nowitzki and the Mavs, who spent hours in extra practice time even when it wasn’t expected of them, all so that they could hold a trophy.

Are we willing to do whatever it takes to bring honor to the Lord? Or do we find ourselves in the same position as the Mavs were starting the season after their victory. Have we lost the focus and drive that we once had? Are we resting on our past faith rather than pressing forward in renewed faith? Are we basking in the glory of what was rather than attempting new things for God?

I’ve been pondering the “How bad do I want it?” question. Hopefully today you will ask yourself the same thing.

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Frank Banfill is an international speaker and leadership developer who seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 62—Avoiding Syncretism

Although I’ve seen it often as I visited different cultures, it never really dawned on me that true Christians can be guilty of it as well. That was until I read Psalm 62.

What I am referring to is syncretism—the blending together of different religions. In particular, I’m talking about to the adding of Christianity to other religions. In Haiti there are those who try to combine voodoo with Christianity. In Africa and elsewhere Christianity is tacked onto ancestral worship.

In missions, we are always quick to point out that anything added to Christianity isn’t true Christianity. Jesus said He was THE way, THE truth and THE life and that no one could come to the Father apart from Him. It is Jesus and Jesus alone—not Jesus plus animism or anything else.

Now before you “amen” that last statement too loudly, consider this: Do you always trust the Lord and the Lord alone to see you through difficulties? Or do you blend a trust of the Lord with a trust in yourself or in something else?

Throughout this Psalm David repeats some form of the phrase “God alone.” God alone was David’s rock, salvation and fortress (vv 2, 6). It was in God alone that his soul found rest and hope (vv1, 5). We are instructed to trust God alone and not in our pride, trickery, or our increased wealth (v10).

How is it that we can trust God and God alone when faced with trials, opposition or other challenges?

There are three things that we have to be absolutely confident about: God is all-powerful (v11), God is loving (v12) and God will reward everyone according to their deeds (v12). God is bigger than the biggest giant you might ever face in your life. God loves you more than you could possibly understand. And God is faithful to reward those who are faithful to Him. If we firmly hold to these three truths then we can truly trust in God alone. But if we falter on any one of these three then we will be tempted to add other things to our trust. We risk being guilty of syncretism—at least when it comes to our daily walk.

Instead, let us heed the words of David (emphasis mine): “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (v8).
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Frank Banfill is an international speaker and leadership developer who seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 61—Climbing the Rock that is Higher than I

Towering over the village of Bukabwa, Tanzania in East Africa is a large rock formation. At the base of the rocks is a school—the only school for miles around where the teacher to student ratio is 1:60. Our mission team was ministering in the area when a couple guys on our team decided to climb to the top of the rocks. They had been told by locals that it was an easy climb and wouldn’t take more than 10 minutes.

The guys asked that I take their picture once they reached the peak. So I waited for them to climb—and I waited and waited. Finally I could see a figure emerge onto the top of the rocks. Even with the camera zoom it was hard to make out who it was—but I was able to figure out that it wasn’t one of our team. It was one of the locals who was serving as a guide.

So I waited longer until eventually our two guys appeared with arms raised in victory. They had successfully made it to the top of the rock that was higher than everyone and everything else. When they came down they told me that the hike wasn’t so simple. At points they had to pass through very narrow areas that required them to get on their hands and knees to crawl through. But they also told of the incredible views and new perspective they gained by reaching the summit.

When I read Psalm 61 I can’t help but think about that experience in Africa. David is praying—crying out to the Lord in a time of adversity. He says, “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (v2). David had turned to the Lord in the past for protection (v3) and God had been faithful. Now he longed to enter once again into the Lord’s shelter (v4) but to do that he would need to be led to that Rock that was higher than he was.

Just like my teammates had to be led to find their way up that African rock formation, we have to be led into the place that God would have us. That means that we have to first humble ourselves and acknowledge that there is something or someone higher than us. We have to admit that we cannot do it all ourselves, that we cannot find our own way out. We have to become dependent on the Lord. And that means that we need to get on our hands and knees as we seek His face and allow Him to take us through even the narrow, difficult crevices to reach the top.

Yes, sometimes that ascent takes longer than we anticipated. Sometimes the going is slow in spots. Sometimes we may entertain thoughts of stopping or going back. But when we continue our ascent, God brings us to a place of perspective, a place of peace, a place of victory. Once you reach that place you realize the trip was worth it.

May we humble ourselves today and trust the Lord to lead us to the rock that is higher than us.
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Frank Banfill is an international speaker and leadership developer who seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 60—Leading through messy situations

Imagine my surprise when arriving home after a family vacation I walked into my house and found myself standing in water. As I made my way further into the home, I discovered that the water was everywhere. Our refrigerator started leaking water while we were gone and flooded our downstairs. I had walked into a mess that took several months to clean up and a lot of effort to restore things to where they once were.

Sometimes in life we find ourselves in situations like this. We have walked into a mess and because we are the leader we have to find a way to clean things up. We have to find a way to get things where they should have been all along.

This is exactly what had happened to David, and in Psalm 60 we see his perspective on the situation. Sin had placed Israel in a difficult place. The ungodly leadership of Saul in his later years had greatly weakened the nation. Now David found himself trying to clean up a mess. He had trouble on his northern boundaries as Aram (Syria) pressed in on him. On the southwestern side of Israel by the Mediterranean Sea, the relentless Philistines were a constant irritation. Along the south and southeastern borders were the people of Moab and Edom who had a long history of antagonism towards Israel.

How did David deal with the situation? He first acknowledged what got them in their predicament in the first place. Whether leading an organization, a family or just your own life, the first step in leadership is admitting reality. You have to see and admit that there is a problem before anything can be done about it. You also have to look beyond the surface to identify root causes. What got you into this position in the first place? In Israel’s case, the root cause of their problem was their own sin which had caused God’s anger.

The second thing that leaders must do is look for the right solution. David knew that Israel doing things in its own power would not remedy the situation (v10). David needed to find a game-changer, and that came by placing his trust in the Lord. He had complete confidence that “with God we will gain the victory” (v12). He took God at His word when He said that He would cause Israel to triumph over their opposition (v6).

Finally, David was willing to move forward and tackle the seemingly impossible (Edom’s fortified city, v.9). The steps we see David taking here are great lessons for all of us, especially those in leadership.

• Step one: Acknowledge the situation.
• Step two: Discover root problems.
• Step three: Deal with those problems.
• Step four: Move forward.

Each step is vital to success. Dealing with problems but not moving forward traps the person in the past, paralyzes them, and makes them ineffective. As the Apostle Paul said, we need to forget those things that are behind us and then press on towards the goal that is in front of us.

Sooner or later you probably will find yourself in the midst of a mess. Let’s learn from David and press forward.
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Frank Banfill is an international speaker and leadership developer who seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 59—A Mob at Your Door

It was shocking and very disconcerting news. One of the churches that I had worked with in Tanzania had been burned and four Christians from the church had been arrested. No, the Christians didn’t burn the church, a mob of Muslims did. The Christians’ “crime” was leading a woman to Christ who practiced a mixture of Islam and witchcraft. Although the country has freedom of religion, these believers were arrested.

The mob grew and these believers were endangered. Initially the courts postponed their hearings for their own safety as the mob converged on the courthouse. They were safer in jail. Imagine if that were you. Imagine if there was a mob outside your jail wanting nothing but your death. What would you do?

These believers could relate to David. David begins Psalm 59 focused on his immediate problem, Saul’s men who were watching his house and waiting to kill him. By verse 5, however, he moves past his problems and looks at the bigger picture of “all the nations” or “all the heathen,” as the King James translates it. These were all those people outside of God, both non-Hebrew people and Hebrews who had rejected God.

It wasn’t that David’s pursuers were against him, they were against God. Those who oppose the Lord and His righteousness naturally will oppose the servants of the Lord who seek to walk in righteousness.

This is a good lesson for all of us when we face opposition because of our walk with Christ. We tend to take things personal but need to understand that sinners do what they do because they are sinners. Those who reject God’s love and plan are going to reject and oppose those who manifest God’s love.

This perspective, however, did not change David’s position. He was still surrounded by the enemy! So what did he do? He ran into his “fortress” (vv 9, 16, 17) and placed his complete faith in the Lord to rescue him. He turned to God’s strength (v16) acknowledging that he could not solve the situation by himself. He focused on worshipping the Lord rather than worrying (vv16, 17).

That brings us back to our friends in Tanzania. What did they do? Well, in jail they prayed, sang and witnessed to the guards and other prisoners. The result was several people came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through their witness. They ran into The Fortress and focused on worshipping the Lord.

A great example to all of us!

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Frank Banfill is an international speaker, leadership developer, and president of MaxPoint Ministries (www.maxpoint.org) which seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 58—Player Turned Coach

It is quite common for professional athletes to become coaches once their playing careers are over. Having been on the receiving side of the coaching instructions for so long while actually playing the game, they bring a unique perspective to coaching.

While not every great player makes the transition into great coaching, these players turned coaches can relate to players in ways that others can’t. If they had long playing careers, they probably played under several coaches. They probably saw the good, the bad and the ugly. Hopefully they learned from those years so that they can excel now that the tables are turned and they are in charge.

The player turned coach is not unique to sports. We actually see it in everyday life. The tables get turned: The employee is now the boss; the constituent is now the politician; the follower is now the leader. The question arises: Did we learn the lessons as followers that are needed to be great leaders?

In Psalm 58 David writes about the injustice in society. He sees the corruption of those in charge (v2) and laments their wickedness (vv3-5). He then goes on to ask God to mete out His judgment on these unrighteous leaders (vv6-9) while observing that God’s blessings are on the righteous (vv10-11). What is interesting about David’s observations is that they most likely were made before he became king. They were made when he was on the receiving side of the injustice.

Why is this significant?

When the tables were later turned and David was in charge, I think these experiences made him a better leader. Remember, there was a long span of time between the time that David was anointed king and when he actually became king (more than a decade). This was a learning time for David. All that he went through during that season—including receiving the wrath of unjust leaders—was used to grow him into the leader that God wanted.

Today you may find yourself in the midst of a difficult situation. Maybe you are not being treated fairly at work or you have been the recipient of some kind of injustice. The question is this: What will you do with that situation? Will you commit it to God, learn from it, and allow it to mold you into a better person? Could this be a situation that is preparing you for a more advanced leadership role? Could God be transitioning you from a player to a coach by allowing this experience?

Our perspective is radically changed when we look at all of our current trials with an eye to the future.

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Frank Banfill is an international speaker, leadership developer, and president of MaxPoint Ministries (www.maxpoint.org) which seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Jeremiah 2—What’s Your Water Source?

We made our way down the dirt trail following village locals on a well-traveled path. Passing us were women and children with five gallon buckets of water on their heads.

We were heading to the water source for much of the community of Bukabwa, a village of 5,000 people in Tanzania, East Africa.

As we approached the little reservoir, a line had formed as villagers waited their turn to dip their buckets into the water and get their family’s water supply for the day. We walked up to the banks where we could see the actual water that these people would drink, cook with and use for cleaning.

It was brownish gray.

Certainly not something I would ever drink from, but it was all that these people had. But imagine if Bukabwa had a fresh spring that gave clean, clear drinking water in abundance. Imagine if that life-giving resource was available but the people ignored it and continued to draw their water from the reservoir. We would think that was crazy. Why on earth would anyone utilize stagnant, dirty water when they could have something fresh and pure?

This is kind of like the word picture that God paints for us in Jeremiah chapter two. Verse 13 says, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” Cisterns were typically dug out in the ground and then lined with some kind of plaster to keep it from leaking. A community would then use them to store water. God says Israel shifted its trust and source of sustenance from Him to themselves, substituting as it were fresh water for stagnant. And not only that, says the Lord, but even their efforts to contain the stagnant water was futile. The cracks in the cistern meant that that more water they poured in the more water escaped.

It was a losing proposition. They could never get ahead by trusting in their cisterns.

Each day, you and I have a decision to make. We can get in line with the rest of the world to drink from the stagnant, polluted resources of the world around us, or we can turn to the Spring of Living Water. We can choose to trust in what God offers or we can choose to go it alone, try to build our own life, and solve our own problems. The people of Bukabwa do not have a choice in their water supply. But they, like us, do have a choice when it comes to who or what we will trust in for our lives and to see us through each day.

What will be your water source for today?

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Frank Banfill is an international speaker, leadership developer, and president of MaxPoint Ministries (www.maxpoint.org) which seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 57—Cave Dwellers

Imagine for a moment that you are literally running for your life.

You haven’t done anything wrong, but a large group of men are chasing after you and will stop at nothing short of your death. You have been on the run for days, managing to stay just one step ahead of your adversaries. As you make your way over a ridge you stumble onto some hills and are surprised to find a cave. You duck into the cave. Your heart feels like it will beat through your chest.

Will you be discovered? Will this be the end for you? How long will you be able to hold out in the cave?

Now if that were me, those are the kinds of questions that would fill my mind. Admittedly, I would not be in the mood to sing! But that is what we find David doing as he fled from King Saul in Psalm 57. He is hiding out in a cave writing music! David saw the cave as God’s provision and the way in which God would keep David in the shadow of His wings “until the disaster has passed” (v1).

Sometimes in life God gives us a cave to duck into until the storm of our current problems passes. The cave isn’t necessarily the most pleasant place to be—certainly not long term—but it is a place of safety. It is a temporary place to collect your thoughts, to rest, to wait and even to grow.

Maybe that cave is a short-term job or ministry that God uses to “hold you over” while He readies something more permanent for you. Maybe the cave is a relationship that God brings into your life for a season to help you get through difficult times. Maybe the cave is a short-lived opportunity that will stretch and grow you into what God wants you to be long-term.

What do you do when you are in a cave? Four things: Remember God still has a purpose for your life even if you can’t see it right now (v2). Thank God for his love and faithfulness in sending you a cave (v3). Look for ways to glorify God in the midst of your cave (vv5, 11). Finally, stay positive and find something to sing about (vv7-8).

One final thought: don’t move out of the cave prematurely. David took refuge until the disaster was gone. God will, I believe, make it clear when it is safe to leave the cave and move on with your life. Until then take refuge in the shadow of His wing and be a cave dweller.

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Frank Banfill is an international speaker, leadership developer, and president of MaxPoint Ministries (www.maxpoint.org) which seeks to help individuals and ministries realize their full potential in Christ. Please forward this to your family & friends. To get Frank’s devotionals delivered free to your inbox, or to request reprint rights, visit www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 56--My Tears in God’s Bottle

Sometimes all you can do is cry.

Now, that’s not a bad thing—crying often releases stored up emotions and you actually feel better once they are out. But don’t we wonder if anyone really cares about our tears? Don’t we wonder if our tears will really accomplish anything? After all, when we finish crying the problem or pain that led to the crying is still there. We might feel better but our reality hasn’t changed.

Or has it?

David in Psalm 56 was at a point in his life where all he could do was cry—and call out to the Lord. Try as he might, he couldn’t fix his situation. He couldn’t strategize a way out. All that was left were his tears as his adversaries hunted him down to attack him in their pride (v2). But David points out that his tears did not go unnoticed, but rather Almighty God would remember and record them. “Record my lament,” David cried, “list my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record?” (vs. 8) The scroll or possibly a better translation, wineskin, is the visual David gives as his tears are noted in heaven. In 2 Kings 20:5 and Jeremiah 31:18 we are told that God hears, sees, and responds to the tears of His people. That was something that David knew as well. Someone did notice his tears during that season of life when people were twisting his words (v5) and conspiring against him
(v6).

Those were lonely days but David was not alone. The Creator not only saw David’s tears but sustained and delivered him (v13).

The difference between tears that fall meaninglessly and tears that move heaven is two words: pride and trust. Pride says “I’ll fix it or worry about it until I can find a way out.” Trust says “God—you’ve got this one. I release my situation to You and You alone.” Trust will drive us to God’s word (vv4, 10) that we might turn our focus to praise. Trust keeps on keeping on, serving Him despite our circumstances (v12).

Can our tears really make a difference? They can when turn to God and trust Him to store our tears in His bottle and respond to them in His time.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 55--No Superman Suit Needed

If you could have one super power--like a comic book character--what would it be?

I don't have to think long to come up with my answer. Since I was a child, it has always been the ability to fly like Superman. To be able to go "up, up and away" in the midst of any situation and move unhindered to wherever I want to go would be incredible.

Did you know that this is the power that David in the Bible wished he had?

No, not to fly like Superman but to be able to fly like a bird. In Psalm 55 he says, "Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest--I would flee far away and stay in the desert..."(vv6-7). David wanted to fly away from all of his problems and hide out alone in the desert.

Sound familiar?

Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever felt like you just wanted to get away from it all? Have you ever felt like the strain and pressure of life was getting to you? Have you ever felt like you'd like to fly to a deserted island and hang out there for a while?

Then you know exactly how David felt.

This was a difficult time in David's life. We can't be sure of the exact incident that prompted this psalm, but it would seem that it was after he became king. We do know that it was a time when one of his closest friends betrayed him (vv13-14). They worshiped together. They shared life together. But this beloved friend turned on David. He had joined the throngs of David's enemies. David wanted to fly away from it all, but of course, he couldn't.

Like us, he couldn't run from life--he had to deal with it. So what did he do?

"But I call to God...evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress" (vv16-17). After a period of pouring his heart out to God, David began to see things differently. He began to see God "enthroned forever" (v19). He learned that all of us can cast our cares "on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall."

Yes, David was surrounded by wickedness. Yes, David had been betrayed. Yes, there were smooth talkers (v21) deceiving many people. "But as for me," David said to God, "I trust in you."

David had the Lord. No Superman suit needed.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 54-- Catch It Before Trying to Run with It

It happens far too often, even among professional football players.

The quarterback makes a beautiful pass down field into the hands of the wide receiver--only to be dropped. How could he miss it? These guys get paid millions of dollars each year to do one thing--catch the ball.

When you look back at the slow motion replay, however, you see what happened.

The receiver watched the ball come in and then a second before it hit his hands he turned his head and looked up field to start his run. He was thinking about his next move rather than focusing on the ball.

Sometimes you see receivers do this just before they get hit by a linebacker. They sense the guy is coming, and for that split second take their eye off the ball to see how much time they have before getting hit.

The results are the same--a dropped ball. A missed opportunity. Another down wasted. No forward progress.

Focus is critical in sports and even more so in life. David in Psalm 54 reminds us of the need to focus on the Lord, even if you are on the run. He literally was on the run from King Saul. He was running for his life. But in the midst of this, he was still able to keep his focus. He didn't take his eye off from what was most important--the Lord.

"Here my prayer, O God," David exclaimed in verse 2. "I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good," is what he says in verse 6.

Yes, David was at a difficult time in his life. He could sense the "linebacker" closing in on him. But instead of looking at his adversary, he looked at his deliverer. He watched the Quarterback and kept his eye on the ball.

A good lesson for all of us, especially when it looks like we are about to get tackled by a giant linebacker called life.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 53-- Is the World Suffering from Selective Hearing?

If you are a parent it probably has happened to you. You tell your child to do something and he or she ignores you. You say it louder and are still met with silence and inaction. Finally, you scream to them before storming into their room.

Once there, you are met with an "I didn't hear you."

Now sometimes that "I didn't hear you" is because the TV was too loud or the iPod was cranked up in their ears. Sometimes it is "selective" hearing--they hear what they want to hear, and it usually isn't you!

There are many people like that when it comes to God. They either are so self-absorbed that they don't notice God, they are so distracted that they can't hear or see Him working around them, or they have selective hearing and choose to ignore Him.

They also often live and operate in fear when there is no cause for fear (v5). This is most evident with those who do what we may consider irrational superstitions.

Some cultures, for example, believe that you have to "swing" away your sin. Each Spring the adults go to a playground-like setting. They stand on a swing, making it go back and forth, in fear that if they don't they will face God's wrath. They will put on their best clothes--guys in suits, women in nice dresses--and swing away!

In Psalm 53 David paints a picture of these outsiders. He uses words similar to those in Psalm 14 to reiterate the sinful and fallen nature of man. "The fool says in his heart, 'there is no God'"(v1).

Some scholars say that Hebrew words for "there is no God" is not a denial of the existence of God, but rather a denial of the providence of the Deity. In other words, whether God really exists or not doesn't matter because the person denies God's right to control, direct or intervene in his or her life. They live for themselves with no thought of God. "There is none who does good, not even one" (v3). They are going their own way and without God's grace will continue to drift through life and eternity separated from the Almighty.

While it is easy for believers to sit back and say "I'm glad I'm not like them," God would have us respond differently. He longs to have a personal relationship with everyone.

How do you break through and reach a person like that? Romans 10:13-15 says "For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" It goes on to say, "So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God."

It is up to us to lovingly enter into the "noise" of their "room" and share God's word. Not screaming like the frustrated parent, but as a loving friend who, like them, was once lost in life but now desires to show them the way forward.

Will you be that friend and help the world with its selective hearing problem?

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 52-- Don't Want that on my Grave Marker!

Not far from where I live are two very small and very old cemeteries. Most people driving past them never realize they are there as suburbia has grown up around them. These cemeteries have a little metal fence around them and a handful of plots inside. The grave markers are still there, some dating back to the 1800s.

Imagine if you were looking at one of those tombstones and it read:

"Here now is the man who did not make God his stronghold but trusted in his great wealth and grew strong by destroying others!"

That certainly would be a sad commentary on one's life. Those words weren't written on any of the markers that I saw, but they could be written for many people. They certainly could have been on the tombstone of a guy named Doeg.

In fact, these are the words that David used to describe Doeg in Psalm 52. Doeg worked for King Saul while David was on the run from the king. Doeg lied to Saul and then went on to slaughter 85 priests as well as an entire town of men, women, children and babies (1 Samuel 22:1-23). He was ruthless, and David takes him to task in this psalm of instruction.

This psalm is a vivid reminder that there are and always will be ruthless people who will do anything to get themselves ahead. They will lie, cheat, destroy reputations--whatever it takes to get what they want.

While there may be those who are drawn to people like this, David reminds us that the righteous see through this (v6). They also laugh because they know the fallacy of such living. The contrast to this type of living is the one who trusts in "God's unfailing love for ever and ever" (v8).

Yes, it is easy to get discouraged when you see so many evil and selfish people in the world. But let these be reminders of our need to stay focused on God's unfailing love and living a life that brings Him praise.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 51--Do You Frequent the Car Wash?

When our family vehicle was new I would take it to the car wash each week. I was determined to keep it looking great inside and out. That lasted for a while before the weekly visits turned into every other week.

Then it was once a month.

Now it's when we are going on a trip, going to be driving guests, or when it gets so bad I just can't stand it anymore. I want a clean car, I really do! I just don't give it the attention that I used to give. I guess having a clean car all the time just isn't the priority it once was.

Well, many Christians take that same approach when it comes to sin. Right after our salvation or after a time of spiritual renewal, we are adamant about staying "clean." We are quick to confess our sins to the Lord and regularly ask Him to reveal wickedness in our lives. But then time goes on. Those regular "washings" become less frequent. If we are not careful, we can let the dirt build up until it is an embarrassment.

Psalm 51 is the record of David's confession of his sin following his affair with Bathsheba. David's life had gotten so dirty but he was oblivious to it. It took Nathan the prophet to point it out. It took Nathan to tell him he need a good cleansing.

Think about Psalm 51 as a car wash.

Think about it as a place we need to go on a regular basis to keep the dirt off. Think about this as a Psalm that you should frequent regularly and read as a reminder to deal with sin. Think of it as a reminder that we need to get honest about our sin and see it as God sees it. Think of it as a call to repentance--to a thorough washing on the inside.

David had allowed his sin to build up to the point where it was disgusting to himself and everyone around him. Not only that, but as the dirt began to pile on it obstructed his vision, causing even more wrong choices.

The good news, however, for David and for us is that God is a loving God ready to forgive. He is ready to cleanse us. He is ready to make us "good as new." But that doesn't happen until we get honest with ourselves and recognize that "Against You, You only have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight" (v4). Like David, we must ask God to "wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin" (v2).

Let's don't wait for the dirt to build up and cloud our vision or become an embarrassment to ourselves and our Lord. Let's make it a point to frequent the wash!

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 50-- Your Day in Court?

"All rise," the bailiff commands, "the honorable Judge Smith is now presiding."

A familiar scene played out in courtrooms all the time. The parties are assembled, the jury is in place, the judge makes his or her entry and takes control of the proceedings.

Now with that scene firmly in your mind's view, consider another courtroom as described in Psalm 50.

This courtroom is much greater than that which typically holds 2-3 dozen people. In this courtroom the whole world is assembled. Then the Judge makes His grand entry. Before the bailiff can give his command a hush fills the assembly as those gathered look on with awe at the presence of the Judge--no ordinary judge, but God Himself.

There is no jury.

There is no prosecutor.

They are not needed for the righteous, perfect Judge will handle this Himself.

There are two defendants on trial. The first is a believer who has all the outward formalism of worship but lacks it inside. He looks spiritual but is missing any real spiritual vitality. He does all the "church" things but his devotional life is nearly non-existent. He lives a self-focused life rather than a life of thanksgiving to God. When difficulties arise he turns to himself, others, or to worry in an effort to solve his problems.

The second defendant is not a believer but sure can talk like one. He knows the lingo, knows many of God's instructions, and often tells these to others. But he lives just the opposite. He lives a life that is wicked and opposed to God.

The Judge turns and addresses the first defendant.

"Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor me" (vv14-15).

It is a stunning reminder of how this defendant used to live and a dramatic call to once again place the Lord first in his life.

The judge then speaks to the second defendant.

"These things you have done and I kept silent...But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue" (vv21-22).

A chill goes through everyone who heard these words. "He's giving him another chance," the crowd whispers to each other, "what will he do with it? Will he turn away from his sin and embrace God? Or will he one day have to face God's wrath?

If this scene were played out today, would you be one of the defendants?
_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 49-- Did You Make the List?

Forbe's Magazine publishes a yearly list of the world's billionaires and the richest Americans, as well as "richest" lists for other countries. It is easy to look at these super-wealthy and assume that they have it all. After all, when you have access to billions of dollars, can't you get pretty much anything you want?

Not exactly.

Psalm 49 has a word for the rich, as well as the poor and everyone in between (v2). "Listen all who live in this world" (v1).

That pretty much includes everyone!

The psalmist goes on to remind us that, "No man can redeem the life of another or give God a ransom for him--the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough" (v8). He also reminds us that, "The foolish and senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others."

You can't take it with you--and you can't buy eternal life. Money may buy the best medical attention and prolong one's life, "but man despite his riches does not endure" (v12).

The message of this psalm isn't about money but rather about trust. Who or what do you trust in? Do you trust in yourself and your resources? Or have you placed your faith in the Lord?

We can't redeem someone else's life or our own. No amount of money is enough. But there is One who has redeemed us, and that is Jesus Christ. His sacrificial death and subsequent resurrection satisfied the payment needed for sin. Now it is up to us to apply that atonement to our lives by placing our trust in Christ to forgive us and give us everlasting life with Him.

Whether you are on the world's list of wealthiest or not, we all get to God the same way--through Jesus.

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 48-- The Guide

Our family settled into the Range Rover excited about spending the next couple days on safari in Africa. Frank was our driver and guide, and he took us into two of Tanzania's national parks to explore African wildlife up close.

I wasn't nervous when he drove us right beside two sleeping lions. I figured we were safe in the vehicle. But when we stopped alongside a herd of elephants, I must admit there was a moment of concern. They were SO big and could easily trample us if something spooked them.

The concern quickly left as I realized we were in the care of an experienced guide. Plus, he was in this with us, so whatever happened to us was also going to happen to him!

Knowing that you have an experienced guide to see you through unchartered territory is very reassuring.

In Psalm 48, we are introduced to the ultimate Guide--God. We are told how He led His people to overcome opposing nations. We are told of His great loving-kindness.

We can exclaim with the psalmist, "For this is our God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death" (v14). A better translation of the last phrase might be "through death" or "beyond death."

You see, our Guide knows everything that we are going to face. Our Guide knows the best path to take in every situation. Our Guide knows the way forward. Our Guide will never leave us or forsake us--He's in this with us! He will see us through, not just life, but into eternity.

Our Guide is worthy to be praised (v1) and introduced to future generations (vv12-13). Most of all, our Guide should be followed no matter how scary, uneasy or complicated life may get.

Let's follow the Guide!

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 47-- Now That's Worth Shouting About!

There are six seconds left on the clock and the home football team is down by two points.

The ball is on the opponent's 30 yard line. The kicker is brought in for a field-goal attempt. The outcome of the game rests squarely on what he does. The ball is snapped, the hold is made, and the kicker nails the football through the center of the uprights. The stadium erupts into cheers!

The home team is inbounding the basketball from side court with two seconds left on the clock and down two points. They know they have just enough time to catch the ball and shoot once it's thrown in. No time to set.

Do you try to inbound to a player low and go for a two-point shot to tie? Or do you hit the player outside the three-point line and go for the win?

The crowd is on its feet. The cheers inside the arena are deafening.

The players scramble for position as the ball is thrown in--to just above the top of the key. The player turns and shoots--banking the three pointer and winning the game. The noise level jumps a couple more decibels as fans high-five each other celebrating the dramatic win.

For the sports enthusiast, moments like these are exhilarating.

They are even more exciting when you are there in the stadium or arena. We shout and clap and yell and high-five. If our team wins, we feel good for a few hours or maybe even a few days if the win was a championship.

But is there something we can get excited about everyday?

Is there something that isn't tied to the performance of someone else? Is there a reason to high-five even when your team isn't playing?

You bet there is! And Psalm 47 describes it.

"Clap your hands," the psalmist exhorts. "Shout!" "Sing praises!"

Why?

Because God is awesome (v2)!

Why?

Because God is greater than the greatest nation (v3v,8).

Why?

Because He gives His children a rich inheritance (v4).

Why?

Because He is our King (vv6-7).

He is mightier than the mightiest and He is worthy to be praised. The thrill of a buzzer-beating, fall-away jump shot to win the game is nothing compared to the thrill of having the Creator of the universe walking beside you each day.

So take a moment and shout out to Him! Don't ask Him for anything--there's other times for that. Make this moment all about the Lord.

God is great...and that's something to shout about!

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 46--When It Starts to Hail

We were driving our mini-van through Minnesota on a family vacation when we suddenly found ourselves in a hail storm. As we made our way down the interstate, large chunks of hail began to pummel our van.

I looked for an overpass that I could get under or some other place where our vehicle would be safe--but everyone else on the road had the same idea and beat me to it. We would just have to keep on driving and try to get through it.

It was stressful as we watched the hail put a couple small cracks in the windshield and a ding or two in the hood. It certainly could have been worse.

Sometimes in life it is as if we are trekking through a hail storm. We have a bad day--week--or even year--where it seems like the sky is falling in on us. We are desperate to find our way out of the storm before we get pummeled even more.

Psalm 46 paints a beautiful portrait of a place of safety when we find ourselves in life's hailstorms. "God is our refuge and strength," the psalmist states, "an ever-present help in trouble." He goes on to say that even if we are having the worst time possible--even if the earth is collapsing and the mountains are falling into the seas (v2)--we have nothing to fear.

God is not shaken by the affairs of men. God is not overwhelmed by the difficulties of this world. He is above everything and every nation. The Almighty, we are told, is with us--you and me! He is our fortress (v7). He is the place to run to when the sky is falling.

How can we escape to His protection? How can we discover peace in the midst of the storm?

Two things--come and see, and be still.

First, come and see all that God has done (v8). Look at His many blessings. Recount the ways He cared for you in the past. Then be still (v10). As one translation puts it, "cease striving."

Just calm down and be quiet!

Stillness is essential to learning. Talk less and listen more to what the Lord is telling you in this situation. Take a deep breath, move your eyes off the horizontal and start looking vertical. When we do this, then we will see God for who He is. We will watch Him be exalted not only in our lives but through the earth.

Come and see. Be still.

That's the way to safety the next time it hails on your life.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 45-- Carry It or Watch Others Carry It: The Choice is Yours

It has marked the beginning of every Olympic Games since 1928.

The Olympic Torch lights a large cauldron during the opening ceremonies and the cauldron stays lit until the end of the games. Since 1936, the flame that ignites the cauldron originates in Greece and then is carried by relay to the Olympic stadium. Typically hundreds, even thousands, of people participate in the carrying and passing of the torch as it makes it way around the world before finally lighting the cauldron.

There are those individuals who get to be part of history--the passing of the flame to the next runner--and then there are the rest of us who just watch.

When I think of the Olympic Torch relay, I can't help but think of the Torch relay all of us are to take part in as followers of Christ.

In Psalm 45 we are prophetically introduced to Christ. We are told about His majesty, righteousness and might. We are given a sneak peak into His everlasting kingdom. Then the chapter concludes by saying "I will make Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the people shall praise You forever and ever."

Just like the flame of the Olympic Torch is passed from one runner to the next, the Name of Jesus will be praised, exalted, and passed on from one generation to the next. But unlike the Olympic torch, which eventually is extinguished, the Name of Jesus will be remembered for eternity.

Think about that for a moment.

Since the resurrection of Christ different people have joined the relay to pass along Christ to the next generation. They have been part of an unbroken chain prophesied here in Psalms 45. Now, there were those in every generation who embraced Christ, but who failed to pass Him along to the next generation. They watched as others did, but they did not have that legacy for themselves.

They watched while others made history.

The question comes to us today: Will we watch or will we make history? Will we sit on the sofa while others in our generation proclaim the life-changing message of Jesus? Will we rest on the bench while our peers pass the torch to another generation? Or will we rise to the occasion and take our place in history by handing the Flame to those who will carry it the next leg?

Will we go into eternity knowing that we helped carry the Name, or will we go into eternity knowing we missed the opportunity to make a difference in our generation?

The choice is ours!

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 44-- Abandoned by God?

Have you ever felt all alone? I mean really alone--like God wasn't even there?

You knew you were God's child. You knew you had a solid faith in Him. You knew you were living right before Him. Yet, somehow it seemed that He had forsaken you?

The psalmist who penned Psalm 44 felt exactly that way. He celebrated the things that God had done (vv1-3). He declared his complete allegiance to the Lord (vv4-7). He gave praise the the Lord (v8). But even with all of this, he felt rejected and crushed by God (vv9,19) and he felt that God was hiding from him (v24).

Sound familiar?

We cannot read this Psalm without also reading Romans 8:35-39, the passage where Paul quotes from Psalm 44. After giving a lengthy list of things that seemingly could separate us from God, Paul declares that we are more than super-conquerors through Christ. There is nothing--absolutely nothing--that can disconnect us from God's love.

"That's great," you say, "but it doesn't change how I feel right now." True.

So what can we do in those times when for no fault of our own we feel isolated from God?

Start by crying out to God, like the psalmist did in verse 26: "Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love." Go back to what you know about God--His promises, His love, His past workings in your life. Use the time to evaluate your walk with the Lord and intensify your focus on Him. Increase your prayer, worship and Bible reading times. Memorize scripture. Meditate on Christian songs.

Draw near to Him and He promises to draw near to you.

This "desert" time in your life actually may be a season that God wants to use to take your relationship with Him to a new level. Embrace it!

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 43-- You and the World's Fastest Car

Imagine you are sitting in a Shelby Super Car's Ultimate Aero--the world's fastest production car.

The engine roars, the DVD video screen is lit, the navigation system has plotted your course, and you are ready to hit the German autobahn. You are about to experience what no amusement park ride could simulate. The adrenalin rushes as your hand grabs the gear stick and your foot presses the accelerator.

The rush is incredible!

In less than three seconds you blast through 60 mph on your way towards a top speed of 257.

You round a corner when, suddenly, you move your foot off the accelerator and begin applying the brakes. You have hit a patch of fog. Visibility is only a few yards.

Your $600,000 1,183 horsepower Guiness World Record holding speed machine is reduced to a crawl.

When fog sets in, it doesn't matter if you are in an Ultimate Aero or a Volkswagon Bug, you are not going very fast. The same is true in life.

When a fog settles over your life you are reduced to a near stand still. You have a hard time seeing your way forward. You may feel that God is distant, or worse, has abandoned you in your time of greatest need. You are downcast. No one understands you. There may even be those who outright oppose you.

Psalm 43 deals with just such a time. When we find ourselves in a life-fog, there are two things we need to navigate out--light and truth (v3). "Oh send out Your light and Your Truth! Let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle." (NKJ).

The message version puts it this way: "Give me your lantern and compass, give me a map, so I can find my way to the sacred mountain, to the place of your presence."

Truth is like a map and compass. They let us know what is reality--where we really are at. Light allows us to apply that reality in a way that leads us forward.

So, when you find yourself in a fog, and you are tempted to listen to voices of discouragement, get back to the truth. Rediscover the promises in God's word. Recall the faithfulness of God to bring you to this point. Remember who you are in Christ.

Then look for the light.

Ask God to give you wisdom to take truth and apply it in a way that leads you forward. Look for the radiance of God's grace and follow it. You are created in the image of God. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are precious to the Creator.

You are sitting in something better than an Ultimate Aero--you are sitting in the hands of the omnipotent and gracious God!

Rev up those engines and throttle through the fog as you focus on truth and race toward the light.

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Hope for Bukabwa. Hope for You. Jer. 29:11

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”—Jeremiah 29:11

When Jesus talked about the ends of the earth, He must have had Bukabwa, Tanzania in mind. Located in the northeastern corner of this East Africa nation, Bukabwa is home to 5,000 people spread out over a large area. To get there, you take a long dirt road, and then you turn off onto another dirt “road.” I’m not sure the later actually qualifies as a road, but that’s what the locals call it. The second “road” cuts through thick bushes that scrape the side of your vehicle as you bump along across its very rough terrain.

Bukabwa isn’t much to look at.

Now don’t get me wrong—the hills and valleys surrounding it are beautiful—but Bukabwa itself is basically a collection of scattered mud huts with thatched roofs. There are a couple block buildings, including the medical clinic with its one nurse, but that is about it. Throw in some chickens, skinny cows and a goat or two and you pretty much have the lay of the land.

There aren’t any real jobs in Bukabwa, there is one year-round water supply that is a hike for most people to reach, and few children make the nine mile walk to school. Until a couple months ago, there wasn’t any church in Bukabwa.

Honestly, Bukabwa looks pretty hopeless. Imagine if you lived there. Would you have a hard time believing God’s word in Jeremiah 29:11 that God plans to give you hope and a future? It would be hard for me to believe.

You may not physically be in Bukabwa today, but you might be at a place in your life that sure seems like it. You look around and all you see is discouragement. No hope. No future. No life.

But like the people of Bukabwa, there is much that you do not see. You do not see God’s eternal plan. You do not see how He is moving in the hearts and lives of people to intersect your path at just the right time. You do not see the blessings of God that are already on their way.

I just returned from Bukabwa, and I can see those things. I can see them because I have the privilege of being part of a church that has adopted Bukabwa. I’m privy to some of God’s plans for the community.

We’ve brought the gospel to the community, started a church, provided Bibles, and began discipling young believers. In partnership with the residents, we will see a church building constructed in the next few months and a full-time pastor living in the community. Over the next few years we will see three or four more churches started, the introduction of micro business, the building and staffing of a school, and much more.

Why? Because God has a plan for this village at the end of the earth. Because God has a future for a place and a people that everyone else has ignored. Because God from eternity past has planned to prosper the people of Bukabwa.

Most of Bukabwa’s residents have no idea of the incredible things that are to come. They know they now have a church. They know they will soon have a building. But the rest…well, that will be a pleasant surprise as God unfolds His plan to them.

Look at the Jeremiah verse again. Do you believe it? You should! No, I can’t tell you specifically what God has in store for you, but if God can show His favor on Bukabwa a place that had almost no Christians until just recently, He will show His favor on you His child.

God has a plan for you and for me. I can hardly wait to see what it is!

If you would like to learn more about Bukabwa and see the village, check out the video at http://vimeo.com/22577940. If you or your church would like to adopt an African village like Bukabwa and help transform it physically and spiritually, then please contact me through the MaxPoint Ministries website at www.maxpoint.org.

--Frank Banfill

Psalm 42-- Lessons from My Time in a Ford Pinto

I have vivid childhood memories of hot California summers riding in the back of my mother's Ford Pinto station wagon--the one with no air conditioning--and wishing more than anything to have something to drink.

To a young child, the few minutes drive in the heat seemed like an eternity. My thoughts were consumed with Kool-Aid, Coke, juice--anything to quench the thirst.

In Psalm 42 the psalmist describes a similar scene--no, not a young boy in the back of a Pinto--but a deer desperate to find a stream of cool, refreshing water. Likewise, the psalmist says, his soul desperately thirsts for God. His thoughts were consumed with meeting with God.

Just like the thought of a cold Coca Cola to a young Pinto-bound boy, or a cool stream to a weary deer, God was all this writer could think about.

What happens when we have that kind of fixation on the Lord? What happens when we reach the level where everything within us longs to be in the presence of God through His word, worship and prayer?

When that happens, it gives us an unusual ability to thrive in life.

Our tears of sorrow turn to joy (vv3-4).

When our innermost being is downcast, it gives us hope (vv 5,11).

When people tease us, look down on us, or even persecute us for our faith, it gives us strength (vv9-10). "Why so downcast?" the psalmists asks, "put your hope in God."

How thirsty are you for God today? How consumed are you with spending time in His presence? Maybe if we would be a little more consumed with God we would be a little less consumed by the pressures of life.

When is your next meeting with God?

_________________________

Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 40-- Stuck in the Mud

Although it was late April, snow still covered much of the mountainous parts of Romania where I was visiting with a team of Americans. We made our way up one of the mountains in a mini-van until we couldn't drive any farther. There was a family that we were going to visit who lived on a hill.  They were the only believers in this remote area and recently had suffered some personal tragedies. We went there to pray with them and try to encourage them. We parked the van and made our way up the steep hillside to their modest home. The area immediately outside their front door was flat and we could see they planned to use it for a garden. The rest of the area was un-level. We finished our visit with the family and began to make our way back to the vehicle over the mostly snow covered ground. As I moved off the flat surface my feet slipped. Before I knew it, I was on my backside sliding down the steep walkway into a pool of mud. What provided great amusement for my colleagues wasn't so amusing to me--one side of me was covered in mud and it would be a long ride before I could get dry clothes! That incident reminds me of how life often is--slippery. We have a hard time standing and sometimes even find ourselves in the "mud." In Psalm 40 David explains how God responded to him when he was in "the mud." "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand," is how David put it in verse 2. He goes on to tell how God "put a new song" in his mouth (v3) and blesses those who trust in Him (v4). God is our help and deliverer (v17) who is able to show us the way and provide stability when the world around us is shifting. How can we access the unmovable power and perfect plans of God? Look to Him for direction (v4). Focus on all the incredible things that He has already done (v5). Give yourself as a living sacrifice to Him (v6). Seek His will (v8) and proclaim His righteousness wherever you go (vv8-10). If we will do this, then we can avoid some embarrassing slides into the mud of life.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 39--Are You Really as Young as You Think?

Are you young or old? Now before you answer consider this: the concept of being young or old is really based on when we expect to die. If you are 20 and you figure you have at least 60 years left, then you consider yourself young. If you are 80 then you might consider yourself old. But should the 20 year old actually think he has plenty of time left? What if he is going to die in the next year? Then he really is old...he has limited time left. The point is this--we often do things or don't do things based on our concept of our age. If we are young, we may put off doing important things because we think we have plenty of time. If we are older, we may aggressively try to complete a"bucket list" while we have time and miss out on some bigger issues. In Psalm 39 David prayed a very interesting prayer. "Show me, O Lord, my life's end and the number of my days" (v4). He went on to ask the Lord to "let me know how fleeting is my life." In essence he was saying, "God, remind me today and every day that I don't have much time left." David wanted to make sure that he made the greatest impact possible for the Lord with whatever time he had left. David also saw that the greatest hindrance to that productivity was sin. "Save me from my transgressions," David pleaded, "do not make me the scorn of fools" (v8). Some live for wealth, but David reminds us that sin can consume that as well. "You rebuke and discipline men for their sin; you consume their wealth like a moth" (v11). Those who pursue wealth do so in vain, "he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it" (v6). The message is don't allow sin and worldly pursuits to rob you of years of productivity for the Lord. Whether we consider ourselves young or old, we all should keep our mortality in view and maximize every day that we have for God's glory.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 38--Celebrities and The Pain of Sin

As I write this, the media is abuzz with stories of yet another high profile person--this time an athlete--not being true to his values. "I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all my heart," he wrote on his website, which generated nearly 17,000 comments within two days of being posted. You could feel his pain in what he wrote--but an even deeper pain I'm sure is what his family is going through. Yes, high profile people get lots of attention when they transgress, but the reality is that sin causes everyone pain, celebrity or not. Every day courtrooms--both civil and criminal--are filled with people experiencing the pain caused from sin. The 24-hour news cycle is one story after another of the fallout from sinful actions. Those in our country who seek to legalize drugs, prostitution and other "vices" claim these are "victimless." But are they? The reality is that sin in every form eventually leads to anguish. David knew this first hand, and wrote about it in Psalm 38. He had blown it. He had sinned. And for a while, he tried to cover it up. He discovered, however, that "My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear" (v4). He described the feeling as festering wounds, all brought on "because of my sinful folly" (v5). Sin not only hurt his relationship with God, but with everyone around him (v11). The good news is that God is a forgiving God. He forgives and heals, although the scars of sin can last a lifetime. David said, "I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin" (v18) then went on to call upon the Lord. He reached a turning point where he was willing to call sin what it was, see it as God saw it, and repent from it. That is a lesson for all of us--but what if he hadn't committed these transgressions in the first place? How much pain would he have saved himself and the families impacted by his decisions? How much grief could have been spared if sin had never entered the picture? Something for all of us to think about, celebrity or not.

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 37--Lower Your Blood Pressure

It was my first time out of the house alone with our new baby. I had a doctor's appointment and had to take her with me. As soon as I sat down in the waiting room I realized I had forgotten something very important--food. I was a brand new dad and the thought that the child would need to eat again before I got home totally slipped my mind. Well, no sooner did I get seated when my daughter started to cry, and cry and cry. I tried everything I could think of to calm her down but nothing worked. I just knew everyone was staring at me and thinking what a lousy dad I was. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I am ushered into the exam room. The nurse took my blood pressure and was shocked at the reading. My normally low blood pressure was through the roof! I had let all the commotion get to me. I was stressed big time! Today my baby is a teenager and I look back at that incident and laugh. I just needed to calm down! Well, that is the word from the Lord to all of us in Psalm 37--just calm down! Don't worry and fret (v1,8). God has everything under control (v24). Whether it is people treating you badly (v1, 14), disastrous times (v19), personal failure (v24), or struggles to make ends meet (v25), God is there for you. But what must we do to stay calm in difficult times? There are eight things. Trust in the Lord (v3). Feed on His presence (v3). Delight in what delights Him (v4). Commit your plans to the Lord (v5). Be still and wait on Him (vv7, 34). Don't get angry (v8). Stay humble (v11). Do good (v27, 30, 31). This a great prescription for dealing with the ups and downs of life!

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.

Psalm 36-- Space Aliens Over God?

It was hard for me to sit there and listen. Even though I was watching the TV screen in my own house, I cringed as I listened to atheist "scientists" bash the concept of God. I was watching the documentary by Ben Stein Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed. The movie shows how academia and the scientific community have systematically expelled any concept of intelligent design in considering the origins of life. As the movie progressed, Stein showed how the world view of these "elites" actually forbade them from even considering any theory contrary to Darwinism. We all thought scientists were open minded individuals willing to pursue truth no matter what. What we discovered from their own lips was that they were willing to pursue potential truth as long as it fit within their pre-conceived ideas. These supposedly brilliant scholars said they could accept space aliens before they could accept the concept that God exists and had anything to do with the origin of life. Evolution must be believed because if you don't, then it opens the door for the possibility of God who might want to have a say in how we live our lives. Psalm 36 tells us that when there is no fear of God then all sorts of evil is possible (v1), even genocide. When there is no fear of God man turns to flattering himself (v2) and can no longer distinguish good or act with wisdom (v3). Evolution is important to these people because it allows them to hide behind an unproven theory to justify their self-worship. On the video, these "scientists" actually say it is there goal to eradicate religion from the world. Psalm 36 contrasts these people with the one true God who is righteous like the mighty mountains (v6) and stands ready to offer His priceless love (v7) to those who believe (v10). Don't fall into the evolution trap just because that is all you hear. Challenge the so-called science. Ask tough questions that move beyond the presumptions of those with an anti-god world view. Most of all, fear God. Feast on His abundance (v8) and you will see the fountain of life (v9).

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Frank Banfill is an author, international speaker, and president of MaxPoint Ministries, whose purpose is to help individuals, churches and ministries reach their full potential. Please forward this blog to your family & friends. Not a subscriber? Sign up now at www.FranksBibleBlog.com.