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Customer Satisfaction

Nothing is as Powerful as Your Personal Testimony

Your personal testimony as a satisfied customer is unassailable. Who can argue against it. So speak for Christ as one who has been forever changed by his grace, who was once blind but now can see, whose life overflows with the joy of being forgiven, and who lives with purpose, both now and forever. You may not feel it’s all that dramatic, but your testimony is powerful because it’s your story. So tell it, and God will use it.

Enduring Truth // Focus: John 9:25

I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!

The Pharisees didn’t like the fact that Jesus had healed a man born blind on the Sabbath. The truth is, they didn’t like Jesus at all, and they were looking for him to slip up so they could do away with him once and for all. Perhaps this latest “Sabbath miracle” was their chance.

They found the man Jesus had healed and began to question him. Had he really been born blind? Was this a hoax? Was he secretly a disciple of Jesus? Would a true man of God really heal on the Sabbath?

These weren’t just the innocent questions of a curious group. This was an interrogation. The tone of the Pharisees was intimidating and threatening, and the implication was that it wouldn’t go well for this healed man and his family if he didn’t repudiate both the miracle and the miracle worker.

Then, in a flash of unrehearsed inspiration and simple brilliance, the man parries their attack and thrusts the most persuasive of all daggers into their opposition against Jesus: The testimony of a satisfied customer. All this man knew was that he was once blind, but now he could see. Case closed; end of story. The Pharisees were defenseless. What response could they give against such overwhelming evidence?

That is the simple power of a personal testimony. When you speak for Christ as a satisfied customer, as one whose life has been changed forever, as one who was once spiritual blinded by sin but now can see by God’s grace, there is no defense. Who can argue against that? Your testimony may not be as dramatic as the healing of the man who had been born blind, but it is just as powerful a weapon as his. You, too, are a satisfied customer, and a satisfied customer makes the most compelling witness of all.

Take a moment today to think through your story. Perhaps you should write it out—one or two pages will be enough. Simply describe what your life was like before Christ, how you came to know him, and the joys and benefits of what it means to now be his follower.

I guarantee, God will give you an opportunity before too long to share your story with someone who needs to know Jesus.

Thrive: As suggested above, write out you own “before and after” account of knowing Jesus. And expect to share it—an opportunity is just around the corner.

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God, Be The Focus Of My Thoughts

52 Simple Prayers for 2018

Psychiatrist William Glasser discovered in his study of how the brain works that we aren’t controlled by external factors, but by internal desires. Furthermore, our desires are predetermined by our thinking. In other words, the mind is the command center determining conduct. Therefore the critical issue is how we think. That’s why Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart (the heart in Hebrew thought was the center of thinking) for it is the wellspring of life.”

A Simple Prayer for a Singular Focus:

God, throughout the day I will think about you. I will focus my thoughts on that which is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent and praiseworthy. I will think rightly. I will let the mind of the Master be the master of my mind. Now I pray that you will transform my character by changing the way I think, and make me an offering that is holy, pleasing and acceptable to you inside and out.
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A Promise Made Is A Promise Kept

God’s Got All Your Concerns Covered

What’s got you concerned today? Whatever it is, there’s a promise in the Bible that covers it: “God will perfect everything that concerns you.” (Psalm 138:8) Now as you fulfill your end of the promise—pray and obey—then you can stand on the promises of God with confidence, because with him, a promise made is a promise kept.

Enduring Truth // Focus: Joshua 21:45

Not a single one of all the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel was left unfulfilled; everything he had spoken came true.

A certain Bible scholar has pointed out that God has made over 6,000 promises to us in the Bible. Some of those promises are universal in nature—all believers anytime and anywhere who are walking in obedience to his commands can claim them. Other promises are quite specific to certain people at certain times, and the Holy Spirit reveals them to us through prayer and the study of God’s Word in response to situations that arise in our lives.

Whether God’s promises are universal or personal, what we are taught over and over again in the Bible, including this verse in Joshua, is that God is a promise maker, and more importantly, God is a promise keeper. The fact is, God has never broken a promise—not even one! I can’t say that about me, and you probably can’t say that about you, but we can say that with complete certainty about God. With him, a promise made is a promise kept.

When I was a little kid in Sunday School, we would often sing a song about God’s promises that went something like this:

Every promise in the Book is mine
Every chapter, every verse, every line.
I am standing on his Word Divine,
Every promise in the Book is mine!

Over 6,000 promises—and he will bring every single one of them to pass. A few of those promises are for you. Which one are you “standing” on, as the little song goes?

  • That he will heal all of your diseases? (Psalm 103:3)
  • That he will supply all of your needs? (Philippians 4:19)
  • That he will never leave you or forsake you? (Hebrews 13:5)
  • That he will forgive all your sins? (1 John 1:9)
  • That he will give you Divine wisdom for your lack of human understanding? (James 1:5)
  • That he will turn all of your circumstances to your good and for his glory? (Romans 8:28)

What is your area of concern? There is a promise that covers it, so look it up in God’s Word. Fulfill your end of the promise—that’s the big caveat here—and then rest in God’s proven character. What is your end? Pray and obey. Do that, and you can stand on the promises, because with him, a promise made is a promise kept.

Yes, you can expect that “God will perfect everything that concerns you.” (Psalm 138:8)

Thrive: Are you “standing” on a specific promise? Are you praying, asking God to fulfill it? Are you offering him a life of obedience in your attitude and actions? If not, why not? Don’t leave any of those 6,000 promises on the table. Your Father wants to fulfill them in your life.

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Tying God’s Hands

Only You Can Surrender Your Willful Unbelief

What is the one thing Jesus can’t do? Violate your willful unbelief, that’s what. He will not impose his Lordship on your refusal to give him a chance, yet amazingly, he will even help your humble admission of unbelief (“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24) Wrestling with doubt today? Try this simple, honest prayer: “Lord, help!”

Enduring Truth // Focus: Mark 6:5-6

Jesus could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.

This is one of the most amazing texts in the entire Bible. Jesus—the second person of the Trinity, the visible image of the invisible God; the one who existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation; the one through whom God created everything in the heaven and on earth, the things we can see and the things we can’t see—thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world; the one by whom all creation is held together (Colossians 1:15-17), the one who had raised the dead, healed the sick, delivered the demonized, fed the five thousand, and walked on water—this Jesus could do no mighty works in his own town because of the unbelief of the people who knew him.

And even he—the one who had seen it all—was amazed by their unbelief. I would dare say it must take an awful lot to stump Jesus!

What is the one thing Jesus can’t do? Violate a person’s willful unbelief, that’s what. He will help a person’s humble admission of unbelief (Mark 9:14-25), but he will not impose his Lordship on someone’s refusal to give him a chance.

Now before we get all huffy about Jesus’ neighbors, do you think we sometimes do that with Jesus, too? Haven’t we seen his glory; haven’t we tasted his goodness; haven’t we been touched by his love and grace and power, yet we still question his right of Lordship over our lives? You might say, “but I don’t do that!” Yes, you do—so do I! How? We do that when we give in to doubt, worry, fear, depression, anger—or engage in any number of other self-medicating, self-destructive acts—overspending, overeating, oversleeping, over-talking, over-sharing, over-indulging, sexually addictive behaviors, substance abuse…

Why would we surrender to any of those harmful and deceptive things when we have seen and touched the power and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ? Truthfully, I don’t know why we would. Sometimes my own propensity to resist Christ’s loving Lordship amazes me.

Here’s what I do know: If we will take an honest look at where we are resisting Jesus’ right to rule over us—both passively and willfully—and come to him with a humble request that he help our unbelief, even that crack in the door will be enough for him to do his mighty works in our lives.

Otherwise, you will be tying God’s hands. And that will amaze even him—and not in a good way. So offer him instead your humble, simple faith, and Jesus will likewise be amazed—and I mean in the best way possible:

When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” (Luke 7:9)

Thrive: Offer this prayer sincere today: “Jesus, there are still areas of my life where I resist your Lordship. Help my unbelief. I open the door of my heart to you, and invite you to burst through it to accomplish your mighty works in me.”

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A Compelling ROI

Invest With An Eye On Eternity

Think of what would happen if you and I would sink as much blood, sweat and tears into the pursuit of Biblical wisdom as we do money, possession and fame! We would attain the kind of enduring wealth that earns the applause of heaven. By far, that is a great ROI!

Enduring Truth // Focus: Proverbs 8:19

My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary; the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.

A friend of mine used to quip, “They say that money isn’t everything—but I’d sure like to prove them wrong!” Of course, most of us who live with an eternal perspective would agree with that money-isn’t-everything bromide, but my guess is most of us are secretly like my friend: We would sure like our shot at proving the theory wrong!

Solomon is simply refreshing us with truth we already embrace but periodically need reminded of to pull us back out of the gravitational lure of money and all the temporal stuff it provides. Let’s not forget what the Bible says: The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil. (I Timothy 1:6) Likewise, Jesus himself warned us that we cannot love and serve both God and money at the same time. (Matthew 6:24) Frankly, as much as we’d like to dispel Jesus’ platitude, it is impossible!

Rather than money, Solomon implores us to seek after wisdom. It is far better, buys much more, lasts infinitely longer than anything money affords and provides the best return on investment you will ever see in this life. Frankly, five minutes after your death, your money, power and fame will not even be worth the paper they were recorded on. In fact, it could be that your misuse of money, possessions and fame will put your account in the deficit when you reach eternity. Wisdom on the other hand, is an investment that will pay ever-increasing dividends throughout eternity. And maybe, just maybe, it will lead you to the proper attainment and stewarding of money, possessions and fame in this life, too.

Think of what would happen if you and I would sink as much blood, sweat and tears into the pursuit of Biblical wisdom as we do money, possession and fame! We would attain the kind of enduring wealth that earns the applause of heaven. By far, that is a great ROI!

Thrive: Read the parable of the rich fool and the commentary on money that follows in Luke 12:13-24. Write out a one paragraph prayer in your journal that incorporates Jesus’ teaching.

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2,000 Years And Going Strong

You May Not See The Seed Growing, But It Is

Stay faithful to God’s Kingdom, always. Don’t lose heart and never give up. You have a stake in something that is truly, indescribably amazing—and the full results of its growth will not be known until the other side of eternity. But it will grow!

Enduring Truth // Focus: Mark 4:28

…And finally the grain ripens.

Jesus spent a fair amount of time in both private settings and public presentations describing the kingdom of God to people. One of the compelling ways he did that was through stories—parables—earthy vignettes that revealed spiritual truth about God, heaven and the kingdom life. Jesus did that because people’s understanding of God’s kingdom had gotten messed up over the thousands of years since God first called the tribes of Israel out of Egypt and fashioned them into a people for himself. So through parables, he reminded them of what God and his rule was really like.

Of the many wonderful descriptions Jesus gave, we find two stories about seeds in Mark 4:26-34 that describe the amazing, unstoppable growth of God’s kingdom on Planet Earth: The parable of the growing seed and the parable of the mustard seed. The point of both is that when the seed—the Word of God—is faithfully planted in good soil—the hearts of open and hungry people—the rule of God will begin to grow. Little by little, imperceptibly, over time the kingdom begins to expand, dominate and even perpetuate itself until it becomes a major, irresistible, governing force in individual lives, whole families, communities, and entire people groups.

I hope that encourages you—it does me! Sometimes we get frustrated by the lack of growth of God’s kingdom in our lives, or our churches, or perhaps by what we may perceive as a falling away from the rule of God in our nation. To be sure, there are enemies and forces that not only oppose the kingdom, but are actively working to kill it off. The truth is, the growth of the kingdom is not an easy thing because there is a very strong Enemy whose chief objective is to stop it. Satan is alive and well on God’s planet, and he will be a force to be reckoned with until his time is up.

However, at the end of the day, the kingdom of God is unstoppable. People who claim to follow God may come and go, churches that once thrived may plateau, decline or perhaps even close their doors; denominations will rise and fall; nations will wander from the guiding principles that once made them a godly nation—and you might even find your own passion for the rule of God waxing and waning a bit. Yet the kingdom of God is doing just fine after 2,000 years since Jesus gave it its start. What began with twelve unlikely fishermen from Galilee has spread around the world to hundreds of millions today who have joyfully surrendered to God’s rule—and it shows no signs of abating.

So don’t get discouraged, my friend. You may not be able to see the seed growing, but it is—and it will. You may never see the end result, but that does not diminish the seed’s potential. Just keep planting that seed wherever you can. Water the soil—in your own life, in your family, your circle of influence and at your church. Keep the weeds pulled—it is a constant battle because the Enemy keeps sneaking into the field to sow tares.

Just stay faithful to the kingdom, don’t lose heart and never give up. You have a stake in something that is truly, indescribably amazing—and the full results of its growth will not be known until the other side of eternity.

Yes, the grain will finally ripen!

Thrive: Recommit your life to the kingdom of God today—especially if you have become discouraged by its lack of growth in your own life or its waning vitality in your church or some other circle of concern—by praying this prayer: “Heavenly Father, may your kingdom come, may your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever! Amen.”

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God, Thanks for Saving Me

52 Simple Prayers for 2018

Religion is complex; Christianity is simple. Religion is about what you have to do; Christianity is about what God has done! Religion requires you to sacrifice to appease your god; Christianity required God to sacrifice his Son to appease himself. In religion, you pay; in Christianity, Jesus paid it all. Religious faith is about works; Christian faith is about belief. Religion leads to death; Christianity leads to life. Need I say more?

A Simple Prayer of Eternal Gratitude:

God, thank you for your mercy—you didn’t give me what I deserved. Thank you for your grace—you gave me what I didn’t deserve. You didn’t give me hell; you gave me heaven. Thank you for making it easy for me by making it hard on Jesus. Thank you for Christianity, thank you for Jesus, thank you for you! I will be forever grateful.