Tim Hetzner – Daily Devotions

Be Willing To Look Foolish

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)

A pastor writes: “Poll after poll has found that most people’s number one fear is speaking in public. Death ranks number two. That means some people would rather die than speak in public. Why? It’s the fear of looking foolish…But faith is the willingness to look foolish. Noah looked foolish building an ark in the desert. Sarah looked foolish buying maternity clothes at 90. The Israelites looked foolish marching around Jericho blowing trumpets. David looked foolish attacking Goliath with a slingshot. The wise men looked foolish following yonder star. Peter looked foolish stepping out of the boat in the middle of the lake. And Jesus looked foolish hanging half-naked on the cross.

But that’s the essence of faith. And the results speak for themselves. Noah was saved from the flood. Sarah gave birth to Isaac. The walls of Jericho came tumbling down. David defeated Goliath. The wise men found the Messiah. Peter walked on water. And Jesus rose from the dead. The greatest breakthroughs, miracles, and turning points in Scripture can be traced back to someone who was willing to look foolish.”

Why? Read this Scripture: ‘“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts”’ (Isaiah 55:8-9).

So here is your choice: live by earthly thoughts and ways and be accepted by people, or live by heavenly thoughts and ways and be accepted by God. When you see it from that perspective, your choice is clear.

Prayer

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Trust God And Take Action

“Whoever watches the wind will not plant; whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

There is a time to be cautious, and a time to throw caution to the wind. And it takes discernment to know the difference. If you’re waiting for perfect conditions before seizing an opportunity, you will be hesitating until you die. The Bible says, “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.”

More often than not, the only thing between you and the fulfilment of your dream is an excuse: “I’m too busy…I don’t have enough money…I’m unqualified…I’m not ready yet…I have lots of problems.” Newsflash: no one is ever ready. Immediately before Christ’s first miracle, He shows a hint of hesitation: “My time has not yet come” (John 2:4). But Jesus had a mother who loved Him enough to persuade Him.

In his book Jump In!, Mark Burnett writes about his path to TV-producer prominence. Burnett created hit shows like “Survivor” and “The Apprentice.” He writes: “Nothing will ever be…perfect, and nothing can be totally planned. The best you can hope for is to be about half certain of your plan and know that you and the team you’ve assembled are willing to work hard enough to overcome the inevitable problems as they arrive.”

Note the words “the best you can hope for is to be about half certain.” That’s a pretty good paraphrase of Ecclesiastes 11. So, don’t “observe the wind,” and don’t “regard the clouds.” After you have prayed and prepared, it’s time to trust God and take action.

Prayer

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Praying Passionately

“Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” (Colossians 4:12)

Here is what Paul said about Epaphras, a disciple so obscure you probably don’t recognize his name: “Epaphras…is…always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God…he has a great zeal for you” (vv. 12-13). James writes, “Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). To be fervent is to be passionate!

Bishop Joseph Hall, a 17th century Anglican minister, was once imprisoned in the Tower of London for his faith. He lived his final years on a farm in the country writing devotional classics. Here is what he remarked about prayer: “An arrow, if it be drawn up but a little way, goes not far; but if it be pulled up to the head, flies swiftly and pierces deep. Prayer, if it be only dribbled forth from careless lips, falls at our feet. It is the strength of [discharge] and strong desire that sends it to heaven, and makes it pierce the clouds. It is not the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they be; nor the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly they may be; nor the divinity of our prayers, how good the doctrine may be – which God cares for. Fervency of spirit is that which availeth much.”

The Lord answers the prayers of those who pray passionately. So, get serious about prayer and give yourself fully to it!

Prayer

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Be Honest In Small Things And All Things

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.” (Romans 12:17)

In his poem The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost writes, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” Sadly today, the road less traveled is honesty in small things and honesty in all things. According to Psychology Today, 70 percent of U.S. high school students and almost half of college students admit to cheating. USA Today stated that 91 percent of Americans lie regularly. Our culture says, “If you want to get ahead, you have to break a few rules.” But the Bible warns that “the little foxes…spoil the vines” (Song of Songs 2:15). Solomon is referring to little sins that whet our appetite, distort our values, and lead to bigger sins.

Bible commentator Matthew Henry writes, “Adam’s eating forbidden fruit seemed but a little sin, but it opened the door to the greatest.” Are you being tempted to compromise your character? Tempted to deceive coworkers? Pressured to be untruthful at work? Caught up in an “innocent little relationship?” Evangelist Charles Finney said, “A person who is dishonest in little things isn’t really honest in anything.”

Unless the small, secret areas of your life are governed by your convictions, you endanger them to corruption from your compromises. One of the greatest promises made in Scripture is to those who are faithful in small things. “Well done…you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things” (Matthew 25:21). Guard your thoughts; they become your deeds. Guard your deeds; they form your character. Guard your character; it decides your destiny.

Prayer

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The Influence Of A Godly Grandparent

“One generation will commend Your works to another; they will tell of Your mighty acts.” (Psalm 145:4)

Fanny became blind at six weeks old at the hands of a fake doctor. But her grandmother Eunice resolved that Fanny would never grow up feeling disabled or deprived. Eunice devoted years to training Fanny in all kinds of things – teaching her the Bible, assisting her in exploring nature, and enabling her to develop incredible powers of memory. Fanny memorized large sections of the Bible. From that treasury of Scripture, she later produced some of the best-loved hymns we sing today. “Blessed Assurance,” “To God Be the Glory,” “All the Way My Savior Leads Me,” and “He Hideth My Soul.”

In the Bible, Timothy had a grandmother named Lois, whose prayers and example helped mold him into none other than the Apostle Paul’s successor. Paul writes, “I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother” (2 Timothy 1:5). Never underestimate the influence you have as a grandparent. As you pour yourself into your grandchildren, you may be molding servants of the Lord. If you are a grandparent, claim this promise from the Scriptures: “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.”

Perhaps your children have disappointed you and failed to raise your grandchildren in the ways of the Lord. Don’t be discouraged, and don’t give up. “I sought for a man among them who would…stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land” (Ezekiel 22:30). Your prayers are God’s invitation and entry point into the lives of both your children and your grandchildren. So, “stand in the gap,” and believe God for the salvation of your family.

Prayer

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Uncovering Satan’s Schemes — Part Three

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

You can have 20/20 vision in the natural world, yet be blind in the spiritual world and fall prey to Satan’s schemes. But when you turn to God in prayer, He can open your eyes and give you a strategy for victory. Notice what happened when Elisha and his servant woke up in the city of Dothan to discover that they were surrounded by hostile armies.

“When the servant of the man of God…went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. ‘Oh, sir, what will we do now?’ the young man cried to Elisha. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ Elisha told him. ‘For there are more on our side than on theirs!’ Then Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!’ The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. As the Aramean army advanced towards him, Elisha prayed, ‘O LORD, please make them blind.’ So the LORD struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked” (2 Kings 6:15-18).

Are you fearing defeat? Are you confused and don’t know what to do? Do you feel like the odds are stacked against you, and you won’t succeed? The Bible says, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Get alone with God and pray, “Lord, open my eyes.” And stay there until He does it. When it happens, you will discover that the forces of heaven are on your side, and the resources of heaven are available to you. How do you access them? By faith!

Prayer

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Uncovering Satan’s Schemes — Part Two

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Ephesians 6:11)

The Bible says: “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (vv. 10-12).

Note the words “against mighty powers in this dark world.” When Daniel prayed, he encountered those mighty powers. “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for 21 days, the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me” (Daniel 10:12-13).

Note the words “blocked my way.” When you are committed to walking with God and doing His will, Satan will try to block you at every turn. If he cannot keep you from spending time in prayer, he will try to block your prayers. For 21 days, Daniel wondered, “Lord, You have answered my prayers before; how come You’re not answering them now?” But Daniel’s answer was on the way. And yours is too.

Christians used to speak about “praying through.” It means standing firmly on the Word of God, praying in the all-powerful and all-prevailing name of Jesus, refusing to become impatient, refusing to give up, knowing God hears and answers our prayers.

Prayer

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Uncovering Satan’s Schemes — Part One

“… in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

The Bible calls Satan a schemer. Now, when someone schemes against you and you’re unaware of it, you don’t take defensive measures, and you can end up getting hurt. One of Satan’s most effective schemes is to downplay his influence in our lives. And he does that so that he can outwit us. But the Bible says, “We are not unaware of his schemes.” The Bible speaks of things that take place in the invisible realm whose effects are felt in the visible realm.

One day a conversation took place between God and Satan. What about? The hedge of protection and blessing that surrounded Job’s life. Satan told God, “If you remove that hedge, he will not serve You” (see Job 1:10-11). So, God did, and Satan attacked Job’s finances, his children, and his health. Though Job’s mind was filled with unanswered questions, his trust in the goodness of God remained strong, and he ended up with twice as much.

It can be a cop-out to blame everything on Satan, but it’s a grave mistake not to discern when he’s at work in your circumstances. When you feel the effects of his attack but fail to identify the source of it, he can prevail against you. Why? Because you don’t know how to fight back and use the weapons God has given you. You have God’s Word, “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). But unless you identify Satan as the source of your problem, it’s like fighting blindfolded, and your sword is flailing in every direction instead of targeting Satan and defeating him.

Prayer

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The Attack Is Over Your Future

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

Peter writes, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith” (vv. 8-9). The word Christ means “the Anointed One.” So as a Christian, you are anointed by the same Spirit that rested upon Christ. Satan tempted Christ, and he will tempt you.

Satan targeted Christ because he feared His destiny; likewise, Satan has discerned your destiny, and he’s out to stop you from reaching it. When he reminds you of the failures in your past, it’s to discourage you and keep you from reaching for the future God has in mind for you. Paul wrote, “He chose us in advance, and He makes everything work out according to His plan” (Ephesians 1:11). This means God has chosen you to fulfill a certain purpose, He has a specific plan for your life, and He is making everything work according to that plan. Satan also knows this, and that’s why his attack against you will never let up.

C.S. Lewis said, “There is no neutral ground in the universe; every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God, and counter-claimed by Satan.” There is no middle ground. It is only a matter of time before you must join one side or another. It is preferable to predetermine your position with a decisive intention than have it selected for you by passive default. So each day, when you awake, dress for battle and prepare for attack knowing that in God’s strength you will win.

Prayer

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Knowing Who To Trust

“He did not need man’s testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man.” (John 2:25)

In Scripture, we are commanded to love everyone, not trust everyone. Jesus is our example in this. “Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did…many began to trust in Him. But Jesus didn’t trust them, because He knew human nature…what mankind is really like” (vv. 23-25). These words were not spoken concerning the crowd that followed Jesus but those who claimed to be His disciples. While Jesus gave Himself to them relationally and lived life with them, He knew that they were not perfect. He understood human nature, and He did not trust Himself to them in an unbalanced way.

When you place in people the trust that should only be placed in God, you set yourself up for disappointment. We can only go so far in any human relationship; beyond that, we will likely be hurt. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that some people will never hurt us, only to be disappointed when they don’t live up to those standards.

There are two types of people. The first are users. As long as your interests line up with theirs, they are trustworthy. The second are true friends. “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17). But because of human weakness, even true friends will let you down. So here are two good rules to live by:

1) When it comes to people, “trust but verify.”

2) When it comes to God, “trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Prayer

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