Category: Strength for Today

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

Philippians 2:5
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:”

If you can understand someone’s mindset, you have a better chance of comprehending the what and how of their instructions. There have been times when someone asked me to do something when I didn’t quite understand what they wanted, so I asked them to explain their thinking so that I could perform their request to their satisfaction. My desire is not only to accomplish what someone wants me to do, but to do it exactly the way they want me to do it.

The Christian should have this same desire when it comes to serving the LORD. Every Christian should desire to not only do what God instructs and commands us to do, but to do it exactly the way He wants it done. This is why the verse above says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” God knows that if we can get the Christly mindset, we will please Him with all that we do. The verses that come after the verse above explains to the Christian the Christly mindset.

First, the Christly mindset understands your position with God. Verse 7 says, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant…” If you are going to get the mind of Christ, you are going to have to realize that you are supposed to be a servant of God. This life is not about you and what you want, but it is about serving the LORD. Everything that Christ did on Earth was a fulfillment of what the Father commanded Him to do. He was a servant to the fullest meaning. You will never please God until you assume the role of a servant and serve the LORD.

Second, the Christly mindset is understanding who you are. Verse 8 says, “And being found in fashion as a man…” Jesus completely understood that He took on the robes of flesh. Yes, He was still God, but He was God in the flesh. You will struggle to please the LORD until you understand that you are just a man. If you don’t understand your weakness as a sinner, you will fail to serve the LORD by not guarding against sin. Friend, never think of yourself as higher than a man. Understand that you are a sinner and capable of committing any sin. When you get this understanding, you will be able to better resist the temptations of sin.

Third, the Christly mindset is having the right attitude about yourself. Verse 8 continues to say, “…he humbled himself…” The mind of Christ is a humble mind. A humble mind is one that is modest or unassuming. Don’t ever take on the mindset that you are better than others. Likewise, a humble mind doesn’t think of itself lower than others. Self-deprecation is a form of pride because the focus of this person is on themselves. If you are going to have the mind of Christ, you must take your eyes off yourself and place them on Christ. Keeping your eyes on Christ will give you the right humble mindset that He wants you to have.

Fourth, the Christly mindset understands your purpose, and that purpose is to obey. Verse 8 continues to say, “…and became obedient unto death…” True obedience has no boundaries to which it submits. The Christly mindset is the willingness to obey God to the degree of losing everything. Ask yourself, what is the line where you will no longer obey Christ? Your answer shows whether or not you have the mind of Christ. You will only please God with your life if you mirror the Christly mindset.

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

2 Corinthians 6:1
“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”

Life consists of relationships. You cannot make it in life without building relationships. The business person is building relationships with those to whom they desire to do business. Developing the right relationships in business will determine the success of that business.

Likewise, the success of your Christian life will be determined by your relationships. The first relationship you must make sure is right is your relationship with God. The second relationship you will have to guard is your relationship with man. The verse above is talking about your relationship with man. You are going to work together with others, but you better be sure you are working together with the right people if you want to please the LORD. In this chapter, God gives three principles to follow to show how you can successfully work together with mankind and still please Him.

First, you must have the mindset that you are continually proving yourself to others. Verse 3-4 says, “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God…” You are a spectacle to the world. The world watches how you conduct yourself in the midst of trials and your daily walk. God warns the Christian that they are to live their lives in such a holy manner that the ministry cannot be blamed. Friend, don’t take for granted that people know your intentions. Always live your life above board so that others will have no reason to point their fingers at Christianity because of your lifestyle.

Second, don’t change your yoke to be yoked. Verse 14 says, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” The Devil’s tactic is to get you to move one time. Avoid relationships that would cause you to have to leave your yoke for theirs. The best relationship is the discovered relationship; you discover the other person by being in the same yoke. If you have to ask yourself if a relationship would be unequally yoked, you have probably already answered your question. You will never question if someone is in the same yoke; it will be obvious. Don’t ever let your emotions woo you into leaving the LORD’s yoke for another. Don’t feel that you have to be yoked up with someone. Enjoy being in the yoke with Christ and you will discover those relationships that are equally yoked.

Third, only work with those who agree in direction. Verse 16 says, “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols…” Two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement concerning direction. Amos 3:3 says, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Be sure every relationship is one where your direction agrees. There are people who you might want to work with who are positionally the same as you, but they are directionally different from you. You will never work together successfully if your agreement is not the same. Eventually, someone will change, and most likely it will be you.

Relationships are only successful when they are positionally and directionally together. If you will follow the three principles presented in this devotional, they will guard you against relationships that will be hurtful or damaging.

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

1 Corinthians 8:9
“But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.”

“Liberty” is defined as, “freedom from restraint.” The Corinthians were cautioned by the Apostle Paul to be careful that their liberty didn’t become a “stumblingblock to them that are weak.” His warning was to remind them that just because God gave them liberty didn’t mean that they could live any way that they wanted to live. People were watching them, and they needed to understand that their liberty was given to them to help others.

We live in times when people love to use their soul liberty as an excuse to live like the world. Soul liberty is not an excuse to live a worldly lifestyle. Four things you must keep in mind to keep your liberty from becoming the source to live in earthly stupidity.

First, liberty is not freedom to do what you want. The verse above clearly shows that you have to put restraints on liberty. For instance, I have the liberty to drive a car anywhere I want to go, but that doesn’t mean I should drive on the wrong side of the road. If I take the liberty to drive on the wrong side of the road, I will likely suffer the consequences of an accident and the culpability of the harm I caused to someone else. You can certainly take your liberty and live any way you desire, but you must remember that liberty doesn’t remove the consequences of sin and worldly lifestyles. If you don’t put rules, boundaries and limitations on your liberty, you will find that the actions you chose in your liberty will bring undesirable consequences.

Second, liberty brings responsibility. You have a responsibility not to allow your liberty to become a stumblingblock to another brother. If what you do in your liberty causes a brother to fall into sin, your liberty becomes your liability. Friend, someone is watching you at all times. Be careful that you don’t adopt the mentality that you can do whatever you want to do, and you don’t care what others think. You should care what others think because your actions could influence others to do right or wrong.

Third, liberty makes you a servant to all. 1 Corinthians 9:19 says, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all…” The purpose of your liberty is to become a servant. God gave you the freedom to serve. In other words, your mentality should be one that you don’t have to serve others in the ministry, but your freedom allows you to serve others in the ministry. If I were a slave to one person, I could not serve others. God gave the Christian liberty so that they could become the servant to all. Liberty is the privilege to submit yourself to others so that you can meet their needs.

Fourth, liberty demands self-control. 1 Corinthians 9:27 says, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection…” Your liberty will hurt you if you don’t learn to keep your body under subjection. The only way you will keep your body under subjection so that the lusts of the flesh don’t take control of your liberty is to yield to the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16 tells us, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Christian, God gives you the liberty to yield to His Spirit daily. If you don’t practice self-control, your liberty will place you in bondage. I encourage you to yield yourself to the Spirit of God so you can enjoy the liberty of serving others.

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

1 Corinthians 5:1
“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.”

Several years ago, I worked for the county coroner as a side-job. When we picked up a body, we were instructed to put on surgical gloves. In rare cases, when we picked up someone who died of a communicable disease, we were required to put on full surgical gear so that we didn’t get infected with the same disease. Donning the scrubs didn’t mean that we were better than the person who that body represented, it was simply a precaution to keep us from acquiring the same disease.

The Church of Corinth was the most worldly church you will study in the Scriptures. The verse above shows that they allowed gross sin to take place in the church. In the next few verses, you see that Paul tells the church how to deal with sin. It was as if he was telling them to don the scrubs so that they wouldn’t get infected from the same sin. The four pieces of instruction he gave on how to deal with sin were given to keep them from committing the same sins. You would be wise to follow this instruction and don your spiritual scrubs so that you can keep yourself from sin. Let me show you how to don your spiritual scrubs.

First, keep a right spirit towards sin. Verse 2 says, “And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned…” Instead of gloating about sin, you should mourn that sin has been committed. Be careful about to make sin sound as bad and as ugly as it is. Never laugh or make light of sin; instead, deal with sin as you would deal with a communicable disease.

Second, discipline sin with the right intention. The right intention of discipline is found in verse 5 when it says, “…that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” The purpose of disciplining the sinner is to get them to come back to Christ. You have to deal with sin. To not discipline sin is to tell everyone that sin won’t destroy. You have to punish the sinner, but do it with the attitude to keep them from further sin and to restore them back to Christ.

Third, guard your personal life. Whenever dealing with sin, you must be careful that you don’t fall into the same trap as did the person with whom you are dealing. Verse 6 warns, “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” Don’t think that your little sin is not as serious as another’s “big” sin. All sin grows; therefore, all sin must be dealt with as big sin. You have a better chance of staying away from sin if you will look at the littlest sin as dangerous.

Fourth, keep the right company. Paul warned the church not to “keep company” with those who commit sin. Just like I donned scrubs when picking up diseased bodies, you must learn to stay away from those who openly commit sin. You can’t run with those who commit sin and think they will get better; it never happens that way. The sinner will pull you down to their sin rather than you pulling them up to righteous living. God’s Word is clear when giving the safety warning to not “keep company” with those who openly commit sin.

These four instructions are the spiritual scrubs you should put on when dealing with sin. If you practice God’s directives in these four areas, you will have a better chance of bringing the sinner back to Christ and keeping yourself from sin.

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

Psalm 86:11
“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.”

“Do it because I said to do it.” The problem with this statement is that a young person grows up doing what they do because their parents or pastor told them to do it, and not because they know it is right. When a young person has been taught to do something because their authorities told them to do it without teaching them why they should do it, they will likely go another way when they see the inconsistencies in their authority. The biggest reason young people grow up choosing to live in the world is because they were never taught what God’s Word says. It is truly a teaching problem.

The psalmist says to the LORD, “Teach me thy way…” I believe His desire was to know why the LORD wanted him to live according to the rules and boundaries which were set up in the Scriptures. The word “teach” means, to educate, instruct, train or indoctrinate. This is the responsibility of a parent or spiritual leader. If a leader wants those whom they lead to continue serving the LORD, they need to fulfill their duty as a leader and teach them why they do what they do. Telling someone not to do something or to do something is not enough, they need to be educated or instructed where the Scriptures tell them to do right or wrong. People need to be trained (showing them how to do it) in the way of the LORD. They need to be indoctrinated, or continually reminded, in this way. There are three results if a parent or leader will do this.

First, as a result of being taught the LORD’s way the psalmist said, “I will walk in thy truth…” You will have a much easier time getting your children to do right if you will show them from the Scriptures why something is right or wrong. Don’t be the parent or spiritual leader who just tells people what to do, but show them from the Scriptures where they are supposed to do it. When they learn from the Scriptures what they are supposed to do, they won’t be so quick to leave truth when they see your inconsistencies. If you become the authority for truth instead of the Scriptures, those you lead will hate what you have taught them, even if it is right, when you do wrong or are inconsistent. Being a teacher of the LORD’s way will tremendously help those you lead to do right even when you struggle in those areas.

Second, teaching someone the LORD’s way will unite their heart to yours. The verse above says, “…unite my heart…” Teaching those you lead from the Scriptures what is right and wrong has a way of keeping a close fellowship with them. Teaching someone the way of the LORD means that you are doing that way together. Doing the LORD’s way together creates dialogue and a close relationship. If you feel someone you lead is distant from you, give more time to teaching them the LORD’s way. It will “unite” their heart to yours.

Third, teaching someone the LORD’s way results in their life glorifying the LORD. One day you will look back at those you invested in and will be pleased that you had a part in their life. The parent who took the time to teach their child is the pleased parent who sees their child continuing in the way of the LORD.

Friend, most of our problems with people going wayward is a teaching problem. Invest your time in teaching people the way of the LORD, and you will see better results of those you lead continuing to serve the LORD.

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

Acts 24:16
“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.”

People are constantly trying new exercise programs that are the most beneficial physically, and exercise regimens that are the least time consuming. One reason some choose to exercise is to lose weight, and others exercise to stay physically healthy and in shape. There is no doubt that physical exercise profits any person who regularly exercises.

However, it is sad that people are concerned with staying physically in shape more than they are with the well-being of their spiritual life. There are many Christians who are physically in shape, but their spiritual life is so out-of-shape that they are a walking spiritual heart attack. Just like man has exercise programs to keep you physically in shape, God also has an exercise program to keep the Christian spiritually healthy and in shape. Let me share a few of God’s exercises that will help you to be spiritually in shape and healthy.

The first exercise is keeping a clear conscience with God. The verse above says, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God…” This exercise is achieved by living your daily life to please God. In other words, you need to daily exercise yourself in God’s Word and prayer. You won’t stay spiritually healthy and keep a clear conscience towards God if you don’t daily read His Word and pray. Furthermore, going soul winning is a spiritual exercise that helps the Christian to keep a clear conscience towards God. God’s command to the Christian is to reach the lost. You will never have a clear conscience with God without being a soul winner.

The second exercise is keeping a clear conscience towards man. The latter part of the verse above says, “…to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” Your daily exercise should be to treat everyone in such a manner that you won’t regret it later in life. If you can live your life with a clear conscience towards God, you will succeed in having a clear conscience towards man.

The third exercise is minding your own business. Psalm 131:1 says, “…neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.” This exercise will keep you out of a lot of trouble. Make it your practice not to give your opinions or to trouble yourself with matters that are not in your area of life. This will keep you from getting into squabbles with others, and it will keep you from worry or stress that is caused by meddling in someone’s area that is not your own. Make it your daily exercise to only concern yourself with those things that are your responsibility, and you will find that life is much more enjoyable.

The fourth exercise is living a godly life. Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:7 to “…exercise thyself rather unto godliness.” If you live a godly life, you will find great rewards when you are old. Make it your daily exercise to ask yourself before you do anything, “Would God want me to do this?” This exercise will keep your spiritual life from being controlled by sinful habits and actions.

These exercises will be the most strenuous ones to perform, but they will be more beneficial than any physical exercise performed. Let me encourage you to stay spiritually healthy by starting God’s exercise program today.

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

Acts 19:21
“After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

When reading about Christians in the Scriptures, we must always remember that they are still human. As great as the Apostle Paul was, he still made mistakes from which we can learn. Yes, God used him greatly throughout his ministry, but like all Christians, he made a few mistakes that the LORD allowed us to see so we can learn from them.

One of the mistakes he made is found in the verse above. Paul was so determined to go to Jerusalem for the annual feast that his whole ministry was detoured. Three times in the Book of Acts, Paul didn’t do something because he was “purposed in spirit…to go to Jerusalem.” His determination caused him to leave Ephesus early in Acts 18. In the verse above, his determination caused him to send others to do his work. His determination caused him to miss helping the Ephesian elders to continue to grow in the faith. His determination was so stubborn that He wouldn’t listen to the Holy Spirit’s warning by Agabus. His determination was so stubbornly strong that it caused him to detour.

There is nothing wrong with being determined. In fact, it would greatly help Christianity if Christians would become more determined to serve and please the LORD. However, you cannot allow your stubbornness to control your determination because it will cause you to detour. When your flesh controls your determination, it will lead you down the wrong pathway. What your flesh wants to do may not be bad in and of itself, but if what you are determined to do is not what the LORD wants you to do, your good that you do in the flesh becomes wrong.

Let me caution you always to let the Scriptures be the guide that controls your determination. Yes, it is good to be determined, but make sure that the Scriptures keeps your determination in check. If Paul had allowed the Scriptures to guide his determination, he would have known that it was wrong for him to take a Jewish vow. The Scriptures must always be the hand that controls the reigns of your determination.

Moreover, a deaf determination keeps you from hearing God’s warnings that deter you from harm. Don’t become so determined that you won’t listen to those who warn you. You are walking down a dangerous road when nobody can tell you what to do. Go ahead and be a determined Christian, but listen to the voices of warning that the Holy Spirit brings across your path. When someone warns you, be open in spirit to listen to see if your determination is detouring you from the Scriptures.

Furthermore, a misguided determination always keeps you from seeing what God could have done through you. We will never know what God could have done through the Apostle Paul because of his misguided determination. Remember that misguided determination will detour you from God’s original purpose for your life. God’s original purpose is where you will be used the greatest. Certainly, God will still use you, but misguided determination causes you to miss God’s greatest opportunities for your life. Stay determined, but done be stubbornly determined. Stubborn determination blinds and deafens your ability to see and hear God’s warnings when you are wrong.

by: Dr. Allen Domelle

Acts 4:31
“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

You often hear leaders say that they need to shake things up. When they say this, they are saying that they need to do something drastic to change their current circumstances. Shaking things up gets people out of their apathy and comfortable settings and usually gives enough fear or motivation to get people to get off their seat to do something. The whole reason you shake things up is because something needs to change.

The verse above says, “…the place was shaken where they were assembled together…” The early church needed circumstances to change. They had been threatened and told not to say anything more about Jesus, and they knew they needed something to change. The verse above says, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken…” The answer that changed their circumstances was prayer.

The only answer to shake things up in your life is prayer. Prayer is the only answer to shake things up where you work. When you need things to be shaken up in your marriage, prayer is what you need. When your family is headed the wrong direction and you need to shake things up, you don’t need to lose your temper and go off on a tantrum; you need to find a closet and pray. When your finances have dried up and you are about ready to lose everything, prayer is the only thing that can shake up your financial world. When your church or ministry seems to be existing on a plateau that you can’t overcome, prayer is the answer to shake things up and bust through that ceiling. You will never see things shaken up in your life without prayer.

Friend, prayer ought not to be the last thing you do to shake things up, it ought to be the first thing. I know that we humans often exhaust our own resources before going to prayer, but it should not be that way. When you see the storm clouds coming, it is time to pray.

Prayer is the only thing that shakes up any world. When Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that everyone should fall down and worship his golden image, the three Hebrew children prayed. Darius made a decree that the people could only pray to him, and Daniel knelt as he had before and prayed. Elijah prophesied to Ahab that the drought was going to end, and he prayed again. The early church needed something to change after Jesus ascended to Heaven, and they prayed. It was prayer that shook things up in every one of these circumstances.

Prayer is the only answer to shake up your world. Christian, you will never see things change until you pray. When is the last time you prayed until your world was shaken? You can run to the preacher for help, and there is nothing wrong with that, but have you prayed? You can read books to find the answer to help you with your situation, and there is value in that, but have you prayed? It ought to be said that every time you need something to change in your world that you prayed. If your life is going to shake the world around you, then you must pray. Don’t settle for the norm. It is time to shake up your world, and the only way you are going to do that is through prayer.