Instrument Rated (11)

'The blessing of the Lord makes one rich...' Proverbs 10:22 NKJV

Instrument rated for finances. 

Just when you get ahead a little bit, your car breaks down, your house needs a new roof, and your boiler gives up the ghost. 

We all experience it. 

But the instrument-rated believer can fly through financial storms because he has absolute confidence in his gauges and radio. If he looks at them and doubts their accuracy, he's in serious difficulty. This must all be settled on the ground while he is going through the checklist. He must not take off into the storm if all is not in good order.

When it comes to money matters, check your craft.

Do you know what the Bible really says about your finances?  

To fly through or above a financial storm, you must practise Biblical stewardship, know what God has promised to you, and stand on it in faith.

'Give, and it will be given to you' (Luke 6:38 NKJV). 

Giving is an act of obedience. It honours God. But there are some things God will not do. He will not be generous with you if you have been stingy with Him or others.

The Bible says,
'The blessing of the Lord makes one rich.' 

You ask,

'How rich does God want me to be?' 

That depends on four things: your spiritual maturity, your God-given assignment in life, your willingness to put God in first place when it comes to finances, and exercising your faith.

Giving is like sowing (2 Corinthians 9:6).

When a seed is sown it produces a harvest. But the farmer has to go and get that harvest. Similarly, faith, plus obedience, draws the harvest of God's blessing into your life.

Soul Food: Acts 6-7, Matt 27:26-32, Ps 75, Pro 10:22-23

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 17 April 2014

Instrument Rated (1)

'...You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures...' Matthew 22:29 NIV

Did you know..

that most small-plane crashes are not caused by mechanical failure, but pilot error?

In most cases the pilot was not instrument rated, so he or she depended on two things which can fail you.


Let's look at each: 

(1) Sight.

As long as the pilots can see roads, bridges and landmarks, they can fly safely. But when the storm comes or the fog locks them in, they're in trouble. 

(2) Senses. 

In aviation terms the problem is called 'vertigo'. If you blindfold a person, sit them in a revolving chair, spin it around for several moments, then stop the chair and ask them in which direction they're spinning, they couldn't tell you with certainty. 

There's a sensitive device in our head that's like a carpenter's level. The force of the spinning sends the 'bubble' as far as it can go to one side. When it can go no further it begins to return - even though the person's still spinning in the same direction.So they have the sensation of stopping and beginning to spin in the opposite direction, but it's only a sensation. 

If they were not blindfolded and could see, they could ignore those sensations and would have no difficulty knowing in which direction they are going. It takes many hours of training in simulated storm conditions to develop the ability to confidently fly by the direction of your instruments and ignore your sensations of vertigo.

Understand this: 

as a child of God you must not be led by your sight or by your senses; you must be led only by the Scriptures.

Soul Food: Jer 36:27 - 40:16, Matt 26:14-25, Ps 25:1-7, Pro 9:17-18

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 7 April 2014

Instrument Rated (2)

'The precepts of the Lord are right...giving light to the eyes.' Psalm 19:8 NIV

In their effort to steer around one storm, many pilots end up in another that's even worse. 

But the instrument-rated pilot can fly directly into it. He can be totally 'fogged in', yet watch his instruments and fly without fear. 

But in order to do this he must have many hours of training in simulated storm conditions. Trouble, to him, is normal.

He has gone through it many times and knows what to do in an emergency.  

He knows how to use his radio and receive help from the radar centres.  

He knows how to stay on the radio beams that are criss-crossing the skies for his safety. 

The mountain that suddenly looms before him first shows up on the controller's radar scope, so the controller can guide the straying plane around it.

Actually, if a pilot is not instrument rated, it's illegal for him to be in a storm. 

Why? Because if he hasn't taken the time, or felt it important to do his homework and be prepared, the millions of dollars' worth of equipment is no use to him.

How do you prepare for the storms of life? 

By spending time in God's Word. In-depth knowledge of your Bible is necessary if you're to be 'certified' to navigate life's storms.  

If you wait until trouble comes to find a Scripture to help you, you have waited too long. One Bible teacher says,

'If your mouth will feed your heart faith when you don't need it, your heart will feed your mouth faith when you do.'

Soul Food: Jer 41-44, Matt 26:26-46, Ps 25:8-15, Pro 10:1-3

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 8 April 2014

Instrument Rated (3)

'The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.' Psalm 119:130 NKJV

In order for you to be instrument rated, an instructor will accompany you on your training missions. The instructor will place a long-billed cap on your head, so that all you can see is the instrument panel in front of you. That's because this is all you'll be able to see when you're flying in storm conditions. 

You must learn to work your instruments and radio, doing many turns and being able to bring the plane down within a few feet of the landing strip.

And you must do all this without ever looking to see where you are, without the confirmation of your senses. 

This simulated blindness, causing confusion to the average person, is soon overcome by disciplined training. 

The flights 'under the hood', as the procedure's called, become merely routine flights.

What happens when unprepared Christians are plunged into darkness by the trials of life? 

They begin to question what's happening. 

Everything was going well; all they could see ahead was fair weather.  

But now they've lost their sense of direction because they have not spent time in God's Word. They have not been taught to trust God regardless of what they see or feel, so they get discouraged, sometimes backslide, and sometimes even blame God and get swallowed up in bitterness.

Paul writes to Timothy, 

'Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analysing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth' (2 Timothy 2:15 AMP).

Soul Food: Jer 45-48, Matt 26:47-56, Ps 25:16-22, Pro 10:4-7

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 9 April 2014

Instrument Rated (4)

'...In this world you will have trouble...' John 16:33 NIV

Instrument rated for trouble. 

Pastors and counselors constantly 'pick up the pieces' of the broken lives of those who thought trouble would never come their way, so they didn't prepare for it.  

Paul wrote, 

'We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed...' (2 Corinthians 4:8 KJV). 

Believers live in the same world as non-believers, but they handle it differently. That's because they have a different source, a different strategy, and a different spirit.  

God's promise is: 

'He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him' (Psalm 91:15 KJV).

Some people dwell only on troubles. Others dwell only on deliverance. 

The secret of victory is in accepting that trouble will come, but knowing you're instrument rated to get through it because you've taken the time and training required to handle it scripturally. 

People say, 

'If only I'd known this was going to happen I'd have been ready for it.' 

It's foolish to go looking for trouble, but it's even more foolish not to be prepared for it. 

A wife hears her husband say, 'I'm in love with someone else'.  

A call comes from the police telling you that your son has been caught in a drugs bust.  

Your tearful teenage daughter tells you she's pregnant.

Get ready for trouble, because trouble is getting ready for you! In such times the instrument-rated believer turns to their unfailing source:  

God's Word. 

'He shall deliver you in six troubles: yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine (recession) He shall (deliver) you... You shall laugh at destruction...' (Job 5:19-22 NKJV).

Soul Food: Jer 49-50, Matt 26:57-68, Ps 50:1-15, Pro 10:8-10

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 10 April 2014

Instrument Rated (8)

'Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love...' Ecclesiastes 9:9 NIV

Instrument rated for marriage. 

Today Christian marriages are falling apart at the same rate as non-Christian marriages. And those who go through it need our love, not our condemnation. But clearly, something's wrong that needs to be put right! 

Two of the leading causes of divorce are financial stress and pornography. 

When you become overextended by purchasing things you can't afford and don't need, you're heading into trouble. And when you open your mind to sexual fantasy, you entertain images your mate can't live up to, and your relationship begins to deteriorate.

Solomon writes, 

'Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes' (Song of Solomon 2:15 NKJV). 

Notice the word 'tender'. When we fail to treat one another tenderly, graciously, lovingly, considerately, and with respect, the plane we're flying in together takes a nosedive. 

A neglected partner is vulnerable to anyone who comes along. Resentment wells up and takes over. If God's Word doesn't work in your home and in your marriage, then it won't work anywhere else! 

An instrument-rated Christian 

understands that the secret of having a good marriage is not just in finding the right person, but in becoming the right person. And that can only happen when you make a daily commitment to living by the principles of God's Word and demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22).

The story is told of one spouse who said to the other,

'I never knew what real happiness was until I married you - now it's too late.' 

Unless you want that to be your story, start tending the home fires.

Soul Food: Acts 1:1 - 3:10, Matt 27:11-18, Ps 43, Pro 10:17-18

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Monday, 14 April 2014

Instrument Rated (7)

'Lead me, O Lord...make straight Your way before me.' Psalm 5:8 NIV

Instrument rated for direction. 

The compass has always been the pilot's best friend. Most planes are equipped with two.

How can you know the will of God?

'...A man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul's belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.'" When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done"' (Acts 21:10-14 NLT). 

Notice, the confusion here was not over God's will; that was clear. It was over fear concerning Paul's life. Here we have a perfect example of letting our emotions get in the way of our spirit. It is by our spirit, not our mind, and certainly not our emotions, that we understand the ways and directions of the Lord. 

'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God' (Romans 8:14 KJV).

You must not be led by 

'voices, dreams, and "fleeces"' (see Judges 6:37-40). Sometimes these things support and confirm what you sense in your spirit to be God's will, but they are never to be the sole deciding factor. 

Your compass is God's Word!

Soul Food: Matt 21:1-16, Ps 118:19-29 (Palm Sunday)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Sunday, 13 April 2014

Instrument Rated (6)

'...The Father is seeking such to worship Him.' John 4:23 NKJV

Instrument rated for discouragement. 

God has promised to give you

'...beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness...' (Isaiah 61:3 KJV). 

Satan can't stand it when someone other than himself is receiving praise and honour, so the spirit of heaviness will lift when you begin to praise your God. It will fall off you like a garment. The weight will be gone. Your pity party will turn to a scene of gladness.

Here's something remarkable: 

Jesus said, '...The Father is seeking such to worship Him...in spirit and truth' (John 4:23-24 NKJV).

When you begin to worship God - instead of you seeking Him, He starts seeking you! And since He knows where to find you at all times, He blesses you, strengthens you and causes you to rise above your discouragement. 

You can literally praise your way through the storm! 

When an instructor is teaching a new student to fly, he constantly reminds the student to keep the nose of the plane up. New students are likely to keep the nose of the plane down so they can better see where they are going. Also, the plane has a natural tendency to fall - if you let it.  

When you keep your head up and your eyes on Jesus, your heart begins to rejoice even in the toughest test. It takes effort, but it's worth it.

Remember,

you don't always win every fight in the first round. But if you hang in there and keep answering the bell with praise, you will be victorious. 

Why? 

Because the fight was fixed by Jesus a long time ago.

Soul Food: Joel 1-3, Matt 27:1-10, Ps 56, Pro 10:14-16

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Saturday, 12 April 2014

Instrument Rated (9)

'...Bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.' Ephesians 6:4 NIV

Instrument rated for parenthood. 
Parents today face unique problems that no other generation has.




But God's Word is timeless, so: 

(1) Enforce discipline. 

'Whom the Lord loves He corrects...' (Proverbs 3:12 NKJV). 

Teach your child that every decision has consequences. And don't rescue them from their consequences, for life won't let them off the hook when they do wrong. 

(2) Teach them God's ways. 

'Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it' (Proverbs 22:6 NKJV). 

Give your child a taste of the things of God when they are young, and when they're older the world won't be able to satisfy their taste. 

(3) Commit them to the Lord. 

This isn't easy; it's like allowing them to take the family car out for the first time. But there comes a point where God, not you, must speak to them and guide them.

They'll either learn the easy way or the hard way. And even if they do go astray, God promises that they'll come back again (Jeremiah 31:16-17).

So pray, 

'Lord, they're Yours now. I've taught them and set an example, now I give them to You. Deal with them according to Your perfect will'.

Does that mean everything will be OK from that point on?  

Maybe, and maybe not.  

But like a pilot who flies according to his instruments, you must stand on the Word of God for your children.

Soul Food: Exo 12:1-14, 1 Cor 11:23-29, Ps 69:7-21, Deut 21:22-23 (Passover)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Instrument Rated (10)

'...I am the Lord who heals you.' Exodus 15:26 NKJV

Instrument rated for sickness. 

Many a healthy person has been cut down in the prime of life by cancer, heart attack, stroke, or some other debilitating disease.  

But there's a way to be ready for this storm, a way not paved with fear, a way that has so prepared you that you can hear the diagnosis of your doctor and still have a sense of God's peace in your heart. 

You know what your instrument panel, the Bible, says about it. You know what to do, how to act, and what to say. You've been prepared for this moment.

Now, if a pilot hasn't faithfully maintained his aircraft, then it will go down in the storm no matter what his instrument panel tells him. So if you have taken good care of your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit, then you can go to God with confidence, standing on His Word and asking Him to heal you. 

Eventually we will all die of something, but you don't have to die before your time.  

God has promised us 'long life' (Psalm 91:16).  

The Bible says, 

'He... healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: "...He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses"' (Matthew 8:16-17 NKJV).

You say, 'I know some good Christians who prayed for healing, and didn't get it.'  

That's true. And the most spiritually mature among us can't explain why.  

God stamps some things: 'Will explain later!'  

But as long as you're living, you must stand on the Word of God, which says,

'I am the Lord who heals you'.

Soul Food: Acts 3:11 - 5:42, Matt 27:19-25, Ps 127, Pro 10:19-21

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 16 April 2014

Instrument Rated (5)

'...Do not be dismayed, for I am your God...' Isaiah 41:10 NIV

* Instrument rated for depression. 

Depression, if left unchecked, can cause you to do crazy things, like walk away from a good job or a healthy marriage, or turn to alcohol and drugs.  

The dictionary defines depression as 'to be flattened vertically or dispirited'.  

 Now you know why sometimes you don't want to get out of bed in the morning.

The word 'depression' is not mentioned in Scripture.

The closest definition to it is 'heavy weight'. 

'Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad...' (Proverbs 12:25 ESV).

* The toughest battles you will ever fight will be those with your own mind. 

What's the answer?  

Start speaking God's Word - out loud! 

'For He Himself has said, 

"I will never leave you nor forsake you". 

So we may boldly say: 

"...The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me"' (Hebrews 13:5-6 NKJV)? 

Pastor Sarah Utterbach points out: 

'People say, "The Lord has promised never to leave me nor forsake me", then they go right back to discussing their problem. In so doing they invalidate the power of what God said.  

The Holy Spirit is authorised to act on God's Word when you begin to say what God has said.' When you dwell on your problem, it's like a pilot flying by sight and senses.  

But when you agree with God's Word and begin to stand on it, you're flying by your instrument panel.

So get into God's Word, get God's Word into you, and start speaking it over your situation. 

'My Word...will not return to Me empty...but will...achieve the purpose for which I sent it' (Isaiah 55:11 NIV).

Soul Food: Jer 51-52, Matt 26:69-75, Ps 50:16-23, Pro 10:11-13

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Friday, 11 April 2014