Tag: success

God’s Response to How We Manage What We Have Been Given

Luke 16:10
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

While it is generally understood that this passage is about the poor money management of the underperforming steward, it also places focus on every resource that we have been given. The message can be taken down to the very basic level of how obedient we are in carrying out even the smallest of tasks that the Lord has put on our hearts to do.

As a parent or employer, the assessment of how our children or employees carry out their tasks is the basis for our decisions concerning assigning them greater responsibilities in the future. As a good parent or good employer, we want the best for those under our care. We want to see them succeed. Because we view their position from a higher level, we know that we should only give them greater responsibility when they have shown that they are ready to handle it.

It is in this same way that Almighty God gives us more of anything, whether it be material things or greater responsibility. Everything that we have belongs to God. We only have the use of it. He will only bless us to the extent that we have proven through our obedience that we are ready to handle more than He has already provided.

Let us learn service from the Son of God. Let us go to the Father before acting on anything. Let us carry out His will for our lives through the power and grace of the Holy Spirit. Let us gain much by being good stewards of what we have been given and by being obedient in the smallest of things.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your loving patience with us as we struggle to properly manage all that You have given us. We ask forgiveness for the times that we have squandered the gifts that we have been provided. We pray that the Holy Spirit will guide us in being good stewards of our blessings. We rejoice in knowing that with every act of obedience that You are ready to graciously release more to us. We pray, Father, that we will come to a place where we are obedient in every small thing that You place before us. May our eyes be opened that we may see Your ways, and not our own, in all that surrounds us. We ask all these things in the name of the source of all provision, Jesus Christ.

Setting Our Hearts to Please the Father

Psalm 40:8
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

When David spoke of his desire to follow God’s will for his life, he was patterning himself after Jesus. Jesus did nothing without giving full consideration to the will of the Father. Both Jesus’ and David’s hearts were set on pleasing the Father. Each complied cheerfully.

If we start a new exercise regimen because we want the quick body changes “guaranteed” in the rave reviews, we may find ourselves struggling to maintain the new regimen for any extended period of time. On the other hand, if we start the new exercise program because we have a passion for a happier, extended life to enjoy with our loved ones, we are more likely to get into the new regimen eagerly and consistently because of the higher purpose that drives our success.

When we seek to be faithful in following all of the commandments with the single purpose of avoiding sin, we are certain to struggle because our purpose is not high enough. We must find our passion in the higher purpose of establishing our covenant with Jesus not with the law.

Let us seek to know Jesus so intimately that we can enjoy His peace, His beauty, His mercy, His loving kindness and most of all share in His delight in pleasing His Father in heaven. Let us learn to count it as joy to give up the things of the world for the glory of Our Heavenly Father.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us so much that You gave us Your Son to come down from heaven to fulfill the law. We bless the name of Jesus for His perfect obedience in doing Your will. We ask that the Holy Spirit will help us to set our hearts upon Jesus instead of upon the law. Oh Lord, we pray that we may take up our crosses daily with the same delight and pleasure that Jesus did when He fulfilled Your will for His life. We ask all these things in the name of the One who is faithful and true, Jesus Christ.

Trusting That the Lord Will Prepare the Hearts of Those We are Trying to Reach

Matthew 28:19
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

How many did you win? How many did you sell? How much profit did you make? These are the clamorings of men and women who trying to measure their success against their perceived plans.

Sometimes it pours over into the things we do in service to Our Lord. How many attended the 11am service? How much did we collect at the offering? How many responded to the altar call? How many were baptized? Man’s desire to satisfy/gratify his own need is insatiable.

Man’s desire to convert God’s work to his own plan is a common practice. Our Heavenly Father has a different plan. Almighty God does not call us to results. Jesus did not tell His disciples to go out and win souls. He asked them to go out and teach the people about having a relationship with Him.

Jesus did not give His disciples a quota, nor does He give us one. He simply asks that we teach the world around us about the relationship that we have with Him.

Let us go out and develop relationships with others so that they will be interested in knowing our story. Let us be prepared to tell them about Our King and His saving grace. Let us trust in the Lord to inspire our listeners to receive His eternal gift.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, we rejoice in knowing that it is Your will that no man shall perish. We thank You for providing the way, the truth and the life that is in Your Son, Jesus. We pray, Father, that You will use us to teach the world about Your wonderful salvation plan. We ask for the grace to set aside our own personal desires and plans so that we may fully submit to the perfect will and plan that You have for our lives. Through the presence and power of Jesus in our lives, may we make disciples of others. We ask all these things in the name of the One who shall have dominion, Jesus Christ.