Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good, yes He is good. Look at the opportunities He has laid before us. We should get busy right now.
Today’s Prayer
Father, I come to you this day on behalf of my brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere to tell You that we praise You and lift up Your name. Sometimes, we are just overwhelmed and feel so helpless. Problems, circumstances, challenges, burdens for loved ones, concerns for the body of Christ; an overloaded mind, just push us to our mental and physical limits. But You, Oh Mighty One and Light of the World, are there to remind us to let go of all that. You ARE the light that shines in the darkness, our hope, our comfort, our peace, our sustainer, our caretaker. We just want to thank YOU today for that. We don’t stop often enough to reflect on You and to appreciate You. You are worthy of honor and praise. We love You and thank You for everything. In the wonderful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.
Let’s eat.
Resolving the Ownership Issue
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for He founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters. – Psalm 24:1-2
As believers, God calls us to view Him as the owner of everything. We are to be stewards of all that He entrusts to us. This is one of the hardest of all commandments to follow for believers because, if we work hard on our jobs or at our businesses, we receive all the benefits of that work. It appears as though all that we have achieved was through our hand. Yet God says that it is by His hand that we are able to make wealth (see Deut. 8). He is the source of that ability. As soon as we become owners and not managers, we fall into trouble with God.
Joseph understood that he was a steward of all the resources of Egypt. God promoted him to affect an entire region of the world. The bible tells us that Joseph had more power, prestige, and wealth than any 30-year-old who ever lived before him. The temptation for him in this newfound role in life must have been great. Many a man has not been able to handle material success. Many of God’s choicest servants began well in their calling and service to God only to fail at the end. Consider Hezekiah, the great king who achieved many great things but failed to acknowledge God’s blessing at the end of his reign. His reign was cut short due to pride. Gideon’s fate was similar. Success can lead to pride if we aren’t careful.
“Not every man can carry a full cup. Sudden elevation frequently leads to pride and a fall. The most exacting test of all to survive is prosperity” [Oswald Chambers].
Ask the Lord today if you are living as a steward or an owner. Put whatever skills and resources you possess on His altar. Then you can expect God to do great things through you.
Quote of the Day
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. ~Jim Elliot~