It is good to receive

 

Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life. And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life-this is indeed a gift from God. God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past" (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NLT).

So what does this mean to you today? I will once again focus on the phrase "It is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it."

1. You cannot manipulate God. While I am 100% convinced that sickness and poverty are not from God, I am equally convinced that we don't get to tell God what to do. If you got to tell God what to do, then you would be God's God, and let me assure you that you are not. So you cannot spot a Rolls Royce and then magically say, "God, I command you to give me a Rolls Royce." Or, "God, you said you would give me the desires of my heart. My desire is for a yacht. Therefore, I receive a yacht by faith, in Jesus' name." Once again, faith is not about you telling God what to do. Faith is not about you attempting to get God to put a yes on your plans. Faith is about submission and surrender. Faith is about God attempting to get you to put a yes on His plans. God will freely give you everything you need to accomplish His Kingdom plans and purposes in the earth. Millions or billions are nothing to God. Solomon was a billionaire. But just remember that God is not your servant and He is not obligated to give you everything you come up with to satisfy your selfish desires. Don't pursue things. Pursue "your thing" (your purpose) and things will pursue you.

2. You minister to others out of your overflow. Jesus got up every morning focused on the Father and open to do whatever the Father led Him to do that day. This led to a life of purpose and service. Jesus spent His days ministering to the needs of others. Here's my point: Jesus could not spend His time focused on others if He was personally struggling. I am not going to be focused on allowing God to use me to be a blessing to another marriage if my marriage is falling apart. It will be hard for me to hear from God in order to help someone else with their children, if I am 'pulling my hair out' because of my own kids. I probably won't be apt or open to helping someone out financially if I cannot pay my own bills. Jesus ministered out of His overflow; meaning that His needs were met and He was free to be a blessing to others. He could minister peace, because He had overwhelming peace. He could minister love, because He was love personified. He could minister healing, because He was not sick or bedridden Himself. Guess what? Jesus said we would do what He did and even greater works (John 14:12). That's why God is not opposed to giving us more than we need. When we have more than we need we are prime candidates to be used of God to be a blessing. If you say, "All I want is enough for me." What you are saying to God is that you are only focused on yourself. God wants to bless you TO BE a blessing, but if you are only focused on yourself, you are too selfish to see the greater opportunity for God to impact the world through you.

3. The real answer to poverty is the Word, not money. In Luke 7 John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin, found himself in jail and he was upset that Jesus was not coming to get him. He sent his disciples to go and ask His cousin this question: "Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?" This is obviously a question birthed out of frustration, because John knew who Jesus was. But let's look at Jesus' response. Jesus said, "Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard-the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor." Did you see it? Look again. Jesus always ministered the answers to life's problems. What did Jesus minister to the blind? The ability to see. What did Jesus minister to the lame? The ability to walk. What did Jesus minister to lepers? Clean skin. What did Jesus minister to the deaf? The ability to hear. What did Jesus minister to the dead? Resurrection/life. And what did Jesus minister to the poor? Your first response is probably to think it was money. But Jesus never gave the poor money. He ministered to their needs, but He did not give them money. Jesus gave them the WORD! He said, "The Good News is being preached to the poor", not money. You see, you can give a poor person money or meet their immediate need, but if you don't change their heart and mind, they will need the same hand out the next day. Jesus' answer to poverty is the Word. If we can get the Word down inside a person, then they will find their divine purpose and their purpose will lead them out of poverty.

 

 

God has the ability to do all that He has promised.

God has the ability to do all that He has promised.

20 Yet, looking to the promise of God, he didn’t waver through unbelief,
but grew strong through faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. Romans 4:20-21 

This is an amazing picture of one man's simple faith in the faithfulness of his God. Just prior to these verses in Romans 4, Paul is talking about Abraham and how he hoped against hope in the face of impossible circumstances.

God had promised Abraham a son to be born by his 90 year old wife, Sarah. Though Abraham himself was nearing 100 years old, and his aged body was hardly in the right condition to have children, he believed what God had promised.

The NIV Bible says verses 20-21 this way... 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (NIV)

Abraham didn't waver in his faith but was fully persuaded that God had the power to do all that He promised. Always remember that when God makes a promise to us, He has the power to perform what He has promised, no matter how impossible the circumstances!

Who would have thought that this simple act of faith by an old man and an old woman so many thousand of years ago would have such ripple effects throughout history! Because of Abraham's faith that God was who He said He was, we are reaping the benefits today.

What has God promised you? You never know what ripple effects there might be because of your simple obedience to believe that God has power to do all that He has promised! Don't waver through unbelief today, but believe with all your heart in the faithfulness and power of the One who made the promise.

Divine purpose

 King Solomon, a man who had access to both divine wealth and divine wisdom, said this about wealth, health and life:

"Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good.  It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.  And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it.  To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life-this is indeed a gift from God.  God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past" (Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 NLT).  

I want to focus in on the phrase "accept your lot in life".  Solomon uses this phrase twice and I will share a few nuggets from this point.

1.  You were born for a reason, that reason is your divine purpose, and you will never find true success in life until you discover and accept your purpose.

2.  Purpose cannot be developed, it must be discovered, because God developed it before the world began.

3.  True success can only be realized when your FIND, FOLLOW and FINISH your divine assignment.  Said another way, if you want to be successful in life you must DISCOVER, DEVELOP and then DEPLOY into your purpose.

4.  Running from your calling will not change your assignment.  Your calling will still be waiting on you when you are tired of running.

5.  Jeremiah thought he was too young for his assignment (to be a prophet), but God promised to put His words in Jeremiah's mouth.  Jeremiah simply needed to provide the mouth and God would fill it with the words.  Like Jeremiah, God will manifest provision for His vision for your life.  But like Jeremiah you must accept God's assignment, your "lot in life," in order to become successful.

6.  Gideon saw himself as the weakest man from the weakest clan in all of Israel.  God called him a champion, but he saw himself as a coward.  Gideon had to accept his assignment, his "lot in life," in order to become successful.  Once he did, he was converted and he led a mighty revolution.

7.  While the Apostle Paul was known as Saul of Tarsus he was on the opposite side of God's best for his life.  He was sincere, but sincerely wrong.  God revealed Himself to Saul and talked to him about his divine purpose.  Saul had to accept his assignment, his "lot in life," in order to find true success.  God converted him from Saul of Tarsus to the Apostle Paul and he went on to make the greatest impact in the first century church.

8.  God approached a young girl (Mary) who was engaged to be married and revealed her divine assignment to her.  She had been selected, completely by God's unearned grace, to be the mother of Jesus.  Mary had to accept her assignment, her "lot in life," in order to find true success in the fulfillment of her purpose.

9.  God delivered the nation of Israel from Egypt and He offered them the Promised Land, Canaan.  This was a land flowing with milk and honey.  But the nation of Israel believed the 10 doubting spies instead of the two believing ones.  They wound up putting a "NO" where God had already put a "YES."  They failed to accept their assignment, their "lot in life," and millions died in the wilderness because of it.

10.  The Rich Young Ruler received a great offer from Jesus.  He is the only man documented in scripture that Jesus said, "Follow me" to, who turned down the offer.  Jesus was offering this man a position as one of His disciples, but the man refused and walked away sad.  There is no telling what would have happened had he accepted the offer.  Don't do as he did.  Accept God's assignment for your life and walk out your divine purpose.  You will be glad you did.  

11.  Once you make an alignment with God's assignment for your life, you position yourself to have free and unfiltered access to God's grace to do would you could never be able to do on your own.

Submitting

To submit to another is seen by many as a negative idea. Everyone wants to be the leader. Nobody wants to be told what to do. But the reality for Christians is, submitting to God is the best thing for us!

Jesus acted on this truth as He walked in God’s will before going to the cross. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus struggled and wept over what was about to happen. Three times He pleaded with His Father for this suffering to be taken from Him. But He trusted His Father and submitted:“Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

When you and I choose to become followers of Jesus, we must also submit to His authority. We are no longer the masters of our own lives. And that should be a cause for celebration because the Creator of the universe is now looking after us! While submitting might be difficult at times, God wants us to come to a place where we say, “I delight to do Your will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8).

Are you having trouble letting God take control of an area of your life? Submit to Him completely and you’ll receive the greatest blessing of all: that His perfect plan for you can be carried out in your life!

The Father says

The Father says today tap into the composure afforded you in Christ. The real you is never stressed out or extended beyond your measure. The real you is at one with Me. The real you is seated with Christ in heavenly places. The real you cannot be discouraged, defeated, dismayed or frightened in any way. I am THE rock therefore you are a rock. I am immovable therefore you are immovable. I am with you says the Father, fear not neither be dismayed.

Put on the FULLNESS of CHRIST today. Say within your heart "I shall ascend in worship and descend in warfare." Open your heart, spread the wings of your spirit and wend you way to the throne. The entitlements of the cross await you. The signet ring of My authority is available. The robe of righteousness. The staff of My strength. All hell trembles at the thought of one believer possessing their possession and walking in all that heaven affords. Be THAT believer this day says the Father. Accept My favor and know it as that which the blood that was shed affords you in this life. 

God wants you to rely on His grace

(Gen 3:19 NLT) By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return."

God wants you to rely on His grace.  By God's grace you can work hard doing what He has called you to do, but you can do it without getting overwhelmed, overloaded or stressed out.

Have you ever heard the phrase "By the sweat of your brow"?  It comes from our verse for today, which is Gen 3:19.  In Genesis chapter three Adam and Eve sinned.  This caused God to curse the serpent, the man and the woman.  The curse God spoke over Adam was that he was going to have to work hard for his food.  Prior to sin event Adam received everything by God's unearned grace.  God had given Adam purpose, power, partnership and parameters.  Adam lived in abundance.  Adam and Eve's only physical need was food and they had an entire Garden (more like a forest) to eat from.  They had more than they would ever need and it was all given to them by God's unearned grace.  However, Adam violated the one rule he had and his sin caused him to lose it all.  Adam was cursed, kicked out of the Garden, and forced to WORK for everything he was going to get.  Another translation reads, "You will work hard for your food, until your face is covered with sweat.  You will work hard until the day you die, and then you will become dust again.  I used dust to make you, and when you die, you will become dust again."  

So what does this mean to you?  A few things.

1.  Prior to the fall Adam was experiencing The Blessing.  He had communion with God, companionship with his wife, abundance and authority.  Adam was living the good life and everything he had was given to him by God's unearned grace.

2.  When Adam sinned he lost access to The Blessing.  Adam was cursed, kicked out of the Garden, and forced to WORK hard for everything he was going to get.

3.  The curse God spoke over Adam was that he (and man in general) was going to have to work hard for his food and earn his provision by the sweat of his brow.  Hard work by human effort, without the grace of God, is part of the curse and NOT The Blessing.

4.  Jesus came to redeem us, to get us out of everything Adam got us into.  Jesus did not redeem us back to Abraham, He redeemed us all the way back to Adam, prior to the fall and prior to the curse.  We are not supposed to earn everything we achieve in life now by hard work alone, relying solely on human effort, earning things through the sweat of our brow.  No.  That is not a picture of God's best.  

5.  God still expects us to work, because Adam was working prior to the fall.  God gave Adam a job before he gave him a wife.  But the way in which Adam was working before the fall, under The Blessing, was completely different than afterwards.  

-- Before the fall of man Adam worked, but he enjoyed grace based success.  Adam walked with God in the cool of the day, he received revelation concerning what to say and how to say it, and God blessed everything he put his hands to do.  

-- After the fall Adam was left on his own, working hard by human effort alone, and he had to sweat to earn everything he received.  

-- Which picture do you think God expects you to identify with?  Adam in the Garden or Adam after he was kicked out of the Garden?  I submit to you that God wants you to identify with Adam in the Garden of Eden.  That is the life He wants you to live.  God wants you to experience success, but success His way, graced based, with His favor on your work, so that you don't rely on yourself and your own ability to accomplish what God has called you to do.

Are you misunderstood

At every turn, Jesus was misunderstood and rejected. As John 1:11says, He “came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” So how did Jesus endure this unfair treatment, and how can you and I resist the urge to fight back when we are rejected too?

When Jesus started His ministry, everyone seemed to love having Him around – as long as He continued to heal the sick and feed the masses. But the moment He challenged them with the principles of God’s Kingdom, they forsook Him: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66).

And even those disciples who continued with Jesus didn’t really understand His true mission. At least seven times Jesus told them about His death on the cross and the resurrection. Yet, they still didn’t get it. Peter even tried to rebuke Jesus for talking so much about His death!

While He was on the cross, Jesus still had patience and a love for those who didn’t understand Him. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34).

Do you sometimes feel misunderstood and maligned by those around you? Do they look down on you for your faith in Christ and your commitment to your Christian walk? Let Jesus be your example and ask Him to help you to always have patience and a forgiving heart toward others.