Issue #1,164 August 28,2004 Success
There was no Gleanings yesterday due to technical difficulties on this end.
We had a cowboy church meeting last night. The turnout was small (14 people)
but it was a time of blessing. Someone asked if the small turnout was disheartening.
Not at all!
You see, we often use the wrong criteria for success. Success in God's eyes isn't
in the size of the ministry work. It's not in the number of programs. It's not
in how well known a work is. It's not even whether or not a given ministry survives.
Success in the eyes of God comes from the fact that we walk in obedience. He
alone knows what the end results of our efforts are to be. We're confident that
the cowboy church is what God has called us to be doing and that He will bless
the work. If it doesn't get off the ground, or even if it grows to have 1,000
people in attendance, it's only successful if it's God's plan. Big or small, we
will run with it until God says it's time to stop. Big or small we'll stop when
He says it's time to stop.
The Scriptures are full of examples of success God's way, and success the world's
way. Only His way is pleasing.
In the days of Jeremiah the prophet, the Lord called for judgement on the people
of Israel, and made Jeremiah the bringer of the bad news. His ministry was to
warn the people. God gave Jeremiah a very strange command.
So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not
plead with me, for I will not listen to you
Jeremiah 7:16 NIV
God knew the hearts of the people would not turn. His commission to Jeremiah
was to be a prophet for life and see to all human standards his life wasted. Yet
whatever the world may have thought, Jeremiah was obedient and was a success in
the eyes of God.
Noah preached his entire life without a convert outside his family. He was a
joke as far as the entire world was concerned. He was a success in the eyes of
God.
Saul was a zealous persecutor of the church. In the eyes of the Jewish community
he was a very successful man. Later in life, after he became known as the apostle
Paul, he writes about his past life:
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more:
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting
the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my
profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything
a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for
whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
Philippians 3:4-8 NIV
Yet he came to know that all he had done outside of Christ was meaningless.
By the standards of the world Ananias and Saphira were very generous. They sold
all they had and gave most of it to the church. Yet God knew their hearts and
they were harshly punished for their deceit.
God's barometer of success is strictly obedience combined with a willing heart.
Come judgement day I think we'll be surprised. There will be founders of mega
churches who will be found wanting in God's eyes. There will be great church leaders
sitting amongst the goats. On the other hand there will be pastors of tiny flocks
that no one ever heard of, and people with tiny obscure ministries that will be
exalted by Father.
Every day, we need to examine our hearts. Is this what I'm to do today God? If
the answer is yes, keep on doing it even if the world (or many in the church)
feels that it's pointless. If the answer is no, it's time to stop, even if we
think we're at the top.
Don't be frustrated if you're walking in obedience and things aren't quite working
out the way you planned. Last night a friend of mine made an observation she heard
from a preacher, which ran along the lines of "If God ordered it, He'll pay for
it." Basically that means that if it's God's plan, He'll make it work. If it's
not, nothing will make it right.
Our goal is to please God not man. His ways are not our ways. Why would we expect
His measures of success to be the same as ours.
Until next time, walk in the path that God has given you. Check it out frequently
and stay the course. He will bless the work, in His way and in His timing.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed
Kevin
Never let the enemy tell you that you are worthless or insignificant. You have
value in the eyes of God so great that it was worth dying for. You are a blessing
to the world. You are so precious to God that heaven will not be complete without
you.
HELP FOR THE HURTING
In the same way that God's criteria for success is different from the world's,
the value He places on people is different than the world at large. He knows you
have messed up big time, but He still loves you. He doesn't care what labels people
have put on you or you have put on yourself. He stands ready to forgive you, and
to make you one of His own children. All that is needed is a willing heart on
your part and a step forward to make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life. Will
you do that today?
If you want to know how to do that simply email us and we'll send you some Bible
verses that will explain it to you.
You can simply begin the relationship by honestly and completely opening your
heart; admitting you need God's help; turning away from your sin and saying a
prayer along the lines of the one below. There isn't any "magic" in the prayer;
it's simply a way to open up to the gift that Jesus already bought for you with
His very life. You can't earn it. You don't deserve it. He freely offers it to
all who will accept it.
Jesus:
I have made many mistakes in my life and done things I am not proud of. I have
sinned. I need your love and forgiveness. I believe that you came into this world
and gave your life on a cross to pay for my sins and that you defeated death and
rose again. Please forgive me, and be the Lord of my life. I give my life to you
Lord.
Amen
If you pray this prayer for the first time let me know so I can rejoice with
you. It's not the end of the process. It is the beginning of a wonderful journey
to become more like Jesus. It's your starting point.
NEED PRAYER? GOT QUESTIONS?
If you're in need of prayer or answers to questions about the faith email us
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