What does 2014 hold for us? For a long time now at the end of each year, I go to the Lord and try to get a sense of priorities we will have to hold and address the next year. Here are some things I feel the Lord is speaking for 2014: 1) Faithfulness is going to be rewarded this year! While this began in 2013 for some it will increase through 2014. Many people who have slogged it out in battle & got a victory will be blessed or promoted. People who have hung in there, not given up & persisted in doing the right thing every day are being rewarded IN THIS life! (Luke 16:10-13) Little things are a big deal & what we do for the Lord day in, day out is a big deal. Our culture celebrates appearance and celebrity not substance. But our lifestyle consists of making good choices and doing the little things right. The big breakthroughs happen only because of the day to day plodding along that gets us to that point. Benjamin Franklin included a version of this proverb below,preceded by the words, “A little neglect may breed great mischief”, in Poor Richard’s Almanack in 1758. “For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe, the horse was lost. For want of a horse, the rider was lost. For want of a rider, the battle was lost. For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost, And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.”
During WWII ,this verse was hung on the wall of the Anglo-American Supply Headquarters in London to remind everyone of the critical importance of the seemingly trivial repair parts and inventory replenishment. Little things are a big deal! 2) It is incumbent on us to follow through because what good is a promise w/o delivery?We are trained to think for something to work it much be big and splashy, but if crucial details are left out or unfinished, it is a hollow shell. Promises mean nothing w/o follow through. We may assume the implementation will be no biggie. But in the real world,when implemented, things never quite look like we imagine! A good idea poorly executed can ruin the best idea. There is a business term for this: GIPE or Good idea, poorly executed. The church has been coming up with good ideas but we instead must first run with God’s ideas: to preach the gospel, disciple the nations, heal the sick, cast out demons,etc. (Mt 10:7-9) There is no better plan than God’s to change a person, home, city and nation! While more believers will be having great ideas with the proliferation of knowledge & the many tools available, if the follow through is not thought through, even the excellent idea will seem lame. If we don’t pay attention to the details, we may lose the whole war! 3) This will be a year to learn to enter God’s rest. Rest is a cessation from working out of our own strength and agreeing with God, then doing His works. Deut 5:13 The 4th commandment is to honor the Sabbath and keep it holy. Israel instituted the sabbath day and also a sabbath year to let farmland rest. “Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest.” – Hebrews 4:1 Many of us will have to intentionally slow down to hear how to do the things we need to do. Our ADHD culture is largely due to our mental overload we have with all our devices and too much information! Knowing more doesn’t help us rest. God warned us about the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The Lord’s presence is rest. WE don’t need more information, we need to help get the body in formation and advancing! Other circumstances/things will decide things for you if not. (continued in Part II) |
AuthorPastor Marc Lawson Archives
July 2018
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AboutThere are 168 hours in every week. The 166 Factor is the answer to the question: "Who are you the OTHER 166 hours a week when you are NOT in church?" Join the community here as we will be discussing this and other topics related to Reformation in the Church, The End of Church (As We Know It) & The 166 Lifestyle.
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