Little Things Part 4

One of the saddest things that happens in life is to see others fail.
None of us want too, none of us plan too.

I've discovered from the stories in the Bible that it's easy for good men to fail.
If it can happen to them, it can happen to me. It's one of the reasons I believe we all must be proactive in accountability.
It's not just enough to hope or wish or pray and believe that you be a person of character, you have to be active in putting systems and processes in place to keep your character in tact.

Life principle number four, "little things always affect others."

Philippians 2:3,4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

In the verses above there is heavy emphasis to value the needs and interests of others above personal needs and desires; the reason is because there is a link between placing values on others and how we act.

If we truly count the cost of our actions before we do them and consider the effects our actions have on others, then it would cause us to reevaluate the little things (or what we consider little) we do.
How many marriages, families, businesses, churches, lives would be whole and happy and successful because someone stopped and counted the cost for their actions by thinking how it affected someone else.

Song of Solomon 2:15 "It's the little foxes that spoil the vine."
Little things don't stay little.
Little things hamper the power of God in our lives.
Little things should not be despised.
Little things always affect others.

Little Things Part 3

Principle one: Little things don’t stay little.

Principle two: Little things hamper the power of God in our lives.

When Jesus tells the story about the master who gives three of his servants different amounts of money to take care of, he makes the statement about the two who acted wisely with their amount, he says, “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.” (Matthew 25:23)

In this parable, Jesus, is unfolding the principle in life that “we are managers” and it’s how we manage what we’ve been given that determines how much we will govern in the future.

In my travels I’ve met many “if-only” people. “If only” I had that type of church, “if only” I had that type of youth budget, “if only” I had those talents and abilities, “if only” I had that type of money, if only, if only, if only……

If only is never the real issue because it allows the focus to be in the wrong area. If we really got all our “if only” wishes then we would think it’s all about us and that it’s all ours; when it’s not. Everything comes from God, everything is His; we just manage what he’s given us.

In the parable, it was the master that gave different amounts to the servants. It was then up to the individual how they managed it. Good managers not only made more, they were entrusted with more in the future.

Life principle numbers three when it comes to little things, “little things should not be despised.”

In the story of David and Goliath, after Saul tells David to put on his armor to fight Goliath, David does but the armor didn’t fit and the verse that follows points us back to the little thing principle. (1 Samuel 17:40) “Then HE took HIS staff in HIS hand; and HE chose for HIMSELF five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in HIS shepherd’s bag, in HIS pouch which HE had, and HIS sling was in HIS hand. And HE drew near to the Philistine.”

Everything we have has been given to us by God. He has given us everything we need to accomplish His will for our life. Don’t despise the little things. Whatever “little” is to you: your youth ministry, your church, the class you teach, your job, income, talent, ability; thank God for the opportunity to manage it for Him. Like my friend, Song Flagler says, “Appreciating the little things will keep us in a constant state of thanksgiving."

When we are thankful and take care of the little things God has given us to manage; He gives us more because He sees we've been faithful with what He has already given us.

Little Things Part 2

At certain times of the year there are words none of us like to hear. In April it’s the word “taxes."

During the holidays it’s the word “debt” and when you were younger it was “cuties.”

But year round there is perhaps one word in the English language that none of us enjoy hearing regardless of age, and that’s the word “obey.”

In Exodus 3, we see God calling Moses to destiny; the burning bush encounter. Moses then goes to his father-n-law to tell him the news and starts heading to Egypt. Then we read in just a few verses later, “And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him.” (Exodus 4:24)

As we read, we discover the reason why. Oh, and keep in mind the God of the universe who knows everything, who knew the “issue” before He called Moses in Exodus 3:4, still called Moses.

“Then Zipporah, Moses’ wife, took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses^] feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision." (Exodus 4:25)

She knew what the issue was, not obeying God’s command about circumcision

Life principle number two when it comes to little things; “little things hamper the power of God in our lives.”

Moses was a Hebrew and knew that all Hebrew boys were to be circumcised. His son was not, and really if you listen closely you can understand why he wasn’t. You can hear the reasoning at the dinner table. Zipporah, who was not Hebrew tells Moses, “I don’t want that done to my son, besides Moses, you’ll never see your people again, what’s the point?” At the time I’m sure this made sense to Moses. He had no plans to return.

What seemed like a little thing at the time now has become a big problem.

Sound familiar?

Isn’t that true how we justify and rationalize our reasons for not obeying?

The problem is, we are not God. We don’t see everything and know what the future holds. How we choose to obey God’s commands either facilitates or hamper the power of God in our lives.

Choose today to not allow any little act of disobedience to hamper the power of God in your life. Remove those seemingly harmless little justifications for sin or self pleasures that grieve God and allow the power of God to flow through you to fulfill the call He has for you.

Live out your destiny in power.