Pursuing the wrong things…….

THOUGHT OF THE DAY.

“He who tills the land shall be satisfied with bread, but he who follows

worthless pursuits is lacking in sense and is without understanding. “

Proverbs 12:11

 

As I read this verse a few days ago a thought came to me.

Am I following “worthless pursuits”?

In other words, what things/activities am I using my time on that have

no benefit to me in any way??

 

A few things came to mind.

 

The word is very clear, he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense and is

without understanding.

I know God has things for me to do and understanding would be to pursue

those things with reckless abandon.

 

“He who tills his land shall be satisfied with bread” is what the word tells us.

When I focus specifically on the things God has for me and I do them things will

happen for me.

But when I take my focus off those things and fix them on

worthless pursuits is when things become tricky.

 

Let’s look at another version of this verse,

 

“A hard-working farmer has plenty to eat. People who waste time will always

be poor. (Good news translation)

 

I love this translation.

Worthless pursuits are sure to do one thing, and that is to waste our time.

We need to stop following worthless pursuits if we are going to accomplish

the purpose Yeshua has for us.

 

This my challenge to me and my challenge to you!

We need to take a look at what’s eating our time and cut it out of our life.

We need to stop following worthless pursuits.

There have been a few things I have cut out of my life but there is still

so much more to be cut out.

What about you?

What worthless pursuits are you following?

Ask Yeshua to help you with this. Without Him you won’t be able to stop

anything.

 

Bless you friends

 

Rolain

 

 

Persistence vs Friendship. Part 1

There is something God taught me that I would like to share with you. It is actually a principle that I try to live by as consistently as I can.

PERSISTENCE WILL GET YOU WHAT FRIENDSHIP CAN’T!

Persistence is very important in a person’s life. Can you say that you are persistent in all that you do? Believe it or not but there is power in persistence.

Jesus tells a story about persistence and in this context, prayer. In Luke 11:5-10 He tells a story about a man who in need of bread goes to his friend at midnight. Even though he has a legitimate reason we read that the friend will not get up to give him bread. This is his friend who needs help but doesn’t get it. Friendship in this case is not enough. But listen to what will get him what he needs,

“I tell you, although he will not get up and supply him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his shameless persistence and insistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs.”
Luke 11:8

Please understand, there are things that you can’t get because of friendship that you can get only through persistence!
What is the lesson here? It is ok to say you know God but He wants you to be persistent.

“So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you.
For everyone who asks and keeps on asking recieves; and he who seeks and keeps on seeking finds; and to him who knocks and keeps on knocking, the door shall be opened.
Luke 11:9,10

I have been in a lot of incidents where I wanted something from a friend but never got it only to get it after I bugged them daily!!!
This principle works. I have experienced it first hand.

In part two of this post I will expound more on this principle.
As I end always remember, Persistence will get you what friendship can’t!!

Rolain.

Are You Out Of Order?

Every year in my church my pastor releases a word for the year. It’s not just a word he conjures up but it’s a word from God. He prays and seeks the Lord for His direction. This year was declared a year of divine order and peace. This is a year where God wants our lives to be alined to His will. Everything out of order in our lives must be brought to order. So with that in mind God has shown me a lot of things that are out of order in my life. It has been a hard year I must say but at the same time a year of growth. There is one thing I would like to share that I think a lot of people may not realise.
It was an area God showed me that needed dealing with and it is an area where a lot of people need to deal with.

Let us read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-8 which says:

Now we charge you, brethren, in the name and on the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that you withdraw and keep away from every brother (fellow believer) who is slack in the performance of duty and is disorderly, living as a shirker and not walking in accord with the traditions and instructions that you have recieved from us.
For you yourselves know how it is necessary to imitate our example, for we were not disorderly or shirking of duty when we were with you [we were not idle].
Nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and struggle we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden or impose on any of you [for our support]. (Amplified)

2 Thessalonians 3:11,12:
Indeed, we hear that some among you are disorderly [that they are passing their lives in idleness, neglectful of duty], being busy with other people’s affairs instead of their own and doing no work.
Now we charge and exhort such persons [as ministers in Him exhorting those] in the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) that they work in quietness and earn their own food and other necessities.
(Amplified)

When I read this it really hit me hard. I had started my own company and I had a few challenges and because of the challenges I shrank back. I was afraid and with fear came procrastination and laziness. But God is gracious and He showed me what I was doing. He showed me that being idle was being out of order.
The gospel if you didn’t know advocates hard work! I have had to relearn this principle. You cannot be effective as a christian if you don’t want to work hard.
Another thing God showed me through this scripture is that when I neglect the work I am supposed to be doing I am also out of order! There are things God has called me to do and by neglecting them I am not honouring Him!
So I was out of order. I have asked Him to help me in this area. I want to accomplish all God has for me but I need to be in order.

So where are you? Are you out of order? Are you a slacker in your work and idle? Are you neglectful of your duty?
If so it is time to get in order. We will not be known as disorderly but instead we will embrace hard work. We will be all God has called us to be.
Amen!

Rolain.P