‘Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27)

Stay on the job until you succeed

In his book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill tells the story of how Automobile genius Henry Ford once came up with a revolutionary plan for a new kind of engine which we know today as the V-8. Ford was eager to get his great new idea into production. He had some men draw up the plans, and presented them to the engineers. As the engineers studied the drawings, one by one they cane to the same conclusion. Their visionary boss just didn't know much about the fundamental principles of engineering. He'd have to be told gently--his dream was impossible. Ford said, "Produce it anyway." They replied, "But it's impossible." "Go ahead," Ford commanded, "and stay on the job until you succeed, no matter how much time is required." For six months they struggled with drawing after drawing, design after design. Nothing. Another six months. Nothing. At the end of the year Ford checked with his engineers and they once again told him that what he wanted was impossible. Ford told them to keep going. They did. And they discovered how to build a V-8 engine.”

Has God given you a dream?

Throw off everything that hinders you, fix your eyes on Jesus, and proceed on the path God has created you for and has marked out for you!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Heb. 12:1-3)

Do it God’s way!

“God's work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” – Hudson Taylor

“So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up.” (Gal. 6:9)

The value of courage, persistence, and perseverance has rarely been illustrated more convincingly than in the life story of Abraham Lincoln!

Abraham Lincoln’s story of persistence

·      Failed in business – at age 22

·      Ran for Legislature--defeated – at age 23

·      Again failed in business – at age 24

·      Elected to Legislature – at age 25

·      Sweetheart died – at age 26

·      Had a nervous breakdown – at age 27

·      Defeated for Speaker – at age 29

·      Defeated for Elector – at age 31

·      Defeated for Congress – at age 34

·      Elected to Congress – at age 37

·      Defeated for Congress – at age 39

·      Defeated for Senate – at age 46

·      Defeated for Vice President – at age 47

·      Defeated for Senate – at age 49 

·      Elected President of the United States – at age 51

Therefore

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” (2 Chron. 15:7)

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:9)

 Persistence!

 “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” – Calvin Coolidge

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” (Heb 13:6)

While traveling in our RV during a turbulent political season in our country, police abruptly rerouted us to back roads to avoid the riots that were going on in a city that we were about to travel through. As we switched on our radio, we became aware of the plight of innocent individuals being attacked along our intended route. Anger-fueled mobs were stopping cars on the freeway, yanking people out, and causing them serious injuries. We were grateful for the warning and for the alternative route.

Scary things do happen!

Today, It's impossible to pick up the newspaper, turn on the television or radio, or even look at social media without being bombarded with all kinds of fearful news! And yes, it can be frightening. But fear doesn't have to rule us because we have a constant helper! And it's none other than God Himself! Check out the following promises!

God’s hand will help you!

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

 When you cry out to God, He will answer!

“In the day when I cried out, You answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.” (Psalm 137:3)

“For he will deliver the needy when he cries for help, The afflicted also, and him who has no helper. He will have compassion on the poor and needy, And the lives of the needy he will save. He will rescue their life from oppression and violence, And their blood will be precious in his sight.” (Psalms 72:12-14)

Therefore

“But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.” (Psalm 37:39)

Jer. 33:3 “Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”

I attended a business seminar a while back, and the speaker emphasized over and over again the importance of asking questions because, as he said passionately, “You don't know what you don't know!” He was certainly right about that! Asking questions of experienced businesspeople who have important knowledge about things, you can avoid serious mistakes and move ahead faster and with fewer problems.

God’s people can get in trouble for lack of knowledge!

It is important to ask questions in business matters! But it's also important to seek knowledge in other areas of your life!

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6a)

Wise people seek knowledge from God!

“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Prov. 18:15)

God gives knowledge to those who ask

“For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Prov. 2:6)

Fools reject knowledge

It's foolish not to ask God for wisdom and knowledge about things!

“Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices.” (Prov. 1:29-31)

Knowledge is pleasant and will guard you

“For wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you.” (Prov. 2:10-11)

Quote

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Cor. 9:8)

No worries

Knowing that God has given me “all sufficiency in all things for every good work” makes my life function a whole lot better without unnecessary stress or worries.

The family business and CEO

I think of myself as one of God's kids, as one of Jesus's little brothers. A joint heir with Him and a worker in the “family business.” And, my Heavenly Father, the creator of “the business,” and Jesus, the CEO of it, will continually guide me to do what is needed to make it thrive and prosper.

Therefore

I expect Him to, and He does, give me exactly what is needed at the right time, according to the exact specifications needed, to get the right things done at exactly the right times. (Eph. 2:10).

Things work much better!

Looking at things this way makes me successful and happier because, if any problems do arise, personally or business-wise, and they do occasionally, I let the CEO of “the family business” handle it!

Therefore

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

Romans 12:11-12 “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (NIV).

This passage uses two words, zeal and fervor, to describe how your relationship with the Lord should be. According to the dictionary, zeal is defined as great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective, and fervor is defined as intense and passionate feeling, eagerness, enthusiasm, and fire.

Are you lacking in zeal and fervor?

Many people are excited and even on fire for God when they first become saved. But, over time, they cool off, lose their fresh enthusiasm for the Lord, and even fall away. Jesus spoke about this in Rev. 2:3-4, “You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

How to know you that you have left your first love 

Here are some warning signs to watch out for.

1.     Your heart toward Christ is cold and indifferent, not tender as it once was.

2.     You are not easily moved by the Word, and no longer read the Bible daily.

3.     You no longer talk about spiritual things when you get together with others.

4.     You can go hours or days without having more than a passing thought of Him.

5.     Things that used to disturb your conscience no longer do.

6.     Private prayer and worship are almost non-existent, cold, and dry.

7.     Your service for Christ and others is motivated by a sense of duty or obligation.

8.     You spend more time and effort on your physical appearance than you do on cultivating inner spiritual beauty to please Christ.

9.     You are more concerned about what others think and pleasing them rather than about pleasing Christ.

10.  You prefer secular songs, movies, and books more than songs or reading material that point you to Christ.

11.  You prefer the company of people who don’t love Christ, more than the company and fellowship of those who do. 

Any of these things should act as warning signs to prompt you to turn back around (repent) and to do what you must do to get back on track.

Jesus said what to do

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.” (Rev. 2:5)

In the passage above, He said to do three things:

1.     Remember from where you have fallen. Think back to when you had first received Christ. Recall the specific circumstances that initially led you to Him, the prayers you uttered, and the transformation that occurred in your life.

2.     Repent. The word “repent” means to turn around, change direction, or turn away from something. So, make a sincere decision to turn back to God with your whole heart.

3.     Do the works you did at first. Go back to doing the things you did at first. Those things were probably basic, such as praying, reading your Bible, going to church, singing worship songs, and sharing your faith.

Therefore

“Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Return to me,' declares the LORD Almighty, 'and I will return to you,' says the LORD Almighty.” (Zech. 1:3)

“And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” (1 Kings 19:12)

I was on a plane on my way back from a speaking engagement. I was travel-worn and exhausted. Usually when I travel, I try to get a seat next to the window, then I put on my noise cancelation headphones to escape mentally from all that is around me

But not this time!

I took a middle seat between two people. I put on my headphones as usual and started to relax into my private thoughts. But I couldn't help but notice that the man sitting in the aisle seat next to me was ordering one drink after another. He wasn't sitting still but was squirming in his seat and seemed uncomfortable. I tried to ignore him!

I hoped sincerely that he wouldn't talk to me. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. I simply had no desire to talk with anyone!

“Speak to that man!”

Then I heard the Lord gently prompt me, “Speak to that man.” And I instantly thought, “No! I don't want to." I tried to ignore that still small voice and tried to think about something else.

But I heard it again!

“Speak to that man.” So, very reluctantly, I removed my headphones, looked right at the man, and said, “How are you doing?” He said, “I don't know if you’ve noticed, but I am drinking a lot.” I said, “Well, yes, I did notice that you’ve been slamming them down. What’s up?”

He said, My wife just left me and is filing for a divorce. I can't think, I can't sleep, and I am drinking a whole lot! I'm about to lose my job because I can't concentrate on my work anymore. My life is a mess! I need help, but I don't know where to get it!”

I said, “Actually, your story is very similar to mine. My life had also been chaotic, leading me to turn to alcohol.

I shared my story with him

I told him how I had struggled with one personal failure after another. Then I told him about Jesus, how I had prayed to receive Him, and how He had changed my life. I told him that Jesus loved him and had died on the cross for him so that he could come into a personal, life-changing relationship with God. Then I asked him if he wanted to receive that for himself. I offered to pray with him. He said, “Yes. I would like that very much!” So, I prayed with him to receive Christ. (See John 1:12 & John 1:9).

I was pleased that I had finally obeyed God’s gentle prompting!

Therefore 

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (I Peter 3:15)

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2 Tim. 4:2) 

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Eph. 1:7-8)

When I was living in California in the 1950s, my dad bought a three-bedroom house on two acres of land for five thousand dollars! That was a lot of money for a house back then! However, the value of that property has significantly increased over time. That same place would be worth over a million dollars in today's housing market. When Susan and I bought our brand new three-bedroom home in Washington State in 1971, we paid seventeen thousand dollars for it. We sold it twelve years later for forty-five thousand; it’s now worth about three hundred and fifty thousand dollars. We then bought our present home for fifty-five thousand dollars. About 40 years later, the value of our home has increased to approximately six hundred thousand dollars! It is astounding how much prices have changed over the years! Prices have not only shifted for houses but also for just about everything else!

The riches of God’s grace - priceless!

It’s true that prices of things often fluctuate; they go up and they go down. But, one thing that will never change is “the riches of God’s grace”, (Eph. 1:7). Its value is priceless because it is paid for by the shed blood of God’s Son, Jesus Christ! There is nothing in existence, or has ever existed, more valuable, more precious! And to think, “He made it abound to us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Eph. 1:8).

Think what this means to you!!

No matter what you may have done, “the riches of His grace” has it covered! His grace towards you is above and beyond and more than covers any possible need! 

·      Exceeding riches of grace!

“That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:7)

·      His grace is more than abundant!

“And the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 1:14) 

·      The riches of his kindness leads to repentance!

“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4)

Quote

“I'm not perfect. And who knows how many times I've fallen short. We all fall short. That's the amazing thing about the grace of God.” – Tim Tebow

“The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.” (Prov 17:3)

I have read accounts of people having their catalytic converters stolen from beneath their vehicles. A catalytic converter is a device attached to a vehicle’s exhaust system which converts Hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen, into carbon dioxide, nitrogen gas and water vapor.

Something special inside!

What you may not know is that catalytic converters contain precious metals, platinum, palladium, and rhodium. They are very valuable! As of today, platinum is $986 per ounce, palladium is $620 per ounce, and rhodium is $800 per ounce. But to look at old converters removed from the underside of vehicles, you’d never suspect their value, because they are usually dirty and rusty-looking things. However, the smelter furnace burns away all other materials, revealing the precious metals within. 

In a similar way, God looks within you

We look on the outward appearance, but “the Lord looks at the heart” and sees what is actually there. (1 Sam. 16:7). He refines us with His fire and reveals what is there. 

“For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried.” (Psalm 66:10)

Therefore

“Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Cor. 3:12-15)