SUCCESSFUL, OR FAITHFUL?

An elderly preacher was rebuked by one of his deacons one Sunday morning before the service. "Pastor," said the man, "something must be wrong with your preaching and your work. There's been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he's just a boy." The minister listened, his eyes moistening and his thin hand trembling. "I feel it all," he replied, "but God knows I've tried to do my duty." On that day the minister's heart was heavy as he stood before his flock. As he finished the message, he felt a strong inclination to resign. After everyone else had left, that one boy came to him and asked, "Do you think if I worked hard for an education, I could become a preacher--perhaps a missionary?" Again tears welled up in the minister's eyes. "Ah, this heals the ache I feel," he said. "Robert, I see the Divine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think you will become a preacher." Many years later an aged missionary returned to London from Africa. His name was s poken with reverence. Nobles invited him to their homes. He had added many souls to the church of Jesus Christ, reaching even some of Africa's most savage chiefs. His name was Robert Moffat, the same Robert who years before had spoken to the pastor that Sunday morning in the old Scottish Kirk.

In the eyes of many, this pastor may not have been successful but in the eyes of God not only was he successful he was also faithful.

Matthew 25:23 (New International Version) 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!

Everyone wants to be successful. They want to know that they have achieved something worthwhile. Often we treat ourselves as failures when we do not live up to such heavy expectations. However, there is only one true measure of success and that is faithfulness - faithfulness to God, yourself and your calling in life.

God is not looking for successful people; He is looking for faithful people. Note He says welcome home good and FAITHFUL servant, not good and SUCCESSSFUL servant

When you really think about it, how would you define success? For some, success is measured by how much money one has in their bank account. For others, success is measured by how many cars one has in their parking lot, still others by how many college degrees one has earned. For others, success is measured by one's popularity or fame, more so in this celebrity culture that we have embraced. So, if one does not manage to have a fat bank account; or, if one does not drive a flashy car or earn a degree; or, if one does not achieve fame, does this mean that one is a failure?

God doesn’t ask that we succeed in everything, but that we remain faithful. Think about Abraham who was promised descendants as many as the sand on the sea shore or the stars in the sky, yet he only had Isaac. Was he successful? Maybe not in the eyes of some but in the eyes of all he was faithful.

Being "faithful" means only one thing, namely, to be firm in keeping a promise or to be steadfast in loyalty. One may be faithful whether one is "successful" or not. One can be heroically faithful to their spouse; faithful to their family; faithful to a cause; faithful to one's call to be a mother, father, writer, teacher, pastor, artist, friend, among many other things without being "successful".

Some may say that the ideal situation is to be "successful" and "faithful". But, in the end, it seems to me that life is not about how many awards one receives or how much one owns and possesses or how famous one may become. Rather, the quality of one's living; the courage of one's spirit; the kindness and generosity in one's heart and a heroic, undying faithfulness to love and goodness are the things that really matter! One who possesses such qualities may not be considered a "success" in the eyes of many. But such a person will be regarded by all as being a good and "faithful" servant.

When you die and people gather at your funeral to pay their last respects, do you prefer to be remembered as having been "successful" or "faithful"?

PRACTICAL APPLICATION:

God can do a lot with faithful men. Choose to be faithful to that which God has called you weather you are successful in the eyes of people or not

Thanks to James Okumu(Hope F.M)

ORDER

MARK 6:39
Then He instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties. Then He took the loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven he blessed and broke the loaves.

We all know this story where Jesus feeds over 5000 men with only 5 loaves and 2 fish. In fact this miracle is recorded in all the gospels. Its amazing when you think about it, that before Jesus did anything, He required some order where the people were concerned. The disciples had the task of making sure the people sat in order in groups of 50 and 100. These were about 5000 men not counting the women and children so it was no easy task for 12 people.
Order precedes multiplication. Before the miracle took place order had to be restored. When you go back to the very beginning the bible says that the earth was without form empty and dark and before God began His work of creation He first restored order.
God is a God of order and detail. The instructions He gave to Noah were very detailed and specific. The there was Moses and the children of Israel. The details of what to do and what not to do are very specific and God required a high standard of order. Then Solomon and the building of the temple we see the same thing.

1Corinthians 14:40
But everything must be done orderly and decently

Being in order simply means that you are preparing yourself and your surroundings to achieve your greatest efficiency.
How orderly are you?
Do you maintain an orderly and specific time with God or do you give Him leftovers? Are you orderly in the way that you read the bible?
What about your house? Is it neat and orderly and is everything where it is meant to be? You don’t have to have expensive furniture for your house to be neat and orderly. What is the state of your bedroom? How easily can you find your socks? Do you just throw your underwear all over the place? What about your children? Are you teaching them to sit orderly in the house of God? Do you get to church early or are you always late?
Order comes before multiplication. Go is not in the business of multiplying disorder

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

1. I WILL PICK UP AFTER MYSELF
2. I WILL KEEP MY WORK AND PLAY AREAS NEAT
3. I WILL PUT THINGS BACK WHERE THEY BELONG I WILL USE THINGS ONLY FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE I WILL RETURN LOST THINGS TO THEIR RIGHFUL OWNERS.

Brothers and sisters it is a challenge to all of us.......

Regards,

Rufus K.N.

LIMITS

Judges 13:24-25 (New International Version)
24 The woman gave birth to a boy and named him Samson. He grew and the LORD blessed him, 25 and the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol
Samson was an awesome man of God and he did great things for God. Samson was so strong that the Philistines could not contain him, but one thing I learn from his story is that my strength can also be my greatest weakness. Samson did not adhere to the boundaries that had been set over his life, and he also could not contain himself and his appetites.
Samson was a Nazi rite and there was a prescribed life for anyone who was st apart to that calling.
Numbers 6 (New International Version)
Numbers 6:1-8
The Nazi rite
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazi rite, 3 he must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or from other fermented drink. He must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as he is a Nazi rite, he must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.
5 " 'During the entire period of his vow of separation no razor may be used on his head. He must be holy until the period of his separation to the LORD is over; he must let the hair of his head grow long. 6 Throughout the period of his separation to the LORD he must not go near a dead body. 7 Even if his own father or mother or brother or sister dies, he must not make himself ceremonially unclean on account of them, because the symbol of his separation to God is on his head. 8 Throughout the period of his separation he is consecrated to the LORD
Samson was blessed because the spirit of the Lord would come over him and give him supernatural strength and somewhere along his life, I guess it got to his head because he threw out all caution and lived the way he wanted. Nazi rites were not supposed to go near a dead body but yet Samson goes to the carcass of the lion he killed and scoops honey. Judges 14:8

God had commanded his people not to intermarry with the philistines yet Samson wanted a woman from among the Philistines.
A Nazi rite was not supposed to shave his head yet Samson tells Delilah the secret to his strength and his hair is cut off.

Samson the great man of God is bound and imprisoned because he did not adhere to the limits and boundaries that had been set in his life. His greatest strength becomes the cause of his downfall.

Are you courting sin in your life? Have you gotten so accustomed to the favor and anointing of God over your life that it has gotten to your head and now you think its all about you so you do all you want throwing all caution out of the window? It is sad to see anointed men and women of God throw caution out of the window and do forbidden things in the name of God and think they are so anointed they can get away with it.

Do you have boundaries in your life? How much is too much? Where do you draw the line? Solomon the wisest man who ever lived made the same mistake. He was so wealthy he thought he could have all the women he wanted irrespective of what the Lord had said. That was the beginning of his down fall.

It is so amazing how we think some ground rules God has set apply to other people but not to us. We always say and think surely not me because my situation is different. That’s the beginning of your downfall.
Could it be that you are not blessed because you have not set the limits and were God to release His blessings they could become your downfall?
Live within the boundaries that God has set for you as a believer and when the blessing comes it will not turn out to be your downfall

PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Set out to know the limits and boundaries that God has set ion your life and then live by them

WHAT DO YOU DESIRE?

Luke 19:2

There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector and he was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was short man. So running ahead he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus since He was about to pass that way. When Jesus came to that place, He looked up and said to him Zacchaeus hurry and come down, because today I must stay at your house.



We all have limitations in our lives. But the sad thing is that many of us have allowed the limitations in our lives to keep us from the very thing that God has for us.

Let’s take a look at Zacchaeus this morning…



He was a tax collector and tax collectors were hated because they solicited money from people.

He was a wealthy man he was not just a tax collector but a chief tax collector meaning people hated even the more

He was a short man, the kind that gets lost easily in a crowd.



One thing you need to know about Zacchaeus is that though he was a thief and hated by the masses, his name means PURE.

He must have heard a lot about Jesus and am sure he was at a place where he needs to change his life so that he could live up to his name.

He desperately wanted to see Jesus bit he had a limitation, he was a short man and there was a huge crowd.

He could not let that limit him, so he ran ahead of the crowd and placed himself at a strategic place by climbing a tree.

Now you may not realize the significance of him climbing a tree, but remember this was a powerful respected and rich man in this community. Its like your local member of parliament running ahead of the crowd and then climbing a tree just to see a passing evangelist………..

Yes that’s exactly what I mean!

What do you desire this morning? Have you allowed the limitations in and around you to shield you from what God has in store for you?

Are you afraid of what people will say about you?

Are you afraid that the crowd’s will laugh at you?

Only 2 people caught the master’s attention in that crowd on that day. This is because they had such a strong desire that they would not be denied.

Its amazing to note that both of them had limitations, one was blind, the other was short, but what they did secured the masters attention and they got what they desired.

Jesus is passing by on this miracle Monday. Will you like the blind man and Zacchaeus receive your miracle or are you crowd filler?

The blind man shouted and was able to secure the masters attention. Zacchaeus climbed a tree and he was able to secure the masters attention

What about you? What will you do to secure the masters attention?



PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Rise above the opinions of men and the limitations around you and receive your miracle because the Master is passing by and yes He is willing to give you what you need.

POTENTIAL

Matthew 25:14-30 (New International Version)
The Parable of the Talents 

 14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 

 19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 

 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 

 22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' 

 23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' 

 24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' 

 26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 

 28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

 

Each of the three servants was given something and the bible says each according to his ability. Everyone has some form of ability and the Lord gives to you according to where you are at. Notice also that what they were given, was not there’s to keep they were simply to oversee till the master came back.

What God has given you is not really yours; you are just overseeing till Jesus comes back.

The master did not tell the servants what to do with the talents. He spoke nothing about investing or what to do with the talents. This is the test to tell weather you have a son or servant mentality. The first two slaves had a son’s mentality and they went out and multiplied what the master had left in their care. The third slave had a slaves mentality and that’s why he did not think of doing something extra so he dug and hid his talent.

No matter how poor you are, God has given each one of us something to work with, each according to his ability.

What have you done with that which the master has left in your care?

Just like in the parable, he may not tell you what to do with what He has given you…… but then, why do you think He gave you a brain? Think and multiply that which the Master has left in you care.

Notice that as much as the slaves were given different quantities of talents each had the same opportunity to multiply that which he had been given its not what you begin with but what you do with it and what you finish with that maters

Verses 28- 30 are very scary. Think about this, the third slave did not loose that which was left in his care. He returned it just the same way it was when he was given yet the master is so annoyed with him to the extent of calling him a liar lazy and good for nothing. The little that he has is taken away from him and it’s given to the one who had 10 to make it 11

Now that seems to be so unfair

But then again, is it a wonder that the ones who have more keep getting more and the ones with fewer ends up with nothing?

Are you too busy complaining that your talents are too small instead of multiplying them?

The two slaves had to take a risk ad invest the masters talent and the one who was afraid to take a risk, really did take a risk because he lost all that he had and he was thrown into the outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth

NOW THAT IS SCARY!

 

PRACTICAL RESPONSE

God has given each one of us some talent. Weather big or small it is my responsibility to m multiply the talent ./ Its not what I begin with but what I finish with that is important

SEXUAL PURITY

Ephesians

5:3-4

 

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for Gods holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking which are out of place.

A father walks into his house and he finds his children watching a movie on TV. After the normal greetings as he is making his way to9 the study, he hears a curse word and on looking at the TV screen he sees some sexual scenes from the movie his children are watching. He walks over and switches off the TV then sits down and talks to his children trying to explain why they should not watch such movies. His children like any other children go on to tell him that he is old fashioned and that times are changing. We are living in the 21^st century.

Later on the father calls his children to help him prepare the pancakes that they all love, and while he is mixing the ingredients, he sprinkles in some blackish powder. Te children inquire as to what the blackish powder is and he tells them it’s a secret ingredient. When the pancakes are all done and the kids are scrambling for them, the dad tells them to hold on because he needs to tell them what the secret ingredient is.

He then proceeds to tell them that its rat poison and immediately all the children loose their appetite. He then goes on to explain that the movie may have a good story line but one scene with partly nude actors and one or two curse words is like sprinkling rat poison on the pancakes. It will damage you and eventually kill you.

Are you sexually pure? What kind of movies and music videos are you watching? What kind of internet sites are you frequenting? What kind of jokes do you tell or enjoy?

Our scripture says….. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality…………not even a hint? That’s a very high standard especially now that we live in a pornographic society where you don’t have to look for it, it finds you.

The thing about sexual sin that makes it so deadly and captivating is that it’s a secret sin.

Many men and now eve women are secretly buying porn movies and struggling with masturbation while out in the open they are respected men and women with high positions in the church family and society

God has a standard where sexual purity is concerned, and it is a very high standard especially for men. Just read matt 5:28

Whoever looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

 

So how long will you remain sexually impure?

How long will you continue to rob your friends or even your congregation or your spouse with your fake Christianity?

How long will you slunt your growth and ones with God, depriving him of the intimacy you promised Him?

Its time to be real and pure before men, and before God.

Are you up to it?

 

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

MAKE A PERSONAL CHOICE TODAY AND EVERY DAY FROM TODAY TO LIVE A LIFE THAT IS SEXUALY PURE FREE FROM ANY HINT OF IMPURITY.