BLESSINGS UPON YOUR EFFORTSDate: 11-03-2010
Speaker: Dr. Paul Dhinakaran Gist: The Lord would certainly enable you to reap the reward of all your efforts when you do everything for Him.
This promise of God, “For the Lord your God will bless you… in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete” (Deuteronomy.16:15), is specially for you. The Lord shall bless your life with perfect joy. He shall prosper all the work of your hands and bless you with perfect joy even as you reap the benefits of your labour. As mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:14, you shall certainly triumph everywhere and in everything. The Lord says, “My people should be blessed with perfect joy in everything they do. Everything should happen only for their good.” The Bible says, “In all things God works for the good of those who love Him” (Romans 8:28). This is the heart of God. This perfect joy descends upon you from our Heavenly Father (James 1:17).
I am reminded of a story which I read during my school days. A man was promised that he would inherit all the land he covers by running from morning till evening. So he started running from 6 o’ clock in the morning. In order to inherit as much land as possible he kept running mustering all his might. It was 12 noon. Although sweating profusely, he still continued running despite the scorching heat with a thought to possess vast acres of land so that he can become one of the richest men in the world. He was obviously greedy. By about 5.55 p.m. he almost covered an area of land of so many miles. When he was about to finish his run people encouraged him by clapping their hands and exclaimed, “You have become a billionaire.” Finally by 6 in the evening he finished his run exactly in the place where he started. Alas! When he was about to become a billionaire he fell down dead in an unexpected manner. All that he needed was just a piece of land measuring six feet to bury his body. He ran with all his might just to possess a huge property and honour through his own efforts hoping that he would get perfect joy out of that without caring for his life. In the end he lost everything. “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36).
Dear Friend! The Lord would certainly enable you to reap the reward of all your efforts when you do everything for Him and according to His guidance in this world. Your efforts for Him shall never go in vain. Probably you would have worked hard all these years. You might have even prayed for a certain blessing for many years. You would have given your offering for the ministry. You would have lived a righteous life. The Lord would certainly reward you richly according to your efforts and bless you with His perfect joy.
Prayer:
Almighty God,
I come to Your throne of grace trusting not in my righteous deeds but in the good works of righteousness of Jesus Christ that through His baptism, His sufferings and death, His resurrection and blameless blood He has already purchased the pardon for my sins and therefore has given me the authority to call You “Abba Father.” I entreat You to prosper all my efforts and make my joy complete on this day. For without You, I can do nothing. Guide me and keep me under Your protecting wings.
In Jesus’ precious name I pray.
Amen |