The God of Small Beginnings
Have you ever noticed in a sports contest that when a team is ahead with time running out, the strategy often changes from playing to win to playing to avoid losing. So many of us live life this way. We live to avoid taking a risk, avoid a significant challenge, avoid discomfort, rather than living to win. How boring is that?
Living not to lose is not a very biblical concept. We are to
But you say, the problems of the world, home and abroad, are too great. What can one person do?
Zechariah Chapter 4 we get some encouragement. The author argues, “Do not despise small beginnings.” He notes that there will be rejoicing when the Lord’s servant Zerubbabel starts the rebuilding of the temple by working with a plumb line. It is a small start, but it is a start. This is the same chapter where it is declared that a great result comes, “Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord.”
In other words, the encouragement from the Lord is to play. We are to play to win. Play for a kingdom win, even if it we think the start is a small beginning. Pray the Lord of the harvest to give you a God sized dream. It will start small, as all initiatives do. Without faith (that we and the Holy Spirit are a majority) it is impossible to please God. If we are found playing not to lose, the clear hint from scripture is that this is displeasing to God.
Get started today. Speak to your pastor or outreach leader about how you can be used to make a kingdom impact. Enter a profile to inquire how your significant life skills can be used to disciple nations. Live, not to lose, but to win.
Nelson Malwitz, November, 2010
Have you ever noticed in a sports contest that when a team is ahead with time running out, the strategy often changes from playing to win to playing to avoid losing. So many of us live life this way. We live to avoid taking a risk, avoid a significant challenge, avoid discomfort, rather than living to win. How boring is that?
Living not to lose is not a very biblical concept. We are to
- Ask for a significant kingdom impact
- Strive first for the Kingdom of God
- Seek righteousness
- Pursue peace
- Knock to open doors.
But you say, the problems of the world, home and abroad, are too great. What can one person do?
Zechariah Chapter 4 we get some encouragement. The author argues, “Do not despise small beginnings.” He notes that there will be rejoicing when the Lord’s servant Zerubbabel starts the rebuilding of the temple by working with a plumb line. It is a small start, but it is a start. This is the same chapter where it is declared that a great result comes, “Not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord.”
In other words, the encouragement from the Lord is to play. We are to play to win. Play for a kingdom win, even if it we think the start is a small beginning. Pray the Lord of the harvest to give you a God sized dream. It will start small, as all initiatives do. Without faith (that we and the Holy Spirit are a majority) it is impossible to please God. If we are found playing not to lose, the clear hint from scripture is that this is displeasing to God.
Get started today. Speak to your pastor or outreach leader about how you can be used to make a kingdom impact. Enter a profile to inquire how your significant life skills can be used to disciple nations. Live, not to lose, but to win.
Nelson Malwitz, November, 2010
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