Balance Point

I have to thank Terry Delaney for the Deepen Your Ministry piece at Going to Seminary.com. It reminded me that the best way to assure success in any endeavor is to remember and practice the basics. It does not matter whether we are talking about work, family or ministry.

There are many system for describing what the basics are, but I am found of the three P’s. The idea is that God be the focal point of all that we do.  As Christ followers, we must never fall under the false dichotomy of sacred vs secular. As believers, everything should be seeking the Kingdom and the King’s will. This abbreviated pattern is given to us in 1 Thessalonians, Chapter 5:

Pray:

pray without ceasing (1Th. 5:17)

Talk to God about everything. There is the saying that “talk is cheap.” Well, talking to God is about the cheapest insurance that you can get for success. Talking to God and and listening for the answer will save a mess of problems. It is easy for us to forget that God has already seen the end from the beginning. He is in position to guide us. This does not give us permission to check our brains at the door. It gives us the materials to:

Ponder:

but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil. (1Th 5:21-22)

God gave us brains. it brings God glory when we utilize what He has gifted us with. You see, it is God’s job to assure that we know it it is Him speaking. It is our job to understand that it is Him. When it is a word from God, the word will not be in conflict with the written word. His direction will not contradict His nature. His instructions will not contradict His nature or His basic expectations for how we are to live and treat each other.

Practice

So we have prayed and pondered, now it is time to act. Success is not going to run up to you and bite you. It does not jump out and attack.  We must go out and get it. There is the saying “God helps those who help themselves.” It is dead wrong!! God helps those who cannot help themselves. After all, if we can do it ourselves, why do we need God.

Here is the balance. When we look at miracles in the Bible, we see that there are two parts to the miracle. There is the part that God does. There is the part that man does. Sometimes man can do nothing, because (s)he is dead. God expects us to do the part that we can. It is part of our training for eternity.

Praise Thanks

No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (1Th 5:18)

At the end of the day, we can do nothing without God. It is only right that we should thank Him and praise Him for what He has done for and through us.