Start Small Before Big

Men love everything but small. When we set our minds on something, we men love to go big. That’s just our nature. We get ideas about doing something, then we decide to really “do it” and go all out. We don’t look at the bumps on the way, the stop signs ahead, we just go for it. We often bring this kind of mentality, “go big” into everything, even to the work God calls us into. That is not good. We are playing in dangerous territory. But that’s who we are! We are men and always ahead of ourselves. What has God called us into? To serve and love others. Great things can result, of course. As long as we start small, then allowing God to show us the way ahead, and suddenly we are going big.

Galatians 6:10 is God’s answer for us. It says the following, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone.” There you have it. Also read Matthew 10:40-42, which starts like this [the Message translation]; “This is a large work I’ve called you into, but don’t be overwhelmed by it. It’s best to start small…” God has never asked us to start big. He actually doesn’t want us to start big. He prefers we start small and let growth come in its own time. Start small! Why does something rise up in our hearts, against that approach? The answer. Because we are men, mighty men and masculine men. We like big!

Well, actually we love going big. In this way we bring glory to ourselves. We want others to see us and think well of us. God doesn’t like that at all. He is against that. But, Jesus reassures us that we won’t lose out on anything [Matthew 10:42 MSG]. We must trust His words and trust that the Holy Spirit can do amazing and great things even in our smallest acts, acts of love and service. And that’s plenty big for many of us. Look around and seek people who are in need. People are hurting all around you, right there in your own city, even at your ‘doorstep’. Go and do something for someone. Blow them away with love and serving. Look what God can do hereafter. Be blessed. Start small…

Are You Being Too Busy?

Men are never satisfied with what they have. They want more always. There are twenty four hours in a day. Yet, without thinking, we still want more; maybe thirty hours. We even act as if there are more hours in a day. We work longer hours, stay up later, and so it goes on. No matter what we do, it still remains twenty four hours, no more and no less. We can’t change that even if we tried! God rules over His creation and time is His to plan and control. God Himself is above time; it doesn’t exist in the way we know it. God has set the length and that’s it.

He’s also set the absolute number of those twenty four hours of each day we are getting. We often act, though, as if that too weren’t settled. We act as if our earthly days may just stretch some more, go a bit further. It will never happen; and that’s reality. Job 14:5 offers us the answer… “Man’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed.” That’s it, and it is final. Our days are numbered! Our lives’ length and journeys have been set. God set them and we cannot do nothing about it. Our days will not stretch on forever, not in this world any case.

There is, however, another life after this one. That life never ends, it has no time scale to it. It is eternal! Our time is scarce – it’s limited and there’s less than we’d like to have. God planned our lives before we were born and we must accept that. How we allocate it, therefore, how we run ‘our calendars’, matters very much. If we are not intentional, life will allocate it for us. Things that are more urgent in our eyes will determine it for us. Is that what you want? That external factors come and set your limit? I for one don’t want that to happen. Therefore do what God has planned for your life and move forward, and believe in Him. Look at your calendar. Jot down what is most important to you. What is most important to God? Have you jotted that down as well? Then start today. Amen.

Trust Him!

Men are the worst kind when it comes to trust and confidence in others. Wrong! Once again, men are in general too loose in their lives, always trusting others and placing great confidence in others. I was such a man. I was in a partnership in business with another man. I had bought into the company, fifty percent shareholder and partnership. I trusted him and placed my confidence in him because he had been running the company for some time already. I did learn the ropes quickly, getting very involved, and making big money. Then it all fell apart in the beginning of 2011. My wife and I lost just about everything we had.

Fortunately, through much prayer and calling out to God, He picked me up and my new journey started; becoming a business man with Him as my only partner, and the business is still running today, not always easy, but blessed by my mighty God. Somewhere along my journey I had forgotten to rather trust God and went it alone with my own manhood at stake. We men tend to do that quite often. God brought me back to reality, and today I’m grateful for His intervention in my life. This verse comes to mind; “Trust in the Lord and do good. Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness.” This is found in Psalm 37:3… Our hope should always be in God. We should trust Him and place our total confidence in Him alone. He is the only living God whom we can trust.

We can’t trust cows, or the moon and stars, never mind others around us. We are all mortals and humans and only He is God. He should be the One in whom we should place our complete trust and confidence in. As we live our daily lives, let’s feed on His faithfulness. Let us expect, let us anticipate and let us see His faithfulness. Without Him we are nothing. Without Him we are “living dead” and going nowhere. Are you off course right now? Are you seeking trust and confidence in those around you, maybe a mentor and friend? It’s time to turn around and face God. It’s time for you and I to feed on His faithfulness. Enjoy your new journey!

Obeying God Always

Men are not always the obedient type. We love to follow our own noses, our own instincts and what we feel like doing. We don’t want others to lead us, to boss us around, to tell us where to and what to do. We are all about self. Obedience is actually very vital to achieve greatness, to move forward in life, to climb the ladder of success. But we don’t do it! We are not the type to follow the leading of others. We have our own ideas, follow our own methods, and where does this get us? Some do succeed on their own, but where’s the blessing from our heavenly Father then? Not forthcoming I may add.

The Lord wants to come in different ways and give us direction and leading. Look at Joseph, after discovering that Mary was pregnant; and it was not his child, never mind that they were only engaged to be married in the future. Matthew 1:24 offers us a great truth – “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” Joseph obeyed God and allowed Him to lead him on his journey ahead. He knew then that God’s ways was far better than what he had envisaged. He still married Mary and took her as his wife, although pregnant with a child; who would be known as Jesus Christ our Messiah, our Redeemer.

When the Lord ‘speaks’ it’s important that we obey; it’s incumbent on us to respond and be obedient. The moment this happens, situations change, our lives are transformed for the better. Thereafter miracles happen. God is with us and He leads us in victory. He loves when we are His obedient children. Let it become your desire to allow God to lead you. Let Him guide you. All you need to do is obey and follow Him. Don’t miss out when He is whispering to you. You may just miss out on the best event ever that takes place in your life. Amen.