Always start with God! … 𝟐𝐨𝟐𝟒… : I will pour out more POWER, more OIL, and more HARVEST. Stand ready… MY rain is coming; your valleys are going to fill up and your fields will be irrigated directly from above. This will be a year of multiplied HARVEST! It will be rich and plentiful. Your threshing floors will again be piled high with grain, and your presses will overflow with new wine and new oil. [Joel 𝟐:𝟐𝟒]
God has some amazing things stored up for those who seek Him! I can tell you from experience it is PURE FOOLISHNESS to try anything without starting with God. Only a fool would dream of starting anything, especially something important, without waiting in God’s presence and seeking His face first! Without God a person may prosper and get some stuff done, but Proverbs 10:22 says you will not enjoy it and it will not last. Understand that the devil and the world can bless you, but that blessing comes with a sting of suffering. Whereas the blessings of the Lord comes without pain, grief and sorrow. Jesus said without abiding/staying/existing in Him you cannot bear fruit or have fruitfulness that remains. It can be a very dangerous thing to cut God out of your first priorities. Be sure you start EVERYTHING on your knees speaking to God who wants to bless you before you stand before a world who wants to curse you!
The Lord reminded me of a story in 2 Kings 3 where the armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom were stuck in the hot desert and dying of thirst. What they thought would be an easy victory quickly turned into losses on every side. The kings had set out on a quest to set things right and regain blessings for their kingdoms, but their mistake was that they had not asked the Lord for direction or wisdom. It was not long until they discovered there was famine, drought, and a shortage of water in the place they were going. Victory was not impossible, but it was not possible for them. How did they get into this predicament? The problem was that they had become kings so full of themselves and not walking in God’s ways that they foolishly thought they were able enough to venture into a new thing without repentance, guidance, or worship. So, they just went ahead into something they had no blessing in with only their own strength. To make matters even worse… in the absence of God’s council King Jehoshaphat of Judah, the only godly king, made an alliance with two kings he should not have been yoked with. It was a decision that quickly led to pain, suffering and distress. All of this could have been avoided if only they sought the Lord first! The rest of the story showed us when they finally repented and sought the LORD He did a mighty miracle and gave them a wonderful victory.
How many times do we set out to do something, making alliances with the ungodly and neglecting our worship, and then cannot understand how we got stuck in a wilderness without rain or rest? EVEN NOW… So many people are diving right into this new year and embarking on some big ventures without a moment thought as to what God wants to say.
A question: When do you ever not need to enter God’s presence for blessing, guidance, and wisdom?
WHERE WILL YOU BE WHEN GOD releases the ‘HOW TO’ of what’s coming next?
Jesus said if you SEEK FIRST His Kingdom then everything else can be added. The point being… If you start well … THEN… you can finish well!
Nico Smit – rivercitycc.com.au
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