Hosanna Restoration Church

The truth is, we all want to be successful. We all would like everything that we touch to prosper. As I read this passage of scripture recently I was once again greatly encouraged and I wrote more notes in my Bible saying, “Amen, make it so Lord!” Verse 16 says, “Let us see your miracles again; let our children see your glory at work.” Oh yes Lord we want to see your miracles and we want our children to see your glory at work. Then it hit me. What sort of effort am I putting into being successful? Whose success am I most interested in?

I know that it is God’s desire to bless us. I also know that it is His plan to make us a blessing. But am I more interested in being blessed or in being a blessing. Am I most interested God’s miracles so that God is glorified or in personal success?

Jesus made it clear that if we would seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness then everything else would be taken care of. I want to be careful so that I do not get so focused God making my efforts successful that I forget to make sure my efforts are directed in the way that best serves God’s purpose.

It is not just in the world that people get focused on themselves; it is just as visible in the church. We have church growth books and plans promoted all over the place. Many see growth only as it applies to numbers and membership roles. That is fine if it is God that is giving the increase, but if God is lost in the mix and numbers and finance become the focus, the cost is too great.

So what can we do? As with everything, we start with ourselves and check our own hearts and motives. Of course we do not trust ourselves to be the final judge we ask God to search our hearts. We can look and see what the focus of our effort is by testing the spirit to see if it is of God. If we discover most of our focus and effort is on ourselves, then we ask God to forgive us and help us to get back on the track He has for us.

If our efforts are directed at seeing the miracles and the glory of God revealed, then we can be sure that they are worthy of God making them successful. This in turn will cause God to open the windows of heaven for us personally. One tactic that the devil uses only to well is to get us to focus more on ourselves than on our God. Consequently we look at how everything affects us rather than how it reflects the glory of God. Lord help us to be truly successful. Yes, make all our efforts successful.