It's all about the bottom line. That's true about a lot of things in life. It's true in business, it's true in relationships, in conversations. The bottom line is about what will be earned or produced from something.
It's about the profit. We ask ourselves, often unaware, "What will this profit me?".
I have no idea when your eyes will fall upon these words, but as I type, I am thinking of tomorrow, Easter Sunday. Many will put forth an extra measure of effort for this special day. Family gatherings and special meals will be prepared, eggs will be hunted, chocolate bunnies devoured. Pastors are preparing messages in hopes that this one opportunity will make a Kingdom difference. The pews will be filled with people, many of whom sit there with very empty hearts, and He wants to pour into those empty hearts His fullness.
Will there be any profit?
It's about the profit. We ask ourselves, often unaware, "What will this profit me?".
I have no idea when your eyes will fall upon these words, but as I type, I am thinking of tomorrow, Easter Sunday. Many will put forth an extra measure of effort for this special day. Family gatherings and special meals will be prepared, eggs will be hunted, chocolate bunnies devoured. Pastors are preparing messages in hopes that this one opportunity will make a Kingdom difference. The pews will be filled with people, many of whom sit there with very empty hearts, and He wants to pour into those empty hearts His fullness.
Will there be any profit?
Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest.....
Hebrews 4: 1-3
We've heard the good news preached, many of us all our lives. We will hear the good news preached tomorrow, but has there been any profit? To answer for myself, I can only say sometimes. Not because of a failure of the message or it's unending truth, but because of a failure on my part.
The profit from all the exposure to the Gospel hinges on one thing and we find it in this passage -
The profit from all the exposure to the Gospel hinges on one thing and we find it in this passage -
But the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith.
When truth is delivered to me, I have a choice to make.
I have to choose whether to unite what I have heard with faith or to leave it disconnected. Disconnected with my everyday life, everyday choices, my everyday heart. I have to choose whether or not I am going to believe it. Am I going to trust God and His character in what has been taught me? Or will I approach what has been served to me with a take it or leave it heart?
I have learned there is no power in disconnection. There is no growth in failing to unite truth and faith in it. Sometimes I fail to choose, which leaves me no profit.
I have to choose whether to unite what I have heard with faith or to leave it disconnected. Disconnected with my everyday life, everyday choices, my everyday heart. I have to choose whether or not I am going to believe it. Am I going to trust God and His character in what has been taught me? Or will I approach what has been served to me with a take it or leave it heart?
I have learned there is no power in disconnection. There is no growth in failing to unite truth and faith in it. Sometimes I fail to choose, which leaves me no profit.
Faith: A technical term indicative of the means of appropriating what God in Christ has for man, resulting in the transformation of man's character and way of life.
Specifically in this verse - it means faith in, on, or toward God.
To bottom line it for you, it's really pretty simple. It comes down to this - Do I believe what scripture teaches or not? We unknowingly approach that crossroads every time His truth is presented to us. Do I REALLY believe it FOR ME? My actions and responses in life reflect what I have chosen to believe, whether I realize it or not.
This has made a vast impact on my growth and it can yours too. All of my life I said I believed the Bible. But I never realized how much of a generalization I was making when I said that. I had never united HIS WORD to my faith. I had never chosen to apply and believe it specifically. Not generally, but specifically to me.
That's the bottom line, sweet friend. HE IS AFTER YOU. Specifically. The words are FOR YOU. Not just for the world. YOU.
Because I believe what scripture teaches about Him and His heart for me, I am able to say and believe.....
God is still good - in the face of cancer.
God is still good - in the loss of a friend.
God is still good - when feelings of emptiness creep in.
God is still good - when money is tight.
God is still good - when you walk the road alone.
God is still good - when a marriage falls apart.
God is still good - when normal is turned upside down.
And you can say that too, if you chose to unite that truth with faith. This passage goes on to say:
This has made a vast impact on my growth and it can yours too. All of my life I said I believed the Bible. But I never realized how much of a generalization I was making when I said that. I had never united HIS WORD to my faith. I had never chosen to apply and believe it specifically. Not generally, but specifically to me.
That's the bottom line, sweet friend. HE IS AFTER YOU. Specifically. The words are FOR YOU. Not just for the world. YOU.
Because I believe what scripture teaches about Him and His heart for me, I am able to say and believe.....
God is still good - in the face of cancer.
God is still good - in the loss of a friend.
God is still good - when feelings of emptiness creep in.
God is still good - when money is tight.
God is still good - when you walk the road alone.
God is still good - when a marriage falls apart.
God is still good - when normal is turned upside down.
And you can say that too, if you chose to unite that truth with faith. This passage goes on to say:
For we who have believed enter that rest.
The bottom line - profit comes when we unite truth with faith - Belief -, and that profit is rest.
Will you do that? Will you unite the truth of His word to your belief the next time you hear it? It's not something we do once, it's something we do over and over.
Let Him fill the emptiness of your heart with the fullness of Who He IS. The I AM. He wants you to have rest in that.
XOXO
Will you do that? Will you unite the truth of His word to your belief the next time you hear it? It's not something we do once, it's something we do over and over.
Let Him fill the emptiness of your heart with the fullness of Who He IS. The I AM. He wants you to have rest in that.
XOXO
