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The Investment

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Psalm 18:1 I love You fervently and devotedly, O Lord, my Strength.

Psalm 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him.

Psalm 18:49 Therefore will I give thanks and extol You, O Lord, among the nations, and sing praises to Your name.

What do you give a rich, and wealthy man who owns everything in the world? David gives us a clue in Psalm 18. In verse one David gives the Lord love, in verse 30 he gives Him faith and trust, and in verse 49 he gives Him thanks, and praise. Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus warns His listeners against focusing on laying up treasures on earth. Instead He exhorts them to invest in Heaven, Eternity, and Eternal things. David reminds us what some of those eternal things look like. Yet there’s one more investment that He desires. Revelation 7:9 After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

People are His treasure. More specifically their trust, adoration, and love. How can we lay up for ourselves treasures in Heaven? By investing in the lives of others; especially those of the nations. They are His treasure. Why wouldn’t that be the case? He paid the ultimate price with His life so that we could live with Him as His Treasure. We are His crown and the jewels that sparkle from His crown. He laid up for Himself treasures in Heaven. (Essentially Jesus practices what he preaches).

2 Corintians 13:5 states: Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realize and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? If you are living in faith you are investing faith in Jesus, and in His Word. You are coming into alignment and agreement with His Love by loving what He loves. Your life of faith, and love, is an expression of your thanks, and praise – the highest form of all worship. (Worship really is more than a song or posture) Jonah’s heart hardened when God desired to share with him an eternal treasure – the redemption of the people of Nineveh.

What are you investing in Heaven, in Eternity, in Eternal things? Remember people were created for eternity. People are an eternal commodity. Who and what are you serving? Who and what are you investing in? Are you a Jonah or a David?

Prime the Pump

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One day, a man was lost in a desert without water, but he saw an old makeshift structure. He knew he couldn’t make it much longer, so he got to the covering as fast as his worn-out legs could carry him. To his surprise, inside he found a jar of pure looking water. This jar was on the floor next to a pump.

As he reached down to pick up the jar of water, though, he noticed a sign.

Filled with relief, he walked over to the jar to quench his overbearing thirst. As he reached down to pick up the jar of water, though, he noticed a sign. The sign read, “Use this water to prime the pump. When you have gotten as much water as you need, refill the jar, and leave it for the next person who will pass this way.” 

This man suddenly found himself on the horns of a dilemma because he was so thirsty that he was close to dehydration. What if he followed the directions on the sign and there was no water in the well? What if he poured out all of the water he now held in his hand and got nothing in return? Was that worth the risk to even try? The man had to make a decision to either fill himself now, or pour out what he had and take the chance that deep down there was so much more. The man made the choice to prime the pump. It was a good choice because the water flowed freely. He drank to his delight and collected enough water to take him on his journey. Before he left, he filled the jar and placed it next to the note. Under the words of the note, he wrote, “Trust me. It works!”

Thanksgiving and Christmas are soon approaching. As a result people are becoming mindful of what they are thankful for and who they want to share their love with. As you are being distracted by all of these different things let me gently remind you of what the Apostle Paul stated was true of all those born-again of the Spirit: As you have therefore received Christ, [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him. 7 Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6-7)

One of the fundamentals of being a Christian is thanksgiving. In a culture that has become vehemently self-centered, and obsessed it is imperative that we focus our attention on thanksgiving. In fact I learned many years ago that I have to incorporate it in my life as a daily discipline. I’ve also discovered that thanksgiving actually aids in priming my spiritual pump. Each day many of us will begin feeding on God’s Word and having our quiet time with Him. Others will focus on their priestly responsibilities of praying for the needs of others. But it has been my experience that when I simply focus on me and others that often miss the very ONE I live for. He is the Reason for my existence.The very first thing, I and others, need is to “re-center” ourselves in Him. Consider ministering to Him through thanksgiving. Note that the word thanksgiving is made up of two words: “thanks” and “give.” Psalm 100:4 reminds us that we are to “Enter His Gates With Thanks- Giving.“ We enter into His Presence with the giving of thanks. This is an aspect of our sacrifice of praise. So I challenge you to create a thanksgiving journal and come up with 10 things a day that you are thankful for.

Lastly, note that Colossians 2:6-7 assumes that if someone has received Jesus as Savior, Lord, and Baptizer (Christ) they will be rooted, built up, and established in the faith as they overflow with thanksgiving. Build up your spirit man through overflowing with thanks. Prime that inward pump by exercising the will of your soul engaging in what’s already occurring in Heaven and in all creation – the giving of thanks.