Partner With God: Faith And Effort!

PARTNER WITH GOD: FAITH AND EFFORT!

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes)

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

SUCCESS IS FOUND IN EFFORT AND DISCIPLINE. ZERO TIMES 100= 0. GOD DEMANDS EFFORT!

Today we see a new MINDSET. We live in a day of apathy, unwillingness to help, laziness, missed opportunities and dissatisfaction. Know a fact: the less effort we exert the less satisfaction we will have. Are we living in a way that at the end of the day we can feel good about what we accomplished? Each individual CONTROL HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY GIVE. FAITH IS IN GOD --- EFFORT IS OF MAN.

EFFORT: hard work, time invest, labor, vigorous determination, to attempt, try, endeavor, endurance, commitment, exerted power, serious attempt, not ½ hearted.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest

TOGETHER IS A GREAT PLACE TO BE… HOW MUCH DO WE VALUE UNITY… WHAT KIND OF EFFORT DO WE INVEST TO KEEP UNITY?

Mark 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

WE NEED GREAT EFFORT TO KEEP UNITY IN THE HOME, CHURCH AND OUR NATION. JUNE 16, 1858 ABRAHAM LINCOLN gave a great speech known as A DIVIDED HOUSE CANNOT STAND.

One bee can not make much honey. OPPORTUNITY’S last five letters consist of UNITY. Have we learned the lesson: THERE IS GREATER SATISFACTION WHEN WE GIVE OUR BEST EFFORT. You might be surprised “LITTLE EFFORT MEANS LITTLE SATISFACTION and GUARANTEED FAILURE.” I have learned the MORE PERSISTENCE, FAITHFULNESS and the MORE EFFORT I INVEST THE GREATER SUCCESS I FEEL. Seems our STRENGTH and GROWTH PROCESS increases the greater the STRUGGLE AND EFFORT WE GIVE. When we apply “TRY OUR BEST” we can “DO OUR BEST!”

NO EFFORT MEANS NO CHANGE! PROGRESS AND CHANGE WILL OCCUR WHEN WE PUT FORTH OUR BEST EFFORT.

TREASURE IS FOUND IN EFFORT. EFFORT? THERE IS A HIDDEN TREASURE. WE MUST SELL ALL TO GAIN?

IT IS NOT EASY TO FIND A FLAWLESS PEARL… WHAT DOES THE PEARL COST? WE MUST REALIZE THERE IS AN ETERNAL VALUE SYSTEM FAR ABOVE THE WORLD’S SYSTEM.

Today we have cultured pearls and we even have PEARL FARMS. We probably do not fully understand the value of a PEARL in Biblical times. Pearls were HIGHLY VALUED and VERY RARE. Divers risk their lives diving for pearls. Jesus teaches a lesson about EFFORT. This PEARL LESSON teaches us about VALUE SYSTEMS, COMMITMENT AND SACRIFICE.

Matthew 13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE is about EFFORT! Are we seeking for truth and a personal experience with God. The Pearl of Great Price is about SEEKING THE PRESENCE OF GOD. To obtain the PEARL OF GREAT PRICE MEANS A TOTAL COMMITMENT.

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

DISCIPLESHIP CAN BE VERY COSTLY. Finding THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE IS A LESSON IN PPRIORITIES AND VALUING WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. Seek, find, and buy… WILL WE BE TOTALLY COMMITTED?

WE ARE GOING TO STARVE TO DEATH, ME AND MY SON… ELIJAH REQUIRES AN EFFORT: MAKE ME A CAKE FIRST!

1 Kings 17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

How hard would it be to make the first cake for the preacher and the second for your son?

WE UNDERSTAND FAITH IS IN GOD… BUT EFFORT IS DEMAND ON PEOPLE’S PART! THE ELISHA THE PREACHER HEARS THE STORY OF A MAN THAT SERVED GOD AND HE DIED… MOM CANNOT MAKE THE PAYMENTS AND THE DEBTORS ARE GOING TO SELL HER SONS INTO SLAVERY. ELISHA DOES NOT GIVE HER MONEY, HE DEMANDS OF HER WORK, EFFORT.

2 Kings 4:3Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. 5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

TALK ABOUT EFFORT? LET US RAMBLE, WRESTLE… HEY, I WILL NOT LET GO UNTIL YOU BLESS ME…