Just Do It

I am a minister. One day I asked God a question: Father God, "how do I continue to tell people that you can do some thing for them when I know you have not done it for me?"  God said to me. "Son, when I give you a cookie for the person beside you, you don't hold it in one hand and stretch out the other hand asking where is my own. If you do what I ask you to do, I know how to take care of you". I responded quickly "I am sorry Sir, I get it". Sure enough the weeks that followed brought with them a new dimension of God's grace to me that I am still thankful for today.

This week's blog is my encouragement to those of us who are waiting on God for something special -spouse, child, job, good health, restoration, increase, debt freedom or whatever your heart desire may be. Be encouraged and continue to wait faithfully. But while you are waiting, remember that you do not have to be anxious, upset or idle. If God has given you a cookie for the person or persons beside you, obey first, give that cookie away. God is faithful to his promises and won't forget your labour of love.

Every believer is a minister. It's easy to be so absorbed with building a career, family, house, health, ministry, church and business that we forget the actual work God assigned to us. Thankfully however, God has clearly defined the right order of things in his word: First, God's kingdom, then our blessings. If we reverse the order we position ourselves to fall out of God's will. We can see this truth play out between Simon Peter and Jesus Christ in Luke 5:1-9

Peter and his fishing team had toiled all night looking for fish but caught nothing. For sure, Peter was not a novice fisherman and this was not his first time at it either. He must have tried all the tricks and techniques of professional fishing all through the night yet he caught nothing. When morning came, he had no choice but to pack up his nets and go home. That was when Jesus came into the scene. "Please push the boat offshore", Jesus said to Peter. (Imagine what it would feel like to toil all night and catch nothing. Just as you were packing up to go home, a religious teacher comes around asking you to return to the sea. Not that he wanted to help you fish but to do his own business with your boat). The last thing Peter wanted to do, I guess, was to lend his boat to this Jewish teacher at no bargain. But Peter did. Not only did he give up his boat for Jesus to talk to the people at the other side of the sea, Peter waited patiently until Jesus was done speaking. Then Peter's breakthrough came. Jesus instructed him to let his down his net for a catch and to Peter's amazement, he and his men had such a huge haul that they needed help to pack the fish.


Did it not seem like Jesus cared nothing about Peter's obvious failure and frustration at first? Don't you wonder why Jesus said nothing about Peter's most important desire to catch fish before he started using Peter's boat? Of course, Jesus cared and he knew what he was going to do for Peter. But he wanted Peter to obey first. Peter would have blown it if he said "Teacher, I really would like to "help you with my boat" but I gotta go now! I have to get ready for "my" next fishing night". I am happy Peter didn't.

A couple other times Jesus demonstrated this kingdom principle of "obey first" are when He asked Mary whose brother had died "did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God? (John 11:40) Again, He asked Philip where can we buy bread so that these people may eat? This he asked to test Philip for he  knew what he was about to do" (John 6:6). Mary said to Jesus disciples: "whatever he tells you to do, just do it". God loves it when we obey. Obedience is the highest form of faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. The point is, if God is asking you to do anything, obey first. When your obedience is complete, God's faithfulness will kick in.

God  will not use your boat, get off and leave you in the middle of the sea to find your way out. God will not ask you to give out a cookie and leave you without. Sometimes it may look like God does not care about your urgent and important needs even while you are doing so much "for him". But don't worry, God knows exactly what you need. He not only has the power to take care of you he has the integrity to keep every promise he made to you in his word. Our blessings are guaranteed only when we stay within God's will and plan and that requires absolute obedience. God wants us to get busy at the work he assigned to us- seeking his kingdom and bringing it down here on earth.


Friend, lets get busy about the kingdom of God and not allow our personal needs to get in the way. If we obey God and do what he asked to do, God knows how to take care of us. He does! Keep on keeping on, my friend! Your change is coming!

If you have question or comment, please contact me at everydaylifeblogging@gmail.com