Daily Devotional for Monday July 6, 2009
Get Out of Bed and Be Faithful
(Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalms 89:1; 1 Corinthians 1:9; Hebrews 10:23)
It seems the start of every month and the end of every month, are very stressful times for many people. Much of that stress is due to financial pressures. Most bills come due at the beginning or end of the month. For those who operate their own business or are in executive positions, most companies pay their bills at the start or end of a given month. For those who operate on commission, the last days of a month determine how much income you will have the next month. The pressures to meet financial deadlines, meet sales quotas, all seem to crescendo on the last day of the month.
Today, I want to give you a practical and encouraging word as you face the start of July, "Get out of bed and be faithful." I am sure many of you are thinking right now that is a pretty lame word, especially in light of all that you are facing in your life today. The problem is, you don't understand the depth of what I am telling you. You also underestimate the POWER in what I am telling you. This is not some soft, flippant, clever saying. These are not magical words to make your problems go away. What I am sharing with you today is a simple yet profound formula for success in your life.
First, we know that without God NOTHING is possible. Yes, we can do much in our own strength, but eventually we will fail. If it is to have meaning, if it is to last, it has to be God. God is our answer, He is our hope, and He is the one who will help us see victory in every area of our life. As John 15:5 says, "Without me, you can do nothing." Even though it is God who does all things, true Biblical faith requires action on our part. Our faith in God to do all things DEMANDS our active participation. If you truly believe something, you will demonstrate that belief in your daily life.
So let's break down this word I've shared with you into two parts. The first is to get out of bed. That may sound pretty basic, but if you want to see victory in your life you need to first get out bed. Ben Roethlisberger was the Most Valuable Player in Pittsburgh's Super Bowl victory over Arizona. That would have never been possible if Roethlisberger had stayed in bed that day. You would be shocked at the number of people who handle their problems in life by simply staying in bed! They take the "ostrich burying his head in the sand" approach and don't even get out of bed on those difficult days.
Listen, I realize life can be difficult, and intimidating, and not much fun at times. However, life is never going to change, your problems are not going to magically go away by hiding under your covers. The fact is things will only get worse. Life is not going to get better, your problems are not going to get solved until you get out of bed and take control over your life. As elementary as this may seem, the first step to seeing victory in your life is to get out of bed.
The second part of this word is to be faithful. The natural question is, faithful to what? To God my friend. There are many things in our life each day we have no control over. The one thing that we can control is our faithfulness. Please don't just gloss over this. This is more critical than you will ever completely understand in this life. The one thing we can each do, the one thing God asks us to do, is to be faithful. GOD HONORS THE FAITHFULNESS OF HIS CHILDREN! Please, let me say that one more time so you hear it loud and clear. GOD HONORS THE FAITHFULNESS OF HIS CHILDREN!!!
Listen, God never expects us to do things we can't do, only those things we can. God has called each of us to serve Him in different ways. As you get out of bed and make your way through the day, all God asks is that you are faithful. We are to be faithful to honor God by living for Him, faithful to obey His Word in the choices we make, faithful in being His ambassador to those we meet, and faithful to serve Him as He has called each of us to serve. The Bible over and over lets us see the faithfulness of God. In our own lives we can look back and see the faithfulness of God. As followers of Christ, we are called to be faithful as He is faithful.
I love you and care about you so much. I want to encourage you today that no matter what you may be facing as this month of July begins, God has not left you, He is with you each step of the way. The same God that helped you 5 years ago, the same God that helped you 2 years ago, the same God that helped you last year, the same God that help you last month, is the very same God who will help you now! His promise is true that He will never leave you nor forsake you. So take comfort today that God is there with you.
I will be praying for you today and for your needs. There is no need in your life that is too great or too small for God. Also never forget that God is never too late or too early, but that His timing is perfect. We always have our plan for God to answer our prayers, but God has His own plan to answer our prayers. He loves us and cares about us so much and knows what is best for our life. When God answers His way, He gets the glory. So I will be praying today for you and the needs you are facing on this last day of the month and for those needs you will be facing tomorrow as a new month begins.
Let me leave you today with this simple but powerful word, GET OUT OF BED AND BE FAITHFUL! Throughout this incredible journey of faith called Liveprayer, I have been asked countless times in press interviews and by individuals how I deal with all the pressures of this ministry (especially the financial pressures) that reaches millions of lives worldwide each day through the internet and on television. I share with them what God told me in the early months of Liveprayer. It was early 2000, the dot com bubble had burst, the two venture capital firms that were supposed to be giving Liveprayer over $10 million in a few months had gone out of business, and I had no clue how we would ever survive.
Day after day I would sit in my office and complain to God and He would keep telling me the same thing. After he told me to quit whining and complaining He said, "GET OUT OF BED AND BE FAITHFUL!!!" Today, I share that same word with you, "GET OUT OF BED AND BE FAITHFUL!!!"
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller