What is the Lord showing you fresh these days?

[Sons to Glory!]

I have had a desire to start a thread regarding things that are fresh experiences of Christ and/or that the Lord is showing us currently. My intention is that we will be edified/built-up. We are all saints of the Most High God (think about that!), in our Father’s family, and precious.

I pray the Lord would lead us within and guide us without as we share His grace with one another!

So to start, I want to share something that has really been an enjoyable and encouraging topic of continued fellowship recently among the saints I gather with. For me, it started with a brother sharing something to a small group of us over dinner one night, perhaps a month ago. He said he was reading in Matthew 25 where the Lord told a servant, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!”

This brother said the Lord really spoke to him regarding two things – that the Lord said “faithful in a few things; and the brother said the Lord told him he would hear these very words. Man, his sharing hit me! “Faithful in a FEW things.” Jesus didn’t say many things, but rather “faithful in a FEW THINGS.” Wow!

Of course we’ve heard this passage for years, but somehow I think I always sort of skip the word “few” and even, amazingly, translated it as “many.” That is, I was incredibly hearing, “Since you have been faithful in so many, big things . . .” Nope – not there. “A few things!”

Then a flood of verses started flooding into my mind (as the Spirit does when showing us something) regarding this. It is small faith – like a mustard seed – that He’s looking for. Not necessarily quantity, but rather quality. Over and over in the Bible it is the principle of God starting small. It started with the One Grain falling into the ground. It started with just 12 disciples. A little faith. A little seed. A “still, small voice,” etc. (There is much here – I have a goal to write a new booklet concerning this matter of starting small.)

Then there was some Sunday sharing shortly after this, pointing out how Hebrews 11 (the so-called “Faith Chapter”) shows these “snapshots” of various ones being caught in the act of faith. If you look at most of these people, like David, they did some really despicable things! But it is their moment of faith that is captured in Hebrews 11.

Someone then shared that it’s like a father who is taking pictures of his kids doing various things. But when he catches them doing something he is really proud of: SNAPSHOT! And what is really amazing about our heavenly Father is that He actually forgets those other times! (He says He forgets – what is not of faith is sin – so He forgets all that is not of faith from us.) He knows this whole faith thing is something we are just beginning to learn, and He knows that He will get us where we need to go.

Then we were taking about Hebrews 11 at a breakfast fellowship and it was remarked that Sampson is also mentioned there. Sampson, who essentially forgot who he was, remembered who he was at the very end. He finished well and is included as a snapshot in Hebrews 11! I got a little flash fellowshipping about this, that this might be a picture of the church. Think of it - things look so much a mess in Christendom (and in us individually), but what if we remember who we really are at the end, and it all finishes well!? SNAPSHOT!

Our Father is so much for us! He wants the best in and through us, and will get the best. Along the way He encourages us (the God of all encouragement) – “Just have a little faith in a few thing! I know there will be failures . . . (I forget those.) Just remember who you are in Christ and finish well!”

Once more, I am encouraged to run the race – “Looking away unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith!”

[aron]

Good thoughts here StG.

On the flip side notice that the enemy continually tempts one to leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God.

"ALL this will I give you. . ." ~Matt 4:9

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by aron

Good thoughts here StG.

On the flip side notice that the enemy continually tempts one to leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God.

"ALL this will I give you. . ." ~Matt 4:9

You know, that is right! A few years ago the Lord showed me something in what He said to the unfaithful servant, "You should have deposited it with the bankers." For me it meant to just be faithful to show up and be with the saints (the bankers) a few times a week (and I often get the confirmation from Him that this is correct). The other thing He's shown me to be faithful in is to seek Him and get into His word early each morning. And lastly to turn to Him, in whatever small way, as I think of Him throughout the day.

Simple! A few things.

I tell ya - these few practices have been rich! I know something of Christ is being conveyed and deposited within me.

Just faithful in these few, supposedly small things . . . As He told the Church in Philadelphia, "You have a little strength . . ."

[A little brother]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

So to start, I want to share something that has really been an enjoyable and encouraging topic of continued fellowship recently among the saints I gather with. For me, it started with a brother sharing something to a small group of us over dinner one night, perhaps a month ago. He said he was reading in Matthew 25 where the Lord told a servant, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things. Enter into the joy of your Lord!”

This brother said the Lord really spoke to him regarding two things – that the Lord said “faithful in a few things; and the brother said the Lord told him he would hear these very words. Man, his sharing hit me! “Faithful in a FEW things.” Jesus didn’t say many things, but rather “faithful in a FEW THINGS.” Wow!

Of course we’ve heard this passage for years, but somehow I think I always sort of skip the word “few” and even, amazingly, translated it as “many.” That is, I was incredibly hearing, “Since you have been faithful in so many, big things . . .” Nope – not there. “A few things!”

Amen. To me, "a few things" is also how we should view the things we have done. Sometimes we have inflated view on our services. We started with success in a few things and gradually build up our SELF-confidence, then pride creeps in. We believe we are so blessed that we can conquer the world and in Aron's words "leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God".

Luk 17 gives us a balanced view on how to serve our Lord...

17:7 But which of you, having a slave who is plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, Come immediately and recline at table?

17:8 Will he not rather say to him, Prepare something that I may dine, and gird yourself and serve me until I eat and drink; and after that you will eat and drink?

17:9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were ordered, does he?

17:10 So also you, when you do all the things which are ordered you, say, We are unprofitable slaves; we have done what we ought to have done.

[tentmaker]

Thanks for starting this thread. Now I have a place to share this.


I had a small experience recently, this is the short version of, still probably not short, quick and to the point enough but anyway. To me, at the moment of realization of, it was quite tremendous (and still considering it).

I had a task around the house that required melting some lead into a project I was working on. I had a chunk of lead and a propane torch, but wondered if the max torch temperature could actually melt the lead that I had. I had never done anything like that before. I went on google and did some checking. I soon got side tracked into reading something about the source of propane coming from fossil fuels. Hmmm. My understanding is that the crude oil under the ground has been there a long, long time, not 6000 years (nor 60000 years), being there and just waiting to be pumped out and used for something. Then the verse Eph 1:11 came to me, “in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will”. My mind then took a little adventure with the part of that verse that says “purpose of him who works all things”. Could it be that fossil fuels, created through some process, perhaps many ages ago, (millions of years - or more?) be part of this purpose? I considered that there was a good possibility Adam didn’t know about fossil fuels, or crude oil, stored in massive reserves in various places under the earth, all over the earth, for untold, unknown, untraceable amounts of time in his time. Paul, who wrote Eph 1:11, did he know about it? Probably had no idea of. Then comes the 1800’s, petro is discovered and has a necessary use. What I saw is this: We use gasoline to get from here to there. Without it life would be different. It has only been in use a short amount time in comparison to human history. Much of God’s building work, which is a great mystery, is benefited by the ability to travel. Short distance, long distance. No petro, limited travel, limited building, limited fellowship. This also includes electricity: No power, limited building, limited fellowship.

Some kind of action, some process on earth, on God’s order, occurring in ancient times, over an unknown amount of time necessary to create it, caused crude oil to form. Why it is underground is a mystery. The powers and principalities in the heavens must have witnessed this occurring, but had no idea what it was for? At that moment I beheld the patience of God, the wisdom of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will. Also Eph 3:10: “ … to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”. This is for me/us! I/we shouldn’t neglect it. The above mentioned only skims the surface of the topic itself (also -fossil fuels, petro, crude oil, etc all refer to the same thing, same source).

Anyways I never did get the lead melted …. went off in another direction.


If this isn't what you had in mind or doesn't fit here let me know and I'll delete it ... thanks

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by A little brother

Amen. To me, "a few things" is also how we should view the things we have done. Sometimes we have inflated view on our services. We started with success in a few things and gradually build up our SELF-confidence, then pride creeps in. We believe we are so blessed that we can conquer the world and in Aron's words "leave the safety of the few things entrusted by God".

Luk 17 gives us a balanced view on how to serve our Lord...

17:7 But which of you, having a slave who is plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, Come immediately and recline at table?

17:8 Will he not rather say to him, Prepare something that I may dine, and gird yourself and serve me until I eat and drink; and after that you will eat and drink?

17:9 He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were ordered, does he?

17:10 So also you, when you do all the things which are ordered you, say, We are unprofitable slaves; we have done what we ought to have done.

As I was biking yesterday I was musing about how prideful I can get when the Lord shows me something. I've had at least a couple times where He has really turned the light on -I see it - and get all excited. Of course I want to share it, which is good I think. But not long after getting the light, a puffed-upedness (like that word?) creeps in and it's like, "I've seen something you haven't," and that's where it seems to start. Before long, there is no life in that knowledge, or at least in my conveying of it.

As I was biking, I was considering how this happens on much larger scale among us believers. Knowledge fails. Something that was real light just becomes dead ritualistic knowledge in our practice. We also seem to be blinded to that pride.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by tentmaker

Thanks for starting this thread. Now I have a place to share this.


I had a small experience recently, this is the short version of, still probably not short, quick and to the point enough but anyway. To me, at the moment of realization of, it was quite tremendous (and still considering it).

I had a task around the house that required melting some lead into a project I was working on. I had a chunk of lead and a propane torch, but wondered if the max torch temperature could actually melt the lead that I had. I had never done anything like that before. I went on google and did some checking. I soon got side tracked into reading something about the source of propane coming from fossil fuels. Hmmm. My understanding is that the crude oil under the ground has been there a long, long time, not 6000 years (nor 60000 years), being there and just waiting to be pumped out and used for something. Then the verse Eph 1:11 came to me, “in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will”. My mind then took a little adventure with the part of that verse that says “purpose of him who works all things”. Could it be that fossil fuels, created through some process, perhaps many ages ago, (millions of years - or more?) be part of this purpose? I considered that there was a good possibility Adam didn’t know about fossil fuels, or crude oil, stored in massive reserves in various places under the earth, all over the earth, for untold, unknown, untraceable amounts of time in his time. Paul, who wrote Eph 1:11, did he know about it? Probably had no idea of. Then comes the 1800’s, petro is discovered and has a necessary use. What I saw is this: We use gasoline to get from here to there. Without it life would be different. It has only been in use a short amount time in comparison to human history. Much of God’s building work, which is a great mystery, is benefited by the ability to travel. Short distance, long distance. No petro, limited travel, limited building, limited fellowship. This also includes electricity: No power, limited building, limited fellowship.

Some kind of action, some process on earth, on God’s order, occurring in ancient times, over an unknown amount of time necessary to create it, caused crude oil to form. Why it is underground is a mystery. The powers and principalities in the heavens must have witnessed this occurring, but had no idea what it was for? At that moment I beheld the patience of God, the wisdom of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will. Also Eph 3:10: “ … to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God”. This is for me/us! I/we shouldn’t neglect it. The above mentioned only skims the surface of the topic itself (also -fossil fuels, petro, crude oil, etc all refer to the same thing, same source).

Anyways I never did get the lead melted …. went off in another direction.


If this isn't what you had in mind or doesn't fit here let me know and I'll delete it ... thanks

That's great - a perfect place to share your seeing! Yes, all these things around us that we take for granted and/or think of as some sort of a coincidence . . . when we see things clearly for what they are, we see that He is certainly able to do these things. And He does! And His motivation is love to us.

So I like how you said that the fuels formed in the ground were there, ready to be revealed at this time. The world is a much smaller place and I marvel at how fast we get from one point to another. And also how fast information travels.

The setting 2000 years ago was also quite the "coincidence." The Romans were masters of a vast reach of territory. And to all these places they brought their language, including Greek. Greek was an excellent language to write the New Testament in. And once written, it could easily travel along all those great Roman roads!

So today, the gospel and those carrying it can get to the remotest parts of the earth without that much trouble. (it would take the Moravians a month or more to reach their mission field) Plus, the technology can much more easily translate the good news into various languages. (again, it could take the Moravians years to master a language and write it down)

[awareness]

I like it. "A few things" means I have a chance. Amen Lord

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by awareness

I like it. "A few things" means I have a chance. Amen Lord

I know! I used to think I didn't stand much of a chance at all - which is really focusing on me and is all about my performance (and which is actually making Him out a liar . . . a "hard man")!

I believe there is accountability, but His intention is that we make it in a "few things," not a ton of BIG things!

[aron]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

I believe there is accountability, but His intention is that we make it in a "few things," not a ton of BIG things!

Also reminds of Luke 10:41,42, where Jesus told Martha, "You're worried about many things. But only one thing is necessary."

The devil wants to drag us back and forth over a landscape of many things. God just wants us to be faithful in a little. "Hold fast to what you have; let no one take your crown."

[A little brother]

Originally Posted by aron

Also reminds of Luke 10:41,42, where Jesus told Martha, "You're worried about many things. But only one thing is necessary."

The devil wants to drag us back and forth over a landscape of many things. God just wants us to be faithful in a little. "Hold fast to what you have; let no one take your crown."

I don't mean to drag us back, but as Jesus said - "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Mat 5:48). There is always room for improvement as long as we aren't perfect yet. I guess there is no harm identifying a few new things to do in the Lord from time to time.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by A little brother

I don't mean to drag us back, but as Jesus said - "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Mat 5:48). There is always room for improvement as long as we aren't perfect yet. I guess there is no harm identifying a few new things to do in the Lord from time to time.

Yes, we are to be perfect. And of course, that is impossible! So He must do it in us - He is faithful: "He who began a good work in you will complete it." (And He even put the faith in us!)

So how does He do that - make perfect - with weak ones such as all we are? As He told those in Philadelphia, "You have a little strength . . ." Was the most positive letter to the Revelation churches written to those who are really awesome and who were doing mighty works of faith? No, but rather to those who were showing just "a little strength." Faithful in a few . . .

So what are the "few things" the Lord is showing you to be faithful in?

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by aron

Also reminds of Luke 10:41,42, where Jesus told Martha, "You're worried about many things. But only one thing is necessary."

The devil wants to drag us back and forth over a landscape of many things. God just wants us to be faithful in a little. "Hold fast to what you have; let no one take your crown."

Great example - amen!

[aron]

Originally Posted by A little brother

There is always room for improvement as long as we aren't perfect yet. I guess there is no harm identifying a few new things to do in the Lord from time to time.

But what are we improving? The "many things" which cause us stress and anxiety and resentment, or the "one necessary thing" which God wants us to focus on? If it's the former, we're spinning our wheels; we're putting "lipstick on the pig". If it's the latter we're going on to glory; we're going "from strength to strength".

One thing about getting older is you tend to simplify problems more quickly; you identify what's necessary and what's extraneous fluff. Just go to work every day and do the "one necessary thing", over and over again, and you will get promoted right up the ladder. That is what I found. I had no ambition, but was "serving God and not man". But the Lord said, "Just do this one thing continually, in season and out, and you will be fine." I never let Satan distract me from that view (at least, for long - yes I occasionally fail like everyone else). As a result I've been a better employee, and done better with my career, than if I were brimming with ambition and desire.

The gospel, similarly, is about Jesus Christ raised from the dead on the third day, and given glory, and forgiveness and eternal life in His name. All the rest (e.g., how many 'churches' per 'city') is all fluff. Either God raised Jesus or He didn't. Either you believe or you don't. Keep it simple.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by aron

But what are we improving? The "many things" which cause us stress and anxiety and resentment, or the "one necessary thing" which God wants us to focus on? If it's the former, we are spinning our wheels; we are putting "lipstick on the pig". If it's the latter we are going on to glory, we are going from "strength to strength".

One thing about getting older is you tend to simplify problems more quickly; you identify what is necessary and what is extraneous fluff. Just go to work every day and do the "one necessary thing", over and over again, and you will get promoted right up the ladder. That is what I found. I had no ambition, but was "serving God and not man". But the Lord said, "Just do this one thing continually, in season and out, and you will be fine." I never let Satan distract me from that view (at least, for long - yes I occasionally fail like everyone else). As a result I've been a better employee, and done better with my career, than if I were brimming with ambition and desire.

The gospel, similarly, is about Jesus Christ raised from the dead on the third day, and given glory, and forgiveness and eternal life in His name. All the other stuff (e.g., how many 'churches' per 'city') is all fluff. Either God raised Jesus or He didn't. Either you believe or you don't. Keep it simple.

I like that! In fact, my wife and I make a living with helping companies forget about just doing things efficiently (doing many things) and focusing on doing what matters most (working smart)! I don't doubt the Lord put me in this business to accentuate this idea - focusing on the "few things" is what really matters.

This morning I repeated to the Lord the few things He has shown me to be faithful, and asking Him if indeed this is correct. I believe I have the witness and confirmation. So here are the four basic & routine things I believe He has shown me to be faithful in:

1. Stay where He has put me
2. Don't forsake the assembling together
3. Seek Him early each morning - praying, singing, chewing on His word
4. As I remember, talk to Him throughout the day regarding all things

And all else flows out of this - having a relationship with Him (i.e., Mary)!

And Aron, thanks for pointing out the Mary aspect of the main thing - having an ongoing relationship with God! The "few things" I mentioned above are all toward that main thing.

[JJ]

I’m just spellbound by the glory of Jesus these days and captivated by the anticipation of seeing His kingdom come.

[Sons to Glory!]

I just finished writing a 4 page draft of something I've called, "Faithful in a Few Things." It is an expansion of the thought in the first post on this thread, and delves into things the Scottsdale church has been fellowshipping about the last few months.

What is the best way to post this? I guess I'll try a cut and paste but it will be big.

Anyway, when I finally got around to writing it, it just flowed out almost effortlessly onto a legal pad. It may need some cleaning up and some references added, but here it is.

Please let me know any thoughts or clarifications regarding this.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear, because fear means punishment. The one not fearing has been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18

Faithful in a Few Things

All Christians will be called upon, in that day, to give an accounting of themselves; of things done in the body. This is not a specific accounting of sins in our life, as Christ has paid the complete and full penalty for sin. We are assured that he has paid the full price and sin will never be charged to our account again. He has put His very life into us and thereby made us children of God. We are a new creation! He will not go back on His word and His work to then condemn us. Christ took all condemnation! He also will not cause us to somehow be “unborn.” Therefore we are secure eternally as His children.

Some Christians take this to mean that they now have their “ticket” to heaven and can live any way they want. In one respect this is true, and Paul says that as God’s children, “all things are lawful.” That is, the Christian has complete freedom to choose what they want in their life. However, in this same sentence he finishes by saying, “but not all things are profitable.” The child of God has the freedom to do choose whatever they want (as do all humans, according to their God-given free will), but Paul points out that the Christian’s choices may or may not be profitable or pleasing to the Lord. (and the reality is we have been purchased with the blood of Christ and we are actually NOT our own . . .)

Again, this has nothing to do with condemnation for sin, as that has been removed in Christ’s free gift of grace to us. However, sin can still have a negative impact on the believer, even though God’s penalty for it has been removed. We cannot “play” with sin in our lives and think that there are no consequences whatsoever. God may forget our sin, but sin in our lives can still damage our walk with the Lord. Sin can deceive us, dull our conscience and senses, break fellowship with God (from our side), damage human relations, cause physical issues, and other negative things! So in this respect, these kinds of choices are certainly not profitable.

At the Bema of Christ (often rendered “judgment seat”) we are told there will be an accounting of things believers have done, to see if their actions were profitable or not. First Corinthians chapter three tells us the things we build with - our works - will be “tested by fire” to see how they will hold up under divine examination. If the materials we are building with survive the testing fire (gold, silver, precious stone) then there will be profit and meaning for our lives. If our building works are burned (wood, hay, stubble) then we will suffer loss and there won’t be profit. Paul goes on to say in this chapter that even if all our works are burned up, the person will still be saved “yet as through fire.” This is no loss of eternal salvation for the believer, but no profit either. Several other places in scripture indicate that for those who are faithful and their works remain, there will be rewards given to them, in that day, by the Lord.

What are the works that are profitable to a Christian? First of all Christ says, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” “Abide in Me and you will bare much fruit.” Therefore we should not think running out to do our own version of “saving the world for Jesus” is pleasing in His sight. He said many will come to Him in that day saying, “’Lord, Lord, did we not do . . . in your name?’ And I will say, ‘Depart from Me you workers of iniquity – I never knew you.’” How can He say that He never knew them – because God knows all, right? It is because they didn’t have an intimate relationship with Him and didn’t abide in Him. Therefore the things they did amounted to nothing, because He did not have a relationship with them and didn’t specifically tell them to do those things! It may seem good to us to do many things, but if we don’t hear it from Him and He’s not leading us to do it, then there is no profit in it. It will actually rob us of reward (i.e., our wood, hay, stubble is burned up).

Others believe they must do many significant things in order to be pleasing to God at the Bema, so as to not suffer loss there. But thinking they have to do many big works can cause them to fall into a performance mode where they almost never seem to measure up. This results in self condemnation and unhealthy fear. Our Father’s loving desire for His children is that we would experience no condemnation (there is none for believers – Romans 8:1) and that they would be perfected in love. First John 4:18 tells us, "There is no fear in love; perfect love drives out all fear. So then, love has not been made perfect in anyone who is afraid, because fear has to do with punishment.” Yes, God is the most Awesome Being who is worthy to be feared, since He exerts ultimate control and judgment over all. But the proper perspective is that of a loving Father who strongly desires the very best for all His children. And if we need it, He will discipline us for our eventual good.

Let’s look now at Matthew 25 where the faithful and unfaithful servants are presented. This parable gives good insights into what works are pleasing to God. The three servants all receive money from their master before he leaves on a journey. Two of the servants are faithful to increase this money entrusted to them and one isn’t faithful. The faithful ones receive praise and reward when their master returns, but the third, unfaithful one receives neither.

The third servant didn’t know his master well and had an erroneous view of him as a “hard man” and accuses his master of magically “reaping where you haven’t sown.” The unfaithful one feared his master and therefore hid his master’s money. His attitude and approach were in error and therefore there was no profit to be returned to his master. He receives a rebuke for his error in judgment and is told he should have “deposited my money with the bankers so there would at least have been interest paid on it.” (Personally, I believe the “bankers” are those that also possessed money as the servant did, therefore they equate to other believers. Accordingly this probably means to invest our heavenly “assets” in those of God’s household we’re surrounded with.) The master calls this servant “wicked and lazy.” He goes on to decree, “Therefore take the money from him . . . and throw that unprofitable servant into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” I think this parable clearly shows that the attitudes and fear with this unfaithful one were not pleasing to God! Regardless of exactly what is meant by “outer darkness” or “weeping and gnashing of teeth,” I think everyone would agree that we don’t want to be in that situation!

Now look at what he told his faithful servants. These two wisely invested the money entrusted to them and were able to present their master with an increase. This greatly pleased the master and he told each of them, “Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in a few things; I will put you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master!” This situation of the three servants is clearly an illustration of the Bema, where an awarding of rewards occurs. But there is also the real possibility of not attaining to a reward, and thereby a loss is experienced (along with a rebuke for being unprofitable).

So if the Lord rewards based upon believers being faithful in a few things, let’s examine whether this principle arises in other places in scripture. The question is does He demand a high level of significant works from us or rather is He actually pleased if we just follow through faithfully on a smaller number of things He gives us?

The principle of God starting things off in a small way occurs a lot in scripture and also in nature. All living things start smaller and grow larger. This is a principle of life. This can be seen with plants (seeds) and animals (eggs, embryos & cells multiplying). In the gospels Christ likens the divine life planted in us to a seed. We are also told that if we have “faith the size of a mustard seed” we can move mountains. Life starts small and grows. God plants small seeds so they can grow. He creates something out of nothing. He starts small. It’s His way.

This smallness is illustrated in the scriptures many times. God came to Elijah as “a still, small voice.” A small stone killed Goliath. He praised the church in Philadelphia telling them, “You have a little strength.” Likewise He told Paul, “My strength is perfected in weakness.” God was pleased with the widow’s mite as an offering and not satisfied with the much larger one by the other worshipper. His beginnings with the nation of Israel started small with His relationship with one man, Abram (later named Abraham).

Hebrews chapter eleven is known as “the faith chapter.” It is full of instances of a little faith being demonstrated. That is, it is often just a small amount of faith shown by someone, which in turn gave God the means to do something in a big way. We often think the faithful ones presented in this chapter were giants of faith, but that’s not really the case at all. For instance, Abraham tried to give his wife, Sarah, away not once, but twice! David murdered Uriah and then stole his wife. Sampson made many mistakes and errors in judgment, but finished well with one final act of faith. Over and over in this chapter we see this – people who were not always so faithful, yet instance of their faith are recorded by the Holy Spirit.

I’ve heard it said that this chapter is like a loving father taking snapshots of His children as they do something that makes him proud. Like a proud dad showing people a picture of his daughter and saying, “And that’s little Janie doing her very first summersault!” God records these instances where people put their trust and simple faith in Him. It’s as if the Holy Spirit only saw these few instances of faith in these people’s lives and these were the important things to convey; not their failures and shortcomings. Sure, the shortcomings were there, but Hebrews 11 is the “few things” these ones were faithful in. They are the things that God was then able to use. It’s these things that really matter to Him.

And how did God choose to manifest Himself in the flesh? He did it as a small human baby! Not much is as small, weak and helpless as an infant, yet that’s how He decided to launch the New Covenant. It was the one grain of wheat that came to fall into the ground to die, so that many grains would be brought forth – truly a small beginning! And He started His ministry with a small handful of men – twelve disciples. And His work with all the gentile nations was spearheaded by one man, Paul. A few faithful men, with the seed of Christ growing in them, then overturned the whole world!

These things show us a good context for why the Lord would be pleased by His children being faithful in just a few things. This should be a most encouraging word to us. God knows us and knows few of us are spiritual SuperSaints. Our loving and wise Father doesn’t place a heavy burden of crushing responsibility on our backs. Christ said, “Take My yoke upon you, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Was He just speaking something in a flowery way to somehow motivate us even though it wasn’t true? A thousand NO’s! If He said it then pleasing Him is in reality easy and light. This is such encouragement – He assures us we can make it and hear those blessed words from Him, “Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things . . . enter into the joy of your Lord!”

What are the few things each of us should be faithful in? That depends on the individual. What you are to be specifically faithful in may differ from what I am to be faithful in. We all must learn from Him what these things are that He wants, in order that we may be well-pleasing to Him. Are there things you know for certain He has told you to do ongoing? If you don’t know what they are, then ask Him what He wants for you.

I can tell you that there are a few things He has communicated to me that He wants me to be faithful in, and He has reinforced these things many times with me. They aren’t what I consider really big things. One thing He has impressed me with over and over is for me to just stay where He has put me. (This is important as I’ve had a history of “jumping ship” throughout much of my life.) That means to stay with my wife; stay with the Christians He’s put me with; stay with others He’s surrounded me with, stay with my job, house, etc.

A second thing is to seek Him faithfully each morning when I arise from sleep by talking to Him, taking everything to Him in prayer, getting into His word, declaring His word, and singing. A third thing is getting with other believers several times a week to enjoy Christ with one another. As Hebrews 10:25 says, “Don’t forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as is the practice of some, and so much the more as you see the day drawing near.” I know that this also means to make myself available for saints who are in need of my assistance and also fellowship. A fourth thing He’s impressed on me is simply to keep turning to Him throughout my day, in a simple way as I remember Him – calling His name and talking to Him about anything and everything.

These are my few things I know to be consistently faithful in, and that I know for certain He has given me. I know that if I wasn’t at least reasonably faithful in these things that I would have zero excuse in that day before Him at the Bema. He has confirmed these to me repeatedly through His indwelling Anointing, through His word and through fellowship. If nothing else happens in my life, I need to make sure I apply some diligence to see that these things are happening regularly. Being faithful in the few things He gives us is the way to please Him and our way into glory!



I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14