Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 04 Sep 2007 17:26:49 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (Sept. 5); BP: II Cor. 8:10-15; RBTTY: I Cor. 15:1-28; Ps. 146-147
September 5 “Ready, Willing and Able”
“Now, therefore, perform the doing of it, that as there was a readiness to
will, so there may be a performance also out of that which you have-—or, if
there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man has
and not according to that he has not.”
II Corinthians 8:11-12
In Christ it’s our devotion and dedication, not our dreams that matter.
Good intentions.
Someone once said these “pave the road to hell.” So true, so true.
Essentially, this truism is talking about action vs. aspirations. .
.participation vs. procrastination. . . involvement vs. intentions, etc.
That’s why the Apostle Paul used the poor Macedonian Christians as an
example of what it means to be “Ready, Willing and Able” when he wrote to
the Corinthian Christians about fulfilling their pledge to help their
struggling brothers-and-sisters-in-Christ in Jerusalem.
There’s no doubt the church members in Corinth excelled most other
churches in spiritual gifts and financial resources. When Paul had visited
them before and let them know of the Jerusalem Christians’ difficulties,
they’d pledged to help financially. However, many months had passed and
they’d failed to give a single cent for their aid and relief.
Such was not the case with the Macedonian Christians. Instead of
promising and not following through, they begged for an opportunity to give
(v.4)! Glory!! What would happen today in our churches if every one of us
had this same “attitude of gratitude” that asked “What do I get to give?”
instead of “Do I have to give?”? Why, we’d think we’d died and gone to
Heaven, wouldn’t we??
What was the difference in the Macedonian Christians and those in
Corinth?
The answer, again, is found in today’s Manna: “There was first a
willing mind” and then a “readiness to will.” Simply put, the Lord placed a
burden on their hearts to help; then, they put feet on their prayers by
reaching into their pockets instead of just saying, “Well, let’s pray about
it.”
Oh, dear Pilgrim, so often our powerlessness stems from our
prayerlessness. And, even if we do pause to pray, so often it’s simply “lip
service”—i.e., little more than meaningless rhetoric. There are certain
situations in life we don’t need to spend much time praying about (Dan.
3:16-18); as the t.v. ad says, we simply need to “Just Do It!”
Studies have shown in the average congregation 20% of the people do 80%
of the work. Likewise, when something new comes up around 20-25% of the
folks will quickly jump on-board. After further discussion, another 50-55%
will decide to support it. However, most of the time, there’ll be around
15-20% that will say “No way!” regardless of how good the plan or how
evident it is that it’s God’s will.
May the Holy Spirit help us to be like the Macedonian Christians, who
said, “Lord, if there’s a need, help us to fill it. If there’s a way, help
us to find it. Please use us, dear Lord, as You see fit—for Your glory and
others’ good.” Amen and amen.
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