BBD 06.01.04 Your Best

#1 · June 1, 2004, 11:39 am

Quote from Forum Archives on June 1, 2004, 11:39 am
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at www.theburningbush.org

Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are beginning to be
posted at: www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html

The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 13,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

06.01.04

Your Best

Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right
and true before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the
service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his
God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered. - 2 Chronicles 31:20-21.

In the United States, we observed Memorial Day yesterday. Along with the
observance, there has been much talk about the greatest generation, which is
the title of a book written by Tom Brokaw a few years ago. Americans born in
the 1920s who came of age during the Great Depression, fought in World War
II, and went on to build America are those Brokaw refers to as being a part
of the greatest generation in his book. Facing great adversity the greatest
generation never gave up but continued on. They continued on through the
Great Depression, WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, and they are still a
great influence in this country.

The Greatest Generation had a great work ethic, which I believed was
instilled through the background of faith in which they grew up. America
during those years was a Christian nation. As Hezekiah did what was good and
right and true before the Lord his God so did much of the greatest
generation. According to my uncle, my grandfather used to always tell him
“if something is worth doing; it is worth doing your best. If you can’t do
your best don’t do it.” I think most of those who make up the Greatest
Generation and Hezekiah would agree with that.

Hezekiah did his best, “he did it with all his heart.” With all your heart.
I think this means that you give it everything you’ve got. Not holding
anything back. You do your very best. So how does this apply? It applies
first to work done in spiritual matters. Hezekiah “did what was good and
right and true before the Lord his God” and “he did it with all his heart.”
What was it that Hezekiah did? From chapter 29 through chapter 31 is
recorded the most extended account of any revival in Biblical history. What
did Hezekiah do? 2 Chronicles 29:2, “he did what was right in the sight of
the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.” Hezikiah “opened
the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them (v. 3).” He “brought in
the priests and the Levites” and restored the worship at the Temple. Chapter
30 tells of Hezekiah keeping the Passover, which apparently had not been
done in some time. Through the leadership of Hezekiah, the entire nation
again observed the Passover. In chapter 31, we see that Hezekiah makes
provision for the Priests and Levites so that they would be provided for on
an ongoing basis. Looking at the spiritual work of Hezekiah, we see he gave
it all that he had.

We can apply this to the spiritual work that God would have us to do. We
should be ever mindful that what we do - especially in spiritual work we do
all as unto the Lord. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord
and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of
the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will
be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality (Colossians
3:23-25).” If we are a teacher, does it matter if we just prepare enough to
get by or if we give it all that we’ve got, that we do our best? Of course,
it matters because even more than the words we say they will follow our
example. If the example you present is one of barely doing enough to get by,
of being undependable, unpredictable then that is what you are teaching more
than anything you may say. I have been picking on our teachers and leaders
but spiritually it applies to every child of God and I think that we used to
know and understand that. And if we do our best with all our heart, we will
certainly prosper spiritually as did Hezekiah while he was obedient to the
Lord.

As a child of God, you have a basic understanding of salvation and of the
Kingdom of God. When you are saved that does not mean all the spiritual work
is over. It has just begun. You’ve joined the Army of God and your Commander
has work for you to do for each day of your life upon planet earth. And when
the day comes that He no longer has a purpose for your being here then you
will be in Heaven. If you haven’t done so already, I would encourage you to
report for duty and if you have gone AWOL, it is time to return to fulfill
your commitment.

(You can view this entire message at www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html
in either broadband 150kbps or dial up 38kbps streaming video.)

Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 300 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm

More information about Ed Wrather may be found at
www.theburningbush.org/28.html. Ed is available for revivals,
conferences, and other speaking and ministry opportunities as the Lord
leads. He will be in the Indianapolis, Indiana area the week of June 13.

Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>

If you have a Christian website you are invited to add the link to my free
links at the Burning Bush website. The Bravenet free links is near the
bottom of the front page http://www.theburningbush.org.

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org

Please sign the GuestMap at The Burning Bush website. You can plant your
country's flag on the map and leave a message. You can find it on the front
page at http://www.theburningbush.org

Streaming Videos of our services including my sermons are beginning to be
posted at: http://www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html

The Burning Bush Devotional

(Over 13,000 subscribers in 75 countries)

06.01.04

Your Best

Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right
and true before the LORD his God. And in every work that he began in the
service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his
God, he did it with all his heart. So he prospered. - 2 Chronicles 31:20-21.

In the United States, we observed Memorial Day yesterday. Along with the
observance, there has been much talk about the greatest generation, which is
the title of a book written by Tom Brokaw a few years ago. Americans born in
the 1920s who came of age during the Great Depression, fought in World War
II, and went on to build America are those Brokaw refers to as being a part
of the greatest generation in his book. Facing great adversity the greatest
generation never gave up but continued on. They continued on through the
Great Depression, WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, and they are still a
great influence in this country.

The Greatest Generation had a great work ethic, which I believed was
instilled through the background of faith in which they grew up. America
during those years was a Christian nation. As Hezekiah did what was good and
right and true before the Lord his God so did much of the greatest
generation. According to my uncle, my grandfather used to always tell him
“if something is worth doing; it is worth doing your best. If you can’t do
your best don’t do it.” I think most of those who make up the Greatest
Generation and Hezekiah would agree with that.

Hezekiah did his best, “he did it with all his heart.” With all your heart.
I think this means that you give it everything you’ve got. Not holding
anything back. You do your very best. So how does this apply? It applies
first to work done in spiritual matters. Hezekiah “did what was good and
right and true before the Lord his God” and “he did it with all his heart.”
What was it that Hezekiah did? From chapter 29 through chapter 31 is
recorded the most extended account of any revival in Biblical history. What
did Hezekiah do? 2 Chronicles 29:2, “he did what was right in the sight of
the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.” Hezikiah “opened
the doors of the house of the Lord and repaired them (v. 3).” He “brought in
the priests and the Levites” and restored the worship at the Temple. Chapter
30 tells of Hezekiah keeping the Passover, which apparently had not been
done in some time. Through the leadership of Hezekiah, the entire nation
again observed the Passover. In chapter 31, we see that Hezekiah makes
provision for the Priests and Levites so that they would be provided for on
an ongoing basis. Looking at the spiritual work of Hezekiah, we see he gave
it all that he had.

We can apply this to the spiritual work that God would have us to do. We
should be ever mindful that what we do - especially in spiritual work we do
all as unto the Lord. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord
and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of
the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong will
be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality (Colossians
3:23-25).” If we are a teacher, does it matter if we just prepare enough to
get by or if we give it all that we’ve got, that we do our best? Of course,
it matters because even more than the words we say they will follow our
example. If the example you present is one of barely doing enough to get by,
of being undependable, unpredictable then that is what you are teaching more
than anything you may say. I have been picking on our teachers and leaders
but spiritually it applies to every child of God and I think that we used to
know and understand that. And if we do our best with all our heart, we will
certainly prosper spiritually as did Hezekiah while he was obedient to the
Lord.

As a child of God, you have a basic understanding of salvation and of the
Kingdom of God. When you are saved that does not mean all the spiritual work
is over. It has just begun. You’ve joined the Army of God and your Commander
has work for you to do for each day of your life upon planet earth. And when
the day comes that He no longer has a purpose for your being here then you
will be in Heaven. If you haven’t done so already, I would encourage you to
report for duty and if you have gone AWOL, it is time to return to fulfill
your commitment.

(You can view this entire message at http://www.theburningbush.org/fbcswvideo.html
in either broadband 150kbps or dial up 38kbps streaming video.)

Copyright © 2004. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
on a non-profit basis with source credited. On June 8, 1998 the email
version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.

There is now a webpage available at associate.com where the devotionals are
archived associate.com/groups/burningbushdevo. There is a complete
archive at the Burning Bush website and the address for the archive is
http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You may subscribe to the pure text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-subscribe@welovegod.org and you can unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushdevo-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

You may subscribe to the html text group by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-subscribe@welovegod.org and you may unsubscribe by sending a
blank email to burningbushhtml-unsubscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Prayer Group. Send and receive prayer requests
to over 300 members. Send a blank email to: BBPG-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Inspirational Group. Send and receive
inspirational material to over 100 members. Send a blank email to:
bbinspire-subscribe@welovegod.org

Subscribe to the Burning Bush Restoration and Recovery Group for those with
addictions or recovering from addictions. Receive devotionals and
inspirational material directed toward those with addictions. Send and
receive prayer requests. Over 200 members. Send a blank email to:
tbbrr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Subscribe to the Intercede Life Group and pray for and help in practical
ways those who need help. To subscribe send a blank email to
interclife-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. A closely related website is
Peoplefaces which seeks to help those in need
peoplefaces.ohzone.net/index2.htm

More information about Ed Wrather may be found at
http://www.theburningbush.org/28.html. Ed is available for revivals,
conferences, and other speaking and ministry opportunities as the Lord
leads. He will be in the Indianapolis, Indiana area the week of June 13.