Our world today is filled with many and varied influences. All of us as Christians must realize that what we deposit in our “Spiritual Banks” we will eventually with-
draw... whether we want to or not! The book of Hebrews states in ch. 11 verses 36-39... “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise; for yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, my soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe in the saving of the soul.”
     What we “deposit,” if you will, in our “Spiritual Banks,” as a rule is what we will withdraw. For you see, just as in the computer world, what ever you put into it, is what comes out of it. It is called the “G.I.G.O.” principle, meaning “Garbage In Garbage Out.” So it makes sense to believe…“Jesus IN... Jesus OUT!” When we seek self-gratification rather than God’s glorification, we lose a great deal: peace, love, joy, etc.
     We as a society are familiar with the phrase, “If it feels good, Do it!” But, we shouldn’t always function by feelings. As we seek to glorify our needs and desires above those of God, we become “important” in our own eyes. We lose focus. We concentrate on wants. We tend to believe that God should answer our prayers and meet our needs the instant that we rise from our knees in prayer.      We don’t serve a “microwave” God! When HE works things out, it’s in HIS own time and way. We can become frustrated, anxious, and confused. Maybe HE didn’t hear us... We muse on, “What’s taking so long, Lord?” Perhaps His only answer is “Trust me, I’M in control!”

     Boy, it can be really hard at times, especially when it’s something we are REALLY wanting or feel that we need! We must have faith. We must learn day by day or minute by minute if necessary to lean ON and rely IN HIS wisdom as a father. In short, we must endure and strive to do as the writer of Hebrews 12:2 urges us to. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
     When we “deposit” the things of God into our “banks,” we are adding Spiritual wealth into our heavenly accounts. The more we as believers hunger and thirst for the things of heaven, the greater will be our desire to read the Word, Praise and Worship the Lord, Serve God as we serve others, etc…. Then when the pressure from old “Sloofoot” builds, and it will, we’ll have the heavenly strength to “withdraw” what we need from our Spiritual accounts. If, on the flip side, we have low or even NO deposits, except for worldly things, we are guaranteed to become weak, stumble, and eventually fall flat on our spiritual faces!
     The choice is ours. What will we do with Jesus today?? Proverbs 3:3-6

     

     A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, All physically or mentally challenged, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled, falling on the asphalt, tumbling over a couple of times, and then starting to cry. The other eight heard the boy’s crying, they slowed down and looked back. Then they ALL turned around and went back... every one of them.
     One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, “This will make it better." Then all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes.
     People who were there to witness this event are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we all know this one thing: “What matters more in this life than winning for ourselves, is helping others to be winners, even if it means slowing down and changing our own course.”

"A candle loses nothing by lighting another"
Is your candle, “The Light of Jesus,” lit today??