When Success Becomes More than Just a Word

As the CEO of a successful tech company, Sarah had always been driven to achieve success. She had worked tirelessly to build her business from the ground up, and had finally reached the point where she was on the brink of taking her company public.

But as she sat in her office, staring out at the city skyline, Sarah couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. She had always been driven by a desire to achieve, but she had never stopped to consider what she was working towards.

It was then that she remembered the words of 1 Chronicles 29:11: "Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all."

As Sarah reflected on these words, she realized that her drive to succeed had been rooted in a desire to prove her own greatness. But now, she saw that true greatness could only be found in giving back to others, and using her success to make a difference in the world.

With this newfound understanding, Sarah decided to use her company's resources to launch a major philanthropic initiative, focused on helping underprivileged communities and promoting education and technology access. She also began to volunteer her time and resources to local charities and organizations.

Through her efforts, Sarah found that her success was not only measured by her company's growth, but also by the impact she was able to make in the lives of others. And in the end, she knew that true greatness could only be found in serving others and giving back to the world.

From that day on, Sarah's company became not just a successful business, but also a leader in corporate social responsibility. She had finally found the balance between the drive to achieve and the need to give back to the world, and in doing so, she had truly become a great leader.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 12:18

1 Chronicles 12:18 New International Version (NIV)

18 Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:

“We are yours, David!
    We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success, success to you,
    and success to those who help you,
        for your God will help you.”

So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.

Afternoon Scripture Reading - 1 Chronicles 22:17-19

1 Chronicles 22:17-19 New International Version (NIV)

17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon. 18 He said to them, “Is not the Lord your God with you? And has he not granted you rest on every side? For he has given the inhabitants of the land into my hands, and the land is subject to the Lord and to his people. 19 Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the Lord your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the Lord.”

Morning Scripture Reading - 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

1 Chronicles 29:10-12 New International Version (NIV)

David’s Prayer

10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

“Praise be to you, Lord,
    the God of our father Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.

Morning Scripture Reading - 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

1 Chronicles 29:10-12 New International Version (NIV)

David’s Prayer

10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,

“Praise be to you, Lord,
    the God of our father Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.

Afternoon Scripture Reading - 1 Chronicles 28:20-21

1 Chronicles 28:20-21 New International Version (NIV)

20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsakeyou until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. 21 The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.”

Sunday Praise & Worship Message - Simple Childhood Truths

A couple of days ago I was reading an article about overthinking problems. I, like many others, tend to overthink problems and plan out every detail. Like a skilled chess player, I plan each move and try to anticipate my opponent’s next move. There would be a series of countermoves to each move. In time, I find myself pacing the floor and experiencing another sleepless night. I have worked myself up into a frazzle and the only thing I have to show for all of this extraneous activity is baggy, tired eyes and no solution to my initial thought.

I am sure that many of you have done the same thing from time to time. You worry about every little detail only to find, like me, that the problem was not that big of a deal and it would actually solve itself. Having gone through those types of situations, it does not stop me from doing the same thing all over again. I soon find myself doing the exact same thing to resolve the next problem or issue in my life.

As I read the article, the author suggested that we should not concentrate on what can go wrong, but rather what can go right. If you think about it, the author’s advice is perfect. We spend too much time thinking about what could go wrong rather than look at what can and will go right. While I continued to read the article, I began to think back to my childhood. As a child, I really had no problems to worry about. My parents provided my brother and myself with food, shelter, clothing and the necessities of life. When I became a parent, I took on the worries of providing for my family.

If you look at today’s society, many things can go wrong. A spouse could lose a job, have a medical problem or pass away. All of a sudden, your life turns upside down and you begin to think about all of the things that could go wrong. Look at all of the things that you have in your life: mortgage, car payments, credit card bills, utilities, food and the list goes on. Missing a payment could spell the end of your financial life. Has your blood pressure increased? Is your heart racing? For me, the mere mention of missing a payment scares me and I begin to sweat and worry. There are times when I wish I could become a child again and have no worries.

While it is impossible to travel back in time to become a child, there are certain things we learned during our childhood that can help us get through the tough times and set our thoughts on our Heavenly Father who provides us with everything we need.

When I was in the fifth grade, before heading to the cafeteria for lunch we would bow our heads in prayer and ask God to bless our food. Children learn a very simple prayer for God’s blessing. “God is great. God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. Amen”.

Do you remember this little prayer? I bet each of you could have repeated it when I started that small prayer. If you really think about this simple prayer, you will see that there are fundamental truths about God. These truths are illustrated throughout the entirety of the Holy Bible. We see God’s awesome power throughout the Old Testament. 

David, in 1 Chronicles 29, sums up God’s greatness perfectly in a prayer of praise, “10 O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.”

Look at the words that David speaks. He talks of glory, victory, greatness, power and majesty. God rules over all things in Heaven and on the earth. Everything is His and His alone. He gives greatness and strength to those He chooses. He truly is great. 

The next thing in the little prayer that is illustrated is God’s goodness. It is a very simple sentence like the one before it. God is good. He provides only good things to His children.

James, in chapter 1 of his epistle, writes, “17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.”

God does not change or lie. It is impossible for Him to do so. All good and perfect things come to us from His bountiful hand. He is only capable of giving us good things and will never give us anything that would cause us harm.

Jesus, in his Sermon on the Mount as recorded in Matthew 7, tells us, “9 You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? 10 Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! 11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.”

Once again, a very simple truth is provided in that simple little prayer. Since God is good, He will only give us good gifts. It is up to us to approach the throne of God and ask Him for those good gifts. As long as we seek Him we will find Him and if we ask, He will give in accordance to His will and plan for our lives.

As we grew older, we forgot the simple truths of that prayer. We overthink and spend too much time worrying about things in our lives. All we have to do is go to God in prayer and ask for His wisdom, guidance and help in whatever we face. All throughout the scripture, God reminds us that all we have to do is seek Him and we will find Him. Once again, that is a very simple truth that we often forget. God is always there even when we think He is not.

It is so easy for us to forget the childhood truths that we learned and not apply them to our adult lives. We seek help and guidance from everywhere and everyone else. Earlier in Matthew 7, Jesus tells us, “8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” 

It is not a hard thing to do. We just, once again, overthink how we should approach God. It starts with realizing that we can go our Heavenly Father by professing that Jesus is our personal Savior and Lord and it is only through him that we can speak to the Father. 

The author of Hebrews tells us in chapter 4, “16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

It is Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and the spilling of his blood for our sins that allows us to go boldly to God’s throne and obtain mercy and find grace when we face trials, troubles and tribulations. There are no secret rituals that we have to perform to gain access to the Father. It is, once again, a simple truth. If we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we have access through him to the Father. There is nothing that separates us from Him.

As you go through this week and face issues that seem insurmountable, remember that simple prayer and the truths in it. God truly is great and good. He will provide for your every need and guide your footsteps. When you choose to seek Him, you will find Him. When you ask, you will be given. Knowing those simple truths will allow you to stand firm in His grace.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 16:7-36

1 Chronicles 16:7-36 New Living Translation (NLT)

David’s Song of Praise
7 On that day David gave to Asaph and his fellow Levites this song of thanksgiving to the Lord:

8 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
    Let the whole world know what he has done.
9 Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
    Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
10 Exult in his holy name;
    rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
11 Search for the Lord and for his strength;
    continually seek him.
12 Remember the wonders he has performed,
    his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
13 you children of his servant Israel,
    you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.

14 He is the Lord our God.
    His justice is seen throughout the land.
15 Remember his covenant forever—
    the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
16 This is the covenant he made with Abraham
    and the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
    and to the people of Israel as a never-ending covenant:
18 “I will give you the land of Canaan
    as your special possession.”

19 He said this when you were few in number,
    a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.
20 They wandered from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
21 Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
    He warned kings on their behalf:
22 “Do not touch my chosen people,
    and do not hurt my prophets.”

23 Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
    Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
24 Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
    Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
25 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
    He is to be feared above all gods.
26 The gods of other nations are mere idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens!
27 Honor and majesty surround him;
    strength and joy fill his dwelling.

28 O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,
    recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong.
29 Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
    Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
30     Let all the earth tremble before him.
    The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

31 Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!
    Tell all the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32 Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
    Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!
33 Let the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord,
    for he is coming to judge the earth.

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.
35 Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
    Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
    and rejoice and praise you.”

36 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who lives from everlasting to everlasting!

And all the people shouted “Amen!” and praised the Lord.

Happy Thanksgiving - 1 Chronicles 16:34

1 Chronicles 16:34 New Living Translation (NLT)

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 12:18

1 Chronicles 12:18 New Living Translation (NLT)

18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the leader of the Thirty, and he said,

“We are yours, David!
    We are on your side, son of Jesse.
Peace and prosperity be with you,
    and success to all who help you,
    for your God is the one who helps you.”

So David let them join him, and he made them officers over his troops.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 22:17-19

1 Chronicles 22:17-19 New Living Translation (NLT)

17 Then David ordered all the leaders of Israel to assist Solomon in this project. 18 “The Lord your God is with you,” he declared. “He has given you peace with the surrounding nations. He has handed them over to me, and they are now subject to the Lord and his people. 19 Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the Lord’s name.”

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

1 Chronicles 29:10-12 New Living Translation (NLT)

David’s Prayer of Praise
10 Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:

“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel,[a] may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 29:10-12

1 Chronicles 29:10-12 New Living Translation (NLT)

David’s Prayer of Praise
10 Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:

“O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel,[a] may you be praised forever and ever! 11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things. 12 Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

Footnotes:
29:10 Israel is the name that God gave to Jacob

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 28:17-21

1 Chronicles 28:17-21 New Living Translation (NLT)

17 David also designated the amount of gold for the solid gold meat hooks used to handle the sacrificial meat and for the basins, pitchers, and dishes, as well as the amount of silver for every dish. 18 He designated the amount of refined gold for the altar of incense. Finally, he gave him a plan for the Lord’s “chariot”—the gold cherubim[a] whose wings were stretched out over the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant. 19 “Every part of this plan,” David told Solomon, “was given to me in writing from the hand of the Lord.[b]”

20 Then David continued, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don’t be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see to it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly. 21 The various divisions of priests and Levites will serve in the Temple of God. Others with skills of every kind will volunteer, and the officials and the entire nation are at your command.”

Footnotes:
28:18 Hebrew for the gold cherub chariot.
28:19 Or was written under the direction of the Lord.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 12:18

1 Chronicles 12:18 New Living Translation (NLT)

18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the leader of the Thirty, and he said,

“We are yours, David!
    We are on your side, son of Jesse.
Peace and prosperity be with you,
    and success to all who help you,
    for your God is the one who helps you.”
So David let them join him, and he made them officers over his troops.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 22:19

1 Chronicles 22:19 New Living Translation (NLT)

Now seek the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. Build the sanctuary of the Lord God so that you can bring the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant and the holy vessels of God into the Temple built to honor the Lord’s name.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 29:11

1 Chronicles 29:11 New Living Translation (NLT)

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.

Daily Word of God - 1 Chronicles 29:11

1 Chronicles 29:11 New Living Translation (NLT)

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.

Sunday Message - Though I am Surrounded

As we remember those brave souls that laid down their lives for a grateful nation, Chaplain Jesse will be delivering his Memorial Day message, "Though I am Surrounded". He will be examining a vision that George Washington had at Valley Forge. Our nation has a destiny to fulfill as a light in the darkness. Our faith as a nation will be tried daily, but we must continue to fight the good fight.

Begin Each Morning with Praise

Each morning I get up and spend time in the Word and listening to praise music. In fact, as I write this blog posting, I am listening to praise music. 

With all of the things going on in our lives, we need to take time to be in the presence of the Lord with words of praise and thanksgiving. Each morning when we rise, it is a blessing. Just as God the Father blessed us with another morning and day of life, we should bless Him by spending time with Him. 

We should be speaking from our souls and raise up our voices in praise. We should be extolling His mighty power in our lives. 

1 Chronicles 16:8 New Living Translation (NLT)

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.

    Let the whole world know what he has done.

He is Exalted!

Twila Paris