The Shepherd's Desk
Where Are Our “Frozen Assets “?
May 12th, 2020
Several years ago, a fire destroyed a building that contained tons of ice. Author Carl Franke said that although the building had contained thousands of gallons of potential extinguisher, the water was not in usable form. The building was full of frozen assets!
Unfortunately, many individuals and churches have a similar problem. In spite of being blessed with tons of resources for witness and service, God’s chosen people are often God’s “frozen people.” Jesus said that we are salt and light, but He warned against losing our saltiness and hiding our light (Mt. 5:13-20). Here are two safeguards to prevent this from happening:
1. Salt as a seasoning is useless unless it’s in contact with food and mixed into it. Jesus calls us to “flavor” society in His name through close involvement with people.
2. Light is meant to be visible. Secret believers need to come out of hiding and be known as disciples. Their profession of faith must become self-evident through their good works. D. L. Moody said, “Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining. They just shine.”
We are to season society and light up our world for Christ. It’s time to thaw out the frozen assets in our lives. ( From Our Daily Bread, Needed: A Big Thaw. )
I know that in these times of struggle. We are truly being challenged when it comes to our durability in so many ways. For one, we are trying to stay healthy and avoid a deadly virus. Two, we are trying to keep our relationships intact, but not so sure how to go about it. Three, we are struggling with just surviving in many cases financially or otherwise. These are tough times, and it's not very easy to gauge what tomorrow is going to bring. However, two things that have never changed is the faithfulness of God, and the “Assets “He has given us in this world in resources and one another.
We are challenged on all sides it might seem, but God’s enduring love and our caring one for another can bridge the gap. Taking up the missing parts of our lives we seem to have lost or are temporarily unavailable. These trials can become our greatest opportunities, but it's going to take our looking up instead of looking at the obstacles.
Paul had the right attitude and understood what it meant to go through struggles leaving us this passage from the Book of Hebrews.
So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, 2 and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.
Hebrews 12:1-2 CEB
Jesus focused on the prize. He focused on the Father’s purpose and knew that despite the pain and agony. Something eternal and marvelous was going to come about through His Life, Death and Resurrection. Look up my friends. Look around and look through eyes of faith and tap into the frozen assets that are in your life today. God is going to work out some wonderfully brilliant opportunities as the days lie ahead. It's not over, God is just getting started working out a plan of action in your life. You just must tap into the vision, execute the plan and wait to see His Glory revealed in your life today. Don’t give up, don’t give in. You're on the brink of a miracle.
May 12th, 2020
Several years ago, a fire destroyed a building that contained tons of ice. Author Carl Franke said that although the building had contained thousands of gallons of potential extinguisher, the water was not in usable form. The building was full of frozen assets!
Unfortunately, many individuals and churches have a similar problem. In spite of being blessed with tons of resources for witness and service, God’s chosen people are often God’s “frozen people.” Jesus said that we are salt and light, but He warned against losing our saltiness and hiding our light (Mt. 5:13-20). Here are two safeguards to prevent this from happening:
1. Salt as a seasoning is useless unless it’s in contact with food and mixed into it. Jesus calls us to “flavor” society in His name through close involvement with people.
2. Light is meant to be visible. Secret believers need to come out of hiding and be known as disciples. Their profession of faith must become self-evident through their good works. D. L. Moody said, “Lighthouses don’t fire cannons to call attention to their shining. They just shine.”
We are to season society and light up our world for Christ. It’s time to thaw out the frozen assets in our lives. ( From Our Daily Bread, Needed: A Big Thaw. )
I know that in these times of struggle. We are truly being challenged when it comes to our durability in so many ways. For one, we are trying to stay healthy and avoid a deadly virus. Two, we are trying to keep our relationships intact, but not so sure how to go about it. Three, we are struggling with just surviving in many cases financially or otherwise. These are tough times, and it's not very easy to gauge what tomorrow is going to bring. However, two things that have never changed is the faithfulness of God, and the “Assets “He has given us in this world in resources and one another.
We are challenged on all sides it might seem, but God’s enduring love and our caring one for another can bridge the gap. Taking up the missing parts of our lives we seem to have lost or are temporarily unavailable. These trials can become our greatest opportunities, but it's going to take our looking up instead of looking at the obstacles.
Paul had the right attitude and understood what it meant to go through struggles leaving us this passage from the Book of Hebrews.
So then, with endurance, let’s also run the race that is laid out in front of us, since we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us. Let’s throw off any extra baggage, get rid of the sin that trips us up, 2 and fix our eyes on Jesus, faith’s pioneer and perfecter. He endured the cross, ignoring the shame, for the sake of the joy that was laid out in front of him, and sat down at the right side of God’s throne.
Hebrews 12:1-2 CEB
Jesus focused on the prize. He focused on the Father’s purpose and knew that despite the pain and agony. Something eternal and marvelous was going to come about through His Life, Death and Resurrection. Look up my friends. Look around and look through eyes of faith and tap into the frozen assets that are in your life today. God is going to work out some wonderfully brilliant opportunities as the days lie ahead. It's not over, God is just getting started working out a plan of action in your life. You just must tap into the vision, execute the plan and wait to see His Glory revealed in your life today. Don’t give up, don’t give in. You're on the brink of a miracle.
