Your Heart's Decisionmaker

There seems to be a rise in people saying the word "shalom" to their brothers and sisters. As I was preparing to broadcast my Cinch today, I was led to choose Colossians 3:15 (CJB). Which reads:

...and let the shalom which comes from the Messiah be your heart's decisionmaker, for this is why you were called to be part of a single Body. And be thankful...

The word shalom means peace. Jesus said that His children shall be known as peacemakers (Matthew 5:9). Why? Because Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). When we say "shalom" to one another, it should not be a mere word that we have decided to use to make us look or feel in right standing with God. It should be our lifestyle. The Prince of Peace should be manifesting in our lives through our walk and talk. Our conversations should be spreading peace wherever we go. If we are spreading hearsay, rumors or gossip, then the Prince of Peace is not our decisionmaker. And when we say to our brother or sister "shalom", it is only a mere word that we have chosen to use.

When the Prince of Peace truly lives on the inside of you and you say "shalom" to your brother or sister, that person will leave your presence feeling the peace and love that radiates from the Messiah. But on the contrary, that person will leave your presence feeling the opposite.

Let's purpose in our heart to not just say the word "shalom", but to live it. And let the Messiah be your heart's decisionmaker.

Shalom.

Faithfulness

The kingdom of heaven is compared to a man who went on a long trip. Before he went, he distributed gifts to each of his servants. These gifts had different values (e.g., 10, 5, 1). After the man left, the servants began to look at the value of their gift. The two that had the "10 and 5", they saw opportunities to double it. But the person that had "1", he saw that it had no value and went and hid it.

When the man returned from his trip, he called the three together to give an account of what they did with their gift. The ones with the "10" and "5', showed how they doubled their value. So he said to them, "Well done, you are a good and faithful person".

When the one that had the "1' gift came, he spoke before the man could ask him what had he done with his gift. He said, "I could not do anything with it. It had no value and I just hid it." The man was very angry and he took the "1" gift and gave it to another and had that person thrown out of his sight forever.

The Lord has given each one of us unique talents and gifts, but at different levels. There are some whose talents or gifts takes them locally, nationally or internationally. The Lord never look at where ones gift or talent takes them. But rather, when the Lord looks at us, he always look for "faithfulness" in what we do. Are we being faithful to Him in that which He has given us. Faithfulness is the key to success in the eyes of the Lord. If we are not thankful and faithful in the "little things" of life, we will never be "faithful" in the greater things in life (Matthew 25:21).

No matter how small or big your ministry may be, it can only be successful in the eyes of God when you remain faithful to Him. Large and small ministries have fallen all because they had given up on being faithful to God. Their gifts or talents will be taken from them and given to the ones who are continually faithful to the Lord.

Please, stop seeking to become a large or well-known ministry; but instead seek being faithful to God. All other things will be automatically added to you.

Selah.