The story is told of Morris, a Russian man, who saved his rubles for twenty years to buy a new car. After choosing the model and options he wants, he's not the least bit surprised or even concerned to learn that it will take two years for the new car to be delivered. He thanks the salesman and starts to leave, but as he reaches the door he pauses and turns back to the salesman. "Do you know which week two years from now the new car will arrive?"

The salesman checks his notes and tells the man that it will be two years to the
exact week. The man thanks the salesman and starts out again, but upon reaching the door, he turns back again.

"Could you possibly tell me what day of the week two years from now the car will arrive?"

The salesman, mildly annoyed, checks his notes again and says that it will be
exactly two years from this week, on Thursday.

Morris thanks the salesman and once again starts to leave. Halfway though the door, he hesitates, turns back, and walks up to the salesman.

"I'm sorry to be so much trouble, but do you know if that will be two years from now on Thursday in the morning, or in the afternoon?"

Visibly irritated, the salesman flips through his papers yet another time and says sharply that it will be in the afternoon, two years from now on Thursday.

"That's a relief !" says Morris. "The plumber is coming that morning!"

We often have to make plans far in advance so as to avoid any conflicts. Before making any commitments -- you know the routine -- we have to pull out the date book (or the iPhone). "The kids have got a soccer game that night at 7:00, but the next night is free." Planning ahead isn't wrong; in fact, it's a scriptural principle. What makes it wrong, though, is planning ahead without any thought of God.

"Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit'; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.' " (James 4:13-15)

Go ahead! Make your plans! Fill in that date book! Just make sure that God hasn't been left out.

Have a great day! Alan Smith  http://www.tftd-online.com

Well Done!

"{The kingdom of heaven is} like a man leaving home to travel to another place for a visit. Before the man left, he talked with his servants. The man told his servants to take care of the things he owned while he was gone. He decided how much each servant would be able to care for. The man gave one servant five bags of money. He gave another servant two bags of money. And he gave a third servant one bag of money. Then that man left. The servant that got five bags of money went quickly to invest the money. Those five bags of money earned five more. It was the same with the servant that had two bags of money. That servant invested the money and earned two more. But the servant that got one bag of money went away and dug a hole in the ground. Then the servant hid his master's money in that hole. "After a long time the master came home.

The master asked the servants what they did with his money. The servant that got five bags of money brought five more bags of money to the master. The servant said, 'Master, you trusted me to care for five bags of money. So I used your five bags of money to earn five more.' "The master answered, 'You did right. You are a good servant that can be trusted. You did well with that small amount of money. So I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my happiness with me.' "Then the servant that got two bags of money came to the master. The servant said, 'Master, you gave me two bags of money to care for. So I used your two bags of money to earn two more.' "The master answered, 'You did right. You are a good servant that can be trusted. You did well with a small amount of money. So I will let you care for much greater things. Come and share my happiness with me.'"

-- Matthew 25:14-23 (ERV)


KEY THOUGHT:
We love grandiose plans, huge accomplishments and impossible goals. But leadership in the Kingdom is about faithfulness. It was important to Jesus that leaders be proven in their faithfulness before they served. Faithfulness in big things happen only when faithfulness in small things has been demonstrated. This trial by faithfulness is crucial because the Kingdom needs leaders who serve out of a sense of honour and humility and faithfulness in small things becomes a way of shaking out false motives and showing the genuineness of a servant's heart. It also helps God's servants learn the skills of service before facing the full assault of Satan's attacks!


TODAY'S PRAYER:
O Lord God Almighty, King of the Ages, please raise up men and women in your Kingdom who have a heart to serve no matter the task. Please give us leaders who know Jesus from the shadow of his cross and not just the glory of his power. And Father, gently cleanse my heart of pride and ego as I seek to grow and mature as a faithful servant for your glory and the growth of your Kingdom. In Jesus' holy name I pray. Amen.

http://www.heartlight.org/wjd/matthew/1117-wjd.html