Our
current President was recently quoted as saying,
"If you’ve got a business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made
that happen." Now, I know many
of my friends who own their own businesses would take great umbrage with that
statement and rightfully so. They
invested their own creativity, capital, and long hours to develop their
successful enterprises. However, upon
further reflection, our President may be more on target than even he
knows. In being so boastful about one's
own success, a person may be failing to acknowledge the true source of his good
fortune in his endeavor. In the President's remarks, he may have unwittingly
named a great part of the responsibility for the well-being of a business. The second sentence of his statement is
rightly capitalized; but more correctly, should be identified not as
"Somebody" but as "The Lord." The Lord, in concert and cooperation
with you and I, allows our successes, using the giftedness He has given us, to
create successful enterprises. No one is a "self-made man." May we never forget that fact!
In
Deuteronomy, chapter eight, verse seventeen, God says, "You may say to yourself, 'My power and the
strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me. But remember the Lord
your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth."
What happens if we fail to recognize God as the author of our success? Go back a few verses in Deuteronomy. "10
When you have eaten and are satisfied,
praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that
you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws
and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and
are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your
herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have
is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the
Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He
led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land,
with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock.
16 He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never
known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you."
Do
you remember your high school English classes, when you were writing a term
paper, you had to add footnotes to properly credit a source from where you drew
your information or you were marked down for your error. Our failure to
properly "footnote" our successes may or may not result in being
"marked down", but it is certainly, at least, forgetful and, at
worst, arrogant.
Perhaps
we should begin each day by singing the "Doxology". "Praise God
from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below, praise Him
above the Heavenly Hosts, Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost."
Net Work News and
Needs
- On Friday, June 14, Net Work Ministries and Marietta Country Club teamed up to host twenty-one Wounded Warriors from around the State of Georgia for a day of golf. Thirty-five members of both Net Work Ministries and Marietta Country Club joined them. Everyone enjoyed a great buffet lunch after eighteen holes of golf. It was a beautiful and fun day! What an honor to entertain these brave Warriors!
- I am assisting two couples who are experiencing problems in their marriages. I am referring one of the couples to a professional counselor.
- I have been assisting another gentleman with some career path issues, using a friend who specializes in career evaluation counseling.
- I have been meeting regularly with a 94 year old gentleman for prayer and encouragement.
- I continue to meet daily, over the breakfast or lunch table,with individual men for counsel and encouragement
- Our Friday Morning Group of 17 men is very healthy. We are enjoying great times of discussion and interaction.
- Our financial situation needs much prayer and assistance.
Blessings to All Who Share an Interest in Net Work Ministries!
I Am So Very Grateful For Your Partnership in this Ministry.