Now! September 30, 2008

You were a part of history yesterday. Did you realize what happened? Did you see the event unfold? Will you recall what this day means to you and how it will impact the rest of your life?

I’m talking about your life and how you lived it yesterday. You thought I was referring to the economy? No. If you’re watching CSPAN and debating your position in the diners… you are off target. You blew the day. You missed an opportunity to do something real and something meaningful. And that is: make an impact on someone’s life who is desperate for God’s hand… God’s love.

We could talk about market demands, bailouts and have divisive discussion on what is the best policy, but we’ll all end right back up where we were. At the end of the day… we did it to ourselves. The greed we have and the lust we have for more, more, more… takes us further down, down, down. Let’s say the entire economy collapses… now what? It is what it is.  You keep on moving with life.  you just adjust.

I am suggested to you that you focus on breathing…the breath of life. Take deep, long, breaths and know that God is in control. If you are so worried and wrapped up in what the day will bring, what the economy will do to you, then you are focused in the wrong direction.

Faith is waking up… breathing… thanking God for another opportunity to be a blessing… and then going out and blessing others.

Faith is not… waking up… worrying… re-calculating your investments… and praying that God protect your assets. You missed.

There is a great story in 1 Kings chapter 17 where this great man of God named Elijah was living in a land that was suffering a great drought. You could say that they were in crisis… perhaps even a financial crisis. This man at the urging of God’s spirit had traveled and happened up upon a single mom who was working hard to feed her son and herself. Elijah, doing God’s work, approached her and asked her for some water and bread. She realized through her spirit that Elijah was a man of God.  Knowing God through His word, she knew God’s commands as well… “Love your neighbor as yourself”. The woman was broke.  She barely had enough ingredients to make one more bread cake for herself and her son… and for no one else.  At Elijah’s  request for some food She said: “We have enough to eat one more meal… that’s it! …then my son and I will die… we’re out of food.” In light of this… and in the face of concern for herself and her son, she obeyed God’s will and faithfully made Elijah a small bread cake and gave him some water. Because of her faithfulness… Elijah told her that, in God’s grace, she would not go hungry again. From that day forward, God provided her and her son with enough oil, water, and grain to continue eating.  They lived.

As you face your drought… your “financial crisis” of tumbling markets and economy can overtake you if that’s what you’re focused on. Rather… look for ways to be a blessing. Look for ways to feed those who are hungry. In doing so, you will entertain Angels without even knowing it.

God doesn’t need a wise financial investor who can navigate the bad markets. You can better serve God by waking up… breathing… and working to find ways to be a blessing.

Stay strong… don’t focus on the bail out. Focus on faith and God… the rest will take care of itself.

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About

Welcome, and thanks for dragging yourself over to Live|Bold! My name is Greg Arnold and I am pumped to see you here. This interactive online community is here to point every man toward the cross. Whether you have been a follower of Christ for ages, or you are just stumbling into this strange new world of faith, we have something of value to offer you. This online e-zine is a cross between a blog, a social network, a resource center, and a pulpit. My hope is to inspire you to live your faith on the outside and be a real man for God. We need you in the fight.