God's R.O.I. (Replay)

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March 5, 2008

Good morning folks and Happy Hump Day!

I hope everyone in the Southeast survived the storms and rain last night. We definitely needed the rain here in NC because Falls Lake now looks like a big sand box. That's ok though because we know that God will provide what we need when we need it as long as we are good stewards of what he gives us. This makes a good place to start today's word for the day. Gods investment in us.

This morning I was listening to the Yolanda Adams morning show and Kirk Franklin was a guest (they are on their Caribbean Cruise). They talked about a plethora of things and one of which was God's return on His investment. Well what does that mean though. First let's get some definitions out in the open.

R.O.I. (Return on Investment) - A performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment or to compare the efficiency of a number of different investments. To calculate ROI, the benefit (return) of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment; the result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio.1

ROI = (Gain from investment – Cost of Investment)/Cost of Investment

For investors and analysts, this formula is very good at letting them know when they should risk an investment. After doing the math, if the return isn't profitable for them, they do not make the investment. Now let's look at God.

We have a known in the ROI formula which is the Cost of the Investment. The Lord has done a lot of things for us. For starters, He created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Not only did he create the heavens and the earth, He went on to create man in the likeness of Him (Genesis 1:27). This alone is a huge investment, but then Adam and Eve decided to disobey God and eat from the very tree in the Garden of Eden that He said not to eat from. Like children God, punished them -- kicked them out the Garden (where they had a "fa sho" hedge placed around them) creating the first sin and the separation of God.

You know how the story goes, but that's not the end. Not only did Adam and Eve sin against God, they created a domino effect that would cause every human being to be born into sin. Hence, there needed to be an investment made on our behalf. In order for us to regain direct access to God, He had to send his only begotten Son to come to die for our sins that we may have everlasting life (John 3:16).

Let's compare this to the modern world. I know this is a far stretch but work with me. When the US economy seems to be headed for a recession (or a fall), the government had to stimulate the economy by making an investment in it. The hopes are that the people will feel confident to spend while the company feel confident to supply. Gods investment, by having Jesus to die for our sins was the ultimate investment. Now that we have access to Him through Jesus Christ, we should feel confident in spending in the Kingdom of God. The bad news for us is that it is a return that we as a people can never make Him fully recover while we are in the flesh. The good news is that we can strive (in the flesh) to make His investment justifiable, so that on Judgment day all the Saints can have God fully recover from His investment.

So, now that we know the cost God endured for investing in us how can we have God obtain a "Gain from investment"? Well glad you asked. Remember, some time before that we did a WFTD about being a Pew Warmer (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wftd/message/601)? Well, being a pew warmer is how God does not recover from his investment. Every time someone sits and does nothing, there is a lost. In this case, lost of a soul. (Note: Just because you are saved, that does not guarantee you go to heaven!) God placed a purpose in your life. Whether it is to help people, be in business for your self, be the best custodian, be the best whatever it is God has given you the talent to be. Ephesians 4:11-13 says,

"(11) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, (12) to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (13) until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

God has placed in us something to do for the kingdom. If you seek God for what the purpose He's placed in your life and to follow through with it, He will see an increase towards the gain of His investment. Aren't you glad that God loved us enough to take a risk? If he had been like someone on Wall Street, He would have looked at us and said, "this is a bad R.O.I. For me". However, He loved us enough to "take a hit" upfront to have us come back to Him in the end.

Be blessed folks and have a happy, HAPPY, HUMP DAY!

1 Investopedia. http://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/returnoninvestment.asp

--
Antoine E. Hall
"If God didn't do it, well who did?"

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Success In the Most Unlikely Places

In what may seem like a strange thing, sometimes we can find success in the most unlikely places and ways.  There are so many businesses that have flourished that was never suppose to work.  There are people in positions who did not appear to be qualified, but are successful at what they are doing.  You may be doing something right now in an area where you had no intentions on being, but look at you.  You are successful and doing it because you took the leap of faith.

Maybe I speak for myself, but when starting a journey, it is difficult to comprehend doing something that appear it would fail.  I mean really, if everything adds up, why do it, right?  Well, it's not quite that simple. I want us to visit the Gospel of Matthew 14:22-33. You may be familiar with it, but it is when Jesus walked on water.

(22) Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. (23) After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, (24) and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.  (25) Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. (26) When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.  (27) But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." (28) "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." (29) "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. (30) But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"  (31) Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" (32) And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. (33) Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

You may have heard before, but I am not going to focus so much on the fact that Peter took his eye off of Jesus, but the fact that he did something that just was not suppose to work.  First of all, Peter asked to come to Jesus on the water.  (You know, we simply do not have some things because we are just scared to ask God [see James 4:2].  We have to stop being afraid to ask Him for the desires of our heart.  What's the worst that could happen? He would just tell you no, which means He has other plans for you!).  OK, let's think about this for a minute.  Jesus was suppose to be able to walk on water, because that's what He does.  He's God and it is to be expected He could do these types of things.  Peter on the other hand was just a plain old guy.  How could he possible walk on water?  If any of you know anything about water, you definitely cannot walk on it.  If anything, you can sink and drown. So, how is it possible that Peter was able to do something that just physically and mentally does not add up?  SURVEY SAYS:  Peter believed Jesus when He said to come.  His faith in Jesus to give him the ability to do the impossible was made possible.  The rest of the story is HIStory.

Even though the walk was short lived, it was still a success.  Peter did something that just did not make sense.  How many of you would have jumped out the boat?  Most of us probably would have stayed in the boat even though it was being tossed about the sea.  Walking on water is an unlikely place to find success, but Peter did it.  Where is the unlikely place in your life that you have been avoiding?  Have you asked Jesus to do what you think is impossible and make it possible for you?  What's the worst that could happen?  Right?

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:      http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter:     http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." - James 1:22

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Between the Hedges (Replay)

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February 26, 2008

Good afternoon family.

I pray that all are doing well this fine Tuesday in February. Today, I want to take a minute or two to talk about the hedges that God has placed around out lives (and no Deidra we are not talking about UGA Football :-) ). What I'm talking about is God's protection that he places around His own. let's go to some scripture please.

Job 1:10 "Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." 

For those who don't quite remember the story, this is the passage where the devil is asking God hasn't he placed a hedge of protection around Job? Then the devil go on to suggest that the very moment God touches all that God has bless Job, he will surely turn on him. So, you can read the rest of the story in its entirety, but lets talk about that hedge for a moment. What is a hedge?

One definition says that a hedge is a line of closely spaced shrubs and bushes, planted and trained in such a way as to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area. Look at that. A boundary. You know a territory. You are God's territory and He protects what is His. If you ever notice in life wherever you go, God seems to always have your back? He keeps you from the very mistake that could take you out or end your life or send you down a spiraling abyss of mess for the rest of your life. Not only that, the hedge just ensures that what's inside stays inside and what's outside, stays outside.

I can testify that I just started a new job last week (PRAISE GOD!) and I haven't seen anything that bothered me or disturbed my spirit, but I know that I've met two people already who Loves the Lord. God can place people in your live as well to be your hedge (See Proverbs 27:17). So no matter where you go, a hedge follows you. You just stay in the hedge and everything will be alright.

Be blessed gang and have a good one. 

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Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:      http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter:     http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." - James 1:22

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