Bottom Line - June 2017
A letter from Stan Bower to the businessmen in the St. Louis region:
Dear Friend,
In Scripture, we see that God states His personal commitment to me over and over again. What does that actually mean to me? Here are a couple of thoughts related to that commitment.
What is He looking for from me? Obedience – not a footprint from organizations. Are you committed to reaching out to the lost, the unconvinced, the seeker? It is the relationships in my life that count. We see this clearly in Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ ”
What is God looking for from me? Obedience, again, in John 14:21: “He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and he who loves Me, will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will disclose myself to Him.” He is looking for my personal obedience, which is contrary to the world’s behavior.
So how is your obedience doing, regardless of spouse, kids, boss, the job or the culture? This will reveal our hearts, as well as our commitment to Him. Be very careful on how you lead, or how you “think” you are leading. Even being one degree off now will lead you 180 degrees off course at the end of the trail.
The promise in John 14:21 stated another way shows me that if I keep the commandments, He knows that I love Him and then He will reveal Himself to me – thus, I am at peace.
One step at a time …
Walking with Him,
Stanley A. Bower
Area Director