John 3:27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.”
Adapting John the Baptist’s very biblical philosophy of life will change a man’s life.
For example, how many times have you given a mental “Amen!” when you read or heard someone say, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!” (Psalm 118:24) and then promptly go out and complain the first time trouble crossed your path.
What would happen if you truly adopted John’s philosophy of life and accept that God is in control of your life? What if you embraced the truth that everything that is placed in your hands has first come through the hands of God?
Well for one thing, it would help you with comparing yourselves against others. What God puts in their hands is God’s business not yours. Your measure of success is not what someone else does with what God has put in their hands, but what you do with what God has put in your hands.
Which leads me to the second thing that will occur if you adopt John the Baptist’s philosophy: When you accept everything that comes into your life as being put there by God then you can see everything as an opportunity.
Having a challenging day? See it as a test. Say to yourself, “I didn’t ask for this, but here it is and I’m going to do my best to get an A+ on this test – for the glory of God and to learn whatever it is that God is trying to teach me.”
Having a great day? See it as gracious gift given to you, not because you deserve it or have earned it, but because God in his mercy has put in your hands a precious gift to be enjoyed and shared. This attitude will foster humility, which will make you a better person and a better person to be around. (How many arrogant people do you know who go around preening and posturing because they feel like what they have in their hands is due to their efforts alone?)
So dear brother, as you pray today accept what God has put in your hands. Whatever God has put in your hands – good or bad – ask God to give you the wisdom and the strength to give a good account of yourself; for His glory and for the benefit of those He has sent you serve.
Bottom line: Pray brothers, pray! Pray for the grace to bear up bravely and wisely concerning those things God has put in your hands.
The ONE THING 