Dedicating Our Successes To The LORD

I Chronicles 18.7-13 

When David received these spoils from battle from the nations he defeated he dedicated it all to the LORD. He knew that the praise and glory belonged to God, not himself. David could handle success. This is huge in living a life pleasing to God. How to respond when God gives you victory is what we are talking about today.

Mishandling success has been the downfall of many. More lives have been shipwrecked after the LORD has blessed them and they forgot where the blessings came from. This was Israel's problem. 

The thought that anything I have is due to my ingenuity, my efforts, my assets is ludicrous. God may use what little I have. The boy that Andrew bought to Jesus with the lunch that day is an example of this. He gave what little he had and God did amazing things, things no one dreamed of. For Andrew to brag he had something to do with the feeding of the 5,000 would have been laughable, if not so sad. So it is with any credit we take from the LORD.  At best we are carrying things or bringing things to Him. I always get a little nervous when I hear about talents or abilities someone has going into the ministry.

The boasting by a person of what they have and what they have done is so unseemly and sinful, the root of pride. John tells us that it does not come from the Father rather from the world. I John 2.16

Jesus made it clear that when Peter gave the great confession it was not flesh and blood that revealed it to him but His Father in Heaven.

I have written letters of protest about awards given to pastors. At the district assembly this year we will have an award given for The Pastor of The Year. It is sad. Pastor of the Year- when we have seen brothers in the Middle East die for their faith. When I think of Pastor Joes, who for 5 long years, has been leading his congregation in worship in the ruins of what was their church building... these are my heroes. As the pastors in Nepal minister today among the wreckage and heartbreak of an earthquake, they are the ones I admire. Those who serve in quiet obscurity...   

Taking glory away from the LORD, the failure to acknowledge the success I have as coming from Him, the boasting in what I have done is deadly.

As God works through us we must continually remind ourselves that to Him belongs all the glory, to Him belongs the praise! 

One tangible way to give Him praise and thank Him is to dedicate things which come our way to Him!  To dedicate means to set apart as holy, to consecrate

1. Acknowledging The LORD Gave Us Success.

Nehemiah "The God of Heaven will give us success." - Nehemiah 2.20

Proverbs 16.3 Commit whatever you do to the LORD and your plans will succeed. 

Joshua 1:8 Always remember what is written in the Book of the Law. Study it day and night to be sure to obey everything that is written there. If you do this, you will be wise and successful in everything. 

Isaiah 26:12 LORD, all our success is because of what you have done, so give us peace. 

Psalm 90:17 LORD, our God, treat us well. Give us success in what we do; yes, give us success in what we do. 

2. Humbling Ourselves Before Him.

This is often very difficult thing to do.

We need to do this  in reference to our church finances right now.

We need to do this in areas where our strengths lay. It is easier to do them in our weak areas but still often not confessed because of pride.

We need to do this in everything, every day! 

David was a man after God's heart. He knew how to humble himself, even in the face of victory.  We read in Philippians 2:5-8 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothingby taking the very nature of a servant,being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfby becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 

I pray that our leaders will humble themselves so they do not need to be humbled.  While humbling ourselves is difficult it is much more difficult for us to when the LORD does it. 

Proverbs 15:33 Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor. 

3. Setting An Example.

David taught the people by his life, the lifestyle he maintained.

He dedicated his successes to the LORD!

He sang Psalms he wrote but they too were an overflow of his walk with the LORD.

When God told Nathan to tell David His plans for his descendants David went and sat before the LORD and poured out His heart in humility.

David started out with humble beginnings and in his heart he remained the shepherd boy of Bethlehem, even when he became the King of Israel in Jerusalem.

4. Loving God.

Our love for the LORD motivates us to dedicate our successes to Him.

No one loved the LORD more than David.

He kept the law of God.

He ruled with righteousness and justice.

He was concerned about God's glory.

He was a man after God's own heart.

He dedicated the spoils of battles to the LORD.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 

Pray before all endeavors.

Immediately acknowledge that the LORD is the One Who gave you success.

Dedicate your successes to Him.

Place the gifts you receive in His service.

Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus.

Refuse to listen to your own press.

Serve Him with humility.

Seek first His Kingdom always.