“DIMINISHING RETURNS”..

This morning, as I'm praying for the Body of Christ, I could hear the Father's heart break over the "diminishing returns" in the lives of HIS people, because of a lack of brokenness, humility and understanding!

"Diminishing Returns" is representative of "a yield rate that after a certain point fails to increase proportionately to additional outlays of capital or investments of time and labor", according to The Free Dictionary Online.

CHECK OUT Solomon's wisdom...

STEWARDSHIP IS THE KEY:

"Don't be surprised if you see a poor person being oppressed by the powerful and if justice is being miscarried throughout the land. For every official is under orders from higher up, and matters of justice get lost in red tape and bureaucracy.  Even the king milks the land for his own profit! Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!  The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers! People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night's sleep. There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver.  Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one's children.  We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can't take our riches with us. And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind. Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry. Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.  And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life—this is indeed a gift from God.  God keeps such people so busy enjoying life that they take no time to brood over the past." (Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 NLT)

Maybe you ARE where you're supposed to be? 

Consider this...Your disappointments could be "misplaced expectations", and your heavy heart could be "misplaced priorities" to appease your flesh, while your spirit-man is crying inside...?

SOUND DOCTRINE IS A NECESSITY:

"These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy. Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth.  After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it.  So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:5-10 NLT)

Any teaching on "prosperity" that doesn't include or incorporate:

- the need for responsible stewardship

- the importance of a giving nature, and

- the value of godliness with contentment..IS A LIE, and shouldn't be believed or received!

When you "eat candy for dinner" instead of something substantive, you get a stomachache, and normally produce flatulence (GAS; lol!).

You "fool your stomach" into believing that "a real meal" is forthcoming, but disappoint your body and digestive track with sugar that eventually turns into fat...CAN I GET A WITNESS? (lol!)

OUR SATISFACTION IS HIS DELIGHT:

"And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor." (2 Timothy 2:6 NLT)

God wants us to enjoy our lives, but NOT at the expense of "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"; or the true demonstration and manifestation of the Kingdom of God! 

As "King's kids", we tend to focus on the elaborateness associated with the idea of "royalty"; but neglect to understand why "hard work" isn't "beating the street - making it happen"...It's ONLY doing what The Lord requires, but realizing - "the work is TO BELIEVE upon HIS Finished Work!

"Stressing yourself to impress others" is CRAZINESS PERSONIFIED, and must be resisted at all cost; so that the wealth and wisdom associated with "consistent stewardship" and "managed growth" becomes the foundation for "true prosperity"!

MY PRAYER FOR GOD'S PEOPLE:

Stop "fronting", and start running this race with PATIENCE...

Stay on your face before God, by humbling yourself with and before the people HE's sent to help you...

BE purpose-driven, not prosperity-pursuing cause it will cause "life" and all it's simple-treasures to pass you by! WS-3

Walter L. Smith III

Founder/President

Pure In Heart Int'l Ministries, Inc./

The Center For Kingdom Advancement 

Corporate Line: (424) 359-9180

www.PIHIM.org

www.AskPastorWalter.com

California Office

Walter L. Smith III

1732 Aviation Blvd #945

Redondo Beach, CA 90278-2810

**Leadership Greater Rochester, Class of 2018!

**Gallup Strengths: Positivity, Learner, Connectedness, Responsibility, & Activator

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