1. The Family Business

Luke 2:49  And He said to them, "Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

At twelve years of age, the young boy Jesus already had an attitude and demeanor to be about  that which was His Father’s business.  Joseph and Mary were really  the one’s responsible for leaving Jesus behind on this occasion – assuming that He was a part of the company of relatives that left Nazareth a week or so before.  Jesus was merely doing that which he was passionate for – His Father’s business.  At twelve, the Lord showed more zeal for kingdom work than many believers do in a lifetime.  The Father’s business for some is only engaged after our own business is done.  But the Kingdom reality is that when we were born again, our whole lives were purchased and our debts were completely paid off by our Receiver, the Lord Jesus.  We in essence had our lives fall into the receivership of Jesus Christ in an attempt to make our lives ‘profitable’ to God.  We are not our own we were bought with a price!!

1Co 6:19  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

1Co 6:20  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

God purchased our whole lives, including our natural gifts and our worldly vocations.  Your previous earthly business, whether you were in business, arts, trades, law etc, are now God’s business and therefore all of our business should be conducted under the supervision and direction of our new owner – God!   God does His business contrary to the way the world does.  If we continue to retain the same attitudes we had before we were saved while being saved we will be unprofitable for the Kingdom of God.  The Lord does not measure success as we do.  Financial profiting is very important but no price can be paid for the eternal lessons that we go through that show the mercy, wisdom and grace of God!  Saints often forsake the priceless rewards of redemptive grace for the cheaper rewards of financial or fleshly gains.

In order for the Holy Spirit’s take over to be complete and profiting the Kingdom a change of beliefs is necessary.  The one of primary importance being – do we really believe that we have handed our whole lives over to the Lord or are we just saying we have?  This is the first step to profiting the Kingdom.  Too many of us say we’re committed to the Big Picture, but on our day to day dealings with others and God, we focus primarily on the smaller immediate needs we see in our day to day routines.  We seek our own kingdoms and leave the left over time, dedication and money to God.  This is not how we go about our Father’s business.  Jesus made it clear to the disciples, we are to seek His Kingdom FIRST, not last or the leftover.

Our ways need to change.  We need to learn that God wants our priorities to align with His Kingdom first.  Prayer, faith, forgiveness and others need to be prioritized and not shelved on the altar of convenience.  Relationships with family and fellow saints should not suffer for success in the market or ministry place.  When we do kingdom God’s way it always results in multiplied blessings in all areas.  Initially, friction occurs because we are so far out of alignment in our priorities, but with continued dedication and grace everything works itself out for God and our good.

Your life is His, your relationships are His, your work is His, your ministry is His, your debts are His, your problems are His.  Now lets hand it all over to Him so that He can redirect us into victories all around.  Let us give space for the Holy Spirit to fully take over and make us profitable and prophetic in all we do.     

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