Are you hesitant to step out and do something that you really want to do, but perhaps you fear that it is too little too late? Listen in and get the inspiration you need to move forward.
No rights owned to "God is Preparing Me" by the late great Daryl Coley.
Subscribe to enjoy all episodes of God’s Toolbox.
SPEAKER_00
Today our word will be short, but I'm excited about it because I feel like this is a much needed word and it certainly has spoken to me. So the word will come from Zechariah chapter four verse ten from the living Bible. Just one verse, and this is what it says, Zechariah four and ten. Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin. And so our noonday subject this afternoon is greatness starts small. Greatness starts small. Today the Lord has given me a word for those that feel like they are in a stuck place and either they don't want to start the journey because they feel like it will be too long, or they are in a layover and can't see their way through to the destination. And so the word says do not despise this small beginning. What does that mean? Despise. Despise means to have a feeling of contempt, scorn, or lack of respect for something, perhaps to hate the thought of it. When I was a young child it seemed that adults loved asking us children what we wanted to be when we grew up. And that was such an unfair question to ask a child, to narrow down all the possibilities of things that they could do to one thing when they haven't even lived long enough to know all that's out there to become, and it's constantly changing. But one day in third grade I stumbled upon a book in the library that was a biography, which is the story of a person's life. I don't remember who the person was, but I remember that it inspired me because the person grew up to become very famous and well respected, but what captured my attention was that that person came from very humble beginnings, not unlike my own. And so just that was just an ordinary child with no special talents, it seemed, living an ordinary life. But over the years somehow their life of small beginnings took shape one step at a time, and greatness came forth. I discovered that there was a whole section of biographies just like that one, of great people who started out just like any other ordinary person, and I read all of the biographies I could find in that elementary school library, probably thirty or forty of them. And I still love biographies to this day, because one common thread runs through them all, through all of our lives, and that is greatness starts small. Nobody is born great, even if you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth, so to speak, you still have to attain status through your own actions. And so in this passage in Zechariah four, we see that the prophet has had a vision. The people, the Israelites who have been allowed to return to Jerusalem after a long exile, they become disheartened and discouraged. They were exiles in Babylonia in Babylon, excuse me, they were Babylonian exiles in Babylon. But when Persia overtook the Babylonians and the Persian Emperor Cyrus took over, he allowed them to return to Jerusalem so that they could rebuild. And they were excited about it at first. But when they actually got there and saw their once beautiful city had become a ghost town, everything of value was destroyed. The gorgeous temple that David had planned for and Solomon had built was ruined. They grew discouraged. But God gave Zechariah the prophet a vision for them. And the vision was that Zerubbabel who laid the foundation of the temple would also complete it. The Lord said, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit. So don't despise these small beginnings, but take it one day at a time. Get started. You see, every move of God starts somewhere in a manger. Small. Almost too ordinary. Basic. It might end up in a mansion, but it starts in a manger. Small because big will kill us. Don't you know that we can't feed regular adult food to an infant? They have to start with milk and then cereal and soft foods and work their way up to meat. That's us. We are infants trying to grow into the meat. God is most likely preparing us now for something we can't handle. He's preparing us for something that's coming down the road. You see, every step of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Every journey, excuse me. Every journey of a thousand miles starts with one single step. You know, you've you've probably heard this. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. And many of you won't start that thing, whatever it is, won't take that chance, won't get your give your life, won't give your life to Christ, because you don't know how it will end up. What's gonna happen? But God is saying to you, hook up with me and let me guide you through it step by step, because I see the end from the beginning. And see, you thought that the thing that you're hesitant about really had nothing to do with God. Starting over, applying for a job that you're not qualified for, or you think you're not qualified for, taking on a new position, applying for a loan, whatever it might be. You thought that it was only about making the right decision or the right move. And you may have even prayed about it, but ultimately you are hesitant to start because you don't want to fail. But change is a process, not an event, and Jesus is the change agent. So God is saying to you right now that there is more to your story. Don't give up now. If Joseph had given up in the pit, he would never have made it to the palace. Your story is more than the scene that you're in right now. There are many acts and many scenes in your life. This is just one of them. Don't despise your small beginnings. Don't think that the smallness of your beginning is all there is to it. God says your latter days will be greater than the former. You will be the head and not the tail. You will be the lender and not the borrower. You will be above and not beneath. The first will be last and the last will be first. And finally, Exodus nine and sixteen says, I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. The word is short today, and to the point. Do not despise this small beginning. For the eyes of the Lord rejoice to see the work begin. Greatness starts small. Let us pray. Lord, we thank you for your word on today that spurs us on. Like a rock we throw at a toe to get him to move on. You're showing us, Lord, that you know us and that you're active in our lives. If we would but trust you and take that one step and then another, one day at a time, one step at a time, day by day becoming stronger, getting off the milk of the word and onto the meat. We thank you, Lord, for how you're growing us up, how you are preparing us now for everything that we're gonna need in our lives. We thank you. We love you. We give you all glory and praise. We ask that you would be with each one of us on the line. Strengthen us, Lord. Let us be your salt and light to this earth. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen, everybody. I know the word was short on today, but I'm so glad that you joined us, and I believe that God is speaking to your heart. Don't just be a hearer of the word, but be a doer as well. Now unto him who's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the only wise God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and power both now and forevermore. Let us all say Amen.
