Thoughts On

Pastors Corner

Dr. W. A. Criswell pastor of 1st Baptist Church in Dallas once visited a wealthy businessman named James L. Kraft. Kraft told him that when he first started making cheese he desired to be rich and famous by making and selling cheese so he began working hard as a young fellow with a little buggy pulled by a pony named Paddy. After making his cheese he would load the wagon, and he, and Paddy would drive down the streets of Chicago to sell cheese. As the months passed, the young Kraft began to despair because he was not making any money, in spite of his long hours and hard work.

 

One day he pulled his pony to a stop and began to talk to him. He said, "Paddy, there is something wrong. We are not doing it right. I am afraid we have things turned around and our priorities are not where they ought to be. Maybe we ought to serve God and place him first in our lives." Kraft then drove home and made a covenant that for the rest of his life he would first serve God and then would work as God directed. Mr. James L. Kraft became successful, and attributed it to his willingness to serve God first.

 

Many people because they want to be successful, put everything before God, and find life becoming more and more frustrating and difficult to maintain. The make money but it is quickly spent, and they have no lasting joy or peace in their lives. The Bible says that we must "...seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you." (Luke 12:31). "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it." (Ps. 127). We must keep our lives balanced, serve God, not just the things of the world (Luke 12:13-21).

 

“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of theLord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3; NIV)