Begin with the End
From Livestream
by Pastor Nave on January 01, 2017
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish (Luke 14:27–30, KJV).
We’ve entered another year, and most people are enthralled with the ideal of making New Year’s Resolutions. However, research shows only 8% of people actually follow through with their resolutions, while the rest don’t even start or continue with them.
In our Scripture setting, Jesus stressed the importance of follow-through and gives strategic advice to be successful in whatever we set out to do. Jesus’s directions are simple to starting any project: stop, think it through, plan, and expect obstacles. But, He also noted how we should think about the end before we actually start. Our question today is, what is the end goal? Is this our decision, or should we be receiving direction elsewhere? Before we start any work, we need to seek after God’s plan, His counsel, and not our own desires (Psalms 37:23).
When we don’t consider the end, we can’t complete what we start, and we waste resources. We end up having regrets about what we could have done. We also are labeled as a quitter—and that’s something no one likes to be called. We all have an innate desire within us to never give up because we worship a God who completes what He starts (Philippians 1:6)!
We don’t like to work because we’re all lazy, but a little hard work never hurt anyone! Working hard is a godly principle—hard work pays off (Proverbs 21:5), and we will have prepared for our future (Proverbs 6:6–8). Jesus told His disciples that He must work while it was still day (John 9:4); He had to move forward and continue to advance God’s kingdom. We need to follow His example and work and we will reap the rewards.
We learn through wisdom—and through wisdom we glean knowledge (Proverbs 24:3–4). We cannot attempt to complete any task without wisdom and knowledge. If we lack any wisdom, we can ask God and He will give it to us (James 1:5). We must never stop learning in the natural and spiritual areas in our life. Our daily plight should be to seek after wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Knowledge will unlock God’s favor and blessing in our life and help us succeed in Him.
Scripture encourages us to take care of work first and then everything else that follows (Proverbs 24:27). It’s easy to think we’re overwhelmed and don’t have time for work, but we must be careful what we think our focus should be. We cannot cut things out that have substance, things that will sustain us in this life—or anything that God expects for us to maintain while living on this earth. No matter what we think, we cannot live without prayer, the Word, and the presence of the Lord! We need to learn to prioritize and start with the things that are the foundation of our eternal home.
God’s end for us is not failure but victory, triumph, and blessing! God knows the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11)—if we commit our work to the Lord, He will establish everything we do (Proverbs 16:3). We need to start out the New Year with more than just praise to God, but an investment in Him and submission to let God be Lord over every part of our life. Our life is like a vapor, so we need to go to do what God asks of us (James 4:13–15). It is not the time to be unwise, but to understand who the Lord is and what He wants for us to do (Ephesians 5:17).
