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"Will any man of you who has a servant plowing or tending sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, Come at once and take your place at the table? Will he not instead tell him, Get my supper ready and gird yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; then afterward you yourself shall eat and drink? IS HE GRATEFUL AND DOES HE PRAISE THE SERVANT BECAUSE HE DID WHAT HE WAS ORDERED TO DO? Even so on your part, when you have done everything that was assigned and commanded you, say, "We are unworthy servants [possessing no merit, FOR WE HAVE NOT GONE BEYOND OUR OBLIGATION]; we have [merely] done what was our duty to do."
- Jesus Christ
Anyone can do what they were ordered to do.
Jesus said we are deemed "unworthy" workers if we think that by doing everything assigned and commanded to us we are deserving of any merit.
Dictionary.com defines that word "merit" as:
- The excellence that entitles one to respect and praise.
- The quality in a person, action, or thing that entitles favorable recognition.
- Worthiness of spiritual reward, acquired by righteous acts made under the influence of grace.
Its origin word, "meritum" means to act worthy of praise; to earn value, credit or worth.
Before I was self-employed, I always preferred working at companies that offered pay increases by merit, not annual "snail" increments of 25 cents and up. Rarely did I work in a position where I was not promoted in the first six months.
Merit pay increases in the workplace allow:
- The employer to differentiate pay given to high performers.
- A differentiation between individual and company performance.
- The employer to satisfactorily reward an employee for accomplishing a task that might not be repeated (something unprecedented; breaking a sales year record or implementing new ground-breaking technology or systems).
When was the last time you did something unprecedented?
We possess no merit for raise, increase or promotion by doing our reasonable service (only what is expected and requested of us.)
We should not expect to obtain more than we have with that type of attitude or work ethic. We must teach those we lead to go beyond their obligation and call of duty.
Many of our dreams, careers, marriages, relationships and kids are hanging on a string because we are just doing the bare minimum:
- We are stopping work @ 5:00pm, when everyone else has stopped.
- We are not increasing our value after hours, instead watching TV, engaging in unproductive activities and then going to sleep like everyone else.
- We are no longer trying to make our mate fall in love with us (at least deeper.)
- We live in the majority--MEDIOCRE.
- We refuse to live above average, above the norm, above the expectations of people in our lives.
But Jesus said in Matthew 5:41: "And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two [miles]."
If you will double the effort, skill and result of what you have been called and purposed to do, increase awaits.
This is the formula for experiencing influence, favor, blessing and transformation in your life: Serving any cause, vision, mission or purpose with a prodigious (extraordinary, phenomenal, exceptional and gigantic) seed.
The size of any man's net worth or asset portfolio is determined by the size of his investments. Likewise, the size of your harvest, influence, promotion or platform is proportionate to the size of your seed (work ethic, efforts or investment.)
In the book, "The Millionaire Next Door," Stanley and Danko write:
"Many people who live in expensive homes and drive luxury cars do not actually have much wealth. Wealth is not the same as income. If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier. You are just living high. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend."
How long could you survive economically if you did not have a monthly salary?
A key indicator if you are wealthy is your ability to maintain your current lifestyle for years and years without earning even one's month's pay (The Millionaire Next Door, Pg. 3.)
God doesn't increase you just because you come to work or show up for practice.
You must go beyond what people (employers, co-workers, professors, pastors, parishioners and loved ones) expect of you. Jesus said you should only expect compensation or reward in your life based on this kind of merit.
Today, what can others expect from you?
In what ways can you go beyond the call of duty where you work, live and learn?
Even if your employer doesn't allow you to work late in the office, nothing stops you from studying, working on projects, writing proposals at home that improve your job skills, knowledge, potential or overall performance.
You own your own increase, growth and potential.
No one can increase or decrease your growth but you.
The recession is irrelevant. GO AND GET WHAT YOU WANT.
Exodus 1:12 says: "But the more [the Egyptians] oppressed them, THE MORE THEY MULTIPLIED AND EXPANDED, so that [the Egyptians] were vexed and alarmed because of the Israelites."
You see, in times of great oppression, recession and financial distress, you and I were designed to increase.
For the past year and a half, besides paying my tithes to church, I have been paying 5-15% to a cash reserve account.
As a result, I have a reserve balance in my earthly savings bank account. But guess what? I have a greater reserve in my heavenly bank account.
What about you?
What is your net worth in Heaven?
All of our liabilities were paid by Christ on Calvary. If you will put something in your heavenly bank account and God's greatest asset (YOU), you can make a withdrawal AT WILL.
Make one today.
BEAT THE RECESSION! TWO WEEKS LEFT to discover the law of increase and tithing. REGISTER for SPIRITUAL GROWTH on August 16TH , and 23RD @ 12:00PM in Tustin, CA.
YOUR GREATEST PLACE OF INFLUENCE IS YOUR MINISTRY. JOIN A CHAPTER TODAY! 
