Sonlight Devotional

[Printable version]

By Mavis M. duCille

Scripture reading: Philemon 1:11-12

The Lord has been speaking to us about being “profitable” and “unprofitable.” The profitable servant and the unprofitable servant. It would seem as if we have to be on one side or the other. We’re either profitable or unprofitable. The things that we do, the thoughts that we think, the words that we speak are either profitable or unprofitable, either profitable to God or unprofitable to God. That is how we have to gauge our lives, gauge our walk, gauge our talk, that it’s either profitable or unprofitable. So, when you speak, after you have spoken, assess it. Has it been profitable? Have you sown a profitable seed in the heart of that person or have you left an unprofitable seed sown? Whether you speak in public or in private, have you left a profitable seed or an unprofitable seed? So, all that we do, we should do to the glory of God.

I have been trying to read the many places in the Bible which refer to profitable or unprofitable. I haven’t been able to go through them all, but you can go through and find out, because it is profitable to us, as we walk, whether we are being profitable servants or unprofitable servants. Don’t wait until the end to hear the pronouncement. Make sure that you are being profitable now.

I was reading in Philemon where Paul said, “Onesimus is profitable unto me” (Philemon 1:11). That was Paul’s testimony of him. He must have found the profit in the man, although he said, “At some time he was unprofitable, but now he is profitable.” He gained ground in the Lord. Hallelujah.

He took away, or had been working on his unprofitable way to make it profitable. So when we find ourselves in an unprofitable position, we can work on it to make it profitable. God does not expect us to remain unprofitable once He has called us and put His mark upon us. There is one word that says that God will NOT leave us in a position where we can say that, “You have not given me the opportunity to be what You want me to be.” There is not one person that can put that blame on God because He has given us all, ALL, A-L-L that we need to stand. If we are not standing on both feet, we are standing in our hearts.

So, God wants us to be profitable servants. In all that we say and do, it must bring profit. I have seen many situations where one person would go to talk with another person and it leaves the person all shattered; they can’t lift up her head or his head and say, “Praise God, that was a good visit. That was a good talk; I have been blessed; I have been edified; I have been lifted up.” That is what God expects us to be if we are to be profitable servants.

Paul, at the end of his life, said:

2 Tim 4:7-8, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

So, God expects us to walk as warriors of the cross, not as people who are bound to earth and earthiness. Earthiness is not ours. Heavenliness is ours. Amen! We are seeking for a country with foundation whose builder and maker is God, not the devil. We refuse to exalt the devil. We refuse to countenance him in what we say, in what we do, in what we are from day to day.

Let us turn a new page, those of us who find that we are not really glorifying God and holding up the standard of salvation. Let us turn a new page and say, “I will bless the Lord at all times.” All times! Just remember that, when you have to deal with one person or speak to a person, when you leave, make sure you have left a good seed. Make sure that you have edified your God, you have glorified your God and edified the church, because we are members one of another. We have to see to it that the Blood flows from one to another to bring life, the life that is in Christ Jesus. So, we must remember to try to be profitable servants, not unprofitable servants. All that we say and do must bring glory to God, profit to the Body of Christ, profit to the church, not pulling down the church, not pulling down our brethren, but exalting one another in the name of Jesus, more so as the day approaches, which is now.

(Excerpt from The Omega Message, January 2006)

Thought for today: Whether you speak in public or in private, have you left a profitable seed or an unprofitable seed? God does not expect us to remain unprofitable once He has called us and put His mark upon us.