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And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. --1 Samuel 18:4 Did you know that with every victory there is danger? As a matter of fact, it is possible to be defeated by our victories. It’s absolutely true. Our blessings can become a curse if we don’t know how to handle them. Fortunately, 1 Samuel offers an amazing example of how you and I should handle our success. The Scripture says that after David defeated Goliath, Saul, the king of Israel, made the young champion part of his household. Now notice this. As Saul’s son, Jonathan was destined to become king of Israel. But when David was made king, rather than being envious or jealous of David’s newfound fame and power, Jonathan supported David and celebrated his victory! Jonathan doesn’t show a hint of jealousy or resentment. He surrenders himself to God’s will and rejoices in the victory of David as if it is his own.  Is this how you would have responded in this situation? I know it would be hard, but that’s why this is an important lesson. We’re not in this battle alone. We need to celebrate the victories of others, especially in the body of Christ. And as we do, God will continue to grant us victory. Be willing to put yourself aside and rejoice in the victories we have together in Jesus Christ.   WE NEED TO CELEBRATE THE VICTORIES OF OTHERS!

The Value of Faithfulness

by Dr. Paul Chappell

“But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.”
Genesis 39:21–23

Think about the various people you have worked with over the years. How many of them would you trust with your life if you knew you would not be checking up on them to make sure they took care of things on your behalf? That is exactly what the keeper of Pharaoh’s prison did with Joseph. The jailer was responsible to keep the prisoners, and if any of them escaped, his own life would be forfeited as penalty. Yet, he placed that responsibility, and thus his own life, in the hands of a young foreign prisoner named Joseph.
Why would the jailer take such a drastic step? Because he recognized in Joseph a faithfulness to God that led to a faithfulness in accepting responsibilities. Matthew Henry wrote, “Faithfulness in a servant lies in the ready, punctual, and thorough execution of his master’s orders; keeping his secrets and counsels, dispatching his affairs, and managing with frugality, and to as much just advantage for his master as he is able; looking well to his trusts, and preventing, as far as he can, all spoil, or loss, or damage.” In a society where excuses run rampant and people routinely break commitments, God still rewards and honors those who fulfill their duties. This is not a secondary trait, but a necessity with Him. “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).
 

Today’s Growth Principle: 

Faithfulness to human responsibilities starts with being faithful to God in all things.