PLANE THAT CRASHED WAS ON
AUTO PILOT The safety board’s report on the commuter plane that crashed in Buffalo last February came out this month. Of great concern was that apparently the aircraft was on autopilot when it went down in icy weather, indicating that the pilot may have violated federal safety recommendations and the airline's own policy for flying in such conditions. Running a business or church is much like flying a plane. When conditions are favorable it is as if everything can run on auto-pilot. However, when conditions are deteriorating, one needs to change from their normal operating procedures. I was reminded of this truth as it applies to life only last week. I was visiting with my friend Ed Gungor, a best-selling author, seminar speaker and pastor. In one of his teachings at a previous event, Ed shared about the necessity of balancing “God Auto-Pilot Thinking” with one’s own efforts.  “Christians tend to fall in one ditch or the other. Some folks end up in the ditch of thinking that there will be little working and they just wait for increase to sort of ‘happen.’ They think increase is all God and His sovereign blessing. On the other hand, there are others who believe that it’s all about their own efforts and cunning. They really don’t trust God for increase – they get enough on their own (they may say God brings increase, but only because it makes for good religious press). Those who believe God is going to ‘make it happen’ believe that He can do whatever He wants to. It would be a simple matter for Him to make them win some kind of Divine lottery.
However, God values planning, effort and work. God views the talents and abilities He gives us as investments…and He expects a return. The fellow in Matthew 25 who heard, ‘Well done good and faithful servant,’ was the guy who worked with what God had invested in him! The one who heard, ‘You wicked, lazy servant,’ was into heavy sovereignty – believing that he could ‘reap where he had not sown.’ God was pretty torqued at that guy – he was a slacker. Psalm 20:7 declares, ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.’ You would think that if Israel was not to trust in the chariots and horses, then why have them? Or, if they have them, why not have some old, beat up ones? But Israel had the best chariots and horses that money could buy. They had the best, but they refused to trust in the best. I think that’s what God wants from us – to do our best, be our best, work to get better, BUT NEVER TRUST IT; always trust Him.” In these treacherous economic times, it is this balance that is necessary for one to maintain in order to overcome adversities and end up victorious. Do all you can and then believe God to make up what you cannot do.
| INCREASE THOUGHT
How are you doing at balancing the natural and spiritual? INCREASE VERSE
“He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.” Proverbs 18:9 | | | | 
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