“If God knows that you’re going to honor Him with the outcome, I believe He is delighted to doubly bless.”
A thought by Mark Batterson from his
book, Double Blessing (p. 36). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle
Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
God is delighted to doubly bless if we
honor Him with the outcome. We need to
really see this.
Mark says, “Does the
success of Messiah have anything to do with the fact that it debuted
at a benefit concert or that the concert’s proceeds were bequeathed to
Foundling Hospital? I know there are those who would argue that correlation
doesn’t equal causation. And while I understand that logical fallacy, it’s
trumped by a theological conviction. If God knows that you’re going to honor
Him with the outcome, I believe He is delighted to doubly bless. Sure, the
success of Messiah has a lot to do with the musical score. But there
is another factor at play, an X factor.”
Mark goes on, “Can I tell you why God
has blessed our coffeehouse on Capitol Hill? It’s more than our honey lavender
latte, even though I must say, it’s delicious. And while our coffeehouse sits
one block from Union Station and kitty-corner to the Securities and Exchange
Commission, it’s more than just location, location, location.
“Why, then? I believe it’s because
Ebenezers Coffeehouse gives every penny of profit to kingdom causes. What is
there not to bless?
“Our coffee doesn’t just taste good;
it does good, and it feels good. Why? Because it’s coffee with a cause! More
than $1.2 million in net profits have funded dozens of causes that are near and
dear to the heart of God. We also leverage Ebenezers for the Living Room, a
ministry to our friends experiencing homelessness. We have a core conviction as
a church: God will bless us in proportion to how we give to missions and care
for the poor in our city. If we invest our time, talent, and treasure in things
that are near and dear to the heart of God, I’m not worried about our bottom
line! Why? Because God’s got our back.
“Ebenezers Coffeehouse has been voted
the number one coffeehouse in Washington, DC, multiple times, against pretty
stiff competition. Again, some might consider this correlation without
causation. That said, I honestly believe that God has blessed our coffeehouse
because He knows that the buck doesn’t stop with us, literally! The X factor is
the favor of God, and the favor of God is the by-product of flipping the
blessing with every cup of coffee we serve.”
Mark continues, “We have a double
bottom line at Ebenezers. Like any business, we want to generate a net profit
while employing best business practices. We love five-star reviews, and we know
that product quality and customer service are a huge part of that equation. But
net profit isn’t our end goal. There is a second bottom line when you do
business as mission. Our ultimate goal is to give it all away!
“If you cultivate a double-blessing
mindset that is focused on flipping every blessing, you better buckle your seat
belt. Why? Because God is going to open the windows of heaven and pour out more
blessing than you can contain. Am I talking about only material blessings? Of
course not. Giving produces joy, and more joy is just what the world needs!”
Mark then says, “When you flip the
blessing, it takes the pressure off you and puts the ball in God’s court. It
enables you to live with holy anticipation, waiting to see what God does next.”
And there it is, are you ready to flip
what God is blessing in your life? Are
you ready to see what God does next?
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