Triggers

     Triggers         7-7-18

In Warren Buffet’s book authored by Alice Schroder she gives out a secret to a means of Mr. Buffet’s secret to his worldly success in the making of his wealth.  The book starts out with this insight.

In the winter of Warren’s ninth year. Outside in the yard, he and his little sister, Bertie, are playing in the snow.

One is catching snowflakes. One at a time at first. Then he is scooping them out by handfuls. He starts the pack them into a ball. As the snowball grows bigger, he places it on the ground. Slowly it begins to roll. He gives it a push, and it picks up more snow. He pushes the snowball across the lawn, piling snow on snow. Soon he reaches the edge of the yard. After a moment of hesitation, he heads off, rolling the snowball through the neighborhood.

And from there, Warren continues onward, casting his eyes on a whole world full of snow.

In Warren’s case it’s not so much a world covered with snow as it is the world full of money. The book’s name is entitled “Snowball.” It starts here with the comparison of a man that is as of 2018 possesses a networth of 84 billion dollars. It is Mr. Buffet’s accumulation of wealth that is as the “Snowball” that becomes larger with each push. It is here as a nine year old boy reaching the perimeter and safety of his yard and yet with the question, how big can I get this “Snowball” if I get it beyond the border of my yard?  

I see this as Warren’s (TRIGGER.) How many would as a nine year old risk the safety of home, and the leaving the sight of mom and dad to perhaps to his own disobedience and the risk of punishment to answer the question. How big can I get this “Snowball” if I roll this through the neighborhood, through the streets of town?

There was something that brought forth the idea that would later (TRIGGER) the means of the mind of Warren Buffet’s successful journey of gathering and accumulating his wealth.

There is in the bible a character that was also of immense wealth, and yet too he also had a (TRIGGER.)

There was such a huge transformation in him but here it gives us his (TRIGGER) that resulted in also his “Snowball.”

3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.

Solomon it says, (LOVED THE LORD…)

He loved the LORD, not because he said, he loved the LORD… Solomon loved the LORD because he showed he loved the LORD…

Surely we can get into Solomon’s failures and mistakes of a choice that brought him hurt and brought things into his life. In fact if you read this chapter from verse 1 Solomon starts out with a mistake that would later come back to hurt him. Yet, what is noted is this before all of that, Solomon loves the LORD…

A (TRIGGER) that one can see that caused him to receive blessing even though that was not his agenda. Solomon loved the LORD to such a point that unlike this day, Solomon backed it up by his worship. Solomon backed it up by his desire. Solomon backed it up with the effort of leaving home to get to Gibeon to the mountain that Moses had set up as the place of worship. Solomon left and did not leave alone. Solomon took with him the means to worship with a 1,000 offerings and sacrifices to the LORD…

Can you see that Solomon loved the LORD? And because Solomon loved the LORD it (TRIGGERED) a response from heaven that could not be contained.

5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

It brought forth something that came back to Solomon, not in the form of a question but a command. “Ask what I shall give thee.” Heaven had its own (TRIGGER.) Heaven had a response.

* Solomon went to church.

* Solomon went to the place where one goes to worship.

* Solomon went to the place where the results of heaven comes down.

It wasn’t the amount of offerings and sacrifices that mattered it was that there was effort and there was a faith that said.

* Its not because of what I can get.

* Not because of blessing, favor, or promise to obtain.

One reason that (TRIGGERED.) "And Solomon loved the LORD," and he backed it up by showing that yes, he did love the LORD.

One doesn’t see that because they pray at home. The bible doesn’t say that because he stayed home and watched some religious program at home. Its not even stated that he got out the prophets’ writings and read the word in his bedroom. It says that Solomon loved the LORD and he showed it and heaven seen it and then the LORD blessed it. “And what shall I give thee.”

Then Solomon seeing what GOD said, I want a big house… I want a shiny new Harley Davidson… I want a nice car… I want the latest and greatest in fashion… I want the best of appliances… I want a timeshare off of Florida keys. NO!!! Of course not, this isnt what Solomon asked for even though he could have. But there was a (TRIGGER) that was there and the LORD trusted in Solomon because, Solomon loved the LORD.

6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.

7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.

8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.    KJV

TRIGGERS--- What is your motivation? How is your worship? How is your praise, your sacrifice, your offering? How is it you love the LORD? What causes you to get beyond your perimeter to the point of risk? How far will you roll your "Snowball?"

Solomon what? You got to be kidding me. No gold, no silver, no riches, no increase to your kingdom? No greater name or reputation. No vanquishing of all your enemies. Nope, something was in the heart of Solomon and he pulled the (TRIGGER) that day… “And Solomon loved the LORD.” And he packed up and went and made an offering unto the LORD.

Do you love the LORD?

 

Thanks for reading.