He knows the Plan

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

John Wesley's father, Samuel, was a dedicated pastor, but there were those in his parish who did not like him. On February 9, 1709, a fire broke out in the rectory at Epworth, possibly set by one of the rector's enemies. Young John, not yet six years old, was stranded on an upper floor of the building. Two neighbors rescued the lad just seconds before the roof crashed in. One neighbor stood on the other's shoulders and pulled young John through the window. Samuel Wesley said, "Come, neighbors, let us kneel down. Let us give thanks to God. He has given me all my eight children. Let the house go. I am rich enough." John Wesley often referred to himself as a "brand plucked out of the fire" (Zecheriah 3:2; Amos 4:11). In later years he often noted February 9 in his journal and gave thanks to God for His mercy. Samuel Wesley labored for 40 years at Epworth and saw very little fruit; but consider what his family accomplished!

Dear Lord, we thank You for the plan that You have for each of us. Help us to keep working toward the goal that is set before us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Power in the blood

1 Peter 1:18-19 (ESV)

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

When evangelist John Wesley (1703-1791) was returning home from a service one night, he was robbed. The thief, however, found his victim to have only a little money and some Christian literature. As the bandit was leaving, Wesley called out, "Stop! I have something more to give you." The surprised robber paused. "My friend," said Wesley, "you may live to regret this sort of life. If you ever do, here's something to remember: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin!'" The thief hurried away, and Wesley prayed that his words might bear fruit.

Years later, Wesley was greeting people after a Sunday service when he was approached by a stranger. What a surprise to learn that this visitor, now a believer in Christ as a successful businessman, was the one who had robbed him years before! "I owe it all to you," said the transformed man. "Oh no, my friend," Wesley exclaimed, "not to me, but to the precious blood of Christ that cleanses us from all sin!" 

Dear Lord, we thank You for the saving blood that cleanses us all from sin. Help us share the great news with those we come into contact with each day. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Let's offer our bodies, minds, and hearts again

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

A woman once asked John Wesley what he would do if he knew that he would die at midnight the next day. "Why, Madam," he replied, "just as I intend to spend it now. I would preach this evening at Gloucester, and again at five tomorrow morning, after that I would ride to Tewkesbury, preach in the afternoon, and meet the societies in the evening. I would then go to Martin's house...talk and pray with the family as usual, retire myself to my room at 10 o'clock, commend myself to my Heavenly Father, lie down to rest, and wake up in glory."

So many people wonder what God's will is for their lives. John Wesley seemed to be quite confident that He was already walking in it!

We all need to work on offering our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God and no longer conforming to the pattern of this world but being transformed by the renewing of our minds. THIS, before anything else, is God's will for our lives! THEN, the Word says, we WILL be able to test and approve what His good pleasing and perfect will is!

Let's offer our bodies, minds, and hearts again to the Lord today and commit ourselves wholeheartedly to His perfect plan for our lives.

Dear Lord, help us to offer our bodies, minds and time completely to You. Help us to always be faithful in serving You. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Give a word of encouragement

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

William Wilberforce led a campaign against the British Parliament to abolish slavery in the late 1700's and early 1800's. During the course of his intense efforts, Wilberforce came to a desperate place of discouragement, feeling he had absolutely no more strength to continue. In this condition, he was about to give up, when his elderly friend, John Wesley, lying on his deathbed, was informed of his friend William's distress. Wesley requested pen and paper, and with a quivering hand, wrote these words,

"Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God be for you, who can be against you? Are all of them stronger than God? Oh be not weary of well-doing! Go on, in the name of God and in the power of his might, till even American slavery shall vanish away before it."

John Wesley died six days later, but William Wilberforce fought for forty-five more years, and in 1833, three days before his own death, witnessed the abolition of slavery in Britain.

Do not grow weary in well-doing, for we can still triumph! It's exactly when everything looks hopeless that our God has the opportunity to display His awesome power. Even the great men that changed history needed a word of encouragement now and then – so be encouraged, and be an encourager! You never know when you may enable another saint to continue pressing on, or how that may change the world!

Dear Lord, help us be the one to encourage someone today to keep working toward the goal. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

A lesson from a wet Golden Retriever

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

As I let Max our Golden Retriever in the house after enjoying his play time in the rain produced by Tropical Storm Colin it reminded me of a story I read a while back.

An old mountaineer and his wife were sitting in front of the fireplace one evening just whiling away the time. After a long silence, the wife said: "Jed, I think it's raining. Go outside and check, will ya?"

The old mountaineer continued to gaze into the fire for a second, sighed, then said, "Aw Ma, why don't we just call in the dog and see if he's wet."

We have a tendency to get lazy sometimes, don't we?

John Wesley traveled 250,000 miles on horseback, averaging twenty miles a day for forty years. He preached 4,000 sermons, produced 400 books, and learned ten languages. At age eighty-three, he was annoyed that he could not write more than fifteen hours a day without hurting his eyes. At age eighty-six, he felt ashamed he could not preach more than twice a day. He complained in his diary that there was an increasing tendency to lie in bed until 5:30 in the morning.

Let's get up and do something for God today! There's so much work to be done!!

Dear Lord, we pray today that we would not be lazy. Help us to get up and do great things for You today. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.