Called to save lives.

Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

At a time when thousands of people were dying each year of rabies, Louis Pasteur, pioneer of immunology, was working on a vaccine. Just as he was about to begin experimenting on himself, a 9-year-old boy, Joseph Meister, was bitten by a rabid dog. The boy's mother begged Pasteur to experiment on her son. Pasteur injected Joseph for ten days-- and he lived. Decades later, of all the things Pasteur could have had etched on his headstone, he asked for three words: JOSEPH MEISTER LIVED.

We are called to save lives too. Our greatest legacy will be those who live eternally because of our efforts.

Thousands of people are dying each year, so many who don't know the love and truth of their Messiah. Let's make ourselves available to be used by the Lord for His Kingdom for Christ's sake!

Dear Lord, help us to reach out to those around us that need You. Give us the strength so reach out to those that are lost. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Seek ye first

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Roger Babson, a famous statistician was having lunch with the President of Argentina, "Mr. Babson," the President said, "I have been wondering why it is that South America, with all its natural advantages, mines of iron, copper, coal and silver, rivers and great waterfalls is so far behind North America?" Babson replied, "Well, Mr. President, what do you think is the reason?" He answered, "..South America was founded by the Spanish who came in search of gold. North America was founded by the Pilgrims who went there in search of God."

If we live a life of seeking gold -- the blessings of God but not God Himself -- we end up losing both. The Pilgrims, who gave us the wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving, came in search of God. It is because of this that America has reaped blessing upon blessing. We need to examine ourselves and be careful that we are seeking God in all things, putting Him first and giving thanks to Him always.

Seek first the kingdom of God and He will surely provide from His riches in glory.

Dear Lord, help us to seek after You in all things. Help us be careful not to be focused on You and thanking You for what You have given to us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

The power of encouraging words

Proverbs 15:23 (ESV)

To make an apt answer is a joy to a man,

    and a word in season, how good it is!

A modern parable has been written about the tools of the enemy that I believe we can really learn from.

"Some time ago, an advertisement appeared in which the devil was putting all his tools up for sale. On the day of public inspection, each one of his tools was marked with its selling price: Hatred, Envy, Jealousy, Doubt, Lying, Pride, and so on, were each on the block. Set apart, however, from all the rest of the pile, was a harmless-looking tool, well-worn, but priced very high -- it was discouragement!"

Someone asked the devil, 'why is that one priced so high?' He replied, 'Ah, that one is more useful to me than all the rest. With it I can pry open a man's heart and enter, when I cannot get near him with any other tools. Once inside, I can lead him any way I choose. The tool is very worn because I use it on almost everyone, since few people know it belongs to me.'"

The enemy loves to sow discouragement -- but believers have a tool much more powerful -- encouragement! We can speak a word into the lives of those who desperately need to hear it: to the college student adjusting to his new environment; to the missionary who may feel alone in the harvest field; to the disillusioned newlywed young couple; to the forgotten servants of God who labor in an obscure and difficult ministry; to the orphans and the widows; to all those who need to hear a word in due season!

Dear Lord, help our words be filled with encouragement top those around us. Help us not fall into the trap of discouragement.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

We are placed for a specific reason

Ephesians 1:18 (ESV)

Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

In the famous Louvre Museum in France, there is a painting by Bartolome Murillo called, "The Miracle of San Diego". In the painting, two noblemen and a priest enter a kitchen and watch the kitchen maids at work. One handles a pot, another a cut of meat, another a basket of vegetables, and one tends the fire. The men look surprised to find that the maids are not people but actually angels.

I like this. These weren't just kitchen help -- they were angels! All of us have a job to do, be it in our warehouses, our offices or our kitchens. Even the Lord Jesus was a carpenter by trade!

Not everyone is called to go abroad into the mission field but I can tell you this. We are all called to be a missionaries! We are all called to spread the wonderful truth of God's great mercy toward us everywhere we go!

God has each of us placed where we are for a specific reason -- to fulfill the great commission! Let's pray and ask the Lord how we can best fulfill the great commission where we are and allow the Lord to show us how we can impact our world for the Kingdom today!

Dear Lord, we thank You that You have a place for each of us in Your ministry.  Help us to do the best at what You have for us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Go against the flow

Romans 1:17 (ESV)

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Some time ago, two university students in Moorhead, Minnesota painted a mural on the wall outside their dorm room. It was of a school of fish all swimming in the same direction except for a single fish heading the opposite way. That one fish going the other direction was meant to be Jesus. Included in the mural were the words, "Go against the flow." Sadly, university officials argued that the mural might offend non-Christians, and told the students to paint over it.

God has called us, as believers, to do things that sometimes go against the flow of the flow of the world around us. It’s not always easy, either.

Noah built an enormous ark at God’s command. Abraham took his only son to be sacrificed. Gideon went to war against thousands of enemies with only three hundred soldiers on his side. The disciples left all their possessions and followed the Lord. And there are countless other examples we have to follow!

Let's choose to start swimming in the other direction today! Do that thing that God has been putting on your heart! Hug that person who’s been on your last nerve! Give away something you have to someone who needs it more! There are many mighty and miraculous victories that God desires to demonstrate in our lives, if we would only be willing to go against the flow!

Dear Lord, we pray that we would swim in the other direction. Help us not go with the flow of this world but stand for you. In The Name of Jesus, Amen. 

We are a pearl.

Matthew 13:45-46 (ESV)

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

I read a story that is a beautiful interpretation of Jesus' parable of the pearl and we wanted to share it with you.

In Matthew 13, we see that a merchant sold all that he had to purchase a single pearl. But why, of all things, a pearl? As a jeweler, I would question the choice the Lord made -- choosing to leave the Father's side for a pearl instead of what I would think has much greater significance, the much coveted diamond. You may know that the diamond is graded in value according to the 4 C's, Cut, Color, Clarity & Carat-weight. The answer to my pondering was right there! The diamond receives a substantial portion of its value from the way a person cuts it -- the work of man's hand! Interestingly, the only natural gemstone that has more value when it is found than when men finish with it is the PEARL!

In the same way, we can add nothing to the work of Salvation! God has paid the price for us in full -- and a tremendous price it was. The God of glory, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords left all the splendor of Heaven to claim this pearl. And He gained it by paying a price that was far more precious than any of us could pay.

Sometimes we get so busy and we don't take time out consider this incredible work of God in our lives. He has bought us with a price. We are fully paid, fully ransomed, fully redeemed! We are the pearls of great desire!

Dear Lord, help us always take the time to consider the incredible work that You have done for each of us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.  

Ponder in our heart

Luke 2:19 (ESV)

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.

It’s amazing to me how quickly we forget the good things that God has promised us and done for us -- and not only do we forget, we begin to grumble!

Twice in the book of Luke, it is mentioned that Mary kept these things and pondered them. It seems that Mary always kept a place in her heart where she stored away God’s promises.

We, too, must create a place in our hearts to store away Gods gifts and promises to us so that we can always remain in a state of joy all the days of our lives.

Let’s reflect and unearth the many buried treasures with which God has blessed us. Let’s ponder those things and praise God for His goodness. He has already done so much in our lives and He wants to do more!

Dear Lord, help us to not forget the many things that You have done for each one of us. Help us to ponder them in our heart.  In the Name of Jesus, Amen.