I Want My Own Way

Read: Luke 12:20-31 

"But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:" - Matthew 6:20

How often do I reject God's plan for my life and choose to follow the ways of the Satan, the flesh or the world? How often do I disappoint God with my choices? I wonder how often God grants my request, knowing all along that it is not His best plan for me. In my quest for life, do I look for fulfillment in all the wrong places?

God gave the Israelites a prophet to speak to them directly, but they wanted a king instead (1 Samuel 8:5). Eventually, it turned out that their king had to go to the prophet to find out God’s will for them at any given moment. So tell me, why did they need the king? He was merely a middleman. They just wanted a king, so they could be like all the other nations in their world.

Do we marry the wrong person, take the wrong job, go to the wrong school, move into the wrong neighborhood, buy the wrong car and wear the wrong clothes just because we want to be like everyone else in our world? What’s wrong with being different? What’s wrong with putting God first, living out His will for our life, and dressing and living in such a way to give glory and honor to Him? Let’s seek first His kingdom, and He will provide us with every thing that we need.

Prayer:

Lord, when my heart longs to be like the world, I step out of Your will for my life. Help me not to sew to the flesh, because I will most certainly reap destruction. Transform my mind to see things from Your perspective and make me content with Heavenly treasure instead of earth's counterfeit.

Thought for the Day:

When I seek to follow the Spirit’s direction with my life, I may not always see the results, but I know that I am laying up treasures in Heaven.

I'm Out to Change My World

Read: Mark 16:15-20

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."  -Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

A friend once asked me,  “Have you had any evangelistic opportunities lately?” I could not answer her, because I had not even looked for any opportunities.

This motivated me to step outside of my comfort zone. I started buying a small gift for each new person moving into my neighborhood and included a salvation tract and a map to my church. I also gave my neighbors inexpensive homemade gifts at Christmas and included a salvation tract with my phone number tucked inside. Each week at church, I spoke to the people I did not recognize and asked them how their week was going. I started smiling at everyone I passed and saying, "Hello".

I also began looking at the cashier’s nametag in all the retail stores I frequented, and asked, “How is (their name) today?” Then I actually listened and told them I would pray for them as I gave them a salvation tract with a map to my church. I even talked to people sitting next to me on planes, trains and boat trips and told them how Jesus changed my life.

As we talk about God’s goodness (Psalm 18:49) to our friends, relatives, associates and neighbors, we are witnessing! It is that easy! If we boldly share with others, God will bring conviction. (1 Corinthians 3:7)

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, never let me pass up an opportunity to “sing” Your praises. Help me to remember that my words may be all that will stand between this person and hell. Amen.

Thought for the Day:

I want to change my world, by sharing the gospel with one person at a time.