Last Sunday we had a guest speaker at our church, (retired Pastor Dr. Robert Shelly). His message was very moving and Spirit filled and I felt God sweeping through the sanctuary. At the end of the service he asked for those who so desired to come forward to pray and many did just that. After the service I was talking to him about perhaps going to Israel together sometime, and he looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and grinned and told me he was 87 years old. He’s going again this year and has been over there many times.
Wow! Imagine still serving the Lord at 87 and being extremely effective. I would have liked to take a peek into heaven at the angels singing at the end of this service. What an inspiration to us all.
Not long ago I asked our Honey Lake Church Bible study teacher, (Charlie Elder) to do a Bible study series on unity for the Jesus Alliance website. I’ve been impressed by his knowledge of the Bible and his method of presenting it for some time, and have told him that I thought he was one of the best Bible study teachers I’ve heard.
Charlie was a little hesitant, partially because he owns a business and is very busy, but also I detected a little apprehension about this project. You see the Jesus Alliance Bible study plan is intended not only to be displayed on the Jesus Alliance website where millions will view it, but also YouVersion’s Bible app site and 180 million people have already downloaded it.
Yikes!
While maybe it was a little intimidating and would no doubt take some of his valuable leisure time, after a little convincing he agreed and went to work. It went live on YouVersion’s website Wednesday, https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/1704-unity , and yesterday I got a report that in just one day 33,404 people had listened to it already. The folks at Abide and YouVersion both said they were very impressed with this excellent plan and that is saying something. (I’ve already talked to Charlie about creating the next several plans in our series and he has agreed.)
God has given us all gifts. Use your gift(s) to glorify the name of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to be a great charismatic televangelist with five degrees to serve the Lord and accomplish tremendous things. The most effective advocates for Christ of which I’m aware are “ordinary” people that accomplish extraordinary things because they have a heart for their Lord and Savior.
Consider great biblical figures such as King David, a lowly shepherd, fishermen disciples, Moses a murderer in hiding, and so on. God does not see us as we are, but as we can be with His guidance. Jesus changed my life so dramatically that there are some who still don’t believe it, and yet He uses me in spite of all of my weaknesses to accomplish His purpose.
God desires faith and obedience on our parts; He does the rest. We can achieve pretty much whatever we will allow God to achieve with our lives, (if we will just do it!).
Take a look at your own life. Are you too busy? Too old? Too sick? Too tired? Too broke to serve God? Think again! One thing we are committed to doing at the Jesus Alliance is to show you a myriad of ways that you can serve God. It will be up to you to find the one that best matches your gifts, but most importantly to have faith and obey God in applying yourself. The new version of the website will be released at the first of September will be loaded with opportunities. Find one and enjoy!
Have a great weekend and go to Honey Lake Church, (or somewhere) this Sunday. Charlie’s class begins at 9:30 and church services begin at 11.
James 2:5
Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
July 24, 2015 – Click here to listen