Devotion
Fight the Good Fight
Chipo Biti
As Christian, you should also realize that you have been sent to this earth to be a missionary. There are many lives out there that have not received Christ and the fate of their eternity is very dim. God has commissioned every single one of us to preach the gospel wholeheartedly as if the world will end tomorrow. We are to look at the world through eyes of compassion and treat the unbelievers as lost, never relenting in our mission to make sure that as many people receive salvation as possible. There is a heaven to gain and a hell to spurn. We need to let the love in our hearts compel us to pray for and preach to every single person on the earth who is yet to receive Christ.
That is the primary call upon our lives. To proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who can hear. To live as children of God, expressing our authority of sons of God in order to glorify the name of God. The talents and skills that we have been blessed with will help us reach out to different people in different areas, but what matters the most is that we are using the gift of salvation that we have received to reach out to other souls out there who happen to be lost.
The apostle Paul was one of the most passionate messengers of the gospel in Christian History. He sacrificed as many life luxuries as he could to ensure that as many people as possible got to hear the good news of salvation. He was always travelling. He was beaten, jailed, mocked, and betrayed but none of those obstacles every stopped him from proclaiming the gospel. He faced death on many occasions but he refused to be shaken. He experienced shipwrecks, malnourishment, homelessness, embarrassment, but he remained relentless when it came to the things of God.
He encouraged all the believers he came across and he prayed for all of the churches too. By the time his death was nearing, he confidently said that he had fought the good fight of faith - and this was true. He remained in the faith, unwavering. Nothing could shake him from his faith in God.
Paul is responsible for the majority of the epistles in the New Testament. His heart was set on making sure that as many people received salvation as possible. That is where he drew his joy from.
Prayer
We need to follow the same example as the apostle Paul. Our hearts should be set on Christ first before we consider anything else. Because at the end of the day, the work that we do for God is what will count the most.
Devotion
Paul, Jesus’ Servant
Frances Taylor
We recognize that Paul was an apostle, the Apostle to the Gentiles. We also know that he never knew Jesus in the flesh. He did have an experience of Jesus in a vision and then spent time learning about him so that he could preach the Gospel in confidence to the Gentile world after the Jewish world rejected him because of his previous behavior against them. Paul considered himself an apostle and the servant of Jesus.
We are called to be disciples, teaching others about Jesus and spreading the Gospel message of salvation, of God's unconditional love for his children. We did not live in the time of Jesus and never knew or heard him in the flesh. But if we examine our lives, we will find experiences of Jesus in our lives.
As I sit here this evening, I am thinking about the dilemma I faced this weekend. I was committed to go to a family party yesterday, and planned to visit a good friend in a nursing home today. The party yesterday was cancelled ...
Morning Prayer
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Inspiration
We should not seek that honor which comes from men but the honor that comes only from God. Men often honor one another, but that honor is nothing if it be not in conformity to God's truth. Christians should honor God by obeying him and count as their highest honor a word from him saying, "Well done you good and faithful servant. "
Prayer
May I honor you, Lord, with all of my words and actions, from the heart, at all times and in all places. Keep me from pursuing men's applause and approval, but let me look to you alone for approval. To you, my true Master, I stand or fall. Amen.
Night Prayer
And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
Inspiration
God assigned Moses an extensive job to complete, and Moses questioned his ability to follow through. He did not feel he was a good fit and told the Lord he had doubts. As we read through Scripture, we see countless moments when someone who seemed unlikely is called upon to do something incredible. They feel humbled, overwhelmed, and they fear disappointment. We often have concerns about the work God calls us to complete; we doubt we heard Him correctly or misunderstood the details. We must remember that God's plan always works out for good; we will remain humble as we undertake a task that seems impossible.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Forgive us when we doubt ourselves or the plan You have established for us. We will accept any task and complete all works as You will. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
