Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me hear what You're saying, see what You're doing, sense Your Presence and follow Your leading.
"Moses then called Bazalel and Oholiab and every skillful one to whom the Lord had given skill, everyone whose heart was stirred to come to do the work; and they received from Moses all the freewill offerings that the Israelites had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, so that all the artisans who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task being performed, and said to Moses, 'The people are bringing much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.' " (Exodus 35:2-5).
As I sit and look over the endless ocean and its vastness, it is easy to ask myself, “Why am I here?” What is my purpose in God’s grand plan for this earth? As the passage above reminds me, God, You've given each of us a skill to build up Your people and extend Your kingdom across the earth. With our freewill, we're invited to offer our gifts in service to You with "whatever gift each of (us) has received" (1 Peter 4:10). Together, we are the sanctuary You're building, the place of Your abiding Presence on this earth. And Your kingdom is within us (Luke 17:21).
Jesus, as I and those who read this devotion Your Spirit has given me, as we seek You, show us our gifts and our place of service to You wherever we are. Let Your Spirit stir in our hearts to come do the work of the kingdom of God. Wherever we are, we carry Your kingdom with us, for Your kingdom is within us -- at home, at work, in the market, in the church, down the street and across the oceans. And as we each do our part in this labor of love with the gifts of God, we find we are fulfilled. We find we have "much more than enough for doing the work that he Lord has commanded us to do." And we find Your heart for us is, "Well done" (Luke 19:17).
"Our God will make (us) worthy of His call and will fulfill by His power every good resolve and work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in (us), and (we) in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
My family, I pray today you will ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your skills and the gifts of God within you. I pray He will stir in your heart to fully offer yourself and your gifts for the work and glory of the kingdom of God wherever you are. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
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In July I will step out of pastoring Toney UMC and pour completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.