Growing up I remember being asked if I could do something better? My common response was “I did the best I could.” Recently I was presented with a Million dollar question, “For a Million dollars could I do 1% better?” That very question has caused me to contemplate every “best” I ever said I did.
For some Christians, they believe that service unto God is something for Sunday only, it’s a part-time position, even maybe temporary or as needed basis. They fail to consider that it is about having God be a priority in every moment of their lives, even more, every aspect of their world. A 24/7 lifestyle.
For many, work, family, hobbies, and every other distraction you can think of tends to come before doing anything in the spiritual realm. I regularly encourage believers to consider themselves in full-time ministry wherever they are at, whether at work, school, shopping, but especially in their own lives, the world in front of them, in their very families. The mission field is not always in far off lands, sometimes it is inside the walls of your own home.
A research study from the Barna Group suggests that a large share of the nation’s moral and spiritual challenges are directly attributable to the absence of a biblical worldview among Americans. A recent survey showed that approximately 4% of the people polled had a biblical worldview as the basis of their decision-making filter.
One of the most impactful ways to make a difference for the kingdom is to pray about what God has called you to do. Maybe it is to plant a seed, maybe to water it, maybe harvest it, and there are also those who pray about the harvest. I often reflect on what is written in Matthew 9:37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
As followers of the Lord Jesus we must acknowledge that our lives are not our own, they were bought at a price. Andrew was walking with John the Baptist and saw Jesus, then brought his brother to the Lord. Paul was in prison and people got saved. Philip was on a walk and met the Ethiopian eunuch. No matter where you are in your life, know that God has a calling for you to fulfill His purpose.
The shop owner where I used to work asked me one day, “You like that ministry stuff, why don’t you do it full time?”. My response was quick and to the point, “I am doing it full time, you are just paying my bills.”
Something to think about, Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian Is Either a Missionary or an Impostor” and “If Jesus is precious to you, you will not be able to keep your good news to yourself”. God has each of us where He has us for a specific purpose, all we need to do is seek the reason why and then be obedient to that calling.
Dear hearers, may our lives reflect the Lord Jesus through all that we say and do, in public as well as private. It is easy to believe that our ordinary moments are insignificant, but God has a way of using the ordinary places and circumstances of our lives for His extraordinary purposes. The conversation at work, the encouragement given to a family member, the prayer whispered when no one else is listening, all of these can become opportunities to serve the Lord. We do not have to wait for a platform, a title, or a special assignment before we begin living out the calling God has already placed before us.
Closing thought, in having conversations with a wide variety of individuals, most people are afraid that God “will” use them. For the genuine follower of the Lord Jesus, we should really be afraid that He won’t. We need to have a proper perspective shift from fear of divine judgment to a fear of failing God’s purpose. I urge you to have faith and trust in God’s plan, rather than focusing on our own abilities or the fears of the what ifs. Because of my past failures, I have accepted this as a personal challenge, and I am inviting all who read these words to wrestle alongside with me as well.
Yet even when we feel that we have missed an opportunity or have not done enough, God is not finished with us, and His grace gives us another opportunity to faithfully serve Him. There is hope in knowing that our effectiveness does not depend upon our perfection, but upon our willingness to trust and obey Him. When we surrender our plans, our fears, and our limitations to the Lord, He can use even the smallest act of faith for His kingdom and His glory.
Please pray for me as I pray for all those who read these words. None of us are excluded from this calling, and there is a place for every believer to serve, encourage, pray, give, teach, listen, or simply be a faithful witness right where God has placed us. Let us look around at the people God has already placed in our lives and ask how we can love them, serve them, and point them toward Jesus. May we each be willing to take that next step, perhaps doing that 1% better for a heavenly reward, trusting that God can multiply our obedience and use our lives to make a difference in the world directly in front of us.
My BeLoved, may the grace and peace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. Amen. In Christ Love, douglas. HE>i. pastord.blog
Special Note: I want to thank those who read what I write and are encouraged to support the ministry God has entrusted to me either one time or have decided to give on a monthly basis. I am encouraged to see certain verses playing out before my eyes like what is written in *Philippians 4:16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.*
To any who are interested, please feel free to reach out to me with prayer requests, questions, encouragement, or for information on how to come alongside me with financial support at pastord.blog@gmail.com or I do have a Zelle account associated with my phone number, 5202720387 last name Blaser. Thank you my Beloved for your ongoing prayers and support.
