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Joyful in the Lord

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Ive often talked with people who feel dragged down by lifes disappointments. These people seem to have lost the purpose and vision for their lives. Do you feel the same way? When we lose the vision of how God wants to use us, we lose joy. And without joy, we cant bless others in the Lord. So, how do you recover a joy thats lost and cant be found?

Let me tell you about the famous servant of God, George Mueller. Mueller was a pastor and evangelist in England in the 1800s. He and his wife started an orphanage that cared for thousands of homeless boys and girls. Mueller wrote a lot about being happy. Do you know what his secret to happiness was? Time with Jesus!

“My first duty in the morning,” he wrote, “is to be happy in the Lord. If Im happy in the Lord, I can face anything during the day.” To be happy in the Lord, he spent time each and every morning on his knees reading the Scripture and praying.

Jesus Himself said if we remain in him our “joy will be complete.” The more time we get to know Jesus, the happier we become. And we begin to realize Gods plan and purpose for our lives – which is reaching our world for Jesus Christ!

Re-Surrender Can bring Lifestyle Changes

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Scripture teaches us that the Christian life is a lifestyle saturated with God Himself. Our youngest son Andrew didnt discover the joy of a God-filled life until he was a grown man. But now Andrews an evangelist and shares his story around the world. He found hope and redemption when he finally surrendered his heart to Christ.

The apostle Paul prayed to the Ephesians that “God may strengthen you with power through His spirit…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts… that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Imagine how different your life would be if you were completely and totally filled with God Himself.

If you were completely filled with God, no area of your life would be untouched. You would love God so deeply. You would care so much more about your brothers and sisters in Christ. And you would have a passion to reach out to lost souls. The more we know the Lord, the more He becomes central in our lives and we become more and more like Jesus.

Nothing is more exciting than living a life thats filled with the Holy Spirit! Today, spend serious time with God and re-welcome Him back into your heart.

Obedience in the Moment

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The book of Acts, chapter 8, tells us one of the most miraculous evangelistic accounts in the Bible! It starts in verse 26: An angel of the Lord said to Philip, Go south on the road the desert road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza. So [Philip] started out When Philip arrived on the desert road, he found an Ethiopian eunuch reading the book of Isaiah.

But this man was confused – he needed someone to explain the Scriptures to him. So Philip described that Isaiah was actually prophesying about Jesus Christ. Immediately, the Ethiopian believed in the Lord, and asked to be baptized!

Thats a powerful story isnt it? Yet the Ethiopians conversion wouldnt have happened if Philip didnt listen – and obey – the voice of the Lord. No excuses. No hesitation. When the angel told Philip to go, he went!

God has amazing victories in store for us if we simply listen to His voice, and obey. So lets you and I spend time in Gods Word! Lets talk with Him in prayer! Then, when He prompts us to witness to our world, well be ready to do it!

When God Doesn’t Make Sense

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National Football League running back Sherman Smith had a reputation for bowling over defensive linesmen. This raised his celebrity to near-cult status. Then, without warning, Shermans team traded their most popular player to the San Diego Chargers. Everything changed overnight for him. He wasnt with the Chargers for more than a few weeks when he blew out his knee.

But Sherman was also a committed follower of Jesus Christ. And he knew that more than football, his main mission in life was to share Gods message of salvation. So while in rehabilitation, Sherman prayed, Lord, why did you ship me here? Whats your plan in all of this? How do you want to use me?

While Shermans knee mended, God answered his prayers by allowing him to lead one of his teammates to the Lord. That converted party-man, Miles McPherson, is now an outstanding youth evangelist who reaches thousands each year with the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

You may not understand why God has you in a certain situation. But instead of despairing, take a lesson from Sherman. Ask God how He wants to use you right where you are. And He will!

An Eternal Impact

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Raul Vargas pastors a church in Costa Rica that has more than 10,000 people in attendance each Sunday. His entire extended family also knows Jesus Christ – all 70 of them! But Rauls life wasnt always this way. When he was a child, his home was filled with poverty and pain. Raul says his parents fought continuously, and gave little attention to him and his siblings.

Then one day, when he was 21, Raul saw an advertisement for a festival my team and I were having in Costa Rica. Something in his heart told him he had to be there. So Raul came, and when he heard the Gospel message, he realized that what was missing from his life was a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Today, 33 years later, Raul pastors the largest church in Costa Rica. He has reached tens of thousands with the Good News! Isnt it exciting to see how one life changed can impact so many more? Thats why evangelism is sustainable! The long-term spiritual impact goes much further than the one person you and I may reach.

So, share your faith today. You never know how many future pastors, missionaries, and evangelists are one step away from conversion!