If you’ve had the joy of leading someone to faith in Jesus Christ, you know it’s one of the most thrilling experiences on earth! Knowing that another soul has entered into the Kingdom of God gives you an excitement that is beyond words! And you can begin encouraging this new believer in their faith. Now, as you begin the discipleship process, it’s so important to practice patience. Often we want to see someone’s bad habits changed overnight. We get discouraged when a new believer isn’t as spiritually mature as we think they should be. But even though it’s important to encourage a new child of God to grow, it’s also important to practice patience. The reality is that it takes each of us time to mature in the Lord. I accepted the Lord as my Savior as a 12 year old boy. And even though it was a very real commitment, I didn’t really begin living the Christian life in its fullness until I was 17. You see, it’s God’s Holy Spirit that brings the growth, not you or me. In First Corinthians 3:6 Paul says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” So yes, keep encouraging and praying for your friend. But also, let them learn, and grow, in God’s perfect timing.

Today, Africa is receiving much attention, both from the Church and the media. With proponents like Bono and Product Red, Africa is receiving help and funding. And that’s good! But what if every physical need was met today? What would that mean for eternity? Not only for Africa, but everywhere? Even if everyone was fed and clothed… without Jesus Christ, souls remain lost.

God pointed out our vital duty and that is to proclaim His Good News. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few,” Jesus said in the book of Matthew. We must sense the urgency of our time. How long must people wait before they hear the Gospel? How many more generations must pass? Some parts of the world have yet to hear the message of Christ!

Today, more than ever, we can reach “closed” nations with the Good News. God is doing incredible things in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Republics. But we must remain diligent in meeting both spiritual and physical needs of people. We must pray for these countries. If you are providing relief and monetary gifts to people overseas, that is good! Thank you! But let’s not neglect our call to care for people’s souls. Their eternal well being is at stake!

I recently had a conversation with an atheist who disagreed when I suggested that atheists are lonely people. He questioned me, saying, “How do you know this?” He had a good point. I cannot say that every atheist is empty in every area of life- of course not. But I do know that spiritually, every atheist is empty.

An atheist can be lonely because he is very much on his own if he doesn’t have a connection with His Creator. There is a certain lack of peace of mind and heart until you know where you came from and where you’re going. Your spirit is dead even though body and soul are functioning.

John Paul Sartre, the atheist French philosopher, said, “Man is alone, abandoned to his own destiny.” That’s an expression of a person who doesn’t know God- Sartre didn’t know God. But if you know God, you have a purpose! Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Who in your life is spiritually empty? Ask God to reveal someone to you today. Then, reach out to this person! Only Jesus can fill their void of loneliness. You and I know this to be true. And we know people who haven’t accepted this truth, don’t we.

Respect them in their unbelief, but encourage them to remain open to God’s prompting. Encourage them to read the Gospel of John in particular, and say, ’if you really want to know God, you will find Him very quickly.’

Are you feeling spiritually dry? Discouraged? Unmotivated? Have you had a recent failure, either a personal mistake, or the death of a dream? Does it seem like all your hopes and prayers of God using you have come to nothing?

The Lord says to you today, “Keep dreaming great dreams, and planning great plans to reach your world.” Jesus says in John 14:15, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

What an incredible promise of our potential to reach our world for Jesus Christ! When Jesus says He’s going to the Father, that means the Holy Spirit is coming to us! And it’s God’s Holy Spirit who indwells us. His Spirit gives us power to accomplish whatever evangelistic vision God has given us.

You and I have serve a God who says, “I know you’re discouraged, I know you feel dry, but keep dreaming great dreams and planning great plans, because the Holy Spirit will empower you to accomplish them!” God’s Spirit is the power and the anointing that we need to do great things for Jesus Christ