The Journey Begins

1 Peter 4:10 - Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

Devotional 1 - Journey Begins

Setting out on an adventure – we are prepared and equipped, but what is in front of us is unknown.  What are our expectations?  What opposition will we face?  We are excited about the unknown, yet anxious about the unknown.  Are we equipped to do what is in front of us?  Did we do what we were supposed to do to prepare for this moment?  What if something goes wrong or not as planned?

We are feeling all of these emotions – real emotions.  Here is the beautiful thing.  Right now, GOD IS IN CONTROL!  He has orchestrated everything in your life and prepared you for this very moment to face this day and whatever this day presents.  (1 John 5:18-20)

1 John 5:18-20 - ¹⁸ We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. ¹⁹ We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. ²⁰ We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

We must understand that God goes before us today!

Deuteronomy 1:30-31 - ³⁰ The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, ³¹ and in the desert. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”   Moses offers even more encouragement to Joshua with these words. Deuteronomy 31:8 - ⁸ The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”  What great words of comfort for us today!

How should we respond to this?  Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

The only thing required of you and me today is to act justly, love with mercy and walk humbly with the Lord.  The people we meet today are no different than you and me.  We are all created in the image of God.  We are all His children.  Because we have been given a privilege of living in difference circumstances does not give us the right to act unjustly towards anyone.  We are not riding in on a great white horse to save the day.  We do not have all the answers.  We are servants of the Lord sent from God.  Our Goal is to serve those He puts before us. 

To live out this challenge today, we need to understand that it will take an act of total surrender to God.  We must totally surrender our all – everything to Him today.  We must rely on God’s amazing spirit to lead us and to give us power to meet whatever faces us.

Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Sprit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

We go out today in the power of God through His spirit to serve the widows and orphans that are in need.  (James 1:27)  We are going out today to be the hands and feet of Jesus to those who are literally dying, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  We are going out today to love the unlovable, to care for the broken-hearted and to share hope to the hopeless.  (Matthew 10:42)  We cannot do this on our own, but only through the power of God in and through us.

Micah 6:8 – “He has showed you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Matthew 10:42 – And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.

Isaiah 41:13 - For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Deuteronomy 13:4 - It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.

1 Peter 5:17 – Cast all your anxiety on the Lord, for he cares for you.

We need to move past ourselves and move into the hearts of the men, women, children we will be meeting and reaching out to today.

Prayer for the day:  Acknowledge God as the God who is in control.  Pray for him to lead you to act justly, in mercy and to walk humbly before Him today.  Claim Isaiah 41:13 today, that the Lord, your God, who is with you will help you in any situation today – Do not fear, trust God.  In Jesus Name, Amen