Based on “Follow Jesus-Live Dangerously-Expand Your World” by Pastor Mark Balmer
8/30-31/08; Message #MB368; Daily Devotional #6 - “Eligible for Service”
Preparing the Soil (Introduction): “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Imagine the scene: a small group of people surrounding one Man who blesses them with the message above, and then suddenly when the Man stops speaking, He miraculously ascends into heaven and out of the sight of His friends. To an innocent bystander this would have been quite a sight. Yes, the ascension would have been mind-boggling, but let us consider the group of folks who were informed that they would be witnesses to the entire world. Some were fishermen, one was a tax collector, one had denied that he even knew the Man who blessed him, and all had abandoned Him completely just 40 days prior! Had you been asked to judge the odds of this ministry ever taking off, what would you have said?
Planting and Watering the Seed (Growth): Apparently, Jesus had no problem trusting His followers with the ministry that He had poured His very life into for 3 years. I, on the other hand, would have probably asked the Father for a few more years, just so I could make sure that everything was running properly before I took on the job of High Priest and Eternal Intercessor! But, Jesus seemed completely assured that all would go as planned, even without Him having to physically oversee the project, and He calmly ascended into heaven. Undoubtedly it was because He knew that the Hoy Spirit was on His way and that in just a few days these plain, ordinary men and women would be transformed into mighty warriors of God, and begin a movement that would impact the entire world in His Name!
Harvesting the Crop (Action/Response): This indicates to me that all we need is the Holy Spirit if we want to go from ordinary to extraordinary! Considering the condition of Jesus’ followers before the Upper Room experience, there is little that is needed to qualify us for use in God’s Kingdom! This means that ALL Christians are eligible for service in the Army of God, no matter our past or present condition! If liars, fishermen, and thieves can be used to begin a wave of Christianity that would jolt the world, then there is hope for you and me, my friend! As long as The Holy Spirit of God dwells within us, we can do all things in the Name of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! That is Good News! Leave it to our all-knowing God to figure out a way to pull down every prejudicial wall and disqualify every excuse that we can think of! Miraculously, He has made it possible for all of us to have everything we need to live a life that honors and lifts up the Name of His Son, through the power of His Holy Spirit! Praise His Holy Name!
Cultivating (Additional Reading): Matthew 9:35-39
CD
Calvary Chapel of Melbourne; 2955 Minton Road; W. Melbourne, FL 32904; 321-952-9673
All Bible references are from the New International Version (NIV) unless otherwise noted.