PLUS

Hebrews 13:2 “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:  for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

Matthew 25:35-40 “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat:  I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink:  I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Naked, and ye clothed me:  I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in?  or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  And the King shall answer and say unto thee, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

II Corinthians 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:  we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

Our genuine concern for others, our kind spirit, and our welcoming hospitality are to be fundamental characteristics of our Christian testimony.  While the rest of the world around us tends to be consumed by the concerns of their own lives, we are to be sensitive to invest ourselves in the lives of those all around us.  People around us hunger.  They thirst. They are lonely.  They are naked.  They are imprisoned.  They need us to reflect the love of our God to them.  They need us to be ambassadors for Christ.

Maybe those we reach out to are angels that we entertain unaware.  Maybe they are just ordinary people.  Regardless, we should see our service to them as service to Christ.  We give them meat, drink, shelter, clothes, and fellowship as a service to the Lord Himself.

PLEASE PRAY THAT OUR SERVICE TO THOSE AROUND US WOULD GLORIFY CHRIST.  He cries out “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

Genesis 18:13-14 “And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child which am old?  Is any thing too hard for the LORD?  At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

My family and I recently went on a vacation that included a long road trip.  Along the way, it reminded me of another road trip when our kids were much younger.  During that trip, we spent a portion of the drive listening to Christian songs and singing along, and noticed our oldest daughter getting agitated during one of the song selections.  In fact, she kept shouting “No!” from the backseat.  Assuming that it was a problem with her getting along with her brother and sister, we turned around to size up the situation.  There was no fighting going on, so we asked what was bothering her. The answer was an interesting one – it was the song’s fault.  

Not old enough to understand the nuance of a rhetorical question, our daughter was responding to the question in the song, Is Anything Too Hard for God?  It was truly bothering her, and her answer was spot on.  There is nothing too hard for God!

It’s out of your hands, you’ve done all you can do
You’ve given God the problem, it’s no longer up to you
You’ve prayed the prayer of faith, you’re standing on God’s truth
While you’re waiting on an answer He has a question for you

Is anything too hard for God?
Who’s got a problem beyond His pow’r to solve?
Are there situations He’s not the master of?
Is anything too hard for God?

Only believe trust His word, you’ll see
His plans are now unfolding, performing perfectly
It’s clear how much He loves you, look at all He’s done
For all your questions there is really only One

Is anything too hard for God?
Who’s got a problem beyond His pow’r to solve?
Are there situations He’s not the master of?
Is anything too hard for God?

Are there situations He’s not the master of?
Is anything too hard for God?

PLEASE FAITHFULLY PRAY FOR GOD’S INTERVENTION IN EVEN THE MOST HOPELESS SITUATIONS.  There is nothing too hard for God!

Matthew 6:33 “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Exodus 20:8-11 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God:  in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:  wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

I recently spent some time at a large software development company in Silicon Valley.  This well respected company was known for creativity and productivity.  As a part of their culture, I noticed something very unique – they were serious about their employees stopping work at 6 pm.  In fact, every day at that moment they turned off the company lights and shut down the climate control system.  For this company, it was important to set boundaries for their workers so that they could enjoy a proper work-life balance.  This organization helped their employees with their priorities.

As Christians, we shouldn’t need our secular organizations to help us with the parameters of our lives. God has already given us boundaries and priorities (Matthew 6:33 and Exodus 20:8 are great examples of these), and those should guide our lives to help us with our work-life balance.  

PLEASE PRAY FOR PROPER BALANCE AND PRIORITY IN OUR LIVES.  We absolutely should have balance and perspective in our lives, but not because our company turns off the lights.  We should do so because God has illuminated our path.

I Timothy 2:1-3 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”

This Wednesday, as they do every day of the week throughout the year, hundreds of young Americans will enlist in the United States military.  There is one important distinction about those who enlist on this Wednesday and beyond as compared to those who have done so on this Tuesday and before.  Every day since the day of their birth, September 11^th, 2001, this nation has been at war with violent extremists intent on harming our nation and our way of life.  This war has been characterized by long and frequent deployments to brutal conditions and harsh environments.  Yet, hundreds of young people still join.  They do so out of a sense of service, selflessness, and patriotism, and they are remarkable.

Less than one percent of our nation serves in the United States military.  Those who do make a great and important impact.  Yet, there are others ways that all of us can make great and important impacts.  A primary way available to all of us is through prayer for our nation – prayer for kings and for all that are in authority.  This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.  It is the least we should do and the most we can do as individuals to have an influence on the climate and the culture of this special nation.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND OUR NATION’S LEADERS.  God is recruiting each of us, and all must enlist for this important duty.

Jeremiah 8:23-24 “Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:  But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:  for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.”

Oliver Cromwell, English political and military leader, was an early champion of religious liberty and British unity.  In reading a biography of this notable figure, I came across the following Cromwell quote:

“I had rather have a plain russet-coated captain that knows what he fights for and loves what he knows, than that which you call ‘a gentleman,’ and is nothing else.”

What a wonderful thought, and very much in line with God’s reasoning in choosing His recruits.  He isn’t looking for gentleman – those who are wise, mighty, or rich.  He is looking for the plain servant who has an unshakable focus on Him.  He is looking for men and women who have a Godly purpose and passion.  He is looking for a plain russet-coated captain who knows what he fights for and loves what he knows.

PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD BE RECRUITS WHO SERVE GOD WITH FOCUS AND FERVANCY.  We must know what we fight for and love what we know as russet-coated captains for Christ.