assignment | Revelations From The Road

Be A Doer

July 31, 2008 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given July 7, 2007

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22.” We’ve heard that verse before and realize it’s talking about the Word of God; that we should take action after we hear a sermon, read the Bible, or receive some teaching. If we don’t DO anything with the Word, what good was it to have heard it? What’s the point? I would say that many Christians don’t do much with what they know spiritually. Maybe you agree and maybe you don’t but let’s look at it another way.

Take a kid in school. The point of going to school is to learn what’s necessary to be successful in the world, right? To get a job, to support yourself and your family, help some people, and contribute to society. So, how ridiculous would it be for a kid to go all the way through school, to “hear” everything the teachers had to say, remember it, then go out into the world and do nothing? Spend all that time in school preparing for life but never using what you learned! You’d think, “What a waste!” Well, that’s right, it would be a terrible waste but aren’t most Christians doing just that?

We go to church at least once a week, (don’t we???), hear teaching from the Bible, then go home and back to whatever it is we do. Then do it all over the next week. I’m being a little hard here but God has convicted me for this so I’m preaching to myself! I go to church a lot and listen to teaching in between but, God reminded me, I’m not doing enough with all I’m learning.

The purpose of going to school is to learn how to live and live it. The purpose of hearing the Word is to learn what God wants us to do and …. DO IT! Think how you can use what you learn the next time you hear the Word. The Holy Spirit will give you an assignment; don’t miss it! Be blessed!

My Choice

January 26, 2008 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given October 30, 2007

I saw something on TV that God spoke to me through. It was a commercial showing a sculptor working on a slab of stone. He began with the raw stone and ended with a piece of art. I realized that God created everything but not always in the form we see it.

God created that rock but gave the sculptor the ability to create a work of art. God created a tree and gave a woodworker the ability to make a chair. God created silicon and gave an engineer the knowledge to make a computer chip.

Then, I saw that God created me in a raw form and gave ME the ability and choice to make something good. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10“. Yes, we are His workmanship but it’s up to us to create the work of art we were ordained to walk as. If you’re like me, you’re not a formless rock but you’re not a work of art yet either. I’m still working, how about you?

Just A Man

November 8, 2007 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given November 8, 2007
Many great things have been done by people who were just ordinary folks. I was reminded of one recently and the Holy Spirit brought him to mind again during my devotion time this morning. He is Ananias.

In Acts 9, we read the story of Saul’s conversion to Paul. The Spirit of Jesus knocked Saul off his donkey, blinded him, then told him to get up and go into the city of Damascus and wait for further instructions. He waited there three days, (Acts 9: 1-9).

In the mean time, here’s this believer Ananias, a regular guy, who was going about his daily business and the Lord called him in a vision. Ananias answered and Jesus told him to go pray for this guy who’d been throwing Christians in jail. He gave him the guy’s name and the address where he was staying. Ananias was a little hesitant about confronting this bad dude, (aren’t we just like that?), but the Lord said “Go” and Ananias went, (Acts 9: 10-17).

Here’s the point: God had a plan, Ananias was chosen to perform a task in that plan, he did it, and went back to his regular life. We don’t hear of him again. The Lord called, Ananias obeyed, God’s plan was implemented, and the world was changed! Just for the obedience of one regular guy!

I’m sure Ananias didn’t realize the impact his obedience would have. He probably went back to his wife and said something like, “Honey, you won’t believe what just happened over on Straight Street”. Indeed. But, what if Ananias had not obeyed? Would God have chosen someone else? But because he did obey, I imagine he and his family enjoyed overflowing blessings even though we didn’t hear about it.

We are just regular people too and God could call us, (and probably has), to do something for Him. Notice, He didn’t just call some bum off the street in Damascus; He called a believer. I want to be ready when God calls me. How about you?

Rain For All

October 29, 2007 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given October 27, 2007
“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matthew 5:45“. God’s sun shines on everyone and His rain falls on all as well. Here’s what I was shown on this scripture today: For instance, if I pray for rain for my crops, it will also rain on my neighbor’s garden too. They will be blessed because of God’s favor toward me.

In addition, if my unjust neighbors know that I am one of “the children of your Father which is in heaven”, because I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone and reached out to them, they are more likely to hear what I have to say. If I show God’s love and help them when they’re in need, that will open the door a little wider the next time. When this situation develops, God will give me what I need to reach them. Maybe they won’t let Him in but thy will me and God will supply me and use me as the “go-between” to get His message to them.

Here’s the point: always show the love of God to your neighbors no matter how bad they are and they will see your good deeds and soften up to the Gospel. “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16“. Do this and God will supply you with whatever resources you need to get the Word to them. But it starts with living the Christ-like life before them.

God’s To-Do List

September 27, 2007 by Bill Leave a Comment

Given August 2, 2007
As you’ve prayed, has God told you anything He wants you to do? Have you gotten impressions of something you feel you need to do? Maybe someone you feel you should go see? Well, I sure have. I’ve begun to write these things down and describe them as, “God’s to-do list”. Things He wants me to do.

Now, I’m also praying for God to do some things for me. And I know He’s got some wonderful things planned so why haven’t they come to pass? This is how God described it to me: It’s like a teenager who asks his father, “Can I have the car Dad?” And the dad replys, “Have you cleaned your room yet, like I asked? You can’t have the car until you clean your room.”

God won’t do what He’s got planned for me until I do my part and do what He’s already asked me to do. It’s an obedience thing. “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22“. Yes, I want to be a good kid and do what my Father asks and, I know, He’ll be real good to me when I do. What has God asked you to do?