Given July 13, 2006
(Click on the title above for the audio version.)

“Good morning, Mr. Phelps. Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” Do you remember this quote from the Mission Impossible TV show? The agent would listen to this recording, get his instructions, then go out and save the day.

The DVD series we’ve been watching on Wednesday nights at church talked, this week, about believers being “living stones”. And how each one of us has a place in the “temple” made by these stones. It was great! During my prayer time this morning, I was reminded of that and the fact that we all have been given an assignment. “…for many be called, but few chosen. Matthew 20:16″, and “ Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, 2 Timothy 1:9“.

All of us who have been saved has a calling, an assignment, a purpose in the Kingdom of God. I think God is saying to us, (I know He’s saying it to me), “Bill, your assignment today, should you choose to accept it, is to live a Godly life, witness for Me, and help anyone who needs it.” But it’s important to notice the part, “should you choose to accept it”. Matthew said many are called but few are chosen. I think WE do the choosing! We have a free will to accept God’s assignment or not.

I pray each morning, “God, how may I serve you today?” And most days He’ll send someone my way, which is my assignment for that day. Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve missed it. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. John 15:16“. Seems like a pretty good deal to me!

If this revelation has spoken to you or made you think, please leave a comment below.

Given April 17, 2006 – (Click on the title above for audio version)
We are always in a conflict between good and evil. Our enemy the devil is constantly trying to trip us up, trick us, or somehow hinder or ruin our walk with God. We’re in a battle! But, too many times, we try to fight that battle alone.

Now, God has given us the weapons of warfare to defeat the devil and his cohorts but we have to practice using them. We have to know what God’s Word says about who we are, what we have and what we can do. So, what are we to do when we need to fight and we’re not, “practiced up”?

This revelation gives an answer to that. I saw a line of Christians who were opposing the devil one by one. As the devil came to each one, they would weakly resist, (in my devotional booklet, I wrote, they’d “fight like a girl”). You know, turn their head and slap up and down with their hands at the devil. Of course, he would defeat them easily and go on to the next one in line. They didn’t individually have the strength or knowledge to be strong.

But, down the line, some of them got together and decided when the devil came to them, they would join together and resist. They used what weapons they had which complimented each other. When the adversary got to them, he realized they were joined together for battle and he ran away. “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12.“

Jesus just spoke a word and demons trembled or fled. He is the ultimate fighter of evil. Most of us aren’t there yet. It’s good when we can join with other Christians and pool our resources against the common enemy. It’s effective. That’s why the devil works so hard to keep churches and Christians separated and confined to our church buildings and bound by our denominational beliefs. He knows if we ever get together against him, he’s a gonner.

Given March 31, 2006
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I was listening to a series of messages on the love of the Father and the speaker made a reference to wearing a robe that made me think. When we get saved, there is an exchange made between us and Jesus. (Actually, the exchange was made at the cross.) Jesus gives us His coat of righteousness and takes our coat of sin. Read about that revelation here from my post on January 6, 2006.

I think, sometimes, we put on the “robe of righteousness” but we’re still dirty underneath. “Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. Luke 11:39“. Just like these Pharisees, we look pretty good on the outside; for the people at church or the office or in public. But our family, and some close friends maybe, have seen under that robe and know what’s lurking there. And, there may be some “dirt” under there that even our family doesn’t know about. But we know. And God knows…….

But the good thing about it is that we can go to the Father, admit we’re dirty, and ask Him to clean us up. We can offer Him our empty, dirty cup and He’ll clean it out and refill it. Do it now.

Given July 1, 2006 – (Click on title above for audio version.)
There’s a commercial on TV where a man does something nice for a lady and her baby and a bystander notices it. That person later does a good turn for someone else and it’s witnessed by another. And it goes on. Each person who sees a good turn being done apparently remembers it and gets involved with helping others themselves. At the end, it says, “When people do the right thing, it’s called responsibility. When it’s a company….then they tell the name of an insurance company. What a great commercial. It makes me think.

What if…….every Christian did that? Jesus did. “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. Acts 10:38“. Jesus went about doing good. How would the world be if we all took the time to do something good for our neighbor. Hey, how much better would our city, town, or neighborhood be if we did that on a regular basis. I know it would make a difference.

Just as in that commercial, you know, people are watching. Let them see Jesus in you.

Given June 29, 2006
During my devotions this morning, I was thinking about the fact that I am a child of God, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: Romans 8:16“, and also I’m to be a servant, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: Hebrews 12:28“.

I listened to some teaching recently about, “The Father”, and am reminded that my relationship with my Heavenly Father is special. Many earthly father-son relationships are such that the son’s relationship to the father is more of, “meet my needs and give me what I want and I’ll be happy”. Not, “Daddy, I love you. What can I do for you today?”. But that’s the way it should be with us and our Heavenly Father. We should come to him offering to be a servant or with the attitude of a servant. But, you know what He’ll do? God will smile, take us up in His arms and say, “Son, you please me. What can I do for you?”.

If we come to God with a servant’s heart, even though we are His children, it pleases Him and He’s more willing to shower us with blessings. I have four sons and they all are wonderful boys. But when they, “do everything right” and are willing to help me, it pleases me and I’m more willing to give them what they want. Another example is the story of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15, who took all that was his as a son, came to his senses, and returned willing to be a servant. That made all the difference.

I pray every day, “Father, how may I serve you today?”. It’s an attitude. I know I’m a son by birth but I CHOOSE to be a servant. That makes all the difference!