Got a text message from Joshua & Alyssa at 9:19pm tonight: "We're in Nairobi (airport) waiting on our plane for Kigali (Rwanda). We're hot, tired, but in good spirits...Pray for us and enlist everyone else you can, too. We luv U." I know they would greatly appreciate any and all prayers offered up on their behalf. They are so excited about their back-to-back trips. I know that God will work mightily both in them and through them and all the others on these trips!!
The following is a devotional that Joshua posted on the Epic forum - I've also included my response...
Matthew 15:11 - "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man." Psalm 15:1-3 - LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.
I'll keep this one simple, because the closer I get the proclaiming the Word the more I feel like a child with only simple things to say... The more I realize that I'm ill equipped to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. But that’s okay because salvation belongs to the Lord. Not one of us will save a soul or fail to do so... It is the Holy Spirit who saves souls. God does not need our help, we go only because He said go. We go to be obedient... And take courage and remember - The battle is already won.
Here is my simple devotional for the scripture above: Let every word be pleasing to the Lord... Let every movement be an offering pleasing to the Lord... Let every look be given to God... Let every breath be worship.... Let your life be the Gospel.... And when you fail to do this, confess and remember that He made you blameless... Preach the Gospel, Preach the Gospel, Preach the Gospel - if necessary, use words (St. Francis of Assisi).
MY RESPONSE Joshua, I love this devotional. It is so simple -- the life we are called to live is not meant to be as complicated as we allow it to become. If we live and move and breathe in the Spirit, then we will live lives that are an offering to God and which please Him immensely. If we look to God continuously, we see His holiness and perfection and we are reminded over and over again of our powerlessness to save souls...this actually takes such a huge burden off of me. Christ died. The price was paid. The gift is free and is offered to all. Those who receive this gift receive Christ not me. Those who reject this gift reject Christ not me. So simple. I pray that we would, as much as possible, be blameless in His sight, so that we can walk in His ways and that our offering of obedience would be pleasing to Him.