I know many of you have asked the question, “What am I supposed to do in this life”? If we do not have a plan a plan will be made for us, maybe not the plan we desire. So how do we get the plan we desire instead do the plan of pain?
Matthew 7:7,8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
This verse has to do with the will of God. So how do we know if we are in God’s will and if we ask will we receive?
Matthew 22:36-39 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
If we look at these two verses we see that our FIRST priority in this life should be to love the One who created us more than anything. If we do this then whatever we ask for we will receive. Why? Because then and only then will our hearts not be self serving, self seeking or arrogant. We will desire more for others than of ourselves. That is what this life is about. Helping others and leading other to Jesus. Our prayers are powerful when we ask in the will of the Lord.
Ezekiel 34:1-6 “The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.”
Since the beginning of time the human heart has not changed. We are all sinful and desperately need a Savior to not only save us but to change us to be more like Him. The above verse could be as appropriate today as it has been 3000 years earlier. Jesus is telling us to take care of the flock instead of taking care of ourselves. “But Jesus if I take care of the flock and not myself then how will I pay my bills? How will I have time to do the things I like to do? How will I…..”? “I” can get us in a lot of trouble. Jesus many times spoke in parables of looking for the lost whether it is one of the sheep or a lost coin. Jesus loves the lost and God gave us the duty AND privilege to help. Do you know your neighbor or coworker well enough to send them this link?
http://www.theultimatedecision.com/howtogettoheaven.html
If we take all these passages today we see that we need to love the Lord will all our heart, soul and mind by doing what he asks and that is saving the lost of this present world. You can do that by forwarding this message today. Please pray on who God would have you send this to. Do you have the faith to pray and believe that God knows who you should send this too? That one who is lost. What if you put it off and they take their last breath today?
Please don’t waste opportunities to save the lost sheep. You and I were once lost and someone came alongside us and shared the good news of the gospel. PLEASE do the same today. Pray that we would be a vessel God can use to save His lost sheep and we will rejoice in heaven at the harvest. Time is short, please look for the lost instead of building up your own kingdom. The Kingdom of Jesus should be enough!
Have a great day and look for those opportunities. They are all around you if you slow down.
Brad
