June 3, 2004

Devotional guides to help strengthen your walk in Christ

June 3, 2004

Postby Rev. Doc » Wed Jun 02, 2004 9:27 pm

Servants

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10:45

Each of us is gifted in some way to be a servant for Christ. We have a tendency to judge our talents, imagining some to be more important than others. However, each is important, none moreso than others when utilized for His Kingdom and Glory. We are all called to service.

In 1972, NASA launched the exploratory space probe Pioneer 10. According to Leon Jaroff in Time, the satellite's primary mission was to reach Jupiter, photograph the planet and its moons, and beam data to earth about Jupiter's magnetic field, radiation belts, and atmosphere. Scientists regarded this as a bold plan, for at that time no earth satellite had ever gone beyond Mars, and they feared the asteroid belt would destroy the satellite before it could reach its target. But Pioneer 10 accomplished its mission and much, much more. Swinging past the giant planet in November 1973, Jupiter's immense gravity hurled Pioneer 10 at a higher rate of speed toward the edge of the solar system. At one billion miles from the sun, Pioneer 10 passed Saturn. At some two billion miles, it hurtled past Uranus; Neptune at nearly three billion miles; Pluto at almost four billion miles. By 1997, twenty-five years after its launch, Pioneer 10 was more than six billion miles from the sun.

And despite that immense distance, Pioneer 10 continued to beam back radio signals to scientists on Earth. "Perhaps most remarkable," writes Jaroff, "those signals emanate from an 8-watt transmitter, which radiates about as much power as a bedroom night light, and takes more than nine hours to reach Earth.'" The Little Satellite That Could was not qualified to do what it did. Engineers designed Pioneer 10 with a useful life of just three years. But it kept going and going. By simple longevity, its tiny 8-watt transmitter radio accomplished more than anyone thought possible.

So it is when we offer ourselves to serve the Lord. God can work even through someone with 8-watt abilities. God cannot work, however, through someone who quits.

Prayer: Ask God to help you realize and utilize your gifts to their fullest.

"Most people wish to serve God -- but in an advisory capacity only." ~Quoted in Sunday Express, London.
"The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending, then having the two as close together as possible."
~George Burns
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Postby Master Kenzo » Thu Jun 03, 2004 5:09 am

What an amazing story. Thanks again Doc, I know this is starting to sound monotonous, but I needed that.
I'm back to make a post or two every couple years...
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Postby true_noir_chloe » Thu Jun 03, 2004 8:47 am

Thank you again, Rev.Doc. ^___^ Recently, I had been reading of our place in the body in I Cor. 12 and this devotion coincided so well. It doesn't matter what part we play, as long as we play the part to the fullest.

[size=84][color=seagreen]YOU SEE


You see into the deepest part of me ---

beyond the fog I hide behind.

You cast your light upon the shadows

that stretch like cobwebs in my mind.

You ease the pain when I am hurting,

and morbid visions from my past

pierce into the realm of Reason

as though I danced on blades of glass.

You grant me strength when I have fallen

and, once again, I've lost my way.

You take my hand in Yours and lead me

into the promise of a brand new day.

You bring order to all my chaos,

yet set my well-laid plans awry.

You place me on a firm foundation ---

then give me wings so I can fly.

You sand away my roughened edges

and polish all the dullest parts

until I stand before Your presence...

a newly-sculpted work of art.

You see into the heart within me,

right through my motives and selfish will.

And yet, in spite of all You see

You say You love me even still.


~by D.M.~

[/color][/size]
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Postby wiggins » Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:27 pm

Wow! More stuff I need to work on!
Being a Christian makes me a different otaku; Being an otaku doesn't make me a different Christian!
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