Today's Devotion: Some selected quotes

A lot of people don't remember the latter part of Romans where it gets exceedingly practical.

Romans 15
¹ We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. ³ For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

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I'm thinking that this faith of ours isn't comprised of just great Bible lessons and good theology, it's comprised of making a difference and changing lives.

I would like, for instance, my local church youth group to develop a group of kids that would run over to a hurting and lonely kid when he walked in the youth room. To be thinking all the time who can I talk to for the glory of God in this room. It probably won't be the most popular person. It will probably be the person in the corner who's shuffling his feet wondering, "Why did mom make me come here."

And then I start thinking about my Church. That we might be able to think, "Is there some need I should meet here in this room?" And then we should start to think about our community, "Is there anything that I need to do here, that others don't want to do?"

Lord, set me down in those places.

We know that that is one tremendous place to be, because we have it on good authority that these sorts of places are where Jesus wanted to be.

It says after Jesus said, "Follow me", Jesus went.

Maybe we should watch where Jesus went.

Jesus apparently went to the untouchables of his culture and touched them.

Jesus went to the untouchables and touched them, loved them, helped them, and eventually died for them.

When He says follow Me...who are you going to gravitate towards? Some of you will be in class rooms, others will be in business, some will be in your homes. Who are you going to gravitate towards today because you are following Jesus?