Any Way You Can



It's a quiet Sunday afternoon in Valparaiso. Many are taking advantage of the afternoon to practice what one preacher called "the third Baptist ordinance" - the Sunday afternoon nap. This morning I think I helped spread that practice into the morning service.



Not every sermon hits a home run. When a pastor leaves his study, doing everything he knows to do - praying for guidance, seeking God's wisdom, using their training and their skill - he hopes that God will take what will be delivered and make it an event in heaven.



An event? Well really, a party.



Luke 15:10 (Msg)

Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."



That's why we preach.



But you never really know what will happen, and many times you don't actually know what happened once you finish. Except for the snores.



It's been almost three years ago now, that I was involved in a revival at Orianna Baptist in Middle Georgia. The pastor there and I went visiting people during the afternoons before the evening services. He had a real way with those people, as honest and as sincere a desire to see them saved as I have ever seen. I wondered after the first stop, "What in the world does he need with me?"



We pulled up near a modest home, walked around back and onto a deck. Welcomed into that home, I was introduced to an elderly man named Calvin Logan. The pastor had spent a lot of time with him over the last year, but Calvin had never decided to become a disciple of Jesus. His family was worried because Calvin had a lot of health problems, and they were afraid his time might come before he knew God. So we talked for a while, and I tried to help him across the bridge from unbelief to grace. Though he was receptive to a point, we started out the door after a few minutes a little down, a little discouraged. I think both of us felt we had missed a chance.



Before we had cleared the corner of the house a voice called out to the pastor, "Brother Rigdill, he wants to talk to you and the preacher again." We flew up the steps.



In a moment, Calvin was a child of God. He came to the revival that night and made his decision public. For the rest of his life he followed through on the commitment he made that day.



Calvin Logan went home this past week.



Friends, anytime you have a chance to tell someone about the love of Jesus - do it. Any way you can make people understand just how free a gift it is - do it.



There will be times when you'll get to see God at work, and times when you won't. But don't despair - just share His love any way you can, for as long as you can.



On a lazy afternoon, knowing you were used by God makes a big difference.



Any other time too. :)



Grace!



David



This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.