Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Please do not get me wrong about Las Vegas. It is a wonderful place to go. It might even be a great place to live, for some people. I am just not one of those people. I have good friends who live in Vegas. They enjoy their lives, and in some cases serve the Lord in a very impactful way. Vegas is experiencing a change that with help from all of us, along with prayer, can fundamentally change the lives of those who live and visit “Sin City”. My story below illustrates how bold steps are being taken.
Please forgive me for repeating part of another devotional, but it is a message worth repeating and a story worth sharing again and again. Last Saturday evening, after having a really nice dinner at one of Las Vegas’ many restaurants, my wife Pam along with four of our friends and myself, decided to take a drive down Las Vegas Boulevard. We had thus far in our trip avoided the sights offered by the resorts, casinos, and visitors to the “Strip” at night. We passed by Caesars Palace, New York New York, and were negotiating through traffic headed south when we reached the Bellagio. The fountain show was just beginning, and crowds were gathering. And there at the south end of the sidewalk in front of the fountain overlook stood three people. Two of them held signs on poles for all to see the message “Jesus Saves”! In the midst of all that is Las Vegas there they stood like a beacon on a hill. One person was passing out informational tracts to those passing by. The light of Christ was shining brightly against the glow of the neon lights. Now that was a refreshing sight. They were holding up signs on poles so that the message could be seen above the crowds. They stood in stark contrast to the message offered by the glitz of the luxurious resorts near-by. I saw the same situation on Fremont Street this past May. Three brave men boldly sharing the message of the Gospel with another crowd in Sin City. In a few short months the efforts have at least doubled. And these banner carriers were not holding up signs in church. They were following the example of their Savior. From Matthew 9 11-13 we know Jesus came to call the sinners, not the righteous. That is the behavior we all need to model. We all need to, in our own way with the gifts we are given by God through His Holy Spirit, call to the sinners. We all can be part of the process that reaches out in love. We are the hands and feet of Christ and we need to be reaching out to the masses here in Pocatello and all around the world. We all can make a difference for Christ. It is what we are told to do in the great commission from Matthew 28:16-20. Your specific calling may not be to stand on Las Vegas Boulevard holding up a “Jesus Saves” sign. What you can do can make just as big of an impact as those brave people in Las Vegas. Take some time, pray about it, think about it, and then pray some more. What can you do to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
PRAYER: Lord, the harvest is great and the workers are few. Help us to realize our full potential in ministry. Guide our efforts so that your will would be done. Teach us Your ways and point out to us the opportunities to share Your love with the lost and down trodden. These things we ask in Jesus’ name Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment