God of the eternal, give a divine perspective to the temporal challenge this dear reader may be facing today. In Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." So begins the chapter that lists the champions of the faith. What an impressive list is contained in that chapter. The list contains those whose lives were made better because of faith. All of those people named in the hall of faith fame were imperfect people, with blemishes and marks, sins and pains associated with some aspect of their lives, just like you and me. Were we to listen only to ourselves and the limits we easily place on ourselves, we would find ourselves in dismal places. Faith is that which calls us out and up, to the place where God would have us be.
I heard a preview of a DVD of a famous motivational speaker, Les Brown. In that five minute segment of a presentation, Mr. Brown talked of a conviction and an assurance he gave himself that one day he would appear on Robert Schuller's program. He told everyone he could about that conviction and almost everyone asked the same thing, "When and why?" He had not yet written a book, nor was he well known. He was not someone in the news nor did he have a story yet heard that might bless people. Still, Mr. Brown even called Schuller's office and was basically asked the same things. He replied that if Dr. Schuller put him on the show, he would become well known! The reply was that the show did not exist to make celebrities. On a chance flight with perhaps five people on board, he sat next to a man to whom he shared, "I'm going to be on Robert Schuller's show!" The man asked, "When?" Mr. Brown replied, "I don't know yet, but I will. Do you know Robert Schuller or someone who does?" The man said, "My boss gave one million dollars to Robert Schuller's ministry, so yes, he knows Dr. Schuller very well." Mr. Brown said he needed to meet his boss. The man asked, "Are you a speaker?" Brown said he was. "Good, because we just had a speaker cancel on us! Could you come and be our speaker?" The shocked Brown said yes. "What do you charge?" asked the man. "Well, what was allocated?" Brown wanted to know. "Five thousand dollars." "That's what I charge!" Les Brown spoke to the group and so impressed the man's boss that the boss asked if ever there were anything he could do for him..."Do you know Robert Schuller?" Les Brown has appeared three times on The Hour of Power.
What has God given to you as your calling? Have you found the voice of faith calling you to move towards that, or are you still talking yourself down from that higher calling? Listen to faith, which is God speaking to what you can do to bless others.
PRAYER: Loving God, let Your voice come through loud and clear in my faith thoughts. I know the purpose and plan You have for me and I want to be faithful to it. If I have doubts or if I have forgotten what it is that I should be doing, remind me again. Let me know that with faith I can have both the assurance and conviction of all that You would share with and through me. I ask this in Christ Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord.
Eradio Valverde
TONIGHT IS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, a time for you and your neighbors to come out as a stand against crime. Our church will be represented at the Harlingen NNO with a popcorn booth. We'll be there from 6 until 9 and if you have time to come out and join us, please do. If your city or town is having one, go out and join friends and neighbors give witness to civility and community.
