Devotion for 4/21/21 6 Minutes

1 Timothy 1:12

Good evening everyone watching by video this evening,,, it's time for our weekly devotion. I'm praying that all of you are having a wonderful week so far. As I've said the last several weeks,,, we need to continue to remember those that are dealing with this virus. Those that are sick,,, since there are many others dealing with this sickness as it continues to grow and,,, those that have lost loved ones,,, we need to continue to remember them as well. Remember the medical teams that are dealing with this and any others that must work and take a chance of contacting this virus. Also,,, continue to remember those on our prayer list,,, and our country and it’s leaders. --------------- Our devotion this evening comes from "David Jeremiah Morning and Evening Devotion". Our scripture will be 1 Timothy 1:12 and I'll be reading from the Holman Christian Standard Bible. 1 Timothy 1:12 (HCSB) — 12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry— God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this evening. Let us pray: Dear Lord,,, as we begin this evening,,, with all that are listening and watching by video,,, we ask that you open our ears to hear,,, and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen. --------------- In this verse,,, Paul is talking to Timothy,,, and telling him that he is thankful to Jesus Christ who has strengthened him,,, because He,,, (Jesus),,, considered him faithful. Appointing him to ministry,,, and doing all of this,,, even after Paul has been responsible for many of the early Christians that were arrested and killed. Paul goes on to talk about how he received mercy and grace from the Lord,,, and that his life could be used as an example to show God's immeasurable mercy and grace that is available to all,,, just as it was for him. --------------- David Jeremiah titled this devotion,,, "ONLY ONE MISSIONARY". And he used missionary Mary Slessor,,, as an example in the devotion for Monday evening. David Jeremiah said that because of her father’s drinking problem,,, when she was eleven-years-old,,, Mary Slessor was putting in twelve-hour shifts in the mills,,, helping her family pay their bills. As she worked,,, she found that she could prop books on her loom while working. As she read about the land of Calabar (which is modern Nigeria today),,, Mary grew convinced she should go there as a missionary. In 1876,,, she sailed for West Africa aboard the SS Ethiopia,,, which, ironically,,, was loaded with hundreds of barrels of whiskey. While she was aboard the ship sailing across the ocean,,, remembering how alcohol had hurt her family,,, she said, “Scores of barrels of whiskey,,, and only one missionary.” David Jeremiah said,,, "but what a missionary!" Mary was a combination circuit preacher,,, village teacher,,, nurse,,, nanny,,, and negotiator,,, who single-handedly transformed three pagan areas,,, by preaching the Gospel. She diverted tribal wars,,, and,,, rescued women and children by the hundreds. For forty years,,, she labored as God enabled her. He finished this devotion by saying,,, “if you feel like you’re the only Christian at your school,,, office,,, or factory,,, rejoice!” Don’t underestimate how God can use you.

He used Paul,,, even though he had done everything that he could do to stop Christians everywhere that he could.

You would have thought that Jesus would have used almost anyone else before He used Paul,,, but He wanted to use him.

And as I’ve said before,,, we serve an awesome God that gives each of us so many opportunities to turn to Him.

So,,, any time that you feel God calling you,,, don’t underestimate what you can do with God’s help.

Because as David Jeremiah said,,, “One plus God is a majority in any setting.”

Jeremiah, David . David Jeremiah Morning and Evening Devotions (p. 225). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.