The interests of others

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Philippians 2:3-4

For the next 2 weeks, this is our job description!

And we are ready - we've prepared, we've prayed, we've fasted, we've surrendered ourselves completely into His service - BRING IT ON!

Father, we are yours. Let us shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the Word of Life. Amen.

Be strong!

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His might power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6: 10-11

Busy, busy days!

I need to remember, just like Lourdes told us Sunday, to get dressed twice today: once for my physical life, & once for my spiritual life.

So I'll stop in the midst of the craziness & put on the full armor of God - including the sword of the Spirit. Amazing how easily my time in the Word gets pushed aside when urgent matters crowd my day. But I want to be strong, so I'll be a good soldier & polish my sword before going into battle!

Join me! In Jesus' name, amen

Empowered to speak

"It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." Ephesians 4:11-12

In Nepal, we get to be evangelists, teachers, those who do works of service, those who build up the body of Christ! Sometimes that's a scary thought :-) But I read a devotional by Henri Nouwen this morning that I'm passing on, since it speaks to that very thing:

The Spirit that Jesus gives us empowers us to speak. Often when we are expected to speak in front of people who intimidate us, we are nervous and self-conscious. But if we live in the Spirit, we don't have to worry about what to say. We will find ourselves ready to speak when the need is there. "When they take you before ... authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say" (Luke 12:11-12) We waste much of our time in anxious preparation. Let's claim the truth that the Spirit that Jesus gave us will speak in us and speak convincingly.

AMEN!

Fasting Day 5 - almost there!

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe." Ephesians 1:18-19

We're heading into the home stretch with the food fast - yay! I pray this has been a time of increased hope, increased understanding of how rich we are in Christ, & an increased sense of His power at work within us.

It should be making a difference in our lives right here at home, as well as fueling us for the tasks ahead.

His hope, His riches, His power - He has given us everything we need to serve Him well. Can't wait to be in Nepal with you!

Lord, fill us up so we can pour ourselves out for You.

Fasting Day 3!

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:5-6

So how's it going? Gets kinda tough at times, huh? We start looking for loopholes: "Did God really mean this? Surely just this once wouldn't matter! But my friends won't understand..."

My stomach howled LOUDLY all day Tuesday. Today I have a throbbing headache.

But GOD is giving us endurance, & He is cheering encouragement from the sidelines of the race: YOU CAN DO IT! And you're not alone - we are unified in this.

And the goal is clear - the end result will be God being glorified through us. Totally worth every minute of it!!!!

Father, thanks for Your endurance & encouragement - I need it. Thanks for the unity of my team members - it strengthens me. Amen!

Fasting Day 1

"Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, & do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Roman 13: 14

• Today we set off on an adventure of discipline, commitment, obedience, & surrender.
• Today we say we are willing to sacrifice in the physical to gain in the spiritual.
• Today we choose to purify our focus & empty ourselves of unnecessary things so we can be filled more fully with God's love & power.

But it won't be easy. Hunger will set in. Boredom will set in. Temptation will set in when our family/friends are doing things we're fasting from.

The only way we can hope to succeed is to clothe ourselves with Christ. My favorite paraphrase of Philippians 4:13 is "I CAN DO HARD THINGS - in Christ, who strengthens me." Amen.