know your passion

John 2:17 NLT

Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: "Passion for God's house will consume me."

Jesus did somethings that were pretty far out there. He didn't follow anyone else's code of conduct or religious law. Jesus passionately did what His purpose told him to do. The verse above comes right after Jesus had a fit in the temple and cleared the house when the people had made it a shopping center or flea market of sorts. What was wrong with the situation? The people forgot the purpose of the temple.

When we forget the purpose of the church and our purpose, often we do things that are just not right. But when we remember our purpose, some of the things we do may seem wrong, but those actions and choices fit because of our calling.

It is kind of like helping the poor. It might be uncomfortable and hard, but we go there because it is our calling. Maybe it is like the guy who is called to work with AIDS patients or with ciminals when people don't understand why. Jesus worked with lepers and prostitutes and even IRS workers. The normal people couldn't understand that. Jesus knew who needed the truth.

Knowing our purpose and having a passion for our purpose will drive us to do what we have to do and not to let anything move us off of that purpose, yet we have to be reminded of that from time to time.

Luke 4:18 NLT
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,

Those words first came from the Old Testament, but at this place Jesus read them in the Temple. Jesus knew His purpose. Do we?

Mark 2:17 NLT
When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners."

Knowing our purpose will give us so much to do that we can't let anything take our minds and our actions off of that target. Jesus knew that too many lives were at risk. They still are today. The church, you and I, must know our purpose and do what it takes. For me that means I must seek the Lord with all I have got, lead with passion and minister to others with great compassion. In doing that we will lets others see Jesus in our every day words and actions.

Know your passion!

Have you heard of EDITH BURNS?

Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas . She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her. Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you ...

wash feet, sharing hope

John 13:4-5,14 NLT So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him… 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. Jesus set the example we follow. He served. He valued and gave value to others. That is why we choose to serve. For 18 years our church has shared an outreach called back2school, and for 16 of those years we have chosen to give students brand new shoes and socks as well as washing their feet. It is one of the most important parts of this event. Washing feet is a humbling experience where both the give and the receiver learn how to share some moments that might change their lives. Jesus said we should do this. See the verse above. Follow His example, do what He did, and give far more than you will ever know....

Catalyst ticket arrived

My ticket to the Catalyst Conference, in Atlanta Oct 8-10, just arrived. I'm excited!

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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