the invitation :: Tuesday E-Devotion

Ok. I am going to let you in a little early. Don't tell anyone else, but our theme for EASTER '08 is .... The Invitation. And I am excited about all God is putting together for us. Did you know that Easter and Christmas are the 2 most attended church services in the world? You knew that.

Lets take a look at some invitations for a few minutes today. First, we need to invite people to know Jesus. That can come in so many forms from a personal story in a conversation, to a letter written to a friend or even a personal invitation to church. Another way is through media...TV, radio, web site...letting people hear about Jesus. Thus, why we are issuing an invitation for Easter.

Matthew 22:9 (nlt) --- Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.

1 Corinthians 9:23 (nlt) --- I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

Hold the phone. There is another invitation we HAVE TO THINK about all the time. Who is it we are inviting to be part of our lives? Far too many people invite Satan, most of the time unknowingly, to join us on our daily walk. We give him all the space he wants. We listen to his every word and even watch his every move. It is kind of mesmerizing.

We don't want to do that. Our enemy has no place in our lives and in our business. But we let him in. It is time to kick him out. No invitation to you, nasty dude. It is time for JESUS to take over. Hear me out:

John 10:10 (nlt) --- The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Philippians 2:5 (nlt) --- You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (nlt) --- We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

Another version of that last verse tells us to take all of our thoughts captive. We are to take depression, realizing where it comes from, take it captive and kick it out the door. We are to take low self-esteem captive, knowing it comes from Satan, and remind it that no invitation was given to it and kick it out the door. We are take self pity and pride and anger, and the likes of them, and issue them the privilege of leaving us alone.

How are you inviting those things or others to enter your life? By the way, God made you a winner. Know it. Believe it. Live it. That is 'THE INVITATION' God offers you today!

Romans 8:37 (nlt) --- No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

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 ...

Catalyst ticket arrived

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

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....

Michael Harrison's e-devotion

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