Daily Devotional for Saturday November 20, 1999

God's Watchman

(Isaiah 62:6-9)

God's watchman. When I committed my heart and life to go into full-time ministry over 9 years ago, I accepted God's challenge to become one of His watchmen. In ancient days, the watchman was the person who occupied a tower overlooking the city and it's walls. It was his job to announce to the city when the enemy was preparing to attack. The majority of the Old Testament prophets felt as spiritual watchmen to the people, although their warnings were for the most part ignored. They lamented the fact that the people never listened despite their prophetic insight and warnings from God. I am sure many of today's spiritual leaders feel as those Old Testament prophets, as they sound the warning from God for people to turn from their sin and embrace God. That message, of course, is largely ignored. Early in my ministry, after feeling that same frustration, God showed me that it was not my job to "make people change." It was my job to share with them the fact that God loves them, that there is everlasting life through Jesus Christ, and that the answers they are seeking are found in Him. Period. I was to sound the alarm, blow the trumpet...that was my job. Only God can change a person's heart. That is a divine work we cannot accomplish. It has to be Him. Once I came to that realization, it was easier for me to focus on what my job was and to do it to the best of my ability. Soon after that, I got into producing programming for Christian television stations all over the country. Through that programming, I could do my job better by reaching more people quicker. While I still do special services in churches, which was all I did the first 3 years of my ministry, and while I still produce some programming for Christian television stations, primarily what I have done for the last 5 years, my full focus and attention is now on our Internet ministry through Liveprayer.com. God has shown me that I was to be a loud, and bold watchman in this new medium that will ultimately be able to reach more people quicker than anything that has been known to man. My friend, I have tried to be a "watchman" here on the Internet and will continue to tell those on the Net that God is real, He is alive, and it is only through His son Jesus that we can know everlasting life, as well as enjoy a purposeful life here on earth.

Let me encourage you today. Everyone that knows Christ as Savior has been called to be God's watchman. Just remember, God has given you the job of sharing His love and message. That's it. The changes, the miracles, those will all come from God himself. You are His instrument to touch a person. He is the one that actually does the work. Think about that today and take the pressure off yourself if the person you have been praying for isn't getting healed, or saved, or their marriage isn't restored. God is the one who will bring about the actual change. You just be faithful in doing your job to be His watchman and share the message.