Daily Devotional for Monday June 25, 2012

The Lesson of a Selfless Little Boy

(Matthew 14:13-21)

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, I would like to know why Moses was punished and not allowed to enter the promise land?

ANSWER: One word, DISOBEDIENCE! As I share often, our acts have consequences. Moses struck the rock twice, instead of speaking to the rock as God had told him. While God used his life in a mighty way, there is a price to pay for rebellion, and for Moses, it was not being allowed to enter into the promised land.

The lesson of a selfless little boy. Most people know the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with the a few loaves and fishes. What I never hear when this powerful miracle is recounted, is the fact that many of the people present had food to give, but it was only that one lone boy who was willing to give Jesus all he had in order for EVERYONE to be fed.

When I think about this powerful truth, it reminds me of today. How many people are blessed with 24 hours a day, talents and gifts, financial resources, yet refuse to share them with others? It is amazing that the few who do share their time, their talent, their treasure to further the work of the Lord, how God multiplies what is given to feed the multitudes, just like he multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the multitudes on that day!

At the end of August, Liveprayer will be 13 yrs old. In that time, we have raised unst under $7 million dollars. That has been done with the sacrifce from less than 10,000 faithful friends over these years. That is right, less than 10,000 of the TENS OF MILLIONS we have reached and impacted have ever given a dime to God's work here at Liveprayer. That is a fraction of 1%!

There are many reasons for that. First, all we have done here at Liveprayer has been done for FREE. We have never charged anyone for anything, we don't sell books, tapes resources, all we have done has been without charge since the Gospel and God's Truth is freely given. However, there is a cost involved in getting the Gospel and God's Truth out to the masses.

Second, I don't "tickle ears." I am not a motivational speaker like the gutless Joel Osteen, nor am I trying to build my own kingdom like the seeker/purpose driven/emerging church/prosperity marketeers have done. I have had more people RUN from Liveprayer than anyone can imagine because I would not back down from the difficult issues, and told people the bare Truth of what the Bible says even though many didn't want to hear it.

Lastly, well over half of the people we have reached through the Internet, on TV, radio, in print, are not Christians. We are one of the few ministries that has dared to walk into satan's living room and share the hope and love of Jesus with the lost and hurting right where they live!

What has been accomplished? Tens of millions of lives have been impacted, we have sent personal responses to over 70 million emails for prayer, broadcast over 2,000 TV programs that have been viewed by millions, sent out over 4700 Daily Devotionals each morning since Liveprayer went online that is read by millions around the world, and most important of all, seen over 600,000 souls we know of come to faith in Jesus Christ!

For 13 years, Liveprayer has been one of the few places people could find the unadulterated Truth of the Bible preached daily without compromise on the issues of the day from a Biblical worldview. Despite the opportunity to generated tens of millions annually by "playing along," going on Christian TV, charging people to come to conferences or buy products, backing off the difficult issues that offend people, make decisions based on money instead of souls, joining forces with major ministry organizations which require setting aside the Absolutes of the Bible and compromise, I have listened to the voice of God and done my best to be faithful to deliver His Truth to the lost and hurting masses each day regardless the personal and financial cost!

A Devotional reader sent me an email the other day, "Pastor Keller, I have said this before that I feel one of the biggest and most important opportunities Liveprayer provides is the opportunity to set the Biblical record straight. So many people have either misinterpreted the Bible, or have in MANY cases, have been given mis-information!"

Compromising the Truth of the Bible, looking the other way when it is financially expedient, not talking about difficult issues so people won't get upset with me, are things I have and will continue to REFUSE to do, since like every person, I will die and stand before God one day. At that moment, I don't want to have to explain why I didn't obey Him. I want to hear the words all followers of Christ desire to hear, "well done thou good and faithful servant!'

I love and care about you so much. Just like in that crowd of 5,000, it was only one little boy who was willing to give up all he had to the Lord, while everyone else refused. My challenge to you today is simply this. Will you be like the little boy with your time, talent, and treasure, or the like the rest in the crowd that day and hold on to all the Lord has given you?

As we are down to the last 6 days of June, please be in prayer with me for the operational finances we need to bring in right away. We are only $1,000 short of covering our May operational budget, and it is critical that we bring in those funds right away. I am pryaing for 1 person who can make a special one-time gift to cover this past due amount, and for everyone to pray about helping me with the best gift you possibly can as we still need to cover our entire June operations of $40,000.

*That is $41,000 over these next 6 days, or 41 people making a special one-time special gift of $1,000.

All I ask is that you pray and than give as the Lord purposes in your heart. Never forget that God will honor your heart as you obey His voice. Will you help me today? Will you please take a minute today, and pray, seek the Lord what He is asking you to sacrifce to help me???

TO GIVE A GIFT TO LIVEPRAYER, you can use your major credit card on our secure server at: www.liveprayer.com under the "Donation" link, you can give using your PayPal account using my email address: bkeller@liveprayer.com,or you can mail your gift to: Liveprayer, 6660 46th Ave. North, St.Petersburg, FL 33709. All gifts to Liveprayer are 100% tax deductible.

Thank you for your love, for your prayers, and for your sacrifce. It is friends like you who stand with me that enable Liveprayer to do all it does every 24 hours for so many lost and hurting souls around the world, while bringing HIS Truth into the marketplace!

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller