Daily Devotional for Tuesday October 16, 2012
Being Kind to Others
(Ephesians 4:32)
***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, some people think God chose who he was going to be saved even before they were born. I tend to think He just knew who was going to follow him and who wasn't. What is your opinion?
ANSWER: It is the age old debate about "election." God in His omniscience knew before the foundations of the earth was formed who would accept Him and who would reject Him. Having said that, despite His knowledge, man has the free will to accept or reject Christ and God DOES NOT interfere with that free will choice, meaning each person is responsible for what they do with Jesus. Otherwise, there would be no need for preaching the Gospel, there would be no point in evangelizing, and all of the commandments regarding telling others (Romans 10) would be meaningless.
How many times in a day do we lose our temper, snap at those we love, ignore those we work with, go to school with, interact with each day? Sometimes, we are so wrapped up in our life, our problems, what we are trying to get done, we simply tune out others. You see, being kind requires us to care for others. It requires us to concentrate on their needs. It forces us to look away from ourselves and look at others.
Like many of the things I write about each day, this is something we usually overlook, often take for granted, and seldom think about. If you asked most people they would tell you that they are "kind" to others. Most of the time they are probably right. But God has told us to be kind to others, and again, in our attempt to be living within His will, this is another facet of our life we must be aware of.
*Being kind in a Biblical sense means that we need to put others before ourselves. Look at serving others instead of serving ourselves. Kindness requires our focus be on someone else.
One thing I learned early in my ministry was that only God can change a human heart. He uses us as instruments to touch peoples' lives and soften their hearts so He can speak to them. Our acts of kindness to others is a way for God to speak to someone who needs Him. You never know where a person really is in terms of their life, but God does. Our kindness to someone at a critical point can be the act that opens them to hear God's voice speaking to them.
I love you and care about you very much. I will be praying today for you to focus this day on being kind to others. Never underestimate how God is using you in the lives of others. It is usually in those simple acts that God uses us the most.
Practice being kind to others each day so that it becomes natural. Our nature is to focus on ourselves first and others second. God wants us to change that nature to focus on others first and ourselves second. That means we must trust God to look out after our needs. I am praying that your faith be increased to trust Him to care for you, while you care for others.
This is a great day today. It is unique because it is like no other day, and when it is gone, will never be back. Make the most of it and to everyone you meet today, BE KIND!
***As we are half way through the month of October, I am in serious need of 1 or 2 friends to help me. Liveprayer is still $20,000 short of taking care of our September operations, in addition to the $40,000 we need for this month. I am asking God for 1 or 2 friends to step up TODAY and help me insure that $20,000 is taken care of by the end of business today. That can be done by bank wire, a direct despot to our account at Wells Fargo, or overnight a check to our office so that we get it by tomorrow morning. You can email me at bkeller@liveprayer.com and I will give you the necessary information.
Will you take a moment right now and pray about helping me at this most difficult time? Everyone can pray. Most everyone can send something, even if it is $5. Why not fast your lunch today and take that lunch money and invest it in souls through Liveprayer? I also know that there are 1 or 2 people reading this message today who can help me with a special one-time, year-end gift to cover the $20,000 we still need to cover from last month!.
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.
Please help me, stand with me, as we lead this nation back to God and His Truth! Thank You for your love, prayers, and sacrifce!
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller