Daily Devotional for Thursday July 11, 2013

God's Watchman

(Isaiah 62: 6-9)

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, the man who buried his talents. I'm not sure what is meant by that?

ANSWER: It means that ALL we have is from God and is to be used for His Glory. That includes our time, our treasure, and our TALENT! God gives each of us different talents in order to serve Him. To NOT use what the Lord has bestowed upon us is a sin since we are not fulfilling our ultimate purpose to serve and glorify Him with our life.

When I committed my heart and life to go into full-time ministry over 20 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, 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 that many of today's spiritual leaders feel like 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 their 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 became easier for me to focus on what my job was and to do it to the best of my ability. God told me that I was to be a loud, and bold watchmen in this new medium called the Internet that is able to reach more people, quicker, than anything that has been known to man.

My friend, I try my best each day to be a "watchmen" here on the Internet. I 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 enjoy a purposeful life here on earth and have everlasting life

I love you and care about you SOOOOO much!!!! Let me encourage you today. Everyone that knows Christ as their 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. We are simply called to be faithful to share the message of faith, hope, and love in Jesus Christ.

Be one of God's watchman in these last days!

***JUNE FINANCIAL SHORTFALL: Thank you to everyone who prayed and was able to give to help me in June. We ended the month with a $25,000 shortfall that is now down to $8,000. I am praying that God will speak to 2 or 3 of our friends who can send a special one-time gift of $3,000 or more today to cover the shortfall before the end of the week so we can begin to work on the $40,000 for July's basic operations.

For those who are able, please pray about helping me today with a special one-time gift at this critical hour! Of course if everyone will pray and everyone who is able will send what you can, I am standing in faith that by the end of the week ALL of June's basic operational expenses will be taken care of! Will you please pray today about helping me with $10, $20, $100, $1,000, or whatever God lays on your heart to stand with me at this critical time? Our God is able!!!

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!

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

Bill Keller