Discerning the Deceitful and the Delusional

Prophet Jeremiah, Russian icon from first quarter of 18th cen. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mick Turner

Recently, while looking through the writings of Jeremiah, I ran across highlighted scriptures that caught my eye on several occasions in the past. I vividly recall how, when I reflected on these passages in a prayerful manner, their current relevance jumped off the page with an unmistakable clarity. It was as if the Holy Spirit especially wanted these words to come alive for me and that they did. Like I have commented in the past, at times like these scripture ceases to be just printed words on a page and instead, morphs into a living organism.

The subject matter here comes from Jeremiah 23 and deals with his observations that many religious leaders, including priests and prophets, are deceiving people with dreams, prophecies, and other revelations that they claim to be from God, but are actually made up from their own imaginations or worse, their own treacherous hearts.

When I read these words from the prophet Jeremiah I am reminded so clearly of what I hear going on in many corners of the church today. I hear various preachers, teachers, self-proclaimed “prophets” and “apostles”, along with lay brothers and sisters who have what they claim to be a “word” from the Lord, or a “vision,” a dream, or some other form of divine revelation. I am certain that in some cases these phenomena are exactly what they are said to be, but in the majority of cases my internal “discernment alarm” goes off loud and long. Instead of a true “word” or revelation from the Holy Spirit, my fear is that many of these self-styled “teachers” are either deceiving themselves, being duped by the enemy, or worst of all, deliberately leading others astray in order to advance some personal agenda, often financial.

The prophet Jeremiah dealt with a similar infestation in his day, and that is exactly what it is my friends, an infestation. In Jeremiah’s time many religious leaders, motivated by their own personal agendas as well as self-deception, were leading followers down various paths laced with deception. Reading the 23^rd chapter of Jeremiah, you cannot help seeing this issue with great clarity. In graphic terms, the prophet describes the impact of these “prophets” on himself and on the nation:

My heart is broken because of the false prophets,

And my bones tremble.

I stagger like a drunkard, like someone overcome by wine,

Because of the holy words the Lord has spoken against them.

For the land is full of adultery and it lies under a curse.

(Jeremiah 23: 9-10 NLT)

After further describing these false teachers, Jeremiah expands upon the effect of their erroneous teachings. He then warns the people:

Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you,

Filling you with futile hopes.

They are making up everything they say.

They do not speak for the Lord.

(Jeremiah 23: 16 NLT)

Speaking through the prophet, the Lord makes it clear that these false teachers were not sent by him and that they do not speak for him. As I listen to so many preachers, teachers, evangelists, and “apostles” speaking today, it strikes me as clearly evident that God did not send them, either. Sure, they may claim to have a “word from the Lord” or a “holy vision.” And perhaps a small percentage that makes this claim are genuine. But in my estimation, many are engaging in their own dreams, fantasies, and vain imaginings. As stated earlier, some are merely self-deceived, while others have darker motives of personal gain or advancement of the enemy’s agenda.

This state of affairs is made more critical by the fact that the church is at such a pivotal point in its history. Marked by a massive exodus from their ranks, the older Mainline denominations are, at best, hanging by a thread. Even the Southern Baptist Convention, long the solid backbone of Evangelicalism, is now losing members and yearly baptism numbers are at record lows. The only churches that seem to be growing are generally of an independent, charismatic nature, but researchers are sometime cautious about the statistics associated with this group, along with the Word of Faith churches, because it appears the membership rolls are constantly shifting, with new members flowing in and at least an equivalent number flowing out.

My point here is that the church, floundering as it is with these problems, can only be further weakened by false teachers, prophets, and the like. Already viewed in a generally negative light, every time a prominent Christian leader is caught in some sort of scandal, usually either sexual or financial, it only deepens the public image of Christians as little more than hucksters and hypocrites.

I am of the firm conviction that now, perhaps more than ever, each Christian must take it upon himself or herself to take responsibility for deepening their capacity for discernment. Granted, some are gifted in this area, but gifted or not, each of us needs to become as sharp as possible when it comes to discerning the spirits. Otherwise, we run the very real risk of wasting valuable time, resources, and energy running here and there chasing windmills, rather than going about the kingdom business we are all called to: deepening our relationship with Christ, making disciples, and serving others in his name.

There is no magic formula for developing discernment and chances are you already know how to do it, you just haven’t seen the necessity of it and taken the time. Here is a list of a few basic strategies that, if consistently applied, should help you deepen your level of spiritual discernment:

• Pray diligently, asking the Holy Spirit to help you specifically in this area.
• Immerse yourself in scripture. The key principle for evaluating any teaching or preaching is making sure that it is aligned with biblical principles.
• Read several books that discuss how to deepen your level of discernment. Also, explore relevant material on the Internet and apply what you learn.
• If you know someone who is gifted in the area of discernment, ask them to mentor you for a period of time.

Christianity in the West is at a crucial crossroads. The church finds itself in a time of shifting sands and changing landscapes. In a metaphorical way, this state of affairs is like being in the desert or, like the ancient Hebrew people, wandering about in the wilderness. We may wander off the path in countless ways, certain we are traveling in the right direction, only to discover we have been chasing a mirage. In other cases, we become mesmerized by a certain teaching, an innovative program, or, as is often the case, a highly personable teacher. In this mesmerized state, we are prone to drift far off the course set for us by the Master.

It is vital that we train ourselves in the ways and means of biblical discernment, especially in these changing times. To neglect this critical need, for whatever reason, is not a viable option.

© L.D. Turner 2013/All Rights Reserved

Wise Words for Today

Christ icon in Taizé (Photo credit: lgambett)

Set your eyes beyond the stratosphere and see a Christ who confounds the mind. This Christ is – present tense – the visible image of the invisible God. Jesus Christ displays God’s image visible in the invisible realm, where He is seated in heavenly places at the Father’s right hand. To look upon the carpenter of Nazareth is to discover God in totality. To know the Nazarene is to know the Almighty, the one true Creator – He who was, is, and is to come.

But that’s not all.

This Christ is the firstborn of the entire cosmos, the first person to appear in creation, and He is preeminent in all of it. All things visible and invisible were created by Him, through Him, to Him, and for Him. He is the Originator as well as the Goal – the Creator as well as the Consummator.

But that’s not all.

This Christ existed before time as the eternal Son. He is above time and outside of time. He is the beginning. In fact, He was before the beginning. He lives in a realm where there are no ticking watches and clocks. Space and time are his servants. He is unfettered by them.

This Christ is not only before all things, but the entire universe is held together in Him. He is the cohesive force, the glue and gravitational pull that holds all created elements together. He is creation’s great adhesive, the hinge upon which the whole cosmos turns. Remove Christ, and the entire universe disintegrates. It comes apart at the seams. Remove Him, and creations wheels come off.

But there’s still more.

This Christ is the very meaning of creation. Eliminate Him, and the universe has no purpose. Remove Him, and every living thing loses its meaning.

But more than all this, the One who created the universe watched it fall. He saw the cosmic revolt in heaven and the wreckage on earth. Under the caring eye of the Father, the Lord looked upon His own creation as it morphed into an enemy – His own enemy. And then he did the unthinkable. He penetrated a fallen world.

This Christ pierced the veil of space-time. He became incarnate and took on human flesh. As such, He was touched with the same temptations, the same infirmities, and the same weaknesses as all mortals, only He never yielded. Christ entered into His own creation to reconcile it back to Himself and to His Father. The Creator became the creature to make peace with an alienated creation.

Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola

Wise Words for Today

English: Scroll of the Book of Proverbs (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 God has a purpose for each of us, a role to play in His cosmic drama of redemption for a lost world. Your role will be different from mine and, indeed, from that of anyone else. We are each unique. God has ordained a part for you that you alone can play. The tragedy is that so many people never discover their part until after the curtain call. God calls us to turn to Him for guidance. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5-6). Another way to render that last phrase is “He will direct your paths.”………..If we trust God and obey His will, He will bring us “onstage” at just the right time to play the “role of a lifetime” – a role He has been preparing us for all along.

Dr. Myles Munroe

A Sublime Calling

English: Jonah, as in Jonah 2:10, “And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.”;watercolor circa 1896–1902 by James Tissot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mick Turner

I know without a doubt in my own life the voice of God, sometimes loudly but most often quiet and sublimely subtle, has called to me. More often than not, it has called to me through serendipitous events that suggests (it always suggests, never demands) that I return to the path He has laid out for me. It calls me to cease my endless wanderings which, if I am honest with myself, lead me not to the Light, but instead, carry me through deserts without vegetation and eventually, leave my spirit bellowing, not unlike a thirsty elephant around a dried out water hole.

This still, inner voice can take many forms. Erwin Raphael McManus speaks to the reality of the inner voice:

Ever heard that voice? It calls you like a temptress to abandon the monotony of life and to begin an adventure. It threatens to leave you in the mundane if you refuse to risk all you have for all that could be. If ignored, the voice dims to silence. Yet every now and again, like a siren, she sings and begins to woo you back. She awakens within you dreams and longings you put to bed long ago. It is rarely a conscious action to choose to exist rather than to live. For most of us we are simply lulled to sleep. But there is no rest in this condition. To sleep through your dreams is to choose a life of restless nights and unfulfilled days. To avoid the pain of fear, doubt, and disappointment we have numbed ourselves from the exhilaration of a life fully lived.

My nagging problem is that I don’t always listen to the Spirit’s voice when He calls. Instead, I turn away in resistance to what that sublime voice might be calling me to. More than once the voice has beckoned me to go in directions I had rather avoid. When this happens, I at least have a biblical role model to follow.

God directly called Jonah to go and preach to the people of Nineveh. Jonah, however, wasn’t especially amenable to God’s job assignment. Rather than heading east, Jonah hopped the first freighter leaving the port and that’s where his adventure really gets moving. As you know, God whips up a squall, the sailors get scared out of their wits and, after a fairly reasonable discussion considering the circumstances, toss Jonah overboard. He ends up in the belly of a whale, gets barfed up on the beach and finally, still muttering to himself, heads off to Nineveh. Jonah ends up preaching to the lowlifes, derelicts, and assorted ne’er-do-wells that live there and they repent. Still, Jonah sits under a bush and complains. You know the story.

I relate to Jonah all too well. God has on occasion made it clear to me that I am called to immerse myself in a certain ministry to a population I had rather not deal with. Like Jonah, I get busy with my own plans and bad things start to happen. Believe me my friends, whale bellies can take many forms. My point in sharing all this is to say that God does in fact call us to specific tasks in this day and age and further, it behooves us to listen and respond.

I say this because there seems to be quite a bit of confusion in the contemporary church regarding how God might communicate with us or whether or not he still does. Much of this confusion stems from believers taking extreme theological views about things and then attempting to foist those views on everyone else.

Some Christian writers will tell you that God communicates with them on a regular basis and that he will do the same with you. These folks, most of them well-meaning, often say things like, “God told me to…..” or “The Lord laid a clear word on my heart.” Where this sort of thing gets dangerous is when they say things like, “God wants me to tell you that you need to…..”

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that God doesn’t communicate with us, for I strongly feel that he does. I just don’t really think that he talks with us like these folks often claim. I know I have never heard the Lord speak in this manner. The results can be devastating. I know a solid Christian man here in our community often has a “word” from God. A couple of years back he claimed God clearly told him he needed to quit his job working as a defense contractor and open a small restaurant selling Chicago style hot dogs.

Not one to ignore a “word” from the Lord, this man, after seeking the council of several elders in his church, resigned from his $160,000 per year position and opened his hot dog emporium. Within two years he went bankrupt, lost his investment, his car, and almost lost his house as well. When questioned about all this, this fellow chalked all this up to “the work of Satan.” The leaders at his church told him that whenever we get a message from the Lord and we are faithful to follow it, the enemy will surely try to destroy whatever we build.

Now I am not saying that all this couldn’t be true. All I am implying is that these sorts of things are often not what they seem. The result is that there is more confusion about how God might communicate with us.

At the other extreme, there are many other Christians who espouse the very liberal view that God is not personal, but instead, is an abstract principle that we cannot fully fathom. Others of a similar ilk emphasize the belief that God is a sublime force of energy that empowers us but never really talks with us. The result here is the same in that it creates even more confusion among people trying to discern the voice of God.

My take on all of this is that God does indeed communicate with us and does so in a variety of ways. I suspect that the methods God uses are individualized and designed to be clearly heard by the intended recipient. In my own case, for example, God will often speak to me through serendipitous events, those things that happen by “coincidence” that are too profound to be coincidence. At other times he clearly speaks to me through Bible reading. Verses that I have read hundreds of times suddenly take on new meaning and often that meaning is directly connected to the issue I am seeking guidance about.

I am not about to tell you how God will communicate with you. I really have no clue. But I do think, with practice and sensitivity, you can become more attuned to his methods of speaking. What I do know is that we have to place ourselves in a position of receiving. We have to dedicate time to our relationship with God. This means, more than anything else, that it is essential to set aside time for regular periods of silence and meditation. Basically, we have to quiet down enough to hear God when he chooses to speak, whatever the method.

Once God has spoken, and we have heard, we then enter the realm of obedience. Like Jonah, we have to make a choice. We can either go with God or we can flee. Among the many gifts God has given us is our free will and, like Jonah, we can choose to follow God’s direction or another way. Yet also like Jonah, we must be prepared to live with the consequences.

© L.D. Turner 2008/2012 All Rights Reserved

* This article was originally published on A Conspiracy of Compassion as well as Wellsprings and Wineskins and Lifebrook in 2008.

Christ’s Identity and Purpose: A Declarative Prayer

The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christ’s Identity and Purpose

Lord, I affirm and accept my status as a new creation in Christ and I thank you for making me a joint heir with your Son, Jesus Christ. I proclaim and also affirm that I am among the chosen, the fortunate ones you have selected as your holy and beloved.

Father, I thank you for piercing the darkness and searching for me and I especially thank you for your patient endurance in pursuing me, especially when I was fleeing and hiding from your Light.

I am eternally grateful my Father that you were steadfast in your love for me and that you found me, embraced me, and carried me out of this dark kingdom. I awakened in the brilliance of the One True Light which fills your glorious kingdom – indeed Lord, the New Canaan, the realm of your sinless Son who you loved even before the world began.

Dear Lord, I know in my mind and in my heart, and I affirm with my tongue and lips that you are the perfect, visible image of the invisible God and that when I look upon you, I behold the fullness and totality of God. I realize and affirm that to know you Lord Jesus, is to know the Almighty, the one true Creator – He who was, is, and is to come.

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the firstborn of the entire cosmos, the first person to appear in creation and that you are preeminent in all of it. All things visible and invisible were created by you, through you, and for you. You are the Originator and the Goal – the Creator as well as the Consummator – the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end.

Lord Jesus Christ, you existed before time began as the eternal Son and you were before all things. The entire universe is held together in you and you are the cohesive force – the gravitational power that holds all created elements, seen and unseen, together. Without you, the entire universe would disintegrate.

It is you Dear Lord, the One True Light – Adonai – that gives meaning to all creation and all of life. Without you, there is no purpose, either universal or personal, for it is you Lord Jesus, that rose higher than the highest heaven, filling all things with your presence and your purpose. You are indeed the Way, the Truth, and the Light –

I thank you for adopting me into your Family of Light and I commit my life and my ways to you, your care, and your blessed Kingdom.

In the Holy Name of Jesus I pray,

Amen.

Father of Lights – A Personal Prayer

 

Image by camerakarrie via Flickr

Below is a personal prayer I penned at a special time in my life. Over the years, I have found this prayer to be both inspirational and empowering. It is my hope that it may be of use to any reader that might want to utilize it. It is called “Father of Lights” and it goes something like this:

Father of Lights, you have said that in aligning with you I am a Child of the Light. I thank you for that honor and privilege and also thank you that you have made me a new creation. Today, I seek to take possession of my reborn identity in you and I thank you for providing me with the ability to do so, through the blessed work of the Holy Spirit.

Father, I know you have placed in me from birth a right, preserving and steadfast spirit and I know that the Holy Spirit will empower me to contact, develop, embrace and enhance those divine qualities, all to your glory and for the sake of others as well as for the purpose of growing in sacred character.

I know Father that above all, you are a God of restoration and a God of renewal. I know that according to your holy Word, that you are, at this very moment, renewing in me the mind of Christ – the most sacred mind. Your Spirit is at work in me today, enabling me to live a life of integrity, enthusiasm and empowering me to maintain a commitment to excellence. I thank you Father for your faithfulness and the blessings you are bestowing on me today, both seen and unseen.

Father, thank you for your unfailing faithfulness. You have proven time and time again that you are there, walking as my companion, even when I don’t see you and even more when I don’t acknowledge your presence. I know that you have said that you desire my best and that all things, whether I can understand them or not, work together for my greatest good. Therefore, looking to you, I expect good and good alone.

Father of Lights:

I thank you for your presence with me;

I thank you for your presence in me;I thank you for protecting me;

I thank you for providing for me;

 I thank you for empowering me.

I am grateful my Lord, knowing that I will find in you all I will ever need.

 (In the name of Jesus, Amen)

Wise Words for Today

Image via Wikipedia

In a successful marriage, both partners are committed to helping each other reach their full potential. The desire to help the person you love the most to become all he or she can be is a healthy motivation for marriage. The bounds of the marital union provide an ideal environment in which husbands and wives can strive to express their fullest personal, spiritual, and professional potential. In partnership together they can encourage one another, lift up one another, pray for one another, defend one another, challenge one another, comfort one another, and affirm one another.

Because it comes from God, marriage is designed for believers: men and women who walk by faith and not by sight and live in a daily and growing personal love relationship with Jesus Christ. Both husband and wife together should continually encourage each other to grow in the Lord. They should worship together, pray together, read and discuss the Scriptures together, and hold each other accountable for their spiritual walk with Christ.

Dr. Myles Munroe

(from The Purpose and Power of Love and Marriage)

I Have Heard, Lord (A Declarative Prayer)

 

Image via Wikipedia

I Have Heard, Lord

Lord, I have heard your Holy Word and I have understood. You are the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. You never grow weak or weary and no one truly fathoms the depth of your understanding.

You give power to the weak and strength to the powerless. I trust you, Lord, and, according to your promise, I will find new strength and soar high on wings like eagles. I will run and not grow weary; I will walk and not faint.

Even more Lord, I am blessed because I know you have called me back from the ends of the earth and have said, “(Your name), you are my servant. I have chosen you and will not throw you away.” For this I am ever grateful my God and I am not afraid because I know you are with me. I have abundant courage because I know that you are my God. I draw my strength from you and know that you are always there to help me when I need you. I am more than blessed my God; you hold me up with your victorious right hand.

 [based on Isaiah 40:28-31; 41:9-10.]

A Franciscan Benediction (With Addendum)

 

Cover of Prayer: does It make any difference?

Mick Turner

*** This post was originally published on LifeBrook several years ago and has had many views over the time it has been available. I am posting it again, with a new addendum included that presents a more detailed version of the originally published benediction.

I felt led by the Spirit this morning to share with you this “Franciscan Benediction,” quoted by Phillip Yancey in his book, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? When I find that I drift for days or sometimes weeks without paying attention to Christ’s call for us to be compassionate citizens of his Kingdom, I often go back to this prayer, just as a reminder. We are called to be the hands, feet, and especially the embrace of Jesus in our hurting world. This benediction speaks to this reality.

May God bless you with discomfort

At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships

So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger

At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,

So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

May God bless you with tears

To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,

So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and

To turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness

To believe that you can make a difference in the world,

So that you can do what others claim cannot be done

To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Amen

I don’t know about you, but I rarely think to pray for things like discomfort, anger, tears, and foolishness. Yet this sublime prayer truly captures the compassionate heart of Jesus, feeling the pain and suffering of the world and responding to it with healing love. The words of this benediction remind me so much of the scripture read by Jesus in his hometown synagogue in Nazareth and recorded in Luke 4:18-19:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see,

That the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.

I think there is no need to wax eloquent here, nor is there a reason to belabor the point. Jesus’ message was crystal clear and so are the words of the Franciscan benediction. Permit me, however, to share one more highly relevant passage of scripture from Isaiah. These verses, Isaiah 58:6-12 speak to the same theme and to the same calling; a calling that goes forth to each of us who claim the title “Christian.”

…this is the kind of fasting that I want:

Free those who are wrongly imprisoned; lighten the burden of those who work for you.

Let the oppressed go free, and remove the chains that bind people. Share your food with the hungry and give shelter to the homeless.

Give clothes to those who need them and do not hide from relatives who need your help.

Then your salvation will come like the dawn and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward and the glory of the Lord will protect you from behind.

Then when you call, the Lord will answer. “Yes, I am here,” he will quickly reply.

Remove the heavy yoke of oppression. Stop pointing your finger and spreading vicious rumors!

Feed the hungry and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.

The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength.

You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever flowing spring.

Some of you will rebuild the deserted ruins of your cities. You will be known as a rebuilder of walls and a restorer of homes.

The words of this passage hold a special significance for me. Space in this article does not give me room to tell the whole story. Suffice to say that, in 1996, I had major cardiac surgery and an extended period of recovery. While still in the hospital after the operation, these words seemed to leap off the page at me. Over the next few months I prayed for God to reveal to me what he wanted me to do. I vowed that, since I had been given extended life, I would dedicate it to his service. Although I would have never predicted it, I ended up on the mission field in China, where I remained for over five years. These years were, without reservation, the most rewarding years of my life.

I have been home now for five years and God has continued to guide me into areas of service where I can be of use. Further, he has surprised me in some very significant ways, including, in 2004, the birth of my wonderful daughter, Salina. She was both a gift and a miracle. I suppose I should also mention that, at the time of her birth, I was 55-years-old. As I said, the Lord is full of surprises.

I didn’t mean to digress, but my point here is that, as Christians, we are to serve God through selfless service to others. Just as Jesus set us an example by washing his disciples’ feet, we have to get our hands dirty as well. But there is a wonderful promise in this. Our wounds, and we all have them, will quickly heal. Further, our light will shine out from us and God will continually guide us.

I know from my own life experience, my testimony if you will, these words ring loudly with truth. If possible, and it probably is, spend some time this week reflecting on the words from this Franciscan benediction, as well as the passage from Luke and the one from Isaiah. Pray about these words and these principles, and wait for God to make his move. A word of caution: Don’t be surprised if you are ambushed by the Spirit. I have found that he is a sublime master of the unexpected.

© L.D. Turner 2008/All Rights Reserved

Addendum

The “Franciscan Benediction” quoted in the above article was taken from Phillip Yancey’s excellent book, Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference. A few months back, I discovered a more detailed version of the benediction in Richard Stearns, The Hole in Our Gospel. I would like to share that with you as well:

 

May God bless you with a restless discomfort

About easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships,

So that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

 

May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression,

And exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for

Justice, freedom, and peace among people.

 

May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer

From pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you

May reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

 

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that

You really can make a difference in this world, so that you are able,

with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

 

And the blessings of God the Supreme Majesty and our Creator,

Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word Who is our Brother and Savior,

And the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide, be with you

And remain with you, this day and forevermore.

Amen.

© L.D. Turner 2011/All Rights Reserved

Wise Words for Today

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It’s time to commit. What are you going to do about it? In the end God works in our world one person at a time. The hungry are fed, the thirsty are refreshed, the naked are clothed, the sick are treated, the illiterate are educated, and the grieving are comforted, just one person at a time. You have the opportunity to be that one person to someone who needs what you have to offer. And what you have to offer is never small and insignificant. Again, the great picture of what God is doing in our world is incomplete without your unique puzzle piece – the one that only you possess. But you must choose to place your piece in the puzzle.

Richard Stearns

(from The Hole in Our Gospel)