PART TIME, FULL TIME

THE DAILY FOUNTAIN DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE OF THE CHURCH OF NIGERIA (ANGLICAN COMMUNION)

DATE: WEDNESDAY, 14TH DECEMBER, 2022 

TOPIC: PART TIME, FULL TIME

TEXT: JOEL 3:1-2, 9-17

1. "For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,

2. I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; They have also divided up My land.

            (9 - 17)

9. Proclaim this among the nations:

“Prepare for war!

Wake up the mighty men,

Let all the men of war draw near,

Let them come up.

10. Beat your plowshares into swords

And your pruning hooks into spears;

Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.’ ”

11. Assemble and come, all you nations,

And gather together all around.

Cause Your mighty ones to go down there, O Lord.

12. “Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;

For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations.

13. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.

Come, go down;

For the winepress is full,

The vats overflow—

For their wickedness is great.”

14. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!

For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

15. The sun and moon will grow dark,

And the stars will diminish their brightness.

16. The Lord also will roar from Zion,

And utter His voice from Jerusalem;

The heavens and earth will shake;

But the Lord will be a shelter for His people,

And the strength of the children of Israel.

17. “So you shall know that I am the Lord your GOD, Dwelling in Zion My holy mountain.

Then Jerusalem shall be HOLY, And no aliens shall ever pass through her again.”

MESSAGE: 

The teenager sat down watching his friends enjoy fellowship with God. They had played together, now it was time to pray. He couldn’t join them because he was ‘of the other faith.’ As they sang, danced and worshipped, the teacher quietly asked: Do you enjoy God like this in your faith?’ ‘No’, he said. That was all. Early the next morning, he came banging the door, ready to receive Christ. “I want to enjoy God like my friends” was his firm stand. It is amazing how ‘so little’ can bring someone to Christ. As my friend narrated this, I couldn’t help agreeing with the Scripture; indeed, all we need to do is to put in the sickle for the harvest is ripe (v.13). All the happenings of this age point to the fact that we’re in the last days, in fact, we are in the last days of the last days. The return of our Master is very near. What are you personally doing about those who have not received Him? Are you concerned that there are “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision”? (v.14). The only reason we’re alive as Christians is to bear witness to Christ. Our secular engagements are only ‘platforms’ to do this; our different placements in life are only part time so we can fulfil the full-time work of bearing witness for Christ. Are you so engrossed in the part time work while leaving the full-time work?

ACTION: 

Witness to someone today.