Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Jesus said, "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit."¹

"John Warr, an 18th-century apprentice shoemaker, was determined to be a faithful witness for Christ. Another apprentice by the name of William was hired, and John repeatedly talked to him about spiritual things, but the new worker didn't want to be bothered. Then one day he was caught exchanging a counterfeit shilling for a good one. In his guilt and humiliation he asked John for help and prayer. Through the faithful witness of John Warr, that man put his faith in Christ and developed into a committed disciple.

"The young apprentice was William Carey, who later became a remarkably fruitful missionary to India. Carey's life and ministry had a tremendous influence on the cause of worldwide gospel outreach in modern times."²

Some of us get discouraged because we don't feel that we are very gifted and don't have a lot to offer God in service to Him. John Warr could have said to himself, "I'm just a shoemaker and don't have much to offer God." But he didn't. He just wanted God to use him and made himself available.

It's amazing what God can and will do with anyone who will make him/herself available to God. And if you do make yourself available to God, you may never know until you get to eternity just how God used you to touch the life of others for eternity.

As blind Helen Keller said, "I am only one, but still I am one; I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do the something I can do."

And as the unknown author said:

    One SONG can spark a moment,
    One FLOWER can wake the dream,
    One TREE can start a forest,
    One BIRD can herald spring,
    One SMILE begins a friendship,
    One HANDCLASP lifts a soul,
    One STAR can guide a ship at sea,
    One WORD can frame the goal,
    One VOTE can change a nation,
    One SUNBEAM lights a room,
    One CANDLE wipes out darkness,
    One LAUGH will conquer gloom,
    One STEP must start each journey,
    One WORD must start a prayer,
    One HOPE will raise our spirits,
    One TOUCH can show you care,
    One VOICE can speak with wisdom,
    One HEART can know what is true,
    One LIFE can make a difference.

May that life be yours.

Remember, too, "that all the darkness in the world cannot put out the light of one small candle."

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, Thank you that because I have accepted Jesus, Your Son, as my Lord and Savior, I am Your child. I am available, please use me to be a part of Your plan and what You are doing in the world today. Use me in some way to spread the love of Jesus everywhere I go, and grant that people seeing Jesus in me, will want Jesus in them too. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name, amen."

1. John 15:8 (NKJV).
2. Our Daily Bread, June 7, 1996

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