Determination: July 19, 2010

Today's Word for Monday July 19, 2010

DETERMINATION

DEFINITION

Definite decision; firmness; resolve; a fixed purpose of intention.

SCRIPTURE

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." Romans 12:11

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Some people have a great deal of determination in running their lives and others have very little. You can see different levels of determination in the same family. One's level of determination stems from the intensity of one's desire. One of our deep concerns today is the lack of determination that people have to serve the Lord with all of their hearts.

Apparently this was a concern that Paul had for the Christian's in the church at Rome when he wrote them and instructed them to never be lacking in their zeal to serve the Lord.

The story is told of a student in the late 19th century, Mary McLeod Bethune. She spent two years training at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago to become a missionary in Africa. After she graduated, no mission board would take her as an African-American woman to serve under their mission.

Unable to fulfill her dream, and seemingly what was a calling from God, she did not give up because she was determined to serve Jesus. She went to Florida and started a small school for African-American girls here in America. This small school, because of her determination, became Bethune-Cookman College and she became a powerful force for change in the status of women.

Mary's legacy came about because of her determination to serve her Lord. Her dream of going to Africa did not become a reality because God had something better for her. Her determination, to think big, allowed God to do His thing.

In our recent travels we have often commented on the fact that we do not see near the amount of determined people than we saw even 25 years ago. People are satisfied with the status quo. Worse yet they seem to want everything given to them.

We as parents and as believers need to develop a new determination to give all that we have to serving the Lord. We need more believers outwardly serving Jesus. We need to stand for our faith and for the moral standards that God has given us in His Word. The world, not only America, needs people with a new and vibrant determination to do the impossible. Let us challenge you to step up and let God do His thing through you.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Ephesians 6:1

Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right.

PRAYER

Give me a new determination to serve You with vigor today. May the determination that You give me help me to lead my family, friends and neighbors to a relationship with You. May my determination be strong enough to be the tool that You need to accomplish Your purpose through me.