On The Go Daily Devotion for March 4, 2012
Brought to you each day by
Keith Cook Evangelistic Association / On The Go
Burn The Ships by Keith Cook
"Proclaim the message; be persistent, whether the time is favorable or
unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage with the utmost
patience...As for you, always be sober, endure suffering. Do the work of
an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully." II Timothy 4:2 & 5
In the early 1500's Spanish explorer Cortez sailed to North America and
landed in Mexico. His crew was tired, battered, and beaten. There had
been talk about going back home. There was even a small mutiny that had
been dealt with. Their spirits were low. Cortez had to do something to
set the pace and gain an advantage in order to launch out into a new and
challenging world.
Cortez ordered all the ships in the fleet to be burned and destroyed,
Except One! He then called all his crew together and there on the shores
offered a challenge to press on to fulfill the task before them.
With their ships burning at their backs he offered this challenge and
explanation. "I have burned our ships so there is no going back. We are
here to complete our task yet I have saved one ship that is sailing back
to the comfort and pleasure of our homeland. Choose you this day to
carry on the charge we have been given by our queen and our country, or
take the last and only ship away from this land of opportunity, duty,
and honor."
These men faced a burning dilemma, just as you face many burning dilemmas in your daily personal life.
Their leader was burning with passion for their mission. Did they share
his all consuming passion for the task? If not, they should run and flee
the task before them. Today, do you share our Lord's passion for the
job he has left with you? Are you on fire with the zeal of God to do His
Kingdom work?
These men forever would live under the reflection of the ships burning
behind them. The memory of the day they made a resolute decision to do
their task with no turning back would forever be seared in their minds.
They would never look back. They could face what was before them because
they had no demons trailing them from behind. Have you made the all
important decision to burn all the bridges that you have built up in
your life to escape into your culture, your rest, and pleasure? Take
charge of your spiritual state and destroy the last bastion of power
that the Devil has over you. Abandon your total will to the Lordship and
Direction of your Captain, Jesus Christ. No looking back. Only look
forward to the challenge ahead.
Seared into their memories forever were the joys and comforts of past
victories. They could simply retire to a life of ease and reflection at
home because they had already had many grand journeys and won many small
skirmishes. Was it time for retreat? Was it time for ease and
retirement from the seas? In your memory should be a time when you first
experienced the joy of the Lord. You have seen victories in many areas
of your life, but is that all God has for you? Is it time to retire? Is
it time to slip on back home?
That day not one sailor ran from the shores to the comfort of the one
departing way out. They all abandoned retreat, stopped looking at the
burning ships, and one by one marched on to do the task before them.
Today Christ charges you to burn all the ships that are calling you to
abandon his call on your life. He is challenging you to walk away from
the easy way out of serving God. Today is your day to spiritually let
the ships burn and let the ship of comfort and the easy way out sail
away from your midst. Begin your new journey of faith in Christ today.
Daily Prayer Focus: Pray for strength, boldness, and courage as you set
out to burn the ships behind you, and press on with full zeal to do His
Kingdom Work!
On The Go Prayer Focus: On The Go's GoCare ministry. This is our acts of
kindness and benevolence ministry department. The focus of our GoCare
ministry is to reach out to physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of
hurting individuals and to build bridges between churches and their
communities.
Thank you for taking the time to pray for this important division of On
The Go Ministries. For more information on any our ministries here at On
The Go, you may send your questions to info@onthego.org.
Copyright (c) 2005, 2012 Keith Cook - On The Go
Permission is granted to "forward" this devotional to friends and acquaintances. All other rights reserved.
On The Go Ministries, Keith Cook Team
P.O. Box 963, Springfield, TN 37172, (615) 299-0222, www.onthego.org
Founder/Director - Keith Cook, keithcook@onthego.org
E-zine Editor, Laurie McTier, laurie@onthego.org
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