Welcome to the September edition of the Publisher’s Point. I hope everyone had a fantastic summer. Of course, September means we are drawing to the end of the great weather. I have to admit that fall is my favorite time of year, partially because my birthday falls in the fall … September to be exact. That’s what we’re going to talk about this month in the Publisher’s Point. No, not my birthday, though if you want to send birthday cards or gifts, get in contact with me, and I will give you my address … just kidding.
I have been thinking a lot lately about how amazing God is. Not only does He know us before we were even formed in our mother’s womb, but He selected a date for us to enter this world. How amazing is that, that the Creator of the universe thought enough about me to select a date for me to be born and a set of parents for me. If you really think about it, it is pretty incredible.
I know all of us at times struggle with feeling important, or wanted, or special, but if you look at this one point in our existence, how God orchestrated everything in the universe to coincide with our birth, how cool is that to think He loved us so much that He planned the date of our arrival? So, not only does He care for us enough to plan the date of arrival, but He has a plan for our daily life if we are sincere and ask Him for direction.
I also think about the fact that God planned the arrival of His Son. He knew the beginning, He knew the end, and He knew the reason for both. Not unlike His plan for Jesus, He has a plan for your life. He knew your beginning. He knows your middle, and He knows your end. Think of how amazing that is, that the God of the universe, who loves us so much, has planned the date of our birth and planned our life. He has a desire for you to fill His great plan.
So many friends of mine will tell me, “well, I can’t share the gospel,†or, “I can’t be a soul winner, because I have a full-time job.†There’s nothing further from the truth. We all have opportunities daily to live out our faith.
Recently, I heard a story from Jesse Duplantis about how he witnessed to a gentleman at the gas station, and the entire conversation started because of his boots. Let that sink in for a minute. Jesse won this man to Christ by the boots he wore. You stop and think today about what it is that you have in your life that you can use to win others to Christ. Not all of us are going to preach from the stage. Not all of us are going to sing a song that will change someone’s life. Sometime, in the most unusual place, you can be Jesus to someone.
So, as I celebrate my birthday month, I feel a sense of peace about my relationship with Jesus, knowing that He loves me so much that He had a plan from the very day that I was born, to this very minute as I write this to you.
I know you might be struggling today with loneliness. You might be struggling with feeling unloved, or you might be struggling with a direction in your life. However, I want to tell you this … instead of looking at the problems that you see, put your focus on what Jesus says in the Bible, in Jeremiah 29:11, “for I know the plans I have for you,†declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.†(NIV)
Just reading that encourages me. I hope it encourages you.
Join me in October for Creekside as I truly believe this is going to be the best year ever. Creekside Gospel Music Convention is being held in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 at the Smoky Mountain Convention Center. For more information, check out the Creekside update in this month’s edition.
Until next month, this has been the Publisher’s Point.
