The Four W's of a Life Lived for God….

Growing up in a Baptist church stills holds some of my fondest and most profound memories. I still can recall moments and people that God used to mentor and mold me in the man I am today. Whether that has proven to be good or bad, I will have to let others debate the outcome; but this I know… God used a lot of great people who poured their faith, their time and most of all, their love into me in my childhood and adolescent years; and for those people and all they did for me, I will be eternally grateful.

One such God-fearing, God-honoring man was our Minister of Education/Youth Pastor, Jack Robinson. I am guessing that at my age now, Jack has already gone home to glory; however, he left behind many a well taught lesson in faith and service.

At the age of 16, I was ordained to preach, and at that time Jack took me aside and gave me a new Bible that he had purchased. He had marked in my new Bible and had underlined two verses, Proverbs 3:5-6 which read, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your path." His advice to me was so simple, yet so profound as he explained to me that in these two small verses, all was encapsulated in the 4 W's for a live well lived for God.

I would need to seek His WILL; WALK in His way; read and study His WORD and do the WORK of the Lord until my time in this life was over and I was at home with my Heavenly Father.

I have found in my years of seeking the Lord that Jack's advice was the best and most profound thing he could share with a 16 year old young man that was seeking to be an effective witness for Christ…and it is still true today for me and you.

If we want to be used by God, then we have to surrender our will to His will, all the time knowing that His desire is for our good and His glory. We must trust that God will not guide where He does not provide as we walk daily in His love and light. We must be diligent in studying and living out His Word as we share what Christ has done through His shed blood and last, but certainly not least, we must work for the Lord as if someone else's life depended on it…because it does! Remember, you may be the only Jesus that some one you know may ever see.

So there you have it…the 4 W's that will lead each of us to a life well-lived in service, dedication and surrender to our sovereign Lord, for…..

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME….AND ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD!

Living in surrender…loving in obedience,

WPQ