"Divine Appointments"

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD and he delighteth in his way. - Psalm 37:23

By "Divine Appointments" I mean the times that God places us in for our benefit and/or the benefit of others.

Jesus is at the well ministering to a woman who had been married many times (See John 4:5-42) is a good example of a "Divine Appointment."

Another good example of a "Divine Appointment" is Philip joining the chariot of the Ethiopian eunuch who just happened to be reading Isaiah and didn't understand it. And EXACTLY at that moment Philip shows up by the LORD's leading and explains it to him (see Acts 8:26-39).

I know a minister who always seems to be running into "Divine Appointments" - because he is expectant and available.  Personally, I know that when I'm expecting and available God uses me, and it seems like I had "Divine Appointments."

What I want to deal with in this devotion on "Divine Appointments" is that there are many opportunities that are divinely set up by God for us to minister in some way to others.  But sometimes we are not willing, or we are not paying attention, or we are not looking and expecting these opportunities - these "Divine Appointments."

I want to encourage you in your everyday life to ask God to help you to not miss His "Divine Appointments." Ask God to use you.  Tell God you are available to be used for "Divine Appointments", and I guarantee you that as you seek His face with a pure heart, and as you ask Him to use you, He will give you "Divine Appointments." What a blessing it is when you see God line you up with people.

When I go to work I ask God to use me with the people I meet everyday, to make "Divine Appointments" for me.  I go to work primarily looking for opportunities to minister life and Christ to the lost and to the hurting and maybe to weak Christians.

May this devotion encourage you that God has "Divine Appointments" for all of us if we would just believe Him and be willing, ready vessels.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 4:2: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season."  Also, it says in I Peter 3:15 ".be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you."  This is what we should be doing. We should always be ready; we should always be looking for opportunities and if you are a vessel like that, God will use you.  

As I said previously, I know a minister who constantly has stories to tell about God using him. He is not bragging on himself, he is just sharing.  It is because he is available, and he is expecting God to use him.

I believe this is a great lesson for all of us.  If we all start looking for those "Divine Appointments", if we all start being available to be used of the LORD, we would just see things happen that we would have never expect to see happen previously. If we were to multiply that by the Body of Christ, what a change that would make in the world we live in!  Thank you, Jesus.

Jim (BibleFood@aol.com)