1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're so happy to have 3 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 2: you listening. I'm Michelle Zurich. Today's topic is bring the 4 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 2: Good News. We'll be back after work from our sponsor 5 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,720 Speaker 2: Bring the Good News written and read by Michelle S. Lazurk. 6 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 2: How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those 7 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 2: who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, 8 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 2: who proclaim salvation, who stay to Zion your God reigns 9 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: Isaiah fifty two, verse seven. It's part of our strategy 10 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: to become more missional and impact our community. I was 11 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 2: tasked with maintaining food donations for our local high school. 12 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 2: Although we live in an affluent community, many children attend 13 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 2: school without adequate food or resources. Our church took on 14 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:15,200 Speaker 2: the responsibility of collecting food donations throughout the year and 15 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 2: giving them to its local high school food closet. This way, 16 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 2: students can contact their teachers or administrative staff to arrange 17 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:25,680 Speaker 2: private food deliveries so they have enough to take home 18 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 2: and maintain food security. During one of the monthly drop offs, 19 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 2: I struggled to bring the full organizational bid of food 20 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:35,559 Speaker 2: to the door. I asked them to get a cart 21 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 2: so I could wheel it into the high school. When 22 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 2: the teachers opened the door, they were astonished. They were 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 2: so grateful to have that much food donated to their students. 24 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 2: Because he often provided food privately to keep kids from 25 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,240 Speaker 2: being bullied or made fun of, they could not ask 26 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 2: for food donations in the community. They had to rely 27 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: on people with that type of information to meet the 28 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 2: need tangibly. It deeply touched heart be able to provide 29 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 2: food to the students. In that way, not only was 30 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 2: I able to live out my faith with my church, 31 00:02:06,280 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 2: we also impacted our community through small acts of obedience. 32 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:12,640 Speaker 2: By being the tangible hands and feet of Jesus, we 33 00:02:12,639 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 2: were able to bring Jesus into the school system, which 34 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 2: typically inhibits religious activity. This reminds us that it is 35 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: important not only to listen to a sermon and go 36 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 2: to church every Sunday, but also to be the hands 37 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 2: and feet of Christ. Even the smallest gestures can have 38 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,839 Speaker 2: the greatest impact on those around us. In what way 39 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: can you be the hands and feet of Christ? In 40 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: what way can you bring good news and reclaim peace 41 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 2: to those in your community? Can you help by providing 42 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 2: a tangible need to someone who needs it? Can you 43 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 2: describe the Gospel to someone who needs clarification on a 44 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 2: scripture passage? Can you create an environment or people in 45 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 2: a small group setting can share deeply and intimately, not 46 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:55,920 Speaker 2: only meeting their emotional needs, but also become equipped to 47 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 2: spread the Gospel to those who need it most. No 48 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 2: matter what you do, seek to serve the Lord in 49 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: great and mighty ways, both inside your church community and 50 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,440 Speaker 2: outside of it. Let the message of Jesus be so clear. 51 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 2: It's unmistakable. People see the light of Jesus more clearly 52 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 2: when we lovingly demonstrate gestures to show His love to others. 53 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 2: Take a moment to brainstorm ways your church can be 54 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 2: the feet of those who bring good views to others 55 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: in your community. Maybe it is as simple as donating 56 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 2: food to high school students in need. Maybe it's donating 57 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,040 Speaker 2: a portion of your paycheck each week or month to 58 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: a non profit organization. The champions a cause close to 59 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: your heart, whatever the case may be, be the people 60 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 2: who make a tangible impact on the world. We live 61 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 2: in a country where we can freely proclaim the Gospel 62 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: with our mauice and with her actions. Let us not 63 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 2: take this fact for granted. Let us proclaim the Gospel 64 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: frequently before it becomes illegal. Let's be people so connected 65 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 2: to the Gospel that we can't help but share the 66 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 2: good news with everyone we meet. Let us take actions 67 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 2: so great that they positively impact people and allow them 68 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 2: to proclaim your God, reads Father. Let us be people 69 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 2: who love others in practical, tangeable ways. Let us be 70 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 2: the literal fee of those who bring good news to 71 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 2: everyone they meet. Allow the good news to be a 72 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:26,640 Speaker 2: message of love, compassion, and empathy for those who are 73 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:31,120 Speaker 2: struggling to agrand in small gestures. Let everything we do 74 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 2: be done in love Amen intersecting faith in life. What 75 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 2: is one practical step you can take today to be 76 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 2: the person who brings good news to everyone around you? 77 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,200 Speaker 2: Further reading Isaiah fifty eight, perse ten. 78 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 3: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 79 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 3: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 80 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 3: about our sister podcast your Daily Prayer. When you follow 81 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 3: your daily prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 82 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 3: a brand new prayer and devotional each day. So your 83 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 3: days begin in conversation with God. If you're looking to 84 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 3: grow in prayer, or start your day with your heart 85 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 3: focused on the right things. 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