Just “skimming” through the news tonight…some pretty heavy headlines.

Quake Kills More Than 3,000 in South Asia

Mudslides, Floods in Guatemala Kill 500

Is it ever hard for any of you to stay focused? It is for me. It does not take much to convince me that there are so many broken people in need of God’s healing touch. Everywhere I look, I see physical, spiritual, and emotional need. I just want to be in the place that God can use me the most to impact his kingdom the most. It is easy for me to get overwhelmed sometimes, to look at all the hurt and pain and know that many will never know the power in God’s touch.

So as I was praying today about what is going on all over the world…from the people closest to me…to those in our country who have lost everything from Katrina, to Guatemala, to South Asia…I began to get discouraged as to how God can use me to reach those individuals who are experiencing incredible devastation right now.

Then I read this amazing passage of scripture…

1 Peter 4:8-11

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

That passage blew me away. So what can I do? What can we do?

Be serious and watchful in our prayers.
Above all things—have a fervent love for one another.
Use the gifts God gave us…minister them to one another…
Speak on behalf of God, minister under the ability which God supplies
SO THAT in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
What an intense “crash” the church would become if we did that?