Today’s Bible Verse
My beloved brothers and sisters, the passionate desire of my heart and constant prayer to God is for my fellow Israelites to experience salvation.
Romans 10:1 (TPT)
Passionate Desire
This scripture defined the Apostle Paul’s purpose and passionate desire in fulfilling his life’s mission. The love of Christ compelled him to spread the Gospel no matter what adversities came his way. His life commitment to fulfill the Great Commission has been an inspiration to so many followers of Jesus Christ.
Passion is possessing an undeniable conviction about a particular belief to the point that it consumes you day and night. Everyone has different interests and passions. For some it’s sports, for another a particular hobby, for some it’s education, and others are passionate about finance, and the list goes on. There is no shortage of interest in what any given person can be passionate about.
When you are passionate about what you do, it’s never a burden. As a matter of fact, it becomes a lifestyle. It’s been said that when you love what you do, you will never work another day in your life. Some people dread going to work week in and week out. But it doesn’t have to be that way when you have Jesus Christ living on the inside of you. In Christ Jesus, you have been given purpose and have been empowered with all of heaven’s resources to see it fulfilled. Your workplace is your mission field, and you have been called as an ambassador for Christ.
You have an anointing on your life to make a difference right where you are. Through your prayer, you can change the spiritual climate of your environment. Seize the opportunity to share the good news; that in Christ, their lives can be radically different! They can be forgiven of their sins and receive a new beginning. The past does not have to hold them hostage because God has an amazing destiny for them. He wants to heal their physical bodies, restore their marriage, and renew their self-image.
The Apostle Paul devoted himself to praying for the salvation of his people. It became his passionate desire. When you spend quality time with the Lord, you will become passionate about the things He is passionate about. When was the last time you interceded and prayed over your city? (Pastor Wally Matanza, Word of Life Yokohama)
Change My Story
I developed a passion for prayer early on as a believer because I loved experiencing God’s manifest presence. I would be overwhelmed by His mercy and unconditional love. Every time I would call upon the name of Jesus, there He was ministering comfort, encouragement, and uplifting my soul. Prayer is spending quality time with our Heavenly Father. Worshipping Him and expressing our gratitude for all that He has bestowed upon our lives and family.
In my journey of seeking the Lord, I started to develop a passion to reach the lost. I began to pray for the salvation of my family. Then, I started a life group and discipled those that I reached for Christ. Then it evolved to me reaching out to college campuses and communities. I would take others along with me on the journey. The passion for souls continued to grow to the point where I started doing missions to other nations. And today, together with my wife and son, we serve as missionary pastors in the city of Yokohama, Japan. It all started with a desire to know the Lord through prayer.
The more we seek God, the more we develop a passionate desire to see the salvation of souls. That is what the Apostle Paul experienced. His deep desire was to please the One in Whom he found redemption and forgiveness. That is one thing we all have in common. Let’s continue to give our very best in serving the Lord. You don’t have to wait for a stirring before you start developing your prayer life. Just start. As Dr. Yonggi Cho says, “I pray and obey.” It’s as simple as that.
Today’s Declaration
Father, I praise You and thank You for Your mercy and unconditional love. Thank You for giving me purpose in life. You have anointed me to preach the Gospel. I will do so, not in my own strength, but by Your grace. Through my communion with You, I develop a passionate desire to see the lost saved. My heart’s desire is to do Your will all the days of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Today’s Bible Reading
Our Bible Reading Plan gives 25 daily readings per month. There is no scheduled reading for today. You can use this time to catch up on any readings you may have missed, or read through previous passages again.
