A pastor once thought that it was his responsibility to change the world. For years he struggled and worked. He finally became so discouraged that he decided to quit.

In a moment of insight, he decided to utilize a new strategy. “I’ll change my Elders. That’s the place for me to begin.” But he soon realized that this was not going to happen. Their resistance was fierce and he soon gave up.

“Since they didn’t respond,” he said to himself, “I’ll change my family.” That didn’t work either. Each evening when he laid out their tasks for the next day they looked at him with blank stares.

Finally he identified his calling: “I must improve myself first and the others will follow.” David got it right! He said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Test me and know my thoughts.”

It is much easier to look at the lives of others and see things that we think they need to change. It is also much easier to want to change them than to want to change ourselves. But seeing what needs to be changed in others and wanting to change them is not the way God works through us. He wants us to begin with ourselves - to see the sin that is in our lives - the sin that He sees. And when He removes the sin from our lives we become like Him, we will become an example for others to follow.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help us not to be concerned about what others need to change in their lives, but what we need to change in our lives to be more like You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Read Colossians 3:25

A church member upset a service by first removing a shoe and then his sock.

“Why?” asked a friend.

“I just noticed that one of my socks was on wrong side out,” he said. “When I find I’m wrong, I proceed at once to get right.”

That’s not a bad idea.

If a thing isn’t all right, it’s all wrong.

And if it’s all wrong, you’ll not feel all right. For the Bible says, “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong.”

There’s nothing shameful about confessing being wrong. The shame is continuing in it. So quit it, and proceed at once, with God’s help, to do right.

Prayer: Do a work of grace, Father, in our hearts; cleansing us, changing us, and making us consistently Christlike. Help us to avoid doing things that are wrong. Constrain us to love Thee as Thou dost love us: through Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

Enjoy today's Video Seed:

The judge released a drunk saying, “I don’t want to see you in this court again, understand?”

But the man appeared the next day, as drunk as ever. “Didn’t I tell you,” demanded the judge, “that I didn’t want to see you in this court again?”

“That’s what I told the cop,” said the man, “but he wouldn’t listen.”

How’s that for passing the buck?

But you don’t have to stay the way you are. The Lord can change you, if you’re willing.

Your condition is immaterial. If you really want to change, the Lord has the power to do it.

St. Paul says, “When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!”

Prayer: I come to Thee, Lord Jesus, and accept Thee as my Savior. Live Thy life in me and love others through me. Help me daily to know Thee better and to serve Thee better: in Thy name. Amen.

Today's video devotional from Guido Gardens.

A man rushed out of a sales meeting and jumped into a cab. “Where to?” asked the driver.

“Anywhere,” he answered. “I have prospects everywhere.”

That’s the way it was with our Lord. Every one was a gold mine of possibilities.

Peter? A cursing coward? He became the most valuable apostle.

Mary Magdalene? A prostitute? But she became a clean Christian.

Matthew? Rich, but a thief? “Once a thief, always a thief?” No, he was changed and he wrote the gospel according to Matthew.

Every one’s life is changed for the better when Christ comes in.

Let Him into your life. He’s looking for you.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to Thee just as I am. Cleanse me, melt me, mold me, and make me an overcoming Christian. Lead me to do Thy will at all times and at any cost: in Thy name. Amen.