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"Thus says the LORD:
'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness,
judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight," says the LORD."
(Jeremiah 9:23-24)
Last Thursday, our home church, Great Hills Baptist Church, in Austin, TX, hosted the America Prays Conference. Hundreds of pastors and ministry leaders came for a day of encouragement and a focus on prayer. The goal is for the city of Austin to be the most prayed for city in America. Most people do not associate Austin with prayer. They think more of music, food, the Capitol, the university, and partying. But what a blessing it is to be part of a movement that is committed to praying over the city and making sure that every man, woman, and child gets repeated opportunities to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
One of the speakers for the conference was Mart Green, son of the founder of Hobby Lobby, David Green. Mart gave a message at breakfast that was so stirring. This man loves Jesus, the Word of God, and prayer! (What a great way to be known, by the way!) He is the Ministry Investment Officer at Hobby Lobby and the company's board chairman. Hobby Lobby has 900 stores in the USA and generates over $3 billion in sales annually, but the thing that is so impressive to me is this: they are extremely generous! Their goal is to give away 50% of their profits from the business. Mart is a committed follower of Jesus, and his two primary emphases in life are to have intimacy with God and to be extravagantly generous. He and his wife have four children and eleven grandchildren.
Mart is part of "Eradicate Bible Poverty", a ministry that is committed to making sure all 6,000 languages in the world have access to the Bible by the year 2033. The Green Family also built the Bible Museum in Washington, DC. In 2018, my wife, Ashley, and I had the opportunity to go and visit the museum. Wow, it is outstanding. It is a six-story building right in the heart of DC. The museum has many artifacts and a multitude of displays and information that inspire followers of Jesus. I highly recommend you go there if you are ever in our nation's capital.
The key verses from the Bible that Mart shared in his message are the focus of our devotion today. We are not to boast or brag in any of our accomplishments, but we are to glory only in the fact that we understand and know the LORD and how awesome He is!
For more information on Mart Green and Hobby Lobby, check out these links:
https://www.entrepreneurialleaders.com/MartGreen
https://newsroom.hobbylobby.com/team/mart-green
May the LORD bless you today as you serve Him. Let your intimacy with Jesus and your generosity toward Him and people be what you are known for.
Have a great weekend, and thank you for your prayers and support for our DFEA ministry. |
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