Making a lasting difference

Recently I visited the Holy Land. Israel is truly a land like no other. The rich history of the Jewish people coupled with the ancient biblical sights make it a must see for every believer. Every time our bus came to yet another place of scriptural significance, we were treated to both a visual and informational feast!
One such place was the town of Capernaum. This is a small town on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus was baptized by John, He began to gather a small band of unlikely followers that would help Him minister to the hurting and afflicted of that time. According to scripture, Capernaum became Jesus’s home town during the early part of His ministry.

...and leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
"The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles--
the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned."
From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew 4: 13-17 ESV

In Capernaum, one man was carried by four friends to meet Jesus. The crowd that had come was so massive that they let the man down through the roof so Jesus could heal him. Another man was possessed by demon spirits but the evil spirits could not remain after encountering Jesus. Numerous other miracles took place here, even Simon, Peter’s mother in-law, was cured of her illness at the touch of Jesus.
It is now two millenniums later, but the impact of Jesus compassion on the people who once lived there is still being talked about today. I was impressed to see a prominently displayed sign at the city gate that said, “Capernaum the town of Jesus.”

The first Saturday of each month, Shelby County Revive Teams hit the streets of Sidney and the towns of our region. I believe as we go forth, in the name of Jesus, that we too are making a lasting difference. It has been said, we are His hands and feet. Perhaps, our endeavors to convince lost souls to believe and be saved, will inevitably cause future generations to say, Sidney and Shelby belong to Jesus too!