Be a Star for Jesus

Pleiades Star Cluster, courtesy NASA/ESA/AURA/Caltech.

It's a common human dream to be a star. Some dream of becoming a movie star, a dance star, a sports star, or a rock star.   There are even TV programs that give people a chance to fulfill this dream, like ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and NBC's "America's Got Talent."

But my dream is to be another kind of star -- a star for Jesus.  And I hope that you also have this dream. 

The prophet Daniel was given a vision in the seventh century BC, when he was an elderly man of eighty years old.  In the vision, the Lord said, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." (Dan 12:2-3)

This excites me, because it speaks of the future resurrection of the dead.  When He referred to those who sleep in the dust of the ground, He meant the dead.  This doesn't mean they are literally experiencing a kind of "soul sleep." It's just an expression, since their dead bodies appear to be in a slumber.  One day all the dead will "awakened" or be resurrected.  At that time, many will be eternally condemned to hell, where they will receive everlasting contempt and disgrace.  But others will receive everlasting life.

That second group is the one I'm going to be a part of.  I'm going to rise to everlasting life, and it won't be because I earned it.  It will be solely by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for me and gave me the gift of eternal life.

And I love what the Lord promised for those who inherit eternal life.  He said, "Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven."  That's exciting to me.  It's a promise for those who have insight or godly wisdom from the Holy Spirit to understand the Scriptures and other matters.  Those who do will shine brightly like the brightness of the sky! That should motivate you to seek the Lord for insight.

However, what excites me even more is the second half of the Lord's statement. He went on to say, "...and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." I want to be in that group.  These are the folks who lead many people to righteousness, which can only be found in Jesus Christ.  Those who do so will shine like the stars forever and ever. That's the kind of star I want to be!

These worldly stars in the entertainment industry who don't know Jesus will stop shining one day.  When they die, they'll meet their Maker and give an account for everything they did, whether good or bad.  They'll need to answer for what they did with the talent the Lord gave them.  If they used it for their own glory, instead of for His glory, then I would not want to be in their shoes. 

I want to lead many to righteousness in Christ, so they can have insight and lead many more to righteousness themselves.  Then we who do so will shine like the stars forever and ever.  I want to share Jesus with as many people as possible, through all possible means.  I want to lead people to the Lord, so they can become righteous.

We live in a day unlike any other, when incredible tools are at our disposal to accomplish this.  We have jet airplane travel, internet, video phone call capability over the web, television, radio, social media, and many other ways to get the gospel to those who have never heard.  We can also use these same means to disciple those who know the Lord, so they can live a righteous life and share their faith effectively.  This is my vision and dream.  I hope it's yours also.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

Author's note: If you enjoyed this post, I recommend Give Me Children or I'll Die! and the other posts available through the Home Page of this blog.  If you would like to become a disciple who multiplies disciples, please prayerfully consider enrolling in Doulos Training School, our international, distance education ministry. You may also access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.