What is my value? I am not talking about financially. I am not asking your thoughts on it either (although I am sure there are a few of you who would like to let me know :) ). I am asking that of myself just as you should ask it of yourself. Be careful! Where are you going to get your answer from? Will you state your opinion or will you state God's?
John 3:16 is well known and it says that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son". That love tells us that God sees great value in us. This is not a love with no reasoning behind it. God loves us because He created us. He did not create us just so that He could love us though. He made us so that He would be glorified by us.
How is it that God intended for us to glorify Him? Did He figure that just by us being who we are that we would glorify Him? Not exactly. The Bible tells us that no man is good. So just being us is not going to glorify Him. God has a specific plan for us. We are to glorify Him by serving Him. Hmmm...How are we supposed to serve Him you ask? I am glad you asked.
In the American culture the though of serving under authority is not an appetizing thought. This is indeed what we are supposed to do though. We are supposed to serve under the authority of God. So we spend much time trying to figure out how it is that we are supposed to serve God. Jesus left us with one assignment, one task for us to do. Jesus said that we are to go and make disciples. Now many of us have heard that and some even have memorized the verse that states that. But do we know what that means?
I will give a brief description of what it means. We are to literally GO and make disciples. We are to willingly take ourselves out of both our Christian bubbles and our American bubbles. The task of reaching out to those that either don't know of Jesus and/or those that do not accept our Savior is what we are supposed to be devoting our lives to. I ask you to put some serious thought into this concept. I would greatly suggest that you read Radical by David Platt. You can also visit these websites: www.radical.net , www.radicalexperiment.org , www.multiplymovement.com
Let me know what you have done, are doing, and/or may do in the future to fulfill that task of making disciples. I would love to be able to encourage you and also get excited myself about what you are doing for God. GO FIND AND FEED HIS LOST SHEEP!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Monday, May 20, 2013
Who Is Handling It?
"This is more than I can handle!" Sound familiar? Few and far between are those who can honestly say that they have never said or thought that statement. For me, I don't have enough fingers to count the times. The adversity that I face stretches across a broad range. From relationships to money to changing the decisions that people are making. Lately these moment seem to be coming at a rapid fire pace.
Fortunately God has provided me times in my life when there has been no doubt that what has happened, happened because of Him. Let me just give you my main "case in point". On the night of October 30th, 1996, I wound up in the ER because I was in the middle of a severe stroke. The neurosurgeon did not believe that I would be walking or talking again. A month later as I sat in his office for my follow up visit, the doctor sat there with a look of shock on his face telling me how he doesn't understand how I could be sitting there talking to him. Now, I did have some significant permanent losses but by the grace of God I was able to have a fairly significant and quick recovery.
I use this a reminder on a regular basis. If God can do things which cause a neurosurgeon to sit back in awe then I believe He can handle all of the struggles that each day brings to me. So what prompts me to write about this today? Here is the story. About a year ago I sat with a young lady and found out she was pregnant. She also told me she wanted to have an abortion. A couple of hours later her mind was changed. A week or so later she came to me again to let me know she had changed her mind. A couple of hours later she was back on track. Last December I got to hold the beautiful little girl and even got to teach her mom and dad the basics of changing her, feeding her, etc.
Last week this young lady came to me again. Now the last two months have been very tough for her. Her boyfriend (that baby's father, and a good father too) had been arrested in a "guilty by association" situation two months ago. A few weeks ago her half brother had been murdered. Shortly after that her elementary age son began acting up in school. So she came to me to let me know she was pregnant again (from her boyfriend who is still in jail) and that she did not believe she could handle another pregnancy. An hour or two later she had consented to stay with the pregnancy. This morning I got a text saying she couldn't.
So I sit and stare off into space. I had made this statement/question to my wife last week: "Why is it that we, who have a heart and desire to help many people, have no money and yet there are so many with money who could care less about others?" As I stare off into space I remind myself that this is not my problem. Not that I shouldn't do all I can but rather that God will enable me and provide for me to do what His will is for this situation. God is responsible to make it work. I am responsible to just do the work with faith.
If I were to be fully able then I may (actually I know I would) take credit. Yes, I am at a point in my life where my life is more than I can handle. I am fine with that though because I know that God can handle it. Philippians 4:6-7 says:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Fortunately God has provided me times in my life when there has been no doubt that what has happened, happened because of Him. Let me just give you my main "case in point". On the night of October 30th, 1996, I wound up in the ER because I was in the middle of a severe stroke. The neurosurgeon did not believe that I would be walking or talking again. A month later as I sat in his office for my follow up visit, the doctor sat there with a look of shock on his face telling me how he doesn't understand how I could be sitting there talking to him. Now, I did have some significant permanent losses but by the grace of God I was able to have a fairly significant and quick recovery.
I use this a reminder on a regular basis. If God can do things which cause a neurosurgeon to sit back in awe then I believe He can handle all of the struggles that each day brings to me. So what prompts me to write about this today? Here is the story. About a year ago I sat with a young lady and found out she was pregnant. She also told me she wanted to have an abortion. A couple of hours later her mind was changed. A week or so later she came to me again to let me know she had changed her mind. A couple of hours later she was back on track. Last December I got to hold the beautiful little girl and even got to teach her mom and dad the basics of changing her, feeding her, etc.
Last week this young lady came to me again. Now the last two months have been very tough for her. Her boyfriend (that baby's father, and a good father too) had been arrested in a "guilty by association" situation two months ago. A few weeks ago her half brother had been murdered. Shortly after that her elementary age son began acting up in school. So she came to me to let me know she was pregnant again (from her boyfriend who is still in jail) and that she did not believe she could handle another pregnancy. An hour or two later she had consented to stay with the pregnancy. This morning I got a text saying she couldn't.
So I sit and stare off into space. I had made this statement/question to my wife last week: "Why is it that we, who have a heart and desire to help many people, have no money and yet there are so many with money who could care less about others?" As I stare off into space I remind myself that this is not my problem. Not that I shouldn't do all I can but rather that God will enable me and provide for me to do what His will is for this situation. God is responsible to make it work. I am responsible to just do the work with faith.
If I were to be fully able then I may (actually I know I would) take credit. Yes, I am at a point in my life where my life is more than I can handle. I am fine with that though because I know that God can handle it. Philippians 4:6-7 says:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Can you help me by also
praying for me to have God’s strength, wisdom, and provisions as I try to help
and guide this young lady?
Thanks and God Bless!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Who Am I Asking?
It has been a while since a posted anything. I am sorry if that has bothered anyone. When I started this blog I was focused on the things that I ask God. As I have thought about these things over time I have come to realize that the questions, for the most part, need to be asked of myself first.
In the New Testament Jesus is asked many, many questions. Most of the time Jesus responded with questions. This is what I have found to be happening to me. I ask: How much longer? What is going to be next? Why haven't you done anything yet?
Time has shown that God has been acting as a mirror and bouncing these questions back to me. How much longer until you let me have full control? What are you going to do next rather than sitting and waiting for me? Why are you still sitting around waiting for me? OUCH!!!
My wife is often the mouth in which God asks those questions. That makes it even harder to hear the questions. So now, I am trying to answer those questions about myself. I will try to ask my questions to myself first rather than sitting with my hands under my legs waiting for God to do everything. I will keep you all updated so that you can see how it goes. You are welcome to remind me to answer the questions myself prior to asking them of God if you find me straying back to the old ways.
Waiting on God has inhibited my ability to be used as a tool by God. Analogy:
Say I am a riding lawn mower and God is the rider who is in control. If God puts me in drive but I don't start moving because I am waiting for Him to adjust my direction, then God will not be able to get the grass cut by using me. He will simply hop onto another mower to get the job done. I will miss out on an opportunity to be used because I did not start moving even though God had put me in drive. The second you truly accept Christ as your savior, God has put you in drive. You need to keep moving with faith that God will change your direction as needed. If you keep yourself in park then you will be a useless tool to God.
Be a useful tool...Keep moving
In the New Testament Jesus is asked many, many questions. Most of the time Jesus responded with questions. This is what I have found to be happening to me. I ask: How much longer? What is going to be next? Why haven't you done anything yet?
Time has shown that God has been acting as a mirror and bouncing these questions back to me. How much longer until you let me have full control? What are you going to do next rather than sitting and waiting for me? Why are you still sitting around waiting for me? OUCH!!!
My wife is often the mouth in which God asks those questions. That makes it even harder to hear the questions. So now, I am trying to answer those questions about myself. I will try to ask my questions to myself first rather than sitting with my hands under my legs waiting for God to do everything. I will keep you all updated so that you can see how it goes. You are welcome to remind me to answer the questions myself prior to asking them of God if you find me straying back to the old ways.
Waiting on God has inhibited my ability to be used as a tool by God. Analogy:
Say I am a riding lawn mower and God is the rider who is in control. If God puts me in drive but I don't start moving because I am waiting for Him to adjust my direction, then God will not be able to get the grass cut by using me. He will simply hop onto another mower to get the job done. I will miss out on an opportunity to be used because I did not start moving even though God had put me in drive. The second you truly accept Christ as your savior, God has put you in drive. You need to keep moving with faith that God will change your direction as needed. If you keep yourself in park then you will be a useless tool to God.
Be a useful tool...Keep moving
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)