Use a Nobody like me?

I remember reading the account of a humble Sunday School teacher who had a young man visit his class. This young man worked as a shoe clerk in a local store. The teacher went to visit him at work. He walked back and forth in front of the store getting up his courage to go in and speak to the young man. Finally, after praying and walking, he developed the courage and went into the store. There in the back stock room, the Sunday School teacher shared the love of Christ, and that young man received Christ into his life. This young man went on to be a great soul-winner and led thousands into the presence of a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ.

We never know when God might use a "nobody like me" to do something.  We are quick to let the enemy silence us, to cause us to shrink back, to stay out of the fray - and God only knows what opportunities we have missed. We may not be like the young man in the above account, however we have the message of hope in us and others need to hear it. we need to be like that humble Sunday School teacher and share with those we come in contact with.

The humble Sunday School teacher - his name was Edward Kimball. Most people even today have never heard his name. But, I know that God told him "Well done, good servant...." His faithfulness on that day opened the door to Eternal Life to thousands. The young man, you have no doubt heard of D. L. Moody.

Today, who would God have you speak to? Look for His leading.

Worship or Service

The Bible gives us the account of Mary and Martha - friends of Jesus in Bethany. In the account Mary set at Jesus' feet and Martha harried herself to prepare the hospitality. One was worshipping and the other serving.

We often find ourselves debating over whether a person should serve or worship - as if we could divorce the two things. They cannot be separated and still be of any value. If we worship without serving, or serve without worshipping - we are creating an ineffective belief system.

Some will pride themselves over their faithful service, they are there whenever the "doors are open." They attend to every committee and every call for a need in their church. They work and work and work..... Yet they feel deflated and "burnt out." Why? Because they are only seeing half of the picture. They are relying on their own power and ability.

Others will spend their time piously praying, singing, listening to the Word. They keep on acquiring more and more. They "sit, soak, and sour." They are like the Dead Sea in Israel - the water keeps coming in, but never goes anywhere. Jesus doesn't want us to just "sit, soak and sour" - He wants us to also "go, grow and glow" for Him. It is pretty well established that the Pareto Principle is alive and well in our local churches - 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. 

We need to find the balance between worship and service. Today, muse over whether you are lop-sided in your life. Do you run around busy, busy, busy or do you cram, cram, cram more knowledge What changes do you need to make? How can you start making a change?

Sunday Prayertime

Dear Lord, Today I want to pray and lift up all the backsliding Christians in the world. Reach down and through their circumstances, other people, and Your Holy Spirit, prick their hearts and stir their consciences that they would be drawn back to You. May You receive their praise as they see Your hand at work through their repentance and receive glory and honor through their repentance and renewed lives. May Your will be done. If there be any way You want to use me to touch the life of a discouraged or out of touch Christian, then please use me to impact a life for good. Give me the words and the way and the unction to know who and what. In Jesus name, Amen.

Saturday Prayertime

Lord, I commit my works unto you, and ask you to establish my thoughts and direct my steps. Let my heart beat with your desires. Deliver me from all wrongdoing and fleshly desires. Keep me under your faithful, loving, and warm wings of love. I praise you, Father, Savior, Deliverer. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Body facts

Continuing to think about our body - yesterday I mentioned I am on a rigid diet - unity in the body.think about three vital things dealing with the body of Christ (the Church). First, because it is Jesus' prayer (John 17:20 - 21), there should be unity in the body. He prayed that we would be one the same as He and the Father are one. That is a lot of oneness. Paul spoke about it in 1 Corinthians 12:12 - 13 (HCSB). Read what he says, "For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

Paul also reminds us in the writing of this chapter, that we are one - yet diverse. Each of us are gifted to be what God wants. As we use our gifts in our local church, we see the body work in a healthy way. Finally, the third point in this chapter is that of maturity. We are to use our gifts in the bonds of love. We need to remember today that the Fruit of the Spirit is more important than the Gifts of the Spirit.

So, let us ponder whether as a part of the body of Christ are we: in unity, understanding our gift, and using it in love. As we each do our part, we will see the body of Christ represented to the world as a healthy, mature group.