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**Are you responding to God’s call? Read more. http://christianwomentoday.com/growth/kingdom.html
by Helen Lescheid
“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19).
“If you want to be a true disciple of Jesus, you must do more than invite Him into your heart,” the pastor was saying. “You must follow Him.”
Sitting beside my husband on a rough wooden bench, my thirsty spirit drank in the words. Even though we’d been missionaries in Africa, I felt defeated as a Christian. Perhaps this lean man with a small New Testament in his hand would be able to give me a clue as to what was lacking in my life.
“To follow Jesus you must leave your self-centered thinking and praying that focuses on, ‘Bless me, help me, give me, come along with me Jesus,’ the pastor was saying. “Instead, a follower of Jesus wants to know ‘What is Your will, Jesus? Where are You going today? What are You doing today? I want to be a part of it.’ To become a true follower of Jesus, you must step out of your cramped little lives and enter into His glorious life.”
Many years later, I still remember those life-changing words. Seeking Christ’s agenda each day, has taken the pressure off me having to perform as a Christian. It’s opened the door to many delightful surprises.
For instance, one day as I was walking through a park, I met a woman whom I’d briefly met at the hot tub in our townhouse complex. A man had accompanied her. In the few minutes we were together, he’d shared with me that he was seriously ill. Now as I met the woman again, I greeted her. She burst into tears. “He’s gone,” she sobbed. After expressing my condolences I asked her, “What’s your unit number?” She told me. Later as I went to see her, she eagerly invited me into her home. She seemed so alone, so destitute.
“I have a tape by Billy Graham on loneliness,” I said. “May I get it for you?”
“Yes,” she said, “But don’t forget to come back.”
Of course, I went back. After we listened to the tape, she asked me, “Do you think I could pray a prayer like that to invite Jesus into my life?”
When I got up in the morning, I had no idea that another soul would be born into God’s kingdom that day. But it was in God’s plan. What a joy to have a small part in it!
Lord Jesus, I want to be alert to what you are doing today. Use me to help someone and to bring you glory. Amen.
Questions: Was the pastor saying that it is wrong to pray to ask Jesus to bless us and help us? What does it mean to follow Christ?
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I feel that it is not wrong for us to ask Jesus to bless us and help us if it is for the betterment of our walk with him and others. We must remember that we are beloved children of the King and it is not wrong for us to ask for his beloved goodness in our lives so that we can tap into such and bless others in return.
Many times I have prayed to God to release me from many dreadful mental disorders so that I can be the mother and women that he desires for me to be. I see nothing wrong in asking Jesus to heal me from these afflictions and to bless me so that i can in return bless others.
I may not yet be totaly set free from all of my afflictions and yet not have received the all of the blessings that I know are instore for me but with what little i do have i will continue to use to help and bless others. Many times my fundings are low but my words of encouragement to others in times of distress are more valuable than what money can buy.
So Lord Jesus Christ I ask this morning for you to bless and help me out somemore so that in return i can help others. Fill me up with your LOVE, JOY and PEACE so that in do time when other peoples needs come to surface in my life I can reach out and give to them what has been given to me.
barbara
P.S. Lord help me to complete the last chapter of the book that i have been working on for I know deep in my heart it will help other hurting souls.
Barbara
This devotional is right in line with what our Pastor is teaching on Wed. nights. In our little church, most of us struggle with finances in one way or another. I have been so focused on these difficulties, that it has distracted me from focusing on the Lord & His purposes for me each day. Our Pastor reminded us this past week that if we seek 1st the kingdom of God & His righeousness, then all these other things will be added unto us. He has told us not to worry. He WILL take care of our needs. Yes Barbara, He does want to bless so we can bless others. And you are right, we can bless others with encouragement, even in our moment of need, so that they can see our joy & peace in the midst of our storms & we can tell them who gives it & how they too can receive it.(Him)
Thank YOU, LORD, for blessing us every day so we “can” be that to others! YOU care about the tiniest Sparrow, and like the beautiful song says…”Your Eye is ON the Sparrow…” And on each of us every day, too! Bring blessings today, Father, of every kind, that we might do for others! (It’s not always materially, too, He may want to encourage like Barbara and Linda expressed beautifully!).Lord, open our Spirit eyes that we “can” recognize the blessings small and large that you do daily for us all! Help us to do your plan and not ours…Surprise us with the delightful changes you have in store in our lives this very day! Keep us flexible and yielded to your Holy Spirit..It’s hard to break old human patterns, Father, but we can with YOU!! We Praise YOU this day for even the challenges that teach us and help us grow and be better..and that you use even those to help someone you will bring in our pathways to our experienced understanding you have allowed! Please order our footsteps and put smiles on our faces that other’s can see a glimpse of YOU in us, and feel comfortable to reach out. Use us like you did the wonderful devotional writer in this piece! Thank you for this devotional sharing that helps us see that we are valuable to you, in spite of all earthen challenges in our individual lives! Praise You, Father!!!!
Lind and Barbara, the devotional has helped me realize that I have been so focused on money problems it has distracted me from doing all that God wants me to do to further his kingdom, I wonder if that is what he has been telling me the past two weeks as I worked my ministry (bus ministry) he has placed me where he needs and as I can tell wants me, in a position where I can reach others with the Gospel. He has allowed me to witness and see 3 young children accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior. When i led these girls to christ, i realized that i was not concerned or focused on my finances and the bills that i need to pay, but on showing these girls from Gods word, how much God loves them and sent his son to die for them. That they were of value to him.
Im deciding just morning to focus on all that God has done, and his goodness, instead on how bad things are financially. And say out loud “God in bigger than my financial situation” Lord, show me what you want me to learn through this trial, and give me the strenght to go through it, but most inmportantly use me to bring others to you because of it. Help me to keep the focus off of me, and on you.
In my flesh i want to stay focused on my financial problems, but your spirit wants me to keep my eyes on you, and being a blessing to others.
Also read last week that “God uses our trials to build character” and so i will rely totally on him, because he knows i;ve in the past kept my eyes on my circumstances and not him. Will this be easy, I THINK NOT, but Gods word says that “I can do all things, through Christ which strengthens me”
Thank You lord for using me these past 2 Sundays to brings others to you. I can’t put a price on that. AMEN AMEN!
Barbara your testimony has truly been a blessing to me as i read the responses daily. God is with us all. Sandra
Sandra! YOUR testimony has been a blessing to me and others, am sure! You are a remarkable lady in reading your sharings on here.. And am praying relief your way, too! You gave the devil the knock out punch..that even with your own challenges, you led those precious children to HIM..He will bring blessings back to you for that alone! God bless you, precious one!!! He is going to bless you both individually and your special bus ministry, too! You are the perfect “Disciple” for that with your kind, understanding spirit!
Sandra, Fran & all of our other beloved sisters in Christ,
I Thank the Lord for all of you and I must say I AM so grateful to have found this daily devotional site. Yet doubly blessed to be able to communicate with you all on a daily basis.
I LOVE the fact that we are all here for the same reason and that is to get closer to our LORD and to share with one another our hurts and our joys.
Not to long ago I was down and out but with the help and encouragement from you all things are getting better. I know that God sees all of us here trying to help one another out and looking for answers to life’s problems too.
All I can say is THANK YOU dear sister’s in Christ for all that you are and all that you shall become. Just keep the FAITH going strong and do not let Satan get a foothold on us as we all try to step out in Faith to the higher grounds that he wishes for us to step into.
Barbara
Barbara, YOU are the inspiration to the rest of us! And have been praying Ephesians 3:20 on your behalf and asking the Lord to flood you because you are doing for those in your pathway even out of the circumstances and income (Sandra doing that, too!). Prayed a miracle Annual for Sandra’s son, and her chilren blessed beyond belief because she blessed others’ children on that church bus!!..HE’s going to answer, too! Keep working on your book,Barbara, too! It will bless many. Believing for you and proud to be your sister in the LORD..May HE open Heaven this very day and rain blessings down on you and Sandra both..and ALL that are asking for needs met! It is interesting, too? I read this devotional for over three years before discovering this remarkable “Circle of love and friendship” on the comments section. Thank YOU, Jesus!!!
LATELY, I have been feeling neglected by a very dear friend how is very,very busy, and it’s been bringing me down. I had an appointment this morning and when I got home I found an email from him appoliogizing for not getting ahold of me to get together and for somethings I had said that I should not of even been thinking. Then I read this devotional and had to put it aside to ponder apound. I have since asked my friend for his forgiveness because I was in the wrong in what I had said. I have done some praying about this matter and I believe GOD has forgiven me for these sins and hope my friend will do like wise.
I feel that I should be doing better in trying to help others on their jounery. and I pray GOD helps me to do this.
HIS WILL NOT MINE BE DONE
Dear Chris,
Just wanted to share with you a book that I have been reading over the past few days that might help you out.
It is called Life Without Strife by Joyce Meyers. Since I have been reading this book my whole world has been changing for it has opened up my eyes to a whole lot of things that i was not aware of and/or blinded to recognize.
If you have the chance to read this book, maybe it would help you out a bit. If your fundings are low, I would be more than willing to send you the copy that I am about to finish up with. Just ask and it shall be sent.
May The Lord of Peace be with you and your friend.
Barb
Barb
Yes Please I would like to read it, Please email me at catschirle@rogers.com and I will let you know my address.
Thank You so much And GOD BLESS
Barb! Thank you for blessing Chris with that book! I read that when working at the Christian Bookstore and it is GREAT and will help Chris and any others who’ve not had the opportunity to read it as yet. May HE multiply that back to you in amazing ways! What a blessing to come home after a busy afternoon and read this!! Thank YOU, Lord, and the devotional staff who help birth these friendships in YOU!!!
After reading the devotional, my heart was refreshed… It has been a difficult time for me over the past few weeks.. As a missionary here in Guatemala, sometimes it is lonely even though there are little ones around me all the time.. this is when I find that the Lord is sitting there beside me listening to my heart’s cry… He has allowed these moments and I am humbled to be his servant… Giving everything away and following the Savior has many rewards, some we will only see when the time comes and He calls us home.. others are here for us to see… but we need to stop long enough to see them.. Right now I have a friend visiting from the states.. She has come on many medical teams and now as she has gotten older and is no long able to travel with the team, she feels forgotten and of no use.. We have talked and prayed long into the night… There was a reason she has come here, it is her time with the Lord.. Together they talk and cry… When in the states, life moves so fast.. not allowing the quiteness to flood the soul.. here there has been lots of moments like this.. I praise the Lord, for He is merciful and gracious to each of us… Blessings, Sandy
Thank you, dear Sandy, for serving on the “frontline” for the Lord and for sharing from you heart! It allows us to see how blessed we truly are. You are soooo right, too, things are in the fastlane for people in our great country here. We are all so very blessed, no matter circumstances, but the Lord sent you on here to give us a different perspective. Praying for you and your friend, too, who has “served”…May our Lord bless and bless!
Sandy, what a inspiration you are to me. Being that our church supports many missionarys i have heard the testimony of many, and as wives of missionarys you have given up lots to be a support to your husbands, many times your parents, sibliing, and much more to go foreign soil. You have reminded me how blessed I am, and im honored to have this opportunity to communicate with you, and praise God for the wonderful things he has done, and what he is going to do, and as he continues to use you and your husband as well as your friend to reach the world.
Thanks for reminding me to slow down and listen to lord as he speaks to my heart.
And allow him to lead me to where ever he needs me.
To be quite honest, my hearts desire is to work with Parents and their children, many who are stuggling, what we call here in the states “at risk” kids, to help encourage parents not to give up on their children.
Many are throwing in the towel, because their children arent listiening to them, but it is their committment to support their children no matter what that will make the differnece. And that God will make the difference in theirs and their childrens lives. Please pray with me that God will lead me in the direction that will bring honor and glory to his name, and to use me to make a difference in these folks lives.
Thank You for your faithfulness, and i will be praying for you and your family!
Sandra