God Will Mend it and Give You a Ministry for Him

She called our office looking for help. The garbage men had delivered her monthly supply of  trash bags, which are in a large roll.  The only problem was that they threw it into her yard and broke off a shrub at its base! Would it grow again? Was it ruined? What would happen? Should she pull it up and discard it? Replace it?

I forwarded her call to one of our agents. With knowledge of horticulture she was able to answer the woman’s questions and give her hope.  If we had no agents with knowledge none of us would be able to help.  I could have forwarded her call to the agent who knows about cooking and canning, but that would not have helped.

Unless there is knowledge to impart, there’s no need to speak with someone else. If we only speak with folks who know nothing more than we do, we’ll all be in the same boat. If we think we know so much that we don’t need to ask anyone else, we’ll be up a creek without a paddle. 

The agent in my office could have said no to the call. “Tell her I’m busy trying to learn more, read more, seek more. I don’t have time to help.” 

But taking the chance and answering the call not only helps the caller, it helps the receiver of the call. If we take the chance and let God use us to impart knowledge we will also learn in the process. We will grow in faith, fellowship and love.

People have lots of issues. Some of them are far more serious than a broken branch on a small shrub. But they’re looking for answers.  They need help. They need relief. They want to be able to look beyond their brokenness.  They want to recover and thrive again. They want to produce new fruit, flower in faith and shine the glory of their Maker.

For every believer, we are gifted with a spiritual education to receive. This education goes on throughout our lives. We don’t get our “diploma” until we arrive in heaven, but we should be learning truth to live out in our own lives. And as we learn we should be asking God to use us to impart His Truth into the lives of others. We’re not learning for ourselves – that would be self-centered. Rather we are learning to share – and that’s God-centered.

Oh beloved, God knows the brokenness you’ve experienced. He knows the things that have been thrown at you.  They may have been intentional or unintentional but they hurt all the same. Whether from a stranger or a loved one, the pain is agonizing. There is no hope for recovery, redemption or regeneration on your own. Until you stretch out your life to the One Who has Rivers of living water.  If you will let God heal your hurts and grow you in your faith He will then use you to help others.  God will indeed use your former brokenness to impart to others His redemption, His reparation, His restoration.

Run to the Lord this morning and give Him your brokenness – everything – your hurts, your disappointments, your fears, your anger, your unforgiveness, your discouragement…And watch as He not only repairs your life, He will make it all new! Why would He do this? Because He loves you and He’s for you and that’s all that really matters.

Revelation 21:5 And He Who is seated on the throne said, See! I make all things new. Also He said, Record this, for these sayings are faithful (accurate, incorruptible, and trustworthy) and true (genuine). AMP

Psalm 103:1-2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me.

Psalm 23:3 He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him—not for my earning it, but] for His name’s sake. AMP

Psalm 96:2 Sing to the Lord; praise His name. Each day proclaim the good news that He saves.

1 Corinthians 9:23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

God's Word is the Perfect Fit

As I go through a closet of old high school clothes and prom dresses I am reminded of the fun and not so much fun I had with daughters while trying on those dresses. Whether buying or renting the dress, they did have to fit just right. The top might be a little tight and the waist might be loose. The length might not be long enough. Each part of the dress had to fit together rightly – the top, the shoulders, the waist, the length. Without everything coming together the dress would look disheveled at the least and altogether unlovely. No girl wants to go out on the town in a dress that doesn’t fit right everywhere.

The Word of God is a perfect fit for humanity. The Gospel is perfect for anyone, no matter their background, their preferences or their past. No matter what, the Gospel will fit you for it is tailor made at the Cross to be unique and yet right for every single human being on the planet.

That same Word is a perfect fit for God’s children as well. The grace is free. The love flows. The justification and sanctification are right on target. The teachings are perfect as well. Every Word fits together for the child of God to be dressed to perfection. The belle of the ball is the one who is truly clothed in His majesty.

The only problem is us. Often we want to change the Word or dress it up so that people will respond better to it. We don’t want it to offend so we let it out a little here and there.  We don’t want people to trip over it so we shorten it. It seems constricting at times so we loosen it so people can breathe better.  If it doesn’t fit someone we try to add frills and lace so that no one notices something’s not quite coming together. Even for ourselves we try to change His Word around or explain it away so that we don’t feel so uncomfortable. We don’t want to be confined, constricted or held back.

Oh beloved, have you been shopping for your faith? Have you been going from store to store and trying to make things fit you? Maybe it’s time to stop and have a little talk with the Lord. Let Him fit you to His ideals. His Word is never constricting; in fact it’s the most comfortable thing you’ll ever put on! His Word was created just for you and He wants you to wear it with joy, every single word.  By letting Him do the fitting and giving Him the freedom to change you instead of asking Him to change His Word, you will find that your life will be so much better and you will look and feel just right as you dance through your life with Him as your guide.

His Word is faithful and true. His Word is good and beautiful and altogether lovely. And so are you beloved, as you yield yourself to Him in faith and then to His Word as He sanctifies you and makes you ready to meet Him in heaven. Just let yourself be transformed by your Maker, for He loves you and He’s for you and that’s the best fit you’ll ever find.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

Galatians 3:27  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Romans 13:14 Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.…

I Corinthians 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Colossians 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren

How's Your Story Going?

We were reading a book, Caleb and I, the other night, and he picked the book from my hands and began reading it by himself.  He’d say a little something about a story for each page. Finally he closed the book and said The End.   Most fairy tales and homespun stories are told with the same lines at the end -  “And they lived happily ever after. The End.”

Life’s story has many twists and turns. There are dark days full of terror. There is love found and love lost. There is espionage and intrigue. There are happy days and joyful moments. There is much laughter as well as blinding tears. The plot will thicken and every story contains a nemesis and things to overcome.

The Gospel Story is wonderful news for everyone. No matter what your background, who you know, where you’ve been or your past regrets- the Gospel fits. It is the only thing that spans the gap between us and heaven. No matter who you are or what you look like, it’s tailor made for you – it fits perfectly for everyone.   The Gospel is the incredible bridge between life and death which promises to take us home to be with our Savior forever. It is our happily ever after where the end is just the beginning.

But we have a story to live between the front and back covers of our lives.  For those who know the Lord, we have the Happy Ending sewn up. It’s a done deal – heaven is real and we are waiting for the moment we can step onto the soil of it’s magnificent realm. We will see our Jesus face to face. Whatever else we do, however else we are, we are going to love it! In the meantime, we’ve got to build our story and live our life.  Who is going to get us through and how are we going to survive? It’s a rough world and the twists and turns sometimes get harder and harder.

The Gospel is not just The End, it’s the prologue, it’s the highlights, it’s the plot, it’s the main character and it’s the way we get through! The Gospel is our ticket to heaven but it’s also our reason to live! If God had only given us hope for heaven, it would be enough, but He’s done more for us than many of us realize. He has given us a ticket for the train ride of life as well. 

Oh beloved, God wants you to know this morning that He understands your story. He knows when it’s been hard to resist temptation, He knows when you’ve heard His voice but followed another. He knows  when your weaknesses outweighed His plan for you. He knows the twists and turns and hopes and dreams that you hold in the deepest recesses of your heart. But there’s nothing to fear, for each day the story unfolds of your life with a fresh start! Yesterday doesn’t matter, but Today is a new chapter! Today you can live a higher plane, resist the lower life and become a daring hero or heroine for Him.

Run to His Word this morning, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and read – His Word is your guide, His Gospel is your plot, and The entire Bible is your guideline.  Everything you need for your life, your troubles, your story is found there. Let the Lord write your story and let Him fill your pages with His blessings and glory and honor. For He loves you so much that He made a way for your story to turn out oh so very good because He will be with you until the very End where you and He live happily ever after!

Psalm 48:14 For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death. (NAS)

Psalm 73:24 You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.  

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work.

Psalm 32:8 The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

Psalm 143:8 Let me hear of Your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting You. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to You.

"Count All Things Loss..."

At the end of the day, when we put our heads on our pillows,
what will really matter? Over the course of your life, what
has been the most important? Money? Fame? Jobs? Accolades?
Beauty? Stuff?

And, if at the end of this day, it's all gone, what will
really be left to you...

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=3a44ada9659d13ab2f1a


"I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." I Corinthians 9:23 - 25