10: 50 Days of 3:16

What do we do when God gives a message? Paul was adamant that all believers should be praying for prophecy or divine revelations from God. He set them as the most valuable resource that we can access in our faith journey. Many believers are not seeking wisdom to be able to share with others, they work in their own strength. If I was a paperboy delivering 50 papers but I refused or was oblivious to use the bag they provided to help me carry them my job would not be as effective as it could be if I would only use the bag to carry my papers. When we use what God provides sharing our faith with others becomes a lot more easier

 

But Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

1 Samuel 3:16

 

Here in today’s 3:16 we see the morning after Samuel had his first conversation with God. If you read the whole story we come to find that God called Samuel in his sleep and three times Samuel went to his boss thinking it was his voice calling out.  I interpret that as God was using the voice of Eli to speak to Samuel. After the third time being awoke,n, Eli realizes that this must be God calling Samuel telling him to respond and listen. Samuel being an obedient person responds to God receiving a message. The message Samuel received was not one he would have expected and was a promise that God would punish Eli and his family for what his boys had been doing. This would be an example to the people of what would happen if they played games with God. The boys who were priest were doing wicked things which were contradictory to everything the priests were called to do.

 

Eli, being a follower of God and trusting him, wanted to know what Samuel had heard from God the next morning. Samuel was scared that if he told Eli that he would be looked at unfavourably and maybe even called a liar. Eli made it quite clear to Samuel that if he was not to share what God had told him it would be worse off for him to keep it to himself then to share it. Samuel revealed his conversation with God to Eli who understood all that was going on and responded, ‘let Him do what is good in His eye’s’. Eli showed a divine respect for God and understood that God is good, and evil was not permitted to go unpunished.

 

God will reveal many things to us to share with others. They will not always be words of judgement, but more words of compassion, love and revelation of things that you should ought not to have known. He reveals the secrets of their hearts to you so that you can connect with them and show them God’s love for them. We are called to give that word and message to them, keeping it to ourselves does not do us any good other than giving into our fears of rejection. There is freedom in obeying God and sharing his words of love to others. If we want to grow in our faith we need to start telling God ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listening”.

Father. Speak for your servant is listening. Give us wisdom today to share your message of hope with others. Give us words to share that can only be revealed by you. Help us to push past our fears and open our lips giving the messages you have for us to share. Use us as a might force to change this world and showcase your love. Let me be the light in the darkness the salt in this decaying world. Amen

41: 50 Days Freed

We often hear of people who do not believe they are good enough to be forgiven by God. Or they may be trying to get themselves to a place where they feel they are worthy of asking. They may read today’s scripture and feel that they have to work hard for if they do not God may not receive them. This verse read out of context can do just that, but today’s verse is for those who have already received God’s forgiveness. Those who have yet to accept God’s grace have nothing to do but come to him as they are where they are. Jesus is waiting for them as they are.

 

“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 2:15 NLT

 

As followers of Christ, we are called to the mission of sharing the good news of his love to the world. This included those around you, at your work, your neighbours, and anyone you may come in contact with, physically, or even on the internet. Are you being a good worker? Are you ashamed of your faith? When was the last time you shared your faith with those around you?

 

We are called to share our faith. We need to be working on it daily. As we live our lives we have become complacent in our faith, let it become all about meeting our needs and not about reaching the lost. If we sit in this type of faith it deprives us of the relationship God has for us. I have been here and the daily struggle to open up to others around me.

 

I keep asking daily for the Holy Spirit to show me moments in my day where I can love those around me, to make a conscious effort to do reach the lost. We need to prepare ourselves daily in prayer, without we will miss out on the opportunities as we go through the business of life. As we open up to others about what God has done for us it strengthens our relationship with God. If you brag up your friends to others it makes them feel good and you feel good too. Same goes when we brag up the importance of a relationship with God. God receives glory for your obedience and you grow stronger in your faith as you share. How do we free ourselves from the fear of sharing our faith? By doing it. Trusting that Jesus who gave you this mission would not have done it if he did not think you would succeed. He gave you help in the Holy Spirit who is with all believers and ready willing and able to help you in your daily walk and talking with people about salvation.

 

Let’s get to work!

 

Jesus, help us to work on reaching the lost. Show us that moments each day that we can show your love to those around us. As we take time each day to pray to you prepare us, open our eyes. I am tired of expecting others to do the work you called me to, it is my turn to step up. The lost matter to you, so they matter to me. Amen

 

Day 46: 50 Days of Passion

Ever try to share about Jesus and the love he has shown you, only to have the other person just laugh it off? Of keep coming back with arguments against? We try not to be hurt when this happens, yet it isn’t easy to just shrug it off. Many times, it has to do with them just not understanding, because they have little to no interest. Other times it could be because they are afraid that you know the truth and they don’t want to accept that they have to surrender their life. Just like a person who refuses directions and walks around aimlessly, until he or she is willing to accept they need help it is hard to steer them in any other direction.

 

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:14 NIV

 

One day I shared a picture of a child writing a quick letter that read “Dear atheist, if you don’t believe in God why does it offend you that I pray to Him” or something very similar. I knew that it may bring a comment of two because on my friends list are, now don’t be shocked, those who don’t know Jesus.

 

I didn’t do it to start a debate, nor did I do I to feed off the need for controversy. When I saw the first response, it took me a long time to come up with a reply that I felt was fair and honest.

 

But it in case shows the truth to the above verse, those who are stuck in the mind set of ‘believe whatever you want, just don’t force it down my throat’ are really just being that way because they don’t have the Holy Spirit in their lives. No matter what response I come with, no matter how true it is, if the Holy Spirit isn’t in the other person he will only see it as more religious jargon. How do you reach a world where anything is acceptable except Christ?

 

We need to ask the Holy Spirit to work in these people’s hearts. If we want to see lives changed and people coming to Jesus, we need to ask the Holy Spirit to soften hearts, to remove the hurt that religion has done in their lives. Until we purposely focus our prayers on their salvation our work will always seem fruitless. Just another debate.

 

So, when someone says something on a post you put up on FB, your blog, tweet or post something you disagree with, I suggest one thing. Before you respond take some time to pray fully ask the Holy Spirit to work on the person(s) you are responding to. Ask Him to show you the right words or scripture that will not be foolishness to the person who you are writing the repose for. Trust that the Holy Spirit will use you to reach the lost.

 

Dear Jesus, help me to take the time to consult the Holy Spirit before responding to any “debate” or controversial religion comments. Help me to pray for the person I am responding to asking the Holy Spirit for the right words or verse to reach them. Give me wise words. I pray that I can reach others as that is the mission to spread hope. Amen

 

Day 32: 50 Days of Passion

How do you choose who your friends are? Do they build you up causing you to grow in your faith? Are they there when your hurting, an ear to listen to your feelings? Or are they the kind of people who drag you down the wrong kind of roads? Inviting you to parties that will cause you to sin, taking you places that you don’t need to be? Maybe they talk about other people tearing them apart, gossiping and telling lies, these ‘friends’ will slowly but surly drag you down and get you in trouble.

 

 

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.”

Proverbs 13:20 NLT

 

Jesus didn’t surround Himself with people of religious stature. He found twelve men who showed faith to leave everything and follow Him. He was steadfast in His mission so that even when they tried innocently or with other intentions to distract him, he was able to bring them back to the mission.

 

How does one know if a friend is building or distracting your walk with Jesus? Some things to look for;

1. How do you feel after an outing with them? Do you feel built up and encouraged or dirty about what you did or talked about?
2. How does you friend respond when you bring up your relationship with Jesus? Do you have meaningful conversations, or do they change the subject quickly or become argumentative?
3. Think about what you did with your friend. Would it be cool if Jesus was actually physically there hanging out? Would he be shocked or smiling? Don’t kid yourself he is there maybe not physically, but he is there.

 

We need to have unbelieving friends, don’t get me wrong. But they can’t be bringing us down, we need to be light to them, connecting as to share the love of Jesus with them. Many have unbelieving friends for years with out sharing your faith. They may know about it but you have never taken the time to truly tell them why it is important to you and should be important to them. This is what Jesus talked about when he said we shouldn’t put our light under a basket.

 

Jesus, we all have friends who need you. Give us the moments to finally take the time to share your love with them. Maybe they know or don’t know about our faith by now is the time for us to open our hearts to them. Let us be an example of your love to them. They matter to you, they matter to us, so let’s start doing something about it. Amen