Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you wanted to reach out to someone who was having a bad day but didn't because you had things to do? Maybe you were on a tight schedule, etc., and as you passed that person by, you said a prayer for them and their situation, asking God to send someone else to intervene on their behalf.
I've been in that situation. I was too busy to stop to help someone, sending up a prayer for them instead and the minute I was too far away to change anything I'd have this horrible change of heart, but by then, it would always be too late. I can't tell you how many times I've had an inkling or even a push from the Holy Spirit and then did nothing. I was too busy with my own family, problems, etc., and wasn't hearing God. He was sending me, but I wasn't responding the way I think He would've wanted me to.
Looking back on those events, I realize how selfish I was as a person. Praying it forward to the next Christian person who passed along, believing my faith and my prayer could make a difference when the prayer was said in a moment of sin? That's just flat out arrogant! But God is gracious and He understands our frailties, understanding that in our specific maturity level in Christ, we can make errors not knowing we are making them. I think God picks specific moments to shake us up, making our faith in Him stronger thus helping us to surrender more of our life to Him. This, in turn, increases our level of faith and dependence on Him because let's face it, apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5).
I heard the Spirit speak this verse to me just before writing this post. I heard, Exodus 20:6. "You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6).
Okay, so putting my own "stuff" ahead of someone that God put in my path so I could reach out with the love of the Lord, is not just a sin, it's putting something else, my own issues, above God. And that is called idolatry.
Speaking of idolatry, here's one I know everyone will understand. Pity party's. Ever have one of those? "Oh, poor me. Is there no person who can make me feel better or make me happy?" The problem with this feeling is the word ME. That again, makes us idolaters because it raises our issues, feelings, problems, etc., above God! That's one that a lot of us really need to get a hold of.
As I was reading Exodus 20:6 I found an (a) above the word "thousands." It references Deuteronomy 7:9. It says "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.
Now that is one heck of a promise. Even if we disappoint Him because we don't hold up our end of the bargain, He will always love us. So share your faith, even if you start with a daily kindness, like opening a door, or saying hello more often to people, being approachable, kind, helpful, etc. Share the love of Christ. Show them there is something different about you. Let your light shine! They will see that there is something different about you and they'll want what you have. It may take time to reach just one person, but never forget that even if someone responds badly to the message, you've planted the seed and God will send people to come and water that seed until God is ready to send someone to harvest the seed planted by you, into that persons mind and heart. And when the moment comes, and you meet someone who asks you about your faith, always be ready with an answer for the hope that you have through your faith in God. (1 Peter 3:15).
Step out of your own little world long enough, and you'll see everything you've been too busy to notice. A great big world, with plenty of interesting, caring people who are hurting. They need you to tell them about Jesus and share His love with them. Some of them are your dearest friends. Some are your enemies. Some are just people you don't even know that you may bump into on the street. But it's no matter, because Jesus said, "When you do this to the least of these my brethren, you are doing it to me." (Matthew 25:40).
As believers in Jesus, we have plenty of hope to go around but what good is that hope if we're not sharing it with those who need it most?
I've been in that situation. I was too busy to stop to help someone, sending up a prayer for them instead and the minute I was too far away to change anything I'd have this horrible change of heart, but by then, it would always be too late. I can't tell you how many times I've had an inkling or even a push from the Holy Spirit and then did nothing. I was too busy with my own family, problems, etc., and wasn't hearing God. He was sending me, but I wasn't responding the way I think He would've wanted me to.
Looking back on those events, I realize how selfish I was as a person. Praying it forward to the next Christian person who passed along, believing my faith and my prayer could make a difference when the prayer was said in a moment of sin? That's just flat out arrogant! But God is gracious and He understands our frailties, understanding that in our specific maturity level in Christ, we can make errors not knowing we are making them. I think God picks specific moments to shake us up, making our faith in Him stronger thus helping us to surrender more of our life to Him. This, in turn, increases our level of faith and dependence on Him because let's face it, apart from Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5).
I heard the Spirit speak this verse to me just before writing this post. I heard, Exodus 20:6. "You shall not make for yourself an idol or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6).
Okay, so putting my own "stuff" ahead of someone that God put in my path so I could reach out with the love of the Lord, is not just a sin, it's putting something else, my own issues, above God. And that is called idolatry.
Speaking of idolatry, here's one I know everyone will understand. Pity party's. Ever have one of those? "Oh, poor me. Is there no person who can make me feel better or make me happy?" The problem with this feeling is the word ME. That again, makes us idolaters because it raises our issues, feelings, problems, etc., above God! That's one that a lot of us really need to get a hold of.
As I was reading Exodus 20:6 I found an (a) above the word "thousands." It references Deuteronomy 7:9. It says "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments.
Now that is one heck of a promise. Even if we disappoint Him because we don't hold up our end of the bargain, He will always love us. So share your faith, even if you start with a daily kindness, like opening a door, or saying hello more often to people, being approachable, kind, helpful, etc. Share the love of Christ. Show them there is something different about you. Let your light shine! They will see that there is something different about you and they'll want what you have. It may take time to reach just one person, but never forget that even if someone responds badly to the message, you've planted the seed and God will send people to come and water that seed until God is ready to send someone to harvest the seed planted by you, into that persons mind and heart. And when the moment comes, and you meet someone who asks you about your faith, always be ready with an answer for the hope that you have through your faith in God. (1 Peter 3:15).
Step out of your own little world long enough, and you'll see everything you've been too busy to notice. A great big world, with plenty of interesting, caring people who are hurting. They need you to tell them about Jesus and share His love with them. Some of them are your dearest friends. Some are your enemies. Some are just people you don't even know that you may bump into on the street. But it's no matter, because Jesus said, "When you do this to the least of these my brethren, you are doing it to me." (Matthew 25:40).
As believers in Jesus, we have plenty of hope to go around but what good is that hope if we're not sharing it with those who need it most?
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ChristianEncouragers.com