Real People Real Needs

Earlier this week I got a phone call from someone in need.  Now honestly I can't say that I've always helped those that I saw in need around me.  I've offered excuses like I don't know those homeless people.  What will they do with the money if I give it to them.  They maybe scamming me.  You may have a better list of excuses than that.  This week as I listened to her tell me of her struggle I knew I had to do something.  1. Because I knew God was telling me to.  2.  Because she had already been turned down for every other church she called.  

#2 broke my heart.  You see we are supposed to be the people that help the down and out.  We are supposed to be the people that care about the less fortunate.  I hate it when other christians ruin for the rest of us.  I hate it when the name of Jesus is dragged down the gutter by people who claim to be his representatives.  I hate fake christians.  

Someone is reading this and thinking of the verse that Jesus said "The poor will always be with us."  I understand that and I still don't believe that you reach a world with words, but with actions.  I can't help everyone, but I can help the one standing right in front of me.  God give me the courage to help those that you put in my path.  Real People.  Real Needs

Prayer Breakthrough

⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.  Luke 11:5-10

Look at that verse in Luke 11:8 It says because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.  God wants us to be persistent in our prayers.  He wants us to press in and be fervent in our prayers for ourselves and others.  Are you looking for God to answer a prayer.  

1. How many times have you prayed?

2. How long have you prayed? 

3. Have you asked for friends to pray with you on a matter.

We don't like to wait.  We don't like to be patient, but often our prayers are thrown up to heaven and not prayed consistently.  Often times our answer is on the way like it was with Daniel, but it has not come YET.  God hasn't given up on you.  Have you given up on God.

Wow almost done with One Month to Live

One Month to Live has really got me thinking about what's important to us and how I spend my time.  I've been challenged even during this study with distractions that could draw me away from what's important.  I won't be drawn away again.  I'm not going to promise I'll always do what's right, but I'm going to go into every situation eyes wide open.  It's always a challenge to do something for God.  Anything good is a challenge.   Let's do what it takes to make a difference and leave a legacy that will last far beyond our time here on earth.

KEEP GOING

I just wanted to encourage you today to keep going.  I know that in our lives it's easy just to give up and stop doing the things that will drive you closer to God.  I know that in your One Month to Live readings you can get discouraged with all that you are asked to do.  I wanted to encourage you to Keep Going.  Nothing good ever happens when You do NOTHING.  Through your readings and your prayers and through you taking the time to witness you are drawing near to God.  He said in James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you".  So don't get down on yourself if you are behind.  Pick up where you left off and finish when you finish.  Life isn't a sprint it's a marathon.  You need to take this one day at a time and soak it all in.  Keep up the good work

Forgiveness

What an awesome chapter on forgiveness.  It's true that when we hold things in we only hurt ourselves.  We think we stepping on the heads of those people that hurt us.  We think they'll eventually feel the hurt that they have caused us.  The truth of the matter is that they probably can't even remember what they've done.  They have moved on and we are the ones that are still living in the pain.  Don't give up.  

True forgiveness can only come from God. Matthew 6:14-15 says For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

Wow that means if I don't forgive that friend who wasn't really a friend, or that ex-husband or ex-wife that cheated on you, that family member that wounded you deeply, then we can't expect to receive forgiveness.  That's intense.   Relationships do matter to God and until we learn to deal with them properly then we're not right with God.

  

CLUTTER

What I'm beginning to understand about living a life with No Regrets is that in order to do that I've got to de clutter my life.  I can get caught doing some good things.  I can easily fill my schedule with a million different activities and still not please the one I really need to please.   This month is going to cause us to really think about how our lives are structured and how we need to tear down some of the activities that are getting in our way of living a NO REGRETS life.

Lord my life is a blank canvas.  Help me not to color outside of YOUR lines and stop trying to do it all myself.f

Just had to Blog about day 2

A couple of things jumped out at me in Day 2.  I think we may discuss this tomorrow night at Prayer Meeting.  Toward the end of the chapter he talked about David facing Goliath.  It was ridiculous for David to think he could defeat Goliath who not only was a large man, but he had been fighting since he was a boy.   He called this ridiculous faith.

Have you ever had Ridiculous faith.  I want to have that kind of faith.  I want my kids to have that kind of faith.  I want our Sunday School teachers to have that kind of faith.  Let's live as if we believe the Bible is the word of God.  Let us live as if he is still Alive and working in our lives.  I want Ridiculous faith.  What about you?

I love this quote.

When you look at life from the ground level, giants fill up the screen.  David, on the other hand, was looking at life from a God-level perspective.  When you look at life from His perspective, giants become really small.

I want to look at life from that God-level perspective.  I want to have the faith that he will get us through.

This is your life

Just one day into One Month to Live and I'm already hearing some great things.  God is working in his church, but that means the Devil can't be far behind.  Be aware, we are vulnerable when we don't completely surrender.  I KNOW God wants to use this study to bring us closer to him, the question is what voices are we going to listen to.  The Devils or Gods.

Pray- If God is your Lord and Savior then you need to speak with him to find out what he wants you to do.

Read your Bible it's our instruction book on how to act in a fallen world

Read your One Month to Live books.  A chapter a day is easy to keep up with.

Don't give up.  He knows where you are.  Live the Dash.  This is the life you've been given.

We had 88 in Sunday School for our 1st Sunday of One Month to Live.  We've also started a new class and had a great turnout for it.   If you don't have a Sunday School class come and check it out.  We'd love to hit 100 before the end of our study.   Each Sunday we are starting in the Sanctuary at 9:45AM so come on out and jump in.  We're ordering more books so if you didn't get a book they will be on the way. God is already speaking.  What is he saying to you.

Day One "One Month to Live"

I'm excited to see what God will teach us during One Month To Live.  This could be the turning point for our church.  I have been looking at this resource, One Month to Live for a long time.  I believe God has given us this time to see what he can do.  Don't miss a day in your Reading and pray for wisdom as you read.  Take the time to Journal your thoughts on paper or create a Blog like me.

God use this to grow our church and challenge us to walk upright with you.

Let's do this.