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Francis of Assai said “Preach the Gospel at all times, if necessary, use words.” Our whole lives are opportunities to demonstrate God and His power to save and transform. But there are times when WORDS are necessary to communicate the message of salvation. People usually don’t learn about the Good News by osmosis!
As Christians everyday we encounter people who may need to know the Good News about God. How do we go from “ordinary” conversation to talking about God?
And how do we go and talk to complete strangers about God?
We know we’re called and empowered by the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us to GO but sometimes taking that first step can be the hardest obstacle to get over.
There are some simple “BEFORE” things that we can do or know that can set us up for successful conversations.
First: Know what The Message is.
We don’t need to be Bible scholars, able to exegesis about the greater meaning of the third toe on the beasts left foot, but I think it is important to know your Bible – for personal reasons, you’re learning not just facts about God, but you are learning His promises and guidance for your own life, but also so that you have some answers to peoples questions.
1 Peter 3:15 Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have
Some people have religious backgrounds, others have studied philosophy and in this postmodern age everyone has an opinion on spirituality but the Word of God reveals to us WHO God really is and WHAT He has really done.
Know WHAT the Gospel is. What did Jesus do and why? Prepare yourself to answer people’s questions.
Second: Know who YOU are, and what your style is.
Really? Yes really. In a way we’re all tailor-made with keys and strategies that help communicate the Gospel. I’m not talking about just personality and being an extravert, but about a way of connecting with people and communicating the Gospel.
For myself, if I am out talking to strangers along Eastern Beach I often start with the question “Are you interested in God?” This was a question and strategy that God gave me one morning while I was praying that I have found very effective. Most people ARE interested in spiritual things!
I asked some of my evangelistically wired friends what they do when talking to non christians, if they had a personal style in evangelism. One friend replied that he likes to use creation and science to open peoples eyes to the reality of God. Another likes to pray and introduce people to God through Holy Spirit encounter. Ray Comfort, international evangelist, uses the 10 commandments and tracts to communicate the need for a Saviour.
Discover your own personal style. You will flow and be comfortable in that stream.
Third: It’s a PROCESS
Remember – our job is to plant seeds and water seeds others have planted – it is God who grows the plant! Every conversation you have is doing something! Each time you talk to someone God is doing something. He is doing a hidden work in their hearts to draw them to Himself.
Fourth: Nike It!
Just do it! Just start. Fight the fear and just do it. When the opportunity arises to go to the beach with someone to invite people to church go along and join in. Go and watch someone in action. Some people are wired to love evangelism and talking to strangers, but most people aren’t. There is no outclause on the Great Commission though. Its totally fine to feel nervous about stepping out. But don’t let that restrict you. Overcome the fear.
Evangelism is simply sharing what you’ve been shown. Simple. Lets not complicate it. We are called to be witnesses and ambassadors of the Good News of salvation, found only in Jesus Christ. Lets get out there and do it – there is a whole world ready to hear!
i’ve just recently discovered twitter – i know…
but it is such a fantastic source of inspiring quotes and challenges that it is a perfect fuel stop for an aspiring preacher like myself…
so here are some of my fav twits/tweets from this week:
“God still looks for common people to serve and uncommon God!” Max Lucado
When God created he did it with His word with faith and joy, but when he redeemed He did it with his Son with Pain and passion! Worship Him!
He is I AM. All that you need, all that you desire, all that you are seeking, all that you are crying out for. CF 20
God will reveal it to you. That unreachable, untouchable thing. God will give you eyes to see the impossible as possible.
Faithless life is simple until God slaps you in the face. RandyMB
“No one is a firmer believer in the power of prayer than the devil; not that he practices it, but he suffers from it.” Guy H. King
My formula for living is quite simple,I get up in the morning and go to bed at night. In between I do the best I can. Cliff Myer
See your struggle as God’s canvas. On it he will paint his multicolored supremacy. Max Lucado
Jesus didnt shed his blood on the Cross for programs, property,or principles. It was his RADICAL love for people. Rick Warren
In the beginning was the Word {thought,} the Word {thought} was made flesh. I am glad God didnt keep his thoughts to Himself. TFTenney
You drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it
He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung upon the cross. He who is king of the angels is arrayed in a crown of thorns
“If your life does not worship God, your lips do not worship God either.” AW Tozer
Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will. AW Tozer
Transformed lives transform lives. Peter Morton
“How often have I said that prayer is the breathing in of the air of heaven, and praise is the breathing of it out again.” C Spurgeon
Surrender means you have to quit doing things your way and do them God’s way — quite a paradigm shift.
Never lower your view of God 2 the level of your experience. It would’ve kept Moses, Elijah, & Paul from changing their world. Brad Powell
GRATEFUL! There is nothing of value or significance in my life that doesn’t stem directly from my relationship with God. Brad Powell
Evangelism: Sharing what you’ve been shown. Simple. Done. Don’t complicate it. CF 20
Evangelism: You are one-of-a-kind. U bring unique beauty 2 the equation. Share Christ in YOUR shade of wonderful. CF 20
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6 Fill up on God, leave no room for self. Called Soldier
My dad used to say, “When the devil starts messin’ that’s when the Lord’s gonna start blessin'” Bring on the blessings Lord! 🙂
I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s all going to turn out all right. Billy Graham
some people i really enjoy their tweets:
listening to: well right now it is acutally I”VE GOT A FEELING by black eye peas on my mp4, and previous to that it was WHAT I”VE DONE by linkin park… but on the cd player it is Jesus Culture in 3 slots and Kim Walker in another and Hillsong United in the last one… love to worship God – and in the car is the soundtrack for Once… brilliant irish music type movie…
coming up: the kids return to school and kindy this week so things return a little bit to normality. in a week Mainly Music restarts, with me back as the primary upfront person, but not as the main leader. so that is good. i did enjoy the flexibility of only once a month though. oh well. housegroup has started, started with a bang and a blast – wth a strong teaching by me on being consecrated. our young adults service restarts on teh 14th and so we have a leaders meeting this week. and i’m MCing a wedding reception on saturday, so it is a busy week. and LOST begins on the 10th – yay!
excited: about what God is doing. as always. but feeling very moved/strong about this year. pressing on in prayer and the Word and getting out to do more evangelism and seek God and speak truth in love and wisdom and grace. to be bold and blatant.
on the box: well House is back on. love his dryness. and as i said, LOST begins in about 10 days. yay. thats about it.
wearing: jeans and a black shirt dress thing. wore high high heels to church today, in prep for wearing them with my new dress for the wedding next week. did i mention i dont wear dresses. brave new year. so my feet hurt. my cons are comfy.
being listening on mp4 to: winkey pratney, way cool New Zealand/international preacher/evangelist/teacher, about revival. He is just funny and straight up and loves God. and i trust Him.
reading: am between books.
in the Word: in john, exodus, nehemiah, jonah
looking forward to: beginning running after dropping the kids to school, finding places to talk to random strangers about Jesus, my friends wedding,
challenges: particularly challenged by a pastoral issue with our housegroup – if you’re a reg reader here you may know one of our young guys died last year in a car accident. last year dealt alot with that and working through the grief and loss and where God was at. i thought we hadnt lost anyone. but one of our girls looks like they’re still in a process and now i’m really concerned. prayer moves mountains. walking the fine line of support and got your back and being blunt.
this week at housegroup we’re going to have BIBLE NIGHT – up to now we have just opened the bible at a place chosen by me, read and then talked/shared about it. this year though after that we’re going to have some questions… we’re going to get more in depth and challenge ourselves! so for this week i’ve chosen 2 timothy 2 to begin with. following are the questions…. feel free to suggest some more!
What do u think is the most challenging part of this chapter?
How should we live our lives as Christians? What does this look like in real life?
What did paul encourage timothy to flee?
What types of behavior do u think falls into this category?
So then – what should our response be?
What do u think v 20-21 means?
How do we prepare our lives to be used? Do you think God only uses certain types of people?
How do we show ourselves approved to God?
What does it mean to cleanse ourselves?
What types of conversation should we be having? What types of conversation do you think paul was warning timothy about? Why?
Did this chapter make you think of any other passages in the bible?
What does this chapter reveal about who God is?
How can be make this real in our lives? How can we apply the challenges in it? Should be be applying the challenges in it? Why or why not?
what a day i’ve had.
first i wake up and feel strange and then when i stand i feel really faint, so take the joyous opportunity a holiday brings to climb back into bed to sleep again – but when i have to get up (cos the kids are then up) i am really unsteady on my feet and world spinning for about 10 mins…
then just before lunch caleb has a really nasty accident on his scooter – the neighbour boy knocks on the dor – caleb fell off his scooter – up i dash to the end of our long drive – and cant hear anything – and there is caleb, on the grass verge, with teh postman crouching over him, caleb is pale, sweaty (it is summer!) and not really crying but quiet crying which is so much worse (!) and he has a huge red patch on his left side where he has cut and also bruised his tummy – as well as scrapes and things. half carry him down our drive lay him on teh sofa and do examination (i am just a mother, not a doctor) and icepack the side. has fallen on his fallen scooter handle straight into his side. worry about potential internal bruising/damage. but after monitoring and all that i think hes okay.
eat lunch.
5 mins later daughter comes out of her room (she aws resting) and says, i’m itchy. arms covered in welts. give her allergy medication. then tuck her back for rest. then pace a bit and wonder… go in and look at her. time to go to A&E. they take one look – her face is swollen, eyes shut, red all over, welts on face and up arms and legs – and into resus room at A&E. resus room for just in case. they gave her more drugs and steroids. monitoring.
tonight i am speaking a hard word at our housegroup for young adults – on consecration. i feel teh contention. i will not cancel. i will preach harder.
ps. as i write this caleb comes in screaming… he was scootering again and went so fast he couldnt stop and then crashed and has sliced up his arm, ripping a chunk out and the scab off a big patch where he hurt hismelf last week…. could be a lot worse. but man. contention.
Its good to, at the start of a year, examine ourselves – who we are, what we are doing, where we are going, how we are doing – are we pleasing God – are there things we need to repent of and change – have we drifted away – are we drawing closer – are we called to do new things – are we being obedient?
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. 2 Corinthians 13:5
Why is it important to examine ourselves?
Because we are not living for ourselves. We are not our own. We were brought with a price. And the life we live now we live by faith in Jesus Christ.
In John 15 Jesus tells us to abide in Him, to remain in Him, to stay connected with Him. He is the vine and we are the branches and apart from Him we can bear no good fruit or do no good thing and those that leave Him and separate themselves from Him and unremain wither and die.
Lets look at john 15 a bit more…
1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command.
Lets put it another way.
1 samuel 6 has a really interesting passage about the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Israel. The Ark had been captured by the Philistines in a battle and they displayed it in their temple… their false god statue fell down and broke demonstrating the supremeacy of God and then the people got sick and all these things happened that they discerned as the unfavour and displeasure of God! So they determined to send the cart back to Israel. They consulted their false priests and pysics about how to transport it…
When the ark of the LORD had been in Philistine territory seven months, 2 the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the LORD ? Tell us how we should send it back to its place.”
3 They answered, “If you return the ark of the god of Israel, do not send it away empty, but by all means send a guilt offering to him. Then you will be healed, and you will know why his hand has not been lifted from you.”
4 The Philistines asked, “What guilt offering should we send to him?”
They replied, “Five gold tumors and five gold rats, according to the number of the Philistine rulers, because the same plague has struck both you and your rulers. 5 Make models of the tumors and of the rats that are destroying the country, and pay honor to Israel’s god. Perhaps he will lift his hand from you and your gods and your land. 6 Why do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh did? When he treated them harshly, did they not send the Israelites out so they could go on their way?
7 “Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up. 8 Take the ark of the LORD and put it on the cart, and in a chest beside it put the gold objects you are sending back to him as a guilt offering. Send it on its way, 9 but keep watching it. If it goes up to its own territory, toward Beth Shemesh, then the LORD has brought this great disaster on us. But if it does not, then we will know that it was not his hand that struck us and that it happened to us by chance.”
10 So they did this. They took two such cows and hitched them to the cart and penned up their calves. 11 They placed the ark of the LORD on the cart and along with it the chest containing the gold rats and the models of the tumors. 12 Then the cows went straight up toward Beth Shemesh, keeping on the road and lowing all the way; they did not turn to the right or to the left. The rulers of the Philistines followed them as far as the border of Beth Shemesh.
So okay. What does that have to do with examining yourself – and the word I’ve been throwing around on facebook – CONSECRATION?
A new cart might look good.
It might be clean and brand spanking new.
It might look good on the surface.
But it sure isn’t the way God commanded the Ark to be carried and transported.
It it isn’t following God’s ways then a new cart just doesn’t cut it. It doesn’t make the grade or impress God.
If you flick over to 2 Samuel 6 you see the new cart syndrome again…
We don’t want to have lives that are like a new cart. Might look good on the outside but when you examine the heart – it falls way short.
Our lives need to be lining up with what God says in His Word and obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will not contradict His Word. That is an impossibility.
If we flick back to look at john 15 – and just a tad before that in john 14 we see something black and white.
Jesus replied, If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. John 14:23
He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. John 14:24
If you love Jesus you will obey what He commands, in the Word and to you specifically through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. What is your conscience saying about how you are living your life?
The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
11 By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:7-14
If you are not being obedient to God Jesus is pointing out that your love aint fresh and real. If you’re not being obedient to God then you are sinning and being disobedient.
You wont make it on a new cart.
Don’t settle for second best. Don’t sell yourself short. Don’t give up.
I was watching survivor the other night (groans!) and saw this analogy that so fitted.
Its like making friends with a snake. The snake says “come and play with me.” The boy says “I don’t want to be bitten”. “I wont bite you” says the snake. The boy and the snake play. The snake bites the boy. “What did you do that for???” says the boy! “I’m a snake, its what I do.” Replies the snake.
Disobedience will bite you like a snake. You can flirt with it and flirt with a compromising lifestyle but it will bite you.
We are only satisfied and fulfilled when we are living authentically connected with God. He guides us and cares for us. He is knowable. Not far off and indifferent. He has a plan for your life. He desires to work in you and through you. He will do awesome things through lives that are consecrated to Him.
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. 21If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
22Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:20-22
we shouldn’t want to be part of a generation that is settling for new carts and a small buzz. Knowing God is awesome. Encountering God is incredible. God is the same today as He was yesterday. And He will be tomorrow. All throughout the bible there is record of how people consecrated themselves to meet with God.
Exodus 19 – when God appeared to the Israelites at Mt Sinai they had to consecrate themselves.
The priests had to consecrate themselves for ministry and service.
Ezra prayed and fasted. Nehemiah was a man of prayer. Esther called the nation into prayer and fasting. Elijah consecrated himself. Isaiah was consecrated by the angel with the coal.
Examine yourself.
Are you living to please God or please yourself?
Are there things you need to change?
Things God has revealed to you to put into action that you haven’t yet.
Character issues that He is proding and pruning away at.
If you’re not remaining in Him you’re not walking with Him.
As Christians we are redeemed and saved and made new and clean and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ, who cleanses us from all unrighteousness and sin. Our spirits are made new and alive when we are born again. But if we love Him, we will obey Him. The Holy Spirit leads us into outworked salvation. Show me your faith by your actions and obedience. 1 John says it plain as black and white, if you are a child of God you have stopped sinning. You resist sin. Romans 8, you resist the flesh, you deny the flesh, you desire to be obedient and you put boundaries in your life to enable you to do that. You make the CHOICE to obey. You repent of your sin and your change your life to stop doing it. You consecrate yourself.
The good news is that we can make a change right now. That we can pray and seek God and reconsecrate ourselves. That we can repent and change.
The Gospel is news, and news does not exist unless it is communicated. There cannot be un-communicated news. It is an act, not a dead letter. The Good News is not a mere truth or doctrine. When you preach it, the Gospel happens. Reinhard Bonnke
The gospel is news. Good News. The very best news there can possibly be in the world – it is news of grace and love, eternity and salvation. The Gospel is news for this life and eternity, answering our cry for “something more” and purpose, as well as assuring our destination when we die.
God doesn’t write in the sky or use glorious angels to spread His message (usually!) – He demonstrates his love and grace THROUGH us! He calls us His witnesses.
He demonstrates His love and grace through US – the once broken, once fallen, once sinners, once guilty – NOW whole, NOW saved, NOW redeemed, NOW forgiven, NOW innocent, NOW new, NOW clean… We who experience the reality of God’s salvation and grace are called to witness it to those around us both in our actions and our words. We who KNOW the reality of God’s love and grace get to LIVE IT OUT to the world around us – this is what a witness is.
Open Your Eyes
Jesus challenges us to open our eyes and look. He describes the harvest as plentiful and ripe. Numerous and ready.
Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4:35
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Luke 10:1-2
Statistics say that of the 5.8 billion people in our world, 1.2 billion (around 20%) have yet to hear the Gospel.
55,000 people die daily in India and around the world without ever hearing about Jesus.
But every day another 74,000 people across the globe come to faith in Christ. That’s 3,083 new fellow believers every hour of every day!
That is awesome! That is because ordinary Christians, like you and me, are sharing the Good News and living authentic Christianity, demonstrating the love and grace to those around them.
Where are the workers?
The harvest is ripe. Ready. But Jesus then says something that seems incredulous. “The workers are few.” My heart breaks to interpret this as the hearts of the potential workers is unwilling, that we are living our lives with blinders on, with hearts out of alignment with the heartbeat of God. Unless we open our eyes and look we can be ambivalent and oblivious to the lost around us. We can carry on living normal lives without having our heart affected by the lost.
We must open our eyes and look though and allow God to move our hearts and stir us. Jesus came and lived and dwelled and died and rose for the salvation of those around us. For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that all who believe in Him will not die but have eternal life. This is the heart of God!
You are Called
“In the glimpse of eternity there are no wasted days, does not matter what age you are. Your destiny is always there waiting to be picked up, to be put into action. So when years and years have gone by and you feel like that your life has not accomplished much or anything know that everyday that you feel that you have wasted away, your talents hidden under a rock, so simply redeemed by a God that does not think in hours days or years. Nothing is impossible.”
So often we think that time passes us by – that we’re “just working in a job”, or “just at school”, or “just a stay at home mum” – that right now today we’re not really doing anything to build the kingdom of God and change the world. BUT right where you are is where you are. USE IT and BE USED by God to change the world around you and the people around you who are lost and broken. RIGHT NOW you are in the midst of ripe harvest.
You might not be a paid pastor – but you can care for those around you.
You might not be a paid missionary to India – but the lost people around you need to know the love and grace and gospel message of salvation and Jesus.
You get the picture. We are ALL called to shine and serve and speak and teach and evangelise and care and love and BE Christians! God has called each one of us to be ambassadors and witnesses – to shine His light into the world so that people will see God in the darkness. It is God who saves and draws people to Himself but He demonstrates His love and grace and lives out salvation through us.
God has qualified and empowered each one of us to do this momentous task. It could be done every day in every conversation in every opportunity. It’s not something we turn off or turn on. We ARE witnesses. We ARE the light of the world, unhidden and shinning bright.
Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4:35 The harvest is ripe RIGHT NOW!
The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed. – Hudson Taylor
Let’s open our eyes. Lets take the opportunities to share the Good News and be part of the work of God in this generation! Lets communicate the news in who we are, what we do and what we say.
“There are people on this planet whom only you will be able to reach, because of where you live and what God has made you to be. If just one person will be in heaven because of you, your life will have made a difference for eternity” Rick Warren
God doesnt write in the sky or use glorious angels to spread his message (usually!) – He demonstrates his love and grace THROUGH us!
He demonstrates His love and grace through US – the once broken, once fallen, once sinners, once guilty…
once broken, once fallen, once sinners, once guilty – NOW whole, NOW saved, NOW redeemed, NOW forgiven, NOW innocent, NOW new, NOW clean…
WE – those who experience the reality of God’s salvation and grace – are called to witness it to those around us – pass it on – pay it 4ward…
We who KNOW the reality of God’s love and grace get to LIVE IT OUT to the world around us – this is what a witness is…
this morning i had the priv of being the service leader for our morning church meeting. that means i do the notices, the welcome, the offering, sometimes the communion message, and say bye to everyone at the end.
this morning i based my offering message on Mark 12 – the widow’s offering.
41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins,worth only a fraction of a penny.
43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
The rich people gave out of the abundance of their wealth.
but the woman gave out of her abundance of faith.
she trusted God for her everyday – her provision.
Faith isnt a WHAT – it is in a WHO!
Psalm 8
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
i figured the guy in this youtube clip can say it and show it better than me… so played the part where he lines the planets up to show the magnuitude size of the stars vs the tinyness of earth – created by our awesome God…
get the picture – our God is awesome and holy and majestic and fiathful and wonderful.
you can trust him.
he is faithful.
When ordinary people pray, EXTRAordinary things happen! Brian Houston on twitter
i so like that!
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. James 5:17
so often we feel so ordinary and unspiritual. so natural and normal.
but our normalness and ordinaryness doesnt disqualify us from the supernatural and extraordinary.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
we are just clay vessels. well not really “just” in the sense of that is all we are – because WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD!
Our Father is God Almighty, the great I AM, the everlasting king of kings! He is the one we pray to, the one we seek, the one we worship, the one we surrender to. He is the one who hears our prayers and answers our prayers. He is the one who changes the world, who moves mountains, who provides, who delivers, who comforts, who saves.
When ordinary people pray – God moves and extraordinary things happen because we pray and seek him!
dont think you are too small to pray. know your God is big enough to hear and respond.
dont think of yourself as too ordinary, just normal – believe you are a child of God and know that you can boldly enter the throne of God and find grace and help at your time of need (hebrews 4:16)
pray, and expect God to respond, have faith in Almighty God, have faith in his love and grace and power. put your hope in God and believe for extraordinary answers. keep praying. dont give up. keep seeking God!
One Passion One Devotion 