What Can You Do?

https://www.facebook.com/FranklinGraham/videos/1842764069113099/

Maybe, like me, you were touched by the inevitable tributes to Billy Graham these past few days.  Comments frequently heard were, "There'll never be another like him."

People like the Rev. Dr. Graham ... and Ruth and Boaz for that matter, whom we've been studying together ... seem to have a grand destiny that escapes the rest of us "mere mortals".

But, is that accurate?  Is that in line with what the Bible teaches?  I submit to you that, no, it most certainly is not.

When our reaction to a life like Billy Graham's is to say, "Well, that's good enough for him, but I'm basically a nobody", we have given the devil ground to which he is most certainly not entitled.

One of the men who most inspired Billy Graham was an evangelist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Dwight L. Moody, for whom the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago is named. 

Moody was over in England preaching in 1873, when a fellow evangelist of much lesser fame said the following to him after a revival meeting.1

"Moody, the world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to Him."

Have you ever had words spoken to you that permeated to the depths of your soul, took up residence there and tenaciously put down roots?  That is what happened with these words.  Moody was about to leave for America when this conversation took place.  All across the ocean and as he walked the streets of America this statement haunted him.  He eventually returned to England, found his evangelist friend, and told him the impression those words had made on him.  By the grace of God, Moody determined to be that fully-consecrated man of God.  He went on to have a legendary ministry, with long-lasting influence.

As you watched the Graham coverage, you may have heard Dr. Graham's recorded voice saying something to the effect - - One day you will hear I have died.  Don't be fooled.  I am more alive than I have ever been....alive in Heaven with Jesus.
Would you believe he more or less copied these sentiments from Dwight L. Moody?  Here is the original Moody quote:

“Someday you will read in the papers that Moody is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now. I was born of the flesh in 1837, I was born of the spirit in 1855. That which is born of the flesh may die. That which is born of the Spirit shall live forever.”2

Now look:
Henry Varley made the famous statement to Moody.
Moody determined to be that "man fully consecrated to God".
Moody, Chapman, Sunday and Hamm were 19th century evangelists all of whom heavily influenced the life of Billy Graham who, it is plain, also determined in his heart to, by the grace of God, "be that man".

All of us, male and female, believers in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, can make that same determination in our own hearts.  We may never be "the next Billy Graham".   In fact, 99.99% of us won't!  However, that is not the point.

Ned Graham, one of Graham's sons, said this in the clip I posted at the top of this blog entry.
Dr. Billy Graham was three things in service to God:  "faithful, available, teachable".

Dwight L. Moody also said this:
"There are many of us who are willing to do great things for the Lord, but few of us are willing to do little things."

Whoa....that bites, doesn't it?
Jesus said this to us through the parable of the "talents" (pieces of money) in Matthew 25:21 (NIV)

21“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. 

One of my childhood friends researched the early ministry of Dr. Graham and found that in 1941 he preached in my hometown of Cornelia GA on two separate occasions and that my mother's uncle, the Rev. A.C. Carpenter, led the singing for those meetings.  Dr. Graham had a tremendous influence on my mother's family, an influence which has extended down the generations to me. 

Bless the Lord, oh my soul.  Let all that is within me bless His holy name.

Psalm 103:1

Do you want to do great things for God?  Then, be faithful and obedient in the small. 
Faithful, available and teachable....

What can you do?
Ask the Holy Spirit, the living God who resides in your heart of hearts.  And, when He tells you what to do, say "yes".  You will never know this side of Heaven the eternal impact of your obedience.  (2 Cor. 4:18)


Sources:

1    http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-25/world-has-yet-to-see.html 

2    http://www.kevinhalloran.net/d-l-moody-quotes/

Overpromising

The book of Proverbs could be subtitled, "How Not to Be Foolish" or "How to Have Common Sense".

In today's installment, we are examining the phenomenon of "overpromising".
Have you ever done that?

My family would say that I am a woman of action.  I love to "do things".  I am happiest when my calendar is full, when I'm engaged in meaningful activities.  Add to that - - - I am a "forest person", not a "tree person".  If you want to make me unhappy, force me to "count beans" or to focus on details.  I'm a visionary, not one to love "the fine points".

All of this is a prescription for "overpromising"!

If there is an exciting project with potential positive impact for Jesus Christ's kingdom, I'm ready to jump in with both feet!

Enough about me ... what about you?  Do you "overpromise"?

1My child, if you have made a pledge for your neighbor,

and have become a guarantor for a stranger,

2if you have been ensnared by the words you have uttered,

and have been caught by the words you have spoken,

3then, my child, do this in order to deliver yourself,

because you have fallen into your neighbor’s power:

go, humble yourself,

and appeal firmly to your neighbor.

4Permit no sleep to your eyes

or slumber to your eyelids.

5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from a snare,

and like a bird from the trap of the fowler.

Proverbs 6:1-5 (NET)

Specifically, this passage hones in on making inappropriate promises about financial matters - - -

• co-signing on a loan that puts your assets at severe risk
• getting in over your head with debt
• etc.

But, the general principle is the same when you broaden it out to other life areas.

I'm thinking of the precious Christian lady at our church who leads our children's ministry. Yesterday, she and her team executed a marvelous end-of-summer "carnival" in our children's department.  But, notice....she does not take up the offering.  She does not greet people as they come in to church.  She does not lead in worship.  She does not work on the tech team.  What she DOES do is to narrow her focus and then to do what she does REALLY WELL!

See?  Some of us have this tendency to believe that the MORE things we do, the more valuable we are, or the more "good" we are, or the more .... whatever.  And, this is IDOLATRY!  Yes, it is idolatry that is rooted in sanctimonious pride!  As Christians, particularly Christians who actually do get out there and work for Christ's kingdom, we can be especially prone to this very idol.

Hear this:  your value to your Savior is not going to be increased by your overcommitment.  He cannot, nor will not, love you any more or any less than He does at this very moment.  His love for you is perfect, right now!  It is important that you LISTEN to His voice when contemplating a new venture to be sure that it is HIS will being implemented, not.yours.

Ouch!

Let's now focus on verses 2-5.  If you find that you have fallen into such a trap of overpromising, do NOT bravely "muddle through", hoping it will end well.  It probably won't, and your foolish choices will bring dishonor to the name of your Savior.  Ask for help!  Go to those who can help; admit your overestimation of your abilities or time or whatever, and ask for help.  It's not all about you, Sassafras!  Usually, "it's the teamwork that makes the dream work!"
Warning:  Don't just back-out and leave someone "in the lurch".  That is selfish and inconsiderate. Whomever you promised is depending on you.  So, don't withdraw; instead draw more help into the effort.  If you find that idea repugnant, then chances are that sneaky and pernicious religious pride has got its hooks into you pretty good!

Even wise people make mistakes.  The difference between a wise person and a fool is that a wise person recognizes them and takes the necessary (if often difficult) steps to correct them.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go look at my calendar..... ;)

A Dead, Hollow Tree

I'm moving on through the wonderful Romans 12 and focusing on verse 11 today.

11Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.

Thinking on this scripture verse I was reminded of a dead tree.

Yesterday afternoon after church a friend called to ask if I wanted to go see that new movie, "Miracles from Heaven".  Delightedly, I said "yes".  We also dragged our Hubsters along.

Spoiler alert!  If you have not heard anything about this movie and don't want to know, stop reading now!

So, the gist of the movie is that this very, very sick little girl...sick to the point of death fell headfirst 3 stories down through a dead, hollow tree, and was miraculously healed by God.  Crazy, huh?  Based on a true story...  Crazier still!

What does this have to do with today's verse?

Remember that Paul was talking to believers, Christians.  In this verse he was exhorting them to use their time, gifts and talents in service to the Lord.  Most of the time, most Christians have no problem doing that.  They actually long to do that.  Other times, though, usually because of adverse life circumstances, Christians believe they no longer have anything to offer.

The little girl in the movie, for instance, Annabelle Beam.  She told her mother she wanted to die, because of her ever-present pain.  Yet, at the time she thought she had nothing more to offer, God used her life to touch the lives of millions.

The mother, Christi Beam, temporarily lost her faith during this time of dealing with her daughter's devastating illness.

Yesterday I was reading a testimony from a friend who lost her beloved husband, her dearest friend, six months ago.  Another hollow-tree experience.

Did you catch that the title of the movie is "Miracles from Heaven"?  The healing of Abby was not the only miracle.  The movie was full of miracles, brought about from ordinary people allowing God to use them.

Aren't you glad God uses ordinary, flawed people?  (In fact, that's the only kind He creates...) The Bible is full of stories of God choosing to use Everyday Man, Typical Woman.  Then, He makes them extraordinary, by His saving grace and power!

He can even use someone who appears to be "dead", because He raises the dead in the same way He raised His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Some truly ARE dead, as the Bible says, "dead in our sins".  I pray that if you have not yet encountered Jesus Christ and accepted Him as your Savior, that you will do that today.  I just can't back away from this because it is absolutely foundation, inescapable and crucial!  There is no true joy apart from Jesus Christ, only pale imitations.  He is the only One who can bring the dead to life, forgive our sins eternally and make us spiritually alive in Him.  This is life's GREATEST miracle!

…4But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,…

Ephesians 2:4-6 

One final point to Christians:  Note that Paul did not exhort the Christians to wait until they felt good about zealously serving the Lord.  If we wait until we "feel like it", we won't step out in obedience. You are not going to necessarily have that "joy from serving Jesus" until AFTER you allow yourself to be filled with the Spirit and used for His glory.

Do you feel like that big, dead, hollow tree today?  In the movie, Anna asked her mother why God had not healed her.  As Christi told Anna in the movie:  "There are so many things I don't know.  But, I know God loves you!"  Amen to that, and praise Him for His miraculous love!

Loving Father, I was dead, so dead in my sins until You rescued me!  I can't thank you enough for saving my soul, making me alive through Jesus.  It's hard to explain and even harder to understand how that works in the spiritual realm.  But, then, we don't have to understand everything.  Faith means taking you at Your word, trusting in Your promises.  I pray specifically this day for those who have never met Jesus, have never thrown all their sins on Him, who feel hopelessly trapped.  Speak to them, Father, through Your holy Word, by Your Holy Spirit and/or through one of Your redeemed, one of Your beloved.  I pray that these will find Your love to be inescapable!  For those beloved who already know You as Savior, but who yet feel like that huge, dead tree, speak to them today also, in the depths of their hearts.  Reaffirm Your love for them in tangible ways that let them know You have not left or forsaken them.  And, empower us all, Father, to step out in obedient service to You so that Satan's adversity which beats and bruises us does not overcome us. (Revelation 12:11) In Jesus' name, amen.

Source:

http://www.enzasbargains.com/miracles-from-heaven-movie-quotes/

Bless Me Indeed!

Yesterday's post I began with a song.  Let's do that again today.

'Bless me Lord! Bless me Lord!'
You know, that's all I ever hear.
No one aches, no one hurts,
No one even sheds one tear.
But, He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just sit back and keep soakin' it in...

The ground-breaking Christian musician, Keith Green, wrote these words back in the 1970s.  The song, a powerful anthem to the Church, was titled, "Asleep in the Light".  Keith's point is that, when we communicate with God, our usual aim is to get His "blessing" on our lives.  "Oh Genie God, gimme this and this and, oh...especially THIS!"  Everyone wants that, right?  Even those who do not worship and follow Jesus Christ want that!  God's blessing.

Today, I was reminded of a Biblical character who also desired God's blessing, but not for selfish purposes as Keith described in his song.  Let me introduce you to him. His name was Jabez.  The only mention we have of him in scripture is from 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 (NKJV).

⁹ Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez,^[a] saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

So, we see here that Jabez asked for the Lord's blessing.  In fact, he asked for a heaping helping of blessing!  He asked that God would give him more "territory" (land) and that God's hand would be on him throughout his life. Finally, he asked that God would keep him from the pitfalls of evil so that he would not cause pain to others or bring it on himself.

About that last part: the Hebrew verb is translated as "do grieve" - - so that evil might not "do grieve" or "wreak havoc".  Some translations say "cause pain to me" and others say "cause pain to others".  I believe the actual language indicates both.

Regardless, God granted Jabez his request.

Now, it is clear that Jabez had a relationship with God.  If you have never talked to God or don't have a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, this is the #1 blessing God is longing to give you. Before you can receive God's additional blessings, it is required that you come to know Jesus as Savior.  This momentous, life-changing decision was the topic of yesterday's post.  But, Jabez was already a follower of the one, true God.  The remainder of my post today, then, is to believers, Christ-followers.

Some would say that Jabez was praying selfishly.  A careful examination of the passage though indicates that he wanted to "be more and do more for God".  He wanted God's hand to be on him.  His desire was to serve the God of his fathers, the Israelites.  His desire was so great and the blessings God gave him so massive that Jabez became clearly distinguished from his many brothers. We see these 2 verses in the middle of a monotonous roll call (a chronicle, if you will) of many dusty, dead Hebrew people.

What application does Jabez's example have for Christians today?  We can learn from him the following:

1.  Your starting point is unimportant.  Look at the four remaining GOP presidential candidates (if you are reading this in "real time").  One was "born with a silver spoon in his mouth": born into great wealth.  The other three were not.  One had a father who was a postman.  The parents of the other two came to this country as immigrants. Yet, all four are running for the highest office in the land.  Who do you think put them in the running?  That's right!  God did.  He is the one who sets kings on their thrones (Daniel 2:21).  So, my point is that Jabez came from humble beginnings.  He was one of several brothers, probably not even the firstborn son.  His mother had such trouble birthing him that she gave him a somewhat derogatory name to commemorate the experience.  "Hello!  I'd like for you to meet my son, Pain!" Jabez was, in the world's eyes, a "nobody."
Names tend to define a person.  Having a name that meant "pain" did not paint a rosy future for Jabez.  Did he let his name limit his future walk with God?  No.

2.  God wants to be asked.  He has, of course, all earthly blessings in His hands, at his disposal.  He wants us to ask Him for them.  Jabez boldly asked and that he was deemed "honorable" because he did!  Jesus said in Luke 12:32 that "it is God's good pleasure to give you the kingdom". That does not mean He will give us anything we ask for.

3.  God wants our hearts to be turned toward Him, in line with His priorities, bonded to His mission for the salvation of mankind.  When we ask with a sincere heart that wants to expand His kingdom, to make a bigger impact for Him, He opens His hand.  Beyond asking God to "enlarge his territory", Jabez didn't get more specific.  By faith, he trusted God to direct and use him as He saw fit.

4.  We must be watchful for and desirous of avoiding the traps and trappings of evil, even as we ask God for His supernatural protection.

I got to experience this recently, actually this morning!  You may think that I'm going to mention the directions this blog has taken, as I referred to that a day or two ago.  But, no.  God has opened another door of opportunity for another avenue of ministry in which I'm privileged to serve.  It was such a miraculous occurrence that it has been obvious it's a work of God and a blessing from Him! How thrilling is that?!

God's blessing is not just for Christians who are "in ministry".  (All of us should be in some sort of ministry; but, that is a whole 'nuther blog post!)  When our hearts are Christ's, He wants to use our everyday endeavors, our jobs, our family life, our hobbies - - - all of it, to bring Him glory!
Christian, if your heart longs to do more for God, ask Him.  God longs to use you to make His name glorious, through all the Earth!

Father, we so often put hindrances on our lives...fear is a big one.  May we learn from Jabez's example and boldly lay our lives at Your feet, for Your glory.  Enlarge my territory today, Lord. Make Your name famous!  Please keep Your hand on me so that evil doesn't wreak havoc in my life to cause pain to me or to others.  In Jesus' name, amen.


Source:

Bruce Wilkinson wrote a short, little book about 16 years ago.   I highly recommend it!

Wilkinson, Bruce. The Prayer of Jabez: Breaking through to the Blessed Life. Sisters, Or.: Multnomah, 2000. Print. 

From You ...

“But as for (A)you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

Too little to be among the clans of Judah,

From (B)you One will go forth for Me to be (C)ruler in Israel.

His goings forth are (D)from long ago,

From the days of eternity.”

3 

Therefore He will (E)give them up until the time

When she (F)who is in labor has borne a child.

Then the (G)remainder of His brethren

Will return to the sons of Israel.

4 

And He will arise and (H)shepherd His flock

In the strength of the Lord,

In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God.

And they will remain,

Because at that time He will be great

To the ends of the earth.

Micah 5:2-4

Have you ever felt insignificant, as if you really didn't matter?  If so, consider Bethlehem.  At the time of Jesus' birth, that town was a "nobody".  The Message translation calls Bethlehem "the runt of the litter."  We all have a town like that in our home county; perhaps you live in it!  However, Jesus had to be born in Bethlehem in order to fulfill this prophecy.  And, there had to be a census held at that time by the Roman government, in order to get Mary and Joseph (who did not live there) to that "city of David" in time for Jesus to be born.

I'm from a tiny, little town in north GA.   Yet, my daddy, who did not have a college education became a leader on the national level, in his profession.  It's not an uncommon story: how someone from "Nowhere" was raised up by God to do marvelous things.

Some of you are shaking your heads.  "Not me, not anymore."  If that is you, then you have swallowed one of Satan's biggest lies.

No action, nor person, is insignificant to God.  Every word we speak, every decision we make, every action we take - - - they all have meaning.  WE have meaning and a purpose, each and every one of us. When you start to feel down, worthless, used up, worn out, finished....remember that.  God's purposes for each of us extend past this life, through all eternity.  He is not finished with us until we take our last breath here, and then He has plans for us in eternity with Him.

It is not up to us to judge how God chooses to work in our lives.  We do not have the right to judge whether what He chooses to do is "great" or "small". It is merely our responsibility make ourselves available, to obediently present ourselves.  Christmas is all about "presents", is it not?  Then, may this, our sacrificed will, our submission, our "letting go" - - - may this be our gift to Him this Christmas.

"From you", God said of Bethlehem, that little, old bitty town! Just like He made His glorious Name known in Bethlehem, God can still use you; He can still use me, if we will let Him.  Open your heart to Him this Advent season.  Allow Him to advance His kingdom by bringing forth glorious things "from you".

Gracious Father, thank you for not forcing Yourself on me, but instead giving me the opportunity to choose You.  I pray that those who read this - - - those who have already chosen You - - - will not buy the enemy's lie, namely, that they are insignificant or no longer matter.  And, for those who are not sure or even think this is all a farce - - - I pray that You will reveal Yourself to them in a mighty way, in a way that will let them know unmistakably that You are God, the One and Only, and that You.Love.Them!  In Jesus' name, amen.