Being the hands of Christ and ministering to others

God saved you and me so that we would serve as examples to others of His love and mercy at work in and through a human life.

Many people seem to think the only reason for salvation is so that a person will go to heaven when he dies. Eternal life is part of God’s plan of forgiveness, but that’s not the sole reason for our salvation. God saved us so that we each might reflect His nature—that we might be His people on this earth, doing the kinds of works that Jesus Himself would do if He were walking in our shoes, through our world, during our lifetimes. He desires to manifest His character through our personalities and giftedness.

When we allow His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us to others, we become vessels of His love in action. We begin to reflect His compassion, love, and mercy to others. And in so doing, we become His witnesses.

God calls us to serve one another just as Jesus did. He didn’t save you or call you to service so that you might be exalted, praised, glorified, or put on a pedestal. He saved you so you could serve Him and others. When we do this, we honor Him with our lives. The most important thing you can do outside of accepting Christ as your Savior is to give your life to Him and allow Him to lead you each day.

Some mistakenly think that what we do is unimportant to God, but this is far from true. He has a plan for each one of us. When we make a decision to walk by faith, He will reveal it to us and that plan always includes service and dedication to Him and to those He brings into our lives.

God loved us so that we might love others. He blesses us so that we might bless others. That’s what the Christian life is all about.

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(Photo credit: Atlanta Journal-Constituition)

You might wonder what a newspaper photograph of a motor vehicle accident has to do with serving/ministering to others. What are the firefighters, EMTs, and tow truck operators doing? They are ministering to the driver's of the vehicles in their time of need.

As I was reading the passage at the top of the blog earlier today, and despite having been saved since I was 27, it had never occurred to me that our service to others was so intertwined with our salvation. It makes perfect since though because we are made in His likeness and what did he do? He served others.

Did you notice the emergency personnel seen impervious to the fact that the AJC photographer was making their picture? I guarantee they knew he/she was making their picture but, as the devotional told us, they weren't doing it for praise or notoriety, they were - through their service - honoring God.

When you wait upon the Lord (Ps. 27:13-14)

Do you feel like you have messed up so badly that there appears to be no way out? God said David was a man after His own heart, yet David committed adultery and murder. So you need to know that no matter how deep a pit you are in, God is ready and willing to lift you out. When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you need to do is look up. 

God has given us a fail-proof recipe for restoration. “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14, NIV). Your part is to humble yourself, pray, and repent; then God will hear, forgive, and heal. David said, “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!” (Ps. 27:13–14). David did not lose heart, and you should not either. Wait on the Lord.

The apostle Paul tells us, “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:39, NIV). Do not fear; there is nothing that can separate [insert your name here] from God’s love. I repeat: nothing can separate you from God’s love! 

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Do you remember back in the seventies a cartoon character named "Schleprock"? Every time you saw him he had a dark cloud and lightning over his head. The good news for those of us who believe in Christ is that it doesn't have to be that way. Palm 27, verses 13 and 14 admonishes us to "be of good cheer and wait on the Lord".  I will be the first to admit, it's hard to be of good cheer when you are dealing with severe pain or emotional distress, but God is always on time and He never fails us . . . His answer might not be exactly what we had in mind, but it is what's best for us.

Be anxious for nothing . . .

Let Your Gentleness Be Evident to All

Unchecked anxiety can unleash an Enola Gay of angry outbursts, rash accusations, and fiery retaliations against those in your path who are unfortunate to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. How many people have been wounded as a result of such unbridled stress? On the other hand, how many disasters have been averted because one person decided to be calm?

It is this composure Paul is referring to when he states, “Let your gentleness be evident to all” (Philippians 4:5 NIV). The Greek word translated as gentleness describes a temperament that is seasoned and mature. It envisions an attitude that is fitting to the occasion, levelheaded and tempered. The gentle reaction is one of steadiness, evenhandedness, and fairness.

Jesus promised that “in this world you will have trouble” (John 13:33 NIV). It is as inevitable as the sun rising on a new day—as waves crashing on the shores of a beach. But what you also need to remember is that Jesus has promised to be with you in the midst of those troubles. Before Jesus departed this earth, he said to his disciples, “Go and make disciples of all nations . . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20 NIV).

In fact, throughout the Bible, God repeatedly pledged to be present with his people. He was with Abram as he traveled to a new land. He was with Hagar when she fled into the wilderness, and with Isaac when he was forced to move from place to place. He was with Joshua when he faced the Canaanites, and with David when he faced the Philistines. He was with Peter in prison, and with Paul whenever and wherever he found himself in dire circumstances.

God was never watching from a distance. In fact, his very name is Immanuel, which means “God with us.” He became flesh. He became sin. He defeated the grave. And he is still with you.

Maybe you’re fighting today to keep a family together, a business afloat, or a school from going under. How you handle that fight will reveal where your trust ultimately lies. If you trust in Jesus and believe he is always with you, the byproduct of releasing the control to him will be a contagious calm that surrounds your life. This calm will allow you to see how God is working in your situation—and others will notice there is something different about you. It will bring healing to your anxiety, mature your faith, and show others that God is always faithful.

Anxiety management is like pulling stumps out of the ground. Some of your worries have deep root systems, and extracting them is hard work. But you don’t have to do it alone. Present the challenge to your Father and ask for help.

Will he solve the issue? Yes, he will. Will he solve it immediately? Maybe. Or maybe part of the test is an advanced course in patience. This much is sure: contagious calm will happen to the degree that you turn to him.

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Occasional anxiety happens to all of us. It is when it affects us to the point that we could complete day-to-day tasks that it becomes problematic. (National Institute, N.D.) But, with the help of our Heavenly Father, we can overcome this "game changer" You might be thinking "But, Walter, how can that be?" Before returning to the right hand of His father, Jesus promised "I will be with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20 [NIV]). With that promise - and the fact that He is omnipresent - we can know for a certainty that He will not forsake us or abandon us. I deal with anxiety day in and day out so I can assure you that turning to God works as well - if not better - than any medication the doctor could prescribe and with no problematic side effects. Here's what I do:

1. If I feel an anxiety attack coming on, I stop what I am doing and pray. It's usually not anything flashy or wordy . . . just "Lord, I am beginning to feel overwhelmed. Please take it away and replace it with your joy. Amen."

2. After finishing my prayer, I pull up YouTube and put on some contemporary Christian hymns (such as Mercy Me) or some old school southern gospel and I am as good as new.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH] (N.D.). Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved on April 21, 2018 from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml