Why Were You Not Moses?

by Barbara Chadwick

I give you excerpts from two books. Both speak of being who God created you to be. We are sometimes tempted to “try on” someone’s character or personality that we admire. It never works -  try as we might. It is awkward, unnatural. The reason is because we were made to be unique and in the image of God, the Creator for a purpose. There have been gazillions of humans since the beginning of time and not one of them has been duplicated because God has had a different plan for every individual.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14

From In The Eye Of The Storm by Max Lucado

 “He placed one scoop of clay upon another until a form lay lifeless on the ground.

            All were silent as the Creator reached in himself and removed something yet unseen. ‘It’s called choice. The see of choice’

            Within the man, God had placed a divine seed.  A seed of his self. The God of might had created.... And the One who had chosen to love had created one who could love in return.”
         

From Living Your Strengths: Discover Your God Given Talents by Albert L. Winseman, Donald O. Clifton and Curt Liesveld

The author tells the Hasidic story of the Rabbi Zusya:

“In the coming world, they will not ask me: ‘Why were you not Moses?’  They will ask me” Why were you not Zusya?’” 

The author continues “That is God’s question to each of us as well. We are not expected to be who we are not. We are expected to be who we are.”

So with your quirks and your talents, your tics and your gifts God will use you to do just what He created you to do.

Billy Hanks said that God can use us if we will just be FAT.  That is, Faithful, Available and Teachable.

To accomplish the plan He has for you,  just be FAT. He will bless your efforts  and use you  to honor His Name.

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O Lord, endures forever – do not abandon the works of Your hands. Psalm 138:8

SEE YOU SOON

by Barbara Chadwick

I hope to see you soon and we will talk face to face, the apostle John writes to his friend, Gaius, in   3 John verse 14.  And in 2 John verse 12 he says, I hope to visit with you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

We often say something similar to good friends or close family on the phone or in an email. The communion we have as family is sweet but when we have the additional tie in Christ Jesus it is very special indeed.  The sharing of love and faith between friends and family cannot be compared to anything else.

Gill says of this love that it is, “an evidence of regeneration; it is the bond of perfectness, and what renders the saints’ communion delightful and edifying.”

The apostle John mentions love 42 times in the books of 1st, 2^nd and 3^rd John. And Paul says in Hebrews 13:1,  Keep on loving each other as brothers. When we love someone we want to be with them. It makes our joy complete.

And now I share with you the Doxology from Jude verses 24-25:  To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!

I remember, as a child, that anticipation rising up within my heart as we would near a loved one’s home. Sometimes it seemed as if I would burst – the joy and knowledge of sharing a special bond of love. Won’t it be glorious when we come into heaven and greet those in Christ who have gone on before us?! Will we have that anticipation as we near those pearly gates? I hope so.

See you soon!

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A CHRISTIAN?

 

 

A woman was asked by a coworker, "What is it like to be a Christian?"

The coworker replied, "It is like being a pumpkin. God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts the top off and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see."

 

(Larry Wauson shared this with me. I like it and I share it with you.)

JOY IN SERVING

           













It’s 20 degrees and snowing today!

Have you noticed how it can be 20 degrees with
snow everywhere cold as all get out but if the sun
begins to shine, the snow begins to melt?  Amazing!

How can it melt at 20 degrees? The warmth of the light penetrates.

Sometimes in our churches we have people who seem to be living at 20 degrees! No radiance in
their faces. No joy evident.

Last week at practice the Praise Team talked about the faces they look out at on Sunday morning.

To be sure there are some whose faces shine in their worship. However, they often see scowls and frowns, bored and listless faces and people not singing but looking around, (seemingly critically) at the other people.

One on the Praise Team said she was very discouraged and didn’t know if she would continue because some of the others on the Team were not giving their best or even halfway participating.

At a Potluck dinner a woman washing dishes said that was the last time she would wash dishes because no one else bothered to help.

We must remember that if we’re doing/serving to please other people or to rack up points, we’re doing/serving for the wrong reason. If we do and serve for the glory of God it doesn’t matter what anyone else does.

So - discouragement, critical spirits and weariness. Does the Bible speak to this?

The apostle Paul said in Gal 6:9,  Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

And Jesus said, As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love…. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you…You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit…This is my command: love each other. 

John 15:9, 11-12, 16-17

John Gill says in his Exposition of the Entire Bible:

Heb 13:1  Let brotherly love continue. The Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions add, "in you"; or among you, as a church..., and as Christ hath loved us;  when it is genuine, it is active and laborious; and shows itself in praying with and for one another; in bearing one another's burdens; in forbearing and forgiving one another; in admonishing one another in love; in building up each other in the most holy faith and in stirring up one another; this is an evidence of regeneration; it is the bond of perfectness, …the comfort and joy of Gospel ministers, and our own peace and edification: and this should continue; for the love of God and Christ continues; One of the Jewish prayers is to this purpose; "he that dwells in this house, let him plant among you  "brotherhood and love", (or brotherly love,) peace and friendship.''  

I pray that the Light of the "Son" will penetrate and melt our hearts and give radiance to our faces.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Romans 15:13