by | Faith Lived Out
photo credit: poison world
Lately I have had this restless feeling inside. The feeling that I am being called for something more. God has been changing my prayer life. He has been changing what I feel myself attached to. He is changing my perspective on life.
I ran across this verse in my quiet time and it’s making more sense to me than it ever has.
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. – Acts 20:24 NLT
I used to be tied to my possessions. I used to dream about being rich. I used to dream about being the most successful in many categories of my life. I was never satisfied. I used to acquire “stuff” and have no idea why.
Over the last five years God has slowly done a heart change in me. But over the last two years, He has sped that process up.
During my stay at the Table Rock Freedom Center, I had two boxes under my bed, enough room in the closet for ten outfits, two drawers, and one drawer for my bathroom stuff. All of my possessions fit into those tiny spaces. All the possessions I needed anyway. Guess what? I survived.
My need to be tied to the things I own disappears more and more everyday. I find myself wanting to simply throw on my shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops, and ball cap and tell the world about Jesus. When it boils down to it, He is all that matters.
Read these statistics, according to David Platt, pastor and author of the amazing book, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
.
- The world’s population is currently over 6 billion people and counting.
- According to the most liberal estimates, approximately 1/3 of the world is Christian.
That leaves 4.5 billion people who, if the gospel is true, at this moment are separated from God in their sin and (assuming nothing changes) will spend an eternity in hell.
Take a minute and absorb the above statement. 4.5 billion.
What am I doing to change that? What am I doing to show Jesus to the non believers? I’m asking God to show me. This life isn’t about me; it’s about Him.
What if we all had that attitude? What if we stopped making it about us?
Bringing you back to Acts 20:24, I love the way The Message puts it:
What matters most to me is to finish what God started: the job the Master Jesus gave me of letting everyone I meet know all about this incredibly extravagant generosity of God.
I’m challenging myself, and you today, to commit to telling at least one person per week about the grace and extravagant generosity of our God. Let’s turn one person into ten more. Into 100. Into 1,000.
Are you up for the challenge?
In what ways can you share Jesus’ message this week? Comment below…
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
If someone were to ask you today if you were satisfied with your prayer life, what would you say? Yes? No? Maybe? I guess?
So…
I’m asking you, are you satisfied with your prayer life? Perhaps you want to learn more. I know I certainly want to learn more about the power of prayer and how to apply it to my life.
That’s why I’m happy to announce the launch of a new online Bible Study, hosted by me and my fabulous friend Jennifer White. We recently finished hosting The 4:8 Principle Bible Study and it was amazing! Lives were changed. Relationships were restored. Forgiveness took place. Attitudes changed.
I can’t wait to see what God does in this next study.
Want to know the cool part?
Jennifer and I are actually co-hosts, as Jennifer Kennedy Dean, the author of Live a Praying Life: Open Your Life to God’s Power and Provision
, has agreed to join us in hosting the Bible Study. Exciting!
Dean’s book will make it easy to understand prayer—its purpose, process, practice, and promise as they look at prayer through God’s view—His Word.
If you want more detailed information on the study and what the book is about head on over to Jennifer’s recent post and check it out.
Here are the basics:
- Starts Monday, October 10th and goes for 13 weeks.
- Live a Praying Life Bible Study Group on Facebook (click the link and ask to be added). Jennifer, myself, or the author will post assignments, invite you to share from certain parts of the lesson, and more. Our posts will be viewed only by those in the private/closed group. Interaction is welcome, but not required.
There’s still time to order your book. This is a study you don’t want to miss. Get it here today!
Tell your freinds about it and invite them here to learn more.
Is there another Bible Study you recommend that would be great for our next study? Comment below…
by | Faith Lived Out
Yesterday I posted a prayer request on the blog for Baby Lily. Within a few hours, hundreds of you responded and took prayer action.
For anyone that is still in doubt about the power of prayer, read this note from Lily’s grandmother, Judy.
“I want you to know that in addition to the thousands of wonderful people praying for Lily that yesterday my granddaughter, Abby, (Lily’s older sister who is 15 now) stood in front of her church and told everyone Lily’s story. It just so happened that a man who travels the world and has a healing ministry was looking for a church to attend for a sunday service, and happened to land at Abby’s church.. He was so moved by her words he asked to speak to her .. He told her grandfather about his work for the Lord and said that he needed to see this beautiful little baby.. he arrived at the hospital at 6:00 pm.. he asked that we all join hands and started praying for her.. he wasn’t there long , he was a very humble man , he hugged us all and then left.. about 30 minutes later Lily started breathing 25 breaths per minute on her own… She hadn’t been able to breathe more than a few a day up and until that point.. Her beautiful little eyes that have been so swollen that she couldn’t open them if she had been able started to lose there puffiness and within an hour her eyes were wide open.. She has continued through the night to breath 25 breaths per minute and was awake again this morning looking straight at her mommy… Please remember this child is heavily sedated and there is no logical reason for her to even be able to stay awake…. I , we , believe we witnessed a true miracle last night.. We believe there was a healing.. Continued prayers are needed as she has a very long way to go.. Thank you Jesus… And thanks to all who pray for our little Lily ………”
Blessings to all
Judy (Lily’s grandmother)
Please continue to pray with me and hundreds of others as God continues to move mountains with Baby Lily. Copy and paste the following html code to add a Pray for Lily button on your website/blog.
<a href=”https://www.sundijo.com/prayers-for-lily/ ” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/dollyg01/prayforlily-1.jpg” alt=”Sundi Jo” border=”0″ /></a>
Don’t tell God how big your mountain is; tell your mountain how BIG your God is!
by | Faith Lived Out
I want to introduce you to a little girl who desperately needs your prayers.
Meet Lilly. She’s a newborn. Right now she is suffering.
From meningitis to strokes, doctor’s are giving her family no hope. Man is telling them that she will not survive. Medicine says “sorry, there is nothing more we can do.”
But God…
- Raised a dead man to life
- Parted the red sea
- Made manna fall from Heaven
- Fed 5,000 people with a loaf of bread and fish
Need I say more?
I haven’t ceased praying for this precious little girl and I am asking for your prayers as well.
Jesus said in Matthew 18:20,
“When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” MSG
God is still in control. God still takes action. Though I don’t know what His plans are, I am praying in faith that little Lily will show man they are wrong.
Will you pray with me?
Add this button on your blog or website to spread the word. Copy and paste the html code in the box below.
<a href=”https://www.sundijo.com/prayers-for-lily/ ” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m286/dollyg01/prayforlily-1.jpg” alt=”Sundi Jo” border=”0″ /></a>
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
I’ve been taking a World Religions class this semester and I thought I would be more excited about it than I am. I’m truly sick of hearing the word “religion” already. The more I hear the word, the more I flinch.
It has me wondering if that’s why so many people are turned off to Christianity. Do we as “Christians” make following Jesus look like a religion versus a relationship?
As a child I didn’t grow up in the church. I attended here and there, took part in some youth programs, but nothing that I remember changing my life.
What I do remember though is being told:
- I couldn’t wear those shorts
- I needed to talk with a whisper
- I needed to memorize the chapter names of the Bible
- I couldn’t use the word “hate”
- Gambling was a sin
I never remember being told:
- Jesus loves you
- God sent His only Son to die for you
- You don’t have to be ashamed of who you are because there is no shame in Christ Jesus
- Who I am in Christ
What I remember seeing:
- Partying with friends on Saturday and hearing them talk about attending church with their families on Sunday
- People walking into the local cafe with their “church clothes” on only to treat the staff rude while they gossiped about what “so and so” did the night before
I didn’t know then, but I know now, that I was seeing religion. I was seeing the outside of the cup clean and shiny, but the inside was full of greed and wickedness.
I can still see religion in myself. Especially when I find myself being judgmental. I’m not being a Christ Follower; I’m being a religious jerk!
I hate religion…
I love relationship…
I didn’t understand there was a difference in religion and Christianity until real Jesus followers sought me out and showed me what love (God’s love) was all about.
My goal is to be a Christ follower that doesn’t just try to keep my cup all nice and shiny on the outside while I’m dying on the inside. I did that long enough. My cup is dirty. My cup can by sloppy. My cup is cracked. And I couldn’t be happier, because when people see me, they see relationship; not religion.
What do you think we can start doing today to make being a follower of Jesus Christ look like something others want? Comment below…
by | Faith Lived Out
photo credit: jonathan.broderick (creative commons)
In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus does two things – separates the sheep from the goats. He places the sheep(righteous) on the right and the goats(unrighteous) on the left.
After commending the sheep for providing food and drink, shelter and clothing, they ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?”
Jesus, The King, replied “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Then there were the goats. Jesus’ first words to those on his left were not “Thanks for trying,” or “Did you just not see me?” No, his words were direct and to the point. “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”
There are two very different outcomes: eternal life and eternal punishment. Eternal, that’s a powerful word.
As I was reading this text on YouVersion, they asked some great questions that had me thinking.
- How would you treat people differently if you really saw Jesus in their face?
- What are some changes you could make in your lifestyle that would fall into the sheep category?
I am sure that we can all think of at least one person that could possibly be falling under the “least of these category”. What can we do to change that? Perhaps get to know their story. Invite them to dinner. Most importantly, pray for them. Ask God to show you what you can do for them.
How would your life be different if you were purposeful about spending time with those who are struggling?
Excited to see what God shows us.
Where are you right now? On the right or the left? Comment below…
