Hello friends!
It's midnight Florida time and I'm here writing as The Cosby Show plays in the background and my man sits beside me reading his book. I'm feeling slighty sick from the many milk duds I've eaten but hey! Gotta love vacation!
Yesterday at Borders right before our interesting encounter I was looking through a book called "23 minutes in Hell" by Bill Wiese. Wiese says he actually experienced the terrors and hopelessness of the literal Hell for a short time. He described his experience in great detail.
Reading it made me think about those who do not know Jesus. Obviously I don't know exactly what Hell will be like but based on the Bible, it is going to be more horrible than we could possibly imagine and it makes me so sad.
Right now my Bible study group and I are studying "Daniel" by Beth Moore. Today's session was about the end times. So I was reading about what may be to come and I was thinking about Wiese's book and honestly I was feeling fearful of the possibility of tribulation and totally overwhelmed for those who do not know Jesus.
I was sharing with Clint and he basically said "Jami, fear is not from God so cut it out." I've got a good man, don't I! Actually he said it a little nicer but that was the general gist of it! Needless to say I got the point.
Then the Lord starting talking to me and this is basically what He said. Jami, don't be overwhelmed. No you can't reach every single person in the world BUT if you listen to me and obey me, I will give you opportunities to share about me. I will bring people into your everyday life - just be willing to tell them who I am and how much I love them. Be sensitive to my Spirit and say YES to me everyday; I will do the rest!
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I love how the Lord breaks it down for me!
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In my fearful state, I was feeling what author and speaker Bill Perkins calls "compassion fatigue." The thought of so many unsaved people was such an overwhelming thought that I simply wanted to stop thinking about it, thereby doing nothing.
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I thought of adoption too. There are SO many orphans who need loving families that it hurts to care about them BUT God calls us to care. In whatever way He asks us.
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Lord help me to listen to you everyday and say Yes to you. Help me to be soft, pliable, vulnerable, and useful for You. It is my deepest desire that You would be glorified in my life and that others would see YOU in me. I am overwhelmed by Your love!!
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Today - God has a specific plan for each of us. I wonder what He's going to do in your life - who He is going to put in your path.
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Let's ask Him to show Himself to us today! Let's commit to saying Yes to Him and let's resolve to care about others.
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Will you?
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I believe it's going to be an exciting day!!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Today is going to be a great day!
Labels: life lessons
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8 comments:
Jami - I live with an unbeliever, imagine for a moment what that is like. My heart aches and it easily brings tears to my ears, b/c he just doesn't get it and laughs at me when I talk about Jesus. But what can I do? I don't want to push him b/c I don't want to turn him off to it. I try to live my faith out before him and often I cry out to God where are you? It is the hardest thing I have encountered in my life and to some degree I have to keep myself distant otherwise I can't bear the pain. A good lesson for those who are getting married but forgot Jesus. My heart aches for unbelievers b/c of everything you mentioned. I try to find ways everyday in my encounters with nonbelievers to weave Jesus into conversation. Everyone who knows me, knows that I am sold out for Him and I'm gonna talk about it.
I hope to be able to do the "daniel" study this summer. Lately my interests have been peaked with what's going on in the world. See "my dream" at my blog. I firmly believe we as Christians will enter into the Tribulation and that is not something I had ever been taught or thought about. It literally changed my thoughts and I couldn't stop reading about it, studing the scripures, and thinking about that profound revelation. It certainly has changed how diligent I am about speaking about Jesus. It is what I think about everywhere I go.
Great Post!!!
that is eyes....not ears!!
Taylor thanks for sharing so honestly. I truly can't imagine how hard it is for you. I love you and am so thankful that you joined our family! I believe God is going to use you. Keep standing strong my dear friend!
I think there are a lot of people battling fear right now with the economy and the present state of the world... and definitely christians too, with those same kind of thoughts as we get closer to the Day of the Lord every moment. A lot could be said or written concerning this for sure. Thanks for sharing your heart in such an open and honest way : )
I agree, great post! I have only done one Beth Moore study and it was the Daniel study. Wow, it was amazing. My head hurt after each lesson.
Taylor, I am praying for you. Please don't give up! God is always at work even when we don't see the "fruits" right away or in the time we want to.
Thank you for the prayers and encouragement Jami and Leah - It means a whole bunch!
ahh 23 minutes in hell...now that was a great book that inspired me to do all that I can to share the gospel with those who don't know the truth. Its tough cause you can only take someone so far...you can't make them walk thru the door!! Ive got a friend here (my neighbor) whom I love dearly and have talked with about her salvation many many times....I feel that all I can do now is pray and be that example and know that God will do the rest.
Kevin just talked about fear in church yesterday. He said something to the effect of: If we focus on yesterday's burdens or tomorrows fears we loose out on the joy of today. He also related how Jesus knew what was coming, if he had focused on how he was going to die, he wouldn't have been able to live in the joy of the moment.
Good stuff!
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