Are we willing to be martyrs?

MARTYR- the original word comes from Greek martus, martur, meaning witness.

Are we living as martyrs each day?
No matter what our state in life, each one of us is called to drop but a pebble of faith into the waters of God's creation.

One small act of kindness in Jesus' Name through the power of the Holy Spirit creates a ripple effect of which only God knows the depths.

Father, I thank you for this day and for the opportunities You give me to practice my faith. I ask that You help me WITNESS to at least one person today to REVEAL my faith. I ask that You help me BLESS at least one person today to keep me AWARE of my faith, and I ask that You help me to be GENEROUS to at least one person today so I can PRACTICE my faith. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen!

ALL or nothing

Why do we keep going downtown week after week, month after month?

When the Holy Spirit compells us to serve HIM, we obey!
Now, if I could just do this ALL the time! I guess that means I need to continue "practicing" my faith daily until it's perfect, and it won't be perfect until I am with Jesus in heaven.


What is our number one call in this life according to Jesus?



"To love God with ALL our heart, with ALL our soul, with ALL our mind

AND

to love our neighbor as ourself." Matthew 22:37


Easy, straightforward command, right? So, then why do we make it so hard??


The ALL and the AND in Jesus' words are MONUMENTAL. I am continually awed by the power of God's Holy Spirit in scripture! One small word by His Holy Spirit can change, has changed and continues to change my life, as I'm sure it does yours.


The other day my children and I were talking about praying as they read the Bible - that the words are living and how important it is to ask the Holy Spirit what He wants them to hear from His word. We can read an entire chapter in the Gospel or other book from which God will show us just a phrase. In reply, my son yelled out, "or just one word!" Praise God for His Spirit through our children!


Later that day I was meditating on the above scripture and God did speak just one word to me-
One powerful word - ALL.

3 little letters with such a HUGE message I am compelled to share.



He doesn't want just part of us, or to just give us a partial blessing. He wants to bless us in ALL our ways. He then poured out to me numerous other scriptures where He tells us this very message.

"I will bless the Lord at ALL times, His praise shall ever be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1

"I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

"More than that, I count ALL things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of ALL things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ..."Phil 3:8

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart... in ALL your ways acknowledge Him." Proverbs 3:5-

"ALL things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28


Do we want His ALL? Do we want to live His command in order to receive it?
Obviously, we can't do anything to earn His love. He loves us the same today, tomorrow and always, BUT we are commanded to act out our faith in love.

As Christ said to his disciples, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38


The world tells us we can have it all, but the world isn't talking about the same all as God's ALL. God's ALL will bless us more and cost us much more.

How much? ALL our heart, ALL our soul and ALL our mind - for God AND our neighbor.

This includes our enemies, those who curse us, those who think differently, act differently, dress differently, smell differently, vote differently, and worship differently.

It's impossible for us but truly possible for God through us if we call upon His Holy Spirit to guide the way.

Are we ready? Call on the Holy Spirit who is ALLways there to enlighten us.

Oh, Heavenly Father, I thank you for the Gift of Jesus. I thank you for the Gift of Your Holy Spirit. Oh, Holy Spirit, I give you permission this very moment to operate in my life. I give you permission to move me and change me according to Your Will. I surrender my will to Your Will. Your Will be done!
I ask you, Holy Spirit, to empower me to do Your Will. Holy Spirit, You are the Lord and Giver of Life. You are my Enabler! My Guardian! My Advocate! My Teacher! My Counselor! And my Sanctifier!
I ask that you inspire me through all of your precious gifts: The Gift of Wisdom, the Gift of Understanding, the Gift of Counsel, the Gift of Fortitude, the Gift of Knowledge, the Gift of Piety and the Gift of the Fear of the Lord.
I ask that you would reveal Your truth to me, that You would annoint me to proclaim Jesus through my words and by my actions, that You would direct me, teach me, enlighten me, reside in me, fellowship with me and renew me as well as convict me of my sin.
I ask this that I might bear fruit of Your Presence in my life: the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faith, gentleness, and self-control.
I thank you Father for Gift of Gifts...Your Holy Spirit.
I give you all the praise, all the honor, all the glory for this most precious gift.
I ask all of this and thank you for it in the most wonderful name of Your Son, Jesus!

AMEN!

Mission prayers

Each week I receive this prayer chain from DeGage Ministries, one of the homeless shelters in downtown Grand Rapids and will now post here.
If you are so inclined, please pray for the intentions and how/if God wants you to help.
There are so many opportunities to serve our Lord Jesus - all require action, be it praying, providing materials or services or funds.

Above all - PRAY

DEGAGE PRAYER LETTER
October 19-23, 2009

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:24

• Please pray for Charles. He is an older patron who has diabetes and has been homeless for a year. With the cold winter months approaching, he needs safe housing. Pray that he will set priorities and goals and accept the help that is being offered to him.

• Please pray for Ricky who is working on recovering from addiction but is finding it hard in his current environment. Pray that God will give him strength, perseverance, and people to encourage him.

• Please pray for Elly, the daughter of a volunteer. She is 25 years old and battling an aggressive form of breast cancer.

• Next week we celebrate the 9th anniversary of the Life Enrichment Center! We praise God for the way He has provided and grown the program. May we continue to be open to His calling and may the program impact many more lives!

• Next week we also celebrate the 6th anniversary of the Open Door Women’s Drop-In Center. We are thankful we have been able to welcome over 1,060 women since opening! May God bless the program, staff and women that utilize the Open Door.

• We praise God Zach was able to get a new scooter to help him get around!

• We give thanks with and for Wayne that he has an ongoing job and we pray it will prove to be permanent.

• Travis wants us to pray that he finds help to repair his car. He needs transportation getting to and from work and buying necessities including diapers for his child.

• Alfred is stranded here and staying at a shelter because his passport was stolen. We pray for speedy processing of traveling papers so he can return home to Kenya.

prayers

Praise God for His presence in us all. We humbly thank Him for His never-ending mercy, patience and Divine love. As He gives to us, we share with others.

Please pray for B who is struggling with alcohol addiction. He loves the Lord Jesus, but is finding it extremely difficult to stay sober. Pray that He truts in God and seeks treatment for full physical/spiritual healing.

Pray for V who recently moved and has many long-term emotional problems that the peace of Christ will come upon her and that she will accept Christ as her Savior and not just another good person.

Pray for M who continues to seek employment and housing. After having his backpack stolen again, he is waiting for new ID that will allow him to get further assistance.

Many get their backpacks stolen, which contain all their personal belongings.
Pray for protection for them - that God's holy angels would surround them and keep them free from evil.

Pray that the full truth of our Lord Jesus Christ continues to be spoken in love through pastors that visit the missions. So many are longing for hope in the Lord. Sometimes our neighbors in the missions get conflicting accounts of who Jesus really is. Is He angry at me? Is He real?, etc...

Pray for all those who are hungry that they will get their "daily bread" and for those who have their daily bread that they will hunger for Christ.

Give praise to our Lord for all the hearts and hands of those who serve with their time, talents and treasures for all those we meet on the streets and beyond.
Our God is an awesome God!!