I have a relationship that I have been pursuing for a while, though not always with the intensity that I should. This relationship my heart longs and aches for. That relationship is my relationship with God. I have had many experiences with God over the years. I can honestly say that my life is so much richer and deeper because of my relationship with Him. I have gone through mountain top experiences and through times in the valley, I know that there is always a purpose for what we go through. I haven’t told many people but I have been suffering in constant pain for the last couple of weeks. It started even before that but it would just come and go in spurts. It’s funny but it feels like the more I press in and seek God, the more the pain comes on. I am not sure who all of my readers are but I know that there are some that will not know what to do with the information that I put in my blog. Namely, that I feel like it is a spiritual attack manifesting itself in my body. I know that God has healed me before and I know that He can, in-fact, do it again, but even if He doesn’t He is still God. I believe that all things work together for good for those that love God and are called according to His purpose. Each time that I have gone through something it has been used to help others. I believe this trial to be no different. With that said, I am pressing forward. I am not really sure why I wrote that part but maybe it is for someone who is going through something as well.

The one thing that I know is that I want more of God, not just this year but forever. I want to know Him more and become more like Him. I want to love as He loves and see as He sees. I am so insignificant in the grand scheme of things and what I want is not as important as the needs of the many that are hurting. It is time to rise up as a nation of believers and meet the needs of those that are lost. Some people just need you to listen, others may need to be fed or clothed, some need you to pull them out of the miry clay and set them on the firm foundation of our Lord Jesus. There is so much that we can all do, the problem is that we look at the world and think, but the need is so great and there is no way I can possibly meet all those needs. You’re right, you can’t, but we can! There are many members of this body of Christ, I don’t care what denomination that you attend or what you feel your personal hindrances are. The fact is that we can all be used by God. There is a quote written by Charles Baudelaire that I once heard in a movie, which stated “The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” Man, this is so true. Today we have so many people running around believing that the devil doesn’t exist so in their minds, if he doesn’t exist and there is no punishment for sin, then maybe God doesn’t exist. This is a sad commentary on our times. Without God, there is no hope, without hope there is depravity, and with depravity there is gate that leads straight to hell and totally way from the presence of God.  

I’m sorry folks, I know that I try to always be encouraging and upbeat but you must understand that we are standing in the midst of a lost and dying world and some of the people that we love the most are falling to the wayside because we will not take the time to bend down and pick them up. There will always be those that will continue down the path that they have chosen and there is nothing that you can do about that, just pray for them and move on. I am encouraging you, however, to reach out to those who want and need your hand, your ear or your shoulder. You will find that there is more of those that really want someone to care than those that don’t. Let me encourage you today to be the person that will change your surroundings. Start by buying a cup of coffee for someone you work with. Look for opportunities to minister. To minister is to tend to the wants and needs of others. It doesn’t take much to impact someone’s life. He has lined you up perfectly in people lives so that you can reach someone that others never could. God has called each of us to that role. So, will you step out and take hold of the role that He has called you to fill? Will you begin today to change the world around you?