It’s You Not Me

 

It’s You Not Me

Acts 1: ⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because the whole world is hearing about your faith. ⁹ God is my witness that what I say is true—the God whom I serve with all my heart by preaching the Good News about his Son. God knows that I remember you ¹⁰ every time I pray. I ask that God in his good will may at last make it possible for me to visit you now. ¹¹ For I want very much to see you, in order to share a spiritual blessing with you to make you strong. ¹² What I mean is that both you and I will be helped at the same time, you by my faith and I by yours.

 

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Another year had past without a source of sustainable income, yet we were taken care of. As Christmas rolled around, I remember instructing the family to bake gifts and write letters of thanks. But deep down I had a question. “What about me?” Would I have to go another year trying to make things work?

 

• There have been times when I had become too weary to think of others.
• There have been times when I had become too beat up to pray for others.
• There have been times when I had become too weak to see that other people had needs.

 

Paul had been through a lot. He had been chased, jailed, shipwrecked, beaten and bitten by a poisonous snake. GOD sustained him through all the hardship. Paul became more thankful and so he starts off his letter by thanking GOD through JESUS for people.

 

• GOD wants me to see a way out of the situation is to be thankful.
• GOD wants me to put aside the situation for moments of praise to HIM.
• GOD wants me to be excited about people enough to include them in my prayers.

 

Thinking of others is hard when I am distracted by the enemy. I mean, the worries of the world prevent me from seeing others in need. BUT GOD loves when I see what HE sees, even if it is only for a moment. When I have needs and I can still see other people have needs, then GOD is excited.

 

HE accepts my prayers as I intercede for others. HE loves when I stand in the gap for the weak and helpless, especially when I am one of them. GOD loves when I have “you” type thinking. I am grateful for you and I hope GOD pours out HIS blessings on you and me.

 

• Are you busy thinking about yourself?
• Do you think you should get “your” way but have forgotten other people have needs?
• Will you gain strength over the situation by praying to GOD that JESUS comes into the lives of those around you today?