Thanks for the Chance

 

Thanks for the Chance

Philippians 4: ¹⁴ Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. ¹⁵ Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. ¹⁷ Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

 

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With no job, no connections and no money, I interviewed with one company. I did not know how to interview and I wore a suit from my high school graduation, even though I was now leaving college. Against all odds, the recruiter took a chance on me.

 

• I was thankful!
• I was excited!
• I was grateful and humbled that someone took a chance on me.

 

Paul looked back on the long hard road he took. In the beginning of his ministry, Paul gave up his material wealth to go from place to place preaching the Gospel. No one wanted to help him being an ex-Pharisee. But one group of people took a chance and supported him with more than money.

 

My Observations

• GOD wants HIS SON to be known to humans.
• Opposition to spreading the Gospel should be expected.
• GOD provides support from people who share in HIS desire to spread the Gospel.

 

Having a burden for those in need is nice, BUT GOD wants more. I mean, HE wants salvation for all humans. Doing all that it takes to ensure GOD’s message is heard can bring on a great deal of prayer. Opposition to GOD’s very existence, coupled with greedy, power hungry humans, makes it seem impossible for anyone to believe the Good News about JESUS. But it happens.

 

JESUS decided to take a chance on humanity by becoming a human, living a sinless life, allowing HIS creation to murder HIM and being raised from the dead. HIS resurrection gave me a second chance because my sin doomed me to die for all eternity. I am grateful JESUS did all that for me and I am also grateful for those who supported me spreading the Gospel.

 

Challenge

• Can you feel the writer’s gratitude?
• Has GOD called you to start out on a ministry and you don’t have any means to do so?
• Will you start out with thankfulness and pursue being led by the HOLY SPIRIT in spreading the Gospel anyway today?

 

Prayer

Dear LORD, please provide for those who seek spreading the Great News about JESUS. Help the reader know his or her purpose in YOU today. amen

Decisions

Luke 8: ²² Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples. And He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they launched out. ²³ But as they sailed He fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy. ²⁴ And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”

Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm. ²⁵ But He said to them, “Where is your faith?”

And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be? For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!”

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With sheets of rain pounding against the car I gripped the steering wheel in anguish. “LORD what should I do?” I said. Through the extremely poor visibility I could see the flashing lights of people who had pulled over. “Keep going” were the strange words I could hear. “YOU are kidding!” I thought, but I obeyed. About a five miles later it wasn’t raining at all.

• There were times when the storm seemed so big that I felt I would never make it out.
• There were times when the winds of life hit hard and it seemed like there would never ba an end.
• There were times when the torrents of problems flooded my life.

JESUS was asleep when a huge storm hit as they were crossing a lake. This was a big problem as it seemed like there was no escape. Water beneath and water falling from the sky meant there was no place to go. JESUS rebuked the wind, then asked “Where is your faith?”

• JESUS wants me to base my decisions on HIS protections.
• JESUS wants me to base my decisions on faith not on what I currently see.
• JESUS wants me to base my decisions on HIS promises to be with me always rather than what I am currently worried about.

Deciding to follow GOD seems difficult at times. I mean the problems of life can sometimes present themselves as huge and out of control. BUT GOD says something different. HE says “I AM in control of the largest storm, I can certainly handle any problem you face.” GOD wants me to go through the storm and come out the other side with faith.

• Does the storm you are facing seem huge and out of control?
• Does it seem like there is no way out of the storm?
• Can you place your trust in GOD and decide to have faith in HIS wonderful plan HE has for you today?

Starting the Journey

Nehemiah 2: ¹⁷ Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” ¹⁸ I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.

They replied, “Let us start rebuilding.” So they began this good work.

  

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After the interview I received confirmation that I had done well and they were “thinking” about bringing me on board. Within three days the offer went from VP to AVP to Senior Director in a midst of confusion. The organization was not organized. I realized I no longer fit in this world.

I had a friend say to me, “You have to do something.” As I studied the lay of the land I wondered what excited me. “Helping people grow” came to mind, but how do I do it? After months of prayer and a year of doing resumes for people, GOD gave me a vision that was much larger than me. No, it wasn’t a Hollywood flashback vision, but a well thought out idea.

It was huge and scary and my resources were few. “Where do I start?” was my question.

·         Sometimes GOD has a plan that seems much bigger than I can ever imagine.

·         Sometimes GOD has a plan that seems too big for me and what I can bring to the table.

·         Sometimes GOD has a plan that seems impossible so why even try.

Nervous about where all of this was going, I tried to limit GOD’s vision and so did everyone around me. I was presented with the worries of the world almost daily. It seemed like bad news kept coming out of the cracks. BUT GOD was there to patch the holes.

·         GOD said to me “Take the first step on the journey and I will make your path straight.”

·         GOD said to me “Keep going and I will bless you as I always have.”

·         GOD said to me “I am with you even unto the end of this age.”

My pride and fear had to go out the window if I was going to follow HIS plan. I took a deep breath and started by taking the first step.

·         Are you afraid to do something big?

·         Is your journey small because you are limiting GOD?

·         Can you stop limiting GOD and ask HIM to make your path straight?