Guest Post - Inconvenienced... by Charity

A few posts ago I wrote about my brother and his family here. His wife Charity wrote the following post and she allowed me to share on my blog.   When I read this post I was so convicted. I have thought about it all week. How many times have I missed God, because I was to busy, too focused on my to do list, worrying about little ol' me, looking where I was headed or just plain out wasn't paying attention?  I will be honest and tell you, when my agenda or my plan for the day is the least bit off, I tend to get irritated, and inconvenience comes with a price, and sometimes the cost is too high. I would like to say that I have become more aware of those that are around me this week, I mean I have more so than usual, but not as much as I should. This sentence really hits me..... "The moments where we can be "Jesus with skin on" to someone in need are all around us.  Inconvenienced... Posted: 27 Apr 2012 10:54 AM PDT Post #3 in a week. I'm on a roll now! ;D I've been thinking about something I heard last fall at our District Women's Conference. The special speaker shared a statement that has been bouncing around in my head for over 6 months now. She said..."We are only limited by our willingness to be inconvenienced." Are we willing to be inconvenienced by the Holy Spirit? Are we willing to take time out of our day to do what He is leading us to do? Are we willing to listen and obey? We have had this opportunity presented twice in the last week. The first time was on Sunday, after a wonderful church service and delicious pot-luck with the church family. We were heading down the mountain still dressed in our Sunday clothes and we passed an older couple with their three grandchildren stopped on the side of the mountain attempting to change a tire. Scott quickly turned around and we headed back to help them. They had tried to call AAA, but could get no service that high on the mountain. The older gentleman was having trouble finding the jack and once Scott began trying to loosen the lug nuts, we both realized this gentleman would have never been able to loosen them on his own. Scott was fighting with them pretty hard. Within 15 minutes, Scott was done and we were preparing to head on down the mountain. Before we could leave, they insisted we take money from them. It was such a sweet surprise as we expected nothing in return. It was one of those moments when God spoke to Scott's heart and in obedience he responded...yes. Yesterday, we experienced the second opportunity. We were sitting in a Wendy's in Asheville eating a late lunch and as we sat there, I observed a young woman sitting by herself alternating between texting and making calls on her phone. Eventually she moved to the counter, and I listened as she asked where the closest bus stop was located. The ladies told her it was downtown. And to top it off, it was pouring rain. I began feeling the Holy Spirit's tug on my heart, the whispered words of..."Are you willing to be inconvenienced?" If that were not enough, Christian music was playing throughout the restaurant and at that very moment one of my favorites, Francesca Battistelli's "It's Your Life" began to play. The lyrics pounded in my head as I sat there weighing my options, knowing there was only one. This is the moment It’s on the line Which way you gonna fall? In the middle between Wrong and right But you know after all It’s your life What you gonna do? The world is watching you Every day the choices you make Say what you are and who Your heart beats for It’s an open door It’s your life Are you who you always said you would be? With a sinking feeling in your chest Always waiting for someone else to fix you Tell me when did you forget To live the way that you believe This is your opportunity To let your life be one that lights the way What else could we do? So I looked at Scott and said, "Find out if she needs a ride." He immediately knew what was going on inside of me and walked over to her. She did need a ride to the bus station and we were ready when she was.  The ironic thing was...two other people came up and offered her a ride during this time. It reminded me of the Scripture in Esther where she is facing life or death as she prepares to go before the king. Mordecai simply reminds her... "For if you remain silent at this time,  relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place,  but you and your father’s family will perish.  And who knows but that you have come to royal position  for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 Had I not been obedient, God had a plan in place to take care of this young woman, but He wanted to use me and He wanted my obedience. We drove her the few miles to the bus station and told her just a little about our family as she shared about her little girl and showed us her beautiful picture.  We gave her our prayer card and told her to keep in touch. She promised she would and while I was typing this blog, not 3 hours later, she emailed us. She thanked us for the ride, wished us well on our journey to Venezuela, told us of how she would like to come and visit our church one day, and requested our prayers for her and her family. Of course, we will pray for her!  God asked us to be a part of an opportunity that He presented to bless another and we said yes.  I am ashamed to say we haven't always said yes. I'm not really sure how many times God has spoken to our hearts and we have either not heard him, or worse, ignored His promptings. I don't share these two stories to pat ourselves on the back or brag about what we are "doing for God." I share because I can't help but tell you what God is teaching me...us on this journey.  The moments where we can be "Jesus with skin on" to someone in need are all around us.  Are we willing to open our eyes to those opportunities...to be blessed beyond measure when we see how God can use us to minister to others? The first couple was able to bless us back, the second young lady...well, we got to bless her without strings attached. And in the process, God blessed us with the the knowledge that...this time, we listened to His still small voice and were willing to be inconvenienced for Him! “Then the King will say to those on his right,  ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father;  take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you  since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,  I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,  I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me,  I was sick and you looked after me,  I was in prison and you came to visit me.’    “Then the righteous will answer him,  ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,  or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in,  or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’     “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth,  whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,  you did for me.’ Matthew 25:34-40 Visit http://thevenezuelanvoice.blogspot.com/ to learn more about their Journey! God is good!

CONTENT: Who is Sitting on the Throne of My Heart?

Self: a person or thing referred to with respect to complete individuality:

Selfish: devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.

Deny oneself: to refrain from satisfying one's desires or needs; practice self-denial.

In a lesson that my husband was teaching to the children at church last night, he asked this question~

Who sits on the throne of your heart, Jesus or Self?

He proceeded to explain that “self” is……

a rebel

always selfish

easily offended

full of pride

thinking everyone else is wrong

going against what authority says

thinking of others before myself

Me, me me me 

When he first asked the question I thought, well Jesus sits on the throne of my heart. (uh, pride!) But, as he explained each thing that “self” is, I realized that “self” was sitting there most of the time. The more the lesson went on, the more I realized that I allow “self” to reign in my heart and rule the things in my life more than I do Christ. It's no wonder things in my life are a MESS!!! No wonder I have a hard time with being CONTENT!

Oh, I pray, read my Bible, learn scripture, go to church, Bible study, etc …..

But when I think of that list of what “self is”

I do rebel…. I am not always obedient to God’s word or what He calls me to do

I am selfish.... I like to control things… I can’t understand for the life of me, why some  people can’t act right??? (I know there are many of you that never feel that way)

I am offended when certain people don’t respond the way I think they should (see that I?)

I am prideful…. Just thinking that Christ sits on the throne of my heart is proof enough.

I don’t always put others before me…. I want to do things when I want, not at the expense of my time and I definitely don’t want to have to go out of my way (more & more I’s)

GUILTY GUILTY GUILTY of “SELF” trying to rule in my life.  

Soooooo… what am I going to do about it???

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24

Now, I have heard this verse over & over. Our pastors have said it many many times. So it isn’t like I have heard it for the first time……

But you know how scripture can speak to you one way today and then in a different way the next time you read it. Don’t you LOVE how God’s word is ALIVE and how it can become ACTIVE if we will let it?

Deny oneself: to refrain from satisfying one's desires or needs; practice self-denial.

I need to learn how to say “NO” to self and not give in to it, no matter if it’s a prideful thought, a desire, a selfish act and say “YES” to allowing Christ to rule in every situation.

Take up my cross: Choose God’s will over my own. Christ was a servant and I am to strive to be more like Him so I should continually work towards having a servant’s heart.

I was reminded of this verse

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Matthew 6:24

Do I want “Self” or “Christ” to sit on the throne of my heart? Because they definitely cannot rule together.

Of course I want Christ, so that I may experience true JOY & PEACE in my life. 

JOY + PEACE = CONTENT!!

Things that I can do to put Christ in HIS rightful place:

Be obedient to His Word.

Set aside time each day to pray and dig into God's Word. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING!

Not only learn scripture, but know it and BELIEVE it!!

Pray for God to change my heart towards those that I have a hard time with.

Do right.

Honor God in all I say and do.

Let God lead and guide me in all I do.

Rejoice in the Lord ALWAY!

So, who is sitting on the throne of your heart?

Thankful Thursday

In my quest to be CONTENT, there are times that life just drags me down and I allow my focus to be everywhere but on Jesus. I am so thankful that as a child of God, I can stop in the midst of all my trouble and turn to Jesus. He is there with his arms spread wide, just waiting on me!

Thank you Jesus for your faithfulness and that I can turn to you no matter what I am going through!

Praise His Holy Name!! Show me Your GLORY!!!

Do you know He is there waiting for you to turn to Him as well??

Love is .... Day 2

In my last post I mentioned getting my priorities in the right order, as God would have them to be. My first priority is my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I must do all that I can to be in His will. The only way that I can draw closer to Him is to get into His Word, hide His Word in my heart, talk with him throughout my day,  live each day to praise Him,  to bring honor and glory to His Name. 

Just last week our Women's Bible Study began and it is exactly what I need right now!! We are doing

By Beth Moore

So far I am seeing what God has and wants for me. I have some issues/struggles and most have been  revealed by past Bible studies and for some reason, I am still battling some of the same ol' junk!!! (I may share them one day). I am sick of it! I want to get well!! I want to live the abundant life that Jesus came to give me!! Please pray for me as dig into His word, and focus on what He wants for me. I want to keep HIM on top of my priority list, and as I do, He will get the glory in the rest of my priorities. 

from Believing God:

God is who he says He is.

God can do what He says He can do.

I am who God says I am.

I can do all things through Christ.

God's Word is alive and active in me.

I'm believing God!!