how do I see myself

What does God see when he looks at you? When he looks at a person who has repented and has accepted salvation, he sees the blood of Jesus. He sees His child.

So many times, we focus on what we see in the natural. We are the ones who see all our own faults and shortcomings. We are the ones who remember  our past sins and mistakes. We are reminded by the scars and wounds we carry with us. We sometimes think  that is all God sees in us. We think He is busy looking for reasons why we aren't  good enough or unworthy. Yet, in truth, He has already taken all that for himself, forgave it and removed it as far as the east is from the west. He will remember  no more.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalms 103:12 KJV

He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:19 KJV

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.
Hebrews 10:17 KJV

We are often defeating ourselves by looking at ourselves, not as children of God Almighty, but as sinful and broken. Jesus died for us and when we called out His name in repentance, He applied His blood over us, washed us clean and removed the sins. He covers us so that we are seen by God as pure and righteous and holy.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV

In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Colossians 1:14 KJV

In Exodus, we can read how God instructed the Israelites to take the blood of the lamb and strike it upon the posts of the door. He would see the blood and pass over them. He would not bring judgement upon that house with the blood visible and covering them.  This foreshadows the grace we would receive through the blood of Jesus.

And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
Exodus 12:13 KJV

Jesus shed His blood for the same purpose,  to cover us and redeem us from  sin. We are then covered. God sees the blood of His Son when He looks  on us. That tells me that he doesn't  see us as broken, sinful, and lost. He sees us as precious, blood-bought, pure and holy. We need to understand that by the blood of Jesus, we can stand in righteousness, walk in holiness, and declare that we are freedom from sin and shame. We are no longer who we thought we were, we are now children of the Most High. We are forgiven and redeemed. We have a new identity in Christ and are no longer subject to the old nature in which we were trapped. We are now born into the Kingdom of God. When we get that revelation of who we really are, how God sees us, we can begin to look different, act differently, speak differently,  live differently.  We should see ourselves as God sees us. Change how we look at ourselves. Stop dwelling on the faults, and perceived weaknesses and begin to walk as children of God.

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 2:2‭-‬6 KJV

We can put away the  old things and we are made new. We can walk as we now are: new creatures in Christ.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV

God sees His child. See yourself  through His eyes.

most precious gift

This weekend I got to go visit my hometown in Arkansas and while making that long drive I thought about a lot of things. I thought about the bookmark my dad had given me when I was young with a special verse on it. It said, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches." (Proverbs 22:1 ) I also thought it about when I was very small and I would like to say the "Lord is my shepherd I shall not want," when I was in church.(Psalms 23:1) I thought about how my parents taught us to read the word of God, not just by telling us to, but by reading it themselves. They showed us that the word of God was precious. They made sure we each had our own Bible to read. They made sure that we had a good church that taught us the word of God. They also tried to live the word of God in our home and in their daily lives. I understand that they wanted us to know the word of God and plant it in our hearts. They gave me a precious gift that would help me my whole life.

As I have grown older I have desired more of the word of God. I read it more everyday than I did before. The word of God is very precious and we need it in our lives. The word of God is how he speaks to his people and to this world. We learn who God is and what his character is like when we read his word. The word of God gives us access to God and helps us understand more of him and more of what he intends us to be. Without his word we do not know him. Without his word we cannot understand that he loves us and that he has our best interests at heart. Without his word we cannot know God for ourselves. Without his word we are lost and dying and don't know it. Without his word we have no salvation and no hope.

When we begin to pour ourselves into reading the word of God, into understanding the word of God, and into finding out who God is based on what he spoke to this world, we begin to change. We change more into what he created us to be. When we understand God and his plan for us, we begin to become more like him. We are changed into his likeness and into His Image as we are filled with his word and with his spirit that comes from the reading of his word. His word permeates our lives and changes everything about us when we allow his word to become truth and life to us. We grow in faith when we read His word.
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17 KJV

The word of God is truth and we need to accept it, learn it and cherish it.

And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV

Jesus said we are blessed to hear the Word and to obey it.

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
Luke 11:28 NIV

We should not just read it, but strive to obey it and live it completely everyday.
We should find God in His word so we will recognize His voice, know His will for our lives, and have intimate knowledge of God for ourselves.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 NIV

He will work in us and change our hearts and attitudes to reflect Him more and be less of our sinful selves. He does the work as His word fills us with knowledge of His perfect will.


Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
Proverbs 23:12 NIV

So as I look back, one of the most precious gifts I have received is the word of God. I want to carry it in my heart and live it thoroughly.  I hope that verse on my bookmark holds true. I want to have a good name, or reputation, that when others think of me, they think of someone who loves God, who is reflecting God, and who lives by His word. I hope my children learn from me, that the word of God is precious and they fall in love with it. I want them to seek God by reading His word and be eager to find more of Him. So as Valentine's Day is this week, my husband  and I bought our children new Bibles. What better gift to receive on a day celebrating love, than the ultimate love story.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

in service or at a service

I was sick one Sunday and had to miss church. When my husband got home I asked, “How was the service?”  He, of course, replied and told me it was good and what had occurred.  As I was thinking about it, I thought about the question I had asked and what service really means as a Christian.  It struck me that the church has become very concerned with the service but not with being in service to God.   We often fuss and worry over how a service will go.  Should that be our main goal? 

A service, or meeting together, to worship God, encourage one another, lift up the body of Christ, etc. while very important, should not be our sole concern.  I do believe we should come together and we should bring our best to present to the Lord. We should be prepared for worship and for the edifying of the body, but our service is not just to gather once or  twice a week.  Our main service for God should be our daily witness and how we live.

We are to be in service (verb), in action for God, not just showing up for a service, (noun).  We are to be doers of the word and not hearers only. We are to be busy for the kingdom of God, not just a bystander or partaker in the blessings. We are to be living our daily lives in a manner that glorifies God. We are to be studying to show ourselves approved, rightly dividing the word (2 Timothy 2:15); praying without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17); and fasting (Matthew 17:21) to bring our flesh under subjection. We have a command to go forth and preach the gospel.  We are to love one another.(I John 4:7-8) We are to be obedient to the Word of God. We are to let it permeate our daily lives, inside out and upside down. We are to be completely and fully given to God.

Service means we are being used and useful. Service means we are providing and supplying aids or services, not just attending a religious occasion.   My husband was in the military, or as many describe it, in the service. While in the service, he was required to live, eat and breath being a Marine. He entered the service and was stripped of all personal identity, then retrained to provide service without delay, without hesitation, when told. He followed orders daily, from the time he woke up, to the time he laid down, his sole purpose was to obey the orders given. He was completely given to the service of the country. He did not show up once a week to a duty, but he was daily involved in providing for the protection of the country. He was in service, not just attending a service.

Spiritually, we are to be in service, not just at a service. Daily, we are to serve the Lord with gladness, come before His presence with singing (Psalm 100:2) , from the time we wake, until the time we lay to rest. We are to be about the business of serving God by our actions, our thoughts, our words, our deeds. (Colossians 3:17) We are to be speaking life into those around us. We are to be calling on the name of the Lord for healing and deliverance for those who have need. We are to see the hurting and the wounded and act on their behalf. We are to be the body of Christ reaching the dying and lost. We are to speak the word of God and bring hope to this world. We are to serve and love others. (Mark 16:15)

Yes, that even means when we come together for a service. Yes, we are not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. (Hebrews 10:25) We are to come together with our brothers and sisters in Christ so we can edify one another, lift up the name of Christ and find strength to continue in service. We are to come together to pray and bear one another’s burdens. (Galatians 6:2) We are to come together and worship the Lord.
This should just be a part of our service, not our only service.

So, I guess from now on, I will need to ask, not "How was the service?" but, "How did I serve today?" Did I serve God or anyone else today?  Did I obey God and do His commands?  Did I provide and serve for the needs of others? Was I the hands and feet of God reaching for the lost?  Did my words, deeds and thoughts bring glory to my God?

Lord help me to be in service for you and not just at a service.  Help me be completely devoted and given to your service, daily. Permeate my being and use me for your Kingdom.

even when it seems worse

I was reading through Exodus and I realized a great important lesson. As Moses went to Egypt to obey the Lord and lead the Israelites out, some interesting things happened. He was sent by God after an experience of talking to God in a burning bush. God gave him direction and specific guidance in what he was to say and do. He explained that the deliverance of Israel was going to be a process that not only brought deliverance, but also brought punishment to Egypt for wickedness.

Moses went to Egypt and presented himself to Pharaoh with the request of letting the Israelite people go to sacrifice and worship their God. Pharaoh's response in Exodus 5:2 was "Who is this Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go."  Pharaoh refused the request, then turned around and increased the labor of the Israelites. He gave instructions that the straw was no longer supplied to the Israelite slaves, but they must gather the straw as well as meet the same quota of bricks they already must meet. When they asked why this happened, he called them lazy. The Israelites realized they were in trouble and immediately found Moses and Aaron. They basically were angry with Moses and blamed him for making things much worse than they already were. When Moses talked to God about this. God said, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country."(Exodus 6:1)  God declared, "I am the Lord." (verse 2) This was followed by many conversations with Pharaoh, the 10 plagues and ultimately, the word of God becoming true as Pharaoh drove them out of Egypt. God kept His word in a mighty, miraculous victory that would never have been without His intervening.

I realized this is a spiritual principle taking place.  We often ask God for deliverances and make our requests known. but we cry out and often complain when things appear to get worse.  How many times have we made a request to God, and instead of seeing an answer right away, the situation seems to worsen?  We can make an important choice in this situation: we can continue on in faith and trust in God, or we can cry, complain and give up.  So many times, I think I have forgotten the faithfulness of God and have given up too soon.  God is making things happen that I cannot see. He may be preparing me for one of the great victories that only could happen with his deliverance, and I can't see past my circumstances. While the people thought it was getting worse, Moses obeyed God and trusted that God would do what he said. He did not give up, he kept pressing onward. He kept speaking the word that God gave him. He kept declaring the promises of God for deliverance. He pushed forward in the face of everyone else doubting and complaining. He lead the people to victory.

Sometimes, we face difficulties that seem to increase. Sometimes, circumstances grow and become ever more burdensome, just so God can say, "Now you will see what I will do."  Sometimes, victory comes through waiting on God to do what He said he will do.  He is faithful and He is good. He does not fail.  We do. When we let our faith waver in the face of growing distraction, fear, and get our eyes off of God, we fail.  We may even lose out on a great victory that God was setting up for us. He knows more than we know. He is working on  our behalf and his ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:9) We may not see the big picture when we are bogged down in the middle of a situation. He does and he knows what we have need of.

So I see how sometimes, we may only think things are getting worse, but it is really God bringing about a greater miracle than we could ever dream. He is working to bring about good things for us. He is working to bring about blessings in our lives. He is working to give us an even greater testimony of His goodness and power. We need to trust in Him and believe that He is good and we have no reason to doubt or fear, for what he is doing is for our good. We may not understand it in the moment, and it may bring about those who may ridicule, laugh, and call us crazy, but when we trust in God, He will do what he says he will do.  He will be faithful.  Do not give up, even when it seems hope is running the other way.  Do not give up, for God is working on your side. He will bring victory and deliverance like only He can do. He will bring forth mighty miracles that will bring us to know that He is the Lord. He will perform His word. We will be able to declare that He is the Lord!

Hebrews 10:36  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Psalms 111:7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.

If you are facing a situation that seems to only get worse, don't give up, for God's mighty hand is moving to bring forth deliverance. He is able and He will do what He said He will do. He is Lord!

immersed

As I was making grits for breakfast for the family, I began to think about how the grits are made. In the box, they are dry, but I guess you could say they are good and you could try to eat them, but they become really good to eat once they have been immersed into boiling hot water.  Cold water doesn't suffice.  It must be hot.  I know we generally think about baptism when we say the word immersed, but it can mean immersing yourself in your work or into your area of interest. Its to be completely absorbed in something.  We are often absorbed by sports, crafts, activities, work, family,  or whatever keeps us busy and interested. Now, these things may not be bad in and of themselves, but are we taking time to become immersed in reading the Word of God, in obeying His call or His guidance?  The word immersed is a verb and according to the dictionary means:

1. to plunge into or place under a liquid; dip; sink.

2.to involve deeply; absorb:

3.to baptize by immersion.

4. to embed; bury.

Wow, that is cool.  I found my thoughts going to how we can be good, we can be doing things that seem right and know how to act right, but until we are immersed in the Spirit of God and His Word, we really cannot be really effective in what we need to be for God. 

Revelations 3:15-16 says:

¹⁵ I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
¹⁶ So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

God wants us to be heated up and passionate about Him. He wants us to be immersed in His Will. In 2 Kings chapter 5 we can read about Naaman, who had leprosy. He was told by Elisha to go dip seven times in the river Jordan.  Once Naaman was convinced to go ahead and go dip in the muddy, dirty river, he did and was healed. If he hadn't immersed himself completely and fully in obeying Elisha, he would not have received his healing.  We can read about the Apostle Paul and the other disciples who risked life and limb, were beaten, boiled in oil, and eventually killed for the preaching the gospel. They were sold out and fully immersed in the obedience to the Word of God.  

When we become fully immersed, we become who God has intended us to be.  The grits in the boiling water become softer and delicious.  When we become immersed in the Word and Spirit of God, we also become softer. We become more sensitive to the hearing the voice of God, to seeking His will and to obedience of his guidance. We become more like Him. We become flavorful. Matthew 5:13 says: Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
We are the salt of the earth. We season, we preserve, we cannot lose our savour. 

We need to be fully immersed in the Word and Spirit of God.  Paul stated in Philippians 3:7-9:
⁷ But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
⁸ Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
⁹ And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

There is much to gain when we fully immerse ourselves in the power of God and allow His Spirit to operate in us.  We can be effective in the area of our calling, in being an example of the believers, in our prayer life, in our living for Christ. I want to be effective. I want to be immersed in God. I want to be hot and fervent for the cause of Christ.  I want to be in His will.  I want to run toward Him, full force and reach the prize. 

I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:14

 

holy, holy, holy

Last Sunday, I was privileged to get to teach the toddler class. I know many think this is just babysitting or maybe even unimportant, but I see it as a chance to teach them some foundation and truths about who God is. The lesson in the curriculum was about heaven and how amazing it will be. After getting snacks and some playtime, I started the lesson and began describing heaven to these little ones.  I began describing how the angels cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy!"  I demonstrated how we will all join in and began raising my arms and saying, "Holy, Holy Holy!"  I began to feel the presence of God sweep through the room. Those little faces were just looking and and watching. One raised her little hands as well. It was a sweet moment in the presence of God.  Even at a small age, they recognized a moment when God was present. I was reminded that when we take the time to worship unabashedly before God, He takes notice.

How often do I take time to just worship God?  I have asked myself that question a few times this week.  Not enough, is my answer. I take time to pray and pour out my many needs and requests. I tell him that I love him and I do tell him how amazing He is.  But to just pour out praise?  No, I do not do that enough.  For years, we have heard that God inhabits the praises of his people.  While the Bible does not directly state that, In Psalms 22:3  King James Version, it says, ^"But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."   Other translations translate that as (NIV) Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.  and (NASB) Yet You are holy, O You who ^[e]are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.  So while only the KJV implies that God inhabits our praises,  the idea behind it is still there.  God does want us to praise him.  In Isaiah 6:3, the Seraphim that Isaiah saw were crying out "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." They were before the throne of God. This was also reported by John in Revelations 4:12 as he saw the throne room and the four creatures who cried out day and night, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, The Almighty, who was and is and is to come."   The word 'praise' is in the Bible 259 times.  Psalm 150 is all about singing praise to God. 

150 Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.

² Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
³ Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
⁴ Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
⁵ Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
⁶ Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.

Praise is important to God. It is important for his children to praise Him and I believe that praise gets His attention. I know from experience, that when I praise Him, start my prayer time with praise, true praise, His presence sweeps in.  It is palpable and almost like waves of joy washing over my soul.  It is precious and awesome. I love to bring praise before Him and experience His presence.   Praise is so important, that God does not want it given away. The three Hebrew children refused to praise and worship before the statue of King Nebuchadnezzar. He demanded that bow and worship his statue. When they refused, he had them thrown into the super-heated fiery furnace. God's presence showed up and protected them.  The king saw four men walking around in the fire and one was like the Son of God. He recognized that God was there protecting these three men.  When they came out, they didn't even have the smell of smoke on them.  God took notice of three men who refused to give their praise to anyone but Him.  
We can also see in Acts 16 when Paul and Silas were thrown in prison, they sang praises at midnight.  They chose to worship and praise even in the worst of circumstances and God honored that praise with an earthquake that shook the chains right off the prisoners.  This situation that looked dire, became a moment of praise and lives were changed. They were able to witness and baptize the jailer's entire family and a great testimony was formed as they were delivered from prison. God heard their praises and honored them with his presence. He moved and changed their circumstances.  

Praise is heard by God and He will honor those who praise Him with His presence. He moves and acts when he hears praise. His throne room is filled with praise from the seraphim or angels that stand day and night to cry "Holy, holy, holy!"  But when one of his children begins to cry out, "Holy, holy, holy!"  He hears it above the angels. He hears it and moves to be in that moment. How awesome it is when the presence of God sweeps in to hear his precious child sing, "Holy, holy, holy!"  He is there in that moment. Does that make him egotistical?  No, makes him faithful.  He promises to hear us and he has set a precedent in the Word, that praise gets his attention. He is holy and righteous. When a child of God understands that and brings it forth in praise, the Holy and Righteous God, moves and brings forth the holy and righteous acts that need to be done.  He will keep His Word and he will hear our praise. He is present and knows what we need before we even say it.  Just like Paul and Silas, they did not ask God for an earthquake to get them out of prison, they simply praised Him. God took care of the circumstances.  
Sometimes, we talk so much about our circumstances rather than the greatness of God. Maybe we are giving too much 'praise' to the circumstances.  Maybe our talk needs to change to the holiness of God and to praise of Him who made us.  Maybe the words we speak are more powerful than we realized. Maybe when we spend so much time speaking about the troubles, we are actually 'praising' those troubles.  Maybe our words need to change to "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, Almighty!"  Maybe the words we speak will bring the attention of God and His presence will sweep into the circumstances of our lives.  Maybe he will take care of the circumstances in ways we don't expect when we just begin to speak His praises rather than dwell on our circumstances. 

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

If death and life are in the power of the tongue, the words we speak have great power. We should carefully consider our words.  Praise is words we speak to God. Like Psalm 150 tells us that we are to praise God everywhere.  We are to praise God and everything that has breath can praise God.  I really think I need to take more time to praise God and quit worrying over everything else.  I can make requests known  to him when I pray, but the most important thing I can do is praise.  "Holy, Holy Holy!"

all in the details

As the holidays are here and we are busy preparing, I have noticed that we spend a lot of time on the details. We are detail oriented people.  We have to have the details just right. For those decorating their homes, how many hours did it take to get the details just right. I know I placed my little nativity on the mantel in just the right way, the ornaments  are hung correctly and each decoration placed in the right spot. I have watched how a gentlemen spent quite some time making sure all the details of his car were just right.  He washed and polished, then cleaned every crevice. Each detail important.

I realize God also views details as important. He organized and created each and every detail of this world when he created it.  Have you looked at some of the plants and animals he created?  The detail in the patterns and perfection of the creation is amazing. His prize creation is us. He spent extra time on creating us in His image. He took time to form us with his hands, not just speak us into existence. He then bent over his precious creation and breathed life into man. As I read through the Bible, I discover how God orchestrated details for each individual and cared for them using great detail. He cared about the details for them.  The whole Bible is a retelling of details that point to the coming of Christ and His importance. The details intertwine and wrap around one another in an intricate pattern that speaks of the love God has for his precious creation and His ultimate plan to speak love to us.

God shows us that He cares about the details of our lives.  So many times, we might not realize that God is working for our good.  In Romans 8:28 it says: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.  He is making sure the details, whether big or small, are working in our favor.  It is so easy sometimes to get caught up in seeing what is going wrong. We can focus on a bad situation, cry and bemoan how nothing ever goes right. We might even question God's love for us.  Have you ever asked God, "Where are you when I need you?"   He is still right there working on the details of our lives. He cares about our details just as much as He did when he set this whole world in motion, when he gave plans to Noah for the ark, when he orchestrated David's life and even when he met Saul on the road to Damascus.  He knows our details better than we do.  He even knows the number of hairs on your head, (Luke 12:7).  He takes time to keep count of the hair on your head, he very well has time to work on your details. He knows what your heart needs, he knows what you need physically and he really knows what you need spiritually.  He is preparing what we need. He cares for sparrows and we are of more value than sparrows to God (Matthew 10:30-31).  

I realize that as we are receiving from God, we also need to be obeying Him.  He asked us to care for the widows and orphans (James 1:27). He asked us to love one another (1John 4:7-8). He asked to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). He asked us to care for others, pray for others (James 5:16). We are to follow the example of our heavenly Father and care about the details of others.  Christ asks us to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).  Service to someone else is caring about a detail in their life.  Do they need food?  Do they need clothing?  Do they need a listening ear or prayer?  Do they need a shoulder to cry on or a friend to spend time with?  These are all details that God gives us the ability to meet for others.  We can share the gospel, be friendly, be the one who holds a grieving mother or provide for the basic needs of others.   God has not called us just to receive blessings, but to be a giver of blessing to others.

I love the story of Tabitha, or Dorcas, in Acts chapter 9.  She is described as a woman full of good works and a tremendous giver. When she died, all the people she had cared for came to Peter and began to speak and testify of her life of service. How she made them clothes, fed them and understood that by caring about their details, she was ministering to them about God's love.  Peter was moved and prayed for her. She was brought back to life.  Her story is one of service and giving to meet the details of others.  When we see the details that matter to others, we can care for them the way God intends.  When we become that arm of comfort, that giver of security, and the friend that loves, we are extending the love of Christ to others. That is the purpose of the body of Christ.  We will be fulfilling our purpose of sharing the gospel with others. We will be fulfilling our purpose of loving one another and bearing one another's burdens.  We will truly be living as part of the body of Christ. As we pray for one another, lift up another, give to one another and truly care about a detail in someone else's life, we are representing Christ in the best way.

He will truly be able to say as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it to me. How beautiful it is when we are in unity with the gospel and about our Father's business.

Matthew 25
³⁴ Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
³⁵ For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
³⁶ Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.