Many people feel inadequate as if they are living hum-drum lives that just don’t matter. I can tell you with certainty that you do matter. You matter to God. Too often we feel that if we haven’t done great things, then we just aren’t doing anything. That isn’t true.

Think of Billy Graham. He went around the world holding crusades, speaking to large crowds, and sharing the Gospel. Did you ever wonder about the people who heard his message? I’m sure there were plenty of people who heard him speak, but the message fell on deaf ears, or maybe they were full of hope and joy at first, but then they returned to old ways and turned away. I personally know two people who attended one of the crusades and gave their lives to Christ. Now, these people haven’t gone out and held their own crusades, but their faith is strong, and they have made a difference in their own community. There are many people in Scripture who did just that; they made a difference in their own family and community.

Many people followed Christ, but we don’t know much about most of them. We know of the twelve disciples. Even Judas is remembered for his betrayal of Christ. He heard the Gospel just like John and the others, but if anybody on the outside judged Christianity by the actions of Judas, they get the wrong idea. He may have physically followed Jesus, but his heart was far from following.

Many things have been done in the name of Christianity that are wrong and don’t represent the truth of the Gospel. These things hinder God’s plan. Even you can hinder His work through your treatment of others. Instead of finding fault with others, it’s better to love them with a Godly love.

Jesus was asked about the great commandment in the law. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40).

If Christians would just follow these two commandments, we would all make a difference for Christ. We might even influence someone to do great things in the name of the Lord.

We all know the story of Saul, later known as Paul, who was filled with hatred toward those who followed Christ. He was feared by those early Christians who fled from Jerusalem to escape from his hatred and persecution.

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).

Saul’s plans were interrupted by Jesus. Saul saw a bright light and heard the voice of Jesus. That encounter left him blind, but his heart was changed. His companions took him to Damascus. For three days he didn’t eat or drink. What was he to do? There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and God chose him for a frightening task. Ananias was to go find Saul and care for him.

“Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem; and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name” (Acts 9:13-14).

What if Ananias had refused to do the Lord’s bidding? He had every reason to fear Saul, but this man chose to do the Lord’s bidding. Ananias was obedient. He didn’t seek fame and glory but just did his part to serve the Lord. Because Ananias did his part, Saul became a Christian, known as Paul. His missionary work brought many to Christ, and he wrote letters that we treasure today.

Parents and grandparents have a special calling to lay a solid foundation of Christ for their children and grandchildren to build their lives upon. The job isn’t always easy, especially with public schools and the social media evil of today, but God wants men who are fearless in their role as husbands and fathers and women who are not ashamed to be wives and mothers to stand up and do their part for Christ. In his travels, Paul met Lois and Eunice. They were the grandmother and mother of Timothy. Paul was impressed with the faith of Timothy and made a point to mention the ladies in his life and their influence on him.

“When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also” (2 Timothy 1:5).

Paul took Timothy under his wing, and they traveled on missionary journeys together. Paul left Timothy in Ephesus to straighten out the false teachings there and be a pastor. The letters to Timothy should be required for every pastor to fully understand. If God has blessed you to be a wife and mother, take that calling seriously. Your faith may influence your husband, and it will establish a firm foundation for your children.

Paul and Silas were called to travel to Philippi. On the Sabbath, they went to the riverside where they knew a prayer meeting was taking place. They sat down and spoke with a group of women who prayed there.

“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul” (Acts 16:14).

Lydia came to know Jesus that day and was baptized, along with her household. She didn’t keep her faith to herself but wanted all of her household to be saved, and they were. Then she set about doing her part for the Lord. As a woman, she was not to lead a church, but she did what she could. She opened her house for Paul and Silas to stay there. We don’t all have the same part to play in God’s plan, but we all have the ability to do something for Him.

Much happened to Paul and Silas in Philippi. A possessed woman followed them around, mocking them and God. Paul cast the demon out, but they were arrested, beaten, and chained in a dungeon for this kindness. How could they possibly witness for Christ in prison? They sang hymns and prayed.

The other prisoners heard and were influenced by this testimony of faith. When an earthquake happened, the prison doors were opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners; none of them escaped. The jailer would have been punished if they had escaped. When the jailer found out all the prisoners were there, his heart softened, and he tended to the wounds of Paul and Silas. More than that, he came to Jesus.

“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house” (Acts 16:30-32).

This jailer came to faith because Paul and Silas praised God even though they were in prison. Because the jailer came to faith, his entire household heard the Gospel message and also came to faith. Paul and Silas were just doing their part, and many others were saved. Isn’t that what we all should do? No matter what our circumstances, we need to praise the Lord so others will see. Then be ready to give answers to their questions. If we hide our faith, we aren’t doing our part.

Think of the people in your life who have influenced your faith. Each one did their part. Not everyone has an encounter with Jesus in the way that Paul did, but everybody must hear the Gospel in order to believe.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:13-17).

You need to do your part by sharing the Gospel. That doesn’t mean you have to go to the deepest, darkest jungles to spread the Gospel. You have family and friends who may not have heard God’s truth. There are two ways you can do your part. You can talk to them. Speak words in love and share your faith. Or you can show your faith by how you conduct your life.

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20). It is possible to say many words proclaiming your faith but then deny your faith by your actions.

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26). Do your part by speaking your faith as well as living your faith.

There are many more examples of how people came to faith. Many people followed Jesus and had faith in Him. Look up and study how Zacchaeus did his part and showed his newfound faith by returning what he had stolen (Luke 19:2-10), or how Mary Magdalene, who was possessed by seven devils which Jesus had cast out (Mark 16:9), showed her faith. What about the man in Gadara who was possessed by a legion of demons? (Luke 8:26-39). What a testimony these people had!

There are many more whose lives were changed by Jesus. If they hadn’t done their part, Christianity would have ended long ago. We all need to do our part today. We are living in the end of days, and the more people we can share the Gospel with, the better. Christ is the only way to eternal life. We need to speak the truth in love in order to do our part for the Kingdom of God.

Are you doing your part?

God bless you all

Nathele Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos” God-breathed.

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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

Our God is full of wonders. He created all things in order to provide for the well-being of all humanity. The “anthropic principle” acknowledges that all conditions are perfect for life to exist on earth. If the earth was a little closer to or further from the sun, it would be too hot or too cold. If there was too much rain, snow, or wind, plants couldn’t grow for food. If there was too little oxygen, we couldn’t survive. Christians know where this balance came from.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth“ (Genesis 1:1).

I take comfort in the fact that God is in the details of life and He put beauty all around for us to enjoy. He did this without a committee or a planning commission. Of course, God is triune…three in one. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three are unique but function in perfect unity.

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shall love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7).

Too many parents have forgotten to teach their children the truth of Scripture. In so doing, we stand in the way of God. He is the Creator and the Rule-Maker. His ways need to be sovereign in our lives. If we don’t honor Him, we stand in the way of His will for us.

We are His ultimate creation, and He loves us with a perfect love that we cannot find anywhere but in Christ. When Jesus walked this earth, He showed us what love is. He was not prideful, although He was perfect and could have felt superior to people. He could have acted as if He was above everybody, but He humbled Himself. His only anger was toward the religious leaders who had corrupted God’s truth into a way to puff themselves up and get rich at the expense of the common people.

Anger is a sin and has no place in a Christian’s way of life. If you display anger, how does that represent a Christ-like attitude? How does that show His love? All it does is reflect that you think you are above other people and are able to judge and condemn them. Jesus told us not to judge others or else we will be judged.

“Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).

If you judge others, you are standing in the way of God. You put yourself in God’s place. The difference is you are not God but are a sinner just like those you are judging. How can others find His love and forgiveness if you represent Him as judgmental and condemning? Don’t stand in the way of God as others who are judgmental and misrepresent our Lord.

When we first come to Jesus, we don’t have a lot of knowledge about how we should act. We are forgiven of all sin, but we need to learn to turn from sin. We need to be disciples. Sadly, most churches lack discipleship classes. You can find discipleship in Scripture. Peter, John, and the others had a lot to learn. They were closer to Jesus than anyone else but still needed lots of discipleship.

“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. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works” (Matthew 16:24-27).

We are saved by our faith, but our works will earn us crowns at the Bema seat judgment. A person who chooses to follow Christ has to learn to deny their own sin nature. It’s not easy, but anger and pride will never show Christ’s love. Those first disciples had a lot to learn, but because they were willing to truly follow Jesus, they have shown many of us a better way to live humbly and a way to live eternally. Study Scripture, and learn. Apply it to your life and find joy through Jesus. One of those tricks for learning JOY in life is Jesus first, Yourself last, and Others in between. Don’t allow your own selfishness to stand in the way of sharing the Gospel.

The first disciples had a lot to learn. They were a rough bunch, but Jesus saw their potential and patiently taught them. They were common men who were fishermen, tax collectors, and such. None of them were schooled in religion. Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s a way of life. That life has to be learned because it doesn’t come naturally to most people. As Jesus said to the disciples, we must deny self, take up our cross, and follow Him.

The Apostle Paul had a lot to learn. He did more to hinder Christianity than most people. The persecution he imposed was horrific. Still, there’s a good lesson for us. Don’t think anybody is unreachable for Christ. When Paul was on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, he met Jesus. His life was completely changed.

“And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round him a light from heaven; And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutes thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord: And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:3-5).

What if a self-righteous Christian had been there and mocked the situation or had a fit of anger toward Paul? As it was, God led obedient and humble people to help Paul to become a true Christian leader. He faced opposition, and fellow Christians were afraid of him, but Jesus changed Paul from a vicious man into a humble but fearless servant. These Christians who helped Paul could have stood in the way of the plan Jesus had for Paul, but they set aside their own self-centered feelings and showed Christian love to him.

It’s up to all of us to apply Scripture to our lives. If we live for Christ, then we will not stand in His way. You may be the one whom the Holy Spirit has chosen to witness to someone and share the Gospel. If you choose to let your pride get in the way, you may never achieve all that God has planned for your life. You have a choice. You can hinder God’s work, or you can be a catalyst for His glory.

John and his brother James must have been a challenge. Jesus called them “Boanerges.” What does that mean? “And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is The sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). They were fishermen and more than likely a bit on the rough side. We can get a glimpse into their nature during an event that happened in Samaria.

Messengers had been sent to a village telling them Jesus was coming and to be ready. The Samaritans refused to welcome Him. This set James and John into anger, and they wanted vengeance. “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?” (Luke 9:54). They were allowing their pride and anger to stand in the way of God’s love and forgiveness. “But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village” (Luke 9:55-56).

The disciples had a lot to learn, and so do we. Their action would have stood in the way of God’s greater plan. The fire might have made the disciples feel prideful and self-important because of what they did, but they would not have shown God’s love.

Peter also showed his very human feelings when he tried to stand in the way of Jesus going to Jerusalem. Peter was very outspoken. He has been described as “Ready, fire, aim Peter” because if a thought came into his head, he would say it rather than think first. I love Peter. When Jesus asked His disciples what people said about Him, they all had various answers. Not very different than today when we see others saying all religions are the same. Then, Jesus made it personal. “And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ“ (Mark 8:29).

Peter spoke the truth, but he didn’t truly understand what that meant. After that, Jesus began to teach them about the near future. He had to go to Jerusalem. “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again” (Mark 8:31). It was Peter who tried to stand in His way. “And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men” (Mark 8:32-33).

Peter was looking at things from a human point of view. He knew Jesus was the Christ but tried to stand in the way of His ultimate reason for entering His creation. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). That abundant life would only come through His death, burial, and resurrection. That would only happen in Jerusalem. Peter tried to stand in the way of God’s plan. Peter’s love for Christ was “on again, off again” because when Jesus was arrested, it was Peter who denied knowing Him.

So many of us are just like Peter. We quietly pray and tell God what He should do, but when accused openly of knowing Christ, we deny Him, either by words or actions. Peter ultimately totally surrendered to Christ and became a strong leader of those early Christians in Jerusalem. No, he was not a pope but a Christian leader who spoke openly to others about Christ.

Are you standing in the way of God? He has great plans for you, but if your actions and words deny Him, you cannot do the works He wants you to accomplish for Him. He loves you, and He loves those who annoy you. Don’t stand in His way.

God bless you all.

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).