Sharing Your Story

By Charlotte Lowrie
 
It is always a privilege to share the story of how the Lord Jesus has changed our lives. You are probably like me in wanting the other person or persons to immediately want the same transformation in their lives that we've had in our lives. But I was reminded recently that it's the Holy Spirit who does the heavy lifting with the other person, not me. 

I recently had the opportunity to share my story of conversion with a friend. When I finished, the friend countered that surely I couldn't believe that way, and he scoffed at some of my beliefs and at my faith. Instinctively, I wanted to "reason" with him and convince him to believe in Christ. But then I remembered that logic doesn't work. Only by faith can anyone come to the Lord. At the same time, I winced when I heard the derision in his voice.  As he talked, I could tell that he had consigned me to the category of "Creationists," with the implication that there was no hope for me intellectually.

After the conversation, the Lord reminded me that the goal in sharing my story is to give glory to the Lord Jesus. If the other person counters or laughs at my belief and faith, the Lord said, "Don't worry about what they will think of you." It's by sharing our stories that we grow in our ability to share. The Lord reminded me to, "Let Me worry about the other person's response." It is the Holy Spirit that does the work, not me. And I can't make the decision for someone else; they must decide for themselves.

It's never easy to be criticized or laughed at, and since that conversation, I could tell that the relationship between this person and me had changed for both of us. Now he thinks that he's enlightened and I am not. For me, I'm sad that he does not see the true light. The change in friendship isn't surprising. Rather, it reminds me of James 4:3-5 (ESV), "Do you know know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

As for me, I'll continue sharing my story of how I came to believe in Christ. I learned from the conversation. And I think of Isaiah 55:11, that says, "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." I also believe that my story will have an effect, either now or later, because it is a story of the Lord. I believe that our stories cannot fail to have an impact on those who hear them. So I encourage you to share your story to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Inspiring Teachings

I think that Christ followers in the United States in particular are blessed beyond measure. Among the tremendous blessings that we have is our ability to hear the teachings of inspired and inspiring pastors around the country by watching them on television.

During the past three years, I’ve found a group of pastors who continue to help me grow and understand more fully this amazing daily walk with Jesus. As I listen to them, I’ve written down my favorite quotes from them on anything that I had handy at the moment. As a result, I have a stack of yellow sticky notes filled with quotes, as well as a notebook that I continue to fill.

This week, I’d like to share some of my notes from pastors including Casey Treat of Christian Faith Center in Seattle, Kevin Gerald of the Champions Centre in Tacoma, WA, Ed Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, TX, and Mark Crow of Victory Church in Oklahoma City.

Here are some of the quotes. Unfortunately, in some cases, I neglected to note the pastor’s name, and I only wrote down the quote. I’ll start with the unattributed quotes first.

“Every problem is an opportunity the Lord provides us.”

“God never performs His best in our yesterdays.”

Re: Joshua 3:4. “God didn’t part the Red Sea until the Israelites stood in it.”

“Worry is faith in the devil. Faith is trust in the Lord. Faith speaks to the storm. Speak joy, life, and prosperity. Believe what you say will come to pass. Speak to your storm or your mountain.” In other cases, we must walk through our storms (Matthew 14), and in still other storms, we “float” through as with Paul on the ship in Acts 13.

“Pray with unwavering faith. Determine that you will not pray wimpy prayers.” And then live as if your prayer is being answered. If you pray for rain for crops, then go out and prepare the fields for the rain.

“We’re blessed to be a blessing.” Ed Young

“What is prosperity? It's being in the will of God.” Ed Young

“What we believe affects what we receive. Don’t go back to Egypt when God has great things in store for you. Famine is temporary. God has something better in store. Believe that God will bring you into a place of favor. God is strong in battle. He is your very present help in the time of trouble.” Kevin Gerald

Re: II Samuel 15: 13-22. “Once you’ve been in or near the presence of God, you want to stay there. The Ark of the Covenant had been with Obed Edom and he was blessed. [When the Ark returned, Ittiai the Gittite followed because he knew what it was like to be in the presence of God, and he wanted to stay there.]” Mark Crow

“There are four foundational truths. 1. Value what God values. Do not love money. 2. Trust in the Lord, and do not worry (Matthew 6:24). 3. Remember God’s ability. Do not give up. God can turn things around. God’s economy never fails. 4. Focus on what God has given you.” Casey Treat

“Operate in faith rather than responding in fear. Don’t curse the shaking. Determine to love, serve, and worship God no matter what—with confidence. The world is looking at us now and at our confidence in God. Before you speak, ask, ‘Does this glorify God?’ When others see hope in you, they will ask how they can also have that hope.” Mark Crow

“This may be the greatest hour of evangelism ever—the greatest shaking ever.” Mark Crow

“Make the most of every opportunity. Opportunity comes dressed in work clothes or disguised as problems. Concentrate on adding value, not on being valued.” Kevin Gerald

Take a Look Across the Room

By Charlotte K. Lowrie

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he left a single, all-important charge to those who would follow Him.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 38:18-20 NIV.)

I read this passage, known as the Great Commission, as applying to all followers of Christ, whether they have the spiritual gift of evangelism or not. And even if you disagree with my view, I have to wonder how we, after receiving such great grace and love, cannot let these divine gifts spill over onto everyone in our lives?

Asking the Hard Questions

The ordinary and extraordinary events of everyday life recently prompted me to ask myself some hard questions about sharing my faith in Christ. Every time I look across the room, or I visualize my far-away friends who have not accepted Jesus as their Savior, I get cold chills. What if they never heard about the forgiveness, joy, and peace that Christ offers just because I am too fearful, too lazy, or too preoccupied with work to share it with them? Would I regret not sharing the gift of Jesus? Yes! Would I be able to stand before Christ knowing that I had not taken His Great Commission personally? No!

As I look across any room and see people who could miss the greatest experience of a lifetime, my perspective changes. It is that change in perspective that led me to write the list of questions that follow. I share these questions with you in the hope that you will find them useful in your daily walk with Christ.
· When was the last time that you spoke of your faith in conversations with non-believers?
· What is the boldest word you’ve spoken or action you’ve taken for Christ in the past month?
· If a non-Christian asked you why you are so into God, can you tell him or her why? And if you can, would you deliver a long monologue, or would you hunker down for a soul-deep dialogue. Can you listen carefully to the other person’s questions and relate your experiences to their questions and problems?
· Can you talk about your faith in everyday language to non-believers? Can you use contemporary words that non-believers can immediately relate to and understand?
· In two minutes or less, can you tell a non-believer how Christ changed your life?
· Do you ask people to come to church because you’re afraid to or uncomfortable in asking them to come to Christ?
· Do you eagerly jump at the opportunity to say a word for God in conversations, or do you shy away for fear of being politically incorrect?
· Do you talk about your faith as an everyday reality and necessity regardless of who’s in the audience?
· If you knew for certain that the Lord would return next week at this time, which non-believer would you want to share your faith with immediately?
· Can people tell that you are “different;” can they feel that an extraordinary love lives within you and that that love is directed toward them?
· And, finally, do you think of God as being there to serve you, or do you think of yourself as you being here to serve Him?

Regardless of which questions resonate with you, one thing is certain: Time is short. Whether it is the short amount of time left in your life or in the lives of others, or the nearness of the Lord’s return, we have this moment in time to make the Great Commission part of our everyday lives.

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b NIV)

What's Your Story?

By Charlotte Lowrie

How many times have I felt that I was unqualified to do one or another task for the Lord? But then I realized that the Lord equips us for whatever He asks us to do. For example, when we accept him as our Savior, the first tool that He gives us is our story; the story that recounts the road that led us to Him.

For each of us, the story of how we encountered Christ is unique. You may not think that your story is impressive or dramatic enough to tell. But I’m convinced that each story has the exact words, the precise experiences that someone somewhere—or many people everywhere—need(s) to hear. Your story will resonate with them as no other story can.

The Lord didn’t give us the gift of our story to keep it to ourselves. He gave it to us as our first tool in serving Him. And as we continue to experience Christ fully, He gives us more stories—more tools that will surely touch the lives of others.

Having realized this, I also realized that it is foolish to think that I am unqualified to tell others about Christ. He gave me my story. And that story immediately equips me to tell others about Him.

Jesus teaches us to let His light shine. Let your story illuminate someone else's path to Christ.

Note: If you’d like to share your story here, please e-mail me at charlotte@everydaywithchrist.com.

A Cure for Couch-Potato Christianity

By Charlotte Lowrie

After celebrating Easter, I began reading the book of Acts, anxious to review the early days of the first Christians. The first-century history is so incredibly rich and inspiring that it’s impossible to sit still after reading about the church’s work. And as I read Acts 22, the whole idea of “sitting still” became a topic in its own right. But first let me set the stage with a brief summary of Acts 22.

An Apostle and a Riotous Mob

Paul returns to Jerusalem after a missionary journey. Just before Paul’s missionary journey ends, Paul’s companions and church leaders warn him that if he returns to Jerusalem, he’ll be arrested. Paul feels led by the Holy Spirit, and he returns to Jerusalem anyway. Upon his return, the church leaders in Jerusalem suggest that Paul take a vow to be purified—a process that includes shaving his head and making sacrifices. Paul does this, and just before the seven-day purification period is finished, some Jews from Asia recognize Paul at the temple. These men, who knew Paul from his missionary trip, accuse Paul of teaching against Jewish laws and traditions, and of bringing a Gentile into the temple court—an offense that called for the offending Gentile to be killed. (There was no evidence to support this accusation against Paul.) Within minutes of these accusations, people come from all directions to form a large and angry mob. The mob drags Paul outside the temple gates and beat him, intent on killing him.

Just then, a Roman commander arrives and the crowd backs off. The commander arrests and chains Paul. But the mob isn’t satisfied. In fact, by the time the soldiers and Paul reach the steps of the barracks, the soldiers have to carry Paul through the crowd to avoid further violence.

But Paul asks the Roman commander for permission to speak to the mob. Then Paul asks the crowd to listen to his “defense.” Instead of pleading with the mob for a fair hearing, and instead of defending himself against the charges, Paul tells the mob what Jesus has done in his life. In short, Paul doesn’t plead for himself: He pleads for Jesus.

The crowd settles down and listens to Paul’s story of his encounter with Jesus until he gets to the part where Jesus sends Paul out to preach the Good News to the Gentiles. At the mention of Gentiles, the mob erupts again, and Paul is taken into the barracks.

Jesus Didn’t Call Us to the Couch

I stopped reading at this point. I had to wonder why Paul chose such a dicey platform to testify about Christ. But even a cursory reading of Acts shows that Paul and the other Christians seized every opportunity to spread the Gospel of Jesus. They didn’t question whether speaking out for Jesus was “wise” or not. They acted decisively. And their actions, their passion, and their commitment laid the foundation of Christianity. Their courage and their testimony stand as their legacy to Christians today. We stand on the shoulders of their ceaseless and courageous work.

For early Christians, following Christ was nothing but hard. Comparatively, for most of us in America, following Christ is easy. So easy, in fact, that it’s easy to grow complacent. Complacency means that we leave the business of introducing others to Jesus to “the church,” or to preachers and missionaries. And as for speaking out for Christ, complacency means that we avoid politically incorrect religious discussions that could offend others. In short, it’s easier to just live and let live.

And isn’t that just what Satan wants us to think, and isn’t that just how he wants us to act—or, more precisely, to not act? Can you think of a better way to grow crop of couch-potato Christians who don’t make one bit of difference? I can’t. And I’m not pointing a finger at anyone. I have plenty of first-hand experience as a couch-potato Christian. I know how easy it is to sink into the couch after a stressful day at work, grab the remote, and dissolve into the spiritual—and mental—black void of television.

But Jesus doesn’t call us to the couch. He calls us to follow Him.

“Follow” Is an Active, Moving Kind of a Word

Still, I wondered, what exactly does it mean to “follow Him?” So I looked up the word, “follow.” In modern language, it means to move; in other words, it means to take action, to move along a course, to emulate.

Then, I got out the concordance and looked up variations of the Greek definition of “follow.” Follow not only means to follow a teacher by becoming a disciple, but it also implies accompanying, going with, following along and continuing to the end, and following close up or side by side. (Emphasis added.)

Interestingly, in no dictionary that I own does “follow” mean to sit on the couch.

Dictionary and concordance definitions are enlightening. But the Bible is, predictably, even more enlightening. Jesus gets to the heart of what ‘Follow Me’ means:

* Luke 9:23 (NIV): “Then he said to them all: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”

* Luke 18: 22 (NIV): “When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’”

The way I read this is that no couch or television remote control is involved—rather there is action, movement every single day. For a minute, I considered how ironic it is that I expect Jesus to be here for me regardless of the time of day or the situation. And sure enough, He is there whenever I call on Him. He never stops working on my behalf. But, likewise, He calls me, and us, to work for Him—whether ‘working’ means showing kindness to an elderly neighbor, bringing food to the hungry, or telling others about how Jesus has changed our lives.

Get Moving

When Paul’s spoke to the mob in Jerusalem, he told them how the brilliance of the light of Christ temporarily blinded him. The brilliance of Christ’s light burns just as bright today as it did for Paul. We just have to let Him shine through us. And I’m convinced that won’t happen if we’re sitting on the couch with the remote control in hand. Nowadays, my prayer now isn’t for a day off to relax on the couch; rather it is for His guidance on getting “moving” —following Him.

Rock Our World

By Charlotte Lowrie

How far removed are Christians today from Christians of the first century? I’ve often wondered about that question, so I went to Acts 3 and 4 to learn more. In these chapters, Peter and John call on the power of Jesus’ name and heal a crippled man. The healed man, joyous with his new mobility, walks to the temple courts with the disciples. Actually, he alternately walks and jumps—praising God the entire time. People recognize the crippled beggar, and they are stunned to see him walking and jumping.

Soon a crowd gathered around the three men at Solomon’s Colonnade, a raised porch at the outermost part of the temple.

Peter saw the surprise of the people, and he quickly and powerfully told them that they had not healed the man through their own power or goodness but through the name and power of Jesus. Peter reminded them that in ignorance, they and others had handed over Jesus to the authorities, and ultimately they had “killed the author of life.” (Acts 3:15 NIV) But Peter told them that God raised Jesus from the dead. And in the name of Jesus, Peter and John were able to heal the crippled man. Many in the crowd believed in Jesus that afternoon, but the temple guards, priests, and Saducees were quick to quell the disciples’ teachings. They took Peter and John into custody and threw them into jail for the night.

Interrogation before the Sanhedrin

The next day, Peter and John were taken before the Sanhedrin for questioning. The 71-member Sanhedrin, presided over by the high priest, was the highest Jewish council, something like a Supreme Court for Jews. Peter and John had every reason to be concerned. After all, the Sanhedrin was the governing body that plotted to have Jesus arrested and killed. With Jesus’ persecution and crucifixion still fresh in mind, Peter and John were doubtless aware of the potential consequences of preaching the name of Jesus and answering to the Sanhedrin for it.

Yet, during the questioning by the religious leaders, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke boldly. They told the council, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.” (Acts 4:10) Peter quoted Psalm 118:22: “The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,” pointing out that the stone refers to Jesus. Then Peter told them, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 3:12)

The religious council members were cornered. Standing in front of them was the healed man. Many people on the temple grounds had seen the healed man enjoying his newly found mobility and praising God. Clearly, the religious leaders were in no position to publicly discredit or punish Peter and John. So they ordered Peter and John to stop teaching in the name of Jesus.

Peter responded, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 3: 19-20)

Then the disciples went back to their group of believers and told them what had happened. Without hesitation, the new Christian congregation responded with prayer. They based their prayer on Psalm 2, a powerful Psalm prophesying of Jesus and His ultimate authority over all nations on earth. The Psalm asks why nations conspire and people plot against the Lord and His Anointed One? It says that when rulers conspire to ignore or depose God, God not only laughs, but also makes rulers the focus of His righteous anger. In this Psalm, God sets His Son over all nations, making it clear that nations are to serve Him with fear and trembling. In their prayer, the early Christians remind God how rulers conspired against Jesus to bring to pass all that God had ordained beforehand for His Son.

Rocking the World for Jesus

Theirs was a powerful prayer, to be sure. But as the prayer continues, it is important to note what the believers did not pray for, and to consider what we would pray for if we were in similar circumstances today. They, or we, could ask God:

· For protection from harsh actions from the Sanhedrin including jail,
banishment from the temple, and other sanctions
· To escape to a safer city to spread the Gospel
· For religious tolerance
· For freedom of speech

But they didn’t ask for protection or fairness. Instead they prayed to speak with the Lord’s word with “great boldness.” In effect, they did not pray to be spared, but they prayed to be placed in the thick of the battle: To speak louder, to speak more eloquently, to speak more powerfully for the Lord. They showed no fear, and they had no hesitation. They wanted even greater power to rock the world for Jesus.

The believers realized that the religious leaders showed restraint only because of the miracle of healing the crippled man. So they also prayed, “Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29) And with the backing of irrefutable miracles and signs, they wrapped themselves with the mantel of the Lord—impervious to harassment and threats. They prayed for the power to do more in the name of Jesus.

God responded to their prayer immediately. “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 4:31) And, indeed, they spoke the word of God boldly. As Christians today, we are a living testament to their boldness and to their courage.

What a great lesson in prayer! How many times are our prayers skewed toward not having our world rocked? How often do we resist having our tidy world rocked, rearranged, threatened, or changed in any way. What would we have done if we had been in the same situation? Would we have prayed for greater boldness, or would we have wanted to avoid trouble with the authorities? The early Christians prayed to create more ‘trouble,’ regardless of the consequences. They claimed the promise of Psalm 2:12, “…Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.”

The early Christians realized—far more intimately than those of us who live in a safe Christian nation—how important it was to keep spreading the Gospel at all costs. Thinking through this story in Acts, I had to take a long and hard look at my courage to speak out for Jesus. And since that long hard look, my perspective, and my prayers have changed. Today, my prayer is that God will rock my world and let me speak the Word of the Lord boldly. And like the early Christians, I pray that He will stretch out His hand to rock the entire world with His healing, and miraculous signs and wonders.

Lessons from the Blind Man

Charlotte Lowrie

Recently my daughter wanted a framed picture to put in her new office. I knew that I had a picture like the one she described, so we set off to my upstairs “junk” room, to find it. We looked though several stacks of framed prints and photographs, but it wasn’t there. So we fanned out, looking through other rooms and closets. Eventually, we regrouped in the junk room, both of us ready to give up. Then my daughter said, “Turn around.” There on the wall behind me was the picture we were looking for. It had been in hanging front of us the entire time.

We went downstairs laughing that we had missed what was right before our eyes. Our encounter with “blindness” reminded me of the story in John 9. Here is a recap of that story.

One Sabbath, Jesus and his disciples encountered a man blind from birth. Jesus spit on the ground and made enough mud to cover the blind man’s eyes. Then Jesus told the man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. The blind man went and washed, and he could see for the first time. The dismayed neighbors took the healed man to the Pharisees where the man began a long interrogation process. The judges, however, refused to believe the man, and called in additional witnesses; in this case, the man’s parents. Sure enough, the parents testified, this was their son, and he had been blind since birth.

But that wasn’t good enough. The Pharisees called the healed man in again, this time warning him to give the glory to God because they “knew” that this man Jesus was a sinner. The healed man replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.”

But the court still wasn’t satisfied. They asked the man to repeat the story of his healing, this time accusing the man of being a disciple of Jesus, and reminding the man that they didn’t even know where this fellow Jesus came from.

Clearly exasperated, the healed man said, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” Predictably, the Pharisees were enraged at this lecture and threw the man out, telling him that he’d been a sinner since birth.

Jesus heard what happened to the formerly blind man. Jesus talked to the man, and the man became a follower of Jesus. Pharisees, who were hanging around nearby, overhead the conversation between Jesus and the healed man. They asked Jesus, “What? Are we blind too?”

Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.” (Recounted from John 9:1-41 NIV)

Like the picture that my daughter and I searched for, the Pharisees, men of "vision," missed what was right in front of their eyes--Jesus, the very Savior that they were waiting for.

On the other hand, the man who had no vision, allowed a stranger to pack mud on his eyes. Then by faith, he walked to the pool, washed off the mud, and he could see--for the first time in his life.

Then, the time that should have been a wonderful celebration for the healed man turned into an ugly court hearing. But the healed man’s testimony is absolutely classic. With the eloquence of a man whose entire life changed by Jesus, the healed man says simply, “One thing I do know, I was blind, but now I see!”

And don’t those words from the blind man encapsulate our own testimony about Jesus?

Sometimes, I 'envision' the grand things I want to do for Jesus. That's when He reminds me to keep it simple: “I didn’t call you to be great. I called you to follow Me.”

Jesus doesn’t call most of us to be great. He calls us to simply testify of His life-changing presence in our lives.

Nothing fancy. Nothing difficult. He calls us to tell what He has done for us—to simply tell our story to one person, then another, and another.

And in that way, we spread His light; and in that way, He continues to open the eyes of the blind.

Plugged in to His Promises

It’s amazing to me how the Lord is there for us just when we need Him. I recently sent my tax information to my accountant—tax time is always a dicey time of the year. A week later, the accountant called with devastating news. While the Lord had blessed me last year, the Federal Government wanted a huge chunk of money, not the least of which resulted from a doubling in the self-employment tax.

Unlike my reaction in years before accepting the Lord as my Savior, I remained calm throughout the conversation with my accountant and afterward. Still, I knew that this tax bill would set me back and make it very hard to keep up with monthly bills this year.

I went to the table to eat breakfast, study the Bible, and pray. I’d been reading through Isaiah again, so I opened to the chapter for the day, Isaiah: 59. These are the first words that I read.

“Surely the arm of the Lord
is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.”

I read the first verse, and then I read it again. Then I read further to see what the context was. The context was that Israel’s sin separated them from God.

Despite the context, the Lord kept bringing me back to that first verse. He reminded me that we live under His new covenant, and that I should trust this promise. From past experience, I know that the arm of the Lord is long, strong, and faithful. So I trust His promise, knowing that He will work this situation, and everything else in life, to His glory.

Rumor has it that there are no taxes in heaven. . .

The Greatest Hero of All

Ever since I can remember I wanted to be a hero. As a boy I would play Tarzan in the mulberry tree in our yard or I would tie a towel on myself and become the caped crusader. I’m sure you know what I mean.

Hero’s captivate our imaginations and find their way into our hearts. Everything from rescuing a kitten from a tree to the incredible men and women who risked their lives in the 9/11 tragedy.

Every legend, every movie, every sporting event and epic battle has a hero. It’s the person who stands out the one who is spoken of with reverence. That’s who I always wanted to be.

“I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead I do the very thing I hate.” Romans 7:15

At 41 years old I stood guilty in a courtroom as an honorable judge looked upon me as if I was the most despised criminal he had every seen. At least that is how it felt. He looked right at me and sentenced me to 2 ½ years in a state prison. That night I went down and he went home – justice served – who’s the hero?

I had become a drug addict, a thief; I abandoned my family, my business. I had become the most selfish person I had ever known. I have done things that to this day haut my imagination. The power of addiction, one of Satan’s greatest lies, enticed me to do, to be, the very thing I hate.

The pain of facing the guilt and the shame caused bitter depression within me. I had the sour taste of defeat in my mouth and as hard as I tried I just couldn’t spit it out. I was stripped of everything; even the last ounce of pride I cherished was gone. Amidst the tears and despair I could hear a voice inside of me, I just couldn’t understand it.

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10

My dysfunctional way of thinking and my addiction to chaos created great void within myself. As I moved through my own life, I learned to live with a distorted view of who I was.

Even though in the middle of all my confusion I could faintly hear that voice glowing louder. Then, as I found myself in prison the voice was as plain as day.

“I have so much more planned for you than you have planned for yourself.”

Now, if I can believe that God loves me enough to send His son to die for the sins that I committed so that I may be freely pardoned to the Kingdom of Heaven then how could I possibly believe that God would spend His time creating me so that I would grow to 41 years old and become totally and utterly defeated.

This is something that deserves some thought. God has called us His masterpiece – the King James Version says we are His workmanship. I have recognized that the way we view ourselves is a long way from the way God views us.

I built roads and bridges in the outside world. I’m a crane operator, heavy equipment operator; I’m experienced in concrete and even owned my own contracting company. When we would get a job I would review the blueprints, survey in elevations, cut and fill in dirt to make the roadway smooth and straight, a little concrete here and a little concrete there. Soon the whole environment resembled the vision of the designer. This roadway has a specific purpose.

God works the same way. He takes the time to design us with purpose, then He sends us out with a plan and we screw it up. It’s like sneaking into a museum and drawing a mustache on the Mona Lisa with a magic marker. That’s who I had become, 41 years old walking around with a magic marker.

“Forget former times, do not dwell on the past, see, I am doing a new thing!” Isaiah 43: 18-19

Things got a whole lot easier for me when I truly realized that God was for me an not against me. He is a God of many chances and we should give many thanks for that.

But honestly, I have looked in the mirror and wondered “What can God really do with me?” I have wasted so much and quite frankly coming to prison has felt more like the end than a new beginning.

Here is what I know – this I understand, I know what it is like to have an uncontrollable addiction. I know what it feels like to abandon people who love and depend on me and I know what it’s like to be abandoned. I know the severe pain that comes with guilt and shame. I know what it’s like to lie, cheat, steal, rob, hurt someone just to finance an addiction. I know what it’s like to lose all my respect of myself and the respect of others, to lose everything and to sleep behind dumpsters or on the steps of a broken down building.

I know what it’s like to raise my hands up to Heaven and beg God to let me die. How could God possibly use this …?

“Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

As I was laying in my bed last night I realized for the first time in my life what a true hero really is. You see I always wanted to be a hero so that I would be recognized, maybe a parade, or a medal or the front page of a magazine. I waned to be a hero for me.

A hero is someone who becomes self-less in adversity not selfish for notoriety. A hero puts others before himself and uses what he has to help them, like a fireman uses a ladder – it’s what he knows.

If I could use what I know to help even one to see he Saving Grace of Jesus Christ then I would become the hero that god created me to be. My desire to be a hero has been his plan all along. In fact, He calls us all to be heroes.

The circumstances of our past can be used like a coat that we can through over a puddle so other won’t get their feet muddy. We lay our lives down maybe not literally but figuratively, just as Jesus did – The Greatest Hero of All.

Anonymous

Six-Year Old Leads His Little Sister to Christ

From Vickie in Texas

I've always said I believed that Cody, my six-year-old son, is going to be used in a very special way. He has such a big heart for the Lord and for others. In school, he's learning so much about children around the world who have a very difficult way of life, who don't have things like we do, and who are not shown love. He asked me if we could go to some of these countries and bring back kids that don't have a home, a Mom, and a Dad.

And the other day he did something that blew me away.

What about Heaven?

I had just left the house to take the kids to school. Grace, my daughter, started talking about heaven. If it had just been me and her in the car, I would have probably just answered the questions that she asked me. But Cody was in the car, and he started talking to her about heaven trying to make her understand. Then he told her about hell, too.

He said if we don't have Jesus in our hearts, when we die we will go to hell. And once we get there we can't leave. He told her that that is where Satan and all the bad people go to live forever.

I just watched them from my rearview mirror—remaining silent—letting Cody do all the talking and watching how Grace was listening to her brother. He was very serious about what he was talking about.

Can Scobby-Do Go?

Grace asked if Scobby-Doo could go to heaven. Cody said, “No, because he's not real.”

Then Grace said, “I don't want to go to hell—I want to go to heaven.”

Cody asked, “Do you?”

“Yes,” Grace said.

He told her to put her hands together. Cody said, "If you want to go to heaven, then you need to say what I tell you to say."

Then he led Grace in a prayer that was so sincere and honest and completely from his heart.

Cody prayed, “Jesus, please come into my heart. I love you and I want to live in heaven with you forever.” Grace repeated the prayer word for word. And with those few words my six-year-old son led his four-year-old sister to the Lord.

I don't know if she completely understood everything that she was saying. But I know that she meant what she said. I had prayed with Cody two months before he turned five. To this day, he can tell me word for word what we said.

I wish I could take credit for the amazing things that he does. But it's not me at all. I pray hard for my kids. And we have been blessed so far with being able to send Cody to a Christian school. He loves church and learning. They both are like little sponges right now.

It's amazing how I learn things from Cody. He understand more now than I did at 12!

I wanted to share this story and hope that it blesses all of you.

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Editor's Note: Thanks so much to Vickie for sharing this inspiring story! We encourage you to share your stories with us. Just e-mail charlotte_lowrie@hotmail.com.

Please be sure to comment on Vickie's story by clicking the Comments button below.

God's Wonderful Work in the Most Unlikely Places

He walked into the pub and laid his Bible on the bar...

By Bryan Lowrie,
Dallas, TX

It is strange how God works, and it is wonderful at the same time. I’ll share an example. I got off work a couple of Friday’s ago and went to a local watering hole here in town. I met Leigh, my girlfriend, there. We had been there for about 20 minutes when I got a business call. I didn’t have the information that I needed and had to go out to my truck. As I was leaving, a guy sat down beside Leigh. I noticed him as I was walking out but didn’t think anything about it.

I was in the parking lot for about 15 minutes, and then I went back in. The guy was no longer sitting beside Leigh. We talked for awhile and Leigh mentioned that the guy’s wife had just filed for divorce and he was very upset and emotional. I thought, 'Well, that stinks. I’ve been through that, and I know how hard it is.'

A little while later he came back around and joined us. Leigh introduced us. After talking for a little while I told him that I was sorry about what he was going through. I could see the pain in his eyes. I shared with him that I had been through the same thing before and understood how painful it is. They have a 5 year old son.

He asked how I got through my divorce, and I said, “Faith---Faith in God that it would all work out. Sometimes we don’t know how but he has a plan as along as we believe in Him.” We continued to talk for awhile. He mentioned that he had started going to our church a couple of Sunday’s ago. I told him about our church and pastor. I stressed the importance of surrounding yourself with Christians. I offered to meet him for coffee any morning he wanted to just talk and read the Bible. He said he would like that.

The following Monday he called and wanted to know if we could get together that evening. Well, the Cowboy’s are playing the Eagles on Monday Night Football. I looked up at the sky and aksed, “God, why tonight? Don’t you know your team is playing?” But, this wasn’t on my timetable, it is on His. So I called the man back, and told him that I would be happy to meet him. I did mention the Cowboys game, and, thankfully, he too was a Cowboy’s fan and had no intention of meeting during the game. He was hoping for 6:00, before the game started. That was a small prayer answered!

At 6 p.m., I walked into the local watering hole with my Bible in hand not really knowing what to expect and really not having expected to meet in this particular environment on this particular subject. But, I had faith, and I walked on in anyway.

We talked for awhile, and then he turned and looked me in the eyes and said, “Thank you.”

I said, “You’re welcome, but for what?”

He said, “For Friday night.”

“Okay, anytime,” I replied.

“No, you don’t understand,” he said. “I was saved Friday night.”

I asked him what he meant exactly. He told me that he had a powerful feeling come over him after our conversation and there was a huge burden lifted off of his shoulders. He didn’t understand it, but it was definitely there. He called his family and friends and told everyone he knew. I told him that was called being “radically” saved. I told him that was fantastic! I was very happy for him. I shared with him the importance of surrounding himself with the right people to stay on the right path but he was in for a wonderful journey.

He told me that he knew now that most of the problems in his life were because of him, and he finally knew why. He had been molested by their family doctor 17 years earlier. He had lived with that without ever telling anyone. After Friday, he confided in his brother only to find out that his brother had been molested as well. Both of them had harbored that horrible secret without knowing that the other had the same. They were finally able to release that emotion with each other after so many years.

The story gets better

A woman had been sitting behind us listening to our conversation. She asked if she could join us. We were at the bar and through the course of our conversation I had referred to Scripture a number of times. She apologized for having eaves dropped on our conversation, but she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Not only that but she saw that “Book” sitting on the bar and was shocked that there were two Christians at the bar talking about what we were talking about and reading a Bible. She said she had been molested as well and had never told anyone before.

She sat down on the other side of him and they commenced to having an in-depth conversation about that for about half an hour. When it was all said and done, he looked at me and said, “Man. This is really real!” I said “Yes, it sure is.”

He said, “You know, I came here looking for help and ended up helping someone else.” I said, “Yep, God works in ways you would never dream and tonight is proof!” We stayed until half time, and then parted ways. He was in church the following Sunday. He is trying to work it out with his wife and now has a new found hope.

I didn’t really do much. God put him in front of me, I opened the door, and he walked through the door.

Isn't God wonderful?