All Misfits Welcome in God's Family

Is there someone that God has placed in the path of your life that may feel like a "misfit" and may need to know about the purposes that God has for their life?  Without Christ, we all feel like a misfit!!  I would encourage you to stop, take a few minutes to pray, and make a list of those in your life that need to know that God has a plan for their life.  In God's family everyone is welcome!

It is important to keep in mind that "misfits" tend to feel isolated where it can seem like they are forgotten and all alone?  Good News:  In God's Word we see some great promises of Hope that can be shared; ""'For I know that plans I have for you,'" declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will listed to you.  You will see me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.'" Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)

As a Christian, you have the Good News of Jesus & Christmas to share with those that need Him!  During the season of Christmas, look for great opportunities to reach out to and include those that may need to be rescued by God from an island of isolation and have an opportunity to belong to The Body of Christ!!

Jesus was born in Bethlehem to give His life for the misfits. Jesus Loves & Cares About Everyone!! Jesus said, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders.” Matthew 9:13 (MSG)

God Is Always There For You!

"In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old."  Isaiah 63:9 NASB

God knows your affliction.  He feels your pain.  The Lord promises to carry you through!  You are either in the middle of pain, coming out of pain, or about to experience pain...pain and affliction are a part of life until we see Jesus face to face! 

Someone Needs HOPE!  Often people turn to the Lord in the middle of a crisis of pain and affliction.  God Cares!  God is always there for you and those that He has strategically placed in your life that are experiencing situations where they need the Hope that comes from Him!

What are some simple ways you can share HOPE?

H - Share examples from your life when you received Hope from the Lord that helped you through your pain or afflictions?  Share Him & the Hope He has given you!  Jeremiah 29:11-13 says it best! "For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." (NASB)

O - Share examples from your life when you Opened your life up to the Lord and asked Him to save you!  Share some examples of how He has helped you with your pain or afflictions?  Share Your Testimony With Others!  John 3:16 says it best! “For God so loved the world, that He gave His [a]only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (NASB)

P - Share examples from your life about how the Lord has answered your Prayers & Pray for those that are experiencing pain or afflictions!  Romans 10:9-10, 13 says it best!  "if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.  For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed....for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (NASB)

E - Share examples from your life that will Encourage someone that is experiencing pain or afflictions with the encouragement God has given you?  Share God's Promises with those that are hurting!  Here are several promises from God's Word that say it best!; Isaiah 35:3 "Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble." - Romans 15:5 "Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus" - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:14 "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone." & 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20cor%201:3-7&version=NASB (NASB)

Also, when we share songs that are full of Hope, God often uses His Praise & Worship to minister to those that are experiencing pain or afflictions!  He inhabits the Praise of His People = God Is Always There For You!! 

Here is an example of one of those songs of encouragement that is based on the Poem "Footprints in the Sand" & goes so beautifully with Isaiah 63:9 NASB  "In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBLkbBEfjcc  (Footprints in the Sand - Leona Lewis)

God Has Great Plans For You!

Please Read and memorize Jeremiah 29:11-13. With those promises in your heart, begin to evaluate your life goals:



♥Are your goals and plans specific?
♥Are your goals and plans God centered?
♥What changes do you need to make in order to set and meet the goals and plans God has for your life?
♥Who can you share Jeremiah 29:11-13 with that needs JESUS & the HOPE that these promises give?

•Keep a journal as you write down goals, plans, and changes while you follow God & His Word.
•Share your goals, plans, and changes with someone that you trust as they encourage you and hold you accountable.

Psalm 139:16 "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Luke 11:28 "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it."

Found

Then Isaiah is so bold as to say,“I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” But of Israel he says, “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” Romans 10:20-21, ESV

I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here am I, here am I,” to a nation that was not called by my name. I spread out my hands all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices; a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and making offerings on bricks; who sit in tombs, and spend the night in secret places. Isaiah 65:1-4a, ESV

 

I am reminded again this morning through Romans 10:20-21 (which comes from Isaiah 65), God shows Himself even to those who do not seek Him. All I can say is, "Glo-REH!!!" Amen! Lost is hard to watch. When we see our loved ones so desperate for attention, it is very hard to watch. When they have rejected the truth and love from God, our hearts cry for them. These verses remind me that God is still at work. We pray for people to seek Him but even when they don't, God is reaching out to love them, forgive them, and give them HOPE!

Let's never give up praying for those we love who need Jesus!

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13, ESV

HeartCall: Your Purpose

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13, ESV)

I never cease to be amazed at the gifts of women. One of our Women's Ministry Institute (WMI) students at Southern Seminary, created this video using some of the words and verses from the HeartTalk track that I wrote. What a message of hope for the Easter season! I am so proud of Karen Brawner, member and bible study leader at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY! Thank you Karen for using your gifts to share the message of hope!

We are all gifted2go! Jesus is THE GIFT! Let's share the message of hope with women who lead lives of emptiness. Please pass this on! And, share with us how you are telling the good news of Christ!

God loves YOU! Pass it on!

divine appointment at the preschool desk

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11-13, ESV).

I worked my volunteer job at church this morning. I'm the preschool check-in lady. That may not sound very important to you, but it is the open door that the Lord has given me to be faithful to do. Each Sunday morning, I arrive at about 9am and check in new preschoolers who come to our church. I usually leave at about 11am to go to the worship service. The church is quite large and just to give you an idea, we run about 700 preschoolers (birth through kindergarten) on a Sunday. It is quite a busy place and where I sit is also the "problem-solving headquarters" for all that is happening behind the scenes. I have to admit that I am not in charge but can problem-solve as need be. It is a perfect fit for me in this busy season when I am gone on numerous trips since it doesn't take any advance preparation (on my part - obviously there are hundreds of workers who do massive amounts of preparation!).

The best part about my job is that I get to meet newcomers to the church. You would not believe how many new parents come to church for the first time! I have gotten to share with many parents and grandparents about the love of Jesus and pray with them over things like broken relationships (separations, divorces, etc), special family needs, and lost family members. I have seen them walk up and burst into tears, seen them filled with joy over their newborn, and watched many a grandparent try to deal with armloads of young ones. Almost every week, I see someone that I know was encouraged or settled during a hectic morning.

This morning was another crazy one - but God granted a divine appointment right in the middle of it. I won't tell you all the confusion but there was a lot. God provided a moment for me to pray with a young mom who had never openly confessed her faith. I shared with her the gospel message and started with Jeremiah 29:11-13. She told me it was a sign. Yes, it was! It was a huge sign that God had led her there, was helping her to understand her new found faith, and to understand what had happened and what to do next. I promised you that I was more blessed than she was!

When we seek Him, we find Him! When we seek to lead others to Him, He uses us! What are His plans for you? How are you serving Him? Be faithful in the little things and He will show you great and mighty things! Let's make a fresh commitment for Him to use us to share the love of the Lord with those who are seeking Him!