Thursday October 29, 2009 ON THE RIGHT PATH
"I am determined to go to Jerusalem now. I don't know what will happen to me there. However, the Holy Spirit warns me in every city that imprisonment and suffering are waiting for me. But I don't place any value on my own life. I want to finish the race I'm running. I want to carry out the mission I received from the Lord Jesus - the mission of testifying to the Good News of God's kindness. Acts 20:22-24 Jerusalem was often called, "the city of God." Why God chose Jerusalem is unknown to me, but it was definitely a place set aside for God's people. Jesus knew His ultimate destination would be Jerusalem, and today we see that Paul too was drawn there by the Holy Spirit. Where is your Jerusalem? >From the life of Jesus and the life of Paul, we can see that a life yielded to >God often brings with it a certain amount of suffering. Each person's life will display a different type of suffering. Yet, we have the assurance that any suffering we endure will be used for God's glory. An example of this is found in the story of Lazarus, found in John 11:4, "When Jesus heard the message, he said, 'His sickness won't result in death. Instead, this sickness will bring glory to God so that the Son of God will receive glory through it.'" We all have a work to do - to share with others the Good News of God's amazing grace. We are a people of purpose. Just as Paul knew that the Holy Spirit was guiding him toward Jerusalem, we too can listen to the guidance of God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Step Four in the Experiencing God study says, "God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways." The words from a reading in God Calling touched me and I share them with you: "Dwelling with Me, desiring only My Will and to do My work, My Spirit cannot fail to pass through the channel of your life into the lives of others. Many think it is humility to say they do little, and are of little value to My world. To think that is pride. What if the pipe were to say 'I do so little, I wish I could be more use.' The reply would be 'It is not you, but the water that passes through you that saves and blesses. All you have to do is to see there is nothing to block the way so that the water cannot flow through. The only block there can be in your channel is self. Keep that out, and know that My Spirit is flowing through. . .See this, and you will think it natural to know that they are being helped, not by you, but by My Spirit flowing through you as a channel." God helped me better understand His heart by telling me to focus on Jesus and His life. As I read about Jesus, I learned about God by seeing who Jesus went to, hung out with, and what He said. John 12:44 TLB helped me tremendously, "Jesus shouted to the crowds, 'If you trust me, you are really trusting God.'" Father please show me Who I am trusting today. We trust that when we submit our all to You, the Holy Spirit will guide our very footsteps on the path You have chosen specifically for us. Help us know the truth that Divine guidance brings Divine joy, even in the midst of suffering! O. Addison Gethers e-mail address [email protected] [email protected] twitter URL http//:twitter.com/OAddisonGethers Messenger contact window live/msn messenger: [email protected] aim: durangoadd64 skype: cowboys62 yahoo messenger: OADDISONGETHERS rs --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Deaf-Blind Inspirational Life Group" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/dbilg?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
