The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy Eight

I was going to write about my wife and I celebrating our sixth anniversary today  (I'm very happy and blessed to have her as my wife) but while writing I heard a very disturbing story on the news and I have to share it. A social worker found a ten year old girl locked in a closet and severally malnourished. They went on to say that they found her by tracing the strong smell of urine which led them to the locked closet. They said that she only weighed thirty eight pounds and was wearing a 2T t-shirt. For anybody who doesn't have children let me put this into perspective, my three and a half year old son weighs that or more and wears a 4T t-shirt. One of the neighbors said that the little girl was in the fetal position, clinging to the social worker and that her little legs were so skinny and bony that it brought her to tears. I'm having a hard time writing this because I can't fathom why or how somebody could do something like that to a dog, let alone a child. The
most ironic, horrible detail that I've left out is that the mother was out eating with the girl's other two siblings.
How in the world could somebody treat anybody like that? Especially their own flesh and blood? This sick, disgusting world is worsening and worsening with every new day. It breaks my heart to think about how depraved people are getting and what new evils they will invent for no apparent reason other than some kind of sick, hateful amusement. Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.  
This is the only thing that I can think of which could possibly explain the behavior of this little girl's mother and all the others in this world who are just plain evil.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy Seven

Tomorrow, if I wake up on time, I will be able to go to Sunday morning worship service for the second consecutive Sunday. That's not a big deal to some people but it's huge to me. For over two years now I haven't been able to go to church on Sunday mornings due to work but now... Now, since my delivery schedule has changed, I am able to go in and work five hours and go directly to church. (I always have to have a short day because I always stay over on delivery days.)
 I don't know if anyone read what I wrote two weeks ago but I was upset that my delivery schedule had changed and I wasn't going to be able to go to the Tuesday morning bible study that I always attended as well as (I thought) missing Sunday mornings but I have been pleasantly surprised. I believe that this happened  because God heard my prayers and answered favorably!
Before Sunday mornings were taken away from me I kind of took them for granted. I didn't always go to worship with the right attitude. Maybe God allowed me to get taken away from it to teach me a lesson. Maybe He wanted me to truly long to be in the house of the Lord before allowing me to go. Whatever the reason I am grateful to be able to attend and want nothing more than to worship and praise my Lord, Jesus.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy Seven

I know that I write a lot of things about working in my yard and garden but it's just about all I do this time of year, that said, I have two things that I'd like to mention that happened in the yard/garden that led me to think about the Lord. The first happened a few times this week. While I was outside planting blueberries my three and a half year old son decided that he was going to throw handfuls of loose,dry dirt into the air which was like dust landing all over our heads and shoulders. It reminded me of Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his cloths, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.
This, of course was when the Israelites were defeated in Ai for not listening to the Lord. I'm so glad that Jesus did what He did on the cross, forgiving all who would repent and be baptized once and for all. I don't have to throw dust in the air and sit in sackcloth and ashes every time I sin. That doesn't, however, mean that when I realize I'm guilty of sin that I shouldn't confess it to Him and repent of it.
The second was this evening when I was pulling up the beans to make room for cantaloupes. Seeing those plants come out of the ground roots and all reminded me of what John the baptist said in Mathew 3:10 "And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
He was telling about Jesus coming and what will happen to those who don't accept Him. We all have a chance to accept Jesus and bear good fruit for Him but if we don't.... We too will be like those unfruitful trees; only the fire we will see will last for eternity.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy Five

Last night I wrote about wanting to have a better prayer life. This morning I woke up (if you can call it waking up, I hardly slept) pretty close to time for work and prayed while getting ready for work. That's not what I wanted to do. I said that I want to talk with the Lord but this morning it was as if I walked by Him on the street, said hello and kept on going. I really don't want it to be that way, I want to get so much closer to Jesus that I can't stand it but I keep on letting everything get in the way. If I would have just taken five or ten minutes to get down on my knees and thank Him and praise Him for the blessing of another day.....

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy Four

I want to have a better prayer life. I pray every day whenever the urge hits me but I really want to pray more meaningful prayers. Sometimes I find myself praying the exact same prayer as the day before. Kind of like it's out of habit instead of out of a desire to talk to my Creator. Sometimes I pray for my own needs and wants and forget about everybody else. I don't mean to be so selfish and when and if I realize what I'm doing I repent of it and change my prayer but I don't want others to be an afterthought. I want to be someone who has deep conversations with the Lord. Not for show, not for any purpose but to glorify Him and serve Him by lifting up others. I want to have a heart that cares for and loves my neighbor as myself and that sees peoples needs and prays for those needs to be met. I want to have a deep desire to love, serve, and pray for non-Christians especially. I think that by strengthening and rejuvenating my prayer life I will become a much better equipped servant of Christ.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy Three

Genesis 9:11 "Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth." 12 And God said: "This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth."
The rainbow is a sign of God's promise not to destroy the earth again by flood. Homosexuals have distorted and desecrated this beautiful colorful sign of the covenant and used it as the sign of their homosexuality. I can't judge anybody but I can judge their actions, especially when Gods word calls it abomination.
It's not enough that they are involved in this lifestyle but they have to take something as pure and beautiful as God's rainbow and cover it with the stench of their sin? I don't think that there are as many people who see the rainbow as what God made it for as there are who see it as a sign of homosexuality. I just hope and pray that this despicable world will repent before it's to late.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy Two

Tonight is going to be a very short post. I am canning green beans after working ten and a half hours and planting blueberries. Every time I plant something I pray for God to bless it when I'm done. If you don't want God to bless you.... Don't ask for it! I asked for it and I certainly got it. Now I am trying my best not to waste it.
Thank You dear Lord! You are awesome in every sense of the word! In Jesus name, Amen!

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy One

Today I was able to go to church for the morning service as well as the evening one. I know that one day last week I complained about my schedule changing and missing out on my Tuesday morning bible study but so far it looks as if I have traded it in for being able to get back to where I belong on Sunday morning, at least from about half way through Sunday school anyhow. I still have to work on Sunday mornings but I've been able to make it my short day now.
I'm so glad because, in all honesty, I've noticed a change in myself that I hate. I find myself cussing more than I used to (which was very rare), I also find myself getting frustrated and angry more than I used to. When I was in church every Sunday (for both services) and in the word more, I seemed to be able to handle stress and frustration better than now. I can blame work for missing Sunday mornings but I don't have any excuse for reading Gods word only two to three times a week. I need to get back to being saturated in His word and I think that there's no better time than the present. Now that I have the blessing of getting back into the house of God like I need to be I can use it for a foundation to build on by reading at least two chapters a day like I used to. If I can do these two simple things I know that my entire outlook and attitude will improve dramatically.
Father, thank You for the chance to get back into Your house this morning. Thank You that You have put it on my heart to write this blog every night for a year, and thank You that You have moved me to want to be saturated in Your word again. I pray, Father, that You will help me to stay dedicated and motivated by You and for You. I pray that You will fill me with Your peace and help me to stop cussing and getting angry. I pray that You will give me a double portion of Your wisdom, that I may be able to see when the devil is attacking me and stop him and cause him to flee from me. I need You Lord. Please change me for Your purpose and glory. In Jesus perfect name, AMEN!

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Seventy

My wife called me as she always does while she was on her way to the van to come home from work this evening. She was upset, as she has been lately. Every time she has to work she starts to panic because her boss nit-picks everything she does to the point of putting her just about into tears.
By the time my wife comes home she's angry, upset, and usually on the verge of tears or already crying. I can't help but to feel like it's my fault. I asked our district manager to transfer her to this store which is about twenty miles closer than the one that she was at. Within about a week her new boss had her up in the office and it seems to happen just about every month. Apparently the boss traded the last person she nit-picked to death for my wife.
I'm tired of seeing my wife (the woman I adore) coming home in this state but I don't make enough money to support us on my own and a new job won't pay her what she makes now (not to mention, new jobs are hard to come by right now). A big part of me wants to go up there myself and talk to her boss. (This sounds terrible but it's the truth) Another part of me even wishes her boss were a man so I could punch him in the mouth, but of course, that would be terribly wrong and wouldn't do much for our Christian witness either.
I just want to see her in a better frame of mind. I fear that this constant stress is going to really tare her down and I don't want for her to go through anything like that. I love her dearly and pray that God will change this for her benefit.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty Nine

Yesterday on my facebook page I posted a short five or six minute video of a man who was in the hospital dieing. He was on a ventilator and he wrote a note that said something to the effect of "the doctors have given me one to two days to live but I'm not afraid, I'm going home." The man who was making the video (his pastor, I think) showed this mans bible which was full of underscores, highlights, circled passages and notes. The dieing man looked to be extremely happy. He wasn't down at all, but pumped up. He reminded me of somebody who had just made it to the front of the line to be next on a roller coaster. That man did die; the very next day....
I don't have any doubt that he is with our Lord in the kingdom of heaven right now. What we, as Christians, need to do is be that excited about living. I don't mean that we need to take everything that life has to give but that we have to give everything that we can. The way to life is to die to our self and live for Christ. If we can truly do this we will be just like that man was when we are on our death beds. Not somber and afraid but excited and ready to ride that roller coaster.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty Eight

I know that I've written something about this before but it's something that's on my mind. Non-Christians always seem to think, and say that we are shoving our faith down their throats. I don't think that's the case at all. If anything, the secular world is ruthlessly shoving their disdain for and intolerance of Christianity down our throats. From the courthouse to the outhouse the the rights of Christians are slowly and quietly be taken away one by one. By the time a child finds them self in high school they are being ridiculed by students and teachers alike for any belief of or stands for God and when they get to collage they have been targeted so much and their minds so twisted that they don't know if they're coming or going and usually just walk away from the Lord all together. TV, movies, and music ridicule and belittle Christians on a regular basis and it's fine with the majority.
If I talk about Jesus to someone I'm somehow violating them but if they use the Lord's name in vein around me and I mention that it offends me I'm intruding on their 1st amendment right to free speech. If I'm offended by the way someone talks it's fine but if what I say cuts to the bone, I'm a religious fanatic, bigot, or whatever choice word a human-secularist has in store for me. The scales are tilting and tilting badly and quickly. If you don't believe me just look around the average church. The the number of fifty plusers outnumbers the younger parishioners by three or four to one. At that rate the number of Christians will have diminished  to a "controllable" level in no time and our slowly disappearing rights will quickly fade away and nobody will be able to do a thing about it.
We need to preach and teach the word of God to our children! From the time they are born to the time we die! We need to teach them why they believe what they believe and how to defend it! If we don't know ourselves, we need to dig into the bible and (extremely importantly) pray for wisdom and understanding. God will give it if we truly want it! 

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty Seven

Today I had to go to a meeting at work with all the others who do what I do in my district; all the managers were there also. There was one other person there also, it was a young man who used to work under me at another store. He was dressed as a manager. I asked him why he was all dressed up and he told me that he was in the manager training program. I smiled and said something small and went on my way to where I had to be.
I couldn't and can't stop thinking about it. When I left the store that we worked together at, he was a part timer who at best, was mediocre and now he's in a program that will make him potentially my boss. I asked the district manager about getting in the program a while ago and he told me that I would have to become a department manager before climbing the ladder to assistant manager. So you can only imagine the shock that hit me when I heard the news of the young mans quick climb to full time, then lead, and then department manager; all in a years time.
My mind keeps on thinking things like "If his dad wasn't a store manager of thirty plus years he wouldn't have been chosen for this position." Whether I'm right or wrong I shouldn't be thinking things like that. Satan is working overtime on me to try and make me angry, jealous, and even a little hurt about this. Regardless of the circumstances I should be happy for, or at least indifferent to the young man for his new found success but I can't seem to stop thinking that he doesn't deserve this.
I'm ashamed of the way I'm thinking. A Christian shouldn't be like this.....

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty Six

I sat down to write this tonight and heard the most glorious sound.... Rain! Lots of beautiful, pouring, delightful rain! As someone who loves to do some gardening I love it, and as someone who loves the Lord and knows that Him and only Him (not mother nature, contrary to what the news reporters say) can give or withhold rain, I'm very thankful for this awesome blessing. He knows our every need and provides for them daily yet we take Him for granted and don't thank Him or praise Him like we should. Every breath that flows in and out of us is a blessing and should be thought of that way. Every meal, the clothing on our backs (no matter how old or out of style), the roof over our heads and even the air conditioning or heat are all gifts from the All Mighty. Let's not forget ALL of those prayers that He has looked upon with favor either. Often times we ask and receive but don't take the time to thank and praise Him.
I can't point my finger at anybody for taking our Lord for granted unless it's at my self. I'm terribly guilty of taking His blessings and happily going on my merry way without so much as a thank You Lord.
Thank You Lord!

The life and trials of a growing - Day One Hundred Sixty Five

Tonight my wife and son both came out and picked green beans with me. It doesn't sound like a big deal but it's something that I cherish. Every time I go out into the garden my son comes with me but my wife is usually either at work or in doing something in the house. It was a real joy to have her come out and ask where I wanted her to start picking. It's got to sound a little stupid and maybe even a little trivial but my heart is full just from that hour or so that I was so blessed to be able spend just working and enjoying my family. Had my daughter been with us it would have been complete.
So many families get caught up in having to make more money to buy more stuff that just isolates them from one another and they don't get to enjoy that fullness of heart that I mentioned above. Although I would love to make more money than I do, I'm rich. Definitely not rich in money but rich in spirit and love.
I have the gift of a relationship with Jesus which promises eternal life and I have a loving family; what more could I need?

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty Four

Tonight at church the man the man who was leading the bible study veered off (like usual) and brought up something that I was very glad to hear. He brought up worship services and the participation, or lack there of, that is given by the congregation. So many times people get moved but don't say or do anything to show it. There's nothing wrong with giving an AMEN every now and then or raising your hands or something to show that you still have a pulse. I'm not saying that people need to randomly break into song or shout so many praises that nobody can hear the service but if the Holy Spirit leads you to want to shout PRAISE THE LORD or something then don't hold it in. Give our Lord the praise He deserves and wants!
2 Samuel 6:14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.
David was so happy and full of the Spirit that he danced and jumped with happiness and praise. Can't we give God the same? After all, He has given us everything, the least we can do is to give Him a little praise right?

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty Three

A old man came to me for help at work three different times today. Each time he cussed a little more but the last time he said "I'm ninety years old. Why did they have to send me to the GD store?" By this time I just walked away from him disgusted. All I could think was "How in the world could someone who's ninety years old purposefully take God's name in vein?" "If I were that old and potentially close to the afterlife I'd probably be a lot more careful what I say."
I've also been watching a show about Steven Hawking's thoughts and he thinks that God is a figment of our imagination. How can somebody who's blessed with so much intelligence be so (for lack of a better word) stupid?
I just can't understand people. They don't have any regard for the One who created them.I wish this twisted world would just stop and turn to Him.  

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty Two

I've recently started reading a book called "The kingdom of the cults." So far it's been very interesting. I started at the "Jehovah's witness and the watchtower bible and tract society" section of the book and in the few pages that I've read I have learned a lot. I learned that a man named Charles Taze Russell founded the cult in 1876 when he was elected "pastor" of a group of people in a bible study group. I also learned that he didn't have any collage, seminary, bible collage or even a high school diploma (which doesn't necessarily mean anything) and that he wasn't even ordained by any clergy. I also read that he sold wheat seed at the rate of $1.00 a pound (which was extremely over priced for the time) calling it "miracle wheat" with the promise that it would produce five times more than any other wheat. The wheat was tested and was proven to be inferior to the average seed. He has been proven to purger himself in court on many occasions. And worst of all he was quoted saying that it's better for someone to have read his notes on the bible than to have read the bible it's self and that if a person quit reading his notes and read the bible only they would regress immediately but if they quit reading the bible and only read his notes they would become increasingly more spiritual.
So far I've read that Mr. Russell was a liar, a cheat, and a fool. Not exactly the kind of person that I would like to get any kind of spiritual advice from. There's no wonder why the Jehovah's witnesses are so far from the scriptures. I can give them one compliment though, they are dedicated. If we as Christians would be half as dedicated there might be a lot less lost souls wondering around out there.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty One

I don't have much to say tonight and if I did I wouldn't be able to because I have a three year old screaming at the top of his lungs in his bedroom. There's nothing wrong with him, he just doesn't want to go to sleep and he's throwing a terrible tantrum which entails lots and lots of ear piercing, head splitting, high pitched screams and some kicking. I can assure you it's not the optimum writing conditions or the optimum conditions for anything other than burying one's head in a pillow and praying for it to stop before one's ears start bleeding.
Wait a minute... What's that? Could it be? Silence.... Nope! He just had to regroup. I have a bad feeling that my entire family is going to have a sleepless or at best, broken sleep night. 

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Sixty

About two hours before I left work today I was told that my delivery schedule would be changing which would effect my daily work schedule. Instead of having Tuesday and Thursday off I will now have Wednesday and Friday off. There are two things that will be majorly effected by this. One is my son's speech classes which have been on Tuesday and Thursday since he started (I'm pretty sure we can change them), and the other, regrettably, is the Tuesday morning bible study that I've been attending for over two years now.
It's bad enough that where I work makes me miss Sunday morning worship service but now they have to take this from me too? It seems like the Christian owned company that I used to work for sold to a Satan owned company.
 I can see a very big difference in my self now that I don't get to attend Sunday morning worship service; one that I don't like. Tuesday has pretty much turned into my new Sunday so now that it's gone I feel as if I'm being thrown to the dogs. I go on Sunday and Wednesday night, but to be honest, they aren't very fulfilling so Tuesday was all I had to feed me.
I think I  need to start seriously praying and looking for a new place to work and for the Holy Spirit's guidance in everything I do and say. I'm getting really frustrated with people and situations and without that extra spiritual nourishment I fear that I might really say something stupid.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Fifty Nine

There is so much going on that isn't right; that doesn't coincide with God's word. I see and hear so much that is vile and despicable and it's just commonplace in society. Nobody seems to speak out about anything except those few who truly try to serve God. Then we're demonized by the massive majority and called things like bible thumpers and flat earthers. This world is like a big, giant pot on a fire that's roaring full blast and the water is getting hotter and hotter with every new vile, disgusting sin that we can think to throw on the fire. We as Christians are supposed to be shouting at the top of our lungs; "STOP!, REPENT!, DON'T YOU FEEL THE WATER GETTING HOTTER AND HOTTER?" But there are so few of us screaming that nobody is listening, and the ones that do hear are shouting for us to shut up.
We are the butt of everyone's jokes so we just sit down, shut up, and let this filthy, stinking world keep on marinating in it's sin. If we don't do anything to change it, we're just contributing to it. So, I ask, what can we do? What will it take to motivate us to stand up for Jesus?
I think the first thing we need to do is unite with each other. If I'm not mistaken there are over three hundred different denominations of Christians. Over three hundred? What kind of sense does that make? If I listed all of them with a comma between each one, all of those commas would be a perfect illustration of how Satan has gotten between all of God's people. There is only one God so why do we need to be split in so many different directions on what His word says, and how to worship Him?
If we don't come together we will continue to be the butt of jokes and infective for God's kingdom. Jesus said that a house divided against itself can't stand. I know that that was when He was accused of driving out demons by Beelzebub in Mathew ten but it can certainly apply here also.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Fifty Eight

Sometimes I just don't know how I'm supposed to be. I take every word in the bible as truth and hold the word of God with the utmost respect. So, if it says that the only way to be with the Lord in eternity is to repent and be baptized, which it does in multiple places, I take it to be absolute truth. Here's where the dilemma lies; I can't get the message into people's heads! The bible is so cut and dry about it. If you don't confess Jesus and repent and be baptized you will spend eternity in the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Do I sweetly and gingerly explain it? Do I stand on a chair and boldly holler about hellfire and brimstone? I don't know! Sometimes I just want to knock peoples' heads into one another because it seems as if it's the only thing that will cause them to take me seriously. And it's not me, but the message of the gospel of Jesus that I want people to accept. No matter how I put it people just laugh at me or call me overzealous and say I'm judging them. I don't have any right to judge anyone, but only to judge their fruit. If they claim to know Christ and live like the Devil I need to question that. If they claim to know Christ and spend their life in service to others I need to commend it.
God's word says that He's not willing that any perish but that all should come to repentance.All! So if I'm not sharing the gospel, I'm not doing anything.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Fifty Seven

I'm going to say something and I hope it doesn't offend anyone. While at work today I noticed a lot of women shopping after church, which in it's self is fine. What I noticed about them though, was how they were dressed. Some of these women were hardly covered or wearing cloths so form fitting that you couldn't help but to notice. What I can't understand is why; why do women have to go to church (or anywhere, for that matter) exposing themselves for everybody so see? When we go to church we're supposed to leave the world outside and dedicate ourselves to worship. How can that be possible when half of the church (the men) is busy looking at women with lust and the other half (their wives) is busy looking with judgement? Who is listening to the sermon? Who's heart is set on worship?
Men aren't exempt from this either. I see plenty of them dressed to the nines, strutting around like peacocks and looking at their reflection in the glass in all the freezer doors. I hate to say it, but I think the Muslims, Hoscitic Jews, and Amish have it right to a degree. This might sound radical but if everybody dressed the same for worship it might lead to a more fulfilling and genuine experience. I'm not saying that woman should cover every thing but their eyes but if they all dressed much more modestly than they do and if men all wore a plain, inexpensive black suit there would be no gawking or strutting or competition. I just think that too much is put into going to worship, so much that it takes away from it and makes it unholy.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Fifty Six

Yesterday I wrote saying that I didn't do anything of any importance for the kingdom of heaven and I really felt that way until I read the comment of a very kind and Godly woman way in the UK. She very kindly and gently reminded me that if I was spending time with my son I was doing work for the kingdom of heaven. It says in Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
I pray with my son before meals, at bedtime, and whenever I feel the need to. I try to teach him about his heavenly Father, but he's a little young to understand so I don't go too in depth yet. Most of all, I just try to teach him about whatever I'm doing at whatever time I'm doing it throughout the day. He's like a little sponge so everything I do or say, good or bad, right or wrong gets sucked up into his little mind and rung out later for anyone to see or hear, at any time whether appropriate or not. (children say the darndest things sometimes)
So, I can revise what I stated in yesterdays blog and say that I was investing into the kingdom of the Lord by spending time with my sweet little Samuel. I only wish that I were able to do the same with his big sister, Megan, but she's in another state.
I'm very grateful to the woman who reminded me of this. Sometimes I get so caught up in wanting to be more than what I am that I forget what I am. A servant of Christ, a husband and a father. I trivialized being one of these things and it took someone half way around the world to get me to see what's right in front of my face. Thank you.

The life and trials of a growing Christian - Day One Hundred Fifty Five

I'm struggling so hard to keep doing this blog. I just want to give up. I don't feel as if anything spiritual has happened in my life today. I woke up, went to work, came home, and hung out with my son until putting him to bed. Just my everyday life. I didn't win any spiritual battles, nor did I share Christ with anybody. I was just here, completely useless for the kingdom of heaven.
Maybe tomorrow will be different. Maybe I will step up to the plate and go out of my way to serve our Lord. Maybe He will put someone in my path who I can share Him with or help in His name. I just want to be useful for Jesus. So many people show up to church on Sunday only to do nothing for our Lord the entire week until returning to church the following Sunday to repeat the process over and over again for a lifetime. If I'm doing that, I beg and plea; please use me Lord! Please give me the wisdom and courage to see where I'm needed and go to work for You! In Jesus name, AMEN!