Our team at GiveSendGo is so saddened and our hearts are heavy with the recent news of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. It is easy to live in fear when you see and hear devastating news like this. The question runs through our mind, "what if it were my child?", and for over 17 families the unthinkable has happened, they sent their child/spouse to school on a random Wednesday morning and they won't be returning home. There are no easy platitudes or saying that will take away the pain and hurt of this situation. So, as believers we ask ourselves, "what should be our response?" I believe it is ok to be angry. It is ok to vocal about what changes you think need to happen to prevent this from happening again. It's ok to feel saddened and scared, but that should not be the end of our response.
As Christians we have Hope. We have a love that can change people's lives. We do not have to live in fear or anger. We need to live making the most of every day given to us. Sharing Jesus to the people sitting beside us on the bus, to the person behind us in line, to the poor, sick, to the struggling teen wandering our neighborhood. We need to be God's hands and feet. EVERYDAY. Not just during tragedy. Not just when there is a lot of media surrounding something. EVERYDAY asking God to bring someone in your path that needs to know His life changing, world altering, love.
Don't be vocal just to argue your point. Arguments don't fix problems. Action does.
Take action today.
Love someone that feels unlovable.
Be Jesus to the hurting.
Do you believe God answers prayers?
I mean do you really truly believe God answers prayers?
I mean, today in 2018, do you believe that God answers prayers?
Have you ever asked God for something and seen your prayer answered? There are many Scriptures that tell us we should be continuously talking to God, requesting, and sharing with Him the things that concern us, and that He wants to answer. I know it is easy to say a quick prayer when I am in the midst of something stressful, or if I hear of someone that is hurt or in trouble. It can become a habit to just say a “quick prayer”, but not really expect my prayers to be answered. We give up on the answer before the prayer even leaves our mouths.
This week our GSG team wants to challenge you to to start (or continue) seeking God for needs, requests, and miracles in our lives and expect an answer. Put aside time every day this week to spend in talking with God. Not just at dinner or tucking kids in bed. Every time we pray we need to be asking God to line up our desires with His. Truly believing that He can and wants to answer.
We encourage you to print out these verses below and place them around your home, office, the refrigerator,bathroom, your car dashboard, your TV or computer screen. Use these verses to remind yourself that God wants you to actively be asking and expecting from Him.
1 John 5:14-15English Standard Version (ESV)
14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Isaiah 65:24New Living Translation (NLT)
24 I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
John 15:7New Living Translation (NLT)
7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
James 4:3Living Bible (TLB)
3 And even when you do ask you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
James 5:13-18New Living Translation (NLT)
13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord.15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.
1 Thessalonians 5:17New Living Translation (NLT)
17 Never stop praying.
Micah 7:7New Living Translation (NLT)
7 As for me, I look to the Lord for help.
I wait confidently for God to save me,
and my God will certainly hear me.
Comment and let us know how this challenge went. We believe that God wants to hear from us and answer, so we expect awesome testimonies of God stretching your faith and answering you in ways you can’t even imagine. https://www.facebook.com/Givesendgo
My Mama always told me not to talk to strangers..but today I did.
Soooo here is my really cool testimony. I'll try to make it short.
I was hanging out with my mom and sister Weslea, we were talking about how important it is for Christians get out of their comfort zone and just tell people how much God loves them. We talked about how we should start telling people..anywhere and everywhere.
I had to leave to go grocery shopping... so we decided that I would try it, just stop some random person at the store and let them know the truth about Jesus and His great love for them. As I was leaving, Weslea said she got a picture, she described a woman and said she had a red hat and said that if I see her, I should tell her how much God loves her.
So I went, very nervous but excited. I prayed for courage the whole way to the store. God kept bringing to mind that I should pray for her son?? Weird, but its what kept coming to mind. I walked in the store. No one with a red hat on..I shopped. Still no one that fit the description. I went through check out..still couldn't see anyone.
The whole time in my spirit I kept praying that the Lord will give me someone, a lady in a red hat or not.
I headed to my car..no one.
As I put my groceries in my car I was staring at all the strangers that passed by. I was wondering who it would be. Finally, after not seeing anyone with a red hat I decided that I would talk to the lady putting her groceries away in the car next to me. With a Godly courage, I went up to her and told her how much God loved her. How He wants relationship with her. How even in her darkest moments, He was with her. She nodded politely and smiled. I asked if she had a son. Nope. 3 daughters. I continued to let her know how much Christ adored her. ( I mean, even if I was wrong about the person, who doesn't love hearing that God loves them.)
Finally, I went to put my cart back in the corral and out of the store walked a woman that fit Weslea's description...exactly! So crazy!!
Here it goes again!
Went up to her, she was a bit surprised. I said "you know something funny, my sister and I were praying this morning and she got a picture of you. She said if I saw you at the store, I needed to tell you something." She just stared at me. I said "do you know God loves you so much! He has me here today to tell you how special you to Him. He watches you every second and is absolutely in love with you!"
Tears rolled down her face. She explained her son (!!!!) just had open heart surgery and had become a Christian. We prayed healing right there for him. I told her to go home and tell him how much God is pleased with him. As she grabbed my hand She cried some more and talked about how this made her day. We talked for a couple minutes more as I just tried to convey how deep her Heavenly Father's love was for her and how He wanted a personal relationship with her. It was amazing. God is so good.
How could I ask my kids and youth group kids to spread Gods love if I wasn't even doing it!!! Here is to 2015 and making a commitment to being available to God to be used. Not just talking but praying and maybe financially giving to whomever we are led to!
If you want change in your community or nation.... start it yourself. ?
E. Arvidson
Then come back and share your testimony with us.
Let the life changing stories continue!
