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I was in conversation today with a dear friend of mine and this was one of the communications I had made to him...

I think that God allows us to go thru things in life to be able to be a blessing and an encouragement to those who are around us.. we are called according to His purpose and therefore the things we go thru as children of  God are for His purpose not our own... yes we do become stronger and build character thru our trials but still that is only secondary... God's number one goal is to gain the favor of as many people that He can... When he finds a strong one that is feisty and can stand the test and the hurricane winds that blow he uses them for his purpose... Look at Job... He was the most Godly man that was alive... but he went thru worse than everyone around him for what reason? Almost doesn't seem fair but it was for God to prove something... and that was it!!!!... Just for God to prove something... So how do any of us think for one minute that we are any better than Job?...GOd knew that Job could withstand anything and keep on standing... What does God have to prove thru us He has to prove his almighty power to save and to KEEP!!! That is the key right there... It is easy to be saved but so hard for people to face adversity and keep on going... So many just fall over at almost the faintest of breeze carrying the oder of cow dung... so to speak...Therefore He uses the "life lessons" as you call them of other people to let others know... man!!! if they can do it... I can do it... You show me a strong stoward saint of God and I'lll show you someone who has been thru the fire many times over... It is not until you have been tested that you truly know what an individual is made of... There are some that are standing tall and shining very brightly who have never been thru the fire... but they are not proven or tried as pure gold as the bible says...Maybe they would fall over if tried so He never allows them to go thru things and be used mightily... A book of "life lessons"?(my friend is thinking of writing a book)... I don't think there could ever be too many...I would encourage you to pump out as many as you can... If God has laid this on your heart it could be the means of snatching someone from an uncontrolable downward spiral that ultimately ends up in spiritual death for that person...YOu have the ability to reach people I would never have the chance to and vise versa... Every person touched or save thru the book would be a star in your crown on that great day...There are not many of us that go thru extreme adversity for extended periods of time.... We must share what God has done for us and how HE tought us to survive in the midst of a storm... I personally have learned how to dance in the rain without an umberella and jump in the puddles around me with no gum rubbers... At first I was embarrassed at the thought of everyone knowing my story because it is so aweful and ugly and just something I would love to forget and leave behind me... but I realize it would be a sin and all the life lessons learned would be invain if I never shared them with others...

Ok so after writing this communication to him I went back to my profile to read my scripture for the day and this is it... I just had to share this...I was like WOW!!! talk about confirmation...

Ephesians... 1:9-10

Having made known unto us the mysteries of HIS will, according to HIS good pleasure he has purposed in HIMSELF that in the dispensation of the fulness of times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven , and and which are on earth, even in HIm

It's sooo aboutChrist... and not about ourselves...If we can somehow grasp that as christians the trials we are going thru are not about us ...EVER... they are for HIS... we laugh at the statement " so kingdomly minded that we are no earthly good"... well I don't think that that is too far off the mark the more I think about it... We are only on this earth for a very short time temporarily... this life we are living has one purpose only... it is not about us ... not what we have... what we have lost... what we have gained...where we are going... what we have done... it is simply to be in communion with God like ponds in this game called "life on earth" ...to be used for God to gather as many unto him as possible ...He will use us in whatever capacity he can to further the success of winning as many as he can to Himself... The stronger you are the more you will go thru because  He is able to use you mightily in this war against satan to snatch as many as He can ... If God is making an example out of you it is actually a good thing... although it is hard for us to see this at the time we are in the fire...everything that we are and possess in this temporary state is God's anyways (including children and family members ... I thought I would die when He allowed me to lose my boys)...but who are we to try to hang on to things and try to dictate the course or direction God has allowed our lives to take? Our lives are His anyways... Just live, breath, sleep, eat, talk and abide in Him til He comes and all of the hurts will be as not one day... Life is but a vapour...We have a hope and that is only inChrist... I am so glad to be His kid

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Amen Sister Wendy!

You spoke volumes. YES - we were created for a purpose. That purpose is to glorify, praise, and worship GOD. However, mankind failed in the most simple test of obedience from the very start. No man has ever been able to obey GOD and HIS Laws, so JESUS CHRIST gave HIMSELF as a perfect sacrifice on the CROSS to rescue us from the curse of sin and death.

Some folks still don't get it. Everything is about GOD, and there's a good reason why HE is called the ALMIGHTY GOD. HE is the CREATOR and has every right to tell us what to do. Giving us a brain and choice wasn't a mistake. Many have rejected HIM, disrespected HIM, and disobeyed HIM since the beginning. We are now approaching a time where GOD'S Patience with evil men is about to run out. It's been 2,000 years since the cross, and most of mankind is running away from the CROSS, not toward it. Evil is growing worse by the day now, so this evil world appears to be ripe for HIS RIGHTEOUS WRATH. It will come soon, and it will be too late for great hosts.

In the meantime, GOD has given every Christian a purpose. It's up to us to yield to HIS Will and follow the path that is most pleasing to HIM. We can yield to HIS Use and GOD will do the rest. We must also know that HE is always with us, so we never stand alone.

Love In Christ,
Tom

2 Timothy 4:16-18 NASB
At my first defense no one supported me, but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was rescued out of the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Hi Sister Wendy and Brother Tom,
What you've said this morning is so right on and such an encouragement to me this moring as I begin my new job at Seattle's Union Gospel Mission!
Once I got the knowledge that it wasn't about me, that it was all about God a huge weight was lifted from me and I gained the understanding that I don't have to understand everything.  It's God's business and not mine.  And it actually makes my job clearer and easier!  It's the perfect guided path.  "Do what God would have me do.  Do the next right thing".  So simple.

I also have been through a lot in my life.  Some not my doing, but A LOT of it was and it was ugly.  I am not afraid to share that story (testimony) because I feel that if I can connect with just one person, just one, and they want the same change that Christ has made in me, then I will be estatic!

It is my prayer this morning that God will use me as He will and for His purpose as I start this inner-city ministry with lost and hurting women and children.  Somehow I think the benefits will be for me as much as it will be for them, insomuch as I am expecting to "grow" through this experience.

If you all want, you can Google my name: Yvette Bainter
and find out all the "dirt" you ever wanted to know about me.  Actually there is still a lot more, but the article that the Seattle Times did on me a couple years ago tells a bunch!
I have regrets, but I am no longer ashamed because I've been forgiven and made brand new!  It is that bit of history that is going to help me in ministering to the women that I will be working with.  Praise God!

In Christ,
Grammyluv

Hello Grammyluv,

I'll be praying for you today. I think it will be a huge challenge but very rewarding.

Sister, I have no wish to find out anything bad about anyone. The only goodness that any of us have is in CHRIST. As Christians, we are who we are today by the Grace of GOD. We all have things in our past, but the blood of CHRIST has washed them away.

I'll pray that GOD gives all of us the strength, courage, and guidance to yield to HIS perfect will for us. We are all sinners saved by GOD'S Grace, and not one of us has anything to brag about except CHRIST. If there is any Glory, let it be in CHRIST - our ALL-IN-ALL!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 1:11-14 NASB
also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

 thank you for sharing, everybody!!  it's amazing how we can hear God's voice in different sirtuations, encounters w/ others, or in a written piece such as yours, wendy.  it's good to be reminded about what we believe, because it's so easy to get off track when storms blow through.  as iron sharpens iron...lburck

Grammy Luv...

 I have just come out of 15 years of inner city work... In the ghetto of Philadelphia... We rehabiliated court adjudicated youth and also homeless, drug addicts and women of the night... It is very dangerous doing that kind of work and also very rewarding... when you go to start your inner city work... be sure to try taking the route of getting city funding and also do not be afraid to tell them that you are gong to use biblical principles to rehabilitate and guide people in their sinful wartorn lives... When it comes to those kinds of problems they are becoming hopeless in their attempt to turn things around and are more desperate to try anything that will work... We had a 96% success rate in the years we ran our day treatment center which was 8 yrs... besides this we pastored... it is a selfless job... inner city work...alot of people say they are doing inner city work but drive back home at the end of the day in their cadilacs to their beautiful homes out in the suburbs... It is not till you live and breathe their culture that you gain their trust 100%... it isn't pretty living there...  and you put  your children at risk living there too... my children were caught in the crossfire on a few occasions... and I lived with the motto..."Where Sin abounds ... God's grace much more abounds...and so it did... God kept his hands on them... Man if you feel the call to inner city work... Go for it!!! The labourors there are few... Your interest in it makes me smile...