"I am blessed....are you"?
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Christian Encouragement August 25, 2001
Hello everyone! "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to
please men? If I were still trying to please
<i>men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10 NIV (I love this one!)</i>
This past week, I learned that one young lady "likes being a weed", that I am "the most
dangerous of fanatics" and that I should "cease and desist" sending out encouragements. I
have been accused of "being conceited" because I said that I am producing fruit (according
to God's Word, I say it). I also heard from another lady who doesn't believe in "the
personification of Satan" and that I probably "have been abused and should seek
professional help". A man told me I had "no right to 'preach' God's Word on the internet."
Some of the speeches were short....and some went on for D A Y S. I do not feel the need
to defend myself. It isn't necessary. Nasty words and threats are wasted on me. As long as
I believe the Lord wants me to do this, I will continue to do it. The only thing I will
say is that I wasn't speaking of
<i>people</i>
as "weeds", nor was I boasting of myself when I claimed to be producing good fruit. God's
Word says that I am. Matthew 13:23 (again)--"
<i>But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil, is the man who hears the word
and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was
sown."</i>
If we are saved, then whatever we do for the Lord, according to His Word, is called
"producing a crop" or "fruit". Some a little, some a lot. Every time you pray for those in
need....it's fruit. Every time you pass out a tract....it's fruit. If you teach, preach,
go to church regularly, encourage anyone, serve a meal, give clothing or food to the poor,
explain scriptures to your kids, visit the elderly, make a loving phone call to a brother
or sister in Christ, say 'Jesus loves you and so do I' to one who is struggling, forgive a
trespass, help in vacation bible school, tell ANYONE about Christ whether face to face--in
a notecard--or over the internet.....then
<i>you are producing a crop.</i>
A little....a lot, that's between you and the Lord. After I received so many hateful
emails, I thought to myself, "What in the world did I say that would cause all of this?!"
My husband and I went back and re-read "Pulling Weeds". It wasn't what
<i>I</i>
said. It was what
<i>Christ</i>
said. I ALWAYS pray over these encouragements before I send them, that the Lord would do
whatever He desires to do and that His Word would not return to Him void (or empty).
That's why I use the scriptures. There's far more power in
<i>His </i>
words than in my own. Hebrews 4:12--"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper
than any two-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and
marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (NIV) These aren't my
words...they are His, but I do believe them! As Paul states in I Corinthians 3:7--"So
neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."
NIV How am I blessed? I'll tell you. Even though I received MANY hateful emails this past
week, and many "removals", the Lord used many more of YOU to encourage ME. You produced
fruit for the Lord! It will not go unnoticed by Christ! I have prayed that He would bless
<i>every one of you</i>
in a special way. I have also prayed for those who tried their best to make me stop, and
will continue to pray. I can't stop. The older I get, the more important sharing the
gospel becomes to me. I desire to encourage all who are saved to keep "running the race",
and those who don't know Christ personally to grab hold of God's precious gift. God says
I've been blessed this week, but in a different way. My dear "ear-chopping" brother
Peter, who grew leaps and bounds in the Lord, says in I Peter 4:14,16-- "If you are
insulted because of the name of Christ, you are
<i><b>blessed</b></i>
, for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. However, if you suffer as a Christian,
do not be ashamed, but
<i><b>praise God that you bear that name</b></i>
." NIV I've been accused of many things. I've been called many names, but I have not yet
suffered as a Christian to the point of losing my life. I have not been made into a human
torch, flayed alive, had my head truly chopped off, stoned or crucified because of my
stand for Christ. I do not desire such things either. However, when and IF I ever die, I
know Christ will give me the grace I need. The desire of my heart is that His name will be
the last word from my mouth no matter what the circumstances! As Paul says in I
Corinthians 15:58 and 16:13--"Therefore, my dear brothers,
<b>stand firm</b>
.
<b>Let nothing move you</b>
. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor
in the Lord is not in vain. Be on your guard;
<b>stand firm in the faith</b>
; be men of courage;
<b>be strong</b>
. Do everything in
<b>love.</b>
" NIV I encourage all of you receiving this to step out of your comfort zone and
<b>be blessed</b>
! Be a little bolder. Be strong and don't let anyone move you to the point of utter
discouragement. Names are only names. So a door shuts in your face, knock on the next one.
Ask God to give you a job for Him and see what happens. As my dear sister in Christ, Mary
Ann, once told me..."I don't care what people call me as long as the Lord calls me His
own"! With love in the Christ who
<b>does</b>
call me His own,
Debbie Reed-Parman
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