Word for Today, Tue, 9 Nov. 2004: Making a Difference
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Each of us has the opportunity every single day to make a
difference. We make a difference in our own lives by the choices
we make. Our choices affect other people, too. Having a
personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ deeply,
permanently, and profoundly affects the way we view ourselves and
the way we treat one another.
In the message below, Larry Davies writes about the way that
Sowing Seeds of Faith has affected other people. I know that the
ministry has deeply affected me in many ways. I first heard
about Sowing Seeds of Faith through a praying Christian friend,
who suggested that I send in prayer requests to the Sowing Seeds
of Faith prayer list. I did so, but so much more than a prayer
was uttered. New relationships were started. I became friends
with Larry Davies and later, many other people as well. I began
to pray for others. Before long, I was including devotional
writings from Sowing Seeds of Faith in my own writing.
That dates clear back to 1998.
Larry once wrote about using a small sum of money, $7.43 to meet
the needs of someone he did not know personally. Each of us has
the opportunity to reach out to others. Usually it is the people
we know - our family, friends, people we meet at work and people
in our neighborhoods. Ordinary people,.just like you and me.
People with real needs, just like you and me.
We have a choice to make. First, individually, do we accept the
free gift that Jesus Christ Himself gave up as an offering of
love - for me personally, for you personally? We have a choice
to accept or reject that gift. It is the free gift of salvation.
In order for the gift to be of any real worth, we need to do
something with it. If we ignore the gift or if we reject the
gift, it becomes a useless present. But if we embrace the gift,
it takes on full and lasting meaning. It permeates us, then it
extends outward to others.
Next, we have the opportunity to share that gift with others. It
is Jesus Christ who offers the gift, but each of us can play a
role by introducing someone to Jesus Christ. It is Christ who
saves, not us. Even so, we are important and useful vessels,
people He can use to effectively spread the message of love and
salvation.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
____________________________
Sowing Seeds of Faith...
Did you miss part one of Sowing Seeds of Faith... Ten Years of
Ministry? Click here:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/parable1.htm
Sowing Seeds of Faith... would not be here today without the
support of many of you but as we expand our ministry we find a
critical need for more help. If you would like to support Sowing
Seeds of Faith... there are at least four ways you can do so
right now:
1. Please include Sowing Seeds Ministry in your regular prayers.
2. Sign up for our prayer ministry:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/sign-up.htm
3. Consider buying our latest book:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/peanbutt.htm
4. Become a ministry partner:
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/ministry_partner.htm
You may also support our Christmas Child fund. All donations are
used to help families selected through our website. All donations
to the "Christmas Child Fund" go straight toward families in need
of help for Christmas. We never use this fund for anything else.
Please consider helping a child today.
"Christmas Child Fund" -
http://www.sowingseedsoffaith.com/Christmas.Child.Fund.htm
----------------
"Sowing Seeds of Faith... Ten Years of Ministry" Part 2
Larry Davies
Standing one Sunday morning, ten years ago with our church
outside a boathouse near a pond, next to a fishing boat and a few
farm animals gave me a new appreciation for how we hear the voice
of God. A simple parable about a farmer and seeds teaches a
life-giving message that God's word is alive and full of love and
hope. We are the ones who must decide how to respond.
According to the story, some of the seed fell along the path and
eaten by birds. Some fell on rocky places, where there was very
little soil. The plants sprang up quickly, but when the sun came
up, they were scorched. Other seed fell among thorns that choked
the emerging plants. But some seed fell among good soil and
produced a great crop-thirty-sixty-a hundred times what was sown.
(Mark 4)
Ten years ago, I responded with a commitment to write a weekly
newspaper column in Amelia, Virginia. What started as a few seeds
began to grow and grow. Today, "Sowing Seeds of Faith" is emailed
weekly to individuals, newspapers, churches, magazines and
websites around the world. There are three books in print and
weekly church bulletin inserts. Our website receives hundreds of
visitors daily and contains over four hundred pages of devotional
material on almost any topic. Our prayer network counts over
9,000 worldwide prayer partners. Our annual writing contest
offers publishing opportunities for Christian writers in four
categories: Devotion, Prayer, Poetry and Sermon.
More importantly were the seeds sown through our ministry and
harvested through you...
"I remember one lady who said she was just about to commit
suicide. She had three children she didn't want to hurt but was
determined to take her life. God touched my heart to write to
her. Her reply came back to me the next day. "The birds are
singing, the sun is shining, my heart is filled with joy and I am
happy. Thank you for your prayers." I treasure the message and
praise God for that wonderful lady and for her impact on my life.
Since then, I always send out prayers." Shashi, India
"Finding myself divorced, with two young children, after
seventeen years of marriage, every day was a struggle. Comfort
was sent to me in the form of Sowing Seeds Angels. Since that
dark period, I reach out and help others as I was helped. I also
had "Peanut Butter" from your book to sustain me." Marie
"Almost a year ago I wrote asking for prayer for my sister's
marriage. Her husband strayed and turned from God. After
receiving many encouraging emails I could feel the prayer power
and saw God begin to work on him. Now, he has recommitted his
life to the Lord, become a hands on father for his children and
he and his wife are undergoing Christian counseling to get their
marriage back on track. Thank you for being there for my family
at their time of need!!" Lisa
"As a rebellious teenager, I struggled with eating disorders,
mental problems, addictions to drugs and alcohol, promiscuity,
suicide attempts, etc, which put me in and out of rehab and
mental institutions. But, despite what most people believed about
me, The Lord delivered me and set my feet upon His powerful Rock;
Jesus Christ. I have been sober, clean, seizure free and sane for
twenty years now and am living proof that nothing is impossible
with God." Maureen
"If it were not for your prayer partners my wife might not be
here. You prayed for her heart when diagnosed with damaged
valves. Ten months later she had a successful heart operation.
You prayed over my work situation. I survived four years of
intense persecution and things are improving. You prayed for my
neighbor who vandalized my car and attacked me. This neighbor now
behaves more peacefully towards me and my family. You also prayed
for my finances and despite my wife not working for four years
God more than provided for us. You prayed for me after dad's
death and God gave me comfort. Your prayers and Sowing Seeds made
a difference to our lives!" Muralitharan
A parable of Jesus about a farmer sowing seeds, shared with a
church congregation meeting one Sunday morning at a pond ten
years ago, inspired me to venture out in faith and sow a few
seeds of my own. God has blessed our ministry and I am grateful.
May you find inspiration and courage to sow your own seeds and
may you produce a great crop u2013 thirty u2013 sixty u2013 a
hundred times what was sown.
"I hope to keep enjoying this ministry for another 10 (or more!)
years." Alison, Virginia
"From the first time I visited the website, God's positive,
caring, grace-filled mercy and love has increased. Being a part
of the Prayer Team brought so many blessings. To be able to pray
for others, actually correspond with those who are in so much
need of Christ and His power in their life has been deeply
heartfelt and life changing. When I have been on the other end of
the Prayer Team, receiving emails from our Brothers and Sisters
in Christ when there were times of hardship in my life has been
miraculous! Then there have been the personal emails from you,
Larry, that have lifted me up and given me strength to continue
forward as they have been Christ inspired. When you honored my
request to post your articles on my website, "A Special Place,"
your ministry has helped my visitors as well for they have gone
to your website and been touched even deeper. Millions of people
from all over the world are affected positively from the work you
are doing and I'm one of them. Thank! you, Larry, for the good
works you do for Christ who in turn blesses each of us. I pray
your ministry will continue to grow, not just online, but in your
Church as well. One can readily see Christ in your life by the
manner in which you write, how you sincerely care about others,
and in the outstanding work you accomplish daily. May God bless
you every moment of every day, Larry." Sincerely your Sister in
Christ, Securely His, Marie
=====
--
Brian Masinick, mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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