fusionatl

Hey everybody. I would like to hear your thoughts on this past week's message.

I thought the message was awesome. They're always that much better when you can relate and feel like you're being spoken directly to. I know for me, after going to Nicaragua and hearing about the Sex Slave Trade, I was like I want to just up and quit my 9-5 to be able to help out with this type of stuff. But as you said, not everyone is destined to *directly* change the world. Instead of dreading my job because it stops me from being able to help out, I should be more grateful for it and just plan on being the one who changes the one who actually goes out and changes the world. I had the opportunity to experience the need in the world, and although I would like to be the one who helps change it, I am now satisfied with the mind set of being the one who changes the one who changes the world. That may be what God has planned, it may not be. But either way, I will be grateful.

Hey Lauren, I'm really glad God spoke to you through the message.

But I do want to really point out one thing... I totally wasn't trying to say that not everyone is destined to change the world. Every person on the face of the earth has the potential & the opportunity to change the world. You might not "directly" change the world, but you are 100% able to be the one who "indirectly" changes the world. In the end, both people change the world. You will never know the ramifications of your everyday actions.

Just like Edward Kimball... I'm sure he worked a day job & he was a Sunday School teacher on the weekends. But he was faithful in God in the little things, in the day to day things. And through his actions, Billy Graham ended up being saved 80 years later. He hadn't "just planned on being the one who changes the one..." There's no "just" about this. He was content in every circumstance, in every situation (like you wrote). He wasn't trying to climb the corporate ladder, he had a greater goal. And his goal was to simply be Jesus wherever he went. It was okay if he got big & okay if he didn't get big. He wasn't focused on either. He was focused on being faithful in everything.

I think that's what you were trying to say Lauren, but I started thinking after the message that other people (not necessarily you, but I wanted to get this out there for all who may ready this) may have heard the message through the filter of "Oh now, I can just sit back & don't have to really try to do big things for God in my sphere of influence." That's not what I was saying. Obey the Gospel. Do what you read in the Bible. Tear things out of your life that are keeping you from looking more like Christ & leading others towards Him. But in the end, you aren't the one that makes it all happen. You are responsible for "planting" and "watering" but in the end God makes it grow. In other words, you are responsible for doing everything you know how to do to represent Christ, but in the end it's God who decides whether or not to use you to directly change the world or to indirectly change the world.

So, do all things as unto the Lord. Breathe every breath for Him. Obey the passions He has put in your heart. And go to write history.