I was watching Dr. David Jeremiah with my mother one morning when he shared the story of a young man, graduating from college, and wondering how God was going to use him. As he was driving, he saw an elderly man struggling to mow his lawn and felt the nudge to stop and help. The feeling, he said, after he had finished, was wonderful. So he looked for others who might need their lawns mown: widows, disabled vets, senior citizens.
That one act of obedience snowballed into a local organization as he invited young men, who would have been loitering on the streets, to join him . . . and then he began to mentor them. Then young women became involved. Today that organization is nationwide. All because of a little nudge that he obeyed.
Have you ever had that nudge from the Holy Spirit? The one that says, “Call this person now.” “Ask this person if he needs some help.” “Send this person some money.” “Send so-and-so a text.” That pull on your heart that doesn’t let go of you. That push toward self-sacrifice?
If you have—and have acted upon it, then you know that you will be immediately blessed with feelings of peace and joy. I know I have, and I have been blessed in other ways as well. Never the same though as God doesn’t want me to always expect a certain benefit. His provision and blessings can take many forms.
One financial gift that was a bit of a stretch was blessed by having just the money I needed to meet my bills while another one provided a surprise excess and a third the realization that I could live without.
A gift of my time was blessed by the enjoyment of another person’s company and the joy another person’s happiness brought, as well as providing me with all the time necessary for what I needed to do.
How can we be sure that the little voice in our head is the Holy Spirit and not Satan since Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)?
If our obedience to the nudge is in line with scripture. The Holy Spirit will never — ever -- prompt us to something contrary to God’s law. So if our actions fall in line with I Corinthians 13:4-7, that is a good start.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
If it falls into line with Christ’s command to “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
If Jesus would have done the very same thing, then I think we are on very safe ground. It might be sacrificial, for Christ’s love for us what the greatest of sacrifices, but it will always bring joy and peace.
Remember, as I Kings 19:11-12 tells us, God doesn’t always shout what he wants us to do from mountaintops; sometimes He just whispers in our ear.
“. . . Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
When God whispers. Listen. Obey. And enjoy the blessings.
That one act of obedience snowballed into a local organization as he invited young men, who would have been loitering on the streets, to join him . . . and then he began to mentor them. Then young women became involved. Today that organization is nationwide. All because of a little nudge that he obeyed.
Have you ever had that nudge from the Holy Spirit? The one that says, “Call this person now.” “Ask this person if he needs some help.” “Send this person some money.” “Send so-and-so a text.” That pull on your heart that doesn’t let go of you. That push toward self-sacrifice?
If you have—and have acted upon it, then you know that you will be immediately blessed with feelings of peace and joy. I know I have, and I have been blessed in other ways as well. Never the same though as God doesn’t want me to always expect a certain benefit. His provision and blessings can take many forms.
One financial gift that was a bit of a stretch was blessed by having just the money I needed to meet my bills while another one provided a surprise excess and a third the realization that I could live without.
A gift of my time was blessed by the enjoyment of another person’s company and the joy another person’s happiness brought, as well as providing me with all the time necessary for what I needed to do.
How can we be sure that the little voice in our head is the Holy Spirit and not Satan since Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)?
If our obedience to the nudge is in line with scripture. The Holy Spirit will never — ever -- prompt us to something contrary to God’s law. So if our actions fall in line with I Corinthians 13:4-7, that is a good start.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
If it falls into line with Christ’s command to “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
If Jesus would have done the very same thing, then I think we are on very safe ground. It might be sacrificial, for Christ’s love for us what the greatest of sacrifices, but it will always bring joy and peace.
Remember, as I Kings 19:11-12 tells us, God doesn’t always shout what he wants us to do from mountaintops; sometimes He just whispers in our ear.
“. . . Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.”
When God whispers. Listen. Obey. And enjoy the blessings.
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