I have been thinking lately about how we impact people in ways we will never know until eternity. I heard a story from a woman by the name of Carol kornaki; she was in New York City strung out on drugs. Beaten and naked, she lived in buffalo and had no way home. A man found her and bought her a one way 53 dollar ticket back to buffalo. Today Carol is spreading the news about our Lover Jesus Christ. That man wasn’t buying her a ticket with the thought of getting anything in return or honestly even with the thought that she could one day use that as a testimony but it was natural for him to react that way which is Agape Love. Every single person who comes to the Lord due to her ministry that man has a hand in.
I’m going to use two of my own personal stories. Let’s start with me being 15 years old going to my new youth group Remnant at Living waters church (Ohop) I invited my friend from my old church Christina Paez (Grason) to come to church. Now In no way was I thinking what the long term effect of this would be I was just thinking I loved my new youth it was fun and I felt God there and I wanted Christina to have that same thing and we could enjoy each others company while at youth. Well this caused a huge ripple effect. I am unaware of every one who now attends Ohop or even Ihop due to one person inviting another and so on. But I can say that a good number of the young adults running the prayer room is because the little effort of a teen inviting her friend. Me & Christina are building rewards in Heaven, we have a hand in every person’s life who is being touched when Tito or Joanna lead worship at Ohop, When Heather is putting in hard work to keep the house of prayer running. In the lives that are being touched through Avery’s story. Through the move of the spirit at FTI that Erika was in charge of.
My other story happened in 2007. At the time I was away from the Lord, A friend of mine who I call Naugle that I had worked in the past with at the Holy land experience was asking me why I wasn’t in the word like I use to be and wondering why I was away from the Lord. I told him honestly Naugle I don’t even think I have a Bible anymore I think it got wrecked. Three weeks later I received a surprise in the mail. Without asking, Naugle sent me a new Bible. He wrote on the inside of the cover. I thought it was a sweet thought but I wasn’t really into it anymore. In 2009 while I was sitting at the back wall on the floor in the prayer room attempting to get my life right again. I was holding the Bible Naugle had given to me 2 years earlier. I had an encounter through the book of “Song of Solomon” I felt such an intense love that I have never known before and that night I told God I wanted to know His love just like I felt through that book. It has been 2 and half years since then. My life has been completely turned around. I can truly say I am now living 100% sold out in love with my maker. My Bible is now a hot mess with tape keeping it together and not very many spots that are not written on or highlighted. I have had the opportunity to do a lot of ministry work over the past few years and many lives have been touched and changed from how the Lord has used me. And Naugle has a HUGE hand in it all...
Now I say all this to say we really need to stop and think about the things we are doing. Because just as I have given positive effects there are definitely negative ones. I will give a negative one from my younger years. When I was about 13 I had an issue when it came to guys. There was a girl friend of mine who was younger and looked up to me. Well me thinking I was cool invited some guys over and had her go in the closet with one of them. She was innocent. I was used as a vessel to open doors in her life and now she no longer walks with the Lord. What a positive impact I could have made on her life. My heart brakes to know I could have made a difference in her life. Did you know it says in the word we will be judge for EVER word??
Matthew 12:36
36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment.
That should make us think a little more about the things we say and do... I don’t know maybe I’m just blabbering, But I just feel it so strong for us as a body of Christ to really take a stand for what’s right and make a difference in the world, that doesn’t mean we need this HUGE theatrical show, but maybe its inviting some one to church. Giving the homeless man on the side of the road your lunch, buy a Bible for a friend. A 53 dollar train ticket...
Challenge. Ask God to use you today in WHATEVER way HE desire’s.
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