God Uses F-A-T People

I reprint the Daily Encounter for today.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005

1. God Uses F-A-T People

"I [God] sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one" (Ezekiel 22:30, NKJV).

Whenever God has a job to do and a gap to be filled, he always starts by choosing and calling an individual. While men use methods, God's methods are men and women.1

To start a nation to use as his special witness on earth, God chose and called Abraham to be the father of ancient Israel. When God wanted to lead this young nation out of slavery in Egypt, he chose and called Moses. And so it was with Joseph, Samuel, Esther, David, John the Baptist, Mary, Peter, Paul and scores of other lesser know individuals.

God today is still urgently looking for people who are willing to stand in the gap to help save lost souls from a lost and hopeless eternity and to do his work here on earth. The kind of people God is looking for, chooses and calls are F–A–T people. That is: Faithful ... Available ... Teachable.

F – Faithful. You don't have to be a Peter, Paul or a John the Baptist for God to use. Think of the twelve disciples. What a motley crew of rugged fishermen, a despised tax gatherer and the like they were. God uses other ordinary people like them too, people who daily trust their life and way to God and with his help seek to serve and obey him faithfully in all the circumstances of life.

A – Available. Years ago I told God that I was scared to death to be a witness for him and that I was quitting. "However, God," I prayed, "if you want to use me to share the gospel with others, I'm available, but you'll have to do it through me because I'm too scared." The result? Today God is using our small organizations to reach thousands around the world with the gospel and Christian message every day. This is because I made—and make myself available every day—for God to use. He will in some way do the same for you if you make yourself available to him to use.

T – Teachable. One reason God used the disciples was, not only because they were faithful and available, but also because they were teachable. Naturally they spent three years with the Master Teacher par Excellence and had a lot to learn about the Christian way, especially because it was brand new to them and everyone else in their day. We also need to be teachable and learn God's ways more clearly by studying and knowing what his Word, the Bible, teaches and applying the principles found therein to our everyday living.

So, if you want God to use you to be a part of what he is doing in your world today, I urge you to pray and tell God you are available—and renew that prayer and commitment every day. To be an "Andrew" by quietly helping to bring others to Jesus click on: http://www.actsweb.org/announce.php to see how you can do this in a simple, non-threatening way.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, I'm available again today. Help me to be faithful and teachable to learn your ways more clearly, and please use me to be as Jesus in some way to every life I touch today. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. E.M. Bounds.

<:))))<><
From:

Daily Encounter Devotional :: God Uses F-A-T People :: Wednesday, August 24, 2005

The Globe and Mail: Challenger took PM to fundraiser

The Globe and Mail: Challenger took PM to fundraiser

Here we go again. Do we need a Gomery commision? We need politicians who appear and are legal in their dealings.

edmontonsun.com - Commentary - EDITORIAL: Vive la difference!

edmontonsun.com - Commentary - EDITORIAL: Vive la difference!

On the Governor General note this article is very good and I agree that Ottawa in general is rather complacent about separatists. Any party allies with the separatists if it is in their interest. The Conservatives, Liberals and NDP have all done this in the last session on the hill. As for Mr. Martin's choice for Governor General. He could have done better but I suppose that could be said of many Governor General choices in the past but this choice does seem much worse. I don't know that any others had so little knowledge of the whole country or that they were ever aligned with a separatist group. It is just not the best choice. What about Roméo Dallaire or Lewis Mackenzie? With Dallaire you have a Quebecer who is respected across the country. I mean there are many choices.

Dosanjh defends public health system

from the The Globe and Mail

I don't understand this denial from Dosanjh. Private health care is already here. Look at British Columbia, Dosanjh's home province or at Quebec. If you can't get in for a medical service then all you do is pay for it. This sounds like, " We will scrap the GST!!!"(Liberals 1993 election or -"We will not raise gas taxes"(Trudeau before election in 1980. He raised taxes after the election.) ( I wish I had a quote on Brian Mulroney, the Liberal lies are very apparent). The Liberals have been on the watch for the greatest increase in private health care over the last ten years. By the time this done we will have private health care and the Liberals will probably blame somebody else for having prevented them from acting sooner oh and they will still be in power under Justin Trudeau or Sasha Trudeau. I guess I am a little cynical of government talk. I want a better health care system for all Canadians. I personally am in the best of places. I live in a small territory that provides great medical service and if they don't have here I am flown to where they do have it. But I know the rest of the country is not so fortunate. We need a real fix in the health care system. i don't have answers but I wish Tommy Douglas was here to straighten this lot out.

Other references:

CMA : "Report Card Finds Health Debate Needs a Good Dose of Fact"

Getting a leg up on hip surgery


Fort St. John - canada.com network: "Canadians' perceptions of health-care system skewed
poll"

'This was not such a hot idea.'

A recent article by Andrew Duffy says it all. It talks of the controversy over Mr. Martin's choice for governor general. I for one think she is a poor choice. But I am struck by the fact it could be that Ms. Jean has given up her separatist past and is a "convert" to federalism. I could live with this but what I need is something tangible like a statement from Ms. Jean, "I was mistaken. I voted the wrong way. Federalist are now number one in my books", OR "Those separatists are wrong. I see federalism as the only way"

I like what Professor Barry Cooper says at the end of the article:
"It's a matter of prudence: you have to use your common sense. And I don't know why any prime minister in their right
mind would appoint someone like that (with a separatist past) to governor general. But once he's done it, then it's pretty
much up to the rest of the country to say: 'This was not such a hot idea.' "

I agree that not much can be done now but then I guess that is the way Mr. Martin has been governing all along someone tells him or suggests an idea, he says sure and then ... boom he has regular Canadians saying why are you doing that?



Ottawa Citizen - canada.com network




Some other articles on this subject from various sources:
Globe and Mail

Edmonton Sun

Life Site

Soup Kitchen

I had the privilege of serving food at the soup kitchen in the basement of a downtown church today. I say privilege because all I did was serve the soup with a bun and cheese. I did not make the soup. The people of all ages who use the soup kitchen thank you as they receive their soup and as they leave. I say, "You're welcome" and we all go about our lives. I am not alone as there were six other people helping. I guess I look at this serve as something the church is supposed to do. We are commanded as Christian. Christ said the people in need will always be around us (Matthew 26:11). In other there is no chance for the Star Trek society with all being fed and an ideal society set up by technology. Others have said that churches should lose their charitable status. I say go ahead. The church will in some way still do what it is suppose to do with or without charitable status. Here a borrow from my friend Ron's sermon as I say that the church has done this kind of work even before charitable status came along. Again it is because we are commanded by Christ. If you call yourself a Christian you need to make soup, buns, cookies, juice, coffee, prepare the food and be someone serves the food. I have only served at the soup kitchen about four times but every time I am struck by how it makes me feel as if I have so much and I am I doing enough to serve my Lord better each day of my life.

Media gives the message.

I have to say my background is not conservative. I grew up in Saskatchewan and my roots are CCF/ NDP. My grandfather, Henry broke land in Saskatchewan in the early 1900's. He was a card carrying CCFer. I believe in universal health and that Tommy Douglas is the best Prime minister we never had. I believe in Tommy's Social Gospel which to me was an application of the original gospel ( Matthew, Mark, Like and John) to the Social woes of the country. Universal Health care fits that picture well as the early Christian (first century) church worked communally to meet the needs of all, especially widows. I also grew up with Allan Blakney as Premier. A likeable guy. I have had trouble following anything NDP since Ed Broadbent retired as leader federally. They were guaranteed my vote, in the past. The current NDP has lost its way. They are social with no gospel. The conservatives were the enemy in my little world, other than Diefenbaker. I did not like Mr. Mulroney. He was the worst aspects of being Irish ( Too much kissing the balarney) . I can say this because my mother was Irish. I also remember watching the 1968 Liberal convention that elected Pierre Trudeau as elected leader. I was six years old at the time and was caught up in the frenzy of Trudeau mania. I was playing on the floor while my mother was ironing. It was ambient visuals but very fascinating and exciting. I wanted to vote for Mr. Trudeau. I used to only vote NDP or Liberal, never PC. I have watched other conventions as I grew up such Joe Clarke's leadership win, John Turner's leadership win and others, including the recent Conservative Convention from Montreal. I don't come into this as a neophyte. I watched with amazement as they choose a moderate line on everything and yet it was different than the LIberal line. I have looked for a party that holds policies that represents traditional family values. I as a voter therefore have two chioces. I either have to find an MP that does not tow the party-line or I have to vote consevative. My question is what is wrong with Steven Harper? The media is giving the message. If there was an honest debate, Mr. Martin would be seen to blow with wind and therefore hold no principled view. ( such as "The courts made me change my view on marriage" ) He only wants to stay in power. He will sling mud at anyone. Anyway, the article below says the rest.

This article from the Brandon Sun Online says it all and I include it below.
Tory woes fault of fickle liberal media