Something AMAZING Just Happened!

...Or, What Can Happen When We Ask God to REALLY Use Us For HIS Glory!

By Pamela Schuffert presenting investigative journalism from a Biblical Christian perspective-

I am still praising God for what just happened the other day.

When I prayed about what I could do to glorify His Son, Jesus Christ, this season, He told me, "JUST USE THE TALENTS I HAVE GIVEN YOU." And so, people in this mountain town now see me daily coming out with my accordion to play Christ-centered Christmas music on the streets. As I play songs that glorify the Savior of the world on the streets, no one knows that I am praying in my heart for each person who walks by!

I have frankly been amazed at the number of people who stop to tell me what a blessing the music on the streets has been to them. Thank you, Jesus.

God also inspired me to make "Blessing Baskets" for elderly and infirmed, using my arts and crafts skills developed over the years. Visiting thrift stores and Good Will, I have been obtaining inexpensive baskets, and then transforming them into works of art, decorating with local mountain pine cones and other greenery. I will be filling them with my own organic Gingerbread cookies and other quality baked goods I will make, and then placing in each one appropriate Scripture verses with calligraphy, to minster to each person's individual needs.

But here is SOMETHING AMAZING that just happened! While playing my accordion, I place a basket next to me for donations for my projects for others this season. The other day, as I prayed about what God wanted me to do, the Holy Spirit impressed to do something totally unplanned. He told me that every cent people gave me was to go to help a homeless person in need. I had no idea who that person was.

But, I went to a computer and printed up a sign that said that day, "All donations go to help homeless." I taped it to my basket and then enjoyed playing my accordion on the streets for several hours. At the end, I looked into the basket. WOW! I counted the money. Approximately $50 in several hours! This never happens.

While my financial needs are great, I also fear God. He led me to do this, and He made provision now to give to the unknown homeless person. I do not touch money that belongs TO HIM. And so I prayed, "Father, show me who whom this money is to go."

As I continued to pray, wondering, He brought to my remembrance a Christian woman I had met at my friend's restaurant in town earlier that week. She had two children, and was forced to move to a shelter with them recently. The Holy Spirit told me it was for her. I said, "But Lord, I don't even know how to get in touch with her!" He then said he would bring her to me. Hmmm!

And so, I continued with my day. Going to a local store to buy some forgotten food items for my friend's restaurant, I realized I would need a ride back to her restaurant to bring them to her. She said, "Don't worry: I will send someone to pick you up." And so I waited.

Imagine my amazement, when the person sent to pick me up was THE VERY WOMAN GOD TOLD ME THE DONATIONS WERE FOR THAT DAY! Marveling at the power of God to bring about His purposes, I began to tell her about this strange miracle.

You should have seen the look of gratitude and rejoicing on Angie's face as I shared this with her and then handed her the money. However, I stressed one important thing.

"You will NOT thank me nor give me any credit: all the glory goes to God. He shares HIS glory with NO ONE. HE inspired this, HE moved people to donate, and HE gave me the vision of YOU! Give HIM the glory...because I had nothing to do with this miracle of His grace..." Angie understood and immediately began to praise God.

When God uses us for His purposes, it is so important to give Him the glory. When we do things for self-glory or men's acclaim, it becomes meaningless. The Bible says that God will not reward it, for God judges the motives of our hearts. But whenever we are moved to do things for HIS glory and act out of a pure heart, then God is glorified in our service to Him and others. And, others are blessed as well.

I encourage all of you to seek God for how He desires to use YOU for HIS GLORY, both now and throughout the rest of your lives. We live in a world surrounded with hurting individuals that need HIS love and mercies manifested through YOU! If God cannot work through His people, then WHO can He work through to show His love to a perishing world filled with sorrow and tragedy?

And always remember: it is more blessed to GIVE, than to receive, declared Jesus Christ. Yes, even in the midst of poverty and recession and great financial needs that many of us may be experiencing even now, God will always enable His people to fill the world around us with HIS love and mercies and compassion on others.

In the midst of my own personal crises and needs, God showed me how I could nevertheless become a blessing in His name to others. When you are a true disciple of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, you will NEVER be truly "poor!" Jesus said in REVELATION to one group of suffering saints, "I know thy poverty, BUT THOU ART RICH!" I am walking in Divine spiritual riches of His love, and mercy and grace, that the world cannot know apart from Him. Such riches are immeasurable: they cannot be counted as money is.

As true disciples of Jesus Christ, we must choose to comprehend what TRUE RICHES are in the sight of God's Word. The world's definition of "rich" is NEVER God's definition from an eternal perspective!

Let us take the time to share His eternal riches of His mercy, His salvation, His love and compassion with those around us. You will never run out of His eternal provisions!

-Pamela Schuffert