Jesus Christ Changes Everything
Jesus Christ Changes Everything
This is the story of the day the Lord spoke to me with the outstretched hand of a little angel.
This time of year, the true meaning of Christmas sometimes gets lost in the enthusiasm and excitement of the children. This energy is contagious, but no matter what your worldview is we must acknowledge that when Jesus Christ came to the world, He changed everything.
As we celebrate the birth of Christ this month I began to wonder, has Christ been speaking to me? The answer is yes. I believe Christ speaks to us with “Divine appointments” He has prepared for us when we humble ourselves and show compassion to serve.
The day I met an angel:
It was a long day in the clinic serving in a hard place where there were few Christians. The patients, somewhat suspicious of what we were doing, answered questions without expression and received care without reaction or apparent gratitude. I began to pray and wonder if we were having an impact on the Kingdom of Heaven with our work.
After finishing the clinic, we were walking through the community, and it was evident the war had been especially hard in this area. The roads had been cleared of bombs and marked by white stones on either side.
It was then that a precious little girl ran toward me outside the safety of the stones. As I walked nervously toward her and looked into her beautiful eyes I recognized her as the daughter of one of my patients that I had seen earlier that day in the clinic. She did not understand the stories of hate about the West, the crusades or the word infidel. All she saw was someone who earlier that day showed compassion to her parents and she wanted to shake my hand.
Matthew 18:3-5 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
My prayer of doubt about our work was answered through this Divine appointment, and Christ clearly showed me that working with love and compassion in His name will bring light into the darkness.
Who is this Christ, who calls to me and I can’t get him out of my mind?
John 14:6 Who is this Jesus who says, I am the way and the truth and the life? No one comes to the Father except through me.
Who is this Jesus who knows my every thought and how broken I am, but still loves me?
Who is this Christ, my Savior the merciful one who gives me strength and is transforming my life over the noise of the world?
James Allen Francis describes him:
He was born in an obscure village, the child of a poor peasant couple, he worked in a carpentry shop until he was thirty, for three years he was an itinerant preacher, he never traveled more than 200 miles from the place where he was born, he never visited a big city, he never wrote a book, he never held an office, he had no family, never owned a home. He never did any of the things that we associate with greatness but 19 centuries have come and gone, and he is the central figure of the human race and all the armies that have ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, and all the Parliaments that ever sat and all the Kings that ever reigned, all the Presidents that ever were elected put together have not affected life on this earth as much as that one man. Jesus changed everything.
So why does Teach To Transform have a passion to go to hard places where there is persecution? As Nik Ripken explains, we many times, live in the Old Testament wanting judgment on those who harm us, but then here comes Jesus and tells us to “love your enemy.”
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
Join Teach To Transform and help us reach into the darkness and bring the light of Jesus Christ with the power of Love.
Help us train these indigenous followers of Jesus Christ with these medical, farming and vocational skills allowing them to show compassion in their communities in the name of Christ. Assist us with resources that will allow them to share the love of Christ and open hearts to know Him.
For His Glory,
Tom
This time of year, the true meaning of Christmas sometimes gets lost in the enthusiasm and excitement of the children. This energy is contagious, but no matter what your worldview is we must acknowledge that when Jesus Christ came to the world, He changed everything.
As we celebrate the birth of Christ this month I began to wonder, has Christ been speaking to me? The answer is yes. I believe Christ speaks to us with “Divine appointments” He has prepared for us when we humble ourselves and show compassion to serve.
The day I met an angel:
It was a long day in the clinic serving in a hard place where there were few Christians. The patients, somewhat suspicious of what we were doing, answered questions without expression and received care without reaction or apparent gratitude. I began to pray and wonder if we were having an impact on the Kingdom of Heaven with our work.
After finishing the clinic, we were walking through the community, and it was evident the war had been especially hard in this area. The roads had been cleared of bombs and marked by white stones on either side.
It was then that a precious little girl ran toward me outside the safety of the stones. As I walked nervously toward her and looked into her beautiful eyes I recognized her as the daughter of one of my patients that I had seen earlier that day in the clinic. She did not understand the stories of hate about the West, the crusades or the word infidel. All she saw was someone who earlier that day showed compassion to her parents and she wanted to shake my hand.
Matthew 18:3-5 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
My prayer of doubt about our work was answered through this Divine appointment, and Christ clearly showed me that working with love and compassion in His name will bring light into the darkness.
Who is this Christ, who calls to me and I can’t get him out of my mind?
John 14:6 Who is this Jesus who says, I am the way and the truth and the life? No one comes to the Father except through me.
Who is this Jesus who knows my every thought and how broken I am, but still loves me?
Who is this Christ, my Savior the merciful one who gives me strength and is transforming my life over the noise of the world?
James Allen Francis describes him:
He was born in an obscure village, the child of a poor peasant couple, he worked in a carpentry shop until he was thirty, for three years he was an itinerant preacher, he never traveled more than 200 miles from the place where he was born, he never visited a big city, he never wrote a book, he never held an office, he had no family, never owned a home. He never did any of the things that we associate with greatness but 19 centuries have come and gone, and he is the central figure of the human race and all the armies that have ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, and all the Parliaments that ever sat and all the Kings that ever reigned, all the Presidents that ever were elected put together have not affected life on this earth as much as that one man. Jesus changed everything.
So why does Teach To Transform have a passion to go to hard places where there is persecution? As Nik Ripken explains, we many times, live in the Old Testament wanting judgment on those who harm us, but then here comes Jesus and tells us to “love your enemy.”
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.
Join Teach To Transform and help us reach into the darkness and bring the light of Jesus Christ with the power of Love.
Help us train these indigenous followers of Jesus Christ with these medical, farming and vocational skills allowing them to show compassion in their communities in the name of Christ. Assist us with resources that will allow them to share the love of Christ and open hearts to know Him.
For His Glory,
Tom
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