Back on December 16th I blogged about the pastor on Maryland's Eastern Shore who gave me my biblical grounding and laid the foundation for the rest of my life with the Lord.
Here over a month later, that theme is still very much on my mind, because it brings to mind yet another person I'm so very grateful for. In this case, someone I've not actually met.
Dr. Charles Stanley.
My Aunt Granny "introduced me" (via TV) to Dr. Stanley and In Touch some 20 years ago (oh how time flies!) and we'd sit and watch his weekly messages on TV. Using the foundation my Maryland pastor laid, I was always certain to measure any preacher's words against what God says in the Bible.
Dr. Stanley has never once let me down.
I am simply in awe of how God uses people to carry on His work. I have been privileged to have many wonderful pastors as part of my life, but I have never ever heard ANYONE who is so gifted at explaining God's word in practical terms as Dr. Stanley does. That is no disrespect to any pastors I have had. It is simply the particular way in which God has chosen to use Charles Stanley.
I also love that his ministry, at least to me, is equal parts reaching the lost as well as 'growing up' those who are already saved. It is the greatest commission to lead souls to Christ, but once they're saved, they need training. And In Touch Ministries does that beautifully.
I am so thankful to God for the incredible resources available to me through the In Touch website. I have the weekly broadcast messages; I can also listen to the six days a week radio broadcasts; I have access to the Life Principles Notes; In Touch Magazine (hard copy and online); the daily devotionals; in depth studies and a host of other things.
All this because from the dawn of time God has carefully planned out who He would use for His purposes and how He would use them. And then if those people are submissive to God's will, are willing to be servants to carry out His plan, marvelous things happen.
One particular message broadcast on In Touch has so touched me that I have watched it a good 5-6 times. The message is entitled "A Life-Changing Prayer." If you'd like to view this broadcast, go to http://www.InTouch.org then click on broadcast/video archive and scroll down to September 2009 and click the video. In this broadcast, in addition to many other wonderful points, he tells how God began working in the life of a 4 year old girl and showed us how that one little girl impacted millions of lives.
We have the power to impact lives too. If we are willing to serve. In this day and age, we don't like the terms "serve" and "submission." Okay well, if you're a writer there is one type of submission that you like. 8-) But in the kingdom of God, those words mean the greatest of achievements, the greatest of results, the greatest of rewards. In whatever we do---writing, teaching, our day job, whatever, I pray that we will serve and submit ourselves to God and let Him show us the unique plan He has for us.
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Brenda, this dovetails so well with a class I am taking at my church on our spiritual gifts and how we use them. We are all called to serve in different ways in order that we may contribute to the welfare of the body of Christ. It is an exciting venture, isn't it!
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