Looking Past Myself to Help Others

Congrats to Marissa! You won the blog drawing for last week. I will be emailing you to find out how to get your goodies to you. 🙂

Continuing in the letter of Philippians, this week will again be looking for practical teaching and application, as we continue verse by verse.

Phil 2:4

“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

It’s easy to get caught up in all the things I need, my own woes, or the tasks I need to get done in a day. In this place, it is also pretty easy to overlook what others might need.

This has been something God is working on in my life. Initially it began with feeling like I had needs that were not being met. But, when I began to whine to God about the situation, I soon discovered that he was showing me how I fail to see others needs too. I fail to do this not because I don’t care, but often because I am too busy to see past myself. Ouch!

Jesus had a few things to say about serving others, and I have been reflecting on those this year more than I ever have before. I would like to share a couple of those with you,

Luke 6:38

“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Matthew 7:12

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”

Jesus was not teaching that we should give so that our needs would be met. But, he was teaching a life principle that what we give, comes back to us. It’s like sowing seed.

Today, I am challenging each of us to sow seed of some sort of kindness, thoughtfulness, or help to another person. And, when you do, move forward with it, knowing you are doing it as unto the Lord.

Father,

Help me to look to the interests of others rather than just staying stuck in my own self. Change me Lord, I present myself to you for change. Make me a person who does to others the kind things that I wished would be done to me. And, if someone feels your presence and touch, I will know it is YOU working in and through me.

In Christ’s Name….Amen

Friends, I can’t think of a better way to start the month than to look outside of ourselves and live to love and care for other people!

It’s May. A Fresh Page in the Book of Your Life.

Live it unto Him!

living as His,

Debbie

This week drop by and leave your name or a comment to enter into the drawing for a Jaymes Reunion CD!

Who is Jaymes Reunion? Here is a post I did last week…

Last week my youngest son experienced the release of his first full length album. It was a celebration because this was a boy who felt that God was leading him into music when he was 15. That was 10 years ago.

At 15 he didn’t play an instrument or write songs. It was surprising that at 15, with no seen talent, he was willing to give up everything to focus on learning music. He also felt that God would have him in the secular market and that was shocking to me as a Christian mom.

Soon, I began to realize something that maybe no one else did…this kid did not want to be a rock star, he legitimately felt God’s leading in this. And, because he did, he worked hard at it, prayed regularly for 3 things:

• Talent
• Open Doors
• Connections

God faithfully began working, and it all initially started with meeting Busbee who ended up mentoring Cameron. Busbee now writes for many top artists like Raskel Flatts, Lady Annebelum, Katy Perry, Timbaland. He also ended up producing Jaymes Reuinon Album and co-writing a few of the songs.

It took some time to for Cameron to develop the gifts, but he ended up playing guitar, keyboard and writing his own songs. He now has a publishing deal with Universal Music Publishing as a song writer.

But, he went through many desert places in the months and years that led up to any album release.  Faithfully he prayed God would open doors if it were God’s will. Then, a few years ago he was discovered poolside in Beverly Hills, during Grammy week. This led to meetings with music executives and an eventual development deal with Zomba Publishing/Sony BMG. Soon after he signed a a record deal with a CCM label that would understand his vision to be in the secular market place.

Yes, he and the band are all Christians. No, the songs they perform are not all about Jesus. But, to them, ALL of life is about Jesus, so their songs are songs about life and love, the genre Pop/Rock.

There are many things on the horizon, and I hope you will take a listen to their music. You can hear samples on itunes or amazon, and then get your own…and tell a friend. Support these young Christian men who are being called to play their music in Colleges, Clubs and Radio.

Why does this relate to this week?

I watched my son go through disappointment and desert place after desert place. My heart sunk over and over again for my boy. But, God used all the hard stuff to shape him into a young man of strong faith. The hard times made him stronger, worked for him and shaped him in Christ.

How about you?

Are you hard times viewed through a negative lens?

Might be time to change the lens and get a scriptural focus…

Truth for Today: 1 Peter 1:6-7, 4:19

“though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire, may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed….so then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to do good.”

Are you suffering? Is life hard right now? Are you disappointed?

Commit yourself to the God who loves you…and continue doing the next thing He asks. Continue looking up, continue trusting, continue working at that very thing that you believe He has called you to.

We have a faithful God!

Debbie

Oh you can check out the Jaymes Reunion Myspace page and see their music video to fine, or go to youtube to see some live music performances! Enjoy…and pray for these young men! The song Fine is starting on College Radio, so pray for God to continue opening doors, giving them talent, and connections…according to the will of God.