Brigette Wagner Ministries

    “Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me, and once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go.”  ~John 6:37 (The Message Translation)

“She was an embittered woman, Charlotte Elliott of Brighton, England.  Her health was broken , and her disability had hardened her.  “If God loved me”, she muttered, “He would not have treated me this way.”

Hoping to help her, a Swiss minister, Dr. Cesar Malon, visited the Elliotts on May 9, 1822.  Over dinner, Charlotte lost her temper and railed against God and family in a violent outburst.  Her embarrassed family left the room, and Dr. Malon was left alone with her.

‘You are tired of yourself, aren’t you?’ he asked.  ‘You are holding to your hate and anger….Consequently, you have become sour, bitter, and resentful.’

‘What is your cure?’ asked Charlotte.  ‘The faith you are trying to despise.’”

This excerpt taken from “Then Sings My Soul” by Robert J. Morgan, describes how many of us have felt from time to time…..angry, disappointed, bitter, and frustrated.  So often, we focus on the things that we can’t do or don’t have.  Our thoughts become negative; our hearts become hardened.

God wants so much more for us than we could ever imagine.  When we are able to get “past ourselves” and focus on the Lord and His Kingdom, then and only then is He able to use us to our fullest potential and fulfull the Call on our lives.

Charlotte Elliott gave her heart to Christ on the May 9, 1822.  Her focus changed; and she was able to reach her destiny.  When she died at age 82, she had written “about 150 hymns”, including the “most famous invitational hymn in history”.  I’m sure you know it…..

“Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidst me come

to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Friend:  I want you know without a doubt today that God loves you more than you’ll ever know or be able to understand.  His mercy is great!  His grace is abundant! and His love is overflowing!  If you’ve been struggling with God’s plan for your life, let me encourage you today:  Come to Him – just as you are – and simply trust Him.  He sees things you cannot see.  He knows things you cannot know.  He’s got it all under control.

  “Above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”"  ~ 1 Peter 4:8  (NKJV)

Fervent Love…..What exactly does that mean?

To love someone fervently is to love with passionate, strong, fiery emotion (American Heritage Dictionary).   Do you remember how you felt on your wedding day?  Or the feeling you had when you realized someone you knew had become a cherished friend?  How about the deep emotion you feel when you look at your children?  Better yet, the overwhelming, intense affection you feel when you’re in the presence of God?

That’s the kind of love Peter was speaking of when he instructed us to “love one another with fervent love”. 

There’s two sides to this “thing called love”:  One is loving someone who loves you.  The other is loving someone who doesn’t love you – maybe an enemy, a lost or damaged relationship, an abusive spouse or parent, etc…….

Christ calls us to love as He loves.  For the record, that doesn’t mean  we have to love the evil that people sometimes do or, in an abusive situation, that we have to continue to allow ourselves to be abused.  What it means is that we have to keep our hearts from offense, see people through the eyes of Christ, walk in forgiveness, and honestly love people with Christ-like love.

Loving the people who love us is relatively simple.  The danger with these relationships is that we can easily become complacent, taking them for granted, and failing to love with fervency.

Loving people who don’t love us can be difficult.  The goal with these relationships is to pray continually, overcoming hurts and disappointment, until we can honestly say and know in our hearts that we truly love those who do not show love to us.

Just as we need God’s grace, love, and mercy every day that we live, we have to learn to grant that same kind of grace, love and mercy to others.  For the Word says, with what measure we give, in that same measure we will receive.

No matter where you’re at in your relationships, let me encourage you today:  Take a few moments to honestly evaluate yourself.  Pray about your relationships and ask God to help you love others with intense, passionate, affectionate love!

  “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  ~Mark 10:45  (NIV)

I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage, “If you think you’re a leader but look behind you to find that no one’s following, you’re only taking a walk.”  This “proverb” is so true.  Many times people are “leaders” because they’ve been appointed to a position; but a true leader, as defined by John Maxwell, is “the ability to obtain followers” (“Developing the Leader Within You”).

Each and every one of us influences someone else.  We influence our children, our spouses, our co-workers, our church family, our relatives, and our friends.  It’s how we influence them that counts!  John Maxwell writes, “every one of us continually exerts influence, either to heal, to bless, to leave marks of beauty; or to wound, to hurt, to poison, to stain other lives”.

Have you ever had your child (or someone elses’s child) do or say something that made you stop and think, “Oh, my Lord, that’s me!”?  I have! 

There have been times when I’ve seen each of my children respond to situations in a positive, godly manner.   In those situations, I cannot tell you how proud I’ve been  that our influence over their lives was so evident!  I’ve stood in amazement at their maturity and witness for the Lord and have marveled at the presence of God in their lives. 

On the other hand…I’ve seen them react in ways that weren’t so magnificant and have been reminded of my own shortcomings and negative influences.  I’ve found myself repenting for the times when I didn’t react/respond with holiness and righteousness, especially in front of my children.

My point is this:  We are all influencers!

Learning to serve others by caring for their needs, praying for them, and celebrating with them is all part of learning to be a true leader!  Sometimes, it’s so difficult to put others ahead of ourselves; but the Word says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,  THEN all these things shall be added unto you.” (emphasis added)

Maybe you’re like me and have been learning to be a true servant, regardless of whether or not anyone else ever does anything to serve you. Let me encourage you today:  Make serving others a priority in your life;  Think carefully before you speak or respond to a situation;   And be sure that you’re influence is one that touches other peoples’ lives in a positive, godly manner.  Your rewards will be great!