Here I Am Lord, Use Me’

”  Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”     Isaiah 6:8

Every once in a while it is good to look back at something you wrote and be re-inspired if you will; especially when the Holy Spirit is the One making the prompting.  And so it is with this past study I made while finishing up my chemotherapy treatments. Truly that was a time of celebration at all God had done and accomplished through that wilderness experience.

The good news is that it’s been 1 1/2 years and everything is going great. I thank the Lord daily for His goodness and favor upon Patty and me and we are excited about all God has in store this new year!

It seems there are many of you from Brazil , the UK, and the Russian Federation that are have been passing this particular study around according to the Word Press Stats for this web site and I’m thrilled to know that everything of what this study is about is being exercised in your lives, that Jesus Christ is the difference maker, not only had He redeemed you, He has given you a purpose for life through Him, and has commissioned you to go out and tell as many people you know and don’t know about Him.  The world doesn’t need new fashions, buildings, heroes; the world needs to know Jesus!  And that is your calling from Him to you that you go out and tell everyone of His salvation through Jesus Christ!  “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord.”

‘So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return void unto Me: but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it”  Isaiah 55:11

This is the first time I’ve been led to post not just one lead passage, but two.  It’s only fitting that they be here in this post, since the Holy Spirit went about on this day to join them together, to challenge, exhort, and bless me, as well as my wife Patty, and a whole slew of special guests that God brought together on a day when most people aren’t thinking about these kind of things..and so here goes.

God’s Word has something to accomplish. God doesn’t just speak to hear Himself talk. His Word is not empty, or lacking in power.   He didn’t speak in unfathomable mysteries just to blow our minds, or confuse us, or leave things up to any possible interpretation. When God speaks, He speaks to accomplish a purpose.

God’s Word doesn’t help us if it stays on the bookshelf..   God’s Word won’t accomplish what He wants to do with it if we don’t speak it.  Yes, we do need to study, read and meditate on His Word, but what use is it if stays inside.  We need to speak the Word of God to as many people as we meet.

2 Timothy says we need to be ready to “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they ‘hear without a preacher? Romans 10:14

What a wonderful thing that God has provided us with a written Word that we know as the Bible.  It is through His written Word that God communicates with us  every day….

I don’t know about you, but I love guarantees.  Whenever I take my truck into the shop for repairs, I am so happy that the problem was resolved; but do you know what I like even more that it was fixed?  I love a guarantee that if something goes wrong with the repairs, that the shop gives, ‘written assurance’ that it will stand behind their work.

The Dictionary defines the word ‘Guarantee’ as a ‘Promise’ or ‘Assurance’ especially in writing that something will perform satisfactorily for a given amount of time.’ We will make purchases that with a ‘guarantee’ and then hope that the giver of the guarantee will stand behind their product.

But what happens when what we bought, not only doesn’t work the way we anticipated, but the company behind it, doesn’t hold up to their end of the bargain?

I think most of us have been there. And it can make for an unpleasant situation, because we put our trust,; in the product, and in the person behind the product.

However, we can be sure that when God say’s something is so, we know it to be true, because He has a track record of. ‘saying what He means, and meaning what He says’! Oh how thrilling is that!

Hebrews 4:12 teaches us that the “Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”

I just love the Hawaian translation which reads: “Cuz you know, da Stuff God tell us guys get plenny power, an get life. Wat God say goin go inside us mo betta den one sword dat get two side sharp. Goin check out wat we stay tinking, an wat stay inside our heart, an how come we stay doing da kine stuffs we do. Dass jalike one sharp sword dat can open da joints an da bone marrow stuff.”

 Our passage today say’s that the word that “will not return void” is God’s Word and not the word of humans. In other words, people cannot make their desires a reality just by applying Isaiah 55:11…….to whatever situation they desire.   The only word that guarantees is the Word that “proceeds from His mouth”.  Any other word…..doesn’t carry the power of the Holy Spirit and the authority of God.

When God opens an opportunity for us to proclaim His Word, He enables, He unlocks the power in His words through the Holy Spirit in us, to establish the purpose of it’s destination.  That purpose is that the world would know that He so ‘loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that by believing in Him, that we might be saved”

Another purpose of God’s Word is that we, “comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also you do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11

We are encouraged to build each other up in the faith.

One of the most powerful ways is by sharing the Word of God.  Often times, the Holy Spirit will lead you, in meeting people, in hospitals, in church, anywhere where there are hurting souls, He will send out His ministers to become His purpose in putting into motion His plan, and accomplishing all He has to give to the person you’re talking to as well as yourself.

Yesterday , I had an appointment at the hospital for a ‘Day Surgery’ to remove the ‘port’ that was surgically placed inside the right side of my chest.

The purpose of the port was to allow the nurses, while I was undergoing chemotherapy to stick their needles in so they didn’t have to be poking my arm

trying to find a suitable vein so they could administer the treatment.  This ‘port’ had a specific purpose, and to accomplish all it was designed to do.   To take a page from Pastor Chuck Smith, it performed ‘marvelously’!

While I was waiting for my surgery appointment….. several other things begin to evolve.   God’s Word promises us in Isaiah 43 :5 that He will “send men for us and people for your life, fear not I am with you.”

Well, as promised, God began to send a whole lot of people my way, some bringing the Word of God, some confirming the written Word of God, some to be encouragement throughout this very trying day.

As Patty and I entered Torrance Memorial Hospital hospital at 7:15 a.m. we were met by a much smiling receptionist at the Information Desk.  Then we were sent to an already waiting and no waiting  Registration desk where there was yet one other woman who greeted us with yet another huge, warm  ‘welcome’ smile.  We were escorted by a volunteer to the surgery prep area where we met an RN named Fe. (pronounced Fay)  She proceeded to take blood samples, blood pressure etc.

About the same time in walks in Pastor Tuvai from my church who came in early to pray for the surgery.  During the prayer he makes mention of a Scripture passage out of Isaiah 41:10.

Fe comes in after the prayer and Patty, (My Wife) and I begin to talk with Fe. We find out she is also a believer, and she goes on to quote Isaiah 41:10 as her favorite passage….not knowing that Pastor Tuvai had earlier also quoted from that same verse.   Fey  tells us she is from the Philippians and her name means…….Lydia…..AND  guess what color she is wearing?   You guessed it, purple!

Time passes and it’s time to go to surgery. I am encouraged and strengthened by the spiritual support God has given me in His Word and through these faithful saints.

In walks the man who would wheel me to surgery, his name?………Luke… we chat on the way, my reminding him that his name is in the Gospels, when he responds saying that he also has two brothers named……..you got it….Matthew and John…….and his father is named Mark!  

We run into Shawna and Letty who are RN nurses and find out they both go to my home church.  Once in the surgery room, prepped and ready to go, I ask everyone if I can pray verbally and they all say yes, including my surgeon.  Everything comes out good, and I’m recovering for the next few weeks.

The really exciting thing here is that God’s Word did not return void, empty. From Pastor Tuvai, to Fey, to all those in the surgery room, His Word was given.  It became a very powerful opportunity for God to bring so many people together under circumstances that involved all our faith that God was in control, and that He wanted all us including Patty and me to know, that His Word accomplished all He set it out to do.

God gives all of us many opportunities to share His Word under many different circumstances; and you know what?   There is comfort, strength, and encouragement in His Word for anything you, or someone you know might be going through.

I’m so happy that God was truly glorified throughout this day, and that others were able to see the Holy Spirit make a spiritual link chain throughout this day, and do you know what?  It was the difference maker for all involved.  The thing I learned is that God wants to do this every day.  All we need to do is raise our hand to Him every morning and say to Him, ‘Here I am Lord, send me!”

Here’s Today’s Musical Video ~  Enjoy!