I was attending a women’s retreat with my church family, and we were having a time of talking alone with God.

From the journal . . . . May 1999

So here we are Lord. You and me. And the little Jewish lady in the bunk beneath me. God, how good of you. Jesus, touch her and make her Your own. I’m told that she doesn’t know You.   I wonder if maybe I’m to lead her to You. Oh Lord!  You are the Savior. Always it is You. You are the only one to touch her heart.

Later after the speaker spoke about being a friend to God:

Lord, am I a friend to You?  I think of a friend as being someone who helps and supports another in times of need, but Lord, what needs do You have?  If You were hungry, You wouldn’t call me.  The bulls in the stalls are Yours. 

Ps.50:9-12
⁹ “I shall take no young bull out of your house
Nor male goats out of your folds.
¹⁰ “For every beast of the forest is Mine,
The cattle on a thousand hills.
¹¹ “I know every bird of the mountains,
And everything that moves in the field is Mine.
¹² “If I were hungry I would not tell you,
For the world is Mine, and all it contains.

Am I Your friend, Jesus?

And I Believe God Said:

I do need you.  I need you to love people for Me. I need you to show them to Me (pray for them) and Me to them (witness to them about God) to lead them to the cross. Be My friend by ascribing good to My name. Don’t make excuses for sin in others. My grace is necessary for their forgiveness, and people need to know that because I want them. 

Eph. 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace

You feel like you need to apologize for helping or defending the underdog.  You don’t.  I have given you the love and attraction for certain people. You are to love them and intrude!

Lord, is that truly You?  Intrude?

I was obviously feeling a bit fearful to put myself out there at this point.  It was not in my comfort zone.

Yes!  What do you have to lose?  What do you have that you have not received?

1 Cor 4:7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

What do you need that I would not provide for you? 

Phil 4:19 And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

What could you lose that I would not replace?

My reputation?

I love you but you aren’t perfect just the way you are.  You don’t want to intrude on My Jewish child?  So what if she thinks you are whacked?  So what if you say something insensitive or offensive?  Don’t you think I could fix that?  What if at this time you are the only vessel I want to use?  Should not that be of greater concern to you than your reputation?

Romans 10:14-15  How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

Of course, Lord – it should be so.

Just ask her what she believes about Jesus.  Don’t get someone else to ask but be aware of the opportunity.  Be looking and be alert.  Not right now, but I will create a time.  That’s what I want my friend to do today.

John 15:15 No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.
 
James 2:23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God.

Okay, Lord.  I will try, by and with Your grace. 

After the retreat:

I spoke with Jewish Anne. She believes You were a teacher. She said she wasn’t offended by You.  She was so surprised when I said I wished I was Jewish. She could not even believe that. I don’t know what our talk did, but she told Kris later that she was going to investigate her own faith more. Oh Lord, let her see You.

So often we have many reasons why not to speak to someone about Jesus, and I can see where it is valid at times, but for me it’s usually some kind of laziness, selfishness, or fear.  Jesus is the answer to all of those things.

2 Peter 1:3. seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;

John 3:30  He must increase, but I must decrease.