In the last devotional S.T.R.E.N.G.T.H, I had learned about where Paul had received his strength! Even though Paul received strength from the Lord, he still acknowledges that he needs the body of Christ to help him. This is evidenced by the word 'you' which is plural referring to the Philippians. He is so touched that he uses the word 'good of you' because they shared in Paul's troubles.

I saw important implications for my own life. I should share in the troubles of my brothers and sisters in Christ!

I ASK YOU NOW:
I ask you now dear friend how do you share in others troubles?
Dear friend it is awesome to know that we can share in other people’s troubles by making their load light. I am reminded of the passage in Galatians 6:2 that talks about ‘carrying one another’s burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ.’ Friend, maybe you are faced with trouble right now and need a helping hand and wish there was someone out there who can visibly give you a hand. I want you to know that I want to share in your trouble as much as I can to make your load light.

Whatever you are going through, you can email me, we can set up a time to meet together to talk and pray to the Lord of Heaven and earth. Also, whatever I am able to do, I would love to help out. You need not go at it alone. Yes, there is the Lord’s strength to get you through but I believe He uses His children to help others too. I just want you to know that I am available if any of you need help. Of course, I am hoping there are others too that are willing to give a helping hand. My number is 412-720-4579 if you want to get in touch with me.

There is someone who is troubled that you know of and it is possible that the Lord has called you at such a time as this to help them out. You can pray with them, listen to them, or if it is in your capability directly help ease their troubles. It is so Scriptural to carry one another’s burdens.

I can remember my first experience as a student with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship when one of the staff volunteers, Kevin Leibach was always on the 5^th floor of the William Pitt Union during his breaks. As a Christian who had rededicated his life to the Lord in college, I had a lot of issues to work through. Kevin would be there to help me through them by praying with me and quoting Scripture especially Jeremiah 29:11. Not only that whatever he was able to do he would. Years later when I was having difficulty at home, they were willing to house me in their house even though it did not need to come to that. That’s how much they were there for me. Since then the Lord has helped me to grow a lot in Him and also have wonderful experiences in InterVarsity that I decided to go on staff with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for six years!

Never think you cannot help someone else in need. Regardless of what they are going through, just your presence there could help them through it even if you do not say a word. One thing I have learned is not being judgmental in the situation. Kevin and Elizabeth never were judgmental including my former staff worker Kent Walley. They worked with me where I was and helped me through the issues.

I was helped so much because they shared in my troubles that I never wanted them to leave Pitt because for me they were like angels. I am reminded of the series ‘Touched by an Angel’. The Lord could use someone at one place for a specific time and then move them on to other places to help others. I believe that’s what Kevin, Elizabeth, and Kent are doing. Kevin and Elizabeth continue to work with international students even though it is not with IVCF and Kent has gone to become a pastor in South Carolina.

Right now I am thankful for the time I have been able to be on Pitt campus and continue to be on Pitt campus. Until the Lord moves me on to another area, I desire to serve you all to the best of my ability and share your burdens too.

He uses us in our weaknesses and His strength is manifest. Jesus has used my mommy so much in my life and continues to use my mommy to bless me and guide me. I thank the Lord for my mommy and all those He has put in my life to help me especially my church cell group of Oakland International Fellowship and Pastor Hugo Chen!

I share this with you because you never know whose life you will touch in a mighty powerful way for the honor and glory of the Lord. I have always had high ambitions to be a lawyer but after how I was helped, I wanted to minister to others students with the love of Christ and have put law on hold. The good thing is I am able to take classes and learn legal studies on my own even as I work and minister.

You can be that person to make an impact on someone’s life because you cared enough to share their troubles with them and pray with them. May you see the Lord Jesus work in your life to help others recover as you depend on His Holy Spirit to guide you and lead you! Amen!

I want to share with you the example of 4 friends who made such an impact in my life few years ago. I am proud to call them friends who shared in my troubles! They are not the only ones that have affected by life in a positive way but this situation became special for me.

At one point, I had such a bad semester because everything that could possibly go wrong at once seemed to go wrong. I had to move and was doing it on my own because I did not want to bother anyone for help. I would take trips in the bus from Shadyside to Squirrel Hill or walk. I knew my friends were really busy with their classes and decided not to bother them.

I had gone to Bible study every Monday night without missing it. One Monday, I missed it and my small group was concerned. They knew I must be overwhelmed with all the moving I was doing. As I was making my multiple trips back from Squirrel Hill to Shadyside, on one trip, I was shocked to see some of the students from the small group one-by-one.

I did not recall ever telling them where I lived but they were on a mission and they found out. They were hiding to surprise me. They cancelled the Bible study just so they could come help me. I still cannot believe it even to this day. I call them the 4 musketeers (Sara Witmer (now Sara Schuster), Jonathan Morton, David Black, and Joshua Steck). I do believe with the help of the 5th musketeer, Becky McMullen (now Becky Posh), roommate of Sara they figured out where I lived.

I feel embarrassed to write this part because my apartment was like it was ransacked and a cyclone whirled everything out of place. You needed to be a track-field athlete figuratively to jump from one place to another because there was stuff everywhere. They asked me how they could help but I did not know where to start so I told them I really appreciate their help but they should go back to campus. They were not going to leave until my apartment was clean and I had a way to move all the stuff.

Sara decided that she could go back to campus and bring boxes but we found some in the storage. They took all the initiative, cleaned, and packed all my stuff for almost 3 hours that night even when they had school work for the next day.

My roommate had moved most of his stuff out. When my four friends left, my roommate who was not a Christian came to me and said, "It was really nice of your friends to help you like that". He wanted to know how I got to know them. I told him that they were from 'InterVarsity Christian Fellowship' of the Pitt chapter.

His reaction was, "No wonder, they seemed really nice and helpful" My friends had left an imprint of their Christian faith with my Chinese roommate.

The next day Josh asked his brother if he could bring his truck, even though he lived outside of Pittsburgh. This was so Josh and David could help me move all my stuff to Squirrel Hill, when his brother came.

Josh even sacrificed his class that day because he knew I had to be at work and they took two trips to help me move and then unload the stuff in Squirrel Hill. In all my life, I have not ever had friends like that. They made a Mission Impossible situation possible.

I am still honored to have known them as friends *hugs*.

At that time, Sara served as President of Pitt - InterVarsity Christian Fellowship worship coordinator, prayer coordinator, outreach coordinator, and small group leader.

At that time, Jonathan served as Vice-President of Pitt - InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Large-group coordinator, and Administrative coordinator.

Joshua served on the Worship Team.

David served as small group leader, publicity coordinator, and Business Manager.

Becky had served as Vice-President before Jonathan took over.

Sometimes what our friends do for us can be a big deal depending on our need! I hope your friends can count on you for help when they need it. If you call yourself a friend of someone, I hope you can be there to help them no matter the inconvenience just as the four friends helped the paralytic and students from InterVarsity graciously offered unexpected help to me.

"Savior Helps All Recover Everyday!" (S.H.A.R.E)/”How do you share in others troubles?”

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I want to thank you right now for all those that have made an impact in our own lives. You Oh Lord have used them for your honor and glory and to show your love to those who are hurting and in trouble. Thank you for all those that have helped me in my life. Most of all thank you for the strength you give and for your mighty help Oh Lord. Lord as we have been helped, help us to help others as we are capable trusting in you. Lord help us when we are in trouble not to be lone rangers but to seek after help. I thank you Lord for the Philippians who shared in Paul’s troubles. Let us not be prideful to take help. I thank you for the brothers and sisters you have placed in our lives and even those that do not know you that give a helping hand. I pray Lord that they would come to know you as their Lord and personal Savior. Please continue to use Kevin, Liz, Kent and all those that have made an impact in someone’s life. Please use me to help others as you choose. Please continue to use my mommy mightily for your glory. Please Jesus! I thank you Jesus for your help and for answering our prayer. You know what we go through and where we have been. We give our lives to thee and ask thee for your strength. Thanks for hearing us and answering us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

If you want to be a soldier in the Lord's army, you can become it right now. Now is the time of Salvation! You do not have to wait but can pray this prayer and give your life to Christ to serve Him daily! There is no draft but coming to Christ is voluntary. He loves you so much and wants you to come to Him! He will take care of you, guiding you and leading you!

Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us. I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen!

Friend, if you have prayed this prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave you nor forsake you! Amen!

Spend time in His word and let the Lord speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through. Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in Bible Live Eternally!

Feel free to email me at reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible, pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My number is 412-720-4579

"This is my work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

Express Your View

SEPTEMBER 2005

MARK: CHAPTER 1

How seriously do you T.E.S.T.I.F.Y to prophecy? (Sept 01, 05)

Who do you P.O.I.N.T to? (Sept 02, 05)

"Will you take a S.T.A.N.D?" (Sept 03, 05)

How is your loving P.R.A.I.S.E? (Sept 06, 05)

"How do you handle T.E.M.P.T.A.T.I.O.N?" (Sept 07, 05)

"Who controls your T.I.M.E?" (Sept 08, 05)

"What kind of P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N are you in?" (Sept 09, 05)