The KINGDOM.

Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

We aren't supposed to be solely concerned with ourselves. In fact, we aren't even supposed to come first in our consideration. How does this make those who are chronically sick feel? The people who are in need of help? There is a whole lot even chronically ill people can do depending of course on their illness and what it affects in their bodies and minds.  It has to be awful to feel as if you've nothing to offer others because you're so incapacitated in so many ways. I believe- and I could be wrong- that even the tiniest things done for others- sparing a few seconds of thoughts to say a prayer for someone else, is a huge thing.

God isn't telling us that we all have to be preachers, teachers, outgoing caregivers, endless volunteers, in fact if we were ALL those things, we would have no one to preach to, no one to teach, no one to care for and nothing to volunteer about. Seriously, we all have our individual idiosyncrasies, our own situations that are completely unique to us in emotion, in mental status, in physical being, and even spiritually.  No two people will ever experience these things the same because that's not how we were made.

Maybe you're the one in need of teaching, of being preached to, of being cared for, of needing the help of a volunteer- but even in that you are serving others by blessing them with their ability to help you. I know it's not much consolation and when we read about not looking on our own things but those of others- we can do that in this way that isn't very popular. We teach people to feel ashamed of their being in need beyond the normal course of needing upbringing and such. 

Those who can and are called to preach, teach, care give and volunteer (among the many other things not listed here) should do so. But those who are called to another path needn't feel despair over their situation. You can PRAY, you can THINK about others, these are very valuable things to do rather than turning thoughts solely inward- lamenting the life you think would be so much better, the life you should have had, the life of others with their good health, with their lack of screwy genetics, their better story than your own. 

We each have our own stories and the healthiest in all ways person won't necessarily have a better life than the most sickly in all ways person- because our lives are measured spiritually in our walk with Christ and that walk is a very personal thing.

You may think I don't know what the heck I'm talking about and if I were in the shoes of the needy/sickly person I wouldn't feel as I do- well let me tell you, I have my share of abnormalities that make me able to speak from this point of view.  No, I don't have it as bad as a lot of others, by the grace of God, but when is it ever wrong to live in action, in thought, that we are all temporary to eternity and it is eternity that we need to focus on? 

Satan would have us trapped in the here and now, never looking beyond to eternity. Satan loves us being caught up in all our many problems as long as it keeps our focus off eternity.

Our prayers must be for the KINGDOM to COME- and we often forget that KINGDOM, shoving it behind life right now- every aspect of this life.

Do we live for the KINGDOM of HEAVEN?  Do we live to tell others of the KINGDOM of HEAVEN?

Father- who art in HEAVEN.

Thy KINGDOM come.

Thine is the KINGDOM.

Mat_4:23  And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

PREACHING the gospel of the KINGDOM.

Mat_24:14  And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

This gospel of the KINGDOM shall be preached…

Luk_8:1  And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him

…glad tidings of the KINGDOM of God…

2Th_1:5  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer

…worthy of the KINGDOM of God…

Jas_2:5  Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?

…Heirs of the KINGDOM…

The KINGDOM.

Do we live for the KINGDOM?

All by the grace and mercy of our LORD may we live for the KINGDOM of GOD!

All through the love of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. All by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT in us!

Now and forever!!!!!!!