Anyway, as usual, my discovery of this information was timely. I wanted to include it here so I could go back to it.
When God asks you to walk the other way
by Bobby Lynch
Have you ever had God to ask you to do something a
little different? Arturo, one of our students at SEMISUD (South American
Seminary), was challenged by God recently. He and his wife are experienced
missionaries and church planters from Chile. They came to SEMISUD to study and
prepare for future ministry. Maybe to even take a little time to rest as they
reflected upon their past years in ministry. Yet God had different plans.
Soon after arriving at SEMISUD, Arturo and his wife
participated in one of our church planting courses. During this course, they
were challenged by God. They were challenged to put their hands back to the
plow and get back to work. Now was the time for work, not the time for rest.
As they were leaving the campus one day, they
notice that everyone was walking through the main gate and turning to the right.
This would be assumed normal and correct as the town, student houses, and buses
are all located to the right of our campus. However, God stopped Arturo and his
wife as they were exiting the gate and caused them to look to the left and ask,
“What’s over there?”
So Arturo began to ask people where the road to the
left went. The guard told him, “No where. There is nothing that way. Unless you
walk for over an hour you will see only trees and cows. If you walk for an hour
you will come to a little village inhabited by a people who don’t like
visitors. Don’t go there Arturo. If you go, you will only find problems.” But
Arturo could not deny that God was calling him to go to that town and visit the
people. He knew that God was calling him to plant a church in that town!
Several local preachers advised Arturo against
trying to plant a church in that village. They said, “Those people don’t want
to hear about God. They do not want a church. You and your wife should work
with us in our churches or try to plant a church in an easier area.
Don’t go to that village. If you go, you will only
find disappointment and frustration.”
Despite the intense discouragement, Arturo and his
wife could not shake God’s call to go to this village and share the Good News
of Jesus. They had to go. And so they went.
As others had predicted, they did encounter many
problems, disappointments and frustration. However, due to their faithfulness
and obedience to following God’s call, within six months they successfully
planted a church in that village. Today, a year after their attendance in our
church planting conference, that church has over 50 members and that church has
gone on to plant 2 other churches in two other villages. Arturo and his wife’s
credit, our conference and training for giving him the inspiration and ability
to plant this church in such a hardened environment. We praise God for men and
women like Arturo and his wife that attend our training and use it to introduce
more people to Jesus.
If you would like to partner with us in sponsoring
one of these conferences, please contact us.
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After
the Israelites rebelled against God by making a golden calf idol He told Moses
He would no longer lead the people into the Promised Land. Instead He would
send an angel to lead them there. This
means that it was technically possible for the rebellious Israelites to enter
the Promised Land without God.
In the same way pastors and Christian leaders can lead a successful ministry all without God.
“Only
one thing will distinguish us from all the peoples on the face of the earth,”
said Demian. “It is (God’s) presence.”
Biblical
figures like Moses and David wanted only the presence of God. Moses thought it
was meaningless to enter the Promised Land without God. David determined that
he would not sleep soundly before he found a dwelling place for God.
“Sometimes
we think disobedience is only when we hear (God’s voice) and don’t obey,” he
said. “But we don’t understand that we break the Father’s heart when we don’t
care about what He wants.”
“His
longing is that we will walk with Him, He loves to dwell with His people,” said
Demian. “That is the character of God.”
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Shifting. Challenged. Change.
Tonight I sit curled up in my overstuffed-green-chair that sits in the corner of our office. Its very chilly outside and I find warmth and comfort here in the safety of this chair and these pale yellow walls.
Big dreams lay in the layers of my heart and purpose stands knocking louder than anything I could ever imagine.
Then, there’s circumstance.
The thing that keeps me planted. Staying the same. Never taking the risk. Willing to change directions only if given 100% confidence in the future.
Its much like the rain that quietly drips off my roof-top tonight to keep me cuddled up here in my thoughts.
Safe, like this green chair.
Circumstance…its just enough to make me stay put.
But tonight, the future looks different.
My husband still stands beside of me, my girls still toddle below me. God still whispers His faithful words into my soul.
But something looks…different.
The truth is, the ground below me feels like its shifting. A little of me, a little of life but a little bit at a time its all…shifting.
I’m challenged to be more than I am today. To strive for greater, to hold onto what’s better.
Truth speaks to me tonight that we just only get one shot at this. Sure, there’s an entire eternity that awaits us the day we take our last breath on this earth. And I can’t wait to see what that’s all about.
But today I hear the voice of God say so loudly…
“You are not overlooked. You are chosen, hand-picked, set-apart and you are here to leave a mark on your generation. Invest into today because you have incredible potential and I see you.”
And I feel so strongly that He shouts those same words to you my friend.
Today matters. You matter. Life…matters. Invest wisely.
While many days I wish I could just gaze into the future a few years from now and see what is all ahead, tonight I rest in the uncertainty that life offers. I know that much of what God is doing right now is simply as we say to our girls: “None-ya”. [In other words: none ya business]
These words from the book God-calling said it so well:
“I am here. Seek not to know the future. Mercifully I veil it from you.”
He sees everything ahead so we don’t have to. He is kind, mercifully, generous and loving enough to not let me see what He’s doing. Our job is simply to trust.
So as a girl who is shifting, being challenged and being changed…those promises are more than enough to give me the guts to get out of this comfy green chair and get to the place my heart longs to be.
“Keep company with God…get in on the best.” -Psalm 37:4
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Today, someone just needs to hear that God has chosen you.
That you are His, He delights in you. In a crowd of a 10,000 He reaches down His hands from His throne and says, “That’s my child.”
As life seems unsettled and we want to drift away from our dreams to realities He invites you to stay. To rest. To keep believing.
While we think nothing is happening, the greatest plans of our lives are unfolding. There’s always more to see than we do but yet we can hold our place in the confidence of His touch.
Our souls may scream that we are not chosen, not favored and not likely but -His truth shouts louder that its not about who we are, it’s about who He is.
And so we rise up.
We stand as chosen.
We lift our hands and say those words, “Lord, here am I…send me.”
We are ready.
Because as simple as they sound -those words are the invitation to God that we are making ourselves available to Him, His work…His purpose.
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