I have come that they may have life and that they may have it to the full. John 10:10(b)
Indeed there does exist a narrow path of such great vitality, and wonder beyond the alluring illusion of worldly
desire, shallow "Christian" commitments and what might appropriately be called "help along" hype but are we on this path?
And do we as Christians really know how to lead others down this road we all desire?
All desire it, for it is our created hearts deepest longing.
Maybe some will look to it, "safe" as spectators in the world.
Few will walk in it, and know abundant life In a risen Christ.
Christ tells us that.
"But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
Matthew 7:14
Consider the great differences;
Dwight Moody remarks scathingly:
I believe that more people stumble over the inconsistencies of professing Christians than any other cause. What is doing more harm to the cause of Christ than all the skepticism in the world is this cold, dead formalism, this conformity to the world, this professing what we do not possess.
And then that Of the great apostle:
Philippians 3:7,8 says:
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss, for the sake of Christ. What Is more, I consider all things loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord for whose sake I have lost all things.
The differences in emphasis of either statement are apparent yes, but they do point to the same end which is of course really KNOWING Christ and being found in Him not simply knowing stuff about Him.
Interestingly, I have recently spoken to some non-Christians who are unaware that we as Christians really claim belief in a real relationship that goes beyond a set of rules, ideologies, and customs.
Furthermore recently browsing books concerning converted atheists I found interesting support, specifically long time atheist Alicia Britt Chole's "Finding an Unseen God" where she states of the four things she loves most about God the greatest she says is that "He is knowable."
I guess, compounding off Moody's above remark, I wonder to myself how many professing Christians are also unaware of this real knowing Him, rather than knowing about Him.
I know about Abraham Lincoln but surely I cannot KNOW Him because unlike Jesus he is not alive!
Paul Continues:
I want to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death and so somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:10,11
Friends, at this point you might be asking;
"What is the aim of all this?"
and "Where now is this coming from?"
"If we lose a generation to the Gospel it won't be because we didn't
entertain them, but it will be because we didn't challenge them with
the truth of the Gospel and the tragedy of this broken world that we
live in." -Shaine Claiborne
I have been given and have accepted the opportunity, by and of the utterly amazing grace and love of my Father in Heaven, to join with Adventures In Missions (AIM) as what is technically known as a "Perpetual Leader."
And to answer the above questions of what and why?........
"In large part this acceptance is of a passion for The Lord that is growing constantly and really that very passion spilling into a desire for college age men and women, to forsake the world and give their everything to and for The Lord Almighty, the Kingdom of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is the power of God."
TO KNOW GOD.
Brother Yun, a Chinese house church pastor of incredible faith and love stated once that there are many "believers" but Jesus calls disciples.
AIM is committed to raising up radical disciples, achieving much more than simple mission "trips" and to continually reach out to a broken world with the Love and Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This coming year will mean relocating to Gainesville, Georgia for, at this point, the duration of one year with a small part of the year in GA and the other spent on the mission field leading college age "Real Life" teams to various global locations yet to be determined.
As for the immediate I will be on the leadership team for the "The Novas Project" this upcoming fall in Matamoros, Mexico.
Yes, there are a few things that are still being worked out, but The Lord has already thrown open doors for His leading and provision and I am trusting In Him.
The faithfulness, confidence, community and LOVE of Living Stones Church congregation, its entire leadership and missions team towards me, the kingdom and this great Gospel is truly amazing.
The testimony of their work for the Lord is not going unheard, no it is rippling and believers abroad are really being encouraged knowing of a body that faithfully seeks His face and reflects it actively everyday in a way that is witnessed.
Honestly when it is so undeserved, you just keep trusting me, helping me and loving me and sending me. THANK YOU.
I HOPE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM ALL OF YOU IN THE COMING YEAR.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR US!!
WE CAN DO NOTHING WITHOUT HIM.
AND FEEL ENCOURAGED TO LEAVE ALL YOUR OWN PRAYER REQUESTS ON THIS PAGE FOR ME TO JOIN WITH YOU.
.......Two Roads Diverge In a Wood, And I,
I took the Road less traveled by (BY GRACE!!)
and that Has Made All The Difference.
-Robert Frost
I remember some time ago, 8 months now , sitting down and displaying a particular countdown on this very page.....
Well it seems it has once again become such a time, where the road winds to close and the next fork of the path begins to reveals itself over the hill. Where the days are moving ever more quickly, and disappearing into yesterday faster than I would like them too.
Where does this next road lead? I have no idea. It seems at this point there is another split in the road and to which shall I commit? I do not know!
"The Celtic Christians had a name for The Holy Spirit, An Geadh-Glas or The Wild Goose."
-Mark Batterson
And so the chase is on.
I had intended once again to provide for you all pictures of Salesian High School, where The LORD had placed and abundantly blessed all of us guys for the last three months. Once again I was unable to do so out of technical complications with the uploading of the files.
I will say that this past week was our final week with the boys and going into the "final stretch" of the year without having them to focus on will be somewhat of a challenge in itself as we were so thoroughly invested in what the Lord asked of us there.
It makes for somewhat of a large void.
Our HIV testing week went through without any crippling complications thanks to the Lords perfect provision. Against culture, peer pressure, enormous fear and even disapproval of parents almost 60 boys took advantage of the provided voluntary testing and counselling.
We were thrilled to triumph with them.
This all contributes to the ever approaching reality that the way things are now will not, cannot remain for much longer. The LORD never told me it would last, but only for a season.
I suppose I have been unclear about my increasing love for The Son, The Father, The Spirit and a new and strangely abounding love for this Swazi team, So let me say this:
I am ever frequently overwhelmed by all them all.
And that because I am experiencing HIS ever abounding Love for me through them all.
It is so hard for me to imagine that everyone of us will go to his corner of the Earth never to cross again on that same Earth. I am becoming a potent mixture of anticipation and apprehension.
I have asked the Lord at times on this trip to shatter my heart, so I may fellowship with Him and be ever more refined. Bound. Abiding.
I see now that this may be how he intends to do so.
Just last night I had yet another dream of saying goodbye.
Returning.
Seeing the trees, Driving the roads, buildings and buildings, back into the fast rushing river of commercial life and being filled with this strange sense of alienation.
Where did everyone go??
So much has changed.
I dont know this place anymore......
"I am become a stranger" , As The Psalmist says.
I struggle now for what else to write, what else to say....................
What now?
Wait and See.
The LORD will guide you always.... (Isaiah 58:11)
By the way, Tom Cameron. You've been on my mind, friend. I hope you are well.
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. John 1:10-11
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
John 1:4-5
The Cross of The World.
For You. Not me.
Offensive? To Us?
We are all sinners.
We all Need Jesus.
Without Him there is no hope. With Him alone there is hope.
We loved the world more. Jesus Darkness more than light.
God Came. We Killed Him. He revealed Himself to us. We hated Him.
Trading gold for dirt. Eternity for right now. Pleasure for pain. He calls to us.
We plug our ears.
Turn the music up.
God Is not listening.
Neither will I listen.
Devil?! That's a laugh.
Hell?? Judgment??
Politically incorrect.
So offended right now! Truth is not relative. For every or not any.
Who are you to say! He is the one who says.
Say to them "This is
what The Sovereign LORD Say'sWhether
they listen or fail to
listen.
When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn
him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save
his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his
wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will
have saved yourself. Ezekiel 3:18-19
Who's really being offended?
Who has been offended?
Hey guys,
Simply put I thought maybe you would all like some visuals of the Mission field that me and the other guys have found themselves in at Salesian High School.
HOWEVER, the file sizes I had intended to post are too large so I must re-size them all and then I will post them for you.
So consider this an advertisement of sorts.
They are coming soon.
We encourage you to keep praying because they are indeed working!
Students are hearing the Lord and are choosing change and though your prayers the lord is providing direction and massive community support( which we will need wisdom for) to be the infrastructure of this program long after we are gone from Swazi.
The hardest is yet to come, fatigue has at times found us but we are encouraged and eager to do the good work the Lord has set before us.
I personally can use all of your prayers in seeking The Lords will for me as this great adventure enters into its closing days. There is much to be done and I wish to remain focused on the task at hand but am unescapably mind full of the inevitable close of Africa FYM at this time in my life.
There are more than a few paths laid before me and I am looking only to the one which The Lord has ordained as His own will for me. I will be spending spring break here in Swazi and this point will be something I am seeking specifically at that time of rest, so If any could join me in prayer the week of March 14th to the 21st I would be so thankfull. Of course anytime is a good time!
Also feel free to leave your comments or prayer requests and updates about what The lord is doing in your own life guys!
I am surely interested in hearing what is happening on the other side of the pond.
Something I encounterd today that seems to require attention, that I would last but not least like to share with you....
Davie, Lorretta and I went into a shop today to see if they had any musical instruments for sale and alas they did not. After browsing shortly at some air rifles meant for hunting only and quickly deciding re entry to america would be costly if not just plain illegal we made for the counter where Davie purchased a small pad-lock for the gym.
The shop was obviously muslim owned and at first they were talkitive and inqiusitive about who we were and where we had come from. As we spoke they commented as usual about Davies likeness to Barack Obama but shifted to America's struggling economy, with almost a strange satisfaction.
They went on to comment that people might mistake Davie for Obama and that people would now be "gunning" for him. It was certainly strange and became awkward.
My intent in sharing this story is in absolutely no way to antangonize these men.
Nor do I desire to push something that granted is somewhat speculative.
Regardless of the situation it has stirred something inside.
I see plainly that in this very moment, the whole world over, be it by cultural, geographical, racial, gender based, political or "religious" division, we all simply need Jesus Christ SO badly.
There is so much hatred being harboured EVERYWHERE you go. Be it in America or Swazi or China or England or Somalia.
Muslim people need Christians praying for them: visions and dreams. This is already happening all over the globe. They have an intense devotion and belief that they posees the heart of the true God.
Jesus is that truth and He desires to know them and be known by them.
I suppose naturally we must never forget those who are already now on the mission field witnessing in the face of such extreme devotion by carrying this dangerous cross and even spilling there own blood on soil abroad trying to reach a people that has not known and are often not allowed to know the ressurection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have so much to learn and so far to grow, so I hope we may grow together in actually understanding and following through with our Lords command of care for even those that greatly dislike us.
I have often professed what I have not possessed.
So It seems as always, I too desperately need Jesus.
First off I would like to thank everyone who has responded to us in our call to be ambassadors of Christ's Truth and Freedom in Salesian High School with your prayers and support.
Friends and family as well as people we didn't even know before have been lifting this mission up and we are so thankful for that.
As many of you know as one gets further into a battle of the kingdoms there is an intensifying effect of opposition and it requires us to be ever closer to the Lords wisdom, strength and guiding Holy Spirit.
Without this covering we are unable to be effective in unity, session planning, awareness of the enemy, hearing the Lords direction and encouragement and of course our communicating by illumination of the Holy spirit the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the classroom and the hearts of these boys to which The Lord has instructed us to minister.
Otherwise its just another abstinence program with NO power. With no change. All words and no freedom.
The answers are not simply in instruction, not simply in education, not simply in scary statistics about sex because we all know that in the grips of culture and lust these things can and often do easily fade into the background by the oppression of the enemy, the world and the screaming desires of flesh whenever Gods Spirit is absent.
So what are we asking of you? And just what are we saying?
Keep Doing What You are Doing And Get Anyone and Everyone Involved.
PRAY IN FAITH.
INVITE AND EXPECT THE HOLY SPIRIT TO FALL ON ALL THESE BOYS AND US AS WE ARE TRYING TO "PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED"
As for what has been happening so far, we are now entering our third week of teaching and will be completing prep on our next lesson this Sunday.
Class thus far has consisted in the first session something of a "Siren session." A sounding the alarm if you will. Swazi is in danger.
Here's the truth about HIV/Aids in your country. 44 % infection rate. 32, average age of death.
Here's how advanced it is.
Here's the truth about how God sees it.
Lets ask WHY? Lets overcome. The choice is not ours but yours.
It was a very serious class, though we did have some laughs and some very rewarding Opportunity's to fellowship with the boys.
The second class mainly included tying in the previous week and personalizing the statistics, truth and dangers through factual illustrations involving real statistics within the country regarding HIV, STD's and teen pregnancy. (Statistics that have, by many indications worsened since last officially collected) They included colored cards which each student received randomly which would indicate the sexual status of that student, assuming an active sexual life.
I assure you this assumption is no stretch. Starting age of sexual activity in this country can be astounding.
We have been informed kids are sexually active sometimes as young as nine years old.
Obstacles are great.
Peer Pressure.
Media.
WESTERN media.
Female identity found almost entirely in men.
Pornography.
Gender roles.
Lust.
Wide acceptance of promiscuity.
Shame.
Silence.
Lies.
What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24
But we know who is behind all of it.
Thanks be to God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Romans 7:25
And by the power of the Cross it has all been undone, if we all would look up and be filled.
We miss and love all of you very much and are looking ahead to when we are together again.
As for the here and now The Lord is calling on us few for a great and unique purpose.
Four of the Guys on the our Swazi team were given permission by a local priest last Monday to come into the
local boys high school (Salesian High School) and preach/teach for eight different class periods every
week until we leave! This is a phenomenal opportunity and the Lord is
leading the way. He has already been preparing us and is providing for us information, community support and resources
to pour into our planning time. We are all very focused on this opportunity and while we are now beginning to see the magnitude and challenge before us we have been assured that our Lord is going ahead of us and we are eager to go with Him.
Upon receiving the invitation we began to plan and schedule almost immediately but there remained a sense that we actually still had not received permission and blessing from the Lord to go ahead with this ministry into the school, valuable as it seemed. We conversed over Saul's impatient mistakes and King David's faithfulness in inquiring of the Lord while making descisions. (1st Chronicles 14:9-11)
We then took the time to pray and also asked a leader and friend from last semester, who is now in Canada, to pray about it and let us know if the Lord had spoken anything to her. She was not given any information or any update whatsoever as to the inquiry or the situation other than
"maybe pray for the boys school and see what ya get."
The reply is as follows: Prayed for 'the boys school' and got a strange reply from the Lord..
well, hopefully only strange to me. Simple really, it began with Him
emphatically saying 'YES' and then He added later, 'move ahead'.. Hope
that means something to you.
We will be moving ahead, totally on
faith that God will use us to build a gospel based boys leadership
program. Stressing the urgency of the Aids crisis, gender roles,
responsibility, discipleship and the freedom available from the cycles
of temptation, sin and death through a deeper faith with Jesus Christ. Its about fellowship.
They
need to know Jesus is more than just a superficial, intellectual recognition of
heaven and hell. They say the gospel in Africa is a mile wide and an
inch thick. Very shallow.
They will decide its future, and they must know the facts about this this fallen world.
Swaziland is the most "Christianized' nation
in the world and it will be the next to disappear.
How can this be??
The Population in 2006
was about 1.1 million only last year in 2008 it sat just over 900,000 and know that there are many, many people being born every single day.
We need the Holy Spirit's Power and Presence. In us, in the class, in the boys lives.
His Conviction and His Redemtion. Freedom from the enemy, harmfull culture, hopelessness.
His Guidance and Encouragement. Renewal, Rebirth, Revival.
We as a Church can choose to come together on this now. We need your prayers.
Use post its. Reminders. Tell everyone you know. I would encourage you to copy this link and send it to someone.
Pray for the boys to be open with us, for relationship to grow, for the light of the Gospel as the only true salvation for this country and for their very own souls. Pray for our lesson planning.
Pray for Delivery, leading and for great zeal in seeking a holiness and fellowship with our God as we walk this new path with Him.
I will be heading for the tiny Kingdom of Swaziland in just 5 short days. I know that most people have never even heard of this country, so I really wanted to share some information about the area and the severe need that we will be facing in order to get us all on the same track for this next stretch of my year in Africa.
Swaziland is a small country, about the size of New Jersey. It is actually enclosed within the borders of South Africa and Mozambique. I will be flying to Johannesburg and then we will be driving six hours into Swaziland to our house in Manzini.
Swaziland is goverened by the last ruling absolute monarchy in Africa today.
The current King, King Mswati the III, is in his 22nd year of absolute rule. This once prosporous place has been devastated by greed and refusal to appropriately address economic and social problems within the Kingdom.
With sky high infant mortality rates, systematic rape, at least forty percent unemployment and the highest HIV/Aids numbers in the world: the tiny Kingdom Of Swaziland is in a downward spiral that threatens to wipe it off the map literally by the year 2025!!
Please pray for this Kingdom. For these people. For our team. For the ruling King.
Conviction. Repentance. Compassion. Change. KINGDOM.
For my own wreckless abandonment of this world for God's Kingdom.
This has been a struggle for me to do and I really want to take my eyes and hands completely off off this world in and beyond Swaziland.
Seth Barnes founder of AIM says this about Swazi:
"It's a country of of pain and contradictions,
of death endured in the devastating quiet of a dark shack. It's
horrific what's going on over there. Shame is a terrorist stalking the
nation's girls and young women because of a culture that doesn't talk
about what goes on in secret. It's nightmarish and someone needs to
stand up and shout or at least talk about it."
Guys I've been thinking lately, Christians are to be Kingdom soldiers.
I am to be a kingdom soldier.
God is so very concerned about justice, about the poor, the hopeless, the fatherless and the dying.
He is less concerned about whether or not I go to this church or that church, or whether I sing this song or that one but what am I doing for the Kingdom???
He wants Justice! Mercy! Kingdom!
I must throw off this world, and step into the fight.
For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the
spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12
Me and the boys listened to a sermon last night entitled "God Dies." This retold for us the gruesome detail of crucifixion, the humility and sacrifice of the living God and His achievement at calvary.
He gave everything for me. He held onto nothing and for this He deserves my everything.
How often I serve leftovers to a Holy selfless God!
"The kingdom of heaven is
like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again,
and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matthew 13:44
I want to be a soldier in Swaziland. I want to be a soldier until I die but talk is cheap and I'll need His grace and His spirit and all of your prayers.
....if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words
Isaiah 58:13
I Just feel at this point that I need to encourage all my Family at Living Stones Church.
There is such genuinity among you, there is Kingdom around you. You have loved me greatly. Thank you. Push on. Push in.
Engage the lost, broken, poor and the oppressed! God isthere and He has promised His power and presence to you! I Feel overwhelmed for you guys right now.
Seek. Listen and go for it!
I will be with all you guys again from Swaziland.
Grace and Peace,
Blair.
The sun is very hot and Christmas hustle and decoration abound. Its strange at best to think that it is Christmas in 4 days and its thirty degrees out side!
We will cook a turkey and remember you all.
Christmas is God's scandalous grace put on man's calendar. Let us not forget that!
I just returned from a week of debrief at a riverside house in neighbouring St. Francis Bay. The whole awakening team was together for the very last time. It was a time of reflection, which gave us a chance to look back and absorb the many different challenges and experiences of the past three months.
Money, faith, church, The Cross, justice, action, scripture, leadership Genuinity, lukewarm, election, worship, discipleship and of course the list continues on and on and on.
There was a chance for self and team evaluation and on the last day a particularly special time of "Rock Star Awards." Which is simply put, a time we shared of honest thanks, goodbyes and encouragements for those on our team whom we by Gods grace and blessing had the opportunity to serve and walk with.
I must take the opportunity to single out my ministry team: Mary, Alexis and La, whom I find I will miss more than originally thought. Thank you all for walking with me. Literally. It was awesome.
We also took the time to look to the future. The future here in Africa and also beyond. This is exciting and troubling for me, as I look forward to the difficulty that will shape and grow in Swaziland this January but also need your prayers (REALLY) as to some important choices that are to be made after the year is complete.
The Lord has promised to guide me always and I will trust in that.
I will also spend the Holiday seeking and relaxing. It is very busy here and especially dangerous but we are being careful and enjoying it without too much trouble.
The last thing I would like to say is that my good friend Tyler Bussanich, who earlier in this trip had you could say an "encounter" with Gods Discipline and was no longer with us will be returning to S.A. on Monday!
God is faithful and powerful and He has redeemed a brother and friend as he done for me (and all of us!) so many times when we stumble. I rejoice. I am so glad to have him and look forward to it. He a passionate, good guy. Pray a safe journey.
I feel like there has been a lot of sharing of the sort of battles and struggle that is going on, and while these are in my thoughts and days I would also like to share some of the things My ministry team (Mary, Lisa and Alexis) and I have been doing.
We have been building amazing relationships in the community. I hang out with a 20 year old named Xolani or JT as everyone else calls him. Hes a really nice kid who teaches us about the culture. He just yesterday offered to takes me to meet some of the Gang members of the community. This coming right after reading the Nicky Cruz story. (If you don't know Nicky Cruz the book is called "Run Baby Run" or check his website)
We have a friend Theodora we have been visiting all year whom we all love. Jobs here are difficult to get. Thoedora has young boy name thandi (unsure of the spelling) to support. She expressed to us in tears one day that she had been relying on her sons father to support but wanted nothing to do with him and felt trapped and stuck. We encouraged and prayed with her to rely on God instead of any man. This was seemingly risky and difficult thing to do. But she had faith and of course God was faithful. She now has a job. We were so elated when we heard the news! It was amazing.
Praise. Kingdom come!
Regina is another friend of ours. She has three children. She works but it is simply not enough to feed her kids.
God lead us to her house with a mental image of the colour of her place which is different than most others, I told this story already but believe me it was so cool.
Her house had a fire. We literally prayed the intense smell out. We striped the walls, coated and painted it, this beautiful blue colour.
We spend every Tuesday and Thursday hanging out with the street kids here in J bay. We hand out sandwiches and get to know the kids better. There all crazy! There fun and we love em.
We have spent many afternoons in daycare's (Creche's) helping hugely sacrificial women as they take care of sometimes 30 children in a single room!
PRAY FOR THESE FAMILIES AND KIDS PLEASE IT IS NOT EASY FOR THEM!!!!
PLEASE PRAY FOR DION BY NAME, HIS LIFE IS SO SO HARD ON HIM. We would all love to see God free him from dissappointment and pain into His open arms.
I hope this short list of activities is an encouragement and a testimony that God is moving, despite question and confusion. Relationships are what hes all about.
I had the immense pleasure of being able to play the drums at many different out reach locations! African rhythym is way cool. AND.............................................
I will be going for Holiday to cape town as everyone else is home for Christmas.
But the big news is that my outreach will be moved to the Kingdom of Swaziland!!!!!
I am so excited about this. it will be intense, so please pray for the Swazi team!
and if you can find it I HIGHLY recommend the movie "without the king" its a documentary that came out last year and it would give great insight into where I am going, It is very powerful.
Thanks guys. I am thinking of all of you and will continue to fight this fight.
The axe is already at the
root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will
be cut down and thrown into the fire." Luke Ch3 V 9
I am in such a weird place right now.
Maybe its a spiritual battle.
Maybe its my own tendency of fear.
Maybe its truth we desperately need to hear.
My faith is being
challenged immensely. My salvation is often called to question! Communication has been scarce on account of not wanting to post incomplete thoughts and nonsense, but know this:
I am truly struggling with what it seems following Jesus must cost.
Things like the cost of discipleship in Christ vs.
the reality of my own immense wealth. The need for radical extreme
costly love in my relationship with God and His people. Deuteronomy 6:5 Says "With All Your Heart..."
This town were
in is really Rich Meets poor and what is most
troublesome is how attached to privilege my own heart is. Its ritzy and
disgusting. Wealth is honestly a serious spiritual disadvantage. It certainly appears that way! It
runs so deep.
Shane Claiborne says hes convinced that God
did not simply make too little of stuff. Its just simply that 20 percent of us have 80
percent of stuff. The really hard part is that any response to that,
that isn't completely out of love is totally meaningless. Now the fruit of the spirit is love. So I am praying for that love, Believe me!
I must
honestly say to the Father,
" I'm sorry I don't love you the way that I should. Help Me!"
The apostle Paul says that if there indeed is no God we are to be pitied more than any man.
If
I woke up today and it occurred to me that there was in fact no God, Would I be laughed at and pitied
by the world because of what I had done, sacrificed, rejected, been
faithful too and chased after with the very breath of my lungs?? orwould
I simply be ashamed for a short time and blend right back in?
Can I give beyond comfort?
What in life right now is costing me for Christ?
Will I give only as long as it doesn't interfere on my standard of living?
The early church did not measure giving by what they gave but by what they had left. If one had extra while another died of starvation that person had blood on there hands. There is grace! But "Shall we sin because we are under grace?" Paul says " By no means!"
Am I a fool for Christ?
I must be. But I am not. Lord help me.
Friends forgive the extremity of my thoughts, those who know me know I can be overwhelmed by such things but it seems of such great importance.
2 or 3 months before I came to Africa I received Isaiah 58 from the Lord. I had not previously read it. It has come up in practical life, conversation, reading and even from another pastor from Pretoria who I had never previously met who believed the spirit wanted him to share with me from the word, Isaiah 58:11 ( a confirming scripture I shared with many of you before I left home) I encourage you to take out your bibles and share your thoughts. Its contents are of this very nature and I believe God is doing something and its hard to receive because its so counter-nature.
To lay down one's own life? unless a seed falls and dies?
Holy, that is, Set Apart? Common or Christian?
At first I thought they should never look the same, but now see they actually could never look the same.
Perhaps obvious to you, but not to me.
