This post will be a little different than usual. The past two weeks, I have been taking care of a lot of logistical things and teaching a good bit, and God has just been opening my eyes and heart to some things. So first off, I want to praise Him for that and thank you for your continued prayers. I read in Mark 9 this morning, and verse one coupled with Oswald Chambers really spoke to me. Vs 1 reads,
As I thought on this, I began to see its truth in my life lately. God's kingdom is being established all around us. When Jesus Christ conquered sin and death, He won victory for eternity. So, even now, Christ is victorious, and the closer I grow to Him, the more I see His kingdom alive and moving in the world. I see look around our local body here in Lobatse, I see the Father preparing to expand His kingdom even more so. He is raising up young men and women who hunger for true discipleship, and He is stirring in my heart and Jack's that we must be prepared to prepare them fully! I truly believe God is building up a movement here, but He is waiting to unleash the floodgates until His people are ready to handle it - ie have a true discipleship process that promotes servant-leadership, is reproducible, and there enough leaders to handle the growth of sheep who need tending and maturing.
My life the past week or so really shows this need and desire. 6 of the young guys from our body have come to me and sought real training/discipleship. This is a huge answer to prayer for me, and I invite you to praise the Father with me for providing young men who will be faithful to learn and to reproduce. We have met several times this week looking at what a disciple truly is, and Jesus expectations for His disciples. It has really been a good challenge for me, and I see God desiring to do a big work in and through these young men.
These leads me to Ps 138 this morning and my praise/prayer requests. As many of you know, I have been running at a pace I knew I could not sustain for much longer. I asked you to cry out to the Father for sustenance and help. This week has been an answer to that prayer. He has given me extra time with Him each day, time to rest physically, while at the same time giving me more and more opportunities to teach and meet with these young men. Ps 138:3 says,
Thank you for your continued support and love. It really does make a difference and mean the world to me. you!
"And Jesus was saying to them, 'Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here today who will not taste death until the see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.'"Oswald Chambers comments on this saying,
"The new birth gives a new power of vision whereby I begin to discern God's rule. His rule was there all the time, but true to His nature; now that I have received His nature I can see His rule."
As I thought on this, I began to see its truth in my life lately. God's kingdom is being established all around us. When Jesus Christ conquered sin and death, He won victory for eternity. So, even now, Christ is victorious, and the closer I grow to Him, the more I see His kingdom alive and moving in the world. I see look around our local body here in Lobatse, I see the Father preparing to expand His kingdom even more so. He is raising up young men and women who hunger for true discipleship, and He is stirring in my heart and Jack's that we must be prepared to prepare them fully! I truly believe God is building up a movement here, but He is waiting to unleash the floodgates until His people are ready to handle it - ie have a true discipleship process that promotes servant-leadership, is reproducible, and there enough leaders to handle the growth of sheep who need tending and maturing.
My life the past week or so really shows this need and desire. 6 of the young guys from our body have come to me and sought real training/discipleship. This is a huge answer to prayer for me, and I invite you to praise the Father with me for providing young men who will be faithful to learn and to reproduce. We have met several times this week looking at what a disciple truly is, and Jesus expectations for His disciples. It has really been a good challenge for me, and I see God desiring to do a big work in and through these young men.
These leads me to Ps 138 this morning and my praise/prayer requests. As many of you know, I have been running at a pace I knew I could not sustain for much longer. I asked you to cry out to the Father for sustenance and help. This week has been an answer to that prayer. He has given me extra time with Him each day, time to rest physically, while at the same time giving me more and more opportunities to teach and meet with these young men. Ps 138:3 says,
"On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul."This is so true. Saturday night I was feeling worn out and anti-social. I ask some of you to pray for strength and love to fill me because I knew Sunday was going to be a day full of interaction, teaching, and cooking. When I woke up Sunday morning, I felt like a completely new creation, and I had a great day with the guys teaching and praying. This is just one example of many of how your prayers are fueling the work and strengthening me! Thank you! This leads me back to verse 1 where the psalmist says,
"I will give thanks to you with all my heart."I invite you to give thanks and praise to Him. He is sustaining me and giving me strength not my own. The psalmist goes on to say in verses 4-5 that all the kings of the earth will give thanks to God and praise Him when they hear the words of His mouth for great it His glory. I invite you to pray with me that God's word will be proclaimed here in Botswana and throughout the earth and that they will see His glory. The psalm ends by stating that God will accomplish His will, and He will not forsake His works. Please pray that we, as the body of Christ here in Botswana, will truly believe this - that God's word and glory will call many to His name and that HE will be faithful to bring this about. Pray for opportunities to share and boldness to take them -that when we open our mouths, we would faithfully proclaim the truth of the gospel. Pray for me, that I will be faithful to teach and train these young men that they may become mature disciple makers. Pray for strength, wisdom, and boldness as I teach and lead them. And lastly, pray for these young men - that God will continue to build into their heart a longing to learn from Him, to live for Him, and to lead others to do the same!
Thank you for your continued support and love. It really does make a difference and mean the world to me. you!
