Gig

Yesterday, I led devotions for Gig. I got some positive feedback.  I pointed out that Abraham was called of God to Go and Paul was called to go t the Gentiles but even Paul had difficulties.  He did not get on well with John Mark and he and Barnabus disagreed sharply about him.  They went their seperate ways, yet later he said "Bring John Mark to me, for he is useful.  Sometimes John Mark is just the person we need.

Going on Mission

In what way are you called?

We are certainly all called into Gods service if we are believers. However we may be called in different ways, but we are all called.

Genesis 12:1-5

Abraham was specifically called to leave his country and go to a land he had never seen. He was promised that he would be a blessing to the nations.

Abraham was in this respect the first missionary

Perhaps you feel a specific call as Abraham did

One of my experiences happened before my OM days ( tell the story of my first summer mission)

Perhaps you are more like the apostle Paul he was called to a very wide people group.  The gentiles.  He travelled to countries planting churches.  He went out with Barnabus and John Mark

Acts 9 13-15

Saul/Paul had set out to persecute Christians, but God redeemed him.  He was not told that he was to go to the gentiles but he saw the need to go, yet this was just as valid a calling as Abrahams for we see in this passage that this was always Gods plan for him.

Ananias had to obey the lord, he to, had to go to Saul and you will note that God was speaking to Ananias while Saul was praying. 

God does things when, and sometimes while we pray.

Ananias was told that the lord would show Paul as he was to become what he would suffer.

I wonder if you have considered suffering.  You may have to suffer for the lord

Problems/Forgiveness

We work in team, and humans being sinful creatures there are times when getting along is not smooth.  It is in these times we need Grace

You will recall that Peter asked the lord how often he should forgive his brother, Mathew 18:21-35  Parable of the unmerciful servant.)   would seven times be enough and Jesus said seventy times seven.  He did not mean this as a mathematical formula, he meant that we need to be a forgiving people, and in OM teams that is what we must be.

You may find yourself with a  John Mark.  Paul set out on his first missionary journey with him and barnabus.  Paul disagreed sharply with Barnabus about him, and they parted company,

Acts 15:36-44

Some time later, Paul said to Barnabus, let us go back and visit the brothers in all the towns where we preached the word of the lord and see how they are doing. Barnabus wanted to take John also called Mark with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work.  They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.  Barnabus took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the brothers to the grace of the lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.”

HOWEVER WE ALSO READ THE FOLLOWING

 but we read in  2^nd timothy 4:11 “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in my ministry

I can think of someone whom I sharply disagreed with.  Nowadays I am glad he is on my support team

You see that just as Paul could say of John Mark, Once I WOULD NOT HAVE HIM, then later say he is useful in my ministry, so I can say that the man I am thinking of is useful to me.

When God says Go, we must be willing to go at any cost for indeed there will be a cost.  Abraham was human, he could not have left his land lightly, and you to must have thoughts and feelings about going. 

I urge you that if you have questions, ask them of someone, and if you have difficulties on the field talk to someone. We have all been where you are now, and the people you talk to may be Gods instrument to encourage you

Amen

Opportunities

I seem to be going through a period where I have a lot of opportunities for fellowship and teaching over and above the usual.  I have spent a lot of money on books, which I am reading and I have started the distance learning course but not done as much as I hoped.  That however will change.  I am blessed

Will I finish well?

Will I finish well? that is the Question.  the older I get, the more I realise how important that is.  Will I still be serving the lord the way I should, or will I still be serving, but be a disappointment.  Somehow in some mysterious way, that is my responsibility

started at last

I made a start on the course last night.  Perhaps some of the books I already have will be useful.  I expect this to be an upward climb, but an enjoyable one.  I want it to open doors.

One message I have heard from a number of sources is all about using time.  One can only have now.  One cannot redeem time from the past, nor can one do things in the future.  Things can only be done now. 

At the mens conference last Saturday one of the things that was mentioned is that men are very good at filling up time with things that are not all that important.

We also so not meet to talk like women do.  Men talk around doing things.

As far as the course is concerned, I am now underway and I have emailed my tutor to let him know.

I am a film star.

We Filmed "Good with Food" last night. I really enjoyed the experience and hope to make some use of it for my video prayer bulletins.

It was a good experience.  It makes me feel I made a contibution to the theatre and to the council, and on the 20th of October, I have the opportunity to see my own performace. 

Filming took four hours and the film itself should last three and a half minutes.  I am looking forward to seeing it.

God must want me to have the book

At the mens conference.  A certain man bought a book for me as a gift.  God must want me to have it.  I have spent so much money on books in this past week that I was not going to buy any more.  I know the book is about the trinity and I trust that it will take me deeper into the word of God.

Jesus is my boyfriend

I went to a  mens meeting today.  It was all about evangelism and church planting and how men communicate and that we are designed to lead.  I have no problem with that.  In the workshop when we looked at barriers to mens evangelism one man said, " We need less Jesus is my Boyfriend Songs".  This is true, I cannot relate to that sort of song as I am a man.

the question of men and the church has been around all my life.  We need to see men coming to the lord and that is going to mean change. 

First to the Jew

Having been at last nights meeting, and over the past few days bought a number of books, I see that the subject of "To the Jew first" came up again and this is being put forward as a biblical patern.

I see it purely as a historical fact and cannot see one scripture that says that this is an established pattern for all time or that it was ever an established patern.  Paul said to the Jew first because he was addressing the Romans and was in no way claiming that they have a priority yet I see a doctrine has been established around these words. It so happnens that the people I have heard proclaim this to other believers who are not Jews have been messianic Jews.

There is a great danger that people could love Isreal more than they love the lord. 

Where has it come from? Who or what started it for it is certainly not the scriptures.

Paul wanted to see the jews, his own race saved.  this is good and right

However he also had a lot to say about the circumcised in heart and how we are the decendants of Abraham and this tends not to come up in these meetings.  It means that I am a jew.

Gods plan for any jew is the same as for anyone else.  Repent and believe in the lord Jesus Christ.  If you do not, you will face the lord as your judge and be damned.

Someone once said to me, "God chose the jews, he could just as easily have chosen the gentiles"

Passover

I attended a passover meal on Monday.   This was the third time that I have done this and I always find it an education.  One can see the Gospel in it, if only present day Jews could see it in greater number.  They are still looking for a messiah, who came a long time ago, and they are still looking for Elijah to return and we know that refered to John the Baptist and they cannot see it.

Watch and Pray

I prayed, I did what I promised the lord I would do and now a I pray all the more for the results.  I will check at the end of the week.

I feel like Abrahams servant who prayed and then watched as Gods providence concerning racheal unfolded. #


There is much to be said for the old song and saying, "Watch and Pray".