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It gives me great comfort knowing that I had a surgeon who does all his work with quality. Recovery from knee replacement has been the best of any so far. As I prayed with him and the staff in the operating room, I thanked God for giving them exceptional skill and ability to accomplish such radical changes to the human body. Such knowledge and ability comes from God.
We have a clear model of how things should be done in the Lord Jesus. When He healed the deaf man, “his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”” (Mark 7:35–37). Charging those present not to tell anyone I think was so the physical results of healing would be enough to proclaim the perfection of the Person and His work. What does our work tell others? Paul makes it clear that quality should be the hallmark of everything a disciple does. “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Let others see Jesus through you and your work (Acts 4:13).
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Our partner in Ecuador talked to Brother Arturo Y. and he says they are starting to train a new group of disciples in Guayaquil, Esmeraldas and Santo Domingo, Ecuador among the Quechua believers. This is amazing and truly the work of the Lord.
Let me explain. When Joseph and Tim visited Ecuador back in March, some Quechua people came to Oswaldo's House to request Jenny (his wife) to train some of their women. She showed them GPHD in Spanish and gave them a few copies. Well, they went back and started training in a local Quechua Church in Quito. When they returned to the Scripture and Holy Spirit in Lessons 1 and 2, revival broke out. Then they requested that all their churches go through this training. As you know, Tim introduced GPHD to 6 gatherings Saturday and Sunday, July 17 & 18. He had NEVER seen such hungry disciples, NEVER BEFORE! They immediately had a desire to go throughout Ecuador, and into Peru and Bolivia with what they are learning. This is the work of the Holy Spirit, NOT Tim. It is amazing when the Holy Spirit takes control of someone. They have a desire to evangelize and take the gospel to the world as we have often seen with past revivals, like. the Haystack Revival. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is a Missionary Spirit and that is His very nature, and when He is in control of our hearts, we have a passion for missions. Let me close with this observation: what we are seeing with the Quechua is a Holy Spirit movement, or as Roland Allen called it, “the spontaneous movement of the Spirit.” After the meetings on Sunday, there were over 200 churches requesting training. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING? It may not be so amazing when we experience what happens when join God at work. I am thrilled to announce that two of our resources (God’s Plan for His Disciples and God’s Plan for His Church) have been translated into Arabic. This is in preparation for the introduction and training that will be done next month in Morocco.
Our translator has worked for many months under difficult circumstances to get this done and we are very grateful. If you know of anyone who speaks and reads Arabic and is interested in either of these resources, please give them the links below. God’s Plan for His Disciples https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i27lwfirbxb0gmm/AADa_v48Q4bBklPz-WQKbdRha?dl=0 God’s Plan for His Church https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dyoq5odn6vyy9po/AADAuCY7DSvG-GCvCp_u5S55a?dl=0 Will you pray with us that God will use these books that direct readers to the Bible, to further spread the gospel and establish the church as a stronger witness for Christ. “And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do” (Jeremiah 18:4).
There are times when I have fallen into the ‘self-deception’ that I have done well in my life and ministry. These times are usually followed by some disappointing turn that forced me to humbly realize I was not the success I thought I was. It was critical that I submit to the Potter’s hand. “Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done?declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel” (18:5–6). Let us change the wording and make this very personal; “so are you in My hand, _____________ (fill in your name).” Have you tried to wiggle out of His grip? Have you resisted the shape God is molding you into? Be careful that you do not resist God’s will, purpose and plan so that He “relent[s] of the good that [He] had intended to do.” (18:10). God pleads with us, “Return, everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds” (11). It is a good exercise for all of us to review the life of Job often. God allowed Satan to touch Job, but not take his life. Aside from the physical suffering, Job lost his family and wealth. “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord”” (Job 1:20–21). In other words, Job brought nothing into the world and was going to take nothing with him at the end.
I believe we often forget the purpose behind what God allows us to experience. Either we feel entitled to something better or we compare our lives to others (particularly in ministry) and miss the wonderful design God is creating through us. That is why it is so important to know the heart of the Designer. Job pursued knowing God in an intimate way. “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth” (Job 19:25). In getting to know God intimately, He revealed to Job the end of the last chapter. God will reign! Have you grown in your intimate knowledge of God through your trials and losses? You will gain far more if you are drawn closer you Him in whatever circumstances He leads you through. It has been a very interesting day! With surgery tomorrow, I have pushed all day trying to get things done before I am laid up for a few weeks. God allowed some delays to eat up time that I did not count on. As I was rushing around after dinner finishing a few chores, I paused and thanked the Lord for allowing me to complete what I did accomplish - with His help.
In these quiet moments, the words of an old hymn came to mind: When peace, like a river, attends my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ has regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. Refrain It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Can you join me in this refrain and say, “It is well, with my soul”?  It is amazing to hear that God is working in very dark places. We received news from our Timothy in Myanmar, that in spite of COVID and a nation in civil conflict, followers of Jesus are making their focus the study of God’s Word. As you see from these pictures, there is a good span of ages from teens to older adults. This is truly wonderful to see. Can this happen where you live? It reminds us of the Thessalonians who “received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thess. 1:6). We who are not familiar with suffering of this kind, where food is scarce and lives are at risk day and night, have little appreciation for their zeal and love for the Lord. Yet, they have placed a high value on learning Scripture and strengthening their faith even though circumstances are very difficult. While we must pray for them, it is also critical that prayer be made for ourselves that we might gain a greater devotion to the Lord and seek to be fed by the Bread of Life.  There are days that just don’t start right. We get up in the morning with good intentions but easily get distracted by trivial details of the day ahead and never come back to what is really important.
A profound prophetic passage about Jesus is in Isaiah. “The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.” (Isaiah 50:4).
I hope this is a challenge to you as it is to me. Being taught by God the Spirit early in the morning when our minds are fresh helps to tune our hearts before the play of the days begins. “Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer and get first of all into harmony with Him.” Hudson Taylor “Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for Me shall not be put to shame” (Isaiah 49:23). Even though these words in their context refer to how nations of the world will recognize Israel in a day to come, they also contain a precious truth for us who form the Church. Whether it is Israel or the Church, waiting on the Lord even during trying and difficult circumstances will give us a greater knowledge of the Lord.
I quote from Andrew Murray again: “It is what we really know of God in our personal experience, conquering the enemies within, that reveals Himself in His holiness and power in our innermost being. It is this that will be the real measure of the spiritual blessing we expect from Him” (Waiting on God, page 66). Putting this in simple terms, it is only through waiting on the Lord that we receive power to overcome the enemy within. Through this we will also come to know the Lord better and more intimately. On a scale of 1 to 10, how good are you at waiting on the Lord? What have you learned through waiting on Him? Take time this weekend to come into His presence with an issue that bothers you and see what you will gain by this personal time with Him. When my heart is deeply burdened with some situation that is affecting the Church or a local church, and when I find no way I can effectively make a difference, I often turn to the Psalms to give me quietness and patience. They make me learn again the value of waiting on the Lord, especially when I am helpless to cause change in those I love - the Church.
Andrew Murray says it well; “all our waiting depends on the state of the heart. As a man’s heart is, so is he before God. We can advance no further or deeper into the holy place of God’s presence to wait on Him there than our heart is prepared for it by the Holy Spirit.” (Waiting on God, page 21). One of the songs Israel sang as they journeyed up to Jerusalem for the Passover was “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning” (Psalm 130:5–6). How much richer our souls would be if we believed and acted on these words. Our impatience in solving hard issues prevents us from gaining what God wants to give us through waiting on Him. Ask the Spirit to give you the attitude of “waiting for the Lord…and in His Word…hope.” |
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