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Certain things can come to us only through the right means. As I read parts of Johns Gospel in preparation for a new study I am writing, I rediscovered verses that are so profound.
“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). Do you see the contrast? Commands and rules could be given through a man who did not represent those commands and rules (see 7:19). On the other hand, grace and truth must come to us by a person who fully represented both qualities. Thousands of books could be written on these two topics, but they would not come close to seeing them lived out in perfection. That is why Jesus said in chapter 14, “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Another way of saying this is that Jesus is the personification of “grace and truth” or exact representation of those two ideas and their essence. There could never be anyone or anything that adds one iota to what was represented in the person of Jesus. John adds beauty to this truth in his gospel by saying, “the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us--” (1 John 1:2). By knowing Jesus personally and intimately as John did, is to know grace and truth. The more you know Jesus the more you will know grace and truth.
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 As you can see from this picture and short explanation from Randy in Uganda (below), the road for ministry is not always smooth. Plans had already changed when he could not get a visa for entering Congo. Most roads in Africa are much different from our American highways and the speed of travel is slower.
“Broken ball joint on a rural road on the way to the “ferry” that will take us across the Nile gave us considerable delay. I told those I am traveling with that Paul was delayed for 2 years while in prison in Caesarea. If we are delayed less than 2 years, we will be thankful.” In my response to Randy, I quoted Paul’s words, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). For most Christians in hard times, this exhortation seems impossible. What is not realized is that in the act of rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks (which is God’s will), we receive His grace to go through the difficulty with this attitude. You may be in a hard time right now. I do not know you or the situation, but I am praying you will rejoice in your eternal inheritance in Christ that can never be taken from you.  Pictures like this give us a small idea of the tremendous work God was doing over three days as 120 pastors were discipled with God’s Word to make disciples. As they separated this morning and began making their long journey back home, hearts were sad to leave such a momentous time together. From the Scriptures the Spirit opened their understanding in a way that most had never experienced before. He gave them a new thirst for God’s word which will fuel their further study in the lessons in God’s Plan for His Disciples.
For the sake of what God started and will build on, will you join us in praying for these pastors. Their circumstances are so different from ours and it is hard for us to grasp the challenges they face. The Lord knows each one and that is all we need to know. Thank you for being our partners in prayer! My mentor since 1983 is turning 90 in just a few days. This prompted me to write a longer than usual Happy Birthday note reflecting on his impact on my life. It has been very significant and will always stay with me.
This made me think of Elijah and Elisha. When Elijah knew that his days and ministry were coming to an end, he told Elisha to stay where they were while the prophet went on to Bethel, Jericho, and the Jordon River where he was translated to glory. Knowing that God was going to remove his mentor from his life, Elisha would not let Elijah go to the end of his journey (life) alone. As they crossed the Jordon River, Elijah asked his disciple, “what shall I do for you before I am taken from you? And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me” (2 Kings 2:9). What a request! If there is someone who has poured themselves into your life and made a spiritual difference in the way you are today, and you knew their days were short, what would you want of their character to mark the rest of your life and ministry. Once you have thought through that question carefully, go to that person and talk about your desires for the future.  “This has been an amazing training! It is like the Lord leaves the best to last. It has been unreal to witness the hunger of these people to know God’s Word, to know Christ, and to make Him known to all people. We were able to bring in pastors from remote tribal areas of Nepal. The church that is hosting this training has been unbelievable. The Pastor, leaders and young people of this church have worked together to provide food and lodging for 120 pastors who came for this training.
We discovered that some of the pastors who came cannot read or write. The young people in this church immediate took the initiative to help them work through each lesson. This is a church that can handle about 50 people. There were not enough mattresses, so another church that had been flooded during the heavy rains, washed and dried them and donated what was needed. Some of the pastors who received God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD) earlier are now able to help teach others. They will all continue their studies and there will be a graduation in the spring. At that time, God’s Plan for His Church will be introduced. Also, they will be introduced to God’s Plan for Young Disciples, Little Disciples and Toddler Disciples. Each pastor is being equipped with 50 GPHD to take back with them to their home churches so they can begin teaching and making disciples at home. This training is intended to accelerate a movement of God throughout all of Nepal so that all people groups are reached with the gospel.” (Tim) “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed” (Romans 15:17–18).
Knowing my own heart and having been in many churches around the world, it is safe to state that pride in ministry work is a universal problem and danger. It was the source of divisions and strife in the church at Corinth. It lies at the root of false teachers who persist in spreading their version of doctrine but never come under the authority of God’s Word and the authority of the Holy Spirit. That is why Paul was very careful not to defend his work. He begins Romans 15:17–18 by referring only to his work “In Christ Jesus” and would not speak of anything that Christ had not “accomplished through” him. Anything outside this is not even worth mentioning. Do we feel this way? Our natural tendency is to boast in accomplishments as if we had done them. Anything that has been done well or was successful in the eyes of others is only because God allowed us to do the work. John the Baptist had the right attitude when he said, “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). Let us do a thorough attitude check! For centuries of Church history, words have caused divisions, different denomination, and even cults. Paul tells Timothy “Not to quarrel about words” (2 Timothy 2:14) or “Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels” (2:23). Earlier in his first letter to Timothy, he said, “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness” (4:7).
Does this mean that “words” are not important? Just after 2 Timothy 2:14 Paul follows that up with “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2:15). If we are to rightly handle God’s Word, we need the Holy Spirit (THE AUTHOR OF SCRIPTURE) to help us understand the words he has selected in their immediate and larger context. Peter gave a very strong warning to some who did not understand Paul’s writings. “There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability” (2 Peter 3:16–17). REMEMBER: arguments DO NOT convince people of truth! The Holy Spirit does that! Just know the truth (the Word) and speak it boldly and leave to rest to God.  I heard from our team that just arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal. They are there safe, and after a few hours sleep, they are ready to go. As you can see from the picture, 2,000 Nepali God’s Plan for His Disciples were printed and ready for the training conference that begins Friday morning (Thursday afternoon our time) with 120 pastors.
Please be in prayer for these men. Many of these have been traveling for as much as two days by bus, motorcycle, and some have walked long distances as well. What motivated them is a thirst for God’s Word? I am sure there will be many stories coming out of this event which I plan to write about after our team returns. Hunger like this is hard for us to grasp when we have not experienced it ourselves, but it is real. Please take time for the next five or six days to pray for these men. Pray for:
Let us not be small in our thoughts of what God can and will do! On the heels of giving the “green light” to print 1,000 copies of the Spanish God’s Plan for His Church in Ecuador, I received a phone call from a Spanish church near Miami, Florida. They heard about what is happening in Ecuador and want samples of our training resources so they can determine how to use them and have the same impact in their church.
This reminds me of the way God worked through the church in Thessalonica. Paul says about them that “our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction(1 Thessalonians 1:5). Because of this movement of the Spirit among them, “the word of the Lord sounded forth from [them] in Macedonia and Achaia, but [their] faith in God has gone forth everywhere” (1:8). This is so similar to what is happening in Ecuador, particularly with the Quechua believers. There is no “marketing” of our books or training events. It is all how “the word of the Lord sounds forth from” those who are ignited by God’s Word. God ‘markets’ His work through transformed lives and hearts that are deeply in love with the Lord. We received an urgent call from our partner in Ecuador. There are pastors (Spanish and Quechua) who completed God’s Plan for His Disciples (GPHD) and want to continue their study in God’s Word through the lessons in God’s Plan for His Church (GPHC). Through this continued study they want to improve their leadership by establishing a strong foundation in God’s Word. We have already seen the Lord do a very special work in Ecuador. This is just another confirmation that He has much more planned for them.
This request means that we are printing another 1,000 GPHC 5th Edition. Will you pray with us that their training, study, and application of God’s Word will result in churches becoming strong “Antioch” churches who send out witnesses for Jesus who disciple others. “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them”” (Acts 13:2). |
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