Wednesday, November 11, 2009

DISCIPLING A GENERATION AFTER GOD'S HEART

In the book of Matthew, chapter 28:19, the Lord gives the great commission to go into all the world and make disciples. This is a great responsibility; this is our sole purpose -- to disciple those whom God has chosen and predestined to fulfill His purposes on earth. We are to encourage, uplift and help those whom God brings into our lives. We are to help them recognize and hear and interpret God's way and walk in it. We are not here to be God’s voice to those chosen by God, but to help them walk with the Lord. We do this by helping turn their attention to the spiritual realm. We also are here to help them allow the Spirit of the Lord to lead them in all His ways as they walk through their daily lives.
I remember when I first came to realize what the Lord did for me and I received the gift of salvation. It was very hard to believe the Lord was interested in my daily life -- I mean every little detail of my life. At the time I was working in a motor rewind shop repairing and rebuilding circuit breakers. I would be struggling with little things like putting bolts in places you could barely reach and couldn’t see. I would struggle for awhile. Then I would pray and ask the Lord to help. It never failed. Every time He would intervene and I would have no problems. I know the Lord was teaching me to seek Him in the smallest details of my life. We sometimes think we have a responsibility to do things ourself without asking for assistance from the Lord. That is a wrong mindset. The Lord delights in assisting us in all aspects of our daily lives. His whole purpose is to be our sole provider and to lead us in all our ways. I believe that these little tests from the Lord lead to bigger things. When we let him guide us in the little things we are allowing ourselves to become solely dependent on Him. Eventually, He will be able to trust us with the bigger things of the kingdom.
We are here to guide people and to be a sounding board. We allow them to bounce their desires off us to help them see whether what they are hearing and feeling is truly of the Lord. The Lord brought a young lady into our life. She made us a cross and wrote a thank you note for helping her on her way with the Lord. While she was with us we loved her and showed the love of the Lord and accepted her for who she was. I watched other people try to force their own perspective on her. As I talked to the Lord, he said, "let me finish the work inside her and it will be perfect." He said, "don’t look at the outward appearance. Look inward and see what I see." I realized the problem with most of us is we want to see the change on the outside. We don’t trust and allow the Lord to do the work on the inside. The Lord said we are to preach the word of God and, by doing so, plant the seeds or water or feed; but, whatever we do, we do not bring the increase. The Lord brings the increase. Trust in the Lord and do as He commands and believe. "When my spirit enters a person," says the Lord, "I will change that person. They will not be able to stay in that life style any longer. They will change but it will be in my time not yours. Just believe and pray. Let My will be done." I believe we can interfere with the work of the Lord. When this happens, He will either remove us from that person's life or remove that person from ours to protect His will and purpose.
A wise man is slow to speak. Do you know why this is? A wise man can control his tongue. He will listen and then inquire of the Lord for the answer. He will also meditate on the answer before speaking. When counseling, I find most people will come to a conclusion on their own because as they talk about the issues they see and hear it differently. They can hear the counsel of the Lord for themselves. This is why being a sounding board for people is so crucial in the kingdom of God. All people hear God. Most people don’t want to hear God because that means they will be responsible for their own actions and they cannot blame anyone else for their mistakes. It is amazing that people still want a human mediator between them and God. This mindset comes from a lie of the deceiver. Because we don’t feel worthy, we don't believe God can talk with us directly. This mindset says Jesus’s death on the Cross was not sufficient. You always have those who say, "Pastor, you don’t know what I have done." Brothers and Sisters, there is nothing in the world that the Lord can’t forgive if you can receive His love for you. Yes, it will be a test. You will be tested. When you hear from the Lord and start on your journey you will fall and run into all kinds of problems. The test is to continue on the journey and believe and stand on the word of God.
I have a friend who told me that he didn’t understand why the Lord had impressed him to go and apply for a job at this place and that place. He got turned down over and over again for a solid year. Then someone approached him and asked if he ever thought about doing just what he had been applying for. This opened a door for him and he was able to fulfill his purpose. I have also have gone through this test. I truly believe it is a test of one's will. Can you believe that you heard from the Lord and stand on his promises to you? Can you pay money only to cancel on the event that you looked so forward to and still believe it is the will of the Lord? I do. I don’t think anything is chance. I believe everything in life can be used as a learning experience if we will eat our pride and step back and say, "Lord, what is it you want to teach me in this storm?" So often, I have heard the Lord tell me not to look at this or that, but look unto Him. "Don’t look at the money. Look at Me. Don’t look at who you hurt. Look at Me. Don’t look at how bad you feel. Look at Me." He wants us to look to Him and Him alone. We do not know His ways or what He is teaching us. Even when starting a church -- can you go a month or even two months without anybody coming and still believe the word of the Lord was true and you heard and acted in the timing of the Lord? The Lord wants us to press in and trust him. As I read the word of God that is what I hear over and over again. "I will take you down to the wire just so My name may be glorified and they may know that I am your God and no other." The reason He waits until the last minute is so all human logic and reasoning have been exhausted and there is nothing left for us to give credit to except Him. He is building up our most holy faith.
Written on February 24 2008

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