1 Month (1/28/2012)
I have now been living the Nicaraguan lifestyle for one entire month. My expectations of this adventure before I arrived were a bit naive. Apparently I thought I would dive in, pick up Spanish fast, and start changing kids’ lives instantly. Well that didn’t happen. Things here move at a snail’s pace, so what was I going to do with all of the free time I suddenly had. I remembered a verse in Psalm that said, “Be still, and know that I am God” (46:10). So that is exactly what I did. This past month has probably been the month of greatest spiritual growth in my life. Being in a place of complete dependence on Him has allowed me to examine my life and my relationship with God.
My goal of this post is not to talk about the highs and lows of the past month here (you can read that is the weekly posts I’ve made). I want this post to sum up everything I’ve learned from a devotional book I finished entitled, Sun Stand Still. While it took me 4 days to read, it has taken me 2 weeks to process the information. I’ve been examining my notes and decided to write a short summary devotion on the highlights of the book for me. This book was a blessing to me, and hopefully you will be blessed by reading my short devotion.
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| (Much of this is quoted from Steven Furtick's book, Sun Stand Still) |
Being in the Middle of A Move of God---
What Happens When You Ask God to Do the Impossible
“I despaired at the thought that my life might slip by without
seeing God show himself on our behalf.”
Where are you at right now in your life? Are you at the highest high, lowest low, or are you simply in survival mode? No matter what you’ve been through or what you’re going through now, God has been good to you. You’re here. You’re alive. You’re breathing. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to settle for the mundane. You can participate in the miraculous. God has a mind-blowing plan for you life. And even everyday activities can take on exceptional meaning and have a massive impact.
What is your vision for your life?...Is it to merely survive a 9-5 job? To support you family and raise your kids?...To pass that test, class, or grade? If the size of your vision for your life isn’t intimidating to you, there’s a good chance it’s insulting to God. If your goal in life is just to be average and fit in to society, then you’re sleeping through some of the best parts of your Christian life. There is no limit to what God can do, and therefore there is no limit to what we can dream or pray or accomplish in his service. God has never been nervous about his ability to live up to our faith in him. He will show himself faithful.
A vision is a clear sense of purpose regarding what God wants to do through you life! Your vision can, and should be, a catalyst of audacious faith. Audacious faith is a return to the core of Christianity: trusting Jesus completely in every area of your life and setting out to devote your life wholly to revealing his glory in this world.
Now with the vision and faith comes the next step…daring to ask for the impossible. A “Sun Stand Still” prayer (from Joshua 12-14 in which Joshua literally ask for the sun to stop) applies audacious faith to a clearly defined need or goal that requires God’s supernatural involvement. (career aspirations, achieving important life goals, finding & embracing purpose). If there’s a goal that you believe God is leading you to set, and you know you can’t do it apart from him, it’s totally appropriate to refer to that as an impossibility. Even though someone else might be able to accomplish it easily, it’s impossible for you. And God relates to each of us uniquely. Impossibilities don’t exist, because there’s absolutely nothing our God can’t do (Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37).
I know what you thinking…. (I too had some of these thoughts)
· That sounds scary and somewhat uncomfortable.
o When you ask God to do the impossible, he usually instructs you to do something uncomfortable and inconvenient. And in that place, past the edge of your comfort and convenience, God can raise your life to new heights. While your fears are understandable, you must learn to acknowledge, assess, and deal appropriately with your fears. It’s not wrong to have fears, but it is wrong to let that fear have the last word in your life. Approach your impossibilities with confident humility. Pray that God will give you assurances of his presence and clarity in every decision you make. Be assured that he’s got you in his grip. And when the wave of fear or doubt crashing in…jump. (Read Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 5:7)
· What if my dreams have already fallen apart?
o Sometime God has to let your dream die so that his vision for you can come alive. When God removes something from out lives, it’s not because he’s trying to take away something good. It’s because he’s trying to make room for something better. Don’t stop forging ahead when you encounter opposition. (Read Proverbs 16:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
· You don’t know my situation….my life sucks!
o When what you see around you doesn’t match up with what God has spoken inside you, you’ve got to hold on to what you’ve heard. “We live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7. You can’t learn true faith without walking through periods of darkness. This process has the potential to draw you closer to Jesus than you’ve ever been before. If all God wanted to do was get right to the happy ending, you’d be in heaven by now. Instead of focusing on your current situation, remember God’s goodness. Remember the cross! (Read James 1:12; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
· You don’t know what I’ve done in my past
o Everyone has a past. We all have done things we aren’t proud of. But luckily, our God is a forgiving God. After you’ve come clean before God and authentically owned up to your sin, don’t wallow in it. That’s why Jesus died. Believe it. Receive it. And let God begin to replace the pain of your past with hope for a new future. Yes, there’s a time to bow down in repentance, but there’s also a time to get up and move on. God’s mercy can convert the mistakes of your past into wisdom for your future. It’s a new day! (Read Romans 8:1-2; Ephesians 1:7-8, 1 John 1:9)
· (And especially in my case) I can’t dream like that..It would cause me to leave my comfort zone and have no one.
o Perhaps God is calling you to lead the way so that others can see a different example of the true nature of faith. Someone has to make the first move. It might as well be you. There are going to be many points along the way when you’re not going to have anyone around to motivate you or encourage you. And in those moments, you’d better be able to open God’s Word, look in the mirror, and remind yourself of the truth. (Read Genesis 50:20; Psalm 3:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 3:2-3)
Every big dream has a small beginning. The Bible says that God’s word is a lamp to our feet (Psalm 119:105), not a floodlight beaming to our destination. You might not see the end in sight, but that it when faith kicks in. Stop waiting around for the big bang. Pay attention to the subtle clues and the still, small voice (God lives in those places too). The minute you take one step, and then another, into these truths, your life will change.
My prayer for you:
· If you’re in a place of isolation and loneliness, I pray that God will draw near to you and give you comfort.
· That you will chose a higher standard. Pray unlikely prayers. Risk your popularity for the sake of a greater glory.
· I’m asking God to illuminate your purpose and show you off like a trophy. I pray that many will come to know Christ through your example and that you will make the mark on the world that only you can make. May you proclaim Christ in all things.
· I’m praying that the sun will stand still over all your hopes and dreams and the issues of your heart. That you will offer all your talents, gifts, and skills to God and let him use them.
We’re not perfect, but our passion is sincere to the bone. We’re not here to merely survive or to condemn the world, but to transform it for the glory of God. And we’re here to stay! The world is waiting for change. So seize the vision. Activate audacious faith. Make your move. I challenge you to dream God-worthy dreams. Pray faith-fueled prayers. Live a life that can be explained only by the existence of a God who is infinitely great.
My Prayer for Now and Always!!! (It can be yours too!!!)
“By God’s grace, no matter what it costs me, I’m going to live by audacious faith. I’m going to believe God for the impossible, to accomplish by and for him what I cannot accomplish on my own. No matter what people think about my extraordinary vision for my life, I’m going to take God at his word. I’m going to trust him with my whole heart and follow him step by step, even when my surrender requires sacrifice. Even if it seems like he’s taking me over the edge, I will trust that he’ll be there to catch me if I fall. I will trust that he is good and that somehow, someday, he will work all things in my life together for my good and his glory.”
God Bless!
