Here I am- When God shows up

I often pray this prayer over the many staff that work in hard places across South Asia: May the Lord guide them continually, giving them water when they are dry and restoring their strength.  May they be like a well watered garden and like an ever-flowing spring.  Its taken from a verse in Isaiah 58:11.

In that same passage a few verses before there is an amazing statement made by God.  It says "when you call, the LORD will answer, 'Here I am.'"  In Nepalese the word would be translated I believe hazur.  It is a respectful term that means more than just yes.  It means, yes, I am here and I am ready to receive your instructions.  This word in Hebrew is Hineni. It is the word that is used by Abraham, Moses, Samuel and Isaiah when they responded to God calling them by name.  "Abraham!" God calls.  "Here I am" he replies (Genesis 22). 

So what is so significant here about God saying hazur, or Here I am, in Isaiah 58?  The God of the universe, the Creator of all things, says to us, his followers "Here I am."  The same response that was given by Isaiah to God's call, He now gives to us. Incredible! His Presence, His readiness to respond, His availability is ours to access.  Wow!  I don't know if that excites you, but I find it stunning and a bit incomprehensible actually.  Not only is He saying He is with us, that he is present, but He is saying "I am here, ready to do what you tell me you want done."

How is this kind of "God Presence" available?  When is it possible?

The verses prior tell us clearly.  God is ready to act, ready to move, fully present and available, when he sees us doing the following:
-freeing those who are wrongly imprisoned (hear that lawyers?)
-setting the oppressed free (deliverance)
-lightening the burdens of those who work for us (fair and good employers)
-sharing our food with the hungry (generosity to the poor)
-giving shelter to the homeless (hospitality)
-giving clothes to those who need them (sharing our possessions)
-when we don't hide from our relatives who need our help (ouch! staying willing to engage in other's issues and problems)
(Isaiah 58:6,7)

I long for more of His manifest Presence in my life, in the meetings I lead or attend, in my every day activities.  I know that apart from Him I can do nothing. Here God tells us where he likes to show up, and where he likes to make himself available.  Its where he sees these things are happening. 

How much of my energy am I devoting to these kinds of activities? Whose burden have I lifted?  When was I kind to a service person making their load a little easier? How am I doing at hospitality and generosity, even when I don't feel like it? Or when I've already given a lot?

A Prayer:  Jesus, we long for more of you.  We want to sit at your feet, hear your voice and encounter you.  We want to experience your Presence in increasing ways.  We know that the only way we can ever be fruitful in your kingdom work is as we partner with you in what you are doing.  Use us Lord.  Open our eyes to the ways, small and large, that we can love the poor and imprisoned and oppressed around us.  We know that as we do this, you will come and offer yourself to us, so that when we call, you will answer "Here I am."  Together, we will bring your Kingdom to earth in all its glory. Amen.

Evaluating our Trainings- what is a success?

If you are like me you have both run and participated in hundreds of training schools, seminars, formal and informal trainings, conferences, etc.  How do we measure whether or not the training (school, seminar, conference, etc.) was successful?

It is very, very important to evaluate our trainings if we want to grow in effectiveness and fruitfulness.

Most training, if evaluated, is evaluated immediately after the training is completed.  Very, very rarely do we evaluate trainings several months or even years afterwards.  I'd like to suggest that we MUST begin to do this if we want to be good stewards of the time, talent and treasure we invest in various trainings.

Often I hear people talk about a school, conference or seminar in this way- "It was good.  I liked it.  The speaker didn't cancel.  The food was good.  No one got sick.  The Holy Spirit really touched us.  There were some good worship times.  We didn't have to kick anyone out this school." On it goes.  Is this really our criterion for how we measure our training effectiveness?

Instead, we must look at (measure) things like;  increased fruitfulness, increased skill capacity, changes in thinking/beliefs that results in sustained changed behavior. Another key component of a successful training is whether or not those we trained were able to pass on the training to others or not. Lets ask ourselves: Did those we trained go on to train others in the same things? If yes, what percentage of our students became trainers?

It is important that we not only evaluate our trainings immediately afterwards, but that we also evaluate at the 3 month, 6 month and even 1 year mark as well.  This will teach us the most about how effective we have been and what we might need to change to become more effective. Many trainings themselves are excellent but lack adequate follow up coaching or resourcing of the students.

If we want to see supernatural increase, we must be good stewards.  Wise and faithful stewards evaluate and then adjust, making changes so they can maximize fruitfulness out of what they put in.

How many thousands (even millions) of dollars, ruppes, or other currencies, have we invested in various trainings without adequately evaluating them? 

Jesus didn't call us just to teach, but he asked us to make disciples.  That means training, not just teaching people or running programs.  Lets put our best effort forward, working together with the Holy Spirit and listening to His guidance, evaluating and adjusting, so we will maximize the benefits of what we do in His Kingdom.

 

 

 

 

Only God Assignments

We want to be more fruitful, but are we willing to take the risk of filtering everything we do through the question "Is this a God assignment for me?"  How many things do I do because I feel I should, or because I always have done this, or because someone really wants or needs me to do that thing?  What if I were to stop and pause a moment and ask, "Father, is this what you are assigning me to do? Am I doing this or going there, because you are sending me?"

I've been thinking about that a lot today.  My heart longs for more.  I want to walk in a greater anointing. I desire to respond to His promptings and be led by Him.  Yet my life is so often full of other things. Sometimes there is little room for God to lead, little space to respond to his leading.

Living a God assignment lifestyle requires a high level of trust.  Can I trust God enough to send me if it is important, to lead me if He wants me there?

Lets get real practical here.  I was trying to apply this to something most of us have to do- fund raising. My husband and I are in that timeframe when it is necessary to call churches that support us monthly and schedule our "5 minute" slots to share next time we are home in our own country.  The particular denomination from which most of our support comes has a system in place that I have been a part of since childhood.  My parents also worked to fund raise for their ministry in this denomination.  Well, its a lot of hard work to get support and you need to be able to get on that phone 9 months to a year in advance and book your services.  That is how it is done.

Hmmm.  Is this truly God's way for us?  Is this system of speaking for 5 minutes in all these different churches in order to raise money for what He has called us to do really His way?  I cant help but question it whenever we are faced with doing this.  I have to ask myself, am I doing something in the flesh or is doing this really a God assignment?  Is He asking me to call these pastors? to book these sharing times?  If God is sending me, won't he release favor and open doors and release provision? Is spending this much time and effort in order to be given a brief slot really good stewardship of the gifts and ministry He has given us? Or are there places we are to go and works he has for us to do that make better use of who He has made us and what He desires to do through us?

To stop doing something that has worked in the past, been your tradition or your "bread and butter" requires faith.  Its risky to apply that filter - that you only do things you know God is sending you to do and that He is in.  Lots of "what ifs?" enter our minds.  What if it doesn't work? What if God doesn't provide? What if people call me foolish for living this way?

How we face fundraising and work with those systems is just one practical example. The application is everywhere in our lives.  Im more and more convinced that if we want to see supernatural anointing for supernatural growth and fruit, we have to be more careful about going through the motions, doing what is expected and the norm.  We have to be willing to risk the question; Is this a God assignment for me now? Is this God's assignment for me still? Is this still His way? Is this still His plan?  We must be willing to let things go if we don't have that confidence in our heart of hearts that indeed it is what God is saying to do now.  We must be willing to trust our loving Father, the one from whom all good things flow; to guide, direct our paths, provide generously, and lead us.

Don't get me wrong.  I don't need a confirmation from God to brush my teeth in the morning! Nor am I asking God when I wake up each day if He wants me to spend time with Him as I start my day.  Certain disciplines and "rituals" are very needful in making progress toward God's purposes and calling. Yet there are also many things we do that flow out of our traditions, past experiences, and past "Words".  Its a new year, lets live a little on the edge- let go of some things, and dare to only take hold of God's assignments for 2015. 

Relationship based discipleship vs. obedience based discipleship

Discipleship.  In many ways, this very important word has become quite common to us.  Jesus commanded us to "make disciples of all nations."  This morning I've been thinking about how many different way that word is applied in Christianity today.  What did Jesus really mean when he told us to "make disciples"? 

Discipleship and mentoring are often seen as similar.  Others see Discipleship as a program one goes through or the teaching of Christian disciplines to a new believer. Some feel they are making disciples if people come and attend their church services regularly. In church planting movement circles, we often throw around the phrase "obedience based discipleship."  We talk about the importance of teaching the commands of Jesus, making disciples who make disciples, who make disciples.  All these things are valid to consider and work toward. Becoming a disciple is certainly more than sitting in a chair in church every Sunday.

This morning however, I have been thinking about the crucial importance of relationship based discipleship NOT obedience based discipleship.  Sometimes an emphasis on obedience based discipleship seems to return us to a following of rules, doing certain duties or to something that is more law based than based on grace, something more old, rather than new covenant.  Jesus came to set us free, not to put us in bondage to a set of rules, not even the rules we call the 7 commands of Jesus (interesting that He never, ever, defined them that way!)  He came giving us his unconditional love, acceptance and grace, his unearned and undeserved favor.  This is what we offer a new (or old) disciple of Jesus. Grace...undeserved, unearned, unmerited.  So why do we emphasize obeying commands in our early discipleship of new believers?

I'm more and more convinced that somehow we are "missing the boat" here.  Before teaching people to obey all these commands we need to teach them how to believe & receive Father's love and grace and to enjoy the gift of their incredible new identity as his son or daughter.  Maybe then, loving Him would flow more naturally, more organically...and more relationally.  Jesus said "Freely you have received, freely give."  (Matt. 10:8).  Because of what they had received from God, they could freely and easily give. They freely healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, raised the dead, drove out demons.

I'm not saying obedience isn't important.  It is absolutely crucial.  We can't swing the other way and make pew/bench warmer Christians who receive and receive and are consumers, not disciples.  But the power and grace to obey Jesus comes out of the overflow of the love, relationship and identity that comes from being connected to Him.

Maybe after teaching "Repent and Believe"  we need to teach "Accept and Receive" then "Be Healed and Abide".  I don't know.  I'm just sure of one thing.  In the midst of an emphasis on obedience to Christ, if we do not emphasize at least as much His grace and what it means to be his child, and the joy of walking in real relationship with an alive and living God who loves us...well, we will just see a lot of performance driven, discouraged and condemned believers who are often defeated and failing at following a new "religion" that in some ways is just as hard as whatever they came out of.

The first step in becoming a disciple is to get to know the Master-the Guru and let Him love you, heal, forgive, and transform you.  Lets not rush over that step and jump straight to a set of rules to follow as we disciple people.  Lets keep relationship with Jesus in the forefront, connecting people to Him, teaching them to receive His love, hear His voice, be made whole, experience His goodness to them, and encounter His amazing love for them on a daily basis in their every day life.  This will lead to disciples of grace, who live in love with Jesus and can't help but pass that joy and privilege on to others.
 

A Prophetic Word for 2015

A Word for 2015

2015 will be a year of new strategies released, a year of partnering with God to create solutions and to release new innovations that will lead to breakthrough and amazing multiplication…to supernatural advance of His Kingdom.  This season is not about striving and working hard, it is about being joyfully yoked to God, letting him carry the heavy things for us and of watching with delight as He does the things we thought were impossible.  It is a year of receiving MUCH MORE of His love than ever before and naturally having MUCH MORE to give away freely to others.  It’s a year when abundance, overflow, and miraculous events become normal in our lives andin the lives of those we influence.

It is a year of listening carefully to his Voice as he directs and guides and releases God assignments to us.  It’s a year of constant welcoming and of an awareness of His Presence, of His Spirit, as he prompts and nudges us toward His secrets and His answers.  It’s a year of developing a much higher sensitivity to that “inner tug” toward certain people, places, situations where He has prepared something for you.

God is building foundations in us of faith, hope and love.  The greatest of these is love.  Let Him grow your faith, hope and love.  Let Him deposit a supernatural abundance of faith, hope and love into you.  Fruit is coming.  I see the trees of our lives by the end of 2015 heavy with an abundance of large and healthy fruit ready to be picked. Fruit of His Spirit and fruitfulness in much Kingdom harvest. Delight in Him and delight in the joy of what He is doing and about to do! He will give you the desires of your heart.