Thursday, November 8, 2012

“Trusting God to complete the mission He has called you to”




An old favorite recycled: 
 
One of my favorite passages of the Bible is Jesus calming the sea (Luke 8:22-25).  As I read it I think about how Jesus had told the disciples that they were going to reach the other side. He didn’t say, ‘let’s see how far we can go and if we can’t make it, then we’ll forget about it.’  No, Jesus said, ‘Let’s go to the other side of the lake.’  They would get to the other side of the lake, no question.

After saying this Jesus lay down and went to sleep.  The storm came in.  Not just a typical lake storm which the fishermen were used to, but such a storm that they felt they were in great peril and feared that they would die.  And in the midst of the howling wind, beating waves and frantic movement all about while fishermen trying to bail the water out of the small boat, Jesus slept.  It wasn’t because He was unconcerned that the storm had arisen or seemed to be totally unaware of the terror the disciples were experiencing that He continued His peaceful sleep.  He could peacefully rest because He knew that they were going to get to the other side, no matter what came up to attempt to slow them down or stop them.

At times in my life, even though I was confident that Jesus had called me to something or promised that He was going to do something in ministry, I have felt that He was ignoring me or was unconcerned that I was seeing little happen in connection to His promises or call…I have felt disappointed that it seemed that He was asleep on the job.  The Lord reminded me again through this passage that when He has said that He will do something, He will do it and I simply need to rest in Him.  I am not to get anxious or impatient but must always wait in great faith that what He said He will do, He will do. 

If He has given you promises regarding using you to help to bring the gospel to your campus and to help develop a movement of students, administrators and faculty that will make a difference for Christ on your campus, then you must trust that He will do it. You must trust Him, no matter how great the storm is all around and no matter how sound asleep He may seem right now!  If He said He would do it, He will do it!

Take some time to ask God to show you His promises for you this coming semester.  Ask Him to place His plans in your mind and on your heart and direct you to do what will best bring about His glory on your campus.  Continue to ask Him to lead you to other believers at your campus to whom He has given the same call, the same dream for making His Name known among your classmates.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Small things…

An old favorite recycled:


I recently finished a personal Bible study on the Kingdom of God.  The Lord encouraged me with these thoughts:   

The Kingdom of God is a power already released in the world.  Its beginnings are tiny – but once it has been begun, nothing can stop it.  Not even the “gates” or powers of hell can prevent the Kingdom of God from coming to completion.

Three word pictures of the Kingdom of God are given in the gospels: 
·          The lump of yeast is small, but when added to flour it will leaven into a very large quantity of dough (Matthew 13:33).
·         The mustard seed is tiny, but if you plant it, it will grow to become one of the largest of trees (Matthew 13:31-32).
·         If you sow a field with seed, you will have set in motion forces which one day will produce the harvest (Mark 4:26-29).

This is what the Kingdom of God is like – it starts small, but with time it will grow to something overwhelmingly large!

If you are praying for and trusting God to start a movement to bring the Kingdom of God to the lost on your campus, you are partnering with Him to set into motion the forces which will produce a harvest for God! 

Many of you are in the beginning stages of starting to build God’s Kingdom at your school.   Remember that although the results you may be seeing today seem small, maybe even invisible, they will eventually result in a large harvest!  Look at this amazing story of how God used “small beginnings” in prayer to build a fruitful movement in Irkutsk.

As you step out in faith and ask God to use you in bring His Kingdom to the lost at your school, remember that the forces of God have been set into motion, which will inevitably build His Kingdom!  Once started, even though it may be a small beginning, God’s Kingdom cannot be stopped!  Stay on the course He has set before you, don’t stop believing that He will do it, walk by faith in His power, stay faithful to the little things and the big things, don’t give up in despair and doubt.  God’s Kingdom will come to you campus!