It has been an exciting few days since I have last wrote, with my school finishing up, and all bar one student going home. This is such a strange feeling as they have been my life for the past 6 months.. Now I have a taste of what my parents feel like?
Not only that but I spent 24 hours out on the street as part of the Compassion DTS's streetlife challenge. It meant getting dropped off in a strange location in Newcastle city, with noting but the clothes on our back, and a time the next day that we would get picked up... Sound scary? No shelter, no food, nothing. Yes it is only 24hours, but a lot can happen in that time!
This is also the perfect way to start out the next post on prayer. By Faith Alone. Sounds ominous maybe, but God convicted me a few months ago about my faith with Him. I was reading a lot about past missionaries, pastors, evangelists etc. I was asking God why these men were as Godly as they were, why they saw the things that they did, what made them so special?
I refused to believe it was some 'destiny' thing. That they were just super men, as I believe that God did these works, and so it was through Him, not them. Therefore, since He is the same God yesterday, today and tomorrow, can He not do the same today?
As I was asking God these things, He spoke to me a few words. One being, they read the word and believed it. I was taken aback, as I thought I was doing the same.
Most of us would say (hopefully all of us!), that we take the Bible literally. Yet when we are confronted with hard circumstances, we find ourselves doubting. Doubting God's character, His judgement, His power, our role, our salvation, etc.
I realised that i was not taking the bible literally! When the Bible says, Jehovah Jireh, God is my provider, He will provide for me, deliver me from all evil, and never leave me, I had my doubts.
Well, I resolved to start taking this word seriously. Sure we still have moments of doubt, but from then on, I have started to see some truly amazing things happen.
How does this relate to prayer you ask? Well, James 1:5-8 it says;
"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."
This talks about receiving wisdom from God, but the principles are the same in asking and receivng from God. Maybe this means that if we doubt we will not receive from God?
How do we just not doubt? It is a valid question and I was wrestling through it myself. This is the answer that I got. We just do. You refuse to entertain those thoughts that are contrary to the word of the Lord. He says He will provide, then I would not let even one thought of Him not providing enter my mind, "taking captive every thought and making it obedient to Christ".
You might think that is a little crazy, maybe you are right. All I know is what I have seen since then.
In NZ, we were informed that we needed $190FJD per person to pay for religious worker permits, or we could not minister in Fiji during our time here, as this was not told suring our planning, we had not budgeted it in. Therefore, no money for it. I decided to let God sort it out as I was trusting Him. He said He would provide, so I will not worry. That night we received a donation of $800 NZD out of the blue, with them having no knowledge of our need. In fact, the rest of the team didnt know our need! Due to exchange rates, the money worked out perfectly to cover the expense.
When returning from NZ, we had some problems with immigration, and they threatened/promised that one of our team would not be allowed back in the country when we came from Fiji. Well, that wasn't ok, but we didn't see why this was happening, so when we arrived back in Australia from Fiji, we just prayed, believed and that member Got through customs quicker than me, an Australian citizen!!
The last story is only a few days old, and happened during our time being homeless. We had no food, no shelter and it was 4pm by this time. We were getting hungry and really had no prospects. We asked around for food but had no luck. That is, until a man started talking to one of our group, and asked about what she was doing, found out we had no money, no food and no place to sleep that night. Well, He invited us back to his house with his wife after bying us a little food. Whipped up some incredible steaks, put us up in the softest beds, and viola! God is there. We had the opportunity to talk with this man about our faith, encourage Him and His wife in the midst of what they were going through, and pray with them over their life.
God brought to my mind this verse during this time. Romans 10:11 "Anyone who trusts in the Lord will never be put to shame."
My encouragement to you today, is this. Don't doubt. By faith alone we receive from God. When we doubt, we should not expect to receive anything. God in His grace still pours out to us, but why not get all that we can, and live in the fullness of the promise?!
He will not let those who trust in Him be put to shame. It goes against His character. He longs to prove his love to you, and He will never let His Name be smeared or lessened. That is how Moses convinced God to deliver the Israelites from death even in the midst of their sin. "Will not the other nations of the earth laugh at us and say that the Lord brought us up out of Egypt only to kill us in the desert?" God would not allow people to think less of His name. And so we who trust in Him will never be put to shame in that trust.
Some of you are believing for finances, others for relationships. Maybe others need a breakthrough with God, need new levels of His love and power.
Only believe. That is all that is required. Ask Him, and see Him come through. listen to His word, and let us begin to see the incredible faithfulness of our Lord.
Please add any comments, stories, questions or whatever if you wish! I would love to hear from you!
Peace to you!
Daniel