It is important to stay unwavering in some areas of our lives. Prayer is one of those. I read my prayer request for myself. Well I can say that I have had lots of opportunity to walk in the Spirit and in much love and have failed miserably! But His mercies are new each day ... and I know He is the good shepherd(John 10:11)
I am still reading Radical -- almost done Lacey -- I have been feeling like so out of any "safe" place, which in reality I am safe, but emotionally I am not. This book is very foreign mission oriented, which is something in my call, actually it is in every one's call once Jesus becomes Lord of our lives(go into all nations) There is a part of the book that address's the dangerous side of going ...Jesus said we would be sent out like sheep among wolves ... does there seem to be any doubt we would encounter danger? Well, when we are seeking God's will(really his will is that we would forward the kingdom) sometimes you will hear "The safest place to be is in the center of God's will" We think if its dangerous God must not be in it. If it's risky, if its unsafe, if its costly it must not be God's will. BUT what if these factors are actually the criteria by which we determine something is GOD's will!!! I mean you will be betrayed, you will be hated "all men will hate you because of Me" That is Jesus talking, and while He didnt mean every person on earth the picture is clear, you will be hated. And lets face it, we want to be more like Jesus, and the more our lives are conformed to his the more we will receive what he did in this world. But Jesus didnt falter because He saw EXACTLY what the Father saw...He trusted His Father and just did what He was shown. OH man I sooo desire to be that way too. WHAT if we took the conclusion of Matthew 10 and turned it out like this "To everyone wanting a safe, untroubled, comfortable life free from danger, stay away from Jesus." The world likes us to seek the "safe" place because we arent causing much trouble for it there.
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Just two facts ... pray over these ...
There are 1.5 BILLION unreached(never heard of Jesus EVER) and unengaged(no church or organization) persons in this world. That is almost unreal! But guess who has reached some of them ... a soft drink company from Atlanta -- yep Coke is there Jesus - as the only way to Heaven is not.
More than 26,000 children will breathe their last breath due to starvation or preventable disease today! If this were happening in central Texas that would mean every child 18 years or younger would be dead in two days ...