These are the days of Elijah, declaring the word of the Lord. . .
We cannot do this. I know I cannot do this. I look around at my messy apartment, the yoga DVDs that barely get used, and the fridge that should probably hold some healthier eating options. I have been meaning to change. I have been meaning to keep a clean house, work out more, and eat better. However, I find it hard to make a change in my own life. And then I wonder, if I cannot even change my own life for the better how do I expect to help change lives around the world.
James and I cannot make a difference. Our Squad cannot make a difference. Do not support us.
We cannot make a difference in this big wide world. When we go out to these 11 countries we will be as one rain drop in the ocean. I repeat one more time, WE cannot make a difference. And we are perfectly okay with that. When you support us, you are not really supporting us, you are supporting the work that He is doing.
I have been fearful lately. I have been downtrodden. I have been asked some hard questions from those who have considered supporting us. And as we struggled to answer some of them we realized that these hard questions are good. However, I look back and worry that I did not answer them as well as I should have.
Our mighty God, in all of His loving wisdom, knows what I am feeling. During the past three weeks He has filled my days with Bible stories, scripture, and blogs that have lifted me up during the times I need it most.
So with confidence I can tell you that God will make a difference in this world through us and our team. As we go into these countries we do not go alone. One of the ways we will not be alone is that when we reach our destinations we will be meeting with churches and local organizations that are doing God’s great work and who will be continuing that great work when we leave. We will work with them to build, care for, love, and evangelize.
But more importantly, we go with God and with His Spirit. Jesus gave a command to his disciples back in the day, and I believe that command still stands for us now “ Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you always to the very end of the age. Amen.” Matthew 28:19-20
One of the great encouragements that God has given me lately is that we are learning from Elijah during Youth Group the last couple of weeks. The first story we discussed is when Elijah went up against 450 of Baal’s prophets. They built altars and cried out to their god/God to provide the fire.
Elijah was outnumbered and alone. He had no escape plan, no plan B. This was it and as he had people dump three rounds of water onto his altar he knew that he could not make a difference. Elijah, a mighty Bible character, was not going to make a difference. The rules stated that he could not set fire to his offering, and after having three rounds of water poured on his alter, he was not going to get that bad-boy started without a flame thrower. No one should support Elijah in this story. He was helpless.
However, the story tells us that Elijah was commanded by God to do this. So he did it. And guess what? Elijah might be helpless, but the God we serve is not. Our God sent down a mighty fire that consumed not only the offering but the whole altar.
HOW AMAZING! HOW AWESOME! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?!?!
I cannot make a difference. I cannot set a blaze that consumes. All I can do is carry my small candle and go.God will be the one to make the difference and I am excited to watch what He is doing for His people all over the world. James and I both truly feel that God has given us this opportunity, and when God commands He will truly do great things through us.
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A big thank you to everyone who has supported “us” (aka God’s work) so far!! If you have any hard questions you would like to ask us feel free to contact us and we will try to answer them! Please pray for us now as we prepare and keep us in your prayers as we go out to be God’s hands and feet. If you can, please prayerfully consider supporting the work we will be doing for these 11 months.
We are getting really excited to learn how to be God’s disciples in all the nations and we are looking forward to being more like Elijah, declaring the word of the Lord.
“Days Of Elijah”
Declaring the word of the Lord, yeah
And these are the days of Your servant, Moses
Righteousness being restored
These are the days of great trials
Of famine and darkness and sword
Still we are the voice in the desert crying
Prepare ye the way of the Lord!
Say, behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun, at the trumpet’s call
Lift your voice, (it’s) the year of Jubilee
Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes
And these are the days of Ezekiel
The dry bones becoming as flesh
And these are the days of Your servant, David
Rebuilding the temple of praise
And these are the days of the harvest
The fields are all white in the world
And we are the laborers that are in Your vineyard
Declaring the Word of the Lord
Say, behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call
Lift your voice, (it’s) the year of Jubilee
Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes
Behold He comes, riding on the clouds
Shining like the sun at the trumpet’s call
Lift your voice, (it’s) the year of Jubilee
Out of Zion’s hill, salvation comes
There’s no God like Jehovah!
There’s no God like Jehovah!
There’s no God like Jehovah!
There’s no God like Jehovah!