God is Depending on YOU!
There’s an old tale about Jesus ascending to heaven after He’d been resurrected and met with the disciples and other believers. The tale states that Jesus entered heaven and was greeted by the angel Gabriel. “Well, You did it! You became the greatest gift of all. You gave You very life for sinners that they may be forgiven and have eternal life. Was it worth it?”
“Oh, yes,” Jesus said. “It was worth every drop of blood.”
“And now You’ve conquered death and have come here to prepare an eternal home for all those who will accept Your wonderful and free gift of salvation.”
“Yes,” Jesus replied. “That’s correct. And on, how I yearn for everyone to accept My gift and live with Me forever here in heaven.”
“So what’s the plan, Jesus?” Gabriel asked.
“The plan?”
“Surely You have a plan! State-of-the-art technology? Huge marketing campaign? Maybe a few celebrities to endorse Your gift?”
“No, that’s not the plan,” Jesus said.
“Oh, Well, what is the plan?” Gabriel asked.
“I only have a few followers . . . and I’ve entrusted the entire gospel to them.”
“You mean . . . that little band of Christians?” Gabriel asked.
“That’s right,” Jesus said.
“But how will they ever spread Your wonderful gift from generation to generation? Shouldn’t we come up with another plan?”
“There is no other plan, Gabriel. My Christians are all I have. And I trust them.”
So . . . what do YOU think? Give me your thoughts on how you’re fitting into the plan.
I Don’t Pray for Patience
I don’t pray for patience, because I’m afraid I’ll get it.
I’m OK being impatient.
You know I’m kidding.
(Or am I?)
I’ve been up since 3:30 a.m.
My flight was supposed to leave at 5 a.m.
I travel 42 weeks/weekends a year, and I’m learning to discern what some of the pilot’s announcements actually mean.
“Delayed due to mechanical difficulties” really means we forgot to gas up.
“Delayed due to unforeseen problems,” means we can’t find the keys.
Pilot: Got the keys?
Co-Pilot: No. I don’t have the keys. I thought you had them.
Pilot: I don’t have the keys. Where are the keys?
And during the actual flight . . .
“We’re experiencing some unexpected turbulence,” really means the pilot’s son who’s traveling shotgum, got bored doing his homework and pulled a lever, turned a knob or pressed a button.
Pilot to son: “Don’t make me stop this plane. Cuz I’ll do it. I told you to concentrate on your homework!”
So I was supposed to depart at 5 a.m.
3:30 came way too early. I’m thinking on these early flights, maybe I should start calling the airline about an hour ahead of time and just check in with them:
ME: “Did someone gas up the plane? Got the keys? No children in the cockpit for this flight? Are the windshield wipers working OK? Gas pedal and brakes good? Toilet paper in the dollhouse bathroom?”
I finally leave the OKC airport at 8:45 a.m., and of course I’ve missed my connection from Chicago to Flint, MI. Now I’m enjoying a five-and-a-half layover in Chicago. That’s how long it takes to fly from OKC to London. As in England.
London, England!
I could be touring Madam Tussad’s wax museum right now!
Or the Doc Martin four-story headquarters.
Or taking pix with William and Kate and the babies.
Or being issued a restraining order from William and Kate and the babies.
Instead I’m eating an Auntie Ann’s pretzel and picking off the salt.
Almost as good being in London.
I finally arrive in Flint, Mich., at 8 p.m.
The service I was scheduled to speak at started at 7.
It’s over. I totally missed it.
They turned it into a prayer meeting instead.
And God moved.
Without me.
What a great reminder.
He so does NOT need me.
I’m extremely grateful He has chosen to use me.
But He doesn’t need me.
He could make the rocks cry out, or the podium speak His Word,
or have the carpet sing His praises.
Father, I’m frustrated.
Exhausted.
But thankful for the lesson You’ve taught me today.
It’s not about my schedule, is it?
It’s not about my speaking, is it?
IT. IS. ALWAYS. ABOUT. YOU.
All the time.
Every day.
In every way.
Yes, Lord.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on what God uses to get YOUR attention to remind you of this truth.
Never the Same
I’m in Quito, Ecuador.
For the past 17 years I’ve taken students (and adults to help me) on two-week international mission trips.
My friend Steve Goley, with Big World Ventures out of Tulsa, Okla., actually puts the details together for me (flights, ministries, hotel, translators, etc.) so I can simply concentrate on loving and ministering.
My main job is to speak each evening. When everyone comes back to the hotel, we have a hot meal and then an evening service we call FUAGNEM: Fired Up And Going Nuts Every Minute!
Each summer we see more than a thousand people give their lives to Christ through this ministry. We collect their information and give that to local pastors who want to disciple them and get them involved in their churches.
May I confess something?
I’m exhausted. Just finished speaking at a camp in VA
and barely had time to repack and do laundry before flying overnight to Quito. Part of me is longing to be home.
In my own bed.
With my two dogs, Obie and Amos.
But I’m here because it’s right.
For the past 17 years it’s been right.
It’s my chance to see God move in big ways.
And more than making an impact in another country . . .
the real reason I do a missions trip each year is for our students.
Most teens view their relationship with Christ as a feeling—
and it’s usually how they feel when their hands are in the air
and they’re swaying to praise and worship music.
This is Christianity, they think.
This is what it means to love God.
Sometimes I wish we’d just stop all the music and teach students there are other ways to worship.
Before you condemn me, please hear me out.
When we enter a relationship with God,
It’s something that’s so sacred
so huge
so holy
it transcends our understanding.
It’s BIG.
It can’t be contained in how I feel when my hands are in the air
And I feel the beat of drums swelling in my head.
In fact, it has nothing to do with this.
It’s beyond that!
It’s saying, “I won’t renounce” when the machete is at the throat of an Iraqi Christian.
It’s making time to read the Bible . . . daily . . .
no matter how tired we are or how much we have to do.
And it’s praying constantly.
It’s trusting God for what we can’t see.
It’s weeping before Him and yearning until our hearts feel raw from praying for genuine intimacy with Him.
It has nothing to do with my favorite chorus.
And on these trips . . . I see our students go beyond the music.
I watch them push deeper than the excitement of an overseas trip.
I see the light go on in their eyes as I speak to the group about living in radical obedience to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
And I hear their confession. I see their growth.
And we have revival.
Revival. Not a word we hear much anymore.
Most teens have never heard the word.
And when they experience it, they don’t know how to label it.
They come to me with tears running down their cheeks saying,
“I’m a Christian, but I’ve never been challenged like this.”
“I don’t hear stuff like this in my church back home.”
“I’ve never been challenged like this before.”
And I wonder what IS being preached in many of our churches.
Or if many are simply places to feel good.
And I question if most teens who think they have a relationship with Christ really do have a genuine relationship with Him.
So I do this trip every year.
Because I love revival. And I love introducing teens to revival.
And I love hearing them testify. Many don’t even know what a testimony is. They learn quickly.
And when I watch a teen lead someone to Christ . . . it’s amazing how his confidence soars! Nothing is impossible, if one can lead someone to God! Sharing our faith is a definite confidence booster.
And by the end of the trip, to see how worship has completely changed from feel-good music to truly being in awe of our Creator God . . . to being speechless before Him . . . to grasping even a bit of His power . . .
Well, that’s why I’m here.
And missing my own bed is a very small price to pay.
Share with me your thoughts on how YOU experience genuine revival. And why do you think many churches no longer have revival?