August 31, 2010
II Kings (as the introduction in my Bible says), "Not for the faint of heart."
Over and over throughout this book there is a recurring theme. There is a harvest to be reaped, the way of the transgressor is hard, and the wages of sin is death. Galatians 6:7 - "Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant."
King Ahaziah (who was Ahab's son) falls. King Ahaziah wants to know if he will recover from his injuries so he sent messengers to inquire of the god of Ekron. Ahaziah witnessed the power of God for both the good and the bad in his father's life. Yet, here he is, doing the same as his father before him. God sends Elijah to confront his actions. Is there no God in Israel? Really? Do you need to get your questions answered from some god in Ekron? Because of his choices Ahaziah dies.
We have had a paradigm shift of thinking. Our Pastor has been preaching on a series of lessons entitled, "Ready, Set, Go." Ready—prepare yourself (Moses is dead); Set—expand your territories (the stages you go through before you begin the journey); and Go. The "Go" lesson is next week.
For over three years now we have wondered when "the storm" in our life is going to be over. The focus has been on the over. God has promised us His protection and we absolutely believe in His promise. While we have claimed God's promise of protection, we have not had a clear picture of what "over" looks like. One thing is certain: life can not (and should not) ever return to status quo. It can't! God has done so much for us. We just cannot return to pre-storm normal.
Throughout this whole process our hands have been open before the LORD. What is His will? Did He have other plans for us? Our Pastor has often told the story of a farmer who lost his land during a recession and then God used him as a missionary. Is that what God wants of us? What is His plan?
We do not fear "the storm." Our belief is that no storm in and of itself can destroy us. CANNOT! Evil cannot trump God. However, if God has other plans for us and He decides to use "the storm" to remove us from our home and business as a way to accomplish those plans, then we are okay with that. We trust Him because we know He only wants what is best for us. If He has something else in mind for our lives, then so be it. We believed that then, and we believe that now. We've opened our hands in full surrender. We've been intentionally attentive to His leading. We've earnestly sought God's will for our lives. There is nothing more we know to do. God has not given us even the slightest indication that HIS plan for our future includes using this storm to change our life's trajectory.
When we first began our joint project with my sister and brother-in-law we were hoping to use any profits to fund Mission Trips. We had went on a trip to help build a church in Puerto Rico several years prior and really enjoyed it. But then "the storm" hit. The hope of continuing to go on Missions Trips was now out of the question; we couldn't afford it because of what we were having to spend to defend ourselves from my sister and brother-in-law's false accusations. We were disappointed, but then we came to a new understanding. God wanted to use us and His Story right here—right where we are. We didn't need to go to foreign soil to be used by Him. We can tell His Story right where we are—that is our mission field. We are to tell His story right where we are!
And then came the "Ready, Set, Go" sermon series. For several years we have been in a holding pattern because "the storm" hasn't moved. We've been waiting ... waiting for the "over." When will the storm be OVER? The focus has been on the over. Over. Over. Over. When will "the storm" be over?
Our focus has now changed. We no longer see the "over" as an ending point. We now see it as the launching pad for the "go." God has something in mind for us, and everything up to this point is preparing us for the launch. There has been a paradigm shift in our thinking. We are now focused on the "GO."
I've written many times in this journal that the journey is what is important and that the "end" is a moot point. Now I see it is even more than that. The journey is still what is important, but the "end"? The "end" is actually the launching pad into a whole new journey.
GO! I can't wait to hear the next sermon. God has shown us what our "Ready" and "Set" are. He has shown us how we are to expand our territory. The Book! I am to write the book. Clear back when we first met Jane (Her Name Was Jane), people began saying a book should be written to tell the story. I always nodded, but I never took it seriously. It kept happening over and over and I started to wonder. Am I really supposed to do this? I don't have any writing skills! I'm terrible at knowing how to properly use grammar! I don't have a dream of becoming a writer! But then I started to understand I was supposed to somehow tell HIS Story! God didn't need my ability; He wanted my availability!
As time passed, and "the storm" drug on and on (and we were waiting for the "over"), I would find myself doubting and saying, "If there is a book..." IF. I couldn't bring myself to say when. It felt so presumptuous of me to say "when." Was I an idiot? Do you really think you could write a book? The problem was I was looking at me. This isn't about me. It is about God. It is HIS Story! I now know that absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt there is to be a book. The "over" is a launching pad. The expand your territory is The Book. We are now praying for the title, the chapters, every word. It is no longer IF—it is WHEN. It is HIS Story.
Addendum: 4/29/14 ~ Now, more years have passed and we still believe what I first wrote in 2010. The waiting for "the storm" to be over—truly is over, and He has given us many "go" opportunities. God is slowing revealing what He wants done, and we will do it.
Addendum #2: 2015 Update ~ Six months after I wrote this addendum God began to show me what "The Book" was supposed to be. It caught me totally unaware and it was completely unexpected. See LORD – What Am I to Do?; The LORD Answers!; and I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!!
Next Entry: II Kings 2:1 – 3:27
II Kings (as the introduction in my Bible says), "Not for the faint of heart."
Over and over throughout this book there is a recurring theme. There is a harvest to be reaped, the way of the transgressor is hard, and the wages of sin is death. Galatians 6:7 - "Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant."
King Ahaziah (who was Ahab's son) falls. King Ahaziah wants to know if he will recover from his injuries so he sent messengers to inquire of the god of Ekron. Ahaziah witnessed the power of God for both the good and the bad in his father's life. Yet, here he is, doing the same as his father before him. God sends Elijah to confront his actions. Is there no God in Israel? Really? Do you need to get your questions answered from some god in Ekron? Because of his choices Ahaziah dies.
We have had a paradigm shift of thinking. Our Pastor has been preaching on a series of lessons entitled, "Ready, Set, Go." Ready—prepare yourself (Moses is dead); Set—expand your territories (the stages you go through before you begin the journey); and Go. The "Go" lesson is next week.
For over three years now we have wondered when "the storm" in our life is going to be over. The focus has been on the over. God has promised us His protection and we absolutely believe in His promise. While we have claimed God's promise of protection, we have not had a clear picture of what "over" looks like. One thing is certain: life can not (and should not) ever return to status quo. It can't! God has done so much for us. We just cannot return to pre-storm normal.
Throughout this whole process our hands have been open before the LORD. What is His will? Did He have other plans for us? Our Pastor has often told the story of a farmer who lost his land during a recession and then God used him as a missionary. Is that what God wants of us? What is His plan?
We do not fear "the storm." Our belief is that no storm in and of itself can destroy us. CANNOT! Evil cannot trump God. However, if God has other plans for us and He decides to use "the storm" to remove us from our home and business as a way to accomplish those plans, then we are okay with that. We trust Him because we know He only wants what is best for us. If He has something else in mind for our lives, then so be it. We believed that then, and we believe that now. We've opened our hands in full surrender. We've been intentionally attentive to His leading. We've earnestly sought God's will for our lives. There is nothing more we know to do. God has not given us even the slightest indication that HIS plan for our future includes using this storm to change our life's trajectory.
When we first began our joint project with my sister and brother-in-law we were hoping to use any profits to fund Mission Trips. We had went on a trip to help build a church in Puerto Rico several years prior and really enjoyed it. But then "the storm" hit. The hope of continuing to go on Missions Trips was now out of the question; we couldn't afford it because of what we were having to spend to defend ourselves from my sister and brother-in-law's false accusations. We were disappointed, but then we came to a new understanding. God wanted to use us and His Story right here—right where we are. We didn't need to go to foreign soil to be used by Him. We can tell His Story right where we are—that is our mission field. We are to tell His story right where we are!
And then came the "Ready, Set, Go" sermon series. For several years we have been in a holding pattern because "the storm" hasn't moved. We've been waiting ... waiting for the "over." When will the storm be OVER? The focus has been on the over. Over. Over. Over. When will "the storm" be over?
Our focus has now changed. We no longer see the "over" as an ending point. We now see it as the launching pad for the "go." God has something in mind for us, and everything up to this point is preparing us for the launch. There has been a paradigm shift in our thinking. We are now focused on the "GO."
I've written many times in this journal that the journey is what is important and that the "end" is a moot point. Now I see it is even more than that. The journey is still what is important, but the "end"? The "end" is actually the launching pad into a whole new journey.
GO! I can't wait to hear the next sermon. God has shown us what our "Ready" and "Set" are. He has shown us how we are to expand our territory. The Book! I am to write the book. Clear back when we first met Jane (Her Name Was Jane), people began saying a book should be written to tell the story. I always nodded, but I never took it seriously. It kept happening over and over and I started to wonder. Am I really supposed to do this? I don't have any writing skills! I'm terrible at knowing how to properly use grammar! I don't have a dream of becoming a writer! But then I started to understand I was supposed to somehow tell HIS Story! God didn't need my ability; He wanted my availability!
As time passed, and "the storm" drug on and on (and we were waiting for the "over"), I would find myself doubting and saying, "If there is a book..." IF. I couldn't bring myself to say when. It felt so presumptuous of me to say "when." Was I an idiot? Do you really think you could write a book? The problem was I was looking at me. This isn't about me. It is about God. It is HIS Story! I now know that absolutely, positively, without-a-doubt there is to be a book. The "over" is a launching pad. The expand your territory is The Book. We are now praying for the title, the chapters, every word. It is no longer IF—it is WHEN. It is HIS Story.
Addendum: 4/29/14 ~ Now, more years have passed and we still believe what I first wrote in 2010. The waiting for "the storm" to be over—truly is over, and He has given us many "go" opportunities. God is slowing revealing what He wants done, and we will do it.
Addendum #2: 2015 Update ~ Six months after I wrote this addendum God began to show me what "The Book" was supposed to be. It caught me totally unaware and it was completely unexpected. See LORD – What Am I to Do?; The LORD Answers!; and I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!!
Next Entry: II Kings 2:1 – 3:27
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