"God calls me. In a deeper sense than any other species of earthbound creature, I am called. And in a deeper sense I am free, for I can ignore the call. I can turn a deaf ear. I can say that no call came. I can deny that God called or even that God exists. What an amazing grace -- that the One who made me allows me to deny His existence! God created me with the power to disobey, for the freedom to obey would be nothing at all without the corresponding freedom to disobey. I can answer no, or I can answer yes. My fulfillment as a human being depends on my answer, for it is a loving Lord who calls me through the world's fog to His island of peace. If I trust Him, I will obey Him gladly." (Elizabeth Elliot, Discipline: The Glad Surrender)
All of us are called. First: to acknowledge that without Jesus, we are lost. And to therefore receive His invitation to be Lord and Saviour of our lives. Second, to acknowledge that being saved, He has a purpose and destiny for our lives, if we would yield to His call on us.
How will you respond today?
Sunday, November 18, 2018
What is your core? Knowing how God wired you.
Cornerstone Community Church's Pastor Yang Tuck Yoong preached a sermon on "Find out what is your core" in 2017, and I was reminded of this sermon recently. It is a really important sermon on finding out how God has wired each and everyone of us, so we can lead a focused life. There are commands God gives to all of us -- to love God, to love our neighbour, to preach the gospel to every creature etc. But there are also specific callings he gives to each of us to steward, and gifts that accompany that calling. In my 20s, I was in a bigger church which had many ministry opportunities in which to serve. Because I knew myself so little, I thought the ministry of hearing impaired and learning to sign was so cool -- joined that ministry, then realised I had no aptitude for learning the sign language. Thought the puppetry ministry was really cool -- joined it, but lacked the arm strength to keep my puppet up behind the curtain throughout the duration of the entire evangelistic skit. Helped put together a centennial book to commemorate the church's history - and saw that through using my secular training ... that was cool too, but didn't exactly set my heart ablaze. So throughout a span of 10 years, I was perhaps in and out of 7 to 8 ministries, trying to find myself.
Finally, one day, I happened to read Jim Cymbala's "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire", an autobiography of how he was handed over the reins of pastoring the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. It was a terrible challenge, pastoring this church in the heart of a drug-infested neighbourhood. But God showed him that if he would build the church on prayer, God would do the rest. After I finished reading the book, it so inspired me, that I cold-called the prayer ministry leader and asked if I could join them in prayer. Now prayer was the last ministry I would have joined -- it was not how I thought God had wired me. But after a few weeks in that ministry, I knew that I had found my HOME. And 20 years on, it's still the place I know God has called me to.
That's why I'm so big on people knowing who they are in Christ, and where God has called them. If everyone in the body of Christ is in their placement, serving one another, it would be as God intended.
Ps Yang gives important clues to find out how God has wired each of us -- and I've spent time over the years praying to God about the answers to these questions. They include:
1. What are your life verses?
2. What are your life books?
3. What frustrates you?
4. What are your core competencies?
5. What is your secular training like?
6. What Bible character do you most resemble? (This is a question especially for Holy Spirit to reveal)
I've also thrown in for good measure as I think about these things: What are your life movies? What is your heart country.
Recently, I spent two weeks in YWAM Scotland, and on the second day, discovered a library there to my joy and delight. There were perhaps a few hundred Christian books in the library and I thought to pick one out to read during my stay there. I ended up picking out "The Nations Called" by Pieter Bos, a book on the calling and destiny of nations. Reading the book, there were many moments when I had to stop and pause, because it felt like I was drinking from a well.
On my second last day there, at a dinner, I sat next to an elderly missionary and we spent some time finding out about each other - our lives, our passion points etc. She asked about my passion points, and I told her that my heart was for the revival of nations, and for nations to come into their destiny. She then said, "Oh! Then you must read Pieter Bos' The Nations Called". I was so excited, because it was an affirmation of the book I had picked out!
As one gets older, God brings us to a place of convergence - where our training, our passion, our skills and gifts come together for us to serve Him and to advance the kingdom of God in a unique way. Take some time to pray about how God made you and go on and serve him as only you can do.
Finally, one day, I happened to read Jim Cymbala's "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire", an autobiography of how he was handed over the reins of pastoring the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church. It was a terrible challenge, pastoring this church in the heart of a drug-infested neighbourhood. But God showed him that if he would build the church on prayer, God would do the rest. After I finished reading the book, it so inspired me, that I cold-called the prayer ministry leader and asked if I could join them in prayer. Now prayer was the last ministry I would have joined -- it was not how I thought God had wired me. But after a few weeks in that ministry, I knew that I had found my HOME. And 20 years on, it's still the place I know God has called me to.
That's why I'm so big on people knowing who they are in Christ, and where God has called them. If everyone in the body of Christ is in their placement, serving one another, it would be as God intended.
Ps Yang gives important clues to find out how God has wired each of us -- and I've spent time over the years praying to God about the answers to these questions. They include:
1. What are your life verses?
2. What are your life books?
3. What frustrates you?
4. What are your core competencies?
5. What is your secular training like?
6. What Bible character do you most resemble? (This is a question especially for Holy Spirit to reveal)
I've also thrown in for good measure as I think about these things: What are your life movies? What is your heart country.
Recently, I spent two weeks in YWAM Scotland, and on the second day, discovered a library there to my joy and delight. There were perhaps a few hundred Christian books in the library and I thought to pick one out to read during my stay there. I ended up picking out "The Nations Called" by Pieter Bos, a book on the calling and destiny of nations. Reading the book, there were many moments when I had to stop and pause, because it felt like I was drinking from a well.
On my second last day there, at a dinner, I sat next to an elderly missionary and we spent some time finding out about each other - our lives, our passion points etc. She asked about my passion points, and I told her that my heart was for the revival of nations, and for nations to come into their destiny. She then said, "Oh! Then you must read Pieter Bos' The Nations Called". I was so excited, because it was an affirmation of the book I had picked out!
As one gets older, God brings us to a place of convergence - where our training, our passion, our skills and gifts come together for us to serve Him and to advance the kingdom of God in a unique way. Take some time to pray about how God made you and go on and serve him as only you can do.
Government of Self
A prayer to pray:
Will you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place.
Mind you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place. It's not all down to you!
Emotions you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place. I acknowledge that you are real but you may not always be based on truth. The best place for you to be is in submission to my spirit and being parented by myself. Come and take your rightful place.
Body you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place.
Spirit I call you to attention. I command you to rise up and be in government over myself. Come and take your rightful place.
Will you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place.
Mind you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place. It's not all down to you!
Emotions you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place. I acknowledge that you are real but you may not always be based on truth. The best place for you to be is in submission to my spirit and being parented by myself. Come and take your rightful place.
Body you are a good servant but a poor master. I command you to bow down now before God and submit to my spirit. Come and take your rightful place.
Spirit I call you to attention. I command you to rise up and be in government over myself. Come and take your rightful place.
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