This morning I met with one of our mission groups and shared about some wonderful mission opportunities God is beginning to formulate. We reflected upon our 5 year partnership with the mission work in Zambia, Africa. Our role has largely been one of prayerful support. We rejoiced as we sensed that God had indeed answered our prayers.
After the meeting I returned to my office and did some reading. For many years I have been blessed by the ministry of Dr. John Piper, Pastor of the Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis. One of the monumentally moving experiences of my life was attending the Pastors Conference at Bethlehem Baptist a couple of years ago. I frequent their web site weekly.
Dr. Piper preached a wonderful message on Sunday January 1 entitled "Prayer and the Victory of God." I was drawn to it because of the discussion of the morning missions meeting.
In his message, he stated:
"The connection that I want you to see today between your life and the victory of God is the connection of prayer. Your prayers are God's way of accomplishing the victory of Jesus Christ over this world. I know that for many of you this is way beyond what you usually pray about. I think God wants to change that. I hope that praying for the victory of God in this world will become part of your life. Don't object by saying, "I'm too small. I'm unsophisticated. I'm not educated. I'm just an ordinary, simple person." God chose a simple, peasant virgin to bear his Son. And he chooses simple people of faith to bring his victory by prayer. O, don't rule yourself out of this great calling."
What an incredibly challenging statement! But there is something more you should know. Just the prior week to his preaching this message, Dr. Piper had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. In making that announcement on January 6 he powerfully stated his desire to allow God to be glorified through this experience.
I want to include in my prayers this year, a focused request for the victory of Jesus Christ over this world! I think we have a tendency to write the world and our nation off, regarding the Gospel. And things are compounded when I deal with sometimes feeling so insignificant. No doubt that is the devil employing his favorite weapon of discouragement. But when I go to the Lord consistently, with powerful concerted prayer... bold prayers for God to bring His victory upon this planet... then the littleness of my life begins to evaporate and I see things in light of the greatness of God! Praise His Mighty Name!
There were 7 of us in that meeting this morning. That's about average for that morning meeting. But before you write it off as a not so significant meeting, seeing that only 7 were there... think on this... from a small little room off to the side of the church fellowship hall... we have been able to move heaven upon a region all the way on the other side of the world. How? We prayed and God answered! As a result, the Gospel in spreading across the plains of Zambia! Even the President of Zambia became a believer!
Pray! Pray! Pray! To use the words of Dr. Piper, "O, don't rule yourself out of this great calling."
Please remember to pray for Dr. Piper, his wife and family, and the congregation of Bethlehem Baptist Church as they trust God in the midst of this challenge.
By His grace,
Pastor David
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1 comment:
The need for more of a world perspective has been brought home to me recently. I have just finished a course called Perspectives Exposures: Discovering God's Heart for All Nations and Our Part in His Plan. It is a condensed version of the Worldwide Perspectives course that was developed by US Center for World Missions.
It is difficult to briefly tell how much this has helped to get us out of our little box - to really see the global plan that is unfolding in regard to the spread of the Gospel message. It has been an enlightening and convicting five weeks. Clearly, we all need to be in prayer from this world perspective.
Thanks for your challenge to all of us to step out and pray........
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