Author: missionspaul

True Devotion 1

This is the story of a church that was destined to die in order that future generations of the church may live.

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves …

Will you be devoted?
Over the next few days we will meditate on these verses from Acts through the filter of this devoted true story.

John and Betty Stam in December 1934 were taken to the local prison where some of the prisoners were released to make room for the Stams. In the midst of it, Helen started crying, and a soldier suggested that they kill her, since she was only “in their way.” Then one of the prisoners who had just been released asked why they should kill the innocent baby. The soldiers turned to him asked him if he was a Christian, he denied this and then was asked if he was willing to die for the foreign baby. The man was hacked to pieces for Helen in front of the Stams’ eyes. Thus, Helen was allowed to live.
The next morning, they were forced to march 12 miles to the town of Miaosheo. They stopped for a night, and Betty was allowed to tend to Helen, but in fact hid her in the room inside a sleeping bag. The very next morning, John and Betty were being marched down the streets of Miaosheo to meet their death. Crowds lined both sides of the street. A Chinese shopkeeper stepped out of the crowd and talked to the communists, trying to persuade them not to kill the Stams. They ordered the man back into the crowd, but he wouldn’t step back. The soldiers then invaded his house where they found a Bible and hymnbook. He was then led alongside the Stams to be killed as well for being a Christian. After marching for a short while longer, John was ordered to kneel, and he was beheaded. Betty and the shopkeeper were killed moments later. The baby, Helen was found two days later by a Chinese pastor who took her home and took care of her.

A Blessing

May you continue to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power and He will enable you to work with energy and vigour and face each task with His strength. When you feel weak you will be at your strongest.

May you continue to draw near to God with sincerity of heart and He will reach others through your genuine love.

May you continue to share your faith with words and actions and may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 6:10; Proverbs 31:17; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Hebrews 10:22; Romans 12:9; James 2:26; Hebrews 13: 20-21.

Be blessed

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression and exploitation of people
So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears
To stand for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.

Anon

He stands between the loaves

Taking the five loaves and two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves … Mark 6: 41

This was all that was available to Jesus.
Two tiny fish that would have been used like a relish on the bread.

Nothing.
Yet available.
Never underestimate the power of crumbs.
Crumbs can feed 5,000.
Miracles occur after brokenness.

Someone asked me the other day: I am in bits, can God use me?

The answer is: He only uses bits.

Thankfully used

Caedmon, the first great poet of the English language was actually an illiterate lay worker in the monastery at Whitby, North Yorkshire.
The 7th century monks would take it in turns singing to the harp. Caedmon would step outside when they began singing because he didn’t know any songs and he couldn’t sing anyway.
One night after he left, he fell asleep and in his dream a man came to him and said, “Caedmon, sing me something.”
“If I could sing I would have stayed with my friends!”
“Sing anyway.”
Poetry came from his mouth as he sang.
When he woke up he remembered the dream and the song he sang and told the Abbott in the monastery.
All agreed God had given him a gift.
They gave him Biblical themes and he would compose poems. The whole of Genesis and the major stories of the Bible were all used in his poetry.
The first English Poet was an illiterate worker, before God got a hold of him.
God has you and will do amazing, inspiring, life-changing things with you.
If you cannot believe this then you are most likely a candidate!
If you think you are just an ordinary person then you are most likely a candidate!
If you can simply say YES to Him then you are definitely a candidate!

Across Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, because of money donated by you, we are able to help, rehabilitate, disciple and journey with those caught up in human exploitation. Please continue to pray for this work. In Uganda we are working with Life Ministries to help ex-child soldiers, in Congo we are partnered with Comfort Congo to provide medical care and small business enterprise to women who have been terribly abused, and in Cambodia, through the Be Free centre, we are helping women who were caught up in trafficking but who are now working towards an understanding of freedom in Christ. #befree http://elim.im/befree

Thankfully saved.

An old man is on the pier feeding the seagulls, they land all around him, on his shoulders, his hat, feeding off what he had in his bag. Why is this man doing this? Why does he come here every week?
The man is Eddie Rickenbacher, a famous pilot in World War 2. His plane the “Flying Fortress” was shot down in 1942 and no one thought he would be rescued. He and eight passengers survived in 2 rafts for 30 days. They fought thirst, the sun and sharks some of which were 9 feet long. But what nearly killed them was starvation, within 8 days they had no more food left.
But in these rafts they would have a daily devotion to God. One day after a devotion Rickenbacher leaned back with his hat over his eyes to get some sleep. Within a few moments he felt something land on his hat. He knew in an instant it was a seagull. They were hundreds of miles from land, where had it come from? In an instant he grabbed the seagull. They all ate the bird and the intestines they used as fish bait. Rickenbacher never forgot that sacrifice. Every week he went to the pier to feed the seagulls, to say thank you.

2 Corinthians 5: 14, Paul says “For Christ’s love compels us”. We have no choice but to bring thanksgiving, it comes from the sacrifice. His sacrifice of love forces such a response.
When you know you are saved you are thankful.

Lessons from a girl with no name
The last few days we have explored a very old story of a girl who was caught in a situation not of her own making but who grows from her place of discomfort to be very influential. This is the last lesson.
2 Kings 5: 1-14

3. My pain can influence a nation.
This girl, (probably no older than a teenager and experiencing her loss and grief of a family left behind) gives no indication of self-pity.
Like Joseph who knew that God intended it for good, Genesis 50:20 and the Apostle Paul “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose,” Romans 8: 28.
We have a choice. To either focus on the pain in how it inhibits or we see how the pain releases us to influence others.
This girl influences not only her mistress, but Naaman, his household, his King, the Syrian nation, King Jehoram and the Israelite nation.
She was God’s messenger and she influenced a nation. She would never have done that if she had not known pain.
How did this young girl begin to influence? The answer is by a single sentence of faith.
V3 If only ….
Jesus calls us the light of the world. We are light wherever we are. In the distress, pain and suffering we are the light, the influencer within darkness. You can change another person’s life. You can change the atmosphere of a room. You can influence to a level you would never have dreamed of. How? Because of your pain.
Are you teachable?
The hindrance to being taught is pain and yet the great lessons are held in pain.
Will pain torment or teach you?
Will you shrivel up or serve others?
Will pain inhibit or will it release you to influence?
The answer to those questions can be found in the answer to one question: are you teachable?

Lessons from a girl with no name
We are exploring a very old story of a girl who was caught in a situation not of her own making but who grows from her place of discomfort to be very influential.
2 Kings 5: 1-14

2b. My pain gives me the opportunity to serve people I would never have met, v2.
Will you shrivel or will you serve?
In her serving:
• The girl began to listen. She listened to the concerns and fears of her mistress. She heard about the brilliant man, how brave a soldier he was. She heard about his pain.
• The girl became involved. Some people die long before their death. They stop discovering. They no longer read, they don’t listen to music, they don’t look at nature, life is gone. Pain will give you the opportunity to engage yourself with people you have never met. When you do you will often get the opportunity to involve yourself in their life and maybe their world of pain. It happens because you are teachable.
• The girl served well. A poor employee is never listened to. To be teachable involves humility. Self-serving people never get out of their own way. They constantly stumble over themselves. They are locked into number 1. Every conversation they have is about their own pain. They are demanders of time, attention-seekers, they are high maintenance people. The greatest lesson in life that some never learn is only and always taught in pain and it is this: Life is never about you. Luke 22:26, “The greatest among you should be like the youngest and the one who rules like one who seeks.” Jesus said these words at his last meal with his disciples when pain was growing, he stooped down and began to wash feet. We should do the same.

Lessons from a girl with no name
Join us for a few days as we explore a very old story of a girl who was caught in a situation not of her own making but who grows from her place of discomfort to be very influential.
2 Kings 5: 1-14

2. My pain gives me the opportunity to serve people I would never have met, v2.
Why did Naaman’s wife listen to her? On being told what this slave girl had said, why did Naaman think it worth considering? How did this young Israelite girl become a trustworthy confidante?
It was because she was teachable in her painful circumstance.
Your response to pain will either be to shrivel up or to serve. How you respond is based upon how teachable you are.
Many of you will know the Peanuts cartoons full of Charlie Brown stories. One story has Charlie Brown at the beach building a magnificent sand castle. When he had completed it, he stands back and admires his masterpiece. Suddenly there is a down pour of rain and it flattens his brilliant structure. The last caption has Charlie Brown standing looking at levelled ground and saying, “There must be a lesson here, but I don’t know what it is.”
Nothing is ever pointless.
One of the questions so often asked is “Where is God in this pain and suffering?”
The question indicates the spiritual blindness of the person asking the question. God entered into this world as the suffering servant, born into a broken humanity, entered into sin yet sinless, took on death and brought resurrection life. Where is God? Open your eyes. Seek Him and you will find Him.
This pain seems like a curse that must be cast out! Whilst you must carry the faith to believe God can heal and deliver you from pain, you must also have wisdom to know that Jesus became the curse for us and His presence is so often at the centre of the gravest pain and suffering that you endure.
Will you shrivel or will you serve?