Talking with Father
For me, prayer is an enigma.
I have known times when God has definitely answered prayers. Like the time I flew out of New Zealand to Manila with the Airport in Manila closed due to a coup.
I have also known times when God did not answer prayer and was rather silent. Like the time I lost my Bible. I knew God knew where it was. I knew God could easily reveal this to me. But it never happened.
I find it interesting how we can make all sorts of excuses as to why things did or did not happen.
Some things on our horizon.
We are going to the Philippines in July.
This has been brewing for a few years, as we both want to get back to Surigoa and see how we can help our friends without hurting them.
Working in Kona has exposed us to a problem in missions, where we create dependence on ourselves rather than dependency on God. Where we come across as the answer that the people we are with can never attain to. The word missions become a dirty word.
I like walking with Jesus far better. Being a follower of Jesus and his teaching is an explanation as to who we are and why we do what we do.
Also, coming from the West we are time orientated, task orientated, and while there are things we want to do, far more there are people we want to spend time with and on this trip. If we do get to do some things (build some websites for YWAM locations) then that is a bonus, but not the objective.
Pray that we are sensitive to the needs of the people we will be with.
Our dear friends in Surigao where Chris and I go married, what word might you have from God for us to give them? You don’t need to know names, but if God takes you to scripture, let us know.
New friends, what are their needs, how can we encourage them?
When we pray for one another we are simply asking God for confirmation on what He is already talking to the person about.
What an encouragement when we encourage them with an idea that is already growing in their minds and hearts.
More than an impression
I have had to train myself to believe what I hear is God.
For one thing, He is not a condemner. So if that comes, even when the condemnation is true, I know it is not God.
If it is encouragement, then it is most often God.
If it is something that confirms, then again God.
Now it gets odd, if it is from left field, but does not condemn and does encourage, then it is most likely God and I need to take note of it.
Then if I a scripture makes itself known, then I am generally careful. I don’t say ‘God just said,’ rather I will say, ‘Hey what do you think of this,’ and let the Holy Spirit in them witness to the scripture.