Friday, February 15, 2013

I'll never forget Friday February 8, 2013! I was speaking to hundreds of pastors and church leaders in Muhurro, Uganda from 2 Kings 13:14-19.  In this story Elisha became angry with the King because he only struck the ground three times with an arrow which revealed his lack of passion and faith.  You'll have to go and read the story.  While teaching this I communicated to those pastors that it could be  the King only struck the ground three times because he may of only had three arrows and that this would represent living life by sight instead of living by faith.  And if you know the Bible it tells us that "faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen."  I told those pastors and church leaders that if not careful we'll make the same mistake in ministry and make decisions based only on what we can see with our natural eye and not faith.  The Bible tells us that "without faith it is impossible to please God." 

This is where it gets interesting.  While praying for the pastors at the conclusion of the session the Holy Spirit spoke the following words in my spirit.  "You quit the church plant in Colorado based on what you saw with the natural eye."  You heard that right, I QUIT!  It was a very humbling moment for me.  I began to weep and had to stop praying and confess before these hundreds of pastors and church leaders that I had QUIT!  The voice in my spirit was not a condemning voice but it was the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit telling me that the decision I made to discontinue the church was one made out of doubt and fear based on what I could only see happening with my own sight.  It certainly was not a decision made in faith.  I QUIT! 

Oddly enough even as I type those words (I quit) I sense the cleansing stream of God flowing through my inner man as I did that day in Uganda.  No more wondering what went wrong, how could God do this or I must have made to many mistakes.  The reason why the church plant didn't work is finally summed up with the words, I QUIT!

Our last launch team member was now leaving to return to Texas and our financial support had dropped 90% for the last two months of the church.  I looked at what was happening in the natural and made the decision to discontinue the church instead of pressing through this moment living life by faith.  I knew God had sent us to Colorado but had lost sight of that and just gave up!  Something I never thought I'd do. 

But here's how great our God is.  As I began to meditate on what the Holy Spirit had spoke to me I was reminded of the Apostle Peter and how he never thought he'd deny Jesus, but he did.  Not once but three times!  Now here's the cool part.  It's not just coincidence that Peter was chosen on the day of Pentecost to preach the Gospel message to thousands of people and thousands were born again.  I just wonder how many people in the crowd that day had heard Peter deny Jesus just before His crucifixion?  Now they're hearing Peter preach the Gospel with boldness.  Can you see it?  OH THE GRACE OF OUR GOD! 

Here's my point.  When it was revealed to me that I closed the door in Colorado and not God, God didn't just leave it there.  He began to comfort me with the truth that He still has a great plan for my life and ministry. Yes I made a mistake but friends God's grace is greater then our mistakes and He is a God of restoration.  Yes, God is not just the God of a second chance but He is the God of ANOTHER CHANCE! 

I don't know where you're at today?  Maybe you're getting ready to quit something because of the circumstances surrounding you.  First let me encourage you to get alone with God and get a FAITH perspective and base your decisions on faith.  Maybe you're in a place like me where you've already quit.  Please don't fret my friend, as I said earlier GOD IS A GOD OF RESTORATION AND HE'S MORE THAN WILLING TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE!  Build yourself up in your faith and seek God with all your heart and get ready to hear His instructions.  With God there's always another chance! 

I love it!  When you and I realize the truth that God gives us another chance then we can begin to DREAM.......AGAIN! So don't let anything stop you and have faith in our God because the best is yet to come! 

Ken

Stay Tuned

PS I had to add this last paragraph.  Just as I finished proof reading this post getting ready to publish it I looked at the time and it was 3:33pm.  In case you don't know many times the number three represents resurrection.  With God your dreams won't stay dead long.  Seek Him and He'll resurrect those dreams! You may think it strange but I just laughed and gave God praise! 
 

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