My friend Ryan is taking a long-term assignment in Central Asia with his wife and baby. He created this video to stir our hearts for the people of that region. You can download a higher quality version of the video by right clicking here.
“I myself, for instance, am not especially gifted, and am shy by nature, but my gracious and merciful God and Father inclined Himself to me, and when I was weak in faith He strengthened me while I was still young. He taught me in my helplessness to rest on Him, and to pray even about little things in which another might have felt able to help himself.”- James Hudson Taylor
Mr. Taylor puts it all in perspective with this quote. I am amazed at how often men that God really uses are not especially gifted or go unrecognized by the world. I guess the scriptures are true when it says that God likes to use the weak things of the world.
When I spend time with men that I have idolized I usually find out real quick that they are just men. No ones a super hero. It turns my eyes to Jesus and makes me more in love with Him.
So about a month ago while this blog was still down my friend Justin called me and we had this conversation.
“Hey Michael there is this new guy in my Bible study and he says he knows you?” “Oh yeah, how is that?” “He says that you guys went to highschool together. His name is Will ———.” “Do you mean Scott ——–, cause I’ve known him since elementary school.”
A week passes and he calls me back.
“So Mike, I asked Will and he said that he used to go by Scott.” “When did he become a Christian?” “A couple of years ago with his wife.” “Man that’s crazy cause I am pretty sure I used to pray for him.”
It sent me back to memory lane of becoming a Christian my freshman year of college.
When I got saved way back in 1998 it was utterly revolutionary for me. My best friend since kindergarten commented. “Michael a Christian, I cannot believe it! If there was anyone who I thought would never become a Christian it is you.” Startling words from a friend I had known my entire life. My world got completely wrecked. I found a joy and peace I had never experienced and Jesus relieved my fears of death and Hell. Of course in the midst of my own joy I was gripped by the reality of Hell and that almost everyone I knew and loved was going there. I was pretty sure that I only got saved because my brother followed some cute girl in his Italian class to church and encouraged me to start seeking the Lord. Up until that point I had never heard the gospel or understood why Jesus came to die.
Most of my friends were completely uninterested in religion or the Lord. I figured if no one had been sharing the gospel with me or praying for my salvation, then no one was praying for them. I spent hours praying for my friends and even people I had previously hated. Knowing the terror of the Lord fueled me to intercede fervently for them. I prayed for anyone that came to mind. Until a month ago I had never heard about a single one of them getting saved. Finding out that Scott came to know the Lord is a massive encouragement.
Last night I went to hang out with friends in a coffee shop. Lots of people were there for a concert and I started starring at a guy I was sure I recognized from the past. When he finally got close to me he said “we know each other.” We had been freshman in the Corps together and had been in the same class. “I’m not like I used to be. I got saved 6 months ago.” I knew Matt from the same semester I got saved in college. He had a miraculous story back then about surviving a car accident and a resulting coma. I remember desiring the Lord to save him and that his previous experience surely must have gotten him thinking about the afterlife. It wasn’t enough, but finally after a few more trials of life the Lord got ahold of him.
Years after praying for so many people God is finally revealing to me the payoff. I’m not sure why He picked now as the time, but I appreciate it. My labor really isn’t in vain and He really hears us when we cry.
So I spent most of tonight at Starbucks with my friend EJ talking about the Lord. It was an interesting light-hearted evening. First we talked about the reality of Hell and how just intense that is, then we moved on to how screwed up the world is, and lastly we talked about Paul’s statement that it is better to remain single. We’re both single so it seems pretty relevant. We both went our separate ways and I planned on stopping by another coffee shop to do a little reading. It was midnight, which in a college town is more like mid-afternoon. That is my where my point starts.
So you ever have those times when you have one plan, but the Lord seems to have another? That was tonight for me. I needed to read for seminary, but as I was on my way into the coffee shop I started talking with an international student who I had seen several times around town. He is from Turkey and he just finished up his Ph.D. We stood there and talked til nearly 1:30! He wants to do research in (hope I get this right) lingual neuroscience; basically the study of how the brain works in regards to language. As someone who wants to live in other cultures and learn their languages it was pretty fascinating and encouraging. He gave me some great ideas on learning languages more effectively. Also, as most international students do, he seem to want another friend and someone to talk to. Here is to the Lord creating a great friendship between the two of us.
Why am I sharing even of this? Maybe because it is 2:44 in the morning, or maybe because it is just good to remember that sometimes the Lord has different plans for how we spend our time. I wanted to study and he wanted to teach me about learning languages and for me to make a new friend. Yay Him!
Lastly, anyone have a good idea by what Paul means when he says “it is better to remain as I am”? Because the rest of scripture seems to put a high value on marriage, but this passage makes it sound like marriage is only for those who just can’t take it anymore. If Paul does mean that it is better to remain single, then why does the church push marriage so hard?
Heart of God Ministries annual conference is coming up again. Click the image above for more info and to register. I’ll see you there.
Well after a short hiatus from blogging and then the thing completely disappearing, I am back here ready to blog again. First off, thanks to everyone who prayed for my uncle. He passed away a little over a month ago and it has been a trying time for my family. If you would continue to pray for my Aunt Kathy, that she would be comforted and that she would draw closer to the Lord in this time.
Secondly, I am excited to have this space back to blog (I had been borrowing webspace from a friend, but I finally purchased my own space). I hope to publish some good stuff that has been on my heart in the next little bit.
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