Sunday, March 6, 2011

Are you in the Boat?

The title of tonight’s post comes from Scott’s message this morning. As I have come back from Nicaragua there is always a tome of decompression and introspection thinking about all God did to us and through us. Hopefully every time I go on a trip, especially a mission trip, I come back changed. If I don’t then I have missed an opportunity to let God work on my heart and deal with my stuff. So since I have been on two trips in the past 10 days, I should have been changed a great deal. I think that I have, but what does that look like?

Last night I was way to tired to process anything. I’m still tired tonight, but I think I am a in a better position to begin the process of self evaluation and introspection. I really think that Scott started the process for all of us as he preached his sermon this morning. Basically he started off by going through what had happened on the trips. He talked about the healings and all that God did through us. He recapped some of the most significant healings. This stirred up faith in the congregation, and stirred up my faith as I realized all that we had been used to do. But the key thing is what happened to me? How was I changed?

Scott talked about how we had to get in the boat. He used the reference of the disciples in the boat with the storm and also the time when they were in the boat and Jesus came walking by. Peter was the only one that asked to go to Jesus. Peter was the only one willing to step out of the boat. So many times we criticize Peter because he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink, but Jesus grabbed him and saved him. What was the worst thing that happened to Peter? Jesus reached out to him and saved him. But before Peter could step out of the boat he has to get in the boat.

As Christians we have to be willing to get in the boat and leave all behind. We have to be willing to lose everything and abandon all to go after God. Wimber said it best. We must be willing to lose everything we have gained to date to gain the next step. I think that happens to me every time I go on a trip and see God move. I get more desperate for more of Him. I become more willing not only to get in the boat, but to be the one who steps out onto the water. So, these past 10 days my passion for the things of God, for His Kingdom to be established, has increased dramatically. I saw the passion of those who had nothing. I have been blessed beyond measure. My passion should be ten times greater than theirs. It’s not, and that makes me jealous of them. It is a holy jealousy that causes me to seek more.

So what happened to me. First my faith was increased. As I saw more healings, I became even bolder to pray. Secondly, my passion was renewed and hopefully increased. Thirdly, my prophetic gifting was increased. All the mussels of my faith were exercised. So all the gifting in me should have increased. But the most important thing is this. I just want Him more than I did yesterday. I want to spend time with Him, to hang out with the Father and with Jesus and Holy Spirit. Tonight someone was praying about how they wanted Jesus to come back. They were crying out how they missed Him so. I couldn’t pray that prayer. For me He is already here. I don’t miss Him, I see and talk to Him daily. No, I couldn’t pray that prayer. I understood what they meant, but I think they were missing the point. We don’t have to wait to get o heaven to see Jesus. We are already seated with Him in heavenly places. We just need to learn how to access it. That’s what I think I learned a little bit better this week. I am so glad that I was able to go and be a part of what He is doing. We are called to disciple nations, not go to the nations and make disciples. There is a big difference.

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