I sat across the table from a friend, and as I listened to him talk I was amazed, shocked and even pushed to think deeper about the vision God has put in my heart. This dude is a church planter who has refined his skills by thinking long and hard about people’s need for Jesus and about places where that need is great. His and his wife’s prayers and hearts led them home.
My friend is Tim Lavinder, and the church Tim and Kristen are planting is called The Ridge (www.theridge.cc) and is in Patrick County, Virginia. Our conversation was right on time and encouraging in big ways. That is how our God is… right on time and encouraging.
1 Corinthians 15:58 NASB
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
When you are convinced of God’s call on your life, you will stick to doing what God has led you to do. Your passion will guide you. The experiences along the way are incredible and eye opening as we believe God and act on what He teaches us. The past few week and even years have led me to the place I am at and serving in the ways I get to serve.
Francis Chan is one of my favorite speakers and authors. I read an article he wrote recently, and today’s conversation echoes much of what Chan said. Here is part of the article:
The good news is that I regularly see God do supernatural things (too many stories to write out).
I expected these miracles to result in conversions, but now I understand what Jesus meant when He said, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.” (Luke 16:31)
Jesus never promised revival; in fact, He told us to expect the opposite (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
Even when people saw the supernatural, it usually didn’t lead to repentance (Luke 10:13).
What Jesus did promise was that we would have His presence with us as we made disciples (Matthew 28:20).
This I have definitely witnessed. Supernatural answers to prayer never get old.
Most important is our obedience to what God says and how He leads. We must trust God to do what He wants to do and to change lives as He sees fit. God is always working, but our timing or thinking or plans aren’t always in line with what God is up to. That is why we have to stay close to and seek God all the time.
What grows out of our time with God will change us and change others. The effect that Jesus has on people is amazing.
Hebrews 7:25 NASB
Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
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