OBEY seems to be a “4
letter word” these days…but I am starting to discover a totally different
reality!
...When it is God and His Holy Book that we are obeying…and not the pressures and voices of this world! Obedience TAKES ALL THE PRESSURE OFF of me and puts it on God!
Obedience gives me:
...When it is God and His Holy Book that we are obeying…and not the pressures and voices of this world! Obedience TAKES ALL THE PRESSURE OFF of me and puts it on God!
Obedience gives me:
PROTECTION, ASSURANCE, COMFORT,
PEACE, JOY
Romans 12:2
Don't copy
the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new
person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will
for you, which is GOOD and PLEASING and PERFECT.
I joined the ministry over
6 years ago to work specifically with women in prostitution. I had absolutely
no “experience” or “training” and I had only been following Jesus for about 2
years.
But I had been SEEKING God
for my “purpose” and when God opened this door, and confirmed I was supposed to
join this ministry, I didn’t question, I didn’t wait, …I didn’t even “pray
about it” (I had already been praying about it)…
I just did it…I obeyed!
Let’s be honest, if I had
known then, what I know now, I would have run for the hills! I was totally ignorant to what I was getting
into and what it was going to take. But ya know what, my ignorance, and His
will, has been the SAFEST and most SATISYING place to be! Even on the days when
I am burnt out, frustrated, disappointed and want to quit, I always come back
to the same thing…God continues to confirm my purpose and assignment in this
ministry, right here, right now!
I am so thankful that God
just opened the door and asked me to walk through it with Him. He didn't tell
me everything and he didn't wait for me to be “trained” or even “spiritually
mature” to let me get started!
God was fully aware that I
wasn’t “trained” but He knows exactly what I need, when I need it. And he
PROVIDES and PROTECTS me each step of the way!
My (His) training has come day-by-day, through mentors, relationships,
experiences, research, training…practicing, failing, learning, growing!
God has given us a HUGE
assignment for 2015…and I am completely UNQUALIFIED to do the job ahead of me…it
is going to take a SUPERNATURAL GOD to accomplish this tasks!
But the good news is:
But the good news is:
THE PRESSURE IS OFF OF
ME!
It is God’s responsibility
to “make things happen!”
All I HAVE TO DO IS OBEY!
...its so FREE-ING,
LIBERATING, REFRESHING!
In the past 6.5 years, God
has taken us on a journey of working with the prostitution industry, the gay community,
refugee communities from all around the world, etc. etc. God has taken us to mosques, temples, strip
clubs, gang and drug infested communities, AIDS Hospice houses, etc. etc.
…so many different things
we had to change our name to Loving ALL Peoples because His
assignment was so much bigger than us!
In preparation of the new
year, as a team, we silenced our minds, and outside voices and asked God to
give us clear direction for 2015 and then we waited and listened…and GOD
SPOKE! He spoke to each one of us and
has continued to confirm His plans for us in 2015 for our ministry!
He told us to focus on one
area, each month…PRAY, FAST, ASK, SEEK, KNOCK and BELIEVE! Through our
obedience, he is going to connect us with KEY LEADERS and PERSONS OF INFLUENCE
in EACH area that we have worked in the past. Through these God-ordained
connections, God is going to form teams and His individual strategy for each
area.
Several years ago, God
revealed to us the one common denominator to all the areas he has taken us in
ministry:
The URGENT NEED to TAKE
CHURCH TO THEM!
It’s absolutely crazy to
think in just one month, in each of these areas …we could make more progress
than we have made in 6 years…but that is why we KNOW IT IS FROM GOD! We have to pray for things that only God can
do, so he gets the credit!
We cannot do this, HE HAS
TO DO THIS!
Here is our (God’s) FOCUS
schedule for 2015:
January:
the Hispanic Community
February:
Richland College (international students and un-churched Americans)
March: LGBT
Community (lesbian/gay/bi-sexual/transgender)
April:
Buddhists
May:
Muslims
June:
Hindus
July:
New Age Community
August:
the Sex Industry
September
- December: waiting on God for more direction
The very same day that God
gave us this schedule…and told us to start with the Hispanic Community in
January…He created a divine connection with a true person of influence in the
Hispanic community! And he keeps
confirming, day after day!
January has already taken
off with passionate PRAYER, FASTING, CONNECTIONS and TOTAL CONFIRMATION!
With all steps of faith,
we have already been plagued with doubt and fear…it was really hard for me to
even write this blog…
What if we are wrong, what
if we fail, what if...!
But the following verses
brought me to tears today and gave me the courage to have faith, believe and
BOLDLY go after this!
James
1:5-8 (NLT version)
5 If
you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not
rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in
God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a
wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7 Such people should not
expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Their loyalty is divided between
God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do.
Reading “The Circle Maker”
and “the 40 day prayer challenge” by Mark Batterson, I was reminded of 2
stories in the Bible where God did not save or deliver his people, by parting
the waters, until they stepped into the water…THEY HAD TO OBEY and TAKE
A STEP OF FAITH before he parted the water!
So all the pressure is
off, let’s JUMP into the water!
If you
are passionate and committed to making disciples and/or interceding with us in
any of these focus areas of Dallas, OR if you know leaders and connections in
these areas, please contact me directly...and quickly! I am sooooo excited,
anxiously anticipating what God has in store for us!
Below are a couple of pictures from our work as we focus on the Hispanic Community in January…
