A warm hello to all whose eyes wondered onto this post! Let me tell you of the wonderful things the LORD is doing. As everyone probably knows, I have been living in El Salvador for the past two and a half months. I will remain here for another week then journey on to Malawi.
Over the last couple weeks God has been working on my heart in BIG ways and I have noticed our ministry is a good illustration of the work He is doing. Recently, the team and I started working for a small campus of Tabernacle Baptist. The campus is located less than a mile away from where we are living but is in a dangerous location. The church sits directly off a highway and behind it is a large valley. About a mile behind the church, in the valley, is where many gang members live. This effects our ministry a lot because we cannot always go to the church. For example, just last month, two people were shot and killed right in front of the church.Regardless, the work we now get to do is clearing out a large drainage system that is next to the church.
When we first saw the “drainage system” we saw nothing but a small swamp. Mud, mosquitoes, bees and dirty water. Ill be honest, it was hard to get excited about it. BUT the encouraging attitudes of my team helped me pick up the shovel, and it has been one of the best decisions I have made. Little did I know, this was the beginning of a lesson God was about to teach me.
We worked for many days on this smelly swamp, and started making good progress. We had to first flush the water out, then came the digging of the dirt. What was once a swamp, was becoming what it had originally been. A drain. It took hours and hours of shoveling and moving dirt the reveal what was underneath.
It took me awhile to notice that this project was a physical example of what God was doing in my heart. To be transparent, recently I have felt very dry. I felt like an empty milk carton in the fridge; in the right place, but useless. I spent a lot of time in prayer—praying that the Lord would reveal Himself to me so I could feel Him once again.
I couldn’t help but feel guilty because I didn’t feel The Spirit within me. I kept trying to DO something to feel Him. But that’s where I was wrong. Thinking back, I have faced this problem throughout my life, trying my best to feel Him. Thanks to God’s wonderful timing, I found a book that was given to me before leaving. This book is called, The Normal Christian Life. I began reading it thinking it would help me grow closer to Him. From the very beginning the Lord started revealing Himself through the words of Watchman Ne.
The Lord revealed to me that I don’t have to DO anything to be in The Spirit, just as I don’t have to DO anything to be forgiven. God has already finished all that needs to be DONE. He DID it on the cross. And in the same way that I have been justified by His blood, I have been given (notice the past tense) The Spirit when He was exalted into heaven. I ALREADY HAVE THE SPIRIT. Just as I believe He has done the work and forgiven me, I also must believe He has given me HIS SPIRIT!
Oh the joy that this revelation has given me! As Watchman Ne says,
It is all a question of the faith which comes by revelation. When our eyes are opened to see that the Spirit has already been poured out because Jesus has already been glorified, then our prayer turns to praise in our hearts.
My prayer that was just a moment ago asking Him to fill me has changed to thanking Him for filling me! What an amazing God He is! Who am I to question the great I AM? Praise be to my Father that He is worthy of all glory and honor. He has removed the dirt that was covering my heart and allowed me to see!
ALSO, only nine more days here in El. Salv., then we fly to Africa! We will be living in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, working with Harvesters Ministries! Our ministry will include door to door evangelism and church planting!
Pray over our team as we finish our work here and transition to a new country. We are so thankful for all the support everyone has shown us! We could not be where we are today had it not been for the support of our friends and family! AND thank you for the continued support through prayer. The Lord has been good, as always.
Thank you for reading! More updated coming soon as we switch countries!
GOD IS GOOD
