Sometimes, (let me change that) A lot of times God ask us to do something that we do not really understand and may not really want to do. I find myself in one of those times right now. It is much like in the book of Acts chapter 8, I read where Phillip is in Samaria and God is doing some amazing things in that area. Phillip was seeing people coming to Christ, the lame being healed, he even led a magician to the Lord. the Bible says "there was much rejoicing in that city." They were preaching the Gospel to many in Samaria but and angel spoke to Phillip "Get up and Go South to road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza, (this is the Dessert Road), so he got up and went."
Just a couple of observations;1.) Why did this road get the designation of the dessert road? didn't all the roads around there go through a dessert? To me, and I am probably wrong, Isn't that like saying "Take the corn road" to someone in Nebraska?
2.)Phillip just got up and went. Wouldn't be easy to say "Whhaaat? Good things are happening here. I am so comfortable, God is moving and i am a part of it. the people here are great the people are listening to me. etc..." But no. Even though it probably did not make any sense to Phillip, he got up and went. WOW! what faith, what obedience. And I notice that just like Abraham generations earlier, he just got up and walked because that is what god ask them to do.
That is where Velda and I find myself at this time. Now we are no Phillip or Abraham by any stretch of the imagination, but we find ourselves in a similar situation. We have been a part of Lone Oak First Baptist Church for about 15 years. It is the only church home I have ever had. I have experienced God moving and working in unbelievable ways and even on occasion I have been blessed by being used by Him in some small way that He might be glorified through a sinner like me. I have had opportunities of service and blessing that are indescribable. I have had people bless My family, love my family, encourage my family in more ways than I can recall. I would be crazy to leave there. But that is what I must do. Because I know that is what God is asking us to do. No, an angel of the Lord has not appeared to me, but His word has. In fact, I have had to ask His forgiveness for not being obedient to His call. You see He told us this a while ago, but because of our love for our church and its staff and people, we did not want to go and those are all noble things, but disobedience is disobedience regardless of the motive, and disobedience is sin.
People have asked us "What happened?" as if there is some ill reason why we would leave such a wonderful place, and my response is simply this. "God happened." He said walk and we are walking. Don't know why, don't know where, but do know God has a plan and a purpose and we can not wait to discover what it is. Please pray for us as we walk this road, that we will find our way of bringing Him Glory.
1 comment:
I don't understand God's ways either. I know that I don't like the thought of you and Velda leaving LOFBC. They two of you have served the Lord there in many ways. But I do understand the need to follow God's direction even when we don't understand. I pray that God will open your eyes to where he wants you to serve Him soon. Blessings to you, Phyllis Rambo
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