She's Come Undone - again

"Then he said, 'Here I am~it is written about me in the scroll~I have come to do your will, O God."

Hebrews 10:7

There is a special place in Mozambique where God called me to a new level of obedience in my life ~where I came "undone" before the Lord. I responded with trembling arms raised in the night as an amazing wind swirled through Bethel~

When God calls, there is but one response: "Here I am". Those words always stir a passion in my heart. The first time I read Samuel (1 Samuel 3) when Eli realized what was happening and told Samuel to say "speak Lord, your servant is listening", I knew that God was calling each of us to respond the same way. That was so many years ago-long before that moment under the tree in Mozambique in 2009. Each time I come across these words in Scripture or in worship, I offer myself again to God, and each time I believe I come a bit closer to the reality of what it means to offer myself to God and to do his will.

In my devotions today in Hebrews, once again I find myself standing before God, confessing my need for him and my desire to do his will in every area of my life. The truth is that God is not looking for meaningless sacrifice or robotic compliance to rules and regulations; he is looking for total surrender of my will in all things at all times. The words are easy to say; the walking it out is always the challenge.

Lord, fill me with knowledge of your will for me this day through your Holy Spirit that I may draw strength and direction from you as I offer myself to you. Have your way with me, O Lord- Have your way.

These Things You Should Teach

Titus 2: 11-15

¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people.¹² It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³ while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

¹⁵ These, then, are the things you should teach.

In 2009, Crossroads sent a team of teachers to Mozambique to train teachers. Since then we have sent teams to drill and repair wells, to explore possible partnership with a rural hospital, to research small business development and create a business training, and last year as a group of Crossroaders built a training center for the Hope House orphanage, a team of teachers returned to train not only community teachers, but a group of government teachers as well. Every trip has focused on evangelism and sharing the gospel, but it has been deep in my heart that Crossroads is also supposed to develop leaders in Mozambique who will plant churches and disciple leaders and Christ followers. Clearly God has been preparing the way for the people of Mozambique and the people of Crossroads to partner for the full expression of his purposes there.

The time is near. Hearts have been prepared.

God is setting in motion all that is needed for this phase of the work in Mozambique to begin.

In June 2012, a Crossroads team will once again travel to Mozambique to be the hands and feet of Jesus. One group will provide a business training in Xai-Xai while the rest of the team will work at Hope House to provide a Community Bible School for the village where the orphanage is located and provide skill and craft training for the kids of Hope House.

On this trip, a small group of Crossroaders will travel to a distant village to join with a group of Mozambicans to share the gospel with neighbors in a nearby village which has no access by road. So, we will walk. We will carry what we need: food, water, fuel and a generator show the Jesus film. We will share the gospel of Christ and minister in prayer. We will bring the Light of Christ to a place where there was no light and we will plant the seed of Truth in the soil God has prepared.

This Mozambique Monday morning, I am praying for the people of Mozambique that the Light of Christ will overcome the darkness. The people who hear the Word of God will be filled with the Holy Spirit and released from fear and superstition. The Light of Truth will spread throughout the land and leaders will be called by God and guided by His Spirit to disciple those around them so that they will be set free to worship, honor and glorify the one true God. Praise be to God for the work he is doing not only in Mozambique, but throughout the world.