Here I Am, Send Me Part 6: A Call To Arms

Here I Am, Send Me Part 6: A Call To Arms

by | Sep 12, 2024 | Called, Discover Your Ministry, Here I Am, Send Me, The Pattern

In the last few readings we examined certain figures in the Old Testament and how their attitudes can be applied to ministry.

The goal of the previous readings was also to motivate you to start functioning in your gifts and ministry through the application of 3 specific concepts – Faith, Desire, and the Action of Total Surrender.

Everything starts with Faith.

Faith lays the foundation for all that is to follow – it is the substance, or foundation, of our expectations (the things we hope for / our desires) and thus also our actions (the way in which we work towards those things).

Just as Moses put all his trust in the Lord, in the one who says: I AM, so also we must take that which we have and lay it before the Lord, trusting that He will give us the victory necessary to overcome our situation.

Just as Abraham had faith – putting his trust in the Lord – we have to get up and start going. We have to realize that the Lord has a plan for us and that He has called us to do great things for Him – to be a blessing for others.

When we do that we will sow the seeds of change wherever we go.

Just as Isaiah was saved by the grace of God, His sins forgiven, so also we were saved. His desire to please the God of his Salvation lead him to become a prophet – an instrument of the Most High.

The question is not, what can the Lord do for me, but rather what can I do for You, my Lord?

With a heart crying out in thanksgiving and praise for the Savior, we call out to the Lord, crying: HERE I AM, SEND ME!

Willing to give it all, we fall before the Lord, crying: Here I am, send me!

Just like Joshua we need to take action – we need surrender to the Lord and go where He wants us to go, do what He wants us to do – we need to position ourselves, through obedience and trust, to see His Will for our lives unfold.

Surrender is a constant event – it needs to be re-affirmed everyday. Why? Because we’re human. Because we want to be in control.

Total Surrender is a constant fight against the world and all the forces of evil raging around us – it is also a battle with our own bodies, our minds, our desires.

Total surrender is a consistent action – an every day labor against the flesh and our natural urges – a daily decision to give up our own plans for His plans – to stop writing our own story, and an invitation for God to write His story through us.

It is to stop building a legacy which will ultimately wither and fade away, and to start building His Kingdom – eternal and glorious – here and forevermore.

If you resonate with this – if you have come to believe that God has called you, if it is your desire to see His Kingdom come, to see the lost saved and revival poured out – then this is a call to action.

A call to arms – a call to pick up the tools and the weapons you need to take ground for the Kingdom.

Just as God commanded Joshua – it is time for us to take the land. It is time for us to act – it is time for us to get equipped, to be trained up – so that we may be sent out into the field.

Now that we have taken the action of surrender – giving ourselves to the work of the Lord – our next step is to get equipped. There are two prongs to this action.

The first and most necessary is the Work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Just as the Lord, through His Spirit alive and active in David’s life taught him how to wage war – just as God, through divine impartation gave the great artisan Bezalel the wisdom necessary to construct the Tabernacle – so the Lord will equip you through the indwelling of His presence.

This requires a relationship with Him – and I would urge you to take up the necessary spiritual disciplines of Bible Study and prayer (to name but two) to build this relationship – intimacy with Him, so that you can know the Mind and Heart of God. We are equipped through the practice of His presence.

I have, in my own life, come to the conclusion that we have to be so charged in our spiritual lives, our relationship with Jesus, that the atmosphere changes when we enter a room. We have to have such an intimate relationship with God, that to enter a room is to take the manifest presence of God with you.

We have to enter into the land that God has given us, into the land He shows us. We have to go to the place He wants us to be (both spiritually and physically).

The second part of our two-prong development plan is more traditional in nature. Through theory and practice – whether academic in nature or more on the job – very real training is necessary for us to be effective in ministry. It is important for us to gain an understanding of sound doctrine – to know what we believe and to express it coherently. It is also important for us to be practical – we should know HOW to do the things we need to do.

Picking up a hammer does not make you a craftsmen. It takes hard work and dedication. So it is with ministry. Picking up the Bible does not make you a minister. A soldier learns to swing his sword properly. You need knowledge, but you also need wisdom – the correct application of that knowledge in practice.

Every ministry has its own requisite set of boxes to tick. A good preacher needs to learn to communicate effectively, a good pastor needs a heart for the people – and a good worship leader needs to know a thing or two about music.

Whatever your ministry might be – you are about to embark on a rewarding journey of discovery, learning and development as you take your next steps towards the calling God has ordained for you – by applying the concepts of faith, desire and total surrender.

On this website you will find many resources added weekly, even daily, to help you grow in your relationship with the Lord as well as your calling and ministry.

If you need more personal guidance, or advice on which resources to use and where to find more – please reach out and send me an email: andre@adlabuschagne.co.za

Reflect:

1. You are called by God. What does this mean to you?

2. What does faith mean to you? How does this relate to your calling?

3. Desire is that which compels us towards either good or bad – and it is the main motivator of our actions. What is your desire? How does this relate to your calling?

4. Action is to do – more than just thinking, hearing or planning – it is to get up and act. What is the single most important next step you can take today to make a difference in the life of someone in your sphere of influence?

Prayer: Lord, my eyes are set on You. I pray that You will see my desire and increase my faith – that You will be my all and all. As I give You my heart and mind, my finances, my strength, all of my skills and talents – guide me Lord. Raise me up as a soldier in Your army, as a worker in Your field. Help me to turn my faith and desire into action – action that pleases You. Help me to lay my own thoughts down and to adopt the mind of Christ, so that You may be glorified in all I do. Help me to do Your Will rather than follow my own plans. I surrender to You and Your infinite wisdom, knowing that Your plans for me are better than the plans I have devised for my self. Be glorified in my life, Jesus, and help me on the journey ahead as I learn how to mobilize my faith and desire – as I learn practical ways in which to act – as I am equipped for Your Kingdom and Your Glory. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Here I Am, Send Me Part 5: Surrender

Here I Am, Send Me Part 5: Surrender

by | Sep 5, 2024 | Called, Discover Your Ministry, Here I Am, Send Me, The Pattern

Joshua is about action.

His name means ‘the Lord is Salvation’ or more accurately ‘Jehovah is Salvation’.

He was a military man – a mighty warrior – but also a prophet waiting on every word the Lord spoke unto him.

His job was to lead the Jewish nation of Israel back to their homeland – to the Promised Land. His job was to reclaim that which they had lost at the hands of their enemies, to take what the Lord had given them.

The author of Hebrews writes:

Hebrews 4:9-11: (KJV)
9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Rest is defined in the Webster’s Dictionary as:

A state of quiet or repose; a cessation from motion or labor; tranquillity; as, rest from mental exertion; rest of body or mind.

In Psalm 95 David speaks regarding the day of provocation in which Israel tempted God and saw His works for 40 years – and he also states – ‘if you hear His voice today, do not harden your hearts’, and this is an indication that there is hope. We can move into the rest of God – the rest of God being a cessation (an end) of our own works, of our own will, a state of quiet and response to the will of God.

Christ comes and calls us to move into the promise of restoration and salvation – the promise of a new life with God – He invites us into His rest and gives us His Spirit, our guide, our comforter and our teacher, so that we can find our rest, in His.

Easton’s Bible Dictionary states that this rest of God isn’t a Sabbath like rest, but rather a state of blessedness, and this corresponds with verse 11 where the author states – let us labor to enter into that rest!

That is exactly what Joshua did. He marched across the Jordan with absolute assurance that his God was with him – that he would not face these enemies alone. He had the faith, but now he had to react.

He made his way across the Jordan and gave himself as a living sacrifice to God, saying – Lord, have Your way in and through me.

He said, Lord, let Your will be done. Me and my house will serve You.

Surrender. He surrendered unto God, gave it all – his mind, his mouth, his heart, his physical self – everything was laid at His feet, before the throne of the Lord of Hosts.

Let us work to attain that state of blessed dependence upon God, let us work and strive for righteousness, hunger and thirst for His ways so that we can move into His rest!

Let us seek the true will of God, let us labor to have that assurance that what every step we take has been ordained by God, that we are fully and completely on His straight and narrow way.

If rest means the cessation of our works, our own works, it also means the start of His work in us.

Ceasing our labor (once we are in Him) allows Him to work in us.

This is another of those rather elusive key concepts we don’t always think about.

Absolute surrender.

If you want to be a success story in the Kingdom of God, stop writing your own story and let Him finish it. Cease your works and let Him work through you.

In Hebrews 4:11: we read:

16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Let us seek God with all boldness, just as He commanded Joshua – without fear.

Take action – surrender to Him.

Reflect:

1. What would it look like if you were surrendered to the call of God on your life? Where might it lead? What sacrifices would you have to make? What is hindering you – what obstacles are there between you and surrender to God?

2. Our labor (work) is to enter the rest of God – a place where our work stops and His work starts – what does this mean to you? How do we get to that place of absolute surrender?

3. What steps can you take today to step into the will of God for your life? What is the next step you have to take?

Prayer: Lord, You are the One who turns oceans into highways – You flatten the walls of the enemy to make the way straight before me – You move mountains to give me clear passage. I pray that You will show me the desires that I have put above You, that You will show me, through Your Spirit, the doubts and fears holding me back – and that You will help me give them to You. Remove these obstacles, oh Lord, and help me surrender all I have and all I am to You and Your Will for my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Here I Am, Send Me Part 4: Isaiah’s Desire

Here I Am, Send Me Part 4: Isaiah’s Desire

by | Aug 29, 2024 | Bible Studies, Called, Discover Your Ministry, Here I Am, Send Me, The Pattern

More than seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, there was a man named Isaiah, his name meaning ‘Salvation of Jehovah’. He wrote of the coming King, the Christ – our Lord Jesus, and he wrote as if he knew Him personally.

Historians are of the opinion that Isaiah might have been a part of the royal family – that he was related to the four kings he served during his lifetime (Uzziah, Jothan, Ahaz and Hezekiah). This would explain the easy access he had to them.

Another, more specific, tradition has it that his father was closely related to a king. His father was Amoz and could’ve been the brother of King Amaziah (the father of Uzziah).

Isaiah was definitely a well educated man, as his eloquent use of language indicates, and he probably came from a wealthy family.

His ministry began in the year that King Uzziah died, 740 B.C. and twenty years before the nation of Assyria destroyed the northern Jewish nation in Israel and a hundred and fifty years (estimate) before Babylon invaded his homeland of Judah.

I would like to take you to the sixth chapter of the book of Isaiah.

We read here:

1It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

The Lord appears unto Isaiah on a high and exalted throne – the King of Kings appears unto His servant, and His train fills the Temple. His presence fills the place as the Seraphim cry – Holy, holy, holy! As they rejoice and praise the Lord.

4Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

The presence of the Lord is so intense that the very room they are standing in is shaken – the entire building filled with smoke. What an awesome experience that must have been – imagine the awe and wonder that must have struck the prophet!

5Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Isaiah, however, is dismayed rather than overjoyed – he cries out, sorrowfully – I am doomed! He becomes aware, in the Holiness that is the Presence of the Most High, that he is a sinner, a sinful man. The fact that he is seeing the King, the Lord of Hosts is a sure sign to him that death will surely follow.

In a sense he is right. This encounter with God would render him, in a sense, dead to the world. Aware of his shame and despair, God and His heavenly host reacts.

6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”

God makes it clear to him that his sins have been absolved, through His servant He works salvation and Isaiah can stand there redeemed.

It is after this, and after this only, that God asks the question that would forever change Isaiah’s life.

8Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

And Isaiah answers: “Here I am. Send me.”

In reading this we become aware of one fact and that is Isaiah’s thankfulness and gratitude – he has been saved from his own wickedness – he has been announced free of the burden of sin, and now has one desire. He wants to serve the Lord.

He cries out – Lord, here I am! Hear me, see me, I want to serve You! Send me!

He doesn’t do it because of a sense of duty or obligation, but because it is his heart’s desire to serve God.

It is here that the Lord appoints Isaiah as a prophet.

Often we do things because we feel obligated – in a sense, forced – to do it. It’s as if God has saved us and now we HAVE TO do something. This mentality is the wrong mentality.

Quite a few years ago I went to Godly Revolution, which was a huge , annual Christian music event at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Johannesburg. One of the performers was former Tree63 frontman John Ellis. He ended their session with a petition for us to express our thanksgiving to God, to spend a few moments just being grateful for what He has done. He then broke into song singing ‘Look what You’ve done.’

One line sticks with me and replays itself in my head again and again. He sang – ‘The question is not, Jesus, what You can do for me, but what can I do for You, my Lord!”

What struck me the most is the emotion and sincerity with which he sang these words. He was definitely not fraudulent in his thanksgiving.

It all concluded with the entire crowd of thousands of young people singing, shouting and crying out the lyrics of ‘Amazing Grace’.

Isaiah cries out – Lord, look what You’ve done for me! Here I am, send me! It is my desire to serve You!

Nothing we can do can measure up against what Jesus had done for us. We can’t impress God, but we can serve Him and make an impression, for His sake, on the lives of others.

Let the fire burn in your heart – this is the road to revival.

The Bible doesn’t tell us much about Isaiah’s death, but the author of Hebrews, writing about Old Testament heroes, writes concerning the prophets:

37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Hebrews 11:37)

In an ancient manuscript entitled The Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah written in the first Christian century, or even earlier, by a Jew who lived in what is now Israel we read about the prophet’s cruel execution.

In the second chapter of The Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah we read:

7And when Isaiah the son of Amoz saw the lawlessness which was being perpetratcd in Jerusalem and the worship of Satan and his wantonness, 8he withdrew from Jerusalem and settled in Bethlehem of Judah. And there also there was much lawlessness, 9 and withdrawing from Bethlehem he settled on a mountain in a desert place. [And Micaiah the prophet, and the aged Ananias, and Joel and Habakkuk, and his son Josab, and many of the faithful who believed in the ascension into heaven, withdrew and settled on the mountain.]10 They were all clothed with garments of hair, and they were all prophets. And they had nothing with them but were naked, and they all lamented with a great lamentation because of the going astray of Israel.11 And these eat nothing save wild herbs which they gathered on the mountains, and having cooked them, they lived thereon together with Isaiah the prophet.

This is striking similar to the events recorded in Hebrews.

The book continues, in the third chapter:

7And Belchlra accused Isaiah and the prophets who were with him, saying: ‘Isaiah and those who are with him prophesy against Jerusalem and against the cities of Judah that they shall be laid waste and (against the children of Judah and) Benjamin also that they shall go into captivity, and also against thee, O lord the king, that thou shalt go (bound) with hooks 8 and iron chains’: But they prophesy falsely against Israel and Judah. And Isaiah himself hath 9 said: ‘I see more than Moses the prophet.’ But Moses said: ‘No man can see God and live’: 10 and Isaiah hath said: ‘I have seen God and behold I live.’ Know, therefore, O king, that he is lying. And Jerusalem also he hath called Sodom, and the princes of Judah and Jerusalem he hath declared to be the people of Gomorrah. And he brought many accusations against Isaiah…

Imagine the sorrow in Isaiah’s heart as he declared what God had impressed upon him, concerning the fate of his people – imagine the sorrow with which he shared this news!

Here these false prophets come and speak out against Isaiah making him out to be a charlatan rebel – an errant fraud!

These accusations would lead to his execution as an enemy of the people.

During his execution – by wood-saw – his accuser talked to him but received no answer, for the text explains that the prophet was absorbed in a vision of the Lord.

This book ends with these words:

And when Isaiah was being sawn in sunder, he neither cried aloud nor wept, but his lips spake with the Holy Spirit until he was sawn in twain. (The Martyrdom and Ascension of Isaiah 5:14)

Although the source is unverified and not a part of our Biblical Canon , it’s an interesting thought, possibly carried from generation to generation through oral tradition, until it was eventually written down.

The facts are there – both historically and biblically – it is important that we compare these two sources and thus find a fuller, more compelling vision of the life and death of the prophet who saw God and lived.

What gets to me is the thought that Isaiah’s love for the Lord, his desire to give everything to and for the God of his Salvation, did not subside even in the face of persecution, suffering and certain death.

This is key to our own ministry as desire often dictates what we do.

The concept I want to leave with you here is a simple one – turn your eyes upon Jesus! Don’t ever lose sight of Him! Make him your desire – let the desire to please Him and to make Him known be the driving force behind every thing you do.

If we keep our eyes firmly set upon the God of our Salvation we will never be tempted to stray from His way and will endure unto the end!

Reflect:

1. What is your desire today? What is the one thing you desire most? How does this desire shape the way you live? How does this desire affect your ministry?

2. Isaiah saw the Lord, and this one encounter had a profound affect on how he lived the rest of his life. We cannot get a glimpse of glory and not want more – what encounter have you had with the Lord that has started shaping your desire for more of Him in your life?

3. A compelling vision of Christ is what drives us –what can you do to have a more compelling and vivid vision of Jesus and His Kingdom? How will such a vision drive you towards living out the call God has placed on your life?

Prayer: Lord, be my desire. Let a passionate fire for Your Kingdom burn within my heart as I take up the call – let me be a minister of fire. Let a zeal for Your house consume me. I pray that You will remove distraction from my life and that You will give me the wisdom to keep my eyes set on You. Let everything I do be a testimony of Your goodness and grace in my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

Here I Am, Send Me Part 3: Pushing Through (Faith)

Here I Am, Send Me Part 3: Pushing Through (Faith)

by | Aug 22, 2024 | Articles, Called, Discover Your Ministry, Here I Am, Send Me, The Pattern

In the previous reading we examined Abraham and the concepts of Faith and Action briefly. Now, let us consider Moses.

Both of these examples – Moses and Abraham – were men called at different times in the history of Israel for different reasons – called for a specific reason, time and place.

Moses was called to act as the saving arm of God – to lead the Israelites out of their Egyptian captivity.

Let’s examine Moses.

His name means “Saved from Water”. I am always astounded by the Biblical names and what they mean – a name, in Jewish culture it would seem, means a lot.

His name is perfect since it serves as a testimony to the fact of who he is – he was saved from a watery death, taken up from the Nile where he was drifting in his basket, by the Pharaoh’s daughter.

It all went down like this:

Up until the death of Joseph – who you might remember as the guy in the Technicolor dreamcoat – the Israelites were pretty happy, growing strong and numerous, apparently making up quite a large part of the Egyptian population. Unfortunately, after Joseph and his generation had died out, a new Pharaoh arose, one who did not know Joseph, and he saw the Israelites as a threat.

And so the children of Israel were plunged into slavery, drawn into a situation of oppression and tyranny. In Ex 1:8-14 we find that they were ‘afflicted’ with ‘heavy burdens’. They became the menial workforce, God’s chosen people building cities for a heathen king. We also find, in v. 12 that the more the Israelites were oppressed, the more they multiplied, and the Egyptians feared them. So, in Ex 1:15-22: the Pharaoh institutes a decree, declaring that all the sons born to the Hebrews are to be cast into the Nile.

Moses is born after the decree has been set, and his mother kept him for three months before letting him go. Pharaoh’s daughter found him and adopted him as her own. By God’s providence (divine intervention) the adversary was ultimately brought down by his own daughter.

When Moses had come of age and was a man he became aware of his people’s suffering, became aware of their burden, and after killing an Egyptian, and Pharaoh finding out about his transgression, he fled to Midian, and took a wife (Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, the priest of Midian).

Exodus 2:23-25 (KJV)

23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto [them].

In the ESV that last part reads: God saw the people of Israel – and God knew. God not only knew their situation but also knew how He was going to deliver them…

Meanwhile, while the people of Israel were groaning and grumbling, Moses was tending to the flock of his father-in-law. He led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The angel of the Lord appeared to Him, in the form of burning bush, and Moses went to investigate. When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, he started a dialogue with Moses, and the promise of salvation was made.

Exodus 3:21-22: (KJV)

And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put [them] upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

After much doubt and a spot of low self-esteem, Moses returns to Egypt. The Lord tells Aaron to meet him in the wilderness, and they met at the mountain of God. Moses shared everything with Aaron, and together they went before the elders of Israel. Israel believed and worshipped God!

Moses and Aaron then went before Pharaoh, and confronted him. Pharaoh is angered and increases the workload of the Israelites, causing much doubt and irritation. The people of Israel are now angry, and Moses is made fully aware of their resentment. Moses also starts questioning the purpose God has for him, and the promise of deliverance.

Our God is an awesome God, in the face of adversity His people prosper! God reassures Moses and once again reaffirms the promise of salvation.

The two brothers once again went before Pharaoh. Pharaoh, on this occasion, seeks proof, and demands a sign. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants and it became a serpent.

The magicians of Egypt however duplicated this effect, also turning their staffs into serpents, but God is all-powerful and none can stand before Him. Aaron’s staff swallowed their staffs.

The fact that Aaron’s serpent devoured the others can be seen as a sign to the probably arrogant magicians, something along the lines of – ‘my God is bigger than your god…’

Pharaoh, however, still refused to heed their request, and his heart was hardened. So began the ten plagues in Egypt. During the first nine Pharaoh continued to disobey and lie, and after the final plague he gave in, his will broken, he chased them from Israel. In Exodus 3:21-22 the promise is made and in Exodus 11:2 it is fulfilled – Israelites are given favor in the eyes of the Egyptians. God makes a distinction between the Israelites and the people of Egypt, and The Passover is instituted.

After all that had to be done was done, at midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the

land of Egypt. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron by night and told them to take their people and leave. Thus the children of Israel journeyed, and eventually (approximately two months after they took their leave from Egypt), arrived at Mount Sinai.

What strikes me as the most important thought here, after we read the success story, this tale of victory, is his reluctance to serve the Lord and his ongoing doubts and fears throughout. God appears to him and says – Moses, you are going to free my people!

But Moses replies, and eloquent as ever says: Huh? Me?

But the Lord won’t relent and continues – Moses, you will go before Pharaoh and you will convince him to let my people go.

Moses asks: But, Lord, who am I to go to Pharaoh? (And we can almost hear the doubt and fear in his voice.)

The Lord, faithful as ever answers: I will be with you.

In a sense God is saying – be still and know I am God, I am with you – there’s no reason for fear, no reason to be afraid. You are my representative and you will speak nothing but My word – don’t fret, don’t fear, just do what I command you to do – My plan is fail safe and fool-proof. My plan is prosperous.

And Moses, still doubtful and fearing, cries out – Lord, they will not believe me! They will call me a liar!

He’s looking for excuses as his heart cries out saying – I am just a man – with flaws and failures, I can’t do it!

The Lord however says: What is in your hand?

And all Moses has is a rod, a staff… the Lord then goes on to show him how He can use the mundane and ordinary to be extraordinary and miraculous.

All Moses has is a mustard seed of faith – taking a chance – believing the promise of God: I WILL BE WITH YOU. A little bit of faith that God can use the mundane and ordinary to do extraordinary and miraculous things.

Tonight the Lord is saying – It doesn’t matter who you are. Whether you’ve been a liar or an absolute saint, whether you’ve been a thief or a priest – I can use what you have for MY glory.

He says, bring you sorrow, bring your pain, your brokenness – I will use it to establish Myself as the Mighty Savior, the Name above all Names – I will use your flaws and failures, your scars and wounds, to change your life and bless you and those around you.

I have a plan for you, and you don’t have to be afraid, because I know who you are – I am fully aware of what you are and aren’t capable of, and My plan is tailored specifically and uniquely for you.

Take the little bit of faith that you have in your hand right now – that mustard seed of faith – and watch God multiply and increase it through your trust and obedience.

Do as Moses did and have some faith – push through your doubt and fear – put your trust in the One who say ‘I AM’, because ‘HE IS’ everything!

Reflect:

1. What doubts and fears do you have at the moment in regards to your calling? In Exodus 3 and Joshua 1 God makes a very specific promise to His servants. What is this promise and how does this answer your doubts? How does this still your fear?

2. Are there any other promises in God’s Word that you can hold onto to bolster your faith and carry you through? Make a list of these promises and put it somewhere you can see it and be reminded of it daily.

3. When it comes to taking action in regards to our calling it can seem overwhelming at first – we can see the Promised Land of God’s Call, but we often don’t know where to begin. God tells Moses to use what is in his hand. What do you have in your hand right now? This could be resources, contacts, knowledge, skills, talents – even your testimony – what do you have that you can use to make a difference today?

Prayer: Today Lord, give me the assurance that You are with me. Quiet me with Your great love – give me peace. I pray that You will direct me – all my resources and all of my efforts – towards fulfilling the calling You have prepared for me. Show me what it is I can do for You today. Let me be an instrument of Your love and mercy, an ambassador of Your Kingdom, in all of my coming and going – in Jesus Name. Amen.

Here I Am, Send Me Part 2: Faith and Action

Here I Am, Send Me Part 2: Faith and Action

by | Aug 16, 2024 | Called, Discover Your Ministry, Here I Am, Send Me, The Pattern

In the eleventh chapter of Genesis we meet a man named Abram – whose name would later be Abraham – the son of a man named Terah.

Terah raised his family in the cosmopolitan (that is to say, without national prejudices or peculiarities) city of Ur. This city was built near the Euphrates River in what is now southern Iraq.

That means that, had he grown up in today’s world – according to our modern map, he would’ve been an Iraqi citizen. He had been born, raised and married in Ur, just across the river from the southern Iraqi town of Nasirya – which was a hard-fought holdout during the 2003 war when American and British troops ousted the dictator Saddam Hussein.

According to Stephen M. Miller, author of ‘Who’s Who and Where’s Where in the Bible’: “Ur was the New York City of four thousand years ago – the world’s hub of culture, power and wealth.”

Ur is one of the oldest cities ever discovered – estimated to be about sixty-five hundred years old. It grew to become the capital, or control centre, of the world’s first real empire – Sumer!

In Abraham’s day this city was at its peak, but a century later was destroyed by invaders. Critics have stated that Abraham’s father (Terah) might have seen the hints, signs of such an invasion, and that was his reason for moving his family six hundred miles upriver to settle in the caravan town of Haran.

We read in Genesis 11:29-32: that Abraham and his brother Nahor had taken wives – Abraham married a girl named Sarai (Sarah) whose name means ‘princess’ and she was found to be infertile. Terah, the father of Abraham then took his family – including Lot, the son of Haran, and they left for Canaan, but never made it there, instead settling in the land that bore the same name as his dead son.

They only made their way about half way and came to this village (Haran), its name an Akkadian word meaning ‘road’. Apparently he liked the wonderful pastures and plentiful water he found there and stayed until he died at the age of two hundred and five.

At that point Abraham was about seventy-five years old.

In Genesis 12:1-2: we read:

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. (NLT)

The Lord speaks to Abraham saying – I have a plan for your life! I want to use you to bless others! I have prepared a land for you, I have a gift to give you – one that will raise you up beyond the physical and worldly stature of your peers! I want to bless you and write your name in the annals of history! Abraham! I have plans for you – and all you need to do is get up and go where I lead! Answer this call and everything will be given unto you!

God calls Abraham – answering the one question we all have racing through our minds. In this series we ask – why are we here? What is the purpose of life?

God answers, using the same words He spoke unto Abraham – Leave your native country, your relatives and your father’s family – your comfort zone – and follow Me to the land that I will show you – to the place I have in mind for you! I will make you into a great nation – I will make you a part of My family, My church! I will bless you and make you famous (give you an audience – whether 5 or 5 thousand) – I will consecrate you and make you remarkable in the eyes of your peers – and you will be a blessing to others, you will glorify Me!

How do we react? How do we claim this promise? How do we make these words our own?

As we will see, throughout the duration of this workshop, God promises us many things – gifts and ministries – and we need to react to His words, each and every time, in faith. It is through faith and faith alone that we claim and apply His promises and victory!

The author of Hebrews writes the following:

8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (Hebrews 11:8-10: KJV)

What the author is saying is that Abraham, through faith – trusting that the word God had given him was true and faithful – left his old life behind and obeyed completely, going out to seek the land of promise, looking for a city which had its foundations in the Lord – whose builder and maker is God!

By faith he trusted in the Lord and went out, following but not knowing where.

He submitted wholly to the Lord God and His plan.

This reading is entitled Faith and Action.

Faith is an uncompromising trust, the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.

In this case he put his trust solely in the word of God spoken unto Him, trusting the authority and veracity of the One who spoke it.

This led to action. Action is the process or condition of acting or moving, as opposed to rest; the doing of something; exertion of power or force, as when one body acts on another; the effect of power exerted on one body by another; agency; activity; operation; as, the action of heat; a man of action.

He moved, in response to the promise of God, into the will and way of the Lord.

Everything in life is bound to these two things – faith and action.

Faith determines our expectations – and this spurs on our actions. We believe that we will see water when we turn the tap. We have faith that gravity will keep us down to earth – even though most of us can’t really explain what gravity is.

We act – and our actions have consequences and results. We walk, we talk, we think – all of these are actions.

Faith and action is a daily part of our physical lives, but how often do we apply this to the spiritual sphere that surrounds us? How often do we grasp the spiritual truth in God’s Word and act on it?

How often do we believe what we read in the Bible during our quiet time or daily reading?

How often do we believe and do?

Right now God is saying: I have plans for you – are you willing to get up and go? Are you ready to leave all your ideals and ideas behind and follow Me to the land I have prepared for you?

Are you willing to choose God’s way and stay on it wherever it may lead?

Reflect:

1. Imagine for a moment what the promised land of your calling looks like. What is it God wants to do through you and for you? What are some of the closed doors between you and fulfilling your calling? What are the two keys that will unlock the way forward for you to step into this destiny?

2. How do you define faith? What does it look like, right now, to trust God with your calling and your future?

3. Action is a physical and material response based on our faith. What action can you take today as a step towards your calling?

Prayer: Lord, help me today to have complete trust in Your Word. Let Your Word come alive in my heart and let it be a lamp unto my feet – guiding me, leading me onward through the darkness of uncertainty. Give me wisdom, Lord, give me strategies and a way forward so that Your will might be done in and through my life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

Here I Am, Send Me Part 1: God has a plan!

Here I Am, Send Me Part 1: God has a plan!

by | Aug 7, 2024 | Called, Here I Am, Send Me, The Pattern

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. In Paul’s letters to the Colossians, quite a few hundred pages later, we read the following:

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Col 1:16-17: KJV)

Everything in the earth and in the heavens was created through Him – by His mighty hands – and for Him – to serve His purpose.

As human beings capable of intelligent thought as well as reasoning, we find all kinds of questions racing through our minds and, at times, our hearts.

Many of the worlds greatest thinkers, philosophers, poet, artists and scientists have looked for the meaning of life – asking, “why are we here?”

And just as many have passed on without ever getting an answer.

We as Christians, having to our advantage the very Word of God and His Holy Spirit to convince us of the right way and to lead us therein, we have the answer!

For His glory! For His glory we have been created and formed – for His glory we have been planted here.

We have been called for a place and a time such as this. You have been planted here, wherever that may be, for a reason, and not just any reason, but for God’s reason – to be the manifestation of His glorious plan, to be a part of the coming revival (which I am convinced will be coming soon), to be part of a revolution – there is more to life than just being!

Each and every one of us has been created with a purpose to fulfil in the greater ecosystem of His Kingdom.

We have been created for His glory. But what does that mean and how do we embrace it?

Sorrowfully I become aware of the great potential God has put in us and how we have the tendency to waste it. So many of us simply don’t realize that we have a purpose, that God has a plan! And

There have been many people with great potential – exceptional skill and talent, many with great minds – who have missed it completely – choosing to serve the world rather than God. Choosing death rather than life. Imagine what a force for revival they could’ve been if they had only met God on a personal, intimate level and allowed Him to use them.

Today I believe we are standing at that same crossroad. We have a choice set before us.

Do we see that which God has placed within us, that which He wants to give us, or do we turn a blind eye and ignore His great gifts? Do we ignore the voice of the Lord calling to us right now – ‘whom shall I send?’ – or do we jump head first and with wild abandon into His will for us?

The choice is yours today.

On this website you will find many resources added weekly, even daily, to help you grow in your relationship with the Lord as well as your calling and ministry.

If you need more personal guidance, or advice on which resources to use and where to find more – please reach out and send me an email: andre@adlabuschagne.co.za

Reflect:

1. We are all called to be a part of the ecosystem of God’s Kingdom. Often an ecosystem will contain many smaller ecosystems as well. This could be your workplace, your home, your school, your church or your community. Where has God planted you? What ecosystems are you a part of? How does your sphere of influence look?

2. What are some of the needs in your immediate sphere of influence? Is it food security? Mental health? Spiritual poverty?

3. Think of one or two small ways that you can make a difference and meet these needs – whether it is giving a neighbour a loaf of bread, praying with a friend, or even just offering a shoulder to cry on. What is a practical way in which you can take your first step into servanthood and ministry? How can you be a beacon of refreshment, renewal and revival in your ecosystem today?

Prayer: Lord, I give you my heart, my mind and all of my strength. Do with me as you will. Make me an instrument of Your peace, a beacon of Your love and an ambassador of Your Kingdom. Let my heart be set on your ways, and Your ways set within my heart so that I might be a faithful witness of Your Grace and Mercy. Show me, through Your Holy Spirit, how I can make a difference today. Help me make the small things count. Every gesture, every conversation – in all of my coming and my going – be glorified. Use my life to write testimonies in the lives of others. In Jesus Name. Amen.