10/20/2015
Did you know Jesus ran the first discipleship, evangelism, bible, missions & leadership schools all combined as one event? There were 12 students and it was about three years long. At the graduation ceremony He gathered the students, who were about to become staff and said:
John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
When we were first discipled we learned how to “Abide” (live, remain, stay) in Jesus. We developed a closer relationship with Jesus. This relationship causes us to do actions that become habits. These habits produce “much fruit” and glorify God. What actions should all new believers (or DTS Students) learn to do? Personal prayer life, reading the Bible, Worship corporate and private, Hearing God's Voice, Missions, Teamwork, Humility…..The list may go on and on. These are some of the ways we “Abide in Him”.
When God calls you to become a missionary He is asking you to continue to “Abide in Him” through the relationship, actions and habits first learned as a new believer (or DTS Student). But we get very busy. It is very easy to forget to “Abide in Him”. God will hold you accountable to “Abide in Him” many ways. Through the Bible, Holy Spirit, Leaders, Peers, Community, and even through your need and provision of Finances.
I believe that God is SO excited to have relationship with you, that He has chosen to financially provide for your needs in a way that requires you to fully “Abide in Him”. God has linked fully “Abiding in Him” with becoming a fully funded missionary. He knows we need finances to be fruitful (and to eat).
Jn 15:7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
Jn 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
He wants to provide! The goal in becoming a fully funded missionary is not to have luxuries or become most comfortable but to become fully effective to “bear much fruit”.
Imagine a very busy family that has multiple young children. The parents have created a tradition of preparing a daily meal where all the members of the family spend time together building relationship. But as the children become young teens they begin to test their independence. The children stop showing up for the meal and instead are out playing with friends, studying school work or even doing their required family chores. The parents recognize all these activities as good, in their time, but remind their children the reason for the family meal was specifically to develop relationship. When the children still don’t come to the meal the parents decide to limit access to snacks before the meal. The parents love their children and desire to spend time with their children so much that they are willing to become more and more strict about what other food is available. The children could be convinced by people outside the family that the parents are trying to starve them, but this is not the goal.
Instead if the children simply ask their parents they will realize that if they are willing to spend time with their parents there is plenty of food available at the daily meal. The parents are using their natural hunger for food to draw the children into making a choice to renew relationship with the parents. In fact, once the children continue to attend daily meals for a season the parents are able to trust the children with more food and snacks than they would ever consume themselves.
Again the main focus of the parents is not about food, but instead about developing, and deepening relationship with their children. The parents recognized that their children will have much greater responsibilities required of them in the near future, as adults, and the relationship built through quality times of family meals will become essential to becoming “fruitful” and well prepared adults.
As all parables, this one is limited and shouldn’t be read as a parenting guide, but instead is an analogy to my experience with God’s provision in my life. I remember many times being “hungry” for the finances to do the very good things that He had called me to do. God, like the parents, used that “hunger” for finances to draw me, like the children, back to the “table” of relationship with Him. He wants me to be in the habit of deep continuous relationship so I will not become distracted when He provides more finances than I will need for my personal use. It is in this overflow that I am enabled to “bear much fruit” by traveling to the ends of the earth, having enough resources when I get there, and the provision to be generous when I find desperate needs.
God wants to provide all finances for the things you personally need, and for all the things in your ministry that will allow you to “bear much fruit”. He has dreams for you to do such great things that He will have to provide beyond your wildest imagination, but first you must “abide” in relationship with Him!
“Thank you God for my financial need. I recognize that this need is a reminder that I must spend time focused first on You. I praise You for the wisdom that draws me back to You. I choose seek You first before all the other things that You have given me the privilege to do. When You provide I will not become distracted by Your provision, but instead will give continued praise and thanks to You my Provider!”
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