Lately, I've been reading one of the Moody Classics on the life of George Mueller entitled, Answers To Prayer. If you don't already know, George Mueller lived in the 1800's in Bristol, England. He opened many orphanages that ministered to thousands of children. The amazing thing about him was he started with little or no money and he never told anyone his needs. He simply prayed and asked God to supply. By that he was totally dependent upon God to meet his needs. He never depended upon himself or other people, but God alone. He said that what prompted his total dependence upon God and not man was the fact that he saw so many believers who did not really believe in a LIVING GOD. His desire was to encourage other's faith in a LIVING GOD and that God would receive all the glory for doing what he and no one else could do. One of the statements that George Mueller wrote was this: "Either we trust in God, and in that case we neither trust in ourselves, nor in our fellow-men, nor in circumstances, nor in anything besides; or we DO trust in one or more of these, and in that case do NOT trust in God." These and many other statements have caused much introspection. Do I really trust God? Sometimes I don't, I have to say. I sometimes come up with my own solutions or a plan B if God doesn't come through. Sometimes I trust in others and what they can do for me. When it comes to God's provision for my financial needs I can easily call someone, a friend or family member, when I get in a bind instead of simply praying and trusting God to provide. I have to admit that sometimes I get scared and think that He's not going to come through and I begin to try and figure things out on my own. How much of what we do as a church involve truly trusting God completely? How much of the money and support we raise comes from truly trusting God or is it trusting in man? These are things I'm struggling with and trying to work through. I believe God is using these times in my life to grow me into more dependence on Him. If God doesn't come through, then I'm sunk. When it comes to Mosaic Church, if God doesn't come through, then we're done. Dependence. I think this is exactly the place he wants me to be.
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all---how will he also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32
Duane
3 comments:
Hey Duane,
Pete from the Northwest Territories again. I just got back from a week in the bush with some youth and was visiting your blog.
Yes. You are right on here again. How hard it is for us to depend on Him. I truly wish it weren't. Sometimes I ache to be just like Pinocchio and totally reliant on my maker but I'm not and I know I regularly get in the way of His desires and plans.
Praise God for the grace of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. It looks like we're moving back to Ontario this summer to stay. We're not sure where we'll be. Cindi has some unique opportunities but they are a little up in the air and I have some applications out to different ministries and they are up in the air.
I was sitting out on the porch in the welcome sunshine with a coffee thinking all this is truly in God's hands and realizing how uncomfortable that makes me...and then I came in a read your blog entry.
Thanks for encouraging me from 6000 miles away. Thanks for sharing your heart the way you do. And thank God for your ministry to Culpepper and frankly, to me.
You go buddy. You rely fully on God. It may be uncomfortable but it's oh so real. Blessings from an imperfect Canadian in the North.
Pete
peteandcindiolsen@gmail.com
PS. When we get back, within a year or so, I may drop by on my motorcycle and shake your hand. Take care and keep on "knowing Him".
Duane,
What an encouragement! God has been teaching me similar things - and learning to trust Him is definitely one of them. I have realized that for so long I have trusted my paycheck instead of Him to provide for my needs, even though time and time again I have seen Him provide when the paycheck was gone or there was just no way we were going to be able to pay all our bills.
Speaking of George Mueller, I found this awesome article about him by John Piper. Check it out - it is great!
Forgot link. Sorry.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Biographies/1531_George_Muellers_Strategy_for_Showing_God/
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