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Articles by Brenda Lancaster

FOR THE SAKE OF THE CALL: BACK UP OR MOVE FORWARD

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Jesus is calling us…issuing a special invitation. Will you accept?

 

BACK UP OR MOVE FORWARD

“Faithful is He who calls you and He will do it!” 

I Thessalonians 5:24, NLT”

“I don’t know how I’m going to do all this Lord. So much is happening in the ministry, good things, in so many different places. You know I’m not equipped to handle it! It’s way above my head God. I see the giants all around us. What do I do?”

The room was dark and Tom slept soundly beside me, muffled snores the only thing breaking the silence. And, of course, my thoughts were whirling as I lay beside him, wide awake at 3:00 a.m. Getting up for the third time, I decided to start reading Deuteronomy, hoping I’d fall asleep within seven verses.

Instead of making me fall asleep, God used what I call “the Reminder Book,” Deuteronomy, to remind me again of His faithful leading since the time He called me to this mission of Zookeepers Ministries. He reminded me He was the One who has done it, and will continue to do it. My calling is simply to obey, to speak the truth of His Word in love, and to follow His lead.

And to do it at His speed: baby step by baby step, or running with Him, however He chooses.

And He reminded me not to be afraid of the giants that try to stand in the way of the mission. They will fall as He commands.

That is God’s promise to us. He has a mission, a plan, for all our lives. When we let Him, He will do it in and through us.

Back in bed, I finally fell asleep sometime after 4:30 a.m.  Upon awakening a mere three hours later, I read Tami Carr’s Daily Dose of Encouragement, (September 19). I quote, “If there is one thing perfectly clear in this passage, it is that God takes responsibility for the success of the mission while Samuel’s response to God’s instructions is obedience …God is faithful to do what He says He will do. He is responsible for keeping His Word. We, like Samuel, must be obedient and trust Him to accomplish His plan in and through us.”

Confirmation. It’s like a breath of fresh air when you need it most. Yes, the mission He started twelve years ago will move forward as He leads. We will not stop because of giants in the land.

Dear Sister, has God called you a mission, and you’ve been afraid to move forward? Are the giants, the enemies of God’s plan, plaguing you with doubt? Don’t listen! Join us on mission, because God has a plan for you!

Ponder these things as you go about life today, and listen to this song as you begin the pondering.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JI4CPfuLW0

Until tomorrow,

Your Traveling Companion,

Brenda

 

DISCERNING GOD’S VOICE TO FIND GOD’S VICTORY: THE PROMISED VICTORY

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“God thunders marvelously with His voice; 

He does great things which we cannot comprehend.”

JOB 37:5

Sometimes the best encouragement comes through a true story, especially one that shows the mighty hand of God to be at work among us. Instead of the usual format, I’d like to encourage you this week with a true story. Each day the Encouragement will continue as the story unfolds. You don’t want to miss a single day!

 

THE PROMISED VICTORY

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, 

because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

I John 4:4

What a promise! In I John 4:4 God promises that we can overcome the voice of the enemy, if we have received Christ into our lives. If you do not know Him, click here (Janice insert link)  to learn how to have a relationship with God through Him.

FRIDAYThis week we have learned to discern God’s voice by understanding that His Voice will never contradict His Word. He will always confirm what He whispers in your heart by what He wrote in His written Word. His mercy and grace won the victory over my doubt and worry. He will win over your doubt and worry too … just call out to Him.

He proved this truth in the story I’ve shared this week. His Word told us to go, when that voice said to stay. Our reward was to see the men, women, boys and girls stand to receive Christ as Savior. What a blessing to hear the laughter of children’s voices as they had new shoes placed on their feet, ate hotdogs, and learned of God’s love for them personally.

And although the children may not realize it yet, the missionary visitors delivered something else for their parents that week. Something to make their single moms smile again, and for those who have moms and dads, something to make them smile at each other again. They delivered and shared the Word of God which, when followed, brings families back together. And that is exactly what is happening!

That was why the battle for Nicaragua 2015 raged so persistently for a year. I praise God that He did not let me listen to that voice but that He countered that voice with His own through the written Word of God.

In addition, we have learned that the international mission field is not the only place that the battle for our minds takes place. The battle rages every single day right here in America. Sometimes it’s right in our own territory. For me, right here on Topsail beach in sunny North Carolina. It raged when the enemy tried to use a black widow spider to steal my peace, joy, and rest. Rest promised to us in Matthew 11:28-30. Because you see, the battle rages right where we feel the most comfortable, when and where we least expect it … between husbands and wives, family members and friends … in our schools and universities. The battle rages over the souls of our children and youth, because the enemy wants to steal our kids for his own kingdom of darkness. We must wake up and refuse to let him win!

The enemy did not win in the story I’ve shared this week, and he does not have to win in your story either. Because …

“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, 

because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”

Until Next Time,

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda

DISCERNING GOD’S VOICE TO FIND GOD’S VICTORY: THE LEAST OF THESE

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“God thunders marvelously with His voice; 

He does great things which we cannot comprehend.”

JOB 37:5

Sometimes the best encouragement comes through a true story, especially one that shows the mighty hand of God to be at work among us. Instead of the usual format, I’d like to encourage you this week with a true story. Each day the Encouragement will continue as the story unfolds. You don’t want to miss a single day!

 

THE LEAST OF THESE

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25:40

THURSDAY_#1Yep. God had great plans for this mission—Nicaragua 2015! The enemy tried to stop those plans, because many people were about to hear the truth for the first time. Many were about to accept that truth, love, and forgiveness, and to be forever changed and forever set free. And that’s exactly what happened.

In churches, on ball fields, in prisons, police departments and politicians offices. God had the victory. Nicaraguan people found victory.

Police women, burdened with the task of keeping the peace in an often-violent society, found freedom in Christ. The lost souls they had cast into prison for their crimes were set free in their hearts and souls … for eternity.

Women without any viable means of support not only found hope for their spiritually starved souls, they found a new way to earn food for their family. And this time it was an honorable way, in the Solidaridad church, sewing kits that provide monthly health care for poverty-stricken women. And, the workers get 100% of the profits!

Yes, God had a plan—a Master plan to restore families with His principles for men and women and their marriage relationships. Children are blessed when husbands and wives find the truth that changes lives. And they were.

He had a master plan to bring redemption to the battle ravaged sinner who previously knew no hope existed.

He had a master plan to put shoes on the feet of poverty-stricken children, and provide bags of rice and beans, flour and oil, for those with no food. He had a plan to place antibiotic ointment and hydracortirzone crème into the hands of mothers with no way to treat a skinned knee or bug bite, and toothbrushes and toothpaste to care for the teeth of their children – as well as their own.

THURSDAY_#2He had a plan to give the gift of hair bands to little girls whose hair hung as strings in their faces. Those little girls stood in line waiting for a hair band for 30 minutes and went away with huge smiles, excitedly winding them into their hair.

We could only imagine what they said as they ran to their huts calling for their brothers and sisters saying,

“Come and see…the church has clothes for us, and new shoes to keep our feet dry when the rain comes. Come and see…the visitors are hugging us and kissing our cheeks as if they love us. They play with us; give us hot dogs, cookies, kool-aide, and candy. And bags of food for our mother to cook for the next two weeks. They’ve brought baseballs, bats, gloves, and shirts for our boys to have a baseball team, just like the rich kids. And they’ve told us the reason they came. Because their God – and His Son, Jesus, told them to come. They said that their Jesus loves us too.  And their God asked lots of others—people who couldn’t come this time—to show His love for us by sending the gifts.” 

In Matthew 25:40 Jesus said – from His lips to our ears,

And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Praise the Lord! Be sure to join me again tomorrow and I put the icing on the cake of this story. Our God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all we can ask, or even think to ask!

Until Tomorrow,

Your Traveling Partner,

Brenda