I love the book of Isaiah. There are so many powerful and wonderful truths contained in that book. I love, love, love Is 6:8 and the passionate prayer of Isaiah to be sent by God. I also love Isaiah 40:31, Those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.
The Lord has used [Is 41:10] to comfort and encourage me numerous times. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God, I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.
There are numerous other passages God has used at one time or another to guide me. Is 42:8-9, Is 43:2, Is 43:18-19, Is 55:8-9, and Is 62:6-7 just to name a few. What a masterful prophet. God has used this book to minister to many over the centuries.
Isaiah loved God and wanted to obey Him. That is my heart as well. I want to obey God and follow by faith. I want God to be glorified.
Am I willing to appear looking like a fool to other Christians and a lost world in my obedience to His leadership? That subject dominated much of my praying this morning. I thought I had weighed the odds and settled on the life of obeying God by faith and then I read Is 20:2-3. Nothing could have prepared me for that level of faith and obedience this morning. Read it for yourself. During that time the Lord had spoken through Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, "Go, take off your sackcloth and remove the sandals from your feet," and he did so, going naked and barefoot - the Lord said, "As My servant Isaiah has gone naked and barefoot three years as a sign and omen against Egypt and Cush.
Talking about risking looking the fool. For THREE YEARS ISAIAH WENT AROUND UNCLOTHED BECAUSE THE LORD TOLD HIM TO. We would have made excuses. We would rationalize such behavior is not socially acceptable or even legal. We would dearly cling to our reputations. Isaiah simply obeyed God's instructions by faith. He risked ridicule not for a few days but for three years. Surely people joked about him. Surely their were rumors and people labeled Isaiah a complete fool. Yet he obeyed God.
In 2003 I obeyed God in what I felt to be a clear leading from Him to trust Him for financial provision without getting a job or telling people our financial needs. The church wer served was tiny and the offerings were low. We lived that way for 18 months. We were tested repeatedly. Their were gossips and many people whispered behind our backs that I was a fool. Most doubted I had heard clearly from God. The end result. A book I wrote titled, Behold The Faithfulness Of God, filled with testimony after testimony of how God provided in answer to prayer. My God came through over and over again for a year and a half with our family having no guaranteed salary. Yes we looked a fool but God got the last word and glorified His name through faith obedience.
In 2008 I once again looked like a fool in obedience to the Lord. I gave away my truck with out the means to get another vehicle. Again people gossiped. I walked to church for awhile. I drove the church van until the Lord instructed me not to even do that. Many offered to let us burrow a vehicle but the Lord hindered me from accepting those offers. Seven months went by before the Lord made provision. The truck I drive to this day came as a result of our stepping out on faith and appearing a fool.
July 24, 2011 I once again appeared a fool to fellow Christians and a watching world when I left the comfort, security, and blessing of serving as pastor to FBC Seminole. I gave up the largest salary I have ever known as a pastor to start a church. When I drove out of West Texas I drove away from security toward risk not even knowing if the new church would be able to pay me anything. When I did learn they would pay me, the salary proved 60% less than what I made in Seminole. Brenda and I determined upfront we would not tell people our financial needs. When we have been in need, which has been often, we have taken those matters to the Lord. Time and space do not allow me to recount all that God has done in providing for our needs. Time and time again God has used someone to meet a specific need at just the right time like car repairs, home repairs, clothing for the boys, paying for youth camp, a supply of a freezer full of beef, helping with Taylor going to college and even a vacation. We have been humbled and also appeared the fool to many people. We still obeyed God. God has always come through for us.
Just because we have taken faith steps in the past does not mean we get to coast into our retirement years on easy street. Quite to the contrary. God continues to instruct me to risk looking a fool in obedience to Him. I will question what if God does not come through? What if I did not hear Him clearly? What will happen if I give up the safe and secure road for the risky road of rigorous faith? What about what people will say? What if I fail?
Isaiah obeyed God and looked like a fool doing so. Should I expect any less. I can thank God He has never called me to go unclothed as a sign to this nation. He has asked me to unclothe my dignity repeatedly as I obeyed Him. I have often been humiliated. I have wanted to hide in total embarrassment from those who saw my faith obedience as foolishness.
What about you? Do you hold to your reputation more than obedience? Do you truly have faith to obey? Is your trust in God only theory or are you willing to put it into tangible action today? Will you too risk appearing a fool to this world in your obedience? D you really believe God, who assures us He will never leave us or forsake us, will ctually come through for you? Are you willing to appear a fool so God can be more greatly glorified? If you cannot say yes to those things I submit you have a faith in God that is not real. Faith is not real until you have stepped out with God and will most assuredly crash and burn unless He comes to your aid.
Yes, it is true. Many times I have appeared the fool to those watching. Many have scratched their heads in bewilderment at some of my exploits. True, there have been some times when I have gotten it wrong. Yet, down deep I know God is pleased because without faith it is impossible to please Him. [Heb 11:6] I have appeared the fool in the past and am assured I will appear that way again in the very near future. May God strengthen my faith to obey no matter what He calls me to do. Will you do the same?
I recently came across some resolutions I wrote down for my life years ago. Here is one of them. I resolve to sprint toward risk by faith when God instructs me to do so and leap in trust everytime until my last day and my last breath? I challenge you to do the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment