So, this new. Currently in Brazil. Five weeks in on my outreach phase. Ready to see even more. The Lord's been teaching me about leadership and following Him more and more every single day. I've noticed that He's blessed me with an incredible and simple knowledge that He is good. Regardless of whether I have a bad day or good, I just KNOW that He's good, so I don't really have bad days. I've been noticing a recurring pattern in the team where they always seemed to repent of self-focus and selfishness. I asked the Lord, "how do I lead these guys into personal sacrifice everyday and cease having to stop the entire team to deal with this?" He took me back to the scriptures when Jesus offered the young rich man to sell all of his possessions. Jesus offered the road to sacrifice, or to the world. So he said to me, "give them the choice of sacrifice or self." That's what I'm going to do.
The team is embarking on a three day fast to gain a greater heart for Brazil and to really ask the Lord why we're here. I love it. I usually don't like saying things like this but today we had an amazing time with the Lord. I don't like to say it because every time really is amazing, but we just had a crazy encounter. Ashley, a friend on the team couldn't speak in English and could only speak in tongues for a couple of hours. In the midst of this, I'm dealing with frustrations and things that are occupying my mind. I found it hard to engage and really focus in. But the Lord remained good as usual. He reminded me that the main thing is Jesus. Again. Seriously, I wonder how many times I can be reminded of that and still get rocked. Crazy.
The past week the team has started men and women ministries focused on the members of the church we work with and seeing them discipled into following Jesus. It's been amazing. Seeing the men realise the importance of the act of confessing sins to one another and bringing to light the things in their lives they're ashamed of. They were saying things like, "what if you guys hate me after I confess?" I was overjoyed at the new and daring hearts they were possessing as they stepped out and we saw freedom overcome them. So much so, that their faces and appearance seemed to be lifted. He is worthy.
As we're fasting the Lord led us to Isaiah 58. I'm excited to see how real the gospel really is and do the things in that passage. True fasting.
Andrew, you are an amazing leader. Just need people and situations to pull it out of you. Glad to be a friend. Hope I am here when you get back.
ReplyDeleteYou are one awesome leader. Keep going hard brother, and keep updating us! Love you brother.
ReplyDeleteI can feel your humble leadership heart all the way through this blog post. I love it! Give it everything and more - everything you do is lifting up a sweet fragrance to our Lord :)
ReplyDeleteAwesome.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that God appointed you as leader of this team.
Thanks for sharing this blog Andrew. Being a leader is a huge responsibility. You are doing a great job. We continue to pray for the team and enjoy hearing reports. That is wild about Ashley! God is so awesome and funny! I think teaching on confessing your sins (in a safe environment, with those you can trust)is awesome. There is so much freedom in that place and it keeps the enemy out and casts off shame. If we could all learn to live real and authentic, humble and real, we could be used by the Lord more powerfully. It is a reminder that we are all in need of a Savior. I was thinking on what you said about the team having re-occuring patterns of confessing selfishness and self focused struggles. First, I think it is important to have an atmosphere where the team can feel comfortable to confess their struggles no matter what they are. As we mature in the Lord, we grow in these areas, but we will always have self and selfishness. That is why we need JESUS! The more we serve others, the less we focus on self, but I think sometimes we need to change our expectations of how we view each other. I recently heard someone say..."We are born imperfect, wired to struggle, but worthy of love and belonging." We need to see each other as saints who sin. Are we living to please God or trust God. We don't want to down the road that leads to striving and self rightousness...finding that balance is tricky. Just always remember that humility attracts grace, grace changes our life focus, grace lets God handle sin, grace melts masks and grace changes how we treat each other and our sin issues. Pride and self rightousness shut down grace. Striving leaves us dysfunctional and immature because it creates hiddeness. God's final objective for us is not resolving sin or "getting well." God's ultimate goal is maturing us into who He says we are and releasing us into the dreams he designed for us before the world began.(Truefaced) He loves us in our struggles and imperfections. We need to remember to lived loved and trust who the Father says we are...worthy of His sacrifice..just the way we are. I'm not trying to lecture, just share some things I have learned along my journey. Maybe it can help as you lead..maybe I am way off. I just like to share on this topic. Trying to break free from religion and legalism that saturates the church culture…proabably not so much in YWAM and the upcoming generation Really appreciate you Andrew!!
ReplyDeleteWow. I read both your posts. Damn I see God in everything that you've mentioned ! He's seriously using you, and the revelations and convictions you've been having are so similar to mine in the past couple of months. Awesome :) God IS good ! And He chose us not we chose Him ! How crazy..... Who is this crazy God ....
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