wanttobeamissionary

Introduction

I was minding my own business, 49 years of age, happy at what I was doing, when God broke in on my life and turned it upside down (right side up actually). It was not the first time, but it certainly was a significant time. I had been doing marketing for a regional supermarket chain for nearly 25 years. I had a good job, loved the work and the people I worked with and for, but something happened. I think it might be like the eaglet feels when the soft down that pads the nest is pulled from it high on that inaccessible mountain cliff (where the Lord had been hiding me), having no where to go but down and the sticks that formed the foundation of the nest sticking me every day. I was frustrated and did not know why. I began to pray, “Lord, I have to be in the center of Your will.”

I had been serving as a part-time associate pastor for probably 5-6 years, when out of the blue, an opportunity came to make a mission trip. I did not know what was coming, but I was about ready for anything besides those sticks of the “nest” sticking me. It was not the people or the job, for I had the same opportunities and faced the same problems I had for years. But something was wrong and I did not know what it was. So when the chance for a trip came, I was ready to go.

We had been in Kenya only 4 days when the call came that my first wife had passed away. That was a shock, for she had not been sick with anything that was diagnosable. But the Lord knew what was going on, and He said, “Everything is okay,” so I received it that way. That day I was to speak at a Maturity Conference the second session, but my pastor was going to take over for me. As we worshipped the Lord, He began to speak to me about sharing with the people. Then when the 1st session was done, the leader told the people what had happened and he called me up and the team to pray for me. After he finished praying, I told him that I was supposed to speak that day. He asked if I was sure,, and I replied yes. The topic of my message that day was, “How Big is Your God” and the emphasis was that God can carry us through anything. And He did. We came home and buried my wife and then another opportunity came to go to another nation – Ukraine. I had no idea that this would be a launch into missions, but then, I had been praying for God’s best and He knew best.

While in Ukraine, on the 14th floor of the Russ Hotel, October 4, 1993, the Lord dealt with me about Ukraine. There would be a new Bible College started there and they needed a Bible-trained person to administrate and teach in it. I accepted the Lord’s offer this way. I was praying that morning (about 3-3:30 AM) as to what He wanted me to do. He said, “That over there is second best and this is first best. What do you want?” I had been praying about being in the center of His will, so it was an easy decision. I did not think about it, but simply answered, “Yes.” Then I quizzed Him about the house I had that was not paid for, my 3 children who had just lost their mother and now I was going to move half a world away, and what about the money? But He assured me that He would take care of it, so I announced to the ones who would be starting the school that I would administrate and teach in it if they wanted me to.

The Lord works out all things for us when we submit to Him. He knew what He was doing and moving people to my advantage and favor. When I got home, the first day back to work, I was meeting with a salesman when the Chairman of the corporation called me and asked me to come to his office. Upon arriving, he told me that they were going to sell the supermarkets and I needed to do certain things to prepare for it. I wrote it down and told him I would take care of it. Actually, in a round-about way, he was telling me that I would no longer have a job. But that was no problem for me because I was going to Ukraine.

I went back to my office and finished with that salesman and another came in to see me. Then the phone rang again, and the Chairman called me back to his office. When I walked in, he said, “I perceive that you want to go to full-time ministry.” I answered him in the affirmative, saying that I was going to Ukraine the 29th of January and would not be back. He said “I thought so. The company wants to help you, so we will send you a check for $1,000.00 each month for the next 5 years.” Now that was an answer to prayer, for the Lord had told me He would take care of it. It is just that I did not know the blessing would come from the company I had worked for those 30 some years.

Not only did the Lord take care of the money, He also took care of the house and my children. It is amazing, but true, that the Lord will take care of the details and do what is necessary and expedient when we are willing to obey. Are there others who could have done a better job of administrating that school? Probably, but they may not have been available. At any rate, the Lord is faithful to do what we ask when we are obedient and we ask in His will.

Preface

Success has been sought by all people of all ages. No one looks for failure in their life. They all want to succeed. Christians alike seek to be successful in their walk with the Lord. Since it is not laid out in logical steps, like A, B, C in the Bible, we must study to find it. There are no magic formulas that we apply for 10 minutes each morning before we go on our way doing our thing in Christianity. It is a continuous walk with the Lord, beginning (for us) at the point we meet Him and ending at the point we leave this life. In between there is this living it out as we come to understand what it is He wants.

Successful Christianity is having our thinking changed.

Successful Christianity is applying faith to what is true.

Successful Christianity is to be found in Him.

Successful Christianity is to reach out to Him to have our wounds healed.

Successful Christianity is to stand on His infallible Word.

Successful Christianity is learning to be generous.

Successful Christianity is to have no other Gods before Him.

Successful Christianity is to submit to Him in humility.

Successful Christianity is to wrestle with God.

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Successful Christianity is to be guided by His perfect Word.

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Successful Christianity is to lose all in worship of Him.

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Successful Christianity is to birth and flow in the gift God gives us.