DO I FOLLOW ALONE ?
Psalm 142 is the cry of somone who feels alone:
With my voice I cry out to the Lord;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.
The unspoken reality of this Psalm can be the same for us, that as we pour our hearts out in lonliness to God, we too come to the realisation that we are in fact, not alone and his presence is strong enough, good enough, blessing enough to keep us going.
I cry to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my refuge,
my portion in the land of the living.”
Attend to my cry,
for I am brought very low!
Deliver me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me!
Bring me out of prison,
that I may give thanks to your name!
The righteous will surround me,
for you will deal bountifully with me.
In the last few days we've heard a huge amount of negative terminology. We are "locked down" (which was until recently a phrase more used by those in prison.) The news has pondered our "confinement" to home, our "isolation" from socety, our "quarentine" and aloneness.
Without some careful thought, this can make us feel trapped or powerless. Maybe you are struggling at home as you read this. Covid has brought back memories of past trauma, loss or crisis. Thank you for those that have in recent days shared this with me, and trusted me with the honesty of how you feel. I count this a very great and precious privilege.
There are two things I want to share by way of comfort to you...
1) First of all, you are not alone in either your frustrations or in your daily routine, and you need to remind yourself of these things. Feeling overwhelmed or "out of your depth" is not abnormal, whatever prosperity teachers tell you about your "lack of faith" or vlogers dismiss in their extreem "hyper-victory" rants, and "psychobabble" (cf Paula White and friends. NB I have links but will not share them becuase of the harm they do in imagining the human condition is always perfect if we are "spiritually swithed on". The most alarming quote I have read was "Anyone who tells you to deny yourself is from Satan.").
The issue of lonliness is real for the human condition and our limitations. We are wise to not ignore it. This article reveals the solemn magnitude of this issue and the many people for whom this kind of "aloneness" thinking has been unhelpful during this season. If you are in need of a conversation, please feel ecouraged to message us.
Terry Waite was kidnapped by Hezbollah militants in 1987 and spent 1,736 days (almost five years) chained to the wall in a dark cell in Beirut. Non of us are likely to have known that extent of isolation, yet Terry like many who suffer for Christ in prison speaks of the company and help he descovered in God. The Spirit of God even helping him find the things to be thankful for even have a growing sympathy empathy, and forgiveness as he prayed in compassion for his captors. There are many going through the same struggles as ourselves, and like Terry there will be many praying for you in your struggles, maybe those you will never be aware of.
The reality is however, that if we want to be fruitful for others in Christ, (if we follow him) we will also be tested, and suffer like him. (1 Peter 1:6-7) (John 15:20) . We often read Hebrews 4:15, as the comfort it is - that our awesome High priest is interceding for us, and with us. But there is also a challenge in there - if he was tested in every way, will not part of our christian growth also involve manifold, multiplied, challenges. This verse does remind us that HE is our great comfort, to first flea to Him in our many needs, but it also assumes that we will face many trials, challanges and testings, that prompt us to realise our need.
2) The second encouragement is that we are certainly never alone as Christians, becuase the presence of God is with us always, His Spirit is in us, and working through us, and along with this we are united by Him to the entire church (international, all history, those already in heaven (Heb 12:1) and family of God.
We know that he will never leave us or forsake us, and by His Spirit, we are united not only to the believers in our local church but those globally (incidently - all whom are going through exactly the same experience at the same time.) In reality there is no such thing as "virtual" church. There is unseesn church, but it doesnt change the reality that we are born or Christ, united by Him, together in Him, prompted to pray for each other by Him.
The message of this blog is that you are not powerless, alone or have need to be joyless, in this reality. Like the Apostle Paul in prison, it is possible to be chained and cheerful as you concentrate on the one who is in you and with you, Paul was able to say "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (Phil 4:13), this wasn't ignorant escapism but faith amidst reality. He even saw new opportunities for gospel advance in this scenario. (Phil 1:12)
Walk on in courage and confidence precious brother or sister... knowing that He is with us. Our good friend and servant of the church, Stuart Townend penned these inspired words in the presence of GOD. They sum up brilliantly the reality of the presence of God with us in difficult times.
There is a hope that burns within my heart,
That gives me strength for every passing day;
A glimpse of glory now revealed in meagre part,
Yet drives all doubt away:
I stand in Christ, with sins forgiven;
And Christ in me, the hope of heaven!
My highest calling and my deepest joy,
To make His will my home.
There is a hope that lifts my weary head,
A consolation strong against despair,
That when the world has plunged me in its deepest pit,
I find the Saviour there!
Through present sufferings, future’s fear,
He whispers ‘courage’ in my ear.
For I am safe in everlasting arms,
And they will lead me home.
There is a hope that stands the test of time,
That lifts my eyes beyond the beckoning grave,
To see the matchless beauty of a day divine
When I behold His face!
When sufferings cease and sorrows die,
And every longing satisfied.
Then joy unspeakable will flood my soul,
For I am truly home.
DAY 15 PRAYER: IGOR BANDURA.
Space doesn't allow for all I'd like to say about Igor. A true friend and faithful brother, his fellowship and partnership has been my constant encouragement and uplift for many years, and a special help in recent years. My first encounter with him was on my first visit to Odessa (when he was still senior pastor at Grace). Recently off the plane, I discovered I was preaching the following morning, and found myself soon in his church office relaying the sermon in preparation for him to translate. Customarily, he got his head around it all, almost quicker than I talked, and so a pattern, trajectory and great working friendship was started. I have trusted him many, many, times since, and never been let down. If Igor says to me I will be "safe" - I go, if he says he is "concerned" - I don't.
Igor has worked hard at understanding the details and complexities of church life, mission, church planting, orphanage and shelter work, humanitarian aid, persecution, pastoral ministry, counselling pastors, training pastors, international relationships between believers, contextual evangelism, even farming (growing veg and fruit, the keeping of pigs) to fund the gospel. He has done this in an attitude of service to God's people (see blog). Good leaders get that they need to "think ahead" on all issues, do the hard and clear thinking and praying before they bring things wisely to God's people.
God has blessed Igor's ministry, and it is rightly valued by many like me, who have been helped by him as a brother. As First Vice President of the Baptist Union of Ukraine, Igor with the team cover the leadership of around 2,600 churches, 320 church plants, 110,000 members and twice as many attendees. There are numerous strings to his bow. He remains the driving force behind the mission work in Odessa to provide a home for every orphan. The model of church planting with a shelter/ orphanage/ refuge attached (Odessa) is a fruiftul one, and has become the ambition of many accross the country. It shows the local community that the church is there for the good of the community, the radical relational love of the gospel of Jesus Christ as the only true answer for our nations.
I spoke at length with Igor last week a day before a milestone (wink) birthday. He was isolating at home after a positive covid test, yet his enthuiasm and drive were not dampened in any way, and thanks God his health is good.
He thanked us for our prayers and asked us to pray for the following:
1) Continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in the East. They are in desperate need of help, our (relatively small) help is massively more valued and significant than we realise. (more to come on this).
2) Pray for Igor's International role, and those international guests Igor welcomes to encourage the ministry / speak in Ukraine. This has obviously been massively impacted by the virus. It hasn't removed the need and growing dynamic of it, just makes the pressure to resume again, and the details to work through greater still. Pray for him in his role to meet with religious and governmental leaders whether online or in person.
3) Pray for Igor's family.
prayer. The family have clearly appreciated Igor being stuck in one location (Irpin, Kiev) for more than 10 minutes, but this isn't the norm. National and itinerant leaders pay a high price of travel and living out of a suitcase, but the price their families pay is even higher.
4) On an equally personal note, please continue to remember Igor's Mother in prayer. Last year Igor's father was promoted to be in the immediate presence of Christ. He was a wonderful man of God. Igor's Mum has done amazingly well, and is encourageing God's people in the exciting developments of the church in Ternopil as it grows and moves into a new building. (Ternopil region is where Igor's family are from and currently one of our partnership areas).
Pray that God will continue to grow,
refine, and use our brother to the honour of Christ.
Thank you again for the huge encouragement of those who have told me, or I know are praying with us.
Yours very grateful that we have each other, and Him in such times,
Blogski.
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