I wanted to update you on what I learned last week during “Father Heart of God” week with Jeff Pratt.
One thing that really caught my attention was the statement: “Some people never pass through the pain to get to the pleasure.” Jeff used the example of exercise (no wonder I liked him!) in that if we stop every time we feel the burn we would never get to the pleasure of actually getting in shape and feeling better physically. The same is true spiritually – if we never push through the pain, then we never get to the great reward that God has for us.
Another lesson from the week that really stuck with me was based on “Seasons of Captivity.” Jeff was sharing about a three month experience where God lead him out of full-time ministry and into work on a fishing boat cracking live crabs and cutting salmon ten hours a day. He was not very excited about it, and couldn’t figure out why God had him going through this experience, but he quickly learned many things in his season of captivity. One thing he shared about the experience was: “that in captivity God will show you the worth of a soul.” We may not always know why God asks us to do certain things, but if we are obedient to do them, we may see the worth of a soul in someone who God has purposely crossed our path with. You see, after three months on the ship, on the day the ship pulled into port, a guy nicknamed Rip, asked Jeff to lead him to Christ. Had Jeff tried to escape his season of captivity and left the ship early, or not lived his life for Christ, that one soul may have been lost. The second part of this lesson that also stuck with me was the question: “Why do we question if we are in the will of God when things are uncomfortable instead of if we are in the will of God when things are comfortable because God has not called us to be comfortable.” This statement is so true. It is easier to question God or to call out when things are not going my way, but when things are going great, I kind of forget that God is there. I get the mentality that I can do this on my own. Oh, how WRONG I am!! I need God at all times and need to be in the center of His will, whether it’s when things are comfortable or uncomfortable.
There obviously was so much more that I learned last week, but this blog would become a book if I included it all. So, I just wanted to share with you the things that impacted me and meant the most from class last week.
This week we are talking about the Character of God, so I will be sharing the lessons I learn from this week’s classes soon.
In closing, I pray that God may fill you with His love this week and that you will see His hand of blessing in all that you do. And I want to share with you my life’s verse for encouragement.
“The Lord will work out his plans for my life – for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.” Psalm 138:8
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2 comments:
That was really good... I agree it was a very loaded week, and a lot of the things you wrote about were not even the things that stuck out to me, but they are very true. Wow!
Deep stuff my friend :)
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