Instead of a new year’s resolution, I recently moved to “a word for the year.” This has given me a central point to focus my thoughts, prayers, study and decisions. In 2018 my word was clarity. In 2019 it was discipline. This year it’s FAITH.
I’m talking about faith in God, but there is also a component of faith in other people and even faith in myself. But it all centers around God and his faithfulness to me. Every year I make decisions on faith. This year, I will be more aware of it. This year I imagine my faith will be more stretched. Some of it will be in circumstances I create while the rest of it will be totally from outside my control.
When I think of our global partners, I think FAITH is their word for every year!
- Rut and Mariela starting a secondary school in Guatemala so the students aging out of the learning center at Los Verdes would have a good option for further education. They knew it needed to be done, but they didn’t know where the funding would come from
- Bruce and Alice working many, many, many years on a Bible translation for the Ayore. The portions finished will be dedicated soon
- Victor publishing a book on the disciple making movement in India, making him even more vulnerable to persecution. He believes the story needs to be told and leaves the outcomes to God
- Paul and Stacey taking a group to sing Christmas carols at the local mall in a Muslim-majority country, to see what conversations or relationships God would spark from that event
- Jose and Rosa moved back to their home country of Panama recently after leaving their years of ministry fruit in El Salvador in the hands of local church leaders. They work successfully in both urban and rural areas, a rare combination!
It also takes faith to remain true to Christ in the USA.
There is an intense battle here for hearts and minds! If we do not remain grounded in reading God’s Word and regularly meeting with followers of Jesus, we can be easily persuaded by other ideologies and worldviews. While it’s good and necessary to understand what those are, it’s critical we understand even better what we believe and why about our own faith in Jesus. As the Apostle Paul says:
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Eph 4:14 (read Eph 4:11-24 for further study)
Our global partners mentioned above know what they believe and in Whom they believe. It’s what drives them to take the faith steps they do, not just on occasion but every day as a lifestyle.
This year I will continue to strengthen my faith by more time reading and memorizing God’s Word, time with other followers of Jesus, prayer and paying attention to the Holy Spirit’s promptings for living out the behaviors and speaking the words He guides me to. Hear again from the Apostle Paul:
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. They you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2.
Til next week, Dan
A part of Jose and Rosa’s ministry is reaching the Guaymi people in the mountains of Panama with God’s story. While they possess few resources, they are growing in their knowledge and faith in Jesus.
Thank you Dan for these words. A reminder that we can do all things in Him who strengthens us.