Letter to Myself - Bible Butt-kicking
Wrote a letter to myself in my journal today. I needed to hear truth - here is most of the letter. Maybe it will encourage you where you are at today:
Ok, TJ, listen up!Life is discouraging right now with no job and just a vision for a church plant. But now is not the time to give up. Now is the time to stand firm. This is where the full armor of God becomes extremely useful - “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done EVERYTHING, you can STAND!” (Ephesians 6:13).
Favor doesn’t come without a fight. Don’t mistake the fight for lack of favor from God. The fight builds faith and God smiles on faith. “It’s impossible to please God without faith.” (Hebrews 11:6)
God has been winking his approval at you through little hints these last few months. He called you to minister to military families. Jess got a job in the business office working with military billing (*wink*wink*). People from Valley Forge where you went to college are down here in the Navy (*wink*wink*). Friends that are really encouraging and love you and Jess very much are living down here (*wink*wink*).
Have faith and when it’s being tested - know that God is causing your endurance to grow. The longer I hold out faith - the better my endurance is going to get (James 1:3). Let endurance do it’s work in you - so you can be mature and complete not lacking anything (James 1:4). If you need wisdom in this time, TJ, ask God! He will give the Heavenly wisdom you need (James 1:5) and it’s not always just giving you a job you’ll enjoy. It’s an exhortation toward patience or fighting to keep faith and trusting He is in control.
If you’re going to be a church planter, you’re going to need this type of enduring faith. When the finances aren’t there for periods of time - you will need to believe that God will provide for your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19), just like he did for Paul the church planter.
God began this work in you, TJ, and He’s gonna see it to completion both in this season of life and until He comes back again (Philippians 1:6). Put your eyes on Jesus - the Master Endurer - who suffered and died at the hands of sinners for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2,3). Think of all He went through so that the temptation to give up won’t be one you give into.
Go out today with your eyes set on Jesus, your heart full of faith, and the knowledge that He is going to do what He said He would do.
