Not The Way I Had It Planned

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11 NIV)

Ever have one of those days when you think that things are just not going the way YOU had planned. It can be frustrating, discouraging, and even depressing. You may find yourself scratching your head, trying to figure out what was going wrong, or even wondering what you have done to make God mad at you. Me, I take those times to go to prayer and find out what is going on from Someone who actually knows.

Knowing the Father's will is not an automatic peace generator. As a matter of fact, when I see the image of Jesus in Gethsemane I am reminded that submitting to the Father's will can be very painful. What are your options?

I love to counsel God about how things should be done, when they should be done, and how I think we could best use His power and influence. I must come across as a precocious little brat sometimes, God forgive me. Imagine, me, a speck, on a dot, on a spot in the Universe thinking I can tell God the best way to do things!

I have learned, be it the longest of learning curves, that Father actually does know best.

"Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: ..." (Jer. 1:5 The Message)

Now, don't misunderstand what I am saying, you can miss God's plan by your own actions, and the enemy, Satan, is going to do everything in his power to keep you from seeing your destiny. You better know how to handle both problems. But that isn't what I am trying to address here.

God has a plan for you, tailor made with YOU in mind. Side tracks, delays, and catastrophes do not change His plan for your life. When things are not going as you plan, ask, are they going according to His plan? Don't ask yourself, don't ask a friend, no, ask the Father. He is not trying to keep His will a secret from you.

The Father's plan is a plan that leads to increase, to growth, to promotion, and to destiny. You cannot measure it by what you see, after all, Joseph didn't always look like he was in the will of God, but he was. Once you are confident you are in the Father's will, you can take on all the world and the devil have to offer without fear.

There is a declarative phrase in the Lord's Prayer that says it all. It is an expression that only those who are confident of the Father's will, a plan birthed out of His love for us, only when we have an assurance that is supernatural can we pray, ...

"COME! Your kingdom. BE DONE! Your will." (Matt. 6:10a Literal)

Today, in spite of facts that say otherwise, I know I am smack in the middle of the Father's will for me. I know it because I have been in His presence, sitting on His lap, listening to His heart speak to me, "I love you, and I have a wonderful plan for your life."

Stand Up - Stand Out!

By Lynn Murphy

When I was a Junior in High School, I signed up for an elective that was cleverly named "Facing and Escaping Reality." Nowhere in the description of this course did it mention the student taking the course would be required to speak by themselves in front of the class and be critiqued by both the teacher and the students. I dropped the class within the first week, and chose another less challenging elective.

I tell you this because I had an epiphany a few weeks ago on my way to work. Most of my school years I tried hard to blend in to the crowd. I did not wish to be different or unique. Going to school in the sixties through 1974 (do the math, I was 53 in April) meant jeans, miniskirts, pantsuits, going to school dances and petitioning the school board to allow a smoking lounge. My mother made it her life goal (in my warped teen-aged mindset) to see to it that I stuck out like a sore thumb to my classmates. I did not smoke, which was my own choice, but my Mom’s rules were no miniskirts, dances, jeans that zipped in the front like a boy, and only pantsuits that fully covered my posterior. Sticking out like a sore thumb was not my choice or desire, but my Mom’s goal was met: that I would “stand out” as different! Mom loves the Lord, but the choice had to be mine to stand out for God. The thought that just changing what people were looking at on the exterior would make a difference in other’s lives is erroneous.

That day on my way to work, the Lord dropped down in my heart the revelation of the simple truth that we are to stand out in a crowd, we should be noticed by the world for the light within us. We are to be affecting the world around us with the Gospel of peace, love , health and prosperity! Now I “knew” this before, but it was hammered home that there is not time nor place for wallflower Christianity. What I perceived as shy and my personality, was a hindrance to what God wanted through my life. You see, in Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus tells us what He expects from His people.

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost it’s taste (it’s strength, it’s quality), how can it’s saltness be restored? It is not good for anything any longer but to be thrown out and trodden underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your moral excellence and your praiseworthy, noble, and good deeds and recognize and honor and praise and glorify your Father who is in Heaven.” (Amplified)

We know Jesus came to men to show them the Father. This is also our job description, which is a labor of love. Not always easy mind you, as we saw when Jesus had to deal with the moneychangers in the temple.
Here’s the thing: I recognized that most of my life-even after I placed the Word of God first place in my life, even after my husband and I became Pastors- I was still in defensive mode. Think about it: how many goals do you reach in life or athletics by always being in defense mode? No, that offense is needed, that expectation to dream big because the Greater One lives in us and works through us!

Our Father God had a picture of us, a destiny for us as His body, His children. He has plans for us...” For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” (Jeremiah 29:11) For myself, and I know a lot of the body feels the same, I want God’s vision, His picture of us that He had in His heart when He sent His Son to die for us, I want my life to be that! Not some inferior version of that where I don’t know who I am in Christ so I am not bold. Allowing those in the world around me to stay sick, poor and without a hope because I can’t open my mouth to tell them of Jesus and what He has done for us and of His matchless love for mankind. Does a child of God, a believer really have an option in this? I Corinthians 7:23 says: “You were bought with a price (purchased with a preciousness and paid for by Christ); then do not yield yourselves up to become (in your own estimation) slaves to men (but consider yourselves slaves to Christ.)”

I may have dropped that class many years ago out of fear of public speaking, having people with their focus on me, but the good news is God did not leave me there. I fell for a man with ministry in his heart, that prodded me (gently most of the time) to step out, and before I knew it I was teaching two year olds in Church. Then I was approached to teach at a Women’s meeting, and asked to at least pray about it. In my eyes at the time, that was a huge step, but I did it with God’s help.

Pat and I moved back to Pa. and felt God wanted us to start a church. Guess who was tagged to lead worship? That would be me, again a huge step. There was awhile (a couple years) that I would be in the bathroom before every service, because my eyes were not focused on God and what He wanted to accomplish in that service, but getting through it without making a blooper. Understand, the planning part of the worship I paid close attention to the Spirit of God so we got it right. I even made the right decision in the bathroom, to not allow my flesh to rule me and I came out and led worship every time. As soon as I started, I was fine and the dry mouth went away, but it was not till I knew who I was in Christ, and saw the bigger picture, that fear went away and I could walk in what God called me to do. As a matter of fact, probably ten years went by before God was able to change my mindset from, I am a temporary solution till we get a real worship leader, to I am called to this! At that point I could lead with confidence.

He took me from there to teaching classes in our Bible School, teaching for special services in other churches, and He is not done yet. The point is-we are here on this earth for a reason, and it is NOT without a directive from God. We have a destiny to fulfill, people to minister to in our workplaces, and communities, and families. I exhort you: Stand up and be counted! Yield yourself to the leading of the Holy Spirit, and expect God to use you. When my kids were very little, I stayed close to home and ministered mostly to my family (We have five children). But, one day on my way to grocery shop with one child in the car, I prayed earnestly to be used of God that day and surrendered my plans for His. Do you know I ended up ministering to a lady from the church we were attending that had just tried to commit suicide? God is looking for yielded, obedient vessels that know their Lord and are not ashamed or afraid to speak of Him! Let’s be the people in God’s heart dream!

Minister or Hireling?

Because of the way our ministry works here at the Barnabas Project, we get to see lots of different settings and observe lots of different situations where people minister. There are those who serve at the will of the Father, and then there are those who serve at the will of the people or the dollar. One is a true minister and the other but a temple prostitute.

Let's talk about the hireling first. Hirelings are ones who do what they do to keep the bills paid or to support a standard of living that they desire. They will compromise as long as they can keep their position, title, pay grade, or celebrity. They may espouse godly philosophy, but it is a matter of preference and they will relinquish their stand if it becomes expedient. They prostitute themselves to keep their situation stable and comfortable.

The genuine minister, however, seeks to please the Father, doing His will, and seeking the increase of the Kingdom even if it is at his own expense. He comes to serve, to love, to see the child of God rise to be all that the Father desires. He is it it for those he serves, but he answers to the Father.

^7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ^8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. ^9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ^10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

^11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. ^12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. ^13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. ^14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. ^15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. ^16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. (Jn 10:7-16)

So where are you in the mix? I chose early on to learn how to walk by faith so that my pay check would never set my agenda. I long far more for the Father's favor than that of any man. I fear the Lord's wrath way more than that of any board, council, or congregation. I seek to be the servant who hears, "Well done."

Watching Your Step

I remember it as if it were yesterday. I was doing my laundry in the barracks, minding my own business, when I was taken from the reality of my washing to the reality of the spirit realm. There before me was absolute darkness, so dark I could not distinguish anything around me. Then a familiar voice came from everywhere, a voice that I knew, my Father asked, "Do you want to know how to follow?"

I was struggling with some things in which I needed clear direction from God. I had no idea what to do, no plan I could execute, and I was feeling overwhelmed. I had spent much time in prayer, but the direction eluded me, or so it seemed. Then, when I was not really looking for it, my answer came. As I closed the lid on the washer it was "lights out."

I remember saying, "You know I do, I want to know what to do." As the words came forth the area beneath my feet lit up. I could see nothing but my two feet in a halo of brilliant white light. I remember thinking, "I know where I am, but where am I going?" Again the Father's voice spoke gently to me, "Step out."

I had no idea what I was going to step into, but, at His word I lifted my foot. Immediately the light under my foot went out and a new light lit the place where I would step. I remember it being such a cool thing that I just sat and enjoyed it for a minute. Then I picked up my other foot, and the same thing happened. I never thought about what was around me, what was beyond that next footfall, or where the journey would lead. I was taken with the next step.

Suddenly, I was once again in the laundry and heard the thud of the washer lid. Isn't it funny how the realm of the spirit is not limited by time or space. As the noise of lid echoed through the tub of the washer I asked, "But where am I going, what am I to do?" I got no answer as such, but heard a friends voice singing as song that has followed me for more than 20 years. The words are that of the psalmist, ...

"The steps of the righteous man are ordered of the Lord, and he delights in His way." (Ps. 37:23)

I am thankful I did not know all of the ins and outs of the path that lay ahead of me. It would have terrified me to see some of what I have faced, and it could have caused me to be discouraged and quit, but God had other plans. As I sit at this keyboard, I can truthfully say that the Father has been faithful in leading me in paths that have been for His glory and my blessing. When I have stepped into the lighted marks, I have seen Him come through mightily on my behalf. When I tried to do it my way, ignored His direction, or failed to seek the next step, I have always paid a price. But, even then, the Father has been always ready to forgive my failings and restore me to the path He has set before me.

I have watched others who have found the Father's lead to be all they need. They are amazing men and women of God. Would that we would all take this in its simplicity, follow His lead, and change our world for His glory.

What About Me?

So much of what goes on in ministry goes without detection by the church in general. The pastor of the Local Church can live in virtual isolation, without someone to encourage him or speak into his life. It isn't necessarily by design, but the thing that happens by default as they seek to protect and serve the sheep of their fold.

We seek, as pastors, to serve our parishioners and meet them in their need with answers to their problems. In the process, how do we deal with our own issues? You know as well as I do that we are just like our people, have all the same challenges, all the same kinds of problems and are subjected to all the same kinds of temptations. They have us, but who do we have?

In ministry, we who are leaders must have people who speak into our lives, leaders we can turn to for encouragement, and counselors we can look to for sound, biblical advice as we seek to do the will of God in our lives and in service to our congregations. All of us, no matter how high in the food chain, need these key elements to healthy Christian living. We need each other!

It isn't always easy. Sometimes those we serve cause us great pain as they reject our counsel, fail to heed the Word, and seek their own agenda. We cry over them, lose sleep over them, and cry out to God on their behalf, but we cannot change their course. When I see this, I have to ask myself, "Do I do this to my pastor, my overseer, my Lord?" It is sobering to think that we could be the cause of such heart ache.

As a pastor, I want God's best for every member of my congregation. My heart's cry is to see them rise to the full potential of all God has for them. I thank God for those who have sown into my life, have given me the leadership that has led me to this path toward my destiny, and who never give up on me. They answer when I call, help when they can, and pray for me continually. They are my heroes.

I trust that you are seeking to be a hero to those who follow you, but also that you have heroes you look to who will be a great resource in the actualization of the pursuit of the will of God for your life. I leave you with the passage below.

"Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you." (Hebrews 13:17 TEV)

Take time to meditate on this passage, and see what the Father shares with you. Don't focus on just those who you serve, but look also at those to whom you submit yourself. Are you a source of joy? Are you a living example of what God desires? Let's rise to God's standard and see His best in our lives and in the lives of those we serve. Let's be a source of joy to our leaders.

The Lines Are Open ... Or Are They?

As I travel and hear the heart of pastors across teh countryside, I am always sensitive to the things that weigh heavy on their hearts. I have learned, both by my own experience and by interaction with others, that the situation is rarely as it is perceived. I have found this especially true in our era of electronic communication.

Most of us, when we find that there is tension developing, if we are honest, will realize that we hear through a filter of bias. The bias in audio recording is critical to getting the outcome we desire from a recording. As a sound technician you learn that your bias is effected by everything in the environment you are hearing. Birds, temperature, humidity, the amount of direct sunlight, background noise, and everything else you can or can't imagine affects your input. By constantly monitoring and adjusting your bias you can get the optimum results. It is a great picture of our relationships with one another.

Think about those with whom you have a relationship. When you hear something about them, immediately your bias filter kicks in and you decide whether or not you believe everything you are hearing. If you are kindly affectioned toward them, you bias filter will add grace and favor to the things you hear. If you have issues with them your bias filter will tend to amplify the things that reinforce your opinion and diminish the things that don't agree with your feelings about them. The problem with the bias in either case is that we do not hear with accuracy what is being said.

How often did we hear Jesus say, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." It seems like a silly statement, doesn't it. Everyone there had ears. They could all hear what He was saying. There must have been more to the statement. Jesus was addressing the fact that our biases often ruin our ability to effectively communicate with one another and with God. He was implying, if not saying outright, "Turn off the bias filter and let the message get through in its purest form, then you will understand what it is I am saying." It applies wiht Him, how much more wiht the people we interact with on a daily basis.

Sometimes our bias so skews things that it is as if we are speaking two different languages. Turn off the bias and see what comes out. 1 Cor. 13:4-8, you know, the love passage, gives a couple of key elements to overcoming our biases. "Love thinks no evil, ... Love isn't keeping score to see if it wins, ...love always believes the best, ... Love is full of hope and always expects the best in every situation, ... love never quits, never runs out, and is never the victim." Love will cancel out the bias, if we will cooperate, and we will be able to see relationships grow, even in the midst of adversity.

Let's turn off the bias, see the Kingdom advance, and make the Father proud of His kids.

Submission and Authority

Of late I have been faced with some challenges with regard to the topic of submission and authority. I have been drawn back to Hebrews 13:17 over and over again in keeping my attitude tuned to the heart of the Father while dealing with those in our network of ministries.

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (Heb. 13:17 NKJV)

I think that subordinates balk at this passage because of the way it starts. Most of us don't like to have someone else telling us what to do. The very thought of being bossed around gets the hair on our neck standing up and brings our flesh to full attention. We see it in little children who defiantly declare, "You're not the boss of me!" The wording chosen by God here is not what we mean by obey, but rather, it is to "trust with confidence and yield to instruction." As subordinates we are to allow those who are in authority over us to speak into our lives and trust that they are here to bless us, to bring us to our full potential, and to help us reach our destiny. If we trust them to have that as their motive, obedience will not be an issue.

Then there is the part that we as leaders must be carefully aware of, "... for they watch for your souls, ..." Literally, the Word tells us that those in leadership lose sleep over their disciples, not in fear and worry, but in prayer. As a matter of fact, this counsel is meant to prevent leaders from losing sleep over their disciples for negative reasons, "Let them do so with joy and not grief, ..." We are to be interceding for our disciples, just like Jesus intercedes for us. (Heb. 7:23-25) If we are, we have a right to expect their devotion, submission, and cooperation. It is still voluntary, but it should not be hard for them to yield to our leadership because our heart will be the heart of the Father.

This matter is one of trust and commitment to one another. Because of our time with the Father, knowing the Father's heart and will, we see resistance to our counsel and instruction as resistance to God's will. It grieves us, we agonize over what it takes to get our followers on track, and a chain of events is set in motion that will either bring us back to agreement or separate us in spiritual divorce. It is no wonder that we agonize over those who refuse our leadership. But, we must keep our heart right lest our agony become merely an emotional response to being rejected. The key to our success it to stay in agreement with the Father and the path is laying out before us.

I cannot express how much value I place on the counsel of those who are "in authority" over me. I trust them to see beyond my biases, my fears, and my personal issues. They keep me form being blind sided, make wisdom beyond my years and experience available, and know how to hear from the Holy Ghost and counsel me accordingly. Nothing means more to me in ministry than these precious men and their wise counsel. I know that their correction is for my benefit, and have learned to quickly heed it. I know their "suggestions" are often the voice of God speaking gently to me. These relationships have saved me untold wealth, kept me from serious error, and built in me an expectation of success in life and ministry.

The relationship we share with our disciples and mentors is to be one of love, devotion, and mutual benefit. We are the reason God put our mentors in our life, and we are the vehicle God wants to use to bless our disciples with success. I don't know how the situation here is going to end, but I know what the Father's heart is. I will continue to stay after it until the door is closed, and even then I will be praying and seeking reconciliation and restoration. Let's commit ourselves to covering these situations in prayer and work diligently to see God's kingdom advance.

To God be the glory!