“If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. And the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin” 1 John 1:7
Lyli and I are back in Belize after a month stateside where we saw God’s hand over us again in powerful and personal ways. Lyli endured a series of trials in which she faced three of her greatest fears: flying, public speaking, and oral exams. God gave her grace to overcome in every occasion. She survived multiple flights in bumpy winter weather, shared her testimony in two different churches, and passed her civics and language exam and is now a U.S. citizen! After almost two years of processing we are thrilled to have that taken care of! Thank you all who lifted her up in prayer. God also provided for our needs above and beyond what we expected through a number of kind family friends who shared everything from their car to medical exams and lab work.
This week has been a busy round of staff, and starting today, student orientation activities. We have also taken time to pray together and have been inspired to monitor our spiritual orientation and constantly reset tracking to True North. We cannot afford to be guided by our own multi-polar thoughts. That is not a good way to live (Isaiah 65:2). We need to stop listening to ourselves so much and start back-talking that tyrant called Self with the Word of God. Did you know that talking Scripture to yourself is a sign of the Spirit-filled life? The apostle says “…be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord” (Eph 5:18-19). So when self takes the helm of our minds, we must commit auto-mutiny. God has given us the power to decide what we will think! Let us surrender those selfish thoughts of anger, bitterness, pride, fear, lust, complacency or whatever it is that is rotting out our soul, and let the abundant life of Jesus flow through us in ever-richer currents!
Most of MOVE’s 11thgroup of missionaries in training has arrived now, this time, from Mexico, the U.S., Colombia, Venezuela, Spain, Costa Rica, and right here in Belize. For worship the last couple days they have been telling how God has worked in their lives and how He brought them here. Amazing stories. I’m recording them this time, and Lord willing I will get some of them sent to you soon.
Our theme this year is “Move in the Light,” which has been food for deep study and thought. (Enough, in fact, for several sermons, but I summarized some of the highlights for you in a poem which you can find below.) We feel a deep urgency both personally and as a school to make every moment count for eternity. As the moral darkness of the world around us deepens daily, we need serious upgrades in current wattage, both intensity and volume. For that, the cables of our faith need to thicken. Everything about moving in the light speaks growth. I like how Proverbs puts it: “But the path of the just is as the shining light that shines more and more unto the perfect day” (4:18).
We don't know how much longer we will have to work with the ease and freedom we enjoy right now. Pray for us, that we will be more intentional, more efficient, more courageous, more Spirit Filled, and that we will in His strength be strong.
“Light is sown for the righteous,”[i]
So what must the seed of light look like?[ii]
How fast might it germinate?
Does it spring forth a luminous sprout,
Will it twine the world seven times in one second?[iii]
Or must it first in human wombs take root
to grow slowly, the hope of glory?[iv]
What glorious, golden fruit it must produce![v]
What phosphorescent, never-tenuous luz![vi]
It must incandesce, and at what brilliance,
glowing like a coal! The humble shrub[vii]ablaze
it yet standeth unconsumed,[x]never to expire!
Oh to be as that flaming bush that leaves no trace of ashes[xi]
Oh to have a face sublime that ever shines as Moses’![xii]
To don that living garment white and wield the heavenly saber,
to have a mind refined, complete, and sharpened by our Savior,[xiii]
covered with His panoply of bright and shining armor![xiv]
Oh, God Almighty mine, please sow such seed in me forever!
[i]Psalms 97:11
[ii]Genesis 3:15, Galatians 3:16, Luke 8:11, John 1:1-3,14
[iii]Revelation 14:6-12, 18:1-10. At 186,00 miles per second, light
[iv]Colossians 1:7
[v]Matthew 5:14-16, Proverbs 25:11
[vi]light in Spanish
[vii]Isaiah 53:2
[viii]“It will baffle the keenest intellect to interpret the divine manifestation of the burning bush. It was not a dream; it was not a vision; it was a living reality,--something that Moses saw with his eyes. He heard the voice of God calling to him out of the bush, and he covered his face, realizing that he stood in the immediate presence of God. God was conversing with humanity.” {YI, December 20, 1900 par. 1}
[ix]Hebrews 12:29
[xi]Exodus 3:2
[xii]Exodus 34:35, Ecclesiastes 8:1, Daniel 12:3,
[xiii]Psalms 119:105,Eph 6:17, Hebrews 4:12, 10:16, Prov 27:17
