“Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13 KJV), is looking out for me, would only make Gladys smile, when the departed saints eagerly watch our progress. Can we, the earthbound expression of the Body of Christ, benefit from the past experiences of our brothers and sisters, who have since gone Home to be with the Lord? Do we not desire the Gospel fruit of the Book of Acts, but do we want to pay their suffering and sacrifice? Gladys Aylward was a simple parlor maid in pre-WW2 England before she was inspired to go to China as a missionary. Without the help of any formal training or missionary organization, she obeyed God. “And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert” (Acts 8:26). Hollywood produced their own version of her story, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness (1958), sanitized of its Gospel message, embellishing a made-up love story between Ingrid Bergman and Curt Jürgens, but capturing the world’s awe of a small woman overcoming opposition from seemingly everyone — except God. Gladys tells her own story in Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman. In her own words, she relives her life in China, to our amazement, with the surreal feeling this sounds more like fiction, or the Book of Acts. I’ve always felt the scene, where Robert Donat (“Adventures of Tartu“) as the Mandarin coming out as a Christian, was my favorite. But, I feared it was also made up. It was true. By the way, Donat’s “last words in the film, an emotional soliloquy in which the Mandarin confesses his conversion to Christianity, were prophetic. ‘We shall not see each other again, I think. Farewell.’ It reduced Ingrid Bergman, playing the missionary Gladys Aylward, to tears. He had collapsed with a stroke during filming but managed to recover enough to complete the film,” and died a few short weeks thereafter (from a Wikipedia entry on Robert Donat). Gladys Aylward — “of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38) — was actually known as Ài Wěi Dé (a Chinese approximation of “Aylward” with the meaning “virtuous one”). LORD, cause us to labor with love to tell Your story to whoever and wherever You direct us. Enlarge Your Kingdom. Rescue more of us, the perishing. Return quickly, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Led By The Spirit
Should You Run for Congress?
Probably not, but then again, you may be positioned like Moses or Esther “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14 KJV). Christ’s Body is the Church. Each of us has our gifts and calling, but all for the benefit of the Body. “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will” (1Corinthians 12:11). No doubt there is a moral vacuum in society. Not all have been motivated or led to step into the place of secular government or leadership. If God has led you, then clothe yourself with power from the Holy Spirit to be that Daniel, who cared more about pleasing God than garnering votes, maintaining political capital, or purchasing political favor to use at a future time. “I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for He is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and His dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions” (Daniel 6:26-27). LORD, raise up Your Moses, Daniel, and Esther for such a time as this; but, whether we find that one or not, may we serve You with all our heart, come what may. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
The LORD Is My Shepherd
We are supposed to take responsibility for ourselves, but that doesn’t mean we necessarily know what is best. Have you ever gone shopping for what you thought you needed only to find nothing seemed to fit your situation? Being “led by the Spirit” (Romans 8:14 KJV) might mean leaving the store without purchasing. Wasteful of time? Perhaps, but better to acknowledge the lack of appropriateness of your purchasing than to force a square peg into a round hole. How to prevent that? Be more in a frame of mind and attitude of prayer. LORD, shepherd me to where You want me to be, do what You want me to do, think what You want me to think, and appreciate You in a way that I never knew. In Jesus’ name, amen. “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He takes me to lush pastures, He leads me to refreshing water” (Psalms 23:1-2 NET).
You Are Here
Whenever we are confused and lost about anything, the Spirit of God is able to drop a spiritual map into our understanding to direct us. “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isaiah 30:21 KJV). The moral clarity of God in directing His people is so unmistakable, even without physical or tangible contact with others, He is able to direct us. “I being in [or, on] the way, the LORD led me” (Genesis 24:27 KJV).
Led By The Spirit
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14 KJV). What does it mean to be led by the Spirit? If we were the captain of our own ship and were simply to do whatever we liked, then that is not being led by the Spirit. But, if we are God’s blood purchased possession and are sensitive to that understanding, then whatever we feel compelled to do as servants of the LORD, is being led by the Spirit. Even our misunderstandings, mistakes, miscalculations, and errors will be used to correct and further sanctify us (Romans 8:28).
We Need A Miracle 