Whatsoever You Sow!
“He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” II Cor. 9:6
“Sow hope and you shall reap fulfillment. Sow praise and you shall reap joy, well being and a strong faith.” Oh, Father, I read that one morning in Come Away, My Beloved this week while we were in Jacksonville for Judgment House. Oh Father, I love that! I want to remember it! “Sow hope and you will reap fulfillment!” Oh Father, it is true! What joy, what blessing, what a rush to share the hope we have in Jesus Christ with others who need that hope! I don’t believe there is any greater fulfillment on this earth than sharing the hope You give! How fulfilling!! Oh Father, it was like You gave that to me to show me exactly where I was! I was so fulfilled in sharing hope over the last two weeks! And Father, I pray that You will open doors for me to share hope every day for as long as I live on this earth! Surprise me Lord! Open doors I would never have thought about! You are my hope! I know that! I have absolutely no hope without You! The scripture says, “My hope comes from You!” Ps. 62:5 And it does Lord!!
And the next truth was “Sow praise and you shall reap joy, well being and a strong faith.” Oh Father, more and more I am understanding the importance of praising You! You fill me up with great joy as I praise You! Every situation I find myself in changes completely when I look to You and praise You! When I gaze upon Your face, Your character - my whole demeanor changes! You place every situation in right perspective as I look upon Your face! You are trustworthy and You are faithful!
Through praising You, You absolutely strengthen me - You strengthen me spiritually, You strengthen me physically, You strengthen me emotionally! Praise is vital to my well being! “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” Neh. 8:10 It was amazing how You strengthened mother physically during our trip! We listened to John MacArthur’s “The Sufficiency of Scripture” most of the way home and You just carried us home on angel wings as we listened to Your word being spoken and were filled with praise! Your word is sufficient! And Father, Your word strengthens our faith to believe You more!
In my journal I wrote - 10/31/09
Duval Station Baptist Church - Jacksonville, FL
“Lord, I am getting bolder in asking you to take me to scriptures, pages so I can get the word You have for me. This morning, after sharing in Judgment House last night, You took me to this page - Oh Father, You are giving me amazing fulfillment as you allow me to sow in the closing room. You are filling me with much joy, health and an even stronger faith! And I bless Your name! Oh Jesus, thank You for the privilege of sowing. I want to sow bountifully! Open doors so I can! Great satisfaction!”
You know Lord, at the last minute our plans changed. We had planned for several weeks to share in Indiana. We had been planning toward that! But You had a different plan all along - we just didn’t know it! The week before we were to leave we received word that a member of their church, very involved with Judgment House, had died of cancer and Hannah’s story was too fresh and real for their church right now. They had made the decision to use another script. I pray for that church body Father. Use this in the life of their church to bring forth eternal fruit through the lives of those who remain. Knit that church body close together and bring the healing that only comes through Your word and Your Spirit.
And so You took us to Jacksonville to share with a precious body of Christ there. Nine months previously, their church had gone through the loss of one of their 17 year old girls, Lisa, as the result of a car accident. She was a strong believer in Jesus Christ and had been saved through the ministry of Judgment House a few years ago and had afterwards become very involved with JH. I met her precious parents and the night before we arrived her mother had given her heart to you after going through JH. We knew early on that You had placed us in that very place. That church body continues to heal from Lisa’s passing. I met her best friend - now a senior in high school - finishing her last year without her best friend. Oh Father, only You can bring healing from that loss, only You can bring forth much fruit from this kernel of wheat that has fallen into the ground and died. And Father, we ask that You do just that. Use this for Your glory and to strengthen the body of Christ. Only You know the specific details and the loss that each one is experiencing - meet each one at the point of their need!
Oh Father, there were so many things that only You could have orchestrated - I stood amazed at Your attention to every detail. They played the last verse of “Hannah’s Song” in the heaven scene and I was later to find out that Eighth Day had been in that church 5 months previously and had sung “Hannah’s Song.” Wow, Lord, of all the churches in Jacksonville and we ended up in the same one! I don’t think that was unnoticed by You!
It was a blessing to go to each scene with the pastor and pray with the cast before JH began the first evening. The love of Christ “disarms” and You knit hearts for eternity!
For three evenings, You gave me the privilege of sharing with the pastor in the closing room - inviting folks to respond to what they had just witnessed. What a blessing Father! You prepared hearts and many responded to Your invitation! Transform those lives by Your truth and use them to win many others! I will never forget the conversation I had with a young man who made a decision for You early in his life and is now questioning the reality of You and his decision. We had the best conversation between groups - he is a brilliant young man and had great questions! I know You have Your hand over his life - I told him that You weren’t afraid of his questions and that if he seeks You with all of his heart that he will not be disappointed - You will reveal Yourself to him! Raise him up to be a strong godly young man!
Many in that church were walking their own journeys of suffering. I have pictures of many of them in my minds eye and they will not be soon erased! What an incredible blessing to stand and share Hannah’s story and interview clips three years later and watch You continue to bring forth eternal fruit! Bless Your name! Only You Father can accomplish such things! You re-energized my life! I pray You will open more doors to share the hope Hannah had in You! Bless that church body and bring many to a saving knowledge of Yourself!
We left there and went to Gainesville, FL where mother has a dear college friend that she had been desiring to visit many years. Betty has two children in heaven with You - Carol Ann died at 6 weeks old from SIDS and David came to live with You 5 years ago at age 40 after a bout with melanoma leaving behind a wife and two young children. Oh Father, we weren’t there many seconds before her praise to You had us both in tears and had our hands lifted to heaven! What a precious godly woman who has suffered much in this life but she absolutely radiates the reality of who You are! What a precious time of sharing with her! The next evening we met her beautiful daughter and the four of us went to dinner. You allowed me to share my testimony and the journey we have been on and You used that time to knit our hearts together in a very special way. Thank You for allowing me to share that moment in time with my mother and another mother and daughter! Use their lives to continue to bring forth eternal fruit and use Anna Marie’s heart for the homeless and hungry to bring many to You!
Oh Father, I would love to share somewhere every weekend! What a blessing the last two weekends have been! I am so glad You know each heart and life and You will continue to pursue and heal each one! You have once again gone ahead of me to fill me up with praise and thanksgiving before we celebrate Hannah’s three year anniversary in heaven with You tomorrow! Bless You Father!!