"I Want to Change the World"

"Go into all the world 

and preach the Good News to all creation." 

(Mark 16:15)

That is what Jesus told his disciples and it is known in Church circles as the Great Commission. And if you have grown up in the Church, as I have, then you have seen countless people follow that Commission and travel the world to preach the Good News. We, as the Church, have encouraged our young people to listen for the call of Jesus, follow the call of their heart, and step out in both courage and faith to spread the Good News throughout all the world.

We spend hours and hours teaching them and training them. Making sure they are informed about the dangers, the things for which they should be aware of, how different cultures behave and perceive actions and words. We anoint them with oil and pray blessings over then and we send them out.

Unfortunately, we tend to forget one thing.....it costs a lot of money to travel the world and preach the Gospel.

I had a gentlemen ask me the other day, "You know, we hire pastors to come and work at our church, but why do we make our missionaries raise their own money?" I didn't have an answer for him.

Jesus also said in Mark, to "take nothing with you, no bread, no bag, no money" (Mark 6:8). But we do live in a different world now; a much larger world than the disciples even knew existed. And while our missionaries usually take very little with them, it does cost money to actually get to the place they are going.

Why am I telling you all of this? I know five young people between the ages of 20 and 24 who are leaving in a few weeks for missions trips. Two young ladies are going to a Youth With a Mission (YWAM) base in Hawaii for training before going out on an outreach trip and three young men are leaving in ten days for a YWAM base in Germany, then on to an outreach in the 10/40 Window for three months before spending three months with our missionaries in Uruguay. Between them all, they have had to raise close to $35,000 to "go into all the world."

Unfortunately, all of them are still needing a great deal of money to make this happen. They have sent out sponsor letters, worked all summer and saved every penny, created GoFundMe accounts, and still the means to reach the "world" are not there.

We, as the Church of Jesus Christ, have encouraged these young people to find their passion, their purpose, their calling, and go. But we aren't giving them the means to do so.

Ultimately, God is our provider; He is THEIR provider. But God uses people; He uses the Church.

So, I'm asking that you consider how you can support these young people as they follow the call of Jesus and go into a dark and hurting world to spread the Gospel.

And I'm asking that you pray for each one of them by name:

Teigan Barlow

Emily Horner

Bracken Hibbard, Sam DeVos, Mitchell Ehlert

As you can see, my son is one of them; He's the one that said, "I want to change the world." Maybe that makes me somewhat prejudice and this post somewhat self-serving, but he, like these other young people, has finally found his passion and his purpose. And I want to see him and these other students follow Jesus and “go into all the world.”

There is a new generation of missionaries being raised up by the call of the Holy Spirit. Will you help them follow the call? Each one of them has a GoFundMe account. Or you can send donations directly to them. If you are interested in giving, send me a message and I will give you their information.

Let us be the Church that makes a way to reach out and "change the world."

Blessings,

'Lena

bestillandknow.lena@gmail.com

Say Something....

"That He may grant you to be strengthened with power 

through His Spirit in your inner being so that Christ 

may dwell in your hearts through faith."

Ephesians 3:16-17

I was sitting here this morning running through my Facebook before I begin my day. I don't spend a lot of time there any more, because the political posts annoy me. But this morning, several posts caught my eye.

I have a classmate from high school who is in surgery as we speak having tumors removed. She and her family have kept us updated via Facebook, so I was looking to hear from them. Debbie's daughter had posted that she was in surgery and they had been given an update from the doctor...things were going well, but it would take longer than they had expected.

I scrolled on down and found a post my sister had shared. It was a quote from Christine Caine that said, 

"In the midst of what may seem like the toughest storm, if we will simply trust Him and listen for His instruction, we'll undoubtedly hear Him whisper to our heart: "Yes, right now it all seems impossible. But just stick with Me because when you have Me in you - surrounding you, ahead of you, and behind you - nothing is impossible."

She included Psalm 91:2

"He is my refuge and my fortress; my God in whom I trust."

I shared that with Debbie's daughter hoping to bring encouragement to her and the family.

Then I continued to scroll down the page. Another friend had posted a song; it was a Christian version of the song, Say Something. I was concerned as I first began to listen, because the words are:

Say something, I'm giving up on You.

I'm sorry that I couldn't get to You.

Anywhere I would have followed You.

Say something, I'm giving up on You.

It disturbed me a bit because it was as if they were saying, "God, You're not doing anything, so I'm outta here." (And, yes, I know there are those who feel that way...). But as I listened, it changed...in the middle of the song, they began reading Scriptures - promises from the Father.

Be strong and courageous...

Come to Me if you are weary and heavy burdened - I will give you rest.

You are not slaves, but My children!

And I am your Father!

Then they began to read the portion of Scripture where the prodigal son returns home (Luke 15:22-24 Message); and the Father, who has never given up on His son, embraces him and throws a massive celebration....and I wept!

You see, I have a son who is not walking with the Lord. In fact, he has given up on God...believing God has given up on him. And it breaks my heart. If only...if only...he could hear, truly hear these Promises of God.

God hasn't given up on him!!

We've all been there at some time in our lives. Wondering if God is there, is He listening... does He even care. But His Word is FULL of promises and all He asks of us is to believe Him; take Him at His Word. Rest in Him.

You're probably wondering what these two stories have to do with each other. Well, the same theme ran through both stories.....

We need to Say Something...

We all know someone who is battling something....sometimes it's ourselves. Health issues, finances, relationship issues, employment issues, or spiritual issues. None of us are exempt from the battles. 

We need to encourage one another with the Promises God has given us. "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of HIS might" (Ephesians 6:10). We don't have to do anything in our own strength.  As Christine Caine reminded us, God says, "right now it all seems impossible. But...when you have Me in you - nothing is impossible!"

And, if you are feeling abandoned or bereft, and feel like giving up, remember...Your Father is saying something to you. He's not giving up on you! "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion..." (Philippians 1:6).

This morning, not only was I encouraged by others, I was reminded to pray for those who are in need. And may I encourage you, as you read posts from your friends if someone says, "Please pray for me..." truly pray. It's so easy to type "praying"; I know, because I've done it myself. But after doing so, stop for a moment and lift that person up in prayer. It really only takes a moment. And they are asking because the need the love and support, encouragement and strength that we can give each other. 

Finally, I know many of us use Facebook way too much; it's easy to get lost as we scroll down the page and through the posts. But, it really is a great tool to stay in touch with one another, share one another's burdens, and bring encouragement to one another. Sometimes, that verse you read this morning, or that song you heard is exactly what someone else needs to hear. I have been challenged by God lately to make the things I post on Facebook....matter.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father

from whom every family in heaven and on earth is names,

that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you

to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your

inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through 

faith - that you, being rooted and grounded in love,may have 

strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth

and length and height and depth, and to know the love of

Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled

with all the fullness of God."

Ephesians 3:14-19

 'Lena

© 2016

Wash, Rinse, Repeat...

I had lunch with a friend the other day and she mentioned a blog she had started a few years ago, but never wrote now. I told her that I had been thinking lately that I wanted to start writing again. I have written two blogs and two books, but life has been so busy and varied lately that I have stepped away from it. So I came home and sat for two hours trying to come up with a name for a new blog.

I began this blog in 2009 when the Lord told me to "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10). Interestingly, in the past few weeks, He has been speaking the same thing too me. So as I sat here trying to come up with a "new" name for a "new" blog, I realized I was hearing the same thing.

A long time ago, the shampoo bottles had instructions on them that said, "Wash, rinse, repeat." I kind of felt like that was what the Holy Spirit was saying that to me. "You have been washed by the Word; the cares and activities of life have left their residue on you. It's time to repeat."

I love that the Word of God is alive and active. I love that no matter how many times you read Scripture, it always applies to your situation at the time.

Now, once again He whispers to me, "Be still....I am God." And though my life and my circumstances are much different than they were in 2009, the words still apply; they still calm my soul, and soothe my spirit.

So, rather than start a new blog, I'm continuing the old. And if I repeat myself from years gone by, it's because God is speaking the old things and making them new.

I hope you come along with me.

'Lena

©2016

These Bones Will Sing...

The hand of the Lord was on me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of dry bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

Ezekiel 37:1-3

This is one of my favorite passages in Scripture and I've written about it here before. But Sunday during worship, we began singing a song which brought it all back to me in a new light.

You give life, You are love

You bring light to the darkness

You give hope,You restore

Every heart that is broken

Great are You, Lord!

For the last few years, my family has been in a situation with a loved one that has, at times, seemed hopeless. As we sang this song,the words "You give hope...You restore" resounded in my heart as the promise God has given us to hold onto. But then we sang the final refrain:

All the earth will shout Your praise

Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing

"Great are You, Lord!"
(Great are You, Lord)

My mind immediately went to Ezekiel 37. Scripture says the bones were "very dry"; I picture them bleached white by the sun. They had laid there, perhaps for years. Death had come and gone; hope of life was not even a vague thought  or memory. But the word of the Lord brought the bones back together, putting muscle, tissue and flesh back on them; His breath, His Spirit gave them life!

For years now, I have held a mental picture in my mind of standing on the platform in worship and seeing my loved one walk through the center sanctuary doors. During the latest New Heart Place graduation service, I had a mental picture of my loved one standing on that platform, having completed the program and receiving their certificate. But lately...the pictures have been fading; the hope has abated...the bones have been bleached white by the hot desert sun.

But today, once again, I am hanging onto the promise. I am holding onto those mental pictures in my heart and mind and I am raising them up to the face of God, reminding Him of His promise:

"Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord." (Ezekiel 37:4-6)

All the earth will shout Your praise

Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing,

"Great are You, Lord!"

©Be Still and Know

'Lena Ehlert, 2015