SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #159 ---- 1/29/01
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
As We fight The Good Fight In This New Millennium
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER #159 ---- 1/29/01
Title: "Understanding God's Heart For Your City"
My Dear Partner in Ministry:
We're finally home! And it's good to be here! Four weeks ago yesterday
we began our journey to Kiev, Ukraine with nine university students,
going to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ through worship, practical
ministries, preaching, and teaching. The trip was more than we could
have dreamed it would ever be. And, not only did God bless in
extraordinary ways while there, but it is clear that He is opening doors
for us to return.
Please forgive me for being unable to deliver a quality letter to you
each week while gone. Sometimes my mind couldn't articulate adequately.
Other times the internet service was just not up to what it takes. On
one occasion it was a typographical blunder on my part that delayed your
receiving the letter.
It may not mean much to you, but it is a major disappointment personally
when I can't keep my appointment with you each Sunday night or Monday
morning. As far as I remember, that has happened only three times since
I began writing in December of 1997 ---- but that's three too many.
We were keenly aware of an incredibly strong undergirding of prayer from
many people. Since every team member is required to get personal
commitments from 20 people to pray for them regularly, we knew there were
at least 220 people praying regularly. Yet, we knew there were more than
that; we could sense it on many occasions.
If you happened to be one who prayed for us while we were gone, thank you
from the depths of our hearts.
WHY ALL THIS TRAVEL?
That's a question I often ask myself. Others ask me the same thing. I
already know the answer, of course ---- God has put the nations in our
hearts, especially those of eastern and central Europe, and we just can't
get away from that calling.
I've written about that before, and how God has given me passages of
scripture that show His heart for the nations, His plans for the nations,
and His calling on Jo Ann and me for the nations. We still can't get
over the fact that He's called us to this ministry after so many years.
Even so, there are times when my own weariness, Jo Ann's need to be at
home and linked up with some type of home base ministry, and the
inconveniences of such travel, still cause me to ask that question.
This past Friday, as soon as Jo Ann and I boarded the plane in Kiev to
begin our journey back to the United States, I began to decompress and
unwind. It's really rather amusing, you know, to sense my mind and body
shutting down within minutes of when the responsibility has ended.
So, by Friday, I was asking myself that question again ---- "Why all this
travel to nations? Why all this emphasis on reaching cities?" Since we
had a forced layover in Vienna, Austria, I went to bed with that question
on my mind, not prepared for the experience to come the next morning.
Since our plane didn't leave Vienna until after 11:00 a.m., we relaxed
just a bit Saturday morning before we went to the airport. By the time
we left the day before, I was ready to hear some English spoken. True,
we had not been fully stripped of that luxury while on the trip since our
team all spoke it, our host did, and several of the students and staff
did.
But, we were getting a little weary of nothing but Russian and Ukrainian,
even when we watched television. Have you ever watched the "Millionaire"
show in Russian? Or old episodes of "Dharma and Greg"?
Now, once you get to Vienna, it doesn't get much better. You'd think
that such a cosmopolitan city would have an abundance of English language
programs, but they don't. You can get, Austrian, German, Italian, and
French, but no English other than CNN and CNBC.
So, I had been settling for my third time that morning through the news
on CNN, when to my surprise, Jo Ann flipped the channel to something
else, and, lo and behold, there was a Christian program ---- in English
---- from America ---- with a preacher declaring the word of God with
clarity and conviction.
I'm not much into listening to preachers on television (first, we don't
get many where we live, and second, I don't normally have the time), but
this guy was saying some things I needed to hear. Turned out to be
Bayless Conley from the Cottonwood Church somewhere in California.
He was preaching from Jeremiah.
I had just asked myself that question again about why all this travel,
when Rev. :Conley read this statement from Jeremiah: "Before I formed
you in the womb I new you. And before you were born I consecrated you.
I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." (1:5)
He went on to read, "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I
have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to
pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to
plant." (1:10).
I knew I was not worthy to receive for myself the words God had spoken to
Jeremiah, but I knew it was a reaffirmation of what He had done for me.
I would have to live with that ---- and I can.
So, even though I'm still tired from the trip, and my body says it is
already 3:00 a.m. when my clock shows only 7:00 p.m., I'm so glad God
just this moment reassured me again of who I am, why I'm here, and what
I'm supposed to be doing with my life. And, I thank God for Bayless
Conley and his wonderful exposition from the book and life of Jeremiah.
IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLE:
Writing to you these past four weeks has been a major struggle for me
---- both in the emotional-mental plane, and also in the technical plane
of computers and Internet access. It was a hard lesson to learn again
that not every country or city has particularly good communications
services to satisfactorily expedite the mechanics of my writing ministry
to you.
However, I've learned to conclude that whenever there is real battle
going on, the occasion must be important for someone; otherwise, there
would not be such resistance and hindrance.
Besides ---- the battle is the Lords, anyhow ---- and not mine.
GOD'S HEART FOR YOUR CITY:
You remember, of course, that when I use the word "city", I'm using it in
its larger sense of that including any gathering of people into some type
of "community" ---- a town, village, or even a rural clustering of
people.
So, when I say that God loves your "city", you know what I mean.
When I finally, with spiritual reality, grasped the enormity of God's
love for and commitment to the "cities" of the world, it changed my life
and my outlook on ministry. Today I want to rehearse a few verses out of
many in the Bible that tell us just how He feels about your city and
mine.
There is but one motive for doing this ---- that you will be refreshed,
encouraged, and awed over how much God loves the city where you live.
Take, for example, the following passages ---- let them speak life and
hope to your heart, my friend. Be of good courage; don't be afraid, and
don't be weary when you think of your city.
1. Psalm 127:1b. "Unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps
awake in vain." That verse tells me . . . .
1) God is interested enough in your city to give it His personal
attention and protection.
2) If He does, in fact, Not do that, then whatever you and I may be
doing to reach it is a waste of time and effort.
2. Proverbs 11:10-11. "When it goes well with the righteous, the city
rejoices, and when the wicked perish, there is glad shouting. By the
blessings of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the
wicked it is torn down." From those verses I understand that . . . .
1) There is a direct correlation between the spiritual health and
welfare of the righteous and the welfare of a city.
2) When the righteous are doing well, the city will even rejoice over
the failures of the wicked.
3) When the righteous and upright are blessed, those blessings exalt
a city.
4) Conversely, a wicked person can destroy a city with only his
words.
3. Luke 13:34. ". . . How often I wanted to gather your children
together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and yet you
would not have it." Through this verse I understand that . . . .
1) God has expressed His commitment to the cities through His Son,
our Lord Jesus Christ.
2) It is not only in God's heart to restore the cities, but it is
also in the heart of our Savior.
3) Cities don't want to be reached by Jesus ---- but they can be.
4. Luke 14:21. "Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city
and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame." It is
obvious that . . . .
1) Jesus is not partial to only the elite of society, but to all
people, including the downtrodden and the outcast.
2) He has commanded His church to go to those people and bring them
to the banquet.
5. Luke 19:41, 42. "And when He approached, He saw the city and wept
over it, saying, 'If you had known in this day, even you, the things
which make for peace! But now they have been hidden from your eyes'."
Here we see the compassion Jesus has for the cities . . . .
1) As He wept over the city.
2) As He lamented over the spiritual ignorance therein.
3) As He reminds us that such truth has been hidden from their
understanding.
4) As He implies and assumes we are getting the message that we are
responsible to declare the truths of peace so that the Holy Spirit will
reveal it to their spiritual understanding.
6. Psalm 31:21. "He has made marvelous His lovingkindness in a besieged
city." What a wonderful word of hope. From it we know that . . . .
1) God has a special place in His heart for a city under duress.
2) He intends to reveal the awesomeness of His love and kindness
which He has for such a city.
3) Besieged cities are His specialty. If yours is, some great things
are on the way for you.
IN CONCLUSION:
So, if all this is true ---- and it certainly is ---- then what should
your response be in regard to your own attitude and actions toward the
city where God has placed you?
I believe there is scriptural admonition for us as well. For example . .
. .
1. Acts 9:6. "Rise and enter the city, and it shall be told you what
you must do.
2. Acts 18:10. "I have many people in this city."
3. Luke 24:49b. "Stay in the city until you are clothed from on high."
4. Luke 24:49a. "I am sending forth the promise of My FAther upon you."
5. Isaiah 40:9. "Say to the cities of Judah, 'Here is your God!'."
6. Jeremiah 26:2. "speak all the words I have told you ---- do not omit
a word."
7. II Samuel 15:25. "Return the ark of the Lord to the city."
8. Luke 19:17. "Because you have been faithful in little things, be in
authority over ten cities."
9. Joshua 19:50. "They gave him the city he had asked for."
FINALLY:
If these verses speak to your heart, my friend, that's all I ask. Your
city is in great need, and it is in God's heart to help you restore them.
Is it in yours?
The ministry of Jesus in Luke 4:18-19 convince us that we can see cities
restored. One of the most profound verses God ever spoke to my heart
about reaching a city is Isaiah 61:4. He used the first four verses of
that chapter to reveal to me the ministry He had called me to ---- that
of proclaiming the ministry of Jesus.
He then assured me what the outcome would be if I was faithful to that
calling. "Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up
the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities."
Imagine, my friend, what might happen if you and I don't faithfully
commit ourselves to our respective cities. Then imagine what God has
promised will happen if we do.
Sobering . . . .
Challenging . . . .
Frightening . . . . .
Invigorating . . . . .
Have a wonderful day today as you continue claiming your city for Christ.
He wants your city.
Take it for Him!
In His Bond,
Bob Tolliver ---- (Rom 1:11-12)
Copyright January, 2001. All rights reserved.
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Hang in there! I'm with you!
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