Jude Lee: Prayerfully Preparing for a Short-Term Mission

 
by Dr. Jude Lee, author of House Calls with Jesus: Stories of Redemptive Love
 
Dr. Lee reading from My Utmost for His Highest on November 1^st:

Know ye not that … ye are not your own? – 1 Corinthians 6:19
 
There is no such thing as a private life—‘a world within the world’—for a man or woman who is brought into fellowship with Jesus Christ’s sufferings. God breaks up the private life of His saints, and makes it a thoroughfare for the world on the one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves, we are called into the fellowship of the Gospel, and things happen which have nothing to do with us, God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have his way, if you do not, instead of being of the slightest use to God in His Redemptive work in the world, you will be a hindrance and a clog. The first thing God does with us is to get us based on rugged Reality until we do not care what becomes of us individually as long as He gets His way for the purpose of His Redemption. Why shouldn’t we go through heartbreaks? Through these doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us fall and collapse at the first grip of pain; we sit down on the threshold of God’s purpose and die away of self-pity, and all so-called Christian sympathy will aid us to our death-bed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, and says—‘Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.’ If through a broken heart God can bring His purposes to pass in the world, then thank Him for breaking your heart. – Oswald Chambers, 1986

The words God sends to us are always right on time and perfect in exhortation and conviction. Through our brokenness, His way of bringing us to know Him more and have in our being, humility of His making, He moves. One tiny step of obedience, letting go of one’s way, confessing pride, humbling self before Him and others…He does a mighty work. He is glorified for without Him we are nothing.
He is faithful in preparing three of His little sheep, Mary, Cathy and myself to go to His other sheep in Guatemala. Faith, their mom, has been doing the study with us. She prays for us alot. We have been doing Seeking Him, a Bible Study which has been teaching us and changing our hearts showing us what is His revival, through humility, honesty, repentance. We are just starting the chapter on grace. It’s been a long time in coming to grace in the book but we have been filled with His grace as He has loved us to Himself and shown us Himself so clearly. He is doing a work of humility in each of us, bringing us to a place of honesty before Him and others we have not known so well before, and repentance is ongoing. The journey is just beginning. We pray it be a continual lifelong one.
This is Mary and Cathy’s first mission trip overseas. We covet your prayers. Many of you have shared of your abundance as well as prayer so the little ones in Guatemala will have a bit of Christmas, some babies will be blessed with “hand-made prayed over” love-sent baby hats to keep them warm this winter, others have shared their other extras. Thank you so much for sharing in the joy of His gifts.
Please keep in prayer:
1. The Lord’s ongoing work through Bible Study to disciple the moms and youth to bear eternal fruit and change a generation, as well as a generation yet to be born, for Jesus (Psalm 22:22-31).
2. His weary and worn children (adults and niños) will see Jesus through His Word and that those serving so steadfastly in Guatamala will be encouraged and strengthened by Him.
3. We would stay well in our physical bodies and in our spirits, serve Him well, keeping Jesus and His way and will foremost in our hearts and minds. And as far as the medical part, that we would be just the tool in His hand.
4. All of us sheep, State-side and Guatemala yield to Jesus for His humbling us, preparing us, breaking us, bringing us closer to Him at such a time as this that we would be passionate, on fire for Him. Time is short. Let us not waste the lives He has given.
Jesus, You are faithful, humble and powerful in wisdom and grace, perfect in judgment and mercy. Thank You. You call, You work, You do a mighty change in our hearts and we are grateful. Keep us, Your sheep, near as You work in and through each of us in Guatemala and in the States, to know You more, to be captivated by You and to have no other before You. Your love is boundless, overwhelming in its mercy and grace and our recognition of the magnificence and unparalleled excellence of Your love brings us to see how undeserving we are and will always be. Yet, You pour out. This humbles us, Lord. Keep us there, that You would give grace…Your grace to us, grace overflowing so it reaches out beyond us into the lives of others for You and Your glory. Ah precious King…how great You are. Thank You. Thank You so much. Amen