If you didn’t read “What’s The Lord Telling You?”Part 1.…you really should read it before reading Part 2. *(click on highlighted link).It has been an interesting journey in learning to ‘walk out’ the things the Father has put in front of us. It’s always challenging, never boring and the amazement of it still mystifies me today. When the Lord said He would be bringing people in here from all over ….He meant it! Most are still here. Some have come and gone (just like He said!), and others are yet to come. My own take on what the Lord is doing in that is that He has brought, and is bringing, them here to catch the DNA of the house (Trinity Fellowship). Then the natural, or should I say spiritual, thing that happens is that they become a positive influence wherever they may go imparting that same DNA in their own realm of influence.
I’ve grown very close to many of the people who have arrived here as a result of the Father’s plan. They have become like family to me and it’s hard to imagine how it’d be without them in my life. Most of them look to me as their pastor and some would also say that I’m a spiritual father to them. Either is a huge responsibility and one that I’d never take lightly. But their first disappointment with me happened when they would bring their life’s problems or dilemmas to me. And, rather than give them an easy answer, my response would nearly always be, “What’s the Father telling you?”. Some of them would even admit, now, that it made them mad when I would ask that question.
It’s never been my way of skirting the issue or passing the buck. But looking back on my own life it’s been those things that the Lord has ‘said’ to me that has made the biggest transformation in my life. It’s the things He’s ‘said’ that has caused the church to flourish and be the influence it is. But even more important….when I ask them the question it has caused them to go to the Lord themselves! And rather than me being some kind of spiritual guru for everyone….they’re all learning to hear the Lord for themselves! And to tell you the truth, I’m totally convinced that the Lord likes it this way above every other way imaginable!
Think about it this way; If you have kids, would you want to talk to them about the important things in their life….or would you rather have someone else talk to them for you?!! Well, God is the perfect Father….and He desperately wants to talk to you!!
What’s He telling you?!
PS-Most of those would now say that it’s the very best thing I’ve done for them!
*Maybe some of them will ‘weigh-in’ and let you hear it from their own perspective!
I believe how you are doing it is right on! My husband listen to you every Sunday.
That is for sure the best thing you could have ever done for us Andy. Sometimes we feel like we are not in tune with what the Father is saying but if we choose to really dig in, then He will speak to us. And know this for sure, if Father is saying something to Andy that he is supposed to share with someone, Andy will not hesitate to share it. We tend to look for what we think is the easy way to get a response or word from the Father because our society has relied on our spiritual leaders to get us the answers we need. That’s what we have been taught. However, if we will step out in what Andy is sharing here, we find that the easiest way to hear from Father is first hand!
Right on, Andy!
Another note. For those of you who are in Sayre area and you want to learn how to better listen to Father, I would strongly suggest you plug yourself in to areas other than Sunday mornings. The first and most awesome place to do so would be Wednesday morning prayer. It will fit into your schedule if you choose to get up a little earlier than normal. The hour or so less sleep will not kill you and it is an investment into your spirit man that is well worth any lack of sleep!!!!!! Go hang out at the church every moment you can. If Andy, Buddy, and Daryl aren’t too busy (I know you guys are always busy but you know..), then you will get to hear what Father is saying to them. Go hang out with Shay on Wednesday nights or with Eric and the Crossroads. Go to all of the above if you can. Listening to what Father is saying with rub off on a feller just by surrounding yourself with these guys!!!
Great advice, Andy!