In going on the mission field wherever it be, we should understand that we will be confronted with new situations that will challenge our emotions, our thoughts and our frame of reference.
The ability that we have developed to handle day to day situations, is no guarantee that we will easily adjust ourselves in face of the pressure of new situations. Furthermore, when placed in a new context, our learned experience sometimes can bring more confusion than clarity.
God has shown us how important it is to deposit in our thinking, what we call premises. That is to say, a frame of reference of thinking for any given situation. Of course nobody can predict the unforeseeable, but we all know that difficult situations, opposition, needs, and other general things will suddenly arise before us and challenge us. So, if we can’t predict the unforeseeable, we can at least prepare ourselves with the truth and with God’s thinking.
One mistake is to seek a solution or to lay a foundation after we have been confronted and injured by a situation. This is what most of the world governments do also. They vote on laws and take measures after catastrophes to try to prevent the next one or to be able to deal with it efficiently.
We have available to us, by the grace of God, the Bible which teaches us God’s thinking. Its teaching transcends all thinking, experience and culture. It is the only source of thinking that can cause us to stand in situations.
Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Are we ready in our thinking to face the situations which will come against us? Have we laid up the thoughts of God in our frame of reference?
Here are some important premises:
If God is for us who can be against us? Romans 8:31
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not lack. Psalm 23:1
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1Corinthians 10:13
So my friends, this is one of the important things that we have decided to practically apply in order to not be carried away by the first difficulty that comes in our missionary work.
The ability that we have developed to handle day to day situations, is no guarantee that we will easily adjust ourselves in face of the pressure of new situations. Furthermore, when placed in a new context, our learned experience sometimes can bring more confusion than clarity.
God has shown us how important it is to deposit in our thinking, what we call premises. That is to say, a frame of reference of thinking for any given situation. Of course nobody can predict the unforeseeable, but we all know that difficult situations, opposition, needs, and other general things will suddenly arise before us and challenge us. So, if we can’t predict the unforeseeable, we can at least prepare ourselves with the truth and with God’s thinking.
One mistake is to seek a solution or to lay a foundation after we have been confronted and injured by a situation. This is what most of the world governments do also. They vote on laws and take measures after catastrophes to try to prevent the next one or to be able to deal with it efficiently.
We have available to us, by the grace of God, the Bible which teaches us God’s thinking. Its teaching transcends all thinking, experience and culture. It is the only source of thinking that can cause us to stand in situations.
Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Are we ready in our thinking to face the situations which will come against us? Have we laid up the thoughts of God in our frame of reference?
Here are some important premises:
If God is for us who can be against us? Romans 8:31
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not lack. Psalm 23:1
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1Corinthians 10:13
So my friends, this is one of the important things that we have decided to practically apply in order to not be carried away by the first difficulty that comes in our missionary work.
