RUNNING ON THE LORD'S ROAD

Form follows Function

Exodus 4:10–12 LEB

10 And Moses said to Yahweh, “Please, Lord, I am not a man of words, neither recently nor in the past nor since your speaking to your servant, because I am heavy of mouth and of tongue.” 11 And Yahweh said to him, “Who gave a mouth to humankind, or who makes mute or deaf or sighted or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? 12 So then go, and I myself will be with your mouth, and I will teach you what you must speak.”

You were personally designed by God to be good at something. The more you learn how God Shaped you, the sooner you run the race He made you to run, the sooner you will hear His voice and know your path.

“God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure,” so said Eric Liddell, the 400m gold medalist from the 1924 Paris Olympics Games.

Eric’s sister wanted to be the Holy Spirit for Eric. She though he needed to quit the Olympics and go to the mission field immediately. Eric knew God. Eric knew God spoke to him through his shape.

God has made each one of you unique. The more you lean into how God designed you, the clearer His voice will be as you make life decisions.

See each of us

S spiritual gifts

Romans 12:4–8 LEB

4 For just as in one body we have many members, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another, 6 but having different gifts according to the grace given to us: if it is prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if it is service, by service; if it is one who teaches, by teaching; 8 if it is one who exhorts, by exhortation; one who gives, with sincerity; one who leads, with diligence; one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Charles Stanley gives this description.

There are 8 people at a table. One spills and breaks a glass. The prophet says, “You’re clumsy. You need to be careful.” The servant says, “No worries, let me clean that up for you.” The teacher says, “Let me show you how to arrange the table better so next time we don’t feel so crowded.” The exhorter or encourager says, “everyone has that happen from time to time.” The giver says, “I’ll pay for you meal and the glass.” The leader begins to organize the sweeping, the mopping, the proper disposal of glass as well as calling in the paramedics to check everyone for slivers, cuts and abrasions. The mercy giver immediately says, “I am so sorry for you.” Everyone loves the giver and the mercy givers by the way. Those gifts get lots of affirmation.

Which one do you identify with first? Which one can you relate? Which one do you think, I’m glad someone else did that? If you didn’t identify with any, you’re spiritually dead.

H Heart or passion

Founder and Director of Isaiah 117 house tells how she discovered her passion.

In 2014, my husband Corey and I went through Path Training in order to become foster parents. As part of our training, we attended a class at the Washington County DCS office. During that class, we were informed that when children are removed from their homes they often have to come to the DCS office and wait for placement. As I looked around the cubicle filled space, I couldn't imagine a scared child sitting in such a sterile, cold environment waiting to learn their fate. That is when I believe God put on my heart the Isaiah 117 House.

Fast-forward one year, on November 5, 2015, at 3:45pm, I received a call from the Carter County DCS office. Within an hour, Corey, Sophie, Mac and I were picking up our foster son. We were asked to come to the back door of the office. He was dirty, in clothes that were too small, and literally had nothing in the world. This was the second time I believe the Lord put on my heart the Isaiah 117 House.

What if there was a home where children could go when they are removed? What if there was a safe place with friendly, loving volunteers? What if there was an environment with clean clothes, bath toys, healthy snacks, comfy beds and toys? What if instead of cubicles, the traumatized child could see smiles, books, and snuggly blankets?

This is my dream for the Isaiah 117 House. Isaiah 1:17 says, "defend the cause of the fatherless." I believe that is what God is calling me to do. I see a home with a girl’s bedroom, a boy’s bedroom, fully stocked bathroom, playroom, nursery, etc. I see a team of volunteers, 2 at a time, on call to greet "the least of these" when they need love most. I see a place always ready to take in the children of this region in their time of need and help with what is inevitably a traumatic transition. I believe this home has the potential to positively affect the children who are coming into custody in ways far beyond what we could ever imagine as well as support the DCS staff of this region.

A Abilities or skills

These abilities or affinities anyone can have. You have them even if you don’t believe. Some people have a natural gift for numbers, they’ll be accountants or mathematicians. Some people have a natural sense of direction, they’ll be captains or trail guides. You’ve ever said when watching someone begin as a gymnast, “Oh, she’s a natural?” It’s just innate. Now they will need to practice to make the most of the ability.

Exodus 35:25–26 LEB

25 And every woman who was skilled of heart with her hands they spun, and they brought yarn—the blue and the purple, the crimson and the fine linen. 26 And all the women whose heart lifted them with skill spun the goat hair.

Exodus 35:30–34 LEB

30 And Moses said to the Israelites, “See, Yahweh has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri the son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah. 31 And he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom and with skill and with knowledge and with every kind of craftsmanship, 32 and to devise designs, to work with the gold and with the silver and with the bronze, 33 and in stonecutting for setting and in cutting wood, for doing every kind of design craftsmanship. 34 And he has put it in his heart to teach—he and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach, from the tribe of Dan.

In the Old Testament

P Personality

There were two brothers in the Bible, Andrew and Simon Peter. We all remember Peter. He had foot in mouth disease. But, he got things done, he got things moving. We so often think God needs more Peters or I wished I had his personality. But where would Peter be without Andrew?

John 1:40–42 LEB

40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed him. 41 This one first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah!” (which is translated “Christ”). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Looking at him, Jesus said, “You are Simon the son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which is interpreted “Peter”).

We often don’t think of Andrew, but he was there in the background making big plays and then just drifting back while Jesus did incredible things. Remember there was a time when Jesus said, Hey we need to feed all these people and all the other 11 started grumbling. But good ol Andrew he just kept bringing people to Jesus.

John 6:8–11 LEB

8 One of his disciples, Andrew the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, 9 “Here is a boy who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Make the people recline.” (Now there was a lot of grass in the place.) So the men reclined, approximately five thousand in number. 11 Then Jesus took the bread, and after he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were reclining—likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted.

We need all different types of personalities.

E Experiences

We see above how God used people with all different backgrounds and experiences to serve a purpose. Each person had unique experiences that God used to

Esther 4:14 LEB

14 For if indeed you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and the family of your father will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to a royal position for a time such as this.”

Realize that God can use success as well as failure. Adrian Rogers would said a number of times, “God can draw a straight line with a crooked stick.”

Tom Phillips was extraordinarily successful. He was chairman and chief executive officer of Raytheon. He was awarded several honorary degrees. He served on numerous boards (including an advisory board of the Salvation Army), and he was a generous philanthropist.

But one of his greatest achievements was sharing his faith in Christ with Chuck Colson. Years ago, on BreakPoint, Chuck described that fateful evening:

Chuck Colson: I knew Tom had become a Christian, and he seemed so different. I wanted to ask him what had happened. That night he read to me from Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis, particularly a chapter about the great sin that is pride . . . Tom, that night, told me about encountering Christ in his own life. He didn’t realize it, but I was in the depths of deep despair over Watergate, watching the president I had helped for four years flounder in office. I’d also heard that I might become a target of the investigation as well. In short, my world was collapsing. That night, as Tom was telling me about Jesus, I listened attentively, but didn’t let on my own need. When he offered to pray, I thanked him but said, no, I’d see him sometime after I read C. S. Lewis’s book. But when I got in the car that night, I couldn’t drive it out of the driveway. Ex-Marine captain, White House tough guy, I was crying too hard, calling out to God. I didn’t know what to say; I just knew I needed Jesus, and He came into my life.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Chuck went on to found Prison Fellowship, the world’s largest prison ministry. Through his work in the prisons, untold thousands of prisoners and their families across the world came to Christ. They owe their salvation in part to Tom Phillips’s willingness to share the Gospel with Chuck.

All the great work Chuck did for justice reform, and of course the ministry of BreakPoint and the Colson Center, not to mention Chuck’s extraordinarily influential books on Christian worldview, can be traced back to Tom Phillips.

If you will seek to honor God, He will lift you up and you will feel His pleasure.

Try something. See how God directs.

When God sent people to work in the promised land, you will notice something different with the Jordan. The waters didn’t part until their feet got wet.

Don’t procrastinate. Get involved. Shadow someone in ministry. Ask to help or serve. Jump in. Sometimes God will give you a passion like He did for Isaiah 117 house.

To Do:

Take the free Shape Test.

Begin Exploring.

www.freeshapetests.com

After examining your results, ask God where He wants to maximize your SHAPE in career and in service to Him.