While we were gone, 8 more pledges came in for the training center in Nampula and we are now over half way there with a total of $496,970 pledged and a total of $403,030 remaining! The Lord be praised! Bwana Asifiwe!
During our retreat, a coworker Sergio from Chile challenged us all in a devotional, focused on Luke 19:11-27, which is the parable of the Talents. The master went away and before He left, He gave 10 talents to 10 of his servants. When he returned and called the servants to account for what He had given them, the first servant had earned 10 more, the second servant had earned 5 more, and another servant just returned what he had been given. He had not invested what the Master had given him.
Sergio asked the question: "Faithfulness to God involves what? Is it just going to church? Not doing bad things?"
He continued by saying that faithful service to the Master involves multiplication -- using what we have been given to invest in His Kingdom. What has He given us? For what purpose? "At the very least, He has given us all a mouth to be used in talking to others about Jesus," he challenged us!
The Master will not ask an accounting for us for things He did not bless or entrust us with. But we are responsible for what He has given us!
His final thought was, "What does a successful business involve? Two things: Work -- hard work and Risk. It is the same in the Kingdom - to be about the King's business, we will need to work hard and we will need to take risks for Him! Sometimes, the work doesn't get done because we are relaxed (or can we be honest and say lazy?) or because we are afraid of the risk.
So our team as a whole felt the Lord speaking to our hearts again about being involved in His Kingdom, being faithful to invest what He has given us as far as talents, time, finances, gifts, etc. May laziness and fear not hinder His work! It was a timely word for us. We hope it will bless you also. And we are blessed by seeing many of God's people investing in His work here in Mozambique through the donations pledged towards this training center that will bless YWAM (the Buyer) with a center for training and discipling God's people and will bless SIL/Wycliffe (the Seller) with funds to continue Bible translation here in southern Africa! Isn't that cool how the Lord is using this project as a double blessing for His Kingdom! To Him be all the glory. Until next time......
