Showing posts with label fisherman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fisherman. Show all posts

Saturday, September 26, 2015

A Great Move of God is Coming, But He Will Use the Unqualified - Steve Strang

Peter felt unqualified as a disciple, but Jesus knew of Peter's worth.
Peter felt unqualified as a disciple, but Jesus knew of Peter's worth. (Lightstock)
Listen to the new Strang Report podcast weekly at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Strang Report, by Steven Strang, Founder of Charisma magazine
When Pat Schatzline wrote I Am Remnant in 2014, it hit such a chord with people that he renamed his ministry "Remnant Ministries International." As he traveled around the country speaking at churches, pastors and others would tell him—often with tears—how it resonated with them and that they were part of the remnant God was calling, but that they felt unqualified.
That led to his latest book, Unqualified, which shows how God always uses those who are unqualified to accomplish His will—in other words, those who are humble and know they must depend on God because they can't do it themselves.  
The book resonated with me because I certainly felt unqualified when I started Charisma magazine as a 24-year-old newspaper reporter. I still feel unqualified as I try to mobilize the church, involve myself with the culture wars or speak at places like the United Nations about the persecuted church.
I had the privilege of publishing Unqualified, but time doesn't allow me to read all the magazines, Internet content and books we publish. Yet somehow I felt drawn to this book. I try always to read a book during my daily quiet time to challenge me spiritually, and I'm glad I read this one.  
Pat is the consummate storyteller. Known for his crazy humor and unique ability to communicate God's Word with passion, he says his desire is to introduce a generation to the awesome love of the Father and to see God's last day remnant make a stand for truth through the power of the Holy Spirit.
The chapter that grabs most readers is titled "Ah, Sovereign Lord," in which Pat shares how he learned the nature of God. He also tells about a troubling dream during the summer of 2014 in which a wave washed across a map of the United States. In the dream, he shouted to people to jump to safety. One day he was crying out to God, reminding Him that He'd promised never to destroy the world again with water.
He writes, "Then I heard God say, 'Son, the dream you had was not the destruction of America, but a wave of My glory that will flood America!
"I said, 'Lord, I want to see America shaken by Your glory, but it seems so far away.'  The Lord then spoke again to me. He said, "Get ready, because it is coming!"
How encouraging that message is in a time when what we see around us and the messages we hear from leaders are often the opposite.
I knew I was in for a treat when I saw 25 endorsements in the front of the book received before it was published. I'd never heard of many of the people, but there were also well-known leaders like Sid Roth who wrote, "If you are unqualified plus Jesus, you are qualified and chosen to be front and center for the greatest harvest in history."  
Marcus Lamb went even further, "The book will help change the course of the church for generations to come."
One thing I liked is the way the author added "quotes" from a wide variety of people on what it means to be unqualified. These are "extras" because they aren't part of the text itself. If you simply flip through the book and read them with their gray background and different type font, they will inspire you.
Some like Joel Stockstill have national influence. He wrote, "The unqualified are those who have paid the price to walk closely with Jesus but have not been noticed by man for extreme gifting or personality. The playing field is being leveled by the Lord of the harvest and the laborers of true passion are being released."
Others were students like 20-year-old Tommy Vardaman of Portage, Indiana, who said,  "I would rather be considered unqualified, because then it is no longer about what I can do but what He can do through me."
The one I like best came from pro bass fisherman and winner of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic—Randy Howell of Springville, Alabama. He wrote, "The fishermen that Jesus called were the perfect example of the unqualified, but the only qualification Jesus asked for was faith."
Who should read this book?
  • Anyone like me who likes to be inspired during their quiet times
  • Pastors looking for pithy content to inspire their sermons
  • People in general who feel unqualified and want to be encouraged—almost like a spiritual pep talk
  • Those believing for an end-time harvest who want to understand strategies and to see God's plans and purposes
UnqualifiedPat's book is for the humble and for those with a heart to serve the kingdom.
"The spiritual depth of the unqualified will not come from degrees on the wall or memberships in prestigious God clubs, but from the classroom of brokenness," Pat says. "God doesn't look at polls or opinions when He chooses His leaders. He always looks for someone with a heart, regardless of what the world thinks."
Do you remember the book The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren? It was also a book that resonated with people. But when it came out, Rick Warren was not well known. Pastors and others who had been touched by his ministry began talking about the book. The book took off, inspiring and influencing millions to find purpose in their lives.
I urge you to purchase Unqualified and read it. It's available wherever Christian books are sold or you can quickly download it on Kindle. You can purchase it through one of the online bookstores like Christian Book Distributors or amazon.com.
Pat believes passionately in this message. He's on a mission. The book is born out of that—not just a desire to write a book. But, he needs your help to forward this message on social media or to talk about the book within your circle of friends.
And as always, leave your comments below.
Steve Strang is the founder of Charisma and CEO of Charisma Media. Follow him onTwitter or Facebook.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Kathie Walters - "Put up your sail and catch the wind." Or "Getting in and out of boats." (Identity Network)

Kathie Walthers

"Put up your sail and catch the wind."  
Or "Getting in and out of boats." 

Have you ever thought of something you would like to do, but you couldn't figure out how it would work or how it would succeed? So you dropped the idea "until later." 

What about the book or booklet you were going to write, but never got around to it? What about the art classes you wanted to take? What about the place you promised yourself to go? Or the person or ministry you really wanted to hang out with? 

You know we only have one life to live down here. You may as well have some adventures. I tell the older people, the grandpas and grandmas - this is the best opportunity you've ever had to get up and do something adventurous.
 
How do you know if it is going to work? Well sometimes you don't know, you have to "give it a go," as they say in NZ or as Janice's husband, David says to her, "Put your sail up and see if the wind will catch it." 

Take the Opportunities 

You have to take opportunities - doors can open and close, windows of opportunity can open and close.  If you don't have your spiritual antenna up you can miss those doors, because you are "busy."  Did you know you can be so busy working for Jesus you can totally miss a God opportunity?  Jesus doesn't require you to work for Him; He wants you to yield to Him so that He can work THROUGH you. Much easier that way.
 
Some opportunities mean that you are in the boat. But you have to push off from the shore. You have to leave familiar territory - your comfort zone and launch out, not exactly knowing all the details on the map either. 

Sometimes you have to get OUT of the boat if the boat has become your comfort zone. Remember Peter, he got out of his comfort zone didn't he?  A boat - that's his territory -  he was comfortable there. He was a fisherman and guess what?  Fishermen practically live in boats. A very familiar place for him he had probably managed to keep safe in all kinds of weather before now. But suddenly! Peter saw Jesus walking on the water. Do you know just like you, Peter had never actually seen anyone do that before. 

I'm sure he had eyes like saucers. "Whaaaat?"  But before he knew it, he realized this was an opportunity, and he leapt into an unknown sphere of faith. He couldn't wait for Jesus to get in the boat, because that particular  opportunity would pass.  He leapt into action, didn't he? 
Next thing - there he is walking on the water. Whhoooa amazing.  Of course we all know he got His eyes off Jesus and had to get back in the boat, but at least he had a go.  At least he knew in future that's a possibility. 

Sometimes You Can't Wait 

You know sometimes there isn't six months for you to debate about how to respond to an open door.  You have an idea of something but that's not enough - you have to push out from the shore, you, have to raise the sail. You have to let the wind catch the sail. 

Do you know that in Ireland in the 5th century and 6th century there were many preachers in the monasteries. During that Celtic revival the monasteries would have about 4,000 young men and women. They were like our Bible colleges. They healed the sick, preached the Gospel and raised the dead.  Some of them, called the Peregrini, would get into a boat off the shores of Ireland. The boat had no engine, no oars and no rudder. They hoisted the sail and trusted God to send the winds to take them where they were meant to go.  Brendan, the navigator, had many miraculous adventures that way. He even sailed to America (the land of promise he called it.) 

So, what about you?  You can stay in your comfort zone - in your familiar boat, or you can raise the sail and let the winds take you out and into the purposes of God.  It's so easy to get settled, isn't it? Now is not that time. We all have heard and seen the prophesies about the move of God and about the CHANGES. 

Follow Me 

Peter was probably quite successful as a fisherman. He was comfortable there - it's what he knew. But He met Jesus and Jesus really turned his boat upside down. There he was in his comfort zone life and suddenly he met a man unlike any other man he had ever met. One day Jesus said, "Hey Peter, leave all that fishing, get out of your boat, I have some other fish to fry."  Kathie's interpretation, but it's good (and scriptural). 

Peter had to make a decision didn't he? Jesus didn't say, "I will give you six months to think it over and if you feel so inclined, well you can come with me."  He just said to Peter, "Follow me," and probably carried on walking. 

Are you ready to hoist the sail?  Are you going to push away from the shore?  If you want things to change you have to do something different. I don't believe it's the will of God that you are in a job that you hate, or a ministry or church you can hardly stand; That's immoral really as you will never give it your best. He puts His desires in your heart so that when you serve Him, it's delightful, because it's in your heart. What really is in your heart?  Keep your antenna up.  Hoist the sail, let the wind come and take you where He wants you to go. 

Read my Celtic Book, Celtic Flames, and read about the great adventures those 6th century Fathers of the faith had - Patrick and Brendan and Brigid and Cuthbert and Comgall, who founded the famous Bangor Monastery. They all raised the dead, healed the sick and preached the Gospel. You can find it on www.identitynetwork.net

Kathie Walters

 
 
 
 
 
Columba -The Celtic Dove
Book
By Kathie Walters
Price: $7.99
Click HERE to order.