Death to Self-Life, Release of Infectious Vision
Movements to Christ are launched on the backs of those who are bent down in total surrender unto ABBA. Even then, those who yearn to walk in a desired surrenderedness, are satisfied in Jesus first and foremost. Though they hunger to see the Father glorified in all, they are thankful for what they can experience. The launch of movements in their lifetime as well as the scaffolding set in place for the Father's perfect timing beyond their presence in a given UPG is a patterned passionate contentedness in all.
I thought I would share
some pretty great reminders to my own heart from the following m biography.
This story relates to all of us whether we are senders/goers for the sake of
His glory to be demonstrated and proclaimed among the Unreached People Groups
(UPGs) of the earth. It is also a great reminder for those of you who are
called to live in the US.
Death to self-life and all its machinations is always a great
idea for those whose hearts are fixed on loving/obeying Jesus.
Today was a day where we spent with several of our national
partners. We had them spend the night with us last night as well. During the
time we had them share updates on how their personal growth/challenges/praises
and DBS (Discovery Bible Study) and JRTs (House Fellowships into 3rd
generation) in the DMM/CPM (Disciple-Making Movements) process are going. Three
of the team members were just pretty much stuck in personal un-healed issues as
well as one of these precious folks just going back to default approaches of
hit and miss with M#s$lims, most likely due to fear.
As I reflected upon this not so encouraging page in a larger
novel of what the Father is doing in and through this effort in which we all
endeavor I thought of John Patton (JP), m to UPGs in the New Hebrides (Tanah),
as he stood firm in those years of efforts there.
1839 was the first encounter with m's to New Hebrides UPGs. John
Williams and James Harris were the first m's to these peoples in that year.
Within minutes after going ashore on the island of Aramanga they were clubbed
to death, cooked and eaten.
John Patton and his first wife Mary arrived there in 1858. He
died in 1907. Born in 1824 in Scotland.
1. JP had trusted God for the courage to overcome opposition
from those who told him not to go as they warned him that he would be eaten by
cannibals. 19 years prior two other m's were cannibalized by the same
UPGs.
Yielding of Personal Rights: the right to safety and comfort
2. JP chose a gutsiness for the glory of God. He left a vibrant
thriving ministry in Glasgow, though many voices resoundingly opposed his
leaving.
Yielding of Personal Rights: the right to notoriety
3. JP and his wife Mary arrived at their island of service in
1859. Mary gave birth to their first child. She died of complications soon
thereafter. The baby passed one week later.
Yielding of Personal Rights: the right to not suffer loss
4. JP dug the graves with his own hands at the edge of the
island house. He felt as though he were going mad after this painful loss. To
risk that possibility was a calculated choice to remain faithful though his
heart lay deeply broken. Mary's parents never recovered and brought great
criticism to him in their circles upon his first home leave years later.
Yielding of Personal Rights: the right to praise of man
5. JP lived four years beside that grave as he fought to share
the gospel with the UPG there. Severe illness attacked him constantly
while medical attention was hundreds of miles away.
Yielding of personal rights: the right to Health and Comfort
6. JP remarried and then lost another child while hurricanes hit
them at sea in 1879. He did not merely suffer for a season but chose to endure
suffering as he wrote, "our struggles were strangely mingled throughout my
life, through successes and difficulties.
Yielding of Personal Rights: right to personal safety
7. JP persevered through daily threats upon his life. He had a
way of getting in the face of the tribal people when they threatened his life.
He would still come to the worst of his tribal enemies when called to attend to
them medically as well as pray for their healing.
Yielding of Personal Rights: right to our own space and time
8. JP endured high levels of criticism for leaving this island
after 4 years of risking his life daily. The rising tide of opposition from the
tribe caused him to prayerfully consider escape rather than martyrdom. He was
widely criticized for his leaving from his Scotland home base. He followed the
voice of the Father. One dear friend, upon his momentary return to Scotland,
said to his face "you should not have left, you should have stood at your
post until you fell. It would have been better for the cause of missions had
you been killed at the post of duty like the others before you.”
Yielding of Personal Rights: the right to be understood
9. JP chose to trust God to return to the field of his deep
suffering. After he came back to the field he was re-located to the island
of Aniwa and within a short time they all came to follow Christ, while
none came to Christ at that time in Tanah.
Yielding of Personal Rights: the right to success
10. JP wrote his autobiography of his seeming failure in Tanah.
God used this story in powerful ways to mobilize thousands for the call
of missions. JP resolved those two experiences in his writings, "Often
times while passing through the perils and defeats of my first four years on
the mission field in Tanah, I wondered why God permitted such things. But upon
looking back now, I already clearly perceive that the Lord was thereby
preparing me for doing and providing me materials wherewith to accomplish the
best work of my life. Namely, the kindling of the heart of Australians to begin
to have a living affection for the islanders of their own South Seas...and of
being the instrument of sending out missionary after missionary to the New
Hebrides to claim another island and still another island for Jesus. That work
and all that may spring from it in time and eternity never could have been accomplished
by me but for the first sufferings and then the story of my Tanah
enterprise."
Yielding of Personal Rights: the right to do things our way
Tell the stories of the suffering and how God meets you in the
midst thereof. Tell the stories of the sickness and His presence being near and
dear as you cling to Him. Tell the stories of working through conflict internal
personal and conflict within the camp (as appropriate) as well as among UPGs
one focuses upon. Cast the vision, live the call, speak honestly, breed the
humility of Christ in all, endure the opposition. Love Jesus. Obey Jesus
because you love Him and because of His worthiness. No matter where He beckons
your heart to follow. No matter the cost.
"Go for broke when it comes to the unreached peoples of the
world."-John Piper as he shares on the life of John Patton.
Remembering fondly the call/vision for His glory, no matter the
cost.
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