Worship
“Move Your Heart” by Maverick City Music and UPPERROOM
Scripture
“He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there.” -John 10:40-42 (ESV)
“The very next day John was there again with two of his disciples as Jesus was walking right past them. John, gazing upon him, pointed to Jesus and said, ‘Look! There’s God’s Lamb!’ And as soon as John’s two disciples heard this, they immediately left John and began to follow a short distance behind Jesus.
“Then Jesus turned around and saw they were following him and asked, ‘What do you want?’ They responded, ‘Rabbi (which means, Master Teacher), where are you staying?’ Jesus answered, ‘Come and discover for yourselves.’ So they went with him and saw where he was staying, and since it was late in the afternoon, they spent the rest of the day with Jesus.” -John 1:35-39 (TPT) emphasis added
A Return to Sacred Ground
The passage from John 10 has been ruminating in my mind all week. Jesus takes a moment to escape opposition and heads back to the original place where John first prepared the ground for the coming of the Messiah. He goes back. There are some who need to know if they should to go back to the places they once planted the seeds of the gospel. Jesus went back to fulfill what began in John’s life and ministry. John couldn’t finish out the great harvest of souls, but Jesus could! I think someone needs to hear these words: Go back and finish what was once started for the sake of the gospel.
John was such a curiously passionate man. What made him live such a radical, spirit-infused life when he didn’t yet know Jesus? His whole life was broken open and poured out for Jesus. He was a revivalist and a reformer, and Jesus longed to complete the work John began. Jesus’ returning to that region speaks to me of such honor and intentionality. I draw four compelling conclusions:
- The places where you have declared Jesus are where He will return for harvesting.
- Your testimony of faith and your life of radical holiness plant seeds in the lives of people. If you never perform one miracle, people still see the story of your life. Your surrendered life IS a miracle to a watching world.
- A prophet is never welcome in his home town, but Jesus revisits that place and brings forth the harvest you planted as mere seeds.
- All that John said about this man was true. Jesus fulfilled John’s testimony. He had his “I told you so!” moment. He will have that with each of our lives.
Jesus’ Question
John 1:38 is the first recorded saying of Jesus in this Gospel. He poses a question to his curious onlookers, the same question He asks every Christ follower. What do we want in following Jesus? What are we really looking for? Is it something we are seeking for ourselves, or are we willing to be radical and surrendered even if we don’t see the final chapter of glory here on Earth? Do we want a ministry? A calling? A purpose? Answers to prayers we’ve prayed our whole lives? Or do we simply want Jesus—to be in His presence and to know Him. The guys ask where Jesus is staying, showing they were only seeking Him. Curiously they followed and spent the day in His presence.
“Is it a fragrance? / Then I pour my oil out / Is it a life laid down? / Then here I give my vows / Is it a song I sing? / Then here’s every melody / Just tell me what moves You.” -“Move Your Heart” by Maverick City Music and UPPERROOM
Sisters, you need to know that what moves your heart moves His. Where you have been hidden and faithful, He sees. The places you have lived, served, planted, and watered, Jesus will revisit. The faith and perseverance you have applied that only He knows, He will honor. He will fulfill the work you began there. When you thought no one was really listening and watching, your life was on display. And Jesus goes back and steps His feet in that place.
- He honors the places where you have ministered!
- You may go on from this place, but Jesus will revisit it!
- If God moves you from a place, He hasn’t forgotten it!
Modern Examples of Completed Work
I think of my dear friend, Judy, who has served the homeless in Dallas for nearly two decades, and that service recently came to an end. Her heart and life were poured out into that community. Jesus will go back there, Judy, and bring forth a harvest.
I think of Jim Elliot, who was martyred by the Aucas in attempt to bring them Jesus. It was not until Elizabeth, his wife, returned that many Aucas became Christians.
I think of my parents, who took the gospel to Turkey for nearly two decades. They fearlessly and courageously sowed and sowed. Two years ago, the Lord passed the baton to me. He will carry forth the callings to the generations that follow you.
Hebrews 11 reminds us that many faithful servants never saw their promises fulfilled in their lifetime. Yet their faith joins with ours to create a complete whole. John never witnessed his entire calling’s fulfillment, yet Jesus returned to bring completion to his work.
“I could go on and on, but I’ve run out of time. There are so many more—Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets. … Through acts of faith, they toppled kingdoms, made justice work, took the promises for themselves. They were protected from lions, fires, and sword thrusts, turned disadvantage to advantage, won battles, routed alien armies. Women received their loved ones back from the dead. There were those who, under torture, refused to give in and go free, preferring something better: resurrection. Others braved abuse and whips, and, yes, chains and dungeons. We have stories of those who were stoned, sawed in two, murdered in cold blood; stories of vagrants wandering the earth in animal skins, homeless, friendless, powerless—the world didn’t deserve them!—making their way as best they could on the cruel edges of the world.
“Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours.” -Hebrews 11:32-40, MSG
A Prayer for Completion
John never saw the fulfillment of his entire calling. He prepared the way of the Lord, but I’m sure he wasn’t ready to be snuffed out so quickly when Jesus came on the scene. But Jesus goes back to our callings, and He personally shows up and brings fulfillment. To those of you whose ministries seem to have ended because of sickness, Jesus will go back. To those of you who experienced the tragedy of the loss of your spouse, Jesus will carry your calling forth with Him as your Bridegroom beside you. To those of you who seem to have lost the battle over what God called you to, you better believe He’s speaking His final word of victory over it. He has the last word on that battle!
Let me close with a part of a prophetic word from Lana Vawser from December 2020:
“I began to see daughters of God all over the world beginning to receive the manifestation of that which the Lord has spoken to them. They were moving from hope deferred to hope assured. They were moving from discouragement to joy. From despair to dreaming again. The Lord is breathing refreshing hope and life over many daughters right now. The long-awaited promises are manifesting now. I heard many daughters of God crying out ‘I have waited my whole life for this’. The faithfulness of God resounded loudly around me as I watched daughters of God falling on their knees weeping and weeping in joy and thankfulness to the Lord that He has fulfilled that which He has spoken and that which He had promised.”
Lord I pray for my sisters, that you take us to a whole new level of surrender. I pray that no matter if we see the justice or the fulfillment of the promise or the answer to a certain prayer, that we would pour it all out on You. I pray that we would live with the radical surrender of John the Baptist, with the volume and declaration, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” I pray for hope deferred, that You would go back and walk that ground and bring forth harvest from abandoned places. I pray that for those prophets who are not welcomed in their own homelands, that You would lead them to new places of welcome and receptivity so their giftings can explode. I pray for favor on the heads of my sisters so that they not only walk about in peace, but so that they walk about in worship. Take hold of every empty place that needs to be filled with Your presence and OVERFLOW. I pray, Lord, for these ones who are reading these words to carry a new fire; consume them, Jesus, with all that You are. They will be marked forever, no matter what the past tries to define over them. I pray that shame and sadness and disappointment and grief would be the offering that they break before You and pour on Your feet. Receive it as worship, Jesus. And in turn use it to anoint their feet with the gospel of peace for nations and generations. In the mighty name of Jesus, AMEN!
A Few Key Notes
- Join us May 27-31 as we share the gospel with the lost in San Diego! Get more details on the Arise webpage.
- A team will be in Fort Hood the week of February 25-March 1 to share the love of Jesus with others. If you would like to sign up to pray for this team, email me at [email protected].
- Patrice Vines is hosting another Arise study about putting on the armor of God and standing our ground during turbulent times. You can join in-person or over Zoom. RSVP by emailing me at [email protected].
Time: 9:30 a.m. CST
Dates: Friday mornings
Location: Over Zoom or at The Hope Center (2001 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75075)
- Mark your calendars for two Harvest Day events: one in Waco on March 27 and one in Midland on April 24. We will be joining other women in Waco and Midland, Texas, for a day of going out to pray for people and share the gospel. Training will be available. If interested, email me at [email protected].
- Mark your calendars for the next Arise luncheon in May! RSVP details to come.
Date: May 7
Time: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Location: The Hope Center, 2001 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75075
