Just jotting down some thoughts I wanted to share. I blogged about the Holy Spirit telling me I don’t have a home (http://lisascott.weebly.com/2/category/moving/1.html). Those words were so deeply impressed upon my heart, I knew with confidence it was from the Lord. Not realizing the depths of those words at the time, but taking joy in realizing the freedom of not being bound by this world. Those words spoke spiritually to me and I saw spiritually that I was set free from not wanting to make a home here. Not fully realizing that the Lord was not only going to make it spiritually real, but physically too.
Today , my family and I do not have a permanent dwelling place here. The Lord lead us to purchase a trailer and we are lead by His Spirit on where to go. No one place has been made to call home. The Lord has lead us to travel to different states encouraging and exhorting the brethren and preaching the gospel to the lost, and we also have been mutually edified much by some.
I know some people read our blog and think, wow, that seems fun and awesome, but what many do not realize is the hardship and some loneliness at times. But, praise God He has lead us to a few who have encouraged us very much.
I share this because I don’t want many to think this road is so easy that Sean and I never go through tough times. That would be a lie. None of the disciples that follow Jesus had an easy life, but they had the peace and joy of the Lord that will always be with them because they are walking in obedience. Jesus encouraged His disciples to take up the cross, but He also warn that they will be persecuted, so that they will not stumble when the trials come. He also promised He would never leave them nor forsake them. Praise God!
I have been so dependant on Him and calling for Him deep in my heart to be my comfort. Praise the Lord, He never lets me down! I know without God, I would not be able to go on. I thank God for His word that directs me, His Spirit teaching me not to be lead by my feelings, but by His Word.
I’ve come to understand also that many people will not understand our life and this I speak of professing Christians. Even some Christians may think that we have too much zeal and may need some wisdom. It is crazy to many people the life we live. And many Christians have a hard time accepting even God’s path for us. Acting as though Sean and I have chosen this path on our own. I know my flesh would not have chosen to forsaken our house to live in a travel trailer with my children, not knowing our future, where we will go next. But, it is Christ in me who says Yes and see that God is worthy of all of my life and my family’s and so much more!!! I think the hardest part for me was being misunderstood by others, as though this is so much fun, getting to travel and I was being careless with my children. Very far from being right!
But, I come to understand that true discipleship will lead to a lot of misunderstanding. Such a walk does not make sense to those who have not learned to walk by faith, but still trust in sight. I have let it go to the Lord and stop wanting to be understood. Jesus was always misunderstood, especially by the religious. The lost accepted him more than those in the synagogue (church). Paul was always misunderstood by the church. Even His love for God’s Elect was misunderstood. The prophets were seen as lunatics. Imagine what Noah went through when he was building the ark for many years because he believed God’s warnings! Such thoughts of true discipleship always brings me back to Hebrews 11where I receive such great comfort. (http://lisascott.weebly.com/2/category/hebrews/1.html)
Its amazing how my children have grown from this path. They have learn to be content, not complaining about wanting a permanent home, more toys……God has help them to be comfortable wherever they are at. Most people would think that American children would hate to live in India. My kids didn’t like it in the beginning, but the Lord gave them much grace that they had a hard time leaving India and still their hearts long to go back! I tell you what, our kids have been through a lot of trials for their age, a lot of sickness that could of cost their life. But, those trials have certainly matured them, making them very thankful with whatever the Lord gives us, and seeing that we are only strangers here passing by, that our real home is in heaven with Jesus. They really appreciate and get excited over the little things that a lot of people would not see as something great or it would easily bore them. But, my kids have so much fun with things that would bore a lot of kids because they have learn to live with little and simple and are content with that. I am so proud of my children and thank God for molding their hearts. May God be glorified in them! Some Christian may think that true discipleship would be hard on children, but what they don’t realize it saves their life when their parents take God seriously. Such children will grow maturely and seeing reality, not being deceived by the American way of life that takes the reality of Christ away and puts many to sleep on the path of hell.
True discipleship will bring many trials, but like Paul, he learned to love the trials, seeing that God ordain them to break us from ourselves, making us more dependant on God, conforming us to His Awesome Son (2 Cor.1-10)!
We will not truly understand God’s comforting until we take up our cross. Not saying the Lord will have everyone walk the same path as us, but everyone must learn to renounce all from the heart and make Him above all.
Paul understood and truly tasted God’s comforting, but it was through the cross.
For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abound through Christ. (2Cor.1:5)
It is through the cross that you will truly taste God’s faithfulness to His word. Yes, the cross will bring many trials, rejection from men, even from brethren, but, though people will be ashamed of you because of the cross, and despise you because of the cross, and though it will lead to loneliness because only a few walk this narrow path, you will know that God will not leave you nor forsake you, that He is not ashame of you because you desire a heavenly country (heb11:16), He will not be ashame to be called your God. You will see many confirmations and signs how faithful God is leading you and taste how much He loves you! God is worthy no matter the cost!!!
This just occurred to me a couple days ago. While I was sitting on the couch meditating on the Lord's ways a clear word popped in my head. The word was "you don't have a home". I came to understand the word immediately and agreed with joy! Yes, I do not have a home here on earth! God has brought me to a place like Jesus, where He says that the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. Meaning, He did not have a permanent home on earth. Now I'm not saying that the christians who have homes are in sin. Its about not setting your heart, your affections on your house where it can bind you. How does it bind you? When you are working stressfully in supporting your lifestyle, your home, more than you need, that God can't use you because your so busy establishing a home on earth and working for it.
When our family sold our house in Texas, not realizing at the time that He was doing a wonderful work in our family. We put our house for sale not knowing where we would be living, where God was leading us too, but by faith forsaking all knowing He will be faithful in showing us the next step after we take the first step. Through giving up our home the Lord has taken away all desires in us to establishing a permanent home anywhere. The great thing about this is that Sean and I have no worries about not having a permanent home on earth and take joy in truly believing and trusting that God will take care of us!
We knew in the beginining that Mexico would not be a permanent stay, but that God has greatly used Mexico to continue to refine us, kept us from settling and making a comfortable home here knowing that He will call us to preach in other places. God has truly use Mexico to strip us from all the world's pleasures. Sean and I truly do not desire any pleasures from this dying world and find that we only desire to know and follow Jesus wherever! God has open another door again and called us to preach and glorify Him in another land, not even having a desire to set a home there either, but to be faithful to Him wherever He calls us. Knowing we will only be here on earth for a short time till we go home and be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Before we make our journey to Asia, the place we are called to next, we will be making a stop in Texas so we can have our baby there and get his passport. But to think that we go back to Texas where Sean and I were raised, having no place to call our home, but that our home for our family will be wherever we lay our heads! There's no permanent home for us in this world and I can't believe how great I feel about this! It is definitely the Lord who worked this wonderful grace in me causing me to desire and be one with His cross! We do look forward greatly to our home in heaven, to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus!!!
Sean and I always had a passion from the beginning to reach Asia and the Middle East. And knew without a doubt that God will call us out on HIS TIMING. It seems what He has promised us in the begining by birthing in us a passion to proclaim Him over seas has come true! It took awhile for this promise to be given to us, but we understand that the Lord had to take us through the wilderness, to refine and mature us, to build us up and set our face like a flint toward His way that we may not look back. For those who keep looking back to Egypt (the world) are not worthy to be His disciple and be entrusted to carry His Gospel (Luke9:62). God has surely brought us to the cross, to die to our rights and obey Him no matter the cost! We can surely say our life is not our own to do as we please, but it is the Lord to do as He please with our lives and I pray that our family will glorify Him to the utmost!
We will surely miss Josef and Lina. They are true brethren who surely care about the glory of God more than their life! They understood from the beginning and knew Sean's passion to see muslims saved so they were not surprise that God has called us out from Mexico and into a place that is more populated with muslims. I can testify also that this couple "has nowhere to lay their heads" and that they take joy knowing that a better home is awaiting them in heaven. Sean and I do pray that the Lord would have us meet up with them again someday, until then we both know that this separation for a short time is for the greater glory of God, that we all may glorify and proclaim Christ in Mexico and Asia! To God be all the glory!
Luke 9:57-59
The Cost of Discipleship
57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."
58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."
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