Missions Update: RIPMinistries has raised close to $8,000 so far for Hurricane Matthew Relief in Haiti. That is enough to provide 160 families with a 5-day supply of food. I will provide pictures as soon as I can. If you would like to donate to this cause, please visit http://ripministries.org/missions/haiti-relief.
Isabella and I are currently in the Dominican Republic. The project we have here consists of a church and two schools. We are currently looking for a location to bring the schools together. The overall project, Grace Destiny Center, will house the Grace Destiny Church and Grace Destiny Academy (GDA). For now we are running Grace Destiny Academy (the main school) with 90 students, and Grace Destiny Academy – East, with 60 students. Here are links to pictures of our visit yesterday.
Grace Destiny Academy. 90 students. Link to pictures: https://goo.gl/Xgkwx6.
Grace Destiny Academy – East. 60 students. Link to pictures: https://goo.gl/SYxZAh.
This project is an example of God’s Finished Work. God led us to connect with these two schools last year, at the beginning of the school year. We are covering the operating costs, we have hired more teachers, moved both schools into better locations and have grown the student population by 25%. We could have more students, but we don’t have the room at the moment. When we move into a bigger facility, we will be in position to reach more children.
I asked the children how things have improved since we connected with them. Here are some of the things they said:
- “We like the food.” They were not receiving food before. We now provide breakfast for GDA and lunch for GDA-East.
- “We appreciate the school books.” Before we connected with them, none of the children had textbooks. The teachers were the only ones with books, so they had to lecture everything and the children had to take an enormous amount of notes. This does not work well with ‘little-ones’ and it is even a challenge for the older students and the teachers. Thankfully now, they have textbooks.
- “We like our backpacks.” We provided every student a backpack with school supplies. This was a huge assistance to the parents and it also meant that every student is able to have a good backpack and all the school supplies they need.
- “We love our new location.” At the main school, GDA, the students told me that they love the fact that they can learn and play without being harassed or hurt. They said that at the old location, while they were outside playing, people would throw rocks at them. And even while they were inside studying, people would throw rocks that hit the tin roof. I almost “lost it” when they told me that. It was hard to hold back the tears. To think that children had to dodge rocks while they were in school is ridiculous, but thankfully they are in a better location. And soon, we will have our own location.
Now for a quick Word.
I have been teaching on “God’s Finished Work” and we have been looking at the call and life of Jeremiah. Just like God mapped out Jeremiah’s assignment before he was born, God already knew what Isabella and I (and RIPMinistries), would do in the Dominican Republic before we were born. Last year in July the Lord told us to purchase an apartment here in the DR. We obeyed God and gave our initial deposit August. It was not until October that the Lord connected us with our schools. We did not know why we were purchasing a property here, but we did know it was the will of God. My family tried to talk me out of it. I had just retired from the Army and they thought I was just enamored by the country after enjoying a 3-week retirement vacation. But I knew it was God. I did not know all the details, but I knew God had a plan. I still don’t know all the details, but I am thankful to be able to walk with God and I am excited about what He is going to do through Grace Destiny Center.
So what does this mean to you today? A few quick things.
1. Living by faith is exciting. You may not know all the details concerning what God is up to, but as you walk with Him He will reveal them to you and they will be much better than you imagined.
2. Purpose is fixed and established, but the revelation of that purpose is incremental and progressive.
a) Like Jeremiah, God’s purpose for your life is fixed and established. It’s already done. It will not change. It is His finished work.
b) While your purpose is already established, the revelation of how to accomplish that purpose is both incremental and progressive. It is incremental, because God will only reveal to you what you need to know to maximize the season you are in. He does this because He knows how much revelation you can handle. If He told you the entire plan, you might run from it (smile). And it is progressive, because the longer you walk with God, the more He is able to reveal to you.
That’s enough for today.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016. My life is not about me or my selfish desires. My life is all about You. You are my Lord. You are my God. You are my King. I worship You every day. I live to give You glory! I thank You for my divine purpose. You established my purpose before the world began. You now reveal to me my purpose, in increments I can handle, and I walk in the revelation You give me. I am excited about my future. I may not know everything my future holds, but I do know the one who holds my future, so I simply REST in Your finished work! I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
