It seems like everyday I’m learning something new, even when I make mistakes. I hope you are constantly learning from your mistakes also.
This last week Max Chismon from Simply Mobilizing spoke with the Globe International leadership team. It was an honor to spend time with him and I really learned so much about having a Biblical/missional world view and how to influence others in the same. As I mentioned in last weeks e-news, I not only serve as your foreign missionary, I serve to help mobilize all our partners to be on mission for God so you can make a difference in the World.
Click Here to Download our March 2018 Newsletter
Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow.
The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way.
-Dale Carnegie
While in Cuba I made a few mistakes and grew a little. I want to share my experience with you in hope that it’ll encourage you that God is still in control, even when you think you mess up.
I delivered an evangelistic message during a church service.
My first mistake was when I preached on how Peter stepped out on faith to follow Christ.
The Cuban’s really laughed when I asked, “How many of you have ever got into a boat like Peter did?”
Why did they laugh?
Because getting in a boat is associated with trying to escape Cuba by defecting to Florida via water.
Cultural mistakes like this are common among missionaries, fortunately my mistake didn’t get me into big trouble.
Jesus wants us all to take chances and step out on faith
There was a cuban baseball team attending the service and several of these athletics raised their hand indicating they wanted to follow Christ. I then invited everyone to step out on faith and come to the front of the Church.
I felt bad because all the baseball players didn’t come forward. I told myself,
“Ed, you blew it!”
Note: I messed up because many church visitors often associate going to the front of the church with a church membership, not an invitation to follow Christ.
Where I am weak, God is strong
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. …. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Cor 12:9-11
However I did do something right. I felt God wanted me to ask everyone to step out on faith and I obeyed God by giving that invitation.
Ruben was one of the persons who came forward for prayer. Although Ruben gave me a small gift after the service, I didn’t think much about it until I received this translated letter from Ruben:
“The day you prayed for me I was very afflicted with health. When you laid hands on me and prayed for me your hands were anointed by the Lord and I immediately received divine healing in my aching body.
But something even more extraordinary happened when I received that anointing from God and I fell there on the bench of the church,…
I said “Oh, Lord God you are wonderful!.
I hadn’t been able to praise him like that for a long time.”
I want to encourage you. Even when you think everything’s wrong, you can be sure of this, He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6)
Thank you for your prayers and financial partnership!.
You help make it possible for these praise reports to continue even when I occasionally blow it.