I have been reading Bruce Olson's missionary story to the Motilone tribe in Colombia. It's an amazing story of God's work in his life and through him. In the last conference we had in London, it was said that for a person to be useful to God he/she must have a calling, a commission, and content. As I've read this story, I have been asking the Lord more and more for a specific calling and commission. I know I have been called by Him. But I cannot say that I know what God's will for my life is. I see God's will in a general way - to have many mature sons. Amen! But from this past conference and from reading accounts of people's walk with the Lord like this one, I feel that I need to know God's will for my own life, specifically. What is the Lord's commission to me? How does my life fit in with God's eternal purpose? One of the things I really appreciate about Olson's story is the work of the Holy Spirit. It wasn't anything that Bruce did; it was just the Spirit leading and working in everything. Bruce just obeyed and yielded to God. The Spirit initiated the desire to go to South America, the Spirit provided the way, the Spirit gave the burden and inexplicable love for a murderous tribe of native people he had never known, the Spirit did everything. I want God's Spirit in my life that way. Even if it's not to do great evangelizing, etc. Even if it's just to clean or cook or pray with others for certain things - it doesn't matter - as long as it is the Spirit that initiates and the Spirit that carries it out (not me trying to do something for God). Lord Jesus, have mercy, I want to follow you!

The last chapter of this book concerns the way to receive help from the word of God. We must have a heart for God, God's truth and God's word. Secondly, we must have a mind that is focused on what we are reading or hearing, taking it in and musing over it. Finally, we must exercise our spirit in prayer to the Lord that He may speak it it again within us as as light and life. Thus, the word will be fresh and living within us and will be able to flow out as a living supply to others.

The very end of this chapter impressed me the most. The Lord is working to gain His counterpart who matches Him in life and nature. However, the church is constituted with sinners who are deeply fallen and thus, has spots, wrinkles and other such things. How much I need to allow the Lord to deepen His work in me so that I can be part of the bride who has made herself ready for the wedding feast of the lamb!

For months I have been busy to the point of feeling somewhat overwhelmed. My reaction has been to try to relax by doing puzzles, a favorite pastime of mine. This has occupied so much of my time that I have been somewhat neglecting my reading of the Bible and spiritual books. I don't think that the Lord is asking me to quit, but He wants to regulate the time I spend on that. The very first sentence of this chapter speaks of God wanting man to choose Him freely. Right away the Lord asked me in my heart about how I was choosing to use my time. "Oh Lord, forgive me for not putting You first in how I spend my time."

Everyone who has received the Lord has His life and nature within. This life longs to enjoy God's presence and also to share God's life with others. However, we often are short in both respects because we do not take care of them together. Sometimes we try to speak to others but there is no flow of life because we had not been spending enough time in the Lord's presence. Sometimes we try to spend time with the Lord but do not sense His presence because our seeking is only for our own enjoyment, not for a supply for others. This chapter is a strong encouragement to take care of both aspects together.

Although I do practice seeking the Lord in prayer while reading the Word, this chapter has shown me that my time and fellowship with the Lord can be strengthened much more. Praise the Lord for the encouragement.

Aleluya ! Porque hoy somos parte del cuerpo de Cristo, La Iglesia. Disfruto que soy un miembro del cuerpo de Cristo. Gracias al Señor por la revelación del cuerpo. Porque el deseo del corazón de Dios no es tener cristianos individuales pero tener un cuerpo corporal que lo exprese. Señor enséñanos a amar tu iglesia como tu la amas. Amén.

Creer significa parar de hacer nuestras propias actividades y esperar que Dios haga la obra. Hebreos 4:10 "Porque el que ha entrado en Su reposo, tambien ha reposado de sus obras, como Dios de las suyas". Gracias al Senor que no dependemos de nuestras obras o esfuerzo sino del trabajo que nuestro Dios hace en nosotros. Somos simplemente vasos usados por Dios para su trabajo aqui en la tierra. Que Dios tenga misericordia y podamos tener dia a dia esta revelacion para que el Senor cumpla su voluntad en nuestras vidas.

My prayer in coming to this chapter was that the Lord would speak to me, not just that I would learn some information. The very first page mentions that God did not force His life into Adam. He wanted Adam to take the initiative to receive His life. This reminded me of Revelation 22:17 which says, "Let him who wills take the water of life freely." Lord, forgive me for being too passive, not choosing to eat and drink of You nearly as often as I ought.

To believe that God created the universe is one thing, to see His desire and purpose in creation is something much more. "Lord, save me from mere knowledge; I want to see You and get to know You in a deeper way."

This book is very practical in terms of helping one establish a consistent life of reading the Bible and prayer.