Heros of the Faith: Jim Elliot - Susan Miller (2016)

He was not wrestling because he liked wrestling, but wrestling was a means of keeping his body fit and strong enough for missionary work. University also was not to get only education and a Bachelor's degree, but a degree of A.U.G, approved unto God.

Determined that it was a profitable year based on how that year he had drawn closer to God and discovered truths in the Bible. Christianity to him was a real, living, daily experience.

The austere attitudes they had adopted were in accordance with the Apostle Paul's teaching about freedom of the Christian. Some things were simply good clean fun that built friendships. False spiritual standards - perfect liberty in doing things they used to condemn.

His work seemed unappreciated and he felt misunderstood. Naturally, his impulse was to defend himself. Instead, he knelt and prayed, renewing his commitment to be satisfied with nothing less than throwing himself into the hands of God.

- He waited patiently and did not decide on things that God didn't say 

For Ed to follow the leading of God, not to follow the leading of Jim Elliot. He asked God for wisdom in his words to Ed's family.

Sought after work and experience in radio, medical, educational work, which could be ueful applications to their future missionary work. Ever investment made for one goal. There was a pattern here.

*Do things that would help me in my ultimate calling. (Matthew Jaffare, picking up things and storing them in your bag)

Jim's years of training to be in shape, reading and knowing the Word inside out, did it all pay off in the beginning? He wouldn't use any of those skills in the beginning. He was so eager to do ministry work. "No matter how well they laid their plans, something always got in the way" ie. Snake bite, childbirth/death.

Fulfilling their calling to serve God did not after all mean denying themselves the love and support of a family. And their commitment living in the jungle, even with small children, proved they were serious about that calling. 

"They had given their lives trying to reach the Waoranis. At the time, it might have seemed that they failed, but thirty three years later, a savage tribe was living peacefully with its neighbors and teaching the Christian faith" Began with a vision, "a hundred flash lights" (angels)

What they started out to do was finally done. Interestingly, by women, rather than the single male missionaries Jim Elliot had thought were the only suitable candidates for pioneer missionary work.

Possibly in his death, Jim Elliot did more to spur interest in missions than if he had spent a long life speaking to student groups and churches, as he was formerly offered to do. He gave God all he had to give and by his death, inspired many others to do the same. Because he died his journals (Life Magazine) were published, many followed missionary life that he exemplified in his singularity of purpose in living a life wholly given onto God.

A Tale of Three Kings - Gene Edwards (2015)

David engaged in many such solitary battles. Because of this loneliness, he would play the harp, sing, and weep, and hunt. Of what was thought to be an unfortunate circumstance, this allowed him to be a great musician, sensitive, and fearless. The youngest, who would not have any opportunities to practice leadership, broke out because circumstances do not define you.

God wanted a broken vessel.
God has a univsersity. Few enroll, even fewer graduate. He was has people who claim to have God's authority, and don't. People who claim to be broken, and aren't. And people who do have hi authority, but who are mad and unbroken. And there are a great mixture of everything in between. In God's sacred school of submission and brokenness, why are there so few students? Because all students in this school suffer much pain. It's often the unbroken ruler (whom God sovereign picks) who causes the pain. Saul was God's chosen way to crush David. Was a divine ordination for Saul (unbroken) to be placed over David's authority.

You have your eyes on the wrong Saul, and you will blame him alone for your present hell. But God has his eyes on another King Saul, the King Saul in you. David would have grown up to be King Saul II except that God cut away the Saul inside David's heart. That operation took years and was a brutalizing experience that almost killed the patient, but God used the outer King Saul as the scalpel and tongs to remove this inner Saul in David.

There in those caves, drowned in the sorrow of his song of his sorrow, David became the best hymn writer and the greatest comforter of broken hearts.
The heartache and suffering from being chased to be killed, misunderstood as the evil/enemy. But, Suffering was giving birth. Humility was being born. By earthly measures, he uses a shattered man, by heaven's measure, a broken one.

This is the true way of leadership/conversion. David's followers, while he was living in caves, were a bunch of broken, angry people: Thieves, liars, complainers, and rebellions. But with David, they all submitted, even if he never spoke of the word submission. Legalism is not a word found in the vocabulary of fugitive. Nevertheless, they cleaned up their outward lives as well as inward. They didn't even think about the topic, much less discuss it.

Joab complained and rebuked David. David says "Better he kill me than I learn his ways. Better he kill me than I become as he is."
Saul was God's anointed and truly a warrior who masterfully fulfilled his duty as a successful king.
People pray without ulterior motives and sincerely, but dark desires are hidden in their  hearts. And the thing is, God still answers those prayers. However, those are outward clothing of the Spirit's power and the inward filling of the spirit's life. But the monster must be dealt with.

Is the authority that's placed on you David or Saul? Only God knows, but He won't tell you."Are you so certain your king is a Saul and not a David that you are willing to take the position of God and go to war against your Saul?" "Then thank God you did not live in the days of Crucifixion."
-The way you react to that leader, be he David or Saul, reveals a great deal about you.

Life is submission. David taught the art of patience. Legalism is nothing but a leader's way of avoid suffering. He feared no rebellion because He didn't mind being dethroned.
"Beginning empty-handed alone frightens the best of men. It also speaks volume of just how sure they are that God is with them. Their words, if truly understood, tells of their insecurity"
Absalom is pure and noble, but he hasn't been through the trials that David had gone through. He is only pure and noble.To stop Absalom from dethroning the kingdom, David would become Saul.
Perhaps David's time to rule was over. "The throne is not his to take, protect or to keep. What kind of monster could Absalom become if he overthrew his own father? We don't know, but we'll let God be God, it's all possible. Only he knows the truth, and it seems he will not tell."