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I just published Nobody Should Grieve Alone in a Room Full of Christians medium.com/followed-by-mercy…

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“Not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples.” : 1 Peter 5:3 Leadership is becoming someone others can safely follow toward Christ. Austin Gardner #BiblicalLeadership #ServantLeadership

The potter and the nation Jeremiah 18:6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. Well, if you read yesterday’s post, you saw that you should be careful to get the context of a verse. Today we see a verse about the potter and the clay. That is so often used in verses about God’s power over us. Which He most definitely has. But notice that this verse is talking about the house of Israel, not an individual. God wants Israel to know that He is God and that He rules in the affairs of men. He is letting them know they didn’t build their nation; He did. The interesting thing is that this is the verse quoted in Romans 9 that is so often used to talk about individuals. The context again refers to God and His relationship to Israel. This passage, or truth, is discussed in Isaiah 45. In that passage, also, the context is nations. I challenge you: as you study, do your own study. I challenge you to look up the verses and think for yourself. Do not ask anyone. Do not consult books. Ask yourself whether the context is the nations of Israel, Judah, Esau, Edom, etc. It is important that you know for yourself what Scripture is talking about. Read the Bible and just accept it with childlike faith. Let God bless you

No other god Isaiah 26:13 O LORD our God, Other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: But by thee only will we make mention of thy name. God is the only God that His people recognized. He is the only one that they loved. Others had ruled them, but only one was worth remembering. Other kings had conquered them. They had served others, but only One was worth mentioning. We also know what it was like to be ruled by another before we were saved. God has made a difference in our lives. There is none like Him. He is worthy of our praise, our love, and our worship. Tell Him how much you love Him. All others are dead to us.

You can trust God Judges 7:14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath God delivered Midian, and all the host. Gideon is consumed by his fear and doubts. He has asked God for two different signs via sheep’s wool or fleece. Gideon is still scared. He still isn't sure he can trust God to give them victory. How can he know he is hearing from God and not just imagining it? God has reduced Gideon’s army from 32,000 to 300. God speaks to Gideon and promises him victory. Then the Lord says that if Gideon is still afraid, he can go with his servant down to spy on the enemy army. Gideon accepts this opportunity to confirm that God is truly with him. They sneak down to the enemy camp. They hear one of the enemy soldiers telling his friend of a dream. In the dream, a large loaf of barley bread tumbled into their camp and destroyed a tent. That brings us to this verse. The soldiers are sure this is God showing them they are going to lose the battle. They see it as Gideon's sword. How often am I afraid to the point of inactivity? How often do I need truth reconfirmed many times? Am I willing to trust God and what He is doing? We have the written Word of God. Let’s read it and believe it

I just published How the Father’s love frees us from comparison and the need to prove ourselves medium.com/followed-by-mercy…

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I just published Every Tribe and Tongue medium.com/ministry-by-mercy…

Growth often begins with one small step. In 2 Kings 5:13–14, Naaman listened to trusted servants. I’m Austin Gardner, and I’ve learned that quiet obedience often comes before visible change. #Faithfulness #PatientGrowth #Grace

Misunderstood Old Testament Jeremiah 7:28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth. I find so much preaching from the Old Testament that I fear misses the mark. The idea of preaching is that the verses refer to an individual. Preachers preach mean messages that lack grace because they do not get to the cross, to the New Testament. Notice that this verse says “this is a nation!” The nation is not obeying. It is the nation that will not receive correction. It is the nation where the truth has perished. That doesn’t mean that the Bible doesn’t have in-your-face verses. It doesn’t mean that God isn’t dealing with our sin. But God deals with sin by providing a sacrifice. That's what He did in the Old Testament. He knows we will never be able to do what we are supposed to do. He knows we will not live up to the law. So He provided a sacrifice throughout the Old Testament. Then in the New Testament, He shows us clearly that He is that sacrifice. Be careful when you read your Bible to see who God is talking to. Is He talking to an individual or a nation? Is He talking to Israel or the church? Is He talking to you, or what does it mean for you? We must be careful to rightly divide the Scripture. We must study in context. We must know if it is meant to apply directly to us or to another

Being a Fellow Helper to the Truth John, the beloved apostle, spoke of "fellow-helpers to the truth" in the following verse. Not all of us will have the same job in the ministry. Not all of us will go to the mission field, be pastors, or even be in full-time ministry. We can all be fellow-helpers to the truth. I want to share with you some ideas that you can use to help your missionaries as they go out to foreign cultures, an unknown language to them, distant from their families, and all they know and to which they are accustomed! I know you want to help. Here are some ideas for you! III John 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 6 which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 7 because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. 8 We, therefore, ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to the truth. Most of the missionaries that we support in each of our churches will be strangers to us, at least at the beginning. They come into our church. We vet them the best we can, but we don't know them that well. John mentions that in this passage. They were "strangers!" The church John sent this letter to heard that they had faithfully done all they could to help. Some of them they knew; others were unknown strangers. Both the known and the unknown had testified that the churches had treated them well. The churches had loved these servants of God. They were doing right to help them. The churches had carried them forward towards the ministry God gave them. They cared for these men and women of God like God would have wanted, after a "godly sort!" These workers, missionaries, had gone out because of their love for Jesus. They didn't go to the unbelieving world for support and help. They went to God's people, who responded by helping them. When we have these missionaries in our lives and love them, we become fellow helpers of the truth. 1. Ask the missionaries personally how you can pray for them! 2. Be available for the missionaries and help them through tough times as they prepare to leave, return, or are on the field. 3. Talk with the missionaries about their ministry. 4. Ask the missionaries what they are learning and how they are growing! 5. Treat the missionaries like someone special! 6. Have the missionaries and others come into your home for special get-togethers when they are home! 7. Keep them informed about all that is happening at your church!

Egypt Worshipping God Isaiah 19:19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, And a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD. There will be a day when they worship God in Egypt. God is not a country’s God or a territorial god like the idols of the world. He is the creator God. He is the One and Only true God. Egypt had been Israel’s enemy. They worshipped other gods. But Isaiah prophesies that one day Egypt will worship. åç Don’t forget that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God will be worshipped in this world. People will recognize Him for who He is.

Where are His miracles Judges 6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. God has sent His angel to speak with Gideon. God has big plans for Israel. The people are suffering horribly. The Midianites are abusing them. They live in fear. When the angel speaks to Gideon, he asks how God could possibly plan to use him. If this angel is really from God, then why are they defeated? They feel like the opposite of victors. They believe themselves to be victims. They think that God has forsaken them. They wonder if it isn’t God who gave them over to be defeated and abused. He knew the stories of God doing great things in the past, but none of that was happening in his current life. He wants to know why he isn't experiencing any of God’s miracles. Don’t you feel the same way sometimes? You see your circumstances and wonder where God is. Maybe God is on the verge of moving in your life like He did in Gideon’s experience in this passage. Gideon needed to believe God. So do you and I. Let’s keep believing and looking for God to move and work in our lives.

You will think you did it Judges 7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. God wanted all the glory for the victory that Gideon was about to win. To keep Gideon from thinking he did something, God had to reduce the size of Gideon’s army. The army shrinks from 32,000 men to only 300. Those 300 then had to fight in a very unconventional way. All this happened to make sure Gideon and the people knew God was doing the work. Do you ever wonder why God allows or even causes so many setbacks in your life and ministry? It may seem that God is reducing you and yours instead of helping you. We question why, when things look like they are going well, God would allow this to happen. The answer may well be that God knows you might begin to think highly of yourself and not of Him. He knows that you might say you did something that He had to do for you. God wants it clear that He is doing the work. God has no desire to share His glory with us

A faithful World Evangelism Committee can turn missions from an annual emphasis into a churchwide calling. Austin Gardner shares how, with grace, prayer, and purpose. #Missions #Grace

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I want rescue to look impressive. Naaman found healing in muddy water through humble obedience. God still heals: but rarely in the shape of our pride. What small step of trust is before you? Austin Gardner #Healing #Humility #Faithfulness