Update From Spain

In today’s podcast Stephen gives an update about him being in Spain, and why there hasn’t been a new podcast released. He also dives into 2nd Chronicles 20.

Transcript

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Hello and welcome back to the Mind of Christ podcast. Today it is just me, Stefan. Currently I am in Barcelona, Spain, on AIM for the next, well, by now, it's actually only two months about remaining. I've been here for almost two weeks. I leave August 5th to head back home. But I just wanted to give a quick update for any of our listeners. You're like, hey, it's been over a month. I know they've been kind of on this cycle of trying to do one episode a month, you know. So I just wanted to leave you guys with an update about what's going on. Yep, so I'm currently on AIM. I am under Sister Amy and brother Dennis Eucher. Um I am here doing what's called RKR Global Training. Um, it's the Robert K. Rodenbush Training Center for Missions, and we start up our classes and everything next week on Tuesday, actually. Um, I'm here with a great group of people, and everybody's amazing, and it's been a great time so far. Um, so there may be podcasts that um Uriah may record with some other people while he's overseas back at home, and you know, if the Lord makes a way for me, then I'll surely record with some missionaries, maybe here. And Lord willing, whatever the will of God is, that's what I want to see happen, and I know that's what Uriah wants to see happen for this podcast. But surely once I return home, uh we will start back up again, trying to get that podcast out once a month. Maybe maybe we'll make a way where we're doing more than once a month, but just getting in that rhythm of once a month, and then we can see how we're doing with bumping that up, you know. Um I just wanted to say that's how great it is. I get all the analytics and stuff of everybody who listens to the podcast, and I just want to thank you all. I not for my glory or anything, but I give it all to him, Jesus, and we just hope that this podcast has been edifying for each and every individual that is listening. Um there's a story that in Second Chronicles um uh chapter 20 that's been on my mind lately. Um and in the story you have the Moabites and the Ammonites coming up against Judah. They're on their way there, and some individuals come to Jehoshaphat and they warn him, and Jehoshaphat and the rest of Judah all come together in unity and begin to pray. And I don't know why I'm sharing this story, but it just popped in my brain, so maybe I'm meant to share it, you know. Um but in this story they they come to Jehoshaphat and they they warn him of what's coming, and with that they begin to pray in unity about um the Lord's uh provision, protection. Um and in the prayer, it lists off kind of the story what Jehosaphat um is praying, and he brings up Abraham. Did you not do this for Abraham? You know, kind of sort of thing, and he begins to talk about what they said with the I believe it's the temple or the court. It's one of the two. I can't remember like perfectly off the top of my head right now. Um, but that they come before it and they would pray, and that the Lord would hear, but he would also save. That's so important to that that part right there. That the Lord hears. I just want to tell somebody today that the Lord hears your prayers. Sometimes it's just not that right timing for the Lord to release some things in your life, and the Lord saves. If you're in a storm, or maybe you're heading into one, maybe it looks like you're about to head into battle, just like Jehoshaphat is. And you just need that reminder that the Lord hears you, but he also saves. He's right there with you in the battle. And the story goes on and it begins to say, um I think it's Jehaziel. It it's some it's a name like that. I can't particularly particularly know I struggle with that word. You guys know what I mean. Um, I can't remember exactly um his name, but it says that the Lord spoke to him, and he speaks, thus saith the word of the Lord, and he goes on, and at the end of this, he says, in verse 17 of 2 Chronicles, uh, chapter 20, he he says, Do not go against them, but stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord. You know, every battle we go into, it's gonna be different every time. It's you may see some similarities, you know, but the outcome is always the same with the Lord. The outcome with Jesus is that we always win. Because when you're on the side of God, God never loses. Amen. And um that that part that says stay firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord. The Lord spoke this to me before I came to Spain. I was struggling so so much with I don't think I'm gonna raise my funds. And you know, just I was struggling with that. You know, for some people, money's easy. Uh, Jerry Zimmerman, for instance, he he doesn't care about money, you know. He's like, it'll come. He he's just that faith-filled person. Sorry for putting you on blast, Jerry. Or I guess it's not really putting him on blast, but it's just I I love that about Jerry. That's something that I hope to have one day, you know. Um but the Lord spoke to me when I was in, I don't think I truly understood it at the time until now, as I was preparing a message for me preaching here uh next week. Um I I'm I'm using this story, not there, there's some more to it, but the the important part that I feel to share to tell is when the Lord said, Stand firm, hold your position, and see my salvation, is what the Lord told me. And looking back now, I understand. I believe the Lord was telling me when he said, Stay firm and hold your position, he was just saying, Stefan, you know what is right to do. You know the things that are right to do. Be in my word. Seek my face in prayer, continue doing ministry like you are. You know, continue singing on that praise team, continue helping out wherever it's needed. Just staying firm and consistent in the things in the church. I know you're in the struggle, I know you see the battle ahead. I know it doesn't seem like there's gonna be salvation, I know it doesn't seem like the money's gonna come in, I know it doesn't seem like this situation's gonna figure itself out. But the Lord said, See my salvation, see the salvation of the Lord. That's the Lord saying, I got this all figured out. You don't have to worry about a single thing. So comes about three weeks to the day I felt I needed to leave, and Jerry and Ashlyn Zimmerman, they're like, just book your ticket, Stefan. And I'm like, all right, let me talk to Pastor. So the next day I call up Pastor. He says, Let's book your ticket, but let's talk with Brother Euchre first. At this point, I had about $3,700 raised, I need about five grand. Um and so we hop on a call with Brother Euchre on Wednesday, I believe it was. I believe Wednesday. And he goes, because it was just to get dates and stuff, so we all decided let's book the ticket. So I booked the ticket that Wednesday night. Ashlyn helped me. God bless her, she's amazing. She knows all that stuff to where I've never booked a plane ticket before in my life. So I'm so grateful for the people that the Lord's put in my life to help me in areas, you know, where I may not know what to do. Um, anyway, continuing the story. The next week, the Wednesday rolls around. My church gives me $1,000. Somebody else gives me $500 on that Wednesday. All right, we're two weeks out from leaving for Spain, you know. Wednesday rolls around. Then Friday we have our ministers and training. And oh, I forgot to clarify. That Wednesday I met my goal. Friday, ministers and training rolls around. Afterwards, we're me and a few people are talking outside, some good friends of mine, and my pastor pulls me aside while we're all talking, and he goes, Hey, me and Sister Fisher are gonna give you a thousand dollars as well. So it's like, whoa, last week I didn't even think I was I was just gonna hit my minimum, you know? That's all I thought I was gonna hit, my minimum. And then next thing I know, I'm at six thousand dollars raised. I I'm a thousand dollars over my budget. I text Jerry, and you know what he says? He goes, What did we learn? And me and my little my own little way, I was like, ah, so annoying. He said it. He said, the money's gonna come. Him and Ashland said this. The money's gonna come, just book your flight. And me being me, I was like, oh my goodness, these they they just they're just dumb, you know. They but you know, at the end of the story, I know I'm all over the place now. Lord willing, this makes sense to everybody. The story just didn't end with him saying, Don't go into battle, stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord. But the way it ended was that the Lord sent an ambush while they were oh, I forgot a part, my apologies, while they were praising him and worshipping him, the people of Judah, after they went down where the Lord told them to be, the Lord sent that ambush that I formerly mentioned, and not a single person was left. So when the people of Judah went over the hill, all they seen was every man dead, and all they seen was all the spoils of war that they had to take. So not only did they see the salvation of the Lord, but they got blessing as well. And what's crazy about this, when Jehoshaphat hears about this, he's so full of fear, he doesn't know what to do. But sometimes when we're in a war, or there's a war ahead of us, a battle, I should say, it's not always for us to fight, but to stand firm in what is right. Hold your position, keep doing what you're doing, and stay consistent in the church, in ministry, in the word, in prayer. And the Lord is gonna do the rest. Because, like I said earlier, in the end, he wins. So if there's one thing I can say, stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord. Amen. I don't know why I felt to share all that, but it just poured out and from my spirit. Um, it's a story I've just studied for such a while. I just pressed record intending to give an update on what was going on, but the Lord had other plans, amen. So that's what's going on. I'm here in Barcelona. Um, but I just want to say, I hope that this was edifying for anybody listening, and I pray that you would just allow the Lord to work in a way in your life where you're in complete surrender and utter trust in Him. Amen. Well, God bless everybody. I hope everybody has a good day and rest of their week. Um, I appreciate whoever decides to listen to this, and I appreciate feedback when you guys can, you know. Feedback's always very important. I know this audio probably won't be the best, right? It's recording from a phone, but we appreciate it so much, and we're just trying to do the Lord's work and with this podcast that the Lord put in our hearts to start. In Jesus' name, God bless you.