Darla Bachelder: Living IN Faith

~~~This article was taken form one of our newsletters during the time we lived in Scotland~~~

I have been going back and forth with the Lord about writing this article for several days now… “But I am not a writer, Lord. Mike is the writer. Can’t you just ask him to write it?” “But I am speaking to you. This is a story for you to tell. بوكر عربي ” “Please, Lord, not me!!!!” … and so on and so forth. After two hours of trying to ignore the Lord while lying in bed early this morning, I finally gave in. This story is mine to tell.

In September of 2006, after reading the book “Reece Howells Intercessor” the Lord led Mike to lay down his successful painting business and give his life to full-time ministry, with a focus on intercession. Mike agreed with the Lord that He would step out of a wage earning job and the Lord agreed that he would be our keeper and provider for the rest of our days. (Psalm 121) You can probably imagine that when Mike came home that morning from one of his many prayer hikes and told me this story, I was at first shocked and even doubtful. Mike was ever the provider. While raising five kids, he worked harder than any man I have ever known in order to ensure we all had a good life. If extra money was needed for something, he just picked up an extra house to paint and worked on the weekends and evenings to bring in what was needed. How would we make it with that option removed? روليت اون لاين cost of tab ivermectin 12 mg Yet, as Mike shared with me the story of his encounter with the Lord, I knew without a doubt that it was truly God calling us into a lifestyle of faith and complete dependency on Him.

It has been an interesting journey as we have endeavored to live by faith. I continued in my position as an office administrator for our church until the Lord released us as missionaries in September of 2008. So even in those first two years of transition, we had a bit of a cushion with my income, as well as a small monthly gift that Mike received from the church. But since heading for Scotland in 2008, we have solely been living by the provision of God, through gifts from those who have been prompted by His spirit to support us, or by random financial blessings from random sources. There are a few gifts that have been steady and we can generally count on receiving each month, but most of the time we never really know how the provision will be manifested. It has been challenging at time, but mostly exciting to watch and see how the Lord will provide.

I was thinking about the idea of living BY faith one day and I felt the Lord challenge me to begin to live IN faith. There is a definite difference! I have been living BY faith for many years… stirring up faith when necessary to believe God to provide for a need. And He has always been faithful. how long does ivermectin keep killing scabies But I am now also learning to live IN faith… in a state of constant knowing that, “my God will supply all my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19) and “He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20) It is a daily knowing that we will have what we need. When the food supply gets low and we use the last of the milk or eggs or bread, I can have confidence that before we need it again, the Lord will supply it… and He does. When we were in need of a car for the ministry here in Scotland, the Lord made amazing provision for us. الرهانات الرياضية The other day, just after Mike and I prayed together for a need that we were aware of, I turned on the computer and immediately saw a PayPal contribution come in through someone that the Lord had prompted to give. As we are away from our children, we have faith that God loves our kids and grandkids even more than we do, and He will take care of them for us… and He does!

Now, not everyone is called to leave their jobs for the sake of ministry. God’s provision comes in so many ways. oral ivermectin maximum dose Some are blessed with amazing jobs or businesses that God has provided, and are able to use their resources to help further the kingdom by giving and sowing into ministries. We are so blessed by people who have committed to support us as we continue this journey.

Mike says, “The Lord wants to meet us, not necessarily at the point of our need, but at the point of our faith.” This is why I am choosing not to just live BY faith, but to also live IN faith. It is a lot easier to trust Him constantly to meet our needs, not just work up the faith as needed. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews. 11:1) I believe it is by living IN faith that the things we hope for and the things we cannot see become our manifested provision.

So there… I’ve been obedient and shared from my heart. I’m still arguing with the Lord a bit about this one… but in the end, I know He wins!