Embracing Donkey Missions: Growth Through Everyday Challenges
Summary
### Summary
Today, we gathered to celebrate Baptism Sunday, but before we moved to the baptisms, we dedicated several children to the Lord. This act of dedication is a powerful reminder of our responsibility as a church to raise our children in the ways of the Lord, just as Hannah dedicated Samuel. We prayed over each child, asking for God's guidance and protection over their lives, and committed as a church to support these families in their journey.
We then transitioned into a message about "Donkey Missions," which are the everyday tasks and challenges we face that God uses to grow and mature us. Drawing from the story of Saul, who had to go on donkey missions before becoming king, we explored how these seemingly mundane tasks are opportunities for spiritual growth. Often, we have expectations that don't align with reality, leading to frustration and impatience. However, these moments are designed by God to stretch our patience and deepen our reliance on Him.
I shared personal stories, including the journey of starting our church and the challenges we faced, to illustrate how God uses these missions to teach us valuable lessons. We also discussed the importance of patience, forgiveness, and maintaining a humble heart. These virtues help us navigate the gap between our expectations and reality, reducing frustration and anger.
We concluded with a call to action: to pray for our nation, especially with the upcoming elections, and to turn our hearts back to God. We prayed for patience, forgiveness, and a humble heart, asking God to guide us through our donkey missions and help us grow in our faith.
### Key Takeaways
1. Dedication to the Lord: Dedicating our children to the Lord is a powerful act of faith and commitment. It signifies our responsibility as a church to raise them in the ways of God, just as Hannah dedicated Samuel. This dedication is not just a ceremony but a lifelong commitment to guide and support these children in their spiritual journey. [21:38]
2. Understanding Donkey Missions: Donkey missions are the everyday tasks and challenges that God uses to grow and mature us. These missions, like Saul's journey to find his father's donkeys, are opportunities for spiritual growth. They teach us patience, reliance on God, and help us develop a deeper understanding of His plans for our lives. [31:36]
3. Patience in the Gap: Often, our expectations don't align with reality, leading to frustration. This gap is where God works to grow our patience and faith. By inviting God into these moments, we can navigate them with grace and learn the lessons He wants to teach us. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that we must actively cultivate. [42:36]
4. Forgiveness and Healing: Holding onto hurt and resentment only poisons our hearts and affects those around us. Choosing to forgive those who have hurt us is essential for our spiritual well-being. It frees us from the bondage of bitterness and allows us to experience God's peace and healing. [01:00:37]
5. Turning Hearts Back to God: In the midst of our donkey missions, we must turn our hearts back to God. This involves praying for our nation, our leaders, and ourselves. By aligning our hearts with God's will, we can navigate life's challenges with His guidance and grow in our faith. [01:10:21]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[21:38] - Baby Dedications
[23:08] - Prayer for Dean and Dennis
[24:18] - Prayer for Abel and Alayah
[25:21] - Prayer for Eden and Hadassah
[27:00] - Church Community Commitment
[29:28] - Tuesday Night Prayer Invitation
[30:31] - Building Fund Announcement
[31:36] - Introduction to Donkey Missions
[32:54] - Saul's Donkey Mission
[34:12] - Personal Story: Starting the Church
[37:04] - Expectation vs. Reality
[42:36] - Living in the Gap
[45:21] - Frustration and Anger
[49:25] - Upcoming Elections
[51:13] - Dealing with Anger
[56:02] - Asking for Patience
[59:09] - Choosing to Forgive
[01:05:31] - Humble and Contrite Heart
[01:10:21] - Turning Hearts Back to God
[01:11:52] - Closing Prayer and Salvation Invitation
[01:13:16] - Worship and Baptisms
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Samuel 1:27-28 (NIV): "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord." And he worshiped the Lord there.
2. Romans 12:12 (NIV): "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
3. Malachi 4:6 (NIV): "He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction."
#### Observation Questions
1. What was the significance of Hannah dedicating Samuel to the Lord, and how does this relate to the baby dedications mentioned in the sermon? [21:38]
2. How did Saul's "donkey mission" prepare him for his future role as king? [31:36]
3. According to the sermon, what are some of the virtues that help us navigate the gap between our expectations and reality? [42:36]
4. What specific actions did the pastor suggest for dealing with frustration and anger during our "donkey missions"? [51:13]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the act of dedicating children to the Lord reflect our responsibilities as a church community? [27:00]
2. In what ways do "donkey missions" serve as opportunities for spiritual growth and reliance on God? [31:36]
3. How can the gap between our expectations and reality be a place where God works to grow our patience and faith? [42:36]
4. Why is forgiveness essential for our spiritual well-being, and how does it free us from bitterness? [01:00:37]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a "donkey mission" in your life. How did you see God working through that situation to grow your faith? [31:36]
2. How can you actively support the families in our church who have dedicated their children to the Lord? What specific actions can you take to help raise these children in the ways of God? [27:00]
3. Think about a current situation where your expectations do not align with reality. How can you invite God into this gap to help you navigate it with patience and grace? [42:36]
4. Is there someone in your life you need to forgive? What steps can you take this week to begin the process of forgiveness and healing? [01:00:37]
5. How can you turn your heart back to God in the midst of your everyday challenges? What specific prayers or actions can help you align your heart with God's will? [01:10:21]
6. Identify a specific area in your life where you struggle with patience. What practical steps can you take to cultivate patience in this area, and how can you ask God to help you? [56:02]
7. How can you be a light to others, especially the children in our church, by modeling a life dedicated to God? What changes can you make in your daily life to better reflect God's love and guidance? [01:08:48]
Devotional
Day 1: Dedication to the Lord
Dedicating our children to the Lord is a profound act of faith and commitment. It signifies our responsibility as a church to raise them in the ways of God, just as Hannah dedicated Samuel. This dedication is not just a ceremony but a lifelong commitment to guide and support these children in their spiritual journey. As a community, we are called to pray over each child, asking for God's guidance and protection over their lives, and to commit to supporting these families in their journey. This act of dedication is a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to nurture the next generation in faith. [21:38]
1 Samuel 1:27-28 (ESV): "For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him. Therefore I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives, he is lent to the Lord.”
Reflection: Think of a child in your life or community. How can you actively support their spiritual growth and journey today?
Day 2: Understanding Donkey Missions
Donkey missions are the everyday tasks and challenges that God uses to grow and mature us. These missions, like Saul's journey to find his father's donkeys, are opportunities for spiritual growth. They teach us patience, reliance on God, and help us develop a deeper understanding of His plans for our lives. Often, we have expectations that don't align with reality, leading to frustration and impatience. However, these moments are designed by God to stretch our patience and deepen our reliance on Him. Embracing these tasks with a humble heart allows us to see God's hand in the mundane. [31:36]
1 Samuel 9:3-4 (ESV): "Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul's father, were lost. So Kish said to Saul, his son, 'Take one of the young men with you, and arise, go and look for the donkeys.' And he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them."
Reflection: Identify a mundane task or challenge you face today. How can you approach it with a heart of patience and reliance on God?
Day 3: Patience in the Gap
Often, our expectations don't align with reality, leading to frustration. This gap is where God works to grow our patience and faith. By inviting God into these moments, we can navigate them with grace and learn the lessons He wants to teach us. Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that we must actively cultivate. Living in the gap between expectation and reality requires us to trust in God's timing and His plans for our lives. It is in these moments that our faith is tested and strengthened. [42:36]
James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where your expectations did not align with reality. How can you invite God into that gap and cultivate patience?
Day 4: Forgiveness and Healing
Holding onto hurt and resentment only poisons our hearts and affects those around us. Choosing to forgive those who have hurt us is essential for our spiritual well-being. It frees us from the bondage of bitterness and allows us to experience God's peace and healing. Forgiveness is not just a one-time act but a continual process of letting go and allowing God's grace to heal our wounds. By choosing to forgive, we open ourselves up to the transformative power of God's love and mercy. [01:00:37]
Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV): "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 5: Turning Hearts Back to God
In the midst of our donkey missions, we must turn our hearts back to God. This involves praying for our nation, our leaders, and ourselves. By aligning our hearts with God's will, we can navigate life's challenges with His guidance and grow in our faith. Turning our hearts back to God requires a conscious effort to seek His presence and guidance in all aspects of our lives. It is through prayer and humility that we can align our hearts with His will and experience His peace and direction. [01:10:21]
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
Reflection: Spend time in prayer today for your nation, its leaders, and your own heart. How can you turn your heart back to God and seek His guidance in your daily life?
Quotes
1. "A donkey mission is everything you're doing on a regular basis in your life that you should be inviting God into every day every process everything you're doing we should be asking God to be part of it those are donkey missions that change us and move us on to whatever God is growing us to amen you are in a donkey mission right now you just got to be able to identify it." [31:36] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If we would listen to what God has to say, he would help you do it better, but also grow you through it. Amen? And that's what God does on a donkey mission. There was somebody that contacted me on Saturday, and they were at the beach, and they were having a cup of coffee. I love this kind of stuff when it happens to me. But they contacted me, texted me. We're early in the morning, so when I get early morning texts, I know God has shown up in somebody's life, right?" [32:54] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "When you have an expectation and a gap, you know what's in between there? Frustration. There was a little bit of frustration. I can't lie to you that we didn't have this building in four months. It took us nine months and we were having to drive back and forth. But we had to surrender that to the Lord. We had to give that over to the Lord. We had to say, Lord, here's my situation. Will you help me navigate through this? Because I don't understand what you're doing, but I believe that you're doing something." [43:56] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "If you fill your donkey missions with God, God starts to give you peace and reveals in the direction you should go. Amen? And that's what we need to be doing is asking God to come into these things and this is what else happens with people that's with people with God we start getting distanced from God to where we stop asking and talking to him and even reading his word about what's going on in our life." [54:30] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Choose to forgive those who have hurt you. You know, last week when we did this message, we surrendered. We did a renouncement prayer as a church, and several, several people in this room were able to surrender hurt that's on their heart, be able to get rid of it and give it over to the Lord. And hurt is the silent enemy to our souls. It starts just to tear each one of us down if we hold on." [59:09] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Come to the Father with a humble and contrite heart. Church, God doesn't cause pain. This fallen world causes pain. This corrupt world that the enemy is allowed for a time to have some rule over and get people to do the wrong things. The moment you accept Jesus Christ, your Lord and Savior, you have victory over all of that. It's complete. Jesus already did it. We just have a hard time believing it so we don't walk it out that way." [01:05:31] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "I want God to teach me what I need to know in my donkey missions so that I can live a life of light to these kids that were up here today. That's what we prayed for, that we would be the light that they would see so they would make a decision, to come to Jesus. That's what you pray. I want God to show me what he wants me to do in every donkey mission that I have." [01:08:48] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "And so here's the thing about a donkey mission. When you go on a donkey mission, when the Lord puts something in front of you, there's two things that happen. You have an expectation, four months, and you have a reality, nine months. Amen. Four months and nine months is the reality. And here's the thing about that is when your expectation and realities don't match up in our lives, we need some patience." [42:36] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "And so we go fast forward into the schools and we're doing portable church, all that stuff, filling up trailers every single morning, all that good stuff. Who remembers that? Anybody? Yeah. Look at my love. Look at that. Do you see how fast they raise their hand? They're so happy to be done with that. I didn't tell them next week we're going to start portable church again. I haven't told you that yet. That's coming at the end of the message. No, I'm not going to tell you that." [39:48] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "And so we want to invite you that it's every Tuesday at 7 o'clock and we'll do the prayer parts of it and then we'll gather together and just get to know each other better amen so I want to personally invite you to that this coming Tuesday so make sure you're there I just took a picture of all you so I got a picture of all your faces so I can check you off on a box as you walk in the door so amen and we'll see you next week." [29:28] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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