Julie and I pray that you’re well and off to a good start in 2022. We have been so busy this first month of the year. I decided to cool my heels this morning and write to you.

Do you remember the story in Exodus 3, when God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush? He called him to go and deliver the people. Moses’ immediate response was, “Who am I to do such a thing”. Have you ever noticed how when God calls us to do something, many times our response is much the same? “Yes God, but I am shy. I am too busy. I am not a people person. I am uneducated. I am weak. I am depressed. I am sick. I am broke. I am a person who fails or sins in this way or that”. It goes on and on. We follow up the “I am” with our own disqualifying statement. Like Moses, we question ourselves and make our excuses. I have a speech impediment and I am wanted for murder in Egypt. 

I believe God doesn’t listen to that stuff. Moses asked God, “When I go to the people and tell them that the God of their fathers has sent me to deliver them and they ask me what is His name? What shall I tell them?” God answered and said: “I am who I am. Therefore, you shall say I am has sent me.”

Did you notice when we begin to disqualify ourselves that the first two words we most often use are: I am? So the first two words we are using are the name of God Himself, the one who is calling us, and sending us. We are telling the great I am, that I am also, but then adding to those two words that qualify us, a negative disqualifying opinion of self. After the first two words, the rest of our sentence is really a false identity. A phantom of past history that does not exist in the mind of God. Let’s just stop and answer with those first two words: I am. Because not only is the great I am the one who is calling and sending me, but it is He who has qualified me to do what He is calling and sending me to do.  

You and I never have and never will qualify to do what God is calling us to do in and of ourselves. But it is Jesus who has qualified us by fulfilling the law and all righteousness as our agent, substitute, and stand in. “He who knew no sin became our sin, making us the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus” 1 Cor 5:21. Not only that, but the old unqualified man, died in Christ and we are raised up with Him as a new creation, created for good works in Christ Jesus. As Romans 6:8 and Ephesians 2:10 tell us.

I think God only hears the truth and the reality of the first two words. This is what Jesus paid for. This is what it means to be born again. Our mindset needs to be, “He is therefore I am”.  You and I qualify because He remade us. He is our Father. We are recreated in His image. That is who we, as new creations, are. He is the great I am but you and I are little I am(s). So now my response to the assignment and call is: I am. Nothing more and nothing less. I guess it is ok, to tag on the word READY. Because we are!

Soon, I will depart for Colombia. At this point I am not sure how long I will be there. Julie and I will be traveling to Asia for the Go Revival Missions School in March/April, and Faith Harvest Ministry School in April/May.

Thank you for standing in faith with us for more souls to be saved, more broken hearts and bodies to be healed, and more believers to be activated into ministry. We believe Luke 10:38 is true every day. Give and it will be given back to you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. Others will give back into you.

With Much Love,

Charley & Julie