Evenwichtigheid (Eng - Dutch) — George Verwer

Prioritizing Family in Christian Ministry

You're going to have this interesting struggle, especially if you're in the work of God. There's always so much to do, so many people to speak to, so many places to go to. It is easy for the Christian to neglect his family and his children.

And that is the reason some of these children grow up to become little reprobates and little atheists.

And that is the reason some of these children grow up to become little atheists.

I'm not saying that's always the case. And I don't point my finger at a man of God because one or two of his children have gone temporarily astray. That also is extremism. See, the emphasis in Ephesians 5 on the family.

And in 1 Corinthians 4, 7 and 16.

We can't read all these verses. But I know you see these things in God's Word. This is what we believe.

God is first. The family second. The work is third.

For me, God, family, O .M.

God, family, ship. Not God, ship, family. And if we keep that priority, it will make a big difference in our family and in our children. And during these days, I've had less time with some of you.

Because I've been spending some time with my own wife. And sometimes she has been very much left out of my practical life. Because of other people always wanting, wanting, wanting.

Because sometimes she has been a bit left out. And has been left out in practical love. Because there were always people who wanted to talk to me. And in a certain way, this weekend here in the Netherlands has been a great blessing for us.

Because we are back in our family tomorrow. I have made mistakes in this area. And I believe that other women would not even have stayed with me in everything my wife has been through.

For many, many years, I was six months a year on the road away from home. Now, maybe God in His mercy. Because tens of thousands of people are praying for me. He kept us from disaster.

He kept us away from failure. But I don't believe that a normal family should function like this. In fact, there is hardly a family where it should function like this. Of course, just being with your family is not enough.

I've learned that too.

It's not just the amount of time.

It's the quality of that time. Is there communication? Is there freedom? Is it a healthy, balanced home? And that's another whole area, another whole message on spiritual balance, is balance in the home.

Not too rigid and strict, and yet not too just liberty and do everything you want, but balanced in the area of discipline of children.

And on we could go. In almost every basic area of life, there is a need for balance.

There's the need to find the opposing truth that will bring this truth into balance.

That will bring the opposing truth into balance again. In our work, we have to find the balance between the foundation of the community and just doing evangelization work. We need both. Some people say, spreading literature, just preaching.

We were doing in-depth work, church work.

But we have found that a lot of this evangelism has brought the birth of churches.

Or it has brought revival to churches.

As these young people who were trained in OM went back to a church and later helped bring a training and renewal program into that church. Compare Acts 8 .25. Let's just look at that together. Acts 8 .25.

Preaching the gospel in many villages. And notice Acts 8 .4.

Went everywhere preaching the word.

But in other verses, we find Paul revisiting the churches. In much exhortation. And staying in one place for quite a few months. And I'm sure you know that if you've ever studied the book of Acts. That's an area of balance.

Balancing Prosperity, Poverty, and Personal Experience

And then the balance between prosperity and poverty. Some in the United States are teaching now that if you're walking with God, he will always prosper you financially. This is the way to be as materialistic as you want and have a nice free conscience because you say, God gave us all this.

He's just blessing me. I didn't really want this big new car, but the Lord gave it to me.

Others, of course, believe this has come from the devil.

And they feel that to be a dedicated Christian, you should be living on the barest essentials and not be caught up with all this. In 2 Corinthians 6 .10, it says, we are poor, yet making many rich. Today, I believe it's the opposite.

We are rich, making many poor. At the same time, I believe to find the balance. We have to acknowledge God does prosper some people financially. It's not a theology. It's what God is doing in his purposes in an individual's life.

He prospers some. 2 ,000 years of church history show that God more often allows his people to remain somewhat poor but to know the riches of his grace. And this causes me to warn people. Not to take a personal experience and turn it into a theological doctrine.

God is working in different ways in different people. You probably heard the story of this lady. And she was in a very big meeting. And she felt the Lord. And so she leaped into the air. And as she came down, she sensed the Lord.

And this was her leap experience. And this was so precious to her.

In her quiet time.

This was so wonderful. I knew her husband was a little concerned. So then she began to teach the leap experience. And she was preaching to some believers. She found in her concordance the word leap. And she began to develop the theology of the leap.

And at the end of her message, she would say, if you want the blessing, you must leap. And so the people got up.

All leaping. And she jumped up and down. If we would do this on the doulos, our head would come through the deck. It is a perfect example. I don't know if the story is true. But it can be. It is a perfect example.

Of a personal experience that has been valuable to the people. God works in special ways. But then turning that into a doctrine, into a theology,.

Which would lead people astray. I often get a blessing in the bathtub. I love to just sit in the hot water. And I often listen to tapes. In fact, I recently had Brother Andrew in the bathtub. No, no, I mean, I was listening to his tape when I was in the bathtub.

And yet, you know, in my meetings, I wouldn't want to put bathtubs around the meeting, so when you came, you could get the blessing.

But what I will do now is that when I have a meeting, I will take my bathtubs and put them everywhere so that people can sit in them and receive the blessing. Now, it's good.

That you are able to laugh. Because if you want to survive the present evangelical scene, you have got to have a sense of humor. And it's my experience that the over-serious types, everything in life is so serious, they get caught into extremes.

And often, really, it's not doctrinal, it's an emotional problem that they have.

Fellowship, Openness, and Spiritual Balance

So in closing, I bring together this morning's message and this afternoon's message. We need that total commitment. And yet, there must be the spiritual balance. Let me mention just one other area. The balance between fellowship and worship.

I said I was going to speak about fellowship, I almost forgot.

But I feel that fellowship is such a vital part of our Christian life. Really learning to walk in the light. Now, there are different kinds of fellowship. We're not going to have in-depth sharing times and opening our hearts, you know,.

With everybody we meet. We're not going to put our hearts on the table with everybody we meet. But we need some people, at least one, that we can really share our deeper struggles with. Now, I don't know much about the Dutch, how it is here in the Netherlands.

But in some countries, this is very much in opposition.

To the natural,. For example, in Finland. I've had many Finnish people tell me this idea of sharing your problems, of being open about your struggles, is just almost unheard of in a normal Finnish cultural setup.

Putting your heart on the table with somebody, that's something you don't do at all in Finland. In Germany. When I had preached about fellowship and sharing, and shared some of my own problems, even in a public meeting, people dropped.

And yet many have come to me. Actually, Germany is the most responsive UN country in Europe, together with Britain. And our work in that country has just grown beyond expectation. Many Germans appreciate this message about fellowship, about honesty.

Let's take off the mask. Let's be real. Let's talk about the real problems. And learn the way of fellowship. And many have come into a new, free, liberated walk in the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's an area, of course, where you have to find the balance.

There are times when it's better to keep your mouth shut. And we don't believe it's wise to get up in a public meeting and tell all the details about some sin that you have just gotten into. And there are times when we just can't fellowship anymore.

We must just stop speaking to one another and just worship the Lord. And that has to be kept in balance. And then there is the importance of friendship.

I've found many times I never get friendship with a person until they're in trouble. At least, sort of an in-depth situation. But there are many other general friendships in which we may not know a person very well.

And yet we know that if we did get in trouble, that person would be there ready to help. And this leads us to pray for one another. To write letters to one another. And to learn what it is to really share as the body of Christ.

Total Commitment and the Whole Counsel of God

So O .M. is still preaching total commitment. Lordship of Christ. Let's reach the world as we give ourselves to the work and to the Lord. But there must be the balance. The whole counsel of God. This truth being balanced by that truth.

Other factors are there. Understanding history. How God has worked in the past. Some people criticize all the denominations. So they can build up their own little group. And soon, I've seen this in 24 years,.

Theirs is already a denomination. And now they're making the same mistakes and the same sins of the denominations they condemned 20 years ago. I feel it is better to see how God has worked in different groups.

In different ways. And many of the denominations today. Within the denomination.

There may be many dead churches. There are other live churches. And we try to judge each church individually. And fellowship with God's people that way.

And not have a critical spirit. Especially when we don't know all the facts. I may be convinced about a particular way of worship. I may not agree with something in another group. But I need to respect them.

I need to maintain humility. God may want to teach me through some of them. Tozer says it's good to have a little reverent skepticism. A little healthy unbelief about some of the things people may say.

But then he warns us that we must not become cynical. That's one of my dangers. I have seen so much.

So much nonsense. The danger of becoming cynical. The man with too many answers. And not enough humility. And not a spirit of thanksgiving. He says thanksgiving is a great cure for cynicism. And wherever there may be even a mess in the church, as you look more, you may discover God is working.

God is breaking it. And I'm sure that's true of your life. You may feel weak. May be discouraged. You may feel maybe not much of a disciple. But I'm sure you're here this weekend because God is breaking it.

And God is working. And he will continue that work in you that he has begun. And I believe that. And if at any time I can be of any help, write to me. Send me your photo. Say pray for me. Another sinner.

I need balance. Pray for my wife. She needs a survival kit because she's married to me. Let's pray. Let's just have a few moments of silent prayer. May God just search our hearts in these moments. I wonder if there are some that sense a need for a new step of faith in your Christian life.

Presenting Our Bodies as Living Sacrifices

To simply believe that God is going to do a new thing in your life. Over the coming months and years. Maybe not instantly. But you know there needs to be a new beginning in your life. If you're in that category,.

Just pray this prayer or your own prayer. Say, Lord, I present my body. As a living sacrifice. Wholly acceptable to you. Lord, take my life. Use me. Here or overseas.

Whatever the cost, I will be your disciple. Fill me with your love and your Holy Spirit. Keep me from extremes and off balance living. That I may be a man or a woman after your own heart. Will you pray that prayer?

Perhaps there is some that would be helpful for you.

To make an outward commitment this afternoon. Often Jesus, when he was dealing with someone, he asked them to do something that seemingly was foolish.

One man was asked to put mud on his eyes. And I'm going to ask you if you want to take a new step forward of faith in your Christian life. You're really serious. You don't care what people say. You want God.

You want to know him in love and power.

Even though this can only be the beginning or the new beginning. You want that. I'd like to pray for you. Specifically. As you just stand up and acknowledge your need and you want to say Lord, take my life.

It's only between you and the Lord. But I've discovered when I give this opportunity, I don't always give it, that people are helped by it. If we take one step, God helps us at ten to meet us.

To fill us. To change our life. So if you prayed that prayer and you sense this is what God wants just stand up and I can pray for you. God bless you and you. God bless you. God bless you. God bless. I don't have the words to express what I'd like to say.

But I believe God is ministering personally to you. In his providence he's brought us together here. Me from Bombay and you from.

Many parts of Holland,. And this may be the most important moment. We have heard so much teaching. Will you say yes to the Lord. God bless you. For some it will take courage and strength to remain seated.

We're all different. Let's all be thanking Jesus.

Anyone else. Praise the Lord. This will mean different things and different people. It's not a stereotype one special thing that I'm talking about. God is working and it's a step of faith. You're believing that God is going to make some big changes in the days to come.

You want that rest of faith. That power. And yet from this teaching you know that a big part will be yours tomorrow. Tonight can just be the beginning. Anyone else. God bless you. Praise the Lord. God bless you.

God bless you. Praise the Lord. The special problems they're not too great for God.

Praise the Lord. Lord you see each person standing before you. You know our hearts. You know our needs. We're all different. But you love each one of us. And you hear our hearts crying out to you. We want to be more mature.

We want to be disciples.

We want to do your will. Whether it's here or overseas. We present our lives to you. Take us God. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. And use us for your glory. We're just so weak.

We feel so inadequate. But your grace is sufficient.

And we stand upon your word.

In Jesus' name we ask.

Prayer, Commitment, and Following Christ

Let us all stand. Let us just sing.

His name is wonderful. As we just worship the Lord and thank the Lord. His name is wonderful. Just be seated for a moment. I just have one other request. Those of you who have stood up to make this step of faith.

I would like you to give me on a nice sized piece of paper your name, address and just one or two prayer requests or thoughts about what you believe God is doing in your own heart.

So that I can pray at least once for you. And to read that. And then perhaps if I can do it to send you a piece of helpful literature. If you read English please put on there. I read English. Because I have mountains of English literature but not much Dutch literature.

But I do have things in Dutch as well. I believe it's an important commitment that you have made. I had to make a number of such commitments in my life. They're not necessarily big emotional events. But it's an act of the will.

You're going to follow Christ. Our life is His. And I'd like to hear especially from those of you. If you don't give it in today you can give it in the Dutch office. I want to write in Dutch.

Thank you so much for coming through the ice and the difficult roads. And I certainly hope I see some of you again.