Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice
Dear Partners and Friends,
What a privilege to taste and see the goodness of the Lord, in the midst of challenges around the world. The Lord showed me about the lockdown of many nations and the release of mysterious diseases a few years ago. We tend to forget that when prophecies are revealed by God, the Church must prepare herself to walk through these challenges. This is the time to stand in faith and declare the praises of God. Few months before I left Singapore, while preaching in our Sunday service on January 2020, the Lord showed me a vision of Singapore shutting down its borders from all travels. I preached and warned the congregation that this day will come. And that day did come; one week after we left Singapore for the US.
The Bible says, "And Samuel said, "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams" 1 Samuel 15:22 (ESV). To obey and to listen are the keywords the Lord desires to train His children in these times. The Lord uses various moments and training methods to impart a spiritual point to us. Whether you like it or not, this pandemic Covid-19 - is one of those moments.
Many are still crying, "Why me, Lord? I have made much burnt offerings and sacrifices." Their testimony is still centered in so much of self and their sacrifices, when God is reminding His Church that to obey is better and to listen to God's directions are far more important than past sacrifices.
This has become our experience when the Lord spoke to me in a divine encounter to move to Kings Mountain, North Carolina. My wife and I decided that we want to obey God at all costs even though it was painful to leave family and church behind. We decided that we will magnify the faithfulness of God and talk about the trust He has upon us to give us this project. Instead of a story centered on our sacrifices, we wanted to base it upon the faithfulness of God
God will never fail. Due to Covid-19, many invitations have been canceled which has affected our income. But our help comes from the Lord. God will continue to supply all our needs supernaturally.
This is a time to take stock of our faith and expansion. God pays for what He directs and you pay for what you plan. So let us trust upon the Lord to direct us.
May the Lord bless each one of you as you faithfully consider sowing into the ministry. May your families be showered by the abundance of His Goodness. We will continue to press forward.
In His love,
Steven & Angeline Francis
