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Snap – A Faith Flash!
by Gary J. Borgstede Waiting to board their plane to Johannesburg, South Africa, a team of nine American business men and their Executive Pastor assemble together to take the first picture on their exciting faith journey. They have a special assignment from the Lord to share the love of Christ and the principles of His kingdom with young aspiring Afrikaan entrepreneurs of the emerging Apartheid-free nation. Snap A Faith Flash! "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20 In South Africa, driving into the city of Potchefstroom, the host Pastor, Pastor Willem of His People Christian Church, points to a billboard hanging over the freeway which displays a set of praying hands and the words, "Boustene vir heidie stad is geloof". "Hey guys! See that sign. A business man in our church has put signs like that over the freeway at both entrances to our city. That sign says, 'This city is built through faith'." Snap A Faith Flash! "For we walk by faith, not by sight." 2 Corinthians 5:7 Later in the week, Pastor Willem takes the team to visit a truck manufacturing plant and introduces them to Riaan, the twenty-three year old business owner. "Remember that sign over the freeway I showed you guys the other day? Riaan is the business man that put it up. And his business is actually a miracle from God. Before the Lord gave Riaan the vision to build trucks for His glory, this place was a fertilizer manufacturing plant which was polluting the air and seriously harming the people living in this community. As a church family, we began praying over five years ago that the Lord would close this plant and replace it with a new business that would keep the jobs open and also provide a safe health environment for the surrounding community. To our sudden surprise, three years ago the fertilizer plant closed its doors overnight, making it possible for Riaan to open his business here. And in just two short years, Riaan has been abundantly blessed by the Lord as He prospers and grows his business beyond Riaan's wildest imagination." Snap A Faith Flash! "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever." Ephesians 3:20-21 After leaving Riaan's business, Pastor Willem brings the team to the site of a gigantic commercial construction project in the center of the city. "You see all of that work going on over there. That's our new Mooi River Mall and it will be the largest shopping mall in this city when it is completed. It will produce thousands of jobs for the people in our community. Long before this was ever a reality, we literally prayed this mall into existence." Snap A Faith Flash! "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." Mark 11:24 At dinner on the last night of the trip, Pastor Willem thanks the American business men for helping to build the faith of the entrepreneurs in their business community. As a small gift of appreciation, he gives the missionary team a little glass bottle filled with tiny mustard seeds as a powerful reminder that with faith in God, nothing is impossible. Snap A Faith Flash! "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 Arriving safely home to America after a long eighteen hour flight, the missionaries reflect upon their faith journey in South Africa. Refreshed and encouraged by what they saw and heard from their South African brothers and sisters of faith, they commit to fervently pray each day for their own business communities in America and build their cities through faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed. Snap A Faith Flash! "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" Mark 9:24 _________________________________________________________________________ Each faith flash recorded in this story is a true picture of real mountain moving faith at work in the city of Potchefstroom, South Africa. Snap A Faith Flash! Devotional Copyright 2009, Gary J. Borgstede. You have permission to reprint Snap A Faith Flash! Devotional, in its entirety only, and forward to your colleagues and friends, provided the copyright notice remains part of the reprint and transmission. All other rights reserved. www.makeithappenbooks.com Gary J. Borgstede is the published author of the leadership books titled, The Make It Happen Journey and Kings Come Forth, as well as the faith-based leadership education blog at www.makeithappenmoment.com. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |