Category Archives: Ministry

Bible, Calling, Following, God's Will, Gospel, Ministry, Missionaries, Scripture, Witnessing

TRAVEL PLANS

GALATIANS 1:21

“Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia.”

When I travel, I like to have the travel plan mapped out. I want to know how far we are going, where the best stops might be along the way and where we are staying once we get there. My wife accuses me of panicking when I miss an exit, or the GPS stirs us wrong. It’s not that I panic. I just want to know where I am and how to get where I am going. I would not be a very good nomad, lol.

After Paul’s visit to Jerusalem, he tells us he traveled to Syria and Cilicia. Some background to this would prove helpful, I believe. We find this described in Acts 15:22-23. “22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas who was called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 and they sent this letter with them: ‘The apostles and the brothers who are elders, to the brothers and sisters in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia who are from the Gentiles: Greetings.’” Paul and Barnabas had previously spent over a year in Antioch teaching after the Word had spread there. It was in that city that believers were first called Christians.

APPLICATION

Thanks for the history lesson, Carl, but what does this have to do with me? Well, I am glad you asked. Where is God sending you? Where has he called you to go and share the good news? I remember a quote I heard from Keith Parks, one of the former presidents of the Foreign Mission Board of the SBC (now called the International Mission Board). He said unless God has called you to stay home, you are called to go and spread the gospel. That is true. We are all called to go somewhere – across the ocean or across the street.

Acts 1:8 tells us, “‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’” How about this one? Jesus tells us in Mark 16:15, “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” One more Jesus quote – Mark 13:10, “‘And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.’”

I think you can see now how today’s verse in Galatians applies to us. We are just like Paul; in that we are being sent out to proclaim the good news to a lost world. Take some time right now to ask the Lord who He wants you to share with today. It could be that crusty, old neighbor who just grunts at you when you meet at the mailbox. It might be a server at a restaurant or your car mechanic. Your mission field is your mission field. Pray for it.

Lord, I am grateful You call each of us uniquely. You have a place for us to go and share the good news.

Standard
Allies, Bible, Commitment, Companions, Decisions, Gospel, Ministry, Missionaries, Relationships, Scripture

LINKING ARMS

GALATIANS 1:18

“Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him for fifteen days.”

Years ago (and I mean YEARS AGO) I taught team building through group games and adventure based learning. One great exercise we did was a group stand up. We began by pairing up in twos, sitting on the ground back to back, linking arms and then standing up together. We kept adding people until the entire group was on the ground with linked arms, using each other as leverage to stand. Not so easy, but it can be done.

Paul knew he had to link arms with the apostles, the ones who had walked with Jesus. Who better to get to know that Peter, called Cephas here? Surely, Paul knew of him. He probably had even seen him with Jesus in Jerusalem years earlier. But now, Paul is a believer. Here he was, an educated former Pharisee, going to meet with Peter, an uneducated former fisherman, to talk about Jesus and their callings to ministry. What a pair!

APPLICATION

God sends us into some strange partnerships, doesn’t He? People we probably would have never crossed paths with in our former lives are now our dearest friends and confidants. In Acts 9:26-27, we see Barnabas (remember him from Acts 4?) taking a chance on Paul. “26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles…” Paul and Barnabas later traveled together on missionary journeys.

Is there someone you need to link arms with to accomplish what the Lord has told you to do? Perhaps it’s a neighbor or a person in your church. You may just have to take a chance. Reach out and see what the Lord can accomplish with your partnership. Maybe you need to link arms with a missionary who is doing work that you cannot do. Missionaries always need more ministry partners to come alongside them and support them financially.

Whomever it is that God is sending your way, get back to back with them, link arms and stand up. Stand up for Him. Stand up for the kingdom. Stand up and fight for those who need to hear the message of the cross. God is sending you. Link arms with others to accomplish more than you could ever see done separately.

Thank You, Lord, for those You have sent my way to link arms with. Show us how You want to use us.

Standard
Adoration, Bible, Glorify, Glory, Honor, Ministry, Praise, Scripture

ALL GLORY TO HIM

GALATIANS 1:5

“to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.”

Okay, be honest. Who doesn’t like a little glory? You know, that recognition and tribute you get from achieving something great. I always wanted that before coming to Jesus. In high school, I thought I could achieve it by excelling in sports. Even after becoming a Christian, I secretly wanted it for excelling in (wait for it….) ministry. That’s right! I was a closet glory seeker.

Today’s verse plainly tells us that the glory belongs to Jesus. Paul started right off talking about the One who gave him life, the One who rescued him. Now, he is pointing to Him and saying, “to whom be the glory forevermore.” Paul did not want any glory. He had seen how the Pharisees and Sadducees craved attention and glory. He wanted nothing to do with that. Instead, everything he did was to bring Jesus glory.

APPLICATION

Are you a glory seeker or do you point to Jesus? It’s easy to get caught up in the praise and adoration, even in ministry, and begin to crave that glory. Oh, the devil loves that. He will whisper in your ear that you are worthy of it. Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels; they go down into the innermost parts of the body.” I love that verse because it gives us such a great picture.

So, what does it mean to give Jesus glory? To begin with we must start by humbling ourselves. We must give all credit to the One who gave us any abilities to do anything. We live in a perpetual attitude of reverence for our Lord. Ellicott’s Commentary says this about this verse, “In the insertion of this brief doxology the mind of the Apostle obeys an involuntary impulse of reverential awe.”

The next time you do something that brings you praise, simply point to Jesus. He is the One who is worthy of all the praise, honor and glory. We bow before Him. We praise His holy name. We magnify Him above all others. That’s giving Him glory. To quote an old praise song – “Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing. Power and majesty praise to the King.”

We give You all the praise. We glorify Your name, King Jesus.

Standard
Allies, Bible, Companions, Friends, Ministry, Scripture

WHO IS WITH YOU?

GALATIANS 1:2

“and all the brothers who are with me, to the churches of Galatia:”

I have mentioned in the past that I travel as part of my ministry with Every Man A Warrior. I really don’t mind traveling by myself, but it is so much better with others. Don’t you agree? Having someone with you allows you to share the experience. It allows you to have someone to get you out of jail (just kidding). It does allow you to have others to give witness to what you share with others about the trip. Traveling buddies are good.

Paul had some traveling buddies in his missionary journeys. Even though no specific person is mentioned in today’s verse, many scholars believe Titus was one of the brothers. He was usually with him on these trips, as was Timothy, Tychicus and Trophimus. Maybe it was a “T” thing, since all their names began with “T.” I know, that’s not funny. Regardless of who “and all my brothers” were, it was evident that Paul wanted companionship on these trips.

APPLICATION

It is so important to surround yourself with worthy traveling companions as you go through life. When I stop to think about it, I am blessed by a godly wife who has been by my side for over 38 years now. There have been so many “journeys” during those years covering five states and eight homes. She is truly a worthy traveling companion. I pray you have someone like that in your life.

Proverbs 12:26 gives us some great advice. “The righteous person is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.” How about this one? Proverbs 24:6 says, “For by wise guidance you will wage war, and in an abundance of counselors there is victory.” One more – Proverbs 27:9 tells us, “Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and a person’s advice is sweet to his friend.”

You get the picture. We need good companions around us. It does not have to be a spouse. It can be anyone who is following the Lord and wants to help you follow Him more closely. They would never lead you astray and suggest something that goes against the Word of God. Choose wisely.

Father, You have given me such great friends and colleagues. I am so thankful.

Standard
Angels, Belief, Bible, Caregiver, Inspirational, Messages, Ministry, Scripture

ANGELS, ANGELS EVERYWHERE

ZECHARIAH 2:3

“And behold, the angel who had been speaking with me was going out, and another angel was going out to meet him.”

Have you ever noticed that when you get something new, all of a sudden everywhere you look you see somebody with the same thing. They are everywhere. My wife and I are experiencing that regarding our grandchildren. We never noticed grandparents with their grandchildren out and about until we had our own grandchildren. Now, everywhere we look we see grandparents with their grandchildren.

Zechariah has seen a lot of angels already in his visions from the Lord. I don’t know how many angels Zechariah had seen before all this started, but I am willing to bet not too many. Now, they are everywhere. Some are telling him things while others are directing the other angels. We don’t know who these two angels are in today’s verse, but if they were sent by the Lord, they must have been important to listen to.

APPLICATION

Did you know right now there are angels all around you? I truly believe we live in realm that embodies angels of all kinds. Unfortunately, media has portrayed angels in a way that is not exactly biblical. For example, The Bishop’s Wife had Cary Grant doing all sorts of mystical things as an angel, including decorating a Christmas tree. Angels are sent with a message. Angels are sent for a purpose.

The author of Hebrews addresses this question in Hebrews 1:14. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?” We are told in Mark 1:13 that God sent angels to minister to Jesus while He was in the wilderness. Do you get the picture? Angels are among us.

One of my favorite angel verses is Hebrews 13:2. “Do not neglect hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.” You just never know if that stranger you meet might be an angel. The point is this – the Lord is watching over us. He cares for us and, if need be, will send His ministering angels to care for us.

Thank You for watching over me and sending Your messengers into my life.

Standard
Accountability, Attention, Belief, Bible, Commands, Faithfulness, Ministry, Power, Scripture

WHEN GOD SAYS, “JUMP”

HABAKKUK 3:6

“He stood and caused the earth to shudder; He looked and caused the nations to jump. Yes, the everlasting mountains were shattered, the ancient hills collapsed. His paths are everlasting.”

You’ve all heard the expression when someone is in charge and wants immediate responses. When they say, “Jump,” you are supposed to ask, “How high?” In other words, don’t question the directive. Just do it. Some parents are that way. Some bosses are that way.

Habakkuk describes God that way. Even the earth and the nations respond to God immediately. Habakkuk tells us the mountains are scattered at His voice. The ancient hills collapse. God’s power is incredible. He can literally cause the universe to change. We would do well to remember that as we interact with the Holy of holies.

APPLICATION

The world today seems to belittle or limit God. Many do not believe He is capable of the miraculous anymore. Those days are gone or so they think. God has shown off in the past but not anymore. Don’t believe that for a second. He is still up to the incredible.

As I travel the globe in my ministry, I hear stories told of the dead being brought back to life. I hear about villages being supernaturally protected from the evil forces who want to destroy them. God is still about the miraculous. He is not done showing the world who He is and what He is capable of.

And the greatest miracle of all is the miracle He does in the life of a sinner who comes to Jesus. He totally cleanses that person of their sins and gives them a new life in Christ. He sets them on His everlasting path towards glory and gives them a new purpose. That’s miraculous!

Father, forgive me when I doubt Your power in my life. I can do nothing without You.

Standard
Accountability, Advocate, Battles, Bible, Confrontation, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Leading, Ministry, Redemption

ARCHER

Amos 2:15

“’The one who grasps the bow will not stand his ground, the swift of foot will not escape, nor will the one who rides the horse save his life.'”

A friend of mine has a son who is an incredible archer. He has won just about every state and national title shooting a basic recurve bow. He has accomplished so much in such a short time. But one thing about an archer is they must be able to stand still. You can’t be moving around and be precise. My friend’s son is precise. He knows how to stand still and shoot straight.

I noticed in today’s verse that the Lord points out the fact the archer must stand his ground. He must stand firm, even when the battle is headed his way, even when the enemies arrows are falling all around him. In order to hit the target, the archer has to stand firm. Then he has to aim at the target to hit it. The Lord is saying here that they no longer will be able to do that

APPLICATION

Standing firm is critical to fighting our spiritual battles. We have to face our enemy head on. 1 Peter 5:9 tells us to stand firm and resist the devil. Paul tells us in Ephesians to stand firm and put on the full armor of God. All through the Bible we are told to stand firm. It must be pretty important. So, why aren’t we doing that?

We, myself included, tend to limp around when it comes to spiritual warfare. So many believers are scared of the subject. But listen to me, you have to stand firm, draw back your bow and trust God with the rest. We may not be skilled with a bow, but we can sure stand firm and ask the Lord to guide the arrow. He will, you know.

I am so thankful for a God that understands my need and prepares me for battle. I do not want to be like that archer who will not stand his ground.

Standard
Accountability, Affection, Bible, Blessing, Comfort, Commands, Compassion, God's Will, Goodness, Idols, Kindness, Ministry, Scripture

OTHERS’ THINGS

AMOS 2:8

“‘And on garments seized as pledges they stretch out beside every altar, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.’”

My dad had one rule about borrowed tools. If you borrow it, take it back. If it’s borrowed, get it back. My dad had a shop full of tools, and when he died eight years ago, they were still there. My brother, nephews, son and other family members got all the tools they wanted, and they were still tools left. That’s because of the “borrowed” tool rule. They were always in the right place.

The Lord had a command against keeping the garments of the poor that had been given as pledges of debt. Those garments were to be returned at night since they most likely were the poor’s means of keeping warm. Here the Lord rebukes them for keeping them and stretching them out at altars. They also mockingly drank the wine received as payment in their places of worship, further reveling in their idolatry.

APPLICATION

Well, I can hear us now. We don’t take other people’s clothes and wine. This doesn’t apply to us. Don’t forget that every word of God’s Word is inspired. So, it always relates to us in some manner. These Israelites saw others in need and turned their heads. They knew God’s command and still did it. Don’t we do the same? Don’t we see others who are cold and thirsty and turn our heads?

Now, I know we can’t meet the need of every person. But we can meet the need of one. It’s coming into winter here in Tennessee where I live. I see the homeless just about every day and wonder how they stay warm. I wonder if they have enough to eat or drink. And what do I do about it? Very little. I may hand out a bag of food or something, but that’s about it. Many of these I see choose to live this way. I realize that. But that doesn’t lessen my responsibility.

How about you? What can you do about it? I bet you see the same people in your town. People who just need a little help. Don’t wait on someone else to step up. Get your church involved. Ask around and get others involved. Even a little group can make an impact on one person’s life.

Thank You, Father, for blessing me to be able to bless others. Open my eyes to those around me who need a helping hand.

Standard
Abiding, Bible, Commands, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Following, God's Will, Inspirational, Ministry, Obedience, Sacrifice, Scripture, Testimony, Witnessing

HIS WORD

JOEL 2:11

“The LORD utters His voice before His army; His camp is indeed very great, for mighty is one who carries out His word. The day of the LORD is indeed great and very awesome, and who can endure it?”

I have never served in the military. I admire those who have and am thankful for their service. Many of them have sacrificed greatly. Many others sacrificed the ultimate sacrifice to follow the commands they were given. When you are in the military you are expected to listen to your commander and do what they say. You follow orders. You obey.

The phrase that caught my attention in today’s verse was “for mighty is one who carries out His word.” They recognized then and we recognize now those who heed His word. Obedience is expected, is it not? Joel knew that. I am sure Joel had rather be doing anything other than preaching this message to the people of Judah who didn’t want to hear it. But he listened to the Lord and carried out His word.

APPLICATION

The application for us from this verse is obvious. Will we carry out His word? What does that mean for us? What does the Lord expect us to do? It’s pretty simple, really. He expects us to take His Word to a lost world. He expects us to glorify Him in all we do. He expects us to live out Matthew 28:18-20.

The expectations are clear. The question is – will we do it? You don’t have to be in full time ministry to do this. Witnessing to your neighbor is carrying out His word. Helping someone in distress is carrying out His word. Praying in your prayer closet because you are too weak to get out is carrying out His word. There are all kinds of ways to carry out the word of God. We just have to be diligent.

I have not always done this. Even as a pastor, I have not always done it. Sure, I’ve gone through the motions of ministry, but I haven’t truly carried out His word. But over the past several years I have been convicted to be more and more diligent to do that. I pray more. I read more of His word and memorize it. Let us all join together to carry out His word to the world.

I am so grateful for Your word. Help me proclaim it to a lost world daily.

Standard
Advice, Bible, Caregiver, Child Raising, Child Rearing, Choices, Disciplemaking, Encouragement, Family, Following, Friends, Giving, God's Will, Joy, Ministry, Modeling, Parenting

SEE A NEED, MEET A NEED

1 JOHN 3:17

“But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”

Have you ever been blessed by someone? Boy, I have. During this past year many of my friends have stepped up to meet some needs that my wife and I had during my extended illness. I didn’t ask for any them, but they were led of the Lord to step up and do what He said to do for us. We were blown away.

There are people all around us who are in need. Sometimes they hide it very well. We can’t see the need. But what do you do when you find out? Do you wait for them to come ask you for help? Let me encourage you to make the first step. So many are too proud to ask. They think it’s beneath them. It’s not. God wants us to come alongside each other.

APPLICATION

I love seeing children who give without even being told to do so. I have known children whom I literally had to tell to stop giving so much. They just didn’t care about stuff. They had rather see someone else’s needs met than their own. They were just bent that way. Others…well…not so much. You would have to peel the last cookie out of their hand, lol. 

Giving is a privilege and a blessing. Until your children experience the joy of giving to someone else, they will never really understand it. You have to help them to learn this joy. How about before they get anything new help them pick out a toy they can share with someone else? How about leading them to have a birthday party where all their gifts go to the Ronald McDonald house? There are all kinds of ways to teach them to give to others.

You may not be blessed with an abundance of goods, but I guarantee you have more than most. Look around and see how you can give to someone today. Perhaps you want to do it anonymously. That’s okay. It’s not about you. Jesus is the one who gets the glory, right. Just give.

Reveal to me, Lord, to whom I should be a blessing today. Help me meet the need of someone today.

Standard