Resolve to Dine with Jesus everyday

“More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. ¹¹ Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:10-11).

The Psalmist writes that God’s word is to be desired more than Gold. When we don’t desire the word as such this is a sign of spiritual ill health. Why don’t some Christians have such a desire for God’s word? We've it heard said concerning the enjoyment of certain foods, “This is an acquired taste.” In a way, Christians must also acquire a taste for God’s word through the Spirit as we take time to read it and meditate upon it. The problem is that we often don’t take time for the word of God or we eat it on the run. Have you ever said to someone who invited you for dinner, “I’m sorry, but I have to eat and run.” Why do we say such a thing? We say them when we are in a hurry.  We say them when we have other things to do and other places to go. We want, “Meals on Wheels.” We will eat the food in order to not offend the person who took time to prepare it.  But we really don’t have time to sit with the person who prepared it and enjoy the meal with them. Sadly, this is how we often approach God's Holy word.

God’s word is the feast that He has prepared for us to enjoy with Him. But often we don’t have the time because we have other things to do. And if we do eat the meal we do so on the run—we eat it while our minds are on the things we need to do or the places we need to go. Sometimes what we do is settle for the Pop Tart one minute devotional because anything more than that would take too much time. Surely their are difficult passages in the bible that will take some time to study, meditate upon and digest in order to savor its goodness. But that just it, we don’t take the time to acquire that taste. The Pop Tart that someone else cooked up will have to do.  But the truth is that this approach to the bible will not sustain us. It will not increase our affections for God and his word in such a way that causes our affections for sin to decrease.

God desires for us to sit down and enjoy every day the meal that he has prepared for us. More than that, He desires that we enjoy the meal with Him. “Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelations 3:20). This kind of communion with Jesus doesn’t happen on the run. You can’t get it to go. You see, what we need is not simply information from God, but transformation as we behold His glory. We need our minds to be renewed (Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). This renewing of the mind, which leads to transformation happens when we stay for the meal because we want to enjoy communion with Jesus. When we dine with Jesus we do much more listening than we do talking. When we dine with Jesus we eat slow because we want to savor every moment. While we are enjoying the meal, we are asking, “Lord tell me more about the wonder of who you are and your ways.” When we dine with Jesus the cares of this life and the affections for this world diminishes in the presence of His Holiness and love. “Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine.”

Jesus has a table spread
Where the saints of God are fed,
He invites His chosen people, “Come and dine”;
With His manna He doth feed
And supplies our every need:
Oh, ’tis sweet to sup with Jesus all the time! 

        Refrain:
      “Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine”;
        You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
        He Who fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
        To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”

The disciples came to land,
Thus obeying Christ’s command,
For the Master called unto them, “Come and dine”;
There they found their heart’s desire,
Bread and fish upon the fire;
Thus He satisfies the hungry every time.

Soon the Lamb will take His bride
To be ever at His side,
All the host of heaven will assembled be;
Oh, ’twill be a glorious sight,
All the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus they will feast eternally.                

Wonderful Counselor

"But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13:5, 6)

In Psalm 13 David expresses His deep discouragement to God. He seems to blame God for why he is so down to the point of feeling he's at death's door step. He writes in verses 1-4: "How long, O Lord ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. (Psalm 13:1-4).

We can view these words as a complaint that David brings before God, but we can also see in this complaint David's recognition that the answer to the anguish in his soul is found in God. We also see that the anguish that he is experiencing was not only due to his circumstances, but also to what his own heart was telling him about his circumstances. In other words, he was listening to himself rather than God. He was zoned in on what was going on around him rather than looking to the God sitting on heavens throne above him. He was giving in to the weak counsels of his own heart, rather than trusting in the Wonderful Counsellor of Heaven.

To trust in the Wonderful Counsellor doesn't always mean that you will understand his ways, but that you trust in his worth. Because of who He is, He is worthy of our trust even when we can't understand his ways. This is what we see that David does in the end of Psalm 13. He trusted in the steadfast love of The Lord. As he turned his focus from what his heart was saying to who his Father is, namely love, his heart began to change. His heart changed from an attitude of resignation to rejoicing. As his heart began rejoicing his sour words before God turned to songs of praise to His God. Our sour words will also become songs of worship as we learn to turn from our weak counsel and trust in He who is called Wonderful Counsellor.

"God's divine presence" by Will Longenecker

​On Wednesday night at our Fresh Encounter Prayer time, Pastor Marco ledus in praising God for His presence. This morning as I was considering the importance of God’s Divine Presence I wanted to share a few thoughts with you.

​Ps. 8: 3-6 tells us that God created us in His image to rule and to reveal.“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him? 5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.”

​It is clear from this passage that mankind has been destined to rule as stewards over God’s creation but it is equally clear that because we have been created in God’s image we are to reveal His glory.

​It would not be possible to rule and reveal if it were not for the Father’s Divine Presence.

​God’s presence was promised to His people. We read in Ex. 33: 14: “And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Most certainly this is the defining difference between true Christians and non-Christians. If there is evidence of God’s presence in our life, then truly we are His children but if not, then we really are not His.

​Paul expressed this thought in Romans 8: 29, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”  Those who have never been born again have never been conformed to the image of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.

​When we examine our lives, what do we see?  Is there evidence of Christ living in us?  Is there evidence of His presence?

The Believer’s life must give off a Christ-like fragrance. “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” II Cor.2: 14-15.

​ As an outdoorsman this verse reminds me of times when I have walked through my woods and encountered the fragrance of life from the trees and the leaves. It is such a good smell. But there are also times when I have experienced the fragrance of death in the woods.  A dead animal lying on the ground for severaldays, gives off an aroma of death.

​So then, if we truly are God’s children, we carry the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ wherever we go because His divine presence has been promised to us and lives within us through the power and the person of the Holy Spirit.

​The most common Hebrew term for "presence" is panim [yIn'P], which isalso translated "face." The implication is: a close and personal encounter with the Lord. For the faithful, who exhibit His presence on earth, one day we will experience His presence in an eternal way and Herein is our hope:

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” I John 3: 2. 

Thank you Lord for your presence today and the promise of your presence into eternity.

Will Longenecker

11/15/2013  

When you get that sinking feeling

"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God," (Psalm 146:5)

There are times when I feel like I can walk on water so to speak. But there are other times when I've been anxious and doubtful about whether or not I have what it takes to be an effective Pastor and church leader. It must have felt exhilarating to Peter when he walked on the water after being given permission to do so by Jesus. But then he got that sinking feeling. And it wasn't just a feeling of course.  Peter literally began to sink down into the water.  What happen to him? Jesu gives us the answer. When Peter began to sink and cried out for Jesus to save him, notice the Lord's response:  "Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31) Why did his faith falter, which led him to doubt? In verse 30 we read: "But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30). When he saw Jesus walking on the water, his heart was so filled with faith that he asked the Lord to command him to come to him on the water. And when the Lord said come, in the midst of a storm, he came out of the boat and went to Jesus on the water. Everything was going fine until he saw the effects of the  wind, until he began to focus on the storm raging around him. Later, Jesus would tell Peter, "Satan desires to sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not." Peter's faith did falter from time to time, but in the end it never failed. In the end he made it safely to shore. Our faith will falter. At times we may sink down with doubts and fears when we take our eyes of the one who walks on our fears. If that's where you are today cry out to Jesus and in his mercy and grace he will extend his hand to you. Take his hand today and be encouraged by knowing that the God who made the oceans is walking with you. The God who said, "the earth is my foot stool" is holding your hand. "Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God," (Psalm 146:5)

The DNA of a healthy Church

The following is an excerpt of a sermon entitled the DNA of a healthy Church

They were continually devoted to prayer:

Notice again in verse 42 that the early church was not only devoted to the teaching of the Apostles...but to prayer:

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”    

Now when we read that they continued steadfastly in prayers this refers to set times of corporate prayer. The early church was not just giving some time to prayer. They were given over to prayer. They were convinced that prayer was the way in which they would be enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the impossible. Have you ever heard someone say before starting a meeting, “Let me say a quick prayer before we begin.” It’s as if we are saying, “Lets hurry up and get this formality of prayer out of the way, so we can get down to the real business at hand.” How many of you know that apart from continual devotion to prayer we will never get down to the real business of the Father—will we never accomplish anything of eternal significance.  Notice that in the verse that follows we read:

“And fear (or Awe) came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles” (v.43).  

Many evangelical preachers such as myself will read a verse like this and typically dismiss it by saying, “signs and wonders were only given during the apostolic era.” Now I do believe that there was special apostolic authority given to the apostles that is not given today. But the same Holy Spirit power that produced unquestionable signs and wonders during the apostolic era is the same powerthat the church needs today to get God’s work done on earth. If we really believe God’s work cannot be done apart for the supernatural aid of the Holy Spirit we will be given to prayer.  

In an interview, Francis Chan related that he was asked by somebody if he noticed in his travels a difference between the way people pray in America compared to Asia and Latin America.

He said, “yeah a big difference.”

And when ask why he thought that was the case he said,

“In America we have other options.

There’s other ways to fill a room.

There’s other ways to get people to raise their hands.  

There’s other ways to get people to come forward other than prayer.

There’s a way to create a semblance of a move of God outside of prayer.

And again it’s not a real movement of God.

It’s a manufactured thing.

We can create excitement…but in other places you don’t have that.

It’s all or nothing.

This is very important because the true fruit is when we are abiding.

That’s the fruit that’s going to last.

And I think some of us are content with the fake stuff.”

How many of you want to see a real move of God where multitudes are coming to Christ? I didn’t ask how many want to see churches growing with Christians that have left one church to join another church because the music is better or because they have more programs. I’m not talking about people coming forward at an evangelistic crusade, but never experiencing a life that’s been radically transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. I’m talking about a move of God where people are truly born again and the evidence is that they bear fruit that remains. That’s what we see in our text. Not only did 3000 people come to Christ in one day and where baptized, but those 3000 people continued in the apostle’s doctrine. And they didn’t have to be enticed by worldly amusement and state of the art facilities to come to church. They came because they were hungry to know God. They came because Jesus was the draw.  And let me remind you that before this move of God took place 120 believers were waiting in prayer in an upper room. And after the move of God took place they continued to devote themselves to gathering together to seek the face of God in prayer.

Let’s not be so quick to right off seeing these kinds of moves of God in America by saying that it’s only something that God did during the apostolic era. Tell that to the underground church in China were they see miracles happening regularly and were its reported that over 3000 plus people come to Christ every day. Why is that happening? Could it be that because they don’t have as many options as we do in America that they simply trust in the power of the gospel as they give themselves over to prayer and the ministry of the word? There is no doubt that an essential part of the DNA of a healthy church is a continual devotion to seeking God’s face corporately in prayer.

On fire or burning out? (Col. 1:28-29)

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me" (Col. 1:25-29).

I'm sure that many of us have heard of the alarming statistic of the number of Pastor's (1600) that are leaving the ministry every month. Well, recently I read about another alarming statistic that stated:

"90% of the people entering ministry DO NOT RETIRE from ministry, they either quit or have some sort of moral/ethical failure that disqualifies them."

What's the reason for why so many ministers are falling out of the ministry? Some studies have shown that one on the leading causes for this is burn out. What does it mean to be burned out? As I was preparing for this message I came across this definition:

"Burnout is a state of physical, mental, spiritual and emotional exhaustion caused by extended and
intense levels of stress, causing the body to over-produce adrenaline. It leads to the questioning of one's abilities and/or the value of one's work."

In the Old Testament Elijah is a perfect example of someone who experienced burnout. Elijah was a prophet who was mightily used of God. Yet later in his life this mighty prophet is sitting under a juniper tree in the in the middle of no where having a pity party and experiencing burnout.

As I mentioned already, burnout can occur in the physical, emotional, and spiritual areas of life.  Sometimes it affects one or two of these areas, but it can also hit all three at the same time.  This is what happen to Elijah with almost fatal results. He was physically spent from running approximately 25 miles from Mount Carmel to Jezreel ahead of King Ahab's chariots (I Kings 18:46). He was emotionally drained as evidenced by his wish to die. He prayed, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life” (I Kings 19:4). And finally he was spiritually disillusioned, which was shown by his words, “I, even I only, am left” (I Kings 19:10).

Now, burnout doesn't just happen to people involved in ministry. It can happen to anyone (a stay at home mom, a business man, a single mother) anyone who may be burning the candle at both ends.
Some of the great dangers of burnout, are that you may feel depressed, a loss of motivation, and a lack of purpose. But also that these feelings can lead to destructive ways of coping with them, like withdrawal, overeating, alcohol, sexual sins, and worse case scenario, even suicide.  I have no doubt, that when it comes to the matter of burnout, many of you have been there, are on your way there or are there now. Therefore, I wants us to see in the life of Paul how, in spite of many dangers, toils and snares because of his ministry, he remained fired up and did not burnout.

There are many things that can cause burnout and it would be impossible to mention them all? In this message, I want us to examine some primary causes, especially as it relates to ministry.

1. The purpose of Paul’s ministry:

To begin with I want us to see the purpose of Paul's ministry. In our text, notice that Paul talks about his God given ministry: To present everyone mature in Christ (V.28). What was the goal of his ministry? Before we answer that question, let me address an issue concerning the plans and purposes of God.  Many often want to know, “God, what is your plan for my life?” But, as one Pastor put it, a better question may be:

"'God, what is your plan and how does my life fit into it?'
God’s plan isn’t first and foremost about us.
His plan for us isn’t about us either.
It’s not about our lives.
It’s not about our careers.
It’s not about our future spouse.
It’s not about our anything.
It’s about His Purpose, His Kingdom, His Glory, His Plan.
And then about how our lives...
Our careers...
Our future spouse...
Our everything...
Fit into it."'

We need to start asking the right question. And then God will begin to first show us through His word what His Kingdom agenda is all about.  And secondly, about how a career, future spouse, and
everything else fit into it. Too often people want God to direct their ways, as in direct their ways in buying house, a career choice, or some other pursuit, but it has very little or nothing to do with how that all fits into his kingdom agenda.

Now, what was the purpose of God that Paul was to fulfill? What was the goal of his ministry? Notice that Paul clearly defined it when he wrote in verse 28: “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” What does it mean to present everyone mature in Christ? To make disciples (fully devoted follower of Christ) that make disciples. Keep in mind that spiritual maturity, which is what we should all be aiming for, not only has to do with our sanctification, but our service. It not only has to do with developing a christ-like character, but also making a christlike contribution to the cause of Christ. And not only within, but beyond the walls of our church. This is what Paul was living for. He wasn’t trying to get God to fulfill his agenda. He was living for God’s agenda, namely to present everyone, starting with himself, mature is Christ.

Paul, in spite of all that he suffered in the ministry could say, "I rejoice in my suffering (Col. 1:25). How was this possible? How could he go through all that he went through, shipwrecks, beatings and imprisonments and not only keep from burning out, but remain fire up for the cause of Christ? No doubt it was the grace of God in his life, which we will look at more later. But also the fact that he didn't lose sight of the purpose and main goal of ministry, namely making disciples that will spread the fame of Jesus to all nations.

Now, making disciples is not the job of the Pastor only. In one way or another all believers are to be a part of making disciples of all nations. We all should not only be growing in Christ, but we should all be contributing to the mission of Christ to the world. But sadly, as one Pastor writes in an article on the mission of the church:

"For many, especially in the American church, this isn't an easy pill to swallow. The church has become a consumer good--something people shop for and evaluate based on what they and their family will get out of it. In well-intentioned efforts to attract and reach people, churches start viewing people as the customers. We wonder what we can teach that will resonate with them. What programs can we offer to keep them coming back? How can we keep their time, attention and resources here instead of being directed toward other, less-significant pursuits? Instead of serving the world, we begin serving the people we want to keep coming through our doors week after. How can we devote time reaching people outside our church when it takes so much to serve the needs of
the people inside of the building? To best serve the people of our church, we must lead them to serve
the people outside the church. We stop programming their needs and invite them to serve the world with us. It means leading them from a mindset of receiving to one of giving. Instead of ,"what can I get?" the question becomes, "what can I give."

When we lose sight of our responsibility as follower of Christ to bring others to maturity and ministry, and instead feed the consumer mentality, we will give out, burn out, and fall out.

2. The passion of Paul’s ministry:

Notice now not only the purpose of Paul's ministry, but the passion. How do we know that Paul was passionate about the ministry? This passion that Paul had for the ministry, the intensity that he had, and the devotion that he had is expressed in his letters to the churches in many ways. For example, Paul said in our text concerning his ministry: "For this I toil, struggling..." Paul gave his all for the ministry God had called him to. His passion is seen not only in how he gave his all to reach the gentiles for Christ, But in how in Romans 9 he writes about being in continual anguish for the lost condition of the Jewish people, who were his enemies. We see this passion for the lost also in Romans 10:1, where Paul wrote: "Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved" (Romans 10:1 ESV).

Paul was fired up about leading people to Christ and helping them to grow into maturity and ministry. What are you passionate about? We give are all to the things that we are most passionate about. But when we lose our passion or have very little or no passion for what we are doing, especially when it comes to ministry, we are more likely to burnout.

Now, more importantly, where did Paul get this passion, this intense desire to see people saved and growing in Christ?  The answer is found in Paul’s statement: “the love of Christ controls us” (2 Cor. 5:14). It was the love and grace of God—his identity in Christ that was fueling his passion for the ministry.  The more we know the love and the grace that God has for us in Christ, the more passionate we will be about expressing His love to the world. If we are going to be like Christ and have his heart for the world, we must spend much time with Christ in His word and in prayer. More often than not, what causes Christians to lose their passion, which can lead to sinful compromises and spiritual burnout, is neglecting the care for their own spiritual, emotional and physical lives.

3. The power of Paul’s ministry:

Lastly, notice not only the purpose and passion of Paul’s ministry, but the power.
Paul wrote:

“For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:29).

Notice that Paul gave his all, he toiled, he struggled, but he did so in the energy of the Holy Spirit, which was the power that was at work within him. Let me ask you: “Can we do ministry in the energy of the flesh?” The answer is yes.  And when we do, the consequences will not only be spiritual barrenness, but we will be endanger of burning out. In a well known passage in Isaiah 40, Isaiah writes about how we are to avail ourselves of God's strength to keep from burning out:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31).    

How do we keep from burning out—becoming so weary that we want to throw in the towel? “They who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…”  When was the last time you waited on the Lord—you wrestled in prayer like Jacob saying: “Lord, I will not let you go until you bless me. I can’t do it without you Lord. I need your grace—I need your strength and power?”  This is what the early church did during times of persecutions—they waited on the Lord and as a result the bible says:

“And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:33).

Keep in mind that the great grace that was upon Paul as he toiled and struggled was first and foremost about fulfilling the purposes of God. This is important to remember because, although God’s grace can enable us to do what we would be unable to do in our own strength, this doesn’t mean that we must do it all. Paul wrote:

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:” (2 Cor. 9:8).

God’s grace is sufficient for every good work, but that doesn’t mean that God wants us to do everything. God’s grace will enable us to do what he wants us to do. Burnout can happen, not because God’s grace is not sufficient for every good work, but because we may be doing more than what God is calling us to do.

Pastors need to constantly watch that they are laboring and toiling for the right things. Sometimes they can wear so many different hats that they miss the main goal of ministry, namely to make disciples, as we devote our lives to the priority of prayer and the ministering of word (Acts 6:4).

There was a time when I was Pastoring Light House Baptist Church that I was the Sunday School teacher, the preacher, the song leader, the secretary, (I actually made the bulletins), the visitation leader, the trustee, (the church building was my house) and I wasn’t getting a salary. You know what will help keep a Pastor from burning out? A congregation that recognizes that it’s every ones responsibility to make disciples…a congregation that protects the Pastor and helps him to keep the main thing the main thing.

A Pastor should not want his congregations to be spiritually dependent upon him. Yes, they are to feed the flock, but his feeding, and teaching and admonishing should be leading his flock to learn to feed themselves and others. In addition, it’s important to note here that although Paul depended of the supernatural to accomplish God’s work, he gave his all, he toiled, and he struggled. In other words, our understanding of our need for the power of God should not be an excuse for a lack of preparation—for not giving our best in whatever God has called us to do.

Are you fired up about the cause of Christ, or are you burned out? Paul was fired up because he was living for God’s purpose, with passion and power from above. Remember that God’s purpose is not first about our lives, and our careers, and what we desire. It’s all about his kingdom, His cause and His glory. So rather than asking: “God, what’s your plan for my life? Ask and pray: “God, what is your plan and how does my life fit into it? I’m willing to make any adjustment to fit into you plan and do my part for the cause of Christ." I looked to you Lord and trust you to give me the strength to keep on keeping on for Jesus sake. Amen!    

The miracle of multiplication

There’s an old hymn that says, "Little is much when God is in it." Do you believe this to be true? I’m counting on it. If you do believe it to be true the next question is, “have you acted on that belief?” I have found that many Christians struggle to believe that God could ever use them in any significant way? They feel that there's very little or nothing that God can use in their lives to further his kingdom. But the truth is that we can be too big for God to use, but we can never be too little for God to use. Little is much when God is in it.

In 2 Kings 4:1-7 we find a poor widow who found herself in a desperate situation. Although she had nothing, but a little oil, God used it and multiplied it to meet her needs and the needs of her family. From her life we can glean seven principles for how God can use what we have, no matter how little it may seem, and multiply it for kingdom impact.  

Principle # 1: A crying out to God in times of great spiritual need always precedes an outpouring of the multiplying power of God.

Notice that the widow woman reached out to Elisha when she found herself in dire need. "Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen" (2 Kings 4:1).   

As is has been well reported, Christianity has been spreading in China in spite of years of persecution and poverty?  According to the World Christian Database, of Gordon Cromwell Theological Seminary, there were about one million Christians in China in 1970, which was a sharp decline from earlier in the twentieth century because of Communist repression. But there about 120 million today, with some 70 million in unregistered churches. If this estimate is correct, it would constitute one of the most spectacular explosions of Christianity in religious history.

Why has Christianity been multiplying in China in spite of a lack of the freedoms that we enjoy in America and many years of persecution? For the same reason that Christianity spread from the very beginning: Persecution drove believers to cry out to God in dependence on His miraculously power to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Acts chapter 4, for example, the early church gathered together to cry out to God when being threaten by the religious leaders of their day for preaching Jesus. Afterwards we read, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. ³² And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.³³ And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:31-33).

The history of the Christian church reveals that the greatest threat to the spread of the gospel has not always been times of persecution, but times of prosperity. In times of prosperity the danger has been for Christians to become self-centered, self-satisfied and dependent on worldly comforts. Consequently there is a very little sense of the gravity of sin and the greatest need of the world, namely, the saving grace of Jesus Christ. And the end result is that the gospel ceases to spread.      

O, but in contrast, what has always preceded the multiplying effects of the gospel is when Christians, with an increase sense of the eternal consequences of sin, cry out to God for power to spread the hope of Christ.  

Principle # 2: God will not multiply in our lives what doesn't take any faith on our part to accomplish.

 Notice that not only did the poor widow cry out to the man of God for help, but she responded in faith to his unusual request.

 “And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.” 

Notice that after the widow cries out to Elisha for help, he asked her, “What hast thou in the house” (2 Kings 4:2-5).  She probably was not expecting that response from Elisha. Some might have responded, “Are you kidding me?  My husband is dead, I’m broke, and the creditors are coming to take my sons as payment, and you’re asking me, what I have in my house?”  Now that’s not what she said, but the sentiment is similar. What she said was, “I don’t have anything in my house except a pot of oil.” You know she could have been very protective of that oil since it was all she had. But instead, she takes the oil and does what Elisha told her to do with it, namely to pour it in others vessels that she was to borrow from her neighbors. What Elisha was asking her to do didn’t make a lot of sense, but by faith she did what he asked.  

If you’re saved and seeking to live for God’s kingdom, He is going to ask you to do something that requires that you trust him for the outcome. God wants to use us to build his kingdom in ways that our beyond are human capabilities, and capacities.  But in order to do so, he going to ask us to get out of our comfort zone and trust him to do in us and through what we could not do in our own strength. And until we are willing to do what will require trusting the Lord for the outcome, we will not see the multiplying power of God—we will not see God using us in ways that our beyond our ability.  What are you doing for God that requires that you take a risk...that requires that you trust Him for the results?

Principle # 3: God has a history of using the little that someone has that seems to amount to nothing in order to do great things that only he can do.    

Remember that all that this widow had was a little oil. Yet God wanted to use the little oil that she had and multiply it to meet her needs and the needs of her family. But when Elisha asked her what she had in her house, she responded: “I don't have anything except a pot of oil.” Notice that initially the widow’s main focused was on what she didn't have. But, as one Pastor put it, “Elisha was interested in her exception…And it was her exception that became the vessel for an exceptional miracle.”  

Sometimes what keeps some Christians from being used of God in exceptional ways is that we think we don't have enough for God to work with.  Maybe we feel we don't have enough training, enough resources, or eloquence to be effective at doing something for God. Or maybe we feel that our past failures disqualify us from ever being used of God to build his kingdom.  But what we fail to realize is that God specializes in using the little that we have, what we think is not enough and multiplying it for kingdom impact. Often what make us believe we don't have enough talent, enough time or enough resources is that we compare ourselves with others.  And when we compare ourselves with others who appear to have more than we have—who are more gifted than we are, we will feel that we don’t have much to offer. But God is not asking us to give what we don’t have. He's asking us to be willing to give what we do have, regardless of how little that may seem, and trust him to do with it what only he can.

Principle # 4: The multiplying flow of God's power is unleashed as we obey Him.

Notice that the little oil that the widow had did not begin to multiply until she did with it what the man of God told her to do. After Elisha told her what to do we read: "So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out" (2 Kings 4:5).

Sometimes the reason why Christians are not being used of God to build up his kingdom is that they want to “feel” God's power before they do what God is commanding them to do. Once again it wasn't until the widow obeyed what the man of God told her to do that oil began to flow. And it wasn't just oil that was flowing; it was the power of God being unleashed that filled those vessels with oil, which by the way is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.

Whether it’s witnessing, serving in a ministry, or giving to missions, don't wait until, you feel God has blessed you with an abundance, don't wait until you feel the    power. Obey God first and trust him to make up the difference. Obey, and his power will flow.

Principle # 5: The more believers seek to be empty of self the more the Holy Spirit will multiply His work in their lives.

 Remember that the oil that the widow possessed began to miraculously multiply as she poured it out into empty vessels.  I mentioned already that oil in the bible is a type of the Spirit.  Not only is oil a type of the Holy Spirit, but the bible likens the body of believers to vessels and temples where the Holy Spirit resides. But although the Spirit resides in that heart of all who have trusted Christ as their savior, He does not manifest Himself in the same way or to the same degree in every believer. One reason that is it that we are not all gifted in the same way by the Holy Spirit for ministry. But also, and this is the point that I want to make, the reason that the Holy Spirit may not be fully manifested in our lives is because self gets in the way.

The Spirit was not given to us to make us look good, but to make Jesus look good. When Christians make the focus of their church attendance about others meeting their needs, rather than exalting Jesus, they will know very little of the multiplying work of the Spirit in their lives. Are you hungry for a greater experience of the presence and power of God in your life? If this is our desire we must die to our selfish ways, motives and attitudes so that Christ can be fully manifested in our lives.

6. The multiplying effects of the Spirit are more fully evident when many empty vessels are being filled by Him.

 When did the miraculous flow of oil stop?  In verse we read: "And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.” (2 Kings 4:6).

 Notice that the miraculous multiplying flow of oil stopped when there were no more vessels to fill. But because many were filled there were great and lasting effects that met the needs of the widow and her family.

In many ways as Christians and as a church we are reaping the blessings of those who have gone before us. We heard the gospel and were saved because many Christians throughout church history sacrificed everything to spread the fame of Jesus. MBC has existed for 80 years now because of the loving sacrifices and faithfulness of many that have been a part of this church throughout the years. We can say that we have benefitted from the multiplying oil that flowed from their lives. We ought to be thankful for those who have gone before us. But God doesn't want us to rely on the blessings of the past. He desires for fresh oil to flow through each and every one of our lives today. And when it is not flowing from each and every one of us the multiplying effects of the Spirit may not stop, but they are limited. There are many areas in our church where we need others to step up and allow God to use them to build up the kingdom of God. And remember if you have not stepped up, you’re limiting what God desires to do through you and through this church body. 

Have you made yourself available to God?  Present yourself to God as an empty vessel. Cry out to Him to fill you with His Spirit and use you as he desires to build up His kingdom. Obey him as he directs you and watch him do in and through your life what you never imagined.

Principle #7: We can expect to receive the multiplying provision of God when we our living to fulfill his calling upon our lives.

 Keep in mind that the widow came to Elisha seeking God's Help knowing that he was a prophet of God and that God spoke through him. And by faith she acted upon what God through Elisha wanted her to do. As a result, she was able to meet the needs of her family. Many of you know that I'm a bi-vocational Pastor, which means that in addition to being a Pastor I'm also a Police Officer. And because it takes time to be a Pastor, a Police officer, a father and a husband I'm often ask, “How do you find the time to do all that you’re doing? A few days ago, I was having lunch with a Pastor who asked me that very question. The only way that I can is by the supernatural aid of the Holy Spirit.  Knowing this the Pastor I was having lunch with prayed for me.

There were many encouraging things that he prayed, but one thing that stood out was that he prayed for God to multiply my time. It stood out because God has answered that prayer in my life multiple times. One way that he has is through others in our congregation that have stepped up and allowed God to use them to serve the church in various ways. Another way is during my sermon prep time. When I needed it most, God allows things to come together in less time than it normally takes for me to prepare a sermon.  I believe that as long as I'm doing what God wants me to do he will supernaturally work in my life to enable me to fulfill his calling.

Now God is multiplying my time as a bi-vocational Pastor. But is this what he will have me to do long term? If not, and there comes a time when he wants me to leave the Police Department to continue in ministry and I don't do it, should I expect for God to continue to multiply my time, energy, and resources to do what I want to do? It’s been said, “God does not appreciate what he does not initiate.” God is going to multiply His work in my life when I’m fulfilling His calling and His agenda for my life. This applies to all believers. When we are seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteous we can trust him to provide all that we need.

How many of you would say, "Pastor, I don't want to sit on the side lines? I want God to use me however, whenever and wherever he desires. I don't have much, but I'm willing to give to God whatever he ask and trust him to do with it what only he can. Present yourself to God as an empty vessel. Ask Him to direct you in what he would have you to do for His kingdom. Cry out to Him to fill you with His Spirit and use you to spread the fame of His name in a lost and dying world. Little is much when God is in it.  

Extending the kingdom of God

“For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20).

Do you want to know the power of the kingdom working in and through your life?  We can know that power when we are filled with the Spirit –when we are living under the control of and in dependence on the Holy Spirit.

During the Super Bowl last month there was a power outage that caused the lights in the stadium to go out. As a result, the players could not play the game until the power was restored and the lights were turned back on. The lights needed to be on not only so that the players could play the game to their fullest potential, but also so that fans could watch the game being played. After the power went out, it no longer mattered if the players and coaches knew the plays, it didn’t matter what the game plan was, it didn’t matter what strategies they developed, they couldn’t play the championship game unless the power was restored and the lights were turned back on.

If the church is going to extend God’s Kingdom the light and power of God must be manifested in the lives of believers as they faithfully proclaim the gospel of Christ. What the church needs today is not artificial lights that are dependent on man made power sources. Slick programs, high powered worship teams and a motivational talk may draw a crowd, but they will not build up the kingdom of God. The church needs the only power that can save and transformed lives—the power of the Holy Spirit.  It's been said that churches have been substituting dependence on the power of the Spirit with artificial means so long that if God removed the Holy Spirit they would continue doing what they've been doing and not even know the difference.

In 2 Corinthians 12: 9 we learn that the Apostle Paul was willing to pay any price "so that Christ's power may rest on me."  This was the cry of Paul's heart. "Jesus had told him that such power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9). Weakness does not create power. But weakness drives us all the more to God, the source of all divine power. When we recognize how weak and insufficient we are, we call on God, cling to God, and make this the constant cry of our hearts" (Wesley L. Duewel).

Oh God, grant that your power may rest upon us to spread the glory of your name." 

Dangerous church trends confirmed by mega church Pastors

Why does the church exist? I recently came across that question in an article written by Pastor Greg Laurie, entitled, "Greg Laurie: 4 Dangerous Church Growth Myths." This article, which is well worth reading, can be found at churchleaders.com. In this article he writes, "In a recent survey of 1,000 church attenders, respondents were asked, “Why does the church exist?” According to 89 percent, the church’s purpose was “to take care of my family’s and my spiritual needs.” Only 11 percent said the purpose of the church is 'to win the world for Jesus Christ.' These attitudes concern me and many other observers deeply. A business-driven response may only make things worse. In the long run, if we train consumers instead of communers, we’ll end up with customers instead of disciples. It might fill up an auditorium, but it will never turn the world upside down for Christ."

Why does the church exist? The mission of the Church according to Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20, is not to build up the membership roll, but to build up the kingdom of God, to make disciples of all nations. In an interview with mega church Pastor Bill Hybels (see Better preaching update sermoncentral.com), he shares what he has learned in 37 years of ministry. When asked about how a church can best fulfill its mission he shares about "something that was a miss" for decades in the church he Pastors', which today is one of the largest churches in the world.  He said, "I dramatically underestimated how often my colleagues and the people in the church practiced the classic spiritual disciplines. I just thought everybody spent time with God and surrendered their spirits before Him every day. That everybody worked hard to receive promptings from God, quieting the ambient noise in their lives so they could hear Him. I misjudged that, and the few times that I preached on it, I remember seeing the semi-confused faces of the people in the crowd and thinking, “I must be doing a terrible job of teaching this because they are not getting it or they are not interested. I'm not getting the same kind of feedback that I get when I teach on other subject matters.” So, I wound up not teaching on the spiritual practices very often. It's hard to do, and I got mixed response. Decades later I found out…that I should have stuck with that. I should not have been dissuaded by the kind of feedback I was getting. I should have done a major series on the classic spiritual disciplines every single year, whether I saw confused faces or not. I should have just dug in and made that a regular part of the menu. We also had some feedback that went like this: “Yeah, well, interesting. But I'd really like to know something more practical than this, like how to be a better parent. Why don't you teach this other stuff at a seminar, not on Sunday morning?” Well, we didn't have the facilities or the teachers to hold those kinds of seminars. So, it wasn't until decades later when we found out…that you can strip away almost every other thing the church does. But at the core of the core of the core, growing people into Christ followers is all about helping them engage in God's Word and inspiring them to invite God to be at the center of their lives. I did not emphasize that as much in the early days as I do now."

Sadly, what Pastor Hybels failed to emphasize in his church for decades has become a trend in many churches that are seeking to fill their buildings. What Hybels admits also confirms what Pastor Greg Laurie warned about concerning the business response of churches that are seeking to meet the demands of the consumer minded attenders. "It might fill up an auditorium, but it will never turn the world upside down for Christ." In other words, churches can grow wider in numbers, but not necessarily deeper in their love for God. They can build bigger buildings and bigger congregations, but make little impact when it comes to building the kingdom of God.

During the early church when the demands of ministry were threatening to distract and deter the calling of its leaders, Dr. Luke records, "And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said,  It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.  Therefore, brothers,  pick out from among you seven men  of good repute,  full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.  But  we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:2-4 ESV).

Pastors, we have not been called to build our own kingdoms. Our orders are to build God's kingdom, to make disciples of all nations. We've been called to preach the word in dependence of the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God. May we purpose in our hearts that we will keep the main thing the main thing to the glory of God.

What has God put on your heart to do?

"And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem:" (Neh. 2:12).

When I read this passage recently I asked myself, “What has God put on my heart to do?” This is a vital question because God is only going to bless the work that he has put on our hearts to do. In the life of Nehemiah we not only see how God put His plans in his heart, but how he used Nehemiah to fulfill it, namely the rebuilding of the walls in Jerusalem.

We also see in the life and work of Nehemiah a spiritual pattern that is consistent throughout the bible and church history that is prerequisite to a moving of God that results in spiritual renewal and restoration.

1. He burdens our hearts:

What God put in Nehemiah's heart to do, namely the rebuilding of the walls in Jerusalem, started off as a burden that he could not shake.

"As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days…” (Neh. 1:4).

The burden that Nehemiah had dwarfed every other care and concern in his life. In the same way, when God gets ready to do something significant in regards to restoring lives that are in spiritual ruin, he shares his burden with someone. And I don’t mean just the need, but the burden.

The amazing thing is that Nehemiah had it going on. He was a cupbearer to the king. He had it made. It could have been very easy for him to be so wrapped up in the comforts and pleasures of his life that he could have been indifferent to what was going on in Jerusalem. But Nehemiah wasn’t indifferent. He was a broken man. He was broken oven the ruin in Jerusalem and the reproach it was to God’s people.

What ought to be the burden of our hearts that dwarfs all other burdens in our lives? There is no doubt that the spiritual ruin of man, the lost-ness of man and perhaps the indifference of the church to want to be used of God to do something about it, ought to be the overwhelming burden of our lives.

Recently, I received a message from a sister that reflects a heart that is burden by the Lord, which is a prerequsite to being used by God to rescue the perishing and care for the dying. She wrote,

“Hi Pastor, Just a quick testimony from this morning. I was really convicted this morning when you mentioned how we need to seek first the Kingdom of God. I have had that verse memorized since I was a kid but I don't think I truly understood what it meant until today. I was all prepared to come to prayer this morning asking people to pray for our finances...but then when you mentioned that verse tears started welling up in my eyes. Here I am concerned about money when I have loved ones that don't know Jesus...where are my priorities? I immediately confessed this morning and asked God to forgive me and to break my heart for the lost. Then during my lunch period my bible reading for today led me to Luke 16 where it mentions the parable of the shrewd manager and the story of the rich man and Lazarus. That’s when the tears started…”

Once again, as God did with my sister, when God gets ready to do significant things when it comes to the spiritual ruin of our world, he shares his burden with someone who has a receptive heart. The problem sometimes is that God is sharing his heart, but our hearts are hardened by love for this world. Oh how we need to turn off those things in our lives (i.e. TV, and others forms of media) that strangle the word and burdens that God is sowing in our hearts and allow God to cultivate in us his heart for a lost and dying world.

2. When God burdens our heart we are to take that burden to the Lord in prayer:

Another important principle we see, that is prerequisite for spiritual renewal and how God goes about using someone for his purposes, is that Nehemiah took his burden to the Lord in prayer. In the same way, when God puts his burden on our hearts we are to first and foremost give it right back to Him in prayer to use us to meet the needs of others. When Nehemiah heard of the ruin in Jerusalem he wrote,

"As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven" (Nehemiah 1:4).

It's been said, "asking is the rule of the kingdom." God's work will not get done if God's people don't pray. "We can do more than pray, but we can't do more than pray until we have prayed."

3. Take action by trusting God’s power and provision to accomplish that which he has put on your heart to do:

After Nehemiah prayed he would not only be granted permission to lead a rebuilding project by the King, but the king would also provide resources for the task. And in 52 days the walls were completed.

There are great spiritual needs in our world and if we’re not careful we can feel overwhelmed by them. But God is not expecting us to try to meet all the needs, but to be faithful to do what he puts in our hearts to do.

“Recognition of need must be followed by earnest, persistent waiting upon God until the overwhelming sense of world need becomes a specific burden in my soul for one particular piece of work which God would have me do” (Alan Redpath).

May we continue to seek God to give us a broken heart for the spiritual ruin in our world and the provision to accomplish what he puts on our hearts to do for Christ sake. Amen!

"God gives the Spirit to those who are obedient to Him"

"And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him" (Acts 5:31-32).

In spite of the all the threats, persecution and physical violence from the religious leaders of their day, the Apostles ceased not to preach Jesus.  As a result, the gospel spread like wild fire throughout the Roman empire and beyond.

Notice how they responded to the threats and violence from the religious leaders of their day:

"And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ" (Acts 5:41-42).

Although the apostles suffered severely at times for their faith, the fire of their gospel witness could not be put out. What enabled them to so boldly and courageously advance the gospel under such hostile opposition?  When asked by their persecutors why they would not obey their commands to cease their preaching of Jesus, they responded, "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him" (Acts 5:31-32). Notice that the apostles were not alone in their witnessing. They were working in cooperation with the witness of Holy Spirit which is "given to them that obey him."

When believers are obedient to do what God calls all believers to do, namely to be witnesses to the saving power of the gospel, we can trust that He will bear witness along with us, in us and through us. The Spirit is given to those who are obedient--who seek to lives that glorify the name of Jesus with their lips and with their lives.

"It is necessary for evangelicals to acknowledge that the immediacy of the Spirit's presence can, and does, vary. To say it differently, the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit is not synonymous with the effects or influences of the Spirit; what Christians from previous generations have termed 'the manifest presence of the Spirit', 'the sensible presence of the Spirit', or the felt presence of the Spirit'. To be sure, the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit is a fact that Christians can always assume. Being fully divine, He is always present. In contrast, the effects of His presence can never be presupposed. That is to say, they can be graciously given. They can also be judiciously withdrawn" (Arturo Azurdia III, ").

When we are living for our interest, when we are in love with this world, when we are living our lives contrary to the word of God we will grieved the Spirit of God (Eph. 4:29-30).

"What, then, are the concerns pertinent to the subject at hand? Stated simply, the wounding of the Spirit can and often does, lead to a withdrawal of His influences. The well-known plea of David is illustrative at this point: 'do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me' (Ps. 51:11). Some have suggested that this plea is inappropriate for a new covenant believer. But such thinking reveals a failure to distinguish between the Spirit's presence in the Christian and the experience of His gracious effects. John Stott explains: 'For the Holy Spirit is a sensitive Spirit. He hates sin, discord and falsehood, and shrinks away from them.' Hodge adds: 'His indwelling certifies that we are the children of God, and secures our final salvation...To grieve him, therefore, is to wound him whom our salvation depends. Though he will not finally withdraw from those in whom he dwells, yet when grieved he withholds the manifestations of his presence'" (Arturo Azurdia).

What enabled the apostles to be such powerful witnesses in the face of intense persecution? It was their obedience to and dependence upon the Holy Spirit. When they faced persecution, they didn't just ask God to deliver them from it, they asked for supernatural boldness to preach the gospel in spite of it. As a result they were filled with the Spirit of God and shook up the world for Christ (Acts 4:13-31).

May we seek continually to walk in obedience to and in dependence upon the Spirit of God to the glory of Christ.