Dreaming in an Uncertain World

Can you believe that two months have already expired? Time seems to be flying in these last days. That’s right: it is truly the last days and some people are running to and fro in fear. The problems we face in our economy and the potential for financial ruin in our country, businesses, and lives, have caused many to lose heart and begin to faint. Many in this life have their security in the earthly financial system and, with its weakened state, it has caused chaos in people’s lives. If we have given our trust to the things of this earth more than God, then we do have something to fear and we will have no hope in this life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and he shall direct your paths.” It is nice to know that if we truly trust God and acknowledge Him, we will not live a life of fear. We need to learn to acknowledge Him in our finances. Jesus said that where our treasure is there our heart would be also. That simply means we need to have our treasure found in God and learn to pursue His purpose for our lives and our heart will keep us. Money is not the only thing God wants us to trust Him for. He desires us to trust Him for harvest. That is what the Kingdom of God is all about. In order for you to be concerned with the harvest though you must lift up your eyes. You have to know that God wants us to be concerned with harvest, especially in this hour. Our light should be shining brightly in these times of great distress in the earth. So let’s discuss what we can do to make a difference and effect the harvest during this time of uncertainty.

The best way to affect the harvest is to get involved in some form or fashion. Please realize that nothing will take the place of you living a life of obedience and faith. And that is why everyone needs to understand that God created us to serve one another. We all have a place in the body of Christ that we need to fill in order for the body to function properly. I Cor 12:27, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” (NKJV) Now I don’t know if you caught that or not, but the word said we are all members in particular in this body. That means that each of us has an assignment from God to get involved in this body. We are to put our hand to the plow and to take our assignment seriously. Now the part we play is that of Helps. Helps ministry is a wide range of ministries available in the local body. It is a ministry that is not of a five-fold ministry nature, which is front and center, but rather it is a ministry this is behind-the-scenes supporting and working to fulfill the purpose of the church in God’s plan for harvest. Without the “helps” aspect of this ministry, no ministry would grow. In the local church, it is imperative that the “helps” ministry be in full deployment so that each member can be ministered to in excellence and that causes growth. It is God’s way of making sure that all gifts in His body are being used and bringing increase both in the body and to the individual.
There are many gifts in this body and each one is important. Each one is necessary for what God wants to accomplish in the earth. So the question is: what are you doing to make a difference at Trinity to help Trinity fulfill the purpose that God has given this particular body. Trinity needs you to fill your place so growth will continue. Whether you work with kids, usher, sing in the choir, or anything else that you have a desire to do, you will find personal fulfillment and help the local body grow. There are over 50 different ministries at Trinity that help us to minister to the hopeless, the hurting, and the hungry in the Upper Cumberland and around the world. Not only that, but there is always room to start another one. So what do you want to do? Fill a need by starting a new ministry or fulfill a need by hooking up with an existing ministry? Together we can make a difference as we work in the harvest fields painting the Upper Cumberland Red with the blood of Jesus.

Miracles and Jesus

Miracles are a thing of the past some say. I accept that because it is true. Jesus did many miracles in days gone by and these are documented in the Bible. However, to say that Jesus only does miracles in the past is an untrue statement and one statement that I would readily disagree with. Why you may ask? Well if Jesus only does miracles in the past then he would not be the same yesterday, today, and forever.

If you will closely examine this statement found in Hebrews 13:8 you find Jesus dwelling in the past, present, and future. He always was, always is, and always will be in the miracle business. He is just as much interested in miracles today as He was when He walked the earth or before He came to earth. The consistent character of Jesus is what makes Him so unique. Man has not maintained that consistency or at least most of man has not done so. Perhaps that is why there are so many sceptics to Christianity in the world. But whether we are sceptical or not does not change how Jesus moves in the earth today. He is constant and that means He is still working miracles today.

You might say why does that matter? It matters to me because I am looking forward to this Sunday's services with Bob Rogers. We are expecting God to move in a mighty way and that means Jesus will perform miracles for those who desire them and we will have a great time enjoying God being God. He did it in Acts 13 after fasting and prayer and so He will do it again.

I tell you it is going to be another great weekend of harvest. God is going to show himself faithful once again and the church is going to be added to. That is what it is all about anyway. HARVEST! God's ultimate desire. Hope to see you there.

Churches and the Internet

The church is an entity that was created by Jesus. He said in Matthew's gospel that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. That takes in a lot of opposition and encompasses a lot of time. At any rate it means the church is going to be around a long time. Now think back to a quote made by someone less influential than Jesus, just about eight years ago. Al Gore was the individual and I believe he made a comment in the 2000 Presidential election that he said he invented the Internet. What a gaff on his part. Well he may not have invented the Internet, but the Internet is on line, moving society in a very different direction and it is changing how we live. Who would have thought that we would be doing business over the Internet, finding relationships, meeting friends, and having conversations with people we do not see or talk to face to face. It seems a little impersonal yet it is the latest craze. So what do you think about churches and the Internet? How could a church effectively use the Internet to reach today's culture? Have I mentioned before that I am curious and curious minds want to know?

Todays thought is blogs?

The world of Blogging. I never knew what it was. It was just a word that I heard related to the Internet. Then I had a friend who was stationed in Iraq and he blogged daily. I found and read his blog. I kept up with what he was doing while he was stationed in Iraq. Now that does not make me an official blogger but I thought what the heck if Rope can do it so can I. So, now I am tyring it myself. Now here is what I want to know, what is a blog to you and what fascinates you about blogs? I am a curious person and so I just want to know.