Friday, February 27, 2009

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.

1 comment:

Michael Detwiler said...

Keep up the great work, my friend and pastor!