Giving | Revelations From The Road

Who Are Ministers?

February 19, 2017 by Bill

Given February 2017

I was thinking on the way to church this morning about my pastor. I know he got up very early, started getting ready to go to the church and probably was thinking, “What ministry am I going to do today?” He might think: Praise & worship, preaching, teaching, praying, encouraging, leading people to Christ and whatever other acts of service the people need. Our pastor and all pastors are called to be ministers.

Then, I thought about myself and all the people who would attend our church service today. We got up and got ready to go to church but did we ask ourselves, “What ministry am I going to do today?” Probably not. I wouldn’t have thought of it either had the Holy Spirit not nudged me to think about it. Actually, we’re ALL called to be ministers, not pastors, but ministers. Look what it says in Ephesians 4:11-12: “And He (Jesus) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,”. Jesus gave these five groups of people the responsibility of “equipping the saints”, that’s us, the church congregation, to do the work of ministry. And who does the work of the ministry? Ministers! That’s us, so WE can build up the body of Christ.

So, now that you know you’re a minister, start asking yourself each day, “What ministry am I going to do today?” Keep in mind this is not only a Sunday ministry but an everyday ministry. We, as ministers, are called to do the work of the ministry among those we meet and interact with each day; our family, co-workers, neighbors, at school, people at the grocery store or fast food restaurant and just those we pass by. And, if you feel you’re not “equipped” for the ministry, get out your Bible and devotional book, pray about it or ask your pastor or another minister for help. We are responsible. Let’s do our work of service and God will smile down on us saying, “Now that’s my people.”

Do Something For God

January 22, 2017 by Bill

Given January 2010

Do you love the Lord? Usually when you love someone, you want to do things for them. So, what can we do for the Lord? He has certainly done and continues to do so much for us! One thing is to do what He says: “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15). He has commanded lots of things in His Word so we need to find out what those things are, (read your Bible), then do what it says, “Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only…” (James 1:22).

Now, God doesn’t need His house fixed, He doesn’t need money, food, or clothes. He doesn’t need encouraging, consoling, or advising. God doesn’t need us to visit Him in the hospital…do you see where this going? So how can we do something nice for the Lord? Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40). So if we do these kinds of things for God’s people, we’re doing them for Him. He takes it personally.

On the other hand, He also takes it personally when we harm one of his children. Remember what He said to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus? “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 26:14). Saul¸ (later, the apostle Paul), had been traveling around arresting and killing Christians and Jesus likened that to doing it to Him. He takes it personally. As parents, we know if someone does something bad to our kids, they’re doing it to us too. And if someone does something nice for our kids, we like it. Father God is the same way.

So, how can we do something for the Lord? We can buy the Lord lunch today, we can pay His light bill, visit Him in the hospital; we can encourage or console Him. We can minister to His body by helping other parts of the Body; our fellow Christians. Look around you and see which one of God’s children needs help. Or maybe they don’t need help but you could just do something nice for them. God takes it personally. Let’s do something for the Lord today and this week.

Receiving

May 15, 2016 by Bill

Given May 14, 2016

Imagine, if you will, this conversation with God:
Us: “Father, I know you love me and want to bless me as your child. Today, I ask you for more income.”
God: “Why do you want more income, so you can buy more stuff?”
Us: “Oh, I’m sorry Father; I was misguided by my flesh. Please increase my income so I can give more to help others.”
God: “Well, how about this: First, why don’t you give more, trust Me and then see what happens to your income?”
Us: “Oh, uh, that will be hard Father.”
God: “Try it and see.” “Trust me.”

Current research shows that between 5-25% of church attendees tithe. In my church, that would be about 15-75 people! ”Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3: 10-12) And also, many “tithers” are only giving 2-3% of their income. God has made us some promises about giving. “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10).

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38). I know it’s hard and goes against our fleshly thinking but it’s a matter of this: Do we trust God at His word or do we keep His part of what He’s given us, (the 10%), and use for ourselves? I’ve heard this before: What if we looked back at what we gave last year and that figure was multiplied by 9 (90%) and that’s what we would receive this year? How would that be for you?

Jesus himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35). We need to think about this and decide whether we’re committed to being a real Christ follower or just talking about it. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21). Where is your treasure?

Memorials

May 24, 2015 by Bill

Given May 23, 2015

We are celebrating Memorial Day but what do we think of on this day? A day off from work, cookouts, the military? Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines a memorial as: Something that keeps remembrance alive: as a monument. When we see a monument or picture, we remember the significance from the past that the item represents. Officially becoming a holiday in 1971, the last Monday in May honors men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Tomorrow, we remember and honor those great Americans.

The Bible is full of memorials; things that remind us of God’s mercy and grace in the past. The first memorial is the rainbow that God set in the sky to remind HIMSELF of his promise, (Genesis 9:13-16). Communion is another one; our remembrance of what Jesus did for us, Jesus said, “this do in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19-20). Many times God’s people set up an altar or memorial to remind them of God’s goodness. In Joshua 4:1-7 after they crossed the Jordan River, God had Joshua to command the Israelites to set up twelve stones as a memorial. When the children would see the stones and ask what they were, the adults could tell the story of how God delivered them from the Egyptians.

The flood, the death of Jesus and the exodus were all troubling and difficult times but God takes care of His people. They see the memorial and remember that God is good and is on their side. Is there something in your past that was bad but God brought you through it? If you’re saved, your pre-Jesus life was bad. Think of a time when God brought you through. Now, choose something for your memorial: a rock, a picture, a tree, a pocket cross, something that, when you see it, you will be reminded of what God did for you. And, when the devil comes reminding you of something in your past, show him your memorial and say, “Look what the Lord has done!” “So Devil…you can leave now.”

The Lord Has Need Of It

December 31, 2014 by Bill

Given December 30, 2014

While reading my daily Bible passage about the last days of Jesus, the part about preparing the upper room for the last supper brought a thought to my mind. Luke 22:10-12 tells us, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.” Jesus had a need and He had apparently prepared people ahead of time to meet that need. The man with the jar of water, the owner of the house, and his disciples were all a part of the plan. The Lord’s need was fulfilled by others. Almost immediately, other Bible passages came to my mind about similar circumstances where the Lord had a need.

Jesus was planning His final trip to Jerusalem which we know as, “The Triumphal Entry” and He needed a donkey to ride in on. “Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” (Matthew 21:1-3). The Lord needs them. The owner of the animals readily gave them to the Lord because He needed them.

Another time, Jesus was ministering to a large crowd on a hillside and His disciples were concerned that the people were getting hungry and needed to go get something to eat. Jesus told them to give the people something to eat and they complained that it would take half a year’s wages to feed so many. I can imagine Jesus saying something like, “OK then what do we have?” “Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” (John 6:8-9). Jesus had a need and a boy in the crowd offered his lunch. In Jesus’ hands, that small lunch fed around 15,000 people that day.

A home owner, a donkey owner and a boy with a lunch, they all had something the Lord needed and were willing to give it up for His use. Great things were accomplished as a result. Yes, Jesus could have miraculously created an upper room, a donkey or food for thousands but He wanted to use what was already there; to involve people in His plans. The Bible doesn’t say but I can imagine that those who gave were truly blessed. My question is this: What do we have that the Lord has need of? If the Lord directly asked you for something you had, would you give it? Of course you would. But what if someone else came and asked for something saying, “The Lord has need of it.” What would your response be? Do we hear His request when the offering plate comes by or when we hear of a benevolent need in our community? “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.‘”(Matthew 25:40).

In the coming year, let’s be more aware of the needs around us and be willing to offer our time, expertise, or money to help meet those needs. The Lord needs it and we have it. Offer it for His use and see what happens.