"The Way it Works"
Joshua 16:1-18:28
Luke 19:1-27
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 13:11
Do you ever walk downstairs, and you forget why you were there or what you had gone to do? Or you find yourself in another room in the house, but you can't remember the reason you went there? It can be because old age is creeping up, but for some of us it's a way of life! It's a simple example, but when that happens, what has been forgotten is the mission. "What was the purpose I came downstairs?"
On a larger scale it's too easy to forget the purpose for our lives. It can bee too easy to forget God's plan for us and his desire for the way we live. "Purpose" is the principle of our Mission to Reach our World for Christ. Although it may seem I'm headed toward that discussion, I want to talk about "Responsibility" which is the principle of Active Ministry Involvement.
In Luke 19 Jesus tells a story that is familiar to many of us. What stood out to me today is verse 11 which tells WHY he told the story. "And because Jesus was nearing Jerusalem, he told a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away." Jesus had come as the Messiah. In fact, in verse 10 he had just visited Zacchaeus and made the statement. "... and I, the Messiah, have come to search for and to save such souls as his."
Everyone began to see the that Jesus was the Messiah... the Promised one... the one who was to set up the kingdom. Everyone thought this would be a political overthrow, But Jesus knew that it was important to make sure that everyone knew the truth about how it works. This is the story he told:
"A nobleman living in a certain province was called away to the distant capital of the empire to be crowned king of his province. Before he left he called together ten assistants and gave them each $2000 to invest while he was gone. But some of his people hated him and sent him their declaration of independence, stating that they had rebelled and would not acknowledge him as their king. Upon his return he called in the men to whom he had given the money, to find out what they had done with it, and what their profits were." (vs. 12-15)
You probably remember the rest of the story. The first individual makes 10 times what he was given. The second makes 5 times as much, and the third just returns what he was given. Each one receives a reward based what they did with what they were given.
We need to apply this parable to our world today. Jesus returned to heaven after rising from the dead, and he's coming back soon. There are many of us who mistakingly are looking at his return in "political" terms. We're thinking, yeah, we'll show all those unbelievers! Yeah, we'll be free from this sinful world! That perspective isn't too far removed from the people of Jerusalem in Jesus' day. They were missing the point.
I think too often WE are missing the point. We stand at the bottom of the stairs of this life asking, "what was I here to do?" Jesus has given each of us resources. Each and every day we need to remember this. In worship we must develop a thankful heart, and realize that everything we have is from him.
THEN, we need to DO SOMETHING with what he has given us! God is going to ask you for the increase of what you have. It includes your finances, your time, your ministry, and the souls of the unbelievers he has placed in your life.
What's your answer going to be? What's mine?
We live in a society that has written God a "declaration of independence". We've thumbed our nose at God saying, "This is MY stuff!" "I don't have TIME to serve you!" "I'm going to do things MY way!" There will be a price to pay for that. In Jesus' parable, the master has the "independent" executed (vs. 27).
We have to remember the way this works. We are here with a purpose. God wants us to be responsible for everything he has put at our disposal. We MUST be good stewards! We must apply the principles of Active Ministry Involvement. We must live with the Mission To Reach our World for Christ. We Must Live the DREAM!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Showing posts with label A. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
4.7.12 "Real Life and Real Living"
"Real Life and Real Living"
Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27
Luke 12:8-34
Psalm 78:32-55
Proverbs 12:21-23
"Beware! don't always be wishing for what you don't have. For real life and real living are not related to how rich we are." (Luke 12:15)
Finances, wealth and possessions can be a touchy subject. Whether or not we would like to admit it, it is one of the highest priorities in the life of an American. Consider advertising. Advertisers wouldn't be focusing on things that don't matter to people. They're targeting what they know people want. They focus on looks and possessions. Even Christian radio has many ads that say, "Make money from home... have what you've always wanted..."
Understand that money is not evil. Possessions are not bad things. But to Live the DREAM, we need to have a healthy picture and understanding of what our goal is. Our goal is to be good stewards of what we do have. This is what Active Ministry Involvement is all about. As I've explained before, It would be easy to look at the phrase "Active Ministry Involvement" and compartmentalize that into "church life". That's not what living the DREAM is all about. This should be a practical tool to apply to daily living.
So what is "Real Life and Real Living" in terms of Active Ministry Involvement?
Well let's look first at what it's not:
"A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing - he couldn't get everything in. He thought about his problem, and finally exclaimed, 'I know - i'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones! Then I'll have room enough. And I'll sit back and say to myself, 'Friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Wine, women, and song for you!' But God said to him, 'Fool! Tonight you die. Then who will get it all?'" (vs. 16-19)
How does this apply to our lives? We have to find balance in the stewardship of the resources God has given us. We must find the balance between wasting money foolishly and hoarding it for selfish gain. Establishing a retirement account is great. Establishing it for the purpose of getting rich and making it all about the possessions is not. At the same time, remember that Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son who squandered all his inheritance. That isn't God's plan either.
The principle of Active Ministry Involvement is "Responsibility". Take what you have and put it to work. Remember, we don't have money for the purpose of "getting" more, we have it for the purpose of "giving" more.
Blessing follows obedience. If you are obeying God, you WILL be successful. I know some of you probably cringed with that statement. It's important to know that it doesn't necessarily mean you will be "Rich". That is not the goal. The goal is to allow God to do as much as he can through all that you have.
We get so bent out of shape about financial things. We worry about having enough. "Then turning to his disciples he said, 'Don't worry about whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. For life consists of far more than food and clothes. Look at the ravens - they don't plant or harvest or have barns to store away their food, and yet they get along all right - for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!
"'And besides, what's the use of worrying? What good does it do? Will it add a single day to your life? Of course not! And if worry can't even do such little things as that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?'" (22-26)
It is hard to get a healthy perspective on all of this when when we are surrounded by a culture that is so contrary to this. The message we hear is "If you WANT it, you NEED it." I don't even remember what it's about, but there was a commercial that has this huge red line painted on the ground. It says something like, "There's a line we all eventually cross. It's where we move from what we want to what we have." That's the goal of our society. That's the goal of your flesh. It's the goal of my flesh.
That's why it's so important to die to the flesh and live spiritually minded. Jesus said, "Yes, every man is a fool who gets rich on earth but not in heaven." (vs.21)
God WANTS to bless his people! Jesus lays out the mindset we should have. "So don't be afraid, little flock, For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will fatten your purses in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no rips or holes in them. Your treasures there will never disappear; no thief can steal them; no moth can destroy them." (vs.32-34)
Don't you love that line? The purses of heaven have no rips or holes in them! That's awesome! A tag line from a financial radio show says, "aren't your tired of having more month at the end of your money?" When we are struggling in the area of stewardship, it's like there's a hole in the purse. It runs out so fast!
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to teach a prosperity doctrine that is out of balance. What I AM saying is that God HAS A PLAN for the way we deal with ALL of our resources, NOT JUST MONEY. These principles apply to time, talent, and everything at our disposal. Do you have a house big enough for entertaining? Why aren't you hosting a home fellowship group? Do you have the gift of baking cookies? Why don't you make sure you welcome new people to your neighborhood with a fresh plate?
What is at your disposal? We all have an income of some sort, and we all have time and talent. What are we doing with it? Are we "squirreling" it away for selfish gain?
"Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (vs. 34)
God's Word is challenging us to put what he has given us to work for his glory.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Deuteronomy 31:1-32:27
Luke 12:8-34
Psalm 78:32-55
Proverbs 12:21-23
"Beware! don't always be wishing for what you don't have. For real life and real living are not related to how rich we are." (Luke 12:15)
Finances, wealth and possessions can be a touchy subject. Whether or not we would like to admit it, it is one of the highest priorities in the life of an American. Consider advertising. Advertisers wouldn't be focusing on things that don't matter to people. They're targeting what they know people want. They focus on looks and possessions. Even Christian radio has many ads that say, "Make money from home... have what you've always wanted..."
Understand that money is not evil. Possessions are not bad things. But to Live the DREAM, we need to have a healthy picture and understanding of what our goal is. Our goal is to be good stewards of what we do have. This is what Active Ministry Involvement is all about. As I've explained before, It would be easy to look at the phrase "Active Ministry Involvement" and compartmentalize that into "church life". That's not what living the DREAM is all about. This should be a practical tool to apply to daily living.
So what is "Real Life and Real Living" in terms of Active Ministry Involvement?
Well let's look first at what it's not:
"A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. In fact, his barns were full to overflowing - he couldn't get everything in. He thought about his problem, and finally exclaimed, 'I know - i'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones! Then I'll have room enough. And I'll sit back and say to myself, 'Friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Wine, women, and song for you!' But God said to him, 'Fool! Tonight you die. Then who will get it all?'" (vs. 16-19)
How does this apply to our lives? We have to find balance in the stewardship of the resources God has given us. We must find the balance between wasting money foolishly and hoarding it for selfish gain. Establishing a retirement account is great. Establishing it for the purpose of getting rich and making it all about the possessions is not. At the same time, remember that Jesus told the parable of the prodigal son who squandered all his inheritance. That isn't God's plan either.
The principle of Active Ministry Involvement is "Responsibility". Take what you have and put it to work. Remember, we don't have money for the purpose of "getting" more, we have it for the purpose of "giving" more.
Blessing follows obedience. If you are obeying God, you WILL be successful. I know some of you probably cringed with that statement. It's important to know that it doesn't necessarily mean you will be "Rich". That is not the goal. The goal is to allow God to do as much as he can through all that you have.
We get so bent out of shape about financial things. We worry about having enough. "Then turning to his disciples he said, 'Don't worry about whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. For life consists of far more than food and clothes. Look at the ravens - they don't plant or harvest or have barns to store away their food, and yet they get along all right - for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds!
"'And besides, what's the use of worrying? What good does it do? Will it add a single day to your life? Of course not! And if worry can't even do such little things as that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?'" (22-26)
It is hard to get a healthy perspective on all of this when when we are surrounded by a culture that is so contrary to this. The message we hear is "If you WANT it, you NEED it." I don't even remember what it's about, but there was a commercial that has this huge red line painted on the ground. It says something like, "There's a line we all eventually cross. It's where we move from what we want to what we have." That's the goal of our society. That's the goal of your flesh. It's the goal of my flesh.
That's why it's so important to die to the flesh and live spiritually minded. Jesus said, "Yes, every man is a fool who gets rich on earth but not in heaven." (vs.21)
God WANTS to bless his people! Jesus lays out the mindset we should have. "So don't be afraid, little flock, For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will fatten your purses in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no rips or holes in them. Your treasures there will never disappear; no thief can steal them; no moth can destroy them." (vs.32-34)
Don't you love that line? The purses of heaven have no rips or holes in them! That's awesome! A tag line from a financial radio show says, "aren't your tired of having more month at the end of your money?" When we are struggling in the area of stewardship, it's like there's a hole in the purse. It runs out so fast!
Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to teach a prosperity doctrine that is out of balance. What I AM saying is that God HAS A PLAN for the way we deal with ALL of our resources, NOT JUST MONEY. These principles apply to time, talent, and everything at our disposal. Do you have a house big enough for entertaining? Why aren't you hosting a home fellowship group? Do you have the gift of baking cookies? Why don't you make sure you welcome new people to your neighborhood with a fresh plate?
What is at your disposal? We all have an income of some sort, and we all have time and talent. What are we doing with it? Are we "squirreling" it away for selfish gain?
"Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (vs. 34)
God's Word is challenging us to put what he has given us to work for his glory.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
4.4.12 "Distracted by Details"
"Distracted by Details"
Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26
Luke 10:38-11:13
Psalm 76:1-12
Proverbs 12:15-17
It is so easy to get so caught up in doing really good things that we forget what is truly important. Martha had invited Jesus into her home. "Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, 'Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.'
"But the Lord said to her, 'My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.'" (Luke 10:39-42)
Reading the story of Mary & Martha, one can take a couple different angles on it. What should Martha have done? Gone and sat at Jesus' feet? I don't know that that is the correct message from this passage. I believe it is more of an issue of her being "worried and upset". There's also the issue of "fairness" that she brings up. There's the thought, "Look how she just sits there while I do all this work..."
The work that Martha is doing is extremely important. Hospitality is a biblical principle. Were we to take the wrong interpretation from these verses, and base our theology on it, we'd all be inviting people over & not feeding them. We'd all just be sitting around. That's not sound doctrine.
What Jesus is saying is in essence, "Don't lose sight of why you are working. You invited me into your home. This is why you did that in the first place: to experience my presence. Don't let your hard work lose it's focus. The reason you're working hard is so someone can sit at my feet."
Right now we're in the middle of a very busy season preparing and presenting our Easter Musical outreach. There are hundreds of people involved with thousands of "man-hours" put into the presentation. Doing musicals is one of our greatest opportunities to engage people in ministry while reaching our community.
Reading this scripture makes me think of the thousands who will attend the outreaches. They come and sit at Jesus' feet with no real understanding of the sacrifices that have been made by those who've been "working in the kitchen" to prepare this outreach.
But that's ok. Jesus said, "Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."
Whatever it is at your hand that you are working on, do not lose sight of why you do what you do. Jesus said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matt. 25:40) While the details may be important, don't ever forget WHY you are working.
In the course of everything you do, make sure you do take time to sit at Jesus' feet every day. You may have much work to do, but if you don't take that kind of time, you WILL lose your perspective.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Deuteronomy 26:1-27:26
Luke 10:38-11:13
Psalm 76:1-12
Proverbs 12:15-17
It is so easy to get so caught up in doing really good things that we forget what is truly important. Martha had invited Jesus into her home. "Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, 'Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.'
"But the Lord said to her, 'My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.'" (Luke 10:39-42)
Reading the story of Mary & Martha, one can take a couple different angles on it. What should Martha have done? Gone and sat at Jesus' feet? I don't know that that is the correct message from this passage. I believe it is more of an issue of her being "worried and upset". There's also the issue of "fairness" that she brings up. There's the thought, "Look how she just sits there while I do all this work..."
The work that Martha is doing is extremely important. Hospitality is a biblical principle. Were we to take the wrong interpretation from these verses, and base our theology on it, we'd all be inviting people over & not feeding them. We'd all just be sitting around. That's not sound doctrine.
What Jesus is saying is in essence, "Don't lose sight of why you are working. You invited me into your home. This is why you did that in the first place: to experience my presence. Don't let your hard work lose it's focus. The reason you're working hard is so someone can sit at my feet."
Right now we're in the middle of a very busy season preparing and presenting our Easter Musical outreach. There are hundreds of people involved with thousands of "man-hours" put into the presentation. Doing musicals is one of our greatest opportunities to engage people in ministry while reaching our community.
Reading this scripture makes me think of the thousands who will attend the outreaches. They come and sit at Jesus' feet with no real understanding of the sacrifices that have been made by those who've been "working in the kitchen" to prepare this outreach.
But that's ok. Jesus said, "Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her."
Whatever it is at your hand that you are working on, do not lose sight of why you do what you do. Jesus said, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Matt. 25:40) While the details may be important, don't ever forget WHY you are working.
In the course of everything you do, make sure you do take time to sit at Jesus' feet every day. You may have much work to do, but if you don't take that kind of time, you WILL lose your perspective.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Monday, April 2, 2012
4.2.12 "Go and Help!"
"Go and Help!"
Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
Luke 9:51-10:12
Psalm 74:1-23
Proverbs 12:11
It's so easy to get caught up in our own world of schedules, to-do lists, and concerns that we lose sight of the whole "Relationships Devoted to Unity" thing. Because it's in our human nature to be self-centered, we can very easily slip into the trap of independence, and forget that God has created his people for "interdependence".
It's a simple verse that brought this to mind today. "If you see someone trying to get an ox or donkey onto its feet when it has slipped beneath its load, don't look the other way. Go and help!" (Deut. 22:4)
This verse is in the middle of some pretty heavy stuff. In the chapter before and the verses following there are guidelines that carry the penalty of death if not followed. What we need to understand from that is that it is REALLY important to God that we look out for one another.
Have you ever been in that place where you "look the other way"? You may be in a hurry to get somewhere. You may be "on a mission", and you pass someone who is crying or has a flat tire. There are many things that we can "look the other way" to. There are "good" things. We have kids. We have family time. We have ministry. But we also have unity. We must take the time to serve the needs of one another.
What does it take to help someone out? It takes submission. Sometimes you submit your agenda to the need, other times it may be a submission of resources to help another through a difficult time.
Whatever the case, we have to understand the value of unity. We cannot live the Balanced Christian Life without it. We may be walking in obedience, studying the word, and very busy in ministry, but if we are not living out unity, we are out of balance. This needs to be on our priority list.
Look for opportunities to help someone today. Go out and help!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Deuteronomy 21:1-22:30
Luke 9:51-10:12
Psalm 74:1-23
Proverbs 12:11
It's so easy to get caught up in our own world of schedules, to-do lists, and concerns that we lose sight of the whole "Relationships Devoted to Unity" thing. Because it's in our human nature to be self-centered, we can very easily slip into the trap of independence, and forget that God has created his people for "interdependence".
It's a simple verse that brought this to mind today. "If you see someone trying to get an ox or donkey onto its feet when it has slipped beneath its load, don't look the other way. Go and help!" (Deut. 22:4)
This verse is in the middle of some pretty heavy stuff. In the chapter before and the verses following there are guidelines that carry the penalty of death if not followed. What we need to understand from that is that it is REALLY important to God that we look out for one another.
Have you ever been in that place where you "look the other way"? You may be in a hurry to get somewhere. You may be "on a mission", and you pass someone who is crying or has a flat tire. There are many things that we can "look the other way" to. There are "good" things. We have kids. We have family time. We have ministry. But we also have unity. We must take the time to serve the needs of one another.
What does it take to help someone out? It takes submission. Sometimes you submit your agenda to the need, other times it may be a submission of resources to help another through a difficult time.
Whatever the case, we have to understand the value of unity. We cannot live the Balanced Christian Life without it. We may be walking in obedience, studying the word, and very busy in ministry, but if we are not living out unity, we are out of balance. This needs to be on our priority list.
Look for opportunities to help someone today. Go out and help!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Friday, March 23, 2012
3.23.12 "God's Economy"
"God's Economy"
Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46
Luke 5:29-6:11
Psalm 66:1-20
Proverbs 11:24-26
God's economy is incredible. To the world it doesn't make sense. The world's economy is focused on gaining as much as you can. The motivation is selfishness. God's economy is based on obedience.
"It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself." Prov. 11:24-25
As I read the word today, it reminded me of conversations I had with two different individuals. One was a man I see as a model father. He was sharing memories that he had from when his kids were younger. "We don't really have anything to show for the years I've worked. Not much of stuff, but we sure had a lot of fun!" I see his grown children who love the Lord, and it makes me think that there are too many that have the "stuff" and a bunch of regrets.
Another conversation I had was with a young couple who are stepping out in obedience to God's direction. She told me "We've never made so little and yet have so much money." They've been giving a ton away.
I can't explain God's economy. All I know is this. When we try to "get" more it doesn't work. When our focus is obedience in giving, the blessing is poured out. This isn't just about money. It's about all of our time, talent and resource.
We know we should give. But we have a problem with "we should give so we can get more" because it sounds like selfish motivation. That's because we don't finish that thought... It should be "We should give so we can get more to give!"
How can someone who has a lot be broke? I guess I can see it like a "couch potato" who's tired all the time, and a busy person who exercises regularly and is full of energy. How does that make sense? (as said by the guy who loves to be on the couch) The reason the energy is there is because the blood is flowing. The body is healthy.
The same is true for our resources. What God has given us has no value if it is not put to his use. This is what Active Ministry Involvement is all about. Again, it's not about joining a group, it's about using your gifts for God's glory in the home, at work, for the body of Christ, in the neighborhood, and around the world. We have a responsibility to do this.
It may not make sense in the world's eyes, but with the blessing of God's economy, we can know we are walking in obedience!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Numbers 36:1-Deuteronomy 1:46
Luke 5:29-6:11
Psalm 66:1-20
Proverbs 11:24-26
God's economy is incredible. To the world it doesn't make sense. The world's economy is focused on gaining as much as you can. The motivation is selfishness. God's economy is based on obedience.
"It is possible to give away and become richer! It is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. Yes, the liberal man shall be rich! By watering others, he waters himself." Prov. 11:24-25
As I read the word today, it reminded me of conversations I had with two different individuals. One was a man I see as a model father. He was sharing memories that he had from when his kids were younger. "We don't really have anything to show for the years I've worked. Not much of stuff, but we sure had a lot of fun!" I see his grown children who love the Lord, and it makes me think that there are too many that have the "stuff" and a bunch of regrets.
Another conversation I had was with a young couple who are stepping out in obedience to God's direction. She told me "We've never made so little and yet have so much money." They've been giving a ton away.
I can't explain God's economy. All I know is this. When we try to "get" more it doesn't work. When our focus is obedience in giving, the blessing is poured out. This isn't just about money. It's about all of our time, talent and resource.
We know we should give. But we have a problem with "we should give so we can get more" because it sounds like selfish motivation. That's because we don't finish that thought... It should be "We should give so we can get more to give!"
How can someone who has a lot be broke? I guess I can see it like a "couch potato" who's tired all the time, and a busy person who exercises regularly and is full of energy. How does that make sense? (as said by the guy who loves to be on the couch) The reason the energy is there is because the blood is flowing. The body is healthy.
The same is true for our resources. What God has given us has no value if it is not put to his use. This is what Active Ministry Involvement is all about. Again, it's not about joining a group, it's about using your gifts for God's glory in the home, at work, for the body of Christ, in the neighborhood, and around the world. We have a responsibility to do this.
It may not make sense in the world's eyes, but with the blessing of God's economy, we can know we are walking in obedience!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Saturday, March 17, 2012
3.17.12 "I've Lost God!"
"I've Lost God!"
Numbers 26:1-51
Luke 2:36-52
Psalm 60:1-12
Proverbs 11:15
The beginning of Luke 2 is the Christmas Story, then comes the story of Simeon blessing him, as well as Anna, an elderly prophetess who spent day & night interceding in the Temple. This chapter wraps up with one of the few glimpses of Jesus' childhood.
"When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the Law of God they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child became a strong, robust lad, and was known for wisdom beyond his years; and God poured out his blessings on him." (39-40)
We all know the story that comes next. The family visits Jerusalem. Jesus hangs out at the temple the whole time. Mary & Joseph think he's with the fellow travelers, and head home. It isn't until they've traveled a full day that they realized he wasn't there, and then it wasn't until 3 days later that they found him in the temple! I can just imagine the intensity of Mary's concern. I know how upset I would be if it was my daughter, but you add on all that stuff from the beginning of the chapter. (you know, angels, shepherds...) I'm sure Mary was freaking out! "Um... you know that messiah you sent... yeah well... we lost him!"
I would like to focus on another aspect of this account. The balance of discipline (Empowered through Biblical Training), submission (Relationships Devoted to Unity), and responsibility(Active Ministry Involvement). As our responsibility increases, so must our discipline and submission. Jesus had a tremendous amount of responsibility. His responsibility was met with his discipline.
Having read this story many times, I'd never spent much time thinking about his answer when Mary found him. "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you realize that I would be here at the Temple, in my Father's house?"
This can be read several ways, and because we know the mind of many 12 year olds in our culture, we can impose a defiant attitude to those words. I don't think that's accurate. Jesus never sinned, and rebellion is definitely a sin, so that could not have been his tone. What I believe he was saying is "The responsibilities before me constrain me to be where I need to be. I'm sure you've spent time looking at the arcade, the mall, and the other places the other kids hang out, but there's no way I can do that. What is before me is so intense, I must walk a different course. I must be in my Father's house." In other words, "I commit to you that you can trust me. I must be about the work of the kingdom."
Jesus is growing in wisdom. In verse 47 it says he was "amazing everyone with his understanding and answers." His wisdom does not mark the end of his submission however. in verse 51 it says, "Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them;" He knew where he was and he knew what he was called to do.
How about you & me? Do I fully understand the responsibilities I have? Submission is the principle of Relationships Devoted to Unity. Discipline is the principle of Empowered Through Biblical Training. Responsibility is the principle of Active Ministry Involvement. To Live the DREAM, we must give focussed attention to these elements.
As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we will experience transformation. We should be experiencing growth. Sometimes we find ourself in a rut. I believe an increase in discipline is what's necessary to break out of the rut.
We need to fear our Responsibility being greater than our discipline. If that's the case, we are headed for trouble. All of these elements must work together for growth in the Balanced Christian Life.
Get into the Word today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Numbers 26:1-51
Luke 2:36-52
Psalm 60:1-12
Proverbs 11:15
The beginning of Luke 2 is the Christmas Story, then comes the story of Simeon blessing him, as well as Anna, an elderly prophetess who spent day & night interceding in the Temple. This chapter wraps up with one of the few glimpses of Jesus' childhood.
"When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the Law of God they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. There the child became a strong, robust lad, and was known for wisdom beyond his years; and God poured out his blessings on him." (39-40)
We all know the story that comes next. The family visits Jerusalem. Jesus hangs out at the temple the whole time. Mary & Joseph think he's with the fellow travelers, and head home. It isn't until they've traveled a full day that they realized he wasn't there, and then it wasn't until 3 days later that they found him in the temple! I can just imagine the intensity of Mary's concern. I know how upset I would be if it was my daughter, but you add on all that stuff from the beginning of the chapter. (you know, angels, shepherds...) I'm sure Mary was freaking out! "Um... you know that messiah you sent... yeah well... we lost him!"
I would like to focus on another aspect of this account. The balance of discipline (Empowered through Biblical Training), submission (Relationships Devoted to Unity), and responsibility(Active Ministry Involvement). As our responsibility increases, so must our discipline and submission. Jesus had a tremendous amount of responsibility. His responsibility was met with his discipline.
Having read this story many times, I'd never spent much time thinking about his answer when Mary found him. "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "Didn't you realize that I would be here at the Temple, in my Father's house?"
This can be read several ways, and because we know the mind of many 12 year olds in our culture, we can impose a defiant attitude to those words. I don't think that's accurate. Jesus never sinned, and rebellion is definitely a sin, so that could not have been his tone. What I believe he was saying is "The responsibilities before me constrain me to be where I need to be. I'm sure you've spent time looking at the arcade, the mall, and the other places the other kids hang out, but there's no way I can do that. What is before me is so intense, I must walk a different course. I must be in my Father's house." In other words, "I commit to you that you can trust me. I must be about the work of the kingdom."
Jesus is growing in wisdom. In verse 47 it says he was "amazing everyone with his understanding and answers." His wisdom does not mark the end of his submission however. in verse 51 it says, "Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them;" He knew where he was and he knew what he was called to do.
How about you & me? Do I fully understand the responsibilities I have? Submission is the principle of Relationships Devoted to Unity. Discipline is the principle of Empowered Through Biblical Training. Responsibility is the principle of Active Ministry Involvement. To Live the DREAM, we must give focussed attention to these elements.
As we grow in our relationship with the Lord, we will experience transformation. We should be experiencing growth. Sometimes we find ourself in a rut. I believe an increase in discipline is what's necessary to break out of the rut.
We need to fear our Responsibility being greater than our discipline. If that's the case, we are headed for trouble. All of these elements must work together for growth in the Balanced Christian Life.
Get into the Word today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Saturday, March 3, 2012
3.3.12 "'Giving' or 'Obedience'"
"'Giving' or 'Obedience'"
Leviticus 27:14-Numbers 1:54
Mark 11:1-26
Psalm 46:1-11
Proverbs 10:23
I remember one Christmas when we were kids we wanted more presents. It was so long ago I can hardly remember the details, but I know i took some of my brothers toys and I wrapped it up for him so we'd have more presents. It was fun opening more boxes, but I guess there's some level of disappointment that someone went out of their way to give you what was already yours.
Leviticus 27 spells out the process for the Israelites to give special offerings to the Lord. There is a guideline for how to give gifts of land, fruit, grain, homes, and animals. There is amazing detail to the method of how things are valued, redeemed, and what is to be done with the offering.
"You may not dedicate to the Lord the firstborn of any ox or sheep, for it is already his." Lev. 27:26
The Israelites have already been given the command to give their tithe. It was a command to give the firstborn of their ox & sheep. The offerings that are described in this chapter is dealing with how to give offerings that are ABOVE and BEYOND the tithe. In that realm of giving, there were many possibilities of what to give, and how to give it. But when it comes to the tithe, that command has already been given.
When you tithe, do you feel you are being "generous" to God? It's easy it is to write a tithe check and feel so good that I'm giving God something. It's great to feel good, but I need to feel good because I'm obedient, not because I'm going the extra mile to give God what is already his. It's like being proud of the fact that I wrapped up my brother's baseball glove & gave it to him. That's not quite "generosity".
The principle of "Active Ministry Involvement" is responsibility. It's being a good steward of time, talent and resources. At first glance it would seem that the paying of the tithe fits into that "category". That's not really accurate. Tithe is not necessarily a matter of stewardship. It's a matter of Obedience. Obedience is the principle of "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship". To not pay your tithe is not a matter of "oops, I haven't been a good steward..." it's a matter of "oops, I'm being disobedient".
We need to develop a generous spirit. A generous spirit gives life to stewardship. But I must guard against the thought that my tithe is my "generosity" because in reality, it's my "obedience". We should make sure to walk in obedience with a generous spirit, and by all means, go above and beyond with generosity. Freely you have received, so freely give. Just make sure you you are walking in obedience as well.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Friday, March 2, 2012
3.2.12 "It's Different with You"
"It's Different with You"
Leviticus 25:47-27:13
Mark 10:32-52
Psalm 45:1-17
Proverbs 10:22
Promotion is a big deal. When I was a kid in Sunday School, I can remember a few times when we had "Promotion Sunday". During the "opening exercises" (flashback for some?) they would parade us up to the front and we would move to the next class. There was a sense of pride over the accomplishment. (the only real accomplishment was getting older...)
There's that same sense of pride in society. I need a promotion... I need a raise... I need to move up... Depending on the work environment, some think there's an "entitlement" to the promotion, or the elevation of leadership. People want position.
Can you imagine walking with Jesus in the last days? In today's reading in Mark it says the disciples were following Jesus full of fear. Jesus pulled them aside and explained to them about what was going to happen to him. He would be arrested, beaten and killed. I can imagine the disciples listening intently.
Then get this... "Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came over and spoke to him in a low voice. 'Master,' they said, 'we want you to do us a favor.' 'What is it?' he asked. 'We want to sit on the thrones next to yours in your kingdom ..." (Mark 10:35-37)
Hard to imagine isn't it. Even in a dark hour there's such a focus on self promotion.
If I was Jesus I would have turned to the other disciples and said, "Wanna see something cool?" And then had a bolt of lightning fry the sons of Zebedee! "How do you like that, 'Sons of Thunder!'?" But Jesus didn't do that. He used the opportunity to teach them (and us!) that we are not like the world.
"as you know, the kings and great men of the earth lord it over the people, but among you it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be greatest of all must be the slave of all. For even I, the Messiah, am not here to be served, but to help others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45)
We need to understand that leadership is not a matter of height. It is a matter of depth. As a leader you are entrusted with the lives of those in your care. There are not more people to serve you, there are more people you serve. There is more obligation to do what is best for others.
This sounds like it's backwards in the worlds eyes, but as your responsibilities increase, your submission to the needs of others must increase. Who had the greatest responsibility of all time? Jesus. What did he have to do as an act of submission to the needs of others? Give his life as a ransom for many.
We need to model this in our daily existence. This is the point where Active Ministry Involvement (responsibility) and Relationships Devoted to Unity (submission) meet. We need to lead as Christ led. This is not just a message for those high up the corporate ladder. This is a message for every believer. It is different for us. We don't look as promotion the way the world does. In reality, a promotion is a "demotion" we are "promoted" to a deeper level of service.
Remember, "it's different with you."
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Saturday, February 25, 2012
2.25.12 "The Generous Spirit"
"The Generous Spirit"
Leviticus 16:29-18:30
Mark 7:24-8:10
Psalm 41:1-13
Proverbs 10:15-16
"The good man's earnings advance the cause of righteousness. The evil man squanders his on sin." Prov. 10:16 (TLB)
We've all heard the phrase "it's not about you." We've probably heard it a couple more times than our flesh would like to hear it! As much as we may not want to hear that, it needs to become a part of who we are. To be who God has created us to be, we need to understand what it REALLY means to live a life that's "not about me".
Think of all your resources right now. Your time, talent, income, all of it. Would you put it in the category of "advancing the cause of righteousness" or "squandered on sin"? Immediately we connect the "sin" as the kind of stuff the prodigal son did. Squandering on partying, etc. Well, we can also get caught in the trap of squandering our resources on comfort and worldly objectives. We must accept the challenge to continually keep an eye on where our resources are going. Are they advancing the cause of righteousness?
I had a big ol' snowblower. I got it for $100 dollars as it is very old, but it worked. Prior to that, when I was shoveling, I would look down the street at my neighbors w/ a snowblower & think, "it would be nice if they'd offer to help with my driveway." So with me being the one with the snowblower, and neighbors who don't have a snow blower, I'm thinking, if this old snowblower wasn't so moody, I'd help the neighbors... Well, now I got a new snowblower... Guess what I need to do... advance the cause of righteousness.
When we take what God has given us and focus it on the needs of others, there is blessing on our lives.
"God blesses those who are kind to the poor. He helps them out of their troubles. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies. He nurses them when they are sick, and soothes their pains and worries." Psalm 41:1-3
We come across so many people with troubles, each one having varying degrees of how well they "deal" with it. Notice this pattern: Those least affected by circumstance are those with a generous spirit. In other words, those who have a healthy understanding of stewardship and are generous to others are FAR less thrown off course by a crisis.
At the same time, those who are so overwhelmed by the trials of life seem to be individuals who are not giving. They are not concerned with the needs of others. They like to keep the attention on themselves and on their personal crisis.
On which type of individual does the blessing of God rest?
Notice what the scripture says about the ones who are kind to the poor. "helps them out of their troubles... destroys the power of their enemies... nurses them when they are sick... soothes their pains and worries..." Notice how those who are kind to the poor still have troubles, enemies, sickness, pain, and worry. The difference is not that the road has no challenges, the difference is that there is someone along side who helps them through all of this.
The generous spirit needs to be a part of who we are to live the "A" of DREAM. We must apply this to our being. Look for opportunities today to "invest" in your blessing!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Leviticus 16:29-18:30
Mark 7:24-8:10
Psalm 41:1-13
Proverbs 10:15-16
"The good man's earnings advance the cause of righteousness. The evil man squanders his on sin." Prov. 10:16 (TLB)
We've all heard the phrase "it's not about you." We've probably heard it a couple more times than our flesh would like to hear it! As much as we may not want to hear that, it needs to become a part of who we are. To be who God has created us to be, we need to understand what it REALLY means to live a life that's "not about me".
Think of all your resources right now. Your time, talent, income, all of it. Would you put it in the category of "advancing the cause of righteousness" or "squandered on sin"? Immediately we connect the "sin" as the kind of stuff the prodigal son did. Squandering on partying, etc. Well, we can also get caught in the trap of squandering our resources on comfort and worldly objectives. We must accept the challenge to continually keep an eye on where our resources are going. Are they advancing the cause of righteousness?
I had a big ol' snowblower. I got it for $100 dollars as it is very old, but it worked. Prior to that, when I was shoveling, I would look down the street at my neighbors w/ a snowblower & think, "it would be nice if they'd offer to help with my driveway." So with me being the one with the snowblower, and neighbors who don't have a snow blower, I'm thinking, if this old snowblower wasn't so moody, I'd help the neighbors... Well, now I got a new snowblower... Guess what I need to do... advance the cause of righteousness.
When we take what God has given us and focus it on the needs of others, there is blessing on our lives.
"God blesses those who are kind to the poor. He helps them out of their troubles. He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies. He nurses them when they are sick, and soothes their pains and worries." Psalm 41:1-3
We come across so many people with troubles, each one having varying degrees of how well they "deal" with it. Notice this pattern: Those least affected by circumstance are those with a generous spirit. In other words, those who have a healthy understanding of stewardship and are generous to others are FAR less thrown off course by a crisis.
At the same time, those who are so overwhelmed by the trials of life seem to be individuals who are not giving. They are not concerned with the needs of others. They like to keep the attention on themselves and on their personal crisis.
On which type of individual does the blessing of God rest?
Notice what the scripture says about the ones who are kind to the poor. "helps them out of their troubles... destroys the power of their enemies... nurses them when they are sick... soothes their pains and worries..." Notice how those who are kind to the poor still have troubles, enemies, sickness, pain, and worry. The difference is not that the road has no challenges, the difference is that there is someone along side who helps them through all of this.
The generous spirit needs to be a part of who we are to live the "A" of DREAM. We must apply this to our being. Look for opportunities today to "invest" in your blessing!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Thursday, February 23, 2012
2.23.12 "You Feed Them!"
"You Feed Them!"
Leviticus 14:1-57
Mark 6:30-56
Psalm 40:1-10
Proverbs 10:11-12
The feeding of the 5000 is a story that is familiar to many of us. Either from the pictures when we were kids, or just our own imaginations we can visualize the scene. The little boy, the loaves & fish, the 12 basketfuls left over. As we look at this today, lets look at it from an angle you might not have taken before. This is a story unfolding the principles of Responsibility found in Active Ministry Involvement.
"Then Jesus suggested, 'Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest.' For so many people were coming and going that they scarcely had time to eat." (Mark 6:31) If I was one of the disciples, I would have been "YESS!!! finally a bit of R&R! We NEED this!"
"So they left by boat for a quieter spot. But many people saw them leaving and ran on ahead along the shore and met them as they landed. So the usual vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat; and he had pity on them... and he taught them many things they needed to know." (vs. 32-34)
GREAT! all these people messing with our vacation!
"Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, 'Tell the people to go away to the nearby villages and farms and buy themselves some food, for there is nothing to eat here in this desolate spot, and it is getting late.'
"But Jesus said, 'You feed them.' 'With what?' they asked. 'It would take a fortune to buy food for all this crowd!' 'How much food do we have?' he asked. 'Go and find out.'" (vs. 35-38)
You know what happens next. They found 5 loaves & 2 fish & Jesus had the crowd sit in groups, and took the food they had in his hands, blessed it and gave it to the disciples to hand out.
"And the crowd ate until they could hold no more! There were about 5000 men there for that meal, and afterwards twelve basketfuls of scraps were picked up off the grass!" (vs. 42-44)
Here are some points that we can take from this:
1. Rest is important, but it's not the main objective. The disciples had just come from ministering, and Jesus knew they needed rest. HOWEVER, rest doesn't always come WHEN we think we need it. Many times the miracle is when we go just a little farther. I believe so many people quit before the miracle. Jesus and the disciples had every "right" to say, "we're too tired to minister to you. Don't call me on my day off." But that isn't what happened. They ministered. If you spend ever day ministering/working with your next vacation day or day off as the main thing on your mind, you're missing the point!
2. You see the need for a reason. They were on their way to rest when the need presented itself. Seeing the need, they bring it to the attention of their leader. In my words, it's "Leader, there's a need here, and you should do something." What I notice here today is Jesus saying, in my words, "You are right. There is a need here. The reason you are seeing this need is that I have placed this burden on your heart because I plan to use YOU to meet the need!" I wish I had a nickel for every time someone came to me with their burden they would like me to fix. I don't want to be hypocritical because I also have gone to my leaders wanting them to fix my burden. Jesus says, "You feed them."
3. It never seems like there's enough to do it. When Jesus tells them to meet the need, they say, "With what?" It seems impossible. So many people stop here. They're intimidated by the need and their own realization of inadequacy, and they bail. They stop there.
4. Take inventory of what you DO have. Jesus instructs them to "go and find out" what resources they have available. There are a million things we don't have that can give us an "excuse" to stop before the miracle. Jesus isn't asking us to list what we are deficient in, he's asking us for what we DO have. What are our resources? Do the spiritual gifts inventory. Take an assessment survey or your passions and experiences and abilities. Look at what IS available.
5. Put what you have in the Lord's hands. There's an amazing thing that happens when Jesus takes what we have and puts his blessing on it. It multiplies it far beyond what we can imagine. Putting it in his hands can be harder than it sounds. We really like to use "our" gifts "our" way. To give it to him, we need to give it to him without terms. "Lord, do whatever you want to do with what I have." What he wants to do with it is usually not what we expect. That's ok. It all his anyway!
6. When it's all done, hang around for cleanup! Don't overlook the part where it says, "twelve basketfuls of scraps were picked up off the grass!" This ministry did not end with the "high fives" of the disciples talking about how great that miracle was. They stuck it out until the task was totally completed. This is how we show true responsibility in using our gifts for the Lord.
Active Ministry Involvement is far more than joining a group. It's taking responsibility for the time, talents and resources that God has given us, placing it back in his hands, and being a faithful steward of it all. This includes what you do at your workplace. It includes what you do at home. "You feed them!"
As I look at all this today, I must ask myself, "Active Ministry Involvement... AM I?"
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Leviticus 14:1-57
Mark 6:30-56
Psalm 40:1-10
Proverbs 10:11-12
The feeding of the 5000 is a story that is familiar to many of us. Either from the pictures when we were kids, or just our own imaginations we can visualize the scene. The little boy, the loaves & fish, the 12 basketfuls left over. As we look at this today, lets look at it from an angle you might not have taken before. This is a story unfolding the principles of Responsibility found in Active Ministry Involvement.
"Then Jesus suggested, 'Let's get away from the crowds for a while and rest.' For so many people were coming and going that they scarcely had time to eat." (Mark 6:31) If I was one of the disciples, I would have been "YESS!!! finally a bit of R&R! We NEED this!"
"So they left by boat for a quieter spot. But many people saw them leaving and ran on ahead along the shore and met them as they landed. So the usual vast crowd was there as he stepped from the boat; and he had pity on them... and he taught them many things they needed to know." (vs. 32-34)
GREAT! all these people messing with our vacation!
"Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, 'Tell the people to go away to the nearby villages and farms and buy themselves some food, for there is nothing to eat here in this desolate spot, and it is getting late.'
"But Jesus said, 'You feed them.' 'With what?' they asked. 'It would take a fortune to buy food for all this crowd!' 'How much food do we have?' he asked. 'Go and find out.'" (vs. 35-38)
You know what happens next. They found 5 loaves & 2 fish & Jesus had the crowd sit in groups, and took the food they had in his hands, blessed it and gave it to the disciples to hand out.
"And the crowd ate until they could hold no more! There were about 5000 men there for that meal, and afterwards twelve basketfuls of scraps were picked up off the grass!" (vs. 42-44)
Here are some points that we can take from this:
1. Rest is important, but it's not the main objective. The disciples had just come from ministering, and Jesus knew they needed rest. HOWEVER, rest doesn't always come WHEN we think we need it. Many times the miracle is when we go just a little farther. I believe so many people quit before the miracle. Jesus and the disciples had every "right" to say, "we're too tired to minister to you. Don't call me on my day off." But that isn't what happened. They ministered. If you spend ever day ministering/working with your next vacation day or day off as the main thing on your mind, you're missing the point!
2. You see the need for a reason. They were on their way to rest when the need presented itself. Seeing the need, they bring it to the attention of their leader. In my words, it's "Leader, there's a need here, and you should do something." What I notice here today is Jesus saying, in my words, "You are right. There is a need here. The reason you are seeing this need is that I have placed this burden on your heart because I plan to use YOU to meet the need!" I wish I had a nickel for every time someone came to me with their burden they would like me to fix. I don't want to be hypocritical because I also have gone to my leaders wanting them to fix my burden. Jesus says, "You feed them."
3. It never seems like there's enough to do it. When Jesus tells them to meet the need, they say, "With what?" It seems impossible. So many people stop here. They're intimidated by the need and their own realization of inadequacy, and they bail. They stop there.
4. Take inventory of what you DO have. Jesus instructs them to "go and find out" what resources they have available. There are a million things we don't have that can give us an "excuse" to stop before the miracle. Jesus isn't asking us to list what we are deficient in, he's asking us for what we DO have. What are our resources? Do the spiritual gifts inventory. Take an assessment survey or your passions and experiences and abilities. Look at what IS available.
5. Put what you have in the Lord's hands. There's an amazing thing that happens when Jesus takes what we have and puts his blessing on it. It multiplies it far beyond what we can imagine. Putting it in his hands can be harder than it sounds. We really like to use "our" gifts "our" way. To give it to him, we need to give it to him without terms. "Lord, do whatever you want to do with what I have." What he wants to do with it is usually not what we expect. That's ok. It all his anyway!
6. When it's all done, hang around for cleanup! Don't overlook the part where it says, "twelve basketfuls of scraps were picked up off the grass!" This ministry did not end with the "high fives" of the disciples talking about how great that miracle was. They stuck it out until the task was totally completed. This is how we show true responsibility in using our gifts for the Lord.
Active Ministry Involvement is far more than joining a group. It's taking responsibility for the time, talents and resources that God has given us, placing it back in his hands, and being a faithful steward of it all. This includes what you do at your workplace. It includes what you do at home. "You feed them!"
As I look at all this today, I must ask myself, "Active Ministry Involvement... AM I?"
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
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