S)"8 for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord."
1 Thessalonians 3:8 (NASB)
O) This is really where the heart of every minister should be. This is the purest motivation in discipleship. This is what caused the kingdom of God and the gospel of Christ to continue to spread and it's still the driving passion of the ministry today. There's really not much more to say about this verse. When a person is called to spread the word of God and minister to others, they simply do not feel alive unless they are doing something for the Lord. The more directly they are able to nurish the relationship others have with God, the more fulfilled they feel.
A) This is kind of my closing hope as I leave my current church and strike forward in my new adventure with God in the great northwest. Here in Redding, I've been blessed to be a part of so many people and touch so many lives. I've been able to share the hope, joy, and love of Christ with more teenagers than I actually know. I've been able to teach dozens more adults in our school of ministry. I've even had the honor and blessing to preach the gospel to the congregation at large a few times. In all, I've been able to encourage a few hundred different people to stand firm in the Lord. It's truly humbling. Knowing that I was able to help some one know God better, know His love more intimately or His grace more joyfully, that is what these last 5 years have all been about. It has been a blessing to be in this role God has had me. As I look forward to the next phase, it makes me excited to think about the new ways I get to be a part of new relationships and I get to be a part of new life.
P) Father, thank You for seeing in me what I never would have discovered on my own. You created me with purpose and it is a joy to discover what You would have me do. My life has been great these last 5 years, being able to sow Your good seed into the hearts of so many people. God I pray that You continue to work in them. Let each person I have encountered continue to stand firm in You, Lord. Send more and more faithful, obedient brothers and sisters to them each, to encourage them further. Let them encourage eachother to continue in their faith. Holy Spirit, lead me further in this life. Let me quickly discover what my new role will be when we move. I know that there is no better place on earth than in Your service and in Your will. Continue to reveal it to me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment