The impatience of wanting a harvest...

There are moments in ministry where we feel the urgency of wanting the best for our friends, but the frustration of not immediately seeing the fruits of the ministry. So I'm just going to leave this prayer here....

If you've known the agony of impatience, please pray with me.

  Holy Father, please bless me as I try to lead __________ (put the name of several non-Christian friends here) to forgiveness and healing in Jesus. Give me the tenacity and tact to do this with gentleness and respect without losing my sense of urgency to see their names written in the Lamb's Book of Life. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Name Above All Names

Matthew 20:1-16 --- The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

This is a tough parable to read.  In the flesh, I think we have all experienced a little unfairness regarding our own salaries.  Certainly, we work hard, but there is always someone who works less and yet they earn more.  I don't understand it in the secular sense.

But with Ministry, I think this parable has real value, and should be taught in seminary and in church as a reference to the value of what happens when we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The value of the pastor's work is no more valuable than the janitor's work.  The value of the street preacher is no more valuable than the secretary's work.  All who proclaim the Mysteries of God and all who labor to lift up Jesus Christ need to remember that the work we do isn't about us.  The work of spreading the Gospel, if it were reckoned on the scale of the recordings in the New Testament, would most likely lead to our own crucifixion.  We need to stop placing ministers on pedestals, and start working side by side with them to support the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

We will receive the same inheritance, if our name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  Therefore, put off the childish bickering of what ministerial role is more important.  

You are just as valuable, and you will receive the same reward for proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So be empowered, and be bold!  Lift up the Name of Jesus!

Why does a person fear?

1John 4:18  Where God's love is, there is no fear, because God's perfect love takes away fear. It is his punishment that makes a person fear. So his love is not made perfect in the one who has fear. 

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This verse is usually memorized... at least the first part of it.  

And it is a beautiful verse to memorize.  It brings comfort and hope that God will always be demonstrating His love to us.  But it also calls us to think responsibly about why we may have fear in our hearts.

This verse  shows us the redeeming power of God to always provide for our mental well being.  If we continue looking at what God's love can do for us, we keep smiling.  But perhaps we should be a bit more practical about this passage -- we need to put it into practice!

As the pressures of life surround us, when bills pile up after unexpected expenses, or when a death of a loved one causes us to reflect on our own life and vitality, and when the stresses of our job come rushing into our minds.... what is the typical reaction?

We begin to worry, we run "what if" scenarios, even developing contingency plans perhaps?  That worry can turn into a fear... and we have become afraid of our circumstances.

In this Bible passage, the origin of the word "fear" comes from the Greek "phobos."  Yes, this is the word that is known in psychology as phobia.  A phobia is an anxiety disorder, and describes the persistent fear where the person commits to great lengths in avoiding a situation, even when recognized as irrational in his or her reasoning for avoidance of that situation.

So, blessings upon you as you reflect on the fears in your life.  May those fears be replaced with God's perfect love.

Heilig Heilig Heilig ist der Herr Gott Allmächtig!

The Names of God --- so worthy to be praised!!!  Watch here

Don't be proud...

Habakkuk 2:4  "I, the LORD, refuse to accept anyone who is proud. Only those who live by faith are acceptable to me."