Hey there folks!
Well that should get your attention! I hope that y’all are doing well. We have been running crazy working on so many new things, I just had to stop for a minute to bring you up to speed!
Over the last couple of months Kelly and I have been working on a new opportunity that God has brought us that will allow us to have a great impact for ministry. There are so many things that I want to share, but can’t until the details are final. It will mean a move for us and a lot of work, but we’re very excited about it for our family, and for the ministry opportunities that this will bring. We’ll still be able to work in my ministry, and we’ll still of course have the Branson event. But this new project will allow us to expand the ministries we’ll be able to work with, and even expand a Branson like event to some other areas. Keep watching for final details.
While we’ve been working on this, I’ve noticed something very troubling in the ministry world. If you know me you know that I don’t have a lot of patience for pretenders or those who are just trying to play a game. I fully believe that we are in a time of life where every day, every move can mean the difference between Heaven and hell for real life people we know and love. I see people who I love or know people who have loved ones who are dying of cancer and suffering losses that I can’t even imagine. But the most troubling thing I see…in ministries…is a feeling of apathy. I see ministries that I know have a calling and an anointing just being so disconnected and unfocused that it drive me nuts. These are the times we should be focusing that much more closely. This is the time we should be pressing that much harder. But instead…I see so many of these folks who are letting up, or losing their intensity completely. I am at a loss.
The only thing i can figure is that these folks are falling victim to deception! Lies from hell…lies that get us so wrapped up in ‘the game’ or in life in general, that we forget about what we’re called for. It’s only natural to sometimes get distracted…it’s very natural to sometimes get so wrapped up in our own ‘realities’ that we lose site of the world around us. But I think this goes deeper. I have seen so many ‘artists’ in the past few weeks who have elevated their egos to such an inflated level about what it is they are doing. It’s like they’re offering locks of their hair for sale on the internet to all their ‘fans’ (not a real example) to show just how loved they are. I see good hearted and somewhat talented people getting so absorbed in their ‘status’ in the industry, that they lose track of the opportunities to minister to entire people groups are can’t get to their ticketed concert events or buy their CDs on iTunes. I’m not saying that concerts or product sal es are wrong in any way, I am saying that having your dates and CD sales become the primary focus of your schedules and the measure of how successful your weekend was, is completely wrong. Our eternal success story is not going to be based on how many weekends a year we worked, or how many units we moved. God the Father will not be impressed by how many awards we won, or how many miles we put on our bus. He will be interested in how many lives we impacted for His glory. He will be attentive to how many hearts we ministered to with His grace.
I’m guilty of this same thing! I have found myself so wrapped up in making sure to schedule dates and work on new material that I lose site of the message that I am called to deliver. As an evangelist, I have a specific message to carry to the local congregations. There are real life people sitting in our pews who are hurting and confused. I just chatted with a friend I grew up with who just lost her husband to cancer. These are young people…people who have young children…and she now has to bring those boys up in a home full of heartache. She needs someone to minister love and grace to her. What is your message that you are called to carry to the church? What is the passion that He has laid on your hearts to share to those who believe, and those who don’t? Where is the fire that He has birthed in you to carry a message of hope to all that will listen?
Times are hard. There’s no doubt about that. Churches have seen giving reduced, so some are not as eager to open their doors. They’re also though seeing some very tough social messages being leaked in to the church and frankly are not sure how to handle them. Having an outside minister come in may not be the answer to getting the right message their congregation needs to hear. We as ministers have to be better at seeking God’s lead in where He would have us minister. He will open doors that will allow us to be most effective. It might not look like the kind of church we’d prefer to sing in. It might not have the same types of people we want to sing to. But it will have hearts that are needing to hear a message that God has given us to deliver. There’s work to be done…many victories to be won. We have to keep on working, till He comes! That’s an old Teddy Huffam song…but we need to get back to the old again! I’m not talking about songs…but I’m talking about the passio n of revival. We need to surrender ourselves and our wills again to His leading. Let revival begin to guide our steps, as opposed to our budget guidelines!
So…men and women of God…where do you stand? Are you willing go where He leads, or would you rather keep working to fill the date book the way you want to see it filled? Are you willing to work at flipping burgers or pumping gas if needed, to help keep the bills paid and keep you working for Him? Someone said that ministries will be taken care of if they’re in the will of God…well, they will. I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken, or His seed begging for bread…but sometimes that might require that you are working a secular job or doing other ‘ministry’ related jobs to keep things rolling. He never said He’d give us a GOD debit card…one that has no end. He said He’d meet our needs according to HIS riches…so the means are there, we just may not like the work required to get it. But are you willing?
It’s a hard question. We all want to follow our hearts and our calling. But we do have a responsibility to occasionally get a bearing on where we are in our will, as opposed to His will. Hopefully…we’re all in the same place. But sometimes…while we might be on the same page with God…we may be in a totally different paragraph. He presents the opportunities for ministry. He present the hearts that need a miracle. But we have to stand up and take the steps needed, whatever they might be, to bring in the harvest!
Till next time..
Blessings!
Rod
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