Love Fulfilled Ministry

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. But seek first my kingdom and my righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. So do not f...

For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me? says the Lord . 1 God wants us to boldly, with confidence, come before His throne of Grace. 2 If boldly approaching God is his will and repentance is of his will then approaching God produces repentance. If I approach God will I not repent, will I not confess, will I not believe, is not being before God a great thing? Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts . 3 Who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me . I should not try to rid my soul of any dark blot , but just as I am, I come. Oh the enemy works diligently to keep us from approaching God, by putting many barriers before us. The enemy says I have to clean up before I come but this is not true, only coming to Jesus makes me clean. I can come to his church, just as I am. The enemy tricks me and tells me I have to repent firs...

But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? 1 Agility is defined as the ability to move with quick easy grace, having a quick resourceful and adaptable character . 2 What an awesome picture for leaders; moving quick with grace, always adapting and resourceful in character. Leadership in God's kingdom requires agility. An agile leader is one who has an adaptable character. He is always learning, always willing to change even though being under the refiners fire is often painful. When we have the end in mind our focus is on God's will. We begin like a horse with blinders on, all we can see is his will to be done. This is good at first, as what goes on around us is set out to distract us, to destroy us, so that his will is not accomplished. Once we arrive at the end ...

For you shall go to all to whom I send you,  And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, And the Lord said to me: Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “what do you see?... You have seen well, for I am ready to perform My word . 2 What injustice have you found in your God, that you have gone far from me, who led you t hrough the shadow of death ? Where is the gratitude for the many blessings I have given you? I have given you a bountiful country, t o eat its fruit and its goodness, but you have defiled it and made it an abomination. Those who handle the law do not know me and the leaders have transgressed against me.  ...

One thing have I desired of God, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of YHWH all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of God, and to inquire in his temple. 1 As His creation is beautiful, so is God. One could dwell in his house every day and still be in awe of his beauty. His beauty is eternal, we will spend eternity beholding it. When we think that we are to make God known to others it should be about displaying his beauty, this is to live out his image. Christianity today is to put forth that image. Jesus said we are to be a light and seasoning to the world. People should not see the message of Christianity as what we do not, but it his glory his beauty they should behold, his beauty in us. While we pat our bellies, saying we are prosperous and blessed, the world is desperately in need of hope and beauty. The culture of Christianity has became one that people see as ugly, but it is beautiful, of hope, it is an attractive light in darkness for those who a...

Trust in God with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding . Proverbs 3:5   T rust is the essence of relationship building. Trust is defined as belief that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective. 2  It is an important aspect of any relationship, without trust there can be no true intimacy, respect, and honor. For us to enter into a relationship with God or any person there must be a foundation of trust. Without trust the relationship will be superficial and unimportant. Trust is an i dentifying nature or an important feature of a relationship . Those who become great leaders understand that your position might give you authority but trust and respect is something that is earned. Without trust there will be no true influence nor obedience. An analogy is the good shepherd versus the hireling, the sheep listen to the voice of the good shepherd. Trust is also defined as the assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or...

A dictatorship is a form of government where a single ruler, organization, or a small group has absolute power. Contrast this to democracy where those who govern are selected through contested elections. The image to the left shows the 2012 Democracy Index. 2 The color goes from dark green to red with dark green representing full democracy and dark red representing full dictatorships. Christian organizations should support democracy. A dictatorship is a type of authoritarianism, which is a form of government characterized by a strict absolute obedience to authority, it seeks to eliminate individual freedom and expects unquestioning obedience. Satan always raises his ugly head through this type of authority. Just in the last 100 years we see or have seen Fascism, Communism, and the Islamic State. Each is controlled by a person, central body, or group which seek absolute power and obedience. Religion has always been a tool for such, the protestant reformation sought to free Ch...

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. . 1 The presumption of innocence means the burden of proof is on he who declares, not on he who denies . This is often expressed in the phrase innocent until proven guilty. It is a principle that many believe was introduced by the Romans but I believe it has its roots in Christianity, it is a principle that is not perfect but works. In a court of law the burden of proof is on the prosecuti...

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.. 1 We can enter into God's rest any time, any day. The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath. 2 When Jesus healed the lame man at the pool of Bethesda, he said to him, Rise, take up your bed and walk. And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath . 3 Someone saw him carrying his bed on the Sabbath and said to him; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed. Did the man know it was unlawful to do s...

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. 1 Moses was put in a reed basket as a child, sent down the river in the hopes that he would be spared the slaughter of Hebrew children by the Egyptians. He was found by not just any Egyptian but by the Pharaoh's daughter. He would be raised in the Pharaoh's house but would forsake all to follow God.  By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 2 Abraham and his people were chose by God, not because of their number, nor that they were a great race, in fact they were outcasts, God compares them to a newborn baby thrown away into a field to die, a child that was loathed, despised on the very day...

What is the trespass offering which we shall return to Him ? 1 A trespass offering was to be offered by God's people if they unintentionally or unknowingly committed a sin, or trespass. 2  Israel disobeying God had brought the ark of the covenant into battle against the Philistines, but it was lost. Now the ark stayed with the Philistines seven months and they were plagued by tumors and rats. So they called together the priests and the diviners for counsel, saying, What shall we do with the ark of God? Tell us how we should send it to its place. They were given counsel to send away the ark of the God of Israel with a trespass offering. If the plan succeeded they would be healed, and it would be made known to them if God was behind the plagues,  and you shall give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps He will lighten His hand from you, from your gods, and from your land. Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did m...

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams.  And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.  I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.  And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. 1 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of m...

That it might be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God. 1 Does God care about how He is perceived? When the world looks at us do they see Jesus? When the world looks at the culture of Christianity what do they see? Is it as in the time of Jesus? Do they see hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and external shows of piety, un-forgiving, back biting, and divisiveness? Do they see people who follow the law externally but not in their hearts, who do not know God but claim to, and who would have Him crucified on a cross today? Do they by their actions deny him? The Church is to make known  the manifold wisdom of God. Is it important to God that His name is not blasphemed among the people?  Yes. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, here on earth and in heaven,  to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenl...