Pondering Ministry

Oh, I was hungry today...hungry for a word from the LORD. He did not fail me...He spoke right to where I am...what I struggle with and also where I want to be, right from the pages of a book I plucked off the shelf beside me in the midst of my desperate longing.

The book is called "A Place of Quiet Rest" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Here is what she wrote, maybe God will speak to you through it, as well... Or maybe it will become a prayer for your pastor or spiritual teacher.

Nancy writes...
"I love teaching the Scripture; to me there is nothing quite like seeing the Word of God penetrate and transform lives. But the process of preparing to speak is an intense one for me.

I agonize to determine what it is that the LORD wants me to teach;
I wrestle with the passages involved, seeking to understand what the Scripture really means;
I labor to put the material together in a form that is understandable and meaningful to the listener.

Throughout the process, I ask the Holy Spirit to search my own heart, to shine the light of His Word into every nook and cranny of my life, and to show me where I don't measure up to the truth I am about to proclaim.
Before opening my mouth to speak,
I spend time in prayer, pleading with God for a fresh anointing of His Spirit on my life and my lips,
and interceding for those who will hear the message.
I feel like a runner about to run an important race-every muscle taut, totally concentrated on the race ahead.
Then, while I'm actually teaching, there is more energy expended-physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
I am intensely focused, never letting up from my goal-
I want the truth to penetrate every heart;
I want every individual to say yes to God about any issue He is addressing in her life.

When I have finished speaking, the battle is still not over-that is when the enemy often seeks to discourage me with feelings of inadequacy or to tempt me with seeking the praise of men for my ministry. By the time it's all over, I am generally depleted and in need of restoration."
(Debby: And then it begins all over again!")

(Debby)
Probably only another pastor or teacher can understand the tension that Nancy Leigh DeMoss speaks of. I pastor a diverse group of individuals, from very mature believers with a life-long faith, to those who struggle to make it there on Sunday morning, let alone find any particular book of the Bible, to teenagers and children. How to make a message come alive in a way that will speak to all is a weekly challenge for me. That is why, at the top of every manuscript, in bright red letters it says, "Apart from YOU, JESUS, I can do nothing." I know that to be true from the depths of my being.
                                                         More of You, Jesus, and less of me.
And may I weekly, daily, moment-by-moment, courageously fight the battle with my enemy named discouragement and remember who I am meant to please.

I am A Soldier in the LORD's Army

If every pastor had just a few more soldiers with this attitude and commitment, it would sure help make ministering to those with true needs a lot easier! Thanks to all who fight the good fight of faith.

I am a Soldier...

I am a soldier in the army of my God.
The Lord Jesus Christ is my Commanding Officer.
The Holy Bible is my code of conduct.
Faith, prayer and the Word are my weapons of warfare.
I have been taught by the Holy Spirit,
Trained by experience,
Tried by adversity,
And tested by fire.

I am a volunteer in this Army,
And I am enlisted for eternity.
I will not get out,
Sell out,
Be talked out,
Or pushed out.

I am faithful,
Reliable,
Capable,
And dependable.

If my God needs me, I am there.

I am not a baby.
I do not need to be pampered,
Petted, Primed up, Pumped up,
Picked up or pepped up.
I am a soldier.

I am not a wimp.
I am in place,
Saluting my King,
Obeying His orders,
Praising His name,
And building His kingdom!

No one has to send me flowers,
Gifts, food, cards or candy.
I do not need to be cuddled,
Cradled,
Cared for, or catered to.
I am committed.

I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around.
I cannot be discouraged enough to turn me aside.
I cannot lose enough to cause me to quit.

When Jesus called me into His Army I had nothing.
If I end up with nothing, I will still come out ahead.
I will win.

My God has and will continue
To supply all of my needs.
I am more than a conqueror.
I will always triumph.
I can do all things through Christ.

Devils cannot defeat me.
People cannot disillusion me.
Weather cannot weary me.
Sickness cannot stop me.
Battles cannot beat me.
Money cannot buy me.
Governments cannot silence me.
And Hell cannot handle me.
I am a soldier.

Even death cannot destroy me.
For when my Commander
Calls me from this battlefield,
He will promote me to Captain
And then allow me to rule with Him.
I am a soldier in the Army,
And I’m claiming victory.

I will not give up.
I will not turn around.
I am a soldier,
Marching Heaven bound.

Author Unknown

Times of Refreshing

"How will we know it's for real?" they asked and I replied, "When there is confession and repentance; when there is brokenness and not before." *

Have you ever found a verse, one that you have probably read hundreds of times before, but all of a sudden because of the circumstances of life, it takes on a whole new meaning, maybe even a life of its own? That's what happened a couple of days ago when I stumbled over Acts 3 verse 19: "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the LORD..."

I don't know about you, but I desperately long for "times of refreshing," but there is a cost. There is a condition and that condition is this, I must live a life of repentance. I must turn to my God at all times. (For me, that kind of means I am "in His face" moment-by-moment.)

I want my sins wiped out...covered...buried. And so lately, I have found myself, many times a day it seems, saying, "I am so sorry, please forgive me," in one way or another. I find myself consciously guarding my words, my thoughts, my actions. Acutely aware of how easy it is to step on other's toes, to wound without even knowing it, to offend or be offended and I don't want to live like that. Hurting others, holding grudges, judging... I don't want to be a "hurt people hurt people" person.

Set me free, LORD! Give me Your filters. Help me to see and perceive others as You do. Cleanse me of all unrighteousness. And thank You, bless You for the times of refreshing and the privilege of turning to You!

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

The Beauty of Mathematics

Even if you are like me and numbers are just "not your thing" you may find this totally amazing! I have no idea who came up with these formulas (other than the Great I AM) but it sure wasn't me! 1 x 8 + 1 = 9 12 x 8 + 2 = 98 123 x 8 + 3 = 987 1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876 12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765 123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654 1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543 12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432 123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321 1 x 9 + 2 = 11 12 x 9 + 3 = 111 123 x 9 + 4 = 1111  1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111 12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111  123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111 1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111  12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111  123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111  9 x 9 + 7 = 88 98 x 9 + 6 = 888  987 x 9 + 5 = 8888  9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888  98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888  987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888  9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888 98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888  Brilliant, isn't it?  And look at this symmetry:  1 x 1 = 1 11 x 11 = 121  111 x 111 = 12321 1111 x 1111 = 1234321  11111 x 11111 = 123454321  111111 x 111111 = 12345654321 1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321  11111111 x 11111111 =123456787654321  111111111 x 111111111 =12345678987654321

Mind Boggling...   

Now, take a look at this... 
101% 
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint: 
What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than100%? 
Ever wonder about those people who say they
Are giving more than 100%? 
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to

GIVE OVER 100%... 
How about ACHIEVING 101%?
What equals 100% in life? 
Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
Answer these questions: 
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 
Is represented as: 
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26. 
Then: 
H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K 
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98% 
And: 
K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E 
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96% 
But: 
A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E 
1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100% 
THEN, look how far the love of God will take you: 
L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D 
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101% 
Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and 

Attitude will Get you there, 

It's the Love of God that will put you over the top! 

Paradoxes

Love these Puritan prayers that so speak my heart...

O CHANGELESS GOD,

Under the conviction of thy spirit I learn that

the more I do, the worse I am,

the more I know, the less I know,

the more holiness I have, the more sinful I am,

the more I love, the more there is to love.

O wretched man that I am!

O Lord,

I have a wild heart,

and cannot stand before thee;

I am like a bird before a man.

How little I love thy truth and ways!

I neglect prayer,

by thinking I have prayed enough and earnestly,

by knowing thou has saved my soul.

Of all hypocrites, grant that I may not be an evangelical hypocrite,

who sins more safely because grace abounds,

who tells his lusts that Christ’s blood cleanseth them,

who reasons that God cannot cast him into hell, for he is saved,

who loves evangelical preaching, churches, Christians, but lives unholily.

My mind is a bucket without a bottom,

with no spiritual understanding,

no desire for the Lord’s Day,

ever learning but never reaching the truth,

always at the gospel-well but never holding water.

My conscience is without conviction or contrition,

with nothing to repent of.

My will is without power of decision or resolution

My heart is without affection, and full of leaks.

My memory has no retention,

so I forget easily the lesson learned,

and thy truths seep away.

Give me broken heart that yet carries home the water of grace.

Puritan's Prayer

A Disciple's Renewal

O my Saviour,
help me.
I am so slow to learn, 
so prone to forget, 
so weak to climb;
I am in the foothills when 
I should be on the heights;
I am pained by my graceless heart,
my prayerless days,
my poverty of love,
my sloth in the heavenly race,
my sullied conscience,
my wasted hours,
my unspent opportunities.
I am blind while light shines around me:
take the scales from my eyes,
grind to dust the evil heart of unbelief.
Make it my chiefest joy to study thee,
meditate on thee,
gaze on thee,
sit like Mary at thy feet,
lean like John upon thy breast,
appeal like Peter to thy love,
count like Paul all things dung.
Give me increase and progress in grace so that there may be
more decision in my character,
more vigor in my purposes,
more elevation in my life,
more fervor in my devotion,
more constancy in my zeal.
As I have a position in the world,
keep me from making the world my position;
May I never seek in the creature
what can be found only in the Creator;
Let not faith cease from seeking thee until it vanishes into sight.
Ride forth in me, thou king of kings and lord of lords,
that I may live victoriously, and in victory attain my end.

A Puritan's Prayer

A Conciliator's Prayer

Ken Sande, the founder of Peacemaker Ministries 
prays this prayer as a conciliator. 

This is the prayer of my heart as a pastor, as well 


O LORD, God
Today I am called to be a peacemaker, 

but I am unfit for the task.  
By nature I am a peace-faker and a peace-breaker, 
so I myself need help.

Others ask me to understand and guide them, 
but my ears are dull, 

my eyes are dim, 
and I lack the wisdom they need. 

But you, Lord, have all they need, 
so I come to you for supply.

Make me fit for your purposes, 
so I might serve them and honor you.

Cleanse me from my own sin 
so I will not add to their problems;

take the logs from my eyes, 
so I can remove the specks from theirs.

Fill me with your Spirit so they may benefit from your fruit:

love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Give me wisdom from above so 
I might be pure and peace-loving,

considerate and submissive, 
full of mercy and good fruit, 
impartial and sincere.

Open Your Word to my eyes and to my heart,

so I will have a steady lamp to light our path.

Strip me of my own agenda and desires, 
so I might look only to others' good

and be absolutely worthy of their trust.

Help me to model everything I teach, 
so others can see the way.

Give me humility to admit my weaknesses 
and confess my wrongs,

so others might do the same.

Draw me again and again into prayer, 
where you can strengthen and correct me.

Make me submissive -- 
help me to show that I myself am under authority.

Help me to treat others as I want to be treated, 
so they may see the essence of your Law.

Make me creative, versatile, and adaptable 
so I can adjust to the surprises ahead.

Help me to accept others as you have accepted me,
 and thus bring praise to your name.

Give me faith and perseverance
 so I will not doubt your provision

or abandon your principles, 
even when others fight against them.

Grant me the gift of encouragement, 
to give others hope and help them believe

that our labor is not in vain.

Help me to model your forgiveness 
so relationships are healed

and your Gospel is revealed.

Grant me discernment 
so that I may read 
the deep waters of others' hearts,

sort fiction from fact, 
and know when it's time to act.

Give me boldness and courage, 
tempered with kindness, 
to confront others in love

so they might see their errors and 
find their way back to you.

Help me to prepare thoroughly 
and not presume upon your grace.

Make me just and fair, 
so that even if people disagree

with my counsel they will believe 
that I treated them well.

In short, Father,

please give me the Spirit of Christ 
so that I might walk in His steps and guide 
Your people Into the path of Your peace.