“10 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:” (Acts 26:19)
Thank you for being obedient, for being a true pioneer, for leaving such an enduring legacy and example. Do you guys sign autographs in heaven? If you do, I’d like to get in line.
I am a slow learner. But, I also understand that God teaches us by stages. The Word remains the same; he just seems to help us get more out of it as the years go by. Such has been my experience with this verse:
“10 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:” (Romans 15:20)
I initially took it as a reaffirmation of the Great Commission, which it is. There are so many that have little or no access to the message of the Gospel. If we are going to the trouble of preparing for ministry, then it seems logical that the first priority would be with people who have not yet heard.
After some time and experience in the ministry, I also began to see in this proclamation the basis for a proper work ethic. There are enough secondary and auxiliary ministries trying to sell themselves to existing churches. In addition to that, some have used churches by dishonestly drawing away people and resources to start their own thing.
Thank you for being obedient, for being a true pioneer, for leaving such an enduring legacy and example. Do you guys sign autographs in heaven? If you do, I’d like to get in line.
I am a slow learner. But, I also understand that God teaches us by stages. The Word remains the same; he just seems to help us get more out of it as the years go by. Such has been my experience with this verse:
“10 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation:” (Romans 15:20)
I initially took it as a reaffirmation of the Great Commission, which it is. There are so many that have little or no access to the message of the Gospel. If we are going to the trouble of preparing for ministry, then it seems logical that the first priority would be with people who have not yet heard.
After some time and experience in the ministry, I also began to see in this proclamation the basis for a proper work ethic. There are enough secondary and auxiliary ministries trying to sell themselves to existing churches. In addition to that, some have used churches by dishonestly drawing away people and resources to start their own thing.
All the while, the need for genuine pioneers grows.
“10 And if a man also strive for masteries, [yet] is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” (2 Timothy 2:5)
It "refreshes my bones" to be around people who want to do things the right way, while letting God worry about the results.
A reaffirmation of the Great Commission... the basis for a healthy work ethic... and in addition, a challenge.... not unlike God's challenge in Malachi 3:10 to prove Him with our tithes and offerings.
Go ahead, be a pioneer, do it in a manner that reflects integrity and patience. Grow roots somewhere new, sow the word, and sit back and watch what happens!
I thought of this again this morning as we received an overflow crowd, listened to Betty sing, then to her brothers, David and Oscar (I knew these people before they were born).
I thought of it last night, as I listened to a man at my kitchen table describe his life as a multi-millionaire, then hitting rock bottom, and just now beginning to find Christ... to be able to have an intelligent conversation about how you get from a works oriented religion to simple faith in Christ and His Word... you can't put a price tag on that!
Thank you, Paul. You were right. There is nothing quite so satisfying as starting from scratch, waiting on the Lord to bless as He chooses, and being allowed to hang around long enough to see some of the results!
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