Are You Truly Partnered with God in Your Ministry?
Mark 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Are you partnered up with God in your ministry, or do you work very little with Him in your endeavors? It is my belief that the reason there are so many ineffective ministries in the world today, is because of their lack of partnership with God. Did you know that it is possible with good intent to generate a whole lot of activity on God’s behalf, even without God’s consent or acknowledgement?
For example, consider what Christ said in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many mistake their religious activities for a relationship with God; obviously, they are two entirely different things. Although I do believe that a rightful relationship with God will yield activities of worship and service, I do not believe that activities of worship and service necessarily imply a rightful relationship with God.
Jesus said it well when he told the woman at the well, “…ye worship ye know not what…” Still today, many worship “they know not what”. There is a whole lot of religious activity going around, but very little worshipping God in spirit and in truth. That’s why it is imperative to know that you serve God because you are already accepted in the beloved; not because you are still trying to gain acceptance through your own works.
It is when we place our trust in the Lord’s work and not our own that He is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all that we could ask or think, according to the power that works in us! The Lord will work with you in ministry as long as you do it His way, and not your own. Furthermore, He will let others know through confirmation that you are His servant, and that you are a deliverer of truth.
Each of us ought to seek the face of God once again on behalf of our children, our communities, and our country. We need Him to partner with us as we seek to exalt His name among the heathen. However, the only way to get the Lord to work with us, is for us to work with Him! Is the Lord working with you today?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill
Are you partnered up with God in your ministry, or do you work very little with Him in your endeavors? It is my belief that the reason there are so many ineffective ministries in the world today, is because of their lack of partnership with God. Did you know that it is possible with good intent to generate a whole lot of activity on God’s behalf, even without God’s consent or acknowledgement?
For example, consider what Christ said in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Many mistake their religious activities for a relationship with God; obviously, they are two entirely different things. Although I do believe that a rightful relationship with God will yield activities of worship and service, I do not believe that activities of worship and service necessarily imply a rightful relationship with God.
Jesus said it well when he told the woman at the well, “…ye worship ye know not what…” Still today, many worship “they know not what”. There is a whole lot of religious activity going around, but very little worshipping God in spirit and in truth. That’s why it is imperative to know that you serve God because you are already accepted in the beloved; not because you are still trying to gain acceptance through your own works.
It is when we place our trust in the Lord’s work and not our own that He is able to do exceeding and abundantly above all that we could ask or think, according to the power that works in us! The Lord will work with you in ministry as long as you do it His way, and not your own. Furthermore, He will let others know through confirmation that you are His servant, and that you are a deliverer of truth.
Each of us ought to seek the face of God once again on behalf of our children, our communities, and our country. We need Him to partner with us as we seek to exalt His name among the heathen. However, the only way to get the Lord to work with us, is for us to work with Him! Is the Lord working with you today?
~ Pastor Gary Caudill