October 30 2018 – Click here to listen
I was speaking with a friend yesterday about his ministry. In spite of working hard and doing the best he knows how his membership has severely declined. There are many reasons for the decline, probably most important was having to change the location of their meeting place. There are also competing ministries and other factors involved, but a rather significant decline has occurred. Nonetheless he has faithfully continued with it and is happy for the fewer numbers of people who are still attending. He stated to me that if just one of them decides to follow Christ or enhances their Christian walk it would be well worth any effort he might expend, (which is considerable.)
I’ve noted the same thing with the Jesus Alliance and life in general. If one is not careful discouragement and even depression can and will overtake you when things take a turn for the worse. I think part of the problem is that we sometimes think we are in control. If anyone other than Christ is in control, then whatever you are planning will not ultimately succeed. We must realize that sometimes our expectations and timelines are not the same as the Lord’s. In other words what we deem to be a successful venture may not be the same as what the Lord thinks. I heard someone say the other day, when it looks like everything around you is falling apart, in reality it is really coming together piece by piece.
As I mentioned yesterday I’ve been working on a new segment for the Jesus Alliance that highlights the efforts of normal ordinary people who obtain extraordinary results for Christ. A common thread among them are the valleys and peaks they went through, especially in the early days. I had a conversation yesterday with a man who started a ministry we are highlighting that has seen a quarter million churches started with a goal of one million in just seven more years. Additionally, over one million leaders have been trained and over five million men, women and children have professed faith in Christ in over 100 countries around the world. And he has founded, a media ministry with over one hundred million content views and a billion media impressions. I’m sure you join me in saying WOW! And yet it took 22 years to obtain those results. When it began there were no impressive numbers. He and his wife were often discouraged and were wondering what they had gotten themselves into, but nonetheless, maintained their faith as God’s plan slowly began to unfold and then in recent years took off like a freight train.
One important thing to remember about this man and his wife is that when they began this ministry and took that leap of faith they were just normal ordinary people without any specific training in the ministry. They just loved Jesus and wanted to somehow serve Him. It demonstrates to me that loving Jesus and keeping the faith through the tough times and the great times is the key in the ministry and in life. So many different people I’ve met with varying passions just decided to “bloom where they were planted.” Your thing may not be planting churches all over the world, but you definitely have a purpose given to you by God Himself and He wants you to fulfill it. Just imagine starting now and looking back on it years later like this man and realizing that yes “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing . . . ” – I served the Lord!
Keep the faith, be patient, be obedient, and watch the Lord put the pieces of His puzzle together. What ever you do, don’t you quit!
Remember: “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” Vince Lombardi – “I’ve always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn’t have a chance to win.” Arnold Palmer
Phil. 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.