The Names of God: Jehovah-Rapha

Jehovah-Rapha: The LORD That Healeth

Exodus 15:26 KJV

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Tonight I found myself requesting prayer of my prayer warriors for two Mommas with newborns, in two very different circumstances. 

The first Momma has a long history of drug abuse, of which I do not know all of the details. She is the Momma to three children, having custody of only one. While in a hospital this week awaiting a bed in a rehab facility after having completed detox, she delivered a son, her fourth child. Her Momma has requested prayer for her daughter and her grandson. 

The second Momma, has four children, and was overdue with baby number five this week. Having had an uncomplicated pregnancy with each of her babies, and with this one as well, she was planning a homebirth. Tonight she sits in a hospital, over a thousand miles away from her immediate family,  awaiting the delivery of her baby in the morning. Her baby, whom doctors have confirmed is already gone. 

Two Mommas. One struggling. One thriving. 

Two babies. One living. One departed.  

Broken hearts in need of healing left in the wake of circumstances unforeseen.

Broken hearts in need of Jehovah-Rapha, The LORD That Healeth. 

He is truly the only one capable of mending the lives and hearts of these Mommas and these families torn apart by addiction and death. There is none other that can bear the heavy burden life has given these women to carry. There is not a condolence or a kind word that can be uttered by mortal lips to soothe the grieving these Mommas are facing tonight. I would ask that you take a moment to utter a prayer for these Mommas in the days, weeks, months, and even years ahead as they go on living their lives, their future uncertain right now. Because "grief never ends...But it changes. It's a passage, not a place to stay Grief is not a sign of weakness, nor a lack of faith...it is the price of love" (Author Unknown). Pray for healing, pray for comfort, pray for peace. These can only come by the Lord. If Jehovah-Rapha can heal a nation, He can heal the brokenhearted. 

And we have all borne the grief and pain of a brokenheart at some point in our lives. Whether it has been addiction or death, disease or divorce, financial or family crisis, we have each been in need of Jehovah-Rapha's divine healing. It is my own experience that gives me that faith to know that He will heal these Mommas, of this I have no doubt. It will not be overnight. It may not even happen in the next year. But the moment they turn their hearts to Him, His healing will begin. 

Psalms 3:3 KJV

But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalms 30:5 KJV

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

It Singeth Low In Every Heart

To the tune of Auld Lang Syne

It singeth low in every heart,

We hear it each and all;

A song of those who answer not,

However we may call.

They throng the silence of the breast;

We see them as of yore;

The kind, the true, the brave, the sweet,

Who walk with us no more.

’Tis hard to take the burden up,

When these have laid it down;

They brightened all the joy of life,

They softened every frown.

But, Oh, ’tis good to think of them

When we are troubled sore;

Thanks be to God that such have been,

Though they are here no more.

More home-like seems the vast unknown

Since they have entered there;

To follow them were not so hard,

Wherever they may fare.

They cannot be where God is not,

On any sea or shore;

Whate’er betides, Thy love abides,

Our God, forevermore.

The Names of God: El Gibbor

El Gibbor: The Mighty God

This name of God lays emphasis upon the omnipotence or power of God.

Isaiah 9:6 KJV

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

I've had a difficult time writing this post. I've thought about it every day for a month and just have not been able to put the words together to form a coherent thought. I have been battling depression and just plain misery. But in the last 2 weeks we have attended services in 3 different camp meetings or revivals, with 3 different preachers, and 3 very different message themes. Yet each one in their own way brought out the magnificence of the Mighty God that we serve.

Each preacher brought a message about our Mighty God that I needed to hear. The first about a Mighty God who fervently prayed for me, even as He was in the midst of sacrificing Himself. The second preacher brought a message about worshiping our Mighty God, even when we feel like it the least. The third preacher brought a message about the Mighty God who is able to bring us up, bring us out, and bring us in. 

I've learned that the Mighty God sent His Son, the One called Wonderful, Counselor, and The Prince of Peace to be a Savior for my sins. And that Son had a prayer for me. 

John 17:24

Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

And He prayed not just for me, for me to be with Him where He is, but He prayed for my babies too. And for 4 of my sweet babies, that prayer has been fulfilled. They are with Him now, beholding His glory. And for the 2 living sons that I have, I know that He has prayed for them the same prayer and that it too will be fulfilled one day when we are called up to meet Him in the clouds.

I've learned too that the Mighty God deserves to be praised and worshiped in such a way that we lose sight of what is around us, what is happening in our lives, what we don't have and we gain sight of what is to come, what will happen in our glorified bodies and what we will have in His presence. I have been so downtrodden and depressed in these last 5 months, grieving for my lost baby, lost dreams, and what has felt like lost prayers, that I had forgotten how to praise Him. I've been praying so hard for myself to have a baby that I have lost sight of what I should be praying for. I should be praying His will to be done, for Him to use me and humble me, and for my family. I've been selfish these last 5 months in thinking of myself. I lost sight of the family around me that needs my prayers, I got caught up in what wasn't happening in my life and on the prayers I didn't feel like God was answering for me and I forgot how to praise Him through it all. 

Last night, I got my praise back. I praised the Mighty God. The Mighty God who can raise up the dead, cast out the demons, and  welcome in the prodigal son. I praised Him and it didn't matter that the fertility treatments failed. I praised Him and the disappointment of negative pregnancy tests were gone. I praised Him and knew that my life would be His if only I'd let it. I praised Him and knew that He would use me if only I'd let Him. I praised Him and knew that I would be reunited with my babies, my family would be complete, and that if it were His will, I would bear another child. I praised Him and knew that I loved Him, that I'd be lost without Him.

I praised the Mighty God.

The Prodigal Son

Like the prodigal son I wandered in darkness

And I traded my life for a world of good time

No peace in my heart I ever could find

And I got so tired feeding after the swine

So I believe I’ll go home and eat with the Father

The table is spread and they’re waiting for me

I can see the Father coming out to greet me

“Lord I’m willing to be just a servant for Thee”

Like the prodigal son I wandered from Jesus

But the Good Shepherd saw through the heat and the cold

The ninety and nine He left in the fold

Just to find this lost sheep that was hungry and cold

So I believe I’ll go home and eat with the Father

The table is spread and they’re waiting for me

I can see the Father coming out to greet me

“Lord I’m willing to be just a servant for Thee”

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Merciful: Part 2

Matthew 5:7 KJV

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

In Part 1 of this post on being merciful, I wrote about taking a stand against abortion and showing mercy to those innocent babies who desperately need it. Tonight I want to write about the other side of the coin. The women who abort. 

I had never given the women much thought, other than to think them despicable and vile. But since beginning this Ministry, my viewpoint has changed. I've come to realize that these women don't need my condemnation. They need my love, my comfort, and most importantly my prayers and my Savior. 

There are few women who have abortions that come out of them unscathed and emotionally whole. The full weight of what they have done and the regrets, the sadness, the remorse and depression begin to set in. Perhaps not immediately, but it does. 

I have stood crying with a woman while she bared her soul to me, telling me of her abortion. She, like me, had been thrilled when her pregnancy test turned positive. But then the crushing weight of her husband's infidelity and demands to have an abortion broke her. I stood crying with her as she told me of her fear to conceive again with her new husband. A very real fear that as her punishment, the Lord would let her conceive only to miscarry. I held her and told her of my sweet Savior's forgiveness and mercy. 

She had made the only choice she thought she could in the situation she was in. I don't condone, justify, or even comprehend how she could make such a decision, yet I don't need to to offer her, and the millions of others just like her, mercy.   

In taking a stand against abortion, we must extend mercy and grace to the women who choose abortion. We must counsel them with love and forgiveness and teach them that there is a better way.  We must educate our young girls and women about the consequences of premarital sex and the dangers of abortion. We must be proactive in our fight against abortion, in prayer, in changing our laws, in giving the millions of babies a voice.

I have never had an abortion, yet I understand all too well the pain of losing a child. It is debilitating, life altering, nearly life ending for me. The weight of the guilt that I may have done something to cause my babies to die was nearly unbearable. To think of the pain that millions of women are in because they know they took the life of their child is a staggering thought. 

My only lifeline was my Jesus. These women need Jesus. Whether they are lost and don't know Him as their Savior, or have salvation and have wandered off the righteous path, Jesus is the answer, He is the cure for their pain, the balm for their sorrows. By extending our love and mercy to these women, we let Christ's light shine through us. A light that they are in desperate need of. 

I was once in need of that light, that mercy. And I thank God every day for sending His Only Begotten Son to extend that mercy to me, to shed His blood on Calvary so that I would be reunited with Him and my babies in Heaven some glad day.

Charles Spurgeon said this, "Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that."

Having been redeemed myself, I cannot begrudge Christ's mercy for another's soul. In fact, I must actively seek to lead them to Christ for blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.

Matthew 9:13 KJV

But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

The Gospel

Psalms 3:3 KJV 
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psalms 62:5 KJV
My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

Today I viewed the funeral of a 17 year old young man, taken tragically and unexpectedly from his family. I witnessed the sheer amount of love for him and the staggering volume of lives that his had impacted. As his Pastor said, Eleck lived much in such a short amount of time. He lived much for his Savior and his passion and his testimony have brought a community together like only the shared love of Jesus Christ can do.

As I sat with my boys and watched the service, holding them tight and thanking God for another day with them, the Pastor quoted Eleck and said "The Gospel is not about what is being done, it's about what's already been done." The weight of those words hit me and new tears sprang forth. The Gospel is about what my Lord and Savior did for me on Calvary. I'm not awaiting trial with no defense, I'm not awaiting a midnight death row pardon, I'm not sitting in purgatory waiting to be prayed out and into heaven. It is finished. I have been forgiven. He willingly gave Himself as a sacrifice to pay my sin debt long before I even existed because He already loved me. He didn't have to wait until I was born, until I was already filthy with sin, He didn't have to wait until I made the choice to love and accept Him as my Savior. He had already made the choice and signed my pardon.

The Gospel isn't about anything I'm doing or you're doing. It's about what He did and has promised to do. He has promised to return to us with a shout, to meet us in the air. He has prepared for us a place and He is coming again to take us there. And until then our souls wait only upon Him.  We live in the expectation of His promises and His sacrifice, we live by our faith, we spread His Gospel, and we thank Him for His glory.

O Lord, thank you. Thank you for being my shield and my protector from all harm's way, thank you for your sheltering arms. Thank you for being my glory, my light, my purpose. Thank you for lifting my head when it hurts to even get out of bed. Thank you for lifting my head to cast my eyes upon your majestic face. Thank you for lifting my head so that I can see your love and your sacrifice. Thank you.
In Jesus Sweet Name I Do Pray,
Love You Jesus,
Amen

Living By Faith

I care not today what the morrow may bring,

If shadow or sunshine or rain,

The Lord I know ruleth o’er everything,

And all of my worries are vain.

Though tempests may blow and the storm clouds arise,

Obscuring the brightness of life,

I’m never alarmed at the overcast skies—

The Master looks on at the strife.

Living by faith in Jesus above,

Trusting, confiding in His great love;

From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,

I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.

I know that He safely will carry me through,

No matter what evils betide;

Why should I then care though the tempest may blow,

If Jesus walks close to my side.

Our Lord will return for His loved ones some day,

Our troubles will then all be o’er;

The Master so gently will lead us away,

Beyond that blest heavenly shore.

Living by faith in Jesus above,

Trusting, confiding in His great love;

From all harm safe in His sheltering arm,

I’m living by faith and feel no alarm.

Who Are You Lord? : I Am Shelter, I Am Safety

Psalms 4:8 KJV

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalms 46:1 KJV

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalms 61:3 KJV

For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.

Psalms 62:6-8 KJV

6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.

7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

Luke 15:11-32 KJV

11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:

12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

At 19 years old I left my parent's home to live with Brandon.  I had forsaken my Christian convictions and allowed myself to be persuaded by his parents that if Brandon and I loved one another and wanted to get married then we needed to live together first.  My parents were extremely disappointed in me but they did not keep me from leaving.  I had already broken their hearts by turning down a full Teaching Fellow's scholarship that I had worked years to attain, so that I could live at home and attend community college. Now I was leaving home and dropping out of college so that I could get a full time job to afford rent.  To say I was living riotiously is putting it mildly.  But it was not long until we were in want.  Living on our own, with very little money, was not all it was cracked up to be.  Despite what they say, you can't live on love alone, they turn your lights off when you can't pay the bill.  

I don't know how long the Prodigal Son was away from home, I don't know how long it took him to realize that he needed to go home to his father. We had to turn to my parents many times after I left home for help, it certainly didn't take us long to realize that we needed them.  And there was never an "I told you so", never a harsh word. Only loving compassion and advice.  They never once turned us away.  But it took us 7 long years to come home to the Father.  7 long years of eating, drinking and partying with the swine before we realized that there was a better life awaiting us, if we'd just come home to where we belonged.

I love the parable of the Prodigal Son because it is so much like our story.  He knew that he was not worthy to even be called his father's son any longer and he went begging forgiveness and to be given a place among the servants.  Brandon and I had made many mistakes in those 7 years we were out of the will of God and we knew we didn't deserve His forgiveness but we asked anyway.  And I believe that just like the Prodigal Son's father, our Lord saw us coming while we were yet far off, and He stood and He ran with open arms to scoop us up and kiss us. Not once did He berate us for our sin filled living, not once did He give us the punishment that we rightly deserved, not once did He cast us down.   Instead He proved yet again that He is our refuge, our shelter and our safety.

I think that we each have a Prodigal Son in our families or our Church families, either presently or in the past, or will in the future.  Can I say that we need to be in prayer for these lost sons and daughters to find their way back to the Father? And may I also say that we need to be in prayer so that we can welcome them home like the father in the parable and not the elder son?  I am so thankful and blessed to be able to say that when we found our way back to Him that there was no one who treated us unkindly, no one was hateful or begruding.  It is important for us as Christians to realize that none of us are worthy of Christ's love for us. Not those who have been faithful servants who have never strayed, not those who left and came home again, not those who are still wandering and feeding with the swine.  We were all born in sin and we must all ask forgiveness for those sins. Not a one of us is perfect and not a one of us can point fingers at another.  As much as He is our shelter and our safety, we must also be that for our fellow Christians who are walking afar off.  

Just like the Prodigal Son sought refuge with his father, so we must seek refuge from all our trials and tribulations in our heavenly Father.  He is our rock, our strong tower, our safety and shelter, and He will not turn us away. He will rejoice over us because we were once dead and are alive again.

The Prodigal Son

Like the prodigal son I wandered in darkness

And I traded my life for a world of good time

No peace in my heart I ever could find

And I got so tired feeding after the swine

So I believe I’ll go home and eat with the Father

The table is spread and they’re waiting for me

I can see the Father coming out to greet me

“Lord I’m willing to be just a servant for Thee”

Like the prodigal son I wandered from Jesus

But the Good Shepherd saw through the heat and the cold

The ninety and nine He left in the fold

Just to find this lost sheep that was hungry and cold

So I believe I’ll go home and eat with the Father

The table is spread and they’re waiting for me

I can see the Father coming out to greet me

“Lord I’m willing to be just a servant for Thee”

Ministry Is...

Ephesians 4:1-16 KJV

1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Each one of us is called by our Lord to serve Him.  Our duty is to see that we become one in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God.  Our duty is to edify Him, to build Him up, to speak in truth and in love, to lead all those around us to Him.  And we must walk worthy of the vocation of which we have been called.  To do this we must first understand what Ministry is.

Ministry Is...

Listening, when you'd rather fix the problem.

Searching for the joy, when it's easier to say "it's not fair."

Helping, when you feel like you're the one that needs help.

Telling God, "use me", when you'd rather ask to be rescued.

Encouraging, even when you don't understand God's reasoning.

Hugging when it feels awkward.

Saying, "let's pray right now", instead of "I'll pray for you."

Serving, when you doubt you have anything left to give.

Comforting by being the flicker of light in other's dark caverns.

I took each of these points and I searched for scripture to back them up.  I wanted this to be real, to be steeped in the Holy Ghost, to inspire us to do more, to live our Ministry, to know that even the little things are important and are a reflection on our relationship with Christ Jesus.

Listening:

Ephesians 4:29 KJV 

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

We must listen more and speak less.  Too often I find myself halfway listening to the person talking to me.  I'm more interested in putting together a reply than really listening to their problem.  I want to rush in and fix it, give them my advice and my solution when what they really need is just someone to pour their heart out to.  And when we do speak we must be careful of what we say, we must use our words to build up, not to tear down. We must let our speaking as well as our listening minister grace to those who turn to us for help. If our Lord was only partially attentive to our prayers, rushed in and cut us off with His idea of a solution, well, we wouldn't pray very often would we?  Like Christ sometimes we just need to listen with love.

Joy:

Psalms 30:5 KJV

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Life isn't fair.  We all know that.  Bad things happen to good people.  Bad things happen to Christians who are faithful and love the Lord.  Saying "it's not fair" to someone who has turned to you for help is taking the easy way out.  You are doing a disservice to them and to the Lord because you've either lost an opportunity to witness to a lost soul or lost the opportunity to support your brother or sister in Christ.  Walking worthy in your Ministry means searching for the joy even when it is difficult to find. Letting that person know that yes, we may be weeping now, but it will only endure for the night. Our joy will come in the morning.  Perhaps not in the literal sense but we have the promise that our joy is coming. Whatever the situation may be, it will not last forever, with the Son comes our joy.

Helping:

Mark 9:14-27 KJV

14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.

15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?

17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;

18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.

22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.

23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

Everyone comes with baggage. Find someone who love you enough to help you unpack.  How much more baggage could a person have than a demon possessed son?  And what did the father do?  He took his son to the disciples first and they could not help him.  We must always remember that not everyone can help us, not everyone wants to help us.  There are those who simply want to glean the gossip from your troubles and carry them as fast as they can to whoever will listen.  You must find someone who loves you to take your problems to.  You must be the person who loves another enough to help them unpack.  The father in Mark 9 had to turn to Jesus, had to believe that Jesus would and could heal him, before his son was healed. Who loves us more than Jesus? No one.  To help others we have to love as much like Jesus as we can and when we can't love them enough we must point them to Him.

Use Me:

Colossians 3:22-24 KJV

22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

Forget about the self altogether. Your real, new self will not come as long as you're looking for it.  It will come when you're looking for Him. --C.S. Lewis

In our Ministry we have to remove all thoughts of ourselves.  We should not be ministering or helping others to make ourselves feel good, to look good in front of others, or for any reward.  We help, we minister in the singleness of heart, fearing God.  All of our actions should point to Him.  Everything we do in our Ministries should glorify and honor God, even when we feel like we are the ones who need to be rescued because sometimes that is when God can use us the most.  I have gone through many terrible things in my life.  I've had 2 miscarriages and a stillbirth, we've lost all our worldly possessions and home in a fire, we've lost jobs and nearly our home, gone 8 months with very little income, lost family members because of our faith...It would be so easy to hide in shame, in pain, because of what I've had happen in my life.  But that would be selfish.  I am not proud of the sins in my past, I'm not seeking pity for the losses in my life, but I do want to use my life to be of service to Him.  I want the Lord to use me, to use my experiences to bring glory and honor to Him, even when there are still so many times when I just want to be rescued myself.

Encouraging and Serving:

Philippians 2:1-5 KJV

1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Let's stop pretending things are ok when they're not, so we can pray for each other and know that we're not the only one who struggles. --Renee Swope

Let's stop pretending.  Let's stop plastering fake smiles on our faces.  Let's stop telling everyone that we're ok. Let's ask for help.  How can we help one another if we're hiding all our problems.  Hiding them doesn't make them go away.  Pretending they don't exist doesn't fix the problem.  We don't need to air our dirty laundry but if we open up to the Godly women in our lives, who may have gone through the exact situation we're in right now, then we can minister to one another.  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory...not even our sufferings.  In fellowship of the Spirit we ought to be able to be candid with one another, be likeminded and having the same love for one another that Christ has for us so that we can serve and encourage one another.  I struggle every church service with keeping my boys quiet and still.  They've just turned 2 and 3 and Brandon sits on the front pew with the other preachers, as is his place.  So often I find myself alone, in the back of the church feeling like a hindrance, a distraction, a nusiance.  If I would open up to the women around me, the seasoned mothers, then perhaps I could gain their wisdom and encouragment?  Because if I don't then the only one suffering is me. If I continue to pretend that everything is ok Sunday after Sunday and I don't ask for the prayer of my sisters in Christ, then it is I who will suffer in vainglory and won't glean from the Pastor's message the things I need so that I can be of service to someone.

Hugging and Comforting 

Psalms 69:20 KJV

Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine so that through you, others can see Him. --C.S. Lewis

Sometimes all it takes is a tender word and a hug to show Christ's love.  I am a touchy feely kind of person.  I need to hug and kiss and caress those that I love. And I understand that not everyone is comfortable displaying that kind of affection. I certainly am not as affectionate with a stranger as I am my family. But sometimes in our calling we have to do things we're not comfortable with.  Sometimes we encounter people who are desperately searching for comfort, people who are filled with such a heaviness that we can't understand.  Sometimes, even if it's awkward, we need to wrap our arms around them as the Father would and give them our love and comfort because it's not about us.  Ultimately it is about Him.  If a hug can convey His love for them, then I'll hug every stranger I come across.  We must be that flicker of light in other's dark caverns, we must shine so that others see Him in us.

Praying:

James 5:16 KJV

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Prayer is the most powerful weapon against trials. The most effective medicine against sickness. And the most valuable gift to someone you love.  So why don't we do it more often?  If you ask me to pray for you, I will absolutely agree to.  But then life gets in the way.  I am a Momma to 2 small, demanding boys, I have a husband to take care of, a household to run, I have commitments to our Ministry...I am human so sometimes I may forget a prayer request.  I know that we hear a dozen or more throughout the day and we cannot always remember them.  So what is the harm in taking the time, right then, and saying a prayer?  None, no harm at all.  If we took just 60 seconds to pray when someone asks us to can you imagine the results?  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.  To be effectual, to be fervent, it cannot be forgotten. 

Ministry is so many small but important things.  There are so many ways to be a witness, to convey His love for others, but we must take the time to do them and to do them for the right reasons.  We must walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.