May our Elders obey God

May our elders be wise…

Ever wonder why God told ministers to instruct elders in the community?

Titus 2: 2 Teach the older men to exercise self-control, to be worthy of respect, and to live wisely. They must have sound faith and be filled with love and patience.

We are taught to respect our elders, but here, we see God instructing His servants to teach elders to live worthy of respect.

Clearly, this is not always the case:

Ecclesiastes 10:1
Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor; so doth a little folly in him that hath a reputation for wisdom and honor.

In Job 32 we read:

⁷ I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

⁸ But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

⁹ Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

Clearly, just because someone is old, or even recognized as an elder, does not make them obedient to God.

I heard an expression in Africa I liked: ‘When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.’

No one can replace our lives message if we continue to grow in wisdom and understanding, we become a great gift to generations to come…

As we grow in years, we must grow in wisdom…

As one person said: ‘The best time to start seeking and growing in wisdom was years ago, the second best time, is today!’

James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, grant us wisdom, beyond our years, our frailties, our foolishness, and our passions, that will leave a mark on this world, for generations to come, a legacy of honor that will glorify Your name. In Your precious name I pray Lord Jesus, Amen’

Corners…

Corners…

Lev 19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Truth is, we need to care for the poor, and not be so tight with our stuff that the homeless, the orphan, the broken cannot survive. We are supposed to love like Jesus…

Seems to work in ministry too. As God raises us up into mighty harvesting works in the earth, let us not forget the suffering sacrificial shepherds who minister to the one or two or few, that we honestly do not have time for. I think of the lonely servants of the Lord who work in elderly care facilities, mentally and physically handicapped facility with special needs folks, who gently love deeply God’s children, unnoticed, and unrecognized in the eyes of many people. Yet, never out of the intense gaze and love of Jesus…those of whom the world is not worthy.

I heard a wise minister once say: If you want to increase the size of your fields, if you want to prosper God’s way, first increase the size of your corners….

Psalm 41:1

Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble.

Have you ever considered this thought: ‘Eternity is real. In light of eternity, have you considered that sacrificially loving people that society deems useless, makes headlines in heaven, and brings much glory to Jesus – for God is love!”

Lets lift up a cry for the corners:

“Father, in all the sowing, reaping, work, harvesting, in life, ministry, business, and family, I determine to be generous with those less fortunate than me. May I make my corners large, that I might be like Job 29:12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. Pappa God, I lift up my voice for your sacrificial servants today, those caregivers who faithfully love and tend to your broken, battered and bruised today, often far from the public eye, yet making headlines in heaven. Meet with them today. Encourage, supply, support, bless, and radically love on them today, for your name and the sake of your glory, Amen”

The Place Where We Were Was Supernaturally Shaken!

Acts 4:31 When they finished praying, the place where they were meeting was shaken. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim God’s message with boldness.

Had this happen today. While pastor Richard fixed an elderly lady’s toilet, I visited with her and her grown daughter. She told me she was 87 years young, and had been faithfully serving the Lord all her life in her Baptist church. She had played the keyboard in her church, and she really loved Jesus, her children, and her grandchildren. So, before we packed up to leave, we decided to pray for one another. As I prayed for her, I literally felt the wind of God come into her dining room, and like a power surge out of my hand into hers while we prayer. I prayed ‘Fill her Holy Spirit, give her fresh oil, and reveal the fire of Your presence!’ She began to scream, and speak in other tongues, and pray for me and my family, and I failed to notice her daughter and pastor Richard run into the kitchen. The glory of God was so evident, I began to laugh in the joy of the Lord!

After we wished each other good-bye, Richard said: ‘Did you feel that when you prayed?’ “I sure did I exclaimed” He said ‘Did you hear what happened in the kitchen? I asked what he was talking about: He said that as we were praying, the house shook, so violently, that all the pots and plates in the kitchen began banging so loudly, that he and the woman’s daughter, ran in there to see what was going on. Everything was shaking supernaturally, making a loud clanging, that neither the woman or I even heard.

She insisted on having us sing with her: Heavenly Father, I appreciate you…’

Truly the final chapters of the book of Acts have yet to be written, and God is on the move in the United States of America.

Let’s Pray:

‘Father, we do appreciate you! Send Your power again. Come Holy Spirit, and breath Your love, Your power, presence, and passion. Fill us with fresh oil, new wine, the fire of Your love, in Your name I cry out Lord Jesus, Amen’