As a servant of the Lord, we will go through the best of times and the worst of times. This is the reality of being in the ministry. There are times when your heart feels like it could absolutely burst with joy as you see someone come to the Lord that you have been praying for. Or you may finally see a dream come true that you have been believing God for… There are times that God blesses you with people who join you in the vision and you experience the most blessed fellowship that comes from going in the same direction together. Then there are those times when you go through the times of hurt and disappointment… When people start to attack you or your husband…and even try to take you down. During these times, we can start to build up great walls of protection. We can even attempt to vindicate ourselves in our own strength. We can even lose it and enter into the mess. One of the stories from scripture that has held me back all these years is about Moses. He had the most difficult job leading a people that were not loyal, that turned against him, that complained and often started a rebellion to choose a new leader. Whatever they were mad about, they blamed Moses. When they were thirsty and mad at Moses…again, God instructed him to go to the rock, speak to the rock and it would pour out it’s water. He said “You will provide enough water from the rock to satisy the whole community and thier livestock.” Instead of doing exactly what God said, Moses gathered all the people and let them have it! He said “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring water from this rock? Then he struck the rock twice with the staff and water gushed out.” (Haven’t we all felt this way?) But the Lord said to Moses “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them.” Moses forfeited getting to go into the Promised Land.
*This always brings the fear of the Lord on me…It keeps me from “letting people have it”… or chasing down every person who is attacking my husband or family…It reminds me that I need to try to demonstrate the holiness of the Lord. God will eventually shine His truth into the situation. He will vindicate better than we ever could. I think about the critical spirit that we all have had to deal with… and know that it is not new. Poor Moses had to deal with that for the entire time he led the children of Israel. *During these times of leadership in ministry, may we take our place in dignity. May we trust God to protect and vindicate us. May we not be shaken… May we not build walls or become cynical. May we be so full of faith in God that we believe His promises over our circumstances. *May we stand firm proclaiming the truth that “Greater is He that is with us than he that is in the world. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper… This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me,” saith the Lord.”
*May we be confident in God… and His plan for us.

“Dear Lord, As we come to You today.. Please clothe us in your strength and dignity. May we be so confident in You and Your plan that we are full of faith and not fear. Help us to demonstrate Your holiness in all that we do and say. May people look at the way we handle blessing and adversity and see You guiding us. May we always be led by Your spirit and not by our critics. We rejoice because You are always good and whatever we have to go through on this earth is nothing compared to what You went through to redeem us. We are grateful that You have called us and that You will continue to use us in Your plan. We are your servants…and You are worthy.”

If you find yourself in a place of fruitfulness today…
If you are going through disappointment…
If you are dreaming something big…
If you are celebrating beautiful relationships…
If you are praying for someone who has walked away from God…
If you are dealing with leadership issues that seem too big…
If you are feeling weak…or strong…
God who has called you is faithful! He will do it!
In every season of life and ministry…May we keep our faces fixed on Jesus- the author and finisher of our faith. He chose us to serve Him. No one can make it through this mission in life without the good days and the bad days…So we will not be shaken. He is good and He is faithful.
“Dear Lord, We are so thankful that You have chosen us…You have called us for this very important mission of reaching the world for you. From our little towns to the big cities…to countries all over the world…You have sent us to share the good news and to reach people. Today, we ask that You encourage our friends in ministry… that You are still strong enough to carry out what You have called us to do. We want to remain faithful and full of courage to fulfill this purpose. Lord, we thank You for allowing us to be a part of the Great Commission. We thank You… that it is not just all up to us. We thank You that Your great resurrection power is still just as strong today and that we do not go alone. May You be glorified as we step into our callings and may we see You do great and mighty things!”

We have had some women with beautiful feet here this week. We are so grateful for the missionaries that God sent to us for our Missions Conference. It always amazes and inspires me to hear their stories…of how God called them into missions…how God led them to their particular field of service and what they have to do to get there. Often, they go back to school – many times with children and families. They serve in an internship. They go through whatever requirements are needed to get approved as missionaries and then they hit the road…mostly without any finances. They are starting out by faith…believing that the God who has called them, prepared them and who is sending them will supernaturally provide for them. They often homeschool their children in between meetings, in motels, and in people’s homes that they stay in. They go to extra-ordinary lengths to obey God and to go to the place that God has asked them to go. Who does this? People who have said “yes” to God. He is still at work, inviting us to join Him in His plan to evangelize the world. When we say “yes” to God, He can call us or redirect us any where He wants. I first said “yes” to God as He drew me to salvation. When I was twelve years old, I felt God calling me to just make myself available to Him… to do whatever He wanted me to do. God’s command to go and make disciples of all nations is still for us. So, He continues to call people into His harvest. May God continue to use all of us in His Harvest and may we partner with and help to send our brothers and sisters who He calls to serve as missionaries to the ends of the earth.
“Dear Lord, please encourage our missionaries that are on Your team. Provide for them…protect them…give them favor and open doors…Give them Your
power to accomplish Your mission…Annoint them to share the good news…Fulfill Your purpose for them. May we who send them support and encourage them as they go. May we not forget what they are going through…Lord, may we all be part of Your great army and please use us to share the gospel of peace…”

There are times when we wonder if we are making a difference. We are getting ready to serve God and His people this weekend. When we have prayed and begged God for breakthrough in a certain area… and we continue to wait, we can start to feel discouraged. When we experience hard times or disappointment in ministry,we can lose heart. We can sometimes wonder what is going on and will any of this have a purpose. Yet, we have to go back to the fact that God is still in control. I love these verses about how God commands our destiny. Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Psalm 138:8
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands.
God didn’t call us into ministry and just leave us to work it out ourselves in our own power. The same resurrection power that raised Him from the dead… that same power that saved our souls… is still able to sustain us as we serve Him. He has His eye on each of us. He is still able to protect us, bless us, provide for us, help us, and to carry out HIs purpose for us.
“Dear Lord, please help our friends in ministry today as they look to You… You are our refuge and shield. Your Word is our source of hope! Sustain us as You have promised that we may live! Do not let our hopes be crushed. Please give us more and more grace and peace as we grow in Your knowledge of God and Jesus, our Lord. By Your divine power You have given us everything we need for living a godly life. Today, we choose to put our hope in You and we will wait expectantly for Your goodness in the land of the living!”

I love the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus in the Bible. When the angel announced to her the astounding news that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus, she believed God.
Luke 1:46-55
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat And Mary said,”My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

When Mary’s life was being changed forever…When she was about to face some very difficult circumstances, she chose to believe God and worship Him. There are times in ministry, that our lives take some unbelievable turns. Sickness may come out of nowhere. People may leave. Plans don’t always turn out the way we had hoped. Things happen that threaten our sense of well-being. When this happens, we can take encouragement from the fact that nothing surprises God, and we have a choice. Today,we can let the enemy take away our peace and hope in God, or we can intentionally, by faith say “I don’t know what is happening, Dear Lord, but I am choosing to believe You. I have been following You for a long time. People and plans may have let me down, but You, O Lord, have never failed. I place my trust in You… just like Mary, I believe that You will fulfill what You have promised.”
“Dear Lord, We come to You today asking You to fill our friends in ministry with hope and confidence…that You will fulfill what You have started. You have called us and we pray that You will speak to each of us and strengthen us… Please give us a new level of faith,hope, love and confidence in You. Who will we believe? The enemy of our souls or You- who have the words of life? As we face this new year, may we worship you with all of our hearts and believe you.”

“Dear Lord, As we start the first Sunday in 2016, we come to you asking You to help each of us as we serve You. For those who have gone through a really difficult time, help them to have the courage to trust that You have good things in store for them as they face the future. We believe that You are our good,good Father and that You are at work in each of our lives. May we see Your hand. May we hear Your divine whispers in our days. May we believe You and dream big for the future! We love you, dear Lord, and we dedicate this year to You.”

Let the words of Psalm 31 go deep into your soul tonight as we trust and believe God together for 2016.
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me.
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou art my strength.
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth…
But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies’ sake.
Let me not be ashamed, O Lord; for I have called upon thee…
Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men! Blessed be the Lord: for he hath shewed me his marvelous kindness in a strong city…
O love the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.

This is one of my sustaining verses…a verse of hope and declaration. In the face of the enemy’s lies…lies that tell us that there is no hope or that we will be destroyed…lies that try to intimidate us…We can cling to God’s promises and His truth. I have this verse hanging on my wall as a reminder that I can remain confident in God…that I will see His goodness in the land of the living...not just in Heaven…but right here on this earth. I must choose to wait for Him, be strong and take heart and then wait some more. I looked up what “take heart” means… It is to receive courage or comfort from some fact. To be confident, be brave, as in “Take heart, we may still win this game.” To my friends in ministry, let us wait on the Lord, be strong and take heart (in God’s truth…not the enemy’s intimidation and lies)…With God’s help, we will win! We will see the goodness of God in the land of the living!