2025-12-12
Good morning, Dear Ones,
God’s plan is nothing short of amazing! He never does anything without a righteous purpose. Certainly, He wants to see problems like social injustice, human selfishness, and greed dealt with in a way that services both the individual or group in need and the people who meet those needs. That is why the Lord establishes ministries and gives comfort to those who faithfully obey Him. I’ve written about mercy, forgiveness, patience, kindness, and the other gifts of the Holy Spirit [GA 5: 22-23]. All of these attributes and behaviors are a benefit to our society in general and individuals alike. EPH 4: 11-13, “And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood (or womanhood), to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” While other essential skills such as health care, parenthood, writing, research, etc. weren’t mentioned here, God knows how necessary they are to His plan of salvation and supplies them.
Conveying His will through the Scriptures matters a lot to our loving God. He gives some writers and leaders the ability to motivate people to spend time studying His Word. This is often done in small groups through churches or over the Internet. Sometimes people like Rev Billy Graham evangelize directly to large groups in arena meetings. Clergy people give sermons in church services that are based on the Scriptures, designed to encourage interest in them. From the time children are young, they are exposed to Sunday school classes written and taught in age-appropriate ways. Some of my most precious memories were of portraying Esther as both a child and as an adult. HE 13: 7, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the world of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” When I was in MN, there was a tremendous need among the homeless population for warm blankets, scarves, hats, and prayer shawls in the winter. Cancer patients needed hats especially, so I participated in a group that knitted and crocheted these items. Later, I led a group of knitters and crocheters at a church in UT.
RO 10: 17, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” God loves us so much that He wants us all to have strong faith. He knows this faith is built partly by studying God’s word. If there was ever any question about the extent of God’s love, it can be seen in Christ’s words in JN 10: 27-28. “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one will snatch them out of My hand.” Once we commit to faith in Christ, countless blessings come our way, including the feeling of comfort and accomplishment that comes out of being involved in a form of ministry.
Sometimes, we don’t know what skills for ministry that God has given us. So, we try things that interest us, leading to those important discoveries. I personally have experienced being in pursuits that were wrong for me. When that happened, I was unsuccessful. But over time, I learned which skills God gave me and which ones He didn’t. That road to discovery is often shortened by taking a “time and talents” inventory. A church I attended required everyone willing to take the “Rooted” course. This was a wonderful experience and required each student to write a short testimony and present it to the others in his group, as well as service projects, things I had done a few times before during my training. It had been many years between these two courses, and I wanted to know if there were any changes in my skills. (I tested high in evangelism, teaching, and leadership, just as I had the first time).
PRAYER: Dearest Father, we are sinners that need Your leadership in our lives, so that our lives serve Your purposes and not just our own selfish ones. Christ’s words, in JN 15: 5, reveal a great truth. “I am the Vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” You love us enough to give us the direction we need to discover the skills You have built into us, and to learn how to use them for the benefit of self and others. You teach us ways to find a balance between taking care of our needs and those of others. Your Holy Spirit has fulfilled the promise given long ago in EZK 36: 16- 27. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My degrees and be careful to keep My laws.” This way we can receive, recognize, and act on the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. For that, we offer You our heartfelt thanksgiving and praise! This prayer is uttered in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit commands me to write more on forgiveness as a part of a fresh start. Many of us come to faith in Christ after a period of trouble and wanting to live a different way than we had been. Certainly, that was my own experience. For me, this happened many years ago and once I made the changes in my life, I never wanted to look back. Yet, a class assignment, which I’ll share, forced me to do just that. It was yet another important lesson God wanted me to learn. The very fact that God was willing to sacrifice His only begotten Son demonstrates that giving mankind a fresh start matters tremendously to the exquisite love He has for us. Remember, JN 3: 16-17 and offer our God richly deserved thanksgiving and praise!
Grace be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2025. All Rights Reserved.
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