I just finished reading the Intercessors Update for Vancouver 614. Carla does a nice job with this and I am often taken by the requests and answers to prayer. This time, my reading came to a screeching halt with this request:
Pray that we will be Spirit-led and not program-led in our ministry.
WOW! I thought!
I was so impressed, I thought it backwards: WOW!
Program is NOT the end-all of our ministry. Friends, I'm sorry to drop that bomb on you. I hope you survive it's destructive explosion in your life! I really do, because if you survive, you might actually get over that trap of The Enemy and get back to the people who ARE the end-all.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not against programs. Sometimes programs are wonderful. But too often they control us and dictate what we do and who we are. Sometimes they even dictate {shudder} what we can't do (by the way, in case you didn't notice, "can't" is a 4 letter word according to Philippians 4:13)!
A program should come about when 1) a large group of people are clamoring for it to happen, 2) there is someone so interested in making that program happen they volunteer to make it happen by taking ownership and leading it or 3) Holy Spirit tells you to do it.
A program should NOT come about when 1) a couple of people are clamoring for it to happen, 2) neither of them are willing to lead it, 3) "every other" corps does it, 4) you need the stats or 5) leadership (somewhere up the line) tells you to start it because they have taken a special liking to that program and therefore all corps should now put their attention in this direction.
As you can easily see, there are more reasons NOT to start a program than to actually start one and the reasons are harder to come by.
We have started all kinds of new programs (or projects) over our years of officership. The only ones that were successful over the long haul were the ones that God told us to start. I guess this all boils down to listening to God's voice and doing what he tells you to do.
What a concept!
BLESSING:
May you be blessed with a keen ear to hear God's voice in your life. May you learn to discern the difference between God's voice, The Enemy's and your own will. May you not be convinced by people to move on something unless God is clearly the instigator. May his Spirit lead you in all things.
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1 comment:
i want a keen ear - and i want to be able to tell God from any other voice I'm learning. . .it takes a lot of consistency and discipline and a quiet mind and heart. I'm not so good at all of that!
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