Stillness

I often find myself diligently seeking God the most when I want an answer from Him.  Maybe you've been there too.  I wonder though, if sometimes God doesn't give us an answer, because He wants us to be still.  

Stillness.  

It's so rare in our world today.  We're so busy, our minds are always engaged, our cell phones are always right beside us, twitter beckons us to come and tweet something and our minds are always distracted.  

Maybe the answer to our question is just to be still.  It's to sit in His presence, trusting and knowing that He is God.  I think it's in the stillness where we truly find who were are in Christ.  It's in the stillness that we sense His peace, we experience His joy and we are able to be in true unhindered fellowship with our Father.  

In the stillness I recognize that Jesus Christ is more than enough for me.  I feel His heart being tethered to mine and his healing invading the deep hurts of my heart.  I realize that no matter what card I've been dealt in life I can hear God say in those sweet moments of stillness, "Be still and know that I am God"- Psalm 46:10

How did Jesus do ministry?

What does it really mean to be an influential leader in the church?  Are we really doing it like Jesus did?  Did Jesus base His success off of numbers or off of faithfulness to making disciples?  Was he a flashy guy with a big stage and lights or a humble man, faithful and obedient to know and love God?

In a culture where the modern day Pastor is called more to be a big, flashy personality then he is called to be faithful and obedient to loving God, serving his family, and making disciples I wonder if we can learn something from the life of Jesus. 

I love what Dick Staub says in his book, The Culturally Savvy Christian,

"It also occurred to me that as a world changer, Jesus was not very strategic. He arrived in a small, somewhat inconsequential country, spent three years with twelve uninfluential men and a broader gathering of unknown men and women, and oh, by the way, changed the world. I decided that either Jesus was doing something wrong or contemporary world changers were."

I'm done basing the success of my ministry off of numbers.  People always ask the proverbial question, how many kids did you have there? I want them to ask me instead, did the students meet with God? Were they impacted in a way that grew their faith, caused them to repent and make decisions to run from sin towards Christ? That to me is true success, not the numbers. Who cares how many were there if no one was moved by God.

I want to pour into the lives of a few, or more only if God would have it, taking the time to invest and disciple those who will go out and do the very same thing someday. 

Making disciples who then go and make disciples.  As a minister of the gospel that is what I'm called to do.  However, my first priority is to love God.  God can only pour out of me unto others what I've allowed Him to pour into my life.  Jesus Christ must be my greatest joy, my deepest treasure and my focal point.  I need not worry about numbers, but my call is to be faithful, for God's glory.  Amen!

Jesus....

Jesus Christ is a fountain of life, a rushing wind that stirs within our souls, brings light to our eyes and calm for the hurried heart.  

He makes all things new, repairs what what was once broken by sin and revives the heart once lost in despair.  

His hope is everlasting, his joy is a delight and his peace is un-surpassing.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and He reigns for all eternity!  

Those who trust in Him will never be put to shame!