Faithful Ministry

"Ministry sucks."  This was the two word text I received yesterday from a friend and co-minister in Christ.  She was struggling because she had gone expecting to visit someone in the hospital, only to find out he had just passed away.  The man was homeless and friend of several people at Life Bridge.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 2:1 NIV)

She had brought a Bible with her to give to him as a gift.  Since she was visiting this homeless man and carrying a Bible, the nurse said to her, "You should give him last rites or something."  She payed with the family.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2 NIV)

Faithfulness is about just that: being full of faith.  It's about reminding ourselves to trust God in all circumstances.  In ministry, it's about passing that faith along to others.  You may be thinking, "That's fine, Pete, but I'm not in ministry."  I hate to disagree with you, but if you are in Christ, you are in ministry.  All Christ-followers have at least one job to do in Christ's Body, the Church.

Husbands minister to wives and wives minister to husbands.  Parents minister to children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Believe it or not, children (and grandchildren and great-grandchildren) minister to parents, too.  Brothers and sisters minister to one another.  Friends, coworkers, and neighbors minister to one another.  Sometimes we even minister to total strangers.  Sometimes those strangers become friends, so when they hurt (or die) we hurt.  It feels like ministry sucks.

Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV)

Ministry doesn't just suck, though.  It comes with great rewards.  When we minister to someone, passing along our faith to them, it feels good inside.  That's because the Holy Spirit is affirming us as we minister to one another.  We know that we just had a God-moment and that the other person was blessed by our actions.  Those ministry-moments strengthen our faith as well.  God's affirmation reminds us that God really is with us wherever we go.

Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor's crown except by competing according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:5 NIV)

Not only do we feel the good Holy-Spirit feelings that go along with ministry, but we get the blessings that come with it.  Sometimes a person is grateful for you and that gratitude helps you through your day as well.  Sometimes they pray for you, too.  Sometimes you receive a special Christmas gift, a birthday card, or some other act of kindness that lets you know that they felt blessed by your ministry.  We don't minister to others to get the kindness back, but, like a good golf shot, it can give you what you need to go back and do it again.

The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. (2 Timothy 2:6 NIV)

Sometimes ministry becomes such a regular thing that people recognize how much time you are spending caring for others and they compensate you for your time.  They do this so you are not distracted by other priorities set by other employers.  You can spend all of your time focusing on serving and ministering to others.  You can pass on your faith to one more and one more and one more.  That's when the real joy comes into play.  You get to watch people develop new faith, grow in their faith, and become sharers of their faith.  You get to be there for the "harvest" of faith.

Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (2 Timothy 2:7 NIV)

So, how about you?  Are you faithful in ministry?  Do you know people who have been faithful in ministering to you?

Unfaithfulness

Sometimes we are not faithful. We simply don't trust God.

To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (Proverbs 16:1-2 NIV)

Perhaps the lack of trust can be found in our own minds and hearts. We want what we want, regardless of what God wants. When we battle inside, we don't let God win. So, the struggle goes on and on. We don't trust God, so we are not filled with faith in God. We put faith in our own plans instead.

It is a sin to despise one's neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. (Proverbs 14:21-22 NIV)

Sometimes we don't have faith in God's design for relationships. We know we are supposed to love our spouse, our children, our parents, or just our neighbor, but God just doesn't seem to get it. "If God knew what I had to put up with, it would be different," we reason. We think that our relationship problems are too big for God to fix, or that God simply doesn't concern himself with such things. If He did, he would make that other person change their ways. The bad relationship, then, makes us waiver in our faith. We are not full of faith in God's design for relationships.

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. (Matt. 23:23-24 NIV)

Sometimes we are simply not willing to pass our faith along to others.  We're OK with going to church on Sunday.  We love the music and even enjoy the preaching.  Just don't ask us to give money, though, and definitely don't ask us to invite a friend or share our faith.  We have other things to worry about that are more important to us today.  We don't trust God to take care of those things when we faithfully seek his kingdom and righteousness.  So, we are not faithful in passing along our faith.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. The LORD works out everything to its proper end-- even the wicked for a day of disaster. The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished. Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD evil is avoided. When the LORD takes pleasure in anyone's way, he causes their enemies to make peace with them. (Proverbs 16:3-7 NIV)

So, how about you?  Are you faithful?  Or do you struggle with trusting God in your own mind and heart, in your relationships, or in passing your faith along?  Are you ready to turn to God in those places you are unfaithful?

We Can Be Faithful

My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. (Proverbs 3:1-2 NIV)

The writer of proverbs told his son that following his wisdom would bring many years of life, peace, and prosperity.  What is this wisdom?  What are these commands?

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4 NIV)

Once again, love and faithfulness are tied together.  God described Himself to Moses as one who is filled with love and faithfulness.  Now, we are told to do the same.  Love is the greatest command, as Jesus said.  Loving God with everything is on equal footing with loving our neighbor as ourselves.  Why is faithfulness so important, then, that it gets mentioned in the same breath?  Simple.  Love can only be seen with consistency or faithfulness.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

So, how about you?  Do you love God and people?  Do people see that in you consistently?  Are you faithful?

God is Faithful

I had no trouble looking up the words "faithful" or "faithfulness" in Scripture. That's because the terms are all over the place - Old Testament and New. Most of the time, the word was used to describe God.

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness... (Exodus 34:6 NIV)

When Moses met with God on top of Mt. Sinai, he chiseled out the two stone tablets. That's when the LORD passed in front of him and described Himself to Moses. Yahweh's own self-description is that He is "abounding in love and faithfulness."

Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. (Psalms 85:9-11 NIV)

Love and faithfulness are often tied together when describing God. That's really good for us, because many of the gods of the other people groups of that time were either mean-spirited, aloof, or unpredictable. God, however, has a one-two punch to eliminate fear. He loves you. He is faithful. Our God, Yahweh, the LORD, is worthy of our trust because God is full of love and faithfulness.

Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. (Psalms 36:5 NIV)

I don't know about you, but I need that reminder many times. When I face problems in life that are much bigger than me, I find myself wanting to grab control. I want to do things to fix the problems. I can even lose sight of God. Then I remember God's love, God's promises, and God's faithfulness. I start thinking about all the times God has "come through" in the past, providing what I needed right when it was needed. My faith strengthens and my resolve moves me forward. God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Not only that, God is faithful.

I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, Holy One of Israel. My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you-- I whom you have delivered. (Psalms 71:22-23 NIV)

How about you? Do you see God's faithfulness in your life? Does it help you trust God in the difficult times?

Faithfulness

But the fruit of the Spirit is...faithfulness. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

The Greek word translated as "faithfulness" in this passage (πίστις) is most often translated simply as the word "faith."  That's because faithfulness is all about having faith.  The object of our Holy Spirit-given faith is, well, God.  That's because God is the only one we can completely trust with every aspect of our lives.

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33 NIV)

Most of us worry about things like what we will eat, where we will sleep, and what we will wear.  In our culture, we not only worry about meeting these needs at the most basic level.  We pursue these area far beyond what we need to survive.  We like only certain types of foods, we crave a certain type of home, and we buy clothing that matches the right kind of fashion (for me that fashion is stuck in the 80's).  We don't really know how to not worry about or pursue these things.  It's a part of our upbringing, our everyday conversations, our way of life.

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: "Take nothing for the journey--no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them." (Luke 9:1-5 NIV)

When Jesus trained his twelve apostles, he was preparing them to fulfill his final command before ascending into heaven: "Go and make disciples of all nations..."  That training included some practice runs, where they would learn God's system for providing for their food, clothing, and shelter.  They would be paid by the people they teach.  This would be God's way of providing for them.  When Jesus taught them this process and sent them out to practice, he did it, in part, to build their faith.  They needed to know that God's plan for their lives would provide for their needs.  It helped them become people full of faith in God - faithful to His plan.

The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. (3 John 1:1-5 NIV)

Many people besides the twelve lived a faithful life in first century Christendom.  Many people have lived faithfully throughout history.  Many still live faithfully today.  We live out our faith in God to provide for our needs as we participate in His plan.  We do our part trusting God to do His.  As we are filled with faith in God, God shows Himself to be worthy of our faith.

So, how about you?  Do you have faith in God?  Do you trust God with every area of your life?  Are you filled with faith?  Would you consider yourself faithful?