Coffee With The Lord

We owe faithful, servant leaders who have been willing to make incredible sacrifices to extend and build the Kingdom of God the honor they deserve and an incredible debt of gratitude!  Strong churches at home and abroad exist because of their selfless service!  Vibrant, flourishing ministries endure because they were willing to pour their prayers, finances and tireless efforts into them!  We owe them “big time!”

In fact, right now some names I’m aware of are running through my mind: 

My own mother, Vera Shirley Bartel, served as a pioneer minister of the gospel, who during the war years had the district tent for what I believe was called the Northcentral District of the Assemblies of God.  She “pioneer planted” churches in Montana and the Dakotas.  She is now with the Lord, but told stories of trusting God in the face of meager offering, meals made up of soup from catsup and hot water, and persecution because of her Pentecostal message. 

My uncle, Clarence Strom, was an effective pioneer preacher and church planter, who never enjoyed the benefits of a large congregation but sacrificed and did anything necessary to see the Kingdom of God extended.  His stories of God’s faithfulness were spellbinding! 

Dr. Delmer Guynes, a great missionary statesman, poured his life into extending the Gospel frontiers abroad, but also sacrificed to see Southwestern Assemblies of God University become the vibrant, growing, institution it is today – training “ministers” for the Church and the marketplace. 

I could go on and on… these, and many other great hero Christian leaders, are worthy of honor! They are both church leaders and lay-leaders we owe a great debt of gratitude!!!

What brought all of this to mind?  Well, the testimony of Nehemiah about his personal sacrifice to see Jerusalem and the temple rebuilt after the exile!  Here is his testimony…

“From the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, until his thirty-second year—twelve years—neither I nor my brothers ate the food allotted to the governor.  But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. BUT OUT OF REVERENCE FOR GOD I DID NOT ACT LIKE THAT.  Instead, I devoted myself to the work on this wall. All my men were assembled there for the work; we did not acquire any land.  Furthermore, a hundred and fifty Jews and officials ate at my table, as well as those who came to us from the surrounding nations.  Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people.  REMEMBER ME WITH FAVOR, MY GOD, FOR ALL I HAVE DONE FOR THESE PEOPLE.”  (Nehemiah 5:14–19 NIV)

And the Church today has been graced and blessed by other faithful, self-sacrificing servant leaders you know. Identify them in your sphere of influence… HONOR AND BLESS THEM THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON! THEY DESERVE IT!!

It’s been a long journey since the Lord called this farm boy from Pablo, Montana to Christian service at a Montana Kid’s Camp at the age of 10. I knelt in the sawdust floor in the prayer room at camp, heard the Lord’s voice deep in my heart, and said a trembling “yes” to serving Him in Christian ministry. Interestingly, even then, it was especially teaching ministry that was the vision that the Lord planted deep in my heart!

I’m 76 now and during my daily time of “coffee with the Lord” this morning I read these words of Apostle Paul in Acts 20:20-32 and “re-upped” my commitment … over the years these words have become my mantra and aspiration as I finish the final stretch of the years God will give me…

I want to be able to say… “I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear… I’ve had one message – the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. And now… I don’t know what awaits me… but MY LIFE IS WORTH NOTHING TO ME UNLESS I USE IT FOR FINISHING THE WORK ASSIGNED ME BY THE LORD JESUS – THE WORK OF TELLING OTHERS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE WONDERFUL GRACE OF GOD! … I declare today that I have been faithful (and oh how I want to be able to say that!) … I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know… And now I entrust you to God and the message of His grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those He has set apart for Himself!” (From Acts 20.20-32 New Living Translation)

Hey, Acts 20:24 is a key “life verse” of mine (especially the words I’ve put in all caps and bold)!! May it be true in my life as I complete 2023 and move toward the future that God gives me!

What if, after coming to Christ and experiencing “salvation” we “foul up” and sin?  I think we all have… I know I have!  What to do when that happens is a big question!  1 John 1.6 – 2.2 in your Bible give some excellent advice… (I read it again this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord”)  Here’s the deal…

“IF… we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness” (that’s called “hypocrisy”) … THEN… “we lie and do not live out the truth!”

“IF… we walk in the light, as He is in the light”… THEN… “We have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son purifies us from all sin!” (And that’s called continual cleansing by living in His redemptive presence!)

“IF… we claim to be without sin!”  THEN… “We deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us!” (And how deluded and deceived we are!)

“IF… (however) we confess (or acknowledge) our sins (to God)”… THEN… “He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!” (How wonderful is that?!!)

“IF… we claim we have not sinned” … THEN… “We make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us!” (It doesn’t help to argue with God about this… He is the judge!  His verdict about us is what matters!)

“IF… anyone does sin” (and we all do) … THEN… “We have an advocate [and “intercessor”] with the Father – Jesus Christ, the Righteous One!  He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world! (Gotta say, what a wonderful provision!)

Why was all of this written?  Well there’s a phrase in this passage that gives us the reason:  “My dear children, I WRITE THIS TO YOU SO YOU WILL NOT SIN… BUT IF ANYBODY DOES SIN…  Well He’s got that possibility covered – He’s provided for that eventuality through Christ Jesus!  Praise the Lord!!