Smallest Seed

www.inc.com Even when I was already actively doing ministry the denominational way, I'd been questioning some things we were doing. My question was, why didn't Jesus do them? Sure, the things church denominations were doing resulted to increased church membership and increased church income, plus increased number of churches planted. But I saw that these increases didn't really mean the Gospel was being spread and people really getting to know the King and his Kingdom. Often, it only meant people were becoming more aware of the church denomination and gradually getting involved there. What I saw more was the spread or expansion of the church denomination using God's Word as cover or front. Honestly. And I was beginning to be disappointed. The goal then was really to get more people into the church so there would be more money to build more churches elsewhere for the denomination and be able to say, "Hey, look how our church denomination is growing!"

www.godsrainbow.net Here's Part 1 So, while waiting for the Father to start things for his ministry, Isaiah 53.2 says Jesus just "grew up before him"  (the Father)". He  "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" [Luke 2.52]. He never desperately went around the neighborhood looking for someone to invite to his ministry. He never did any visitation work. He just grew up . I used to do things the traditional denominational way. I'd go around the neighborhood, introduce myself as a pastor and invite folks to my bible studies, prayer meetings and then later to church. Sometimes I forced them, pestered them with my visits, or made them feel guilty if they didn't come. But then one day, in my quiet time, God showed me something in his Word. I saw how Jesus never did any of the things I was doing. Neither did his apostles in Acts. That served like a bright bulb that suddenly lighted amid black darkness. What did Jesus and

www.homeyconstructions.com This has been a challenge to me---start a church the way Jesus did it. After all, Jesus is the Author of it all---the church. He is the only Way to please the Father. If we want a church pleasing to God, we have to do everything as Jesus did it. So, how and where do you start it? You start with yourself. Well, the usual way is to go around the neighborhood, tell people you're a pastor and invite them for bible studies or prayer meeting. But Jesus never did it like that. Filled with the Spirit, he was first sent to the wilderness to be tested and then came out in the power of the Spirit. That's always step one---you have to be taken and exposed to the wilderness and there defeat the devil. A lot of people who want to serve God in church have never been to the wilderness and never defeated the devil there. Some had their wilderness experience, but instead of defeating Satan there, they were deceived. They joined him do the ministry.

americanvision.org Many pastors would deny it, but if you're honest enough, you'd admit that a lot of Christians today despise reading the bible. Young people or adults. They'd bury themselves in various church activities but not in seriously studying the bible. I always study people's attitude toward the Word of God when I visit churches. You'd see them seriously involved in the choir, worship team, fellowship, church concert or cantata (or other stage ministries), medical mission, feeding program, gifts giving, social work or community outreach, etc. But it's different when it comes to serious bible studies. Listless During Bible Studies When bible study comes, they show disinterest, sluggishness, lethargy, don't pay much attention (you always catch their thoughts wandering far from the topic) or don't show up at all. Or they'd show up late, when bible study is almost over. Others go there just to see their crush in church, or be re

www.jw.org UNSEEN GOSPEL. Most of us just read past it and miss the rich Kingdom insight it reveals. My first question is, why did Jesus do it---tell Peter to throw out the line to get a four-drachma coin from the mouth of the first fish he'd catch? Why not do a job and earn a living just like everyone else? Here's the passage: After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?” “Yes, he does,” he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?” “From others,” Peter answered. “Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him.  “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. T

www.123rf.com UNSEEN GOSPEL. Among often missed points of the Unseen Gospel in the bible is how God favors the least. Everybody reads about it but almost no one really sees it. Jesus emphasized how the least among us is the greatest, and anyone who wants to be great or first must be servant of all. And yet no one wants to be least. They all want to be great. Fact is, today you should aim at being the boss to be great. The only sure way to greatness is if you make it to the top. The world does it like that, and so does the church. Everyone's after being great but hates being least. The world says you cannot be great by being the least. But God says you should be the least to be the greatest. Who do you believe? Who does the church believe? Jesus was Least Jesus believed it with all his heart and came here being the least. He started and ended ministry by remaining the least. So he became the greatest in the Father's eyes. He never bothered about greatness. In fac

www.gabriellejaviercerulli.com People like hearing about God's love and grace and mercy. You see them flocking en masse in churches that teach nothing but these three and related matters. And indeed, God is rich in love, in grace and in mercy. In fact, God is love. But all these will have true meaning only in the context of Jesus' most hated teaching--- giving up everything . If not, they will remain mere motivational topics to keep people comfortable and challenge them to do more in church---not offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. Offer Our Bodies This is the whole point of worship and service---to offer our bodies as living sacrifices. What do we mean by  living sacrifices ? It does not mean tiring ourselves out in ministry doing this and that, going here and there, being seen on stage and being super active in church. The passage says, "offering our bodies as living sacrifices,  holy and acceptable  to God, which is our spi