WE ARE IN IT TOGETHER!

…………through thick or thin…failure or success….let’s move on together!

One of the areas that I emphasize a lot in ministry is teamwork. I believe these are the days that God is wanting His body to rise up to do the work of the ministry. If there is one goal in ministry that I would like to pursue, it would be to help others realize their potential and start to serve.

The verse I always fall back on to encourage myself and realign my purpose:

Eph 4:11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

I am grateful to the Lord for giving me committed members in the ministry. I realize I can go away for a holiday without having to feel I need to be there to make sure things are okay. Phew! This is just great! A special note of thanks to my team mates…hmmm…just make sure no one “Pao Sai” all the work even if they want to okay! Just a reminder that everyone has equal status – we are a team!

I feel personally, that the fastest way of ministry growth is imparting to others what we know and watch them do the work of the ministry. Just imagine if we have 10 people who can do what we have been doing all these while…and the 10 of them imparting to another 10…It gives me great pleasure to see the ones I have discipled, disciple others. Guess it is really going back to the basics of what Jesus did. He only had 12 disciples and the 12 multiplied themselves.

One of the setbacks in this goal is not having more time to be with them. Having to divide the time, between friends we want to lepak with, people we want to mentor, friends we want to share heart to heart with, prayer partners whom we want to pray with, non-Christian friends that we have to be in touch with (which I have kinda lost touch really…aargh!!), new people who have just joined the ministry, time alone with God, time to catch up with reading (my addiction…can start a mini library at home and in office) and of course needs of mum. Guess I need wisdom in this.

The Lord has been speaking to me a lot about realigning my purpose and doing just what is required of me without the guilt of not doing more…He has spoken to me a lot about letting go of unnecessary things and just being still. In this season of waiting, I feel Him doing a deeper work in my heart, revealing things that I need to work on. People often ask me, so what is next? What is it He is preparing you for? I’ve finally come to realize, it is not about moving on to the “next thing” really, it is more letting Him have His way in my life NOW. I don’t want to live for the future and miss out on the present. The fullness that I can have in Him now is what matters. It is His prerogative to lead me to the next thing but it is my responsibility to see that the time I have is lived to the fullest for Him now. He may truly have plans that I may not know of and in this season of waiting, He will realign my desires, my goals, my vision. As people often say, "waiting is the toughest time"….but it can also be the most meaningful….

I am rest assured in this verse in 2 Cor 5:14 that says "For the love of Christ compels us... and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again."

compels (sunecho in Greek) means to "hold together", or "to grip tightly."

It speaks about a sense of constraint. A tight grip that prevents an escape. The love of Christ leaves us no choice except to live our lives for Him.

I know that I will always be in His will if I allow His love to get a hold on me. It is not about how hard I try to do His will and whether I am in or out of His will. Just to rest and know that as I keep this intimate relationship with Jesus, His love will keep me in His will. He will help me make the right decisions, and if I drift away, His love will not let me go...He will keep me where He wants me to be and move me on when He feels it is time to go...

-jo-