How do we keep the fire burning? I believe our thoughts have ventured to activities, programs…I will do this, I will do that. I will do greater things.
I will liken the answer to this question to a story: In all military campaigns the frontline troops must never be far from their supply line. To defeat any army is to cut their supply line because eventually they will cease to fight because of hunger and thirst.
Many of us soldiers of the Lord have waged battles in the front lines and several of us are low with supplies and it is time for us to return to be replenished and to be given new strength to fight another day. The Lord, the presence of the Lord is the source of our strength. Many have ventured already far away from Him but still believing that we are still doing His work but God has ceased to bless it simply because we have ventured too far away from him. We are now just relying on our wits and instincts.
So in our context, to keep the fire burning is not to increase our activities first but to return to the source of our flame……to once again listen and let God speak freshly to our ears as to what has to be done with His work…His ministry. Then whatever ember that is left in us is rekindled into a renewed and vigorous fire. It is what we call fresh anointing, fresh infilling…….behold it is a new day! Behold we are given new strength! Behold everything is new!
David after his series of victories, out of gratitude to God assembled his people to bring in the Ark of the Covenant and worship God (v.4). In the zealousness of Uzzah, he held the ark wanting to help the symbol of the presence of God stabilize, but only to be burned to death (v.9). David presumed too much, Uzzah presumed too much. They wanted to help God, but the placement of the ark in Jerusalem was delayed, their celebration did not proceed as scheduled and they feared God (v.12) and ceased to do things their way….and waited.
I Chr 13: 1-13
David consulted with the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. 2 David said to the whole assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of the Lord our God, let us send abroad to our kindred who remain in all the land of Israel, including the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasture lands, that they may come together to us. 3 Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we did not turn to it in the days of Saul.” 4 The whole assembly agreed to do so, for the thing pleased all the people.
5 So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6 And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the Lord, who is enthroned on the cherubim, which is called by his name. 7 They carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahio were driving the cart. 8David and all Israel were dancing before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.
9 When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen shook it. 10 The anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. 11 David was angry because the Lord had burst out against Uzzah; so that place is called Perez-uzzah to this day.
12David was afraid of God that day; he said, “How can I bring the ark of God into my care?” 13 So David did not take the ark into his care into the city of David; he took it instead to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14 The ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house three months, and the Lord blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.
Are we presuming to much? Are we taking it for granted that what we are doing is what God wants us to do? Are we using the people God ordained to be used? Are we making decisions for God and is God still with our plans?
11 David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. 12 He said to them, “You are the heads of families of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kindred, so that you may bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. 13 Because you did not carry it the first time, the Lord our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.” 14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the Lord, the God of Israel. 15 And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the Lord
25 So David and the elders of Israel, and the commanders of the thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. 26 And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams.
The celebration of the presence of God and the worship of God proceeded because it was done in God’s terms.
“The Christian life consists in what God does for us, not what we do for God, the Christian life consists in what God says to us, not what we say about God. We also, of course, do things and say things; but if we do not return to Square One each time we act, each time we speak, beginning from God and God’s Word, we will soon be found practicing a spirituality that has little or nothing to do with God.”
Square One is to adore and listen to God. (Eugene Peterson, Subversive Spirituality).
To keep our fire burning is to return to worshipping and listening to God.
Our first and foremost ministry is the simplistic and very tiring statement that is to be in an intimate relationship with God. This intimate relationship brings us into a deeper knowledge and experience of the love of God. This relationship even brings us much deeper to the realization that we are loved and cherished by our Father. From this position our hearts are guarded and our ears attuned to God. Then we will know what is burning in the heart of God and what will keep us burning.
According to Andrew Purves in his book “The Crucifixion of Ministry”
“Jesus is God active in the life of the world, in our personal lives and in ministry at every turn. The issue is not How does Jesus get in on our ministries? Instead, because he is living and reigning Lord, the issue is now What is he up to, and how do I hitch a ride on whatever he is up to?”
To keep our fire burning is to know what Jesus is up to and for us to hitch a ride.
Ubi Christus, ibi ecclesia ( Where Christ is, there is the church)…..Ignatius of Antioch
The following are thoughts and recommendations as to what we should do for the next decade to keep our fire burning. They are honest observations of the state of our church and what needs to be done. We will call it the Decade of Destiny
A Day of Prayer must be included in the weekly activities of our local churches. It is a day to worship God and intercede for our churches, workers and members. Our churches’ schedule must be such in a way that every hour someone is praying (a church, a prayer group or an individual). It is not primarily to cause things to happen through our prayer but to remain in tune with the Lord and because we are before His presence we are able to discern his will through events or through personal promptings.
The Day of Prayer will involve times of personal and corporate fasting.
The Youth of our churches will evolve to become a movement in their communities, their countries and globally. The youth will preach to their generation. Literatures (manuals and teachings) shall be written because we have a rich youth history. The LA church has visited local churches in the US to infect other youths with the spirit of revival. We are one family with one vision.
The Young Adults will evolve as a movement in the marketplace. We did it before, we can do it again.
The Cyberspace will be invaded by our young people to communicate with each other globally, to influence and edify one another through testimonies and prayer requests, sharing of technology. The G7 Website has proven that our people globally can access it and share their excitement and testimonies. All the geeks of our churches have to band together to realize this(Wanted: Geeks).
Our resources have to be consolidated so we can start purchasing properties for churches, schools and centers. What centers are strategic… London, Makati, Vancouver, Toronto, Los Angeles, New Jersey?…..let us move as a global church to help our strategic centers. Our giving sacrificially through G7 pledges have proven that we can muster our resources within a year and raise 4 million pesos or roughly $100,000.00
We will complete our own Local Church Discipleship Program to usher our members to become active members, to workers, to elders and to become pastors (if the Lord wants them to pursue that) through the development of our own materials that is catered to the needs of our members. Right now we have completed materials enough for one year and the year 2008 will be used to complete the 2nd year set. Wanted writers and editors.
Our Goal:
Reach every member
Disciple every member
Make every member a winner (God wants everyone to win the race)
The Ministerial Development Program will be reviewed and improved to sharpen the skills of our ministers. It will update and upgrade our pastors and will be supported by an international teaching staff.
Our pastors are to seriously engage in higher learning by enrolling in bible schools, seminaries and attend WIN sponsored leadership conferences. The times ahead are faced with difficult theological issues we must educate ourselves to be able to know, to discern and to protect our people. We will develop a scholarship fund for this and first implementation is in the Philippines.
The role of Word International School of Leadership will be heightened. It has been functioning through the London School of Theology and has also put together a curriculum to provide upgrading to pastors with a roving teaching staff. This is called Theological Education by Extension (TEE).
Some of our pastors will be receiving diplomas from LST and other pastors will receive Word International Certificates of Completion for completing these specially made curricula.
We shall provide Christian Value based education through the strengthening of existing institutions of learning and the creation of new ones so we can influence our communities and nations.
We shall continue to make inroads towards poor communities and reach the poor through providing affordable education, food, medical centers, job creation and income generating cottage industries. We have a global marketing structure through our communities all over the world.
We will study and create a retirement program for our pastors through subsidies for their social security contributions. The first project next year is the implementation of that in the Philippines.
A team created by the International Board will visit very region and churches to evaluate growth, understanding of strategy, leadership development and discipleship.
Worship will be the norm of our life and ministry. Worship Conferences will be conducted in every region to heighten our levels of skills and deepen our relationship with God who is the source and leader for worship. Our quality of worship must reach every local church.
TO KEEP OUR FIRE BURNING FOR THE NEXT DECADE:
WE WILL THRUST INTO THE WORLD AS A BIBLICALLY SHARPENED AND POTENT SPIRIT-FILLED FORCE WINNING SOULS AND PLANTING AND BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF DISCIPLED BELIEVERS EQUIPPED TO PREACH THE GOSPEL THROUGH TRANSFORMED LIVES.
THIS IS OUR COVENANT!
THIS IS OUR DECADE OF DESTINY!
WE WILL IMPLEMENT IT AS ONE FAMILY WITH ONE VISION!
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by :
REV. EMERITO N. PAULATE
