A few years ago the Lord gave me a word and vision of this ministry. This is what I heard.
“A time of hope. A time of healing. A time of opportunity and 2nd chances. A time of peace. As I sit and pray, seek the Lord and close my eyes – I see an actual newness – a new time. Every day is a day of faith but now it will bring the fruit of that faith. Our church – our ministry won’t look like it has the past 20 or more years. As a church family we will be close, real relational, in agreement, working together – hand in hand like no other time in Mtn High history. We are strong, determined, courageous and full of love. Never before has this small church body been such a beacon of light to this community and beyond to the world.” Psalm 32:8-9 Passion Bible - “I hear the Lord saying, “I will stay close to you, instructing and guiding you along the pathways for your life. I will advise you along the way and lead you forth with My eyes as your guide. So don’t make it difficult, don’t be stubborn when I take you where you’ve not been before. Don’t make Me tug you and pull you along. Just come with Me!” It’s a time to go deeper in Him. His voice will call us closer to His heart. “When your heart responds to My voice, there you will find your true self, your divine destiny.” It is not a time to back off – back up – or back away. It is a time of new thinking.”
That is powerful! He gave me this a few years back and lately has again been speaking to me about Him doing something new. The Lord gave us Isaiah 43:19 as a declaration a couple years ago but it’s so true today too. There is always something new, sprouting, growing and maturing. “I am doing something brand new, something unheard of. Even now it sprouts and grows and matures. Don’t you perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and open up flowing streams in the desert.” Passion Bible Look into your own heart and see what that something new is. Perceive it and let it continue to bring harvest in your life.
This week the Lord was speaking to me about unity and our relationships. The world has become so noncontact that people are not used to working together. The Lord brought to mind verses of unity, working together as a family and encouraging one another. I believe we are living what the Word is saying but these verses are such a good reminder of how we can love one another.
All of these with their minds in full agreement devoted themselves
steadfastly to prayer...” Acts 1:14 “And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of the bread together, including the Lord’s Supper, and prayers.” Acts 2:42
These verses from Acts have always been powerful to me. I have had this vision for 25+ years of us coming together, sometimes daily, united in praying together. There is power, strength, comfort, joy, peace and unity that comes from truly being steadfast and devoted. Together as a church family we are unstoppable. “If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Matthew 18:19
“We may not have it all together but together we have it all.”
This is a quote we have on a sign at the church. I saw this saying several years ago and the first thing I thought of was our church and ministry. How true this is. I can’t say that we have everything together or know everything we should be doing or how to do things. But I can say that when we are working together with the Lord as our Shepherd guiding the way – we have all we need. The last couple years the Lord continues to put on my heart just how vital it is that we are together as a church body and family. We may not see everything exactly the same – we may not approach every situation in the same way. Our togetherness is a unity that encourages, protects, instructs, praises, works with, supports, gives to, prays for and has love for one another. Together we help and encourage one another in every way.
We have seen so many deaths the last few months. Most of them sudden. Today being Caleb’s birthday, I was thinking about how I could have maybe hugged him one more time, told him I loved him and cared. I did this almost every time I talked to him or saw but know I missed a few opportunities. Today Ed is at the service of our friend, Glenda, in Kansas City. I would love to go back to that evening a couple weeks ago and give her one more hug or tell her how much she means to me. I’m not in condemnation but I know in my heart and realize the Lord had led me to show His love more.
People are important. People are treasures. The many other things we think are important and necessary aren’t always as important as we think. Time is one of the most valuable gifts that we have and we do have time for people and relationships. It’s God’s way. We stay busy most of our waking hours and for myself I know I do a lot of busy work instead of being relational. Having my Mom live with us has helped me realize that these moments are not coming back so I need to cherish them NOW.
Lately, I’ve noticed how much people stay away from one another. Some are in fear of getting covid, some use this deceitful distraction as an excuse to stay home and not be involved. No matter what reason we have to not come together it is not according to His Word. His word continuously tells us to come together to love and encourage one another.
“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being in one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also the interests of others.” Philippians 2:1-4
“We are standing firm and united in spirit and purpose, striving side by side and contending with a single mind for the faith of the Gospel.” Philippians 1:27
“So now we must cling tightly to the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps His promises! Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them towards acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.” Hebrew 10: 23-25 Passion translation
“Be strengthened, perfected, completed, made what you ought to be; be encouraged and consoled and comforted; be of the same agreeable mind one with another; live in peace. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and love of God and the presence and fellowship – communion and sharing together and participation in the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen” 2 Corinthians 13:11, 14
As we go forward in Him, ministering here in our church family, reaching those in our community that are hurting and longing for real acceptance and love and as we reach across the oceans to countries far away we need to do it all in one accord and together. Our church is powerful and unstoppable but even more so as more of us bind together in unity and all of us doing the work of the ministry. Thank you for being such as awesome church family. We love you all so much and so blessed by each of you!!
“Five of you shall chase a hundred,
and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight;…” Leviticus 26:8