A
few thoughts from brother Ron...
The
roll of ministry is to help others understand and enjoy God’s word. When someone asks me a question about
scripture, and I love questions, we are able to reach others with the blessing
of technology through YouTube videos, audios and written responses on this
blog. When one person questions a
passage, there may be many others who have the same question.
Nehemiah
8:8
So they read in the book
in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to
understand the reading.
In addition to technology,
thanks be to the Lord Jesus Christ and for all those who labor with us who make
it possible for us to reach those who do not enjoy live fellowship with other grace
believers so that we can help them to come to an understanding of
scripture. We call them stranded grace
believers. I know them all too well and
feel for them.
That
is one of the reasons we relocated to California. We were blessed to have brother Josh back in
Minnesota to take over. Before that,
when we left Chicago, there were plenty of ministers to step in. Here in Northern California there was a need
for the grace message, and now we have a live fellowship here. But we think about sisters and brothers who
don’t have that and we thank God for the blessing of technology that can bring
the message of grace and teaching on the revelation of the mystery to stranded
grace believers.
Faithful
grace fellowships are hard to find.
There are scattered grace believers who have not encountered one soul
outside of their own household that will receive the truth about the gospel of
the grace of God and the revelation of the mystery—sound Pauline doctrine.
Acts 20:24
But none of these things
move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my
course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to
testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Romans
16:25
Now to him that is of
power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept
secret since the world began,
Titus 2:1
But speak thou the things
which become sound doctrine:
People
are easily offended and, sadly, pride kicks in to blind them.
1
Corinthians 14:37
If any man think himself
to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I
write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
We
need faithful brethren who will preach and teach the word of truth so that there
will be assemblies where we can bring others to hear the gospel of Christ and
the word of truth rightly divided.
2 Timothy
2:2
And the things that thou
hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men,
who shall be able to teach others also.
We
will be praying for that. Sometimes the
saddest part of the ministry of God’s grace is the lack of faithful men. There are men in the body of Christ who were
placed there by God to preach the message of grace; they are just not doing it
and they will be held accountable.
1
Corinthians 3:10-15
According to the grace of
God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the
foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed
how he buildeth thereupon. For other
foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation
gold, silver, precious stones [sound
Pauline doctrine], wood, hay,
stubble [biblical, but not dispensational]; Every man's work
shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be
revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built
thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If
any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be
saved; yet so as by fire.
They
are just not faithful to their commission to preach the rightly divided
word. For the few who do, it is a labor
of love. It is mentally exhausting
because we know we can only do so much.
We can only be in one place at one time.
We use technology, but there is so much work to be done. I do pray to God that the faithfulness of the
stranded grace believers is blessed and that he will send someone to you in
person, but until then, I thank God for the blessing of technology!
This post to me is almost as if the Lord is saying, I hear you, daughter.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is Thank you, Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And thank you Bro. Ron for your faithfulness. I give out your info. when sharing the truth with others.
Sometimes, it is so lonely, and the persecution from "Christian" family members seems more than I can bare. Prayers have been going up to my Father concerning this, and along came this post.
Very hard to be alone when you are seeking to live godly in Christ Jesus, so the faithfulness of the brethren to put up the studies for all is such a tremendous blessing, and I thank the Lord with you for the technology and the brethren's faithfulness in putting it up there for us:o)
Stranded in GA,
Michele