CampfireTALK: May 14th, 2014
CHURCH 
... her primary purpose!
Who can tell me the purpose of the church, and the ministry? 

I have to ask this because recently I have become aware that in many denominations we have turned our churches away from "teaching and raising up the saints for ministry" and into more or less a "service center", or a "ministry of helps". 

Our mission trips and our retreats have become "work farms" where we take our youth and go out and build, and clean up, and work in the community.  While this is a worthy task, it is not at all the primary purpose of our churches!  Have we so quickly forgotten the command of Jesus? 

In Ephesians 4:11 Paul tells us of the 5-fold ministry offices and why they were put into place.  He says they are "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."  He goes on to tell us in verse 14 that we are to be "no more children" tossed to and fro by various teachings and doctrines, but we are to "grow up" into Him in all things! 

He teaches here that the Body of Christ (the Church) is to become fitly joined together, working well together.  He says we are to abandon the ways of the Gentiles (the non-Christians) and are to walk with a renewed spirit in the faith of God.  

We often think that because Jesus fed the hungry, and healed the sick, that this was why He was sent.  The fact is that healing the sick or feeding the hungry is a temporary fix, at best!  Jesus used these to meet the needs of the people so that He could "get their attention"!  If you heal a man, or feed him, or pay off his bills, YOU HAVE GOT HIS ATTENTION! 

Somewhere in the process, we have become so focused on the feeding and the healing and the caring for others that we forgot the whole purpose of those was to "get their attention" so that we can "teach them"!  In every event where you see Jesus healing the sick, He was also preaching and teaching to them!  And I assure you "THAT" was His primary goal!  For if you teach them and you get them saved, "they" can carry on the healing and the feeding and the caring for others ... so that they too can preach the word!

So, in your church plannings, and in your missions, don't get so focused on helping others that you forget your "primary purpose".  We, the "Church", are here to prepare the saints for the work of the ministry!  We are here to "preach the gospel ... to the World"!
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WORD CHURCH Ministries
Word Church banner - the directors WORD CHURCH is a church, a ministry, and a fellowship, even an outreach, where like in the days of the Apostles and Acts, the people joined together! 

Our vision and our goal, is to bring churches together in the unity of the faith, to help them to begin to bring together the gifts and talents of each separate church, and to share those gifts and talents with each other, that we may be better and more effective in teaching and training the Body of Christ, for the word of the ministry, to tell the World about Jesus!    .... Learn More


DEVOTION
PRAYING SPECIFICALLY

Have you ever asked God for something, and then after you got it you thought, "Well, that's not quite what I wanted"? 

Today we want to talk about prayer, and how God is a god of specifics.  He "wants" you ask for specifically what you are petitioning Him for ...




Have you ever had someone ask you for something, and you with all of the best intentions, give them what you thought they wanted, only to find they were not entirely satisfied with what you produced? 

That's what often happens with God when we pray in generalities, or in urgent pleas, not being "specific" in what we really want!  Do you want a pick-up, or a white GMC 2 1/2 ton pick-up with a heavy duty towing package?  It makes a difference!  You could end up with a 1950's model "stepside" pick-up if you just ask for a pick-up! 

And a step-side pick-up would be an awesome gift, for someone who really enjoyed vintage pick-ups, and just needed it for transportation, or the occasional light-duty hauling job.  But what if you were also in the market for a large 5-th wheel travel trailer, and wanted the pick-up to haul this new trailer?  Wouldn't you rather have the pick-up with the heavy-duty towing package, the 5th-wheel attachment, and the durable horsepower to pull it as well? 

This happened to me a while back.  I was looking for extra income, and wanted a job to bring in the money.  So, I asked God for a job.  I was not specific, but more desperate.  Well, I got the job, and I got it quickly!  But the job was well below my skill set, and the pay was about half of the lower-end of what I'd consider in most jobs. 

Did I take the job?  Yes!  You see, I asked for this!  Realize it or now, I actually asked for this job!  I was not specific when I approached God about it, I just said, "God I really need a job."  And I got one! 

What did I do?  Well, I went through the training, and I looked at my many options, and asked God for wisdom in this new job on what to do to turn it into something wonderful!  You see, when Joseph first started, his job was not that great either!  But, he did his very best!  He served his God with honor and diligence!  As a result, God put him in a place of great wealth and leadership! 

You see, God has a funny way of teaching us things in what we ask.  The Bible teaches us that "all things work together for the good of those who are called according to His purpose."  Now this scripture was aimed at the gifts of the Spirit of God, but it like most scripture covers so much more! 

So remember, the next time you petition your Father for something.  Be specific!  Ask for what you want!  Why?  Because you just might get it!  But if it's not what you hoped for, take heart and learn from Joseph ... take the job or opportunity you have, and blossom it into an opportunity for wealth and influence!   


Make me proud!   
-pastor rich-  


Get ON-TRACK with HIS Plan ...
1.  Be holy - the Bible calls us a "Holy Temple", where the Spirit of GOD lives.  the Spirit of GOD lives in your heart!  And to keep it holy, we must confess our sin when we sin (1 John 1:9).  "
If we confess our sins, HE is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness."  In order to remain holy and clean, before GOD, we must avoid sin, and when we do sin, we must confess those sins before GOD, so that we can be made clean again.

2.  Study the Word - Jesus said in John 8:31-32, "If you continue in My word, then are you truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."  Folks, rare is the time you will ever see someone skip eating for the day, let alone days upon end.  But we do that all the time spiritually.  The Word of GOD is food for our spiritual bodies!  We need that spiritual food, for spiritual energy, and for the faith that we need ... to live the life that GOD has called us to live, here in the Earth.  When we study and meditate the Word of God, our spirit man grows strong, in much the same way as a battery is charged!  (Romans 10:17)  But when we do NOT study the Word, our spiritual battery begins to run down, and the natural man begins to surface.  We act more like our "old self" than like the renewed man that GOD created us to be.  In other words, the "flesh" wins out. 

3.  Pray in the Holy Spirit - Paul teaches us that we are to pray in the Holy Spirit.  "But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the spirit."  [Jude 1:20 - AMP]  Our supernatural energy, our faith, is charged and built up when we spend time in the presence of GOD, and when we "pray in the Holy Spirit".  We are told in Ephesians 6 to "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might", putting on the whole armor of GOD.  We cannot be strong if we do not spend time in GOD's presence, and in supernatural prayer! 

ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS: 
"This is YOUR day ... YOU control it, how it goes, how you deal with the obstacles that come, and how you finish it!   Master it!  And don't let the day, or the little bumps that come with it determine how "YOUR DAY" is going to be.
  This is "YOUR" day!
Master it!  Conquer it!  MAKE IT ... what your Father wants it to be!

-pastor rich-  



    

WORD CHURCH Ministries 
15612 Poynette Place, Austin TX 78717-5351  USA
 
 
Pastors: 
Rich Allcorn, sr. pastor    <richAllcorn@WordChurch.info>     Skype:  richallcorn    
Jane Allcorn, co-pastor   <janeAllcorn@WordChurch.info>    Skype:  janeallcorn

Associate Pastors: 
Margarett Lunzmann     <MargarettLunzmann@WordChurch.info>   Skype:  margarettparker

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