A message from Vic Dunning for
Kingsway Christian Fellowship
IT IS HARVEST TIME!
During my early visits to Kingsway the scripture came to mind during a prayer walk ‘the work of righteousness in this place shall be done in peace’.
Peace is the great indication that God is in our endeavours. Over the last year our world is changing but we serve a God who says ‘I am the Lord I change not’. However there are seasons for the church when we have to change in order to gather in the Harvest. Like Peter in the book of Acts, God told him in a vision to eat foods that were considered unclean for a Jew to eat. God was preparing him to go to the Gentiles with the gospel. He went to Cornelius’ house, found a group waiting for him, and while he was speaking the Holy Spirit fell on the group of people who Peter did not expect God to bless. Later in his ministry at Antioch, because of the pressure from the Jewish brothers, he withdrew from the very people God sent him to preach to. The apostle Paul rebuked him publicly for his action.
God is asking us to be ready for the Harvest. It may lead to doing things differently, and having a compassion for those we touch shoulders with every day, building bridges with family and work acquaintances. Seeing that God accepts everyone it means everyone matters to Him.
At Kingsway and Seaforth, I sense on this visit there is a fresh hunger for God. The Holy Spirit is shedding new light on things. As the Psalmist says, ‘In Your Light we see Light’
What is the Holy Spirit speaking about as we wait for the Harvest?
- A new compassion for lost people.
- A desire to become a team worker in order to reach out into the community.
- Using the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including words of knowledge, as we pray for people and touch them at their point of need.
- The need of a vision to see the church beyond the 4 walls of the building we meet in on Sunday mornings.
It is going to be a new exciting ride in Kingdom work. Be prepared to be as stretched as Peter was, not giving in to prejudice or fear of ‘what people think’. We must always be doing what God puts in our hearts.
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Proverbs 15:33 says ‘The fear of the Lord teaches wisdom, and humility comes before honor’. How can we as Gods people become more effective in reaching lives? We gather in our churches to meet with God and we are called to walk with Him every day in our individual lives. James 4:6 declares ‘God OPPOSES the proud but gives grace to the humble’ Are there some indicators showing that we could be missing the mark in our walk? The following could help us:
- We become defensive.
- Always have to be right.
- Judgmental, especially of those we do not understand and seem successful.
- Keep score on others failures.
- Fail to listen to God and others.
In humility:
1.We hear from God and find Grace quickly.
2. Take advice from those around us.
3. We prosper ‘Whoever takes heed to instruction prospers Pro 16:20.
4. We avoid strife Pro 20:3. Pride only breeds quarrels Pro 13:10.
Humility will make our witness stronger. It looks as if the church at times is following the spirit of the world in its endeavor to become relevant in the 21st century.
Gods power and grace touches peoples spirit and causes them to come to Him, God is not interested in feeding our ego or making us feel better about ourselves. Jesus said to His disciples ‘Knowing your Name is written in Heaven is enough’ Luke 10:20.
In humility:
We will not overreact to the things we see wrong.
Eager to cover faults and not expose sin.
If people and events do not change the way we want to see it, leave it alone until another time and opportunity.
Bridge Builders provides ministry on the place of Preaching.
Preaching is the Proclamation of the word of God.
It is the declaration of Good News to the world of what Jesus Christ has accomplished on the Cross for all People.
The preaching of God's Word ignites Faith in the hearts of the hearers.
It is the Message of the Evangelist.
It is a Prophetic Word to a church, a community or a nation.
The Place of Teaching.
Teaching is a gift ministry in the Body of Christ.
Declaring the scriptures line upon line to give Knowledge to the hearers of God's ways.
It is interpreting the Scriptures for instruction.
It teaches the New Testament as a fulfillment of what God gave to the Prophets in the Old Testament, the fulfillment of the Law in Jesus Christ.
Contact Victor and Diane Dunning
Bridge Building Ministry
victordunning@yahoo.com
www.bridgebuildingministry.com
