The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director. Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year. God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started i...
I have scores of friends and acquaintences in ministry who are so in tune with God. They are not charletons, on the contrary they are truly God's men and women of power and they are anointed.
Last week one of my close friends, Pastor Melissa Kelly spoke to me by phone and said God had given her a word for me. She was right on target. I'll be honest it was a hard word, but I received it. Actually God had already spoken it to me but this was a confirmation and it came from a trusted friend that I've opened myself up to. Melissa is an intercessor who moves in many gifts - she fasts and prays more than anyone I know except maybe my friends in Africa.
Then on Monday I was working at the church and my assistant Cathy buzzed in and said Pastor Alice Beyer was on the phone for me. I'm acquainted with Alice through her attendance at the Unstoppable Conference sponsored by the Pastoring Partners Network, and we have become friends. Although it's been a while since I've seen her or talked to her, God strongly spoke to her Monday and said, "call Deanna NOW with this word!" She did and it was IDENTICAL to the one given to me by Melissa. When she called it was with tears, and hesitation to give this word. She's such a humble woman and moves in the gifts of the spirit with such grace. She didn't know how I would respond to it because it was correction from God but I said, "Alice, I know you're right on target here and I'm listening up." I told her what had taken place with Melissa last week and she was so blessed to know that her urgency she felt in the spirit was not unfounded.
I am not a flake but I am an intercessor and I do flow in the supernatural gifts of the spirit and this is definitely a big part of ministry for me. However I do notice as I minister that "flakes" definitely affect people's perspective. Many times when people are raised in a church environment with flakes they have a harder time receiving real ministry than those who come in as unchurched people not knowing a thing about the supernatural gifts. Larry and I were ministering at a revival in a church one night and a teenage pastor's daughter who had "seen it all" over the years with flakes sat in service where true miracles were happening and God was moving so mightily and we noticed she was sitting there just stone cold, unfazed by anything. Larry went over to talk to her and minister to her and gently asked her, "How are you feeling right now about what's going on here?" She said, "I am just numb, Pastor Larry. I've seen so much fakeness in the church during my lifetime that when something real comes I don't even know how to respond to it." My heart just went out to that girl. I am happy to report that she was able to sort through all that and respond to the presence of God, and has a strong walk with the Lord today. But many people who feel just the way she did don't have the same outcome.
Maybe you're reading this today and you've come across a lot of flakes, phonies, and frauds. Don't let it desensitize you to experiencing the real. God's power is real and He will meet you where you are with a word in due season!
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Ruth
Love ya!
I Corinthians 14 tells us to "weigh carefully what is said" or judge the spiritual gifts. It must be tested. You don't just accept it carte blanche. So no, we are not to just check out brain and the door and believe anything that is said or done. God says test it. If it doesn't stand up to scripture and 100% agree with it, or it is given in a manner that is not in line with the fruit of the spirit, it's not God. It's a real balance there, to stay totally open to the Holy Spirit, yet weigh carefully at the same time what is being said or done. But, it is possible, otherwise we wouldn't have been instructed in the Bible to do this.