There are many benefits of growing older. Our families grow as do our friendships. We get to see children grow up and change from children to friends. Life in the love of God grows sweeter and sweeter each day.
All those things are true but the one grace gift I want to emphasize today has to do with ministry. After teaching about developing great relationships with God, self and others for decades I can see so much good fruit coming up all over the world.
Hardly a day passes that I do not hear from someone whose life has been touched by Teleios training and Lifeway ministry. I recently received a note on Face book telling me how God had used our training to help them be a better husband and parent. Why does it take so long to see fruit from our teaching?
Think of planting a tree. All of us are enjoying shade from trees that are older than we. It takes decades to grow a tree and years to see people's growth and healing. Then growth becomes so evident that the glow is noticeable to all who know them.
When a person learns to open his or her life to the truth of God's word for mind renewal it make take a year or two of weekly application to see the results. But after a while the peace and security of knowing how to apply God's truth to my life will burst forth into bigger smiles and more pleasant personalities. When one person grows and heals it touches all around them and the cycle of health breaks the cycle of sickness. The healthy body of Christ we call a Christian community grows as an entire group when any member grows.
Christ in YOU!
The hope of GLORY!
Gary Sweeten
4 comments:
You are so right...thanks for the encouragement to press on with the kids I work with, I know the fruit will come!! and thanks for all your time walking with me so I can experience that freedom!!!!
I believe as you do, that the seeds of the Kingdom can be seen sprouting up all the time and everywhere. Perhaps it is seed we have sown, or who knows but God, it could be seed sown in a forefather 4 generations ago. I try to remind people;sometimes you are watering, and you see results, someone else sowed the seed. Not a problem I tell them, it wasn't your seed, "God gives the increase"! Lets be glad we got to throw some seed ourselves, water some ourselves and even witness the seed planting done by our greatgrandmother's prayers 100 years ago. Our Western Christian culture has so magnified...seeing results, counting heads, getting names on paper, names on baptismal rolls..that they have forced the Christian Communtity to be desparate to see results of their seed planting. I am afraid that not being patient has forced many to hide their lamps under a bushel. Gary you mentioned decades and the benefits of growing older! Bless you brother, for I believe as you do, it is in the faithful planting of seed over the long haul where we see some results. And thank you Holy Spirit for allowing us to even be part of it!!
Vicar, Thanks for pointing us back to our ancestors for we would not know Christ if it were not for them. When I remember my Great Grand Dad Dempsey who planted at least three churches and carried out numerous revivals I am humbled.
His daughter, my Grand Mother Taylor was a Spirit filled woman who taught me the Bible, prayer and caring for the poor. Their seeds continue to bear much fruit all over the world through many people.
Amy, It is great to see you minister to so many kids who will have a chance to live for decades and plant seeds of faith, hope and love. I sure enjoy listening to your stories.
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