I used to think that doing ministry was an act of obedience or an act of worship, an act of dedication unto the Lord. Whether God had actually asked me to do it or not, I just thought it would be default by doing something that is right. But in the process of that, I wasn't very successful. I had the mentality of lead, follow, get out of the way. And I literally thought that you're either part of the solution or part of the problem.

And I thought that God would be honored with that, "Look how dedicated I am to you," I never said it like that. But in my heart, that's really what was happening. Um, I never intended for that to happen. I think it was one of the spiritual battles that I fought, and I think I always will. Trying to do something right, it was just absolutely unsuccessful. It didn't bring honor and glory to God.

Later I heard this phrase that, "We don't find our purpose. We serve the purposes of God." That has helped me so much in my Christian life. In my thought processes. In my hopes. In my dreams. It's not about me trying to figure something out, it's just about me doing what the Lord wants me to do.

And if he hasn't given me the next order let's say, then my job is just to stay on the last order that I got. And another aspect of a successful ministry that just simply being obedient to God. That has been so helpful for me is like in the Book of Exodus when God says to Moses you know to, "Separate unto me, Aaron, and his sons" or how many times I mean I've never counted them, but it's gotta be 30 at least. "Separate unto me."

And the context of that was God saying, separate this person to ministry. But the way that God views it is, "Separate unto me." And I love that because that's a successful ministry. We serve the Lord. When we get into the New Testament and a lot of the epistles, we read that, though we have a master over us, or a boss over us, yeah. But we serve the Lord. And it's the same thing from Old Testament to New Testament. No matter what we do. You know, it's unto the Lord. And when God asked us to do something, our job is just simply to be obedient to him. And it's, you know, I overworked it. I tried to make something happen.

All I did is fall flat. I just created problems and it wasn't service under the Lord at all. So a definition of successful ministry is just doing  what God asked us to do and be faithful. When you consider the prophet Jeremiah, the guy where we don't really read about, repentance and people coming to the Lord through his ministry.

Matter of fact, he's known as the weeping prophet. Like there wasn't a whole lot there, but yet he was faithful unto God and God  viewed him in his word as one of the chief of the prophets in all of the Bible. He just simply did what God wanted him to do and whether it was good, bad, or ugly, he just stayed faithful to the cause.

And I think that's a really good, um, you know, example for us. So we define a successful ministry by one word, obedience.

Verses

“So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.” ‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

One of the aspects in basic training was to learn how to shoot our weapons. And we're out there on the range and everybody's learning how to zero in and shoot their weapon properly. We'd been there all day. And now everybody is on the bus and they're ready to go back to the barracks. Finally get to the mess hall, eat a somewhat edible meal.

But there was one guy who couldn't even zero his rifle, and that one guy was me. And the, I'm in a fighting position with a drill sergeant and he said, "Son, if you can't do this, you're not gonna make it in this man's army." And in truth, at that point, I was done. I didn't even wanna be there. What happened was my first day of the military was getting all of your physicals and one of them being your eyes checked.

Uh, before I went into the army, I had stayed up more than 24 hours with Shanessa, who was my girlfriend back then, and so I was exhausted when I got there. And they woke us up just like everybody thinks, banging on trash cans and all this and that, screaming and yelling. And the first thing that I had to do was go get my eyes checked.

Well, I was barely awake. The um, and when I got my eyes checked, they were saying, you know, "What do you see?" And I'm like, "I don't know." I had sleepy eyes. I couldn't, I couldn't see at all, basically. So anyway, they gave me what's called BCGs or the military term for the glasses, they make us wear.

They're literally named by all of the soldiers, BCGs, which means birth control glasses cuz if you wear these things a girl will never look at you. I don't know if we should put that in there for the church. So they gave me these glasses and they told me that I had to wear 'em. These glasses gave me headaches.

Oh, they were so annoying. And I would ask the drill sergeants time and time again, "Hey, can I please take these things off?" Like when no one was watching, I'd take 'em off and I could see clearly, but I'd put these things on and everything would be blurry. So now jump back to the kid in the foxhole. I'm wearing the glasses, the target, even the front and the rear sight are completely blurry to me and I'm asking the drill Sergeant at this point, "Drill sergeant, can I please take off my glasses?" After a couple more clips, in three rounds in clips being shot, the drill sergeant finally agreed. And he allowed me to take my glasses off. And then they gave me a 30 round clip so that I could qualify and I qualified that day. I actually shot expert, but they gave me a sharp shooter, um, because of how long it took for me, uh, to get it.

Well, here's my point. I didn't need the glasses. I just needed to be able to see. So sometimes less is really more. The next part of our code is less is more. I want to start this one out by using an acronym that you perhaps have seen on different memes. It's been out for a few years, but it's something that has left a fingerprint in my heart and in my mind.
The word is B.U.S.Y that they use as an acronym, and they, the way it's defined is busy is Being Under Satan's Yoke. And that's what less is more, where this is really coming from. In ministry or we see someone else or another ministry or we see a great idea or look at what they did. Maybe we should do that too.

This all revolves around less is more. We don't need to do everything that's out there, even if it's something amazing, unless God directs us to do it. To give a biblical example, Nehemiah was called, by God, you could say, to go back and to help rebuild the wall. There's 10,000 things that needed to be done there in Jerusalem and in its rebuilding.
But he had one lane, he had one task, and Ezra came later, uh, Zerubbabel, uh, later, but he stayed and he did his one thing. Less is more is a lot like that. Just. But it also to me gives a huge relief and I hope like a breath of confidence. We don't have to do everything else that is out there. We just need to do what God wants us to do and then have the rest, that I did what he asked me to do.

And catch a breath of fresh air. So when I first started serving the Lord, man, the Lord really got a hold of my heart and I just wanted to do anything and everything for him. Uh, I got involved with any ministry that would take me, and, but then it got to the point where I wasn't home. I wasn't with my kids, I wasn't with my wife.

I was pouring out, pouring out, pouring out. But I had nothing to give to those closest to me, and I really thought I was doing the right thing and I thought that I was honoring God. As time went on, I ended up with lot of chest pain, gained a ton of weight. Nobody could kind of, you know, I was sick a lot and stuff like that.

And, uh, so one time a friend just said to me, "Man, you look really stressed out." And they asked what was going on in my life. And I had talked to 20 people about the pressure that I felt in my chest, the pain that I had. Um, but one person said to me, "That's called stress. You, you were pouring yourself out and you're just moving in a hundred directions, and if you don't slow down, this is gonna kill you."

That was a huge revelation to me. That I was trying to do the right thing. I wanted to do the right thing, and I thought the more that I did, did, did, did, did that it would bless God and it would bless other people. But I had no idea that it was actually killing me. So less is more, and it always will be.

Verses

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” ‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Why does this Man speak blasphemies like this? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭2‬:‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard afar off.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“So it was, from that time on, that half of my servants worked at construction, while the other half held the spears, the shields, the bows, and wore armor; and the leaders were behind all the house of Judah. Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me.” ‭‭Nehemiah‬ ‭4‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

So I'm sitting at a breakfast table on a mission trip in a country where God isn't welcomed. Got couple guys sitting around the table with me, are pillars of the faith. They've been beaten for the faith, persecuted for simply just being Christians. Eating breakfast, looking at these guys, and the thought that runs through my head is like," Who? What am I doing here?" And then the Lord spoke to my heart and He said, "Don't rebuild the ark." And I'm like, "Thanks for speaking, but I don't know what that means." And then the Lord just began to uncover. "I called you to be you, who you are individually, before the foundation of the world.  You are my poiema, my masterpiece, Ephesians chapter two says. And I just want you to do what I've asked you to do. They have their lane. You have your lane. And staying in your lane is the best place that you could ever be."

So one of the aspects of our code is "Don't rebuild the ark."  What?  What does that mean?
We all face, "What do I do in ministry?" Or we might be looking out at somebody else and what they have done and thought, "Wow, that was an awesome move that God did. How do I do that?" Don't rebuild the ark means that God doesn't need another Noah. But what God wants is you. He created us individually, uniquely, purposefully to serve in His kingdom.

We've all been gifted by the Holy Spirit in our life and what we need to do, rather than just building another ark, is just a press into the Lord. Whatever He's asked us to do, whenever, however, just to serve him fully. When we go back into the scriptures in Hebrews chapter 11, we see a whole list of men and women that God individually used in their purpose.

God doesn't need another Abraham or a Sarah or a Noah, but what God wants is you. So how do I know what God wants me to do? I think there's a lot to be, can learn through the experiences of others. And I think we can glean from that and learn from that. But what we really need to do is glean from everything around us can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior.

But pray. Be in his word. And just see what happens. God just naturally does things all the time. When God called Abraham, it was, "Hey, I'm calling you out to leave your family. Go to another country." And then God led him along the way. When God called Moses, the burning bush. Completely different scenario, but God called him to go back to Egypt. He had a specific task. Each one of us have a specific task. So our job, just do life. Be a faithful Christian. Stay in the word of God, stay in prayer. Just keep moving forward. Keep flipping the page as you're moving through the Bible and growing, and God will uncover what He has for you.

Verses
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬-‭40‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭3‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When I was 18 years old, I joined the United States military. When I graduated, I was assigned to first-sentry division, that at that current time, was in a deployment to the Persian Gulf. When I got there, I was taught that we would not leave one soldier behind.

And that was a code that we lived by. When I got out of the military and the Lord called me into the pastorate, for me, it was almost like I was being called back into like spiritual ministry service. But my experience prior to that was that the church isn't always friendly. And no soldier left behind, to me today, means every Christian, every person that walks in the door of our church, is fighting a spiritual battle or will be fighting a spiritual battle. and we should not leave them behind.

Everyone is gonna get hit.  When I was in the military, if someone did get hurt, there were combat medics, or if you were hurt severely, you were sent back to the rear. I think the church should be that. I think a church is really supposed to be more of a hospital than a museum for dead Saints, so to speak. I want us to look out for one another and to have each other's back.
People are gonna make mistakes and people are gonna fall. People will be in spiritual battles that are over their head. People are gonna make dumb decisions sometimes, but it doesn't mean that they are in and of themselves a bad person. They're having a bad time. I recognize the reality that sometimes people go AWOL and in the worst cases there are turncoats. That's true.

But Jesus told us that we are supposed to love one another, and that if we would abide in him, then he'll do all the pruning. We are not the folks that prune. And that to me is another aspect of no soldier left behind. Let God do what God does and let us do what God wants us to do.
"Love one another and by this all we'll know that we are His disciples because of our for one another."

I think a really good practical example of this is Judas to Jesus. Jesus still washed Judas' feet and like manner, we are not the judge. God is. And recognizing the reality of a spiritual battle, and I, I would even say this. Because of different callings, different anointing's that God places on people, ministry tasks, even. Some people fight bigger battles, spiritual battles than other people. There are also people that may look like everything is okay, but we might and usually don't know the depth of things they're dealing with behind them.

Because this is what I've seen sometimes in combat, there is what's called "friendly fire," accidental fire because of the chaos. But someone in the military should never shoot intentionally someone on their own team. So what I have seen though is that in the church, sometimes unintentionally, but sometimes intentionally, we shoot our wounded and I don't want us to ever do that. I want us to love one another and look out for one another.

We are in war. People are going to get hit. And even if they aren't hit by an enemy's weapon, maybe in their running or just doing battle, there is all kinds of dangers all around a trip and fall. Drop your equipment, whatever it might be. We are at war. Look out for one another, protect one another, and watch each other's back.

Verses
“We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again…” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭24‬:‭16‬a NKJV‬‬

“And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” ‭‭I Peter‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV

Years ago, my dad and I were out on a ranch and we got a vehicle stuck in the mud and you couldn't even see the mud. It looked like dry ground, but we crossed into an area where the sublayer was saturated with water and the trunk just completely sank. We were a pretty good ways away from the ranch house and we had to make a decision.

Do we take a gamble and go to the direction that we think we're supposed to be going? Or do we follow the fence lines and because we know the fence lines will get us to the right area? Well, we decided to follow the fence lines to take the safe bet. But then as time went on, the sun was going down and those conversations of, "We might have to make camp."

We're not exactly sure where we are. This is pre GPS being in our phones and all that kind of stuff. Justin, my son was very young. Oftentimes we're walking through just water saturated areas. He's over my shoulder as we're trotting through the mud. My dad and I had a unified purpose. We're just trying to get back to the house, but for me as his son, that was one of those father-son moments that nothing else in the world mattered right now other than us working together and getting to the desired destination. To me, that was a beautiful picture of unity, that  also in adversity drew us closer together and I think us on our journey unto Heaven is a lot like that sometimes, and I hope that it draws us closer together and it brings great joy to us as we serve the Lord.

The scriptures use the term a lot in the Book of Acts, "One Mind and one accord." We used the word "unity" to mean the same thing, but there was also a phrase that was used in the military that became really powerful. It was "Esprit de corps," and what that means is, by definition, "A common spirit." But the heart of it was unity, but with a strong regard towards  the value of the group.

And so when I say "unity" in our code, that's really what I'm thinking really being of one mind and one accord. I mean, fellowship is one of those words, right? But, but "esprit de corps" to me, just kind of takes it deeper. That there's a high regard for God, a high regard for his church, the fellowship of the believers together.

And that's really where I want us to be unified.

To be unified also doesn't mean that everyone is doing the exact same thing, but it does mean in the direction that we're moving and the heart that we have towards that movement. And so we celebrate the diversity, but the direction of going the same way and for the same reason.

Verses

“I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, hearing of your love and faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints, that the sharing of your faith may become effective by the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. For we have great joy and consolation in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed by you, brother.” ‭‭Philemon‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭13‬:‭35‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NKJV‬‬
“fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

It has been said that a fight is one or lost before the first blow is even thrown, and the enemy knows that. Satan knows that better than all of us, and he comes to steal, killing, to destroy. There have been many different times in my life where I was discouraged or questioning or  doubting. One time, I was driving to a men's retreat and just worshiping the Lord, and then all of a sudden this thought just came into my head.

"You really believe a God that you have never seen, spoke, and everything around you came to be?"

I don't know if I've ever doubted God once I gave my life to him, but in that moment, For a millisecond, that question provoked me so much, I started to focus on that question, or I think better said, "focused on that fiery dart."

It took a minute. I had to catch my breath. I was shocked that the enemy moved me so much with just that question. But I think that happens to all of us a lot. There's times when our faith is strong. There's times when our faith is weak. There's times when we have no clue what's going on, but God is always on the throne, and that's what I have found.

When the enemy hit me with that dart. The first thing that I did is just started worshiping God. I didn't understand what was going on other than "I am slipping. My feet are not on solid ground right now. What in the world is going on?" So what I did, I'm driving. I just start worshiping the Lord. Turn the radio up.

I was all alone. Me and that truck became a tabernacle of meeting, just worshiping the Lord. And, and man, I promise you, the peace of God just  came in like a flood. The  enemy comes in, but the Lord lifts up a standard. And that's exactly what God did. The winning starts, now.
Every one of us in our Christian life, when we first make that step to become a Christian, whether we're happy or we don't know what's going on, there is an enemy that comes in and attacks us. When we've been a Christian for a long time and we know the word of God.  If we were given a written test, we can make an A.

But what do I do now? We have in our code what is called "the winning starts now", and what this means is worship the Lord, now. Whether we understand what's going on, even if in the midst of the battle we would worship God.

Number two, we would win the lost because the Lord has given us the great commission that we would go out and to make disciples of all nations. We talk a lot more about this in Gospel Forward, but this aspect of "the winning starts now" really clarifies the battle that we're in and win the battle.

Worship God. Good times, bad times, easy times, hard times.
When we understand what's going on, when we don't understand.

Blessed be the name of the Lord, or as Job declared, "God gives, God takes away. Blessed be His name." It also means to equip the saints. Everyone at every level, has the capability of pouring into someone else.

It's often stated within churches, everyone should have a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy. A Paul and Barnabas were like equals, and they could be iron that sharpens iron. Paul had his Timothy and Paul was pouring into Timothy. Then Timothy had the other churches that he was going to where he was pouring in.

We all can minister the love of Jesus Christ to our peers. The Bible tells us in two Corinthians 16:9 in the beginning of that verse, "that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of whose heart is loyal to him." And that's what God wants us to do. His eyes still run to, to and fro throughout the whole earth.

Whatever country, state, city you live in, God is moving. Jesus said, not one jot, not one tittle  of all the law would go away until all things are fulfilled. That means that verse still applies today. His eyes are looking to and fro for, for that person, that guy that, that girl, that kid. Old or young, that God might move through, showing himself strong.

All we gotta do to do that is love the Lord with all our heart. With all our soul, with all our mind, all our strength. Even if we don't understand what all of those words mean,  simply love,  be obedient. He's God. He is the creator and the sustainer  of all things, and he has equipped us to be able to do these things, but the main emphasis of this one is "the winning starts now" because the devil is always out there, looking for an opportune time. Don't let him win. Never stop worshiping the Lord. Never stop winning the lost and never stop equipping the saints.

Verses
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” ‭‭John‬ ‭4‬:‭24‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” ‭‭John‬ ‭6‬:‭38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. ” ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭16‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV

First things first. A ministry order that we individually apply. I think that God has set in his word a very clear direction to every aspect of life. This specific thing is really our heart and our mindset. As believers, as servants of the Lord- single or married. Old, young. We have an order from God, for example, "love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Love your neighbor as yourself." There's the one and two. For us, first things first means that the most important aspect, or to say the number one purpose of us, as Christians, is our personal relationship with the Lord.

Beyond anything else, our personal relationship with the Lord.

In churches, sometimes we'll hear, especially towards married couples, your first ministry is your marriage. That's not biblically accurate. Marriage is radically important. I'm not negating that. But we cannot give what we don't have.

So we have those quiet times with the Lord, or as some people would call it like devotional time. It's that relationship building time with us unto the Lord. For me personally, this has a lot to do with my morning Bible studies,  prayer times,  as well as things that will take place throughout the day.

But first things, first number one. Our personal relationship with God. I also want us to view this as our spiritual growth because the longer that we are together, the closer we get together, the more we know. Just like in the Bible, if you read that same book over and over and over, you glean more things after those additional reads. More dots are connected. Things make more sense.

I remember the first time I was on jury duty in downtown Dallas, and then got sent away for a predetermined period of time. I sat down and  I opened to the book of Romans. It was the first time that I had ever read a larger book in the Bible from beginning to just about the end at one sitting. When I did that, everything that I thought before changed.

You could see the patterns and the topics and the changes and stuff. And so it is our personal relationship with the Lord.

Number one priority. Because you can't give what you don't have, but you can give everything that you do have.

Number two, our relationship with our family and our home.

To me, what this means, If you are married, your number two is going to be your marriage, husband and wife together. If you have kids, that's like a two B. But something that is equally as important is provision for the family. I don't want anybody to negate their primary responsibilities before the Lord and say, "Well, I'm not doing that anymore. I'm just gonna go serve the Lord." Unless God calls you to that, which is very rare.

God has even called me to serve my family and and to serve my family as as a primary aspect, this ministry order that I'm reading for everybody  is something that God told me I have to live by. My personal relationship with him and then my personal relationship with my wife and then with my kids, and to be faithful to the word of God by providing for my family.

Number three, is then our church. And our relationship with  a physical family, not a spiritual family, because as we come together, we're all one big church family.  As Hebrews 10:24 and 25 would tell us, " let us come together in order to stir up love and good works and be a benefit.
Ephesians will tell us,  making Psalms and melodies within our heart, unto the Lord. Being a benefit to everybody that that's around.

So our relationship with God, our relationship with our family, our relationship with our church.
And then lastly. The relationship with our individual ministries.

Now, this being the overriding theme. Because our relationship with God is often always under fire. And so make it a high priority. First things first in our life that our relationship with God will always be strong and protect that nothing gets in the way of that. Let's say you're an early riser and you do your devotionals in the morning, but this one day you overslept and now you don't have time. Of course, it's not the ideal. You're out of your normal rhythm. But you can still do it later. When it comes to our family, the devil wants to divide the marriage.

So in our first things, first, number two is our family relationship with, if you are married, it's a husband and a wife. The devil will do anything and everything he can to divide that couple. If you have kids, and which is a blessing from the Lord. But also guard this, the enemy will do anything and everything that he can to get the kids to divide mom and dad also.

So never forget in this order, It's my relationship with God, it's relationship with my spouse, then it's the relationship with my kid or kids. And if you're single, then  it just stays your relationship with God and then provision for your home and for all the married and married with or without kid.

The  having the provisions for our home is radically important. But in that manner, that can come under attack too. And I want you to guard that and, and be faithful to the Word.
Now, and when it comes to the third point, which is our ministry relationship or our, our relationship with our church. Look out for one another, protect one another.  This is the order. Our relationship with God, our relationship with our home and our family, our relationship with our church. The church is the overriding thing. The ministry is one aspect of it, but oftentimes like the enemy would do is say the kids or the parents. The marriage  in and of itself, or even a relationship with God. He's always trying to jump in there. So what the enemy tries to do is make one ministry better than every other ministry in the church.

We are one body.
The Christ is the head.
We're all just parts.

So we protect our heart and we protect our mind by faithfully just being a part of the body. So to say this in a completely different way, just stay in your lane. Do what God has asked you to do and let him be glorified.

Verses
“The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.” ‭‭II Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Prepare your outside work, Make it fit for yourself in the field; And afterward build your house.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭24‬:‭27‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭15‬-‭33‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.” And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

““When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war or be charged with any business; he shall be free at home one year, and bring happiness to his wife whom he has taken.” ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭24‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” ‭‭I Timothy‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” ‭‭II Peter‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬-‭25‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:” ‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭4‬, ‭7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I remember those times. Maybe you do too. When I would drive into the church parking lot, waiting for my parking place to be available to make matters a little bit worse, I would walk into church expecting to have my seat that I always sit on to be available for me. And then the Lord really spoke to my heart.

It's not about a parking place or it's not about a seat or anything like that.

I heard a phrase, a while back about "this isn't our church. This church belongs to the Lord." And you guys, I believe that with all of my heart. The Bible tells us that Jesus purchased the church with his own blood, and I believe that to be true.

We have the privilege and the opportunity to come into His house. The Gospel Forward for us is, this is all about Jesus. This all belongs to Jesus. In the Calvary distinctives there's an entire chapter, the centrality of Jesus Christ, which means He's the All in All and He is the everything.
The way that we define it in our code is just like helpful tools for us to remember. This is His church. This isn't our church. This isn't Calvary Chapel's church. This church really belongs to the Lord and this whole entire ministry. This belongs to the Lord. And it's His word that we teach.
It's His message that we bring and we are His people. Jesus said, "Follow me." He never said, "follow my men." And we gathered together in a church.  We're followers of Jesus Christ and because of that we wanna seek His leading, His guiding, the work of His spirit in and through us to lead every aspect of this ministry, no matter what it might be. Because to God be all the glory.

So in an applicational sense about Gospel Forward, how does this apply to me? I want our hearts rested completely upon that Jesus is enough. And the reason I walked in this door is because of Jesus. And when I walk out these doors, I'm still living Jesus.  And in everything here, all of this belongs to the Lord. And He allows me to come inside and hang out with Him. To me, that's pretty cool.

Sometimes we feel like we have our own parking place because, "I've been going to that church for a while." I have my own seat in the sanctuary because, "I've been going here for a while." When I look back it's comical, but really, all of this belongs to Jesus and let's live our life that way in everything.

Verses
“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭28‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬