September 18, 2022

The Shepherd's Corner

We all know that money or prosperity is powerful, so powerful that Jesus equated it with Mammon, a prosperity god, and warned His disciples that they could not serve God and Money (Matt 6:24).  It wouldn’t work!  They could only serve one or the other.  C. S. Lewis explains, “Prosperity knits a man to the world.  He feels that he is ‘finding his place in it,’ while really it is finding its place in him.”  Yes, if we’re not careful, through money, the world will find a place in us.

In ministry I have been privileged to know some folks who are truly blessed—materially speaking—and act as good stewards of God’s wealth.  They share what they have with others because they know that what they have is simply a gift from the Good Lord.  From time-to-time God entrusts me with the job of connecting them with our brothers and sisters in need.  The only problem is, I do not always know who they are.  But that’s OK, because God knows!

The other day someone entrusted me with this blessing.  Initially I wanted to channel it to somebody in ministry but somehow, I felt strongly that I ought to wait.  So, I waited.  Later I received an email from someone who’s preparing to go into mission field who forgot to respond to my email months ago.  Somehow, I felt directed to send this blessing to him and his wife.  Upon receiving it, this man told me that he and his wife had been praying for this specific need.  They had made a commitment not to tell people of their need, but the need was so pressing that they got worried.  And that’s the time I showed up, or more accurately, God showed up in the picture.

The one who gave did not know and I did not know, but God knew.  Yes, Jesus knows our needs; He, therefore, assures us, “Do not worry about your life,” because, “your heavenly Father knows.”

Pastor Paul

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