Treasured Truth

Pastor Ford will explain today that the best ministry comes out of our pain, comes out of our lack, and comes out of our brokenness. Sometimes we have to be bruised in order to be used.  Ministry is not easy, but it’s worth it!  Because when we go through what we have to in order to minister, we end up bringing more glory to God through our pain, lack and brokenness.

Today, Pastor Ford will remind us scripture teaches us that if husbands don’t treat their wives right, then their prayers will be hindered. He will then also pose the question—if God feels that way about conflict in a marriage, what does He say about divorce?

Divorce is not just a modern day issue.  It was actually a problem that had to be addressed in the Old Testament.  As we continue to look at the book of Malachi, we’ll learn more of what scripture says about divorce.

If you’re married and experiencing difficulty in your marriage, then you may be wondering if it would just be easier to be married to someone else. But Pastor Ford would suggest if the grass looks greener on the other side, then you just stay on your grass and start weeding it and watering it and fertilizing it.  And then you know what will happen?  Your grass will look as green as the grass on the other side.  In other words, marriages take work and care if they are going to succeed.

We all know know that traditional marriage vows require a couple to promise, “until death do us part.” But Pastor Ford points out that is so often not the case in marriage today. As we begin a study in Malachi about divorce, he’ll explain how God established marriage as a permanent institution, with principles that govern it. And so, it’s just like anything else—if we honor the principles, the principles will honor us.

As we conclude our current study, Pastor Ford wants those who are hurting in his community to know that there truly is hope for them. God is available to them and will take them out of whatever situation they may be in. They don’t have to be hopeless! We’ll discover today how each of us can share hope with those who may be hopeless in our own communities.

As we begin to look at the miracle of the loaves and the fishes, we’ll see how Jesus is going to teach His disciples how to minister by providing them an example of what they should do.  Every time Jesus gave a message, He always gave the model.  In other words, Pastor Ford says, He would talk it, then He would always walk it.

Many people are changing the definition of sin and they’re twisting the message of the Word of God, just to make it palatable to unbelievers.  But when we go out to reach our communities, Pastor Ford encourages us to take to heart what D.L. Moody used to say, “The Word of God is like a lion! You don’t have to defend it, just let it go,” so it can do it’s work in the hearts of people who don’t know Jesus.

Pastor Ford will remind us today, that if we’re going to make any kind of impact in this world whatsoever, we’re going to have to be people who are flexible enough to change, or we’re never going to make it.  We’ll consider this truth today as we look further at how to reach out to those who need Christ in our communities.

Jesus practiced incarnational ministry.  We’ll see today how Jesus went to where He knew the woman at the well would be, so He could meet her in her place of need. He didn’t tell her to come to church, or come to synagogue….He took church to her!  And that’s what we have to do in our own communities—take church to the lost people around us.