Friday: Working for Jesus 3

"Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters and welcome to Friday, the day we pray for all those who are working in the fields of Harvest for our Lord Jesus. Mark 16: 15 - Jesus said to them. "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."

Brothers and sisters, when you choose to go to work for Jesus, you really do not know how many lives you might touch, or who they might be. That is really not important, what is important is that you pray that God will send you, and then listen to where He wants you to go. Listen hard for He will tell you, and sometimes you will wonder why He is sending you some places. We in Carry The Light Ministries feel that our calling has been to outreach seniors, so we have been singing and teaching in the retirement homes. With that said, we have been to retirement homes when only a few people were brought in, and I admit it is hard to set up all the equipment after traveling miles and miles and only have six people before you in a retirement home that might have 400 guests. I have been told by my wife, my ministry partner Pam, and even former ministry partner Joanne Fortney that we have been sent to minister to these people and these are the people God put before us. Again, go where God sends you ...

Prayers today for Pope Benedict who has fallen and broken his wrist. Also pray for safety in travel for 9 members of the Harrisburg Chapter of IAAP as they journey across our country for a meeting and additional education. Also please pray for our Ministry Partner Pamela Bower as she finishes out her life long work and heads for retirement. She has two weeks to go on that life long job.

Working for Jesus 3: Acts 13: 2 - While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. (NIV)

Here we see just one example of where people were gathered to fast and pray and the Holy Spirit spoke to them. Ok, let's get this straight right now ... Our Lord God does talk to us through the power of the Holy Spirit. Yesterday on a local talk show the host was interviewing an atheist, or non-believer, one who did not believe in God at all. He laughed when people would say they heard God speak to them. Said that could not happen. He also said that "Some Christians have less morals then he does". Folks, this is why I say the name Christian is getting a bad rap, but folks, we earn it in a lot of cases. Forget the church part, if a person calls themselves Christians and then uses the name of our Lord in cursing or they go for an abortion, it sort of trashes the word. Yet with that said, we Christians are indeed SINNERS SAVED BY GRACE. So while we need to really follow God, we also need to remind those who do not believe that Jesus went to the cross to save us sinners including them if we just believe in Him. He really did not come to save the saints, but to turn we sinners into saints ... oh when the saints go marching in ... Ok, that for another day.

Ok, in those verses we also see where it shows us an example of the "laying on of hands" and for praying for others. Now I had mentioned that when we go to work for Jesus we do not always know who we are working to bring to the feet of Jesus or if our worked helped them or not. We go and work for Jesus and let the fine details up to Him. In my Christian walk there have been many who have helped me. I need to tell you about just a few. Long ago it was my mamma and dad, who made sure I was in Sunday School and church. Then mamma died and I drifted. When I did go to church, my ears, heart and mind were not open to be saved. As I aged I came back and forth in my walk with the Lord. I thought I was a Christian, but I really was not walking the talk. When Dolores came into my life we made a deal. I picked out our first date and she picked out the second. I took her on a big motorcycle ride, she took me to a gospel concert.... At that concert, my walk started toward God. I met a few men of God that first night. I met Tim Beitzel and Doug Boyer who were singing that night with Brotherhood. I met Duane Nicholson, who was hosting the concert, and I met Neil Enloe who came up out of the crowd at the concert and sang a song he wrote ... The Statue of Liberty. Now Dolores did not know if I would like gospel music, but the one thing I loved in church was the singing. So we sat down and the very first group came out and starting singing "The Old Rugged Cross", and then Dr. Jerry Groff came in from the back playing his trumpet. I was taken in. Thanks to these men and more, my walk took a new turn, thanks to Tim, Doug, Duane, and Neil for helping to get me back on track. Then came others, like Pastor Kevin Brown who drove school bus for me and would witness to me at work, and pray with me in my office. He is now full-time preaching and teaching. Then came Pastor Karen Layman, and Pastor Richard Denison, and Pastor Paul Wyslocki, and Pastor Tony and his wife Ruby, and Pastor Larry Hale and his wife, who were singing at the time. And there were more and more. But the bottom line is as I could handle it, Jesus would feed me more. So, guys, I will give the glory to God for your work. Other than Pastor Layman who has been called home, all the others still work for the Lord. Of course my wife stood beside me through this growing process and she has grown deeper and deeper in love with the Lord. The same is true with our ministry partner ... the love grows deeper with and for the Lord.

So let me wrap it up by saying just this ... Go to work for Jesus, let Him be your doorman, He will put you where He wants you as shown in the scripture of today ... "set me apart Barnabas and Saul for the WORK TO WHICH I HAVE CALLED THEM." While the ones I mentioned have really touched my life, they are still working and still growing in the Lord. Folks, we never stop growing in Jesus, till the day He calls us home. Work for the Lord, and you can do this regardless of your age, or if you are working fulltime on a job, or retired. If we can take in air, in one way or the another we can work for God. Listen, even our flock at the Bridges still work. As one person moves on home to Jesus and another moves in, our flock will try and have them in church the very first Sunday. They do a good job for Jesus.

Let's pray ... Father in Heaven, please open those doors for us, today we want to go deeper into Your word and into Your work. Help me, help us, to be able to witness to at least one person per day, at least one. And Lord protect those on the road for You. Bless them and their families. Traveling mercies for those ladies Lord, and Lord please anoint Pam for her last weeks at work. May her work there be a credit to You even to the last day. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Tomorrow we will be singing at Cedar Haven in Lebanon at 2.00 PM ... Sunday service is at 10.00 AM at the Bridges, and yes you are welcome ... now time for me to say ... please share your blessings ... love ya, dan.