The Ministry of Ducks

I was seven years old. It was picture day at school. I didn’t enjoy picture day. My unruly, naturally curly hair was not very cooperative. This morning was no different. I knew almost all of the kids would be wearing their nice new clothes. I lived with my grandma. We had a lot of love in our home. There was not much of anything else. I was standing on the porch waiting for time to leave. I saw Aunt Lillie walking up the road to our house. She had a bag in her hands. I knew that meant that somebody was in for a big surprise! You can imagine how happy I was when she handed the package to me. Aunt Lillie did not have children. She loved all of the kids in our family. She treated us as if we were her own.Inside of the bag was a new dress she had made for me. The pattern was bright yellow cartoon ducks. I loved it! I wore my new dress with pride that day.

There was something special about Aunt Lillie. We all knew that she was a Christian. Sometimes she would take me to church with her. I often asked her questions about God and the Bible. She was always patient to answer me. I remember her telling me to listen to my heart. She told me that God spoke to little girls there. Aunt Lillie probably never knew that I saw the love of God in that dress. She showed me the love of God in many ways. It is not always the big stuff that leads someone to Jesus. It may be something as simple as a cartoon duck dress on picture day. Aunt Lillie is in Heaven now. My little grandson asked me one day how big God is. I told him that God is big enough to hold the whole world in one hand, and small enough to live inside of a little boy’s heart. See Aunt Lillie, I was listening all along.

Luke 18:16 “But Jesus called unto him,and said, suffer little children to come unto me,and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

. ~Connie Robinson

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

Servant Angels

This past week I’ve been reading in the book of Judges, particularly about the story of Gideon. Gideon was the least in his family, who was the least in their tribe in the nation of Israel. He was the low man on the totem pole. He was so afraid of the oppressing Midianites stealing his wheat, that he was threshing his wheat in a wine press. Yet God sent an angel to tell Gideon that he was a mighty man of valor who would deliver his people from the hand of the Midianites.

Many of you know the story, but as I kept reading, something struck me. God commanded Gideon to destroy the idols of his father. To do this, Gideon went in the middle of the night with his ten most loyal servants and destroyed the idols…

Whoa! Wait a minute. You mean that the low man on the totem pole had servants who helped him to do what God had called him to do? Actually, most people of wealth or authority in the old testament had servants, but I was fascinated to see that Gideon had servants as well.

Now most people in our culture  do not employ people to serve their households. But did you know that you do have servants! Hebrews 1:14 (Amplified) says, “Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?” We are kings and priests of the Most High God and just as all kings have servants, we too have been provided servants, the angels of God! And just like Gideon, God wants us to utilize our angels to assist us in accomplishing the things God has called us to do. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty excited to begin exploring and discovering how we can use God’s angels as servants! How about you?

~Dr. Matt

Image Credit Angel © Olga Poreda via sxc.hu

The Journey of Trust

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” ~John 8:32 (Amp)

Here at Gateway we work on building relationships with each other. What is the importance of building a relationship with those you fellowship with? For me, it is building up trust with those I work with and interact with. As a child, I was considered too trusting in people, mainly adults and those older than me. I believed in them and what they said. They were older, and they were supposed to protect the younger generation.

Over the years many, many things happened to cause me to change that outlook. I remember one instance when I went to a good friend of mines house a few blocks down. We were living in Dayton, Ohio in Wright Patterson Air Force Base housing at the time. This friend and I were in middle school/junior high together. I was at her house a lot. This one particular time, her older, high school, brother called me to come into the dining room. I can’t remember what for. We were upstairs, and I had been alone with him in rooms before so there wasn’t any reason to question anything this time. When I came into the room, he cornered me and tried to take advantage of me. I hollered, and he let me up. I never went into a room alone with him again. Trust in men was diminishing. I found myself trying to second-guess motives in people, but mainly men. My whole life has been full of episodes where the men in my life could not be trusted. You could not depend on them to keep their word and do what they said that they would do.

When I was pregnant with my first son, my husband and I lived in a small trailer that we rented from the father of a good friend of mine here in the county I live in now. I went camping with them. I spent summers with them. Well, when I kicked my husband out for cheating, I decided that I would move in with my parents. I was about 8 months along. Well, my landlord, who was a deacon in his church, came to me to and said that we could come up with some type of an arrangement so that I can stay with him. I was shocked because this man was a deacon in his church. People who go to church are not supposed to do things like that. Secondly, I was shocked because I was eight months pregnant and married. Thirdly, I was shocked because my parents raised me differently than that and for him to assume I would do such a things was appalling! Needless to say, I moved out but not until after my son was born.

The Word is preached and taught each time the doors open at Gateway. The truth that God wants us to know so that we can be set free is not sugar coated, watered down, or altered to be digestible to those in the congregation. It is the truth of the WORD that GOD wants us to know. For me, I desire the truth. I hate it when people run around the bush in trying to get a point across. In order for me to grow as a person, I need the truth. Do I trust completely? Not by a long shot. I can say that I trust more now than I did before I started to attend Gateway. As long as I continue to move forward,  I will learn to trust more and to grow into what God wants for me.

It is the truth of His Word that will make you free and cause you to grow and carry out your destiny in the Kingdom of God. It is His truth that will help you get through the hard times that we all go through at some point in time. I’m still working through my trust issues, but God is faithful to complete the work He has started in me!

~Ronda Sullivan

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

Rekindle the Fire

 

We as the church should be filled with the compassion of God to reach out to a lost and dying world. This world is filled with sin. Sin everywhere you turn. Instead of gossip, strife, and hate, I want to be filled with the love of God, so He can touch this lost world we are living in. We have to be willing to see other people as God sees them. Oh, to be used as His hands, mouth, feet, and eyes. To go where He says go, and do what He says to do.

Rekindle the fire. Rekindle the flame. Burn within me, Lord; A hot flame. A burning desire to live for you. Rekindle the fire in me. I release your power that you’ve given me. I receive your power to set men free.

God needs to be rekindled not just in me, but in everybody that’s in the Body of Christ. The fire use to be in the church like in the days of John G. Lake, and Lester Sumrall. It needs to be rekindled today through prayer, fasting, and seeking Him.

Forgive me, Father, for letting my heart become hard before you. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Make me just like you. Let my heart be full of compassion and love for people as never before.  You went to the sick, ungodly, and brokenhearted. You went to places that religious people would never go. Let us get to the place that we are so hungry for you, so all that matters is to please you.

~Tammy Sanders

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

The Eyes Of A Child

I recently had the pleasure of spending the day with one of the most important people in the world. She is very smart. This person is more entertaining than the most famous movie star. Her antidotes could hold the attention of kings! She is almost two years old. I once heard that the nearest thing to Heaven is a child.

You learn so much from observing her. She loves to explore this world that is new to her. I allow her to run ahead of me. She will often look over her shoulder for the assurance that I am still close by. I am always found within reach.  She smiles as our eyes meet. I celebrate with her when she learns something new. We laugh together when something has filled her with joy. I am there to hold her when things don’t work out like she thought they would. She comes running to me. My arms are always open wide for her. She knows I will be delighted to hold her.

This person never has to wonder if I am pleased with her. There is unconditional love between us. If she is a mess, she knows I won’t mind. I don’t even seem to notice unless she asks me to help clean her up. I accept her just as she is. My little granddaughter is sure I am always there for her. She trusts my love for her because it has been proven time and time again.

Psalms 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with my eyes.

God watches our progress. His eyes are always on his children. We are free moral agents. He allows us to make our own paths. God is never too far away. He is quick to hear us when we call. His arms are always open to hold us. His love for us has been proven over and over. Sometimes the most important lessons can be learned from the eyes of a child.

~ Connie Robinson

Image Credit © Connie Robinson

Graduating

 

This time of year many students are graduating. Some from elementary to middle school, others from middle school to high school. After high school, some will go to a technical school, business school, or go to  college. As parents it brings joy to see our children growing and learning. They are maturing in knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. Not all children learn on the same level.

I remember my brother Al, he was two years younger. He was a straight A student. I would struggle to make C’s. I always dreaded report cards. We would get 50 cents for A’s and a quarter for B’s. If I was lucky I might get fifty or seventy-five cents. Al would clean up usually getting $2.50. I would try harder, but I never attained the $2.50.

I have grown in understanding and wisdom over the years. When I was young I would get discouraged, comparing myself to others. It’s the same way living a Christian life. We have all been caught up in comparing our walk with the Lord against our brothers and sisters in Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote; “For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themsleves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.” 2 Corinthians 10:12

It’s human nature to be competitive. We all should be striving to come to maturity in Christ. It should be the goal of every Christian to be Christ like. Satan loves to bring discouragement and condemnation to every believer. We shouldn’t be ignorant of his devices. The Lord has created each one of us individually. We are unique in design and purpose.

He is a proud father of all his children, no matter what level we have attained unto. The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives to bring forth His nature in us. We all should be striving to attain the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Knowing that one day we will all be graduation to the praise of His glory. I encourage you to keep going and growing.

~Ricky Robinson

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders

Happy birthday!

 

Spring is a time for birthing, and the month of May is no exception! May is the month that I celebrate my birthday. Now I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me, my birthday has always been a bittersweet day.

Sweet in the fact that I LOVE celebrating birthdays! Growing up, this was the one day that I got to eat the most perfect dinner because the menu consisted only of my favorite foods. Friends and family would give me cards, money and gifts just for coming into this world on my special day. With so many wonderful things associated with birthdays, how could they be bitter?

Well, despite the fact that I loved birthday parties, I rarely got invited to any. And when I would invite the 15 to 20 kids that I wanted to come to my birthday party, I typically only had 2 or 3 that would come. Now don’t get me wrong, I thank God for my three faithful friends as a kid. But being rejected by so many of my peers always weighed my heart with sorrow. I would wonder if there was something wrong with me. Why didn’t people want to be my friend?

So each year as I continue to grow and prosper under God’s loving and faithful hand, these same mixed emotions are stirred up. But this year, things are different. You see, last year, God gave me a personal word. He told me that He couldn’t wait for me to be born! That He loves spending time with me! Now I’ve been meditating on this word for several months, but I am still blown away by it. My Father in Heaven has always celebrated my birth, even before it happened!!! So regardless of who remembers my birthday, or who may or may not call me, regardless of what may or may not happen on my birthday, I am going to celebrate and rejoice because my Father and Creator is going to celebrate with me.

Now I’ve shared this to provide you with some encouragement. You see, God doesn’t wait to love us only on our birthdays. God doesn’t wait to celebrate you just on one certain day out of the year. God rejoices, dances, and sings over you because of who you are! He loves you with a depth, width, height, and breadth that is insurmountable! So take time today to celebrate your Father, but also take time to rejoice in what He rejoices over…you! Happy birthday to you!

~Dr. Matt

Image Credit © Tammy Sanders