Hey I was talking to someone the other day about something and I've been really chewing on some stuff lately and I thought I'd share.
So check it out. The Scripture I've been looking at and thinking on is really neat. Its In Acts 17, starting on verse 22 but then most importantly 24 and 25.

"The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' "

What's killer about 25 is when it says 'He is not served by human hands as though He needed anything'. It reminds me of when we are told, if we keep silent the rocks will cry out. It makes me think, like God isn't necessarily saying you better talk cause if not the rocks will do it for you. We get a new idea looking at this verse - the idea that God is saying I want you to be a part of this thing that I'm doing. But its okay if you don't cause the rocks can tell of my glory too. Its like 'dang God doesn't need me to do jack for Him, but He wants me to be a part because He loves me so much'.
But this all calls into question our service to Him. Are we letting Him do His work or are we trying to do it for Him like he truly NEEDS us to be his hands and feet. Because if it becomes something of us then it is a work. And though it may be for good, God would most certainly have something better.
Then we must realize also that He gives us life breath and all things. He gives us everything! And why? Because anything of our own flesh would be something that we could boast of, and would most certainly fail. But not only that, as it says, He wants us to seek Him - even grope for Him. When we have no idea what to do we stumble blindly towards Him more and more because of our love for Him that we should have. So we must never forget to seek Him for that is His will for us. We live and move and exist in Him - making Him close to us. Does that not bid us seek more? Cause He really isn't far at all!

Then I've been thinking of another Scripture and how it ties into ministry as a whole. John 6:44-45 says "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God'. Everyone who has heard and learned FROM the Father, comes to Me." Later Jesus says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe. For this reason I have said to you that no one can come Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."
We must realize from this that it is not by our audience appeal or rhetorical skills or persuasive arguments that bring people to know Jesus. Now it says in the beginning of Acts 17 that as Paul gave evidence and reason for his talk of why Jesus had to come and die for us, people joined him. But that does not mean they came to know the Lord. We must realize that it is by the Spirit of God that people come to know Jesus. And if that is our ultimate goal, which of course it is, we must submit completely, agenda and everything to the Lord and what He wants to see happen, for appeal will certainly grow number, but it is the Spirit of God that brings people to know the Lord. It is the Spirit that teaches us. And when we are taught from God and hear from Him we will come to Him. If the flesh profits nothing what can we possibly do but be used by the Lord. Its funny in Hebrews 8:11 it says "And they shall NOT teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother saying, 'know the Lord' - for all will know Me". It furthermore says 'He made the first one (covenant) obsolete.' then expounds upon the old covenant mentioning 'Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary.' Why does is say this? I believe its because the Spirit teaches and the Spirit moves. And He gives us words to say yes - but it is ultimately the Lord who brings people to the Lord. And we must be mindful of that always, because if we want to accomplish our ultimate goal in any ministry this is what must be done.

Going back to Acts 17 I think its important on a side note or in relation to all of what I have just explained, to understand that he gives us life breath and all things. All things is truly all things. That includes faith. I make a strong call for a step up in faith but I've come to realize that our faith is not our own. It says in Ephesians 2 that we are saved by grace through faith which is a gift not of our own which would be a work but given to us freely that none shall boast. That gift is not grace there. It is faith. So our faith is not of something we muster up and grow by learning more.... it is something alotted to us by the Lord amongst everything else. How do we obtain more? We ask, we are tested, and we nurture the QUALITY of it (for the mustard seed was not an amount but a quality - it is a tough seed through and through). And I think that is key to note in the passage whether or whether not it has anything to do with what I"m talking about. It just makes me think, like, if he truly gives us EVERYTHING. Then we need Him SOOOOO much. And if we truly need him SOOOO much, and He wills us to seek and grope for Him, would it not encourage us to be a heck of a lot hungrier?

This all lends support to what I believe worship should look like in a church. Forget about our human tactics. Forget about our strategy. For it was the old covenant that had the divine worship regulations and the like. But God has a strategy. We have to be open to that. And so I say we should come together, and worship. Period. No limit no guidelines. Just worship. For it is certainly true when it is said 'When our praises go up His glory comes down'. For He inhabits the praises of His people. And where two or more are gathered His Spirit is there. And if His spirit is there and we are open to letting Him move. Then He will draw men. And so out of that. We come together to worship God with all we have. And people are then set free. Just like how Paul mentions if an inquirer or visitor comes into a church where the people are prophesying, they will be convicted by the Spirit and fall to their face saying surely God is with this place.
Now just the same there is a difference to what you can feed someone. In 1 Corinthians 3 it talks about feeing milk instead of solid food to those who are not earthly. So of course there are some things that won't make sense in some wordings to onlookers. But note - This is in terms of saying 'first we must establish the foundations of living before we can move on. Yet by all means, move on.' But in reading that we must not neglect 1 Corinthians 2 and Paul's talk of the reliance upon the Spirit. Paul comes to the people with the demonstration of the Spirit so that their faith would not rest on the wisdom of men but on the power of God. However when they do speak wisdom they speak wisdom not of this world, they speak wisdom brought by revelation from the Lord as He reveals it to us. To further this point: 1 Corinthians 4:20, For the Kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.

And to seal it all I must say that if Jesus declares that He will draw all men unto himself (John 12:32), then it must happen because of Ezekiel 12:25: "For I am The Lord. I speak, and the Word which I speak will come to pass." (NKJV)

I say all this to present some Truth that has been revealed to me. Of Our dependance on the Spirit of God and not our own methods. This is something of utmost importance concerning any ministry. And should be passed on to whoever.

Be Blessed,
~Jesse Sliger