Three Generations of Spiritual Legacy

[S] Numbers 25:11-15 --

 ¹¹"Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned away My wrath from the sons of Israel in that he was jealous with My jealousy among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy.
 ¹²"Therefore say, 'Behold, I give him My covenant of peace;
 ¹³and it shall be for him and his descendants after him, a covenant of a perpetual priesthood, because he was jealous for his God andmade atonement for the sons of Israel.'"
 ¹⁴Now the name of the slain man of Israel who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri the son of Salu, a leader of a father's household among the Simeonites.
 ¹⁵The name of the Midianite woman who was slain was Cozbi the daughter of Zur, who was head of the people of a father's household in Midian.

[O] Here I see a legacy of faith from Aaron to Eleazer to Phinehas sustaining the zeal for God.  Phinehas did not waste any time to 1) destroy the sin being committed before God and His people openly; and 2) to stand between the dead and alive to stop the wrath of God as Aaron had done previously.  God honored that and gave him His covenant of peace and a perpetual priesthood.  How I desire such a spiritual legacy from my father to me and then to my children.  My deepest desire is for my children to attain the same, if not greater, zeal for God and live their lives accordingly against the forces and influences of the society they will live in.  Even though they may be surrounded by the sins of our ugly human nature, they would stay with God and stick to uphold His values.

In contrast to this, Zimri and Cozbi, who were both in leadership in their respective communities fell into this blatant sin.  I notice that even these who sinned greatly and paid their consequences were remembered by God by their first names.  He does indeed care for each one of us until the end waiting for us to return to Him.  I also noted that being a leader is not easy as we're the targets for our enemies to attack.  In fact, when the leaders break down the whole ministry suffers as we see here.

[A] Continue to encourage and uplift the small group leaders such that they would walk closer to God each day because that's the only way to surround them with God's armor of protection.  I also need to stay close to God's word daily by starting off the day with His word.

[P] God, Your personal care even for those who fail You (umm that would actually be all of us including me) amazes me and I'm so grateful for your love of second chance.  Please continue to surround me and my family with You angels of protection and please also encourage all the small group leaders in our church as we have recently initiated a new structure.  Please give us wisdom and humility to thwart all the discouragements our enemy shoots our way.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Stealing the Power

[S] Mark 5:28-30 --

 ²⁸For she thought, "If I just touch His garments, I will get well."
 ²⁹Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
 ³⁰Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My garments?"

[O] I never thought we could be stealing anything from Jesus, but this woman did just that!  She secretly approached Jesus and stole His power to heal herself from the long-fought disease.  The woman truly believed that she could only touch the garment she will get well.  It was not an "if" or a "perhaps" but she believed it to be true and then followed through with her actions.  She was prepared to receive the miraculous healing from Jesus and she did just that.  On the surface it looked like she did this without Jesus' knowledge but if you think about it how can the loving God of the universe not know one of His caring children's need and her faith to receive His wonderful power into her life?  Things like this do not happen by chance but by His design and plan.  How beautiful it is to know that God's awesome power is ready to be deployed into any one of our life if we are ready to receive it by faith!  The story of $1.11 Miracle comes to mind where the little girl's faith of miracle indeed came true in saving his brother -- this is a very touching true story.

[A] It's really refreshing to realize that I can tap into His great power any time, even when it seems like I'm stealing away from Him without His knowledge.  In fact, I don't think Jesus would mind my doing that often.  I need to prepare my heart and life to receive such a wonderful power and that is only possible by abiding in His word on  daily basis.

[P] Dear God, please allow me to "steal" Your power more often.  I want to be dwelling in Your miracles by preparing my heart to receive them in every day of my life.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Going from Smaller to Larger

[S] Mark 4:30-32 --
 ³⁰And He said, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it?
 ³¹"It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil,
 ³²yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE."

[O] I equated the "kingdom of God" as the ministries I am currently involved with because they all start with a very tiny element but when nurtured in a fertile culture, they brow up and become something much more significant than what was there in the beginning.  In fact, as stated in verse 32, it will be larger than all other "plants" in the garden.  Having started up a couple of start-up companies I certainly would've liked to see this principle take roots for those businesses -- where I started almost with nothing and wished how it would grow to  something larger than all others.  That was business.  However, in God's ministry, which is to establish His Kingdom here on earth, even a smallest of the faith planted in a fertile heart of a person guarantees to multiply beyond comparison resulting to be a place of rest for many others.

[A] Don't be afraid to surrender or submit my puny little faith such that God may grow it to be a ministry that the people can come and rest.

[P] Dear God, I do have faith in You to carry out the ministry.  It's not much but as You said even the smaller seed like a mustard seed can grow into a place of rest, I trust in You to grow our small group ministry such that people may come and rest in Your presence.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Standing Between the Dead and the Living

[S] Numbers 16:47-48 --
⁴⁷Then Aaron took it as Moses had spoken, and ran into the midst of the assembly, for behold, the plague had begun among the people. So he put on the incense and made atonement for the people.
⁴⁸He took his stand between the dead and the living, so that the plague was checked.

[O] After a series of grumbling and complaining against Moses (starting with Korah), the whole congregation approached Moses and Aaron to blame them for putting all of them in such a situation. God was not happy with them and asked Moses and Aaron to step aside while He wipes them off the face of the earth. For the third time straight, Moses and Aaron falls to their faces and intercedes to God for the people. I don't know if I can do that, let alone three times in a row. Then even before God's wrath is released on the people, Moses acts quickly and tells Aaron to offer the incense/atonement for the people. What's amazing is how quickly and sacrificially both of the leaders responded to save the people. The phrase in verse 48, "stand between the dead and the living" really grabbed my heart as I was reading it. Is this what a godly leader's role is -- to stand between the dead and the living risking my own life trusting in God based on a firm relationship through Jesus Christ? Wow! The only hope in this picture is "so that the plague was checked." God honors such a servant leadership even to the point of saving lives (and in my limited perspective, changing His mind in this situation).

[A] Spiritual leadership is based on the servanthood of taking of lives of the followers. Humility and willing sacrifice seems to be requirements. Need ask God for strength to carry out such a leadership in the small group ministry on daily basis.

[P] God, You never meant a true leadership of Your people to be a "walk in the park" but is only possible through humble commitment to be fully responsible for Your people's lives (both spiritual and physical). It's a quite scary proposition but You've drawn me in to taking such a role and with trembling I come to You. Continue to pour into my heart Your own heart of sacrificial love for Your people. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Teach Me to Number My Days

[S] Psalm 90:12,14,17 --
    ¹²So teach us to number our days,
         That we may present to You a heart of wisdom. 
    ¹⁴O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness,
         That we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
    ¹⁷Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;
         And confirm for us the work of our hands;
         Yes, confirm the work of our hands.

[O] Every day of my life counts!  In fact, that's how God wants me to treat each day of my life -- to number them and make them count by living a wise life.  Since I'm on a roll with establishing my "early" morning devotional time on a daily basis, I'm thinking of numbering my days that I will spend that special time with Jesus and that my heart be filled with His wisdom during that time to carry me through the day.  I am also gleaning from verse 14 that those morning times will satisfy me with His lovingkindness and that my heart will sing for joy and gladness with thanksgiving for another day that I may live Him.  At the same time, I will claim for His favor mentioned in verse 17 to confirm the efforts poured into the small group ministry because thinking it through in my ways I am filled with fear and inadequacy because the task is too large to handle.  So, I also say, Yes, confirm the work of my hands.

[A] Make every day count by starting the day with that special moment with Jesus.  Draw from Him the wisdom to live out that day for His purposes.

[P] Dear God, I am leaning on the Holy Spirit who is my Helper to carry on with my initial conditioning of setting up the "early morning" altar for You.  Please continue to encourage me and lead me to prioritize my times better to allow this to happen without forcing it on myself as a ritual.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

How Early is Early Morning?

[S] Mark 1:34-35 --
³⁴And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.
³⁵In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

[O] As Jesus begun His public ministry, He displayed the wonderful power of God through the many signs and miracles mentioned in verse 34 (and much more I'm sure). What a scene it would've been as a witness of these wonders He performed! As I wished I was one of the witnesses there, I'm also asking the question to myself: What would I be thinking as I was seeing these wonders? Would I just be amazed as one of the spectators as if I'm watching a magic show? Was I thinking that Jesus is the Son of God so of course He can do all these things because He is God? These would've been easy for Him to do, right? Something tells me it wasn't that easy as I read on to verse 35. Although Jesus was God, He was also present in a full human form and limitations, so He needed to connect with God in order to minister with such power and wonders. His prayer time early in the morning before the sunrise was the key vehicle for Him to draw such power from God in His human capacity. He chose the hiding place away from all interruptions and prayed. This is both encouraging and challenging for me; encouraging because this means I, too, can carry out tasks that are beyond my own limitations; challenging because it'll require a tremendous amount of effort and discipline from my end to be in such a state.

[A] In verse 35, the key operatives that caught my attention are: "got up," "left the house," "went away," and "praying." Perhaps getting up is the greatest challenge for me at the moment because unless I get up, the rest is history! Yesterday on Sunday, our pastor guided us, during this period of Lent, to give up something that my heart latches on to whatever it may be. As I thought about that, I was convicted to give up my morning sleeping-in hour which I enjoy :-) (i.e., get up earlier despite how I'd be more tired during the day). And guess what passage God shows me this morning? Jesus getting up early for His own devotional time with God in order to carry out the God-sized ministry. So, I'm going to take this as God's cheer-leading for my commitment during this Lent (and hopefully continue on!) and try my best to keep it going.

[P] Thank You, God for responding so positively to my meager commitment of getting up earlier to have the devotional time with You. It's such a wonder to know that the God of this universe still cares about just one of me. I look forward to meeting You "early" in the morning. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God Speaks Our Language

[S] Acts 26:14 --
 ¹⁴"And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'

[O] Here is Saul, who had been persecuting the Christians and on the way to further expand his mission in Damascus.  I'm amazed at how softly Jesus approaches him despite the persecution coming from him.  Jesus doesn't need to be that gentle.  He could come down real hard on this guy and He can, too.  But He chooses to take this gentle route.  He also speaks the language Saul can relate to.  This is quite the contrary to the system we use in our society.  When's the last time the legal system used the language I can relate to?  The burden is always on me to learn their language and if I don't then it's too bad for me.  Whether I understood or not, I need to adhere to the law, isn't it?  And that's why we hire the professionals like the lawyers and CPAs.  However, God's ways are always in the favor of me -- He speaks our language so we can relate to His heart and to follow Him eventually from the inside out.

[A] Always see it from the other people's perspective and do my best to approach them with gentleness and understanding even if I have the full rights.  Practice this when I'm driving and someone cuts me off or gets in front of me and slows me down.

[P] Dear God, Your gentleness and willingness to understand my heart (vis-a-vis Saul's encounter) simply blows my mind because You don't need to do that at all, but You did to the fullest.  I want to take on that mind of Jesus in my own life and in ministry.  Thank You for this encouragement.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

End of Religion, Beginning of Christianity

[S] Acts 25:19 --
 ¹⁹but they simply had some points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a dead man, Jesus, whom Paul asserted to be alive.

[O] Just this morning, a pilot crashed a small plane into an IRS office building in Austin, Texas intentionally after leaving a suicide note.  I was quite saddened to hear this news in the first place and wanted to find out more about the cause.  Glancing through this note online it was clear his bitterness toward this society and government mounted up over many years leading him to take this path as the only way out to voice his mind to the world.  I felt very sad as I was reading his note because in this person's mind there was no other hope.  The resurrected power of Jesus to alleviate us from this type of hopelessness in this world was too distant from him just like how Fetus commented about this "dead man, Jesus."  In light of this backdrop, Paul was doing all he can to tell others about this particular power and hope Jesus provides and it appears not much has changed in 2,000 years -- there are still too many people who think Jesus was just a dead man from 2,000 years ago.  I need to be more like Paul where I can let others know that there is HOPE in this world regardless of how depressing we can get in the midst of turmoils of our lives.  The religious part of our faith ended with the death of Jesus because by His resurrection, He's provided the love relationship with Him to establish the Christianity.

[A] Find ways to apply the fact that Jesus is not left in death but has risen from the dead to give me the newness of life in His power.  Here and there I get overwhelmed about pushing through with the small group ministry.  I am encouraged by today's passage to move onward by tapping into the power of the risen Lord, not on my own efforts.

[P] Dear God, I am asking You to let Your power of the resurrection carry me forward in our small group ministry at our church.  Please let it be the sole power to carry this ministry onward and not of any one of our own efforts.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Census Without Levites

[S] Numbers 1:47-54 --
 ⁴⁷The Levites, however, were not numbered among them by their fathers' tribe.
 ⁴⁸For the LORD had spoken to Moses, saying,
 ⁴⁹"Only the tribe of Levi you shall not number, nor shall you take their census among the sons of Israel.
 ⁵⁰"But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its furnishings and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall take care of it; they shall also camp around the tabernacle.
 ⁵¹"So when the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle encamps, the Levites shall set it up But the layman who comes near shall be put to death.
 ⁵²"The sons of Israel shall camp, each man by his own camp, and each man by his own standard, according to their armies.
 ⁵³"But the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the testimony, so that there will be no wrath on the congregation of the sons of Israel So the Levites shall keep charge of the tabernacle of the testimony."
 ⁵⁴Thus the sons of Israel did; according to all which the LORD had commanded Moses, so they did. 

[O] The reason for not including the Levites in the census is because they were set apart to oversee the tabernacle where God's glory was present.  They were not to get mingled into the every day tasks the rest of the people were responsible for.  They were not to get involved in the wars the rest of the people had to fight.   Another passage outlines how they were not to have any land either.  Their role was to keep complete charge of the tabernacle.  Even though this may be implied, we also see that for forty years wondering the wilderness, the Levites never had any issues of survival because they worked in harmony with the rest of the community.  Who are today's "levites?"  I believe they are those on staff to local churches -- both pastors and other paid staff members.  Their fully dedicated responsibility of keeping charge of the church and also to work in harmony with the rest of the congregation/community is what God designed in the first place.  In many ways, they should not worry too much about the every day chores but to fully dedicate their focus on keeping the church in line with God's leadership.  However, from my observation, we seem to be veering further from this mainstream because more and more pastors and staff members have to worry about financially sustaining for them and their family resulting in less and less coverage of the needs of the church itself.  The thoughts from today's passage may not be a spiritual one but nevertheless a critical one for us to support each other in our community such that we would fully function on the tasks God desires for us to focus on.

[A] I need to pray for pastors serving at our church (adult, youth, children) and to volunteer my hours in the Spring cleaning day.

[P] Dear God, please open our eyes to see Your "business plan" for our ministry so that we would most efficiently and effectively achieve Your purposes designed for our church to carry out.  We, as the congregation, must harmoniously support our paid staff members and their families such that they would not have to distract themselves away from guarding and keeping in charge of Your tabernacle.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

First: Walk and Carry His Commandments

[S] Leviticus 26:3-4,8-9  --

 ³'If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out,
 ⁴then I shall give you rains in their season, so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit.

 ⁸five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.
 ⁹'So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you


[O] Quite an encouraging passage outlining how my obedience to keep His commandments will result in the abundance of His blessings and provision for all of my needs as well as the strength to push forward against all odds.  As I think about the actual ROI of this statement, it's simply mind boggling because not only this goes against the what the society strives for but it also seems too easy to do -- I don't have to work hard at all but just keep God's statues and commandments.  (BTW, past Sunday's sermon was on this concept based on Psalm 37:4 -- Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.) As I ponder on this thought, my mind's peaking into the heart of God -- what He desires from me in priority order.  I admit that God can do anything so the part about His provisioning to all of my needs shouldn't surprise me.  In fact He wants to do that for me as long as my heart is aligned with His.  As long as I'm in pursuit of His purposes for my life.  He wants my heart.  Then He will guarantee the rest.  Is it that simple and easy?  On paper it seems so but speaking from experience it ain't that easy.  In fact, in subsequent verses (Leviticus 26:14-46) God lists the consequences of disobedience with multiple "If you fail to follow me ..." statements but I won't go there now because I want to end on a high note this morning enjoying the concept of receiving the abundant provision from Him.  I want to end with the encouraging thought of following His commands today and knowing that He will delight in my obedience.  I want to be driven by this encouraging thought today.

[A] Identify an area of my life that I'm striving very hard to achieve greater results and surrender to Him the outcome of that effort while committing to first follow His commands of learning, meditating, and applying His word into my life.

[P] Dear God, what a wonderful thought to start the day after a long weekend holiday.  Allow me to live out this week to taste Your sweet blessings in my and my family members' lives because we desire to follow Your commands foremost.  Please guide and guard my children's hearts this week and let them be focused on Your leadership.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.d

A Passionate U-Turn

[S] Acts 22:6-7 --
 ⁶"But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me,
 ⁷and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'

[O] From the verses leading up to this passage we can see what Saul did to "passionately" persecuted the Christians and how he lived his life zealously (v. 3) to live for God in his own way.  The word, "but" in v. 6 signals the turning point in his current way of life because out of His love toward all of us including Saul, He took the initiative to reach out to Saul in that form of a bright light from heaven.  Likewise, turning points in my life are marked by God's reaching out to me even when I'm happily veering off in the opposite direction whether I intended to or not.  This is when God gives me an opportunity to turn around recognizing His amazing grace and love.  In v. 7, did He really have to ask that question to Saul?  No, Jesus already knew the answer but His question provided the chance for Saul to respond and make his U-turn toward His warm-welcoming arms.  This question reminds me of when God asked Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:9 -- Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"  Again, He already knew the answer but in this question is the opportunity for Adam and Eve to make that U-turn (which they didn't).  Saul, did make the U-turn and through his life forward, God did mighty works.

[A] When (not if) I am faced with God's gracious question of invitation into His grace and love, stay humble and make the U-turn into His bosom and rest there.  I am bound to veer off repeatedly no matter how hard I try not to just like a sheep, so need to be sensitive to His invitation to my turning points in life and respond humbly to align myself in order to take part in greater projects He has for me.

[P] Dear God, I know You will continuously signal me to make those U-turns in my life so I thank You in advance and desire to stay humble to Your callings to make necessary adjustments in my own life. I desire to be used by You in each phases of my spiritual maturity.  I am also thankful for the brothers in my small group to begin sharing our devotions to allow greater accountability for each others growth.  Please honor our commitments by showing Your wonderful presence in the midst of us.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Many People in the City

[S] Acts 18:9-10 --⁹And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent;
 ¹⁰for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city."

[O] I'm reminded of how God sends many of His people to collaborate in speaking the truth to the society we live in.  At times even though it feels like I'm all alone, I need to trust that God had bestowed many of His people around to carry out His purposes.  Spiritual enemy's always lurking around and through others around me to drag me down and to put fear in me.  God told Paul not to be afraid any longer but go on speaking.  God is speaking to me also to not be afraid of some of the situations I'm facing in ministry He placed me but go on speaking.  There will be some attacks but none will be strong enough to harm me.  God's placed many people around me to work together to strengthen up and encourage one another.

[A] Need to rise above some of the discouragements and challenges ahead with the small group ministry by trusting God's promise for my life and the ministry He placed me.  He's going to send co-laborers to work together in this effort.

[P] Dear God, I'm surrendering before You to lay my meager efforts into Your hands such that I will be relying 100% on Your power and workings through my life than trying to achieve things on my own.  Let me not seek my own crown.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Who Can Stand In God's Way?

[S] Acts 11:17-18 --

 ¹⁷"Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"
 ¹⁸When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."

[O] Peter had just returned from Caesarea where Cornelius and other Gentiles experienced the Holy Spirit being poured out (Acts 10:45) and was trying to explain the situation to the Jews back in Jerusalem about how God had prepared him to preach to the Gentiles through the vision and how He had also led Cornelius through a different vision to prepare to invite Peter to hear God's message for them.  In this passage Peter makes a strong point of when God is on the move how would anyone stand in the way.  We are not trying to lead God but He is leading us.  This needs to be made clear as I live my life as well as doing the ministries at my church.  Even though the Jews at first were skeptical, after hearing the news of how God was so evident they also aligned themselves to the grace of God reaching to the Gentiles also leading them to life.  When I align myself to the workings of God, I can achieve things that are outside my comfort zone as well as my own limitations.

[A] Whenever I'm up against steep challenges, look for signs of God's working and align my thinking and life to it because that'll point to the way out.

[P] Dear God, who am I that I could stand in Your way?  My fear and lack of faith is trying to get in Your way of leading the small group ministry at my church.  Continue to equip me with Your strength to carry out my role such that I would experience the uplifting power as Peter and the Jews experienced in seeing how You reached out to the Gentiles also.  May You surprise me in a sweet way.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Moved Hearts Moves Our Offerings

[S] Exodus 35:29,35; 40:5,7 -- ²⁹The Israelites, all the men and women, whose heart moved them to bring material for all the work, which the LORD had commanded through Moses to be done, brought a freewill offering to the LORD.
 ³⁵"He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs.
 ⁵and they said to Moses, "The people are bringing much more than enough for the construction work which the LORD commanded us to perform.
 ⁷For the material they had was sufficient and more than enough for all the work, to perform it.

[O] I see the scene here where God's Spirit moving the hearts of men which results in the people responding to the calling of God to bring their treasures to make the tabernacle, God's temple.  The temple does have the physical structure but more so than that, His people is what really establishes the true temple for Him.  These people's outpouring of their treasures is such a wonderful scene to imagine.  In verse 35 I also see how God gifts these people with various skills to carry out their tasks to the max.  Isn't it true that God is the source of our skills?  And when we desire to use them for His purposes, He will fill us with necessary skills?  What's more amazing is that the people kept bringing more and more such that it was more than enough so Moses had to tell them to stop.  When God moves in the midst of the people there's an overflowing of supplies we bring to Him.  One thing to note here is that this is not because a few people offer great amounts but because great amount of people bring what they can afford regardless of the size or amount.

[A] When men initiate God's project, it will go as far as our plans and resources will carry, but when God initiates the task, it will go as far as God's plan and resources will carry.  Which is a better deal?  It's not how well each small group is equipped, but how many willing hearts stirred by God offers their services in this effort that will make the difference.

[P] Dear God, three months into our Small Group ministry's launch and feel a bit draining to keep things going but this passage encourages me to turn to You for moving people's hearts so they would come forth to offer their services.  Let Your Spirit sitr the hearts of people at our church!  In Jesus' name.  Amen.