Trusting In Him

I remember when I had finally truly turned my life to Christ and how I had felt such a yearning and  exuberance in my walk. Angie had told me that it was refreshing to see such boldness. I wanted to let everyone know about the Love of Christ. There was such an urgency to spread the Word. I wanted so much for my family to know Him the way I did. Yet no matter what I did or said it never got through to them how important it was to serve Him. I also know that His Word does not return unto Him void. Isaiah 55:11. They will come around one day.

There was nothing that I didn't want to do. When it was my suggestion for someone to head the Food Bank I was immediately trusted with that ministry. Later when we started the outreaches I suggested someone take charge. Again I was given that ministry. Outreach Coordinator and Director of Food Ministries were my titles. I learned to pray and seek the Lord before I suggested anything again. However the blessings the Lord poured out on me rolled in. I believe it was due to just the simple act of believing and trusting in Him. At that time the Lord truly was my first and true love. I have been tested in that area of my walk with Him on several occasions. I believe that I will be tested in this all of my life. It's a day to day renewal and it all has to do with growth in Life.

We are now only a handful at Cutting Edge. Pastor Harry and Angie have moved out of the state. They meet with a small group in home meetings. We meet every Sunday at an adult care facility here in Phoenix. It is so different from what we have ever done before. Even though we've always been small everything was still on a much larger scale when we had our building. At that time we were involved in so many different things and our meetings consisted of not just Church every Sunday but every Wednesday for prayer, every Friday for Bible study and one Saturday a month for Bible reading. Our Outreaches were held usually at Encanto Park every two months. We'd reach out to the community in this way with local Christian bands performing on stage and different ones sharing testimonials and then Pastor Harry sharing a word followed by an altar call. We'd not only fed the hundreds of homeless and destitute grilled hot dogs, potato salad and chips but also served Jesus to the poor, wretched and blind. Our Food Bank was open to the public once a week but that didn't stop us from giving to the poor when they'd come knocking at our door. I look back and I miss that part of my life. When the doors closed we rented a meeting room at a hotel in Scottsdale for Sundays. On Friday evenings we'd have Bible study at Pastor and Angie's home. But when Pastor and Angie moved I had even wondered if maybe it was time for me to go elsewhere looking for another group to fellowship with. Yet I never heard God's leading in any other direction. I knew that the learning we experienced at Cutting Edge could not be topped. Nothing else satisfied. It's in my heart to say that the Word He had given us was the final Word. I remember Pastor telling us that one day things will change and we had better grab a hold of what we're hearing now. What the Lord is revealing to us right now is so important and beneficial to our walk with Him. There might come a time when we won't be together but we'll remember what He'd revealed to us and apply it to our situation at that given time and whatever that may be. Pastor also used to say that if we don't let Jesus work that in us now what makes us think that we can bare what is to come. In other words if we don't allow Jesus to work out the things that make us weak now what makes us think we'll allow Him to be our strength then. We'll fall until we repent and turn back to Him. I know there is no new Word out there. The time is near and we had better be getting ourselves ready for His soon return. We're always looking for bigger and better things to do. Who do we think we are? Is the Lords' work contingent on how much bigger and better we can do? No, it's not! His work is in us and it is this work that will bring about the Bride that He so longs for. There is nothing else He wants more. Why do we go about thinking that we need to create larger ministries? Yes, we are to keep busy doing the Lords' work but, this work we are doing should be done only to be pleasing to Him and Him alone. What pleases Him? We go back to the scripture in Colossians 1:18. He is to have the preeminence in every part of our lives. This is something that every Christian has to face if we want to mature in Christ. No matter how many churches you raise or how many people you bring to salvation you will not mature in Him if you don't give it all to Him. In this area be very careful if you are mentoring persons in Christ because you will raise ones up to be just like yourself. Christ has to do it all if we are to be like Him. As John the Baptist said to his disciples about Jesus in John 3:30, " He must increase, but I must decrease", so it must be with us. As Johns' ministry was laid down so we must lay ourselves down at the feet of Jesus.