My son in the faith,
As I sit to share with you some random thoughts I pray that they may be guided by the Holy Spirit to lead you into a more fulfilling walk with the Lord Jesus Christ and His grace.
I have invested them into your life to teach you to carry on the work that was started in this ministry, but that is not the reason for this writing. I wanted this to be a means of reminding you to be the right kind of man in Jesus Christ.
Many have invested in your life through the years and you should not forget that investment and what it took to bring you to the point in your walk with God that you now enjoy and experience. Therefore, do not forget that investment. Take care of it and invest in it yourself to allow it to grow in you to an even greater level in Christ through the coming years. But don’t forget to use what hads been invested in you to also invest in others. You would not be able to understand what you know now if others had not invested in you, don’t deny that opportunity to those who follow you.
Be bold in your story. Tell others without apology what God is doing in you. Let them see your struggles as well as your victories so they can learn through your life’s journey. Remember, difficult times will come, and the deposit entrusted to you through the demolishing of this world’s system by Jesus, was built upon by the faithful work of others. That should not stop when you are no longer on the scene, it should flourish into the future so they are able to victoriously stand in the days ahead.
Therefore, commit your life to some simple values that will serve you well into the future:
- Preach the Word without apology and with clarity. Your conduct in this area will communicate your faith in Christ and your commitment to unabashedly proclaim the truth to all who will hear it.
- Live the life that draws you consistently closer to God. He will sustain you if your strength is His. If your faith is in His power and not your own abilities, authority or strength of personality, He will guide you through the choppy waters of ministry. life is not always about outward success, sometimes it is being the person God has outlined in His Word before we can ever see how the Spirit plans to use a situation.
- You may preach the most powerful sermons. You may come up with the most incredible programs. You may even grow your church to huge numbers, but if the Holy Spirit is not in it, you have wasted your time. It is not about you or me, it is about Christ at work within us. The most powerful “Deposit” we can pass on to our children, family and congregation is a vital, growing relationship with Jesus Christ. More is made today ot programs than it is of authenticity. Even for those of your generation, authenticity is a significant word that is often used in a vacuum. Understand that real authenticity looks different to different generations. So just because someone doesn’t show it the way you believe it should be expressed doesn’t make it wrong. If it is real, and you can only know that by getting to know someone in a real way, then it is authentic.
- Don’t get hung up on secondary issues. This world will use even good things to try to misdirect you from the mission. God wants you to reach those who don’t know Him and teach them to “observe everything He commanded us to do.” Learn it, Love it, Live it, Teach it and you will honor Him.
Dan Travis
