Staying the Course: A Weekly Challenge for Faithful Servants
Leadership and God's Presence
Following the encounter Moses had with God on Mount Sinai, he returned to the camp having been informed by God that the people had gone astray. Moses was about to face another very difficult circumstance in ministry – his brother and right-hand man was also implicated in the rebellion.
Judgment came upon the people as three thousand who were unwilling to repent were killed. Additionally, God made it clear that a plague would impact the Israelites in response to their breaking the covenant.
God’s grace is once again demonstrated as He did not destroy the nation. The Israelites’ relationship with God had been severely impacted, yet God reaffirmed His commitment to take the nation to the Promised Land. In the midst of this difficulty, Moses made this statement:
Exodus 33:15 Then he said to Him, "If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.”
As Moses well understood, if God was to withdraw from our lives and ministries, everything would be hopeless!
The writer to the Hebrews found great encouragement in God’s promise to remain faithful to His people:
Hebrews 13:5-6 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
What a glorious comfort! God does not leave us wondering, nor does He threaten to abandon us. Although we are entirely undeserving, yet He absolutely commits to remain with us and to sustain us. The joy of ministry is found in knowing that it is God’s work accomplished by God’s power and provision. He is the faithful God who will never leave us on our own!
There is an overwhelming amount of material on the internet today. Who could possibly keep up? There are not sufficient hours in the day to read all of the books, blogs and tweets, or to listen to all of the CDs, mp3s and podcasts.
The purpose of XL Ministries is quite simple: We desire to train people for ministry within the context of the church. We are also committed to providing encouragement and ongoing training for those who are currently serving in the ministry.
Staying the Course is simply another avenue to accomplish these purposes. Our desire is to offer, in a brief format, biblical encouragement and practical insights to remind us of who we are in relation to who our great God is, what we are doing, and why we are doing it. The intent is to provide some scriptural thoughts for meditation for the week.
