This past week my church had a commissioning service for our mission team going to Guatemala. It is one of my favorite services we have every year. It is a service in which I have seen God move in miraculous ways over and over. I was in the worship band that night and was going to the service with intentions to minister to others. I knew there would be a time to pray for the people going on the trip, so I wasn’t really going with the expectation to be ministered to. Not that I didn’t think I could be, but my expectation was to minister to others.
When the time to pray for others arrived, I got in a group with someone going on the trip and a few other people. The person going on the trip asked me if he could pray for me. *insert confused look here* I wanted to tell him no, that we were there to pray for him. Knowing there would still be time for me to pray for him after, I said go for it.
After he finished praying for me, another person in our group told me God gave them a word for me. What followed completely rocked me and caught me off guard. I was at the service to minister to others, and there God was speaking as clear as day to me. I’m not sure I’ve completely recovered from the power of what God said to me that night.
As I’ve been reflecting and processing that service, God has reminded me of a simple truth. Luke 6:38 says, “give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” The truth is that if you pour into others, it makes space for God to pour into you.
The church I attend, House Church, recently shifted the model of our services. It now includes a time where everyone is encouraged to share and minister to each other. Whether it is a testimony or moving in the gifts of the Spirit, there is intentional time for it every service. There is also a time where we split into groups and pray. It has been incredible to see what God has done in the services. As people have poured out into others, it has allowed God to pour so much back into them. Just a week ago, there was a person who was 95% deaf who was completely healed!
I truly believe we have seen a shift in God moving in our service because we are pouring out more. There is an expectation that we will at each service, and when we do it allows God to move in a mighty way. Person after person has showed up ready to give and ends up receiving. We aren’t perfect but we are stepping out in faith and seeing God move.
Angela and I are excited to be starting at campus at our house in late August. If you are interested in more info let me know. You can also check out myhousechurch.org. I am excited to see what God brings as I push myself to pour into others more.
until next time…