Lighthouse Missions Ministry
Loving God, loving people, serving people.
THE POWER OF PARTNERSHIP
Sat, 8th October, 2011
Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.
Acts 4:32 NKJV
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Philippians 1:3-5
• The early church had partnership, a common bond and commitment. Partnership goes beyond membership or affiliation because it is a covenant, an agreement of committed relationship.
• David and Jonathan shared a covenant partnership: “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself....And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself” (I Samuel 18:1,3 NIV)
• Membership or Affiliation is a club that focuses on benefits and exclusivity. Partnership is a covenant and focuses on serving and commitment.
1. Partnership is Unity: “I will protect the unity of my organization”
• Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:35 NIV. Unity is not uniformity. We are all different but must learn to “accept one another” Romans 15:7 NIV.
• Gossip, competition, jealousy and unforgiveness all violate the 15 commandments of love (I Corinthians 13:4-6) and should not be tolerated.
• God has placed Leadership in an organization to be followed; “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.” Hebrews 13:17 NIV.
2. Partnership is responsibility: “I take responsibility for my organization.”
• In partnerships, we pray faithfully for the unchurched to be saved and invite them to church events, small groups, and services; “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.” Luke 14:23 NIV.
• In partnership, we carry the burden of others in a group of committed relationships; “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently...Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1.
3. Partnership is serving: “I will serve in the ministry of my organization.”
• Serving is the highest expression of Love. Jesus served and washed His disciples’ feet. We serve each other not out of duty but out of partnership. “Unless I wash you, you have no part (partnership) with me.” John 13:8 NIV.
• Every believer has a gift and a ministry. Partnership is recognizing our part in making the organization happen and doing it faithfully. “The body is a unit, though it is made of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body....Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” I Corinthians 12:12, 27 NIV.
4. Partnership is Faithfulness: “I am loyal to my organization”
• Faithful in Attendance. Partnership is faithfulness in gathering with the Church/Organization family. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 NIV.
• Faithful in Lifestyle. Partnership is faithfulness to the reputation and example of our organization; “The Lord knows who are HIS,” and “Everyone who confesses the Name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” 2 Timothy 2:19 NIV.
• Faithful in Giving. Partnership is faithfulness in tithes and offerings, not out of duty but to support the local church and missions outreach. “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income. I Corinthians 16:2 NIV.
Acts 4:32 NKJV
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.
Philippians 1:3-5
• The early church had partnership, a common bond and commitment. Partnership goes beyond membership or affiliation because it is a covenant, an agreement of committed relationship.
• David and Jonathan shared a covenant partnership: “Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself....And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself” (I Samuel 18:1,3 NIV)
• Membership or Affiliation is a club that focuses on benefits and exclusivity. Partnership is a covenant and focuses on serving and commitment.
1. Partnership is Unity: “I will protect the unity of my organization”
• Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” John 13:35 NIV. Unity is not uniformity. We are all different but must learn to “accept one another” Romans 15:7 NIV.
• Gossip, competition, jealousy and unforgiveness all violate the 15 commandments of love (I Corinthians 13:4-6) and should not be tolerated.
• God has placed Leadership in an organization to be followed; “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.” Hebrews 13:17 NIV.
2. Partnership is responsibility: “I take responsibility for my organization.”
• In partnerships, we pray faithfully for the unchurched to be saved and invite them to church events, small groups, and services; “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.” Luke 14:23 NIV.
• In partnership, we carry the burden of others in a group of committed relationships; “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently...Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1.
3. Partnership is serving: “I will serve in the ministry of my organization.”
• Serving is the highest expression of Love. Jesus served and washed His disciples’ feet. We serve each other not out of duty but out of partnership. “Unless I wash you, you have no part (partnership) with me.” John 13:8 NIV.
• Every believer has a gift and a ministry. Partnership is recognizing our part in making the organization happen and doing it faithfully. “The body is a unit, though it is made of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body....Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” I Corinthians 12:12, 27 NIV.
4. Partnership is Faithfulness: “I am loyal to my organization”
• Faithful in Attendance. Partnership is faithfulness in gathering with the Church/Organization family. “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25 NIV.
• Faithful in Lifestyle. Partnership is faithfulness to the reputation and example of our organization; “The Lord knows who are HIS,” and “Everyone who confesses the Name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” 2 Timothy 2:19 NIV.
• Faithful in Giving. Partnership is faithfulness in tithes and offerings, not out of duty but to support the local church and missions outreach. “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income. I Corinthians 16:2 NIV.
Wonderfully Made by Pastor Wilner Pagaling
Tue, 27th September, 2011
Psalm 139:1-10
When God looked at the world He’d made, He declared it good. Making man—male and female—in His image was the crowning achievement of His creative work (Gen. 1:27). Psalm 139 reminds us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
The Lord has given each of His children great potential for service in His kingdom. However, some of us have serious doubts that this is true. When we compare ourselves to other people, we notice the things we lack. At other times, we repeatedly criticize ourselves for mistakes we’ve made. How can we have awesome potential when we see so many ways in which we fall short?
When he was growing up in Pharaoh’s household, Moses appeared to have many advantages. Then he killed an Egyptian and fled the country. No longer did he seem a likely candidate to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But God looked beyond what Moses had done and saw who he could become.
Before being saved, the apostle Paul vehemently opposed those who believed in Jesus. Yet through God’s mercy, he became a mighty evangelist and author of several New Testament books. Peter was a simple fisherman who denied—not once but three times—that he knew Jesus. Still, the Lord chose him to become the leader of the Jerusalem church.
Our Father sees beyond our human frailtiesto the potential we have in Christ. Because we were made in His image and His Spirit dwells in us, we have a greater capacity for spiritual transformation and service than we could imagine. Seek to becomethe person God desires for you to be.
When God looked at the world He’d made, He declared it good. Making man—male and female—in His image was the crowning achievement of His creative work (Gen. 1:27). Psalm 139 reminds us that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
The Lord has given each of His children great potential for service in His kingdom. However, some of us have serious doubts that this is true. When we compare ourselves to other people, we notice the things we lack. At other times, we repeatedly criticize ourselves for mistakes we’ve made. How can we have awesome potential when we see so many ways in which we fall short?
When he was growing up in Pharaoh’s household, Moses appeared to have many advantages. Then he killed an Egyptian and fled the country. No longer did he seem a likely candidate to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. But God looked beyond what Moses had done and saw who he could become.
Before being saved, the apostle Paul vehemently opposed those who believed in Jesus. Yet through God’s mercy, he became a mighty evangelist and author of several New Testament books. Peter was a simple fisherman who denied—not once but three times—that he knew Jesus. Still, the Lord chose him to become the leader of the Jerusalem church.
Our Father sees beyond our human frailtiesto the potential we have in Christ. Because we were made in His image and His Spirit dwells in us, we have a greater capacity for spiritual transformation and service than we could imagine. Seek to becomethe person God desires for you to be.