Praise the LORD!!!
Yesterdays post came out far later then it should of, this due to major problems here. If you've been following me you'll know and truly I've gotten tired of talking about it. I'm going to try my best, no matter what to focus all my energies on but one thing, bringing glory to our most precious LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!
This devotional is going to be a bit different then most, for it is going to come from the events of the last several days, if not even as much as a week or more. As many of you know I'm in the process of building a ministry for the LORD. Vine of CHRIST Ministries is it's name and like my previous statement is about serving the LORD and bringing HIM all the glory. Nothing more and nothing less. Recently I've made some statements about the ministry that people just can't seem to fathom. This partially to the fact that they are a bit on the wild side(not the people, the statements), shall I say. Kind of stretching the envelope to the extreme. This has happened because of the fact that when the LORD leads me to do something, I don't think twice about it, I just do it. This goes right down to a lot of what I say and write. This stems from the fact that when the LORD got my attention, HE got it wholeheartedly. Yes there have been moments of straying, but for the most part HE has my attention 110% and some!
I'm no super saint, prophet or apostle and won't claim to be, I'm just like most people struggling with my faith and trying to do the best that I can with each day. I do spend a large amount of my time reading the Bible and doing Bible related research and study. I do spend almost all of my time working on the LORD's ministry for me on top of this. So as you can see most of my time is spent in relationship, in one form or another with the LORD. I'm a single man and have no family that wants anything to do with me, because of my faith, so I've no problem putting everything I can into serving the LORD. Even while working on the Mississippi gulf coast rebuilding homes and lives after Katrina wrecked havoc upon them. Everything that was above that which was needed to live, was spent on tools and materials to do more work for the LORD's ministry.Can you begin to see a pattern here? One where my whole being revolves around JESUS and nothing else!
As Christians we are called to be CHRIST-like. Those people around us are to see CHRIST in all the things that we do, not just those on Sunday or whenever we've stepped out of a church related meeting, but 24/7, 365. This is that which makes me different then most Christians. I strive to fulfill this constantly, working on my walk with the LORD, continuously! If there is something that is brought to mind by another, whether a person or GOD, I do my best to bring it to its proper position within my life. Working on it until it is in conformity to that which I believe it should be and believe me when I say that I do check all these out according to scriptures, I do.
Much of what that has been happening lately has been due to the LORD's moving within my life. I've stepped out numerous times in the last year and believe me, it feels great to place all your trust in the LORD!!!
I've been being led to let people know about the differences between VCM and other ministries in existence. Which there are many to say the least. I'll not go into the details here, because they have been written already or will be in the near future. Anyone that whats to find out any of these just has to do a little searching online. I've made no attempt to hide anything I've done from a single person and all can be found online somewhere. Now some of these aren't what can be called normal, from a worldly aspect and even for most Christians, they'll seem to be pushing the limits of what they believe to be Christian means. Now I did just say "what they believe," because if you've not noticed I think a bit different then most. I praise the LORD for this and am glad to count myself as one of HIS peculiar people. One of my favorite Christian bands is dcTalk and I love their song "JESUS Freak" and would account myself as one. For I will go to the limits of laying my life down to serve the LORD and have had it threatened because of this stand. I will not renounce CHRIST, even if it means my life!!!
This is one thing that seems to have people wary about the ministry. For I'm seeking people that are also willing to go this far. Just as the first century church members were willing to stand before the ruling counsels of the Hebrews, facing imprisonment or even death. Those that are willing to forsake everything in the world, and their very lives, to follow and live a life that is sold out to JESUS. Working together with people that all they want to do is bring glory to the most precious name in all existence. Striving to place HIS name upon the lips of every living being upon this planet that they can come into contact with. Serving JESUS like none have in quite some time. Are you willing to give your all to serve HIM? Even if it means giving the ultimate sacrifice? For truly this is what it means to wholeheartedly give your life to CHRIST. No less then HE did for you. For HE gave HIS all, right down to the very last breaths from HIS lungs and beats of HIS heart. Should we not be willing to do the very same for another, that they too may know the truth about that which JESUS did for them? I ask you now. Are you truly willing to follow JESUS?
Prayer request can be sent to: prayers@vineofchrist.org
GOD bless and good day,
Rev. Marshall Barth
Vine of CHRIST Ministries
Vine Ministerial Network International
Sunday, March 28, 2010
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