Posted on in Ministry & Family Updates

2023 Ministry Reflections

Over the past several years of serving in the trenches of small town ministry here in the United States of America, I have gained both an overwhelming appreciation and a deepening burden for the Church. As I have walked through the highs and the lows, felt the pressing and the shaking, been at the center and then faded into hidden obscurity, there has been a still small, yet growing intercessory groan in me to seek God for a soul-drenching outpouring of His Spirit. One that could never be manufactured or manipulated by programs and politics, but rather one that would spring up from the wells of old dug by faith-filled prayers and rent hearts. One that would bring forth a new day of unprecedented glory upon His people–that the nations of the earth would see the worthy Lamb of God and declare, “The Lord, He is God! (1 Kings 18:39).

In my seeking I have become painfully aware of my own barrenness, inadequacy and need for revival–as a pastor, teacher, worship leader [or whatever label I have been given], sure, but most importantly as a husband, father and humbled man before an awesome and holy God. My heart is full, yet it also aches because I’m not okay with an irrelevant Church that has lost its flame. I’m not okay with an immature Church that has no appetite for meat. One that is regrettably over-informed, yet unproven, untrained and unequipped for the days ahead. I’m not okay with an inbred Church that only multiples by dividing inward instead of going outward. I’m not okay with a Church that still dances around with immorality, idolatry and injustice. Are you? Even still, I am gripped with an unrelenting hope that the Lord is not done yet, and that we still have a commission to complete. His news is still good. He is still good! Lord, I need Your mercy. We need Your mercy!

Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.”

1 SAMUEL 13:19

This passage of Scripture has become personal to me over these years of working in various ministry capacities. It has served as a helpful plumb-line and reminder to stay in the fire of His Word and in His presence, to keep pounding in prayer, even in the hot (difficult), low-light (unseen) conditions, in order to forge the Spirit-made tools and weaponry needed to effectively equip His people for the work of ministry until we come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. I’m convinced that without blacksmiths, the enemy has little to fear. Blacksmiths who will stand in the counsel of the Lord, perceive His Word and speak it out with uncompromising love and tender compassion. The Lord is calling His people back to the flame, back to His Word, back to the revelation of His glory, back to the raw materials of fervent prayer and fasting, and back to a pure and precious faith that perseveres through the refining fires of life. This is how He builds His prevailing Church.

“For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it?”

JEREMIAH 23:18

“Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

JEREMIAH 23:29

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ…

1 PETER 1:7

In light of all this, my aim is to continue doing my part, according to the grace that has been given to me, to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and make disciples of all nations beginning with my own household. Looking ahead to 2024, we have much that is on our heart to do, but we are seeking the Lord for His wise leadership. We are hoping for even more opportunities to help equip and train a new wave of missionaries in America who will genuinely strengthen the local church by revitalizing a culture of worship and prayer in our midst and be sent out by the Holy Spirit to reach the harvest fields across our generation–within our communities, online and abroad. We especially sense that the Lord has called us to disciple and resource kingdom messengers, minstrels and missionaries through books, bible studies, music, training courses, mentorship and more.

If you are interested in partnering with us monthly you can click the blue button below or if you have any questions, please contact us here. We would love to personally connect with you if possible and keep you posted on our latest updates, testimonies and ministry opportunities! Please do not feel pressure or put our ministry ahead of giving to your local church or family. We know that as the Lord is leads us, He will continue to provide. If you would like to follow our journey, find our resources, apply for training, serve or sponsor one of our projects, you can click here for all the links. We pray that you have a Merry Christmas and that this next year would be filled with His glory!

Staying in the Fire,

Nick Russo

Posted on in Kingdom Life

Sit Down and Eat

READING: JOHN 6:1-14

“Sit down and Eat!” This was probably one of the most repeated phrases in my house growing up as a child, and now as a father with kids of my own, the same could be said about our house. My wife and I often get on to our kids for not eating, rushing through their meal, or making a mess around the house because they aren’t eating at the table. As parents, it puts us in a state of frenzy as we try to get them to sit and eat, yet I feel as though we are guilty of the same with our faith in Jesus Christ. I’m convinced that the reason many of us have become so prone to anxiety is because we have become so easily distracted by that which is temporary, and we endlessly worry about things we cannot change (Matt. 6:25-34). We feel this gnawing need to keep moving at a pace that we were never meant to sustain, a pace that is fueled only by the flesh and disconnected from kingdom vision and values. As a result, we quickly fall into the habit of only coming to the Word of God to look for cheap snacks and microwaved answers, while never taking the necessary time to sit down and eat the whole meal.

3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

JOHN 6:3

When we study the gospels, it will do us much good to not only pay attention to the well-known messages that Jesus spoke and the big things that He did, but also His subtle actions and small phrases. He invites His disciples to learn from His way of life, saying, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30). Jesus worked hard and accomplished much in three and a half years of focused ministry recognizing that His time was short, yet He was never in a hurry (Jn. 5:17-19; Jn. 4:34). He was never restless, discontent or overcome by the fear-producing pressures of His day. In Matthew’s account of Jesus feeding the five thousand, He had just departed to a deserted place by Himself after He heard the news about John the Baptist’s death (Matt. 14:12-13). Mark and Luke add that He brought the apostles with Him as they returned from being sent out by Him to preach the gospel and heal the sick (Mk. 6:30-31; Lk. 9:10). The people still found Him, and He did not turn them away, for He was moved with compassion (Mk. 6:34). But even as the multitudes came to Him, He chose to sit down.

31 And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

MARK 6:31

Jesus told Martha that she was worried and troubled about many things, distracted with much serving, but one thing was needed, which her sister Mary had chosen–for she “sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word” (Lk. 10:38-42). We can all come into the same presence of Jesus, but not everyone will sit down. There will always be a table to serve, but serving must never take precedence over sitting at the feet of Jesus. One of the direct consequences of serving without sitting is that we begin to be overly critical of others, grumbling and complaining saying, “Lord, do You not care…” (Lk. 10:40; Isa. 40:27; Mal. 2:17; Ps. 37:7-8). May we learn to keep choosing that good part, taking our eyes off of all that appears to be in our way and lifting them to the One who is seated (Isa. 6:1; Rev. 4:2)–The One who is well aqcuainted with our griefs, who bore our sins, who makes intercession for us, who values our unnoticed obedience, who reigns over all that we fear, and who carries us through with His sufficient grace, wisdom, and power (Isa. 40:26; 53:4-5; 1 Pet. 5:7; Eph. 3:20).

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. 22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

EPHESIANS 1:19-23

There is most assuredly a time to walk, a time to run and a time to stand, but not before we learn how to sit. “Sitting” is a posture of repentance and humility because it communicates a willingness to receive and rely upon that which is given to us. It is an honest expression of what it means to be poor in spirit, to be meek, gentle and lowly in heart. It is a posture of faith which waits on the Lord. It is an action that communicates trust and readiness. Eagles do not fly higher by flapping harder. Instead, they simply spread their wings to catch rising air currents as they soar to higher altitudes. Likewise, we wait on the Lord by sitting at His feet, staying attentive to His voice, remaining ready to obey Him, praying and relying on the rising currents of His Spirit. Many times, sitting down and waiting upon the Lord begins with looking at Jesus who endured the cross, and it ends with us following His example to take up our own cross, surrendering that which we were never meant to hold on to (Heb. 12; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 3; Rev. 5:6).

31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

ISAIAH 40:31

Then Jesus Said, “Make the people sit down” (Jn. 6:10). Our anxiety serves as a witness that we still have not learned to sit down. Therefore, because He is a Good Shepherd, there are times in our life when Jesus makes us sit down. As a father, sometimes the last thing I feel that I can afford to do is sit down, especially when it comes to providing for my hungry family–yet Jesus shows us that we can’t afford not to sit down. This has nothing to do with promoting laziness or apathy, but it has everything to do with bringing us into a life of peace and gratitude which will feed more people than we ever could in our own frantic exertion of strength. Jesus telling His discples to make the people sit down before He multiplied the loaves and fish gives us a picture of what our ministries should be doing today–leading people into such a place of rest in Christ where they learn to feed on His faithfulness, that they may truly run and not be weary, walk and not faint (Ps. 37:1-7; Gal. 3:1-3). The easy yoke is not inactivity, it’s right activity–which is produced by right relationship with Jesus (Matt. 11:28-30). The difficulty comes from trying to stay yoked to everyone and everything except Jesus, putting our effort into temporary things that oppose what He teaches us to value. I believe in calling people to respond with action, to pursue wholehearted obedience, to love God with all of our strength, but not apart from abiding in Him (Jn. 15:1-5). Are we helping others to sit down and eat or are we spreading our restlessness to them?

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures…

PSALM 23:2

6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus…

EPHESIANS 2:6

Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (Jn. 6:5). Jesus doesn’t ask us questions because He doesn’t know the answer. He asks the right questions in order to lead us into the right answer (Jn. 6:6). Phillip immediately starts counting out how much it will cost, but Jesus never asked “How?” He asked “Where?” When we are restless, we look for solutions based on what we have or don’t have instead of finding them within the One we are seated with. My wife knows that she can go to the bank and withdraw funds, not because of anything other than the fact that she has covenantal access through my name. What if we didn’t allow our problems to produce more anxiety, but we let them expose where we buy our bread? Jesus called out the fact that the multitudes sought after Him, not because they saw the signs, but because they ate of the loaves and were filled (Jn. 6:26-27). He alone is the Bread of Life who supplies everlasting life, therefore, let us repent for working for that which doesn’t fill, but instead work to find our delight in Him (Isa. 55:1-3; Jn. 6:33-35; Ps. 1). Let us seek after this fresh bread that comes only from Him, that we may have something truly satisfying to set before those who are searching, to give them the food of the Holy Spirit, of the message of His body that was broken for our sins, and of knowing Him and doing His will (Lk. 11:1-13; 22:19; Matt. 24:45; Acts 3:6; Jn. 17:3; Jer. 3:15; Jn. 4:34).

11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

JOHN 6:11

So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost” (Jn. 6:12). It’s helpful to note that this miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand took place near the time of the Passover, a time when Israel was commanded to commemorate how the Lord mercifully passed over them and did not destroy those who obediently applied the blood of the lamb over their door posts (Ex. 12; Jn. 6:4). The details of this feast would have been in the minds of the disciples and the Jews who were witnessing this miracle, indicating Jesus’ intentional timing. The Passover lamb, which was a prophetic picture of Jesus, was to be a male without blemish, one for each household, and they were to eat it in its entirety, letting none of it remain before the next morning. In light of this, I believe He had them gather up the fragments of bread to teach them why He multiplied the bread–He desires that nothing would be lost. Jesus would later go on to say, “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day” (Jn. 6:39). Much like the bread from heaven [manna] which was not to be stored for the next day [aside from the Sabaath], Jesus wanted His disciples to visually learn that He does not let anything go to waste and neither should they (Matt. 4:4; 6:11). He is the True Bread from Heaven sent to give life to the world, so that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have life without end (Jn. 6:40). In other words, He is saying, “Who will sit down and eat, receiving all that I have provided?” and “Who will obey my voice to go and gather all who have been invited to come, that no one may be lost?” And as we sit with Him, this is how we eat: We see Him and believe in Him. Not part of Him, but ALL of Him. For each household. Who will take the time to realize the table that has been set before us in the midst of all that we fear and worry about (Ps. 23:5-6)? He is seated and waiting for us to come today, that we would see His new mercy for us this day, and to receive this day our daily bread. I believe this way of life will produce in us a gratitude that will crucify the anxiety and sin that so easily ensnares us (Heb. 12:1-2).

35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.“

JOHN 6:35

46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

ACTS 2:46-47

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7

ACTION POINTS: Lord, we repent and ask that You would help us…

  1. Change Our Pace [sit down and rest]. Help us to resist the temptation to chase temporary riches and cares. Help us to rest in what You have provided and wait on what You have promised.
  2. Change Our Diet [eat and receive by faith]. Help us to resist the temptation to trust in our own strength and wisdom. Help us to rely upon Your grace and look to You as our source and our delight.
  3. Change Our Perspective [respond with gratitude and obedience]. Help us to turn our eyes from worthless things. Liberate us from the bondage of fear and victimhood. Help us see You in all of Your glory, to know Your beauty, Your goodness, Your power and Your love. Help us to overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, that we might do our part in gathering up those whom You give us, that no one would be lost.

Thank you for reading! We pray that our content stirs your faith and brings strength to the Body of Christ. If you would like to donate to our ministry to help us continue to serve the Church through our resources, training and more, please click the link below:

DONATE
Posted on in Kingdom Life

The Bent Bow

PART ONE OF A SERIES ON “UNWAVERING FAITH”

19 And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. 20 He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21 and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22 And therefore “it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Romans 4:19-22

As the Apostle Paul continues to explain the significance of Abraham’s faith, the kind of faith that God accounts for righteousness, he tells us something remarkable–Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but instead, he was strengthened in faith giving glory to God. Now a quick glance at Abraham’s life would cause us to question this evaluation, for he seems to have wavered on several occasions, yet God repeatedly references his example throughout Scripture desiring that we all become heirs of His promise on the condition that we have faith like Abraham’s (Rom. 4:16-17; Gal. 3:6-9).

When Paul says that Abraham ‘did not waver…through unbelief,’ he doesn’t mean that Abraham never had momentary hesitations, but that he avoided a deep-seated and permanent attitude of distrust and inconsistency in relationship to God and his promises. God doesn’t immediately write us off based on our worst days, and He is not impressed by our best days, rather He looks at the steady resolve of our faith that chooses to trust Him even through the failures and fiery trials of life (1 Pet. 1:7; Jas. 1:2-3). Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked to sift he and the other disciples like wheat, and that Peter would in fact turn away and deny Him. Although Peter was sure he was ready to die with Him, Jesus sees through our sincere but weak commitments (Matt. 26:41). He is not caught off guard by our stumbles and failures, but rather, He prays that our faith would not fail. Some of us have counted ourselves out because we have certainly felt as if we’ve wavered at the promise of God, and no doubt, some of us have. We may even have the “Ishmael” to prove it. Still, what we see as failure, God sees as opportunity. We have a real adversary who likewise is not concerned by our high moments nor is he content with tripping us up, but rather he looks for opportune times to destroy our faith through subtle accusation and temptation—not only to cause us to stumble, but to cause us to drink from the fountain of disappointment, discouragement and despair to the point that we decide quitting is our only option. When we feel like we are being sifted, will we settle in our sorrow? Will we retreat in shame? Or will we allow weight of it all to strengthen our faith?

31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Lk. 22:31-32

3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Rom. 5:3-4, NIV

2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

James 1:2-4, NLT

I have an old wooden bow that my Grandfather gave me from when he was in the Marines. Not long after he passed away, I became very sick, and I often looked at that bow because it reminded me of his own unwavering faith. You see, the strength of a bow is not in it’s ability to remain immovable, but in it’s ability to firmly bend in the archer’s hand while being drawn back with great force. Comparatively, the strength of my faith is not determined by how much I haven’t bent, but by how well I have bent. If my faith is going to bend well, then my faith must have the right source and the right substance. Am I holding on to the immovable Rock of Christ and His Word or am I holding on to myself? Is my faith actually in God and His leadership or is my faith reliant upon ideal circumstances and terms I have set upon Him?

22 “Joseph…23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him. 24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel)…”

Genesis 49:22-24

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed–10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10

15 For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

2 Corinthians 4:15-18

Faith Responding

Genesis 11:27-32; 12:1-9

The Source of Abraham’s Faith (Gen. 12:1-3; Gal. 3:7-9; Rom. 4:21). I believe one of the keys to having faith like Abraham is to have faith that begins like Abraham’s faith. Terah, who was the father of Abram (Abraham), set out with his family to go from Ur of the Chaldeans (Babylon) to the land of Canaan (Israel), but he never made it passed Haran–a place with the same name of his son who died back in Ur. He became so paralyzed by the pain of what he lost, that he never got back on the road he was supposed to be on. It’s surely warranted that we mourn the loss of those we love, but as difficult as it may be, there comes a time when we have to get back on the road. The pain and the loss is real, but what if instead of letting it paralyze us, we let it produce the kind of faith that was in Abraham? The Lord leads us not on the path of least resistance, but on the path where His glory can shine the brightest upon our life.

1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”

Jn. 9:1-3, NLT

It is evident from Acts 7:2-4 that God had spoken to Abraham while they were still back in Ur, but he didn’t leave Haran until his father died. Until fathers learn to die to self, our sons are more susceptible to being stuck right where we left them. Nevertheless, Abraham still had a responsibility to obey the Lord, and he delayed his response to leave. Until sons learn to leave their father’s house (familiar reliance) and make their faith personal, they may never learn to trust the Lord and obtain their inheritance in Him.

1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.

Genesis 12:1

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Abraham’s faith began with trusting the gospel that was preached to him (Gal. 3:8-9). Our common enemy will do whatever he can to distort the Word and what God has indeed said, because he knows that it is the source of our faith. He has done this from the beginning, and his deception will only increase. Yet, as Jesus demonstrated, we must not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. For it is written (Matt. 4:4). The Word came to Abram, which gave him something to grab onto–to bring him and his family where God wanted them. This Word has come to all of us in Christ, that we would grab hold of everything for which He has laid hold of us.

12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Phil. 3:12

The Substance of Abraham’s Faith (Gen. 12:4-9; Heb. 11:1-8). Abraham’s faith was initially applied through His obedient response to the Word of the Lord to separate from his native land and the house of his father. Unwavering faith requires separation (repentance and obedience). Too often, we try to run the race of faith with old shoes, and when the path gets difficult, we retreat (Matt. 13:20-22).

17 “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the old skins would burst from the pressure, spilling the wine and ruining the skins. New wine is stored in new wineskins so that both are preserved.”

Matthew 9:17, NLT

5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you…10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Col. 3:5, 10, NLT

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.

Heb. 12:1-2, NLT

When Abraham came to the land of Canaan, he came to an oak tree, and the Lord appeared to him and told him this was the land he would give to his descendants. Therefore, it wasn’t until he got to the land of Canaan that we see the LORD reveal to him that this would be the land where He would fulfill His promise. As far as we know, all he had to go off of was the command to go to the land that God would show him, and the direction his father was headed. Our faith does not require special insight or ability, only a willingness to obey the call. Similarly to Abraham, Jesus also did not tell His disciples where they were going, but instead He simply said, “Follow Me.” He strategically withholds many of the details, and instead, He gives us His voice to hold onto that we might learn to trust and obey Him in a consistent daily way.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

Heb. 11:8

27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Jn. 10:27

6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. 7 Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 12:6-7

Though there were many obstacles still in his sight, Abraham responded by building an altar to the Lord. Unwavering faith requires sacrifice, and in this case, Abraham chose to give the Lord a sacrifice of praise, giving thanks and declaring that his trust was in Him alone (Heb. 13:15-16). Abraham’s faith was made of something far stronger than sheer willpower, yet it was not made strong over night. I’m convinced that the “altar moments” througout Abraham’s life became like new strings that were being refastened to the bent bow of his faith. You see, like David, we don’t learn to slay Goliath on the battlefield, but out on the backside of the hills in hiddenness before the Lord. Everytime we are faithful with the few before the eyes of our Father who sees us in secret, we are strengthening our bow of faith. Everytime we overcome the paws of temptation, we are strengthening our bow of faith. Everytime we choose to praise through the pain, we are strengthening our bow of faith. Through every valley and every victory, let us keep strengthening our bow, for there will come such times when the Lord will draw you back, not to punish you, but to release His glory in greater measure through your yielded life. Will you be ready to bend in His hand?

9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

Heb. 11:9-10

1 Listen to me, all you in distant lands! Pay attention, you who are far away! The LORD called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. 2 He made my words of judgment as sharp as a sword. He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand. I am like a sharp arrow in his quiver. 3 He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, and you will bring me glory.” 4 I replied, “But my work seems so useless! I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the LORD ’s hand; I will trust God for my reward.” 5 And now the LORD speaks— the one who formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant, who commissioned me to bring Israel back to him. The LORD has honored me, and my God has given me strength. 6 He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Isaiah 49:1-6

5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6 But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.

James 1:5-6

12 So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. 13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

Heb. 12:12-13

Thank you for reading. We pray that all of our content richly blesses you and brings strength to the Body of Christ. If you would like to donate to our ministry, so that we can continue to sow into producing resources and more, then you can click the link below:

DONATE