Aloha,
I just wanted to thank you all, so much for the new way you are doing the Daily Devotionals, I love it and it has been such a blessing to me..
Have a blessed week !
Posted by Muriel Louise Williams on Jan 09, 2012, in response to the devotional on Thursday, January 5, 2012
I' ve read all your messages from my arriving to Hawaii last November and I have been much blessed.Please, keep up the good job. I m sure there very many like me who appreciate it. Thank you pastor Wayne, thank you pastor Andy.
Posted by Carmen Teresa Coronado on Dec 27, 2011, in response to the devotional on Tuesday, December 27, 2011
As you point out, Pastor Mike, today's passage is much deeper than most people think. It is a wonderful verse to take the time to ponder. Let us go to a quiet place with this verse, and invite our hearts and minds to reflect upon the deep meaning that the Holy Spirit wants us to learn. Thank you for giving us a nudge to do just that.
Posted by Ann Verblaauw on Dec 09, 2011, in response to the devotional on Friday, December 9, 2011
We try to also use the "presence gauge" of Jesus Himself: "Would I do this thing if Jesus was visibly sitting right next to me?" His Spirit is, after all, right here inside of us believers. Another challenging gauge that helps us is: "Would I want to be doing this, if Jesus came back at this very moment to take us to Heaven?"
We miss Hawaii and send everyone our aloha from Virginia
Posted by The Brzostowski Ohana on Dec 05, 2011, in response to the devotional on Saturday, December 3, 2011
The Ohana Daily Devotional is intended as a supplement to our annual devotional book. We encourage you to pick one up at the church if you do not already have one. The email goes out each morning to all those who have requested it. It is also available here, for those who prefer to visit our site to read it, or if you would like to catch up on past days devotionals.
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I Corinthians 9:7-14 “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
It always bothered me to see missionaries begging churches for money in order for them to go preach the gospel to the uttermost part of the world. Instead I think churches should be the ones begging men and women to go and then pledge their supports. Can you imagine what would happen if one day, most if not all, Bible believing churches across the world started begging born again believers to go preach the gospel of Christ to the areas where the gospel never preached or taught and giving them the supports they need? The world will turn upside down like it did during the apostles time. But I am not sure that would ever happen but it should, right? So often we allow money to limit what we can do for God.
The command has always been to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15). “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Matt. 28:19). The churches’ part should be to support the command by sending men and women out along with the supports they need. Yes, they need us to give them the support they need. Coming from a place like Chuuk, I can honestly tell you that there is just no way a missionary can find a job to make $500.00 a month to support his family while serving the Lord. They need our support so they can just focus on preaching and teaching God’s word and still have time to spend with their family, study, and do their personal devotions daily.
In our text, the Bible asks us a question in verse number seven “Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?” I think we all can agree with one simple answer “None”, right? I truly don’t believe that we can win the war in Iraq nor Afghanistan if the soldiers went to war and paid their own way. No way! And that is why the government spends billions if not trillions of dollars with both wars. The government’s job is to take good care of our military personnel and their families by providing them the supports they need. Like the government, Churches should do the same to our missionaries and their family. But in order for the churches to be able to support our missionaries we as individuals ought to give to support our missionaries. Just as we pay our taxes so the government can have enough money to support our soldiers, we as Christians also need to give our tithes and offerings so the church can have money to support our missionaries. Are you doing your part in supporting mission? How much do you give each month? Is it enough to help pay for the missionaries’ food for a month? If you never gave to mission before, why not start this year and see what God can do through your giving? If we truly want to experience the awesome power of God, then let us give what God would have us give to support our missionaries and then claim God’s promise in Philippians 4:19.