Paying the Price
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Paying the Price

ByJason Holland

I have often received the question, “What does it take to be in full-time ministry?” This question comes my way about once a month, or sometimes more frequently if I am traveling  and ministering in churches or Bible schools. 

Please allow me to me share what I used to think. 

In 1999, I was nearing the completion of my two-year Bible program at Christ For the Nations Institute in Dallas, TX. I recall talking to Anna, who was my fiancée at the time, about our future. We sat in my car in front of her apartment, and the conversation centered around being called to the nations for ministry. During the conversation I stated, “I don’t know exactly how, but I know God will make a way for us to minister in the nations.” This statement was one of faith, but also one of ignorance. Little did I know that there was a high price to be paid for a life of ministry. Today, I am grateful for that ignorance! Had I known the price ministry required, I likely would have chosen a different path for my life. 

Fast forward 23 years… I am grateful to say that we have been faithful to the call of God and have not deviated one bit! 

What was the price? 

I cannot tell you simply one thing that would equate to “a price” for giving our lives for ministry. That list would go on for pages… For the sake of brevity, I will only share a few things: 

Of course, I could go on much longer, but that would seem like a rant, which is definitely not the intent or purpose of this blog! 

What else does “the price” require? What does it take to persevere in ministry?? 

The price of ministry is high. The ultimate price is laying down your own pride and selfish ambition. It is absolute and complete submission to God – no matter the situation or the cost. Ultimately, this means that you must lay down your life for the Lord. For many believers and ministers, they pay this price with their mortal life. I have friends who have literally given their lives for Jesus and now live with Him in eternity. 

For those who are truly interested in serving the Lord in full-time ministry, my encouragement would be to first count the cost prayerfully before doing anything else. Second, you must be confident that God has indeed asked you to give your life to Him in ministry. Without a call of God, your pursuit of ministry will be filled with additional challenges and heartache. Third, prepare yourself. Many men and women are trying to hack their way through ministry without any preparation, education, training, mentoring, etc. This is recipe for failure. Don’t use the excuse that Jesus chose a few unruly fishermen to turn the world upside down as your reason for trying to cut corners. These men walked with God! I don’t care how much time you think you have spent with God, you have not walked with Him like they did. Therefore, find the training and mentoring necessary to become equipped. Lastly, allow God to refine your character and integrity to a place that is unshakeable. You are not going to be perfect. But if you have weak character and a lack of integrity, the devil will eat your lunch and you will become another headline failure and mockery. 

I would offer one last thought to those who want to know about the price that must be paid. Are you willing to have your pride obliterated and your life humbled to new lows? If you are not willing or ready, then “buckle up, buttercup!” Your world is about to get hammered! I can make a strong and compelling case that all sin finds its roots in pride. 

Galatians 5:24-26 says, “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.” 

To follow Christ is to crucify the flesh and all our fleshly desires. The price is high and cannot be understated. If you are willing to pay the price, the Lord is looking for more laborers in His harvest. 

Finally, in Luke 10:2 Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” 

When things don’t go your way
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When things don’t go your way

ByJason Holland

The question proposed is the following, “What do I do when things don’t go my way?” Or I guess it could be rephrased as, “What should I do when things happen in a way that I didn’t expect?”

Grappling with this question is at the heart of the Christian’s life and struggle. Through faith we accept the promises of God, however we do not always see the promises fulfilled in the manner that we prefer. Sure, we love seeing miracles happen in our lives. Unfortunately, we don’t always see them happen; and we don’t always see them happen when and how we want.

Personally, I have seen hundreds of miracles over the course of my life. Blind eyes opened, deaf ears opened, tumors shrink, withered arms unfold and more. I don’t see this all the time when I minister, but it definitely is not surprising when it does happen. That being said, I still don’t see all of the miracles that I want to see.

Why?

I wish I had a good answer, but I don’t!

This season of life for my family has been fraught with challenges. My father, Dr. Henry Holland, is battling cancer. My 13-year-old son Judah was recently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. These two diagnoses are not in line with our hopes and desires. In both cases, things are not going our way.

At this moment I do not have any answers for the mountains that we are facing as a family. Perhaps I will not have any answers on this side of the grave and eternity. Of course, once we reach eternity the answers will not matter.

On this side of eternity our options are to be bitter, angry, resentful, depressed, etc. We can allow the challenges to become our focal point of attention and to take our eyes off Jesus. Or we can place our eyes on Jesus and praise Him in the midst of the storm. I am reminded of the song by Casting Crowns, “Praise You In This Storm” and these lyrics.

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
“I’m with you”
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I’ll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am

Our response as believers should be rooted in faith and praise. Sometimes our faith for a miracle wanes, but our faith in who He is should not. When we meet Him with our faith in who He is, often He meets us with the faith to continue on in the midst of the storm.

  • When things don’t go your way – do not forsake Him.
  • When things don’t go your way – lift up praise to Him.
  • When things don’t go your way – trust that He will work things out even if it is not the way you want.
How to love others the right way
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How to love others the right way

ByJason Holland

Christians are commissioned to do a variety of activities that exemplify the heart of our Father. First and foremost, we are challenged by the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus. This activity requires our personal involvement in Gospel work both locally and to the ends of the earth. Most Christians struggle to respond to the Great Commission and therefore we are still working towards fulfilling Jesus’ command nearly 2,000 years later.


Throughout Scripture the heart of God has been expressed through His desire to offer relationship, reconciliation, salvation, healing, and deliverance. This loving expression is made manifest in the Great Commission of Jesus. Yet, the activity of going and preaching is not sufficient in itself. The Lord requires of us more. He requires love!


The love of the Lord is peppered throughout all of Scripture. When you read the Word, you will find God’s love over and over. Sometimes His love is very apparent, and other times it is an underlying subtext of His guidance, correction, or even discipline. For us to love others we need to embrace the various forms of God’s love. As we read in Psalm 82:3-4, “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”


Many churches get it wrong. Many Christians get it wrong too. If we are not actively engaged in giving justice to the weak and fatherless and fighting for those who are the downtrodden, we are missing it. Our role is to love the unloved, fight for those who cannot fight for themselves; and when necessary, lay down our lives for others.


John 15:3 “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”


Paul admonishes us who are strong to bear others up and lay down our own selfishness. The next time you see someone in need, what will you do? The next time you see injustice taking place, what will you do? The next time you see someone going without the resources they need, what will you do?


Romans 15:1 “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”


Give yourself today to be used by the Lord by extending His love. Allow Him to love through you in new ways according to His Word. It’s more than a hug and a passing prayer. His love is active!

Opportunities!
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Opportunities!

ByVilly Böhmer

As Christians, we can find opportunities to preach the Gospel and pray for fellow brothers and sisters in need everywhere! All you need is a little discernment – mixed with some boldness. The secret ingredient to both is practice!


I don’t get it right 100% of the time… but I give 100% every time God opens a door for me to walk through and minister to someone. My aim is to make the most of every opportunity He presents to me. People are more open to being ministered to more than you would think… especially at the moment in history in which we find ourselves.


Recently, at one of my son’s wrestling matches, I found myself sitting amongst the “opposition”. Would you believe that God opened a door for me to talk to the parent sitting next to me? After some good discussion back and forth, this mother asked me to talk to her 18-year-old son. I thought, “What do I have to say to an 18-year-old young man?” As he walked over, I heard Holy Spirit clearly say to me, “Be interested in him and what he wants to do.”


Well, being obedient to the Holy Spirit’s leading culminated in me laying hands on him along with his Mom and Dad! Yes, right there in the middle of a Middle School wrestling match I was able to pray and prophesy over this precious, young man!


Over the years of living a life of ministry, I have only encountered one person who refused my offer to pray for them! I have seen the Lord meet people right where their faith was and it has caused my own faith to grow at the same time.


I have nothing “more” or “greater” than you… I am simply willing to take that “step of faith”. So, if you are reading this, I want to challenge you to step out in faith and allow God to use you. Over time you will also stand in amazement in just how much He uses you – just the way you are!!!

When a Christian passes away
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When a Christian passes away

ByChris Crane

In Matthew Chapter 5 verses 3-4, Jesus tells us, “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.” And, ” Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” When a loved one, who has followed or accepted CHRIST, and has lived a life seeking and doing the will of GOD, dies: we do not weep and mourn because their life’s journey here on earth has come to an end. We weep and mourn because their life will no longer be a part of our journey and our life while we still remain.


Quite frankly, there really is no remedy for the deep sadness or for the sense of loss that we experience when someone we love passes away. We tend to remember the good things about a deceased loved one and focus on characteristics such as kindness, loyalty, faithfulness, and love. If we dare to bring up some good memories, we are just trading a brief respite for further sadness and pain, because this causes us to miss them even more. This state of sadness can be quite difficult to bear and the Bible tells us in Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 verses 3-4 that there is indeed a time to weep and a time to mourn. However, the same scripture tells us that there is also a time to laugh and a time to dance. For while there is no immediate remedy for the sadness and loss during a time of mourning, there is still hope, there is comfort, and there is faith.  A faith in the goodness of GOD and his unfailing promises.


Not the promises of prosperity and riches, which at a time of loss seem frivolous and unimportant, but promises like we find in the book of John chapter 5 verse 24 when JESUS says, “He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, HAS EVERLASTING LIFE, and SHALL NOT COME INTO CONDEMNATION; but is PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE.” The promise in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 of receiving a new body; a heavenly body made for us by GOD himself. It is not that any one of us wants to die and get rid of the bodies that clothe us, rather we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life! 2 Corinthians Chapter 5 also promises in verse 17 that if any man be in CHRIST, he/or she is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. The promise that as a follower of CHRIST our sins will be forgiven, remembered no more, and removed from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). The promise that as we walk from death to life and receive our new heavenly body, that we will be granted citizenship and full access to the heavenly city mentioned in Revelation Chapter 21. A city where the streets are paved with gold, where GOD himself will live among us, and He will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more sorrow, or crying, or pain, for those things will be gone forever!


In the book of Matthew Chapter 24 verse 3, the disciples asked JESUS, “What will be the sign of these things, of your coming , and of the end of the world?” JESUS answered them with a list of things: 1. False teachers in the church 2. War and rumors of war 3. Ethnicity against ethnicity, nation against nation 4. Famines 5. Pestilences- and 6. Earthquakes in diverse places. Look around, it seems this list of things is taking place in our current world, and one cannot help but wonder if the return of CHRIST could happen very soon in our own lifetime. If He does return, what might that look like? Well, the appearing of Christ is described in 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 verse 16- For THE LORD HIMSELF shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of GOD: and the dead in CHRIST shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet THE LORD in the air: and so shall we ever be with THE LORD. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. So we find comfort in knowing that if THE LORD were to return anytime in the future, that our loved one will be counted as one of, “the dead in CHRIST,” they will go before us and we will join them as we all come together to be forever with our JESUS! 


This is where we place our hope. The hope of eternal life, which GOD, that cannot lie, promised before the world began. (Titus 1:2) So be thankful that your loved one was a part of your life and your journey here on earth and know that you will be seeing them soon.

More Than Conquerors

More Than Conquerors

ByLindy Böhmer

One truth that I see repeatedly in the Word is that there are NO VICTIMS IN CHRIST. When you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are given a winning hand. Scripture calls us overcomers, conquerors, even MORE than conquerors! We’re missing the mark as believers if we don’t live and preach this. It’s not simply a trite saying meant to encourage those feeling discouraged, it’s a promise.

Many people have been born into unimaginable circumstances, enduring all sorts of abuse and unmentionable atrocities. Some have been terribly wronged, or are covered with invisible scars. Others may simply have been neglected, accepting the silent rejection. More than a few have been conditioned into believing lies about their identity or worth.

But God…

In God, we have been given true freedom. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” God has given us a new identity; we are a new creation! One of my favorite Scriptures reaffirms this. Galatians 2:20 declares, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I am no longer the one who lives, but it is HE who lives in me.

This revelation covers and cancels your previous shattered identity. It nullifies your right to remain a victim or to use the past (or even the present) as a crutch or a means of validating your inability to move into healing. The Word of God does not condone holding onto an unredeemed identity. God has made a life of overcoming available to anyone who asks and believes to receive.

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

I taught school in South Africa, and I was intentional about never teaching my children to be victims. Instead, I taught my students that in Christ they were victorious and could do anything with and through Him. I taught them that the only way to overcome the sins of the past (of apartheid) was to forgive and not commit the same wrongs. How could they honor the Lord with their lives? To live “facing forward towards hope and a future in Him, choosing to turn from the past and the pain.”

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5

Several years ago, my father-in-law spoke with a black man in South Africa named Elijah. He asked Elijah how he kept himself from hating white people for the crimes committed during apartheid. Elijah responded, “I forgive in advance…Whatever is done against me, I have already forgiven the wrong before it was ever done to me.”

Wow; if ever there was a statement of someone living in God-given freedom! Ephesians 4:32  says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” We forgive as Christ forgave us. A choice for Christ is a choice for freedom.

As believers, one task we have is to model an overcoming life to those who are downtrodden. Our message should always be one of hope and newness in Him, whether people have been neglected or abused, experienced hatred from a different race, suffered great loss or any other result of a broken, sin-filled world. A message of an overcoming life, a message of who we are in Him, a message that we are no longer victims. A message of worth.

We must keep our focus fixed on that which honors the Lord.

Hebrews 12:2 states, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Instead of fixing our eyes on our circumstances, we must fix them on the Kingdom!

1 Peter 2:9  declares, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Because the blood of the Lamb was shed, all who believe in Christ and belong to Him are more than conquerors. We choose to declare our testimonies, exalting what He has accomplished; we live our lives for His glory, to make Him known and to declare all His marvelous works.

“And they overcame… by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” Revelation 12:11