God uses the ordinary in an extraordinary way

Discipleship and Support

1 Kings 17:10-11

“ So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was

there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’ As she was going to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’”

Supporting God’s work requires us to be positioned to hear His call.

1 Kings 17:12

‘As surely as the LORD your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die.’

The heed to the call of God in faith requires sacrifice, suffering and obedience.

1 Kings 17:12

‘I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die.’

1 Kings 17: 13-15

• Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain on the land.”’

• She went away and did as Elijah had told her.

Rarely does God give the provision before the call or vision. He demands out trust. He demands we act on faith, and not according to our circumstances.

1 Kings 17: 13

• …first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son…

1 Kings 17: 15b-16

• “So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.”

• He is faithful. He works His extraordinary Kingdom purposes through ordinary faithful and obedient followers.

Faith and obedience to Christ will involve sacrifice and suffering.

• 1 John 3:16

• “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”

Faith and obedience to Christ will involve suffering.

Philippians 3: 10-11

“I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.”

Faith and obedience to Christ will involve suffering.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

(Matthew 16: 24-25)

• Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29: 12-13)

• 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

(Matthew 6: 31-33)

Press in to God

God provides spiritual gifts for the support of His ministries…

• Romans 12: 6-8:

• “ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

God provides spiritual gifts for the ministry that He calls us to serve…

• 1 Peter 4:10

• “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

Why does God impart this particular spiritual gift of grace upon some in the church as stated in Romans

12: 6-8?

d in Romans 12: 6-8? • The Holy Spirit imparts this gift (and passion) to some in the church to meet the various needs of the church and its ministries, missionaries, or of people who do not have the means to provide fully for themselves. The goal is to encourage and provide, giving all credit to God’s love and provision, as His will is done and His Kingdom expanded.

• for themsving all credit to God’s love and provision.• This is why Paul commended the Galatian church(

4:15) : What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.”.”

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Six months: 250% profit

Child Survival program run inside church in Jakarta.

Former Muslim mothers doing Bible study at the church.

Food distribution in Dodema, Tanzania

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519% profit in 6 weeks

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365% profit in less than 3 weeks

Four months: 335% profit

Four months: 335% profit

Project at Semarang

Too many children to fit in the church!

God can lead, or allow us to enter, storms in life.

• 45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida (Mark 6: 45)

God wants to learn to trust Him in all situations

• “Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves.”

• Mark 6: 51-51

Church Project in Bacolod; the church has grown

From 160 to 1,650 each Sunday

Rakhine State refugee crisis, Myanmar

Rakhine State refugee crisis, Myanmar

Rakhine State refugee crisis, Myanmar

Yonatan’s graduatioYonatan’s graduation from Commerce

(Semarang, Indonesia Nov. 2013) 3)

Janezza now employed and involved in worship band at church.

Janezza’s house for her parents