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us for questions and comments majalah gratis (hanya untuk alamat di Indonesia - jangan lupa Kode Pos) Tabitha Ministries P.O. Box 255/CPA-HU Tangerang 15411 Banten, Indonesia Copyright © 2003-2006 Tabitha Ministries |
"United We Stand" is a motto that has pulled together the nation of Indonesia and stood up for her independence. That motto in fact has biblical truth in it. God talks a lot about unity in the Body of Christ. Let's see some of His Word on the matter. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:19-20). And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils...But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth (Luke 11:14-17). Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:3-6). Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves (Philippians 2:2-4). If God talks a lot about unity, therefore we must find out about unity and get understanding about unity so that we can receive the blessing that is in unity. The first time I heard about partnership, these questions raised in my mind: Why should I become partner to a ministry? What's in it for me as partner to a ministry? It's all just gimmicks to raise funds! I was filled with doubts. I want you to read carefully of what I'm about to tell you so that you can learn from my mistake. At that time my heart convicted me to become partner with a foreign ministry. (To my knowledge at the time there wasn't an Indonesian ministry with partnership). However, my ignorance withheld me from acting on the prompting of the Holy spirit and I was busy converting the amount of money that I have to sow in foreign currency. I have been receiving magazine from that ministry for months, and still I couldn't see the powerful revelation shared in and through the ministry, until one day in one of her services, Sister Indri Gautama talked about different anointing in different ministries and that we must take advantage of it by learning from different ministers. It was an eye opener for me. I immediately made commitment to God to become partner to the ministry and I was determined to help that ministry as He leads. After I made the decision, I read again all the magazines that I had received. At that time I felt like I got a new pair of eyes and the teaching articles were talking to me personally. Wisdom and understanding of the Word of God flow freely to me. Through that experience I found out what the minister was praying for, "I pray that all anointing that works in my life [Kenneth] and Gloria's [Copeland] will also work in each of our partners'." Jesus and His PartnersIs this true in the ministry of Jesus on earth? When He returned from the desert after He was baptized by John The Baptist, Jesus called His first disciples (read Matthew 4:18-22), which means He called them to become partners to His ministry. Can they refuse to be partners with Jesus? Of course they could. Only they were a lot smarter than I was and they didn't procrastinate to become partners to Jesus' ministry. Is Jesus' ministry free from corruption and truly originates from God? Are His teachings true? Those first disciples didn't know all about it, but they followed their hearts to instantly leave their works and follow Him. Jesus had partners everywhere and He was with His disciples living without lack because of the ministry of His partners. And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God; and the twelve were with him, and certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance (Luke 8:1-3). The partners ministered their wealth to Lord Jesus and His group. In other words all that Jesus and His group ever needed while they're ministering the Gospel from town to town and village to village was fulfilled by His partners. That means while He was in His earthly ministry Jesus never had trouble with funds to minister the Gospel to all places because His partners had given for that purpose. Jesus also had a treasurer, Jude, which shows that His ministry continuously receive and giving money. Besides financial support that Jesus needed for His ministry, He also needed prayer support from His partners. We see that in the Gethsemane garden, He reminded His disciples to stay with Him in prayers (read Matthew 26:36-46). Was Jesus' roles in the partnership only as recipient? Of course not. In His earthly ministry we know that Jesus actively preached and taught the gospel everywhere He went. To the multitude He spoke in parables but to His partners He said, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given (Matthew 13:11). Given that His partners received Him as the Anointed One, they received the same anointing to understand the mysteries of kingdom of heaven. In addition to the anointing to understand the mysteries of kingdom of heaven, some selected partners, the twelve, also received anointing to do the work that He did. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease (Matthew 10:1). We should remember that when Jesus was on earth, He was a human being (Philippians 2:7) who was anointing by the Holy Spirit. So, if partners played an important role in Jesus' ministry, it also matters in our ministry. If with His partners Jesus could reach more people (read Matthew 10:1-8; Luke 10:17-19), then with you we can reach more people that they may Arise and Shine! |
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