News and Updates
September 1, 2021
David Copeland · September 1, 2021
Newsletter · Volume: 21 Issue: 9
Psalms 127:1 Part 2
Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman stays awake in vain.
Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain that build it. Unless the Lord helps us, we are finished! Unless the Lord provides, we are going under! Unless the Lord touches, we are going to die!
Unless the Lord builds the ministry He wants us to have, unless He sends the people HE wants us to connect to, unless the Lord sends us the workers He wants us to have….
We will simply continue to spin our wheels in frustration, and anger, and bitterness.
The way we get to the point of being able to say “unless the Lord builds the house” is total surrender! I’m not saying we shouldn’t pray, work and plan for the future; but as people of God and especially as ministers of the Gospel, the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our lives and ministries is paramount! Our first responsibility is to stay in total surrender to God saying, not my will, but let YOUR will be done. Then walk out what He tells us in the secret place of prayer.
Then in verse 2 Solomon says: “It’s vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so He gives His beloved sleep.”
Faith does not mean we will have all the answers, faith says, “no matter what, I am His and He is mine!”
I have been a student of the church, church growth, and church governmental order for many years. While I am in no way jealous or envious of ministers and ministries that have had tremendous levels of success and increase, there is a nagging thought that tells me we might have missed the most important thing God wants us to know about ministry “success”. I say it all the time, when I stand before God, He will not ask me how many sermons I have preached in my time on the earth, He will not ask me how many books I have written, how many miles did I travel in ministry, or how many churches I have planted: He will ask me, what did I do with Jesus and the assignments He gave me when I was on the earth? Was I faithful with what He gave me to be faithful over?
Americans give too much emphasis and place too much importance on the number of people we have on any given Sunday in our buildings. And yes, every number represents a soul. I of all people know that is true. But remembering when I was a pastor, I gained my identity on the number of people we would have on any given Sunday in our Sanctuary. So, when the building was almost filled, I was ecstatic! The next Sunday, when the crowd had dropped off (many times it was a drastic drop off), I became depressed and felt like a failure.
One of the main points I see on apostolic training centers is a ministry becomes more focused on what God is doing in people’s lives than in the number of people we have in the pew on any given Sunday. Are people being trained in the word to the point that if another shut down occurs, will ministry continue? As a pastor, are you the only one who can do ministry in your church? Or do you really believe in the priesthood of every believer? Solomon was speaking to our day when he said, “it’s vain for you to rise up early, stay up late, to only eat the bread of sorrows.” You are not the one responsible to build God’s church! That’s the Holy Spirit’s job! You are only responsible to hear from the Lord, obey Him, love His people, and leave the details up to Him.
A few months ago, while reading the Gospel of John, I came to the place in Chapter 3 where John disciples came to him saying, “everybody is following Jesus! Your ministry is collapsing. What are you going to do about it!
John looked at them as only a true spiritual father could do and said in 3:27: “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.”
That verse finally set me free from the fear of men and the pressure to perform as a minister. I am very thankful for every opportunity to preach, every opportunity to write, I am very grateful for every video that is touching and blessing someone to continue in their walk with Jesus. I am thankful for the opportunities: I am also thankful that it’s HIS responsibility to do the work in people’s lives.
Jesus still saves, He still heals, He still is baptizing people with the Holy Spirit and Jesus IS coming again. This is His church not mine. Revival Now International is His work not mine. Revival Now Schools of Ministry is His, not mine. I will be faithful to pray, study, to preach, to write, and to declare what I am hearing the Spirit of the Lord say. But He gives His beloved sleep.
So, if that’s the case, I’m going to take a rest.
You should too.