Faith Family Fellowship

 Dear Beloved of Faith Family Fellowship,

     Greetings to you in the Name of the Lord.  Beloved, this month I would like to share with you on the subject of Ministering to the Lord. 

     In Acts 13:1-2, we are told there were different ministries in the church of Antioch.  At a given time certain of these men came together to seek the Lord.  Verse two is the key in revealing what they did for God to manifest in their midst.  It says, “as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said . . . “  the key phrase I want you to notice is: “as they ministered to the Lord.”  It is important to see that they ministered first of all to the Lord and not to one another.

     The word “ministering” leads us to think of helping someone or meeting others’ needs.  We have been taught to minister to the needs of people.  But little has been said of ministering to the Lord. No amount of Christian work in service (ministering to others) can ever be a substitute for our first ministering to the Lord and walking in fellowship with Him.

     Many times much of our devotions are for us and others.  But true ministering to the Lord is centering totally upon Him.  God, being a Father, has the same desire that a natural parent does when it comes to communication and companionship with His children.  Man was created in God’s likeness to fellowship with Him.  At home or in a church service as we minister to Him, He responds back by ministering to us.  Ministering to the Lord involves prayer, praise and worship, meditation, and confession of God’s Word.

     In Ephesians 5:19, we are given instructions on how we are to minister to the Lord.  This is done by “speaking to ourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Notice he says “speaking to yourselves.”  This, of course, includes speaking or ministering to the Lord.  By beginning to make melody in your heart to the Lord, you prepare your heart to open up and minister to Him.  Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in your richly in all wisdom, teaching, and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

     In this passage of scripture, the word “hearts” is plural.  In Ephesians 5:19 it is singular.  Therefore, these scriptures together mean we are to minister to the Lord both in private and in public.  However, to be effective publicly, we must minister first of all to the Lord in private.  Then our hearts will be prepared to minister to one another teaching and admonishing in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.  James 5:13 says “Is any merry? Let him sing psalms.”  In this passage also he is referring to a psalm given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit as one stays before the Lord and ministers to Him. 

     As you read through the Psalms you will see that David often spent time seeking God’s fact.  The benefits that resulted in David’s life were great.  Let’s minister to the Lord daily first and allow Him to reveal Himself to us in His Word by His Spirit and partake of those same benefits in our lives.