God is My Strength and Portion Forever

by Mike Ratliff

Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalms 73:23-26 ESV)

For those who labor in ministries dedicated to rightly dividing the Word of Truth, there will be times in which it seems that no one is “with” them as they were before. This is the period known as “out of season.” However, we are commanded to preach the Word in season and out of season (2 Timothy 4:2). It is imperative that during these “dry seasons” that the worker not labor according to the wrong motives. If he or she ministers with the goal of gaining the approval of people then they have already compromised. Many ministers use numbers as the measuring stick of how they are doing. If the numbers do not look so good then they change the focus of their ministries. I received a plea for prayer today for a mission trip. This plea was a breath of fresh air to one who is continually under siege by the enemy to be discouraged and, therefore, compromise or quit this ministry. The one preparing to go on the mission trip to another country made it very clear that the focus of all he would be doing was for God’s glory alone. Below is the message.