Luke 21:37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. I don’t know about you, but I love the church I am in. Yes I travel around a lot, but the Lord always brings me to a church where I feel like I am at home when I’m there. Now we know when we go to church, we usually go to be equipped spiritually for the week ahead. But here’s a thought, what if when you go to the church and instead of praying, “Lord, speak to me” instead we prayed, “Lord, speak through me.” If you think about it, and as you just read in today’s devotional verse, that’s just what Jesus did. He went to the temple for God to speak through Him to the people (He was teaching in the temple), then Jesus would go off and have that alone time with God so He could speak to Jesus (at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet we know Jesus went there to be alone with God). Now don’t get me wrong, we do go to church to be equipped, as well as to worship the Lord together as a family. But we are also there to minster to the needs of others. Ephesians 4:11-12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. But you know what, Sunday morning is not the only time we are to equip ourselves with the word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Notice it doesn’t say that: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God for the pastor to teach the people. No the implication is that it is given to each and every one of us to equip ourselves. Think of a little baby. When he or she is first born, they can’t do anything on their own. But as they grow, they learn to equip themselves. They learn how to feed themselves, and as they grow they learn how to cook and buy food for themselves. They also learn how to go to the bathroom themselves, as well as they learn how to work and provide for their own needs, and eventually for their family’s needs once they marry. It’s the same thing when we become a Christian, we are babes in Christ and need others to teach us. But are we so used to being feed by the church, that we neglect to feed ourselves and be self- sustaining and using our equipping of ourselves in God’s word to minister to others? My opening question was, “What if when you go to church, and instead of praying, “Lord, speak to me” instead we prayed, “Lord, speak through me.” A baby can’t talk and has very limited communication skills, yet an adult can communicate. So are you being a big baby dependent upon others to feed you God’s word, or have you matured so that you are now feeding yourself daily and with that maturity, you are also teaching others. Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Luke 21:37 And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. I don’t know about you, but I love the church I am in. Yes I travel around a lot, but the Lord always brings me to a church where I feel like I am at home when I’m there. Now we know when we go to church, we usually go to be equipped spiritually for the week ahead. But here’s a thought, what if when you go to the church and instead of praying, “Lord, speak to me” instead we prayed, “Lord, speak through me.” If you think about it, and as you just read in today’s devotional verse, that’s just what Jesus did. He went to the temple for God to speak through Him to the people (He was teaching in the temple), then Jesus would go off and have that alone time with God so He could speak to Jesus (at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet we know Jesus went there to be alone with God). Now don’t get me wrong, we do go to church to be equipped, as well as to worship the Lord together as a family. But we are also there to minster to the needs of others. Ephesians 4:11-12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,  for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. But you know what, Sunday morning is not the only time we are to equip ourselves with the word of God. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. Notice it doesn’t say that: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God for the pastor to teach the people. No the implication is that it is given to each and every one of us to equip ourselves. Think of a little baby. When he or she is first born, they can’t do anything on their own. But as they grow, they learn to equip themselves. They learn how to feed themselves, and as they grow they learn how to cook and buy food for themselves. They also learn how to go to the bathroom themselves, as well as they learn how to work and provide for their own needs, and eventually for their family’s needs once they marry. It’s the same thing when we become a Christian, we are babes in Christ and need others to teach us. But are we so used to being feed by the church, that we neglect to feed ourselves and be self- sustaining and using our equipping of ourselves in God’s word to minister to others? My opening question was, “What if when you go to church, and instead of praying, “Lord, speak to me” instead we prayed, “Lord, speak through me.” A baby can’t talk and has very limited communication skills, yet an adult can communicate. So are you being a big baby dependent upon others to feed you God’s word, or have you matured so that you are now feeding yourself daily and with that maturity, you are also teaching others. Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.  For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.  But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.