Not that I seek the Gift

The past few days, I have been praying about what to write on our blog. I've felt the Lord prompting me to share something that would show my thankfulness for your part in the ministry. I'm hoping to encourage you guys and thank you for your faithfulness in praying for and supporting our ministry.

Romans 10:15 says, "And how shall they preach unless they are sent." The Lord called us, we followed that call, and we have been faithfully supported by our senders (both in prayer and finacially). I think this is just an awesome Biblical picture of missions. 

With our arrival in Donetsk a few weeks ago, Emily and I have been dreaming big about ministry opportunities. It's actually been really exciting to be a part of a new, fresh work here. With no Calvary Chapel in Donetsk, we are starting from scratch. We feel like the Lord has started to give us a lot of ideas and visions and things are getting exciting here. We know that the Lord wants to do something awesome!

But while praying over ministry ideas, opportunities and visions, I started to think about you, our supporters. Our heart and desire is to be following the Lord's leadings in ministry. We want to be doing what He wants us to do. One of the main reasons we are so serious about doing what the Lord wants us to and being sensitive to His leading is because of you. You guys are just as much a part of what the Lord is doing here as we are. You get to share in the fruit that comes from the ministry here, because you are supporting the ministry here. 

If we aren't being sensitive to the Lord's leading and following after His calling here, we can easily fall into the trap of just working for the sake of working. We want our work to have a purpose behind it. This is the Lord's ministry and He is the one who will produce fruits from this ministry. If we slip into following after our own ideas and desires and not the Lord's - the fruit will stop coming. We want to be very intentional about what we are doing so that the Lord can produce as much fruit as possible. 

If we aren't being fully intentional about following after the Lord's will for the ministry here, not only are we missing out on the potential fruit, but we are ripping our supporters off from the fruit that should be accounted to their account. Because you guys are faithfully supporting the ministry and you are a part of things here, you get to receive the rewards and fruit that come from the ministry.   

In Philippians 4:17,  Paul is speaking to the church about the gifts and support that they have given him when he says, "Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account." 

This is our heart as well. Yes, your gifts are supporting us here and makes it possible for us to survive. But the most important thing about your gifts to us is that we can see abounding fruit added to your account.

Our heart and desire is to be focused and intentional about the ministry here. We don't want to get lazy or complacent. You have trusted us with your support to further the Kingdom and we are so thankful for that. We hope you know our heart and desire is to be faithful with your gifts in serving the Lord and following His will. We want to see a fruitful day everyday here in Donetsk.

We are seeking the fruit that abounds to your account,

Blessings,

Byron