Moving Christians from the pew to the harvest.” Matthew 9:36-38
Find your lane!
Greetings from Halfmoon, New York. I trust you are well and blessed in your service to the Lord. Judy and I are pressing forward with our assignments. I am in New York with the leadership of Believers Church at Glenville. We are navigating a time of growth and transition. It’s clear that God is strategically placing people to deliver the message of faith to the next generation. It is imperative that you find your proper place in the body of Christ.
About a year ago, the Holy Spirit spoke to me a simple sentence: “Help people find their lane.” I knew exactly what He meant. I see so many folks, preachers and others, who seem to be out of their place. Either they are disconnected from the Body, or they are out of position in the Body, or they are simply sitting in the service and staring at the stage. All of these are very sad things.
The idea of finding your lane reminded me of driving through St. Louis for the first time. We were on our way to New York, pulling a trailer with a car that had very little power on a good day. I was in the left lane when I saw the sign saying the exit for New York was on the right. I was four lanes away. By the grace of God, we made it. If He hadn’t parted the traffic, we would have been on our way to Chicago. Know your lane.
Paul used a slightly different metaphor in writing to the Ephesian church:
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. Ephesians 4:15-16 NLT
I’m happy to let you know that God has given you your own special work in your local church. When you do your part, it helps all the other parts grow, and leads to a healthy, loving, growing body. Wow!
Unfortunately, most folks will never experience the benefits of being in the right lane. That’s sad, because that is the only place they can ever experience the joy and fulfillment of doing what God designed you to do. I hope that’s not you.
For those who may not be driving in the right lane, I encourage you to admit that you’re out of place and ask God to help you find your lane. Here are a few guideposts in getting there.
- James 1:5-6. Ask for wisdom and believe that you receive it. Do it in faith and begin to thank God for His direction.
- Proverbs 3:5-6. Trust God to move you where you need to be and quit trying to figure it out with your own head. Do what the Word says, and try to be a blessing where you are. Let God make the path before you.
- Romans 12:1-3. Offer yourself to God for His service without reservation or pride. Humble is good. Your natural mind is not.
- 1 Peter 4:10-11. Find something that you like to do and that you seem to be good at. Then do it faithfully. God will guide you into the right spot.
It’s time that we all got serious about being the Body of Christ, the light of the world, and the salt of he earth. Jesus is coming, and He wants to find us busy being who He saved us to be.
Report from Mexico: You would be so proud to see what the churches in Mexico are doing with the teaching you have helped to provide. In our last Zoom meeting, the testimonies were thrilling: “There’s a revival going on among the pastors here.” “I use the material from these classes to teach my monthly leaders meetings in the church.” “I am guiding two new pastors through the bible school material.” And so on.
Our next Saturday Seminar for Pastors is June 20th. I’ll be teaching pastors from the Pastoral Alliance on the subject of “Our New and Better Covenant.” We will be live streaming for those in other parts of the country. Let me know if you or someone you know would like the link and I’ll include you on the mailing list.
Thanks to your prayers and support, we are able to provide printed materials that will be used and reused. The plan is to provide pastors with teaching and materials on essential Bible topics that they can use to grow their people. While I love the fellowship, the teaching, and the always powerful times of ministry, I think the printed material is just as impactful in the long run.
Good Resources
- Living in Goshen: Check out the teaching on Living in Goshen at Goodness Family Church. Pastor John Smith and I spent several weeks addressing the Goshen Principle: God provides a safe refuge for His people even while He pours out judgment. Given the times we live in, this message is for you. Find the whole series on the Goodness YouTube channel.
- “Is There an Interpreter in the House” has been updated. The third edition is now available on Amazon, in both Kindle and paperback formats. I promise you, it will help you find and follow the flow of the Spirit in your gatherings. We are a Holy Spirit people. If we don’t preserve that heritage, it will disappear.
Don’t Forget!!!!!!
All financial support can be sent to Goodness Family Church at the address below or given online at https://www.goodnesschurch.org/giving .
Here are some things you can do to help:
- Pray! Judy is doing better and having some tests and procedures over the next few weeks. We expect good reports.
- Pray for Mexico City. We are currently planning a return to our old stomping grounds in Nezahualcoyotlfor a Congreso July 30 through August1. I need to find a good interpreter. This will also be more expensive than our Sonora mission. Pray for provision and good prices on lodging and flights.
- Please follow us at www.pastorvirgil.com. Share it with your friends.
- Visit the Pastorvirgil.com Facebook page and hit “Follow.”
- Whenever you see a post, share it. This will help us reach more people. (We also maintain a Facebook page in Spanish @IEMFeonline.)
Judy and I pray daily for you. Thank you for believing in us. Together, we are touching the lives of people who will carry the message for another generation.
Virgil and Judy Stokes
3141 W. Ironwood Hill Dr.
Tucson AZ, 85745
520-792-3238
pastorvirgil.com 