Simple Trust

Simple Trust
Words of Faith 12-12-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 6
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. [7] Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.
[8] These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff‑‑, no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. [9] Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. [10] Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. [11] And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."
[12] They went out and preached that people should repent. [13] They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Jesus did not always advocate traveling without provision. Luke tells us that on the night of the betrayal, Jesus asked them, "When I sent you without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?" "Nothing," they answered. He told them, "But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one (Luke 22:35-‑37).
But the Twelve would never have grown to that point near the end of His earthly ministry had they not been obedient here near the beginning. This was a time to build faith.
The only way to build faith is to walk in faith. The only way to build trust is to trust. The only way to learn God's provision is to follow His call into a place where you cannot provide for yourself. This is the School of Faith.
Following Jesus started with a call and then followed with a commission. Jesus gave the Twelve limited authority over evil spirits, but that authority was related to absolute trust in Him. No provisions. No money. Not even any extra clothing.
This was a time to learn about living in ministry. It is dangerous to live an extravagant lifestyle while attempting to minister. Simplicity is a powerful testimony. So is stability. Don't move around from house to house and favor one host over another.
But most important of all is the lesson to trust God completely when you go to minister and do not depend upon people's response. If any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them. Do not compromise the truth to gain an approving response.
The ministry of the Twelve was powerful. They preached repentance, drove out demons, anointed the sick with oil, and healed them. A ministry of integrity is its own result, but it will also have results for the Kingdom.

Lord, teach me simplicity. Please show me what I can do without. Show what gets in the way. Teach me absolute trust in You. Show me when to move and when to go. I love You, Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.