Day 9/4 – A Multiplying Ministry

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Thoughts from the Diary of a Desperate Man by Walter A Henrichsen (“Walt”)
A Multiplying Ministry
Day Two Hundred Forty-seven

“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

Dawson Trotman, the founder of The Navigators, use to say that it takes four generations to ensure spiritual reproduction: “you, me, faithful men, others also.” First you reach your “Timothy,” and then teach him how to reach others. Then you must teach him how to teach others to reach others. When you have accomplished that, spiritual reproduction is operational.

In the following verses Paul gives a trilogy of illustrations on what it means to be committed to this vision. The soldier illustrates the need not to become entangled. The athlete illustrates the need to play by the rules: the end cannot justify the means. The farmer illustrates that you reap what you sow. Spiritual reproduction means that you reproduce after your own kind, whether you want to or not. Therefore what you are becomes critically important as you invest in others.

You have reception and transmission. You see the importance of reception in the words, “hearing” and “many witnesses.” You see transmission in the words “commit thou to others also.” Every follower of Christ must view himself as a link between generations. Reception is the privilege, transmission the responsibility.

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Psalm 143-145 1 Corinthians 14:21-40 (New King James Version)

Psalm 143-145
An Earnest Appeal for Guidance and Deliverance
A Psalm of David.
143
Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
In Your faithfulness answer me,
And in Your righteousness.
2
Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,
For in Your sight no one living is righteous.
3
For the enemy has persecuted my soul;
He has crushed my life to the ground;
He has made me dwell in [a]darkness,
Like those who have long been dead.
4
Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;
My heart within me is distressed.
5
I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all Your works;
I [b]muse on the work of Your hands.
6
I spread out my hands to You;
My soul longs for You like a thirsty land. Selah
7
Answer me speedily, O Lord;
My spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me,
Lest I [c]be like those who [d]go down into the pit.
8
Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,
For in You do I trust;
Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,
For I lift up my soul to You.
9
Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
[e]In You I take shelter.
10
Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.
11
Revive me, O Lord, for Your name’s sake!
For Your righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
12
In Your mercy cut[f] off my enemies,
And destroy all those who afflict my soul;
For I am Your servant.
A Song to the Lord Who Preserves and Prospers His People
A Psalm of David.
144
Blessed be the Lord my Rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle—
2
My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My high tower and my deliverer,
My shield and the One in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues [g]my people under me.
3
Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him?
Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?
4
Man is like a breath;
His days are like a passing shadow.
5
Bow down Your heavens, O Lord, and come down;
Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.
6
Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
7
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
8
Whose mouth speaks [h]lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
9
I will sing a new song to You, O God;
On a harp of ten strings I will sing praises to You,
10
The One who gives [i]salvation to kings,
Who delivers David His servant
From the deadly sword.
11
Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood—
12
That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth;
That our daughters may be as [j]pillars,
Sculptured in palace style;
13
That our barns may be full,
Supplying all kinds of produce;
That our sheep may bring forth thousands
And ten thousands in our fields;
14
That our oxen may be well laden;
That there be no [k]breaking in or going out;
That there be no outcry in our streets.
15
Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!
A Song of God’s Majesty and Love
A Praise of David.
145
I will [l]extol You, my God, O King;
And I will bless Your name forever and ever.
2
Every day I will bless You,
And I will praise Your name forever and ever.
3
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
And His greatness is [m]unsearchable.
4
One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
5
[n]I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And [o]on Your wondrous works.
6
Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts,
And I will declare Your greatness.
7
They shall [p]utter the memory of Your great goodness,
And shall sing of Your righteousness.
8
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,
Slow to anger and great in mercy.
9
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
10
All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,
And Your saints shall bless You.
11
They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,
And talk of Your power,
12
To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts,
And the glorious majesty of His kingdom.
13
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And Your dominion endures throughout all [q]generations.
14
The Lord upholds all who fall,
And raises up all who are bowed down.
15
The eyes of all look expectantly to You,
And You give them their food in due season.
16
You open Your hand
And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17
The Lord is righteous in all His ways,
Gracious in all His works.
18
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19
He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He also will hear their cry and save them.
20
The Lord preserves all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21
My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.
Footnotes:
• Psalm 143:3 dark places
• Psalm 143:5 ponder
• Psalm 143:7 become
• Psalm 143:7 Die
• Psalm 143:9 LXX, Vg. To You I flee
• Psalm 143:12 put an end to
• Psalm 144:2 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; Syr., Tg. the peoples (cf. 18:47)
• Psalm 144:8 empty or worthless
• Psalm 144:10 deliverance
• Psalm 144:12 corner pillars
• Psalm 144:14 Lit. breach
• Psalm 145:1 praise
• Psalm 145:3 Beyond our understanding
• Psalm 145:5 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. They
• Psalm 145:5 Lit. on the words of Your wondrous works
• Psalm 145:7 eagerly utter, lit. bubble forth
• Psalm 145:13 So with MT, Tg.; DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. add The Lord is faithful in all His words, And holy in all His works

1 Corinthians 14:21-40
21 In the law it is written:
“With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,”
says the Lord.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are [a]out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 [b]And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
Order in Church Meetings
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for [c]edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of [d]confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
34 Let [e]your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But [f]if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant.
39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
Footnotes:
• 1 Corinthians 14:23 insane
• 1 Corinthians 14:25 NU omits And thus
• 1 Corinthians 14:26 building up
• 1 Corinthians 14:33 disorder
• 1 Corinthians 14:34 NU omits your
• 1 Corinthians 14:38 NU if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.