09 04 2026 Authentic Ministry Examined

0:00Most of us eat every day, who some of us too much, because yesterday's food is not enough to supply energy for today's needs. Why then? Do some of us expect yesterday's portion of Heavenly Manna, the Word of God, to keep us through today's challenges? On this program, we are going to change all of that. Let's experience God's words today and receive the power we need to live healthy, vibrant lives. Welcome to your daily portion with your host, author speaker, L. David Harris. Good morning, good morning, good morning. It is Friday the fourth day of September in 2026. Hello, my name is L. David Harris. I am your host and this is your daily portion where we give you God's Word every single day and today is no exception. We are continuing in our lesson study series through the books of First and Second Corinthians and our caption for today is Authentic Ministry Examined. We're going to take another look before we move on to our next lesson in the morning.

1:06And before we do, I'd like to say welcome to you and ask you to go over to your daily portion.com. Will you please go ahead and click that button right below. Stop guessing what to do with your life. Discover God's design for your life. Let me just say it. I never say it fully. In your mother's womb, God has already at work. He was already at work knitting you together and weaving gifts into your life on purpose and for his purpose. And that's the assessment that we have created over the last couple of years designed to serve is a guided walk through the scripture that helps you name those gifts and to see where you belong. And then step into the good work he has already prepared for you to do. And please, please go ahead and click that button to begin that assessment. Also, also if you are so inclined, please, please go ahead and click the contribute button because your daily portion ministry is a listener and viewer supported ministry.

2:10Let's go ahead and pray. Brother, we thank you for this day of preparation and for the privilege you've entrusted to us to take another look at what authentic ministry is like. Please help us to see Jesus in all of this in Jesus name I pray. Amen. And amen again. So for me, the most important thing this morning is that God's people have been given the ministry of reconciliation. The church, God's people were given the ministry of reconciliation. So in the same way that Jesus Christ has done everything that he can to remove the hostility between us and God, we are to do the same. I mean, as human beings, of course, we, we're not dying on the cross to save anybody from their sins. Jesus already did that. So what I'm saying is in the same way that he did that, we have the privilege to do the

3:12same, to bring people back together with God, okay? With power from him, we are to call men, women, children to be reconciled to God. That is the assignment for every single one of us. And I know sometimes people are like an assignment that just seems heavy. That seems like fifth grader is a school like setting like an assignment. Yeah. Yeah. Imagine you were the ambassador for for the king of the universe and he has assigned you to go into a place and to speak his words on his behalf so that the people will know his heart and the people will be empowered to live like he has given us the power to live. Yeah. That assignment, that assignment. So let's head into our first lesson coming in from 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 and verse 7, verse 7, 2nd Corinthians chapter 4, the Bible reads, but we have this treasure in

4:18earthen vessels or clay jars that the excellency of the power of God may be of God and not of us so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. And I know that some of us, most of us probably don't live in cultures where this whole clay, the jars or earthen vessels makes sense. But this what Paul was talking about meant it was breakable. His clay jars made from earth, right? Breakable. The clay jar in Paul's world was the most common, most disposable container available. I wish I could pull up something that my former pastor pastor, Zalman gave me, he gave me like a lamp, a small lamp because he's an archaeologist. He gave me the small, the small lamp, but it was an earthen vessel.

5:21Some ancient small lamp, I'm sure that it's a value to people who excavate and do that kind of thing. And I'm like, well, this is how they did it. Yep, that's how they did it. It was, but it was disposable chosen precisely because no one would credit the jar for what was inside of it. Slow down for a moment. So if this clay vessel, this jar is easily broken, easily disposable, it was so common. Nobody would credit it for what was on the inside. Can I just give you an example? Remember when Jesus turned water into wine? Suppose he put that special, that special blessing that the Bible calls in the cluster of grapes. He had them put those, that blessing inside those clay jars and the people at that wedding, especially the one that was in charge was like, listen, people usually give this stuff,

6:28you know, at the, at a different time, but you, you saved the best for last. So the best for last was in these clay or earthen vessels. So we don't glorify the vessel. People should not glorify us, but if Christ is in us, the hope of glory, if we are shining as lights, which God is from our life, then God is the one being glorified, not the earthen vessel, not the one that in, in our own strength is disposable. You see where I'm going with this? And so human weakness does not undermine the proclamation of the gospel. It enhances it. It's like, I have seen God. I don't know if you've heard this before. Do so much with so little. I now believe that God can do anything with nothing, earthen vessels, meaning me. Let me say it again. This is from E.E. Cleveland, the late preacher evangelist, church leader, E.E. Earl Cleveland.

7:28I have seen God do so much with so little. I now believe that God can do anything with nothing, meaning me. And it's God using us. That's the whole point. That's the whole point. When a broken person carries a transforming message, the power is unmistakably God's. The crack in the jar is where the light gets out. Did you see in here what I just said? The crack in the jar, the fact that we are broken, the fact that God is using common human beings, those leaks that are the reality of our humanity is how God is glorified. The light gets out that way. So what do we do with all of this? You've been shouting at us for a second. We'll stop waiting until you feel adequate to carry the gospel.

8:29Don't do that. Like stop waiting until you feel adequate. Like if you feel fully equipped, you feel fully adequate than something's wrong. Get on your knees immediately because something's very wrong. God is saying, don't wait till you feel that you're adequate. Bring your weakness to God. Even in this moment, brothers and sisters, on this day of preparation and trust him, trust him to make his power visible through your brokenness. Let me read a quote to you before we come to a swift close. Let me read a quote to you from letter 32, 1903, one of Ellen White's letters. That's how they designated them. As a church, we have received great light. Will you agree? I agree. We have received great light. This light, the Lord has entrusted to us for the benefit and blessing of the world. To us has been given the ministry of reconciliation with power from on high.

9:30We are to be siege men and women to be reconciled to God. I'm grateful that God is willing to use me. Are you? Yeah, make it a great day. See you. Thanks for joining us, listening friends. Always remember, we cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. This has been your daily portion with Al David Harris. Make it a great day.