Profundities From the Apostle Paul

Forward!

Galatians 2:10b "I also was forward. . ."

Are your forward or backward? Are you an introvert or extrovert? Some would say ambivert a balance of both traits. In relationships being forward can present a person as being pushy and controlling. Being backward can be read as being unfriendly and cold. There are, however, other ways to use the word forward. Forward is a word to encourage someone or a group to move out, move on or get with it.

God told Moses to tell the children of Israel to "go forward." (Exodus 14:15) God then told Moses to stretch his rod out towards the Red Sea and Israel went forward. Ezra 3:8 says, the Levites "from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord."

Forward is a word that army officers use to send troops into battle. Forward signals the calvary to charge. Shouldn't Christians be forward about the business of the Lord. Our Captain spoke on several occasions concerning one area of ministry we are to be forward in.

He says, "But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. . ." Luke 14:13 He says of himself, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. . ." Luke 4:18

This area of ministry to the poor was passed on from Jesus to his first disciples and on to others they ministered to and then to the Apostle Paul. We have his example in the scripture, ". . .they (James, Cephas and John) would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do." Galatians 2:10

In our day of prosperity preaching, creature comforts, and material "much ism," am I forward in ministry to the poor in my area? Are you forward?