Take Care
Care like God cares. Earlier this year, Chief Apostle HC Gunn taught that this is how we become and remain true witnesses for God. Often, as those who profess to be Christ-followers, we strive to serve as a witness for God through our actions and words, but do we truly embody God's care, like Jesus?
By definition, a witness is not just someone who can talk about or demonstrate something they saw or heard. A witness is someone who serves as proof or evidence of something. Chief Apostle Gunn has shown us that how we care is the loudest and boldest testimony of who God is.
1 Corinthians 13 tells us that the greatest thing we have is love (a.k.a. care). Our faith can be great, but it can also fail. Our hope can be strong, but it can also fail. But love, as evidenced through care, can never fail.
Without care, 1 Corinthians 13 also tells us that prophetic vision, Biblical wisdom, spiritual understanding, and unwavering belief are ultimately powerless in overcoming unwillingness, unfaithfulness, envy, pride, ungodly conduct, evil thinking, selfishness, an infinity for iniquity, and so much more. Care is how we overcome and help others to overcome.
This helps us understand why Jesus said in Matthew 7: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and (cares to) doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock ... And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand ...."
Jesus had to care enough to die for the very people who rejected him. Abraham had to care enough to adopt Lot after he lost his father. Elisha had to care enough to travel from Mount Carmel to resurrect the Shunammite woman's son. Paul had to care enough to write letters from prison to help recover individuals and families entangled in sin and deceit. The Good Samaritan had to care enough to delay his travels and use his money to nurse and house a stranger who had been left for dead.
Simply put: Care does. Care serves. Care wins. Care endures. Care glorifies God.
There is an unanswered call to the ministry of care in the world and among the saints. Everyone wants to know and be seen and heard, but not many want to do. Care is a behind-the-scenes ministry. (Matthew 6 says: "But when you do a charitable work, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable work may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.")
Last spring, Chief Apostle Gunn said a major sin in our body/the church is that we do not care for one another. During a message a few years ago during our "Prayer Revival," he posed the question: What will God say about you after your death? What can he testify about your life and how you care?
Today’s Watch Letter is dedicated to Chief Apostle Gunn and his companion, Apostle Felicia Gunn. Through their care, they have been faithful witnesses to many around the world through their care. Through their practice of care and commitment to living out the Word, they have fed children in Haiti, transformed their home into a hospital, adopted orphans, maintained roofs over families' heads, and rescued many from the clutches of the enemy, just to name a few.
Today, let's choose to take care!
-Apostle Kanya
In the most recent FORREAL Radio Broadcast Series "Separated People," Chief Apostle Gunn starts off by asking: How good are we to others (our children, our loved ones, our spouse, our boss, our co-workers, our neighbors, etc.). God is calling for a people who cares. Listen to the messages here:
Separated People
Separated People Part 2
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