Brethren,
We at The Remnants are happy to announce the launch on December 4, 2013, of Operation “ROLL UP SLEEVES”. It was mandated by God and is meant for the Body of Christ to implement.
Background
A few weeks ago, as I got ready to attend a Ministers Conference on Transformation, a sudden thought dropped in my mind, “Is it possible that one can transform his environment without rolling up his sleeves?” This query took me by surprise because I have never actually given it a thought before. I was tempted to say, “Yes”, but was not sure if that was correct.
Down at the Conference, as the Host Pastor made his opening remarks, the same question was repeated in my mind and I made a mental note to ruminate on it later. Meanwhile, as I still pondered over it, off and on, half listening to what was being said, the person to introduce the Main Speaker was called up. As he read the citation, he said something that struck me as the answer: “…he was imprisoned while serving the rural poor…” That’s it! A Professor stooping down to serve the rural poor? He suffered some pain and discomfort while at it too. That was a roll-up-sleeves situation. I understood then clearly what the Lord was trying to point out to me earlier.
What is Operation “Roll up Sleeves”?
Literally speaking, people roll up their sleeves before doing difficult or dirty physical work. Sleeves could also be rolled up to take injections, which are usually painful and discomforting. “Roll up Sleeve” is however used here idiomatically to mean the following:
- Doing the dirty or, sometimes, painful task
- Soiling one’s fingers
- Putting one’s feet in the mud
- Points to that stage in life where we MUST move from our comfort zone to do those things which do not come naturally or easily to us – those things we wish someone else was doing and not us
- Connotes that there is a battle we will fight to establish God’s Kingdom purpose in our lives
- Points to the lowly/artisanal service(s) we have to render in order to get to our destination
- Changing of a situation – transiting from a laid-back position to begin to work extremely hard
There are different stages involved in one’s movement from dream (vision) to achievement of purpose. “Roll up Sleeves” is that critical stage or bus stop in-between these two points.
“How Does This Concern Me?”
This is the question that might be agitating people’s minds now. The Lord was pointing out to me that Christianity has lost its bite among us because the elite Christians to whom He has given the capacity to dominate the world have refused to cross the “Rubicon”. It reminds me of a dream I had many years ago. In that dream, I was chauffeur-driven to a spot. I alighted in my suede high-heeled shoes. Across from me was a car parked, with the luggage compartment open, exposing a lot of packages meant for me. I was supposed to cross a narrow gutter near where I stood and take possession of the car and its contents. But it had just rained and the soil was still wet. I did not want to soil my suede shoes so I stood there waiting for the ground to dry properly before I crossed over to the other car, an action which would have taken me only five steps to accomplish! As I waited, people were passing by the car and taking whatever they could lay their hands on from the open boot. At one point I cried to God, “God see, they are taking my things!” I expected God to stop them but I was taken aback by His response. He said, “If you don’t put your feet in that mud and get there you cannot inherit those things.” It was at this point that I woke up.
This spiritual experience taught me two things:
(1) I must come down from my high horse – elitist posturing – and stoop to accomplish my assignment on earth in order to get my blessings;
(2) Each time we delay action on what we are supposed to do, others will be chipping away at our inheritance.
If you are reading this and God has blessed you with considerable influence (political, social, religious, economic, etc), exceptional skills and professional experience among others, this piece is particularly for you. Go through your mind and assess yourself. Ask this all important question:
- Have I done ALL I should do to justify all that the Lord has put at my disposal? In other words, “What are the sleeves I have rolled or I’m expected to roll in my life?”
The Christian’s Laxity And A World Lapsing Into Darkness
The world is slowly and steadily moving to a Sodom-and-Gomorrah State because most Christians have refused to roll up their sleeves. We do so little and expect so much result. This is mainly because the institution of Church has veered off the path of the Cross and has engaged on the religious path. Every Christian, from birth, should be able to understand his/her purpose and how to accomplish it. The Church is supposed to be the training ground but she has failed woefully on this count. The resultant effect is that we are now living in a world saturated with evil, causing our light and salt attributes to be of no effect. The only solution left for us is to retrace our steps now and go back to the “Old Path”. Jeremiah 6:16 reads, “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls”.
Operation “Roll up Sleeves” is a wake-up call for us to arise today (and not tomorrow) to pick up our gauntlets and get down to work. We can no longer play the ostrich with only our heads improperly hidden in a shallow hole while our whole body is exposed to danger and to the enemy. We have been inept for too long. Time to move! What are you doing about that issue in your environment that makes you mad? What are you doing about that prophecy that went out concerning you? If you are not forging ahead watch out if the pattern you are using is of God. It is never God’s fault that you cannot succeed. God always honours any step taken in the right direction. Just make the first move.
Going Forward
- We must discover God’s purpose for our lives and war for it:
“This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare” – 1 Timothy 1:18 (KJV), Deut. 2:24
- Follow God’s pattern to plan and execute:
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty” – Proverbs 21:5 (KJV), Heb. 8:5B
- There are many souls, in and out of the Church, waiting to be reached; they are in your house, office, market, associations, business circles, buses, neigbourhood, church/fellowship, outside your comfort zone, etc. Have you talked to them about Christ or about the current move of God:
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:14 (KJV);
- Transformation will not fall from heaven. Human beings like you need to make it happen. We MUST build human capacity massively if we want to see change: teach and disciple the whole nation. Are you a teacher?
“ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” – Matthew 28:19-20
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.” – Acts 5:42 “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
- Those whose capacity you have built, empower them spiritually (through impartation) or economically or both:
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” – Acts 1:8; James 2: 15-16
- It is only Christian principles that can help change people’s lives and wrong mindset eternally. Every Christian must put his/her hand on the plough to carry out mass re-orientation programmes through social and mass media, seminars, talks, one-on-one, etc, in order to point the populace to the right direction:
“The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it” Psalm 68:11, 2 Cor.10:5
- Full consecration should be the greatest desire of every Christian. If Jesus does not indwell you literally then you cannot do any great work. But consecration comes with a price; Pay it!
“…but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” – Daniel 11:32B, John 14:23
The issue of why and how we should roll up our sleeves cannot be fully treated in one write-up, but this is a good start. Go before God and ask Him for direction. You never can tell if there are things you are oblivious to which you are supposed to do. Your own “Roll up Sleeves” might be as simple as submitting to a mentor (even at your old age or with all your knowledge)! It pays to pay your price immediately. Rebecca paid by giving drink to ten camels without making any demands (Gen. 24), Jacob served his way through in pain (Gen. 31: 38-41), Mother Teresa trudged the streets and gutters of India to pick up, clean up and care for the poor in the slums; Mandela lost his youth plus spent 27 straight years in an inhumane prison and is today the most celebrated black leader, dead or alive. Now is your turn!
I urge you all out there to go the extra mile today and roll up your sleeves. Do not stop there: tell all those around you to do the same. As you do so, kindly give us a feedback on your experiences.
THE CHURCH IS MARCHING ON!!!!!!!!!!
If you need any help to roll up your sleeves, please contact us on 0808 434 0826 or
God bless you outstandingly as you venture out.
In Him,
TOWNCRIER
