Seven Loves of a Healthy Spiritual Life: A Love for Ministry

A Love for the Ministry

Acts 2 -

vs. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.

Perhaps it would be more accurate by the text to say a RESPECT for the ministry — but then, I don’t know if you can separate true respect from love.

To RESPECT means to HONOR — but it also means that you are careful how you act in the presence of the one you honor.

It amazes me how that some individuals think they can reverence God while showing disrespect for the Man of God!

No true man of God wants your worship — that belongs to God alone

A Man that Prophesy’s

2 Kings 4:8-17 (KJV)

8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.

12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.

13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.

16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

-> Elisha raises the Shunammite’s son

I thank God for My Pastor

A man of prophesy

Warnings = watchman on the wall

Ezekiel 33:6 KJV 1900

But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.

Ezek 33:6

In other words God will hold the watchman accountable if he does not sound when the enemy is near to murder the sheep.

Words of encouragement = Such as Elisha did w/ the Shun. woman

-> Please notice that the text points out how the Shun. woman honored the man of God.

The Pastor’s job

Jeremiah 3:15 (KJV)

15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Pastors are called to feed the sheep with knowledge and understanding

This Scripture requires three things:

An ear to listen

Willingness to apply and master — fundamentally another lesson cannot be taught until the student masters the first

The pastor maintain the heart of Christ as a Sheppard tending to the sheep

The Balance of Authority

Hebrews 13:17 (KJV) 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

There is a balance in all things scriptural

Wives submit – balanced by – Husbands love your wives as you love yourself & as Christ loved the church and gave himself

Children honor thy father and thy mother – balanced by – provoke not your children to wrath

Obey them that hath the rule over you – balanced by – he that will be great be your minister... first shall be last... servant of all

However, this “balance” does not negate each individuals responsibility to comply to the principle that fits them

To many times we think because someone has offended their obligation at some point of our life, we can justifiably break our responsibility to the Word. This is not so.

In Biblical terms, two wrongs do not make a right.

God Chose Preachers and Preaching

Ezekiel 12:1-2 (KJV) 1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house.

God reveals things to these men in the Spirit and holds them accountable to impart what He has given them

It is the church’s job to apply what has been preached

Fail to do so allows for God’s house to be a rebellious house

1 Corinthians 1:18-21 (KJV)

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not

God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Send Me a Preacher

Romans 10:14 (KJV) 14 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?

Paul’s Command to Timothy

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (KJV) 1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

- That is TODAY and even in the Church - 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

2 Thessalonians 3:1

1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

Hebrews 13:17-18

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.