This is TAKE HEED TUESDAY - Count the cost before getting on course In our effort to build our Phlosophy of Life, today we look at the important principles that govern ministry. Ministry: I must take time to clearly understand the principles that govern ministry and build my philosophy upon them. · Ministry runs third to my relationship with God and my relationship with my family. I cannot get so caught up in working for God that I neglect my relationship with Him or at the expense of caring for, providing for and bonding with my family. · Ministry is service – I must learn how to wear the crown of dominion with the heart of a servant. Jesus admonished his disciples to note that the greatest among them will always be the one who serves. · Ministry demands accountability – Even Lone Ranger never made any move without informing Tonto. It was based on this principle that Jesus sent out his disciples two by two. It may be built into the set of legal conditions governing the receipt and maintenance of credentials from a denomination or ministerial fraternity; or it may arise simply out of establishing covenant with other ministers. Regardless of the premise on which it stands, though, I cannot ignore the fact that accountability creates the checks and balances that help to order my steps, as I pursue my destiny. · Ministry calls for mentoring - Notice that every individual who did great exploits for God in scripture was attached to and served a senior minister who took steps to shape his mind and guide his steps towards becoming a minister of great responsibility. In the process, the mentee received the spirit and anointing of his mentor and ultimately the grace from God to succeed his mentor. The mentor/mentee relationship is akin to that of a father and son and its on this premise that a mentee can legitimately succeed his mentor and become responsible for taking ministry much further than his mentor can. Joshua was mentored by Moses and took Israel into Canaan, further than where Moses could. Elijah mentored Elisha and passed on a double portion of his anointing to his spiritual son. Scripture records 14 miracles wrought at the hands of Elijah, whereas 28 have been attributed to Elisha. Jesus actually admonished his disciples to do greater works than he did. Who is mentoring you in ministry? · Ministry is for the glory of God and not for personal promotion or agrandizement. Anyone who seeks his own glory through ministry almost inevitably falls off his high horse of pride into an abyss of destruction, from which he hardly ever recovers. · Ministry can be painful at times. Many people whom you help seldom show any sense of grattitude and sometimes may even turn against you and try to bring you down. · Ministry demands obedience to God - Samuel warned Saul that to obey God is better than sacrifice. So on this TAKE HEED TUESDAY may we all take heed to Jesus admonition in Luke 14:28-30 - For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? 29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Yes, Minstry carries a cost.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 23:01:07 +0000
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