"When I was sick...

For a few weeks, if not months, this part of Matthew 25:36 has been ringing in my heart...and it took me a bit of time to pull my thoughts or heart-tugs together. Before we go further, let's read that section of the verse first:

Matthew 25:36b - "I was sick, and you cared for [visited; looked after] me. I was in prison, and you visited [came to] me.’" (Expanded Bible)

As I read and meditated on it, several questions came to my mind:

1. How many people would believe, let alone visit their Pastor (or his wife) if/when he/she is ill?
2. How many of the Pastor (or his wife's) "illnesses" are self-inflicted?
3. What can we - Pastor, Mrs Pastor and church members - do to prevent Pastor (and/or his wife) from falling ill in the first place?

A few priceless answers - that require persistent action - come to mind:

The 1st thing everyone including Pastor and Mrs Pastor need to realize is that they are human. I've talked about this before*. So if they ( I mean, "we") don't take the time to develop and maintain healthy living habits, chances are that the promise of divine health will not be fulfilled in our lives. Living a healthy life includes our diet, bedtime and exercise. A lot of us cut out the exercise part forgetting that: " [For] Training your body [Physical exercise] helps you in some [or small] ways , but serving God [godliness] helps you in every way ·by bringing you blessings [since it holds promise] in this life and in the future life, too." (1 Tim 4:8 - Expanded Bible, emphasis mine). A lot of us focus on the 2nd part of the verse but the 1st half is just as important.
Even John F. Kennedy said:

"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body,

it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity."

 

The 2nd thing, is for Pastors and Mrs Pastors to not only disciple but also delegate things to others...that's one sure way you can develop others in ministry. I've seen and unfortunately heard some Pastors and Mrs Pastors say things like: "He/she won't know what to do" or "He/she doesn't know how to do it (as well or as fast) as I can (or would prefer)" - yes that's sad. In life, I have learned several things, these 2 are relevant here: Practice makes progress and My way of doing things is not the best or only way. If you keep an open mind and give people space to function, you can improve yourself too. Ronald Reagan, another US President has this advice for us: "Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out."

So really all we need to do is to be clear on the vision and let others run with it...

We see the instruction to disciple and delegate in 2 Tim 2:2 and Hab 2:2 respectively

 

"You have often heard me teach.

Now I want you to tell these same things to followers who can be trusted to tell others." (CEV)

"Write my answer plainly on tablets, 

so that a runner can carry the correct message to others." (NLT)

The 3rd thing is you must do is, if you do fall ill, take the time to take care of yourself. Whether or not others visit and or care for you, care for yourself. Sometimes we want to keep going and "manage" the unhealthy situation. You cannot expect that by continuing to rush around, the illness will run away. I can tell you, from personal experience, that it won't. The illness will actually just be fuelled to dig it's roots deeper and deeper because you're not giving your body time to regain strength to fight that internal war. We should learn to listen to our bodies when they whisper before they start shouting and - God forbid - shutting down.

 

Divine healing is a wonderful benefit for us; divine health is better... and to some extent, it is dependent on our healthy living which includes regular rest. It's wonderful to be visited when you are sick but even better to be visited when you are well...

 

Sources:

*http://mrs-pastor-and-pastor-mrs.blogspot.ca/2012/10/pastor-is-not-superman.html

 

God doesn't...

...why should we?

Moving from Point to Point...

A lot of times we're trying to move people from Point A to Point B - from where they are to where they should be - more like to where we think they should be.

A few years ago, we were having a conversation with Pastor Wale Adenuga and he made a comment around the fact that people only move from being part of the Audience to Congregation in church based on their Belief. Of course, I pulled it together so we have the A-B-C.

As I typed this, the Holy Spirit added that it's only in moving up to "Point D" that anyone will enjoy E F with G. So let's break that down.

It's one thing to progress from being a church goer (audience) to becoming a member (congregation) - as our belief (faith) deepens. The true value of life comes from Point D - when one becomes a Disciple because then we'll spend our Eternal life Forever with God.

The question I've continued to ask myself is what is my role - first as a Christian and then Mrs. Pastor - in helping people move not just from Point A to Point C but even to Point D? You know, your husband-pastor and other ministers could preach the most spiritually-sound sermons and then the relationship soil in your church could be filled with thorns and weeds. I've decided that the only person I can control is me. So I constantly assess (& till) myself - taming my words so they don't come out as weeds or thorns. The warning is clear in Mark 9:42
And whoever causes one of these little ones (these believers) who acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin, it would be better (more profitable and wholesome) for him if a [huge] millstone were hung about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. (Amplified)

Whatever we do (or don't do), we should be encouraging others to keep moving forward and upward in their relationship with God. What a joy to see others progress...from point to point.

Follow me...

A few months ago, I was sharing a concern with my husband. I told him that there seems to be lack of depth among Christians and fewer people are disciples. He partially agreed with me and then said that when Jesus said "Follow me"* it was an invitation, not an instruction.

Something is missing...

The first time I saw this a few years ago, I was tickled...nice play with words and letters especially now that we've technologically advanced from shorthand to "short-speak" - yes, just look at texts & tweets and count how many words are complete.

As I pondered on it, I challenged myself and others who go on with the "something is missing" attitude.
I find that it is so easy to talk about all that is "missing" or not being done in our churches. Remember my piece on "Noted?"* Let's go on...

Focus on one...

A few months ago, someone shared a variation of the 'Each one, teach one' African-American quote - it struck me so I decided to tweak it a bit and share it and the related verses with you:

 

If each one reach (and teach) one and every one win one,

how many one ones will be won for Christ?

 

Mother Teresa put it this way:

 

Never worry about numbers.

Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.

 

Last year, God very gently got me over the "hump of numbers."

In fact, I remember Bishop TD Jakes talking about how frustrating it can be when he prepares and pours of himself into people and they still don't "get it." As some of us know from our own personal experience, it is frustrating and sometimes could have you double-guessing yourself and what you do - whether it's even worth it. 

 

I can tell you is it's worth it - yes it is!

 

Jesus gave us 2 examples of going after "The One."*

 

The bottom line is: All you, I, we, need to do is reach out to at least one person and the world will be a better place for everyone.

Paul also reminds us in 2 Timothy 2:2 -

And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also. (Amplified)

The truth is: Our faithfulness will determine our fruitfulness. Stay faithful to the path God has outlined for you - fruitfulness will follow...every tree with many fruits started from one seed.

Focus on the Ministry (to One) & you will not be in the Misery to many - who don't show up.
May God prosper our ministries - and put out our miseries - this year. AMEN!

Happy Labour Day to many of us and may our labour in His Kingdom not be in vain.

References:
*Luke 15: 1-10 and Matthew 18: 11-14

Church isn't...

equal to God.

It's sad to see how many people equate church to God and vice versa. Unfortunately, I sometimes feel (and see) that Pastors and Mrs. Pastors (including me) are (can be) the biggest culprits. A few months ago, my husband and I had been rather busy and even out travelling in different directions and it almost felt like we were not in sync. The only solution was that we needed to spend some time together to reconnect - and we had service that day. As I tossed in bed, my mind tussled asking:

Help?

Are there times when someone says they're helping you and you look at what they are doing and you wonder - "Help? If this is help, I'm better off without it."

Message or

Massage?

It's sad to hear so many "soft" messages - which I refer to as "massages" - rather than telling people things as the Lord has said...the way He did.

When God gives you a message for someone/a group how do you deliver it? In it's orginal form as given by God or do you change it to a "massage"?

When God gives a message, we must not massage it - we owe it to the recepient(s) to deliver it without modification. Softening messages doesn't soften the punishment for sin.

 

The Bible has examples we can learn from.

In 1 Samuel 3:15-19,* we see an example of a really young person who was afraid to give God's message verbatim. The recipient of the message pronounced a curse upon the messenger if he dared withhold or even massage the message to make it more "palatable."

 

In Ezekiel 13, we see God pronouncing destruction upon those who say things He did tell them to and then in chapter 33**, He pronounces curses those who don't say what He told them to.  God obviously has zero tolerance for those who mess (around) with His message... in fact He messes up their lives. We're in the end times when people will have itching ears*** - wanting the Word to suit them instead of adjusting themselves to suit the Word.

 

The truth is bitter - we only get better when we take it in its pure form. Be one of those who share the whole truth so the hearers and doers may be made whole.**** It's not about man's applause - our target must be God's approval at all times. When we deliver God's messages properly and promptly, we'll get divine massages from Him...pleasures in His presence.

 

References:
*1 Sam 3:15-19 - Samuel lay there until morning, then opened the doors of the Lord ’s house. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel, saying: "Samuel, my son!" "I’m here," Samuel said. "What did he say to you?" Eli asked. "Don’t hide anything from me. May God deal harshly with you and worse still if you hide from me a single word from everything he said to you."  So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. "He is the Lord , " Eli said. "He will do as he pleases." So Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not allowing any of his words to fail. (CEB)

 

** Eze 33:7-9 - “You, son of man, are the watchman. I’ve made you a watchman for Israel. The minute you hear a message from me, warn them. If I say to the wicked, ‘Wicked man, wicked woman, you’re on the fast track to death!’ and you don’t speak up and warn the wicked to change their ways, the wicked will die unwarned in their sins and I’ll hold you responsible for their bloodshed. But if you warn the wicked to change their ways and they don’t do it, they’ll die in their sins well-warned and at least you will have saved your own life. (MSG)

 

*** 2 Tim 4:2-4 Preach God's message. Do it willingly, even if it isn't the popular thing to do. You must correct people and point out their sins. But also cheer them up, and when you instruct them, always be patient. The time is coming when people won't listen to good teaching. Instead, they will look for teachers who will please them by telling them only what they are itching to hear. They will turn from the truth and eagerly listen to senseless stories. (CEV)

 

**** 2 Tim 3:16 - God has breathed life into all of Scripture. It is useful for teaching us what is true. It is useful for correcting our mistakes. It is useful for making our lives whole again. It is useful for training us to do what is right. (NIRV)

Samuel didn't want to give Eli God's message....remember what Eli said?

May it be to your enemy.....who was this?




not messages.

Who...

...chose you? Who were you provided/ordained for?