Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Ministry Is A Privilege (Reflections from the Heart Of the Artist)



Ministry Is A Privilege (Reflections from the Heart Of the Artist)

There are two very good reasons to live a God-centered life of ministry. One, is because we are commanded to do so by God, and the other is, God includes in His plan of salvation where we are given the privilege to serve and share the good news with others. That is why we consider ministry a privilege because God does not need us to do anything, yet He desires for us to help others know and understand the truth in order for them to be freed from the dire consequences of their sin.

Jesus commands His followers to go and make disciples. Notice the word "go".
Ministry involves going out to meet others where they are  and sharing with them the truth of the Gospel. Also the word "make" includes us going beyond just sharing  the truth, but continually teaching God's principles in order to help others grow and mature in their faith and trust in God.

Matthew 28:19 NIV
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Along with our obedience to His Word, our service to God, is a great way we truly honor God's name. True followers of Jesus serve because they have been transformed and are now motivated by their love for God and their desire to please Him. True, loving God is a command, yet followers of Jesus love God and obey His commands out of their gratitude for Jesus’ sacrificial love and rescue mission. You see God loved us first, due to the fact that Jesus died on the cross while we were still sinners. Jesus dying for sinners is a concept we need to really think about. God proves His amazing love because He saved us even though there is nothing we could do to deserve it. Sacrificial love is demonstrated through Jesus’ willingness to die on the Cross for our sin.  

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Our new heartfelt love and a Spirit filled life motivates us to do ministry. Once we are called into a life a ministry, God will equip us to do it. One way God equips us is through the giving of Spiritual gifts. 

From Romans 12  here is a list of some spiritual gifts:
Encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy, prophecy, service, teaching

The ministry of Spiritual Gifts originates in the New Testament, commissioned by our Lord Jesus Christ. After He established His church on the earth and ascended to Heaven, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to equip His church with power and spiritual gifts so that His disciples could continue to carry out His ministry objectives. Do you know your spiritual gifts? Do you know that spiritual gifts are supposed to be used to edify and equip God’s kingdom?

Ephesians 4:10-12 NLT
And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself. Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

When we do serve we should make sure we are setting healthy boundaries for ourselves. Even service to God can become an idolatrous and a false notion where one believes they can earn favor with God.

Healthy boundaries mean we keep life in balance where serving the Church does not outweigh serving, ministering and engaging with our families.

Ultimately in everything we do, we need to be content in serving the audience of One.

Ask yourself this question: Am I serving out of love for God and His approval, or is the main reason I serve to win the approval of others? This will always be a tension in the life of a Believer cause of the battle between our flesh and our spirit.

Galatians 1:10 NIV
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

 
Many people struggle with the idea of being a servant of God because it may mean that they will labor in obscurity. There are times when we will feel taken for granted, forgotten and ignored.

Ask your self this question, what would you rather do, labor in obscurity for God or be famous for doing something eternally insignificant with your life?

Question to ponder:

Can you think of someone in your life that’s been a positive example for servant-hood for you?

Even when we choose to live a Christ-centered life there will be times we will put ourselves ahead of others. We will think of our own needs first because of the struggle of defining who we are in a fallen world. For many, defining success still stems from a non-biblical worldview and the idea of pleasing man as opposed to pleasing God. We want our desires fulfilled in a way that leaves us satisfied with our own accomplishments. Yet the truth is we will never be satisfied with what the world is able to provide. Fame, fortune and earthly pleasures are things that are only temporary and cannot satisfy our real need which is to have a personal relationship with our heavenly Father. This God sized hole designed into the depths of each of our hearts can
only be filled through a real relationship with Jesus. In each of us there is a thirst, a desire for real truth. Unfortunately many people live out their days without receiving the free gift of eternal life. 

Here is some great news for followers of Jesus:
God makes this promise: Through a real saving relationship with Jesus, He will satisfy the longing we have for peace, fellowship, community, love, grace, and forgiveness. Through Jesus and all the blessings we receive, we will be able to live an extraordinary abundant life. Also, because we can now see life through God's eternal perspective, we desire to fulfill His greater purpose, which is the Great Commission. We have now essentially become Ambassadors for Christ.

Scripture to meditate on:

Isaiah 58:11 NIV 
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Psalm 107:9 NIV 
for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV 
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.

Matthew 28:18-20 NIV (The Great Commission)
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Jesus tells us the truth about what satisfies the soul:

John 4:14 NIV
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

John 7:38 NIV 
Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

Fulfilling our calling through the power of the Holy Spirit:
True followers of Jesus have the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. 
When we allow the Holy Spirit to direct our lives and transform us from the inside out, we will notice changes in our character and in our attitude.  We will live life to exalt and reflect God’s Glory. We will love others, be an example of Christ-likeness, and be free from the bondage of sin, which is God’s desire for us in this life and for all eternity. The Holy Spirit will help us to serve God and the needs of others.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 (NIV)
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit

Romans 6:22 (NIV)
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.
 

So now think about what God is calling you to do.

Take a moment to pray then answer these questions:

1.  Do you know your spiritual gifts? 

2. Do you know that spiritual gifts are supposed to be used to edify and equip 
    God’s kingdom?

3. Where in your area of influence can you die to self by being Christ-centered 
     instead of self –centered?

4. Ask yourself, are you serving too much? (Are you burning out?)

5. Ask yourself, am I content to serve an audience of one?

6. Am I serving for God’s approval over the approval of others?

7. Ask your self this question, what would you rather do, labor in obscurity for 
    God or be famous for doing something insignificant with your life?

8. Can you think of someone in your life that’s been a positive example for 
    servant-hood for you?


Ministry is a privilege and a calling. Without Jesus however, we will bear no fruit. We need to serve out of love for the audience of One.

Here are 2 awesome passages of scripture that remind us about the best ways to be equipped for ministry:


2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 



John 15:5 (NIV)

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.


What a privilege it is to serve and honor our Heavenly Father!




Just Sayin………………..Dave