This is a blog I thought you might find interesting. It challenged me.
I read a verse that stopped me in my tracks this morning. The Holy Spirit arrested me. If I were completely honest, I'd have to admit that most of "my ministry" has been for God not to God. I don't think that is just semantics. It's a whole different paradigm. So many of us are so busy ministering for God that we rarely minister to God.
Ezekiel 44:16 wrecked me today: "They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge." Makes me think of the original commission in Matthew 10. Before Jesus "sent them out" he called them "to him." I think one of the greatest dangers leaders face is this: we get focused on what God wants to do THROUGH us instead of what God wants to do IN us.
Are you ministering for God or to God?
I think it's both/and, but you better prioritize ministry to God.
Ezekiel 44:16 wrecked me today: "They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge." Makes me think of the original commission in Matthew 10. Before Jesus "sent them out" he called them "to him." I think one of the greatest dangers leaders face is this: we get focused on what God wants to do THROUGH us instead of what God wants to do IN us.
Are you ministering for God or to God?
I think it's both/and, but you better prioritize ministry to God.
2 comments:
Todd
that is something that is so relavant to what "you leaders" preach from day to day. I dont know weather there are exceptions in the kingdom for "called people" but it is true that god has you in his hands to lead you to this awareness. The promptings that you talk about so much delivering for god to us as followers is in its own way your gift from god to make you aware to this thought of your personal qeust to serve to god. Surrender this to him and be lead by this amazing concept. I feel a series in the making for the church body to embrace you and staff with what we have learned and lived based on what you have done for god and feeling some reservations for maybe not feeling like it was to god.
A book I read when I was new to the Lord helped me immensely! Watchman Nee's Release of the Spirit. I am now revisiting it because sometimes we forget that it is the simplist of concepts.. He says that our communion with the Lord should be a moment by moment thought process.. even in the simplist of tasks like washing dishes and in the hardest and most complicated. In this we are communing and listening to Him and that is worship poured out through our everyday lives. Because we know Him, and commune with Him, our everyday lives become what He wants and not what we want. I think He wants our hearts and when we can truly be broken and let Him work thru us we are ministering to HIm.
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