TOOLS GOD USES – POINT 3

Point 3

God’s ministers are a training tool God uses to teach us His ways.

I Timothy 2:24-25,
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men; apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”

We need to be reminded that God’s ministers watch out for our soul. As pastors, they have permission from the Father that if they see any of God’s children wavering or faltering they are to try to prod them back in the ways of God again.

Today, there seems to be an epidemic of sheep running to and fro without a shepherd. Those that are doing this are wolf bait and wolves will attack them. Their mind set is, “O but you see brother, I’ve grown so much in the Lord. I’ve had such heavenly visions. I’ve been used so mightily by the Holy Spirit. There’s  just no
one around that I feel I can submit to.”

Listen to me! There’s not one of us that outgrows our need for a shepherd no matter how spiritual or mature we consider ourselves to be. Spiritual accountability is part of God’s school of discipline. If you want to see a pastor shout and get happy go to him and say, “Pastor, I want you to watch over my soul. If you see me falter, if you see me weaken, if you see me start to pull away from the church, come and strengthen me–exhort me–challenge me–don’t let me go back.”

The office of pastor is God ordained. If God hadn’t of thought the church needed them, he wouldn’t have given pastors to the church. But it does and He did! Ephesians 4:11-12, “And he gave some apostles and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

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

I’m not saying that everyone that pastors was appointed by God to that position or office. If God didn’t appoint them it will soon be evident. The job will be too big for them. I am saying that when it is evident that a person has been appointed by God then honor that tool God is using to instruct you in his ways.

Today, there are basically two different types of ministry and blessed is the pastor that can incorporate both types into his preaching.
       (1) The safe ministry like, Robert Schuller; this is the preaching that is smooth, enjoyable, non-explosive, full of positive thinking and contains several  little cliches. This kind of preaching doesn’t really want to offend or really open things up.
        (2) The confrontation ministry, an Elijah approach; this is preaching that’s ready to call things the way they really are. It’s unpredictable, explosive, confrontational. It’s the kind that kicks your door down, points a finger at you and says, “You are the man or you are the woman. You’ve got a problem or you are the problem. What are you going to do about it?”

God uses both types to teach us his ways. They are both needed and they both carry the anointing. I have discovered that as much as I like the safe ministry, I can’t grow spiritually without an occasional earthquake from God coming into my life and shaking my spiritual foundation–shaking me up spiritually.

Sometimes we need to have our doors kicked in by the Holy Ghost power to cause us to examine, to evaluate and to reorganize our priorities in our Christian walk. It’s good for spiritual growth.

Go to Point Four