Let us not FAINT with This Ministry.
Sub topic: Instead, rekindle the fire and Glorify God
Definition of Faint-To lose heart, to grow weary, to become bored or uninterested.
Many Ministries today have strayed from The No Nonsense Preaching or teaching of the Word of God, so they tend to offer:
Not enough biblical instruction-Hosea 4:6- My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.
Overemphasis on emotional persuasion/Not enough emphasis on Repentance. St. Matthew 15:8 – This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. 9-but in vain they do worship me- Acts 3:19 – Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out
Teaching traditional philosophies rather than teaching the doctrine of God-Is 9:16-For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and they that are led of them are destroyed. Col 2:8 – Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
More theatrics then Word- Col 3:23 – And whatsoever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men. 24-For you serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Overly involved in inward ministry then outward ministry-St. Matthew 9:37- The harvest is plenteous but the laborers are few. St. Matt 25:42-For I was hungry, and you gave me no meat, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger, and you took me not in, naked and you clothed me not, sick and in prison and ye visited me not.
The Lord makes it plain that if we will not serve those less fortunate it is as though we would not serve him also. When we only minister to the needs of one another in the body of Christ we hinder Christ from using us in the community.
Serving the needy is serving the needs of Christ. Pastor’s note: Christ has a need that the cast away’s of society, city rejects, fallen and failed in society or simple minded, community ex-addicts and social misfits must find the Love of God through his people.
Prophesying lies more than the Word –Jer 23:16 – They speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.
The Ministry that God is looking for:
· Will strive to bring enlightment through the breaking down of the Word of God - Ephesians 2:15 – The eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling.
· Will lead the people to the Will of God - Colossian 1:9 That you may be filled with the Knowledge of HIS will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
· Will strive to cause the people to turn from their evil ways and Repent - Jeremiah 23:22 But if they had stood in my counsel and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned from the evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
· Extend Mercy to others - Mercy is God’s ministry to the miserable. Having received mercy we must extend mercy to others, regardless of who they may be. II Cor 4:1- Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not. Note: We must be delivered from becoming too comfortable with one another and uncomfortable with outsiders or strangers. Mercy: Mentally Ill, Retarded , Dysfunctional, Homosexual, Needy, other races.
· To provide consistent renewing stability – II Cor 4: 16 – For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. The inward man – Your Spirit yoked with God’s Spirit.
· A rejection of Deceit- 11 Cor 4:1 Having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty. Hidden things – referring to that which is secretive and underhanded. What others see in us should be what they Get. Like ME or not-I am who I am.
An unwillingness to rely on craftiness – 11 Cor 4:2 – Not walking in craftiness. Not relying on gimmicks to get results. Craftiness is cunning trickery to deceive people for ones own advantages. Define Gimmick: 1.dishonest trick: a piece of trickery or manipulation intended to achieve a result dishonestly • It’s not a genuine offer, just a sales gimmick. 2.hidden disadvantage: a piece of concealed information that, if known, would make an offer or opportunity less attractive • It sounds great, but what’s the gimmick?
· A refusal to mishandle scripture - II Cor 4:2 – Not handling the word of God deceitfully –Refusal to adulterate the word of God by tampering with its meaning, or reading into the text something that was not there in order to prove a point or use it for selfish purposes.
· Reaching out to touch everyone’s conscience – II Cor 4:2 – By manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God. ONCE The Word has gone forth, the knowledge of the Word of God in the mind of those who received it will bear witness that the spiritual leader is of God.
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