The Word of God for wisdom:
Proverbs 16:27 (MSG)
27 Mean people spread mean gossip; their words smart and burn.
The Word of God for inspiration:
Psalm 126:5-6 (HCSB)
5 Those who sow in tears will reap with shouts of joy.
6 Though one goes along weeping, carrying the bag of seed, he will surely come back with shouts of joy, carrying his sheaves.
The Word of God for encouragement:
Acts 6:1-7 (HCSB)
1 In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.
2 Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, "It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle financial matters.
3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.
4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry."
5 The proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte from Antioch.
6 They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
My observation:
The church should be concerned about the whole person; that is evident in our focal passage for today from Acts 6.
However, the pastor can't do everything, and he needs capable servant leaders to assist him in the ministry to the congregation.
These servant leaders should partner with the pastor to meet all of the needs of God's people. These leaders need to have the right kind of qualities in their life so that they may serve well.
Acts 6:3 (HCSB)
3 Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty.
When the church does things the right way, and with the right people, you can expect to see the blessings of God upon them. This first century church recognized the needs of the people, they summoned the whole company of the disciples, they chose servant leaders with the right qualities, and they commissioned them for the work.
The result that they received was the blessings of God upon the church, and the spread of the gospel of Christ through the preaching of the word of God.
Acts 6:7 (HCSB)
7 So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith.
My prayer:
Our Father in heaven, my dear Father, I pray that you would raise up servant leaders in our day who will have the wisdom and the insight to see the whole needs of the whole company of believers. Father God, give us hearts of compassion for the hurting that sit in every pew in our churches.
Father God, help us to see what you can do when we do things your way, and when we choose servant leaders with the right qualities.
Father, I pray that you will stir our hearts so that your people will do our part, which is sowing and weeping. For, we know that you are able and willing to do your part; which is adding sheep to the sheepfold. O, what rejoicing that awaits the people of faith who are faithful to the Lord of the harvest at harvest time. Amen.
--
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
.
No comments:
Post a Comment