Posted by Gary on January 28, 2010
While reading a sermon entitled, “Be Zealous” by J.C. Ryle I came across this quote from Robert Murray M’Cheyne concerning his heart and his ministry. I do believe it to be the true confession of any real minister of God:
“None but God knows what an abyss of corruption is in my heart. It is perfectly amazing that ever God could bless such a ministry.”
May God grant to all of His servants the same self-honesty and humility.
God grant us to see the truth about ourselves that we might then by grace see that Jesus is our righteousness. Grant that your servants would be empty of pride and full of the realization of grace received. O Lord, we have been full ourselves, make us full of Yourself. Amen.
Posted by Gary on October 7, 2009
Ephesians 4:11-13 “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”
A few Sundays ago as I came through the narthex of our church there was a line of people standing talking. I decided to shake the first hand I came to as I was on my way and then felt I should shake the next and so it went. After four hands or so I started to feel like a politician and upon arriving at one of our dear senior saints I jokingly said, “I am running for president.” Without delay this dear lady replied, “That would be a demotion for you wouldn’t it?”
While my immediate response was to laugh with her for she chuckled some as she said it, I thought, “Dear lady, I don’t know if you know just how profound a thing you just said.” Along with this thought was this one, “She is right Gary, the call to shepherd God’s people is the greatest and highest calling God can confer upon a man.”
Never as much as it should does this truth come to my mind, “Gary, you have been granted the greatest privilege that a man can ever receive from God.” Sometimes I sit and think about what it would be like to be the president. I think about all the decisions I would make that would set things right and how great it would be to have such power and privilege. Then the glass of cold water splashes in my face: “Gary, would you trade your calling for the power of this world?” “Could you do as much good as president as God in His grace works through His servants through the gospel?” “Do you think being the president would be a promotion for you?” My reason returns to me, I chide myself for my foolishness and embrace and rejoice in my calling once again.
голова болит секс
My crock pot is still boiling after having heard former pastor Mike Huckabee say in January 2008 that he left the pastorate for politics because he felt he needed to “get his jersey dirty”. This is a slap in the face with a leather glove, you might as well say something about my mother. Pastors have clean jerseys? Politicians are doing the real work of helping the world? Ha! Just remember Mike, everything accomplished in the realm of politics will one day end when this world is consumed in fire. The work of God’s shepherds will endure forever, their labor will pay dividends while unending ages roll. Mike, if you had a calling from God to be a pastor then get back where you belong, why would you willingly pursue and embrace such a demotion as the one you have taken?
Perhaps there is a brother out there who in discouragement has lost sight of the privilege that God has conferred upon him to be a pastor in the Church of Christ. Look at the passage from Ephesians 4 at the top of this post, do you not see your position listed alongside prophet and apostle? Hold on brother, God will lift you up, remain faithful and never forget that God has placed upon you a calling that is higher than president or king.
1 Timothy 6:12-16 “Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time– He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”
2 Timothy 1:13-14 “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.”
2 Timothy 4:1-2 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.”
1 Timothy 6:20 “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you,”
