17 Sep Ministry Milestones Part 5
Annually we minister to ministers and help pastor pastors! Last month we began sharing a teaching from our Joy Ministerial Exchange. Let’s review…
12 Ministry Milestones:
- Great leaders don’t do more. Great leaders do more of what matters most.
- Limitations breed innovations.
- Pastors like crowds, but sometimes they forget to love people.
- There are two kinds of people in life:
- It’s not happy people who are thankful…it’s thankful people who are happy!
- Big purpose will always help you overcome the criticism of small people.
- Little compromises that no one sees produce great failure that everyone sees.
- Little sacrifices that no one sees produce great successes that everybody wants.
This week let’s continue with…
9. Discover the difference between being tired and depleted. If you are tired, a day of physical rest is all you need. If you are depleted, you need to be replenished!
We have all had long days where all that is needed is a good night’s sleep! Remember this: You are just one good night’s sleep away from a new perspective. However, there is a big difference between being tired and depleted. When you are depleted, physical rest alone (while important) is not enough. You must be replenished. You can only be replenished by taking in the Word of God (see Mark 4:20-22 and Colossians 3:16)!
That’s why it’s so important for you to go to church every week. As a supplement you can get on our website and listen to our podcast or watch our video cast. For me personally, I use Wednesdays and Saturdays as my days when I replenish. The Bible tells us in Mark 4:23-25, “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.”
Notice that phrase “to him that has shall more be given”. In context the thing we are supposed to “have” is a “hearing ear” (see v.23) and in context the thing we are supposed to hear is the Word of God (see Mark 4:14). If you want to be a hundred-fold producer in life (see Mark 4:20), replenish yourself with the Word of God!
10. Gifts and callings are irrevocable, anointings and sendings are not (Rom. 11:29).
Here the Bible tells us, “For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” The gifts and calling of God last forever, but if we are not cautious we can disqualify ourselves from leadership or ministry. The Bible also tells us in I Corinthians 9:27, “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
The Greek word for “castaway” means disqualify. Paul is telling us that if we don’t control our body we can disqualify ourselves from ministry or high levels of leadership. Now please don’t mistake me, God loves you dearly and His pile of mercy is always greater than our pile of sin. However if you desire high levels of leadership or high levels of ministry…the reason you can’t get away with low decisions is that you have such a high calling!
Join us next week as we continue our series…