|
In the hustle and bustle of our busy days, as we take
care of our families, our homes, our jobs, and
serve in our churches… we are also exceedingly
blessed to get to minister in a myriad of ways
to others. And there are
so many ways, big and small, we can touch lives
and share God's grace, mercy, and love with
them.
But
in the midst of doing these things, we mustn't
neglect ministering to those our Lord has
actually commanded us to. We can't let our ideas
of 'ministry' usurp His perfect words to us. We
need to make His commands our priority - our
primary focus - and give them our first
energies, because they are what our loving
Master has told us to do.
Maybe we can do it all. Maybe we can focus on
ministering to those God has specifically
and clearly
told us to minister to - AND do lots of other
things, too. But if presented with a choice
between what we 'think' we should do, or what
we'd 'like' to do, and what He has actually
already told us to do - choose His first!!! LOOK
for those first!!!
Perhaps our Lord is pleased at times to test our
hearts - whether we have set them to obey all
He's told us to do - FIRST!
Minister
to These… (a partial list to get started on)
The
HUNGRY: give them food (Mt 25:34-46)
The
THIRSTY: give them a drink (Mt 25:34-46)
The
PRISONERS: visit them in prison, remember them
(Mt 25:34-46; Heb 13:3)
The
SICK: visit them (Mt 25:34-46)
The
STRANGERS: invite godly ones in, show
hospitality to them (Mt 25:34-46; Heb 13:2; 2 Jn
10-11)
The
UNCLOTHED: clothe them (Mt 25:34-46)
The
POOR, CRIPPLED, LAME, and BLIND: invite them
when you have a dinner / feast
(Lk
14:12
-14)
The
FAINTHEARTED: encourage them (1 Ths
5:14
)
THOSE
IN DISTRESS: assist them (1 Tim
5:10
)
The
ILL-TREATED: remember them (Heb 13:3)
The
ORPHANS and WIDOWS: visit them in their distress
(Js
1:27
)
BROTHERS
and SISTERS: give food and clothing - what is
necessary for their body (Js 2:15
-16)
© 2007 John and Kim Namestnik
www.givengrace.com
Permission is granted to copy and distribute this
material - if it's kept intact and not
changed in any way, if it's given without
charge, and if this copyright notice is
included with it.
|
