When good things become supreme things they become weights, or bad things. Did you know that even doing something good like ministry- if it becomes the main focus of your Christianity- will quickly become something bad?. .bad in the sense that its taking the place of quality time spent with Jesus. Ministry can become an idol. Dont mistake it, ministry is a part of Christianity, but its not your personal relationship with Christ. Thats inward, personal and private. Do you remember Mary and Martha? It could be said that Martha was doing well. .she was being diligent to prepare the house for guests. Perhaps she was getting ready the food, snacks, and whatever materials were needed for fellowship. She was busy. Yet Mary seemed to be taking a break. She pulled away from doing and diligence and was simply abiding, resting in, and worshiping Christ. Why didnt Jesus rebuke Mary? Could Martha have not been doing all the same preparations while singing to the Lord or fellowshipping on the go? Perhaps. But sometimes Jesus is after the quiet, undivided attention. .the kind of quality time where all the weights of the world fall wayside, and the most attractive of all things isnt ministry, but is the Man himself, Jesus! Its as if he would say, can we only have dinner for two? The best question to ask ourselves from time to time isnt how active in ministry we are, but rather..how active in CHRIST are we? Sometimes ministry is a distraction; however, when the vertical relationship is right, ministry is an inescapable requirement. Mary and Martha each did good things in and of themselves. The more important consideration isnt what they were doing (or what we are doing for God), but WHY and when were they/we doing it? Sometimes we busy ourselves with doing church activities, serving, reaching out, doing Bible studies, teaching or preaching and God is like.. can I just spend a half an hour with you at my feet without anybody else knowing? It would even better to get to the place where wed be crying at the feet of Christ as Mary was. Weeping over what, you ask? Well, weeping over our sinfulness, crying out in gratitude to all that Christ has done and continues to do for us, shedding tears for the lost who will be forever separated from God if they do not come to His great salvation. Those are worthy things to get emotional about. Oh, but there is just one prerequisite. .in order to be moved by the things that move God, one must first be IN God sharing His heart. Dont misunderstand, many can fake ministry even apart from God, but somebody will only have true compassion when the ministry is genuinely of God. Lets all take the needed time for spiritual inventory and evaluation. Ask yourself why you are doing what you are doing? In other words, did a persons request talk you into a certain ministry (because it is possible to serve God with a detached heart) or did God himself place it on your heart? The only good ministry is the one that you know that you know God has called you too, because thats the only one where God has allocated grace, purpose and plans for His success through your efforts. Hebrews 12:1 NKJV Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Posted on: Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:58:24 +0000
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