Early Morning

It's Tuesday morning and I have already been out trying to go to work, but, due to the weather conditions I had to turn around and come back home. I hate to miss a day at work, I feel like a fish out of water. This day will be a day of study and of course prayer. Who ever sees this blog, if you are in the same situation then you know what I am talking about.

Over the past few Sundays the adult class has been seeing what the church is about. What the church is made up of and what our mission and responsibilities are as a new testament church. The studies have been really good and we are looking forward to seeing more of what God expects out of his church. There are several adults in the class that have been saved for years and I believe that some of the things that we have covered so far has been somewhat of new information to them. One older gentleman told me that what was being talked about in class has never been explained to him like it is being explained now. That it is being broken down to where he can really understand the mission of the church and the responsibilities better than he ever has before. Now let me insert this, it is in no way that I am trying to lift myself or anyone else up. I want to let everyone know that it is the Lord and no one else that can open the heart and mind of an individual, so please do not think that I am taking any of the glory. I only mention this to say this. It is a shame and I believe a disappointment to the Lord that those to whom God has placed the call to preach and to teach his word do not see the importance of sharing things of this nature with the people that God has placed them over. I could mention other things as well but will not go into anything other than this area right now.

When I first took the church there was a great need for education along with the preaching of the word. Therefore the term pastoring is applied. Men of God who have the call of a pastor have more of a responsibility to their congregation and to God than to just preach the word. I feel that there is a majority of pastors who have lost this vision and are doing there people a disservice by not implementing education into their ministry. Pastors need to understand that knowledge and the wisdom of how to use this knowledge is power. Not of self, but power of God to know how to rightfully share the Gospel message and to know how to resist the devil. Of how to win battles in their lives and to know how to serve God in a better way. We as pastors do have a heavy responsibility placed on us, but I look at this as a blessing. We need to have a burden for not only lost souls, but for the people that have already been saved, serving the Lord as well. I think at times they get lost in the mix somewhat. I shared on this past Sunday morning the burdens that God had laid on my heart for them as a people and for the church. They are as follows; 1. The burden of seeing lost souls come to know the Lord through this ministry. 2. The burden that new converts as well as the older converts grow in knowledge and mature in the word. 3. The burden that the church is a beacon in our community and that others see a church that is still on fire for God and still preaching and teaching the true bible,KJB. 4. That through our efforts we remain a solid reflection of Christ and a solid reflection of our church. I thank God that some have come to know the Lord as Saviour, as well as being baptised. I always let the people know that it is not me, but the Spirit of Christ that draws them to repentance, and that by their efforts one was able to hear the Gospel message and be saved.

I want God to continually use me in his service, not for any glory of my own, but that I may in some way be a light and a good example to others. Bro. Dave Noffsinger shared this with me a while back, "inspiration without education leads to frustration", how true that really is.