Are You Ready to Minister?
July 25, 2011
Ezekiel 16:1-14
describes a pattern repeated often in scripture.
In verses 4 & 5, Israel is spoken of as a new born, cast into a field.
The infant is bloody, her umbilical cord is still attached, and she is
totally helpless. Then in verse 8,
Israel is spoken of as a woman of marrying age.
She has matured and is capable of entering into and keeping covenants.
God walked by that
helpless infant, had mercy and said, Live.
And after a period of time, the child matured and was given
responsibility (a ministry). Isn’t
that the pattern with most saints?
Consider:
 |
Joshua
- 40 years under Moses, then
given his ministry |
|
Jacob
- 20 years under Laban, then
told to begin his ministry |
|
Paul
- more than a dozen years with
Barnabas, then launched his ministry |
|
Samuel & David
- Years as aides, then began
their ministries |
|
Timothy & Titus
- Years under Paul, then
began their ministries |
|
The Apostles
- 3½ years under Jesus, then
empowered at Pentecost |
I typically read the
parable of the talents in Matthew 25 focusing on the performances of the
traders: 1) a one talent trader
ought to become a two talent trader, 2) a two talent trader ought to become a
four talent trader, and so on. But
let us consider
Traders in Training.
The Lord rarely
drops a talent in the lap of an untrained person.
He typically gives His children a time to grow, a time to be trained.
If this is true, then the question becomes:
Have you passed your training course?
Are you ready to minister, or have you slept in class?
Have you neglected your homework assignments (Heb 5:12-14)?
Have you begun to minister, or have you been afraid to step out of the
classroom (Matt 25:25)?
Sooner or
later, God will drop a talent into your lap.
Are you ready to minister?
Article
Written by Elder Dolph Painter, Moriah Primitive Baptist Church
pastordolph@aol.com
This site created by Steve McCannon.
This page last
updated 08/03/2011
